Fan Fiction ❯ Shielded in Broken Armours ❯ Part 1: Song of the Nightingale ( Chapter 6 )
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 11.30.2004 | Updated On: 11.30.2004 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.2K | Visits: 188 | Status: Completed
by Alice Montrose
completed July 31, 2004
Chapter Six
Finally, Ignis seemed to somehow remember how to breathe, and did so. He had been prepared to see Marzio again, the strength that had left him with the blood he had lost fully recovered by now. But he had not expected to see him like that.
He reverently ran his eyes over the man's body - all muscles, tense and prepared for battle. The torn shirt revealed some of the beautifully sun-tanned skin of the man's chest. Ignis felt his breath catch again.
Blood! There was blood on his face!
He wanted to reach out and touch those silken lips again, kiss the blood away and run his hands through the golden hair, over the velvety skin... 'Ignis, what are you thinking?!'
Tempesta's voice brought him back to reality. "Guards! Seize them both!"
That definitely had the effect of a cold shower. For a moment, he had lost all contact with the surrounding world. He closed his eyes, cleared his head and then looked again at the two men. Marzio was looking back at him, green eyes wide. Kelan - that is, he thought it was Kelan, for the man had disgusted him so much he didn't even bother to remember his face - was shaking with fury, held back by four of the Guards.
'Why did you do it?' Ignis wanted to ask Marzio. 'Why couldn't you wait just a little longer?'
"Escort the General to my tent!" he found himself ordering. Tempesta looked at him disapprovingly, but the guards followed his command, leading the Angelian out of the tent. "You four stay here," he told the ones holding the angry counsellor. "Make sure Lord Kelan recovers some of the dignity he never possessed."
"I hope you're not planning to overlook this," Tempesta said to him as they were walking back to his quarters.
"First of all I want to find out what really happened in there," he answered.
Of course, she wouldn't have expected it differently. They led themselves by the same set of rules. Only that, at times, he was more tolerant then she was. But he was slowly running out of patience himself.
The guards left Marzio alone in the familiar tent, posting themselves outside. He sat down and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. 'What did just happen?' he wondered. Why had the soldiers followed Ignis' orders without waiting for any confirmation from their Supreme Commander? She had clearly disagreed, but...
He was not allowed the time to figure it out. The see-through curtain that had been covering the entrance drew back, allowing the two Dreak in and soundlessly falling back into place after them.
Ignis was not wearing the red uniform Marzio had always seen him in before. In fact, he looked stunning in green velvet doublet and dark velvet breeches, a beautifully ornamented sword hanging at his side, proud and solemn as ever. His long hair was loose on his shoulders, a bit dishevelled by the mild wind outside. Like always, the Demon caught Marzio's eye. He looked even more majestic than he had before, if such a thing were possible.
The Superior Commander of Demonis was just as he had seen her before, only this time she seemed a lot angrier and did not bother to hide it.
Ignis moved past Marzio without a word or even a look, and seated himself in the sculptured chair behind the heavy ebony desk. Tempesta took a chair closer to the Angelian. Dangerously closer.
Then why did he feel he should fear Ignis more than he feared her?
"I think we deserve an explanation, General," the Demon general addressed him. Ignis was content to just lock his eyes on him, silently pleading for an answer.
There was something different about the young officer today. Something bothered him, and although it was barely noticeable, Marzio picked it up immediately. Ignis was weary of something. Or someone.
He took a deep breath. "I really must apologize for my actions, General Neri-Lokh. It was not proper to attack one of my own countrymen, given our current situation. Still, there is only so much one man can take. And I do not answer nicely when being constantly tormented by a lunatic."
A short laugh escaped Ignis' lips. But it was bitter, and left the Angelian longing for some of the mild humour he had got so used to while in Ignis' company.
"I know my deed demands retribution," he continued, "but please take into consideration the fact that I have warned you. I told Meris Alisi-Feit last night that..."
"We know exactly what you told him!" the woman cut him off.
Ignis propped his elbows on the table and leaned his chin on his joined fingers. He kept staring intensely at Marzio through slit eyes. "Tempesta," he said in a neutral voice, "would you be so kind as to bring Lord Kelan here? I would like to hear him too before we can pass any judgement on the matter."
She looked at him, then. She bit her lip, trying to refrain herself from saying whatever was on her mind. Afraid of what might happen if they were left alone, perhaps? Afraid for Ignis? Or, perhaps, afraid of him?
He smiled, the weariness Marzio had noticed before present in his words. "Don't you think I can handle this by myself?"
"I have no doubt about it..." she mouthed, standing up and leaving the tent. Marzio wondered how much of the relationship between the two was not known to him.
