~Attempt~

°2020°

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"Maya, did you finish your homework?" Maya's father asked.

"Yeah, I was gonna go over to Peter's to compare notes. Why?" Maya asked. She removed the headphones from her ears, ABBA's "Voulez-Vous" faintly coming from the device.

"Can you call and tell him you'll be late? I need your help with something."

"What is it?"

There was a long pause.

"I need you to help me take some boxes to my office." Her dad said sheepishly.

Maya gaped.

"Is Mom okay with it?"

"Barely, but she's still working and your siblings are out looking for some extra supplies. I know it's dangerous, but I need the help. Same rules apply for walking through the streets. Eye contact with no one, no biting back, no resistance, no nothing."

"Yeah, Dad, I understand. Let me get my coat." Maya sighed, getting out of her desk chair and grabbed the aforementioned coat. Her dad passed her two cardboard boxes full of papers and other assorted objects. The pair stepped outside in the hazy afternoon light. They were pretty close to the middle of town, and the further out you went, the worse New York looked. Maya was lucky enough to have a decent home to live in because of where her dad worked. But the rest of town looked much like the Earth of "Wall-E" with piles of garbage and a hazy sun that washed everything in a dark yellow light.

Unfortunately, that's all Maya had known for the past eight years. She had spent half her life like this and she absolutely hated it. But no one dared speak out of line if they wanted to see tomorrow. They were taught that everyone was expendable. Sure, there wasn't any racism or discrimination of any kind... There can't be a lesser type of person if everyone is "pathetic."

"So how was school today, kiddo?" Maya's dad asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence in what felt like a death march.

"Okay, I guess. It was just a Geometry review, a lecture on Amino Acids, planning for an essay on "The Great Gatsby," and a surprisingly boring lecture on the end of the American Civil War." Maya relayed the information.

"So did you learn about Stonewall Jackson?"

"Who?"

"Didn't think so." Her dad sighed. "Way back when, my history books were about the size of Shakespeare's complete works. Now they're no bigger than the first Harry Potter book. It was heavily weeded through by Stark and Banner until there's almost nothing left to learn."

"Dad, shh, you know you shouldn't talk about the censorship like that. Especially out in public." Maya hissed.

"I know. It was just wistful thinking. Means nothing. Speaking of, which Shakespeare show are you on?"

"Coriolanus. I got lucky this time; I drew Virgilia. Peter drew Caius, the lead role. Flash isn't allowed for the rest of the unit because he kept on pointing out that the guy has 'anus' in his name." Maya said. Every high schooler was required to take a year long course on Shakespeare and every unit with every show was about two weeks long, each student drawing characters out of a hat. They would analyze the show for the first few days before putting on a small performance at the very end. Scripts were allowed, of course... barely

"Ah, even in the times, teens will be teens. How many more shows do you have?"

"About seventeen after this. Thirty-six shows is a lot. Luckily we don't run the risk of cursing ourselves..." Maya said. For whatever reason, The Scottish Play was cut from curriculums and every "Complete Works" book had the show omitted. Maya was sure there was some petty reason behind it that probably predated the reign itself. There were petty reasons behind a lot of things.

The shadow of what used to be Stark Tower loomed over Maya and her dad as they went through the main doors at the bottom. Truthfully, Maya hadn't ever really been inside it before and had no idea how her dad could do it nearly every day without shaking in utter fear.

Two ugly looking aliens approached the pair with extraterrestrial blasters in their hands. They looked like the aliens that patrolled the streets in search of someone stepping out of line. Maya didn't know what species of alien they were, so she just called them "The aliens that attacked New York," or just "the aliens."

The one on the right said something in a screechy dialect to Maya's father before gesturing to her with it's blaster. She gulped.

"My daughter, she's just helping me carry a few things." Her dad explained. The aliens considered his word, apparently understanding English. The same alien nodded and pointed in the direction of the main staircase with an implied "do your business, then get out."

"You can understand what they're saying?" Maya asked once they reached the stairs."

"Not a word, but I can read body language well enough. They know who I am, but you were a foreign face. Someone who might have bad intentions." Maya's dad explained. Maya nodded as they continued climbing the stairs.

"So what floor are we looking for?"

"Five. Directly below the Throne Room."

"Wouldn't it be at the top?"

"You would think, but so would everyone else. It's meant to throw off potential invaders to buy enough time for the guards to apprehend them. The top is a sort of penthouse, floor 9 is the dining area and kitchens, and floor 16 is the King and Queen's chambers. It's scattered around to cause confusion in those unfamiliar. A guessing game with deadly consequences if you lose."

Once they hit the fifth floor, the hallway was full of doors leading to various rooms. The halls seemed to look almost Medieval in design. Asgardian, Maya supposed. There were a few people in the halls, mostly servants with trays or cleaning supplies. Their outfits didn't look like traditional maid outfits that one would think of when thinking of a maid, but Maya didn't really expect them to. It was like she had stepped into a whole other world.

Out of the corner of Maya's eye, she spotted one particular servant girl with her auburn hair pinned in a messy bun and a tear in the hem of her dress. She looked around her before disappearing down a random corner like she was hiding from someone. Or hiding something. Maya took mental note of it.

The door was no different than the others in the hall, but Maya's dad knew which one was his. He haphazardly turned the handle with his elbow, minding the boxes in his hands. The pair stumbled inside, nearly dropping some of the boxes onto the ground.

"Thanks for the help, kiddo. I know it's scary, but I needed the assistance." Her dad said, wiping his brow with his wrist.

"It's okay, Dad. It's kind of interesting, really. It's almost like we're not on Earth anymore." Maya said.

"It's pretty impressive, I have to admit."

