Disclaimer: They are not mine (I wish they were). Don't sue.
Warnings: Yaoi rated R.
Summary: CHAPTER 11 UP. (yaoi: SxS beware). Balamb Garden is a knights' school. Seifer Almasy is one of those knights. Being the personal guard of Sullen, the most good-looking and greatest wizard, he is sent to find out why Galbadian army has attacked Dollet. Does Sorceress Edea have something to do with it?! And why does Elder Guardian of Time refuse to show in the Union council?!
Sons of Elder Guardians
By Azure Knight
Chapter 11: Too many coincidences.
We arrived at night, a few days after we left Esthar in the morning. When Esthar's attendants and me passed the gates of Deling City I startled at what I saw. The obligated and tired soldiers of Tellian's council army had replaced the usual, cheery people of the town. Thousands of men gathered in the city, men that didn't want to go to war, didn't want to fight, especially against a monsters' army raised by Elder Time's Guardian. Some were noble but most of them were common people: farmers and plebeians, and they saw the death in front of their eyes either way. If they didn't go to war and literally disobeyed Tellian's orders, they had two alternatives. Or they were from noble families and would be arrested and tortured in the dark catacombs as traitors, or they weren't from rich families and they would go straight to the gibbet, because they had disobeyed an Elder Guardian's order, the Ultimate ruler. It was a horror picture. Desperate men. Looking, pleading with their eyes, asking Esthar's king's help to save their own lives. And they were right. If there was someone able of save them from their own ruler's tyranny, it was that man. Laguna Loire. He was honored, correct and had the strongest will Seifer had ever seen.
Passing by all those soldiers, that by seeing Esthar's attendants gained some hope, we arrived at the palace. When the palace's guards saw me, they crossed their spears at my neck and forced me to dismount my horse and take all my weapons. And so I did. Then, they and under Esthar's followers' shocked look, who of course tried to stop them of arresting me, without effect, guided me to the question room where I met the Elder Guardian's new counselor. A very tall, old man with white hair and piercing red eyes, an unknown sorcerer who had every aspect of being evil.
"Sir Seifer Almasy of Balamb." He said to me matter-of-factly. I raised my head and looked at him in the eyes, defying him despite my tied writs and my subdued position, kneeling on the floor.
"You're more young than I thought. More young and more determined, I see." he said not breaking the eye contact.
"Your reputation as a knight is very high. I must say you are the most strongest and smartest knight of the new generation. It would displease my master Sullen, my Lady Tellian immensely and me if you turned against us and we were forced to kill you, sir Almasy. It would definitely be a terrible loss to our army and special knights. But, as always the decision is yours..." I looked at him startled; he was asking me if I was with them or if I wasn't, so I opted for the safer path.
"I was informed that my master Sullen had been imprisoned in his own room..."
"Oh, a terrible mistake! Lord Sullen is one of the most loyal men my Lady owns. Her own son. A misunderstanding that you shall not take as personal. You know, those were times my lady didn't know who was by her side. Once she saw that Sullen was on her side, she set him free, right away. He's her right arm right now, besides me, of course.
"I see..." I told him "I was also informed that my family was also imprisoned. What have you to say about that, sir?" he was of course prepared to that question.
"Oh, sir Seifer Almasy. Your family is a delicate matter. You know, they refused to take part in the Council's army; they even tried to face lady Tellian. Of course they were immediately arrested. They would be dead if Elder Guardian Tellian didn't have such a good heart and such a good impression of you, sir Seifer, and of course if you hadn't served so well Lord Sullen in more than one way. He has intervened next to her in your family's favor what was also very important for your family, friends and servants' lives.
What meant that if I now chose the other side, not would I be risking my own life but theirs as well. She would kill them. They were blackmailing me. Of course Sullen couldn't know this! Either way, I had no choice.
"Of course, sir Almasy, if they show my mistress that they regret what they did and if you join us in our crusade to the well being of the world, I would be relieved to set them free and forgive them. Or give them a small punishment as for example, the loss of the lands and properties and the exile. A small prize to pay for a moment of impertinence. I'm sure you would agree, right?"
Definitely better than dead.
