x


Chapter 11


The new moon shone brightly in the clear night sky. The summer was coming to an end and the leaves on trees around the castle were shifting colors. Axel wasn't sitting outside on the porch to enjoy the scenery. Every other minute he glanced ahead in hope that Saïx would come walking down the road between the houses around their small courtyard.

The hours passed and Saïx didn't show.

In Axel's mind he had gotten himself into the King's chamber in so many ways, heroically taking Saïx with him with legions of soldiers coming after them, but he knew he couldn't; not here. The guards would not only kill him, but everyone in the troupe if he tried to do anything similar to what he had done last time.

Axel had tried to convince himself that the King wasn't looking for the kind of company he imagined. The King had every woman in the kingdom at his disposal, a castle full of servants as well as a beautiful concubine. He was expected to produce an heir, he didn't have time with fruitless relationships. Axel gripped the fan in his hand tightly and hit the back of his head against the wall behind him.

Demyx was pulling the door aside as quietly as he could, but he hadn't counted on the door ending up nudging Axel.

"Get back inside," Axel muttered.

"I am inside," Demyx said matter-of-factly.

"Close the door."

"No, we want to make sure Saïx comes back safe and sound too."

"Damn it, Demyx." Axel got up and pulled the door open to reveal that Seifer and Hayner had put Demyx on guard duty while they sat behind him, tuning their instruments. Demyx sat up quickly with a frown.

"You're just gonna start a fight with him anyway, and you'll end up waking everyone in the neighbouring houses."

"He can't help that the King summoned him, Axel," Hayner said carefully.

"I'm not angry. I'm just worried." Axel tried not to sound frustrated, but the stern look in his eyes gave him away just as much as the broken fan in his hand.

"Oh! Saïx!" Demyx scrambled up onto his knees and hands and hurried out onto the porch with Hayner and Seifer right behind when they all saw Saïx walk up to the house. "We've been waiting for you!"

Saïx sat down on the porch with a quick glance at Axel, and though he seemed to have expected the look of suspicion before Axel walked away, it didn't hurt any less.

"What did the King want?" Demyx asked and shook his arm to get his attention.

"Nothing…"

"What did you do?" Hayner asked curiously.

"We played with dolls, and I told him stories…"

"And?"

"And he poured me some wine."

"Is that all?" Demyx asked. "He wasn't all psycho, killing small puppies or anything?"

"No. He was actually quite pleasant." Saïx sounded as surprised as the others looked. He smiled at them tiredly, not even trying to hide the quick glances into the house, and they all hurried to say good night to let Saïx talk with Axel.

Axel was already in his futon when Saïx walked into their room, closing the door behind him quietly in case Axel really was sleeping. Saïx took off his uniform, changing into other cotton pants and a simple and worn camisole.

"Quite pleasant, huh?"

"Axel…"

Saïx sat down beside him once Axel sat up with a sigh and ran his fingers through his own hair. "Maybe Seifer's right. Maybe it's time to leave."

"Nothing happened. I only did the job we're here to do. You heard what happened, didn't you? You don't have to worry."

"But why would he just call for you? We're a group. I don't want you to go to him by yourself. He's crazy and who knows what he's capable of doing if he's alone with someone."

"What would he do with twenty-five people in his chamber, Axel? It's not even that big a room. We would all fit, but it would be a bit crowded." Saïx leaned his head against Axel's shoulder when Axel didn't say anything and he looked up at Axel briefly before he continued. "I told him a story."

"What story?"

"The one about the butterfly and the thorns."

Axel pulled his knees up higher and tried to hide a hesitant smile. His chest clenched, but at the same time, it was a confirmation that he didn't know he had been waiting for.

"I didn't know that you remembered it." Axel reached for Saïx's hand, lacing their fingers together as he brought Saïx's hand to his lips and gave it a kiss.

