Fan Fiction ❯ Shielded in Broken Armours ❯ Part 3: Rise of the Phoenix ( Chapter 24 )
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 11.30.2004 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 208 | Status: Completed
by Alice Montrose
completed July 31, 2004
Chapter Twenty-Four
Marzio's clothes were delivered later that evening. Just in time, too - the treaty was to be signed in less than twenty hours. Somehow, time passed differently being at his lover's side, where he inwardly knew he had belonged the whole time. Ignis was still keeping to his rooms, in order to make his plan work, and Marzio had to do the same so that his presence would not be revealed to the Angelian spies - Kelan's spies. However, two nights before they had visited a tailor who had asked little questions about the opulent costumes he had been ordered to make in such a short time. Marzio suspected he had either been paid a great sum of money, had owed the prince something, or was a spy. Perhaps all three at the same time.
Trying not to think about facing his former sovereign, Marzio allowed himself to relax as his lover unwrapped the first of the two parcels the tailor's apprentice had delivered at the gate and Kheerah had eagerly brought upstairs. However, he was forced to get out of the armchair as the prince beckoned him over, a triumphant smile gracing his face. Marzio had witnessed Ignis drawing the sketches and, like all clothes in the Demon's wardrobe, they would be unique. Not having the Court of Demonis' tailor at his disposal had been an inconvenience, but as usually he had managed.
Currently though, Ignis was absorbed in the task of stretching a forest green tunic on the bed covers and checking every seam and the gold-embroidered lapels. He found nothing wrong and moved on to producing trousers of an even deeper green, lined with the same embroidered pattern of gold thread, from the bundle of wrapping paper. He set them next to the tunic and examined them just as thoroughly. Marzio suddenly realized the tunic was a little too broad in the shoulders to suit Ignis' lithe frame, and gasped in surprise. These were the clothes meant for him.
"What, no blue?" he asked, trying to hide the excitement under a little disappointment. It did not work, for he was once more overwhelmed by Ignis' generosity. This was the second time he received clothes from his lover.
Ignis did not reply, but handed him a sash of pure silk, in a gradient from the purest white to a deep blue. Sewn on it was the crest of the Zain-Reil family, a phoenix on a field of silver and blue, the contrast not managing to alter the harmony of colours. It was followed by a pair of white gloves, a collarless white shirt with loose sleeves, other items of clothing and finally a large burgundy mantle. The boots, black and polished so hard that they shone, had been delivered earlier.
Ignis disappeared into the bathroom with the other parcel and spent about ten minutes in there. Marzio was too distracted by his own outfit to notice. The cut was strange, not entirely Demon but certainly not Angelian. He wondered what he would look like in them... 'But no, not right now. Right now I have to thank Ignis for the clothes, and what better way to do it than...'
"Love?" Marzio turned to see he was alone in the room. "Ignis?" he called again, louder.
The prince was hiding a satisfied grin as best he could while he closed the bathroom door a little too fast to escape the Angelian's notice. "Yes?"
"Alright, you dreadful prince, what are you plotting again that I shouldn't know about?"
Ignis threw himself at his lover, pulling him down on the bed and barely missing the laid-out clothes. "Who, me?" he asked innocently, but did not conceal his amusement. He fluttered his lashes in a very good imitation of a high-born girl trying to seduce a stable-boy. "Why, you and the rest of the world shall have to wait until tomorrow morning to find out."
"You are awful, you know that?! But I love you anyway," he added and kissed the soft lips eagerly, as Ignis abandoned himself to his insistent kisses once more.
But later, much later, he told Marzio in his most serious voice, "Your dear king and his 'trusted advisor' will have a fit when they see me tomorrow."
The Angelian smiled. 'Knowing Ignis, they will probably not be the only ones.'
There was less than an hour before the treaty was to be signed, and the Prince of Demonis was still inside the bathroom, with Kheerah and a closed door between him and the world. The rest of the Demon delegation had already left the manor, receiving that order through four inches of wood. Ignis had insisted that Marzio waited for him, though, so there he was, wearing the green outfit that had him looking more threatening than his old general's uniform ever had, armed with broadsword and two hidden daggers, and gazing out the window as he waited for Ignis to finally come out. What was taking him so damn long?!
The sound of the door finally opening and hurried footsteps told him that Kheerah had left, also marking the point when he had had enough. He turned, taking a few angry steps ready to break down the offending obstacle... and stopped in his tracks.
Standing in front of him was the God of War himself, in pure black clothing lined with equally black thread, long black cloak thrown carelessly over one shoulder to reveal black feathers and the gilded pommel of a sword. His eyes were carefully lined with dark kohl and a faint silver shade covered his eyelids, drawing even more attention to those fiery flaming irises, and the gold-crafted Coronet of Demonis rested on a pure red waterfall. He was regal and serene, safe for the little mocking smile playing on his beautiful lips.
