Grow On You
Chapter 29
~In The End Folcass Holds All The Strings~
Author's Note: The next chapter, and hopefully a significant plot advance. Unfortunately it is very short but the next one will focus back on Oga, and it will be longer. Enjoy!
Saotome Zenjyuurou had returned to a somber, black atmosphere.
The central courtyard was filled with mourners. Courtiers burst into tears and wails when he touched down with the bodies of the King and Queen atop his dragon. With the help of the healers he had them whisked to the hospice where a white-faced Angelica awaited. "Lord Zenjyuurou," She started hesitantly as the bodies were respectfully laid onto tables; "Will you be present for the ritual?"
He hated this. He was there when the previous King was prepared for burial, and now…
He wasn't expecting to attend another one. Not Bub's. "I'll see to the masouleum."
"General Behemoth is attending to that," Angelica noted and Zenjyuurou blanched that his escape route had been cut off. "I think… this may sound presumtuous but I am certain His Majesty would appreciate your presence."
Zenjyuurou knew that. He knew it, but he didn't have to like it.
Angelica had her attendants move the Queen to another area while she tended to the king. Zenjyuurou gazed upon his once dearest friend's calm face and something nagged at the back of his mind.
In another private room, General Behemoth was staring at his badly-injured son. The large and imposing Jabberwock literally shrank under his father's intense scrutiny. "The king's tent was already on fire?" He asked in a low voice. Jabberwock nodded. "By the time I got to the tent it was already burning. They were both inside."
Behemoth turned away, thinking hard. "The king did not attempt to protect himself?"
"He didn't even draw his sword," Jabberwork was whispering in confusion now. "When I struck him something happened. The next thing I remember is waking up here."
Something was not right. Behemoth could feel it, years of experience in warfare telling him that the picture was not as clear as it appeared to be.
Zenjyuurou watched as Angelica carefully washed the dirt and blood off the King's body. The King had been killed with a single strike, Queen Iris likely from the fire.
He looked around. The hospice was largely unchanged after Folcass' departure (he couldn't very well think of it as passing when he knows the doctor is alive). The large blackboard that spanned the wall was still covered in undecipherable writing. He remembered many days when he sat watching Folcass scribble furiously, slaving over one formula or another. Like his Soul Transfer…
Zenjyuurou suddenly stiffened, a thought occuring to him. He glanced back at the corpse. He was killed in a single strike. How was it possible? King Beelzebub was a skilled fighter and as stubborn as a mule. Even if it was an assassination, there was no way the King would have been caught off guard so easily. And though people would not usually look twice at Queen Iris, she had a really mean hand with magic. Whoever killed the King must have been exceptionally skilled.
Or…
Could it be?
"You're a right bastard, you know that?"
Folcass, in his Mu form could only look mildly apologetic. The two had decided to move some distance away from the main party, partly because Zenjyuurou was in no mood to entertain any idiot (read: Takayuki) interjections. Partly because he had a lot of questions that were not for public knowledge. Mostly because he still wanted to kill Folcass for his deception, and he wanted the murder to be a private affair.
Zenjyuurou drew on his cigarette and found that it was finished. Damn. He didn't bring any spares.
"I needed to eshcape the Palace. I trust you didn't grieve?" Folcass seemed to be amused… but then again Folcass was always amused.
"Like hell I'd grieve for you. Your ashes are sitting in a pretty urn in your lab, by the way. You should come to see it. Might be funny."
"Yesh, I imagine they'd burn my body." Folcass murmured. "I wash short on time, sho I had to mutilate the corpse shince I couldn't find the mark."
"Mark?"
"Shoul Transfer leaves a mark, you know." Folcass gestured vaguely. Zenjyuurou raised an eyebrow. "How should I know? You never tell me anything. I didn't even know you were still alive."
"Really Zen, I needed to eshcape. Behemoth ish up to shomething but I didn't know what. And then Hilda runsh off with the Prinshe and I knew I had to find her."
"Well congratulations, at least someone's getting ahead." Zenjyuurou grumbled. "So, this mark. Is it like a seal or something?"
"Or something." He shrugged. "It could be a giveaway since the mark is clearly magical in nature. If someone knew what they were looking for, they'd find it."
"Angelica," Zenjyuurou said suddenly; "Will you give me a moment?"
Angelica frowned as she carefully poured a sweet-smelling liquid into a bowl. "Lord Saotome, the ritual – "
"Just one minute." Zenjyuurou forced a look of utter devestation on his face. He trembled his lips for added emphasis. "Please."
She said nothing further and gestured for the other healers to clear the room. Once Zenjyuurou was sure they were gone he started looking over King Beezebub's body. "A mark…" He muttered as he checked between the charred fingers. "A mark that I don't know, on a body this badly burnt. Oh, you're grasping at straws Zen…" He carefully examined the corpse, dismissing cuts and gaping wounds, moles and marks that he already knew. Hoping against hope that he was right. Hoped against hope that he could still see it, even a little bit – if only –
And right there hidden, protected by skin and bone and muscle right in the corpse's armpit, he found what he was looking for. It was a small unremarkable bruise. He carefully modulated his wavelength and passed his hand over it.
The mark seemed to pulse and then right before his eyes, it shifted into a triangular seal. It was damning how Folcass could leave his handiwork signed. It was as if a gigantic weight had been taken off his shoulders, the dark heavy shroud that he had unconsciously worn falling away in a ray of light. Starting at it in amazement Zenjyuurou said the only thing that came to mind.
"You sly conniving shitty bastard," He breathed triumphantly.
