Fan Fiction ❯ Shielded in Broken Armours ❯ Part 3: Rise of the Phoenix ( Chapter 19 )
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 11.30.2004 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.6K | Visits: 163 | Status: Completed
by Alice Montrose
completed July 31, 2004
Chapter Nineteen
Upon his return, Marzio found the people of Mnemon getting restless, and there had been revolt at nearly every inn he had stayed in on his journey. Things did not seem to go too well between the monarch and his council, and added to the fact that taxes had been high that winter it was no wonder the common people were discontent with the government. Still, he forced himself to withhold judgement until he got to see how things were at the palace, and what exactly the government's new policy was.
The Royal Castle was bursting with activity even in mid-winter, of course, but that year the nobles seemed more subdued. The general also noticed the increasing amount of time they spent talking in small groups and private meetings, and word among the guards was it that they did not agree with the current regime any more than the lower classes did. Which was strange, to say the least.
Ceni Mah-Kel told his friend the reason for the sudden changes. Apparently the Trade Council had planned to take some drastic measures to reduce the effect the war had had on the population of Angelia, but some members of the other three Councils had disagreed with this redirection of funds and had done their best to undermine the spending of gold on causes they did not see as their own. This had caused not only confusion among the people, but a gap in the relations between the four decision-making fractions - a gap the kind had, not surprisingly, not managed to mend. Not only that, but with Lord Kelan's return the monarch's judgement seemed to be getting impaired once more, and that wasn't good either. Still, no one had dared voice discontent in face of the king, and apparently he was oblivious to the problems his country faced, spending more time than ever away from court life.
It was then that Marzio realized just how serious the situation was, and that Angelia would be facing a crisis unless things changed rapidly for the best. And he had never felt so helpless before, and he had not experienced the sudden need to actually do something that would change the course of things since his early youth. And he also realized that this change that everyone who knew him seemed to feel in him was not just their imagination. He had changed, indeed; and he could not say if it was for the best. Because while before he had simply chosen to focus on his military career, now he wanted to make a difference for his people, not just for himself. And this need frightened him.
Still, it soon became apparent that this time he simply could not stand aside and watch others decide his destiny. Because with the first Council meeting of the year approaching, talk of war was once again on everybody's lips, and this did not bode well. So when he was invited to take part at the meeting, like it was the custom, he immediately accepted - something no High Commander of the Army had done in at least five decades.
Half-way through the meeting, he was glad he had accepted. For in spite of the questioning looks he had gotten when he had taken his chair and the pointed look Lord Kelan had given him before the man chose to completely ignore his presence there, the general realized exactly what the purpose of the meeting was, and his blood ran cold. What the King's chief advisor was aiming for was gaining support in favour of suspending the peace talks with Demonis, and preparing for another war in the immediate future.
Of course, all of this was hidden behind veiled allusions, but that did not stop the general from growing annoyed, and then angry, at the old man's preposterous plans. Did he not see how the country was weakened, and how the people were just a few steps from revolting? Was he completely blind to the benefits of a long-lasting peace with Demonis? True, Marzio was a little biased when it came to this subject, but the fact remained that the treaty Ignis had proposed was very, very advantageous for both lands.
So he listened as Lord Kelan outlined 'the necessity of fighting Demonis' and 'Prince Sagni-Dor's vile plans' with his fists clenched underneath the table; and when he was done, he took a deep breath and exclaimed, "Under no circumstance must you proceed with such a plan."
A deep silence enveloped the room, and heads turned towards him, some lords alarmed by this interruption. Even the king watched him with something akin to amazement; Lord Kelan alone seemed outraged.
"General Zain-Reil, you are in no position to tell us what to do! Or is it true that you have become one of that wretched Demon's puppets?"
"You have no idea what you are implying. But then again, I should not be surprised. Whatever I was thinking when I accepted command of the army is beyond me, right now. We were doomed from the beginning. And you cannot ask the people to start another war after this disaster."
"A disaster you are responsible for, General," the king seemed to try and remind him, and everyone else. But it was far too late; for this argument between Marzio and Lord Kelan had been long in brewing.
