(Sorry. I am sorry. Genuinely. The next chapter is on its way. It is more than halfway done. A lot of shit has just happened. I was in the middle of a move from one apartment from another and then I lost my father to a vicious heart attack. Which destroyed all the routine and stability I had in my life. I intend to finish this story. I am sorry that it is taking so long. But I will continue it soon. I hope you will be there to follow me to the end. Otherwise, it is all meaningless.)
Well, I sure as hell got my answer.
The show will go on.
Burning bridges.
"For your sake, I hope that this is important." Esdese said. The otherwise imposing threat was undercut when she immediately yawned loudly after finishing it. Covering her mouth with her fingers as her eyes closed.
The courier that was kneeling in front of her looked up at her with big eyes as she did. Immediately looking down at her naked feet as soon as her eyes opened again.
He was wearing the standard military uniform for a courier. His proper and official appearance strongly contrasted by Esdese's own look.
She was not wearing anything but a buttoned up shirt. It was one of her regular sleeping attires. Just a lot more closed up this time. The white cloth just barely covering up her more private parts. Her breasts looked to be at risk of escaping their tight prison at any moments and the end of her shirt reaching barely halfway down her thighs. Not that Esdese seemed bothered by her risque appearance.
She had been sleeping with Tatsumi in her arms less than a minute ago. But when she heard the knock on the door, she had already been aware of what was coming for a while. Sensing the change in the environment long before she actually woke up.
However, the moments before the knocks came, she had been well awake. Thinking about how to handle the situation.
The problem was that their new temporary home didn't have a distinction between their bedroom and their entrance hall. They slept in the first room that you entered into from the corridor. The two other rooms they had were the bathroom and Esdese's small new office. So she had no place to take the meeting without waking Tatsumi up. Since their guest would have to pass through the room they slept in.
So when the knock finally came and Tatsumi had stirred in her arms, she had simply kissed him on the head and whispered to him to stay in bed and sleep. Then she had gotten up and walked over to the door. Buttoning up her shirt completely as she did. The only piece of clothing which she had slept in.
She was way too confident and proud of her body to care about looking a bit more daring. She had always been a show-off and she felt no need to look proper or official for a mere courier.
"So.." she said and scratched the side of her head with one eye closed.".. what is it?"
"I hope that I am not disturbing you, great general."
Esdese just stared down at him for that. "What do you think?"
"I am very sorry, great general. I can return later."
"So that the only thing this would have achieved would have been to wake me up?" Esdese said. Irritation starting to color her voice. She was tired. She had not slept a single hour the night prior. Her attention needed by the military and the imperial court through the whole night. And when the sun rose again, her other duties began anew. So she had not recovered at all. Working intensely for more than thirty-six hours. And while she hadn't let her concentration or perception fade in the slightest during this time, she had been more tired than she had been in a long time when she finally returned to their new chambers down in the dungeons.
She hadn't even had the energy to mess around with Tatsumi. Who she hadn't seen in two days. She had just grabbed him by the collar of his clothes and informed him that they were going to sleep as she dragged him towards the bed. Wanting nothing more than just fall asleep while snuggling with him.
But she had not gotten more than four hours of sleep before this new disruption arrived. Not nearly enough. And she had never been the most patient or forgiving creature in the first place.
"If your reason for waking me up is good, then you have nothing to apologize for. If it is not.." she said and yawned again. As she did, she looked at the courier through a half-closed eye. She recognized the boy. He was one of her own.
"I carry an important message for you, great general."
"Yeah, I would hope so." Esdese said rather nonchalantly. "Well? What is it?"
The courier looked up at her but didn't say anything. Looking rather bothered.
"What is the messages?" Esdese demanded a bit louder. Her old military instincts showing through as she repeated the question with more force. Making the courier flinch. But he still didn't say anything. He slowly looked over to the side. Esdese followed his gaze. Already knowing what he was looking at.
Fifteen meters away from each side of the door she had come out from, guards were stationed. There to overwatch Tatsumi. To warn those monitoring him if he was leaving his room. Both of them were ogling her as discreetly as they could. Turning their eyes away from her the moment that her gaze turned towards them. But not fast enough.
"What are you starting at?" Esdese said in challenging voice. She had no qualms about people checking her out. She enjoyed being admired. In all kinds of ways. But right now she was just annoyed by the interruption. She had a cozy bed and a warm Tatsumi waiting for her on the other side of the door. She could feel that her patience was starting to disappear.
She sighed loudly. "You know what, both of you, leave this floor altogether. I don't want to even feel your presence anymore."
The two guards looked at each other for a second or two, but then did as she ordered. Having both been warned by their superior to not go against her in any way. They walked away in different directions.
When they were well out of earshot, Esdese looked down at the courier. She waved two fingers at him. Signaling for him to stand up. Which he immediately did. All the insecurity from before suddenly gone.
