Author's Note:
I found in Sora no Woto another series which captured my heart. The characters and the setting whispered to my subconscious, ``Wait, do not go. There is more; it will come to you.'' And so the seed for this story was planted. I hope that you find the characters true to themselves. I know the direction won't be what everyone expects as I was surprised at some of the turns the characters took as I sketched out the path of this story.
This story begins with the end of episode 12, and covers what happens afterwards. So, naturally, it will contain spoilers for those who have not seen the entire series.
Thanks to MahouLVH for his encouragement and initial reading and to ZonaRose for betaing this.
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Sora no Ato: Chapter 1
Declaring Peace: Remembering Why
The clear notes of a trumpet spread across Nomansland, speaking words of peace to the two armies facing off there, bidding them fight no more. And they halted and did not fight. As the ancient melody from Kanata's trumpet flowed across the snow-covered plain, the sun peeped over the surrounding hills and filled the plain with the light of a new day. The soldiers paused, listening to the tune until its last notes faded away.
Filicia and Kureha joined Kanata atop Takemikazuchi, their six-legged tank, perched atop a ruined building between the opposing lines. The ruin rose above the plain here as if it had survived from the ancient world just to provide such a perch and bandstand. Noël stuck her head out the hatch and they all looked out at the plain, over the two armies gathered there the only life the plain had seen in centuries. They held their breath and watched, hoping this pause could actually bring an end to battles. But in the armies below, an officer or two were still determined to fight and ordered their troops to advance and do so.
They were stopped by a clear, powerful voice ringing out from atop a red tank of the Helvetian Royal Guard, newly arrived between the lines.
``Both sides, lay down your arms!''
The speaker stood atop the tank beneath the royal banner of Helvetia, clad in the white robes of a princess.
``I am daughter to the royal family, second in succession to the throne of Helvetia and fiancée to the Rightful Roman Emperor. I am Rio Kazumiya Arkadia.''
This took Filicia and her platoon by surprise. Rio had returned to them, and in their hour of greatest need. She continued her proclamation.
``In the name of my father, the Archduke of Helvetia, and in the name of the Roman Emperor, we have attained peace. There will be no more fighting! Both sides are to disengage immediately!''
She held up a parchment bearing both coats of arms, the text of the declaration in Roman and Helvetian, and the signatures of the Roman Emperor, Franz Leopold von Wittelsbach and the Helvetian Archduke, Akira August Arkadia.
``This is an imperial command,'' Rio concluded. ``Those who do not comply shall face the might of the First Helvetian Royal Guard in the name of both leaders.''
A taught silence followed for a moment as the meaning of the declaration sank in: ``We don't have to fight anymore.'' Both armies erupted into wild cheering. For who values peace more than a soldier on the front lines. Kureha and Kanata atop the tank were just as happy as the soldiers below and hugged each other as their joy overflowed, while Filicia stood calmly smiling over the now-peaceful plain, happy that she had helped save those here from the horrors of war she had known. Noël ducked back inside Takemikazuchi to share her happiness at the peace with Aisha.
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Rio looked over the cheering troops, and up at the members of her former platoon who had bought that last bit of time for her to arrive, bought it with a restored tank from the ancient world and with the Sound of the Sky. She put her hand on the shoulder of her standard-bearer, Klaus, and smiled at him: in happiness at the peace, and in thanks for bringing her here just in time. He smiled back. They both understood that they dared not tarry here, even to greet their dear friends, for they needed to rush on to the next hot spot along the border, lest the peace Rio had declared here be undone by hasty actions somewhere else, bringing back a war nobody wanted, or at least one which no sane person did.
ooo OOO ooo
Rio stood and watched as the Royal Guard loaded their tanks onto a train at the nearest rail-head. Their next stop was a ways off and moving by train was both more rapid than the tanks could walk on their own—even counting the time taken to load and unload them—and also far less wear and tear on them. Of course, this could only be done away from the front, as they weren't ready for combat aboard the train. Each tank maneuvered over a flatcar and carefully lowered itself down onto the cradle there before the crew worked to stow the legs for travel. This process would take a while, so Rio took her gear, boarded the train and settled herself into her compartment.