"My only master is Lord Sullen and it's him I obey. If he's on Lady Tellian's side, so am I."
"Glad to hear that, sir Almasy. Your family shall be released right away and sent to exile. I'm glad you have chosen the right path, sir Almasy, and so is master Sullen and Lady Tellian. You shall regain your position and start your work and functions now. Oh, and I apologize for the inconvenience, but these are agitated times, we must assure the loyalty of our men."
"I understand." I said while some guards who had been told to enter a few seconds ago, untied me. He then left with a nod of his white head and I went to see Sullen. I had to make sure he would do what the counselor said he would.
ºººººººººººº
I arrived the closed doors of Sullen's room. I hadn't passed by any servants what was weird and the doors were all closed in the hallway, what was also very strange. I looked at the outside and saw for the first time that the day was a rainy one. I knocked. After a few minutes, my old servant opened a little of the door and when he saw that it was me, he cried and held me with tears in his eyes.
"Hello Bulia!" I said smiling. Of course when Olian heard the cry he came to see who it was, and I thought I saw a relieved sigh, but it was certainly my imagination.
"Seifer!!" Ah, the smooth voice of my lover. And there he was puling me from Bulia's embrace to the room and into his own arms. At least whatever he had that was grudging him before I went to Esthar had passed.
"Seifer, I missed you. I'm glad you're safe. Tell me what happened."
ººººººººººººººº
I told Sullen everything that had happened in Esthar, excluding my episodes with prince Squall, of course. Well, you can say I told him everything he needed to know, that Prince Squall was alive and safe in Esthar, that King Laguna was at Tellian's disposal but against the war, all that political stuff.
Then I told Sullen what had happened to me already in Deling and he appeared calm, as if expecting that behavior from his mother. So did Olian. I was shocked with their behavior.
"You mean, you think that was the right thing to do?!" I asked.
"Of course, Seifer" Sullen answered me "You know your family rebelled against my mother. That was an unwise decision... they had to make sure you were loyal!"
"So you agree with the war against your aunt."
"Of course I do. She is the responsible for all the bad things that happened in the last months. She would even assassinate the second prince of Esthar if he hadn't had such a protection as that!! Seifer, she killed my mother's first counselor, provoked a war between Galbadia and Dollet." He said to me as if I was a child.
"Oh! And here was I thinking that were Sorceress Edea's hands on that." I said ironically. Olian and Sullen looked at me and rolled their eyes at the same time."
"Sorceress Edea was working for my aunt! That's why she's defending her, by saying that the Dark messenger defeated her. We all know that that was a maneuver of distraction. Fortunately my mother was smart enough to discover it."
"Oh yeah?! And just how did she do that? Having a little chat with the 'Dark messenger'?" I asked disbelieving him. Sullen looked at me, now not tired but furious.
"Seifer. The Messenger is an Ancient. Only the Elder Guardians have that kind of guardians. He's against my mother, so she's against my mother. You got it now?!"
I remembered that that race was very, very rare. "Wait a second. He's an Ancient? How is he? Exactly how long is he here?"
"He was only seen once some days ago. He's a tall male, has long silver hair and dresses in black! That's all we know." And that was enough. My heart stopped beating. Could it be Sephiroth? No! That was nonsense. Sephiroth was Squall's tutor, what would he have to do with Time's Elder Guardian? Then again, how many Ancient with silver hair and enough skill to install panic within the well-trained knights guarding the palace, could exist in the world?
End of chapter 11
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A/N: Another chapter done. This story is almost in the end. Just a few more chapters.
To my reviewers: Thank you all for your reviews.
Redrum: Thanks again and keep reviewing please. Seifer and Squall will be even poorer in the next chapter. Just wait.
Promqueen: Maybe it will have a happy ending or not. I'm still thinking. But don't worry it will have a beautiful ending, and I will have in high consideration what you said. And I'm so happy you like my story. Really, really happy. Thanks for your reviews on my stories.
Silver Wing: Don't worry, I'll continue it till the end. No way I'm gonna leave this hanging now. Thanks for your reviews.
Miss Dincht: Thanks. I'm glad you like it.
Three Wings: Well, I'm so happy you want to be my beta. Thank you very much.
Until next chapter. Love ya all!
