Most people seemed indiffrent to the name change but a certain few wanted it to change and no one said that they preffered the old one. So I will start changing Esdeath to Esdese in all the old chapters.
Might take a little while though. The name will remain as Esdeath until I can replace every chapter with new editions. Consistency and all that.
A call to arms.
Esdeath was already in the training hall when Tatsumi arrived. Sitting on a bench on the side with Incursio resting beside her. As usual, her presence changed everything around her.
The hall was mainly meant for fighting and weapon practice. A small group of people had gathered in the hall. Mainly soldiers and warriors. Wondering what Esdeath was doing there. Most were just standing on the sides now that she was in the hall. A few bold ones was fighting each other in front of her. Trying to show off their skills to her. She was watching a few of them but her mind was on diffrent things. Thinking about what would be the most enjoyable way to kill the proud great general.
Her eyes immediately moved to the door when Tatsumi entered. Her instincts perceiving his arrival some moments before he entered. She rose up and dusted of her small skirt before grabbing Incursio and walking towards him. Meeting Tatsumi in the middle of the room. Causing all the other fighters to scatter and move to the sides of the hall again.
When she got closer to him she drew the blade and threw away the teigu's sheath to the side. She then threw Incursio down into the floor beside her. Making the sharp blade pierce the wood. Leaving it standing up. She then walked and placed herself in front of the teigu. Tatsumi stopped when he was a couple of meters in front of her.
"Ok then, Tatsumi." Esdeath said and looked at him. Sounding rather excited. He could tell that she had been looking forward to this. "Here is how this is going to go down. If you can reach Incursio, you win."
"Win? I thought this was a punishment." Tatsumi asked with his hands in his pockets.
"It is." Esdeath said and gave him a harsh smile. "I will not be gentle with you, Tatsumi."
"Figured." he said and grinned grimly.
"But.." Esdeath said and gestured with a finger. "..this is also to check that your strength has fully returned. I will not let you touch Incursio until I am certain of that." she explained with closed eyes. "The harder you struggle the harder I will treat you. So I want you to stop if you notice that you haven't recovered completly. Okay?"
"Roger that." he said and stretched his arms. "Let's do this then."
"One thing first." she said and waved to him with a hand. "Come here."
Tatsumi knew what she wanted to do."You don't have to, Esdeath."
"Come here." she repeated patiently, waving with her hand for him to come closer.
"Fine" Tasumi said with a sigh. He felt a bit like a dog being called on as he walked up to her. When he got close she held up her arms in an open embrace. Which he obediently walked into. When he was close she wrapped her arms around him gently and started to tenderly kiss him.
She always did this before and after she punished him. Tatsumi thought that it almost seemed a bit insecure. Like she needed to affirm and reaffirm her affection towards him before and after she administered his punishments. Like she was afraid that he would forget that she loved him.
Just as he was starting to get into it as well and started to move his arms up around her, her own arms took hold of his shoulders. She then shoved him back so hard that he almost fell over. Making him stumble backwards.
When he regained his balance she smiled at him. She lifted up her hand and slowly moved her index finger back and forth. Gesturing for him to come at her.
Tatsumi decided to test out the speed in his legs first of all. He immediately bolted forward, sticking close to the ground. He made a couple of feint moves when he got close to her in hopes of making her react in the wrong direction. Then he threw himself past her side, staying close to the ground. Reaching out with an arm for Incursio.
She watched him with an amused expression until he was at her side. Then she moved. She kicked him in the side so hard that it sent him flying through half the room. Making him roll around a couple of times when he hit the floor.
Tatsumi gasped for air when he came to a halt. The kick had knocked the breath out of him. He actually thought that she had broken his ribs but noticed pretty quickly that she hadn't. But she had not been kidding when she said that she was not going to be gentle. He had not thought that his first attempt would succeed but he hadn't expected this kind of response. Seems like this really was a punishment after all.
He closed his right eye from the pain as he rose up. Esdeath's sharp eyes watching him. Her smile challenging him to try again. "Give me everything you have and are, Tatsumi." she said in a thick and husky voice. Referring to more than just this match.
Tatsumi took a stance. It seemed like his best chance would be to get her into the air. So that she couldn't alter her speed and direction so quickly. How he was gonna do that was another question. Since she only seemed to be intending to stand in front of Incursio. Letting him come to her.
He jumped forward. Flying towards her. In the last moment he kicked against her with his right leg. Putting all his strength in it. He knew that without Incursio, his body couldn't match hers in any way. He needed to put all his strength in his attacks if he wanted them to matter.
Esdeath didn't bother with meeting his kick. Moving half a meter back. Making Tatsumi kick the air. But when his leg had passed in front of her, she reached up and grabbed it's ankle with a hand. Making his body fall down on the ground as she held his leg up in her hand. He turned his head around and looked at her. Being met by an excited and ravenous smile.
Esdeath could see the fear in Tatsumi's eyes. That, combined with the the small redness on his cheeks and the slight scowl on his face made him look absolutely delicious to her. She almost wanted to hear him beg.
She started to lift him up slightly. "Esdea-" Tatsumi began but then Esdeath swung his entire body over herself and smashed him down on the ground on her other side.
