Fandom Final Fantasy: The Age of Ophiuchus [Closed]

[Arcanist]

Of course, grieving was tough, the situation of seeing someone else in so much pain at the loss of another...sometimes it could be hard to relate to someone on that matter, especially if you never felt the heavy weight of grief personally. But being able to reminisce of happier times was part of that grief, and people needed reminding of that too.

So she was glad then that Reva could at least feel some form of happiness, a sense of ease in the memory of their Queen. Kikiti nodded, glad to hear of Reva's resolve. "Good. I'm sure, like up to now, you'll do a great job of it." To be so loyal to a woman, and her son, even beyond her death, was truly admirable to Kikiti. Reva must have been a much-trusted guard and friend in Her Majesty's service.

Kikiti nodded to her words, encouraged of Reva's assurance...even if she wasn't so sure of it herself. "Of course, we will. We'll prevail, one way or the other." She just knew they had to make it to Rozari, one way or the other, too. She hoped they would be able to.

Upon being asked to hold the clothes up, Kikiti lifted Didymus' out of the water, and in streams, the water came dripping onto the ground. "Are we taking them back to the fire to dry?" She asked, not aware of the Viera's plan just yet.

~***~

"Yeah...maybe he will..." Cleon murmured.

He had been asking the same questions to himself. Should he have known? Should he have been so assured, so confident in what he would do, so that he could guide others? The very thought of it made his skin crawl, or perhaps that was the night's chill ebbing away at him. Maybe both.

Cleon, once again, couldn't help but feel foolish. Unprepared. He felt all alone, thrust into a world that was foreign to him, with no plan as to where to go or what to do next. He had regretted his quiet, almost secluded life, for now, he wasn't so sure if he was ready for the world he was thrust into.

But he had to be. He couldn't simply run off back home or give himself up. Nothing would be the same again.

Cleon believed he could have done with another dose of Kikiti's so-called 'hope'. It was difficult to have that amongst everything else.

"I'd at least like to return home, someday," Cleon said quietly. It seemed so far-away, a stupid ambition given what had just happened...but he at least needed something to aim for. "Maybe I'll be able to do that." He said it as more of a way to reassure himself, than anything else.

 

[Lucyfer]

Yes, Reva intended to be as good a guard as she could, and continue to protect Cleon, and get him back to his throne. To his home. She intended to do all that she could to help him, and so to honor Inara’s memory in that way. To help Ucantis, as well. It had been good to her, she did not wish it to suffer under the boot of the Empire.

As Kikiti held up the clothes when asked, Reva gave a small smile as she shook her head.

“Watch.”

She lifted one hand, and uncurled her fingers from her palm slowly, breathing in, pulling the water with the gesture, drawing it out of the clothing. With a gentle twirl of her wrist, she moved it back towards the stream and let it drop back into the water there. “It will still be best to heat them over the fire to warm them, I cannot get every droplet out, but I can make this faster.”

She would gesture for Kikiti to hold up another bit, finding it easier to draw the water out when it was held aloft and not upon the ground, mingling with that. She would repeat the process, over and over, with each article of clothing if Kikiti was so accommodating, until they were mostly dry and ready to be returned to the camp.

She had Leviathan to thank for these tricks.

To thank, even, for surviving Ucantis and Oleander’s charge.

~***~

Cleon’s one hope, his one desire for the future, that he was certain of, was so…small. So painfully small, so stupidly, ridiculously, small, for someone who had just fallen so far. It wasn’t what Didymus expected. He had expected something far loftier, but more and more he was seeing that Cleon was just a broken man right now. ‘It won’t last. Tomorrow, or the day after….’

He would remind Didymus that he was a noble, a would-be King, and Didymus would feel invigorated again to bring him back to the Empire so he could get his cut, and move on with his life. It would be enough for him to start over, if he wanted to. Enough for his parents, and he could even say it had been earned honestly.

Kind of.

Doing something for the Empire. It was at least a real job, right?

He really kind of wished Kikiti or Reva were there to help with this conversation, though. “I’m sure you can find a way to do that. Even if you have to sneak in,” Didymus said, not sure how helpful the thought of sneaking back into the kingdom would be to Cleon, but it was…something, right?

Damnit, he sucked at this.

‘Why do you care?’

He didn’t.

But he did. A little.

“I mean, if you dye your hair, or cut it, I’m sure you could sneak in pretty easily.” He had little idea how important Cleon’s hair was to him, though he knew the stereotype of Ucantis men having long hair. A short-haired man would probably look like a traveler or something. More like someone typical of the Empire, at any rate.

 

[Arcanist]

Kikiti waited, still holding onto the clothes. As Reva breathed in, Kikiti seemed to breathe in too, though, she wasn't sure why. She watched Reva stretch her fingers from her palm, and pulled the water from the piece of clothing. She had stopped holding her breath as she let out a noise of surprise and curiosity, watching the water dropping back into the water once again. She stared, mouth agape, before look to Reva once again.

And she hardly bat an eyelid, making it seem as if this was a thing any normal person could do.

Well, perhaps mages. Kikiti did see her use such magic against that gaitor - yet, this seemed way more interesting!

"That was...so cool!" Kikiti couldn't help but shout excitedly. Who knew the littlest things such as that would get a girl so excited? She eagerly lifted another item of clothing, waiting to watch Reva do it all over again. "How did you learn to do that? Do all mages know how to do that? I mean, I don't really know, since Ucantis doesn't really have a lot of them."

She would have known, given the only other magic user she knew was her master. Perhaps more mages lived in the city, but weren't as vocal when it came to their magic. Ucantis had always placed its pride in its physical prowess. Even the Lalafell were eager to show off their own brawling and fighting skills. They were capable fighters, despite what many others would assume. Kikiti was able to throw some pretty good punches.

It was enough to get the other children - human children - to leave her be. Lalafell were much more accomodating of others, despite the abuse they could suffer at the best of times.

In the meanwhile, she continued with holding up each item of clothing for Reva to drain of water.

~***~

Cleon wasn't so sure. He wanted to be, but even if he were to sneak back into his own home...then what? It's not as if he could proclaim it to be his again. Not without a sizeable army at his back, and funds, and the least bit of common sense, right? All things he was sure he didn't have right now.

Didymus was clearly trying to say things that would make him feel a little better, or at least, ease the awkwardness of speaking of such things. He couldn't fault him for the effort. But he couldn't say he felt any better for it.

All he could do was hum a reply to him, unsure of what to say to that himself. To grace him with no response, with him trying to help him, didn't sit well with Cleon.

He sat for several moments, his mind drifting off again, when Didymus had thought to come up with an unthinkable suggestion. When Didymus had finished speaking, Cleon turned to him with a serious gaze. "Would you suggest Reva crop or cut off her ears then?" Perhaps, for the first time in their exchange, rather than seeming so defeated, he actually had an air of resolve. Above all else, even if he couldn't make his mind up about what he wanted to do; if he wanted to go home, if he wanted revenge, if he wanted to take down the Empire, this was the one thing he knew he wouldn't do.