He still couldn't shake off the inkling that the King was up to something, but it was over now. Saïx was back, safe and sound, and that was all that mattered. Axel was certain that the King wouldn't want to deal with any of them in private again, and even if he did, Axel could always hope that the Ministers would oppose it to protect the traditions of the Royal Family.

~o~

Lady Aqua was usually up before sunrise. The time before the King woke up was the only time she had for herself, or so it had been before the King had made it a habit to call the effeminate street performer up to his room at dusk.

In the mornings she would wait for the eunuchs to escort the street performer out of King Xemnas' chamber before she stepped out of her room to wander the halls. She wanted to know what they talked about during the hours that street performer had been in there. Had they talked at all?

It wasn't merely the small sting of jealousy that made Lady Aqua wonder why King Xemnas would interest himself in someone like that street performer when there were so many of his kind in the castle. It was worrisome to see King Xemnas find an outlet for the worries that weighed him, and manipulating him became all the more difficult when she wasn't allowed the same quality time she had grown accustomed to.

Lady Aqua wasn't here for the sole purpose of being King Xemnas' concubine. Getting this close to the King was only part of the job she had been sent out here to do and she couldn't let the King slip away now.

Lady Aqua was a close relative of the famous Dragon Princess of the Southern Kingdom. She had grown up in the ruins left behind by King Ansem's army, she had seen her people die of starvation when King Ansem decided to blockade her kingdom, and she had been forced to witness King Ansem's betrayal turn into a tragic love story that had been used to brainwash people across borders.

She stopped by a window when she heard the sound of horses' hooves against the tiled courtyard outside. A horse cab had stopped by the neighbouring building where Minister Xehanort had his office. The old man stepped out of the cab. He was the greatest enemy of all in a castle filled with them, despite them both wanting the same thing; to bring Radiant Garden to its knees.

The old man was up to something. Bringing the street performers into the castle had been his idea, and he never did anything without a plan that didn't have consequences only he would benefit from.

Lady Aqua stepped outside, past the guards by the castle's entrance and straight toward Minister Xehanort's office. She didn't knock. She never did. She didn't have enough respect for the old minister to muster such small actions of politeness for him.

Minister Xehanort looked up from the documents he was working on and scoffed at the sight of Lady Aqua in his office.

"To what do I owe this immense pleasure, Lady Aqua? Surely you haven't grown tired of our King already, or is the lack of attention that dire?"

"Why is the troupe still here? The Ministry wanted them out."

"Yes, but King Xemnas decided against it. I'm sure he planned to tell you at your next meeting, whenever that would be. I hear he has found a rather interesting replacement for you."

"He needs an heir!"

"And you were going to give him an heir, Lady Aqua? It's been nearly a year since you found your way to King Xemnas' bed. Time has shown that you are as fertile as the wastelands. Now that the King has moved on, he might finally find time for his other consorts."

Lady Aqua glared at Minister Xehanort, forever amazed and scared of the malice that radiated from every feature on his face. She knew why she wanted the King and his kingdom to fall. It felt justified. An eye for an eye. But this man had devoted his life into making this reign into what it was, and now he was doing his damnedest to not only crush the pillars of the government, but also to twist the King's mind with his own insecurities until he couldn't tell wrong from right or friend from foe.

"You better start with your plan B, Minister Xehanort. That troupe won't be here for much longer."

A loud knock on the wall by the entrance made both Lady Aqua and Minister Xehanort turn their attention to the red-haired street performer who glared back at both of them. "You called?" he said to Minister Xehanort, his tone not much kinder than Lady Aqua's.

Whether he had overheard their conversation or not, it wouldn't make much of a difference. If the Ministry failed to convince King Xemnas to rid himself of the troupe, Lady Aqua would find a way to persuade him to cut him free from the long arms of bad influences that Minister Xehanort had all around the castle.

She walked past the man by the doorway without giving him as much as a glance, despite feeling his glare burn through her as if she had threatened what was most dear to him.