Rio's journeys were giving her a lot of time to think. Perhaps she hadn't needed to leave Nomansland near Seize quite as precipitously as she had. She hadn't even taken the time to say hello to her friends in her former platoon there. True, it would have been tough to make it halfway across the field through the mob of cheering soldiers. True, she really did need to rush off to the next spot where she needed to declare the peace. True, the nearness by which she had averted the war there firmly impressed the urgency to get to the next spot forces might be facing each other.
But as she thought, she realized she could have spared a few minutes to talk with her friends, to thank them for their part in forging the peace. She could then have caught up with the Royal Guard as they were loading there tanks here and not delayed their arrival at the next spot. No, she realized she had other reasons to leave as quickly, ones she was hesitant to admit, even to herself. She was still getting herself used to the decision she had made. Yes, it was to end this war, to stop the fighting and killing, but she was giving up friends and country to go marry Franz Leopold, a foreign emperor. And she agreed to this, acquiescing to her father's wish: her father, to whom she had stopped talking when her mother died a decade ago, and whom she had consciously shut out when her sister Iliya drowned. There was still a part of her which did not want to forgive him and was willing to let the world perish in that hatred. She squashed that train of thought. There were too many innocent people who would suffer in that case, her friends among them. And if her sacrifice, her giving up friends and freedom, could give them peace and happiness, then she would convince herself the sacrifice was worthwhile.
Rio looked out at the countryside, and realized she had another reason. Deep down, she feared that if she had stopped to greet her friends, that she would not have been able to tear herself away from them. She very much missed them, and knew how hard leaving was the first time. And if that happened, if she found she couldn't leave them, then war would start up again someplace else on the border that she wouldn't reach, and her whole giving in to her father would have been in vain. She would be condemning that many more people to a horrible death. And she realized that now she wasn't just thinking only of Helvetians anymore. Now that she had met them, there were some Romans that she would not wish such a death on either. The propagandists Kureha listened to were wrong. There were good people in the Roman Empire as well.
This took Rio back to those days which had truly changed her life. Given their importance it wasn't surprising that those days stuck in her memory, though perhaps the exact pieces which did were an interesting commentary on herself.
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It was after another cross-country journey like this—one of similar urgency, but more delays due to snow and weather—that Rio had arrived in the Helvetian capital. She was immediately brought to her father and he explained the straights they were in, showing her the clause in the as-yet-unsigned peace treaty with the Rightful Roman Empire. This clause required that a Helvetian Royal Princess come to the Empire and be engaged to marry the Roman Emperor. This was originally supposed to be her half-sister Iliya, but her drowning at Quatre meant that was impossible and posed real problems for the peace negotiations.
With her sister Iliya now dead, Rio was now the closest thing left to a Royal Princess of Helvetia. Her father had only one other child, and though he was legitimate, he was also male. Rio had also learned that her father had sired no other children, even illegitimate ones; maybe her mother really was special to him, even though he had only come to see her once a year.
Her father had explained not only this clause to her but also the complications and problems they had run into trying to renegotiate it. Between the negotiating strength of the Romans and the intransigence of his own nobles, no such modification of the treaty had been found possible. The nobles were unwilling to give up anything in return for withdrawing the offer of a Helvetian Princess in marriage, and the Romans were too sharp to simply let this modification go by itself. There seemed no other alternative save Rio being this Royal Princess. ``Please, save our country. Save Helvetia. You're our only hope,'' her father had begged.
Rio asked for time to consider this, as it was a decision that should not be undertaken lightly. She knew from her father's explanation that they were running up against the time limit to sign the treaty, else the war would start up again. Rio thought of her friends and of the war, of the terrible effects it had, even on those who survived like Filicia and Noël. She realized that she agreed with Filicia: she did not want any more children—or anyone else for that matter—to be put through the horrors of war she had seen. But Rio also thought of her father, he was a politician first and always, and was treating his own daughter as playing piece to be moved around the board, or at best as a fellow politician to persuade and negotiate with.
