Chapter 6 – New Reality

Esdeath/Arthur – outside the capitol.

After the incident in the kitchen where Esdeath had been thoroughly embarrassed by the cooks and that bastard Arthur, she had been in a bad mood ever since. To make matters worse, after she had breakfast Arthur took her to the throne room to be briefed by the Emperor and Felix Albatross. Her Jaegers were also present and were pleased to see her, however they were also slightly horrified at the terrifying aura she was producing as she walked in. The emperor also took notice of this and was visibly sweating, yet as Arthur walked in the aura seemed to dissipate with his presence, countering Esdeath's killer intent and proceeded to calm everyone down to the great annoyance of Esdeath.

"General Esdeath, thank you for coming." The young Emperor said as she approached and knelt before him.

"My Emperor, it is good to see you in good health, how may I be of assistance" She replied with her head down.

"Esdeath as you are aware Prime Minister Honest is dead and most of his councilors and advisors have also been found guilty of crimes against the empire." The emperor said to her in a serious tone.

Is he going to accuse me of crimes as well? Esdeath thought "Yes your highness, I was informed by your informant. I'm terribly sorry for this news."

"Yes, well I have been blind to my actions and his, but I am going to place all of my efforts for making up for the mistakes of my past" the emperor said in a sorrow voice but determined voice. "Including the lack of authority towards the military which includes you and your army's actions."

Esdeath now seeing where this was going was keeping a calm demeanor, but on the inside, she was boiling with rage. Damn that pig of a Man! If he had stayed alive, I wouldn't have to be in this mess and that bastard in the armor for causing all this! No matter I will just have to get ride of him and take over the Prime Ministers position and power, their still should be some of his advisors who were not punished that harshly. I can use them in the future once I've got my Teigu back.

"Your campaign in the north and south was necessary for the empire's survival I will admit that, however the genocide against said nations people is unacceptable even if they are our enemies." The emperor said, "normally such crimes would be sentenced to execution but since you have served the Empire long and diligently and were committing said crimes in the name of the Empire your sentenced has been reduced to community service in the frontier."

Esdeath had not moved from her position as the emperor had spoken, she hadn't expected this outcome and was somewhat relived at the result. As she thought that if she's away from the capital and Arthur, she could do as she please without any restraints even if she is under guard and her Teigu is locked away. She kept her head down in a submissive matter but unknown to the emperor she was smiling menacingly. "Thank you, my Emperor, for this second chance I am ever so grateful."

The emperor simply nodded and then spoke to the Jaegers "Jaegers as of now you are temporarily disbanded and will all go your separate ways." The Jaegers being present included Wave, Bols, Run and Seryu as Kurome was still in comatose state due to the shattering of her Teigu.

Run speaking for the Jaegers simply replied, "Yes my Emperor." Although he was saddened from splitting with his colleagues whom he now considered friends he thought this was for the best.

"However, you will all be stationed in different areas for different objectives which will now be reviled by Prime Minister Albatross." The emperor stated and handed off to the new Prime Minister who had patiently been watching from the side "Thank you my liege, I will not waste any more time and will outline where all of you will be stationed."

Felix than brought out a scroll and unraveled "Wave Fullturn and Kurome Sutoikkuhato will be stationed at the small coastal city of Jack Innis Port located just north-east of the capital, where you will be tasked with protection and reconstruction of the surrounding towns and will be accompanied by Captain Magnus of the 2nd Imperial legion."

"Run Michelangelo and Seryu Ubiquitous, you two will remain in the capital and will serve under Captain Petrocles and myself."

"Bols Poenitet, you and your family are being transported south of the capital to the countryside in order to help and assist the local villagers with agriculture reforms."

"Finally, Esdeath Partas you have been stripped of rank of General of the empire and are being sent to the isolated village of Snowford in order to reconcile, reflect and rehabilitate from your crimes and past while serving the Empire. You will be sent to help reconstruct the damaged infrastructure and agriculture farms that were destroyed during your crusade against the north."

Esdeath looked solemn but was hiding her excitement, yes! if I'm away from the tin can, I will be able to escape and get out of these damn restraints and finally have the chance to reclaim my former freedom.

"However, you will be accompanied by Arthur, as he will be supervising your rehabilitation while also maintaining a watch over yourself and the rest of your team."

"What!" Esdeath screamed out furiously, "why do I have to be with the Tin Can? My teigu has been taken and now this?"

Felix expecting this sought of response simply replied, "my apologies Miss Partas but you do not have any choice in whom we send to watch over you. Also, we specifically tasked Arthur with your assignment at Snowford, as it is a location where he can monitor your teammates while also supporting the surrounding villages that were ravaged by recent raids by northmen and your war against the north, so you will be posted with him in order to counter the northern raids and danger beasts that have ran rampant over the area."