"Maybe it wouldn't matter. They could still catch us. I wouldn't consider cutting my hair," Cleon continued, "it's shameful enough to have been driven and exiled from my own home...cutting it or dyeing it just amps up that shame. It lets them think they've destroyed me." He was, though, in a sense, destroyed. With his only other family, bar Reva, dead, his home taken over, and him practically thrown out, he was a man with nothing. Yet, this cultural tradition and pride was one of the very few dear things he had left to him.

Would it be safer to cut it or dye it? Absolutely. He knew Didymus had a smart suggestion. It would have been helpful while travelling. It could have bought them time.

Cleon wasn't a proud man.

But he allowed himself one bit of pride, like any other Ucantis man or woman did, when it came to their hair.

 

[Lucyfer]

Kikiti’s surprise and immediate excitement over the action was endearing, but not unexpected, in this case. Although Reva had seen Kikiti use magic, she was aware that her own abilities were considered strange, even by other mages. She had not learned in the standard fashion, though, so she assumed that was a good part of why her talents were unusual.

“I have…a friend, of sorts,” Reva said, uncertain how precisely to describe Leviathan, “He came to me years ago, and is still here, with me. I know him as Leviathan. Perhaps you have heard stories of the water dragon?” They were spread throughout Ucantis, more predominately in the capital.

Reva did not call on him much, though Inara and others had seen him.

“He has taught me magic, as he knows it,” she continued pulling water from the clothes, “I have been told by mages at the Academies that I seem to practice different than they do, although I have known mages in Rozari who could do similar things,” Ucantis was indeed deficient in mages, “and of the viera, as well.”

They were more attuned to the natural world around them, so most did fall into practices with water, or with earth, than the other elements.

“Once you understand the magic you know, you learn how to manipulate it…it is like any skill,” Reva said, “like walking. You learn to walk, you learn to run, you learn to skip…it is about minor adjustments.” Walking was likely a far too simple way of looking at it, but she thought it was also effective. No one could call running and skipping the same, nor walking and crawling, but they were all natural forms of movement.

~***~

Didymus’s nose wrinkled and he gave Cleon a disgusted look as he responded with something about chopping Reva’s ears. “No!” He wasn’t going to suggest something that would hurt Reva, but how did that tie into hair? Hair didn’t bleed, or hurt, when it was cut! Cleon at least went on, elaborating a bit on how much his hair meant to him.

Apparently, a lot.

‘Now I really want to dye it.’ He knew he should fight that urge, especially in this group, but the desire to see it blue was now in his mind. Maybe a dye that would wash out quick, just to give Cleon a heart attack?

He tried to shake the thought off.

“It’s just hair, it grows back, you know. It doesn’t hurt when it’s cut off, either,” he probably sounded callous, but it was, “but fine, at least you’ll look normal in Ucantis,” once they got out of Ucantis, not so much. “You still need a different name to go by, at least,” he reminded, now that Cleon seemed willing to think a little bit, or at least stand up for one thing he wasn’t changing.

He’d thought of changing his name earlier, anyways.

At least for the journey.

 

[Arcanist]

Kikiti, after yet another piece of attire was being drained of water, watched and listened to Reva with some childlike wonder. A friend? So, somebody could clearly perform such magical feats too? Though, whenever she had mentioned the name Leviathan, her mouth dropped. "Leviathan?" She repeated and grinned. "My parents used to tell me bedtime stories about Leviathan! I didn't even think he was real..." She murmured, that look of wonder still sparkling in her eyes.

Though, she had to wonder how he was still with her. Kikiti couldn't help but glance to the side of her at the running water, as if the dragon would be sitting in the river with them. She went red, stealing her gaze away. It was silly to think Leviathan would be cruising among a small river...or would he?

Reva was rather informative when it came to the magic. Kikiti nodded, murmuring, "I see...I can't really say much on the mages over there, but...I'm sure you knew that. What with me seeming so impressed with what you did here," she giggled a little. "And I suppose being a Viera helps." It was a terrible shame there weren't more mages in Ucantis. Sure, it was just the culture of the kingdom, but she always thought mages had such benefit and culture of their own to share. That, and she got sick of scrawny boys telling her they'd become great knights, then tripping over their own feet or something silly.

"Ah, true..." Now that Kikiti thought more about it, she supposed it was about manipulating magic. If that could be applied to the type of magic that Reva was using, then surely it could apply to Kikiti's too? "Say, if we're going to be travelling together for awhile," Kikiti started, looking to her. "You don't...think you could teach me how to do that? The movement, I mean. I'm no offensive mage, but maybe it would help me better with my White Magic."

She was always eager to learn, especially in seemingly unorthodox and unusual ways.

~***~

Of course, he wouldn't suggest anything like that. Cleon already knew that, but the strange and brutal question had served one purpose of comparison in his mind. Something that would no doubt hurt Reva, that would fundamentally change her, was practically the same as cutting or doing anything with Cleon's hair.

Dramatic, and probably not the best comparison to make, but it was more than just hair to him than it was to Didymus. It had always been so much more fundamental than that...

Didymus, though, didn't seem to agree and didn't seem to understand, Cleon noted with some disappointment and disdain of his own. "It isn't just hair, you know. Sure, it grows back, but..." The thought of trying to explain Cleon tired him before he had even started. Perhaps tonight wasn't the night for it. He could delve into that side of culture some other time. He was sure Didymus wasn't desperate to know it anyway.

He didn't want to waste his breath arguing. Not on this night, of all nights.

Cleon nodded a little. "I suppose you're right..." A small sacrifice. At least he would always be Cleon to someone, even if he never was or never got to be again. He pondered what names he could even go with. Probably nothing Ucantisian. As if being from Ucantis wasn't obvious enough as it was...he shook his head a little, before looking to Didymus.

"You...wouldn't happen to know any good names, would you?"

 

[Lucyfer]

There were no such stories in the Faded Timberlands, but stories of Leviathan had spread in the human world, Reva had noticed. Even Oleander seemed aware of who he was, of what he was, and Reva wondered at the presence of the Zodiacs in the world for that. Leviathan had told her he had bonded with no other before her, and had mentioned a fall from the heavens – the thing she had confronted her own sisters about.

Yet, little else did he say of times before, and even of why he fell. On those matters, he seemed quiet, reserved, uncertain. Reva might even say the great dragon was afraid, that there was something he did not understand.

He was, after all, always there in a way that could be felt.

And she laughed a bit at Kikiti’s look towards the river, and the way her face blushed.

“Leviathan is real, but you will not see him, and he does not see you right now.” Reva did not fully understand how it worked, either, though she had spent plenty of time talking to Leviathan about it. He was aware of her, just as she was aware of him. She did not see what was around Leviathan, just as he did not see what was around her. He came when she called, though she suspected he could also push himself through of his own will if he desired it.

