36. Chapter 34 : Passation de pouvoir
This has happened many times in the past before. A man about to leave welcoming his successor. After the handshakes in front of the cameras, it was tradition for the two men to spend some time in private to exchange freely away from the eyes and ears of the public. This veil of secrecy was the source of many rumors and urban legends about state secrets and nuclear codes. But in the end, those were just two men sitting on luxurious chairs inside one of the many gold decorated rooms of the presidential palace.
« So how are the negotiations with the Saderans going ? »
« Well the diplomatic teams negotiated parts of the agreement quickly and without too many issues, but things are starting to jam on some of the more important parts. »
« What do you mean by that ? »
« I mean many different things. Not only did they go through a harsh period of cold weather that limited the capabilities of their delegation, but their head of state is currently in a coma in our base and his son has taken over through regency and emergency powers. »
The new occupant of the palace chuckled. Frédéric Gastier was a young man by the standards of the French political scene. With only two terms as a local representative under his belt, it had been a bit surprising for columnists and political experts to see him launch his own independent movement after personal drama within his party. But with spot on communication and success in bringing in investments, he quickly rose up to secure a place within the ranks of serious candidates for the presidential election. And the Gate was like a gift for his campaign that made him stand out to end up in the final duel.
« Well that is not something we can hear in the media. »
« And it is not even the worst part. Sure, when negotiating the values of tariffs on newly imported goods and the progressive release of war prisoners, there were no real problems. But when things shifted towards war reparations, the handing over of land to the UN and prosecution for war crimes, everything stopped dead in its tracks. »
« Are they trying to get a better deal by putting a deadlock on things to get us to lower our expectations? »
« We think so. The emergency powers activated by the Crown Prince have allowed him to create the Wolf Guard, a political police that has started imprisoning people that are too vocal about agreeing with our terms, according to our intelligence. Even those taking part in the negotiations are not safe. People have been replaced several times already. The Ambassador has expressed his concern over this, but it seems the Crown Prince is not very keen on listening to us. »
The man acknowledged with a nod.
« Have they tried anything that could be a security risk ? »
« The local knights that are helping us have arrested some kids trying to sneak around the property several times. We suspect that they were paid to do some espionage, but they never talked and have been freed from custody due to a lack of evidence. They never managed to get into the secure perimeter, though. »
« And I imagine that they are denying doing anything wrong. »
« Exactly. However, our intelligence indicates otherwise. The Imperial Army has also launched a large training exercise several miles away from the city. »
« So the conflict might start up again ? »
« It is becoming more and more likely every day. The Embassy is already protected by several squads and a local order of knights with no link to the command structure of the regular Imperial Army, but plans have already been drafted for a rescue operation and paratroopers are on stand-by at Alnus. »
« Any support from our allies ? »
« Well apart from the troops already deployed, it is unlikely new elements will join us. The Germans and the British are already stretching their budgets pretty thin with their current investment in FORSO and the US has started testing of their own aircrafts in the Special Region with no additional troop deployment for at least several months. We will have to do with the resources we have at our disposal as of now. »
The guest remained silent to take in all the information and analyze it. It was his problem now, and it was hard to process how much it was going to be a problem for him later on.
« Things are technically still fine, right ? Can't we just pull them out right now and not take any risk ? »
The host shook his head in disapproval.
« Problem is this is our only shot at negotiating a deal without more damage. If those break down, we will have to resume combat. And the Saderan doctrine will lead to many more lives lost, thousands of deaths mainly on their side just to attempt to capture positions fortified with artillery, mortars, tanks and heavy machine guns. And believe me, no one wants to be the one at the top when the media will start to report that you are the one that ordered the end of negotiations and the restart of combat. But this is no longer up to me to decide. »
« I see... I see... Quite the complex situation. But the question is, in case everything goes down and we have to take over, do we have someone to put into power ? Trying to get medieval peasants to vote in an election wouldn't really end well, would it ? »
« If we do not do anything too much against her interests, yes we have. Third Imperial Princess Pina Co Lada. She is the one that lead covert efforts to start those negotiations. She has a relevant claim to the throne, but only if her two older brothers are out of the picture. However, I fear that if we must go there, things will already be too much out of hand. She has said herself that she had not received education to lead an Empire, contrary to her brother the Crown Prince. She will be loyal if we help her, no doubt... But she has no experience at all. »
There was no need for anyone to go any longer about the consequences of such a statement. Many were the examples in history where a leader unfit to rule ruined a country for many generations.