"No. A disaster you are responsible for, Your Majesty. I have warned you, and I have warned Lord Loreh-Ven afterwards. We simply should not have ventured into unknown territory as carelessly as we did. And we had no chance to begin with - Prince Sagni-Dor was aware of our plans long before we crossed the Mauri. And that is certainly due to Lord Kelan's careless behaviour."
"This is ridiculous!"
"No, it is the truth. You must have known that the Prince had spies among our people - why did you brag about your 'carefully planned actions' to all?"
Lord Kelan jumped from his chair and hit his fists on the table. "My friends, spies!? Why you...!"
"Yes. Spies. And do you want to know how I found out? I'll tell you how. While you and your friends were busy looking down at me for socialising with the enemy, I befriended Prince Sagni-Dor. It may have made you angry, but that is of little importance to me. And do you want to know why? Because he told me things. Things that are not written anywhere and yet have great value.
"You want another war with Demonis? That would be a great mistake. First of all, because no sane man that took part in this campaign is going to join the army. The people have seen the Demons fight, and they are most likely not going to want to fight against them again so soon. As a consequence, Your Majesty, ordering conscription might even cost you your throne.
"And secondly, because another war would mean the ruin of Angelia. You all know about the treaty Prince Sagni-Dor has recently signed with the Lord Protector of Terlandia. What you do not know is about that treaty's secret annexes. Starting with the beginning of this year, if Demonis ever imposes a trade embargo against Angelia, Terlandia obliges itself to do so as well. Moreover, if requested by Prince Sagni-Dor in the case of an pen conflict initiated by us, the Terans would attack our commercial vessels in exchange for trade monopoly with the Western Lands. Therefore, while the Demon Army will be busy tearing our country apart, the Teran navy would do the same with our fleet. And Prince Ignis Sagni-Dor, whom you all obviously regard as a wolf cub who has yet to show his teeth, would laugh at our stupidity and enjoy every bit of it - because in the end he would bring peace, even if he has to permanently destroy his enemy."
The hall was silent when he stopped, and King Teh-Kai's face was white as chalk. "That... is not possible. We have copies of that agreement. Lord Kelan..."
Marzio snorted. "Lord Kelan only saw the copy kept in the archive. I, however, just happened to look at the one kept in the Prince's private study. It is a lot more accurate than the one his secretary has, and signed by Demonis' External Affairs Advisor and Terlandia's Minister of War, in addition to the others."
"So the Prince of Demonis is preparing for a war against us?" one of the members of the Trade Council inquired.
"No, merely covering all possibilities. As he himself said, he wishes for peace. And to be honest with you, he can afford the luxury to dictate any conditions he wants. But he also confessed to not wanting to destroy our country. Quite the contrary. He sees Angelians as his 'brothers'; a bit idealistic, true, but it could work in our favour.
"And I believe he is honest in his request for peace; perhaps you should at least consider doing the same. The fact that he treated us so generously when we were his hostages was meant as a sign of good will on his behalf. Maybe we should return the favour."
"Treated us generously? You, perhaps. We were always followed around by guards; you were not! Moreover, you were the one following him around like a puppy. What does that tell us about you, General Zain-Reil?"
'Oh, you mean besides the fact you are an idiot?' Marzio thought as he glared at the advisor.
"I don't give a damn what it tells you about me. And if you think I was not closely watched, you are wrong - I was watched by the Prince himself, his servants, General Neri-Lokh, and every other Demon that set eyes on me. They thought me far more dangerous than you three, because I was the one asking all those questions you should have asked. As for the guards following you, they were for your own protection. Don't you think there were some Demons not very pleased with us not being thrown in the deepest, darkest dungeon of the Mnemon Prison?"
He drew his breath, and carried on. "Yes, Prince Sagni-Dor did call me his friend. Yes, I did follow him around whenever he would allow it. Is that what is bothering you so? Or is it the fact I might have learned how to stand up and defend my own opinions instead of just listening to you carry on about 'what would be best'?