~o~

Minister Xehanort reached Axel an old book with drawings as soon as he had sat down. The book was leather-bound, the pages were thick and it smelled of dust.

"What's this?" Axel asked as he carefully turned each page. He recognized the former Queen in the paintings. She was always drawn with peach-colored flowers on her clothing or as a headdress. It fitted well with her blue hair, he remembered hearing once.

"The Mother Queen is coming for a visit. She is accompanied by King Ansem's consorts, and they have heard of your presence in the castle. Needless to say, they are intrigued by the King's decision to let you stay, and they would very much like to see you perform." Minister Xehanort leaned back against his armchair and rested his fingertips against each other.

"You didn't answer my question."

"I want you to re-enact an important part of history, the death of the Queen."

"Do you think I'm stupid? I've heard what the King does to those who trash talks his mother. If you want us out, just say so. We haven't planned on staying for much longer anyway."

"But there is a difference between 'trash talking' and telling a story, is there not? I want you to tell this story, in the way that it happened. You will receive my full support for everything that a performance like this may require; fabrics, scenery, costumes, as well as a monetary compensation of course. Ten thousand each."

Axel's resistance crumbled in the face of that number. It was an amount that would make the dream of a house in a village by the sea come within reach, but at what cost? How many more days would this have them here? How many more nights would he have to sit idly by when the guards came to take Saïx to see the King?

"I have to ask the troupe if they are willing to stay. I'll come back with an answer tomorrow." Axel closed the book slowly. He needed more time to think about this. He knew that everyone would vote against him if he told them that he wanted to leave, but he was the only one who knew about this for now.

"Very well," Minister Xehanort agreed with a smug look.

Axel walked slowly toward the doorway, but stopped. "Why does the King call for Saïx so often?"

"It is not of your concern whom the King calls for. The King does as he pleases and doesn't have to explain himself to anyone. But if you are dying to know, why don't you ask your friend? Or is he as good at lying as he is a woman?"

Axel didn't answer. He walked out of Minister Xehanort's office with the heavy book in his embrace. He wanted to leave right this minute. He wished that he could disregard everyone's needs for he would much rather live the rest of his life in poverty than losing Saïx to King Xemnas, or anyone else.

~o~

The head of the Minister from Traverse Town was a nest of buzzing flies, calling in for meeting everyday at noon. The Ministers had to pass by the stick upon which the head of the deceased Minister had been impaled to remind them all of what King Xemnas thought of corruption. It was a consensus amongst the Ministers that the street performers were at fault for the execution, and their presence made King Xemnas weak.

"I hope that you haven't grown tired of seeing the face of Minister Yun every day. He isn't looking his best as of late, wouldn't you agree?"

There was a small murmur of 'yes' amongst the Ministers once King Xemnas had spoken. He walked calmly down the pathway, up to his throne. He would have sat down had it not been for the Minister from the City of Bells, Minister Kuen, interrupting.

"Your Majesty, there is a fit punishment for every crime. Minister Yun deserved a punishment, but not one as harsh as the one you laid upon him. Those clowns are clouding your judgement, Your Majesty. They lack respect for the establishment and make a mockery of the Ministry."

"They are jesters, so they jest." King Xemnas said sternly.

"We are concerned for Your Majesty's well-being. It is not wise what you are doing," Minister Kuen continued. "Rumours are spreading about Your Majesty's wish for a certain minstrel's nightly visits. What will the rest of the court say when they find out about this. Do you not wish to produce an heir?"

King Xemnas stepped down from his throne and walked up to Minister Kuen who bowed slightly when the others nearly hit their foreheads against the floor.

"Are you telling me who I can and cannot meet, Minister Kuen?" King Xemnas clenched his teeth when the Minister shook his head, and before he could find a way to rephrase himself, King Xemnas grabbed him by the throat and forced him up onto his feet. "Are you telling me that I'm crazy, perhaps, Minister Kuen? What is it you are accusing me of exactly?!"

