Fire Emblem Fan Fiction ❯ Fire Emblem Path of Radiance: Divergence ❯ Part 2A ( Chapter 2 )

This is the first of two possible results of what occurred during the first chapter. Essentially, this shows what might happen if Sephiran's gamble backfired and, instead of destroying the evil, Ike BECAME the evil. Essentially, I am molding a dramatically changed Ike (i.e OOC) into Tellius' equivalent of Julius Caesar. This chapter is focused on Geoffrey's perspective and, I warn you, it's rather angsty.

 

Disclaimer: If I owned Fire Emblem, I'd be fantastically rich. Alas, I do not.

 

*********Part 2A, four years after Fire Emblem Path of Radiance, the year 650*******

 

The Dark Side: Flames descend on Tellius

 

By the time the great doors to the Throne Room finally opened, Geoffrey was already angry. If he'd been asked, he would've denied it and believed that he was telling the truth. Even after growing up around Courtiers and Diplomats and Ambassadors and Dignitaries and Monarchs, he STILL didn't understand how they could take so long to come to any sort of decision. The azure haired Paladin, however, forced those sentiments back below the surface of his subconscious. After all, the late King Ramon and Duke Renning were of the same sort, yet they had treated him and his sister, the azure haired Swordmaster Lucia, like their own children.

 

That musing brought a pang of regret from Geoffrey, but he shook it off. Ramon was a good King and a wonderful father, but Geoffrey had come to terms with Ramon's death long ago. Besides, there was enough on his mind as it was. Collecting his composure, he strode into the Throne Room. He'd been in there so often that he never really noticed the details of the Throne Room. Now, his alert and stressed mind fed him every single detail. All of it looked different and not in a good way. A deep red carpet joined the great doors with the dais bearing the Thrones. Courtiers were arrayed on either side of the carpet. Geoffrey ignored most of them but two briefly caught his attention. One was Count Bastian; the loquacious Sage who always talked like a character from one of The Bard's (1) plays, whom nodded grave approval. The other was Lucia, who mouthed `be careful' to her brother. Two members of the Crimean Imperial Guard, both of whom he recognized from before and during the war, flanked the Thrones. One throne, once occupied by King Ramon, was eternally vacant. (2) The other was occupied by Queen Elincia.

 

Above the Thrones was one of the few truly new additions to this chamber. It was a banner, and yet it was more. In the center of the banner was a cross of sword, axe and lance. The sword represented Ragnell, Ike's treasured sacred blade which he had used to defeat the Black Knight and Ashnard. The axe represented Urvan, (3) the battle axe of Greil. The lance represented Fiat Lux, (4) the weapon that Duke Renning had carried into his final battle and which had been only recently recovered. About the crossed weapons were images of Laguz. The head of a Lion, representing the Beast Tribe, was gazing westward from the crossed weapons. The image of a Hawk, representing the Bird Tribe, gazed eternally toward the east. Below, gazing sightlessly upon the Throne Room, was the head of a Dragon which represented the Dragon Tribe. Perched at the top of the image was a Heron, representing Serenes Forest where the new peace had been forged, its argent wings spread and its beaked head raised in mute song. At the bottom of the image were two hands joined in a sign of brotherhood, one was the clawed hand of a Beast Tribe Laguz and the other was the comparatively unimpressive hand of a Beorc. (5) That banner was the symbol of a new age, of unity and peace between Beorc and Laguz, of the dream that King Ramon and Duke Renning had died for.

 

It was the banner of the Tellius Alliance, and there were those who feared that this dream was transforming into a nightmare.

 

Geoffrey approached, as always, walking with the poise and grounded grace of a natural fighter. But, there was cold dread brewing behind his eyes as they discreetly roamed the chamber. He mentally tallied how many others were in the room, their proximity to where he'd stop to bow before the Queen and whether or not any of them were armed. He had a funny feeling that more than a few of those present would not appreciate what he had to say.

