I don't own Re:Zero or any of the characters.
Heinkel
Ian hummed thoughtfully as Liliana's song faded. He, Rem, and Ram still lay in bed, all still neglecting to get dressed and all of them having listened to Liliana sing a love song about Wilhelm marrying Theresia van Astrea, and then her death and his ten-year hunt for the White Whale. It was a poorly chosen song to sing while he was in the city, it was bound to bring up a lot of painful emotions for him, and it had so captured Ian, Rem, and Ram's attention that all three had spaced out while listening to it, cutting off their meaningless conversation and making them forget they had even been having one.
"She has a beautiful voice," Rem finally said.
"Rem's singing voice is far more pleasing," Ram said defiantly.
"So are her moans," Ian said, both sisters blushing bright red instantly and smacking him lightly.
"Shameless," Ram said.
Ian shrugged. "True is true. We're probably late for breakfast by now."
Ram sighed heavily, acting as though it were barely worth her time to get out of bed, but Rem simply nodded, smiling, and kissed them both before getting up and beginning to get dressed. Ian took the longest to get dressed, and by the time he was finished, Rem and ram were waiting by the door, Ram behind Rem with her hands on Rem's hips. He smiled, walking over to them and kissing them both before leading them out of the room, reaching back to the two new items he'd bought the day before while they were exploring the city, making sure they were properly concealed.
"Don't make me laugh, mister," Subaru's voice said as they neared the tea room they'd eaten at before. "The one being provocative is you. I'm just asking you exactly what you're doing here." His voice was dripping with annoyance and barely concealed anger.
Ian turned the corner and narrowed his eyes, seeing a man with bright red hair, stubble from lack of proper shaving, a black shirt under a leather cuirass and shoulder guards, black elbow-length gloves under leather vambraces, brown pants, cuffed black boots, and a black cape. At his side, he wore a beautiful sword with a half-coin cross guard, the rounded side of the guard toward the blade, and a spherical red jewel in the center of the guard. Even from a distance, he reeked of alcohol.
"You're so annoying, kid," the man said. "Hey, Sword Saint, or Juukulius too, or even Argyle. Cut down this rude kid for me."
Ian stepped up behind the man, drawing his two new daggers in reverse grip and crossing them in front of the man's throat, both of the daggers pressing against the opposite side of his neck from the arm holding it. Everyone inside the room went rigid instantly, Wilhelm and every non-Subaru knight in the room grabbing the hilts of their swords, Reinhard's remaining firmly sheathed, as it apparently could only be drawn if it was truly needed.
"What the hell are you doing!?" Subaru demanded.
"Shut the hell up, black sheep," Ian said. "Now, is that any way for you to be acting, deputy commander of the Knights of Lugunica, Heinkel Astrea?" He removed his daggers, sheathing them before walking past Heinkel and into the room, Rem and Ram following. "My apologies for being late, Miss Emilia. It was somehow very difficult to get out of bed this morning."
Half the faces in the room went crimson, knowing exactly why he'd had trouble getting up, though Emilia seemed confused.
"I also apologies for my rather...unsuitable greeting," Ian said. "I simply reacted to what I perceived to be a potential threat."
Everyone glared at him, though none could claim it wasn't meant to be a threat.
"As the three of us are currently on a temporary leave from our duties to the Knights of Lugunica, the deputy head of the order does not currently have the authority to give such an order," Julius said. "Even so, we can not overlook your own threat to him."
"I didn't threaten him," Ian said. "I discouraged him from taking any actions that would be unfavorable to his reputation or livelihood."
"Even if nyou dress it up with pleasant words, you held a blade to his throat," Felix said.
"And he allowed me to," Ian said. "I'm pretty sure the deputy commander of an order of knights, especially being from the house of Astrea, Sword Saint or no, he could have stopped me if he'd been so inclined."
Everyone continued to glare at him for another moment before turning their attention to Heinkel again, though he continued to glare at Ian.
"From what I've heard about you, and judging by the fact that you obviously know you're inferior to me in skill, you should have been able to figure out I was just kidding around," Heinkel said coldly. "After all, it's not like I don't know the gravity of my orders as the deputy commander."
"And yet you ordered a summary execution like it was nothing, and for being annoying even," Ian said, meeting Heinkel's cold glare equally.
"You're the deputy commander?" Subaru asked.
"Just so," Heinkel nodded, turning his eyes to Subaru, his face betraying excessive pride. "That's my delectable adornment. Deputy Commander of the Knights of the Kingdom of Lugunica, Heinkel, that's me."
"Don't give me such a righteous look!" Subaru snapped.
Heinkel laughed, though his tone was mocking. "This kid's voice is really harsh. It hurts, hurts, hurts me." His tone turned dark. "So shut your worthless mouth, you dog."
Subaru's eyes widened in surprise, and Ian narrowed his, wrapping his left hand around his whip sword's hilt, only for Rem to set her hand on his under the table, though her other hand was holding the handle of her flail, the chain extending into her skirt, where its seal was located, Ram likewise holding her wand under the table.
Julius cleared his throat, finally, meaning to diffuse the tension. "If I may ask, what is the reason for your visit? If my memory serves correctly, your duty as deputy commander should be guarding the capital."
"Drop those sarcastic words," Heinkel almost sneered. "Just how great of an influence on the vigilant defense of the capital can the absence of one man make? Marcus can handle it perfectly alone, far better than I could. Ah, although, a royal family who could suffer disaster is missing."
"Heinkel!" Wilhelm roared, infuriated by Heinkel's blatant disrespect. "Heinkel..."
