Chapter 14: Brink Pt. 1
Asseylum had awaken to the soft melodic sound of a piano. It was days just like this that she lived for. Days of being awaken to the joyful mood of Klancain. He was nothing like she had imagined. She had feared that all of her nightmares would be realized. Everyone knew that a Public Face was just that. Monsters flourished behind closed doors. Asseylum always wondered if Lemrina was as fortunate to not be paired with a monster. She hadn't spoken to her sister since she awoke, and that was so long ago.
Asseylum had discovered the variety of vibrant music that Terra had to offer. She had so many choices that it nearly conjured the illusion that it reflected her life. But then Klancain would wake her with a song he learned just for her, and she'd be reminded that none of this was so bad.
She put her robe around her, and crept downstairs to see where he was. She found him reading a music sheet, and playing it on the piano. His face would scrunch up, and then relax when he got the note right.
Asseylum tip-toed to him, and wrapped her arms around him. She pecked a kiss to his cheek. "Good morning, Sweetheart." She truly adored the familiarity that Terran's were able to give their spouses. On Vers, a wife -a princess at that -wasn't allowed to even enter the room without her husband sending a servant to fetch her… like a dog, but here… Here she was a human being, and Klancain actually accepted her crazy demands.
"Good morning." He replied, and turned away from the piano to look at her. "Are you excited? In a handful of months, we'll be married." He said, hugging her to him.
She laughed as he tickled her sides. "I really am. Are you sure it's okay if we have a Terran wedding? I just want to send a message that Versian want to integrate into Terran culture." She brushed a hand in his hair. "I don't want this war anymore." She whispered.
"Nobody wants this war. And that's why everyone's working so hard to keep it gone."
She nodded. "Inaho's been working really hard on her job and this wedding. I just hope those monsters don't attack again."
Klancain nodded. "I want our day to be perfect."
"It'll be perfect if you're around." She said, and closed her eyes as Klancain kissed her nose.
"And soon you'll be empress. You have a lot ahead of you. Luckily, you won't be alone. We'll all help you." He stood up and stretched.
She actually didn't want to think about that. She had always been a disappointing princess. She'd been told so before many times. Her head was always crooked. She was stuck in the bliss of Terra that she neglected the Orbital Knights and her own people. Because she was obsessed in a world that had been unattainable at the time, she started a war and sacrificed her people. No wonder people didn't trust her.
There was a reason people trusted Slaine -a Terran -before they trusted her. He fought for her, but his actions correlated with the will of her people. And she once accused Lemrina and Slaine of not knowing their place. It was she who was ignorant, and perhaps she always would be.
Her grandfather's hesitation spoke as much. Even if the Terrans desperately wanted her as empress, her people were another story. They were so confused. None of the remaining few Orbital Knights measured to everyone's standards, she disappointed them enough to lose their trust, Lemrina wasn't notable because nobody really knew her, and nobody knew Klancain, just his father.
The war had cost them more than anyone wanted to admit. The structure of Vers was badly damaged. The Terran born Versian were freed, and were quickly accepted back into Terran society.
She wasn't Inaho or Slaine. She didn't have a solution for everything.
The doorbell rang, and Asseylum turned to get it, but Klancain tapped her shoulder. "Darling, you're in your robe." He said with a smile. She blushed, and turned. "I'll be out soon."
"Take your time." He said, and Asseylum waited at the bottom of the stairs. She wanted to know if it was Inaho or Slaine. If it was, she wouldn't have to leave.
She saw the red pants before the body and knew it was the Orbital Knights. She bit her bottom lip. How could she assume control without the majority of her government? Slaine hadn't made friends with them, but most respected him. A few were against Slaine from start to finish.
She saw six of the ten Orbital Knights step into her living room. They all looked like they were having an intense conversation. Count Keteratesse, Count Zebrin, Viscountess Libertina, and Viscountess Libitina looked at Klancain for some reason. She didn't know why they were there, but she was suspicious. The last time the Orbital Knights gathered like this her substitute had been killed.
It was disconcerting to see the small number. There had been nineteen of them before. Most had been very talented fighters too.
Asseylum hurried up the stairs and got dressed in a simple light blue dress. She went back downstairs and saw the Orbital Knights leaving.
When the door closed, Asseylum looked to Klancain. "What did they want?" Normally, she wouldn't be allowed to say something so demanding to her husband, but she didn't care. Although she said she had forgiven everyone who tried to kill her, she truly hadn't. She only forgave Slaine, and that was for Inaho.
He turned to her, and sighed. "They thought I might know more about the heir/heiress than them. They've been coming by more often to see if I might know."
Asseylum frowned. "Why shouldn't they just ask it of the emperor?"
He snorted softly. "He's giving everyone an incredibly hard time. We'll know in time. I haven't eaten anything, and I know you haven't either. Come on. Let's get something."
Asseylum managed to push her thoughts aside to resume the day. She just hoped nothing would go wrong.