« And nobody else could fit the job description ? »
« Not really. No one that we can trust at least. The second prince, Diabo, seems distant and uninterested. He appears more turned towards the profit of his own private mining enterprise. Then after that it's just a list of minor princes and princesses that are completely irrelevant to current Imperial politics. So it's her, or we will have to try to set up some kind of government with the current pool of Senators. But at the rate the cooperating ones keep getting arrested, we will not have much left anyway. »
« So this is how things are going to begin, huh ? With a war and a decision that might result in the death of many… »
« Remember that the people elected you because they thought you were the best among the candidates to answer that question. But you will be damned if you do, damned if you don't. Act in prevention and you will be seen as a warmonger, act in defense and you will be seen as too passive. If you want a single piece of advice, I'd tell you to be focused on your strategy and to stick with it all the while being prepared for the moment things might go wrong. If you understand that, then I believe things will be fine for you, although this is no longer up to me to decide. »
The discussion continued on various other topics up until it was time for protocol to take back control over their actions. The two men left the golden office back towards the front courtyard of the palace. And just as they had shaken hands as a welcome, they shook hand as a goodbye, still under the excited clicking of the many cameras.
There might have been an entire afternoon worth of protocol left, but the image of the car passing through the gate was enough of a symbol for the media and the world.
Someone new was in charge.
Imperial Capital, Jade Palace, May 14th 2017, 1645 AT
It's crazy how much two months can create bonds between groups that were completely foreign to each other before.
Even for the knights that had been inside the infamous party that had arrived at Italica the day after the battle, living alongside the diplomats and soldiers of FORSO was a strange experience at first. The cloaked men might have been hosted there for longer, but they were acting all in their own corner, not going in the way of anyone. With a new set of flags flying over the building, they were all uneasy at first. Shared duty was executed without much communication, and interactions during down times were more than awkward for everyone as embarrassed NATO soldiers crossed paths with young knights not daring to say anything.
But with time came exercises. The knights learned from the soldiers the basics of handling firearms, and the soldiers learned from the knights how to properly hold a short sword. Those skills might not have been useful to anyone in the short or medium term, but that was not the point. The point was to get people together, and to get them to exchange knowledge. It was not very long before the border between the two forces started to fade. They were seeing parts of themselves in the others. And so, after two long months, it was no longer rare to see young knights, riflemen and old veterans sharing the same table in the improvised mess hall or play games of their preferred sports together.
But despite all of this, mood among the decision makers was not really for exercises and games. Even with the walls, new chain link fences and barbed wire, they had the feeling of being watched. The numbers of suspicious sightings all around the premises had gone up sharply within the last few days, making everyone nervous. If something was going to happen, then it was going to happen soon.
This is what kept circling in Anthony's mind as he walked through the front courtyard of the Jade Palace. He had perfectly understood that the recon teams were there to keep the diplomatic personnel safe in case things turned bad, but the problem was that there was no way to really predict how. The only real instruction he had received was that there were plans ready at Alnus, but he was completely unaware of what exactly those plans were. So now, for the third recon team, the plan was to prevent things from fucking up as much as possible.
A few hundred meters away from the palace were the gates. As the main entry point for any horse rider or vehicle, it was guarded and monitored at all time, with barbed wire running all along the top of the tall fences and a lifting barrier blocking the opening. But most importantly, a few meters back from the gate, a small prefabricated guard post had been installed. Its square plastic body was in dire contrast with the surrounding trees and the finely worked iron fence, but it was a much-welcomed improvement in the life of the guards, especially during rough weather.
The structure itself was not large. There was enough room for two to sit down and watch through the opening for anyone trying to enter the Embassy. But with the regular coming and going of knights running errands for the Order and diplomats coming for negotiations, nobody could really stay in relative comfort for a really long period of time.
