204: A Company of Fools: Red Wedding Anniversary III
After The Morgan's mental breakdown a couple of Scotland royal guards came in and walked her out of the ballroom. Prince Lachlan tried a few more times to convince me to become Scotland's Paragon but I kept refusing. On hearing my refusal I kept getting approached by nobles and even a few royals from other countries offering the same thing, a couple of the nobles even saying they could ensure paragonship in exchange for a couple of enchanted items. I humbly reminded them that only the ruler of a country could guarantee Paragonship and I run a business not a charity, if they wanted a item they needed to pay for it like everyone else.
For the next few hours Bo and I were rarely left alone. Anybody who thought themselves important in their home country came up to us in droves. While they were almost entirely there to try and schmooze me, a few of those nobles were trying to set up arranged marriages with Bo thinking I was his guardian. Bo of course expressed a lot of displeasure with the idea of being married off and said girls were icky.
Tired of dealing with people's attention Bo went looking for the restroom so he could hide. Leaving me alone to deal with all the nobles advances.
"…Yes if you want an enchanted item then just come around the shop next week. I'll be back in Andromeda by then." I said to a pushy noble as I tried to discretely get away.
"Thank you Master Kingston! There is however another thing I want to discuss with you…." The noble said.
"I'm sorry lord Astrezè but it seems my humble student is trying to get away and relax a bit." A familiar voice said from behind me. I turned and saw Baset standing there with a coy smile on her face.
"BASET!" I exclaimed happily. It was honestly nice to see a friendly face besides Bo here.
"L-lady Baset!" The noble Astrezè gasped.
"I would also like a word with my devious student if you wouldn't mind." Baset said. The noble nodded profusely.
"No, no! Its no problem!" He exclaimed then rushed off. Bastet looked around at the nobles that was near us then sighed.
"I need some fresh air, walk with me…" She said then headed towards the ballroom door. I of course followed her and the two of us went outside to the royal garden. None of the guards stopped us as he walked away from the permitted area of the garden and towards lake at the center of the garden. When we reached the lake Baset stopped and looked around then slapped me hard on the back of the head.
"OOOOW!" I exclaimed and grabbed when she'd slapped me. That was a little bit of an exaggeration. The force of her slapped was dampened a little by all my locks but I didn't want her to know that unless she decided she needed to slap me again for good measure.
"Oh stop your whining, you're lucky that's all you're getting away with! Do you have any idea what you've done?!" She snapped.
"Took my first steps into high society?" I said, completely unsure of my answer. Baset frowned and slapped me again.
"No! You did the one thing I was hoping to avoid! Publicly humiliated a Paragon!" She snapped and slapped me again. "On top of that you refused the offer of not one, not two, not even three, but seventeen offers to become a Paragon for that person's country!"
"Why are you mad? I'm not taking the Paragon offers!" I snapped at her.
"That's not the point, the point is that you showed that you were superior to a Paragon in a public setting, countries don't like it when their Paragons are defeated. Regardless of the fact that Scotland was already in the process of removing The Morgan as their Paragon, though that was mostly to clear the way for you to become their new Paragon. Your very public rejection of the position and the fact the prince of Scotland fired her so publically, the country is now Paragonless!" Baset snapped.
"Soooo…?" I drawled out. Baset groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Sooooo! Now Scotland is utterly Paragonless which weakens the country. You've essentially spat in Scotland's face and embarrassed them!" Baset growled. My eyes widened as the gravity of Baset's words hit me.
"Fuck…I just made a enemy out of Scotland didn't I?" I asked. Baset nodded then groaned.
"However that is not why I asked you out here…." Baset said then pointed behind me. I turned around and saw Jane and Iris standing behind me. Still dressed in matching dresses and weird full masks it normally would be impossible to tell who they were but I had already figured that out inside the ballroom.
"Jane, Iris!" I exclaimed looking at each as I spoke their names. They both gasped and stepped back.
"How did you know who was who?" Jane demanded. I smirked and crossed my arms.
"You seriously think I wouldn't be able to tell you two apart?" I asked. Iris sighed and shook her head.
"Figures you'd be able to tell. Bone-lasher involved in this somehow? Can he see through our masks?" Iris asked. I shook my head.
"You two might be dressed the same…and wear make-up to match your skin tones….but I know you two. It's not hard to figure out which one is LPP and Tri-clops." I said. Jane crossed her arms and huffed then looked to Baset.