Slaine was looking out the window at sky. The days were getting warmer. It was in the middle of February when Slaine could finally get a breath of air with Inaho. They'd been so busy going back and forth with the peace treaty. It was frustrating that the treaty still needed to be dealt with when the war had officially ended. It bothered him a lot because Inaho had been getting stressed out more often than not, courtesy of Amane and Ogura.
But for today, Slaine and Inaho would be away from the annoyances of work. He glanced at her, and smiled. She was reading one of her romance novels. Her mouth was moving in accordance to how fast she was reading. Her face scrunched up to imitate the expressions he was sure she was reading. Her face was currently imitating shock. She gasped quietly and turned the page quickly.
"I can't believe him." She murmured, while crossing her legs on the couch. He laughed quietly at her enthusiasm. Rayet wasn't lying when she commented on how amusing Inaho was when enamored in a story.
Inaho quietly gasped. "Are you serious?" She said with disappointment, and set her book aside. She looked like she was fuming, but he knew she was bottling up the urge to tell someone about the events that occurred.
"What happened?" He asked just to hear her speak. Her animated face was a stark contrast to the jaded expression she had on the Deucalion and around the UFE.
"Oh, Slaine, you will not believe what Blake did to Quinn. She stormed into his job, and made a big show because she saw Quinn with Annalise at dinner. But Blake has no idea that Lise is Quinn's baby sister who wanted to see him because of her abusive relationship! Blake said all these awful things, and Quinn was trying to speak, but Blake broke up with him and stormed out! How completely unreasonable is that?" She ranted, and frowned.
"I just know that Blake will go running after Ronald again because she's always been in love with him. Quinn deserves better than her. She needs to make up her mind. Lise found out, by the way, and started cursing Blake out." Inaho cocked her head at Slaine. "Is it bad that I was very satisfied after finding out how embarrassed Blake was? She went to find Quinn and apologize, but her said he was tired of her games. I'm happy he is."
Slaine nodded along with the story he'd been hearing about for weeks. Apparently, the book was a part of a series, which was why Inaho was so invested, despite her displeasure of the pairing. Slaine couldn't imagine how Inaho must've been in high school. Was she more closed off, or more open? He wished he could've gone to school with her. He was sure they would've gotten on each other's nerves. The drama surrounding them would have been worthy of Inaho's romance stories.
"Why aren't you reading the next part?" He asked, genuinely interested.
A side of her mouth quirked upward, and she chuckled. "Because if I find out Quinn got back together with Blake, I will rip this book in two."
Slaine laughed. Next she would devise a strategy to get at the author for putting her through an "emotional strain". Following her letter would be him destroying it. He wondered how many were mailed before he started intervening. He loved it when she was being silly. She looked years younger and freer of burden.
She stood up from the couch, and started to move the book from the couch to the bookcase when Slaine noticed blood falling from her nose. His eyes widened and his heart pounded furiously. He jumped up, and speed dialed Souma. He held Inaho whose eyes rolled into her head as she started convulsing.
Souma answered immediately. "Sl-"
"Souma, she's having a seizure. I need you here. She was fine before, and then she… then her nose…" He was struggling to hold her and find something so she didn't bite her tongue off. "I-I-"
"Say no more. I'm on my way. We'll transfer her to my room on the Deucalion after we pick her up. Should I call someone to meet you there?"
"Yuki… I'll call her when we get there."
Slaine didn't remember hanging up, but he did somehow. Inaho's body seized for what seemed like years before it subsided. She was unconscious. Her body jerked slightly, and Slaine gently rocked with her in his arms. There was a knock on the door, and Slaine almost didn't answer it. He picked Inaho up, and laid her on the couch as he opened the door. Souma was there was Marito and Yuki.
Souma and Marito went to Inaho and quickly took her to their car. Yuki rubbed a hand up and down his shoulder. He hadn't realized how tight his muscles were until her touch seemed to massage it away. "Let's go." She said quietly, and Slaine nodded.
Slaine climbed into the car. A bunch of machines were hooked up to Inaho, and they beeped and blared at random moments. Souma moved like he was fighting a horde of people alone. He picked up medical tools that Slaine had never seen before, which wasn't admitting much because he'd never seen a doctor before. His father hadn't remembered to take him, and the Vers hadn't bothered.
Every moment from the long ride to the Deucalion felt surreal. He wasn't shaking like he imagined he would. Instead he felt numb and cold. He stared at Inaho's contorted face even after the seizure. He didn't want to put a word to what she looked like, lying there unmoving. He wanted to touch her. He wanted to speak to her. He wanted to do anything to make her feel better. No, he needed her better. Watching Inaho like this was like watching Asseylum when she was in a coma. He felt just as helpless.
Yuki paced outside the hospital room, but Slaine stayed seated. Yuki crossed her arms, and walked back and forth quietly. She bit on her nails, and muttered to herself. He could tell that Yuki wouldn't manage waiting for Inaho to recover.