A heavy silence fell between them. They just kept looking at each other, and Ignis' stare was getting more and more unnerving by the moment. It was like he was trying to pull out every thought from Marzio's head with a pair of pincers. Finally, the Demon lowered his head. He began to toy absent-mindedly with the sleeve of his tunic. 'Not good,' Marzio thought, 'not good at all.'
The young man got up gracefully and circled the desk to stand in front of the Angelian. As he did so, he kept whispering, "Half an hour... a damned half an hour..."
Marzio felt like he was locked in a cage with a deadly predator when Ignis stopped not one foot in front of him, and eyed him furiously. He had never seen the Demon look at him in such a manner; now he understood what Kelan must have felt like before, in their camp on the banks of the Mauri River.
"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Ignis suddenly lashed out at him. "Did you really believe this would actually solve any of your damned problems?"
Marzio just stared in disbelief. Ignis had never been angry with him, let alone sworn in his presence. In fact, he had always admired the man's self-control. But, as he himself had said earlier, there was only so much one could take.
Ignis suddenly reached forward and grabbed the back of his neck. Marzio mentally prepared himself for the blow, which could not be prevented. He knew he would never harm the beautiful Demon.
But the expected strike never came. Instead, hot lips seized his in a fervent kiss that cut out his breath. He allowed it, not quite sure how to react. His body responded out of pure instinct, and he opened his mouth to the demanding pressure, Ignis' tongue slipping past his lips.
He suddenly remembered how much he had wanted to touch the fall of soft red hair, and he raised a handful of it to his cheek, enjoying the feeling. It was, indeed, like a fluid mass of silk, ticklish yet soft.
His mouth was now fastened on the Demon's, and for a moment all the world seemed to come to a halt.
As he was drawn deeper in that searing kiss, Ignis realized he had not felt such ardour while kissing someone in a long time. For the past five years, he had avoided taking pleasure in his own sex, content with what women had to offer him. But old habits died hard. And he had fooled himself by thinking what he felt for the Angelian General had been merely the instant attraction one usually felt when meeting one's equal. He had been so very wrong!
He sought Marzio's tongue, and was grateful when it found his own. They were both caught in a whirlpool of sensations, and Ignis allowed the Angelian's hand to tangle in his hair. He released the hold he had on the nape of Marzio's neck, and slowly trailed his hands down the general's strong shoulders, to caress the soft white feathers of his wings. It felt good to finally have him in his arms, to know he allowed these affections.
But he had to break the kiss, gasping for breath as he pulled back reluctantly. His lips lingered for one more instant on Marzio's before he backed off and leaned on the desk, feeling drowsy.
"Marzio, listen... There is something you must know about me..."
Marzio looked at him, green eyes shining with desire. Yet he did not move.
"I am..."
Just then, Tempesta entered, followed by the guards and the King of Angelia's chief advisor. This time, the six guards didn't leave the tent, but placed themselves around the two prisoners. Now, there was no way he could say it without messing everything up.
Tempesta seemed to notice something was wrong. There was a deep silence still hanging in the air. She gave him a suspicious glance, and spoke. "You desired to talk to Lord Kelan, I believe."
Ignis coughed, and went back to take his place in the mahogany chair. It had been his father's, along with the desk. "Your lordship, I expect a full explanation of what has happened this morning, upon our arrival in your currently assigned living facilities."
Oh, by Drako, he sounded like one of those boring civil servants that attended Court every now and then!
"I owe no explanation. Not to you, and not to anyone." Kelan seemed determined to have it his way and not give up his disdain. And once started, he was hard to stop. "Do you think this pathetic little worm" - and he clearly pointed at Marzio, who went red with anger but cleverly avoided another violent reaction - "can demand anything from me? He doesn't even know how to command a squad, let alone the whole Army!"
'Oh, but he does, and better than you can ever imagine, you idiot!' Ignis almost laughed in his face. Marzio had been right; staying in the same place with this man was pure murder. His earlier anger returned, stronger, and he didn't know if he would be able to control it this time.
"And you, with your superior manners and women warriors! All your people, a bunch of barbarians, with your stupid laws and pretence of greatness. Were I your Prince, I would be ashamed! Ashamed to lead such people, befriend a woman who knows more about war than she does about raising a family, or an insolent young man who obviously forgets his place in front of those higher in rank than he is."
Ignis saw Tempesta put her hand on the hilt of her sword, ready to strike at any signal. He glanced at her, and she knew him well enough to understand he did not wish it. Not yet.
He gripped the chair's armrests, trying to get hold of himself. He could not find the strength to do it. Not anymore. He had controlled his emotions for far too long, and they were threatening to burst. He had to let them out.
And after hearing the old man's next tirade, he did.