 

Geoffrey stopped and collapsed to his knees in a strangely rushed show of respect. One might've supposed that the azure haired Paladin was simply in a rush to speak whatever news he sought to convey. Others might've thought that he was properly humbled by his liege. Others still might've thought that he had had a difficult journey and was eager to rest his legs while kneeling. They might suppose those things, but they'd be wrong: he was averting his eyes. Geoffrey could look Elincia in the eye and in the face, but he couldn't look at the rest of her. He inwardly cringed when he heard her softly grunt as she rose and he squeezed his eyes shut when he became aware of her heavy, unsteady stride.

 

“Geoffrey,” the emerald haired Queen addressed him, “that is no greeting between friends. Please, rise.”

 

Geoffrey could still be taken by surprise by the new straightforward confidence and poise in Elincia's voice. In the four short years since the war and her coronation, the once demure and shy Elincia had become sure of herself. She had become more self-assured and was no longer intimidated into silence by those who held seniority over her. She also developed an interesting distaste towards bowing.

 

`Ike has rubbed off on her,' Geoffrey thought tritely.

 

Geoffrey rose quickly, very quickly and composed himself. Elincia had walked, or rather lumbered, over to him and she was discreetly arching her back to relieve a chronic pressure that seemed in no hurry to vanish. Geoffrey shook himself back to attention and looked into Elincia's face, probably the only part of her that was truly unaltered.

 

“Your Majesty,” the azure haired Paladin addressed politely, “your absence from the recent conference at Delbray Castle has been…criticized.”

 

That was a record breaking understatement. Naesala had flatly accused the Crimean Dignitaries of `wasting his time' and even Leanne had difficulty placating him. Elincia gave him the serene gaze that he'd seen ever since he was a boy. She ran a hand over her rounded belly. And this time, Geoffrey hadn't averted his eyes fast enough.

 

“As you can see Geoffrey,” she replied, “I'm in no shape to travel.”

 

The azure haired Paladin clenched his teeth to stop himself from saying something he'd regret. Apparently Ike, who was now Elincia's husband and Prince Consort, had been sharing more than just confidence with Elincia. Still, Geoffrey somehow managed to shake both the image of the uppity Naesala and the image of Ike and Elincia…doing the sort of things that likely created the child that she now carried and focused on what he knew about the situation. And, none of it made sense.

 

Some four years after the signing of the Treaty of Serenes and the beginnings of the Tellius Alliance, Begnion had broken the Treaty. Volke, the Assassin who had been a friend of Greil and Ike's most trusted informant, had discovered that, two and a half months ago the Laguz Emancipation Act had been repealed and that Laguz slaves were again changing hands. And, even more bizarre, the Serenes Legion had reported that a mob of Begnion citizens, along with a full division of Begnion troops, had attacked Serenes Forest. The Serenes Legion, a joint Beorc/Laguz force charged with protecting the sacred woods, had repelled the attack but at great cost in wounded and dead. Begnion's assault was, under the terms of the Treaty of Serenes, an act of war that would be responded to by Crimea, Daein, Gallia, Pheonicis, Kilvas and Goldoa. And, even the nigh-omniscient Volke had no insight into the motives behind this act.

 

After three demands had failed to dissuade Begnion's inexplicable aggression, and the messengers who had delivered them were returned in varying states of dismemberment, Ike had had enough. With his legendary efficiency, Ike had assembled two full Legions of Beorc and Laguz troops and launched an assault on Begnion's northern frontier. (6) His intent was to, as he himself put it, `come back either with Sanaki's oath to end these attacks or come back with Sanaki's head.'

