Chapter 10 Failed Negotiations
"All rise for the king." A glaive standing guard at the door announced before opening it for King Regis.
As the king entered the conference room, Clarus and Cor bowed to their king while Ardyn gave him a sly smile and a half bow.
He noticed the man had wildly flowy burgundy hair and piercing amber eyes that were as sharp as a knife and his smile, was the worst. It made the king's stomach do somersaults every time he looked at it. Regis raised his eyebrows at the new chancellor he was unaware of but ignored the queasy feeling he felt in his stomach.
"Please, rise." He held his hand out, offering to shake the burgundy haired man's hand that he willingly accepted.
"I am Ardyn Izunia, the new chancellor your highness." He smiled yet another sly smile.
"I was unaware of such a change." Regis finally let go of Ardyn's hand to take a seat at the table.
"Ah, yes." Ardyn takes his seat along with the others. "The wall can keep you somewhat, sheltered from the outside world."
"And its safe that way." Clarus snorts in response to the rude chancellor.
Ardyn let out a low chuckle "While the rest of your people are left defenseless to the daemons." Ardyn's tone almost sounding coy as if he wanted to get a rise out of the other men.
"Why you…" Clarus raises his voice. "His highness does everything for his people a-"
"Please," Regis interrupts. "Let us converse upon the topic of this gentleman's business here." His gaze carries back over to Ardyn.
"Ah yes! Thank you… your… uh… highness." Ardyn provided a crooked smile. "As you know already, Lucis and Niflheim hasn't been on the best of terms at times."
Regis nodded in agreement "Yes, I am aware."
"Well," Ardyn began to continue "Niflheim would like to become friendly with Lucis but the price is the entire North of Lucis."
Cor raised an eyebrow at the high-priced offer "And you honestly expect the king to just give it to you? How could we even trust you?"
"It's a simple price for a simple act of peace. And may I say I was speaking to the king and not you. I would like the opinion that matters." Ardyn looks at Regis with a fake smile.
"You should know that I consult these two before I make any agreement of any kind as they are a part of my counsel and their opinions matter just as much." Regis says sternly. "And you should also know that we would never agree upon that deal. So, you can return to Niflheim and tell Emperor Aldercapt that he will never get his hand on Lucis as long as I am alive."
Ardyn tsked. "Tis a shame, really. Your kingdom could finally know peace. Wouldn't you want that for your people your highness?"
Regis became a bit flustered with anger but kept his cool "It wouldn't be my entire kingdom."
"But what's losing a few citizens to become ours for your kingdom of many others to know peace. I mean they already question your kingdoms stability and your authority."
Clarus stood up to slam his hand down on the table "Enough of this nonsense! I will not sit here while you belittle our king with such disrespect and demand such ridiculous propositions."
"Clarus." Regis placed his hand on his friend's arm. "I will handle this." He gestures for him to sit.
"I am well aware of how my people feel and it will only make them feel worse to give Niflheim yet another piece of land."
Ardyn makes a pouting face at his disappointment "I see. Well they shall not be happy to hear about this."
"Well, he can some speak to me himself." Regis looks at the glaive that had been standing by the door the whole time "Please, show our guest the way out." The glaive nods at the king.
Ardyn rose from his seat from the table and shakes his head as he stands "Such, graceful, manners from the dear king. I do hope you change your mind in the near future, for your best interest." He tipped his hat before he walked out of the conference room.
As he exited into the hallway he turned to the glaive "Please, I know my own way out."
The glaive gave a confused look but before he could object, Ardyn slipped a strange coin into the man's hand.
"I hear those fetch a nice price." The burgundy-haired man winked before walking out of sight
Ardyn continues down a hallway with walls adorning multiple traditional family portraits. He snorted at most of them he passed, remembering every little thing that each of the past kings and queens failed at
"None of them paid the price to protect the people." He mumbled to himself so that he wouldn't be overheard. "And you made sure to take credit for what I had done, didn't you dear brother." He stopped at the portrait with two young men on their coronation day. "You told them I was a monster. Stole my crown and exiled me." He clenched his fist and smiled. "Soon. Soon, they'll pay, they'll all pay. Starting with this little brat." He walked down the hall way and paused shortly at a portrait of Noctis. "The so called, 'chosen king'."
"Your dad will show those Niffs their place!" an undeniably cheery voice that Ardyn heard as he walked the corner of the hall.
He looked up at a young man with blonde locks and violet-blue eyes that seemed so familiar to him. He stared intently and as the prince and his blonde companion came closer to him, he reached into his pocket for his Magitek Scanner. He would use this device to scan and sometimes update information on Magitek Soldiers by scanning their bar codes or for the special operations soldiers, such as spies, invisible bar codes.
Ardyn held the device close to his ear to hear the results. "Unit 0006-0204-01987. Purpose: Imperial Spy-Type AG. Status: Unit has been compromised." The device's AI volume low enough, so that only Ardyn could hear.
As he passed the two he smiled the slyest smile at the blonde who gave him a confused yet fearful look.
"Just as I thought. Poppy will bring you home to me and your father soon enough." He said to himself when he was just out of earshot of the two boys.
The door to the apartment opened. Poppy not expecting anyone reached for her gun, thinking that she had blown her cover somehow. She held the gun steady, prepared to shoot any intruder but her hand fell at the sight and she sighed in relief. She stiffened a little at realization and quickly grew confused at the sight.
"Dad?" she was confused as of why her father was here, in Insomnia. "You're back? Is everything going okay there?"
"Yes, yes. Everything is swell." Ardyn confirmed as he sat in a chair in the living room. "I hope to hear everything is going well on your end as well."
Poppy rolled her eyes. "Not really. My original plan failed and now he'd never fall for our plan."
"I see." Ardyn nodded as he held his chin in a thinking position.
"You're not mad?" Poppy asked unsure.
"No, no. In a way, this can still work."
Poppy cocks her head to the side in confusion "How?"
"It might be easier for you to go for the prince, he's not very aware or let alone smart." Ardyn won a chuckle from Poppy as she agreed to that statement. "I assure you, with the information I have gathered today, you won't have to worry about his blonde companion." Ardyn smiled the most sinister smile that Poppy had ever seen in her life.