"Adams, I hope those are the financial reports from the past fortnight in those boxes." A new voice said from the doorway, causing Maya and her dad to jump in surprise. They turned to face whoever it was, and Maya suddenly got the overwhelming urge to vomit right onto the floor.

In all her terrifying regalness was the Queen and her body guard. Natasha stood slightly behind in a sort of comfortable alertness, her bright blue eyes always watching. Olivia herself wore a relatively plain gown the likes of which Maya had rarely ever seen, an Asgardian style. She had her hands at her hips with an impatient expression on her face. Out of sheer habit and slight terror, Maya and her dad got on one knee and didn't make eye contact.

"They are, milady. I was hoping to get to filing them today." Maya's dad said in an even tone that well hid his fear.

"Good. And who might you be?" Olivia asked, looking down at Maya.

"My-"

"Did I ask for your input? She can answer for herself."

"Maya Adams, he's my father. He requested my help to move the papers to his office." Maya said, chewing her lip nervously.

"Both of you get up." Olivia said. The pair scrambled to their feet and stood nearly statue still under her gaze. She looked at Maya with an almost cruel smile. "You are in school, yes?"

"Eleventh year." Maya said, nodding once. She didn't dare say any more than she needed to.

"Do you have friends?"

"Betty Brant, Ned Leeds, and my boyfriend, Peter Parker." Maya said, growing worried. The small talk was unsettling to say the least.

"I see. Well, it's always lovely to see daughters helping their fathers out. You seem like a good girl... Maya, was it? I'd hope to see you building a good life while working here someday." The words were innocent enough, but it was the 'someday' that stuck out to Maya. This wasn't a temporary arrangement. This was how her life would be until she died. "Adams, get to filing those papers, I don't want a single mistake. Maya can find her own way out and back home, I'm sure."

"I... Yes, milady." Maya's dad said, though Maya knew he was scared for her. Being in the palace was one thing, but alone was quite another.

"Lovely to meet you, Maya." Olivia said, though there wasn't much weight to her word. In the Queen's eyes, Maya was just another pathetic life form. Olivia adjusted the horned circlet in her hair as she turned to Natasha. "Make sure she gets out the right way, Natasha. My love will be expecting me for dinner soon."

Natasha nodded with a 'yes, milady' as Olivia left the small office. Maya gave a nervous wave to her father as Natasha led her out of the office, down the hall, and to the stairs. Maya thought it strange that Olivia would send her body guard to escort her outside, leaving her nearly defenseless. That caused Maya to remember the serving girl she had seen in the hallway.

"Ah... Miss Natasha? If that's an okay address, I, uh, saw something that might be worth looking into." Maya stumbled.

"Yes, Miss Adams?" Natasha asked expectantly.

"Down the left hallway across from my dad's office, I saw a serving girl with auburn hair and a torn dress. She looked like she was hiding something; she looked around carefully before slipping away." Maya said. She could be signing that poor girl's death warrant if it was something serious, but she didn't do something, it might be Maya's head at risk. Natasha seemed to consider her words carefully.

"I will certainly look into it. You can find your way from here." She said, gesturing to the main doors. Maya didn't even get so much as a word out before Natasha left her behind. It was probably for the best anyways. The red-haired assassin practically breathing down her neck wasn't the most comforting feeling.

Swallowing thickly, Maya left the palace and started the uneasy walk home.

***

The Next Morning

Maya ate her eggs in the morning, dark circles under her eyes. She barely slept a wink the previous night, too caught up in the memories of the day before. Luckily it was a Saturday, so she didn't have school to worry about.

As soon as Maya had gotten home safely, her mother rushed to greet her with a worried hug and frantic questions as to what exactly went on. Maya explained in great detail, her mother growing more worried by the word. She was barely in the palace for half an hour and the Queen had made, albeit uncomfortable, small talk with her. Once she had finished her story, her mother outright said "unless we get specific orders, I don't want you going back there."

Maya agreed.

Barely able to stay awake and not smash her face into the eggs, Maya let out a loud yawn. Her dad was still asleep, barely managing to get home at one in the morning after filing papers for hours.

"Maya?" Her sister, Arianna, called from the front door.

"What?" Maya groaned back tiredly.

"You have a letter."

"This early in the morning?"

Arianna walked into the kitchen and plopped the rather fat envelope in front of her. Maya looked at the name and address, finding they matched hers. The letters were written in a flowy script with a black pen.

"Who writes this fancy anymore?" Maya asked. Arianna sighed and flipped the letter over to the triangular flap sealed shut by a glob of deep blue wax, the shape of a rose and a dagger pressed into it.

"The Queen and King do." Arianna said. That got Maya's attention. Carefully, she peeled the letter open, afraid of what was inside. The clatter of coins hit the table first and foremost. About ten gold coins in all. Confused, Maya pulled out the enclosed letter.

Miss Adams,

I wanted to formally thank you. Your keen observation to Natasha helped us to weed out the serving girl you spotted. She was planning to assassinate my queen in a few days time, having been playing the long game by working here since the beginning, all the while silently planning. In gratitude, there is a little extra pay on top of your father's present salary just for you.

Yours,
L.L.

Maya re-read the paper a few times, having a hard time processing the information. So she was right in thinking that girl was bad news. Plus, she got her family something a little extra something out of it. Yet, she couldn't help but feel bad for that girl. She probably wanted what everyone secretly wanted: her freedom and world back. And Maya just ratted her out for no other reason than she thought the Queen would be defenseless without Natasha. Even if she indirectly saved her oppressor, Maya still had the instinct to help.

Arianna read the letter a few times before paling.

"Mom? I think Maya just busted an attempt on the Queen's life." She called.

***