Azure.
Warnings: Yaoi rated R.
Summary: CHAPTER 11 UP. (yaoi: SxS beware). Balamb Garden is a knights' school. Seifer Almasy is one of those knights. Being the personal guard of Sullen, the most good-looking and greatest wizard, he is sent to find out why Galbadian army has attacked Dollet. Does Sorceress Edea have something to do with it?! And why does Elder Guardian of Time refuse to show in the Union council?!
Sons of Elder Guardians
By Azure Knight
Chapter 11: Too many coincidences.
We arrived at night, a few days after we left Esthar in the morning. When Esthar's attendants and me passed the gates of Deling City I startled at what I saw. The obligated and tired soldiers of Tellian's council army had replaced the usual, cheery people of the town. Thousands of men gathered in the city, men that didn't want to go to war, didn't want to fight, especially against a monsters' army raised by Elder Time's Guardian. Some were noble but most of them were common people: farmers and plebeians, and they saw the death in front of their eyes either way. If they didn't go to war and literally disobeyed Tellian's orders, they had two alternatives. Or they were from noble families and would be arrested and tortured in the dark catacombs as traitors, or they weren't from rich families and they would go straight to the gibbet, because they had disobeyed an Elder Guardian's order, the Ultimate ruler. It was a horror picture. Desperate men. Looking, pleading with their eyes, asking Esthar's king's help to save their own lives. And they were right. If there was someone able of save them from their own ruler's tyranny, it was that man. Laguna Loire. He was honored, correct and had the strongest will Seifer had ever seen.
Passing by all those soldiers, that by seeing Esthar's attendants gained some hope, we arrived at the palace. When the palace's guards saw me, they crossed their spears at my neck and forced me to dismount my horse and take all my weapons. And so I did. Then, they and under Esthar's followers' shocked look, who of course tried to stop them of arresting me, without effect, guided me to the question room where I met the Elder Guardian's new counselor. A very tall, old man with white hair and piercing red eyes, an unknown sorcerer who had every aspect of being evil.
"Sir Seifer Almasy of Balamb." He said to me matter-of-factly. I raised my head and looked at him in the eyes, defying him despite my tied writs and my subdued position, kneeling on the floor.
"You're more young than I thought. More young and more determined, I see." he said not breaking the eye contact.
"Your reputation as a knight is very high. I must say you are the most strongest and smartest knight of the new generation. It would displease my master Sullen, my Lady Tellian immensely and me if you turned against us and we were forced to kill you, sir Almasy. It would definitely be a terrible loss to our army and special knights. But, as always the decision is yours..." I looked at him startled; he was asking me if I was with them or if I wasn't, so I opted for the safer path.
"I was informed that my master Sullen had been imprisoned in his own room..."
"Oh, a terrible mistake! Lord Sullen is one of the most loyal men my Lady owns. Her own son. A misunderstanding that you shall not take as personal. You know, those were times my lady didn't know who was by her side. Once she saw that Sullen was on her side, she set him free, right away. He's her right arm right now, besides me, of course.
"I see..." I told him "I was also informed that my family was also imprisoned. What have you to say about that, sir?" he was of course prepared to that question.
"Oh, sir Seifer Almasy. Your family is a delicate matter. You know, they refused to take part in the Council's army; they even tried to face lady Tellian. Of course they were immediately arrested. They would be dead if Elder Guardian Tellian didn't have such a good heart and such a good impression of you, sir Seifer, and of course if you hadn't served so well Lord Sullen in more than one way. He has intervened next to her in your family's favor what was also very important for your family, friends and servants' lives.
What meant that if I now chose the other side, not would I be risking my own life but theirs as well. She would kill them. They were blackmailing me. Of course Sullen couldn't know this! Either way, I had no choice.
"Of course, sir Almasy, if they show my mistress that they regret what they did and if you join us in our crusade to the well being of the world, I would be relieved to set them free and forgive them. Or give them a small punishment as for example, the loss of the lands and properties and the exile. A small prize to pay for a moment of impertinence. I'm sure you would agree, right?"
Definitely better than dead.
"My only master is Lord Sullen and it's him I obey. If he's on Lady Tellian's side, so am I."
