Fan Fiction ❯ Shielded in Broken Armours ❯ Part 3: Rise of the Phoenix ( Chapter 21 )
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 11.30.2004 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.4K | Visits: 168 | Status: Completed
by Alice Montrose
completed July 31, 2004
Chapter Twenty-One
"I swear, the man is more stubborn that an ox." Ignis threw up his arms and let himself fall on the couch. "No, scrap that. To compare Kelan Loreh-Ven to an ox would be an insult to the animal. Who in all heavens has ever heard of 'taxes for intellectual export'?"
"Kelan did, apparently," Owen snickered. "What is this 'intellectual export', by the way?"
"The migration of intellectuals from one country to another. It seems that the Angelians fear of losing their brightest scholars once the borders are opened. Not that their new emigration fees are anywhere near affordable for most people." Tempesta grunted, pouring herself a glass of wine. "Apparently someone tipped off their scholars about the kind of manuscripts that can be found in the Aquiline library, and by now half of them have applied for emigration and another quarter for extended stay permits."
"That was Roland Bela-Fer and Tanis' fault, not Marzio's," Ignis interceded.
"Ah. And speaking of our dear general, how far along are you with getting him released?"
Ignis gave Owen a pained look. "Quite far, I think. If I could have spoken privately with the king sooner, Marzio would already be here. But Lord Kelan..." He closed his eyes and sighed.
"We know, we know... The man has been a thorn in your side ever since you two first laid eyes on each other. You know, we could have gotten rid of him and make it look like an accident while he was still our prisoner." The Supreme Commander of Demonis shook her head and sipped at her wine. "We still can."
Ignis groaned. "Not that I don't find it an excellent idea, but we really don't want to delay negotiations any further. We are this close to signing the treaty. Less then a week... and in the mean time, I'm sure we can come up with a plan to get Kelan out of the way without having to kill him."
Kheerah came into the room with a tray of appetizers; Owen and Tempesta helped themselves to some, not having eaten since that morning. Ignis, however, was by now sick of food - too many business meetings over meals did that to a man, and he'd just had lunch with a member of the Angelian Trade Council. He spared Kheerah a smile, though. He was a very nice, thoughtful boy, and very good at keeping the things he happened to overhear while attending to Ignis' needs.
Presently, the boy fumbled in his pockets for something. "Milord, one of the servants found this in the foyer. He thought you might have accidentally dropped it." He produced a medallion and offered it to the prince and then retreated at a proper distance, giving Ignis time to study the piece of jewellery.
Ignis' hand tightened onto the locket; it was painfully familiar. In fact, there was no way it could have gotten there, unless...
"Kheerah, who was here today?"
"Milord?" the boy asked, his head jerking into the prince's direction at the cold tone of voice.
"Who was here today, while I was at the City Hall?"
"I do not know, sire. I was in town until this afternoon."
"Then find out for me. Now."
While Kheerah left to inquire about any visitor the prince might have had, Ignis returned to his study of the locket. He did not doubt whom it belonged to - it was one of a kind, custom-made. But how exactly had it reached Quiris, if Marzio was imprisoned in Mnemon?
"What's so special about a medallion?" Owen asked, not aware of its meaning.
"I gave this to Marzio when he left. It simply shouldn't be here, and I don't think I like any of the possible explanations for its sudden appearance."
Kheerah returned accompanied by one of the guards who had been on duty that morning. At Ignis' question, the woman replied, "Yes my Lord Prince, there was a man here around noon; a Teran asking to speak with General Neri-Lokh. Lord Lucifer received him."
"Lord Lucifer, you say? And where is this man now?" Tempesta inquired. "Because I didn't see him."
"General, I do not know. But..." The woman seemed to consider something. "Lord Lucifer left in his carriage soon after, and I do not think he was alone."
"He wasn't!" Kheerah jumped in. "The driver picked him up right in front of the stairs, and one of the maids thought she saw one of his bodyguards carrying a body."