"You should call her friends, and tell them everything." Slaine said in a steady voice. He didn't know how he managed to be so resilient when he couldn't get her small smile or limp body out of his mind. He wanted to scratch his skin, and run away. But there was never a time in his life where he was allowed to simply run away from something. And he wouldn't start now; not when Inaho needed him.
Yuki nodded slowly, and then nodded again as if the words finally processed. She ran down the hall, probably forgetting her phone in her vehicle, wherever that was. His thoughts crawled to how happy Inaho had been lately. Watching the snow fall with him, playing with their puppy, Junko.
Slaine ran his hands through his hair. He couldn't remember when it became tangled. Inaho had a fascination with playing with his hair. No matter how many times he contemplated cutting it, he couldn't force himself to take any source of happiness from her.
His mind kept dawdling into "what-ifs". What if he had brought her to an eye appointment sooner. He assumed it was her eye, and hoped it was a simple fix. Something that a single doctor could handle.
The door opened to Souma looking distraught and covered in little dots of blood. Souma straightened his outfit, and visibly relaxed. "She's stabilized. You should come in. I don't think this should be an open discussion. Where's Yuki?"
"She went to call everyone else, and keep them updated. I'll keep her informed."
Souma nodded. "It's still weird to think Inaho's engaged already… come inside." He gestured for Slaine to go into the room.
"What happened?" Slaine said, skipping the small talk. Souma seemed to understand.
"She had a seizure, as I'm sure you could tell. It was due to her analytical engine malfunctioning. It was still in its experimental stage when Inaho had it installed." When I forced her to need an analytical engine. Because I shot her eye out. This is all my fault. "It is putting too much of a strain on her body, specifically her nerves. I'm sure she has been showing signs, but knowing Inaho, she probably didn't tell you."
Souma observed some papers. "I'm taking these out of the computer files. I don't think anyone needs to find out about this. She's signed confidentiality and permission forms for a different, less invasive analytical engine to be inserted. She's always been intelligent. I don't imagine this change will affect her too much."
"Are you installing the new implant today?"
Souma sighed. "I will have to. However, I'll need to bring other doctors and surgeons here. A complex surgery like this needs specialists, and I'm not enough. I apologize. I don't know if this will stay a secret if others are involved."
Slaine silently released a calming breath. "I will ensure their silence. When is the time of the surgery? Is she awake?"
Souma gave Slaine a look, probably remembering the last time Slaine had to keep someone silent. Slaine still had no regrets about his decisions. Souma wasn't a politician or soldier. He didn't understand the need for all threats to be eliminated quietly. If the assassination attempt had been public, there would've been a major setback in positive publicity. With everything public, Inaho and his engagement -the treaty -would dissolve. This is everything Inaho and he had worked for.
Slaine knew he would once again be the man Inaho would never approve of, the man he didn't approve of.
Souma finally answered with a strained look on his face. "She's still unconscious, but it's from sleeping. I need the neurosurgeon here to do brain scans, in case her seizure caused long lasting complications. Whenever they get here, which should be in less than twenty minutes, is when we'll begin the surgery."
"When they arrive, proceed with the surgery. I will speak to them afterwards. I would like an update on Inaho's well-being post surgery. Can you tell me what this new analytical engine will do?"
Souma nodded shakily. "While her original eye enhanced her brain activity to relay information more quickly and readily than she could do alone, this new eye will work within her brain's parameters. It won't overexert her mind, and will also revert into a normal eye whenever she's used it to its limits. There isn't a limit -per say -to how many times it can be used, or how long it can be used. It can be used until she's exhausted."
Souma grabbed more papers from his desk. "Here's a more detailed explanation. It should explain the technical things that I can't pronounce. Inaho was adamant about keeping an analytical engine, rather than a prosthetic eye. Here are her signatures on the matter."
Slaine accepted the papers, and saw the date of the signature had been before they were engaged. So she knew about her deteriorating health even before she dealt with his drama and Vers. Thoughts of her fighting with a metaphorical bomb in her head was frightening, and it made him feel stupid and silly. She always made him feel stupid.
"I'll look over these, and find Yuki." Slaine said. His hands itched to read the advantages and disadvantages of Inaho's new eye that was already going to be implanted, despite his opinion. He couldn't blame her in wanting another eye when her intelligence only multiplied. With the way the UFE operated, it was in her best interest to always be a couple steps ahead of her peers.
Slaine left the room, and saw Yuki, Calm, Nina, Inko, Rayet, and Harklight all waiting for news. He had a conflicted reaction to their appearance. Of course it was when Inaho was unconscious where they could sit in a room, and pretend they cared about how Inaho was doing. His opinion for her friends wavered often with every time she was ignored and shunned.
