Seas would Rise: Chapter One, A second Gabranth, a downed Gabranth

"Older women. Are beautiful Lovers. They understand. I've been around some, and I have discovered, that older women know just how to please a man." - Ronnie Mcdowell, Older Women

The 38 year old Larsa Ferrinas Solidor sighed for the umpteenth time that day, questioning once again his decision to reinstate the Senate. It seemed as if all the Senators lived for was to talk, and talk and talk and maybe even talk.

Fortunately though, one of the leaders in the Senate, and one of its youngest members in the history of Archadia, spoke up to silence the particular Senator that did not want to shut up. "Enough, Mestius," said the young Senator, "as important as tax laws and their finer points are, you know as well as I that the news that we have been negligent to give to our Emperor is more important."

Larsa turned his crowned head towards the young Senator. In more private moments, Larsa would often say to himself that although his father knew how to wear the crown with dignity, Larsa had to admit that he actually made the crown look good. "You have news, Dmitri? That's more important than the finer points of a couple of minor tax laws? I'm shocked, truly I am."

The assembled Senators, sans Mestius, all let out dry chuckles. Dmitri smirked at Mestius, before dropping it and turning his attention back towards his Emperor. "It's about the Nightmare Fiends, my Emperor."

Larsa sat up straighter in his chair, his attention focused upon his Senator's next words, "Have you found them?"

Dmitri nodded his head in the affirmative, "It is indeed so, my liege. We have discovered the location of the mystical weapons that can destroy the four Fiends that attacked Ivalice all those years ago. And not only that, but we've also ferreted out the Fiends' locations as well."

Larsa nodded his head, rubbing his chin in thought, "This is great news. I will need time, with possible help from Dalmasca, among other places, so that the destruction of the terrible Nightmares can be guaranteed."

Dmitri and the other Senators bowed their heads as Larsa stood up to leave. "We will leave this in your capable hands then, Emperor Solidor."

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In Larsa's office, three Judges stood at attention in front of their Emperor.

Larsa stood before them, gazing out at the city of Archades through one of the giant windows that let in the crimson light of the sunset into the room. He moved his head slightly to the side, glanced to be sure the three he had summoned were their, and turned his attention back to the city skyline.

"Judge Redalith."

The Judge wearing copper colored armor snapped to attention, her voice echoing hollowly through her helmet as she responded to her Emperor. "Yes, Lord."

"I want you to invite that Rozzarian, Al-Cid, to the meeting ground that we have used in the past. He will know the one of which I speak. You will leave immediately. Take the Kefka. Just remember to hail them before entering their airspace. While we may be on good terms with them at the present, Rozarrians are known for their...itchy trigger fingers, so to speak."

Redalith bowed slightly at the waist, clenched fist over her heart, before she turned around and left.

"Judge Broga."

The red metal clad Judge clanged his fist against his armor, "What is your command, my Master?"

Larsa sighed, "I thought I broke you of that habit, Broga."

"You are the one who saved my life, Master, and until I can pay off that large a debt, you will forever be my Master."

Larsa shook his head in defeat, "Never mind then. But what I want you to do is of a similar nature to the orders I gave Judge Redalith. I want you to take the Thanatos with you to Dalmasca, where you will invite the Queen and her Consort to the meeting place of which they both already know."

Broga clanged his fist against his armor one more time, before turning to leave the room.

The third Judge spoke up after Broga had closed the door behind him, "I thank you, my Emperor, for not forcing me to go back to Dalmasca."

Larsa smiled sadly and turned around to look at the black colored armor wearing Judge. He walked closer to the younger man and said, "I know how awkward things have become between you and your parents. Of course, that's to be expected almost, with Ashe and Basch as your mother and father. Tell me though, do you still keep in touch with your elder brother?"

The Judge nodded his head, "I do, my Lord."

Larsa smiled for real this time, "That's good to hear. You should always keep in touch with your brother, as the relationship that you have with him is one of the most important relationships you'll ever form with another sentient being."

"Shall I be hunting down Balthier and Vaan, then, your Majesty?"

Larsa shook his head, "Just Balthier. I've already informed Vaan, and he'll be arriving to pick me up tomorrow. Now as for the ship that you are taking, I want you to take the Alexander. Be careful, Gabranth, and good luck."

Gabranth saluted in the same way that Redalith did, hand over the heart, before turning and walking away, his cloak fluttering with his quick movements.