Marzio took a step back, actually intimidated. "Drako," he whispered, still not quite believing.
The expression softened and the War God suddenly transformed into someone more familiar. Ignis looked at Marzio lovingly and at the same time chuckled darkly. "Let us hope you shall not be the only one who gets that impression." He pointed to the edge of the bed. "Sit down. If you're eventually going to become my Consort, you might at least start looking like it."
Not quite sure what that meant, Marzio decided it was better to obey. Ignis produced some golden paint which he began applying to Marzio's eyelids.
"But I will look like a woman!" the older man protested.
"No, but if you don't stand still you will look like a highborn dandy."
That had Marzio calm enough for Ignis to finish, then put the paint away and retrieve a square box of indiscernible content. "We are running late," Marzio warned him.
The prince shook his head and let out an exasperated sigh. "That was the plan all along. Besides, important persons always run late." He drew Marzio up and opened the box to retrieve a band of sterling silver embedded with emeralds. "Kneel before me," he ordered, and when Marzio did he placed the band on Marzio's forehead. "Lord Marzio Zain-Reil, I hereby name you Commander of Demonis' Second Division of Cavalry. You may rise," he added a little less formally, actually lending him a hand up. "There, now you have a formal position among my staff, so no one can arrest you without my permission. Let's see what Kelan has to say to that, shall we?" he winked, and rushed the dazed Marzio down into the courtyard, where two saddled warhorses waited to take them to Quiris' City Hall.
Hooded and dangerous, they made it with only ten minutes delay, which actually had Ignis pouting a little. The anteroom was empty, but the two could sense the restlessness in the air. Ignis actually stopped, removed his hood and released his hair from the leather cord he had used to restrain it during the short ride. He turned toward Marzio, breathing deeply.
"Here's what happens now. Most of them do not know our delay was on purpose. Lucifer is supposedly back in Aquiline with urgent state business, which Kelan should interpret that his plan has worked and I am on my deathbed. They probably think Tempesta is only trying to buy some time, and know she cannot sign the treaty in my place. When we walk in there, I want you to remain hooded until I say your name out loud. I shall try and make things as quick as possible, so don't worry. It is also quite probable that at a certain point I shall sound like I'm a heartless bastard - you know me well enough by now to know I'm just acting, but I wanted to warn you all the same. Also, when you speak up do it convincingly and without fear. Have faith in yourself, and in your friends. I get the feeling they will not let you down. Any questions?"
Marzio smiled and bowed deeply. "None, most cunning tyrant. Lead the way!"
The only way Ignis could refrain from laughing was putting on a furious face. Exhaling loudly, he took a step forward and, slamming the oak doors to the walls like they weighted nothing, he strode purposefully into the hall, Marzio in tow.
All eyes turned to see who had disturbed the increasingly agitated silence. King Teh-Kai drew back in his chair at the sight of the dark fury coming toward the dais, followed closely by a mysterious figure wrapped in burgundy. In less than a minute, the fiery red-haired Demon was mounting the two steps and sitting carelessly in the Prince of Demonis' throne, eyes cold as the cruel little smile made Marzio shiver in dread at the transformation in the Demon sovereign. Kelan looked like all the blood had been drawn from his body, managing a little sound as his mind filled with dread.
"Y-your Highness..." he managed.
Ignis' voice came out as cold as his smile had been. "Please excuse the delay. I had to deal with a traitor."
Marzio had expected him to come to that, but not quite so bluntly. He knew that, inside, his lover was probably not only nervous, but willing to end this uncomfortable situation as fast as possible. He strengthened himself at what was to come, including accusations at his person. They did not matter as they had before, but he somehow had the feeling Kelan would try and make him and the prince most uneasy. 'Oh well... he can try. I am ready for him.'
He made a quick sign to catch Ceni's eyes while Ignis and King Teh-Kai were busy staring at each other. His friend, stationed just a few feet away from the King's throne, stared at him for a moment, but then he nodded a greeting before looking away.
In the mean time, Ignis had joined his fingers and had been staring at the king in a most intimidating manner. King Teh-Kai, not quite knowing what to do, replied in a shaggy voice, "Shall we proceed then?"
Ignis nodded, and gestured for him to sign first. Three copies of the final treaty waited on a velvet-clad table between the two parties.
But as the Angelian king wanted to lean forward, Kelan intervened. "Pardon me, Prince Sagni-Dor, but you only have two witnesses. Lord Lucifer is not here."
'Of course he isn't, you idiot. I killed him.' The burgundy eyes turned to the advisor and his smile grew malicious. "He most certainly isn't. In fact, I fear he is quite dead."