"Tell me, Lynn," Ignis told the woman, "this Teran didn't by any chance happen to be carrying a message from Angelia, did he?"
"I am sorry, but he did not say. Still... if I may be forgiven, he looked suspiciously familiar, in spite of the hooded cloak he wore. I could swear I saw him before, but I don't know where."
Under his friends' eyes, Ignis turned white. A flash of memory from her had been enough to confirm his suspicions. He closed his eyes and leaned against the back of his chair taking a deep breath, while his hand tightened on the gold locket.
'Marzio... here...' It was a foolish thought, and yet... was it possible that they had released him? That he had found a way to come, after all? Hope died last, it was said. But how could he been mistaken for a Teran? After all, the people of Terlandia had no wings!
Another thought crept into him; had King Teh-Kai found a way to rid himself of the general once and for all, by discrediting him in the eyes of all his subjects? But to declare Marzio a traitor meant going a bit too far, even for the foolish Angelian king.
However, right now Ignis had to find his lover - or the man that looked like him, in any case. His heart told him it was Marzio, and his mind tended to follow his instincts. The question was, where had Lucifer taken him?
"Did the High Priest take his carriage now as well, or is his coachman still here?"
"He just came back as we came here," the lieutenant answered.
"Very good, Lynn. Now if you would be so kind as to fetch me that coachman..."
Ten minutes later, an elderly Demon was escorted in by two guards, and Ignis did not even wait for him to kneel before he inquired about Lucifer Drak-Mer's latest carriage ride. The man, fidgeting under his monarch's fiery eyes, revealed that the High Priest had gone to the Temple of Drako, and had remained there with his bodyguard.
It was all that Ignis wanted to know. Placing the coachman under the guards' care until further orders, he ordered Owen to make sure no one left the villa that evening before he returned. Taking Tempesta and the first three Dreak he could find, he left for the temple in his own coach.
The building seemed quiet from outside, but as he went up the stairs Lucifer's bodyguard appeared in the doorway, blocking his path. The man did not stand a chance in front of a determined prince, however, and his unconscious body was left in Tempesta's care. Two of the warriors he had brought with were posted throughout the temple, and one was sent to make sure none of the priests, priestesses and acolytes that lived in the adjoining building showed up to ruin Ignis' impromptu descent into the most secret of the temple's rooms: the underground cells.
As Ignis descended the narrow staircase, Master Keefer's lessons on stealth came back to him. Unlike most Dreak warriors, his lessons at the Monastery had included some very unorthodox training. Not that his father would have been very happy had he found out about it, but Ignis had insisted. After all, what better way to thwart an attempt on one's life than to anticipate the assassin's moves? And Ignis had been good at it - almost as good as Keefer himself had been in his youth.
The dark corridors proved ideal for going about unnoticed, and Ignis paid great attention to his steps. He didn't want to let Lucifer know he was coming, perhaps even catch the High Priest with his guard down this time. And if the damned man had dared harm one hair on Marzio's body...
Light and a low voice coming from one of the cells ahead had him tread more careful, pulling the hood of his mantle even lower to hide his face. No, Lucifer would not know he was there until it was too late.
"... and I won't allow you to jeopardize my plan. I don't know how you could possibly find out about this, but you picked the wrong person to mess with."
It was Lucifer, no doubt about it. Thankful that the door was half open, Ignis dared sneak a look into the narrow underground cell. He couldn't make out much because the High Priest stood just in front of him, the light of a single torch hanging on the wall next to the door falling on his back. But it took no great genius to interpret the rustling of chains that came from beyond.
"Ignis will know."
Just three words, carrying a final resolution. And yes, it was Marzio's voice that spoke them, making Ignis cringe on the other side of the door.
Lucifer's wicked laughter echoed in the cell. "Will he, now? He will be dead before he realizes what is going on!" The few instants of utter silence that followed gave his words a whole world of meanings. "You see, my plan is perfect. And with him out of the way, who will be mad enough to stop me?"