As Anthony approached the small shed, he was not surprised by the fact that nobody was standing outside. The weather had been cold for more than a month, and the small electric heater was far more attractive than the winter air. What he did not expect, however, was to hear soft laughs coming from it as he drew very close. The Lieutenant slowed down, reducing the noise of each of his step on the cold ground. It quickly became obvious that it was a woman giggling to some remarks made by a man. And with the schedule in mind, it was not hard to make a sure guess on who they were.
Stealthily, he slightly poked his head through the doorway to peek inside. The two were inside, shoulder against shoulder, their looks turned towards the gate and the incoming pathway.
« And then when he came back, he was completely wet from the rain. I don't think I had laughed so much since I had entered boot camp. »
« Is this really how you are really acting with your fellow soldiers ? Making them run through harsh weather as a prank ? »
« Oh come on... I can't count the number of times he managed to have his revenge. »
The two being so close to one another really made the contrast pop out. One was a tall man with relatively large shoulders and short rough brown hair, the other was a smaller woman with long and carefully brushed blond hair. One was dressed in a camouflaged uniform designed for utility, concealment and ballistic protection, the other had a shiny armor of engraved plates made for prestige and blocking blades. One was an experienced fighter who had fought for years in the harsh mountains of Central Asia, the other was a youngster who had never left her own borders and remained in the luxury of aristocracy.
Yet here they were, side by side, sharing stories about themselves and learning about each other. Anthony could not really tell at what point on the relationship scale they were in, but it was clearly not their first date.
Both jumped off their chairs when the Lieutenant coughed loudly to get their attention. It was hard for him to contain his laughter as they tried to change their position to try to act as if they were still focused on their task, their faces completely red. But he decided to play along. It was not really the time to hand out reprimands anyway.
« Excuse me, Miss Palesti, but I would like to have access to my corporal for five minutes. »
« Of... Of course... Of course, Sir Moreau. »
The embarrassment was so much that she could not speak without faltering. With just a simple movement of his head, Anthony instructed his subordinate to follow him out of the guard post. It was only when they were several yards away that Marc finally started to speak.
« I… I am sorry, Sir. »
« Listen, I know we've been told to do hearts and minds, but could you at least wait for your down time and not do it while at post. »
« Sorry again, Sir. »
« Anyway… We have just received updates from up the ladder. The idea is that we don't get involved with Saderan internal politics, let them negotiate and pull out only if they become hostile. »
Marc remained silent for a second, processing the information and imagining possible outcomes.
« So… So we just wait for them to fuck something up and charge us with swords before exfiltrating the civilians ? »
« That's one way of putting it, yeah. »
« Isn't it a bit risky ? »
Anthony could only shake his head.
« I have a bit of the same feeling, but those are the orders. There is probably going to be some shipment to defend ourselves if needed, and command says that things have already been thought out. »
Wind passed between the trees of the park, creating a noise of moving leaves and cracking branches that was almost deafening in the overall silence of the Jade Palace. But it was not really bothering the two men, both wearing additional clothes that were appropriate for the weather. They might have even felt a little warmer had the sun decided to poke its head from behind the clouds, but the skies were grey from one horizon to another.
Anthony then turned around towards the small shed. Bozes had been watching the conversation, but her small knowledge of basic French meant that she had trouble understanding just a few words. But what she understood clearly was the Lieutenant's concerned attitude.
« Is there something wrong, Sir Moreau ? »
« Nothing, nothing… By the way, Miss Palesti, have you heard anything from the Princess ? We have not heard of her since yesterday evening. »
« Nothing, Sir. When she left, she said she had important personal matter to attend at the Imperial Palace. I must imagine that she is currently too busy to send us a message. »
From the front of the Jade Palace, it was hard to see the towering hill that hosted all the important bits of the Saderan political system. The trees might have been blocking a great view, but it was a tradeoff the successive owners of the estate had been willing to make and which earned the palace its name, the patch of vegetation looking from afar like a large piece of said green gemstone in the middle of the marble of all the other mansions and rich houses.
« And no idea when she will come back ? »
« No, Sir. I imagine that with the current situation, especially with their father the Emperor, it must be hard to talk to one another calmly and things take a lot of time. »
Anthony gave a single nod.
