Notes: This story contains spoilers through the end of Tales of Xillia 2.
"Successor"
It had taken a while for the realization to set in.
There was really no excuse for it; being so closely involved in the events that led up to the near-completion of Origin's Trial, he should have sharpened his mind to the possibilities that unfolded with all the fractured dimensions being destroyed. The passing of over a decade should have had no bearing on his memory — not when he could not forget the sight of three Great Spirits bearing witness to such a painfully human farewell between two who were family and yet not.
After those events, it wasn't simply a possibility anymore, but a matter of time.
"It's your turn."
His thoughts were jarred back to the present by his opponent's words, and he allowed an apologetic smile while studying the board. The sun shone brilliantly over Fennmont in the late morning, bringing out many medical students, children, and elders to bask in the sun before they returned to their own routines. While he still had his duties to the country, the political climate was not so tumultuous now that he couldn't take the occasional break. He was an old man after all, and even he needed to rest his bones once in a while.
Or so he told himself in moments of sardonic humor. His fingers found his remaining knight piece, and he slid it into place before nodding at his opponent.
The truth of the matter was that both he and Gaius needed time apart to tend to matters they could not tackle together. The King and Prime Minister had a long-standing agreement that they would regularly evaluate potential candidates to take over their positions in case of an emergency. Gaius took the matter seriously, considering Rowen's age, and would always have a short list of council members and aides to trade for Rowen's own.
He took the matter seriously as well. There was no replacing Gaius. The option simply did not exist.
And so, whenever these times of evaluation came around, he would smile, accept the sheet of paper, and take the day off while Gaius went over the list of candidates for his future Prime Minister. When their schedules lined up, his time would be spent conversing with Marcia in person or over GHS, but more often than not, he found himself joining the park-goers in enjoying the day. A set of stone shogi boards had been built to one side of the park, enticing him to sit down and indulge in tactical games with the locals.
Playing in a public park had the advantage of attracting a variety of players. When he had more time on his hands, he would indulge some of the amateurs and teach them a few tricks so they could improve themselves. Other times, he preferred the challenge of playing against more skilled players, whether they be earnest or prideful in their approach. A good number of them came from the medical school, but other times he would sit down with sailors or shopkeepers or even an off-duty royal guard.
His current opponent was none of those.
No older than eleven years of age, the boy he played against was patient and attentive beyond his years. The fire spyrite at the boy's side spoke to the possibility that he had no mana lobe — but there also existed the possibility that the lesser spyrite was simply a companion. Having never met the boy's parents, he had no way of knowing if he was of mixed heritage or not, and they did not speak much beyond their games.
Yes, games. Unlike many other players who quickly lost interest once they realized they were outmatched, the solemn boy returned to the park and challenged him silently by simply waiting until he had beaten his current opponent. His persistence was rewarded with Rowen's full attention, even as he lost games through impatience and recklessness.
"Check."
He watched the boy's eyes narrow in response to that declaration, waiting for the boy to save his king before making his own move in turn. The realization had set in shortly after the boy won for the first time, that young face showing a mixture of elation and relief. It had been a peculiar reaction, even for a boy who was so quiet, and it had remained on his mind until Gaius called upon him again. When he eventually returned to the park and found the boy waiting for another match with him, he had been surprised that the persistence remained.
But now he understood, and he accepted each game from his little competitor with smiling eyes.
When the whole world had moved forward, he had stood still. He was only now beginning to join them.
"Check."
It was a brilliant turnabout — one that had him reaching up to adjust his glasses to scrutinize the board. With a small laugh, he leaned back on the bench and regarded the child, who had finally taken his eyes away from the board to stroke the spyrite's side.
"And checkmate in five moves. An excellent game, Master Li."
The boy nodded, lifting his eyes again. He only seemed to relax once their games were over, and even then his eyes could be clouded over with a dour expression that had no place on a child's face in a world that had not seen war in years.
"Another match, Ilbert?"
He stroked his beard with a chuckle, as if the question truly required contemplation. "I suppose I have time for another." With little fanfare, he picked up his king piece and held it out to the victor.
Though there were still a number of years and other obstacles ahead, Rowen was confident that Li Ying would find his way onto the Prime Minister short list.
The soul of a revolutionary would not be denied.
I decided that, with the localization using both Li Ying and Leene as names for Wingul, I'd stick with his real name as Lin. …Of course, that meant that I could use those other names in other ways.
Fennmont was chosen for the location of the fic because I believe there was mention that Gaius only kept Reize Maxia's capital in Kanbalar to appease the clans in the short term. The spirit climes began changing after Xillia 1, leading to Fennmont having daytime sun in the story.