"Thank you Lady Baset for bringing Chase here." Jane said. Baset smiled and nodded.
"No problem…your majesty, I'll see you all in class next week." Baset said giving her a slight bow before turning and heading back to the party. Before she got too far away though she turned back to us. "Please be on your guard you three. Something about tonight feels…off."
With that she turned back and headed back to the ballroom, leaving Iris, Jane and I alone together. Now that Baset was gone Jane groaned and pulled off her mask. Iris glared at Jane and grabbed her mask and pushed it back on her face.
"Jane! You can't take that off until after the ball! What if someone seems you?!" Iris hissed. Jane looked shocked by Iris near assault and shrugged Iris off and pulled the mask off regardless.
"Iris there is nobody around and Chase has an evo that can see for miles around. No one is going to see me face." Jane replied.
[Bone-lasher is there anyone nearby?] I asked through the mental link.
[No, aside from your teacher leaving the closest human is in that party.] Bone-lasher replied.
[Thanks. Let me know if that changes.] I said.
[Sure Boss!] Bone-lasher exclaimed.
"So…about Jingles…?" Jane started. I sighed and shook my head.
"You mean Bellial?" I interrupted. Jane's jaw tensed slightly but otherwise remained stoic.
"Yes…Bellial…thank you…for healing him. I know I said a few things to you and father but…I don't know if I could handle losing him." Jane said.
[And yet she threw me away so easily…] Bellial said through the mental link.
"It was more than a few things Jane." Iris said. Jane turned to Iris, a look of slight surprise on her face. "I was fired as your guardian Jane, that means I no longer have to hold my tongue when you're in the wrong."
"So you think I'm wrong about evos?" Jane asked. Iris nodded.
"It's one thing to say what you said about some run of the mill evo that someone else spliced but to say that about the first evo you ever spliced…I could never think of Bo or Jangles as simple tools." Iris replied.
"I see…" Jane said then looked away. "…then you'll be happy to hear that Ayia'liah is refusing to listen to me. She won't come out of my crystal and I can't force her. Her mana capacity is larger than mine…."
"Figured that was going to happen." I said.
I walked over and reached up, placing my hand on Jane's neck. She flinched and froze, a look of uncertainty all over her face. Ignoring the slight blush that appeared as well I channeled some of my mana into Jane's crystal, careful to cycle that mana back into mine so she didn't suffer mana overload.
[Ayia'liah? You there?] I called out. Her response was almost instantaneous.
[Star Shaper?!]
[Yes. Its me. Can you come out for a bit?] I asked.
Instead of a reply I sensed a surge of mana coming from inside Jane's crystal. I took my hand off and took a step back as a crystalline structure formed and shot into the air. Ayia'liah emerged in mid-air, her clear wings shining with rainbow light in the moonlight as she slowly descended. She looked between Jane and I and then flew over to me and landed on my shoulders.
<Star shaper...Guardian…Mistress…> Ayia'liah said as she looked at the the girls and I. I couldn't help but notice the contempt in her voice when she said mistress.
"Ayia'liah, you refused to come out when Jane asked, why?" I asked. Ayia'liah looked at me then back at Jane.
<You abandoned your oldest and most loyal evo. Inside your crystal he showed me his life, how much he suffered for you and because of you. How much he's hurt. However he's always made sure to let me know how much he knew you cared for him…he believed in you the most and trusted you. You betrayed that trust.> Ayia'liah explained. She jumped of my shoulder and flew over to Jane's face and stopped a few inches away and hovered there. <Why would I want to serve a mistress who'll just sacrifice me the first chance she gets?>
"So no matter what I ask you'll just refuse?" Jane asked stoically.
<Yes, you are weaker than me and has done nothing but show you are not worthy of me and my power. So I refuse.> Ayia'liah said then turned and flew back over to me, landing again on my shoulder.
"A evo can't…!" Jane started.
"Ayia'liah isn't some ordinary evo Jane! She's intelligent, has her own mana and is capable of making her own decisions!" Iris snapped. Jane gritted her teeth then looked over at Iris.
"She's still a evo and I am her splicer! She has to do what I say! It's the way of the World!" Jane snapped back.
<Only the strong get to make that assumption.> Ayia'liah said coldly. Jane turned back to Ayia'liah.
"I am…!"
<You are weaker! The person I pictured would be my mistress was stronger...> Ayia'liah interrupted.