She did not call on him for frivolous matters.

Though, sometimes she wondered if he might like the company, he had admitted that being within her world was something of a strain, and the connection was how he managed it at all.

“I would be happy to try and teach you more, Kikiti,” Reva said, “I do not know healing magic, but I know…general properties of magical theory,” she answered, “and I know more than one element of magic, and much of it seems to work for them.” As she said it, she twirled her wrist and drew her fingers into a loose fist, hardening the water she’d just drawn away into ice.

She let it drop into the river like all the rest, the last of it, and relaxed her fingers to melt the ice atop the rushing water.

“But now we should return to the others.” She did not like being apart from Cleon so long in this situation, and he was probably cold. So was Didymus.

She supposed she would throw on her own damp attire and sit by the fire to dry it out further. The Twelve only knew how Didymus or Cleon would react otherwise, and so she began to re-dress, shivering a bit at the still-damp attire.

~***~

The hair was important. Didymus would not soon forget that even as Cleon seemed resigned to his misunderstanding. Didymus was too practical for an understanding here, and without the cultural background of Ucantis to truly understand it. He also didn’t really plan to pry more into it, so he was fine when Cleon let it go with no further explanation.

To the subject of names.

“Uh.”

He didn’t know Ucantis naming conventions either. He didn’t think Kikiti was a standard Ucantis name, and he didn’t really know too many other Ucantis males. How was he supposed to come up with a name? ‘Just think of the typical ones in Escander.’

“Well, uh, Amos, Alexander, Elias, Joel, Cephas, Seth – those are all pretty common names in Escander.” Alexander was oddly common, with several variants, because of some hero. Shame that hero supposedly reincarnated about a hundred years ago, only to get wrecked by Emperor Leander.

Though, it had supposedly protected Escande in spite of that loss.

Up until, well, now, of course.

 

[Arcanist]

Kikiti looked back to Reva, cheeks still blazing. "Oh, I see...and, uh, that's comforting." The thought of a giant sea creature looming over her at this moment in time only made her feel more uncomfortable. So she opted to push away such a thought. Though it was odd, the way Reva explained it. He was real, yet, she couldn't see him, and she couldn't see him.

She figured she could ask her about it another time. Kikiti would love to learn more.

Kikiti beamed at Reva's answer, unable to help but clasp her hands together in glee after putting down the last of the clothing. "You would? Oh, that would be great, Reva! Thank you!" The thought of learning a new way to apply magic was exciting to Kikiti, a way to further hone her skills, even as she was away from her master. Maybe she would return to Ucantis more learned than she could ever expect to be.

Kikiti nodded and got up onto her feet. Though, she wasn't so eager to return with just her undergarments on, and especially when she had run off from the boys who were most likely going to be still in their own. So, adopting a similar approach to Reva, she lifted just her dress and shimmied into it, giving a bit of a squeak at how cold it was against her skin. It would have to do, at least until it dried.

The Lalafell then lifted some of the clothing, and Reva lifted a few articles too, and soon, they were making their way back to the camp.

~***~

Cleon waited for an answer or at least a slew of names, though, Didymus seemed to have trouble thinking up a few. Understandable, considering he had just thrown the question on him on the spot as he did. It was probably akin to asking them what their favourite thing was.

You forgot everything when it came to questions like that.

Though, he eventually started to run through some names - ones that came from Escander, his home - that were common for some males in particular. He had heard names like that crop up now and then, though, wasn't sure if they were so popular in Ucantis.

Alexander was one he knew vaguely, for some reason or another. He must have read about someone with that name before, though, as he tried to pull such information from his head, he couldn't seem to quite grab it.

Perhaps it was because he was juggling too many other thoughts in his head.

Cleon, nonetheless, nodded. "I see. Thank you. I suppose I'll have to choose one at one point...so if I at least gather up some now..." He murmured, more a muse to himself than anything else.

Though, he paused, looking over his shoulder at the sound of a voice not so far from them. He seemed to loosen though at realising it was Kikiti's chirping from a distance. He had no doubt he would be a lot more paranoid of others from now on, especially as there wasn't a whole cohort of people protecting him...

 

[Lucyfer]

Didymus nodded, “Probably be good to have something figured out before we get to the first town, in case we have to introduce you or something,” then they’d at least all be on the same page of what to call him, and not ‘Cleon’. Or not just give him a random name and make use of it from then, although that thought was amusing.

He wondered what sort of name Kikiti might bestow on him.

Or Reva, for that matter.

They might not be as familiar with human names, and would probably give him something that most would consider weird. It wouldn’t be enough to ruin the guise, but it’d still probably get a raised eyebrow or two.

He did look up as he heard the return of Kikiti and Reva, and considered getting to his feet, before he thought better of it – recalling, again, that he was still mostly naked. The women returned, and he gave a small wave. “We’re alive and in one piece.” He didn’t kill Cleon for being an ignorant noble. Or kidnap him. Damnit. He really wasn’t very good at this, was he?

‘Just gotta find another town with the Empire’s soldiers…it’ll be okay….’

Sure.

Reva nodded, and calmly set Cleon’s attire by him, “It is still damp, but the fire will warm it,” she said, as she took a seat by the fire to warm up her own attire, “The river is not far from here should either of you wish to bathe,” she realized she could have done that then, but didn’t want to leave the boys suffering without clothing for too long. “We’ll move again in the morning.”

“Are you sure it’s going to be safe here? We’re still close to Ucantis, and we have a fire….”

Reva nodded, “The smoke will not be that noticeable,” it was just a small campfire, it broke up enough by the time it hit the leaves, that it shouldn’t be noticed at night. “We will be fine until morning,” those in Ucantis had too many other things to take care of, no doubt. “If it is not, I will know about it.”

“Ah…er…should we plan on guard shifts for the night, then?” Diddy wondered aloud. Certainly Reva couldn’t stay up the entire night, could she?

 

[Arcanist]

Cleon, like Didymus, gave a small wave by way of greeting, though, Kikiti's eyes seemed oddly stagnant as if she was avoiding looking elsewhere. Cleon, too, on that note, noticed that he was still without clothes. Thankfully though, Reva had left his clothing beside him...though, that still had to be dried, what with it having already been washed.

But he was grateful for it, nonetheless. He smiled at Reva, and then to Kikiti, whose eyes whirled up to the sky, and said, "Thank you, both of you."

"Yeah, n-no problem!" Kikiti squeaked, only ever bringing her eyes down to make sure she wasn't walking into the campfire. She plopped herself down near to it, grateful for the warmth she felt combating the chill against her skin.

Cleon wondered, what with them departing in the morning, how long it would be until the next town. He doubted they would get there quickly on walking distance, but surely it couldn't have been that far from the kingdom? He was trying to envision the map that always dressed his mother's table, the same one where she often debated military strategy and taught Cleon of Ucantis' surrounding borders and territories.