Larsa sighed once again, looking out onto the flickering cityscape that was coming to life with the setting of the sun. Larsa's eyes narrowed slightly as he observed this, "Unlike the City, which sees the setting and rising of the sun every day, my sun, the light of my world, permanently set long ago."

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The 18 year old Larsa stared incredulously at the sight in front of him. For on the small terrace that adjoined his bedroom, hundreds of yards above the city streets, crouched the sky pirate and his pen pal, Penelo.

As soon as she noticed that she had Larsa's attention, Penelo smiled and waved at Larsa. "Hey there, Larsa! How have you been? Do you mind letting me in? It's rather drafty up here."

Larsa rushed forward to open up the window so that Penelo could crawl through the opening and into his bedroom. His expression remained rather alarmed as he asked her, "What were you doing out there?! Don't you know that you could've been killed by a passing airship? And furthermore, how on Ivalice did you manage to get up there in the first place?"

Penelo's expression grew sly as she tapped her nose playfully, "Trade Secret."

Larsa rolled his eyes and offered Penelo a hand, "As you wish it then. Would you like to get down from there, and possibly join me for a cup of tea? Or do you just want to stay perched upon my bookcase and watch me like a cat would as I do some mundane paperwork?"

Penelo took the proffered hand and gingerly leaped down onto the floor. She smiled as soon as she stood up again, "I'll take tea, thank you."

Larsa proffered his arm, Penelo took it, and the soon left his room to walk arm in arm down the hallway, to a small library, where Larsa had tea sent up to them.

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"So," Penelo said as she held the hot cup of tea, sniffing the warm fragrance and smiling because of it, "Do you know why I came here to see you?"

Larsa's voice was dry with sarcasm as he replied, "Enlighten me, my Lady."

"You know how I'm Vaan's navigator, right?" Larsa nodded, and Penelo took a small sip of her tea before continuing, "This tea is really good."

Larsa gave Penelo a little mock bow, "Thank you."

"Anyway, I'm usually Vaan's navigator, but ever since he's been getting chummy with this one girl, he hasn't left that city of Sky Pirates, Balfonheim or whatever it's called."

Larsa lifted a single eyebrow, "'This one girl'?"

Penelo shrugged, "Evidently she's Reddas's daughter."

The eyebrow lifted further, "Reddas had a daughter?"

Penelo nodded, "Yeah, it was news to me too."

The eyebrow, impossibly, moved even further upwards, which also freaked Penelo out a little bit. "So Vaan may very well become the future leader of Balfonheim? Somehow I'm not all too surprised by that. But that is quite besides the point, my Lady, as I am still wondering the exact nature of your visit. Not that I mind your company, but what was so important that you had to get my attention by climbing though my window?"

Penelo laughed weakly, "Well, you see, the thing is that I visited Ashe about a week ago, you know, for old times sake, and I got the honor of meeting her two three year old twin boys."

"She got married? I was unaware of that fact."

"Actually, no, she didn't get married."

"Ah. I see."

"Yeah..."

"Who's the father then?"

"Do you remember when Basch and you visited Ashe a little over three and a half years ago?"

Larsa nodded, "Yes I do. But I don't see how that has....." He stopped in mid sentence, and his eyes widened imperceptibly. "I see...."

Penelo laughed weakly again, "So when do you think we should tell Basch?"

"When do you think you should tell Basch what?"

Both Penelo and Larsa turned in their seats and looked at the armored form of Basch fon Rasenburg, or Gabranth as he was called inside the walls of the palace. Larsa leaned back in the couch he was sitting on, his arms spread along the back of the piece of furniture as the young Emperor dryly replied, "Congratulations."

Basch tilted his helmeted head as he walked closer towards the pair, "Congratulations for what?"

Larsa smiled at the armored man, "Congratulations on becoming a father of two three year old boys, Gabranth."

It was at this time that Basch's foot jerked in surprise, along with the rest of his body, in mid stride, causing him to lose balance and fall squarely onto his back.

Larsa shook his head and turned to Penelo, "Well then, I guess I'll just have to see to it that Gabranth becomes the Ambassador of Archadia in the country of Dalmasca. That should make everyone happy, yes?"

Penelo smiled as she got up from her seat, "Thank you Larsa. I was actually going to ask you that, but it looks like you already guessed." She leaned down slightly and kissed his cheek, "Thanks again, Larsa."

Larsa was glad that Penelo's attention was on the comatose Basch, as he didn't know what he would do should she discover that his cheeks had grown slightly red.

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TBC

AN: There it is, the first chapter in the sequel to "Without you, I'm not Me." This will be both a sequel and a prequel at the same time.