Tatsumi couldn't stop a small yelp from escaping his mouth when he was bashed into the ground. Landing painfully on his back. Once again losing all the air in his lungs. "You're being too harsh. You're gonna break me." he wheezed. The only response he got was a grunt filled with lust as she lifted his body again, smashing him down into the ground once more. But this time he was able to catch himself with his hands since he was facing the ground.
The moment he had landed she kicked him in the lower part of the stomach. Avoiding the more delicate parts of his anatomy with a few centimeters. Not wishing to damage his goods. The kick sent him rolling over the floor until he hit one of the walls. Lying face down.
A murmur went around among those watching. The warriors and soldiers were wondering if Esdeath was meaning to cripple the boy. She was giving him quite the beating. Not that anyone dared to step in or say a word. Rumors were running around that she had tortured five of her own soldiers to death just this week and few seemed to know why.
When Tatsumi started to raise himself up on shaky arms he noticed that Esdeath's white boots were standing just a couple of decimeters from his head.
"Esdeath..." he panted and looked up at her. She was looking down on him. Her smile calm while her eyes still showed hunger.
She bent down and grabbed his hair. She lifted his head up and looked at his face with satisfied expression. "Giving up already?"
Before he could stop himself, he smiled a grim smile at her. "Far from it. But if you keep pummeling me like this then I won't last long."
"It won't be a punishment if I am gentle."
"Say what you want, I can see that you are enjoying this."
"I never said that I didn't." she answered. "But I would enjoy it more if you had Incursio."
"Then give it to me."
Esdeath shook her head slowly. "This is a punishment. It's not about me enjoying myself. At least not when it comes to punishing you."
"I would prefer if we didn't have an audience. It is kind of annoying to have them watch how you mop the floor with me."
"Why?" Esdeath asked. Looking genuinly curious. "I could crush all of them just as easy. You are the most competent fighter in this room, aside from myself. And everybody knows that I am the strongest one between us."
Tatsumi didn't answer but simply looked at some of the people standing along the walls of the big hall. All eyes glued to the two of them.
Esdeath let out an annoyed sigh and shook her head. She let go of his hair and straightened up. "Everyone leave this room immediately" she shouted in her commmanding tone."I am reserving it for myself."
Everyone else in the room immediately started to leave without a single objection. Tatsumi slowly rose to a kneeling position in front of Esdeath as the room emptied. When everyone had left. Esdeath turned her eyes towards him again.
Before they could land on him, Tatsumi made his move. He kicked of against the wall behind him. Flying past Esdeath and towards Incursio.
"Oh, no you don't!" Esdeath exclaimed in a playful voice. Grabbing his coat behind him in an iron grip.
Tatsumi slipped out of the piece of clothing before it could slow his momentum. But he quickly realized that he was still too far away. Incursio was almost twenty meters from him.
Esdeath caught up with him by the eight meter. Coming up beside him. For a split second, Tatsumi looked at her. His slightly panicked expression met by a fierce grin and smiling eyes. Then she gave him a slap on the back. The force of it sending him down into the floor. Making him glide to a painful halt. When he started to rise up, Esdeath was standing in front of him with her arms crossed over her chest. Standing between him and his teigu.
He moved into a crouching stance. While he hadn't gotten any serious damage, he felt pretty damn beat up. And the pain was taking away from his energy. He needed to start making this attempts count.
"Don't tease me." Esdeath said when he didn't move. Sounding thrilled. "I know you got a lot more to give. Let me have it or I might be tempted to take the initiative here." she said with a threatening smile.
Tatsumi decided that it was time to take this to the air. He jumped up a couple of meters. Aiming to jump over her to get to the sword. Hoping that she would start following him so that he could outmanouver her after some time. Since he had no chance of doing it when she remained on the ground.
To his dismay, Esdeath didn't seem to have any intentions of following him into the air. She simply jumped a couple of steps backwards so that she stood where he was going to land. Right in front of Incursio. She smiled at him as he descended upon her. Looking genuinly happy. "I love you so much, Tatsumi." she shouted as he got close. Then she hit his incoming kick with the back of her hand. Swatting his body away like a fly.
But she didn't follow him this time. Allowing him to land on his feet a couple of meters away. He decided to try again immediately. Jumping at her. She remained at her position. Meeting his attack when he go close with enough force to send him flying back. This was repeated a couple of times as Tatsumi trid to goad her to jump up and meet him.
After the fourth time, Esdeath was starting to grow restless. She wanted more.
"Damn it..." Tatsumi panted. Smiling bitterly at her. "Why are you so goddam strong, Esdeath?" he said. Asking the question thousands wondered.
She looked at him for some moments and then slowly started to walk towards him. Her hips swaying with every step. "Because I want to be. Since I enjoy this. And since I enjoy this, I get better at it. Because I am always doing it."
Tatsumi leaped up against her. But this time he actually managed to avoid her counter. Managing to move the leg he was kicking with back just in time for het arm to strike air. Landing in front of her in a crouching position. Her amused eyes following him. He immediately directed an new kick towards the lower part of her legs.
"Then why do you like to dance with death so much?" he shouted. He knew that if she just stood still. He would be the only one left hurting from the kick. Since he didn't have Incursio. But he trusted that she would react by instinct.
Which she did.
