Upon their return to Randgriz, Crìsdean, Welkin and Faldio were summoned to Captain Varrot's office. Neither man said a word as they entered the office, Faldio might not have known what was going on, but he knew it was bad if both Welkin and Crìsdean looked ready to murder. Especially Welkin as there wasn't much that could get his ire up.
Standing before her desk, Captain Varrot frowned. She hated being left in the dark, but Largo hadn't been forthcoming with any information. "Lieutenants, Commander, I'm hoping you'll be able to shed some light on a matter Largo mentioned briefly to me. Something about General Damon as I recall," she said.
It didn't take much of Isara's story before Varrot had a plan in mind and by the end of it, she knew what to do. "Right, this is what is going to happen. There is a Ball that the Princess is throwing in one week to demonstrate our ties to our German and British friends to the world. I will get approval, but I intend for that Ball to be where we take Damon down."
Faldio quickly realized his purpose as Captain Varrot turned to him, "Lieutenant Landzaat, Squad One will be the ones to arrest him, I'd have Squad Seven do it but it would be seen as a conflict of interests." she remarked before turning to Welkin, "However, the Princess has requested that the officer of Squad Seven be present at the ball."
Before Welkin could groan, she raised her hand, "You also get a plus one as well as the company of Commander McAllen, Oberleutnant Krauss and Commander Hernandez and their plus ones should they have any."
Seeing that Welkin had tuned out after finding out that he could bring Alicia, Crìsdean looked at Captain Varrot, "Assume that it goes to hell, what's the worst-case scenario we're looking at?"
Varrot sighed, she knew that Damon wouldn't go down without a fight, but she hoped that he wouldn't make too much of a fuss. "Ideally, none, absolute worst is that it backfires on us, though I doubt that will happen due to Isara's popularity with the population, so Damon invoking the 'old rights' and demanding a test of combat against his accusers is the most likely worst-case scenario."
Crìsdean nodded and turned to leave, "What should we do if he does demand the 'old rights'?" Faldio asked.
Crìsdean stopped and turned around, "If you want him humiliated, let Joseph at him, otherwise, let Welkin at him."
Varrot nodded and dismissed the men. Faldio began walking to his barracks when his eye caught something unusual. A member of Squad Seven was standing by the gates of the base looking apprehensively at the wider city. He wasn't sure why, but he soon found himself walking up to her. "Um, hello there," he began, startling her, "I'm sorry for startling you, was there something you needed to do in town?" he asked.
The blond girl shook her head, "N-no, not really," she replied. "I was interested in exploring, but I'm worried I'll get lost out there."
Faldio flashed a calming slime at her, "Then allow me to be your guide, I couldn't get lost in Randgriz if I tried." he assured.
For a moment, it looked as if she would refuse before heading back into the base. However, she nodded and they set off into the city.
In other parts of the base, Joseph sat in Crìsdean's office, debriefing him on things that Lady had told him in the Kloden woodlands. "So let me get this straight," Crìsdean said in disbelief, "Lady told you that the rest of the war will be harder on us, I will be hard-pressed to keep it together, and that you need to trust those around you?" he asked. When Joseph nodded he pounded his desk, "Dammit! I know that I've grown desensitized since Cat's death, but if I'm going to be troubled, then I fear what will happen."
Joseph looked down and shut his eyes. Ever since that night in Kloden, he hadn't gotten a restful night of sleep since his mind rationalized that she would have only appeared to him if the event she was referencing directly impacted him or those he cared about, which was Isara. Crìsdean took pity on the young man, "We'll cross that bridge when we get there Joseph," he consoled, drawing his attention, "In the meantime, make sure that your dress uniform is cleaned and polished, Princess is throwing a Ball next week and you, me, Welkin and Krauss are Guests of Honour. Plus ones encouraged of course."
The smile that graced Joseph's face at the thought of being at a ball with Isara cheered Crìsdean's soul a bit. The next bit of news would interest him too, "Captain Varrot plans to deal with Damon during the Ball as well, Faldio will take care of it."
Joseph arched an eyebrow, "Something tells me that there is more to that line Crìs. What is it?" he asked.
Crìsdean sighed, "Apparently, Gallia allows the nobles to demand a test of arms if they are accused, so it's likely that you'll have to fight."
Joseph snorted, "Swords or pistols, it matters not."
Crìsdean shrugged, "We'll have to see," he remarked before grinning, "Now what's this I hear of you being called 'the Hero with no fear'?" he asked.
Joseph rolled his eyes, "No clue, you're being called 'the Blue Baron' and 'the King of the Skies' by the press though."
Joseph was surprised to see him turn a shade of red only matched by blood "In ainm Dhia! Fuair Uncail Charles bás i Richtofen sa chéad chogadh!"
Joseph knew better than to interrupt his former commander when he was getting on a good rant, so chose to make a speedy and quiet exit.
