Agatha H. and the Clockwork Princess

Over her sturdy undergarments she wore a green linen dress that was expensive enough to command respect, but unimaginative enough to make it hard to remember. She laced up the pair of stout walking shoes with the unusual soles that had been constructed by the troupe’s sparky leather worker and part-time cobbler, Sasho[77].

When Agatha finally appeared on the bridge, she found it packed solid. Everyone who was not actively involved in the running of the ship was gathered before Master Payne, who was standing on the elevated captain’s deck.

The old showman looked unnaturally somber. The Countess stood beside him. Usually the two refrained from what the Countess archly referred to as “public indecency” and what everyone else called “holding hands,” but now she was clinging on to her husband’s arm as if her world was ending. And in a way, it was.

“This is it,” Payne said in a voice that allowed no argument. “Master Payne’s Circus of Adventure is finished.” He paused as if he expected a reaction, but everyone remained deathly silent.

“By aiding the Lady Heterodyne, we have done what armies could not. We have humiliated the Baron and escaped to tell the tale.” He shook his head. “No matter what we promise, he cannot afford to let us get away, and we won’t—if we stay together.”

This caused some murmuring, which stopped instantly when Payne raised his hands. “After we have dropped off the Lady Heterodyne, we will fly to Paris. Once there we will sell the airship if we can, but more likely we will have to abandon it. Afterwards, we must go our separate ways.”

That provoked a sharper reaction.

“It cannot be helped!” Payne roared. “We have made our living by being fabulous creatures and thus, we are memorable. As a group we are even more so. We must change or we will die!”

The Countess gripped Payne’s sleeve even tighter. “Payne,” her whisper sounded loud in the silence, “Are you saying that we would have to... leave show business?”

Everyone’s breath caught.

Payne shrugged uncomfortably. “We... might,” he admitted. Sobs were heard from the crowd.

Suddenly, another voice rang out. “It does not have to come to that!” Ardsley Wooster, clad in engine begrimed shirt-sleeves stepped forward. “You don’t even have to disband. Instead, you can come and perform for my countrymen. Come to England.”

He indicated Agatha.” The Lady Heterodyne and myself will be heading there directly. If you come, you will all be guests of Her Majesty, the Queen. You’ll be new! Exciting! A glamorous continental import with a stunning story to tell! You’ll be the toast of Britain and will perform before Her Majesty herself!”

Payne frowned. “We’ll be used as propaganda against the Empire.”

Wooster paused. “Are we talking about the same Empire that will kill you if it catches you? Why, yes sir, I believe we are. Only you can say how firm a grasp said Empire still has upon your loyalty. For what its worth, it’s not like you’ll be asked to spread falsehoods.”

Payne closed his mouth and looked at the rest of the troupe. “Your thoughts? This affects us all.”

“I doubt we’re worth an international incident,” The Countess conceded. She brightened, “And I am a third cousin to Albia by marriage. Many, many times removed, of course.”

“Performers to Royalty always looks good on the playbills,” Rivet stated.

“Oh, yes,” Andre said gloomily, glancing back towards Balan’s Gap. “That worked out so very well the last time.”

Trish turned to Gunthar. “I think getting Balthazar into a real school might be a good thing.”

“Whoa!” the boy cried, “Hold on! They’d... they’d make me wear shoes!”

Dame ?dith stroked her chin. “I hear England is crawling with vampyres...”

Slowly, more and more of the troupe found themselves warming to the idea.

Finally, there was a call for a show of hands. The result was almost unanimous.

“Very well, Mr. Wooster,” Payne announced, “We are loath to break up our company, and there is no denying that we will be safer for a while outside of the Empire. We accept your offer.” He paused. “Do you... do you think Her Majesty would let us keep the airship?” He then winced at the fierce grip upon his arm.

“I think, for the good of diplomatic relations—” Wooster did not elucidate about whom these relationships were between, but he remembered that skillet—“We will have to return the ship, at least, to the Empire.” The look in Payne’s eyes forced him to add, “But if you tour the outer islands, I expect Her Majesty might put a ship at your disposal.”

Payne and Marie looked at each other and nodded.

“I think you made the right decision, sir,” Wooster said happily. “Let us examine the charts and we can plot the best course.”

“Yes, we have about an hour and a half before we reach Mechanicsburg,” Payne said.

Wooster checked himself. “Mechanicsburg?”

“Yes, Mr. Wooster,” Agatha said, “They’re dropping me off.”

A touch of panic filled Wooster’s face. “What?” The image of Gil’s face filled his mind’s eye. It was not a happy face. “No, back in Sturmhalten, you agreed to come to England.”

“I most certainly did not!”

Wooster stared at her.

Agatha hesitated, and turned to Zeetha. “Did I?”

Zeetha nodded. “You did, but that was when you... weren’t in your right mind.” She continued thoughtfully. “In fact, it sounded like you’d’ve rather gone anywhere other than Mechanicsburg.”

Agatha digested this information. “I see. That’s... interesting.” She turned to Wooster. “You think I should go to England with you.”

“Indeed I do. Right now the Wulfenbachs want you under their thumb. In England, you’ll be under the protection of Her Majesty. Once there, you’ll be able to negotiate in safety.”

Agatha thought about this and shook her head. “No. Right now, I’m just another potentially dangerous Spark. The Baron might not mind me being bottled up in England. He’d probably prefer not having a Heterodyne running around the Empire.

Plus, even though they’re at odds, I imagine that if his... fears about me are correct, then your Queen would easily be able to deal with me. Before the current rift, England aided the Empire when it was clearing the continent of revenants.

“But if I want to be treated as a Heterodyne, than I have to get to Mechanicsburg. Once I’m established, it’ll be a different discussion entirely.”

Krosp interrupted. “Oh, yes. You’ll be a sovereign power then. But that means that if you break the Pax Transylvania, he’ll legally be able to roll in and crush you like he’s done to hundreds of others.” Krosp paused.” And I’ll be honest, from what I saw, I wouldn’t be surprised if he said to hell with the legalities and rolled in anyway.”

Agatha nodded. “Krosp, you’ve studied military history, has anyone ever taken Mechanicburg?”

Krosp paused. “No,” he admitted. “But that was when the Heterodynes were in control. And, I’ll point out, no one has ever successfully resisted the Baron.”

“Sounds like it’ll be an interesting fight,” Zeetha said cheerfully. “But why are you willing to have it? I thought you were talking about just living a normal life?” She glanced at the rest of the circus. “Normal-ish.” She amended.

“Yes,” Agatha admitted. “That was the plan.” She looked at Zeetha and gave her a lopsided grin. “But there’s a serious flaw with that plan, one that ruins everything. I’m not really a ‘normal person,’ now am I? I’m a Heterodyne.”

“But you don’t have to fight the Wulfenbachs,” Wooster insisted. “You can still be a Heterodyne in England.”

“Yes, I imagine that’s one of the reasons your government would like to have me. But I’m going to Mechanicsburg, and I’ll tell you why. When my mother, Lilith was about to throw me to safety, she said, ‘Go. Get to Castle Heterodyne. It will help you.’ She knew people, Klaus Wulfenbach amongst them, would be after me. But that’s where she told to go. Mechanicsburg.”

She looked Wooster directly in the eye. “And since she was one of the two people in this world that I trust