 

Those among the Courtiers who disapproved of Ike's `radical' alterations to the education system, class structure and the military believed that this had provided the solution. Ike would fight and die in a suicidal war and they'd be free to put the situation back the way they wanted them. Geoffrey, however, had very different sentiments regarding the matter: he was afraid. By all reports, Ike was winning the war. And, if he did win, then what? Ike already ruled Crimea. Tauroneo, the former Daein General and friend of Greil whom became the Steward of Daein, (7) answered to Ike unflinchingly. Caineghis, Tibarn, Reyson and the Dragon Prince Kurthnaga of Goldoa were Ike's staunch allies and Naesala could be made cooperative for the right price. If Ike conquered Begnion, which was now a distinct possibility, it would make him the single most powerful being on Tellius. And, what then?

 

“Geoffrey?” Elincia interjected.

 

The azure haired Paladin shook himself back to attention, how long had he been lost in thought? Clearing his throat, he began to speak.

 

“My apologies,” Geoffrey started, “General Ike is about to take Sienne. Apostle Sanaki has summoned every Legion from Tor Garen to the Grann Desert. They're on the move, towards Sienne.”

 

Elincia took this news without a blink.

 

“How many?” she asked.

 

“Four hundred and fifty thousand,” Geoffrey replied, hoping that figure would carry sufficient weight with her.

 

“And Ike?” Elincia inquired, her tone unchanged.

 

“One hundred sixty thousand,” Geoffrey answered.

 

For a long, long moment Elincia regarded Geoffrey impassively. Geoffrey sought in her expression some clue as to what would come next but Elincia's placid features revealed neither fear nor dread nor anger nor joy. He simply saw the familiar expression of serene contemplation that he'd seen on her features countless times before. Then, when she finally spoke, Geoffrey felt his stomach drop.

 

“He will win,” she stated simply, “he has never lost.”

 

“He's never been up against so much!” Geoffrey countered, the desperation he felt escaping into his voice.

 

Elincia regarded the azure haired Paladin with a raised eyebrow and Geoffrey inwardly kicked himself for his outburst. Still, he fought a losing battle to keep his dread bottled up.

 

“Your Majesty,” Geoffrey implored, this time his desperation laid bare, “please, you must do something. If…if Ike wins this battle…”

 

“He will become the next Ashnard?” Elincia finished.

 

The words hit Geoffrey like a punch in the guts and the realization enveloped his mind in a stygian fist of dread. That was the unrealized, but very real, fear that had him begging and pleading before his liege. Now, with the suggestion of the future he'd just heard sent chills up and down his spine. (8)

 

“That's what you were about to say, wasn't it.” Elincia more stated than asked, her golden eyes narrowing. “Well then, why are you worried? You said yourself that he doesn't stand a chance against Begnion's armies so why call him back? If he is the next Ashnard, why not leave him to fight this battle to his own death?”

 

Though Elincia spoke with impregnable calm, her voice carried accusing undertones that choked Geoffrey's voice away. And, those chills going up and down his spine spread frost to his limps that left him feeling frozen to the spot.

 

“If you leave him there,” Elincia began, “then your next Ashnard will die in disgrace.”

 

Geoffrey had a feeling that this understanding of political subtleties was Soren's handiwork. (9) The azure haired Paladin had hoped, hoped against hope, that Elincia would recall Ike and offer Begnion a chance to repent its bizarre actions. He had also hoped, callous though it was, that her pregnancy would make her malleable to his entreaties. And yet, the opposite had happened. She had seen through his feeble ruse and turned it back against him. Geoffrey didn't need to look behind him to know that some of the Courtiers were moving closer to him. His sharp hearing picked up the cadence of their heels on the stone floor.

 

He could also hear the grind of daggers being dragged out of their sheaths. He'd have to talk fast.

 

“Your Majesty,” he pleaded, his voice sounding low, soft and choked with anxiety, “I beg of you. Assaulting Sienne might not be necessary, the defeats that Begnion has already suffered might be enough for us to ransom their compliance with the Treaty of Serenes. If we offer terms, they might listen.”