Back in Randgriz, Faldio walked around with Susie, he had discovered her name after Alicia called out to her from the other side of a market square while she was gathering supplies for something. They had been walking for close to an hour and the sun was going down, necessitating their return to the base. Faldio wasn't sure why, but he was finding that he was nervous of saying the wrong thing or upsetting her in some way, unlike during his University days where he had been told that he was a bit of a womanizer.
For her part, Susie was enjoying her time with Faldio, even if he seemed a bit distracted by something he was thinking about. Though she had been to Randgriz before, it had always been when her father either had business or a party to attend and so she had never gotten a chance to explore the city.
Soon they returned to the base and Faldio smiled, "See, I told you I couldn't get lost in Randgriz if I tried."
Susie smiled, setting off an odd feeling in Faldio's gut, "I had no doubt of that, I just wondered how long you would continue to say that if we did get lost." she remarked, drawing a blush from him. Seeing the effect she was having on him, Susie continued, "After all, if we did get lost, I'd have to pay a bet with Juno. She thought that no matter what I'd get lost, so we wagered attempting to get someone to take one of us to the Princess' Ball, if she was right, she would try to go to the ball, but since I won, I get to try to go to the ball." she remarked, casting a side-long glance at him.
Faldio didn't know that there was no such wager, but a girl could try. As it happened, Faldio bought it, "In that case, would you do me the honour of being my plus one?"
Susie bowed her head, "I would be honoured Lieutenant."
With that, they departed each other's company, eagerly anticipating the Ball next week.
A few days later, at Ghirlandaio, Prince Maximilian sat on his dais, internally seething. With Jaeger's betrayal, his triumvirate sat at a real triumvirate with just himself, Gregor, who was still in Fouzen, restructuring the forces and the work camp located there, and Selvaria, the one person he felt he could trust and whom he was glad he had cultivated a saviour persona around her, it certainly sated his biological desires.
The reports from Randgriz troubling him lay scattered on his desk. He had seen the "King of the Skies" over Barious take on most of the Imperial Air Force by himself for much of the battle until the so-called "Hero with no Fear" stepped in. Imperial propaganda had been working overtime after that to portray them in the worst possible light; even though Maximilian knew that, of the hundred pilots over Barious, only about ten or so were young while the rest were men in their thirties, the propagandists of the Empire were calling McAllen and Hernandez "Child-Killers", greatly inflating the youth of the air force's pilots. While it would cause outrage back home, Maximilian also knew that people would demand a quick end to the way in Gallia before more "children" were killed.
The door opening drew his attention from his musing as it admitted Selvaria and her aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Eisen. "Selvaria, Lieutenant. I have a mission for you." he began, "The Gallian Princess is hosting a Ball in three days and has agreed to have an Imperial Noble show up so they may determine if peace may be found."
Selvaria raised an eyebrow and Johann wondered what the Prince was getting at, peace was never going to happen so long as he still lived.
Sure enough, the Prince continued, "You both shall pose as the Count and Countess von Ritter, and while you may keep the pretence up, under no circumstances are you to agree to anything. Moreover, you will gather intelligence on the Gallian Forces while you are there. Understood?"
Selvaria nodded, "Understood Your Grace."
Dismissing them both, Maximilian turned back to his papers. A long night ahead of him.
Selvaria and Johann returned to her chambers. Once she shut the door, she noticed the thoughtful look on his face and knew that they wouldn't be getting any action tonight, much to her disappointment. "What are you thinking Johann?" she asked.
Johann frowned, "Cloak-and-Dagger, most unlike the Prince, especially considering the loss of Jaeger. Makes me concerned about his plans for his chess pieces."
Selvaria frowned, "Surely we, or at the very least I, will be more valuable to 'His Grace' as one of the last Triumvirate officers and a Valkyria to boot." she remarked.
Johann slumped in his chair, "I fear the opposite will occur. We know that he sees you as nothing more than a powerful weapon and that as soon as things turn bad he'll order you to use your Final Flame." he replied, "And considering how things are going now, it won't take long before we're forced to choose our path. I give it no more than two or three months, tops."
While Selvaria had her doubts about his estimates, she also feared that he would be proven right. Thus it made her decision easier to make, "I think it's time to let them know," she said before growing a small smile, "And the Ball will provide us with a perfect opportunity…"
Phew, finally got this one up. I can safely say that I have fourteen more chapters to write, after which it will be onto my next project, but that won't be for a while yet.
With the outbreak of CoronaVirus in the US, my schooling has taken a turn, cancelling face-to-face finals, which would have been this week, and pushing the start of Spring Term back until April 6, which will then start Online or Remote learning depending on the class instructor. Personally, I, and my family, am well, any ill feelings are easily explained and diagnosed as seasonal allergies kicking me in the balls. It is likely that with the effective quarantine, I will be able to push out a bit of work on this fic. To that end, I would expect that the next chapter, the Ball, would be out sometime in the next two weeks.
Until Next Time, stay safe.
