Summary: Rhea is taken to the Fragrant Chamber where the Royal Banquet is taking place and the death of the Sultana is announced and a devastating chaos ensued changing the lives of everyone involved forever.
Author's Note: This story contains, at the beginning, a period of purely OC content in a conversation between Rhea and Ilberd then goes into an MSQ summary piece with some OC.
Ilberd.
Standing there, dressed in blue, with a smug look on his face, Rhea stared up at Ilberd with a look that she wished could kill.
He had been in league with Teledji all along.
Seeing his face began to put all the pieces of the puzzle together as the two warriors stared at each other.
She had fought side-by-side with him, called him a friend...trusted him. And he had betrayed her, and everyone else, for the promise of coin. Her hatred and anger for the man knew no bounds in that moment as she stood there, hands tied behind her, as Teledeji Adeledji entered into the Fragrant Chamber and the Royal Banquet therein.
"Don't be so surprised, lass. Even a great hero like you was easy to dupe. You hadn't a clue this whole time what we'd been doing under you and that boy's very noses," he said to her with a smirk, shaking his head. "Too busy being everyone's lap dog to throw this way and that to fix all their problems and for what? To get a few head pats and be told you're a good little hero? Wake up and see the world for what it is, girl!"
Rhea bared her teeth to him and glared daggers, "Was it you who killed Wilred or did you just get your minions to do your dirty work for you like the treacherous rat of a coward you are?"
A slap came swinging through the air as he struck her cheek, pain flaring in her face as a small trickle of blood left the corner of her mouth. Keeping her eyes on him, her tongue darted out and licked at the blood. "Watch yourself, girl. Teledji needs you alive to stand trial for this but he didn't say anything about you being whole and hale for it. Keep testing me."
Rhea scoffed derisively, "You don't have the balls to face me, Ilberd and you know it! The only reason you had the nerve to strike me just now is because I'm bound and you think I can offer no resistance. I dare you to keep testing me, you foul little creature! I dare you to see just what I am capable of when backed into a corner in a pit of vipers."
Ilberd surged forward as if to truly test her. Rhea could have called aether to her, let out a pulse to stagger him, but she let him come. Harming an unarmed and bound prisoner would do naught to help their charade of pinning the assassination on her, especially when no resistance was offered on her part.
Rhea braced for his hands around her neck as they went for her but, by a mercy, the doors to the Fragrant Chamber opened and Ser Aymeric strode out from the Banquet.
She had to hand it to Ilberd, he was a quick one and sharp. Hands that had previously been on their way to choke the life from her went to her shoulders as he turned her around to face the doors. As she was turned, her eyes met the Lord Commanders and though he did not stop his strides of departure, a meaningful look passed between them. In that moment, she knew he knew ill winds were afoot and that, in him, she had a steadfast ally.
Rhea knew he would be powerless to help her in that moment without an international incident that would shake the foundations of Eorzea, so with the smallest of smiles and a nod, she conveyed a reassurance that she would be fine before he passed by them and made his way.
Taking a deep breath, Rhea heard Raubahn's voice booming from within the chambers beyond, "You go too far, Lord Adeledji! By what right do you march armed soldiers into a royal banquet and eject state visitors without Her Grace's consent!? You treat the Brass Blades as your personal army, and show contempt for the throne with your every act. Leave us. Now!"
Teledji's grating voice rose high enough for her to make out his words in return, even through the doors. "Is that an order, General? Mayhap you have mistaken me for one of your Flames?! You will find I am not so slavishly obedient. And you lecture me on personal armies! As for your outrageous claim that I have shown contempt for the throne, let all here observe that it was not I who feasted while an assassin removed its occupant! I expect this is your idea of defending the nation, is it? This and diluting our forces through these distractions in Carteneau and Coerthas! I do begin to see how the ranks of the Immortal Flames came to be riddled with Garlean sympathizers! You are plainly unfit for command!"
Raubahn's once booming voice grew quiet as he spoke again, though Rhea could not make out the words. She could guess what they were though. There were none who loved or respected the Sultana more than her General and the news of her death would, no doubt, be beyond a shock and blow to the heart.
Teledji's voice, however, remained ever shrewd and piercing, "You mean to say you don't know!? We caught the vaunted champion of the Scions in Her Grace's private chambers not moments after the deed was done!"
"No - no, this cannot be!" rose Minfilia's cried, causing Rhea to take in a deep breath as Ilberd's hand on her shoulder tightened to a painful degree.
Rhea glared over to him, baring her teeth once more, "I vow to you now, Ilberd Feare...I will be cleared of this. I will find you, and I will end you for the part you have played in all this. Do you understand?"
Within the chamber, Teledji bit back at Minfilia, "Save your breath. You will need it to plead your case. You and your entire order are to be tried for this atrocity! Bring in the prisoner!"