"Glad to hear that, sir Almasy. Your family shall be released right away and sent to exile. I'm glad you have chosen the right path, sir Almasy, and so is master Sullen and Lady Tellian. You shall regain your position and start your work and functions now. Oh, and I apologize for the inconvenience, but these are agitated times, we must assure the loyalty of our men."
"I understand." I said while some guards who had been told to enter a few seconds ago, untied me. He then left with a nod of his white head and I went to see Sullen. I had to make sure he would do what the counselor said he would.
ºººººººººººº
I arrived the closed doors of Sullen's room. I hadn't passed by any servants what was weird and the doors were all closed in the hallway, what was also very strange. I looked at the outside and saw for the first time that the day was a rainy one. I knocked. After a few minutes, my old servant opened a little of the door and when he saw that it was me, he cried and held me with tears in his eyes.
"Hello Bulia!" I said smiling. Of course when Olian heard the cry he came to see who it was, and I thought I saw a relieved sigh, but it was certainly my imagination.
"Seifer!!" Ah, the smooth voice of my lover. And there he was puling me from Bulia's embrace to the room and into his own arms. At least whatever he had that was grudging him before I went to Esthar had passed.
"Seifer, I missed you. I'm glad you're safe. Tell me what happened."
ººººººººººººººº
I told Sullen everything that had happened in Esthar, excluding my episodes with prince Squall, of course. Well, you can say I told him everything he needed to know, that Prince Squall was alive and safe in Esthar, that King Laguna was at Tellian's disposal but against the war, all that political stuff.
Then I told Sullen what had happened to me already in Deling and he appeared calm, as if expecting that behavior from his mother. So did Olian. I was shocked with their behavior.
"You mean, you think that was the right thing to do?!" I asked.
"Of course, Seifer" Sullen answered me "You know your family rebelled against my mother. That was an unwise decision... they had to make sure you were loyal!"
"So you agree with the war against your aunt."
"Of course I do. She is the responsible for all the bad things that happened in the last months. She would even assassinate the second prince of Esthar if he hadn't had such a protection as that!! Seifer, she killed my mother's first counselor, provoked a war between Galbadia and Dollet." He said to me as if I was a child.
"Oh! And here was I thinking that were Sorceress Edea's hands on that." I said ironically. Olian and Sullen looked at me and rolled their eyes at the same time."
"Sorceress Edea was working for my aunt! That's why she's defending her, by saying that the Dark messenger defeated her. We all know that that was a maneuver of distraction. Fortunately my mother was smart enough to discover it."
"Oh yeah?! And just how did she do that? Having a little chat with the 'Dark messenger'?" I asked disbelieving him. Sullen looked at me, now not tired but furious.
"Seifer. The Messenger is an Ancient. Only the Elder Guardians have that kind of guardians. He's against my mother, so she's against my mother. You got it now?!"
I remembered that that race was very, very rare. "Wait a second. He's an Ancient? How is he? Exactly how long is he here?"
"He was only seen once some days ago. He's a tall male, has long silver hair and dresses in black! That's all we know." And that was enough. My heart stopped beating. Could it be Sephiroth? No! That was nonsense. Sephiroth was Squall's tutor, what would he have to do with Time's Elder Guardian? Then again, how many Ancient with silver hair and enough skill to install panic within the well-trained knights guarding the palace, could exist in the world?
End of chapter 11
ºººººººººººººººº
A/N: Another chapter done. This story is almost in the end. Just a few more chapters.
To my reviewers: Thank you all for your reviews.
Redrum: Thanks again and keep reviewing please. Seifer and Squall will be even poorer in the next chapter. Just wait.
Promqueen: Maybe it will have a happy ending or not. I'm still thinking. But don't worry it will have a beautiful ending, and I will have in high consideration what you said. And I'm so happy you like my story. Really, really happy. Thanks for your reviews on my stories.
Silver Wing: Don't worry, I'll continue it till the end. No way I'm gonna leave this hanging now. Thanks for your reviews.
Miss Dincht: Thanks. I'm glad you like it.
Three Wings: Well, I'm so happy you want to be my beta. Thank you very much.
Until next chapter. Love ya all!
Azure.