Azur Lane: Kaiserin (Book 1)

Ch13: FDG

Still stuck in a trance like state, I barely manage to register her words let alone the motion of her hands indicating for me to join her in the bath. Experiencing a sensory overload is never a fun experience but now that I'm caught between my hormones and an absolute sense of dread, I'm completely immobilised. 

????: You need to clean up.

Right. That's all this is. There's nothing else occurring here. I'm just about to get in the same bath with the hottest...no, stop! Uggh. I can't even think straight. Can't she cover up those...

????: Are you ok, child? You seem flustered.

What do you think? It's as though she's completely oblivious to the fact that she's naked right now. I've done my best to avoid staring like a thirsty dog at a pond of water but even with me enacting considerable restraint, my eyes still flicker south every so often to take another peak at those behemoths. 

Me: I...I can bathe later.

I turn in an attempt to flee before I do something I am certain to regret but I barely manage to make a step before a wet surface touches my skin. Already in flight mode, my reflexes kick into high gear as I run for my life but I don't make any progress. In fact, as my feet continue sprinting, I find myself moving backwards and before I know it I'm stripped and sitting in front of her in the bath.

I don't even get the chance to be embarrassed before she's begun washing my back. As she does, she gently unravels my hair with her free hand. Despite my initial fears, however, she isn't rough at any part of the entire ordeal and before long i find myself subconsciously relaxing into her embrace. I'm far too trusting for my own good...

Me: Thank you.

????: I...you're welcome.

I'm not certain since my eyes are closed but I think I just caught her off guard. I've only known her for a few minutes but I can tell she isn't one to falter with her words. I hope she doesn't take it the wrong way. I'm genuinely thankful to her. I know she's the one who saved me as I can faintly remember her taking me out of the cave. I'm getting the sense we'd met before that too but I'm not sure. Despite me being here for sometime now I haven't really interacted with much of the girls.

For some reason they all seem to actively try to avoid me and after some investigating, I'm pretty sure it's because they don't want to get into the mess that surrounds me at the moment. I mean, who can blame them. First it was Agir and Eugen and now apparently Roon. I can't help but feel like I'm just being used here...

????: What's the matter child?

I briefly consider telling her but after a while I decide against it. Sure she's a stranger but she could also be the best friend of one of the three that are currently bothering me. I wouldn't want my thoughts to reach them. Even if Eugen and Agir might understand where I'm coming from I'm certain Roon will take it the wrong way. I've only spent a limited amount of time with her as well but I can tell she's someone that needs to be handled with care. Quite the fragile character which is odd coming from me since I've been the one getting hurt 24/7. Then again, I suppose it can't hurt to share my thoughts just this once, but first...

Me: I forgot to ask but what's your name?

She looks at me, eyes filled with amusement before replying.

????: Friedrich der Große though...you can call me mother...