"You will give yourself away," Marzio's voice answered. "Do you think nobody will realize there was a traitor among your people? General Neri-Lokh is not stupid. If something happens to the prince, she will start an investigation. And she will kill you for harming Ignis."
Lucifer's robed figure shifted, and Ignis pulled back a little fearing the priest might have noticed him. He hadn't; instead Lucifer leaned forward and his hand shot out. The prince noticed familiar blond hair as the prisoner's head was being forced up, and he instantly reached for his dagger. There was no way Lucifer would harm Marzio if Ignis could prevent it!
"She will not. You see, I made sure all clues will point to Lord Loreh-Ven. Even she will not be able to deny it was your people that poisoned the prince. And with him dead, I will make sure Demonis declares war against Angelia, to punish you for such a horrendous crime. Your country doesn't stand a chance in front of our troops, Zain-Reil! Driven by the desire to avenge their dear sovereign, our army will wipe out everything in its path. Angelia will lie in ruin at Demonis' feet!"
Ignis could practically feel Marzio flinch, perhaps because he himself did. He had tolerated the High Priest's crazy ideas so far, but Lucifer was truly mad! Only a sick mind would plan the destruction of so many innocent lives. Everything Ignis had fought hard for would have been rendered useless if Lucifer went through with his plan. No, he had to be stopped!
The dagger's sharp blade came out of its sheath just as soundlessly as Ignis had moved. The prince's hand tightened on the familiar shape of the handle. Wings wrapped around a human shape; the weapon was meant to protect the life of the one carrying it. This time, it would protect not only Ignis' life, but his loved one's as well.
Lucifer, on the other hand, wouldn't be that lucky.
The Demon stepped through the door and into the cell, advancing one quiet step at the time, his body and his mind wrapped in darkness.
The High Priest let go of Marzio and produced a tiny flask from the folds of his ample robe. "Belladonna. Mixed with any food or drink, this extract is lethal. A fever at first; then serious metabolism disorders. He will die a slow, painful death. And I will be damned if I won't enjoy any single moment of his suffering. He will pay for underestimating my hatred. I will kill this hell spawn that has made my life miserable for the past five years. He should have died three years ago, not his pretty captain. I won't fail again. Drako is with me this time! And I promise you this, Angelian: you will follow him soon."
Lucifer began laughing again, but he stopped abruptly and his speech died in his mouth as he felt something moving behind him just before a cold, sharp blade went through his heart. The poison flask dropped on the stone floor and broke as Prince Sagni-Dor's voice spoke deadly in his ear, "It looks like Drako wishes you to fail. And honestly, I don't think I will miss you much."
Ignis turned the knife so it would cut harder, deeper. His eyes stopped past the priest: Marzio, wingless and chained up against the wall, head hanging low as he sobbed.
Ignis pulled out the weapon and lowered the body on the floor. The blade was red with the High Priest's blood and he wiped it clean on the now dead man's robe, sparing a thought for the sins he had confessed to. Drako, how many lives had Lucifer had on his conscience?! Rasya... Marzio, almost! He wished he could pity the lord, but he didn't.
He searched the body quickly, hoping to find the key to Marzio's shackles. It seemed a fruitless effort at first, but he finally found it hanging on a chain from the priest's belt. He retrieved it and hastily stood up; he had to take care of Marzio now.
The general seemed oblivious to what was happening in the cell, even as Ignis reached out to free him from the restraints. His right arm dropped lifelessly at his side and Ignis thanked the gods he had had enough presence of mind to support his lover lest he should fall. Marzio's body was limp against the prince's own as he struggled with the other cuff, finally managing to undo it. He lowered Marzio and propped his back against the cold wall, lifting his face to find dead eyes looking through him. Fearing the worst, he searched for a pulse, and was grateful when he found it.
"Marzio," he whispered softly, "can you hear me?"
The green eyes blinked and seemed to focus, and cracked lips moved. "Ignis... danger..." It was all the Angelian could utter before his eyes closed. The prince pulled him forward, feeling faint breathing against his face as he tried to cross Marzio's arms around his neck.
