Laying the Foundation

"What a magical experience..." muttered Nanamo, giving herself a quick once over now that she was back in the Sultana's Chamber.

As it could cause some problems if the leader of a nation and one of the three Grand Companies were presumed to be missing, Andrew returned Nanamo and Raubahn to Hyaedalyn immediately following the banquet.

Catching Andrew a little off guard, Raubahn lowered his head slightly and said, "Please forgive me for my previous doubts, Prince Andrew. Though I was only doing my duty, my distrust might have inadvertently jeopardized the cooperation between our two nations..."

Waving his hand in front of his face, Andrew replied, "Relax. You probably noticed it after meeting my wife, Queen Garnet, but I'm not exactly noble-born. Unless you make a genuine effort to offend me, I won't fault you for being cautious or doing your duty. Your Sultana depends on it."

Inserting herself into the conversation, Nanamo noted, "Such kindness is a commodity that seems to become scarcer with each passing year. It's no wonder Prince Andrew was appointed as a liaison between worlds. I pray our nations, Ul'dah and Alexandria, enjoy a long, mutually beneficial relationship."

"Cooperation between Alexandria and Ul'dah is just the beginning," said Andrew, smiling as he explained, "I can also help you build bridges with the nations of other worlds. We just need someone on your side to serve as a proxy."

"Can I not represent myself...?" asked Nanamo, a slightly anxious look marring her face. She might be the ruler of Ul'dah on paper, but as their culture revolved around trade and profit, much of her nation's power and resources were managed by a group called the Syndicate. If it came to a vote, the proxy nominated by the Syndicate would undoubtedly favor the interests of the Monetarist Faction that wished to displace the monarchy and increase their control over the nation.

"Unfortunately, that probably wouldn't work out..." said Andrew, smiling awkwardly and scratching his cheek as he explained, "The proxies need to be people I trust and have a close relationship with. I'm certain we can be friends, but the level of closeness I'm talking about is more...intimate."

"Oh...?" responded Nanamo, briefly tilting her head to the side before her eyes widened in realization, compelling her to exclaim, "Oh! Oh, I see!" in a flustered tone.

Cupping her reddening cheeks, Nanamo half-turned away, staring up at Andrew from the corner of her shimmering green eyes as she muttered, "No, I suppose it wouldn't..." in response to his previous words. Strictly speaking, relations between Lalafells and other races weren't uncommon. However, while she wasn't currently espoused, the traditions of the Royal Family dictated that when Nanamo found a husband, they be a Lalafell of high status or proven lineage.

Coughing to clear his throat, Raubahn, standing with his arms crossed, asked, "If it will not put Your Highness in a difficult position, could you tell us the specifics of your abilities? That will make it easier if we are to help you find this...proxy."

"Sure, no problem," replied Andrew, explaining, "As you have experienced twice now, one of my abilities lets me transfer people and the objects in their possession between worlds. However, that is one of the more basic functions. Here, I will demonstrate another..."

Using the Correspondence Menu, Andrew quickly created a 'localized' group chat before inviting Nanamo and Raubahn to join it, causing pale blue screens to appear before them.

"This function allows people to communicate anywhere, even between worlds. It can translate your thoughts to text if you want to be discreet, but it can also do this..." said Andrew, entirely without opening his mouth or moving his lips.

"How fascinating..." responded Nanamo, but just like Andrew, she didn't open her mouth. Instead, she stared glittery-eyed at the screen before her, mind racing with possibilities for how it could be utilized.

"This is where we start to encounter problems," said Andrew, clarifying, "There is a kind of hierarchy within the system that grants me my power. Right now, while you and Raubahn are classified within the system as my friends, you only have basic permissions. You can't access or make use of the system without my direct facilitation, but if we were closer, you could communicate, transfer between worlds, and even teleport to others linked via the system without the need for my assistance or approval."

"I understand now," said Nanamo, comprehending how difficult it would be for Andrew to manage everything on his own. She could also see how his system and powers could be exploited, so she crossed her arms over her nonexistent chest, holding her right index finger to her lips and thumb to her chin as she deliberated seriously.

"There's another aspect of my power that you should be aware of," said Andrew, interrupting Nanamo's train of thought and garnering Raubahn's attention as he explained, "My power also provides basic knowledge and insight into the worlds I'm able to travel. Well, most of them..."

Meeting Nanamo's gaze, Andrew clarified, "That's how I know of a future plot to assassinate you, the perpetrator's identity, the counterplot to save you, and many other things that could be of great benefit to the people of this world. The caveat is that, as these events have yet to happen, even a small change, such as wearing a different pair of underwear or sleeping in an extra hour, could drastically alter the course of history. That's good, as it means fate is not set in stone, but it can also be remarkably frustrating when you 'expect' certain events to transpire and they don't..."

"I can imagine..." muttered Nanamo, wholly undaunted by the revelation that someone was trying to kill her. After all, ever since the Calamity five years prior, 147 assassins targetting her life had been killed or brought to justice. That was why she seldom left Raubahn's side...

