Larsa took afternoon tea with her highness Ashe the following afternoon. It was a social gathering as much as one of a political nature, for as they were friends, they were also allies and always potential enemies. As much as they strove for peace between their two countries, Larsa was under no illusion that Ashe would not strike at him if it meant the difference between Dalmasca's survival or not. Likewise, Larsa was young, but not so inexperienced that Ashe remained unaware of his willingness to protect his own people when faced with threat of invasion, no matter how much regret would come with militaristic aggression.
There was also the fact that Ashe had held resentment against Larsa for quiet some time after initially meeting him. The Emperor accepted this fact, noting the difficulties Ashe had suffered during Arhcadia's occupation of Dalmasca and the friction it had inevitably caused between the two rules. Larsa had not been the one forced into seclusion, nor had his people been on the losing side of the Archadian/Rozarrian conflict that had ensnared Dalmasca and Nabradia.
Yet for all the friction that existed between Larsa and Ashe along with the friendship, Larsa met her with a smile when he was shown into her personal quarters. He bowed deeply to her, she curtsied and then he took her hand in his own with the ease of camaraderie.
She served their tea personally, and once they were settled into comfortable seats she remarked lowly, "I suppose you are to thank for the visitor I received yesterday, are you not Emperor?"
Larsa held his teacup in his lap on the saucer. "I hope it was not too presumptuous on my part."
Ashe shook her head. "No, not at all. In fact it was most welcomed."
"I remember my own coronation quiet clearly and most specifically the strain that accompanies all such events. Whom I sent to you was to relieve that."
"He did. We spoke in the shadows of many things past and I felt more at ease than I can scarcely recall from other meetings over the past year."
They mentioned no names, unsure of Ashe's chambers being completely safe. They had all managed to do spectacularly well with keeping Basch's secret for a year and they would not risk it after being lulled into a false sense of security. Earlier when Larsa and Penelo had spoken of Basch his name had been used only because of Penelo's status. It was significantly safer for Penelo to be overheard than Ashe.
"You need not worry so much," Larsa told her kindly. "You have been preparing for this your whole life and you will excel. The people of Dalmasca hold you in their hearts and that is not something taken lightly."
Ashe blushed slightly and sipped her tea. When she regained her composure she said, "I have heard troubling news within your own country. You must be frustrated with the rise of terrorism and dissent. Is it entirely wise for you to have traveled here?"
Having been trained well Larsa's neutral expression did not change at Ashe's words though he found them biting and all too cunning on her part. He recognized well that she was fishing for information as to the strength or weakness of his rule and in an instance Larsa wondered if Basch had said anything to her. Larsa wanted to imagine he had his protector's complete loyalty, but he could not be completely sure recently. Basch most certainly would have said nothing of Rozzaria, but on other things Larsa could not be entirely confident, and he was beginning to have his suspicions.
"They have no name," he said nonchalant. "Nor are they violent towards others or myself. I would hardly refer to them as terrorists, but instead disgruntled citizens. I mean to rectify their dissatisfaction once I am through here, and I assure you, Archadia is far stronger than you would give her credit for being. Judge Zargabaath cradles her safely in his palm and she will hold until I return."
He had let unease seep into his words and Ashe had clearly been perceptive enough to notice as she asked, "Judge Zargabaath? Not the Archadian Senate? I cannot say I hold the same faith you do in one man of older times holding stability over a reborn country. I think you understand that if Archadia weakened anymore than she is other nations would see opportunity, and Dalmasca is not strong enough herself to defend others."
Larsa did not wince, though he thoroughly felt like doing so as the other monarch accused his people of weakness. "You shall just have to take my word, Lady Ashe. Zargabaath may have served under my father and brother but his loyalty is to Archadia's survival and he will look after her as I would. I trust him most next to Gabranth. After all, he has kept our cherished secret, and you are aware that both of our countries would be implicated in some horrendous conspiracy theory if word reached the masses."
