ARE YOU SURE HOW THEY ARE THINGS? CHAPTER 27
* Several hours before Amaya's arrival in Rabanastre *
On Rabanastre a new day was rising, which would have been very different from the previous one, a few hours after the hasty departure of Al-Cid dictated at the last minute for "internal matters in Rozaria", so the prince had justified his departure.
The other representatives of Rozaria had not agreed to the sudden, unjustified removal of their prince. Al-Cid had reminded them of the "pact signed" with the princess Ondine and the clauses that it provided.
The imperial house Margrace undertook to protect and support the Princess Ondine, if the aforementioned had requested her intervention in exchange for which the princess would provide them with information regarding Archades, a promise that Amaya had kept and that she kept keeping since she did not he had never stopped having contacts with the imperials.
The Rozarian ambassadors had to support, albeit against their will, the imprudent action of their prince who they considered a hazard in all respects.
The absence of Prince Al-Cid certainly did not go unnoticed and for some it seemed suspicious, and these who noticed it were Balthier, Larsa and Judge Zargabaath.
The latter wondered where Al-Cid had gone at a time like this, where his presence was required, the excuse of "internal matters in Rozaria" for them was a not very credible excuse.
Al-Cid had managed to return to Rabanastre before Amaya and secretly prepare for his arrival in the city. He had contacted Amaya's old acquaintance with the Centurio clan while he had instructed one of his assistants, Hilda, to lead Amaya and her group to an apartment of the latter, located in the district north of Rabanastre.
While the Rozarian prince was returning to the Palace, he met the young Archadian emperor in the company of Balthier intent on discussing various issues. The two humas noticed the arrival of the Rozarian accompanied by one of his inseparable assistants.
The two Archadians wanting to investigate the account of Al-Cid approached him, asking him how the famous "internal quests in Rozaria" had gone, the Rozarian who had foreseen in advance that someone would ask him about his absence, promptly replied with an excuse created by mail for that occasion.
-So how "your internal matters" went, I hope they didn't take more of your commitments here with the restoration ceremony, "said Balthier in a rather sarcastic and at the same time pungent tone.
Balthier had never digested Al-Cid and his ways of being as "honeyed" as courtship, he called him a madman from the madman because of the moves that the Rozarian made whenever a female specimen appeared around him.
-My time is very often, unlike yours.-Al-Cid replied mischievously, settling his clothes and making strange gestures with his hands.
-The time you spend under some petticoats, which you cleverly call "internal matters" not to say fun as an excuse does not shine of fantasy. - Balthier annoyed.
-You may be confusing with you ... accustomed to dating people of dubious taste. My friend, you women with us know how to do and I would never dare to define a woman that way. - He cut short the Rozarian having to endure bad taste acudes, from who had the cheek to call himself "a gentleman thief" whom he found more vulgar in the ways and in the language that little adapted to the noble origins of Balthier.
Larsa silently watched the two men nag each other, throwing themselves poisoned every other word, until the young emperor, impatient and raising his eyes to the sky for that situation to say the least embarrassing, decided to intervene.
-Please, gentlemen, this is not the time nor the place for this kind of thing, "said the young emperor, intervening to separate the two humas.
"Say Lord Larsa what would be the kind of things you're referring to?" Al-Cid pretended not to understand when Larsa had perfectly understood what he and Balthier were talking about, while maliciously turning to the little emperor.
Larsa in front of such a question took on a rather disgruntled expression as he stared into his eyes at Al-Cid, it was difficult for poor Larsa to feel at ease with the very ambiguous manner of the Rozaran prince.
- Leave it alone. - Said the boy quite embarrassed while Al-Cid looked at him mischievously.
-I'd rather ask you what the situation is like here at the palace, I know that the Marquis arrived yesterday. -The Rozarian added, asking Larsa and Balthier for information.
- He had an interview with Lady Ashe this morning. - concluded the young emperor looking at the Rozarian. - It was a long hearing on how busy. -
"Lady Ashe how is she?" Al-Cid asked worriedly.
-Well, but still continues to be under stress due to the preparations, "replied Balthier.
Al-Cid was silent again, trying to figure out how the hearing between Ashe and his uncle could have gone and here the prince began to think of the worst of the worst. The Rozarian tried not to show his concern that grew with every passing second.
The prince urgently needed to talk to his assistant Malta to get more information than to talk to Ondore, as Larsa and Balthier seemed to know little.