If Marzio had thought Ignis had been furious before, he quickly understood how wrong he had been. As Kelan went on insulting his country and his prince, the young man made visible efforts to regain control of himself. He was failing miserably. He had gone from a faint blush to yellow and then stark white. He clenched his hands on the beautifully carved armrests of the chair he sat in, and Marzio thought he had heard them creaking under the pressure. In spite of the lithe figure, there was hidden strength in him.
Too much had happened that day, even for one so calm and tolerating like Ignis. His eyes were now glowing with anger and so much hate the Angelian had never seen in him. His breath was uneven, and as the Demon finally abandoned his control Marzio instinctually drew back a step. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tempesta trying to get behind the desk, but she didn't make it in time. The Dreak pushed back his chair, loudly hit the table with both palms and threw his body forward towards Kelan, the large desk the only obstacle keeping him from tearing the old man into pieces. He practically shouted into the man's face, the anger turning the otherwise tranquil and serene voice into something harsh and authoritative.
"You arrogant bastard! How dare you address yourself to the Prince of Demonis in such a manner?"
Kelan's face took on a deathly pallor; he looked at Ignis, dumbstruck. He was not the only one. Marzio thought he would die right then and there.
The Prince of Demonis. Ignis was the Prince of Demonis.
The one so elusive he had thought he would never actually meet him face to face. The one that had surprisingly thwarted all their plans. And also the one that had saved him from certain death.
The General felt betrayed. Why hadn't Ignis told him who he was? Did he really trust him that little?
'Would you trust someone that wanted to take your home away and kill you?' his conscience shouted.
No, he wouldn't. Not for one second. Yet, just five minutes ago, he thought Ignis did. The kiss had meant everything. All fears and worries had subsided in it. He had been reborn into a new and wondrous world. He had touched the skies for one second.
Now he felt like he was back in hell.
He started trembling slightly, and took a few quick breaths, trying to gain enough courage and look Ignis in the eyes.
The calmness was there once again. The anger that had crossed that - oh, so beautiful! - face was gone, and the eyes were clear pools of burgundy once again. The Demon seemed to have regained control of himself. Marzio watched his every move, and gave him a reproachful glance as their eyes met. It drew no emotion. Ignis - 'No, His Highness,' Marzio corrected himself instantaneously - sat down again, and gestured towards Kelan and Marzio.
"All right then. Split them up. Take General Zain-Reil to a different tent. His captain will join him there." He looked up at Tempesta, a trustful shadow behind his back, who had placed a delicate gloved hand on his shoulder in reassurance. He covered that hand with his own, and squeezed it a little.
She nodded. "I shall think of a suitable punishment, later. Take them away."
The guards grabbed him, one at each side. He went with them voluntarily, but stopped for a moment just before exiting, to look back. The flaming eyes were fixed on him, disturbingly fixed on him, and the prince slightly lowered his head. "Marzio," he whispered, loud enough for the Angelian to hear him.
To his shame, Kelan tried to break free. It was useless, of course, and it would only make things worse.
He was suddenly pushed from behind and found himself being taken in the direction opposite to the tent he had shared with the Lords. The thought that Ceni would be with him was reassuring, though. At least the prince had made that clear.
Marzio's newly assigned tent was closer to those of the Demonis General Staff. He was given a push inside, and left alone in the small tent. He calmed himself and looked around. To his surprise, he found his own captain staring back at him from one of the two chairs at the small table. His things were there too - minus armour and weapons, of course.
"What the...?" He blinked several times, not believing his eyes.
"They brought me here just after they took Kelan away," Ceni informed him on the spot. "Brought our things, too."
He nodded. Had this been the plan all along? Had the Prince decided it even before Marzio's fight with Kelan?
The Angelian general was still upset about being kept in the dark about Ignis' identity. Yet the signs had been there all along, subtle and seemingly unimportant things. The bows as he passed; the deep respect; the unquestioned submission to his orders. He had thought it was because he was Dreak, or maybe Tempesta's protégé. He had been utterly mistaken.
But his angered dissolved into something else when the Demon's words came back to him. Whispered words, that he had ignored when they had been spoken, lost in the aftermath of a battle none of them had wanted to win. "There is something you must know about me... I am..."
'Ignis Sagni-Dor, the Prince of Demonis,' Marzio added in his mind.
"General?" Ceni asked.
He looked up at the man, not even realizing until that very moment that he had sat down on the low pallet in one corner. "Hmm?"
"You seemed preoccupied. Will it be harsh?"
"What will be harsh?"
"Your punishment for trying to beat up Kelan this morning."
"I don't know," he whispered. "It will probably be nothing, really. Nothing compared to what just happened in Meris Ignis' tent."
The irony in his words caught the Second-in-Command's attention. The man was now waiting for him to continue.