That flat tone frightened not only Marzio, but Tempesta as well. In the hall, people stirred at the news, but no one dared raise their voice. The newly-appointed Commander Zain-Reil turned his head to the Supreme Commander of the Army of Demonis and mouthed only for her, the hood hiding his face from the others, 'He's acting.' General Neri-Lokh gave him a quick nod - she knew, and it still frightened her. Meris Owen, Captain of the Guard, was feeling the same. Princess Selena and Lieutenant-Colonel Mah-Kel exchanged looks over their king's throne, wondering at the prince's cold blood. Kelan paled even more and King Teh-Kai looked quite startled.
"Excuse me, but was he not a very important chancellor?" the monarch of Angelia tried to say neutrally, but his voice betrayed his tenseness.
"That he was, and a traitorous snake as well. But I have brought a replacement." It was Marzio's clue; he stepped forward and dropped his hood. "Please allow me to introduce the new leader of Demonis' Second Division of Cavalry, Commander Marzio Zain-Reil."
This time, the hall was in uproar; but it was more of a startled tumult than an angry one. While people stared at him in an amazed shock, the king and Kelan looked like the ceiling had suddenly fallen over their heads. And Marzio could swear he could hear a contented laugh from Ignis inside his mind.
Outwardly, the prince was content to narrow his eyes even more and smile devilishly at Kelan. 'Son of a whore, how does it feel to be beaten at your own game?' The man looked like he was ready to burst, so in the same unfeeling voice Ignis inquired, "Is anything wrong, lord advisor?"
Burst he did, in an outraged fury of words. "What is this traitor doing here?! Guards, arrest him!" But the Angelian guards did not move; in fact, neither did anybody else.
"Lord Loreh-Ven, I expect you to address my future Prince Consort respectfully," Ignis stated.
"Your what?!" Kelan spat, not believing his ears. His sudden indignation was met by the Demon's eyes looking at him with a burning rage that made him stick his back to the wide chair he was sitting in, pinned without escape, fury replaced by dread - he realized that his plan had been discovered.
King Teh-Kai spoke firmly this time, being the only one not knowing what was going on in the hall. "Prince Sagni-Dor, with all due respect, that man is a traitor and a criminal."
Ignis' deadly smile did not waver for a second. "And why is that? Because he dared to speak against your chief advisor in Council, warning you what a great mistake you were about to commit? Your Majesty, when did you stop listening to what your people truly had to say?"
"How dare you..."
"Silence!" Ignis' voice boomed through the hall, covering Kelan's. 'One more word from you and you die. Painfully,' came the silent threat only the lord heard, imprinting itself into his mind. The prince's attention turned to the king again. "Whom did you listen to, when you sent half the men in Angelia to certain death?"
"My advisors, of course," the monarch replied.
"Advisors? Oh, but I believe it was your mistress. You know, Lord Loreh-Ven's wife..."
It was the king's turn to blanch. "What are you insinuating?"
Ignis' voice regained some feeling, but not much. "What Marzio told you a long time ago, Your Majesty. That you allow your Councilors to rule the country, and do not listen to those who are loyal to the Crown and Angelia, not to their own fame and pockets. Before starting this war - the results of which brought us here -, did you even bother to ask your officers what the odds were, and not some idiots who have no idea how to properly wield a sword in combat? Did you discuss strategy with anyone except that overstuffed noble standing next to you? Why, I bet you didn't even know when and where your army has crossed the border until you got my letter!"
The king got angry. "That is a preposterous thing to say, Your Highness!"
"Is it? Then enlighten me, oh most wise one, why did you arrest General Zain-Reil when he spoke the truth against Lord Kelan? You had confirmation that the general was not lying."
"He wanted to usurp our sovereign, marry the princess and have the throne for himself!" Kelan erupted, pointing accusingly at Marzio, who almost fell over. 'I wanted what?'
"Listen, you silly excuse of a courtier, I never wanted any throne!" Marzio roared at Kelan for the second time in his life. "You think leading an army is not hard enough? What would I do with a country?! All I ever wanted was to make sure His Majesty found out who you really were!"
The Angelian princess jumped as well. "Father, listen to me! Marzio is my friend. What he earned, he earned with his own power. He would have never ever done anything to cause me, or you, any pain. He was loyal to Angelia and he was loyal to you."
King Teh-Kai was beginning to get confused. Was his daughter speaking in the traitor's favour? And Prince Sagni-Dor, too? He looked at Lord Loreh-Ven only to find him looking at the Demon like the man was about to bite him. His former High Commander stood proudly next to Prince Ignis' throne - was he wingless? That would clearly mark him as a traitor, but...