"That is what this is truly about, isn't it? Me challenging your power. Well, let me tell you one last thing. I spoke with many of our people - commoners and nobles alike - and they are not happy about how this country is run. They will become restless if you do not allow them the time to heal. And they will also do whatever they consider necessary for their country's welfare - which, at this point, means peace with Demonis."
There were hushed whispers and much movement of hands all around the room, but Marzio's eyes stayed where they had stopped, which was on the annoying King's advisor. He had struck a nerve there, and he knew it well. All the possible consequences for his actions swarmed through his mind, but his gaze did not falter.
And seeing Lord Kelan pale as a sheet and struggling to remain on his feet was far too enjoyable, to tell the truth. Besides, the general had caught some of the councillors' whispers, and knew that some would see things his way, no matter what happened to him. A few of them may have been Kelan's pawns, but the others were not blind, and certainly not stupid. In the end they would see the truth, no matter what happened to Marzio.
The Kelan smiled his wicked smile, and Marzio knew he was up to something.
"You slept with him, didn't you?" the old man asked in a deceivingly sweet voice, and for a moment the general was glad he was still sitting down. But that moment passed, and it didn't matter anymore. Not the fact that admitting to it would doom him, or denying it and be called a liar.
'In for one silver, in for one gold,' Marzio though. Whatever they did to him, it didn't matter - things could not get worse than telling the King of Angelia that he was an idiot, could they now.
So Marzio answered the smile with one of his own and got up. "If I did, I do not see how it would be any of your business. Nor does it change anything. You are still an idiot, and so is anyone who listens to you. If you want to doom this country, then so be it - but afterwards, do not claim that you were not warned about the consequences of your actions. And I swear to you, this is the last time I'll even bother to save your sorry asses."
And saluting the king, he walked out of the room as if nothing had happened.
Marzio finished the second letter and signed it, then leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath, waiting for the ink to dry before he put it in a blank envelope and sealed it. He could only hope for understanding from his family... and from that special someone. Because that would be the hardest thing - making Ignis understand why he couldn't come meet him as promised. Because even if the Prince of Demonis understood duty, this went a little beyond that; and the Demon had the tendency to take things as a broken promise seriously.
A knock saved him from starting to mentally kick himself for his stupidity, and he rose to open the door. Ceni stood in the hall, a solemn yet resigned expression on his face, and still managing to look horrified. As did the two guards in the corridor, which were quite heavily armed and trying their best to hide their discomfort from the man they had sworn loyalty to.
"Prison then," Marzio said, mostly to himself. "Prison then," he said, mostly to himself. "Would you like to come in?" he asked Ceni, and the younger man nodded vigorously.
"So, what hole did they decide to throw me in, and for how long?" Marzio asked once his friend was in the room and he had closed the door. He surprised himself by sounding almost cheery, which was not at all suited to the occasion.
"You are out of your mind," Ceni replied. "What the hell did you think you were doing in there, calling Kelan a liar in front of the king and councillors?"
Marzio snickered. "Ah, so they did tell you what happened... very good. And were there any reactions? I mean, besides obviously declaring me a traitor."
"Marzio, this isn't funny!" the lieutenant-colonel protested. "And they did not declare you a traitor; not yet, anyway." Marzio snickered again, making Ceni look ready to throttle him. "You should be grateful, you bastard! Princess Selena practically begged her father to spare your life. Do you have any idea of the amount of trouble you're in?"
"I have a perfectly good idea," Marzio replied. "But it does not matter, not any more. I did what I could to prevent the government from making a big mistake. And trust me, Ceni, it doesn't matter what happens to me. In the end, the only thing that matters is the welfare of our people. My fate is irrelevant, if the king and his councillors finally realize the true state of the country and do something to change it for the better."
"Marzio!"
"Someone had to open their eyes, Ceni."
"Yes? And what about us? Doesn't our opinion matter at all? Doesn't your family's sorrow at losing you count? Or what your friends might feel? Did you ever think how I felt when they told me I had to place my best friend under arrest? How Selena felt when the king nearly ordered you executed?"
