Wild-Roze: Ok, here u go, I hope u like this Chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own SOAL, but I do own this plot and my OC's
Vyse sat, his back, still swathed in bandages, leaning against the cool wall in the sparring room. He had waited there for hours, and had quickly fallen asleep. For a time he had contemplated going in search of the Emperor, but, considering the fact that he had no idea how to navigate his way around Soltis, he decided against it.
Ramirez growled quietly, glaring down at the sleeping child, then swiftly kicked him in the side, sending him sprawling. Vyse was yanked sharply out of his slumber, yelping in surprise and pain. He winced, scowling up at the Lord who was clearly in a foul mood.
"Get up!" Ramirez snarled, "how dare you sleep in here?!"
Gingerly Vyse got to his feet, before glaring back.
"Hey, don't yell at me! I was here at six sharp, like you said to be! Where in Deep Sky were you?!"
"Don't push me boy!" Ramirez said warningly, stepping towards him, "I am the Emperor, I do not need to answer to a foolish child!!"
Vyse didn't say anything more, he just scowled at his father. The two stood, staring at each other down for a long while. Finally, Ramirez couldn't stand to be in his presence any longer, knowing that this boy was her son, and not his, how could he be? He looked too young.
"Get out." He muttered quietly. The boy blinked.
"But what about training?" He asked, irritated that he had wasted so much time for nothing.
"Come back in two hours." Ramirez said after a pause, turning away.
Vyse grudgingly left the Emperor with his thoughts, thoughts which he did not know swarmed around his mother.
Atai glared sourly at her reflection, her lavender eyes detecting the odd streak of dark red amongst the black.... She was gradually becoming Aika again.... Without the flower pigment to re-colour her hair, the dye would eventually wash away. She sighed, her mind drifting, again, back to Ramirez.... His hands smothering her naked body.... She blinked.
She could not keep thinking of him, but with nothing in her bleak little room to occupy her mind, she could not help it. She left.
She decided to go to one of her favourite places, where she had spent many evenings in her earlier days in Soltis. She slowly made her way through the meandering corridors to the public balcony.
The bright silver moon was overcast by the bright sun, which was just past its peak of midday. She knew this only by the faint aura forcing its way through the slate layer of clouds above her. There was a light breeze, carrying a refreshing coolness on its feathery fingers.
She stood there in silence, her mind blank, just enjoying this temporary gem of peace she had come across.
"Excuse me." Atai snapped out of her meditation-like state at the sound of a soft voice. She turned to meet a pair of brown eyes. Belle stood there. The Ex-gunner was garbed in the clothes made for the whores of the Harem, but, stitched across her large chest, and over her abdomen was Vigoro's crest, showing his ownership over her. Her face no longer held the sheer joy at life that it once had, and it showed in her eyes that she never smiled anymore.
Atai could only stare at her, horrified by the monstrous change in her old friend. This woman was only twenty-three.... She had been thirteen when she had been claimed by Vigoro....
"Yes?" Atai said weakly.
"I couldn't help but notice you amongst my old crew who were executed this morning, I was very touched by that, and I would like to know your name.... why, what's wrong?" Belle asked in concern as the older woman fell to her knees sobbing.
Atai couldn't believe it, she had completely forgotten them, now they were dead, and last night she had slept with the man who had ordered their deaths. Her friends.... Gone!
"Belle..." Atai said, ignoring the surprised look on the girl's face, "I'm so sorry! It is all my fault, everything is my fault! They are all dead because of me, and you... you bore Vigoro's son, and Marco has become a pawn of this Empire... all because of me!"
Belle had frozen, staring with her mouth open at the near-defeated woman. Her eyes filled with tears and in an instant she too had lowered herself and had thrown her arms around Atai's neck.
"Aika! Oh Aika! You came back!" she sobbed.
For several minutes the two sat huddled together, crying. Atai in total sorry and regret, and Belle in relief and joy. When the two had spent their emotional currency they stood together, as they had done years ago, gazing out over Soltis.
