Hello and Happy New Year! Whether your in the 1st, 2nd of this year or still in the 31st of last year, the sentiment is still the same. I look back and I realise the achievement I have in this story. At current I have 20 planned chapters as well as a planned Finale and Epilogue (as two different chapters). There is also an alternative ending to this story that I thought up, as well as a few short crossover fics that I hope to eventually write. Feel free to PM me and ask.
Anyway here's chapter 12 (wow, so far already!) Enjoy!
I don't own Tales of the Abyss. That belongs to Bandai Namco. Lythia and Arya are mine. Caius belongs to Defiance-of-Fate.
Unveiled Truths
If there was something that Lythia had thought she'd never experience, it would be riding the Tartarus over the ocean. If there was something that Lythia had forgotten, it was how slow the Tartarus was when there was a minimal number of crew, which wasn't something she had experienced since she owned the ship, when it was it was still being tested for the battlefield. She kind of wished that it was still hers, but alas, its ownership had passed to her brother. What she was discovering however was the ship's apparent ability to float on water. At this point, Lythia didn't know whether to be jealous that she was no longer the commander of the ship, or angry that her ship had been roughly thrown into the Qliphoth where the sludge killed the Tartarus' ability to traverse the land.
"I suppose I can't really call it my ship anymore," Lythia murmured, glaring lightly at her brother. Dragging her mind out of her thoughts, the blonde woman went to stand behind Guy who was inputting commands into the console in front of him. It had been two days since they had left Keterburg and they had finally reached Rotelro Bridge, having decided to dock there since Guy had apparently, correctly noted that Grand Chokmah was sealed off.
Examining his work she decided to ask a question.
"Do you work with fon machines much Guy?"
The inquiry was met with a groan from Anise and a snicker from Luke. The next few minutes were filled with the two blondes trying to find a common ground in the topic of fon technology, eventually settling on the theoretical side of fomicry machines, debating on the efficiency of the machine inside Choral Castle and comparing it to other fomicry machines that Lythia had seen. The blonde woman didn't explain how she had seen as many of the machines as she had, but she did appear very knowledgeable on the subject.
Throughout the conversation, Guy's gynophobia, which Lythia had been informed of, did not react to the way that the Ward princess gestured almost wildly when presenting her arguments or the way that she leaned over the servant's shoulder, showing him a diagram she had quickly drawn up on the parchment she kept in her pocket for such times. The rest of the party seemed to note this fact with an interest, finding it funny that Guy could ignore his fear of women if he was talking about something he was passionate about.
The conversation ended when the landship, which really couldn't be called that anymore, docked at the broken Rotelro Bridge. It had taken four days to traverse the ocean and it was easy to see half of the party's relief of being off the ship. From there they started walking up towards Theor Forest, a week's journey away.
A day away from the forest and the group stopped to camp for the night, like each other night. Silence reigned until Guy directed a new statement at Lythia, who was siting a little way off from the group, back to back with Caius, both keeping their sharp gazes on the area surrounding the camp.
"I do believe you never introduced yourself to us properly, Lythia."
"I could say the same about you all," the woman responded shortly. After a short pause she spoke again. "Alright then. I'm Lythia Bal_"
"Lythia."
She was interrupted by Natalia, who was giving her a reprimanding look.
"They might not know you well enough to know when you are hiding something," the Kimlascan princess commented, "but that does not mean that I shall let you hide this truth here. Please refrain from excluding important information, I do not wish to see nor hear the shock of the truth in Grand Chokmah. Proper titles, Lythia."
Lythia sighed sharply, letting her eyes close in frustration, as she had hoped to avoid using her much hated title of 'Ward Princess'. Caius notably glanced back at his liege.
"Of course," she responded, warily. "I am Princess Lythia Bal_ fine. Malkuth, adopted daughter of former Emperor Karl the Fifth, younger sister of Jade Curtiss, older sister of Nephry Balfour and current heir to the throne of Malkuth until my Lord Brother Peony marries and gives the Empire a child. I am Major in the Malkuth Imperial Army, Third Division, under the command of Colonel Curtiss."
Jade, Natalia, Caius and Ion didn't react to the information at all, this they already knew. Anise blinked in surprise before understanding spread across her face as she remembered seeing Arya around, and remembered why Caius was with them. Guy, Luke and Tear however were stunned into silence. It was Luke who recovered first.
"Princess? You're a princess?" asked the red head. The question caused Lythia to turn her head slightly in the group's direction, making sure that her eyes never left the field.
"Yes, though had Emperor Karl lived just two weeks longer and I would have been Peony's wife," she whispered. In the open field, most of the party almost didn't hear her words.
"Better to be a princess with two brothers, than an Empress in a loveless marriage," Jade commented. A sharp nod from his sister was the only acknowledgement of his words before the blonde woman turned back to the field. There was a shocked noise from Guy however, a few seconds later.