 

The closest Courtier was directly behind him, he heard a blade whistle as it cut through the air and he heard Lucia shout a warning. Before he could act, however, Elincia intervened.

 

“Halt!” she commanded, the depth of her voice still surprising him.

 

The Courtier who had come within inches of murdering Geoffrey stopped, dagger poised in midair, and he fixed Elincia with a look of open astonishment. His astonishment then multiplied when the two Imperial Guards flanking the Thrones seized him and dragged him from the room. Geoffrey looked upon this with distress but he wasn't surprised, not in the slightest.

 

Ike had commissioned a new cadre of Courtiers charged with finding, and `dealing with,' corrupt Nobles. Often, it was in the fashion that Geoffrey had been very nearly dealt with. And, as that little episode had demonstrated, they were not easily controlled. A recent rash of…vacancies in the Noble's Quarter of Melior lent further credence to that fact. (10) Nonetheless, Geoffrey let the incident drop for the moment when Elincia spoke up again.

 

“With all due respect Geoffrey,” the emerald haired Queen began, “Begnion had three chances for peace and ignored them. Why would a fourth meet with better success?”

 

That, Geoffrey realized, was a problem. Ike and his personal guard had borne the three messengers back from Begnion. The legs of the first had been hacked off at the knee. The second returned with his right forearm severed at the elbow. The third, probably the worst off of the three, staggered back to Ike with no hands and with his eyes gouged out. Elincia, and all of Crimea for that matter, had seen enough barbarism on Ashnard's part to be less-than-forgiving of Begnion mutilating three unarmed men bearing entreaties for peace. Still, Geoffrey knew one avenue that yet remained to him.

 

“My Queen,” Geoffrey addressed, more calmly now, “the accounts from the injured messengers are…inconclusive. They were ambushed before they reached Mainal Cathedral and they never spoke to the Apostle directly. It is possible that the assaults on our messengers were not sanctioned by Begnion. And, it is equally possible that the Begnion troops that attacked Serenes Forest may have been renegades. We both know that it's possible that Begnion Nobles might've gone rogue and taken their troops with them. You will recall that such happened with Duke Oliver of Tanas during the war.”

 

“Don't remind me,” Elincia replied flatly.

 

Geoffrey had heard the story of Duke Oliver from Ike and Elincia and was fervently glad that he hadn't been forced to deal with the crazed Duke. Duke Oliver had an obsession with Serenes Herons, such as Reyson and Leanne, that verged on psychotic. When Oliver spotted Reyson at Kilvas, he had offered a veritable fortune to Naesala in exchange for Reyson. Naesala had accepted, though he made the dubious claim that he would've freed Reyson later and thus cheat Oliver. An investigation of Oliver's estate had resulted in a pitched battle as well as Reyson escaping into Serenes Forest where he'd been reunited with Leanne and where Oliver was permanently separated from the living world.

 

“If there is proof that these mobs and Soldiers have been acting against the Apostle's will,” Geoffrey began, each word coming out quickly, as if he feared another Courtier's dagger might be approaching to silence him, “then that might be cause to offer terms.”

 

Again, Elincia regarded him with a look of impregnable calm, her features betraying nothing. When she spoke though, the words punched a gasp from his lungs.

 

“I'm afraid that is out of the question,” the emerald haired Queen replied. “Even if your…assertion is correct, only the Apostle herself could have revoked the Laguz Emancipation Act. And, our intelligence shows us that Sanaki is still the Apostle.”

 

Geoffrey had to admit, he didn't have a rebuttal for that. Begnion's sudden repeal of the Laguz Emancipation Act, simply put, made no sense. Though Sanaki looked like a child, she was far from stupid and, during the war, she'd even gone to the trouble of arranging matters to make Ike and the Greil Mercenaries aware of the Laguz Slave Trade so that she could discreetly gather evidence and prosecute those involved without the public knowing that their own Senate was breaking the law. That Sanaki would do all this, and then suddenly reverse her stance completely, was utterly baffling.