Al-Cid heaved a huge sigh after which, with a small excuse, they left the two Archadians to go to his quarters. From a distance Balthier and Larsa noticed something strange in the prince's attitude but said nothing, for them the Rozarians were people with strange and strange behavior.
* Rabastre 09.00 am (5 hours after Al-Cid's departure for Bujierba) *
In addition to the sudden departure of Prince Al-Cid at four in the morning to Buhjierba to warn Amaya of what was about to happen a few hours later in Rabanastre, or of the hearing between Princess Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca and her uncle, the Marquis Ondore, for the discussion concerning Princess Ondine.
Finally the sun had risen and in a few hours Ashe would have met his uncle, he would have had all the answers she and Basch were looking for regarding Princess Ondine about the situation that had arisen around her person.
The night before the meeting with her uncle, the young Ashelia had not been able to fall asleep, in fact she had turned over several times in the sheets of her bed, waiting with great impatience for tomorrow.
Shortly before dawn, the young princess had commissioned one of her maids to deliver a message to Judge Gabranth to invite him to have breakfast, she had also sent one to Larsa, advising him of the judge's absence in order to talk to him about some things about Dalmasca.
Basch when he saw himself receiving Ashe's invitation for a breakfast, he was stunned by the message his ex-lady sent her.
A note containing a few lines, but the contents of which were great
importance.
I'll wait for you at nine on the blue terrace for breakfast.
P.S: I should talk to you.
Ashe
Basch did not know what to expect from that meeting, most probably Ondore would have been there too, but one thing the captain was sure of, namely that the Marquis and Ashe would finish talking about Ondine. So it was important for him to be present.
The huma decided to prepare himself and in order not to arouse suspicion he put on his robes as Judge Magister, heading towards the terrace that Lady Ashe had indicated in the message.
It was exactly nine o'clock in the morning, when Basch arrived at the blue terrace wearing his armor, a young maid opened the door and invited him to enter.
The judge took a few steps when suddenly he stopped when in front of him appeared the figure of the princess who for so many years had served with devotion, Basch was happy to see the princess with a decidedly more calm attitude than that of the previous days.
But in fact it was not really so, especially when with great disappointment Basch noticed heavy signs of fatigue on the princess. Ashe admitted that he had not slept that night because of the tension and anxiety generated by his meeting with his uncle.
"What are these signs, Majesty?" Asked Basch, seeing Ashe's deep circles.
"This night I couldn't get to sleep because of my uncle meeting last night," Ashelia said in a sorry voice through which you could notice some nervousness.
- You need to rest. In these days you have been focused body and soul on the preparations for the ceremony as well as the political commitments you have as a future queen. You cannot neglect yourself like this.- the former knight rebuked her, seeing her princess so spoiled.
- Closed as they are among the various documents and various paperwork how do you think I have the time to go out and enjoy a sunny day? - the princess looks rather annoyed, feeling treated like a child.
She was no longer five years old, nor had twenty and with all the things she had to do she was no longer a girl but a woman and this Basch still did not realize it.
"I'm just worried about you!" Basch exclaimed, letting all his concern for the girl leak out.
"I understand you, but here what you have to worry about is not me, but Ondine ... that's why I called you." Ashelia said, looking the judge in the eye.
-You managed to meet Ondore last night ... is he the one who told you about it? the knight asked, quite alarmed.
-Yes ..- Ashe said nodding his head, as he looked worriedly at Basch, for a moment he tried to put himself in the captain's shoes trying to figure out which feelings and thoughts such news could generate him, certainly not good.
Basch looked at Ashe, his gaze as his body had become stiff and hard, and an expression of anger appeared. Ashelia had never seen Basch get angry like that, and yet Princess Ashe knew how much Basch held Ondine, there was no moment when the captain didn't think of his beloved.
-As you already know Basch, yesterday I received confirmation from my uncle that in this whole affair he centers my sister, so I thought of calling you because being involved in this story too, I think you might be interested in the thing.- the princess added, trying to maintain the utmost seriousness in the face of that situation by continuing to talk.
- Anyway Basch I hope that anything, my uncle, wants to tell me that regards Ondine, you for no reason will have to react ... I only foresee trouble ... - Ashe said, staring at Basch who was not happy at all with how he was putting that situation.
"I am glad that you, Lady Ashe are able to keep a cool head, I am afraid I will not be able to stay calm this time ... it is too personal." Basch said showing his nervousness.
"You're not the only one to hear you like that," the woman added.
-The most important thing is that whatever Ondore will tell us this does not affect the ceremony and the various preparations.- exclaimed Basch.