"Your Majesty!" Minister Even interrupted from where he sat across from Minister Kuen. "Minister Kuen served King Ansem faithfully, and has never wished anyone any harm. Release him!"

"Yes, he might have served my father well, so why can't he serve me?"

"King Ansem was a father to the people. He didn't engage in frivolous activities! He always put the kingdom first. You have done nothing but sully your father's work!" Minister Kuen spat. "It was an honor serving King Ansem. You are a disgrace!"

"Guards!"

Four guards hurried to the King and seized the man he pointed at. The other Ministers stared at the scene with fear in their eyes.

"If you liked my father that much, how about you join him in the afterlife, Minister Kuen? I'm certain my father would be overjoyed by your company." King Xemnas turned his attention to the guards with a short but worrisome chuckle. "Get him out of my sight."

"The people of Radiant Garden will have to suffer for your weaknesses, you petulant child! May nothing but misfortune rain upon you!" Minister Kuen yelled at the top of his lungs as the guards dragged him away. He kicked and struggled until the very end, taking his last opportunity to tell King Xemnas exactly what he thought of him.

King Xemnas looked at his Ministers with a maniacal glint in his eyes, his breathing was heavy, and though his sleeves covered his hands, the Ministers that sat up close could see King Xemnas' knuckles shift white by how hard he was clenching his fists.

"Is there anyone else who would like to tell me of their service to my father? How about we have a memorial service in his honour? It's only been six months since the last one, but you never seem to grow tired of talking about him. What do you say, Minister Even? Is there anything in the Book of Laws against memorial services for King Ansem?"

"No, Your Majesty." Minister Even bowed his head deeper as King Xemnas laughed.

"Very well then. You are all invited to yet another memorial service for King Ansem. Worry not, I will make all the arrangements for it, and I will send for you once I'm finished. You are all dismissed."

The Ministers watched King Xemnas hurry out of the Meeting Hall. Yet another Minister had suffered the wrath of King Xemnas, and though there was certain fear left once the King had left the room, they were all fast determined that something needed to be done before the King led them into total destruction.

~o~

Axel stepped out to the courtyard where the entire troupe was out either practicing or tuning their instruments. He hadn't said anything about the offer Minister Xehanort had made yet. He thought that the longer he stalled, the easier it would be to tell them to pack their things because it was time to leave.

Saïx sat in a small doll theatre booth that Seifer had put together when Demyx had wanted to learn how to do a good puppet-show. Saïx had agreed to teach him, and now they both sat there, on the other side of the small courtyard, talking about how to move the puppets' hands and how to express different emotions with them. Demyx didn't seem to be paying much attention. He was still amazed by the doll that Saïx had made for him, but he'd quickly wipe the grin off his face as soon as he saw Saïx frown.

They would be fine without the money, Axel thought as he turned his attention to Seifer and Hayner who sat next to each other, teaching each other different ways to make a small drum sound. They had made it this far, even without any wealth. What's another couple of years of poverty? The struggle to make their dreams come true would only make it better once they reached their goals. Axel just had to trust his friends, trust that they would make the right decision, and by right, he meant of course the decision that would put him at ease.

He walked up to the middle of the small courtyard, moving a cymbal away with his foot lightly, and he caught Saïx's attention. He smiled at Axel, and Axel smiled back, feeling a flutter in his chest. He didn't get further than formulating his intentions in his thoughts when he heard the heavy steps of soldiers around the corner of the house on the far left.

"His Majesty King Xemnas!" a soldier announced, and everyone bowed deeply as the King pushed through his guards with his breath caught in his throat.

He walked up on the elevated podium that covered most of their courtyard and picked up a drum that lay nearby. He beat on it with a drumstick and chuckled at the loud sound that it made.

"You play too!" he urged Axel that sat right beside him. "Play!"

The atmosphere quickly grew tense. People were staring at the King as if he had well and truly lost what little sanity he had left as he stood there, beating as hard as he could on the drum.