Either way, they were still too close to home. He could understand why they'd have to rush off when morning broke.

Though the fact that this was happening, and all so quickly...he still couldn't fathom.

Cleon looked from Reva to Didymus, upon the mention of guard shifts, blinked for a moment, until he realised they couldn't all be sleeping at once. If caught unaware, it spelt obvious danger for all of them. "Well...I guess I could--"

"I don't think so, not with the state you're in," Kikiti interrupted, eyeing Cleon's face carefully. "You look exhausted. Maybe a kip would do you some good."

Cleon shifted uneasily, mumbling, "I'm fine." Obviously, that was a lie, one that Kikiti could so easily see through.

Kikiti sighed, looking to Didymus - top-half, of course - and Reva. "I can take an early shift if you guys want. After that meal, I'm raring to go! No Arkidian soldiers are gonna sneak past me!" She punched her two fists forward as if that would assure everyone of her...fighting skills?

 

[Lucyfer]

Kikiti seemed quite prepared to stay up for all hours, given her energy. Didymus tried not to laugh, as he started to take his attire and dress. He’d noticed how uncomfortable Kikiti seemed about it. He supposed he’d be equally uncomfortable if it had been Reva or Kikiti in such a state before him. He wouldn’t know what to do with his eyes.

Probably just close them.

“I can take second shift,” Didymus offered.

Reva accepted that with a nod. She wouldn’t have wanted to assign any shift to Kikiti, either, but she supposed right now it could not be helped. She would just have to hope Kikiti didn’t fall asleep on duty, “I will take third,” she allowed, “you can have the last shift, Cleon,” although she might just stay up with him, at that point.

She needed as much sleep as any human, but she was also used to some degree of fatigue and working with it. She had, after all, traveled substantially in her life. That was not always a luxurious event, and it was often over wild territories, where sleep could lead to death. She had to remain awake for long stretches of time to get to safety.

A group would mean that was likely not necessary, and she was thankful for that.

It was not something she sought to repeat, even if she had good memories of those times, and still longed to see more. This wasn’t exactly how she wanted to see more. She had wanted it to be peaceful. This was far from that – and she was not going in any new direction. She was going back to the familiar.

“That should work,” Didymus said, now clothed once more, even if it was cold. He just scootched closer to the fire. “Do you think we’ll be…,” he sighed, realizing it was a stupid question, “We’re going to be doing a lot of roughing it, aren’t we?”

“We are,” Reva agreed.

Staying in towns to often would lead to them being found by the Empire.

“Well…we need tents and blankets, for sure.”

 

[Arcanist]

As each person stepped forward to take a shift, it was eventually decided that Cleon would take the last shift. He supposed he couldn't argue with that. He was still getting a shift at least. He nodded, and murmured, "Alright." Hopefully he would get some rest at least before then.

"Great," Kikiti clapped her hands, rubbing them together with glee. "Nice to know we've got a schedule sorted." There was no way any normal sixteen year old girl would be excited about guard shifts, but, well...you had to be hopeful and happy about something in situations like these, didn't you?

Cleon, in the meanwhile, hadn't opted to put on his clothes - as much as he desperately wanted to to spare his indignity. Though, he did begin to unfold them, at least to cover him a little bit. The idea of having to camp a lot more wasn't something Cleon particularly enjoyed - especially after his excursion in the wild almost ten years before - though, he supposed he would have to get used to it.

"Pots and pans too, if we can manage it. Ooh, I'm sure if I got the right supplies, I could make one or two blankets," Kikiti suggested with a smile. "Well, it might take longer, I suppose, but it could be cheaper. If not, I can always rustle up some clothes if need be." At least it would keep her hands busy if anything, and her mind focused on something else other than home.

"You work with clothes?" Cleon asked.

"Sort of. More of a hobby. My mother's more of a seamstress, but I tend to make clothing out of anything I find," Kikiti grinned, getting to her feet and modelling her still damp dress. "I made this out of a pair of curtains someone was going to throw out. I like to think I can be very resourceful."

Resourceful. Cleon wondered how resourceful he could possibly be to all of them here...he managed a smile nonetheless to Kikiti. "Who knew a pair of curtains could make for a nice garment?"

"Right?" Kikiti giggled, patting and brushing down the dress. "But anyway...you should all try to get some rest while I go first."

 

[Lucyfer]

Above Ucantis...​

Ucantis had not been difficult to overcome.

For one, Ucantis didn’t use magic that often, something the Empress of the Arkidian Empire knew, and exploited in taking the capital city over. They were not prepared to handle mages, or deal with mages, in any real way. They understood the physical, and so the first wave that Oleander had led, had been just that.

The second was magic, and arrows, and anything else that could throw the fighters of Ucantis off – usually from airships, but there were some who did their fighting on the ground. Zariel did not participate in it, despite her own skill. She knew her place was not the center of a battlefield, even if sometimes she craved it, and envied Oleander for it.

And even if, at that very moment, the Empress was furious at the mistakes that had been made on the ground-level. Notably, that Queen Inara Bandoethel was dead, and Cleon Bandoethel was missing.

Because now, of course, on top of taking over the kingdom, she had to plan a parade for the dead queen, because she still had a role to play and that role was far different from Leander, or even Lavi. She was not the heartless conqueror they had been, she was not completely absorbed by the conquering (really, wasn’t that secondary, anyways?), she had larger goals than all of that.

Conquering made it easier.

Killing off beloved queens did not make it easier.

For the moment, Zariel was refraining from acting on that frustration. It would do her little good. She just had to go forward with making sure Inara's body was cared for, and that a parade was prepared, so that Queen Inara was honored, and the people of Ucantis did not immediately revile her.

Zariel did not go to the body of Inara immediately. She had more pressing matters to attend to, in her own ship, the Leander. Despite being safe in her own ship, she wore armor that day, the lights touching on the gold and sparking off it as she walked. No one dared stop her as she stepped into the medbay, and found her brother’s cot.

Naturally, he was mostly disrobed by that point, his body bruised terribly from the armor and the blow he’d taken. Her eyes went over him, lips pursing into a tight line. He grinned up at her, lazy, crooked, “What, I’ve looked worse. You've seen me with running eyeliner.”

“I know.” Zariel drew her eyes up from the way the tattoos seemed to shimmer a moment, that threat of exploding into lightning. The air smelled of ozone around him, but she saw no dark scorching around the area, so she assumed he’d kept it under control. “How did this happen?”

“Yeah, that’s the fun part,” Oleander answered, and he tried to sit up. He winced as he did so, and opted to lay back down, “Leviathan. The viera bitch has Leviathan. There’s two zodiacs in Ucantis, and we didn’t fucking know about it.”