« Yeah… That is what worries me… »
« With all due respect, Sir, none would dare raise their hand against her. Doing harm to a member of the Imperial family is one of the worst crimes one can commit. »
« Yeah, and no one would dare running head first through the Gate without knowing what is on the other side… Yet here we are. »
The Knight did not reply anything. Instead she looked down toward the ground. That kind of remark had hit somewhere very personal and had immediately brought up images of her imprisoned brother. She had perfectly understood his point, that logic was not something to rely upon for safety, but she was wondering if his choice of words was targeted specifically towards her and with ill intent.
« But didn't she leave with her assistant Hamilton ? asked Marc as he walked back to the guard post. We would at least hear from her if things turn bad or something, no ? »
« Yes, replied Bozes. Hamilton is a good horse rider and is the fastest from here to the Imperial Hill on a steed. I do not think Her Highness is in danger at this moment. »
« Yeah you might be right... »
Anthony's sighed out of annoyance, passing his hand through his hair. It seemed that the more the situation developed, the more he experienced the reality of Murphy's Law, or as he would put it "the law of maximum bullshit".
« Can I ask why you wish to know about Her Highness' whereabouts, Sir Moreau ? »
« Well we had leadership change of our own recently, and the Ambassador received new information and instructions. I imagine he wants to share those with the Princess... »
« Leadership change ? I am afraid I do not understand... »
« We have a new President... Was elected and took office a few days ago. It should not change that many things for you anyway... Look, I am sorry but I have other things to do so I must go. Marc, why don't you explain everything to Miss Palesti ? »
« Huh... Of course, Lieutenant. »
« Great! Anyway, Miss Palesti it is always a pleasure to exchange with you. Goodbye. »
Without giving her the time to properly respond, Anthony spun around on his heels and started to walk back to the Palace, as if to leave the two alone as soon as possible. And if they quickly took the opportunity to return to the shed to sit in front of the heater, there was something completely different in the Lieutenant's mind. Not something he could really describe in precise details.
Just a very bad feeling.
« I have the feeling that you have been cooking less quickly recently, Cook. Did I imagine this unfortunate fact, or are you slacking off ? »
« It is unfortunate, My Lord, but with the recent developments, I have ended up cooking for a lot more people than what the kitchens allow me to. My teams are too small, my furnaces are not fast enough and the storage room is not large enough. I can assure you that none of my cooks are slowing down their work. »
Zorzal's office was strangely calm for this hour of the day. Usually, there would have been many members of his staff coming and going, delivering reports and giving advices to the de facto new leader of the Empire. But for just a few hours on that particular day, he had insisted on taking a break. He had spent days coming up with renewals of local tax policies and other similarly annoying but necessary subjects, and his need to spend time to himself in a calmer environment had grown too large to be ignored.
So in his office, instead of the normal crowd, it was just himself, his cook delivering his meal and Tyuule, his most trusted advisor.
« Well at least you accept that this is what is happening. I know a lot of cooks that would have denied it altogether to not appear weak. Instead they just show themselves as cowards unwilling to accept consequences. »
« Lying to you would be a disservice to everyone, My Lord. However, the reality is that our physical capabilities are limited compared to the task at hand. But if that how things are, then we will have to gather our strength to power through it. »
Zorzal laughed as he took the first bite of the large slab of cooked meat that had been brought before him.
« That's... That's why I like you, he said while chewing. You have the mindset of a soldier, and that's probably the best way to see the world right now. Things are not going well, but we have no choice but to go forward with what we have. »
« I am honored, My Lord. »
The Warrior Bunny had remained silent ever since Doré had arrived, watching over the scene like a protective guardian, ready to step in at any time to provide advice and guidance. But this time, she started without being asked to.
« Your Highness, I must bring to you that there are many things that still need to be decided. You still need to act about your sister The Princess. »
Zorzal sighed after swallowing another chunk of his meal. The cook himself remained silent, but inside his curiosity had been tingled. He knew well that Pina had met with the Prince in both the previous and current days, but the subject and conclusions of such meetings were unknown to him. Sure, he could make guesses to put in his reports, but he had always thought that if he had time to speculate then he had time to investigate. However, with all the cooking that had to be done lately, he did not have the time to do any of the two.
