-The Execution (Part I)-

"EDGAR!!!" Locke screamed in disgust, bursting his way through the two royal doors into the throne room. The monarch looked up from some papers that he was going over with one of his advisors, and sighed seeing the treasure hunter uncharacteristically losing his temper. Although it wasn't unexpected and in fact, Edgar found it was right on schedule.

"I'm sorry your highness," the chancellor called out running into the throne room behind Locke, who was storming his way to the king, "I've been trying to stop him but…"

Edgar held up a hand and smiled lightly to the chancellor, "it's alright." He then turned to his advisor, collecting all the papers into a folder. "We'll continue this another time." The advisor nodded, collected the folder and scurried out of the throne room.

"You can't be serious about this!" Locke demanded from the king, not paying attention to anyone else around them.

"Locke, please. This isn't a very easy issue for me as either…"

"For you either? How is doing absolutely nothing not easy for you!"

"You don't think I've tried already to have the Empire stave off County's execution?"

"Obviously you haven't tried hard enough!"

"Mr. Cole!" the chancellor stepped between the two men, "you are always welcome here as one of Figaro's most respected guests, but in the presence of the king you will keep your voice quiet sir."

"Chancellor, it's alright," Edgar spoke in a calm tone, his composure was a complete opposite of Locke. Edgar had been called too young to be king, too naïve, and too interested in women, but when push came to shove, his leadership qualities always shown through. Now was such a time when cooler heads were needed to prevail. "Locke, Figaro has been arguing with Gestahl that state sanctioned execution should be outlawed no matter the criminal ever since the days of my father, and not once has the Emperor listened. I have already put in a request that your friend County's sentence not be served out, but like always, it only leads to a dead end."

"Dead end? Nice way to put it," Locke snorted in disgust.

"What else do you want me to do? I know she's a very close friend of yours, but my hands are tied."

"Get a hold of Arvis, gather a party of Returners, we can storm the Vector prisons and get her out of there."

"Locke, you're talking about nothing less than suicide," Edgar continued with his calm voice.

"You said that about the mission outside of Doma."

"This is totally different! That was a camp which wasn't ready for you. This is you going into the center of the Empire itself, where armed guards are everywhere, ready for anything suspicious. From what I've heard, your friend County is very high up on the security list. I will not send any other Returners in vain for what will obviously be their impending death."

" I can't believe what I'm hearing," Locke put his hands on his hips in anger, "you're just going to let the Empire kill an innocent like that? Without the information she gave us about these whole archeology missions the Empire has been conducting, we wouldn't know anything about what they are up to."

"We still don't know what they're up to," Edgar countered. "They're searching after these mythical glowing rocks that no one has ever heard of."

"I've heard of them! I believe them! Are you saying she's made all of this up?"

"Locke, no one else has ever seen or heard anything about these rocks…"

"So you're saying if she were a Returner we'd send in the Figaro Royal Guard, but since she's only done the work of a Returner we do nothing?!" Locke spewed out in disgust.

"Locke, there isn't anything I can do. If I had the power to stop this you know I would, but tension between Figaro and Vector is rising. We aren't ready for war yet. If we antagonize the Empire now, they'll surely wipe us off the map. It's what Gestahl wants. He tried pushing Figaro out of the picture when he murdered my father. I won't throw away everything he's built and all the lives of my people just for one treasure hunter, no matter how close of a friend she is to you or how valuable the information she has brought to us."

"Fine!" Locke turned and started to march out of the throne room, "I'll just have to go rescue her myself!"

"Listen to yourself Locke! I won't let you throw your life away like this."

"What do you care? You've got a kingdom to look after."

"Damn it Locke!" Edgar let a rare moment of anger slip out of his mouth. He took a deep breath to compose himself again before he spoke. "I'm not stopping you as a king, I'm stopping you as a friend. It's madness you're talking, walking into Vector, stopping an execution and walking out like you're taking a summer evening stroll."

Locke stopped just short of the door to the throne room. He put his head down, thinking everything over. He had to save County, there wasn't any doubt in his mind, but he knew Edgar was right. He knew the odds were more stacked against him than in anything he had ever done in his life. "She has always been there for me. She was there after Rachel's accident… she was there after the massacre of Kohlingen… she even saved me not more than a few weeks ago. I can't just let her die like this."

"I know Locke," Edgar said quietly, "and I know in the end that I can't stop you from going, no matter how hard I try. All I can do is warn you, and tell you from a logical point of view what is going to happen."

"Besides my obvious capture and own execution?"

"What if you succeed? What then? In the underworld you are a very well known man. Word will leak out who was behind the escape, and then you'll be labeled enemy number one of the Empire. I can't have an enemy of the empire running to Figaro for sanctuary. We aren't ready for war with the Gestahl, at least not yet anyway. If you're spotted, you can't return to Figaro. Locke, you're the best friend I've got, but I've got a kingdom to look after."

"I understand that Edgar, and please know there won't be any hard feelings, but I'm going to Vector anyways. I can't let County die, not like this. She's saved me too many times than I can count, it's about time that I repay the favor."

"I know," Edgar dropped his voice, but this time more in a melancholy tone than one of a soothing monarch, "I never had a doubt that you wouldn't go after her, no matter the odds. I wish you all the luck in the world, but unlike most of the times I've said that, I truly believe that you're going to need it."

"I understand the risks Edgar, but I'm going. Thank you for your caring." The treasure hunter gave a solemn bow and solute to the king, something he never did, usually recognizing Edgar as his friend more than a ruler. This time however, Edgar allowed the gesture and stood stoically as Locke turned on his heels and walked out of the throne room. When the door slammed shut, Edgar let out sigh and slouched back into his throne.

"What should we do?" the chancellor asked.

"There isn't much we can do," Edgar replied dejectedly. "Get a hold of Arvis and see if he can get in contact with one of our sympathizers in Vector, at least alert him to what's going on and to keep an eye on the situation, but I don't think there's anything else possible. Locke's basically on his own for this one."

"What if he succeeds?"

"You know I always try to be positive about things like this, but for once I get a sinking feeling in my heart that I'm not going to ever see him again. Reminds me just like the time…"

"When Sabin left?" the chancellor cut in.

"Yeah…" Edgar's reply drifted off.

"I'm sure your brother is still out there somewhere. He was a beast of man, I doubt there's anything in the world that could knock him off," the chancellor flashed a quick smile to try and brighten up his king. "One day he'll return to the castle, I'd stake my life on it."

"Are you talking about Locke or Sabin?"

"Why can't it be both?" the chancellor then turned himself and walked out the same door to the throne room leaving Edgar inside truly alone.