Love! And! Peace! (and smithereens)

Ch 10, prom queen


President Deling stepped forth onto the palatial balcony to view the assembly. Almost the entire populace of the capitol city had turned out to see his ascent and celebration. Timber had already succumbed long ago, Vinzer's unscrupulous tactics to rise to power had paid off successfully with only a few whiny protesters to complain in print about it, and in a few minutes he would lead a parade in anticipation of continued triumph against the rest of the countries' independence.

Look at all those people below. They were assembled for him. It was a potent feeling.

In fact the feeling brought by this adulation was so heady he allowed only one other person to be so privileged. The honored one was usually next in command General Caraway; this time it would be Her Lady the Sorceress. The military still counted for something but their might was chump change compared to the force of the Great Witch.

Deling made his vocal address. The subject, surprisingly, was "unity" and the great need for more of it during the approaching period. "(Ha ha, unity that would ensue when all lands fell under the banner of the growing expansion.)" He concluded the speech and prepared to admit the magic extraordinaire to the limelight.

To no minor annoyance of his, the Sorceress had already entered the spot of honor before his permission. Hm. Either tomorrow or the next day Deling would have to schedule time to correct that attitude. The Sorceress needed to be reminded exactly who was ruler here.

The next moment Vinzer barely stifled a shriek of alarm. It was the assassin boy! Not only was the white-coated gunblader still living, he accompanied the Sorceress! He prowled onto the balcony like an insolent young panther.

"I was told by my soldiers he is dead. I ordered him to be dead," Vinzer hissed. Only a thin margin of professionalism and grooming for the role kept his voice from spreading to the microphone.

"The knight's place is by my side," Edea countered smoothly. The would-be murderer visibly puffed up at her praise.

Vinzer backed away from the dangerous youth. He could feel death biding its time for him behind those steely green eyes.

Bumping his rear into the podium reminded him of his position. Deling could either publicly rebuke her then and there or pretend this happened with his consent. Only those two options would save face in front of the audience.

The Sorceress let him make his choice to stand still. His illusion of control could last a little longer, but neither option would have saved him. In fact the only way he could have exited here alive was if he had run screaming the moment he saw her face. But even abandoning all power and hope might not have been enough. And she found it secretly amusing he held such fear of her precious Seifer when the dictator's life lied in her palm.

While Vinzer stood by, Edea brought out the final player to the stage. Come, little one. Her tone was gentle, but then again one such as her did not need to ask twice.

Rinoa had been waiting just out of sight inside the building. Now Edea's call impelled her forward like a tug from a leash. She might as well have a collar around her neck for all her obedience to the Sorceress.

They were all arranged and paused expectantly - - Edea at the microphone, Deling at her left, Seifer Almasy at her right hand, and Rinoa Heartilly next to his.

The president.

The Sorceress.

The knight.

The angel.

Edea spoke to the crowd and then destroyed the head of Galbania.

She clutched his chest with a fist that seethed in blue flame and held him up with his feet twitching above the floor; President Deling's body burned from within and spasmed in her grasp until he dropped deceased to the corner. "My power is absolute. My authority unquestionable," she told the masses.

The pair surveyed the body with disdain. The lady had been quite entertained by his fear of the teenager, fright so transparent -- and so misplaced. "(I could have killed him for you. I would have)," the haughty knight spoke up.

I know you would, she approved fondly. But his death was mine.

"(You already stopped me from killing him once.)"

Do you remember why you wanted to?

Seifer frowned; he didn't. It was to please his chosen, he knew that much. To aid her will. To serve as he had always desired to do. ...Had always desired. But his Sorceress had drawn him away from the victim. How could that be, when she had always been the one he belonged to?

Hadn't he?

"(I, I do not remember.)"

Just as well. It isn't important; do not trouble yourself about it.

"(No.)" This bothered him that his loyalty was in doubt even to himself. He fervently wished to take action to prove himself, and said so.

For now, your rightful place is with me. There are others, too many to suit me, who would oppose my ascension.. She reminded him of the warriors and mercenaries who would someday stand in her way, and he bristled at their audacity. Your time will come. I have no doubt you will prove yourself worthy. The devout knight straightened proudly.

And now you, little one. Your time is at hand. Again the voice whispered silkily. It might have an invitation spoken by an elegant hostess and not part of a deadly reign.

Who is with you?

"I'm on my own. It's true." True, because she acted against the wishes of the SeeDs. The Sorceress detected no lie.

He said you are part of the liberation, which will also try to oppose me just as they have opposed this pathetic nation.

"True. I am one of them."

Thanks to the Sorceress' adept magic, points of light rose up from hairline earthquake cracks in the pavement below. Light joined together and became a wall, solid enough to enforce distance between the crowd and the space directly below the balcony. No one would be able to get close from the ground.

A languid point to the podium by the satin black hand encouraged Rinoa to take the place at the microphone. The girl's movements came dreamily, as if her body wasn't quite in touch with her surroundings. Hands steadied at the podium and faint gaze cast out to the crowd.

You will now expose everything about them.

And Rinoa confessed her crimes.

The wholehearted freedom fighter denounced the rebellion and listed names and physical descriptions of all the resistence starting with Zone and Watts and the other violently active Forest Owls. She continued through everyone she knew, from the "legendary beauty" of the Forest Foxes who sheltered them in her home to all the rest who organized, maintained readiness, and prepared for opportunities to subvert the state in other ways. Thanks to Rinoa's cooperation, their activities were given away and even safe-houses betrayed!

Her eyes were without luster, and tone bland throughout the entire disclosure. But her speech was her own.

"If this message reaches any of you, tell the others what they're doing is useless. She's going to find you. And you can all go kill yourselves now because what will happen when she captures you is worse."

Satisfied, the Sorceress exited with her knight to continue with their plans. She left one final imperative however.

Now die.

Rinoa stepped out from behind the microphone and podium, placed both hands on the wide balcony, and stiffly boosted body and legs off the floor. She brought one knee and then her other foot onto the platform, and stood.

The stream of blue from her jacket train billowed out behind her, along with onyx strands of hair. Surrounded by nothing but open air, skin of her arms prickled that wasn't covered by the warmers below her elbows but the goosebumps did not distract. She looked aimlessly into the people, gate tower beyond, and the sky with an expression of indifference.

Her throat tilted straight up pointing a gaze of apathy to the black sky above, arms drifted out like a lazy crucification, and the angel's body dipped forward in a graceless swan dive.

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Da author: Because cliffhangers are hard on you, without further ado here's the next update right away. Love and peace to all'a y'all. 02/25