Zariel arched a brow as she folded her arms over her chest. “Interesting….” She hadn’t heard of Leviathan being anywhere in Ucantis. She also hadn’t heard of non-humans having Zodiacs, though that wasn’t a terrible surprise, it did make her wonder if something as stupid as a chocobo could end up with a Zodiac. That could be…annoying. Perhaps a question for Lixue, although he never seemed to get decent answers from his own Zodiac.

And she couldn’t bring hers to light.

“Lixue’s been informed you’ve been returned. I’m sure he’ll be in to see you soon.”

“Lilia?”

“I’ve let her know you made it back and you’re sleeping. She’s not to disturb you.”

“Heh….” Oleander relaxed, a little, “No pressure to get well by tomorrow then, huh?” All the pressure. “She okay? She doesn’t really….?”

“She’s okay,” Zariel confirmed, “She’s likely asleep by now, as well. She didn’t see what was going on below. She knows we’ll be visiting Ucantis soon, and I suppose I’ll have to tell her about the lovely parade we’ll be having for Queen Inara.”

“Hey, that was not my fault, and I killed the bitch responsible, okay?”

“That doesn’t fix my problem, does it?”

Oleander was tempted to parrot the words back at her. He refrained.

 

[Arcanist]

They had won Ucantis, but that had never been in doubt. The kingdom had shut itself away ever since Queen Inara's husband died in on that political errand on her behalf. No matter how high they built walls or how much armour they donned, it would never be enough with the power of the Empire. Lixue had known this, and had always known it, not because of his traditionalist pride, but because they were smarter.

It was no secret that Oleander had returned. Though, Lixue hadn't heard so much of an uttering about the Queen or her son. That only served as bad news to him. He concluded they either both escape, one of them died and one escaped...or both of them died. He had hoped, for many, many other people's sake, that it wasn't the latter. They needed every last Zodiac. Not eleven, not six, not seven, not three. None of them pushed the limits this far to have one just drop off and die, after all.

He of all people knew that.

As Lixue made his way towards the medbay, he received nods and slight dips towards him, though, he hadn't acknowledged any of them. It came with the name, and they were only doing it out of custom and respect. Half of the gestures probably weren't even intended with respect, he figured, which he was fine with. He had more important things to be doing, more substantial and life-changing research to be focused on. That was what would - and had - helped to propel the Empire forward.

"Oi, you! Lixue!"

Lixue didn't stop. He kept walking, holding back the groan in his throat. A few hours away from her wasn't enough. That crude, tempermental, beast of a woman that Zariel had hired. He wouldn't argue with manpower, but this mercenary and her lot were just downright vile.

"Hey, you deaf?"

Running around their city, no less the palace as if it was some dirty tavern they could revel in.

"Twelve, you walk fast..."

What a nuisance.

"Would you just stop?!"

Lixue reluctantly did so, whirlling around to her, though, was taking aback by her appearance. She was caked in blood. From handprints on her armour, bloody streaks in her hair, spots of it on her face. His nose wrinkled. "Why are you covered in blood?"

Jagger's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, 'Why are you covered in blood?' I was fighting on the frontlines. And I thought you were supposed to be the smart one."

"No, why are you still covered in blood?" Lixue groaned, before he moved his face away, bringing the back of his hand up to his nose. "The smell of it alone..."

Jagger scoffed, patted his shoulder - and couldn't help but grin more at the sheer discontent in his expression as she did that. "If you think that's bad, wait until the damn bodies start rotting." She chuckled, walking past him...and in the same direction as the medical bay.

"What are you doing?"

"Going to see Her Holiness."

"Not without a summons or looking like that," Lixue told her, his expression turning more sour at the dismissive wave. He followed her, calling after her, "And that isn't even her title, it's--"

Jagger was now the one ignoring him, clearly bringing the woman a great deal of glee and a bounce in her step. She rounded the corner, and Lixue could already hear the squeals of some of the medical attendants inside, and he cursed under his breath, pacing faster to reach the medical bay.

Of course, on his arrival, there stood the starkly contrasted Jagger with her bloody armour, not looking a damned bit ashamed in front of the Empress or her brother. Speaking of, Oleaner looked roughed up, a state Lixue hadn't seen him in a rather long time. He could only wonder who - or perhaps what - had done that to him. Though, he suppressed such excitement to clear his throat. "My apologies for Jagger's...rude bedside manner." He ignored the pointed glare from Jagger, and looked to Oleander. "And I'm glad to see you're still with us. I'd hate to see my good work wasted, after all."

 

[Lucyfer]

The arrival of Jagger was accompanied by gasps and irritated chastisements as she found her way to where Oleander and Zariel were. Zariel stepped aside, giving Oleander clear view of the woman covered in blood. Though Zariel’s look was less than forgiving for the blood soaked woman in a sterile area, Oleander laughed and offered a thumbs up, “Nice. Hate to see the other guys.”

Lixue stepped in then, with his apologies and words to Oleander, which Oleander also responded to, “It will take a lot more than a dragon to keep me down, don’t worry.”

Zariel translated, “The viera guard, Reva, has the Leviathan. We’ll have to reconsider our plans,” she noted simply, before letting her eyes fall upon Jagger, “Where is Didymus?”

Oleander knew the tone that question was asked in. He didn’t expect Jagger would, though. It sounded friendly enough, a simple curiosity, but it was one of those questions where Zariel already knew the answer, and already knew how she planned to react. There were few ways to get around it, and Oleander tried not to wince or give too much away.

He did try to deflect a bit, “Who’s Didymus? Should I know him?”

“Jagger’s associate. We had a deal.” Zariel said simply, “I am hoping someone has done a better job tonight than the rest of you.”

Oleander huffed, “Hey, your intelligence sucked, no one knew there was Leviathan in the kingdom.” A pointed glare from Zariel, without even turning her head, caused him to decide to end it at that. He made his point and she knew it. No one had known about this, and that was a failure on her part.

She should have known.

 

[Arcanist]

Jagger smirked, before waving her arms in a motion as she did a mock bow. "Why, thank you. You've got the best in the business." She could practically feel Lixue's eyes rolling behind her. Ever a woman fond of tooting her own horn. She was worth her money, or at least, so she liked to think. She had to be with what she was getting paid with here.

Lixue's eyes moved to Oleander, then to Zariel as she explained, and his lips twitched slightly. "Leviathan..." He cast his mind back, over the many, many lectures of his mother on Zodiacs. The creature was never hard to recall, what with the stories and myths that floated around about it. How he would have loved to see it in action himself...and obviously, now, of course, they would have to change their plans. Convincing that Viera of anything, never mind grabbing the prince from her, only complicated matters further.

"Dragon, huh..." Jagger murmured, rubbing the back of her neck, though, paused at the feeling of blood slicking itself across her skin. Glad she wasn't there to see it. She'd fight anything, but she doubted winning against a sea monster would have been easy. Especially if Oleander was sitting here in the state he was.