Belle told her of how she had mourned greatly for the deaths of her two young friends who had died quickly under Vigoro's hand, and how she had managed to hold on. Vigoro had insisted upon calling their young son Galcian, trying to beg favour of Ramirez by naming their son after the dead General. This, of course, didn't seem to work, making Ramirez take even little more notice of the boy than he may have done if he had been named otherwise.
"Despite Marco's loyalty to Ramirez, he has often watched out for either me or Galcian, almost like a big brother, but, still if Ramirez ordered him to kill my son, I fear he would not hesitate to do it." She said, then her eyes widened as she realised something.
"Aika....you too have a son, don't you?" She asked.
The tattooed woman smiled softly.
"Yes, little Vyse." She murmured.
"Did you use one of the studs in Ixa-Ness?" She asked, sceptically, not thinking that Aika would be the type to do that.
Aika paused. Should she tell her?
"Yes..... yes I did. I had drunk a little too much loqua, and fell into bed with a man who had caught my eye." She said, thinking that she wasn't totally lying, "I can't remember his name, poor Vyse grew up without a father."
Belle looked at her for a moment, before letting her suspicions drop. They stood like that for a while, gazing in silence out over the bleakness.
Suddenly the bracelets that still encircled Belle's wrists tugged sharply. The force pulled her around, and dragged her hands around the waist of the man behind her.
Vigoro sniggered as he watched Belle cringe slightly, and then he smirked up at the woman, who had been standing with her, The pale light from above catching a few strands of red amongst the dark hair, and his smirk widened, but first he would have to make sure.
Without a word he turned and left, Belle at his heels.
Vyse had not seen his mother. She had not been at the room when he arrived back. He had washed, and cleaned his wound from the day before, the idly enjoyed the rest of his free time. He wondered what it was that had gotten the Emperor so angry. The little boy ate and rested until it was time to return.
Vyse lurched to the side, barely avoiding the gliding sweep of the blade. It was clear that over the past few hours the man's temper had not abated in the least, Vyse was only just managing to avoid his attacks which were relentless, and he was getting no chance to mount an offensive of his own. Soon the boy found himself backed against the wall, the small dirk his only protection against the glorious mesh of death that Ramirez's blade was weaving around him.
Suddenly Vyse saw a small opening as the man raised his sword. He darted forward, managing to ease in a swift stab to the Lord's side before turning back to face him.
Ramirez growled in pain, surprised that the child had managed to break past his defences. He felt the muscles twinge in his arm, causing his blade to clatter to the floor. Vyse stopped, suddenly realising that the Emperor could be seriously hurt, and h saw tiny spots of blood dripping between his fingers.
"I'm sorry, I-"he began, but was cut off.
"Moons!" Hissed Ramirez.
Vyse gaped as he watched the man cast a Sacri spell, the stab wound closing neatly. In Ixa-Ness only the most skilled sorceresses had been able to cast spells like this.... Other than his mother, she had promised to teach him magic when he reached his tenth birthday.
Ramirez turned to smirk at him.
"Boy you have a natural talent with weaponry, however, if you hesitate every time you make a strike then your life will end swiftly. You have now drawn another's blood, it should become easier for you." He paused for a moment. "Come with me, I want to see you go up against some of my men, to see how you do."
Ramirez led the boy out of the Sparring Room, but, he had hardly taken two steps before he suddenly felt himself drench in a cold sweat and a sickening feeling of absolute fear came over him.
The feeling took the Silvite so completely by surprise that he doubled up, and gasped for breath.
"Are you alright?" Vyse asked, worried in case the wound had been more severe than the Emperor had anticipated.
"Fine." Snapped the Emperor, trying to ignore the growing terror. It must be from her.... He decided that it was none of his concern, he could not show weakness, particularly before the boy, and his men. Putting it to the back of his mind they again started off down the corridor.
Yes again, they did not get far before Ramirez cringed and clutched at his abdomen, it felt as if someone had struck him..... he drew in a long breath, before straightening up. This time Vyse said nothing, but looked concerned all the same.
Ramirez walked slowly, desperately trying to pay no heed to the pain and the now blind horror he felt.
Suddenly, the two stopped as they heard a shrill scream.
"That's... my mother!" Vyse hissed.