Ashe consented that Zargabaath had kept Basch's identity a secret with a nod of her head, and that in some ways she was indebted to the Judge for doing so. It would have been easy the first few months for Basch's secret to become public knowledge, but for what Larsa could not show him about Archadia, Zargabaath did, and subtly.
"Where did you hear this news?" Larsa asked her intensely, watching her sudden agitation. When Ashe did not answer right away Larsa said tersely, "He might have told you instead that the larger matter concerning Archadia's stability and my safety is birthed from Dalmasca herself."
Ashe's eyes were downcast somewhat. "It is only because he cares for you, my Lord, and Archadia as much as Dalmasca."
Larsa nodded. "I know this, my Lady, but I fear moments such as these will arise only more frequently as time passes. I do not wish to stretch or restrict his loyalties, but you must understand what this impresses upon me."
Again the focus in the room shifted and the tension did not lighten, but evolved somewhat.
Ashe resumed her confidence and told him, "I will not take him from you, Emperor. His place is with you and no matter what I want, I know this."
"But you would welcome him if he came to you, having been released from his word, his honor intact?" Larsa asked, watching her carefully.
"I would," she said at once.
Larsa nodded and finished his tea and allowed Ashe to refill his cup. He asked her, "What of the word that has reached my ears concerning Dalmasca and her enemies?"
"I dare say they're more advisories than enemies."
Larsa nodded. "True, until they have lifted blade to your citizens, they are mere threats. However, if our alliance is to hold, Archadia must be made knowledgeable of looming threats, even those that have not publicly accosted you yet."
The teacup on Ashe's hand shook slightly and again the tides of the conversation swung, much like a great battle or dance, and this time in Larsa's direction. Rozzaria aside, several other smaller, independent and disenfranchised nations had began to build themselves up in the way of weapons and armor. Larsa did not know if they intended to strike at his own people, Rozzaria or any other country, but to do so they would need to take Dalmasca, always a crucial point of any campaign. In this Larsa knew he was forcing Ashe's hand, causing her to admit some reliance on Archadia, no matter how weak the thread, and her own country's short comings. It was a strategic strike by Larsa, who cared for Ashe and her people yes, but more so for Archaidan solidity and survival.
"I fear," Ashe said, teacup stabilizing in her hands, "that once more Dalmasca will become nothing more than a pawn in a relentless engagement of other lands. Never before have these tribes been so bold in their actions."
"Capitalizing on Dalmasca's frailty, I assume," Larsa said. "I mean no disrespect, Lady Ashe, but your people have neither the interior strength nor the foreign aid to withstand a direct assault of high caliber." The implication that Archadia did was not lost on her highness.
"You say they are weak at the moment?" Larsa asked.
Ashe confirmed, "Nothing more than farmers with dreams of grandeur, but make no mistake, they grow in numbers every day and have recently found a supplier of weapons, armor and potentially air ships. How they are funded we do not know."
Larsa's fingers folded together. Ships were undoubtedly the key to winning any large strike. They were powerful, fast, and capable of transporting troops and supplies in great loads, and more often than not assured victory for the opponent most armed with them.
"Have you a clue to the supplier? Surely deals brokered of this importance would leave a trail or two to follow."
"My advisors are working diligently on finding the source, and when they do I will make you aware."
Larsa smiled fondly at her, and she smiled back, both aware of the deceit in her words. Larsa assumed she knew very well, and he personally had reason to believe the supplier was from the Rozzarian Empire. Larsa would not have been surprised to learn as civil war built in the great land, those intending to win were also setting their sights on Dalmasca once more.
"I trust you will, Lady Ashe."
It was always a fine line to walk. The game of politics was one that could be prosperous and delightful at once, and then deadly and unforgiving the next moment. When played well, as both Larsa and Ashe were proving themselves to be competent enough to do so, it was a fine line that both sides could benefit from, as Ashe held back information concerning her aggressor, and Larsa on how much he knew of foreign happenings. Eventually things would come to light, but not until either side thought it advantageous.