« Fine, finally replied the Prince. I wanted to be able to rest from all the troubled subjects, but I guess there is no running away from this one. Tyuule, help Doray bring his equipment back to the kitchens and after that make Pina come here. If we must talk, then we will talk. »
« Very well, Your Highness. »
The Warrior Bunny bowed down before escorting the cook and his tray out of Zorzal's office.
The break in the activities of the Prince was also quite visible from the lack of activity in the surrounding corridors. The guards standing all along were clearly not complaining about it as they did not have to keep an eye on all those waiting for an audience with the Prince.
The Cook and the Advisor remained silent for a long period, their walk only paced by the regular noises of the wheeled tray slightly bouncing on the stone brick floor. From time to time, one would turn its head as if to see if the other was still there with them as they continued their way deeper and deeper into the palace. And while for him it was out of respect for her and her position, for her it was hard to guess. But someone needed to be daring enough to break this wordless status-quo.
« I am starting to feel bad for him. I am seeing in him someone that never was fully ready to take on the challenges of life, and that now has to do everything by himself. And he tries to do it by following what he believes… »
Tyuule turned her head strangely. She was expecting him to speak, but not in this way.
« Is that something you respect ? »
« I have felt like this a long time ago when I had to leave my island. But I kept my head down, and here I am. I must imagine that you have gone through similar things yourself, Madam. »
« I... I have, she replied after a long period of silence. Many things have changed in my life, and whatever happens one must never take me away from accomplishing my objective. »
« Even those among your kind that have expressed the desire to kill you ? »
Doré barely had time to end his question that he felt a powerful grip reach for his collar and push him against the wall.
« What do you know about my life ? »
She was angry. Angry enough to assault him, but she seemed restrained enough to not yell or start calling the guards immediately. Her grip was way stronger than what could be expected from her thin arms, enough to keep him on the wall and a few centimeters off the ground. Doré remained calm despite the situation, keeping his arms close to his body, ready to act.
« I know that you have tried to settle a deal with the Prince and that he fooled you. I know that those that served you saw it as a betrayal. And I know that the Prince tried to use you as a bargaining chip for an assassin. I imagine that you would have legitimate reasons to be under pressure. »
« You know nothing about me ! How would a cook even get information about my past ? »
« Long years of travels is a great way to build a dense network of contacts. »
As he spoke, he could hear the grip tighten around his neck. Whatever he was saying, she was not finding it convincing.
« None of them know ! Nobody knows ! Nobody but me ! »
« What I wonder is why you are advising the Prince ? You have all the reasons to hate him. »
« Oh that's it ! I have had enough ! I know I should not have made you come here… »
But before she could really finish her angry remark, a violent headbutt coming from the cook forced her to drop him. This gave him enough space to dash away and create enough space between him and her. He had sharp eyes, and he had seen her try to reach for something behind her back.
« You would do both of us a disservice by attacking me, My Lady. I just want to help you. »
But those words seemed to have fallen on large but deaf ears as she drew a small hidden blade from behind her back.
« So that you can tell everything to those you work for. »
« Shit. »
One single swear word was enough to bring a small smile on the corner of her mouth.
« Of course I know. The others do not, but I do. »
« Then help me do my work. If you want to see him brought down from his throne, you must assist me. »
« And what are you going to do ? Just put the old man back on it just afterwards ? »
« Listen, all of this is just silly. If you assist us, I can try to have my commanders help you. »
« I was lied to before, I won't be lied to again ! »
Immediately, she dashed to close the gap, blade pointed straight forward. But Doré had quick reflexes, allowing him to move out of the way. With quick steps, he avoided the following swings, always at the limit of his own balance. However, when her arm remained next to him for a split second too long, he took the opportunity. With a precise movement, he reached for her wrist and twisted it just enough to force her to drop the blade.
The metallic ring of the dagger hitting the ground acted like a boxing bell bringing an end to a round.
« You are good, I must admit. »
« You too. »
It seemed that this burst of action had managed to clear off her mind of the anger. Both were standing there, panting, trying to catch their breath in the middle of strange dance.