Well at least there'll be something to do I suppose, Esdeath reasoned to herself and there is still a chance to escape from him given the right circumstances. So Esdeath began to plot ways of escape ever since that morning.

Three Days later…

Right now, Arthur and Esdeath had been traveling north towards their location as her team had been sent to their directives a day earlier in order to make sure they couldn't come up with some sort of plan to escape their sentence together. The three days leading up to her departure had been humiliating, as Arthur had her on a 'tight leash' as some of the guards and politicians put it. Always making sure that she was at least in a ten-meter radius of himself and within the same room, except when she was in the bathroom or getting changed. Even so Aruthur seemed to know the layout of the imperial palace like the back of his hand, as whenever Esdeath did need to be alone he always made sure that she was either in her personal quarters or somewhere that had no conventional way of escape. But even if there was a moment alone or opportunity to get away from her jailor Esdeath new she wouldn't get far without her Teigu. Even with her impressive hand to hand combat skills it wouldn't matter, as Arthur would no doubt be aware of her being alone for so long and would come looking for her. So Esdeath had been on her 'best behavior' in the last three days with many residents of the palace taking advantage of this such as making smart comments or talking down on her in the open. Which wasn't completely new to Esdeath as she knew that the people of the Empire either hated her or loved her, so she largely ignored it.

However there had been one incident with a cocky politician named Renaldo Alternero, who was a successful businessman and had a confrontation with the Ice Queen while she was separated from Arthur. As he was speaking with the Prime minister and Esdeath was told to wait outside giving her a brief moment of privacy, however Renaldo had happened to be scheduled a meeting with the Prime Minister shortly Arthur's meeting. He was sitting down on one of the cushioned seats that was outside the Prime Minister's office, he was a short man with brown curly hair and a chubby face wearing an elegant suit that barely managed to hold in the man's large gut.

Esdeath not really paying any mind to him either than thinking he reminded her of Prime Minister Honest sat down across the hall on one of the sofas. Renaldo than smirked as he then began to speak "You must General Esdeath am I correct? Or ex general Esdeath should I say?"

Esdeath being slightly agitated politely smiled back "yes that would be correct I am Esdeath Partas, however I do not recall your name pig."

To which the man smiled "well I am Renaldo Alternero and I have heard quite a bit about you ice queen, as your reputation is quite interesting. However now that I see you in person I am not impressed."

Oh, so another man who wishes to gloat, Esdeath thought to herself before speaking "Well Renaldo what were you expecting? I know there have been quite a few new rumors about me floating around these days so why don't you enlighten me on what the plebs have been saying hmm?"

To that Renaldo chuckled slightly before responding "well my dear let me tell you that the people still hold you in quite high regard in terms of your ability and service to the empire. Especially your service to the guards for their stress relief. I hear that you've also been quite helpful to some of the nobles as well giving them some much wanted attention."

Well, this one is rather direct about things Esdeath thought as most of the others who spoke badly about her hide it behind pretty words and whispers. Yet this man was very direct about speaking down on her. "Well Mr. Renaldo as you know the nobles and guards do like to speak of their fantasies as if they were reality, so I advise that you do not pay mind to the whispers of the nobles and keep to yourself about such matters."

"I suppose you are correct" the politician sighed "but then again I'm not one to take advice from whores, especially from such a famous one."

Esdeath now irritated at the mans remarks smiled sadistically "well perhaps you would like to see some of my techniques, I'll be sure to indulge you in some of my torture foreplay if you feel so inclined."

"Sorry but I'm not one for playing around with skanks, also your act of playing the proud soldier is quite remarkable Even though you're a savage with no real intellect and only desires blood and pleasure" Renaldo replied with a laugh.

That was last straw for Esdeath as now she was vividly pissed off "well now pig, lets see how savage I can be" she said rather menacingly. Then suddenly she lunged at the man smashing his face into her knee, causing for Renaldo to collapse onto the floor with a bleeding nose.

Esdeath not nearly satisfied enough then stuck out the tip of her boot and said "lick. Now."

The politician simply looked up with a smile and blood running down his face "all your doing is proving me right…"

Esdeath now looking down in disgust was about to put the man out of his misery but then she heard a yell "Esdeath! Stop!"

Oh, great of all the timing… She suddenly moved at lighting pace to kick the man; however, Arthur was faster and pulled her away with a firm hand. To which Esdeath out of complete instinct attempted to kick him away which resulted in her being man handled and pinned to the ground.

"I'm gone for 5 minutes and you're already having a fight with someone…" Arthur sighed at her.

Esdeath now struggling on the ground hissed "let me go you ape!"

"Ok come on what do you expect me to do when your about to kick some mans head off, you put this on yourself" he said back.