"Save it, girl," Ilberd quipped at Rhea a moment later as Teledji called for her to be brought in. With a grip of steel, Ilberd pushed her forward to walk as the doors opened. Once inside, he threw her to the ground before those gathered. Glaring up at him, the vaunted Warrior of Light was put on display.
"This woman stands accused of poisoning Her Royal Majesty, Nanamo Ul Namo. And as suspected accessories to the crime, all members of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn will be detained for questioning!" Ilberd announced as he looked out over the guests gathered, his eyes landing on Minfilia coldly. He was playing his part well.
"This is madness!" the Antecedent cried.
Looking down at Rhea, Ilberd met her eyes with his, "What a pity...who'd have thought your tale would end like this?"
"Should you demand further proof, a vial with traces of the substance used to poison Her Grace was found upon the assassin's person," Teledji publicly accused Rhea, pointing right at her. She remembered when they searched her and they had found the vial. In that moment, she had known she'd been played for a fool and framed - and that had been before Ilberd had shown his face to prove her right. Laurentis, the traitorous snake, pulled out from his coat the vial they'd found on her.
"How very convenient," Y'shtola mused blandly as she watched the spectacle, just as upset as the rest of Rhea's allies.
"You would speak of convenience?" Teledji addressed Y'shtola, playing his part in all this to perfection, "Who persuaded Her Grace to host this celebration? A diversion which presented you and your confederates ample opportunity to commit the crime, and a crowd within which to fade from view! A more "convenient" occasion I could scarcely imagine!"
"How dare you! After all we have done for Ul'dah!" Minfilia threw at the small lord as Rhea sat there with her back to the room, unable to look upon the faces of her friends and comrades. She knew them well enough though to not need to see their faces to know their expressions. They were just as inflamed as she was at this display.
"Hold your tongue, witch! I'll not be ensorcelled! I know all about the dark gift that you and your disciples wield! Oh, yes...I've observed how you worked upon the minds of the Alliance leaders, bending them to your will! And what of your cordial relationship with Ser Aymeric? For years, Ishgard abjured all contact with the outside world, and now the Lord Commander of the Temple Knights treats you with the familiarity of a childhood friend! I'll tell you what I think - I think this desperate defense of Ishgard was but a ruse to deceive us into dividing our forces. Your next move will be to charm your Coerthan allies into invading our lands!" Did Teledji actually hear the words he was spewing from his mouth? Even Rhea was surprised by the accusations, though she was not surprised he'd fall to such depths.
It seemed Papalymo and Yda were in agreement as they decried the slanders thrown against them.
From behind her, Rhea heard the defeated and broken words of Raubahn as he tried to wrap his head around everything that had happened and was being said - especially the death of the Sultana. "She...she cannot be dead..." he said softly then began stalking towards the doors. Ilberd moved from guarding Rhea to stop him. "Stand aside, Ilberd! I want to see the sultana!" the General demanded.
"Spare yourself the pain, brother. I saw her with my own eyes. For a mercy, the poison took her swiftly - her handmaiden can attest to that," he said to his old friend and it pained Rhea to know the monster was playing him for a fool. She just hoped her friend would be able to see through his lies.
"This cannot be...Nanamo...Nanamo...NOOOOOO!"
Rhea had never heard such broken hearted or desperate cries of pain come from a man before as his grief bled through the whole chamber as he collapsed to his knees.
Rhea glared up at Ilberd while he returned to her side as Teledji addressed the General. "Plainly, the Royalists can no longer be relied upon to keep our nation safe. And so it falls to the Monetarists of the Syndicate to govern Ul'dah. But should you wish to help us, General, we would be more than happy to entrust the task of planning Her Grace's funeral to you. It seems only right that you should bury your precious sultana, and we will be glad to be rid of that burden."
"I'll bet you will. You more than any man," Raubahn growled at him. Though she couldn't see him, she could hear the rage building within him. Turning as much as she could, she strained to look over to Raubahn.
"...Whatever do you mean?" Teledji pleaded innocent and oblivious.
"I mean you had her killed, you black-hearted bastard!" Raubahn yelled at him.
And, of course, Teledji took the opportunity to twist the knife in his heart even more - an act which proved to be a fatal mistake. "What rot! ...Though I did have sufficient motive, 'tis true. That young lady caused me no end of grief. She always was a most unwilling puppet. I daresay Her Grace was grateful that someone thought to cut her strings," he said with an amused lilt.
In that second, Rhea knew his life was forfeit.
"You would mock her? Then mock her from hell! " Raubahn roared as he drew his blades and, with quick precision, brought them to Teledji's neck and sliced the life from him as the lalafell collapsed to the ground, blood pouring onto the stones. Cries of shock and chaos erupted in the chamber as guests began to flee, the raging Bull of Ala Mhigo standing there panting, his eyes inflamed. Empowered by his anger and grief, she could see he was naught but a berserker and there would be none who could stop him should he deem them worthy to turn his blade upon.
