Title: Kingslayer
Rating: PG
Summary: Gabranth's version of events, albeit in a somewhat condensed form.

Spoilers: up to the end of the Barheim Passage.

Disclaimer: I do not own FFXII, nor any of the related characters, Square-Enix do.

Notes: This may or may not be part of a longer fic - I've been playing about with the idea of FFXII set in the modern world (which explains the tone of it), kind of inspired by logistikanyx's Clear Blue Sky stories on LJ.


It's so easy, and none of them realise.

Raminas for certain thinks he is Basch. He holds no doubt the others will. Except maybe Vossler, but he intends to be gone before then.

He finds it odd that no-one questions him. He is certain that he and Basch are not similar-looking at all. He thinks his face is thinner, and that his nose is more pointed. Yet...here he is, with Raminas' blood on his hands. He thought Raminas, of all people, would catch him out in his lie. But then, he reflects, the old man's eyesight was probably going.

He casts a glance over to the side of the room. Basch is still where he left him, winded from a kick to the gut.

He wonders how long he will have to wait for that idiot child. And longer, and Vossler could arrive, and then it would all go shit-shaped.

Running footsteps. Panting. Someone who's not used to running in armour. Definitely not Vossler then.

Someone who's unsure of himself.

Noah unsheathes the knife he carries, casting another glance at Basch. It's as if his brother knows, somehow, what is about to happen. Basch tries to struggle, but one of the hoplites kicks him in the back, he's down. He just doesn't know when to give up, does he?

Think fast, Noah tells himself, what's the thing this kid's most likely to believe.

After that, it's all too easy to stab the boy when he approaches. So quickly that he doesn't even notice the knife's in his side until it's too late. Noah smiles, smug. This was much easier than killing Raminas. Killing the king required more thought, more lies.

He hopes the boy doesn't die quickly. Not because he is callous or cruel - he is most certainly both - but because a witness is needed. Someone to tell Dalmasca, if not all Ivalice, that Captain Basch von Ronsenberg killed King Raminas. Not he. Not Noah.

More running footsteps. Imperial hoplites this time, he knows. He is expecting them. The doors open, and he feigns surprise. Pretending to be Basch is something that comes too easily, like the lies. The boy's lost consciousness before Vayne's even finished speaking.

Basch is up on his knees again now. The smug look returns to Noah's face.

"Noah," Basch pleads.

Had he known? Does he really think that there is any good left within him?

He laughs, a harsh sound for a harsh man such as he. "I have not been called by that name for many a year now, brother."

Basch doesn't reply, but the puzzled look on his bruised face says it all.

"Gabranth is my name now. I swear to you, you will come to abhor it."

"Our mother..." Basch struggles, but the guards restrain him well. "How could you?"

Noah shrugs a shoulder, and walks towards the open doors. As he passes Basch, he stops only to kick him where it hurts the most.

"What...did I...do?"

"You will come to know one day, brother. One day."