"I can't help how much mana I have!" Jane snapped.
<How little mana you have isn't why I am calling you weak. Your lack of character, what's why I am calling you weak! I wanted a master who was brave, courageous, selfless! Someone who would sacrifice their own lives if it meant their comrades would live on. Not a selfish and petty splicer who only cares about winning regardless of the lives lost around her!> Ayia'liah snapped back.
Jane froze then glanced at me. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists before looking back at Ayia'liah.
"Is that how you really see me?" Jane asked.
<Yes.> Ayia'liah replied in a matter of fact tone. Jane looked to Iris.
"What about you?" She asked.
"You want my honest opinion?" Iris asked. Jane paused for a moment before she nodded. "You are just like your mother. Hard-headed, slightly obsessive, and stuck looking to the past. Where you two differ is she wants to find knowledge and recover what's been lost for the betterment of our people. You are holding everyone, including yourself, to an archaic standard so impossibility high you need to be in space to see the peak. A standard set by men and woman who have been dead thousands of years who would not be able to survive in the social and political climate that we live in today."
"Really?!" Jane gasped indignantly.
"Yes really! You are forgiving to those of no social standing or political importance when they make mistakes because that old world standard tells you that they are beneath you and can't help but make mistakes. While those you deem your social equal are berated and chastised for the slightest misstep. The relationship between you and your mother is a prime example!" Iris continued.
"That's not true!" Jane exclaimed.
"Is it? How did you treat Chase when we first met? With kindness and understanding, no matter how many times he messed up or nearly got us killed. How about since we discovered he's from the Tolapo tribe? Or he started making enchanted items? Or created shaping? How long ago did you start smacking him in the head when he messes up like I do?" Iris asked.
Jane flinched at Iris words and looked away. The look on her face told me she knew that Iris was right.
"We're supposed to be better…I'm the future queen of Egypt. I need to follow the example set by my grandmother and great-grandmother and every queen before them!" Jane said through gritted teeth.
"What about the example your mom sets?" I asked. I motioned back to the ballroom and smiled. "I haven't known her long but I can see she is a caring and compassionate ruler, beloved by both the staff and the people. Yeah she trips over air, her hair is often a mess and she'll launch into hour-long rants about ancient legends, but the people love her. They'd rally together if she needed them to. She's not exactly regal but she's more noble than most nobles and Royals I've met so far."
Jane stood silently, a quiet storm raging inside her head. After a minute she put back in her mask, blocking her face from view and further masking her emotions.
"You are the only one that thinks that Chase." Jane said once the mask was up.
"I think so too." Iris spoke up. Jane paused but said nothing in response. Instead she turned and looked towards the ballroom.
"I'm ready to head back Iris." Jane said. Iris sighed and shook her head.
"Alright. Let's go." Iris said tjen walked over to Jane.
"Hold on!" I called out to the two of them. The both stopped and looked back to me. I looked to Ayia'liah. "Can you please go with Jane? Without you she has no evos and little to no protection. I know I'm asking a lot and you have every right to refuse, but please Ayia."
Ayia'liah looked at me then at Jane for several seconds. Then let out a low chattering sound which I assumed was the trash fairy version of a sigh.
<Okay, but only because you are asking Star Shaper.> Ayia'liah replied then flew over to Jane. A crystalline structure formed around her as she recalled to Jane's farm crystal.
Jane said nothing to this and instead turned and kept on walking to the ballroom. Iris groaned and then looked back to me and waved goodbye before rushing up to catch up with Jane.
"Why is everything involving that pampered princess always so complicated…?!" I groaned once they were out of earshot. I watched them head back to the ballroom until they faded from view then contemplated heading back myself
'I really don't want to deal with anyone else talking to me right now…' I thought to myself.
[Boss! Someone's coming!] Bone-lasher warned. He shared his vision with me and I saw a lone woman walking along the edge of the lake towards me. The speed of her gaint and purpose that she walked told me she was moving with purpose, not aimlessly walking she was headed towards something and that was probably me.
A few moments later the woman came into view. I groaned when I saw a woman with a similar mask that Jane wore to obscure her face. The only other person that could be was Aziza. The moment she saw me she froze for a second then smoothed put her near skin tight dress and approached me.
"So this is where you've been hiding?" Aziza said once she got closer.
"What do you want Aziza?" I asked bluntly. She sighed and tjen reached up and pulled off her mask.
"I need to talk to you….about Egypt future."