Just as his kick was about to connect she jumped half a meter into the air while raising her legs. Avoiding his kick by instinct, even if it wasn't a threat. And now she was in the air and had now way to change her momentum for a second. He kicked off with the one leg he still had on the ground. Sending himself flying towards Incursio. He had to bet everything on this.
He reached out with an arm towards the teigu. But when he was less than a meter away, her hand grabbed his collar. Making him gag as it stopped his movement. He was turned around by the hand and suddenly Esdeath's face was right in front of his.
"Because it is fun." she snarled. Looking completly crazy. Her smile bestial and her eyes wide. She hit him in the side with the back of her hand. Sending him flying down on the ground again.
"And even if you might not like to admit it, you are the same as me." Before he was able to get up, she landed on top of his stomach. Straddling him.
"Even if you don't like it, you are a predator. There are few that can match you when it comes to killing or destroying."
He punched up against her face but she caught his fist in her hand. Her grip so hard that he felt like she was going to crush his fist to a pulp.
"But everything your good at.." she said and raised her free hand. Bringing it down in a brutal punch in his side. So hard that Tatsumi felt how his heart skipped a beat at the impact.
"Everything you can do..." she said and delivered another violent punch to his chest. Causing Tatsumi to involuntarily scream out. "I can do better!" she exclaimed. Her cheeks slightly red and her voice thick with fervor and desire.
She raised her hand again and Tatsumi brought his free arm up to defend his face. Closing his eyes.
But the punch never came. After a second he felt her warm and wet tongue trail over his lips. The punishment was over.
He sighed in relief and let his arm fall down to his side. Esdeath was bent forward over him. She brought her hands up and cradled his head as she licked and kissed his bruised face. She lay down on top of him.
"That was harsh." he said silently.
"I know." she said as her hands started to travel down on his body. Checking his wounds to see that none of the damage was too serious. "But you persevered. As I knew you would." She moved down a bit and pulled up his shirt. Wanting to take a closer look at some of the bruises. Tatsumi simply put a hand on her back as she examined him.
The fight had yet again reminded him of how destructive she was. She destroyed everything around her just by nature. "You are gonna kill me one day." he said in a sad voice. Fully serious. He knew that it was gonna end that way.
"Don't be silly." Esdeath said as she ran her fingers across one of his newly formed red marks. "Even if I might have gotten a bit... passionate during your punishment, I was still in full control. I would never do anyhting to you that I didn't think you could recover from."
You will kill me just by being yourself, Tatsumi thought. But it is that same nature that I am relying on to destroy the empire as well. Once I have put you in control of everything.
Sometimes Tatsumi doubted that even Esdeath could survive her own ideals. He had said this to her before but she seemed to be fully content with that. Preferring to live life the way she wanted. Even if it meant the she might meet death a little sooner. To Esdeath, it seemed foolish to compromise your life in order to prolong it. Everyone was going to die sooner or later. She would not let that dictate the way she lived.
But Tatsumi was still convinced that there was only one end awaiting those who could only define themselves by battle. Even if Esdeath was a special case. Considering that she had even bent time itself to her will.
He sighed heavily and sadly.
Esdeath looked up at him. Perceiving the grief in the sound. "What's wrong?" She moved her face up to his. "Don't be sad, Tatsumi. The punishment is over. I won't be hurting you anymore."
"My partner is a demon." he said and looked at her. His expression exhausted.
Esdeath felt a little bit of worry rise in her chest. A feeling that was very rare for her to experience. Had she hurt him too much? Had she lessend his love for her?
She reach down and snuggled her chin against the side of his head. "Does it hurt too much? Do you want me to carry you to our bed?"
"No. I'm fine" he said tiredly. Rising up to a sitting position. Esdeath rising with him. Standing on her knees.
"Are you sure?" she asked as he stood up. He was clearly hurting. "I can carry you to the jaeger's quarters to get something for the pain if you want?" she asked as she rose up herself. Frantically searching for a way to express her care for him. This was the only area in which she sometimes were unsure of what to do.
"No, thanks.. I will walk on my own." Tatsumi said in a somber voice. He turned around and started to walk away from her. Limping on his right leg. He walked over to Incursio and picked it up. After picking up the sheath that she had thrown away to a corner of the room, he started to walk out of the hall. Esdeath's eyes following him.
"Now that I have Incursio, I need to go and start to take care of my jaeger duties. I must have a ton of them piled up after being away for so long." He said in a heavy voice, without looking at her. The tragedi of his entire situation a bit to apparent for him at the moment.
For once, his sadness actually spread to Esdeath but not for the same reason.
She had concluded that she had definitely been too hard with him. She had no problem with hurting him when they were playing around or when she had him in her bed. But to her, the situation was much more delicate when she was hurting him as a military punishment. That was one of the few moments when he was treated just as everyone else of her underlings. The line between lover and pet gone. The only moment when it didn't seem like he was special to her.
And now it seemed to her like Tatsumi actually thought that was the truth. Like he no longer believed in her love. She stood there and watched him walk towards the door. Searching for a solution internally.
"I love you." she called out to his back. It sounded much more insecure and meek than she had intended.
Tatsumi couldn't get himself to answer. Not that it would be untrue to say that he loved her but the fact that he did was way too painful to admit right now.
She looked at his back with uncertainty. Waiting and hoping for a respons. When it didn't come her thoughts grew more desperate. When Tatsumi reached the door she panicked inside her head and did the only thing she knew how to do. Her body almost moving by itself.