"Zain-Reil, explain yourself, and do it now," he ordered. "And pray tell me how exactly you managed to break out of prison."
Jumping at the chance he was being offered and praying he would not sound too enthusiastic, Marzio engaged himself in explaining all about Kelan's foul plans, his own discoveries about the man, and the plot against Ignis that Selena had revealed to him. He evasively mentioned someone helping him escape imprisonment, and that he had reached Quiris only four days ago. He felt everyone in the room was glaring at him, waiting for that last detail - why had he warned Ignis?
"Your Majesty," he finally said, "I am aware that my final actions mean treachery against Angelia. That is why I am willing to leave the country, never to return. But please understand that I never wanted your crown. I give you my word, which I have never betrayed."
Kelan saw this as his last chance to intervene against Marzio. "You slept with the enemy prince! Your word is worth nothing."
Ignis, who for all that time had limited himself to listen carefully, and who hated it when people interfered in his private life, spoke before Marzio could even open his mouth. "I do not see it as your business to tell me whom I can sleep with. Do you think me so low and deceiving that I would dishonour my most esteemed adversary and have him betray his country for a night of pleasure? Your Majesty, I can assure you that what we did had nothing to do with politics."
Finally having heard enough on both sides, King Teh-Kai stood up and faced the hall. "Angelians," he said. "My people... I see myself surrounded by betrayal. So I ask you, what should I do?"
A cold wind passed through the hall. Then one voice shouted, and was quickly backed up by others. "Sign the treaty! Death to Lord Kelan! Peace for Angelia!"
The old king shook his head, and sitting down again he leaned for the quill. "As you decide," he whispered, and placed his signature on one paper. Kelan, by now blind to anything but rage, suddenly pulled out a dagger and wanted to plunge it in the monarch's side, under everybody's terrified eyes. Two signatures. Simultaneously, Ceni pulled out his sword. Finding no other way, he stabbed the man right in the heart through his back, at the same time catching the hand holding the dagger and pulling it back.
The blade slipped out of Kelan's hand as he fell on the floor, just as King Teh-Kai drew back after signing the third copy. The poor monarch looked at his former advisor with shocked eyes, until two of the other Angelian guards picked up the corpse and took it out of sight. Then he turned to Ignis, pleading, "Let us end this."
A sudden twinge rushed up Marzio's back, and he clenched his hands into fists fighting it back. He could not disturb this moment.
Prince Sagni-Dor nodded and a page turned the three copies of the treaty toward him. He picked up another quill and dipped it in ink, his signature in flowing calligraphy quickly joining the King of Angelia's on all three copies.
It was then that Marzio collapsed on his hands and knees, screaming. It felt like his back was on fire, and something was crawling under his skin. A strange force immobilized him, but did not dull the pain. What the hell was happening to him? Why now, when he had found love and peace? His thoughts suddenly defragmented as the hurting replaced all coherent thinking with noble perfidy.
Ignis dropped his façade and, among confusion and startled cries, rushed to kneel by Marzio's side and took him in his arms. The Angelian felt hands trying to soothe the searing burns in his back, tender and confident as only Ignis could be. He began hearing again, exclamations of surprise and a constant voice in his ear tenderly whispering indiscernible words. His vision began to clear, and the warm trails down his face told him he was crying.
Then the pain stopped as abruptly as it had begun, and all he could feel was tingling spreading quickly through his veins, the same one he remembered from when the Demon prince had healed his side wound. His face was pressed against black velvet, and the gentle hands caressed his back. Warm lips pressed against his temple whispered only to him, "Shh... All is well now. I am here. You'll never have to leave me again."
The weight of wings on his back felt strange. But he did not have any - they had been cut. He tried to flap the imaginary wings and actually succeeded. Amazing!
He pulled away and looked up at those eyes full with love and concern. He blinked; it was like seeing Ignis for the first time. The glorious Prince of Demonis, kneeling in front of him. "Ignis, what happened? I cannot tell what happened."
The Demon smiled as he rose elegantly and pulled Marzio up by his hands. The people gathered din the hall were still whispering something, something about magic and supernatural interference.
"Ignis...?" he pleaded.
Suddenly his hands were full of an overjoyed prince who embraced him, speaking against his ear with a voice that broke his heart. "Remember that mural in the Sanctuary, and the angel with red wings?"
Oh no! He hadn't! He couldn't possible have...
A pinch had him jump up, and a crimson feather was presented to him by this exuberant lover. "But you did, Marzio. You did! And now you are mine forever, my foolish and most fetching angel."
He pulled back all of a sudden, only to kiss Marzio victoriously. The entire world disappeared in an instant, and they were transported in a world of their own, oblivious to the shocked gasps and loud cheers erupting from their forgotten audience.