Disclaimer: I own neither Final Fantasy XII nor its characters.

A/N: Well, here is the next chapter and it's getting closer and closer to the end... Once again, a tremendous amount of thanks to my beta BlueTrillium. I firmly believe this story would be lacking greatly if it were not for her help! My thanks to all of you who are still reading this, despite my long absence. I can scarcely believe that this story is now a year in the making and has managed to accumulate almost 8000 hits! Thank you, to all of those who read this story, for without you...well, this wouldn't be much of a story without readers now would it? ;D I do respond to all of my signed reviews, but for those of you who review without a signature, thank you. I truly appreciate your input and your kind words! Alright, enough prattle on my part...Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty

Larsa paced the length of his drawing room. The calming waters that poured from the terrace above did little to soothe him. The news should have been a relief, but it was anything but comforting. His eyes scanned the official report and he shook his head. He wondered if there was anything they wouldn't try.

Angrily he slammed the paper down on his ornate desk as he threw himself into his chair with a huff. He shuffled through a small stack of papers to his right and found the parchment he was searching for. He read through it once and then once again, worrying the edges with his gloved hands. It helped to calm his nerves.

Larsa knew that Basch and Penelo were safe in Rozarria. This piece of paper confirmed it. He glared at the other sheet. That piece of paper was at least comforting in the fact that Basch's hard work had finally paid off.

The older man had always had a knack for knowing what needed to be done and had taken to his brother's position quite well. All Larsa had needed to do was fill him in on the nuances of palace life and the occasional name he should have known. The previous Gabranth had had little time for a social life, so everyone that man had known, Larsa knew as well.

When Basch assumed the role, the first thing he did was search out every single emissary his brother had contact with. It had taken him almost a full year, but the reward was immense. He strengthened the ties with the ones he felt he could trust and let the ones he could not, go free. It had surprised Larsa, but the elder man gave sound reason to the matter.

"Why not simply imprison them?" Larsa questioned. "You do have that capacity."

"I will not chain a man simply because I cannot trust him," Basch said forcefully, then gentled his tone as he looked down at the raven-haired boy. "I know all too well how chains feel. 'Tis better this way. I know their faces. They will no longer dare to operate under a watchful eye."

And Basch had been right. Now the network under the new Gabranth flourished, which was the only reason this plot had been discovered so quickly.

Larsa's hands balled into fists. He had personally warned the girl and now she was awaiting judgment in a cell. There would be no sympathy for her or for her father. He too sat in wait for his crime.

"My Lord," a guard said as he saluted and escorted a grey-haired senator into the drawing room.

Larsa schooled his face and gave a short nod of his head. "Dismissed."

The guard saluted once again and left the room. The senator cocked his head, looking curiously at his lord.

"Senator Vasren, my apologies for disturbing your evening but I fear this matter could not wait," Larsa said, motioning the man to sit in the chair opposite of the desk.

The senator smiled pleasantly and sat. "It was no trouble, my lord."

"I have just received word that Senator Brusnile is being held for treason." Which wasn't the entire truth. Brusnile had been in holding all day, but the testimony had finally been delivered.

"Brusnile? Treason?" the elderly man asked, his eyes widening in shock.

Larsa's eyes narrowed. "His daughter is also being held for attempted murder."

The young emperor studied the older man's reactions, hoping to gain some further insight. But the man looked genuinely surprised.

"Mirith a murderer?" His mouth gaped; then he shook his head to regain his composure. "She was a nasty child, but I can hardly believe she would do such a thing."

"It is disturbing news for us both, senator," Larsa admitted and then rounded on him. "But I fear Brusnile implicates you as the instigator behind the plot that had placed a timed destruction device in the airship that was sent to Rozarria. An acting Archadian ambassador and my Judge Magister were aboard that vessel."

"My lord, I assure you I had no knowledge of this," Vasren said incredulously. "I knew the man was ambitious and had strong reservations against Rozarrian ties, but never did I think he would turn against the Empire. And to accuse me of such, I would never."

Larsa inhaled slowly. The man was giving him no reason to disbelieve him. He scanned the report once again, brushing away the few stray raven hairs that dropped into his vision. The only thing that implicated him was the traitor Brusnile and his vicious daughter.

"The Lady Mirith also has stated that you pressed her to take action against my bride-to-be," Larsa informed him.