Gazing up at her most trusted retainer, Nanamo surprised Raubahn by saying, "Please leave us for a moment, General. There is a matter I wish to discuss with Prince Andrew in private."

Though he frowned deeply and directed a glance at Andrew, Raubahn placed his fist over his chest and replied, "By your will..." before turning and departing the Sultana's Chamber with broad steps.

Seeing Raubahn go, Nanamo felt apologetic, but she could feel the anger exuding from him since Andrew mentioned the plot against her. She didn't want to upset him further by forcing him to hear what she had to say, so once he was gone, she exhaled a faint sight before looking up at Andrew and said, "You mentioned those with higher permissions could teleport to others and travel between worlds. Such a power would greatly benefit me if I ever found myself in a particularly dangerous situation..."

"I'm not sure I approve of where this is going..." remarked Andrew, the smile on his face becoming notably awkward.

Maintaining a serious expression, Nanamo asked, "Is there a way I could be made a 'lesser' proxy? There are a number of reasons why it would be 'impracticable' for us to be romantically involved, but if there is another way to elevate my position within your system's hierarchy, I would like to hear it..."

"There are certainly some loopholes that can be exploited..." admitted Andrew, quickly appending, "Chief among them is what I assume you're thinking. However, the more practical solution would be for you to have a close, personal relationship with one of my proxies. So long as they give you the necessary permissions within the 'group' they oversee, you could teleport to them or others in the same group."

"I see..." muttered Nanamo, staring down at Andrew's feet as she reached up to massage the redness from her cheeks. She felt a sense of unease at how readily he had rebuffed her, but the alternative he provided was likely the more 'reasonable' course to pursue. The problem then became finding a suitable proxy. She couldn't exactly ask him to let her 'befriend' his wife, Queen Garnet. At least not to the extent he indicated was necessary...

Disrupting Nanamo's introspection, Andrew advised, "There's no need to overthink things. Right now, there are only six people connected through my system. That number will doubtlessly increase in the future, but I can easily manage things as they are. Just message me if you're ever in a fix. Then I'll teleport over, beat up the bad guys, or whisk you away to safety. No problem."

Exhaling a sigh of relief, Nanamo regained her earlier smile and said, "If that's the case, you have just removed a great burden from my shoulders. I am prepared to make certain 'sacrifices' independently, but I would find it difficult to impose similar convictions on others..."

"Yeah, I get that..." replied Andrew, his expression briefly softening before transitioning into a cheeky smile as he revealed, "Besides, as I mentioned previously, I know a few things about this world, its people, and a handful of major events that are set to take place. It's a little shameless, but I've used that knowledge to pick out a handful of people I believe would make suitable proxies. Assuming they don't slap me for even suggesting it..."

"Oh? Are they perhaps a member of the Scions...?" asked Nanamo, having already begun forming her own list of prospects, chief among them being the current leader of the Scions. After all, Ul'dah couldn't be the only one to benefit from trade with Alexandria and other nations. In that regard, it would be best to have a neutral proxy representing Eorzea's interests, not a single nation or city-state.

"There are three that come to mind, but I'm not sure about the age of one of them..." revealed Andrew, smiling awkwardly as he habitually scratched the back of his head.

Understanding who Andrew was alluding to, Nanamo asked, "Could you be referring to Lady Leveilleur? She certainly isn't lacking in aptitude or pedigree, but she and her twin brother only recently came of age. It may be too soon for her to become entangled in such matters..."

"The other two I had in mind are the current leader of the Scions, Minfilia, and the disciple of Matoya, Y'shtola Rhul," appended Andrew. The latter might be wishful thinking on his part, as Y'sthola is frequently witnessed rebuffing anyone who attempts to flirt with her, but given her appetite for knowledge, the allure of traveling to different worlds might be impossible for her to resist.

"Shall I arrange a meeting with them?" asked Nanamo. "Lady Warde is the one who informed us of your arrival. I'm certain she is eagerly anticipating your invitation or call."

"Then I'll leave it in your capable hands," said Andrew. "For now, I should return to my own world. If they have the time today, message me, and I'll hop over. If not, I should return sometime tomorrow morning. I'll send a message before I do since if I don't teleport to someone, I generally end up in the same place I departed."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," replied Nanamo, adopting a faint smile as she placed her hand on her chest and added, "Then, if this is where we are to part, allow me to thank you for the compassion and understanding you showed me. May fate see us brought together again. Until then, I will pray that you and Queen Garnet remain happy and healthy."

"Then I will do the same for you," said Andrew. Then, as Nanamo gazed up at him, he abruptly vanished into thin air, leaving the petite Sultana as the sole person in the vast chamber.

Reaching up to cup her cheeks, feeling they were warm to the touch, Nanamo took a few minutes to calm herself before waddling 'gracefully' over to her throne. She had been 'entreated' several times while walking the streets of Ul'dah in disguise, but today was the first time she solicited someone else. She only planned to go as far as using her hands, but the fact she had considered it left the pint-sized Sultana lost in her thoughts for the better part of an hour...

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(A/N: Managed to squeeze out another loaf before I unplugged my comp and moved :P)