"So, what was it?" Esdese said in a much calmer and more serious tone.
"We have been keeping an eye on the military forces outside of our own in the capital, as you ordered, lady Esdese."
She just nodded and crossed her arms over her chest.
"And just like you suspected, there is a new military branch being formed outside of normal military supervision."
Esdese started to smile. "Of course there is. Who is behind it?"
"Everything points to that the initiative is coming from the emperor himself. Probably with some help from parts of the imperial court."
Esdese nodded with satisfaction. "And they seriously thought they could hide it from me. How large is this force and who is in direct control of it?"
"We don't know the scope of it yet. It is still being formed. The recruits are mainly made up of veterans and people from outside of the capital. Being called in to serve in secrecy. Neither do we know who is in control of it. This force was made to act outside of normal military leadership. Taking their orders directly from the emperor and his court."
"Thus avoiding having to go through me and my administration." Esdese said. Not sounding bothered at all.
The courier nodded to her. "Yeah we think that is their intent. But we also have reason to believe that this force is being aided by some part of the military leadership as well. Since we don't see any way of how they could reach out and recruit all these soldiers without some guidance."
Esdese grabbed her chin with two fingers and looked up at the ceiling for a bit. Still smiling. "So the political leadership is trying to create their own military force in secret. Just so that they don't have to go through me, every time they need some muscle behind their agendas and ideas."
"At best, they just want to have a more direct arm so that they can act quicker. At worst, they want to have something that they can defend themselves from the military with. In case the military leadership should turn against them."
Esdese looked down at him again. Looking happy but not in a sweet way. "And you think that they have some help from the military leadership?"
"We have reason to believe so, yeah."
"How high up?"
"I am sorry, my lady, but I can not say for sure. But it might be as high up as an imperial general."
"Good. Then I know what to do next." she said. She looked at him. "You and your team have done good work. I will expect you to keep it up, courier Ike."
"We will, great general. I will not fail you."
"I don't think you will, Ike." she said. She looked him up and down. "You are growing up nicely. How are you doing? Is your brother well?"
The young man smiled and nodded at her. " We are doing fine, my lady. Thanks to your patronage. My brother is finally learning how to fend for himself. Soon enough, he will be old enough to start learning the ways of the sword. Just as I did. Thanks to you."
She smiled a slightly warmer smile at him. "If it at some point looks like he is going to become a good warrior, then I expect you to recruit him into my forces."
"I would be honored to, great general Esdese." the courier said and saluted her.
She nodded to the side. "Don't hesitate to wake me up if you get more developments like this." she said. Her tone telling that the discussion was over.
"I will, great general." the man said.
They looked at each other for some moments. A friendly and respectful exchange. Then Esdese slapped him quickly and loudly. The courier shrank away. Returning to the insecure and scared demeanor he had before the guards left. He gave her a small smile and then started to slowly run away down the corridor. Loudly apologizing for waking her up as he ran. Making a point out of keeping his reddening cheek as visible as possible to everyone he passed.
Esdese smiled slightly at him as he ran away. Making a mental note to have a look at the courier's younger brother. Then she turned around and walked back into her momentary home.
So they honestly think that I am nothing but violence and power, she thought as she walked through the dark room. Unbuttoning her shirt again as she did. I guess they will learn the hard way that I am not blind to their tricks and games.
She crawled back into the bed. Wrapping her arms around Tatsumi again. Being in a much better mood than she had been when she left it.
Everything was dark.
She couldn't see anything at all. And it took her some moments to realize that she could barely move as well.
She wondered where she was. If she was. It took her a rather long time to just verify that she was actually conscious. Since she couldn't see or move. But when she yelled out she could hear her voice loud and clear. To a degree that no dream could replicate. But her calls got no answer.
She had no clear grasp on time. Since she had no references. She didn't know how much time had passed when she fell asleep again. And had no idea of how much time had passed when she woke up again. Having to loudly speak to herself just to ensure herself that she was awake.
She wondered if she had been paralyzed in some way. Unable to move or see anything. That there might actually be people around her but she couldn't detect them in any way. She didn't know which alternative she found more horrifying.
She had lost all grasp of time when she finally got any indication that there was some other life in her now dark existence.
She could hear steps. Far away and faint at first but then slowly coming closer. Growing louder. She would have shouted out but the moments she started hearing those steps, she also started to think that her current state had most likely been forced upon her.
She heard a door open and suddenly she knew that she wasn't alone anymore. There was someone else there. Probably just some meters away.
"Who are you?" she asked. A bit louder than she had intended.
"We will leave that detail for later." the voice of a somewhat young woman answered.
"What have you done to me?"