"I've heard of you," he said neutrally. "A few years ago, some maids were talking about the would be 'Queen of Malkuth'. How is it that you are not married to Emperor Peony?"
It would have been better if you hadn't asked that, Lythia thought, glaring at the horizon as she considered her answer. There was a faint growl from Caius, but Lythia gently touched his hand, silently ordering him to stand down.
"While yes, I was meant to marry Peony," the princess started. "It was only on the terms that Emperor Karl had set forward when he adopted me. I was to marry Peony a month after my twenty-first birthday."
"But Emperor Karl died a week before then," noted Jade, earning another nod from Lythia. There were another few minutes of silence, before Anise spoke up.
"Since you are the princess… you would live in the palace, correct?" the black-haired child asked, continuing before Lythia could respond with snark. "Do you know the 'Witch Child'?"
The peaceful silence that had existed suddenly became quite cold as everyone recognised the moniker. Lythia had frozen, no longer watching for danger, as the question played itself over and over in her mind. Had she been more aware of her own reactions, she would not have stopped.
"Yes," Lythia murmured after a long pause, drawing the gazes of everyone. "I know her. Very well… Too well…"
She could feel the expressionless, red eyed, gaze of her brother on the back of her neck, and she knew that he was trying to decipher her words. Thankfully Guy drew the attention away from her.
"The Witch Child?" he asked, confused. "Isn't she the rumoured servant of the Malkuth Emperors? A rumour around Auldrant of the punishment of criminals who had committed the greatest crimes being taken to a room in the palace_"
"And never heard from again?" Lythia finished, no longer sitting lookout as she turned to face Guy. "Is that the most recent story or have the people added that the corpses show up a few days later in the forests, since I last told the story to the children in Grand Chokmah?"
"I have heard both recently," Guy responded.
"Yes, as have I," Jade added, keeping his gaze on Lythia. "I've wondered about those rumours myself, especially since there has been heard from this witch since the former Emperor died. All that's left is stories."
More silence, dark and miserable. Natalia stood up and walked so that she was next to Lythia, before she sat next to the Malkuth woman, letting her hand rest on Lythia's shoulder. Finally the blonde Malkuth Imperial spoke.
"I was the Witch Child," she admitted, keeping her eyes staring forward, letting a cold glare create a mask over her face that didn't match her soft tone. "I killed those men the stories speak of, with a nightmarish arte that has me deserving of the title 'Necromancer.' Afterwards, the bodies would be burned on Emperor Karl's command."
"Are you going to tell them_" Natalia started to ask, only to be cut off by Lythia standing up.
"I will never say those words, Princess Natalia," the blonde woman said, her voice dropping to being deadly cold. "Those were your words, not mine. No one will ever hear that from me. This conversation is over, think me a heartless monster if you will, I care not. If you wish to know the rest then ask Peony. He might consider telling you if you beg."
There was an aura of anger, fear and disgust surrounding Lythia, tangible as she stalked off into the night, leaving a stunned group behind her. Before anyone could say anything, Jade stood and followed her. No one chose to comment after that, opinions already forming and a silent consensus to try and get an answer from Emperor Peony. Caius took up watch next as the rest of the group fell into an uneasy sleep.
Later Jade returned with a sleeping Lythia in his arm. His crimson eyes shot a glance at Caius, as if daring him to comment, but the young retainer wisely remained quiet, but he did glare at the form of the sleeping princess. The next morning the trip continued in a tense atmosphere, conversation clipped, with Tear, Anise and Natalia walking and seemingly communicating through hand gestures, Luke and Ion quietly discussing something to do with the Order of Lorelei, and Guy was walking next to Caius, but the young teen was blatantly ignoring everybody. Lythia and Jade walked together, seemingly having a quiet argument.
They soon found themselves approaching the checkpoint in Theor Forest. The tension in the group strangely dissipated when one of the soldiers standing at the checkpoint called out.
"Who are you?!"
Jade stepped forward.
"I'm Colonel Jade Curtiss, commander of the Third Division, Malkuth Imperial Forces," he asserted firmly. Lythia walked up behind him.
"I vouch for his identity," she stated. The soldier glanced at his companion.
"Colonel Curtiss, we heard you were lost in the destruction of Akzeriuth, and that Major Balfour fell into grief," he commented, slightly shocked. Jade frowned at that.
"Viscount Osborne of Keterburg will vouch for both my identity and Major Balfour's sanity," he replied. Behind them there was a small snort from Caius, but the reprimanding hiss from Natalia let them ignore the teen as they tried to negotiate their way into Grand Chokmah. Sadly the guards would only let Jade, Lythia and Caius through, though the siblings didn't expect anything more than that. The rest of the party accepted this, mostly.
"Caius, please stay here," Lythia ordered quietly. "That might put the good soldiers here at ease."
"Yes my lady," the teen said curtly, making Lythia frown slightly.