As Tatsumi put his hand on the door handle, her hand grabbed his shoulder. She swung him around violently and grabbed his shirt, pushing him up against the wall beside the door. Lifting him until he was standing on his toes.
"Say that you love me!" she almost shouted and pressed her forehead down against his in a forceful way.
"Esdeath, stop this! Get off me." Tatsumi shouted and started to struggle.
Esdeath's free hand immediately moved up and placed itself against his chest, under his shirt. A threat against disobedience. "Say that you love me." she growled loudly. Tatsumi noticed that despite the fact she was holding him against the wall and pushing him down with her head, that still didn't sound like an order. It almost sounded like a plea. Aggressive and desperate.
He looked up at her angry eyes. "Fine. Fine." he shouted and swallowed. "I love you, okay? I shouldn't but I do." he shouted. Hating himself for saying it. Loathing himself since he knew that it was the truth.
By saying it, he made the entirety of the situation fall down on him. In all it's tragedy and sorrow. He might internally claim that he hated her but he knew that he also loved her at the same time. And it made him disgusted with himself. A part of him just wanted to die.
Almost all of his friends and loved ones were dead because of her. Definetly everyone who believed him to be a decent human being. And sooner or later she would kill him as well. Even though it would break her heart. And then she would die herself. The horrible effect of her ways coming to conclusion. And why did that bother him so much? Why didn't he want her to suffer and die?
"Tatsumi..." Esdeath said and slowly let him down. Noticing how upset he was.
He turned his head to the side. "I'm sorry... I just.. it just.. " he said, clenching his teeth. Tears starting to flow down his face. His constant facade momentarily disappearing. Briefly showing what always lurked beneath. "...it just hurts so much." he sobbed.
"Then why didn't you tell me so when I asked you?" she exclaimed with furious worry. Her hand's movements turning gentle and caressing. Misunderstanding, thinking that he was talking about the beating she had given him. A pain that Tatsumi barely noticed right now. "Don't you ever hide your pain from me. No matter the source of it." she said. Now sounding upset herself.
She bent her head down and kissed him, wrapping her arms around him. Tatsumi didn't even struggle against it. Her kisses and caresses were slow and tender. Cuddling and warm. Driven by passion but not lust. He answered to it almost immediately. Using the love she was giving to steady himself in his weakened state. Allowing him to push these honest feelings back down into himself.
Tatsumi slowly fell down with his back against the wall. Esdeath following him down. Standing on her knees, bending over him.
They stayed like that for almost forty minutes. Kissing and hugging. Breathing each others breath and looking into each other's eyes. Until Tatsumi's moment of weakness had passed and Esdeath felt reassured that things were as they should be again. By then she had licked up all his tears. Metaphorically comsuming his sadness.
She held his hand a little too hard for comfort as they then walked to the jaeger's quarters to get him something for the pain.
The rain blew heavily against the windows of the large room in Makeias's quarters. Filling the relatively silent room with the sound of it.
The room was filled by a colorful group of people of about ten people. All standing gathered around a large round table. On the middle of the table lay Budo's letter. Summoning Makeias to a secret meeting in six hours.
"This is way too damn early." Makeias said in a grim voice. He stood hunched over the table. Both his hands placed upon it.
"Too early! Too early!" the teigu in the form of an owl squeaked. Sitting on Tom-Tom's shoulder, who was standing beside him.
Makeias looked at his gathered friends and warriors. From Tom-Tom's sad blue eyes, to the resolute green eyes of Kai, the man that was monitoring his forces, to the furious brown eyes of Liza. Angry at the world for how it had treated her and her little brother. Annoyingly enough, the unpredictable little girl was also the best fighter under his command, Makeias reflected.
"Noctuaz has whispered of this for months." Tom-Tom said. Breaking the momentarily silence with his low and raspy voice.
Makeias gave the old giant an annoyed expression. "Let say that this is the day of the splintering, which we have no way to confirm, then what has Noctuaz told us about what is to come?"
"If today is what the teigu has been calling the day of the splintering then a time of fire and ruin awaits us. A time when only strength will diffrentiate those who live and those who die." Tom-Tom answered.
Kai, the young armor-clad man that served Makeias as the main administrator of his forces, picked up the letter. "That sounds like a pretty accurate description of how the empire works right now." he said and read through the message once again.
"I think the teigu refers to strength in a more direct way. Not just the diffrence in power and influence." Tom-Tom said and looked at Kai.
"Which we have no way to confirm or deny." Makeias sighed and straightened up. "Noctuaz once again showing why it is called the most useless teigu in the world."
"So what do we do now?" Tom-Tom asked Makeias. "Can we ignore this summoning?"
The armor-clad youth spoke up before Makeias. "That is too risky. If Budo's side comes out on top they will most likely call us traitors to the empire if we are absent."
"Why do we care?" Liza said and looked at the boy with her usual irritated expression. Her head barely reaching above the table. "Are you scared that there will be more fighting, Kai?"
The young man stiffened up. His armor clinking slightly. "When you grow older, you will learn that there is such a thing as responsibility towards your subordinates." he said with a disdainful voice.