She laughed sadly to herself, realizing the truth of a quote she had heard of her father. ``He is the wholly political man. His whole being is a ferment of impulses and desires to be expressed, manipulated, shaped. He is determined to command the political arena.'' But, she realized, here she had the upper hand in the negotiations. She would agree to this clause, because that would bring the most good to everyone and stop this war, but she would not do so without extracting some promises from her father. She could do that much for her friends. Rio was not normally one for such political dealing, but her father's manner of explanation and argument put her in this mind, and it certainly followed his style. So, she went to her father with a deal of her own, just like the other Helvetian nobles had tried. Save that this deal was one that he would find an easier time accepting, and was one which would bring real benefits to her friends.
Rio's father could not say ``no.''
Their deal concluded, Rio and her father rushed north to the villa where the peace talks with the Roman Empire were being held. She was brought into the negotiations, and the discussion quickly came back around to the clause in the treaty requiring the engagement of a Royal Princess of Helvetia to the Rightful Roman Emperor. Now that she was present, they were finally able to discuss the details. Her absence had held up discussions of that clause and threads from it were woven throughout the rest of the treaty.
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The talks soon progressed to the point where there were now just three of them seated around the table: Emperor Franz Leopold, Archduke Akira Arkadia, and his daughter Rio. The time for involvement of scribes and ministers had passed and was not yet come again. And since Franz Leopold spoke fluent Helvetian, not even a translator was needed. Akira stated Helvetia's agreement to this last troublesome clause, ``Now that my daughter Rio is here and has consented.''
At this Franz Leopold had turned to her and asked directly, ``Princess Rio, do you agree to this of your own free will?''
``Yes, Your Majesty, I do,'' Rio responded. And as she said this, she felt the load of destiny settle on her back. Yet this was a load that she was taking of her own choice, even if she had chosen it because she was the only one there to carry it and the alternative was truly terrible. Rio ground her worries under the heel of her own resolve to serve her fellow Helvetians, to save them from this war. And if that required a sacrifice from her, well she would make it, just as she had sworn to do in the Oath of Paradores when she became a soldier.
Franz Leopold saw the barest flicker of this in her eyes, though one less skilled in diplomacy and politics might never have recognized it. He gave her a genuine smile. ``Thank you, Princess,'' he said, and there was an extra echo of sincerity in his voice. He then turned back to Akira. ``Since this touches closely on personal matters, perhaps you might grant Princess Rio and I some time to further discuss this in private?''
``Of course,'' Akira agreed. ``I will leave you two to discuss what you need.'' He pushed himself up from the table and slowly left the room, his expression unreadable. Was he simply glad to get Rio to agree? Did he wonder what else was left to talk about? Did he worry for Rio's safety in this discussion? Did he worry she might undermine some part of his negotiation? His expression was schooled so none could tell, and neither Rio nor Franz Leopold knew him well enough to guess.
When the door closed, leaving Franz Leopold and Rio alone together in the conference room, he again smiled kindly at her. ``I thought you seemed a bit unsure back there, Princess Rio.'' He took a breath and looked her straight in the eye. ``Thank you for being willing to accept this and end the war. I appreciate your sacrifice from the bottom of my heart, and will do all I can to make this less of a sacrifice for you. Do you really mean to go through with this? I do not want to force you into something you truly find abhorrent.''
``Yes, Your Majesty. I do,'' Rio replied. ``I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, but I want to end this war. I want ...peace for our people.
Franz Leopold tilted his head and smiled at the thoughtful expression which grew on her face. ``Let us put a stop to the war first. Then we will have the freedom to go slowly and get to know one another.''
``Thank you very much,'' Rio replied with a nod. ``Yes, let us first end this war. After that we can, as you say, spend time getting to know each other. And then''—she gestured with a flutter of her hand—``who knows, we shall take that as it comes. But yes.'' Her voice strengthened with resolve. ``Let us end this war.'' She stopped herself from thinking too far ahead.
And as she looked at him closely as she said this, she saw the lines of care on his face begin to soften. It still carried the strength that had held her father at the table, but in his eyes, she could now see a relief that they need no longer be enemies, not just their peoples but the two of them as individuals. And underlying both this strength and relief there might just be a hint of the caring that she wanted to see as a sign of hope for the future.