« You have more skills than a simple cook. »
« Oh it is just that I know how to handle knifes. But I imagine that you already know why. »
On those words, he let go of her wrist, but not before pushing the knife away with his foot. Without asking for any kind of help, she stood back up straight and walked back towards the tray as if nothing had happened. And this confused Doré. Did he just manage to talk her out of her anger ? Or was she merely pretending to test him ? And if it was a test, how successful was he ? If he was still alive and she had not told anyone else yet, then it had to be that something was still going well.
« Come on, I must help you carry this. I do not have all my time available for you. »
Her voice had returned to something more akin to her usual self, calm and precise. Enough to make him realize that he had not moved, still in a defensive position and not really in a position a cook would have liked to be seen in.
He was still ready to anything as he closed in, unsure on whether to trust her or not. But it seemed that whatever negative feelings she might have had, it would have led to problems if the preferred cook of the Prince were to suddenly disappear or be killed. It all seemed fine enough as he started to push the cart down the corridor.
And apart from that, there was something else in his mind. It was one hell of a report he was going to transmit later.
« Are you finally willing to accept reality ? »
Those were quite daring words as Pina entered Zorzal's work room. She had not even waited for a guard or a servant to open the door for her to walk in the office, a worried Hamilton close behind.
« I can ask you the same question, dear sister. »
« It's strange that now that you have to talk to me head to head, you are acting as if I am your beloved sister... Yet when my mother passed away, you and Diabo were ignoring me like the bastard you thought I was. »
It was only now that Zorzal rose his look from the pile of papers that was on his desk. And with his expression, it was clear that he was disappointed.
« You know perfectly that this is not about this that I wish to talk about. It is about our Father... »
« Ah ! Of course ! Again ! What are you going to say this time ? That he has been kidnapped and that he is used as tool to force you to sign a peace treaty ? You have been telling me that for the last days. »
« And for the last days you refuse to listen, Pina. We are at war, and our enemy has complete control over our father. »
Pina left out a long sigh as she rubbed her face. It was a scenario she had been in several times before during the last two months, and she was reaching a breaking point.
« By all the gods, what is it that you do not understand in the fact that without their care, Father would have died. You know very well that they saved him ! You have seen them bring him back from the dead with your own eyes ! »
Her frustration had caused to raised her voice. She was not shouting, but it was more than clear to anyone listening that she was on the brink of yelling straight in Zorzal's face.
« We are at war, Pina. All of these are tricks, ploys, lies to weaken us. They think we are gullible, they think that we will see them as great heroes acting stronger than the gods... But they are not like that. They are not here to help. They are taking everything away from us, they are digging themselves in. Alnus and Italica have already fallen. We are next in line. They know that they will not get the most out of the population by burning everything down, so they send their diplomats instead to push us away and take over. We have to act as a family to prevent this. »
Zorzal's rant left the Princess speechless. While she had heard him before go on about how the medical treatment of their Father by their enemy was a disgrace, this was a completely new perspective of what was going on inside his head.
« Have you gone mad ? You know nothing about the French... Our Father ordered an invasion of their land, they are only asking for justice and to take the decisions that are in the interests of all. With their power, they just rather sit there and negotiate. If they really wanted us out, it would have been a thousand times easier for them to march from Italica and burn down everything. You have seen what a dozen of them can do. I have seen what hundreds of them can. »
« And poisoning our Father ? What do you call this ? Kindness ? Love ? Diplomacy ? »
That question stopped Pina dead in her tracks. Her eyes had widened almost instantly with a mix of surprise, anger, confusion and incredulity. Hamilton, who so far had managed to make others forget about her presence, could not help but gasp and cover her mouth with her arms.
« What... What did you say ? »
« Is that not obvious ? No one is stronger than Hardy herself. Had he really been dying, no technology or no magic could have brought him back. So they poisoned him, and pretended that they had to take him away for care. Now I have to take his place, and we are in our most unstable and vulnerable. »
« No... No... That's not possible. They have not won anything from it... They have not benefited anything from it. You are speaking nonsense. Only someone who would gain from Father being dead or too ill to rule would have done it... Or someone that would gain from you sitting on the... »
She stopped herself clean as if something finally clicked inside her head.