 

“Geoffrey,” Elincia addressed, her voice showing her usual concern and thoughtfulness, “I understand. It's perfectly natural to be unsure about fighting people you once thought were allies. I believe that, as an equitable compromise, I will order Ike and his troops to entrench for five days. If Sanaki is, as you seem to think, willing to discuss diplomacy then that will give her a chance. That, however, is as far as I will go.”

 

The azure haired Paladin let out an aggravated sigh, praying that no one heard it. This time, he didn't bother to avert his eyes when he beheld Elincia. His one-time infatuation with Elincia (11) was an old pain, which he'd long ago came to terms with, and he was past the point of bristling at the fact that the child she carried was not his. What bothered him, as he watched the heavily pregnant Queen waddle and lumber back to her Throne and clumsily lower herself into it, was what that child's father was turning into. And, for that matter, what that child might grow up to become.

 

Geoffrey inclined his head in a quick show of humility, spun on his heel and left the Throne Room, Lucia and Bastian following in his wake. Once the great doors to the Throne Room were closed, Lucia put a sympathetic hand on Geoffrey's shoulder and murmured encouragement while Bastian went into his usual Thespian (12) speech about greeting difficulties and setbacks with perseverance tempered by prudence. Geoffrey, however, heard none of it. Three words now echoed unceasingly in his ears.

 

`The next Ashnard,' Elincia had told him. This fear had lingered beneath Geoffrey's subconscious but he had never noticed it. It was like a nightmare, hiding on the lid of the eyes to strike when the victim slumbered and then vanishing with the dawn to return again with the night. And then, return again. And, again. And, again. Now, this submerged nightmare had escaped into the waking world and Geoffrey couldn't force it back beneath the fraying veil that separated dreams and reality. Because, in this instance, dreams and reality were joining to produce a nightmare from which there is no waking. Geoffrey walked out of the Castle and strode toward his estate, his vision swimming with unshed tears.

 

Two weeks later, Geoffrey found himself wandering through the upper levels of Melior. The news that Ike was returning from Begnion via the Riven Bridge had been all over the city, and it started chills at the base of Geoffrey's spine that wouldn't go away. Those chills of dread that had invaded his thoughts, apparently, still lingered for he walked unsteadily, jerkily and seemed to be forcing himself forward. On one of the many curving balconies that jutted out to offer a view of the Triumphal Gate (13) and the Plaza of A Thousand Gardens (13) were three familiar figures waiting for him. Calill, his wife (14) and fellow veteran of the war, greeted him first with a peck on the cheek. Calill; the self proclaimed World-Class Sage, ran the World-Class General Ike's Inn along with her stepbrother Largo; (15) the self proclaimed World-Class Berserker.

 

Calill was a sweet woman, but her insatiable ego could give anyone a World-Class headache.

 

Usually, Calill talked, or bragged or gossiped or complained or commented so much that is was hard to get a word in edgewise but now she was dead silent. Lucia twirled one lock of her azure hair around one finger, a nervous habit she'd had even since she even had hair, but made no sound to greet her brother. Bastian nodded a greeting to Geoffrey but said nothing. And, this made Geoffrey all the more nervous. One of these three being silent was enough to set off his internal alarms, but all of them being quiet meant that matters were even worse than he'd expected.

 

And, he'd expected matters to be very, very bad.

 

Then, the silence was broken by the cadence of many a heel against the cobble stones below. The Plaza of A Thousand Gardens was filling with townsfolk. Most were Beorc, others were Laguz living in Melior's recently completed Laguz District (13), and at the Bridge of Renning (13) that linked Melior to the Castle, stood Elincia and her Courtiers.

 

“I swear,” Lucia muttered, in a feeble attempt to sound in her customary humor, “she looks like she could give birth on the spot.”

 

“Shut up,” Geoffrey replied, more tritely than he'd intended, “you'll jinx it.”