He knew that Nina and Inko didn't intentionally mean to ignore Inaho's messages and calls, but they did it frequently. Nina claimed that she was just trying to get her head back together, and Inko claimed that she needed a new perspective in life. He knew their circumstances took precedence over Inaho's concern, but would it hurt too much to at least let her know they were still alive? Calm had taken to juggling many workloads on his own, and whenever Inaho wanted to distribute the work among others, Calm insisted he was fine. His bravado hadn't dimmed since he proposed he could manage the workload. The guy needed a break, and it showed in his behavior. Every night had been work, excessive amounts of coffee, and power naps. It especially bothered Inaho when he didn't answer. She would quietly panic, believing that today was the day Calm passed out from exhaustion or died from it.
Rayet was a different story, however. He knew exactly why she never called the house phone, and left vague text messages. Ever since he found out about her part in the war, Rayet had taken special measures to avoid him. He didn't blame her for following her father's lead. It wasn't like his glass house could take any rocks from hypocrisy. He had continued the war she helped start, and fought to end. Their circumstances made their lives a revolving door. And while Asseylum had easily forgiven her murderer, she had been disgusted with him. And while the public tolerated his existence, they wanted Rayet dead.
He looked down at the paper, and had to revert to his training as a Count. "Inaho had a seizure. She's unconscious; it's from exhaustion. The surgeons will be here to remove her current eye, and then they'll install another eye that Inaho wanted."
Everyone remained silent, but Yuki quickly recovered. "Will it be the same eye?"
"No. It's a new type that's been tested properly. Souma gave me these papers that will explain what the eye can and can't do in depth."
Harklight frowned. "Surgeons? Are they a part of the Deucalion? Can they be trusted?"
"Souma isn't sure."
Calm frowned. "But you'll make sure." He finished the statement, as if it wasn't obvious enough.
"I will make sure they do their jobs properly, and leave as quietly as they show up."
Four doctors, plus Souma, were operating on Inaho. Slaine read through the installation of the new eye, and was happy that Inaho removed the tracker from inside the retina. The tracker would've notified the UFE, and enabled them to keep tabs on where she went. Slaine had -personally -made certain that the tracking chip was removed. He couldn't afford to slack off when Inaho's life and freedom lay in limbo.
The eye did a lot of what the older model did, but it relaxed the incredible strain that Inaho had adjusted to. The incredible strain she must've always felt, but ignored for everyone else's sake. He didn't know whether to hug her or strangle her. She made no sense sometimes.
He read more of what the new analytical engine needed. It needs a total of two hours without use whenever the user exerts themselves too hard. The user will know that the AE has been used too much because it will abruptly shut down. While in its "Shut Down" mode, the user will be able to see out of the eye, but will not be able to use its enhanced functions.
Whereas the prototype could be used to hypothesize emotions from a person's temperature and mannerisms, this eye will only show mannerisms. The newer version determined that the reading of temperature caused too much strain to determine, which made sense. However, the newer model didn't only entail limitations, it presented improvement as well. The newer model allowed the user to experience a vision almost like a kataphrakt. The eye had been created to heighten Inaho's capabilities. The UFE liked to believe they owned Inaho because of her proclivity to lead during the war.
Slaine read on more adjustments, ideas that were discontinued, and new attachments were created. Slaine wondered if the UFE had any idea that the blueprints made had been duplicated and rewritten. He doubted the UFE thought that far.
^^FROM^BEYOND^^FROM^^BEYOND^^
The four surgeons left the room after what seemed like too many hours. Souma was the first one to reach him. He had a look of relief on his face. "Inaho is going to be fine. She's asleep, and will be sleeping more often than not as her system removes the morphine. Her eye is still a sensitive area, even now."
After explaining the time needed to recover, Slaine quickly tried to run down everything he and Inaho had been involved in. It would take roughly five months for Inaho to recover, which meant that she wouldn't be completely functional until the beginning of August. That was perfect since they weren't needed until then. Plus, Asseylum's wedding day was in the middle of August.
Nina, Inko, Calm, Harklight, Rayet, and Yuki walked towards Slaine, hoping to hear good news about Inaho for once. Lately, it's been problem after problem. That all stemmed from Inaho agreeing to marry Slaine. Slaine looked at the four doctors there. Souma must've caught on that Slaine didn't trust them.
"There's no need to worry. These are the doctors that performed on Inaho the last time." Souma must've thought that would calm Slaine's nerves, but it did the opposite. The tracker -that was a GPS signal -was installed by someone on Inaho's team. That included her doctors.
Nina spoke up before Slaine could voice his suspicions. "And Inaho's fine?"
"She's fine." Slaine reassured.
"Good." She turned towards the doctors, crossed her arms. Her body language implied that she wasn't on the offensive. Her tone was the same, but her words said something completely different. "And how are we going to keep these guys quiet? The last thing Inaho and Slaine need are leaks."
Souma sighed. "They're the same doctors as before-"
Rayet snorted. "Didn't one of you have deep blue eyes? I remember it was a guy because he was the one talking to Magbaredge. None of these guys have blue eyes." She stated.
Each doctor looked at each other, and Slaine was ready to kill them all if he had to. "I thought you said they were the same, Souma." Slaine demanded, hand slipped down to retrieve his knife he always kept with him.