« Pina ? Are you all right ? »
« You... You... »
« What ? What me ? »
« You are the one who ordered it all ! »
« How dare you ! »
He sprung up from his chair, visibly angry as well. But the Princess did not pay him any attention as she continued to make connections between the details she already knew about.
« I think I finally understand everything now... Father was weakened and you saw an opportunity to take his place, to make things go your way. So you poisoned him, you took the throne, and now you are hunting down anyone that can oppose you with your militia. »
« Pina, silence ! »
With heavy steps, he went around his desk to be face to face with his sister. But she made a step back, shifting into a defensive position and putting a hand on the handle of her sword.
« Do no touch me ! You are a disgrace to this family ! »
« Take back what you just said right now! »
« I do not apologize to parricides ! »
« Well then you leave me no choice ! »
At this moment, there was no discussion anymore, just yelling. But Pina still found an instant turn her head towards a terrified Hamilton.
« Run. »
The young knight stood there confused. But her perception quickly changed when the Prince rose his voice way up.
« Guards ! Arrest this traitress ! »
So she ran.
As the guards entered the room, they seemed too focused more on the Princess and her drawn sword than on the small figure passing between them. In the corridor, she could hear the ringing of the swords clashing and the first grunts of injured men, but she could not see anything. Instead, she focused on the path towards the exit and started to sprint, her own breathing quickly drowning out any other sound.
People watched her rush past them without understanding, and even unaware members of the guard simply shrugged as she passed in front of them. But she was too focused on her own survival to notice any of that. No stopping. It would not be long until they would know as well. Reach her horse, reach the Embassy. Only there would she be really safe.
Thankfully, her steed was still inside the stable. Of course, some of the slaves tried to prevent her from jumping directly on her horse without proper preparations, but she had no time.
Down the hill. Horseshoes hitting the stone pavement. Biting cold. Through the gate. Into the streets. Left. Down the avenue. Avoid bystanders. Head north. Towards the palace.
The sight and sound of a galloping horse were quick to get the attention of the soldier and the knight standing guard. Hamilton was still lucid enough to get her steed to stop in front of the bar blocking access, giving her time to finally take back her breath.
« Hamilton ? What is happening ? »
« It's... It's... It's the Princess... »
The two guards rushed out of the shed, the camouflaged soldier going to open the barrage while the knight started to help Pina's aide off her horse.
« What is happening with the Princess ? Hamilton ! Talk to me ! »
« The Prince... He... He captured the Princess... Called her a traitress. »
There was a moment of silence as Hamilton started to break down in tears. And before anyone moved, the soldier made his feeling known.
« Et merde. »
Imperial Capital, Main Forum, May 15th 2017, 1023 AT
As usual, that part of the city was crowded during this early day. The large plaza was filled with wooden stands, merchants, slaves, servants and many more people coming and going, their minds only focused on whatever business had brought them here on that particular morning. But while this description also applied to the markets of Meridiana, the Forum radiated an image of a wealthy state rather than one of an excluded and persecuted poor minority.
« Are we sure it's going to come through here ? »
On the rooftops, two shadows had been watching over the area for long hours now.
« There's not really any other way for an escorted convoy to head south from the Imperial Palace. »
Through their binoculars, they were looking for something. They might have had a relatively precise description, but they had really no idea what they were looking for was going to look like. Carts with armed escorts were plentiful in such a market as many luxurious goods needed to be safely transported from here to there.
« Do you think things are going down ? »
« I don't know... I just hope that it won't... »
« Any idea who that VIP might be ? »
« Not really... I guess another senator ? Wouldn't be the first time they make a transfer like that. »
« Yeah, but I feel like something is wrong... »
« Why ? »
« Well we aren't usually asked to change our mission to do this... »
« Yeah. »
But then, there was a movement in the crowd. Like a fluid, each particle moved because of the push coming from its direct neighbors, all coming from a single source. Coming from one of the main entry points, one cart pulled by a pair of horses was traversing the sea of people without much trouble, helped by armed men bearing wolf pelts as covers for their helmets. Bystanders were turning around to watch out of curiousness, trying to guess what was going on.