Though, she wasn't willing to sit or stand there like her cohorts and take her comments. Jagger scoffed at the seething disappointment in Zariel's tone. Was she meant to feel guilty about that? "Listen, you told me to go down there and mess up a few ponytailed freaks, and as you can see," she gestured once again to her state, "I did just that, exactly like you told me to. Didymus will be hot on that crybaby prince's trail. He's good at what he does. Plus, he's got a Viera to deal with. Give him some patience and he'll have him right at your feet in no time."

Where is that fucker? Was more of the frazzled, frustrated state of Jagger, behind that easy grin of hers. She was risking her head on the line by putting him forward the way she did. She didn't have to bust his ass out of that cell. In fact, he owed her twice over.

After a deal of silence, Lixue ventured in. "No one could have known about Leviathan being in Ucantis." As much as he was sharp with his words, he knew that probing a reaction from Zariel in the state she was in wasn't recommended. He had seen it first-hand, after all. "The Zodiac has been much harder to track than the others. At least you can trace back an origin to previous holders..." There was an Aquarius before him, though again, Shiva wasn't willing to part with details so easily.

 

[Lucyfer]

Didymus had not reported to Jagger, then. That was somehow not what Zariel anticipated, by now she had anticipated that Didymus returned to Jagger empty-handed and with excuses, but he had not. That meant he was likely on the trail as Jagger claimed. “Or, perhaps, he ran off as soon as he was free.” That was possible with someone like Didymus, and if it were true, she’d certainly want his head.

For now, however, she would allow a pass.

They did not know, and Jagger still seemed to have some faith in the matter, but if she were wrong, then she would end up on the trail of the prince herself instead of Didymus. Or Oleander…both of them had the markings of Zodiacs, both of them could potentially stand against Leviathan, although the odds were slim.

If Lixue wasn’t so…well…weak he might have been good to send after them since he had a useable Zodiac, but that wasn’t a good idea and Zariel knew it. He had far more use than as a blunt instrument, and he was right about Leviathan. Up until now, they’d never known where Leviathan was, not in history, nor from previous wielders. It was not one that Leander had encountered.

Did that make her feel better about missing it? No. They should have known. They still should have known, if the Viera could call it forth as easily as Lixue could call upon Shiva. There should have been rumors, or talk of it, but the only rumors were of the Prince. The Viera’s secret had been well-kept. “There are still too many we do not know the location of,” Zariel pointed out, “We know of ourselves, the Viera, and the Prince, but that is a mere 6 of 12.”

“And what do you suggest we do about it, exactly? This whole conquering thing is how we’re going to be able to find the others, anyways, right?”

“Do you truly believe all the remaining Zodiacs are in Ucantis and Rozari?” Zariel asked.

Oleander knew better than to answer, so he didn’t.

“We need to begin a survey in the territories we own. It’s long overdue. We also need to find the viera populations.”

“That’s impossible,” Oleander groaned.

‘Not if we smoke them out.’ Literally. Zariel wouldn’t say that, of course. Oleander still had something of a heart, and Jagger was, well, a mercenary. That was a task to set up with Lixue, and send back to the forests they knew held Viera presence. So far they’d avoided causing harm to the forest, but if this was the only way…well, so be it. Now they knew the viera could host zodiacs, they had to be investigated. "We'll think of something," she said, though with a glance at Lixue, "Jagger, you should consider preparing yourself for travel soon. If we do not hear from Didymus n the next day or two, I want you to find him, and find the Prince."

 

[Arcanist]

That was also a possibility. Shiiiit. Jagger's nose wrinkled. She'd wring the little shit's neck the next time she saw him, never mind Zariel having him hung, drawn, and quartered himself...did they still do that in the Empire? Did they ever do that in the Empire? Probably. Who cared? There'd be nothing left of him if she found out he double-crossed her.

They would have to see, nonetheless. Zariel wasn't going to do anything about it - for now, at least.

Lixue rubbed his jaw. Six out of twelve. Most people wouldn't think those were bad odds, but they were bad odds when you didn't know when Ophicuchus would strike. Worse so, only two of them had awakened theirs, one who was on the opposite side. They were looking rather hard, but not smart enough. If a viera could come to possess a Zodiac, then there was no saying that a lalafell couldn't have one, or any other race couldn't. He sincerely hoped chocobos and moogles were not on those lists of possibilities. Why any Zodiac would choose one of those was beyond him.

Surveys were just the thing. Lixue nodded, rubbing his fingers together in some thought. They had already been implemented some time ago in Amarum, and the majority did participate in it, even if very few came up with the constellations they were looking for.

The viera. Lixue looked to Zariel, who, no surprise to him, was looking at him, claiming they would think of something. Something horrible in the eyes of many perhaps, but a necessary evil if they were choosing not to cooperate. He pushed his glasses up before he confirmed with an, "Of course." In fact, he already had a few methods he would have been happy to discuss.

Man, how petted were these two? They looked like beaten-down dogs when Zariel said she was disappointed in them, and yet, they came running and licking at her boots whenever she gave out an order! Imagine having to work under that!

...oh. Right.

Jagger turned to Zariel with a raised eyebrow, ready to hear her orders, only with the thought of sweet, sweet gold tinkling in her palm. She lifted an arm and poised her hand in a salute. "Aye, aye, Empress! Here's to hoping I don't get saddle sores! Or air sickness! Or any other kind of travel sickness!" Ugh, she was an errand girl now too? More of a reason to clobber Didymus the next time she lay eyes on him.

...if she ever would again.

 

[Lucyfer]

Good.

Lixue Virys understood what was required of him, no doubt those conversations would take place later. Not far in the future, but there were still things to consider with Ucantis first. Lixue wouldn’t be involved in much of that, unless for some reason he was needed to spruce up a corpse. He could begin organizing their options.

A survey wouldn’t be difficult to do. Well, in Escander, but Zariel already knew ways around their difficulties. Just claim it was a lottery, or a way to win money, and she’d have people lining up in the streets! Simple. The people there were willing to sell out their own family for a bit of gil, after all. Nevermind that none of it was guaranteed.

Zariel nodded, “You’ll be provided with plenty of funds for travel and a chocobo, I believe an airship would be too conspicuous at this point. I doubt they have run south,” which meant they were running to Rozari, another place she needed to begin working on, now that Ucantis had fallen. They were the only ones left, after all, and it felt like they were running out of time.

Not that they could be certain.

This began years ago, with Leander, and Ophiuchus hadn’t done much that was notable. They truly didn’t know all Ophiuchus could do, although they were somewhat aware that he had manipulation over magic and fiends in the movement of Mist. Or at least, it was a popular hypothesis after Mist had swarmed her tower and she had to deal with an outbreak of fiends to make sure she didn’t lose that work.

Leander had been the one to truly understand it…and she’d never gotten to meet him.