"Just calling me once is fine," Heinkel said, sticking his pinky in his ear and closing one eye. "I've not yet lost my hearing from old age. Well, treat that as nonsense and ignore it. More importantly..." He directed his gaze to Wilhelm. "This isn't a very nice feeling. Obviously, I want to offer my congratulations to you for your defeat of the White Whale, but you've been avoiding me. This is a feat that took fourteen long years to accomplish, after all. I'd think that I also have the right to join the joyful celebrations. Isn't that the case, father?"
"Heinkel, I..."Wilhelm stopped as Heinkel turned away from him.
"Reinhard, what about you?" Heinkel asked.
Reinhard slowly turned his gaze toward Heinkel.
"Shouldn't you also be congratulating father on the burden that's been lifted off his shoulders? Since he's carried out a wife, a mother, a grandmother's vengeance, at least offer him some words. That said..." His expression grew a touch more twisted.
Reinhard's eyes narrowed near-imperceptibly.
"With this, father has finally avenged the previous Sword Saint, who you murdered,
isn't that right?" Heinkel sneered.
Ian's hand clenched around the whip sword, Rem's hand clenching around his wrist and Ram's hand clamping down on his thigh to stop him from standing.
"Previous Sword Saint...murdered?" Subaru asked.
Heinkel's wicked grin grew. "Yeah, the murdered previous Sword Saint. Although I don't know exactly how ignorant you are, you have to be familiar with the title of Sword Saint, right? Our current Sword Saint is the most powerful hero of our day...but that was something he got from murdering his predecessor, his own grandmother. Although that fact was immediately hidden from public knowledge."
"Silence, Heinkel!" Wilhelm snapped. "You...just how far are intending to go!?"
"If you want to say something that sounds nice, then please stop, father," Heinkel said dryly. "The reason is nothing other than that you simply don't have the right to disagree with me. After all, when the last Sword Saint died, the first to condemn Reinhard was none other than you."
"It wasn't murder," Ian said, all eyes turning to him. "In fact, Reinhard wasn't even there. Whatever power passes from one Sword Saint to the next, which I can only assume is the most powerful Divine Protection in existence, or at least something like it, most likely does that at the moment of one's death, meaning when the White Whale killed Theresia van Astrea. As Reinhard was-what, five?-at the time, he was not at the battle, and therefor had no way of causing her death. Regardless of what words were spoken out of grief and misplaced anger, to accuse Reinhard of murdering her now, after everything has settled and all of that grief and anger are no longer blocking critical thinking, is no more than baseless slander. It's no wonder you haven't been granted the honor of being van Astrea."
"You little..." Heinkel snarled, gripping his sword, Rem and Ram releasing Ian.
Before they could come to blows, however, Emilia stood, drawing their attention, if not their eyes, to her, their eyes remaining locked, waiting for the other to move.
"So...what did you come here for?" Emilia asked icily, radiating more anger than Ian had ever seen. "We were originally dining happily. To deliberately spoil such a peaceful moment, what did you intend?"
Heinkel slowly relaxed, his gaze shifting to Emilia.
"Oh, this is unexpected," Heinkel said, voice dripping with venom. "Are you not Miss Emilia? I've heard the rumors. A poor half-witch girl who stands no fighting chance but struggles along anyway."
"Although I'd like to one day talk to you and ask how you think of me, right now I only want to hear one answer from you," Emilia said evenly. "Why did you come here?"
Almost everyone was surprised by Emilia's calmness, and Heinkel was disappointed that his insults had had no effect.
"The reason why we all gathered here, was because we were invited by Anasta It's very rare that we are all gathered in the same place, so I don't think you would have randomly targeted such an opportunity, even if you are someone important to the knights," Emilia reasoned. "Please tell me exactly what you want."
Heinkel clicked his tongue. "Not the same as the rumors."
"Answer me," Emilia instructed coldly.
"You marched in with confidence only to back down when a girl glares at you," Felt smirked. "Mister, that's pretty embarrassing."
"That's right," Anastasia spoke up. "Just when I was looking forward to sharing a fun story, too. That songstress is apparently quite the whimsical character, isn't that interesting?"
"Well, is that so?" Crusch asked. "Then, I'd appreciate it if this puzzling man would leave, since I'd love to discuss these rumors about this songstress with everyone here."
Heinkel's flustered attitude grew steadily worse as more and more of the females spoke up against him.
"Such a shamelessly spineless man to cower before the harsh words of women younger than himself," Ram criticized harshly. "Truly irredeemable, worthless, and deplorable."
Even Ian felt a little sympathy over Ram's exceedingly harsh yet appropriate chastisement.
"I'm sorry, deputy head," Julius spoke up finally. "If there's nothing else for time being then I think, for the benefit of all parties involved, that you should take your leave."
Ian smirked slightly as Heinkel was granted the opportunity to leave with some semblance of dignity, though Ram's input had definitely done damage, given she wasn't even a candidate or knight. Heinkel stood there, growling in anger, so Julius tried again.
"Deputy commander, please make a decision. Once you do, please-"
"There's no need for that, commoner," an arrogant, self-glorified, feminine voice interrupted.
"Priscilla," Ian grumbled, remembering her voice and attitude from the alleyway where Subaru had first met her alone.
"So, all of the trivial people have arrived?" Priscilla mused as she slid the door open and surveyed the room. "You've prepared a stage for my debut. You deserve praise for your behavior."
She held her fan over her mouth, had her arms crossed under her chest, pushing her breasts up even more until the blood-red dress only barely kept them covered, and her crimson eyes shone with self-assurance.
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