Marzio smiled again, this time sadly. "It does matter, Ceni - only not as much. Because if they agree to Kelan's plans, then in the end all my friends will end up dead."
"You chose a damn bad timing to show this zealous patriotism, Zain-Reil. And what about Prince Sagni-Dor? Don't tell me you didn't think about him while doing your little speech this morning."
"I thought about him afterwards. I think he would be proud. Even if..."
Even if they might never see each other again. Yes, Ignis would be proud. He would undoubtedly call Marzio an idiot, but he would still be proud. And if the general contributed to the red-haired prince's efforts for peace even with this little, then there was no need for him to feel sorry for himself, or worry about his fate. Because, after all, what use was happiness and love if one didn't have the possibility to indulge in it? And besides, his love for Ignis had been doomed from the beginning, and the prince would forget about Marzio in time. Surely he would.
"So, where are you taking me?"
The younger man seemed to hesitate for a moment, and then his eyes shone dangerously. "There's a carriage waiting for you at the secondary entrance," he said quickly, keeping his voice low. "I can see you've already packed. Just hit me as hard as you can. I paid the two guards outside - they will let you pass. Get the hell out of here while you still can!"
Marzio rolled his eyes. "This is a tempting offer, my friend, but one I cannot accept. I knew the consequences for my actions, and I am ready to pay the price. I refuse to destroy other people's lives. They would know you helped me, Ceni, and they would also blame the guards for my escape. Besides, where would I go? I cannot simply go back to Meralda, you know."
"Then go to Demonis! Prince Sagni-Dor wouldn't think twice about allowing you to stay there."
Marzio's heart sank. Flee to Demonis and ask for political asylum? No, he would not be turned down, but... "I will not cause Ignis any trouble either. He has his hands full as it is, he doesn't need me showing up on his doorstep with a courier carrying extradition orders a short distance behind. No, Ceni, it is time that I face the consequences of my action, whatever those are. I am, however, asking you for a favour."
His friend looked most pained by his decision to stay, but he nodded anyway, so Marzio produced the two letters and gave them to him.
"One is for my family, the other is for Ignis. They deserve to know what happened from me, not from others. But send them under your name so that they reach destination."
Ceni's voice was getting suspiciously emotional. "I will do so."
"Thank you. And now, I do believe it is time to go. Can I take a few things with me? Clothes, and some books perhaps?"
"Of course. From what I heard your 'speech' was quite impressive, and it's won you the right to stay in one of the cells reserved for noblemen. In the Mnemon Prison, of course."
"They're not taking any chances to allow me to escape, are they. How incredibly touching."
One month later, Ceni Mah-Kel walked to his meeting with Owen Alisi-Feit in a downtown inn with a sudden feeling of dread. He hadn't sent Marzio's letter to Prince Sagni-Dor, preferring to deliver it himself once the Angelian delegation had reached Quiris. Marzio was still in prison, but his trial had been postponed until after the final negotiations for the peace treaty between Angelia and Demonis.
Which was not necessarily a bad thing, in Ceni's opinion. Still, there was no predicting Prince Sagni-Dor's reaction to that letter. The Demon ruler had seemed deeply disturbed during his first meeting with King Teh-Kai, and his eyes had kept straying through the crowd as if he were expecting something to happen. Or someone to show up. And the Angelian lieutenant-colonel had a very good idea exactly who the prince was looking for, in spite of knowing for a fact that Marzio was not there.
Ceni had given Marzio's letter to the fist person he knew he could trust to deliver it - Owen Alisi-Feit. Incidentally, he was in charge of security for the duration of the peace talks, and so was the Prince of Demonis' Captain of the Guard. The letter had earned Ceni a strange look, but the captain had promised to deliver it.
Two hours later, the request for this urgent meeting had arrived at the Angelian's quarters. And Ceni had a feeling this was not a good thing.