Souma looked frantic. "I-I was so sure! I know how we can tell. What does Inaho always hold with her? Whisper in my ear, and I'll know for sure."
Slaine didn't see how this could possibly help, but everyone else seemed sure it would. He watched the female doctor scoff with disinterest in the whole situation. It was safe to assume she wouldn't be the newcomer, since she wasn't male. She leaned into Souma, and he nodded as if he didn't care what he heard.
The second man, the Japanese-American doctor looked nervous, but he leaned forward to answer the question. He leaned back, but quickly shot a glare at Slaine. Slaine wasn't even mildly curious about the animosity of a stranger.
The third man, an obviously wealthy man, looked downright regal. A look he only glimpsed of with Asseylum. A look many said he possessed when he donned red, but someone like him couldn't pull off years of wealth. The man leaned in and whispered, probably finding the whole dilemma tiresome.
The last man looked average, but he quickly leaned in and whispered. He was wiry, and his hand kept twitching, much like the second man did before the glare. When he leaned back, he rocked on his feet as if he was trying to calm himself but his body wouldn't let him.
Souma looked at them, and straightened his eyes at the last man. He didn't say anything as Slaine caught the wordless message. Souma leaned back, and nodded. "You're all right. It seems Rayet mistook someone's eye color." He nervously laughed.
Slaine nodded. "I'll help escort the doctors to their vehicles with Rayet, Calm, and Nina. Yuki, you should go to Inaho's room. You know how stubborn she can be if she wakes up. Harklight, go with her."
Slaine went to guard the woman, while Rayet took the second man, Calm took the third, and Nina took the last one. Everyone shared a look of understanding. They all went separate ways. Nina was surely going to interrogate the man to find out who found out about the impromptu surgery. Slaine didn't doubt it was the Orbital Knights who'd been standing on hold since the last invasion of theirs. He couldn't understand why they were so adamant about resuming the war when Vers had been losing. Now all Versian weaponry was confiscated; so, what did the Orbital Knights plan to accomplish if they were behind it?
"So," the woman began, "how did you land our little Kaizuka? She's a handful when she doesn't want something. I've heard nothing but good things about you two."
Slaine supposed he could indulge the woman. "I'd say "love at first sight", but we missed all that."
"By a couple of years, yeah."
"Really she just asked me, and I tried to talk her out of it. Marrying me would be… is a disaster."
"Yeah, but I bet she doesn't regret it. You're both lucky that you don't hate each other. Most political marriages aren't friendly. I've dealt with a handful of them. They start off as a nightmare, and then they melt into premeditated murder after the wedding night. You both planning on having kids soon or later?"
"What?" Slaine actually stopped as he was completely baffled by the idea of having children, especially right now… or ever. He couldn't imagine bringing a child into the politics he and Inaho were tired in.
"Come on, your engagement is even bigger than that princess's. Their first kid may be royalty, but the former emperor of Vers and the hero of Earth's kid will be even bigger. You have to know this." She said, giving him a teasing look. "After all, Versians look up to you. You might not have won the war, but they're on earth. That's more than royalty could give them."
"I… I haven't thought of it." He was regretting this conversation.
"Well, start. Soon the emperor will be pushing your and little Kaizuka's wedding." She folded her arm. "You found who the mole is, didn't you?"
Slaine felt like his head would spin from the abrupt topic change. He was thankful that it changed. He didn't think he wanted to think about weddings and babies. He had plenty of time. He glanced at the woman who had blonde hair, and bright green eyes. She had laugh lines that showed her youth was still with her yet. She was around his height as well, but her stance was all business.
"We did, but I don't think-"
"Little Kaizuka is my concern, Saazbaum. I've been her doctor since she started this mess. A kid grows on you when you're constantly wondering if she'll see tomorrow. So, who was it?"
Slaine debated it, but he figured he would be seeing a lot of her anyway. She was one of the few doctors Inaho needed. He only hoped that Inaho wouldn't need her too often. "The last guy."
"Hmm." She said, frowning. "I know I haven't seen Ruki in years, but to think he would turn this down is…"
It did make Slaine curious now that she mentioned it. If a fake was in the man's place, then who the hell did they have? Where was the original man? Slaine hated all the questions that kept popping into his mind.
"I suspect I'm not allowed to dig around for information about Ruki, huh?"
Slaine nodded. "It would attract whomever put that man in Ruki's place. While I like to quickly find a problem and fix it, I don't want to put you as bait."
"Because I have such a winning personality?" She laughed, and sobered up. When they reached one of the doors leading outside, the woman reached in her bag, and handed Slaine a card. "My name's Lesya McConnell. Call me if little Kaizuka is in need of help."
Slaine watched her preparing to leave, but then a question appeared. "Wait, what was the answer?"
Lesya turned and smirked. "Your pendant."
^^FROM^^BEYOND^^FROM^^BEYOND^^
Slaine took Inaho home, and Yuki stayed too. Calm and Rayet were helping him organize everything Inaho was involved in, which was a lot. All of March was spent catching up on both his and Inaho's work, while Nina started investigating the mole who didn't say anything. Slaine fluttered back and forth between work and Inaho.