"No no, it's quite alright" Renaldo suddenly chirped up. He was holding his nose with a handkerchief in place in order to stop the bleeding. "I do believe it was my fault for antagonizing the beast"

"What in blazes is-" Felix blurted out as he came out of his office, "oh Mr Alternero are you alright?"

The Chubby man replied rather cheerfully "yes yes old friend I just happened to get into a bit of a scuffle with miss Partas here. I do believe I did start the banter, so this is what I deserve haha"

Esdeath was confused as what the man was up to. What is he up to? He did not start that conversation for mere fun, did he?

"Well regardless I apologies for Esdeath's behavior she still hasn't learned that some things cannot be solve with violence" Arthur said while looking down at her.

"Oh no good sir, it was all in good fun. Wasn't that right my dear?" Renaldo then said while he smiled down at Esdeath.

"Yes, I suppose it was, now could you please get off me you damn oaf!" Esdeath said while kicking on the floor.

Arthur sighed again "alright alright, let's go were having a talk about this later." Arthur finally let her out of his grip and allowed her to dust herself off. Allowing her and Arthur to leave, however she did give Renaldo one last death stare which he innocently return with a smile and wave.

Returning to the present Esdeath thought back on the incident with Renaldo and was still vividly puzzled as to why he engaged with her at all. As Esdeath did do a little research on the man and didn't really find anything useful about him, either than the fact that he is a very successful merchant in the capital and decided to enter politics just before Honest was killed. That did catch her attention thinking that he may have had a hand in Honest's downfall however she dismissed that thought as she question Arthur about him after the event. He said that he did not know the man before he entered politics and was only recently introduced to him by Felix, as he had a proposition for him regarding the distribution of raw materials around the empire. Leaving Esdeath to wonder about his true motives, maybe he just wanted to make a point to her? No why would he take a beating from her just to tell her about his opinion on her. It just doesn't make sense. Esdeath didn't usually care about those who judge her and her brutal way of life. Afterall the weak die and the strong survive, that's her father's creed and its hers as well. Yet even so weak people still seem to thrive and look down upon those who are strong. Not because of their own strength or any special power. But because of the world that was built for them. To Esdeath that's what confused and disgusted her the most about the capital, the fact that weak people stand above most others. Not in strength but because the strong let them. Then again, the forbearers of the empire must have had some reason for building the empire the way it was.

Esdeath sighed aloud at these thoughts and decided to focus on the present. When she and Arthur had left the imperial palace, she was giving a horse to ride on while Arthur had refused one for some reason. At first Esdeath thought that this was foolish and arrogant of the man, as she thought that if there was any chance to escape being on a horse gives her an advantage. However, she also reasoned to herself he probably has analyzed her strengths and weakness, including her phenomenal speed and acceleration which was much faster than any regular horse especially the stable horse she was given that was named 'Buck'. Also there had not been any real opportunity for her to risk an escape over the short distance they had travelled, as Arthur had been holding the reigns while guiding the horse. Which Esdeath assumed he would do for the rest of their journey. Knowing this Esdeath choose to be patient reasoning to herself that this was the best course of action even though her patience was at its limit. They had been travelling for about 5 hours now and the capital was no longer in view, as they chose the main roads along the capital to exit at the northern gate. The people of the capital all stared at them as they walked the streets. Some waved and said their goodbyes while others where to nervous to approach the pair, partly due to Esdeath admitting a terrible sense of terror in them. Even so the people went on with their business and for the first time Esdeath notice how happy and at ease the people seemed. It was strange to her as whenever she walked down these streets, they all seem terrified or put on masks of joy but now they seemed generally relaxed. I suppose they all believe that their lives will be easy now with Honest gone, Esdeath thought to herself thinking that it was kind of nice to walk through a happier capital. Instead of the depressing slums she always thought the lower levels were. The atmosphere had changed dramatically it only a few short days and yet it all seemed to stem from the man who was her jailor. Deep down in her heart she liked this capital, but she was too proud to ever admit that to the man who made it so.

As they continued out of the capital towards the surrounding forests, Esdeath took in the scenery and felt good to be out in nature. She admired the great forests that grew around them and looked out towards the distance mountains. Growing excited at the thought of hunting danger beasts. Yet even excited as she was her senses were attuned to her surrounding and sensed a familiar feeling. One of being watched.

"I'm guessing you feel it too" Arthur spoke softly to her. Which she simply nodded, as whatever was watching them was very good at concealing their presence however not good enough.

"There's 8 of them in total" Esdeath said to Arthur "4 in the trees above and the others all hiding in the brush on either side off us."

Arthur acknowledging her observation with a simply nod, then stopped suddenly and yelled out "whoever you are come out we know your there!"

Silence was their response. But after a few seconds they all emerged. They being night raid.