"Kelan's lack of ability to keep his mouth shut may have doomed us all. Remember what I've asked you before the battle? If you thought Meris Ignis could be the Prince of Demonis?"
"Yes, of course."
"We were both wrong, Ceni. Wrong in assuming he wasn't."
He gained a little victory, that day. The look on Ceni's face was priceless.
It was over. All he had dared hope for was over. It would never happen...
Once again, he was pulled out of his musings by Tempesta's voice. "Ignis? Khest! Ignis, talk to me!"
He blinked, looking around to find himself in his tent. Tempesta was bending over him, worried. Yet she did not touch him, as she had done so many times before. She was afraid. All would be afraid, from now on.
"I'm fine," he mumbled. "Just fine."
She didn't believe him. "You are not. What happened? I've never seen you like this before."
"He ruined everything. Everything. That man..." his voice trembled with fury again. "That man... I won't have him in front of me again..."
She didn't quite understand his words. "Which one, Ignis? Which man?"
He was astonished. "Are you stupid?" he asked her. "Or are you just pretending to be?"
"Ignis, honestly..."
"Oh, or maybe you think I am the one who has lost his mind?" he continued. He wanted her gone. He wanted to be alone. He needed to think this over. "Get out. Get out of here now. And don't you dare touch the General, you hear me!"
"Ignis, I..."
He looked at her, beseechingly. "Give me some time to calm down. We'll talk in the morning. It will be all right, but I need to be alone. I'm ordering you to go."
She was shocked. Only once before had he given her orders in such unquestionable terms, and that time things had gotten really ugly. But she didn't dare disagree. She bowed and left the tent.
As she did, Ignis pulled out his sword and with a low growl he slashed at the curtain dividing the confining space in two different rooms. Again, and again, and again, until all there was left were hanging shreds.
Having calmed down a little, he thrust the weapon in a faraway corner and leaned forward on the small table supporting the washing basin, looking at his face in the small polished mirror placed nearby.
"What has happened to you?" he asked his reflection. "What did you just do?"
He thrust himself fully clothed on the soft cushions and buried his head in the heavy mass of silk.
When he woke up in the morning, he was once again in full control of himself. He slowly washed, and changed his clothes to some that bore no resemblance to any uniform he could think of. He ended up fully dressed in black, a rare event indeed.
His young attendant carefully avoided his gaze as he came in, as if not to offend him. He gave the boy the day off, and was rewarded with an awed glance and a quickly whispered 'thank you' as Kheerah fled the tent. He was sure the whole camp was by now familiar with his outburst.
He smiled. There was only one person who could help him now, one he had never thought he would ask.
Owen.
He left the tent and asked the guard positioned outside of Tempesta's whereabouts. "The General is in her tent, with Captain Alisi-Feit, Your Highness," the man reverently informed him. He looked scared to death, in spite of Ignis' obvious good spirits.
So Ignis made his way to the adjoining tent, knocking at the pole near the entrance. There was a little noise, as if he had interrupted something. He could imagine what that was, but preferred to pretend he knew nothing about it.
"Come in," Owen's voice finally answered, a little too quickly.
Ignis lifted the drape and went in, seeing the two whispering over the table that had been set for breakfast. They did not pay much attention to him, busy trying to look like they were eating.
"Is this a secret meeting, or do I get to be included in your scheming as well?" he cheerfully asked.
The two looked up at him, startled. They had clearly not expected him there.
"Oh, relax! It's not like you haven't seen me furious before. Owen, you did, remember?"
Tempesta looked back at the other man. "When?"
"The Monastery, seven years ago," the Captain of the Guards confirmed. "And I was the one he was angry with."
"And since you are still alive, I guess it was not as bad as it first seemed," Ignis laughed. "Really, there is no reason for you to run away from me. I'm the same as ever. I just needed an outlet, that's all."
"Kheerah told us you had a little fencing practice last night," Tempesta confessed.
"I did not order you out just because I wanted to, and you know it. Now, what was going on in here?"
"I was trying to reassure Tempesta you'll calm down again," Owen replied. It was obvious he told half the truth, but again Ignis ignored it. What they did in their spare time was alone their business. "She didn't seem convinced, though. What's with the clothing?"
"Nothing, actually. It just happened. And how are our prisoners faring today?"
"Ignis, it's barely seven. They aren't even up yet!" Owen replied. Then, somewhat guiltily, he added, "Well, one of them didn't sleep all night, but..."
"...but it's General Zain-Reil, and Tempesta said I wasn't supposed to know about it, right?"
Owen nodded. "You said you didn't want to see him," Tempesta retorted.
"Not this 'him'; the other one." Ignis sneered. "Now, I intend to pay a little visit to the General later today, and I want one of you to make sure he is all alone when I do this."