April was spent keeping Inaho from getting up, and managing both the emperor and the UFE. Despite being on vacation, they demanded updates on Slaine's whereabouts every week. He supposed that was a normal occurrence although the information was always sparse.
May was spent with Slaine getting incredibly stressed out. Inaho tried to help him, but he just wanted her to recover. He didn't know why she insisted on straining herself. He guessed it was just a Kaizuka thing, since Yuki was stressing herself out as well. He was glad that Marito came over to relieve her of her workload. Slaine didn't know how much Inaho dealt with all the time, and now he was wondering how she managed to not go insane. He thought his job was hard enough.
June was spent with many check-ups from Lesya and Souma. Lesya made it her job to tease Inaho and Yuki on when they were getting married. He was glad that she wasn't assaulting him with baby questions. He had choked on his tea when she asked -in front of everyone -where he planned on having the nursery. Inaho simply said in the room beside theirs. He wondered if she thought about babies often. Inaho spent an enormous amount of time organizing and preparing the wedding with/for Asseylum with Rayregalia's input. He was left speechless with how tedious Western style marriages were. Lesya had jokingly told him that he was fine, since he would most likely have to do a Versian style wedding.
July was spent with Inaho and Slaine gracing the world with their PDA, per Ogura's request. Slaine didn't mind since it was safe enough for Inaho to walk around without her eye. They both went to the beaches in Florida with Asseylum and Klancain. The vacation felt more like a nightmare, but Slaine got over it and actually had fun. He also didn't mind Inaho in a two-piece… at all. It also brought the anniversary of the Interplanetary War, which didn't negatively reflect on Slaine too much, but did make Rayet have to go into protective custody.
When August strolled around, Slaine had to relent on being strict, and give Inaho her workload back. He worried that she might be addicted to micromanaging. Apparently the wedding wasn't nearly enough to keep her busy.
Rayet was feeling nervous and terrible. She was nervous because almost every person around the world wanted her head on a platter. People found ways to get her phone number and harass her. If she possessed a social media account, she would be harassed there too. Nobody cared that she'd been 16 when the war started. Nobody cared that she watched her father murdered by Versian soldiers. Nobody cared that she risked her life to protect her friends. She was the daughter of the man who helped start the war. She was the only surviving member of the people who started this. Her home had been vandalized. She was almost kidnapped four times if it hadn't been for her bodyguards and Harklight.
She felt suffocated. Her hatred for the martians felt immature in the face of anger and hypocrisy. She'd lived among Terrans her entire life. She'd assumed that murdering their princess meant she would be free to be with her own kind. She had been a fool, and to cement her immaturity, she continued to hate people who only brought her karma.
She looked at Harklight who sat serenely despite the shouts outside. He was probably used to being around people who were hated. He never complained about being with her, or dealing with her sour attitude. Sometimes she wished that she hadn't survived where her father died.
Harklight sighed gently. "Do you wish to share your thoughts with me?" He asked, sitting aside the book he was reading. She felt her heart thump in embarrassment. Was she that obvious?
"Not really. It isn't anything new."
"Then there should be no reason to hold back with me."
She snorted, and gave up being stubborn with him. Harklight had an unbelievable abundance in patience. "I deserve this." She whispered. She half expected him to disagree with her assessment, but he simply crossed his feet and stared.
"Um… you aren't saying anything." She commented.
"You aren't wrong, but you aren't right either. All this animosity directed towards you is not for you alone. Some of it is towards martians in general, towards the loss from the war, towards the princess, and much more. You are only responsible for what you've done, and nothing more. Your father's crimes aren't yours. I believe I've said this."
She was mad, but it was all at herself for being so conceited. Leave it to Harklight to set her back to the ground. He had a way of keeping her mind on reality. She understood why Slaine kept Harklight when he became pseudo emperor.
"Did Slaine deal with a lot of harassment?"
Harklight leaned back. "Slaine and I were Terrans raised in Vers. We were servants, and enemies of the people in Vers. Everything that happened happened for a reason. If it was good, it was through the blessings of the emperor. If it was bad, it was because of the Terrans. And Slaine and I happened to be a few of the closest around." He explained, and she guessed that she received her answer in spades.
For years Slaine had been the servant of Asseylum. That little maid, Eddelrittuo, was against everything Terran. Rayet didn't assume that the Counts had been any nicer since they were advocates for the emperor's beliefs. Rayet felt childish for thinking that her situation was so bad. At least she still had her friends, semi-freedom, and a job. Her hatred for martians seemed to never quell with each new discovery.
Harklight's phone went off, which never happened.
"Hello?" He asked, and then paled. He turned the television on. Asseylum was surrounded by her bodyguards and had a smile on her face.
A woman was questioning her, but it didn't seem invasive at all.
"And I heard you're getting married in four days. How do you feel?" The woman asked, and Asseylum laughed brightly.