"Sounds to me like you're just scared!" the little girl provoked."Aren't we traitors already? This battle will come sooner or later." Liza said. Crossing her arms across her chest. Proving once again that she was wiser than her years.
"It's too damn early." Makeias repeated. "Besides, it doesn't matter. If Budo is summoning us for the reason we think he is, then Esdeath will most likely kill him."
"Then should we take his side in this?" Tom-Tom asked. Leaning on his tall staff with both his hands. "Budo's power is renowned. It might be our best chance to slay the ice-demon."
"Maybe." Makeias said. He looked over at Kai. The young man had short black hair and attentive, stern eyes. He was well trained and had a red cloak flowing down from his shoulders. "If we were to give the order today, would you be certain that we would maintain control over the army?"
Kai shook his head. His armor rattling slightly. "We need another month, at least. There are too many officers and sergants whose allegiance I haven't been able verify yet."
"How big would the risk be for defection if we still went ahead with everything right now?" Makeias asked.
"I would not advise it, general." Kai answered in a hard voice. "While I can not give you any precise estimates in this moment, I can promise you that if we start enacting everything right now, there will be insubordinations in our ranks. I need more time to weed the unloyal ones out from positions with power."
Makeias nodded slowly. "Depending on how this goes, we might have to give the order tonight either way." Makeias said and walked over to one of the windows. Looking out at the rain. Unwilling to show his subordinates how anxious he was about this.
"So you intend to go to this meeting then?" Tom-Tom asked.
"We have to. As you said, this might be a chance. And if it is not, then a huge power change within the empire is going to occur. And we will need to know about how it turns out immediately." he shook his head. "I will need to go myself. The great general summoned me by name. It would awake suspicion if I sent someone else in my place."
"Who shall join you?" Tom-Tom asked.
"Only you and some of yours. Bring some of the fastest and most steadfast that you have. I have a feeling that we might need them." he said and scratched his mid-section. His wound was itching horribly. He wondered if Morbus could detect what was going on.
"As you say." the old man answered.
Makeias took a deep breath. "You will never hear me say this again, so this is your only chance." he said in a somber voice. "The door is right there.". He pointed at the door leading out of the room without turning towards any of them.
"Meeting me has caused you all ruin and suffering. I know that I have made you all promises of compensation in diffrent ways. But if you choose to leave me now, I will not hold it against you. Cause make no mistake, if we make the wrong choice tonight, then most of us in this room will be dead within a week or two."
The big owl on Tom-Tom's shoulder raised it's head and screamed in it's shrill and squeaky voice. "Dead! Dead!"
The room was silent for some moments.
Tom-Tom looked around among those standing in the room. Nobody moved. His eyes finally landed on Liza. The angry little creature nodded to him.
The old man turned to Makeias's back. "We have laughed, we have loved and we have lived. No one here would have regrets if we die trying, Makeias."
Makeias smiled out through the window. "I guess we will go to hell together then." He turned around and smiled at them. "Go. Return to your positions. And keep your ears open for any signal that I might send."
"Yes, sir!" the room answered and started to move out.
"Kai." Makeias called out before the young man had left the room.
He turned around. "Yes, sir?"
"I want you to leave the capital and go the army's main encapment. Continue your work from there."
"Of course, general. But why?"
"You know what to do if I die tonight." Makeias said looked at him with an empty face. "Right?"
He saw how emotions welled up in the boy's eyes. Seeing that he understood the insinuations. Then a grim and resolved grin formed on Kai's face. "Unleash the wolves."
Makeias returned his sad and dark smile."Leave nothing but ashes."
His subordinate seemed like he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. His emotions getting in the way. After some seconds he straightened up and saluted his commander. Makeias nodded at him and he turned around and walked out of the room.
Only Liza and Tom-Tom remained. Makeias gave Liza a questioning look. The little girl met his gaze with fury.
"You promised that you would never touch Jack." she said in a controlled tone. Makeias would have preffered it if she had been screaming. Now she was harder to gauge.
"I don't believe that I have done anyhting to your little brother, Liza." he said and put his hands in his pockets.
"You let him join Tom-Tom's freak team."
"Did I? I had no idea that he had joined." he lied.
Liza looked at him for some moments. "If you hurt Jack, I will kill you."
A part of Makeias wanted to ridicule her but this was not the time. He simply nodded. She glared at him for some more moments and then turned around and stormed out of the room. Looking way more fearsome than any eleven-year-old should be allowed to look.
When she had left Makeias sighed. "She is older than her years." he said bitterly.
"Her life has forced her to grow up quickly." Tom-Tom said. "You will have to tell her sooner or later. Her little brother is the only one who has shown compatibility with the teigu. He will need to be trained and conditioned. Soon."
"Yeah, she will love hearing that we are gonna brainwash the only person she loves."
"You can't keep this from her. She will find out sooner or later." Tom-Tom said.
Makeias nodded."We will cross that bridge soon enough. Now, we have a meeting to attend to."
Wave was struggling to get closer to Kurome as they walked behind Esdeath through the palace, Tatsumi walking a bit closer to their commander. There were only the four of them in the entire corridor. Due to the fact that it was way past midnight.
Wave wanted to walk beside Kurome in a little more intimate way than just as fellow subordinates. But he was unsure of how to do it without it becoming an awkward situation. Despite how perceptive she were, Kurome could still be pretty dense when it came to these sort of things sometimes.