It took him four tries to do it right. Then Ignis put one arm under his lover's knees and lifted him up. Tempesta was waiting upstairs, and he couldn't leave Marzio in there with Lucifer's corpse for company. The Angelian was lighter than he had expected, but he did not look entirely healthy either. He just hoped it was nothing a healer couldn't handle.
Except for the missing wings... nobody could replace such a loss.
Marzio woke up to the smell of orange blooms thick in the air. He was lying on his back, gazing at a canopy embroidered with tiny beads that reflected the dim light in the room, and he could feel soft sheets on his body and a fluffy pillow under his head. There were other clues showing he was finally out of the filthy dungeon, like the fact he was no longer shackled nor was he restrained in any way.
He tried turning on his side, only to discover an unfamiliar weight pressed against his chest prevented him from moving. But just as he lifted his head to see what it was, it shifted and the Angelian found himself staring into claret eyes that blinked sleepily, lost in a familiar mass of red hair.
Next thing he knew, he was being pulled off the bed and into a warm embrace, his face burying in cool silk as a hand tangled in his hair and another sneaked around his waist. He guessed more than heard a relieved sign, and indiscernible words were murmured in his ear.
After the initial shock, Marzio allowed his hands to stray and circle Ignis' body. The warmth, the smells and the textures against his skin told him he was not dreaming, not at all. Ignis was there, a reassuring presence he could hang onto for support, although how the Prince of Demonis had managed to find him was yet to be revealed. An immense sense of relief overcame him, and with it the thought he had made it after all.
Marzio pulled away slowly, eyes downcast, not knowing what reaction to expect from the prince. "Do you still think of me handsome now that I am starved and covered with scars?" he managed, his voice hoarse from lack of use.
But as he raised his head he found a genuine smile playing across thinned lips, and deep eyes looked at him filled with worry and so much love it nearly threw him back. His heart sank, realizing those eyes mirrored his own feelings, and that there was none of the rejection he had so dreaded. And then Ignis kissed him, and the world swirled around them once more in the light of morning, and it was not that different from what it had been like between them several months back.
The Demon broke the kiss and laid Marzio back on the bed, stretching himself next to him and pushing a few wavy strands away from Marzio's face. The golden hair was longer than he remembered, and not exactly clean, but it still caught the eye.
"I think you are the most handsome man in these godsforsaken lands," he replied, smiling down at the Angelian once more. "But I should still kick your sorry ass for having me so worried when you passed out."
"How long?"
"Only a couple of hours. Zehi says you're going to be all right, given a few weeks' worth of rest and several good meals a day. Still, you have a lot of explaining to do."
The Angelian nodded, wondering how exactly he was going to tell Ignis about everything, especially about the old woman and the deal he had made; not to mention he had no proof of the accusations he was going to make against his own countrymen, which sounded exactly like what they were - treason. "Does anyone else know I'm here?" he asked quickly, wanting to find out how much time he had before being handed back to his own people.
"A few persons I trust - none of your own people, though. I thought it best, considering..." A deep breath, and then, "Get some more rest. We can talk later. About everything." He made to get up, but Marzio caught his forearm and held onto it with dubious strength.
"Could you stay a bit longer? After two months spent in prison and a week on the road, I find your presence very comforting." He knew that keeping Ignis there was really selfish of him, but the Demon prince still had no idea of the plot against him.
Ignis nodded. "I was only going to order some food. Just stay put and I'll be back shortly, I promise." He removed Marzio's hand from his arm gently. "I won't leave your side, my love, at least not until we have a proper chance to talk. You have my word on that."
Lying back down and watching Ignis leave through an ornate door, Marzio considered his alternatives carefully. Should he manage to persuade Ignis his story was real - which he honestly doubted, for it really seemed more fantasy than reality - things would be quite easy to handle from that point on. And the best way of doing that was by telling the truth, and hope the prince would not burst out laughing and declare him a raving lunatic.