 

Like his sister, he'd tried to inject a note of cheer in his voice but it came out forced, harsh and about as funny as the alleged, inexplicable tendency of men to laugh when stabbed through the heart. Gazing at the Courtiers, Geoffrey wondered how long it would be before he tested that theory.

 

Ultimately, the Triumphal Gate opened and admitted a slim man in the robes of a Sage. At the sight of him, the kingdom suddenly became silent.

 

“Friends, Crimeans, countrymen, lend me your ears!” the Sage beckoned, doing a credible enough Bastian impression that the loquacious Count had to muffle an indignant snort. “We are here too celebrate the return of our Lord General and Prince Consort Ike!”

 

The crowd suddenly burst into a roaring cheer.

 

“He has returned…,” the messenger continued, letting the thought trail away as if to build suspense “…victorious! He returns not only with our regained peace but with Begnion itself! The treacherous Apostle Sanaki and her marauding outlaws have been utterly defeated and the Tellius Alliance shall stand united for all time! And now, I relinquish the floor to let our brave troops enter.”

 

The Sage began to sprint towards the Bridge of Renning just as a great rumbling was heard. Through the Triumphal Gate came rank after immaculately regimented rank of Halberdiers, siege-armored Generals, Swordmasters, Sages, Warriors, Paladins, Bishops, Valkyries, Snipers, Lion, Tiger and Cat Laguz and Red, White and Black Dragon Laguz. In the air above, FalcoKnights, Wyvern Lords and Hawk and Raven Laguz winged through the air in an astounding display of aerobatics, sometimes flying on near intersecting paths that slipped on another by centimeters. At least one member of each regiment was one of the Standard Bearers, carrying a smaller, more functional version of the banner of the Tellius Alliance that had appeared in the Castle's Throne Room. All through the march, the cheering of the people rose in volume until the Plaza of A Thousand Gardens seemed to have become the inside of a permanent thunderstorm. And then, Ike appeared.

 

Though Ike had not abandoned his distaste for the unnecessary pomp and ceremony of the Nobility, could not resist making an entrance. A chariot soon followed the procession bearing the Lord General. Ike, outwardly, hadn't changed much since the war but Geoffrey could see a few differences as Ike's chariot bore him toward the awaiting contingent of Courtiers. For one thing, he seemed to tower over his fellow Soldiers as if he'd gotten even taller since he'd departed. He waved and saluted to the people with his customary poise, and his newly tanned skin and thickening stubble only added to the chiseled image of a hardened but still dapper handsome young man. And, his eyes were sharper, harder and darker than Geoffrey recalled.

 

It was, however, the chariot itself that monopolized his attention. Affixed to it, behind and to either side of Ike, were two recently added decorations. And, both of them squeezed Geoffrey's heart into frantic beating. One was a ceremonial robe, obviously designed to be worn by someone who was very short of stature. The other was an ivory Staff of Office. The robe was Sanaki's and the Staff had belonged to Sephiran.

 

Both were stained with soot and, what Geoffrey strongly suspected, was blood.

 

On the right side of the chariot, thrust upon the ornamental spikes that lined its edge, were a number of small, lumpy bundles wrapped in cloth. Six of them. Though they were never unwrapped, Geoffrey had a sickening presentiment of what they were. Six Begnion Nobles served as members of Begnion's Imperial Senate, the number was originally seven but the seat vacated by Duke Oliver's treason and subsequent death was never filled. Ike hated Nobles and the Imperial Senate commanded his enmity. And, finally, each of the six lumpy bundles was roughly the size and shape of a man's head.

 

Six Imperial Senators and six head shaped bundles. Geoffrey didn't even bother trying to tell himself that this was a coincidence.

 

Ike soon slewed his chariot leftwards and jerked the reins to bring it to a stop alongside the steps leading to the Bridge of Renning. Elincia beat the others to the greeting, quickly engulfing her husband's lips in a long kiss while he stroked her swollen womb. Eventually, the kiss ended and Ike turned to speak to the people.