Just the other day he had tried to put his hand over hers while they were sitting in one of the libraries and she had loudly asked him what he was doing. When he later had explained it when it was just the two of them she had wondered why he hadn't just told her that he wanted to hold her hand.
Wave was certain that she had noticed that he was trying to get closer to her right now but he didn't think that she understood why. He wished that Tatsumi could have been able to give her a push in the right direction but his otherwise helpful friend seemed to be lost in deep thought.
Tatsumi had recovered completly from his momentary relapse earlier. After he and Esdeath had gone to the jaeger's quarters and gotten him some painkillers, Esdeath had relieved him of all his duties for the day. So he had walked up to their chambers while Esdeath had went on with her duties. When he arrived to their living quarters he had laid down on a big sofa in one of the rooms. He had seen Budo's letter lying in the entrance hall but he already knew what it's message was. He knew what the night would bring. He wanted to regain as much strength as possible before then.
He had been resting there for almost three hours when he heard how Esdeath returned in the other room. She had some soldiers with her that she gave some instructions. From what he could hear, she had finished her duties at an extraordinary pace and then canceled the few things that she couldn't speed up. When she had sent the soldiers away, he could hear how she opened the letter from the general.
After that she had started to wander through the rooms in her big quarters. Searching for him. When she found him lying in the sofa she had walked up and sat down on it. She had then unlaced her boots and taken them off and without a word she had then crawled up and laid down behind him. Wrapping her arms around him, spooning him from behind. Her grip a bit too fierce to be considered cuddling. It seemed like he really had managed to get her worried in the training hall.
They had been laying like that for a long while before they had started talking. Esdeath beginning by whispering sweet words into his hair. Telling him that he was the only creature in the world that she loved. Telling him that she would protect him from everything that hurt him. Telling him that he was hers.
After a while Tatsumi had answered in kind. He knew what was coming tonight and he wanted their relationship to be steady by then. Or at least that was the excuse he used.
Tatsumi had dozed off after some time and when he woke, Esdeath had brought food that she had made for him. Suprisingly enough, Esdeath was actually a rather competent cook. Having learned the skill during the years she had lived alone after her tribe died but before she joined the military.
He had let her feed him as she asked him if there was anyone who was hurting or threatening him. She wanted to prove her love to him by destroying something or someone for him. She wanted to physically protect him. But he didn't give her any names. Knowing that her anger would be directed at the only source she knew. The great general Budo. He wanted all her wrath to be directed at that man tonight.
After they had eaten she had crawled back to her original position behind him. They had been lying in that sofa until the time came for them to get ready to leave. The gash in their relationship had been completly closed by then. Everything was almost back to normal. For the time being.
And now they were walking towards Budo's meeting through the long silent halls of the palace. Together with Wave and Kurome. Esdeath had opted to take them with her as well, for some reason. The four of them were the only ones who were attending this meeting from her forces.
They walked down under the main barrack belonging to Budo's imperial guard. Esdeath leading the way, down many corridors and stairs, not meeting with a single soul as they descended towards their destination. Only the sound of rain and the howling of wind filling the empty halls. The storm that had rolled in over the capital the day prior still growing strong.
They finally arrived at their destination. It was a relatively small and modest door. Not at all the usual grandeur that was on display when the leaders of the empire met. They could all hear the faint buzz of a crowd coming from the other side of it.
Esdeath stopped in front of it and turned around towards them. "Okay, listen up." she said in her usual commanding tone. "The great general Budo has summoned a secret meeting with the leaders of the military. It is our job as jaegers to make sure that there isn't any funny business going on during this meeting."
Wave seemed slightly suprised. "Do you think the great general suspects any treason within the empire?" he asked and looked at her.
"We will see what happens." Esdeath said and returned his gaze. "But be on your guard. I don't need to warn you that the military leadership sports some rather competent warriors. If things turn violent, then I want you three to stay together and work as a unit . Watch each others back, do you understand? There are not any run-of-the-mill opponents waiting for us behind this door."
"Yes, general!" Kurome and Wave said.
Tatsumi moved a little closer to Esdeath. "Do you think that this will come down to violence."
She smiled at him. Her expression calm and content yet bereft of warmth or sympathy. "We will see." she repeated.
He knew what she was intending to do. But he wanted to urge her on a little bit more, just to be sure. He took a small step forward and gave her a small peck on the lips. He then looked her in the eyes and whispered so only the two of them could hear. "Crush them."
He was about to move his head back when her hand grabbed the back of his hair and pushed him back to her mouth. Shoving her tongue down his throat and licking his lips.
Wave watched the two of them. Feeling happy that that everything between them seemed to be alright again when he felt how Kurome's small hand grabbed his own at his side. He looked over at her but she wasn't meeting his gaze. Staring emptly in front of her. She could feel the immense danger that waited on the other side of the door. "Don't die on me. Okay?" she said silently.
Wave felt warmth fill his chest. He squeezed her hand in his own. "Never." he whispered back.
Esdeath pulled Tatsumi's face away from her own. Her expression as crazy as the one she had given him in the training hall. Showing all of her white sharp teeth in a feral grin while her eyes were wide and joyful. "Let's kill them all!" she growled lowly and stared into the eyes of her lover. All questions about how Tatsumi could be so certain about what was happening forgotten in the excitment of the moment. Only fueled on by knowing that he wanted her to do it.