``Thank you again,'' he said, then took out a letter and handed it to Rio. The envelope was sealed with a variant of the Imperial Seal which on closer examination was found to be that of the Empress. ``This is from my late wife,'' he explained. ``She wrote it before she passed away, and specifically asked me to give it to the Helvetian Princess who would fulfill the engagement clause of the treaty. I do not know what she wrote—for she did it in her room in her own hand—save that she charged me to give this to you and ask that you read it in private.''
``Thank you, Your Majesty,'' said Rio, taking the letter.
``You're welcome, Your Highness.'' He grinned back. Though if it we're going to get to know each other, perhaps we might drop these formalities, at least when it's just the two of us. ...That is, if it is all right with you.''
Rio had to smile in return. This had pleasant echoes of Filicia's informality of only using names within her platoon. ``Sure. I don't mind.'' She pondered for a moment. ``That does make sense when you think about it. Though I hope you can forgive me for slipping sometimes. I'm not used to diplomacy and protocol as I wasn't raised with it.''
``Thank you, Rio. ...Or would you prefer to be called you something else?''
She shook her head, Rio was fine.
``Anyhow,'' he continued, ``I understand why you might slip, and certainly won't mind if you do. And if anyone else minds, that's their problem.'' He gave her a sincere smile. ``If you and I have no problem with it, that should pretty much pull the rug out from under anyone who might want to object.''
Rio's smile grew more genuine. Maybe this wouldn't be all bad. ``And what would you like me to call you?''
``Whatever sounds good to you. ...maybe my name?''
``Sure ...Franz Leopold.''
His eyes lit up when she called him that.
``So, Rio, how can I help you with your new situation? I want to tell you whatever you'd like to know, but I don't want to stand and speak to you as if you were a public meeting.'' He grinned. ``And that is also a terrible way to get to know you, which I would also like to do.''
``Well.'' She wondered for a bit. ``Can you tell me about yourself? What do you do outside of ruling? Do you have any hobbies? And also about the Rightful Roman Empire? Mostly I've just heard rumors, and I don't want to start with the wrong impression.''
``A full answer to those would take a lifetime ...but those are good questions. I would like to hear you talk about yourself too while we're talking. If you don't mind, that is.''
She again shook her head. You had to start somewhere in getting to know a person, and you couldn't without sharing things like this. They might as well begin.
``Well, about myself...'' Franz Leopold began.
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After a while chatting and getting to know each other, they returned to council and spent the rest of the day discussing other matters. That evening, alone in her rooms, Rio finally had a chance to read the letter. It was written in a somewhat shaky but once truly elegant hand. Thankfully it was in Helvetian, as Rio had yet to learn Roman.
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Rio returned from her reverie and took that letter out of her bag. She still kept it in the original envelope, as it was of durable, high-quality paper, but she kept the seal which had originally closed it elsewhere for safekeeping. She unfolded the letter and read it once again, seeking further hints about the nature of this man to whom she was engaged. It began:
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Maria, Rightful Empress of the Roman Empire, to the Princess of Helvetia, greetings.
Please accept my deepest and most heartfelt thanks for your part in bringing an end to this war. I had hoped to see peace with my own eyes, but I fear my illness will take me before then. So, while I am still able, I write you this letter. I fear that the rates progress of my illness and of the peace talks will mean that I shall never have the chance to actually meet you, or convey anything to you save by this letter. But please know that, even after I am gone, you have my undying thanks for your part in bringing about this peace.
Please forgive me ...forgive us all for forcing you into this marriage. Over the years our countries have tried many methods to end this war—so disastrous to us both our peoples—yet all means have failed so far. We hope that your marriage will forge a bond strong enough to hold when the inevitable tensions come later, straining the peace. I pray that you share our hope for a strong and lasting peace, a peace for both of our peoples.
I hope that you understand this reasoning with your mind, and I pray that your heart understands it as well. I also hope that you do not hate us for so forcing you. But if you must hate, then please, please direct your hatred at me and not at your future husband or our people. For it was I who pushed for this clause when we were talking of how peace might be made. Franz Leopold and I talked long about it, and I feel that I convinced him of this, so he now agrees.