Still, he had to admit that the Dreak knew how to choose a neutral location. The inn he had chosen was half-full this early in the evening, but it spotted a crowd of mixed backgrounds and the innkeeper was a middle-aged woman whose face inspired confidence. It did not strike him as a place where one would plan or carry out an ambush or assassination.
He was directed to a smaller room in the back, which was supposedly reserved for guests who wanted to avoid the bustle of the common room. As expected, there was a Demon waiting for him - but it was not Owen Alisi-Feit. Chills went through Ceni as the man, dressed in a guard's uniform, fixed him with burning eyes before motioning for him to close the door.
"Sit down," he said and the Angelian complied. "I already know what happened, but I want to hear this from you as well. In detail." His voice was neutral, as was his stance, but the slight tightening of his lips and narrowing of those eyes indicated that this was an irrefutable order.
So Ceni did tell him everything he knew about Marzio's arrest, and also about his rejected offer to help the general escape. He did not really know why he did it - except for a recurring thought that this man could help Marzio in some way
The Demon had in the mean time sat down opposite to Ceni, a crude wooden table providing the only distance between them; now he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "Little fool," he whispered. "Brave, loyal, stubborn little fool." And there was no hiding the sadness in that voice, or the admiration.
"You would have helped him, wouldn't you?" Ceni asked.
The Prince of Demonis sighed. "Oh yes. And I still intend to, whether he wants it or not." He rose from the table and Ceni couldn't help but stiffen as he went around the table and stepped behind the Angelian, dangerously close. "But first, I have a question." The sweet voice that sang the words in the Angelian's ear was even more disconcerting than the sudden hold on his shoulders that held him pinned down.
"Are you willing to help him, Lieutenant-Colonel Mah-Kel? Are you still his friend, or have you deserted him?"
Khest! How could he ask such a thing? Of course he was still Marzio's friend! But did he want to help? That was the trick question... would he help his friend, or refuse to and lose the trust of such a powerful man.
Because Ignis Sagni-Dor was powerful, more powerful than many people imagined. And, in the short time he'd spent as a prisoner in a Demon war camp, Ceni had learned that the prince always kept his word. Always. He would certainly find a way to help Marzio even without Ceni's cooperation...
"Not if it goes against my code of honour," he finally blurted out, causing a soft laughter in his ear as deceptively lean fingers eased their grip on his shoulders.
"It does not. I only wish to send him a letter."
"You are mad! That would be like killing him with your own hands." Ceni jerked up wanting to face the Demon fool, only to find himself forced down once more.
"Quite so," the Prince crooned. "But I wasn't thinking about just any letter, and certainly not one signed by the Prince of Demonis. No, this would be a different kind of letter... a very special kind of letter." He released Ceni and sat down again, tapping one finger on the table and appearing lost in thought for a moment, before smiling. The Angelian cringed again. That smile promised nothing good.
He was quite right.
"It has come to my attention today that General Zain-Reil's former personal servant has come to be in your employment." The smile turned into a grin. "Now, I am certain that the poor man, having been in his service for a few years now, misses his old employer. He misses him so terribly that he would ask you to add a little note to the message you will be sending your friend in three days. And you, being the kind and accommodating man that you are, will accept his request."
'Damnation!' Ceni thought, not able to look away. 'Marzio was right about those spies. For how long did this little hellion have me followed?'
Two fingers rapped on the table, and the Prince said in a cold voice, "You will accept his request."
"You do realize my career will be at stake if they find us out," he said quickly, trying to gain some more time to think. What the Prince was asking was definitely not legal. But he was also right - Ceni was Marzio's friend.
"I will need to read the note first, but if it's nothing suspicious I'll send it" he finally conceded.
If possible, that grin turned in a most evil-looking smirk, and the Demon Prince stood up again, fetching a cloak that had been abandoned on the back of another chair nearby.
"Quite harmless, Lieutenant-Colonel Mah-Kel, quite harmless. Just something to let Marzio know I'll help him, and that when I see him next time I'll put him over my knees and spank him for being a tactless idiot. I'll have Owen deliver it tomorrow."
And he simply walked out the door, leaving Ceni spluttering at the mental image of what he had just suggested.