"Thank-you Caius," she replied with a tight smile. Turning on her heel, she nodded to the soldiers and then the siblings walked forward, following the soldiers towards the capital.
"A fine day it is, isn't it young Lythia?"
"Yes, Lord Father."
"Have I displeased you at all my young daughter?"
"No, Lord Father."
"Then why do you reply so shortly?"
"I will endeavour to speak longer sentences in the future, my Lord Father."
"Go Lythia, Caela is looking for you."
"Farewell, Lord Father."
Peony sat on his throne, regarding the person in front of him with conflicted emotions. On one hand he should be overjoyed, Jade was standing there, alive and well, and Lythia had returned with him and was currently in her rooms, talking to Arya. On the other hand he should be furious; Jade was standing there, five weeks after he had parted ways with Lythia in Baticul, not sending any report to inform anyone that he was still alive.
"Do you know how hard I'm finding it right now to not confine you to the city, Jade Curtiss?" the Emperor asked after staring at the man. "Just over eight weeks ago I sent you to Baticul. Five weeks ago you leave said city for Akzeriuth. Four weeks ago Lythia returns and a week after that we hear that you are dead. For two weeks, Nephry and I are exchanging letters to try and ensure that Lythia is alright, as well as hear of any whispering of you and the rest of the ambassadorial party. After that? Nothing. I hear nothing until now. Is it so hard to send even just a single word signed with your name?"
"Forgive me, your Majesty," Jade murmured. Peony, feeling particularly vindictive that day, stood up and grabbed the collar of the brunette soldier's coat, almost tempted to shove him into the wall, but refraining from doing so.
"She. Is. Your. Sister," the blonde Emperor snarled viciously. "You are the person she looks up to. Everything she does is for you. Does that not matter to you?!"
"She has you," the Colonel replied. The glare that Peony was sending him darkened.
"I am not her brother, unlike you, and I never will be unless I ever have the chance marry Nephry."
Peony released his grip on Jade's clothes and walked to the window behind his throne, watching the waterfall.
"I am not you Jade," he murmured, anger spent. "She calls me Lord Brother, but it is just a meaningless title that comes from the mouth of Lythia Malkuth, spoken only because it is proper etiquette. I cannot take your place as her brother. She would not let me."
They stood in the room in silence for a few minutes more, not moving. Jade remained because he had not been dismissed. Peony however was not going to be speaking as he stood, thinking. With a sigh he turned around again.
"Bring your friends here, Jade," he ordered. "I will hear them speak. But first, go report to Aslan. Then find Lythia."
Jade bowed and left, without a word other than 'your Majesty', as he went to go find the Brigadier General. Peony watched him walk away with an exasperated expression adorning his face. Why was it so hard for Jade to realise his actions have consequences and sometimes there was no solution? The man could see it in battle, why was family different?
That is a good question actually, Peony mused.
-Lythia gained the title "Witch Child"-
"Witch Child - A reminder of a dark past, but comments from someone have others wondering how dark."
So there's that. I like writing angry Peony, I feel it suits when he does it. Because he is a ruler I am sure that there is a lot of emotions that we never see Peony express during the game.
I'm building a distinction between Lythia Balfour and Lythia Malkuth it seems, even though they are the same person. Kudos to the one who can guess why.
Anyway, my next update might take a while - reasons? 1/ I haven't started the next chapter yet, unlike all my previous chapters where I tried to remain ahead. And 2/ I finally used my code for a month of free Blizzard World of Warcraft, which I got from my copy of the Warcraft Movie. I have a month of playing with my blood-elf warlock, Lytheia (Lythia was apparently taken). I will work on the next chapters (there is only so much WoW I can play in one day), and try to update again soon, but if failing to do so this month, I will update again on February 1st.
See you all next chapter!
~Icetail~
Unimportant Notes (maybe important):
So Lythia is the Witch Child. I've been planning this since I turned my Avatar (conveniently named Lythia) in Fire Emblem Fates into a witch. It was a cute costume, then the story came ^^' Don't expect the backstory to be cute though. And Caius seems to be treating Lythia differently because of this information now... I have plans. Will have to pass them by Defiance-of-Fate though.
What does Lythia know about fomicry? That will be explained... next chapter I believe... It's in my plan. What else fomicry shall happen next chapter? An explanation as to why replicating Lythia would be pointless. Which includes what Nebilim did.
The whole heir to the throne thing? Lythia is, by technicality, the next in line for the throne, as she is the only other member of the House of Malkuth alive, aside from Peony. Should Peony get married and have a child, then that child would become the next in line. Lythia would prefer that, but the council (and the Score) stand in the way at the moment.
And Lythia being the previous owner of the Tartarus - thats literally nothing, since the Tartarus won't be around long anyway. I just decided that Lythia should have a reason to get annoyed at the treatment of the ship, so she was it's owner while it was still being tested. This fact will only be raised again once, when the Tartarus gets dropped into the core. After that it will never be raised again.