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I am also sure that you have some worries or reservations about your decision even now. For to have such is only human. Who would not have some concerns when faced with marriage to an unknown man. I do not know if I can reassure you from this distance, but I will tell you what I can in hopes you may find in it some comfort.
Franz Leopold is truly a good and caring man. You need never fear him treating you with anything but care and consideration. And, unlike some men, he will listen to you and respect your thoughts and opinions. Do not hesitate to talk with him about anything. He came to trust me and even value my opinions, though he does not blindly accept them. He does not always agree with my ideas, but especially when he does not, he is more than willing to discuss them until we share an understanding: sometimes I have changed his mind, sometimes he has changed mine.
And if such is not your interest, he will think no less of you for it. For his first wife had no interest in intellectual conversation, and he loved and respected her just as much.
Let me also speak privately and personally to you as one woman to another. He has never been anything but tender and caring in the bedchamber. You need have no fear that he is one of those men who use intimate affairs as one more exercise of power. He despises such men. Rather he is gentle and wants you to find pleasure and satisfaction, and such brings great pleasure to him.
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I am sure you also have some concerns about the age difference between you and Franz Leopold. You have already met him, so I need say nothing about his appearance. Hopefully you have already seen that he will treat you as an equal and not a child. You can trust he will continue to do so. He does come from a long-lived family, and has always been healthy. Also, you may rest assured that when that day finally comes, our country will continue to support you for as long as you too shall live. And I pray you have a long and happy life.
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My marriage to Franz Leopold was also one made for political reasons—I think that it is impossible for Emperors to marry otherwise—but we came to truly care for and love each other. It is my sincerest hope that you and he may also come to find such.
If I may please beg one boon of you: please care for my beloved Franz Leopold and our daughters. Every mother wants the best for her children, so anything you can do for them, any way you can care for them, will ease my heart. And I pray that you and Franz Leopold may find the same joy together that we have, but even if that does not happen, rest assured that he is a good and worthy man who will always treat you well and with respect.
I will seal this letter and give it to Franz Leopold to convey to you. By that seal, and more by his honor, you may know that none but you and I have looked on these words, and moreover that these are my own words and wishes directly for you.
With my deepest gratitude and prayers for peace, joy and love,
Empress Maria von Wittelsbach
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Rio re-folded the letter and put it back into its envelope. It was obvious that Maria truly loved her husband, and that she wanted the best for him and Rio.
Rio kept a photograph in the envelope with Maria's letter. Franz Leopold had given it to her at the peace talks after the letter from Maria. In it he wore a casual, comfortable hunting outfit, and he looked at the camera with eyes that showed his intelligence and will, yet held the promise of kindness behind that. ``Here's a photo of me,'' he told her when he gave her the picture. ``You can show your friends what I look like out of official garb.'' He grinned in wry humor. ``Or, if you dislike the engagement clause in the treaty, it can give you something to take out your aggressions on.''
Rio shook her head at the memory and his humor. ``No, Franz Leopold,'' she said to the picture. ``I may have worries, but in the little I've gotten to know you, I feel I have no aggressions to take out on your photo.'' She then had to laugh at herself for talking to a photograph.
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Subsequently on Rio's border tour, she stopped at Mistral. Here, both sides had settled into a network of fixed emplacements and trenches. Rio was able to march into the ground between the lines and make her declaration of peace, just as at Seize. The troops were ecstatic. Both generals hurried out, under flag of truce, to talk with Rio. They wanted to see the declaration Rio had held up with their own eyes.
When the two generals had looked and seen the signatures were genuine, they saluted each other and shook hands. ``You have been a worthy opponent. I am glad we no longer have to fight each other,'' said the Roman general.
``I can say the same,'' the Helvetian general replied. ``And thank you for being an honorable opponent as well.''
Rio looked at them. ``Thank you both for reconciling so quickly. I need to get going now instead of talking more here, as not all generals on the front may be as understanding as the two of you.''
``Of course, Your Highness,'' they both agreed and saluted Rio.
``Then I will leave the peace here in your hands,'' she said, returning the salute.
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As she headed toward the next spot where a pair of armies faced each other, Rio wondered how her friends were getting along back in Seize. She hoped they were doing all right, and was glad that at least they no longer had to worry about war.