Axel quickly glanced at Minister Xehanort that stood in the company of King Xemnas' following. He was calmly watching, his face not giving away whether he was behind this or not. Axel stood up and played the cymbal in rhythm with the beating of the drum, his heart beating fast in his chest at the delirious look on King Xemnas face.

King Xemnas didn't stop until the drum burst and the drumstick disappeared into the broken drum. He tossed the drum aside with a sigh of relief and looked around as if he was lost. A few seconds passed by in silence while King Xemnas caught his breath.

"Your Majesty…?" Minister Xehanort began, but King Xemnas raised his hand, annoyed by the sound of the old man's voice.

"Silence!"

Everyone who had dared to peek at the King quickly fixated their attention on the braided floor of bamboo underneath them. The ones standing near were trembling with fear, and Axel could only watch as King Xemnas desperately looked through the crowd from where he stood.

"Isa?" he asked and turned to Axel with a questioning look. "Where's my precious Isa?"

Axel's heart dropped to his stomach. He could see himself launch forward with a primal roar and rip King Xemnas' tongue out with his bare hands, but instead of getting the reaction he wanted to show, Axel's breath hitched in his throat at hearing King Xemnas say Isa's name so casually. He hadn't earned the right to speak that name aloud. Isa didn't belong to anyone. Axel wanted to scream that to the King as he beat him into a bloody pulp, but he stood frozen to the ground, his need for air suddenly bringing him out of his trance.

Saïx stood up in the doll theatre hesitantly. The sight of him made King Xemnas sigh with relief, and as the King walked up to Saïx, Axel clenched his fist so hard that he nearly punctured the skin on the palm of his hands. The ache was in his chest, however, and while King Xemnas could suddenly breathe easy, the weight of the world suddenly found a home on Axel's chest, nearly suffocating him on the spot.

If Isa belonged to anyone, he belonged to Lea.

~o~

They were at the castle long before the following. King Xemnas dragged Saïx with him all the way up to his chamber, despite Saïx's protests.

Saïx wanted to hurry back. He had seen the look in Axel's eyes, and he knew that if he let Axel simmer in his anger, it would only get worse. It would be more difficult to try to explain to him why the King knew his name, and nothing would be more challenging than having to convince Axel that there was no part of him that had agreed to belong to King Xemnas.

"Your Majesty, please…"

Saïx slid down the polished floor and into King Xemnas' chamber where he was urged to sit on the throne. "No, Your Majesty, I can't…"

"Sit. I insist," King Xemnas said and his eyes lit up as soon as Saïx had taken his seat. He hurried to the nearest lantern and ran back to the table where he opened the small doors on the lantern to make a long stage, just like Saïx had done on the first evening they had spent time together. "I want to show you something."

"Calm down, Your Majesty…" Saïx said quietly, not entirely sure how he had let that slip, but King Xemnas didn't seem to take offense. He just sat down by the lantern and picked up two sticks that he had left under the rug beneath the table.

On the stage, a silhouette of an elderly man with a crown and a young child appeared. Saïx couldn't see much of King Xemnas' face behind the lantern, he turned his attention to the stage with a gulp when the child spoke in a sad and pleading voice.

"Father! Father! Please!"

"Silence! I have no time for your tantrums!"

"Please, father, let me see mother. Just this once!"

"Your mother has lost her mind. It would be dangerous for you to see her. Don't pester me with this again, you petulant child!"

The elderly man turned his back to the child and walked away, leaving the child quietly sobbing for the woman Saïx could only assume was the late Queen. King Xemnas put the sticks on the floor and moved the lantern away. He rested his head onto the table, reaching his hand out to Saïx with a bitter laugh. "Stay for a drink, Isa. You wouldn't spill the wine given to you by the King, would you?"

"N-no, Your Majesty…" Saïx stuttered. He glanced over at the door with a small hitch of his breath. He didn't want to stay for long, but he couldn't think of an excuse that King Xemnas would find acceptable enough to let him leave.