"Now," Larsa said, declining a third cup of tea. "Before the afternoon runs from us, we should discuss lighter matters, such as Nabradia's economic dependence upon Dalmasca and therefore Archadia. Nabradia's situation is quite critical, is it not?"
Ashe stifled a laugh poorly. "Only you would consider such matters light."
Larsa returned a smile. "There is of course all the surplus of manufactured nethicite that has found itself onto several illegal markets and trade rings, if you would rather."
"Why not call upon the House Margrace to discuss the climbing inflation rate of wheat traveling into the Rozarrian Empire and how this will surely affect the rest of us?"
"Perhaps I might have chosen a different description of our matters at hand."
Ashe shook her head. "No. The longer we're forced to pour ourselves over these terribly all consuming matters the less time I've got to spend being poked and prodded." She made a slight face at the thought of more tailors and their pins.
"I shall try to keep you here as long as long as possible then," Larsa said. "If only to avoid the seamstress."
"You are too kind, my lord."
Larsa returned to his rooms after tea with Ashe, and despite how their conversation had fallen unsteady at times, he was feeling decidedly better. Judge Hano trailed behind him along with several other Imperial Guard and Larsa found for just a few moments he cared little if they observed the liveliness in his steps.
At the double doors that led to his personal quarters Larsa turned to Judge Hano as several of the guards pushed the doors open in their customary sweep of the room for potential security threats. It was an invasion of privacy, and normally at home Basch did the task to ensure a level of respect, but at the moment it would have to do. The soldiers would be discrete, they wouldn't touch anything of his and they would show respect to him and his station by avoiding speaking of the duty in general. Larsa was under no assumptions that gossip did not come most often right from the soldiers themselves, however there were some lines so drawn with reverence and tradition that if the gossip were spoken, it would fall upon deaf ears.
"Where is Judge Gabranth?" Larsa asked. True, his afternoon meeting with Ashe had run long, but Basch was hardly one to desert his post for anything more than Armageddon, and yet when Larsa had emerged Judge Hano had been waiting for him. It had been odd at the very least, but nothing else had seemed amiss.
"He was called away suddenly by an incoming message from Archadia, my lord. It was marked as urgent from Judge Zargabaath. Judge Gabranth took it personally, and I have been instructed to inform you he will arrive in your chambers to present you with the news as soon as possible."
Larsa nodded solemnly at the bluntly delivered message with sharp words.
Judge Hano was worthy of his status, skilled brilliantly in swordplay and with the more mechanical weapons. He was strong, physically able to defend Larsa and crush his opponents without a weapon, and he was the perfect age, with youth on his side but enough military experience to make wise, strategic decisions. He'd been hand chosen by Judge Zargabaath, just as all the other new Judges had, and confirmed by Basch under the guise of Judge Gabranth. Most notably he was so alike the Judges that had come before him, being strict, stoic and even cold. Larsa had long since thought those characteristics were prerequisites, having found even Judge Drace who had been his surrogate mother, to be callous and bitter at times.
"Please have Judge Gabranth shown in the moment he arrives. I'll be in the sitting room."
They weren't friends, or even acquaintances, and the dismissal was evident in Larsa's voice. Judge Hano took his position and Larsa moved into his rooms, somewhat disappointed in the lack of connection he'd made with not only Judge Hano, but most of the other Judges.
It was safe to say that House Solidor had a policy of not growing close to the Judges. In fact until recently they'd always been kept at arm's length, used when necessary and discarded frequently. It was a sad cycle; one Larsa had attempted to break in his childhood by learning as much about Drace and Gabranth's personal lives as possible. Of course there hadn't been much to learn at all, as most Judges were generally dull people with uneventful childhoods. Still, Larsa had forged a connection with his two most trusted protectors, and even though he had been anything but close with the others, he had mourned for them when they passed.