Tatsumi smiled and nodded at her. In this moments, her intentions and nature lined up perfectly with his goals. For once, they felt like one.
She let go of him and turned around. She smashed open the door with an arm and then calmly walked into the room that had now turned completly silent. The other three following right behind her.
It was not a small room but it still couldn't be called a hall. It was a modest room without furniture. Dimly lit up by torches hanging on the walls. But the room was full of people. To the point were it was almost overcrowded. Everyone shuffling and moving to get out of Esdeath's way as she moved towards the middle of the room where a big round table had been set up.
Tatsumi looked around the crowd as he followed Esdeath with Wave and Kurome. Almost everyone here held some position of power. The great general had summoned every military leader in the capital that he thought that the prime minister didn't control. He could see the captain of the city watch. As well as the main administrator over the military's intelligence and postal network.
He could even see Izou, the samurai-styled teigu user, standing in the back of the room. Which was a mistake since Tatsumi knew that Izou belonged to the prime minister. Just as all other survivors from Wild hunt.
Esdeath lazily strolled to the table. Swinging her hips and looking dangerously seductive. Enjoying the excitment that being in the center of attention brought her. She had always been a show off.
The silence in the room was broken by the mocking voice of Makeias. "My god! Is there ever a situation that you can walk into without making the mood so much warmer, ice-queen? Just seeing you warms my heart."
He was waiting at the table with Tom-Tom standing behind him along with some other giant and thin warriors. Makeias was wearing his battle attire. His hands in his pockets behind the ruined cloak that reached down to the floor. He had two halberds strapped across each other on his back. Long black staffs that turned to blades after two thirds of their lengths. Tatsumi quickly noticed that the black blades of the weapons were a bit too shiny. Making him believe that they were coated in some sort of liquid.
"I wasn't sure if you would be here, pillager." Esdeath exclaimed. She seemed genuinly happy that he was. Though Makeias himself wasn't sure if he liked that. "I had been told that you worked with the politicians of the imperial court during most nights."
"Well yeah, but I think they can manage without me for just one night. That job is just a lot of greetings, small talk and... handshaking." he said with a smile as he scratched his chin. Esdeath nodded at him.
"Well then." Budo's voice echoed through the room. The crowd parted for him as he walked up to the table. A big group of his own men following behind him. "I don't think that it is wise to wait any longer, so let this meeting begin." he said. Loud enough for everyone in the entire room to hear it. The other two generals looked at him.
He walked up to the table. He was holding a big folder in his right hand. "First of all, I would like to thank you all for coming. I know that this meeting is not standard protocol so I ask you to bear with me for a little while. This is quiet important, as I stated in the letter."
A small mumur went through the gathered crowd. Esdeath crossed her arms over her chest with a smile and Makieas remained motionless.
The great general took a deep breath. "I am the great general. As you all now. That title places duties on me. Towards the emperor but also towards the empire itself. I have done everything in my power to uphold these duties. As my family has for generations. And I will be the first to admit that I have failed."
He looked around at the people in the room. "All of you know what I am talking about. Especially you who have been in the empire's service for a long time. During my watch, this once proud and just nation has become a corrupt and unfair shell of what it once was. Punishing it's own citizens for merely living on it's ground. Killing it's own loyal servants for no other crime than being loyal to it. I will carry the shame of allowing this to happen with me to my grave. But I will not allow this to continue anymore."
He threw the folder on the table. It's papers falling out across it.
"These are copies of some of the proof I have gathered during these last months. And it all points to one man. The prime minister!"
A murmur went through the gathered crowd. The few who hadn't yet realized why they were here now understood what was going on.
"Just during this last week, the prime minister has had fifty diffrent politicians and military leaders framed, trialled and executed. Without even letting me know that leaders from the military that I command were on trial for treason. Not even noticing me that he had executed my men."
He gestured towards the papers now lying on the table. "These papers prove that the prime minister had them all framed for their supposed crimes. This is the only proof we have. Since the imperial archives have been burnt down, it has been almost impossible to disprove that these men were traitors. Which makes the timing of the fire very suspicious. But I have managed to prove that some of the evidence put against them were falsified."
He put a big hand down on the table."And this is just the tip of the iceberg. As some of you know." He raised his voice a little bit. "Subordinates. Soldiers. Warriors and comrades. Servants of the empire. This has to stop!"
The crowd murmured approvingly. Many heads were nodding and most in the room seemed to be agreeing. Tatsumi wasn't suprised. The great general had always had much more support within the military than the prime minister.
"All of you in this room has taken and given lifes for this nation and it's people. You have been forced to kill when you thought it was wrong and you have been forced to show mercy when you thought it unjust. Yet you have done it. For the sake of those we protect, for the sake of our families, for the sake of our people, for the sake of the empire. We have done our duties and made the sacrifices necessary for the empire to go on. Yet now, all those sacrifices are being spat upon by those currently in control of the empire."
The murmurs grew louder. "It must be stopped!" someone in the back shouted.
The great general straightened up from the table."Fellow soldiers. What I request of you is nothing short of breaking military law. I sincerly apologize to each and every one of you for requesting this but this is the only road left to me."