A maid walked in, her head lowered as she hurried to the table, bringing them a bottle and two glasses. She never said anything, King Xemnas didn't even look at her. She had come and gone like a ghost, and before Saïx knew it, King Xemnas had poured him wine.

"Tell me a story, Isa." King Xemnas finished his wine in one gulp and rested his head against his arm on the table, ready to hear another tale that seemed to come from another world that was far more better than the one his father had created here.

Saïx wasn't allowed to leave until King Xemnas had fallen asleep, and even then the servants seemed worried that the King would be upset if he woke up to see that Saïx had left without his permission. It hadn't bothered Saïx in the least. He hurried out of the castle and back to the small corner that had been left for him and his troupe.

The lights were out when he got there. The new moon on the clear night sky was the only source of light, and for a second Saïx thought that maybe they had left. His heart skipped a beat and he tried to listen for any ruckus, any hushed bantering between Demyx and Seifer, but there was nothing, not until Axel jumped down from the tightrope across the courtyard.

Axel was holding a thick and leather-bound book under his arm, and he walked up to Saïx with determinate steps.

"The old man wants us to do this," was the first thing he said. He didn't look Saïx in the eye, not long enough to let Saïx determine what he was feeling anyway.

"What is it?"

Axel flipped the book open and gave it to Saïx. Saïx recognized the Mother Queen and King Ansem's two other consorts almost as fast as he recognized the late Queen.

"He said that we were going to act it out as it really happened. In front of the King, his grandmother and Ansem's other wives. We're leaving. We've reached far and beyond sketchy, and I don't want to be a part of this anymore."

"Have you told the others?"

"Yeah, and they agree. We're leaving." Axel looked up finally and crossed his arms.

"Aren't you going to ask me what I think?"

"Why should I? I know what you think. You want to leave. That's what you said. No life behind walls, right?" Axel held in a breath, the look in his eyes growing sterner. "Or have you changed your mind?"

"No, I still want to leave," Saïx began, but Axel quickly interrupted before he could get any further.

"That's great. We all agree then."

"But I think we should do this first. We're not going to get this opportunity anywhere else." Saïx paused when Axel rolled his eyes and his arms fell to his sides, as if he was mentally telling himself 'I told you so'. "It won't be long, right? We do this as our last job here, and then we'll leave."

"So I guess you're gonna tell the rest of the group about the change of plans?" Axel asked, annoyed and frustrated.

"Yes, I'll tell them."

"Fine." Axel turned around and headed back to the house quickly.

Saïx walked in soon after Axel and tried to sneak past Seifer, Hayner and Demyx who lay in a row not too far away from the door into Axel's and Saïx room. It seemed that others from the troupe had decided to sleep over in this house in Saïx's absence.

Saïx was by the door to the bedroom when he felt a slight tug at the hem of his pants and he looked down to see that Demyx was awake and he looked up at him with a small frown.

"Are you guys okay?" he asked quietly.

"We're fine, Demyx. Go to sleep." Saïx managed a reassuring smile before he closed the doors behind him.

Axel was already pretending to be asleep, laying on his side, facing the door. Saïx didn't try to talk to him. He still felt like he should try to explain why King Xemnas knew his real name, but in the light of what he had seen today; the fragile man behind the façade of tyranny, he thought he was doing right in staying to do the play. Maybe it would serve as closure for the King who had never been granted the chance to mourn the loss of his mother.

There would be time to make Axel understand, he thought. In a couple of weeks, on a late night like this one, they would still share a room at night, and with the King and his court as distant memories, Saïx would tell Axel the story of how the irony of life had led him to a King that had been born and kept behind walls and forced into a role that hadn't been meant for him. Saïx would tell Axel how he had seen the face of a man that he easily could have turned into if Lea hadn't kept Isa's dream alive and fled their prison as soon as they had their chance.