“We’ll begin moving our soldiers forward to create outposts along the way to Rozari, so should you find them, one of our posts won’t be far, though you’re also free to run a message to us. I should be in Ucantis for a while,” she did have to stay to make sure things got settled, before she could consider any other of her numerous outposts.

“What about me?”

“Oleander you’re laying in a medical cot right now.”

“Yeah, but…tomorrow.”

Zariel sighed, and looked to Lixue, “Will he honestly be better tomorrow?” He understood the enhancements on Oleander far better than she did. And she knew Oleander liked to play tough too much for sanity.

 

[Arcanist]

Jagger nodded. She supposed that was better, not having to pay her own way to travel. She had to do that before, which was a lot of bullshit in her opinion. Send her to do a job and make her dip her hand in her own pocket to get it done? Amazing what people would try to make you do to save on some gil.

This was the Empire though. They were bound to be bathing in gold. The amount could set her up for life. She'd had her fair share of Ivocia, she could maybe settle down.

Though she planned that once, and that all went up in smoke.

Jagger smirked, nodded. "I'll make sure you'll hear from me then." How hard was it to catch a prince and a viera? The viera could prove a problem, massive, especially with that sea creature, but she heard the prince was as petted and sheltered as they came. Probably barely lifted a finger, never mind used a sword.

Zariel wanted this done quickly, no doubt with this whole Zodiac thing going on. She wasn't going to pretend she understood it all, but only that it was important, and she'd be getting something out of it. That was enough for her to go on.

Lixue looked back to Zariel, not even an ounce of worry crossing his features. "I'd say so. Participants in some new trials have shown a quick recovery period with his type of enhancements." Participants. He liked that word. Better than subjects or specimens, which he reserved for creatures, and better than patients, which most certainly were not, unless they really needed to be. Participants sounded voluntary, almost...welcoming. Some were volunteers. Others...

"He should be fine, if," the man turned to Oleander, gazing over his glasses, "he behaves and doesn't push himself. Regeneration has more effect when you're resting, Imperator." He'd call him Imperator any other time. He was much more used to calling him Oleander, of course, on a personal note, but calling him by his title like this brought him an odd sense of amusement.

 

[Lucyfer]

Zariel would see to it that she had Jagger given a down payment of sorts for anticipated travel expenses for the chocobo, inn stays, food, and the rest. She understood it did her no good to stiff her employees, particularly ones she wanted to stay around. Jagger was no military general, but she had a zodiac, and she was loyal to money.

No one had more of that than Zariel.

As for Oleander, it seemed he would at least be okay tomorrow, so long as he rested. Zariel didn’t quite hide the smirk that came to her lips at Lixue’s suggestion, and Oleander’s groan. He was not good at resting. “Very well then, if you keep to rest, I’m sure I will find something for you tomorrow. You like Escander, right?”

“No, I hate Escander,” Oleander said. Zariel arched a brow, “Look, don’t get me wrong, I can have a great time in Escander, but it’s a shithole that we should have burned to the ground, and I hate everyone in Escander.”

“But you can race chocobos in Escander.”

“Yes I ca—why do you want me in Escander racing chocobos?” This was quite unlike her, this didn’t involve murder.

“We need surveys, and Escander needs high stakes and gambling. I’m fairly certain it’s not difficult to combine these, and I need someone I trust overseeing it. You can spend some time racing, and make sure the plan gets implemented in Escander.”

“What plan?”

“An Escander-only lottery, just five gil to enter, but of course the process of entering will involve ensuring they’re an Escander citizen, and we’ll find a way to make that involve looking them over for the marks,” Zariel waved it off, as if that was no big deal. It wasn’t, someone else would figure out the logistics of it, and no one was actually going to be turned away, anyways.

They needed to get a look for these things, after all.

“So you want me there to just oversee it? Sounds boring.”

“That’s why you can race chocobos.”

“Mrrr…ugh, fine.” Oleander grumbled, “I suppose Lilia will like it.”

Again, Zariel just silently arched a brow, encouraging him to think about what he just said.

“Fuck!” He wasn’t going to get to play bachelor very well with Lilia there, without a babysitter.

 

[Arcanist]

Escander. Lixue's nose twitched at the very mention of it. He didn't envy Oleander being sent on a trip there, even if he was there to gather stats and handle admin, and play around with chocobos…though he didn't find that entertaining personally.

The gambling though. That was entertaining. When there weren't dirty cheaters, or dirty liars, or...

Either way, as terrible as it sounded, he would much rather be dedicated to smoking out viera. At least then he'd have a few more participants to work through.

Jagger couldn't help but snicker, rubbing her nose at the despair that Oleander was showing at having to also care for Lilia on his excursion to Escander. She knew it was not because he didn't love her; hell, he adored that girl. There just wasn't a lot you could do with a four-year-old running around.

Should have kept it in your pants, Jagger thought with a smirk. She liked to think she was smart enough not to say it to his face. Then again, she's said worse to many other people's faces. "You're a long time dead, Oleander. Better cherish those years before you blink, and she's seventeen, and she's..." She paused, catching the stormy glare in Lixue's eyes, to watch it, before she stuck her foot in her mouth. She opted to modify her wording. "...doing whatever it is that seventeen-year-olds do."

Lixue softened. Slightly. That was better, much better. He, too, knew how much he cared for the girl. Jagger could get away with a lot of things, though, speaking of Lilia in such a way, he was sure was something she wouldn't be getting away with.

"Anyway," Jagger murmured, staring down at her armour as if she just realised the amount that had been smeared over it. "Guess I should go get cleaned up before someone in here has an aneurysm." Did any of the medical staff hear that? She hoped so. "Send me a postcard from Escander, Oleander. I kind of miss that shithole." Strange place, with some strange jobs to boot, but it oddly grew on her when she was absent from it.

"And no movements that prove strenuous," Lixue repeated, looking to Oleander. "Else you'll be put back another day."

 

[Lucyfer]

Escander always got a reaction from Lixue and Oleander. Zariel was aware of it, aware of some of the reasons, and aware she didn’t want to know anything more. She still shot Jagger a look when she started to speak of Lilia as an older woman. While it was likely she would grow into many family traits, plenty of them beautiful, and no doubt inherit some of the personality traits, no one wanted to hear about it right when she was a sweet child.

Not even Zariel.

Jagger was wise to leave it vague, even though Oleander’s gaze had still gone cold at the implications.

Another day, when Lilia was older, he’d wish her all kinds of happiness – but he still didn’t want to think about it right now.

“Yes, you should,” Zariel agreed with Jagger’s assessment. “Lixue, I want you to send someone with Oleander who’s informed on the situation. I’m certain you don’t need all of them,” he actually seemed to work better alone, and he could find someone to spare for paperwork and keeping the grunts in line so they didn’t miss a potential Zodiac.

“He can’t come?” Oleander whined. He watched Lilia for him. Sometimes.