The great general took one last deep breath before taking the final step. He shouted the last part of his call to arms.
"I hereby declare a coup against the current imperial court! Join me in overthrowing the prime minister that has made us ashamed of who and what we are! And then, we can together return this empire that we have bled for to it's former glory!"
The room erupted into a roar of approval. Men applauding and others shouting the great general's name. Led by the leaders of the imperial guard that stood behind him. "It's about damn time!" the leader of the city watch shouted. And the main adminstrator of the intelligence network looked like someone just had offered him a chance to revive a beloved son from the dead. Even Wave started to applaud. Some of the Makeias men were applauding politely but most were staying relatively calm. But they were the only relatively silent people in the room.
They and one more.
"So it is treason, then." Esdeath's sweetest voice called out. The entire room growing silent in a second. Everyone looking at Esdeath. She smiled her self-confident smile. Her hands on her hips. She tsked at Budo. "Great general, I am disappointed. I thought you would know better." she said. Sounding dangerously excited.
Tatsumi looked at her from behind. Everything had worked out as planned.
When he had been away from the capital for two weeks on his long mission he had planted the last of the false evidence and made all the preparations necessary. He had finished his actual mission in three days. Which had had the unfortunate side-effect of having Leone getting caught by Esdeath. The final part of it had been to hide the "connections" and "proof" on the manor belonging to the warden of the west. Which had been an easy thing to do for an highly trained assassin armed with an teigu capable of invisibility.
Then he had returned and waited for the warden of the west to be revealed. An easy thing for Tatsumi to make happen since the warden was the only real traitor among those that he had framed. Having worked with the revoloutionary army many times, in secret.
Esdeath was finally sent away to kill the warden. And while she was away he had burned the archives. Making it almost impossible for the framed people to prove that the accusations that would come were wrong. Since no documentation of the last years remained. Esdeath had then returned from killing the warden. Bringing his planted "connections" with her. Making the prime minister believe that there was a network of traitors working within the empire that he had missed. And then the prime minister had started to deal with these people that he thought were traitors. Unaware that they had been framed by Tatsumi.
Then, the last part of it all was to make sure that Budo knew what the prime minister didn't. That these people were framed. He had managed to do so by the letter delivered by Wave. Which he had managed to give to the blue haired boy just before Esdeath had interrupted them during training and restrained him for accusations about Bellany's murder. Which had proved to be false.
Then Budo had of course drawn the logical conclusion, that the one who who raised the accusations were the same one who had planted the evidence, the prime minister. In the letter, Tatsumi had even written down how to distinguish that the evidence was planted.
And now the great general was using it to overthrow the prime minister. Which could only get one response.
He looked at his lover's well formed back with a smile.
But that is your mistake, you pathetic excuse for a minister, Tatsumi thought. Esdeath isn't your trump card, she is mine!
Tatsumi had actually found the great general speech to be rather admirable. But he had since long abandoned any hope to redeem or correct the empire. Those naive thoughts had died with his friends. Now he just wanted to watch it all burn down to ashes.
Go! Complete the first half of the plan! ,he screamed internally to his lover. Take conrtol of the entire military. And then they will all suffer as your ideals turns order into anarchy.
The great general looked at Esdeath with unconcealed contempt and hostility. His arms crossed over his chest. "General Esdeath. I always knew that you worked closely with the prime minister but I never thought that you would steep so low as to stab the military in the back. But I guess I shouldn't have expected more from a violent savage that takes traitorous assassins into her bed."
"Oho." Esdeath said. Her tone growing more threatening. "Not only insulting me but my partner as well. I will make this hurt for you." she said and put a hand on the hilt of her weapon. "Great general Budo. I hereby charge you with high treason." she called out loudly. "By the power bestowed upon me by my rank I sentence you to death."
The great general put down his arms to his sides. His fists closed. Makeias stood absolutely still. His eyes traveling back and forth between Esdeath and the great general.
"But then again, you were once my superior" Esdeath said with a smile. She bent forward slightly and reached out with an open hand to the great general. Her other hand still holding her sheated weapon. "Surrender now and I might make your end easier. Might."
The room was completly silent. Nobody said a word. As the fate of the explored world hanged in the balance.
Author's note:
I am somewhat suprised that I managed to get this out on time.
It was a bit harder to write. This chapter was a bit more emotional than some others and I had to struggle to make that translate well. We will see if I succeeded.
That and the fact that I wanted to summaries the plan so far in Tatsumi's head. Almost every chapter has clues hidden about what has been going on but I wanted Tatsumi to connect it all in his head before moving on the the next stage. I also wanted to showcase the change in Tatsumi a little bit. Tatsumi in the manga is naive but still wishes to save the people of the empire. Tatsumi in this story has become a more tragic figure. Shrewd and smart, but only wishes for the destruction of every part of the empire.
I also wanted Esdese have a moment of uncertainty with Tatsumi. Those are always hard to write without going out of character with her.
Once again, thanks a lot for your support, comments and so on. Really appreciate it. This and the following chapter were moments I had planned from the start but honestly thought that I would never get around to. But because you people have shown interest in it, the story has and will move on.
I will be going through old chapters and changing everything to Esdese and correct old mistakes. With that in mind, the next chapter should be released in about 7-8 days.
Have a nice day and take care of each other!