-Well ... I can't wait for everything to go smoothly, I'm living the most stressful days of my life- Ashe commented on the strong stress he had felt in those days.
- Never as much as you were part of the "Resistance" .- The captain added, thinking back to the last year since the war ended.
Ashe had to admit it even when she was in the "Resistance", hunted down like a criminal of the worst sort throughout Ivalice along with Basch, she had experienced critical and stressful minds that compared to what she was going through at that moment seemed so far away.
"I wouldn't complain if I were you, better now than to find yourself in that condition again," said the princess, reminiscing about a not exactly happy past.
Basch agrees with the last sentence of the princess. Both had sacrificed so much for that peace and at the same time because of the war they had lost everything.
-According to you, what will uncle tell you about Lady Ondine? - asked the Landisian.
- Well ... besides telling me that it hit you, he told me that it was the same Ondine that made him promise not to say anything, apparently though he transgressed his will. He added that the matter is very complex and that there are things we take for granted. - He added the princess thinking back to what her uncle had told her.
Basch hearing the last words of the girl began to get a clear idea of what was the situation that had worn Ondine to behave in that way.
- Ondine perhaps it is painful to disappear because of the Occurians. From what little I know, after following us in Giruvegan, I know like you, that you talked to Gerun but I don't know what about it, I think maybe they put her in front of an unfounded choice her .. you know ... - the captain stayed.
"It is probable, this would explain his behavior and why he disappeared. They will have given you a period of time to think about it and choose which side to take." Ashe added, thinking back to the hypothesis extended by the Basch.
But all of a sudden Basch remembered Ondore's message and its contents, especially the way he stopped to think of a strange phrase that had struck him
- "... Because this moment is blessed by the Gods. Your uncle, Halim Ondore IV."
Basch thought over and over again about that phrase and its meaning that he could have, of one thing he was sure was ill-suited to the hypothesis that he and Ashe were doing themselves about the Occurians.
There had to be more, but what could it be?
-Your Majesty, we are all wrong ... your uncle in the message he sent sent a particular phrase "Because this moment is blessed by the Gods .." which clashes with our hypothesis.
-Then what can be "blessed by the gods" ...? - asked the Dalmatian girl thinking back to the sentence.
-I think its meaning is positive, something to celebrate and that perhaps concerns Ondine.-Basch made this clear wondering if to which "happy event" the marquis could refer.
-Basch happy events, are exclusively weddings, births, birthdays, baptisms, anniversaries, commemorations, awards, victories, ceremonies, meetings of old friends or relatives ... as you can see they are many, but I do not understand which can be traced back to my sister.
- I would start with listing weddings, births, anniversaries, ceremonies and family reunions - the captain said making a selection of the various events listed by Ashe.
- Effectively these could reconnect to Ondine, but some I think are out of place. Therefore I would exclude births and ceremonies. Ondine has always hated ceremonies and births ... I do not see myself in this situation also because you two is a lot that you do not feel no ...?! - Ashe said, quite embarrassed thinking about her sister's relationship with Basch.
Basch found the reasoning of Princess Ashe quite logical and eliminated events such as births and ceremonies, what remained were weddings, anniversaries and meetings with relatives or friends.
And look a bit with the Restoration ceremony of the kingdom of Dalmasca there would have been two events on the remaining three, but how could they be blessed by the gods ? Something was still escaping them.
Once again Basch and Ashe made a hole in the water, the only event at this point that could have had a logical connection with Ondore's phrase was marriage.
Were the two humas skeptical enough to think that maybe Ondine had "married" and hadn't wanted to let anyone know? Very probably for them the possibilities were many, above all because with the announcement concerning "the execution of Basch", Legally Ondine was widowed in every respect, so if he wanted he could remarry. Therefore it was not a possibility to be excluded.
With this both Basch and Ashelia themselves were convinced that the news that Ondore would report to them, concerned a possible second marriage of the same Ondine with a person to their own.
Both the judge and the princess looked at each other for a moment, as if to convince themselves that this absurd hypothesis was probably true, because according to their reasoning all this went on to explain the strange behavior of the Marquis and the actions of Princess Ondine.
What both Basch and Princess Ashelia had taken for granted and that Ondire's situation was actually another and much more complex than the hypothesis regarding her second marriage.
But at that very moment Ashe's uncle, Halim Ondore IV, made his appearance and surprised his niece with Basch. Two blows of his stick were enough against the floor to allow Ondore to be noticed by the other two humas who had nothing in the room.
Finally the moment of truth, after much waiting, had come and could not wait any longer.