« There it is. Thunderhead, this is Fantôme Four. We have visual contact with the target. Over. »
« Copy that, Fantôme Four. Keep an eye on it and identify the VIP. Thunderhead out. »
From where they were, the only thing they could see on the cart were two other members of the Wolf Guard, masking whatever was behind them. While one was focused on holding the reins and controlling the horses, the other was standing tall, yelling to the crowd the propaganda of the power in place.
As the convoy came closer to the covert observation post of the Fantômes, the two observers noticed what was really on the cart. It seemed that the entire objective of the entire endeavor was to transfer some kind of wooden box, but their angle of vision did not allow the operator to see what the box exactly looked like.
Or at least it did until the convoy changed its trajectory to enter another street. And within just a second, everything flipped on its head.
« Putain de merde ! »
Soul could not keep himself in check when he realized that it was not just a simple box. It was a cage, being paraded down towards the prison, a far cry from the usual enclosed carts used for prisoner transports. And within that cage was a red haired silhouette hunching its back to fit within the tight space.
« Oh fuck... Is that her ? »
Fünf was unsure, asking the question as if to clear out something he had wrongly seen. But his partner was surer.
« Thunderhead, this is Fantôme Three. Positive visual ID on the VIP. It's the Princess. Over. »
« Copy. Stay in overwatch and keep gathering intel. Out. »
At this point, the propagandist was close enough that both could hear him quite clearly.
« Her treasonous acts must not be left unpunished ! She brought our enemies into her own home, convinced senators to destroy their honor and attacked members of the Guard ! Only by setting a precedent will the troublemakers bow down to the authority of the Emperor and the Crown Prince ! »
The roars and claps of the crowd made it clear that the message had been accepted by everyone. And to say that it was making Soul full of rage was clearly an understatement.
« What's the range ? »
« What ? »
His sudden question made Fünf turn his head in confusion.
« What's the distance between us and the cart ? »
« Dude, don't tell me you want to shot the guy. There's a shit ton of civilians around ! »
« But we have to get her out of there ! She needs our help ! »
« And how are you going to help her ? There are thousands of witnesses, and we have no extraction. We can't do anything. »
« Fucking hell ! »
For so long, they had been in so many situations where they had wielded tremendous power that they had forgotten what it was like to be powerless. They had guns, radios, elite training and yet they could not do anything against a bunch of guys with weird hats and pointy sticks.
As seconds passed, agitation within the crowd started to grow. It had started with signs of agreement with what the member of the Wolf Guard was saying, but it had quickly changed to yells of insults and hostility. But when one of the many spectators had the brilliant idea to reach for some fruit laying on a merchant's counter and throw it towards the cart, it was not long until all hell broke loose on the cage.
As the projectiles impacted, the wood of the cage quickly lost its original color. And inside, despite all the hits and the pulp rolling down the rags she had been given, the target was not moving. Instead, she was folding herself to be as small as possible, either to be harder to hit, or to be harder to see. She wanted to be ignored, but at that point there was no coming back. Even the Wolf Guard knew this, and it was likely that was exactly what they wanted to see. So they continued as if nothing was happening, simply putting themselves out of the way of the projectiles.
« Thunderhead, the crowd is hostile ! I repeat, the crowd is hostile ! Requesting permission to engage. »
Soul barely had time to end his sentence that Fünf started to bark at him.
« What the fuck ? Are you crazy ? »
But those words did not achieve anything as Soul remained completely focused on the cart, choosing his target.
« Negative, Fantôme Three. Break off and fall back. We have hostiles inbound on the safe house. »
Hello and thanks for reading the thirty-fourth chapter chapter of Gate : Opération Marteau de Justice.
Things are finally going down, and as you might have noticed things are not following the timeline of the source material. I am curious and excited to see what will be the reaction to this. Ideas kept coming and on the end I wrote even faster than I thought I was capable of.
As said last time, I am looking for an artist to do art related to this story. If you are an artist and would like to contribute to this story, then please send me a private message with a link to a gallery or social media account where I can some of your work. I perfectly know that recognition and exposure don't pay the bills, so I'm also taking commission prices into account.
Anyway, thank you all for reading, and I'll see you in the next chapter.