He was hungry though, and when Ignis returned carrying a tray of steaming food his stomach rumbled. Ignis chuckled and advised to start with the soup, and not to drink it down too fast. While Marzio busied himself with that, he cut the steak into small pieces and when Marzio put down the empty bowl he fed him the meat himself, making small pauses between bites. Very little was spoken, both men trying to gather their thoughts and tighten their resolve for what would come.
Then Ignis took the empty dishes away and returned to lie down next to Marzio, leaning against the headboard and allowing the now sated Angelian to lean against him. "Would you rather talk about it now, or wait for Tempesta and Owen to return? I don't want to put you through any unnecessary pain, and I have the feeling that this particularly story has a lot of that in it. So perhaps I should tell you what happened here first."
"I got your note. It told me pretty much everything about what was happening here at the time. I still can't believe you pressured King Teh-Kai to release me, though. That must have been odd for him."
Ignis' eyes darkened, as they always did when he discussed something serious or when he was angry with someone. "Your friend Ceni Mah-Kel told me what happened in Council. It struck me as very unfair to arrest you for simply expressing your opinion. Besides, I was not about to let you rot in a cell while Kelan was enjoying freedom after having destroyed hundreds of lives."
"Oh, I believe my execution would have come in due time," Marzio replied smugly. "Of course, that was before I broke out of prison and came here... By the way, how did you find me last night? Lucifer said nobody would know where I was."
Ignis retrieved something from the nightstand and showed it to him. It was the golden medallion he had dropped on the floor when Lucifer's bully had struck him from behind. "Kheerah found this in the foyer and thought I had accidentally misplaced it. This, and strange images of you chained to a wall that kept appearing in Lucifer's mind. I simply took my cue and followed him to the temple dungeons." He refastened the gold chain around Marzio's neck, and caressed the Angelian's shoulder lovingly.
Marzio was a bit puzzled by some of the words. "In Lucifer's mind? So you can truly read people's thoughts? Well, to tell you the truth, nothing much fazes me at this point. What happened to Lucifer, anyway? Shouldn't he be around here somewhere, giving you a hard time?"
Ignis snorted. "Lucifer is dead; I killed him last night. One less traitor to deal with; I heard most of what he told you, so it was just as well I did it myself - he couldn't have escaped trial this time. You knew that he was going to poison me, didn't you?"
"Yes," Marzio confessed. "I came here to warn you. Selena said she was afraid to tell Ceni so he could warn you, and there was no other way to let you know about except telling you myself. I was about to answer your note, but... something happened..."
Ignis' arms closed around him, the prince's touch light as a feather. "And you will tell me all about it, and then... then we will do some scheming of our own. I am not going to treat this lightly. I do not like it when the ones I care for are hurt and their life is being threatened. It has to end, and I want someone's head!"
It was scary to see Ignis so determined. Yet his hold never tightened, his body did not tense, only his voice carried signs of internal turmoil. Marzio knew it was just a matter of time until he would make his threat real, and then Seleh save whomever opposed his will.
But the Angelian also felt a bit slighted. Never before had Ignis seemed so distant, in spite of being so close. Marzio even wondered if the Demon's mind was there with him, or somewhere else planning his revenge. But he could not complain, could he? He had gotten his wish - to be in Ignis' arms for one last time before he gave up his old life and tried to make it on his own. He had a vague feeling Ignis was not going to let him go easily, though Marzio had to leave for both their sakes. But he still had time to enjoy this, just a bit longer until things settled down and everything returned to a normal path.
"Does it still hurt?" Ignis whispered suddenly, running a hand over the area where Marzio's wings had once been attached to his back.
Marzio shook his head. "No. Not physically, at least. It was the price I had to pay for my freedom."
Ignis' hold did tighten then, and Marzio was drawn closer to him. "Tanis once told me what this means in your land. I understand this must have been a hard decision for you."
"Let's not speak about it now. Both our peoples' destinies are laid out before you. There really was no choice, not in the long run."