"I feel a bit overwhelmed. I've never planned a wedding before through Terran customs. It feels so… personal. I had a lot of help from my friends, and wedding planners."
The woman smiled. "You aren't doing a traditional Versian wedding then?"
Asseylum shook her head, and waved a hand. "Oh no. There's nothing wrong with it, but I want to have something that Klancain and I can both orchestrate ourselves."
"Who helped you the most with the wedding?"
"Oh, that would be Inaho. She's so smart. It's like she knows exactly what I'm thinking about before I say it."
The woman leaned closer. "Maybe she's preparing for her wedding."
Asseylum nodded. "I bet she is. She had so many ideas. Klancain helped me make up my mind. He gets along great with my friends."
"And what about with your ex-fiancé? How does he feel about this?"
Asseylum tapped her lips with her finger. "He's been just as helpful as Inaho. You know, before we were engaged, we were the best of friends. We still are!" She replied bubbly.
The woman clapped her hands. "That's so sweet! Most couples end on a bad note. Your and Inaho's relationship are cover page news. Hopefully we get to see you all have double dates."
"I hope so. Perhaps this fall we can travel."
Rayet was looking between Harklight's increasingly pale face and the screen. Why did he turn it on?
"There's speculation that you're going to be empress." The woman began, and crossed her legs. "What are you planning to do?"
Asseylum clasped her hands. "I plan on introducing aldnoah to the world. Despite having seen aldnoah in a chaotic state, not many people know that it can be used for medicinal purposes. My sister is undergoing treatment herself. I've been told she's going through physical therapy and walking more. She's waiting until she can walk better before showing off. I have very high hopes for her; she's such a hard worker!"
The woman looked surprised. "With something like that, it could completely change the medical field. I can assure you that a lot of people are hoping for your sister's strength and speedy recovery."
Harklight turned the television off, and Rayet saw him look absolutely furious.
"What is she thinking?" He shouted into the phone, and then turned it on speaker. He paced away from it.
Rayet had to go through everything she heard. This was a disaster. Aldnoah was chaotic for a reason. Everyone knew exactly what could be done with it. Was Asseylum still so naive as to think her "introduction" won't spell the end of her and her people's life? Who needed a treaty when all of Vers would be exterminated? Rayet fully understood Harklight's panicking now.
Slaine's voice spoke from the phone. "The emperor warned me about this. It's been awhile since our excursion aboard the Ahdistelija. It was only a matter of time before Asseylum admitted what she was doing. I didn't expect her to do this."
"This should never have been aired. Why wasn't it withdrawn?" Harklight demanded.
"Inaho and I weren't even aware. We were too focused on the Moon Exploration proposal. I should've paid more attention. Asseylum might never be named empress like this."
Rayet snorted. "I highly doubt she would be empress. Rayvers would choose Marylcian before Asseylum. He would never distribute aldnoah. Many things weren't invented for their intended purpose. Take dynamite for example."
Harklight rubbed his eyes. Many of the other Stygis Squad members observed their reaction. She couldn't even pretend that this wasn't stressful.
Slaine laughed tiredly. "I don't even know how to fix this. The wedding won't even clear this up, and I have to worry about everything else."
Slaine. We need to deal with one thing at a time. Let's wait until later. This can wait. You know that Rayregalia won't name Asseylum empress anytime soon. Inaho's voice said from the background.
"You're right. I'll call you back with updates on the proposal, and you call me if there are any changes with the EB we caught." Slaine said, and Harklight said goodbye to him.
"Suddenly our earlier conversation sounds like a better way to spend time." Rayet joked lightly, and Harklight quietly chuckled. At least she could be Harklight's support.
Lemrina was pissed. She had witnessed the broadcast with Marylcian who couldn't keep his mouth shut. He simply gaped, until his gaze met hers. She was thankful they shared the same thoughts because he nodded.
"I'll go to the emperor." He announced, and she nodded. "I'll go to Slaine and Inaho."
Over the long months, Lemrina had managed to grow closer with Marylcian… Jesper. It was hard to remember that, on Terra, she didn't need to speak so formally with her fiancé. Her engagement wasn't extravagant like Asseylum's was. It was truly typical that her half-sister overshadowed her existence, and would only mention her in passing to make a big announcement. Asseylum must've learned that from grandfather.
Lemrina was going through physical therapy. She wasn't stupid, but the problem within her nerves was some long word dealing with her mind. Jesper knew, but reassured her it was fine if she worked hard. He reminded her of a cheerleader.
Despite their closeness, he knew that she was still -hopelessly -in love with Slaine. She would never act on her emotions. The last time she had had been humiliating. Plus, it didn't help that he was definitely in love with Inaho. There was no debate on what he would or wouldn't do for her.
Lemrina always felt inadequate compared to Inaho, and when she was constantly reminded that she wasn't even relevant despite her royalty status. Lemrina had undergone physical therapy to gain some semblance of self-worth back for herself. Jesper just happened to be there to help her stand, and encourage her to walk.