"Have you lost your mind, General!? It is forbidden to draw steel in the royal chambers, much less slaughter our fellow Syndicate members!" Lord Lolorito called out to him in shock, though a moment's pause led to a gasp from the Syndicate member, "...you're one of them! You've been in league with the Scions all along!" he cried out, accusing the General as well.
Though she knew him to have no love for the policies the Royalists had wanted to enact, even Rhea had not thought Lord Lolorito, of all people, would have gone in league with Teledji Adeledji. One more name to add to the list of betrayers. One more name to add to the ever growing list of those Rhea swore would answer for this crime. Thanks to Raubahn, one had been crossed off but it seemed the tally would not stop growing.
Still, his words could not have come at a worse time. Raubahn was a man mad with grief and in a state of blind rage. His accusations would be the death of him. " You! You're next, you scheming bastard!" Raubahn roared at the lalafell and charged him, intent on ending his life too.
Before she realized what had happened, Ilberd disappeared from her side. Straining to turn, she watched as the Ala Mhigan traitor rushed in front of the charging General and with a swipe of his blade, severed his left arm clean from his shoulder. Rhea's eyes, along with everyone else present, rose in shock as blood curdling cries of pain flooded the hall from the raging bull.
Though she dared not look away from the scene before her, Rhea heard the guards of the other leaders of the Eorzean Alliance bid them leave as they made their departure. Raubahn crouched on one knee as he held his bleeding shoulder, blood pouring from the wound and trickling down over his hand.
"How unlike you, old friend. I did not expect to take your arm so easily," Ilberd said to the fallen General as he looked down at him and Raubahn glared up at him in turn. He knew then the betrayal of his old friend.
"Take the Scions into custody! They have conspired to commit regicide!" Lord Lolorito demanded, then pointed to the General, "And arrest this traitor as well!" Crystal Braves and Brass Blades alike surrounded them all.
"Ilberd! I hope you choke on their coin!" Raubahn roared at him as he tried to stem the bleeding.
"'Tis better than the dirt I've supped on these long years. We can't all abandon Ala Mhigo and become great war heroes as you have," Ilberd said to the other man, contempt obvious in his tone. "You are not the man you once were, Raubahn. Since that girl strapped the yoke around your neck, you've become docile. She took the mad bull and cut off his balls. And a bull that cannot rut is fit for naught but slaughter."
Crouching down to his level, Ilberd looked down at the ground, "Shall I tell you who really killed your precious sultana?" Slowly he looked up to Raubahn, a look of pure sadistic pleasure forming a smile on his face, "...It was me."
Raubahn knelt there in silence as he wrapped his mind around the deepest betrayal Ilberd could have done. A low growl began to build in him as anger pulsed off him in waves, quivering the very aether around him. One would have been inert to not feel it in the air.
"You die now!" Raubahn cried as he reached for his sword and launched into an attack against Ilberd. Evenly matched as they were, even with Raubahn missing an arm, a fierce battle broke out between them as steel clashed with steel. Ilberd called an attack to his blade, infusing it with aether, as he slashed through the air at Raubahn, sending a shockwave that blew him back and made him fly through the air. Yet, the Bull was the Bull and with all the finesse of a lifelong warrior, he backflipped through the air and landed behind Rhea, cutting her bonds with his sword.
Free at last, Rhea made ready to join the attack against Ilberd, despite not having her tome. It had been removed from her when they'd arrested her and Halone knew where it was now. Yet as she began to move forward to fight at her friend's side, Raubahn spoke, "I never doubted you. Not for a moment. But there is more to this than I yet understand. Flee this place. Clear your names. Find out who is behind this plot! It is the only way! Now go!"
Loathed as she was to leave him on his own, for even as great of a warrior as he was, Rhea knew there would be no winning this. Should they leave, he would be imprisoned...or worse, killed. Yet he was right and she couldn't deny it. To stay and fight, they would have to fell all the forces of the Braves and Blades and who knew who else. If they fought, it would be further proof that the lies against them were true.
She hated it with a violent passion but she knew - they had to leave.
Placing a reassuring hand on the top of his shoulder above where it was cut, she nodded to him. "We will get to the end of this, I swear. Take care of yourself, dear friend. Live so that we might bring an end to this madness together," she said to him then looked to the Scions gathered. "Come, let us away before we no longer can."
With a glance to Rhea, Raubahn nodded as the other Scions - notably missing an Alphinaud and Thancred, Rhea noted - rushed for the door with Rhea at their lead. The last thing she heard was rapid footsteps along the grand table and Raubahn letting out a maddening war cry as steel once more struck steel.