Vasren's hands grabbed hold of the arms of his chair tightly. "I would never!"

Larsa gave a tight-lipped smile and nodded his head. Lady Mirith had indeed reported such, but her story lost its credibility as Penelo was found to be the target and not the Lady Margrace. It unsettled him to no end that Mirith had gone so far as to call his dear friend 'the whore that hung herself on his Judge Magister's arm.' Her fate was sealed at the mere thought of causing Penelo harm. Not to mention the monies came directly from her father's account. Tangible evidence always sat better with the public and Larsa had no intention of letting the harpy see the light of another day. He was giving some strong consideration to waiting for Basch to return, though; he was quite certain his Judge Magister would have more than a few things to say on the matter of Mirith's fate.

"Forgive me, senator, but due to the nature of the accusations you will be put under investigation."

Vasren's brow furrowed indignantly. "I have nothing to hide, my lord."

And therein laid Larsa's greatest problem, the man was telling the truth. The investigation team had already begun sifting through every piece of information that Brusnile offered and nothing gave even the slightest notion that Vasren could have been involved.

"Again Senator Vasren, you have my apologies, but I must forbid you from leaving the palace grounds until this matter is wholly resolved," Larsa said officially.

"Of course my lord," Vasren said tersely, looking rather unhappy. "I will subject myself willingly to this nonsense if only to prove my innocence."

"I shall hope, for both our sakes, this matter is resolved with haste. Thank you Senator," Larsa said, dismissing the elderly man.

Vasren made his exit and Larsa watched his every step. The situation was far too coincidental for Larsa's taste. There was no visible connection between the accusations towards the senator and the word of a traitor held little weight. Yet the dread feeling in his stomach did little to settle his mind as the young lord scanned through the parchment on his desk. A slow breath escaped his lips. 'At least Penelo is safe,' he thought.

The walk from the drawing room to his simple residence within the palace was a cold comfort. Vasren knew he would be forced to comply with the investigation, but he did not think he would have to be confined until its conclusion. At least the main part of his plan had taken root.

He entered into his austere apartment and settled himself in the leather armchair that faced a scenic window view of the grand city of Archades. It was perhaps the richest furnishing in the nondescript room, but the view was his favorite and it deserved to be watched in comfort. The sky was bathed in the color of night and few were the stars that shined brighter than the lights that illuminated the city. The buildings, tall and imposing, seemed to radiate an ethereal glow. A smirk touched his lips. Brusnile was now effectively put back in his place and could cause no other disruptions to his plans. In a few days' time, he would be causing no disruptions at all. Treason was still an offense punishable by death. His presence would be missed within the senate, but Vasren knew there was always another just like him. Perhaps the next replacement would listen better.

Brusnile's daughter, Mirith, was a great disappointment. Her alleged pirating contacts were nothing more than boastful knaves trying to impress the wretched girl. And the dimwitted child actually used Gil from her father's personal account. It made Vasren chuckle. She was about as bright as her father. If he were lucky, the two would share a similar fate. With the viper out of the way, perhaps then Gabranth would not be on his guard towards other courtly ladies - at least, not once the Dalmascan girl was taken care of.

He had been waiting all day to be called in to see Larsa. It was only a matter of time before Brusnile would turn on him. Pity the man did not keep a closer watch on how his little foray into political warfare was handled. The man who placed the bomb had been caught almost the same day the ship left port and willingly gave Brusnile's name with just the teeniest mention of torture. The man had a way with explosives but refuse scum had little loyalty to anything other than their own necks. A trait Brusnile seemed to share. Vasren smiled. It certainly paid to have a few emissaries about to gain such news. It gave him time to rehearse his performance.

Vasren leaned forward to gaze out at the various ships that scuttled from building to building, the streaking lines of light as they went along their way paying no mind to the darkness. Larsa had sealed his own fate by bestowing the necklace upon the peasant. The elder senator was not without means within the empire he so adored. A man his age always had old friends, loyal old friends.

He leaned back into the chair with a content sigh and folded his hands. Now all he had to do was wait. In two days time, the Empire's problematic leader would be faced with a new challenge. One that no amount of oratory wonders or gifts from the royal treasury could fix. It would only be a short matter of time before the young man would lose everything he needed to remain in power. The senator closed his eyes. 'Long live the Empire, the greatest power in all of Ivalice,' he thought before drifting off to sleep.