The new Judges were frightfully difficult to know, Larsa learned very quickly. Half were seemingly so wrapped up in their duties and responsibilities that they found engaging in causal conversation with him to be an insult to House Solidor and took apparent vows of silence outside of the necessary words. The other half were terrified of him, most certainly filled with the stories of his somewhat unbalanced brother Vayne and his mistreatment of the Judges. Larsa was convinced those Judges were certain if they displeased him in any way that they would find their way to the dungeons, or worse, and so they kept their distance as well.
Larsa had only been in his sitting room, closely examining the latest Senate transcripts that he had received earlier that morning, trying desperately hard to keep his mind off of what might be happening in his Archadia at the moment to warrant an emergency contact, when Basch made himself known. He was scarcely through the doors when he began to speak.
"Forgive my delay, lord," Basch said, dropping into a quick bow and then righting himself, helmet off and tucked to the side.
"What urgent news from our Archadia?"
With a grievous tone in his voice Basch said, "Judge Zargabaath reports that early this morning several explosive charges were found located in numerous areas of the Senate chambers, hidden strategically where if detonated simultaneously they would have decimated the entire building and all the inhabitants within and in the surrounding area. It seems a miracle the first was found in ample enough time to raise the alarm and discover the others."
"I assume Judge Zargabaath acted quickly and the vicinity was evacuated." At Basch's nod Larsa asked, "You have ordered the entire palace searched as well?"
"Starting with your personal quarters first, my lord, and the areas in which you frequent often." Basch's face was stoic and angry, especially as he told his lord, "The adhesive used to secure the explosives suggests that it was planted several days ago."
"So then the party responsible would have expected me to be present at the time of the detonation. We departed for Dalmasca rather suddenly, earlier than planned."
"Even if they had known of our departure, which many did not, there would not have been ample time to slip back into the palace and remove the charges."
"You're assuming they do not work within the palace?"
Basch shook his head. "My instincts tell me they may have an informant within our walls, as surely this required help of some measure, but no my lord, I don't believe those responsible are any nearer than the gates." Still, Basch never trusted anything wholly to his gut and he would search out the miscreants the moment they were back in Archadia and Larsa was being guarded by his entire platoon of Judges.
"I admit," Larsa said sadly, "I had begun to wonder recently when the next attempt would come. We have been decidedly lacking in such drama for quite some time. I fear I had almost become accustomed to not constantly fearing for my life."
Assassination attempts were something Larsa had known his whole life. Previous to inheriting his father's title Larsa had been the fourth son of the emperor, but a prince none the less, and it was no secret that he was the favorite of all of his father's children. Judges Drace and Gabranth had averted several kidnapping and assassination attempts in his early years with the ruthlessness and swiftness necessary of a guardian.
And in the past year alone several individuals and a few clusters of organizations had attempted to end his reign as emperor before he had been given the chance to change Archdia for the better. Basch was much like his brother had been during the tumultuous times, always watchful and ready to strike at any threat. Several times over the past year Larsa was aware that had it not been for Basch he would have been buried alongside his father, mother and elder brothers.
Larsa paled considerably. "Has any party claimed responsibility for this heinous attempt?"
"None yet," Basch said.
He was truly in a foul mood, Larsa surmised, as evidenced by his rigid stance and the fact that Basch was gripping his helmet tightly to his side. The helmet had of course been the first clue that Basch was in a terrible mindset. Basch had nearly ripped it from his head once entering the chambers, whereas in the past Basch had always treated it somewhat respectfully, being the representation of the station his brother had cherished.
Larsa honestly found the Judge helmets to be somewhat distasteful outside of battle, perhaps stemming from being frightened once too often as a young child by the imposing imagine the fully armored Judges projected. Instead of monsters and villains from Rozzarria Larsa's early years had been filled with nightmares dressed as judges. Never mind that even at a young age he rationalized they would protect him to their deaths. They were simply quite foreboding to a young child and even now.