They would always be close friends. She didn't know if she could love someone else. She was sure her love for Slaine had been borne from naivete, but she was more than her love interest.
And now she had to figure out exactly how ugly Asseylum's latest bout of stupidity was. Jesper was waiting at the door for her to be ready. He had her wheelchair, and her chest tightened. It was amazing how he knew her so well. He knew she didn't want to try walking and embarrass herself when she inevitably fell. She didn't want to embarrass herself in from of Slaine or Inaho.
When Jesper dropped her off at Inaho's and Slaine's house with a light kiss to her temple, she took a moment to soak in the feeling. Maybe she was a little infatuated with attention, which Jesper was never short of giving.
She wheeled to the door, wanting to do this herself, and saw the door open inward automatically. She looked back to Jesper to see him wave and leave. Always the gentlemen, waiting until she was inside the house before she left.
Slaine's face looked downtrodden, which said a lot about the situation. "How bad is it?" She asked, going into business mode because Slaine always kept her on her toes.
"It's a nightmare. Every social media outlet is focused on this. The UFE and the Orbital Knights are demanding a meeting from Inaho and me. Everyone wants to know how this was aired, and how it happened. The emperor gave me a warning back in December, but I didn't know it'd hit before the wedding."
Inaho was sitting and drinking tea. She looked every bit the professional woman she was, even while wearing fluffy pajamas. "I say we make the first step in damage control. Say we're researching a way to incorporate aldnoah in the medical field."
Lemrina caught on. "And we never do any research, but we pretend we do."
Slaine sighed. "The accounting on the department will be suspicious when financial reports become public."
Inaho nodded. "I didn't say we wouldn't use the fund at all. We just need to direct it somewhere else. Perhaps researching in weaponry against the EB? They haven't attacked in almost three quarters of a year. I'm worried."
Slaine leaned back. "Why not say the moon exploration is for aldnoah research? That way we get funding regardless, and keep the public quiet for a while."
Lemrina brightened. "Moon exploration? This sounds perfect. How do we manage to keep Asseylum from completely throwing a wrench in our plans? She'll manage something if she's kept out of the loop. She expects grandfather to make her empress. I don't think that's a good idea, not that I think I'll do better. Nobody even knows me."
Slaine sighed, and Inaho stood up, massaging his shoulders. "You know," she began smoothly, "if we designate Asseylum and Lemrina to do relief for all the victims of the war and EB attacks, she'll be kept quiet. I'm sure the emperor has had ample time to dwell on this very issue. He'll agree with us."
Slaine closed his eyes. Lemrina mentally frowned at their closeness. She had seen a lot of coverage of them on the beach, of the media going crazy over the scars on Slaine. Something he'd managed to keep hidden from everyone. A lot of speculation and theories of how he acquired them sprung on the internet. Some people even rallied for justice on all of Vers for it.
Lemrina's heart dulled. She expected them to be close, and for her to either get over her emotions or speak up. It wouldn't matter either way. She couldn't have Slaine. She couldn't do anything for him because she was weak and rode on her grandfather's coattails for far too long.
"I'll do it." It would make her appear on her grandfather's radar. She existed. It would further her from thinking of Slaine and Inaho living in a house alone. She didn't want to imagine what they got up to when no one was around.
Slaine was relieved. "Thanks a lot, Lemrina. We really appreciate this. Speaking of, what's this about physical therapy?" Inaho looked at her with that expressionless look that Lemrina figured would vanish after being engaged. The woman was formidable.
"Jesper and I have been going to see my doctor. This has been going on since March. It isn't instantaneous or anything. I can stand. Although I don't think that's much, Jesper won't stop going crazy over my "progress"." She said, and then saw Slaine's smirk.
"And are you and Jesper getting along?"
She blushed under the questioning. "We are."
Inaho's lips quirked upward slightly. "That's good to hear. I'm sure he went to see the emperor, so he'll be gone for some time. Would you like to help me make dinner? I wouldn't mind us all eating together."
The last time Lemrina and Inaho had eaten together had resulted in Lemrina acting like a child. She wouldn't embarrass herself, or be so disrespectful this time around. She nodded. "I would very much like that."
Lemrina headed to the kitchen while Slaine pretended to pout for not being able to help her.
Sorry for the long wait. A lot has happened this year, and I just started college, which hasn't kicked my butt yet, so I'm happy. Personal problems like to kick people when they're already down. I've recently learned to tackle it. :)
Yes, this is the first part. I'm going to start working on the second part later today. Also there are a lot of cute scenes that wouldn't mesh into the flow of this chapter. They'll be in From Beyond Extras named "Once in a Lifetime", "Bonding", and "Moments in the Sun".
No, I haven't abandoned this story, and I don't plan on abandoning it anytime soon. Kudos, comment, and/or bookmark if you please. Also, thank you for everyone who likes this story, and stuck with it despite the long break in updating. It's slow-to-update, but I'll try not to make you all wait too long.