 

Another change, Geoffrey noticed, was Ike's voice. It was deeper, more authoritative and instilled both admiration and the barest hint of fear in all within earshot.

 

“My name is Ike Gawain, (16) Lord General and Prince Consort of Crimea,” he informed the people, as was his custom when beginning a speech. “Three months ago, I learned of the bizarre and heinous acts Begnion had committed against its Laguz citizens as well as an attempt to repeat the Serenes Massacre. However, by the courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle shown by the valiant souls who served at my side, I return to you with this news: Begnion's treachery has ended and peace has been restored!”

 

The cheering began again, this time so loud that it started an aching behind Geoffrey's eyes.

 

“The past four years,” Ike continued, “have been a hard time for all of us. We have seen our homes and communities burned and pillaged. We have seen friends and loved ones dismembered, tortured, mutilated, killed or worse. But, we have come together over these past years, Beorc and Laguz alike. And, it fills my heart with joy and pride to see our races and nations work together to build a better future for our children, our grandchildren and all the generations to follow. And, I could not be prouder to call all of you my brothers and sisters. Our task isn't finished yet, but I know in my heart that we will succeed. I call upon all people of Tellius, Beorc and Laguz alike, to join me in building a united realm for all people of Tellius that is boundless, united and free!”

 

The cheering started again and this time escalated until it seemed the whole continent roared along. And Geoffrey fell against the rail of the balcony in stunned horror when he realized just what was happening.

 

Ike was, as of now, the Emperor of Tellius. The slaying of Ashnard had seen the death of one tyrant and the birth of another, more powerful one. And, Geoffrey had no idea what could be done about it.

 

Bastian, however, did.

 

The loquacious Count tapped Geoffrey's shoulder and, when all four present turned to face him, he still did not speak. His accustomed cheer gone, he looked desperate and terribly ashamed as he withdrew four small objects from inside his cloak. Four sheathed daggers. This punched a gasp from his lungs when he realized what Bastian was wordlessly suggesting. (17)

 

They were going to murder Ike and Elincia.

 

Bastian kept one dagger in his left hand and his right offered the remaining daggers to the others. Calill, a thoroughly melancholy look on her face, took one. Lucia gazed down at Ike and Elincia, at her best friend, her husband and the unborn child that she might've had as a Goddess-Son. (18) Then, choking on tears at the idea of what they had to do, she hesitantly took a dagger.

 

Geoffrey wished he could take one of those daggers and gouge out his eyes, but even blind he'd see all of this forever. And so, he reached and took the final dagger.

 

`For my people,' he thought gravely.

 

The four conspirators made their way toward the Castle, deciding it best to attend to this sordid affair away from the crowds. And, as Geoffrey followed and slid his dagger into the soft concealment of one sleeve, only one thought echoed in his head as he prepared to murder his Queen, Prince Consort and their unborn heir.

 

`For my people,' was his grave, inward mantra.

 

And, he hoped repetition would make him believe it after the blood soaked his hands. Or, maybe, that a Courtier would kill him before he had to worry about it.

 

***************************************************************** *******

Author's Note: Well, I'll know how readers took to this when, or if, the angry, torch bearing mob shows up. Saying which, is there something burning or is it just me? Well, I intended for that to be an angsty, unsettling piece and hopefully I succeeded. To draw some connections between this scenario and the story of Julius Caesar, I'll give you a brief explanation. Julius Caesar, out of desire to serve the, then, Roman Republic entered politics on the advice of his friend Pompey the Great, not unlike how Sephiran did the same with Ike in the previous chapter. Caesar eventually conquered Gaul, now France, which doubled the size of Rome's territory and caused the Roman citizenry to favor him over the Senate. Caesar led his Legions across the Rubicon River to seize control of Rome where he was proclaimed Dictator and given control of the Senate and the Courts for life, which brought about the Roman Empire. Ike's conquest of Begnion, thus, achieves the same effect: the Beorc nations are now, as a practical matter, unified under his control and the Leguz nations support his reign. Scary, huh?