"But?" Larsa prodded, fearing there was always a but in matters of terrorism.
"Judge Zargabaath suspects the once docile group we have recently been concerned over it at fault. It is not unrealistic to think they didn't not make themselves a threat to you before sweeping in to make one fatal stab at your person."
Larsa pinched the bridge of his nose tensely. "And most likely this assassination attempt spurred the Seante into some foolishness or another. Pray tell, what did our Judge Zargabaath combat with?"
"After the explosives were dealt with the Senate held an emergency meeting in a secure location deep within the palace wherein they attempted to pass several bills of legislation that would grant them immediate power in your stay."
Larsa had predicted as much. "I will not hide my fear of what great damage they could do in so little a time frame, my friend. I find often I must watch them as closely as my enemies, at least until I have procured an heir. They seek the undermine me, much as they did with Vayne and attempted to do so with my father."
"Judge Zargabaath put an end to their nonsense at once," Basch said gruffly. "He has revoked their power until your return. If they wish to occupy themselves until their power is returned there are several proposals for them to draft and cases to review. Zargabaath is confident Archadia will survive without them for the time being."
Smiling a bit, Larsa said, "Do forgive me, for I wanted to bring Judge Zargabaath with us. It is most evident now that he is in his rightful place."
The young emperor withdrew a sheet of paper from the desk he was seated at. "I shall need you to send a reply to Zargabaath at once." He wrote with a fluid and beautiful script, clear and precise. "This is what I wish him to do and further security measures to implement if he has not already. I also wish him to address the Senate on my behalf. Then he is to set to work at once in finding the culprits. They have not only intended to endanger my life, but also those of many others and I find that less than acceptable. I will see justice done, Judge Gabranth. I will expect Judge Zargabaath to either have the perpetrators waiting for me when I return, or sufficient information to find them." Larsa sealed the letter after looking it over once and handed it to Basch. "Make haste."
"I must suggest that my lord stay within the confines of his rooms," Basch said, letter firmly in his grasp. "I am sure Penelo will seek you out before the day is done, or one of your many other acquaintances, but it would sooth me to know that you are firmly in one place."
"I hardly think that those who wish to move against me in Archadia will come to Dalmasca in so short a time frame for a second attempt." Larsa gave him a pointed look. "And I have already made plans with Penelo for a tour of the Northern gardens before the evening meal. Vaan is expected to join us as well. She's most excited to show the both of us a recent blossoming of flowers. I shouldn't want to disappoint her."
Basch replaced his helmet and almost through it Larsa could feel the piercing look he returned in response of the words.
The emperor conceded to his protector with a slight nod and sigh, knowing that Basch would worry less if he didn't tour with Penelo and instead remained within the chambers. It was the type of compromise that Larsa had learned to make with Basch, knowing that while he was emperor, Basch was charged with keeping him well, which often led to Larsa feeling overprotected or smothered. It was better to just give in on likewise matters, for Larsa's own sake and Basch's.
"Fine," Larsa said, "I will instead entertain Penelo within doors, but tomorrow I shan't be so compromising. Dalmasca is wonderfully beautiful this time of year and I expect to enjoy her." And yet with the expanding trouble on Archadia Larsa feared it would be impossible to do so. "Archadia may take precedence, but I will not allow myself to neglect either Ashe and Dalmasca nor my cherished friends."
Basch gave a bow at his dismissal. "Judge Hano stands at the ready if you require anything."
Larsa nodded and when Basch was gone he collapsed ceremoniously back onto his desk chair. "Dalmasca faces obliteration from forces without and Archadia from those within," he said softly to himself, chin dropping to his chest. "A fine pair we make." He sighed deeply and reached for another sheet of paper, preparing to draft a letter to Penelo explaining their change in activities.