‘No, I have better things for him to be doing than fucking around in Escander.’ She probably had better things for Oleander to be doing, but she’d rather he be busy while forests were burning. “No, we still have things that require his more direct attention.”

“Fiiine. I’ll send you a postcard, Jagger. You send me one when you find the Princeling, okay?” He wondered what kind of place that would be near. He didn’t think Cleon would make it all the way to Rozari with the likes of Jagger on his tail. Certainly not if this Didymus was also following close behind.

“Good. I think we have things sorted. Tomorrow, be prepared for a funeral and a parade, Oleander.”

“If I gotta be.”

“You do.”

A sigh. But he wasn’t arguing or fighting it. He had to make his appearances…and Lilia did love the parade chocobos.

 

[Arcanist]

Taking it a leap too far was Jagger's speciality, in many ways, but Zariel's stare and the playfulness that had been previously in Oleander's eyes had melted to that of a steely glare. Man, three against one. Tough crowd. Then again, this was the sweet, picturesque little girl of the Empire. Anything negative about her was liable to get your head cut clean off for it. Little girls really did get away with everything, didn't they?

Lixue nodded, once again, not fighting the Empress on the orders she gave him. In all honesty, he would have been rid of some of them, but they were so useful for menial tasks, things he hadn't time to consider. It made them feel needed, which is what he needed to keep everyone off his back. Though, Oleander showed great displeasure at him not tagging along, mostly because he couldn't lump Lilia into his care. He hadn't minded it, in all honesty. She was smart - scarily smart, he believed - and usually, when you gave her something age-appropriate to do, she went and did it, or she sat and watched his colleagues at work, giving Lixue peace to work on something until he was finished to give her his attention again.

Unlike his sisters' children, who demanded his attention with every waking second, and asked silly questions. Lilia asked smart questions, at least.

"I have someone in mind," Lixue told her, before looking to Oleander. "Another time." Preferably not in Escander.

Jagger smirked. "A done deal. I'll even get him to sign it for you. A nice piece of memorabilia to look back on." She wondered how he would sign it, though. With a pen maybe, but that was boring. Perhaps send a lock of his hair along with it. He was sure the man would squeal at such a notion. They had weird customs with hair, ones she never understood.

She stepped back, did a salute, and turned, beginning to walk out. "Let me know when that funeral's over." She doubted she was needed to attend. She probably wouldn't have even if she was asked. She couldn't stand them. No one enjoyed them, as far as she was aware, but she, out of everyone she knew, loathed them most. People called Juno's burial beautiful when there wasn't a fucking pretty thing about it.

Lixue turned back to Zariel, telling her quietly, "You know where I am if I'm needed." Alone in his room, with his papers and his own thoughts, being the obvious answer. Just how he always liked it. He gave a final nod to her, and Oleander, of course, in farewell, before he turned to leave the medical bay himself.

 

[Lucyfer]

“Aww, thank you,” Oleander was amused with the thought of the Prince signing the card. He didn’t think the brat would want to after their meeting, so he wondered how Jagger might convince him of it. Either way, he’d enjoy the thought and look forward to the card in the future. It was one highlight.

And he’d send her a stupid card from Escander.

“I will,” Zariel agreed as Jagger left. No, there was absolutely no reason Jagger needed to be there. There was also no reason Lixue needed to be there. He may be nobility, but that wasn’t exactly his role in all of this, and no one would take offense if he wasn’t there. It wouldn’t seem odd in the slightest, really.

However, she would need to talk to him, and so she nodded at his quiet suggestion, before he also left. She relaxed her posture just a bit, and stepped back to where she had been before Jagger showed up. “Is there another reason you’re sending me to Escander? Anyone could look this over,” he said.

“It’s true,” she said, “but not everyone brings as much authority with them as you do. Just make sure Lixue’s associate trains the guards well on what to look for, and make sure they know what happens to those who mess up,” Zariel reminded. “You can even mention that captain by name, if you like.”

Or any of the others Oleander had executed on the field.

Or Lavi.

Or Bellona.

But those would go unnamed, unmentioned, because of course, he never killed them. “Besides, I hear there’s still a lot of issues with bribing officials going on in Escander, and your presence should at least put a temporary halt to it.”

Escander remained a problem.

“Heh. Fair. Okay. How long are you expecting this to be?”

“A month to two months,” she said, “I’ll likely want you back before then, but we’ll see how things are going with Ucantis. Now, you should rest.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he rolled his eyes, “See ya in the morning then.”

She bid her own farewells before leaving, hearing a few mutters about Jagger and seeing spots of blood being cleaned up.

She would take a few more hours to herself to plan for the following day, but eventually, Zariel would follow Lixue to his own quarters. No doubt, his mother would have been somewhat joyed if there was something scandalous to Zariel’s late-night visit, but there never was – certainly, for the best. Neither needed that kind of distraction, or tension, when it came to business.

She did at least have the courtesy to press the buzzer at his door to announce herself, rather than just waltz in.

 

[Arcanist]

Lixue only called a few things in life pleasant, and one of those few things was complete solitude. No noise, no distractions, no annoyances. Just him, sitting with his case studies, pages of research, books pried open and tagged with important notes, all in silence. The youngest, Sying, despised such silence. Then again, she was always considered the 'odd one' when it came to House Virys values. He had come up with the theory as a child that there was a mixup with babies somewhere along the line and secretly, still did hold that theory as he grew older. Her and their father, at least, weren't as sharp and serious as him and their mother. Yenay was a special case, caught in the middle of the two. It explained why both of them could pacify his father and how he couldn't stand to be in the same room as him.

Lixue would expect Zariel, but not immediately after his departure. She had the funeral of Queen Inara to oversee after all. He didn't call her death a shame; rather, a disappointment. It was messier, and at least forcing the woman to come to some agreement would have had the reluctant backing of her people. Now though, they had to work harder for some sort of middle ground, a reluctant acceptance of them. He didn't envy the royal siblings attending it.

Though, he would seek some time to explore Ucantis and its city briefly, just to see how far behind its kingdom really was compared to Amarum and the Empire. Perhaps he would be surprised.

The buzzer brought him back from his own private world. One where he was painfully reminded he wasn't alone in. He set down his pages, rose from his chair, and proceeded to the door. He didn't need to guess who it was. Nobody else knocked on his door, unless he specifically requested something of someone. So, he opened it, didn't pause to consider who else could be at the door, and stepped aside to let Zariel through. Once she entered, he closed the door behind them.

"A drink? Or shall we get straight to it?" Lixue asked. He only asked because it was polite. That, and it had been a long day. He didn't really care either way. Any private meeting he had with Zariel was to the point, always on-track. Lixue respected her, just like he would any other ruler of their Empire, but he had warned her he would make his opinion as clear as day. It was cutting at times, and he knew it.

But he liked to think conducting such business like that was better in the long run.