 

The point of this scenario was the potential outcome if Sephiran's gamble in the previous chapter had failed and guided Tellius into war and flame. And, this might not be the worst of it. When Caesar was assassinated, the Roman Empire was plunged into fifteen years of Civil War and the victor Augustus, adopted son of Caesar, established an autocratic rule. If Geoffrey and company's efforts to assassinate Ike succeed, could the same befall Tellius? Like I said, scary.

 

Footnotes:

(1) William Shakespeare, the playwright whose characters Bastian talks like, is often referred as The Bard. And, I'm guessing Tellius must have somebody similar to Shakespeare.

(2) As a Prince Consort, Ike would not occupy a Throne.

(3) Urvan is, I believe, Greil's axe. I gathered this from a YouTube video that shows Greil as a player and, in his inventory, is an axe called Urvan.

(4) In the art of Duke Renning, he carries a spear and I thought why not include it in the banner? The spear's name, Fiat Lux, means `Let there be Light' in Latin.

(5) As you may have noticed, the banner in the Throne Room is the same one Ike saw in his waking dream near the end of the last chapter. It will appear again.

(6) Attacking Begnion's northern frontier would mean traveling across Daein and coming down from Tor Garen. This would be a complete reversal their earlier journey in both the physical and political/philosophical senses.

(7) The Steward of Daein, a Steward being one who governs when there is no suitable heir to the Throne, would have to be one of the Daein defectors, namely Jill, Haar or Tauroneo. Of them, I've only used Jill and I wanted her and Haar each commanding a Legion so that left Tauroneo as Steward.

(8) Ashnard has, since the war, become a figure of nightmares. Geoffrey had feared, without realizing it, that Ike might become the next Ashnard. Elincia's question, however, triggered a horrific realization.

(9) Evidently, Soren found Elincia's naiveté too grating and decided to change matters. That, I hope, explains why Elincia seemed OOC.

(10) Essentially, the cadre of new Courtiers act as Assassins empowered to seek out allegedly corrupt Nobles and kill them without trial. Ike and Elincia are, essentially, the sole check on them, and an inadequate one at that.

(11) Geoffrey's supports with Calill suggest that he was once enamored with Elincia, but got over it. Now, Geoffrey is trying to get past the fact that she's another man's wife which is a good bit harder.

(12) Thespian is a fancy synonym for Actor that is still used in association with Shakespeare, the characters of whose creation Bastian mimics in his speaking.

(13) The Triumphal Gate, Plaza of A Thousand Gardens, the Bridge of Renning and the Laguz District are my attempts to craft some detail into Melior, which you enter only for the final level.

(14) I've read a fic or two that show Geoffrey moving on from his crush on Elincia to court either Calill or Nepheene. I chose the former since they can Support and he DID call her a `gem among stones.'

(15) That Largo and Calill are related in some fashion is a wild guess on my part. None of the siblings in the game Support each other so, based on that pattern, it stands to reason that Largo and Calill are either related somehow or have a platonic relationship.

(16) The Black Knight addressed Greil as `Gawain, Rider of Daein' so it stands to reason that either Gawain is his surname or that he renamed himself Greil. I'm taking a stab on the former.

(17) The plot to murder Ike, and presumably Elincia and their child as well, is both an illustration of how drastic the situation has become and could act as a critical moment in any future installments. If they succeed, then what will happen to Tellius? Civil War springs to mind.

(18) I'm making a blind assumption that, since Tellius' deity is female, there would be certain differences. Such as, for instance, being the Goddess-parent of a Goddess-child as opposed to the Godparent of a Godchild. But, that's only a guess.