"We have kept you drugged up. So that you couldn't move. I know that we already have removed Lionel from you but we had a feeling that you might be dangerous without it as well. So we chose to not take any chances."
"Ok, so where am I?" Leone asked in a lighter tone. Even if she did not think that the person she was talking to was her friend, the mere interaction with another human being cheered her up immensely. Anything was better than the solitude.
"Down in a cellar." the girly voice answered in a rather sweet tone.
"I had hoped for something more than that."
"You are in a cellar in the capital." the voice answered. It seemed to come from the same place all the time so Leone could guess that the person was stational. "But I won't tell you anything more than that."
"Was it you that knocked me out?" Leone asked.
"Yeah, it was. I decided to strike before you had activated Lionel. If you had had the teigu activated, I think it would have escalated into a rather violent battle pretty quickly."
"We wouldn't want that, would we?" Leone said. Her comedic side showing itself by instinct. Despite the grim situation she was in. "Were you following me when I pursued the imperial general?"
"I was around."
"You must be a really quick one. Since you were able to knock me out before I could even react to you."
"You were occupied with the general. Or who you thought to be the general."
"What do you mean?"
"Never mind that. I came here to ask questions. Not answer them."
"Ask away. But I think you will be disappointed."
Her captor turned silent for a little while. Leone had actually started to wonder if she had been left alone again before the voice returned. "Leone of Night raid, why do you fight? Why do you keep fighting, now that your chances of success has been rendered insignificant?"
"Our struggle was never based on the chances of success. We didn't start fighting because we were confident in our success." Leone said with newfound disdain.
"Then why do you fight?"
"Because we're fucking humans." Leone spat angrily. "We have some goddam decency to us. It is not a matter of choice. If we have strength, then we are obligated to act when faced with cruelty of this magnitude."
Her words were followed by some moments of silence before the voice spoke up once more. "Those who created this cruelty is also humans."
"There will always be bad apples. The problem is when they get powerful enough to rule over everyone else."
"Shouldn't it be the obligation of the people to render these bad people powerless? The majority of the people of the empire seem to not oppose this regime."
"Not everyone is powerful. Not everyone can dedicate their lives to fighting. For many, it is smarter to just bow your head and think of your friends and family."
Another silence followed Leone's words before the answer came. "The imperial court has started to cleanse itself. The prime minister is long gone and a new emperor has risen to power. And his first act was to cleanse out a large part of the corruption. In the form of the execution of the special police force known as the new imperial guard along with the revelations about the manipulation by the head administrator Tatsumi."
"As long as Esdese remains in control of the imperial military, the people will suffer." Leone said with determination.
"Fully agreed." the unknown voice answered immediately. Causing Leone's eyebrows to rise in surprise. "The ice queen must be brought down. Before that, all other change is meaningless. Since it can easily be made undone by her."
This time it was Leone's turn to stay silent for a while before she spoke. "Why am I here? Why haven't you killed me? Or released me, if that is your intent."
"Mainly because I don't know if you are my enemy or not." the voice said. "Despite the fact that you were shadowing me and is a known assassin."
"I was shadowing you? Wait, who are you?" Leone said.
"We will see, Leone of Night Raid. I am starting to think that you might not be my enemy after all. Even if you yourself don't know it yet." The voice said as it moved away. Leone could hear how she was taking steps away from her. "But this will have to be it for our small talk. I am very busy and my absence will easily be noticed if I disappear for too long. And then it will be questioned. And that could very easily turn things rather... messy."
"How long will I be kept here?" Leone asked a bit louder as the steps moved away further.
"I don't know, to be honest. But not too much longer, I hope. Depends on how long it will take until we can talk again."
"Wait, at least tell me who you are?" Leone called out loudly but the only answer she got was the sound of a door closing.
She called out a couple more times as the steps slowly disappeared but she got no response. When the steps had finally disappeared completely, everything was silent. And she was once again alone with the darkness.
"For some people, your cap is probably enough to be seen as some kind of domination accessory."
"Hmm?" Esdese wondered.
She was standing by the only table that had been placed in the main room of their new apartment. The room also acting as their bedroom. Their bed in a corner of it. Not the bed that had been left there for Tatsumi but not the giant bed from Esdese's quarters either. Since that would take up almost a third of the room This was something in between. Big enough to fit them both but making physical contact hard to avoid.
Tatsumi was doing push-ups, shirtless, in a corner of the room. Not having that much to do with his time at the moment. Esdese was folding some papers that she had just been reading through. Putting them on the only table in the room.
"You know, the classical dominatrix uniform that girls usually wears when they play those kinds of games. They always have a cap that looks like the one you always wear."
"This is a military beret with the insignia of my clan attached to it."
"Yeah, I know. But you must be aware of what I am talking about." Tatsumi said. Some sweat trailing down his temples. He had forgotten how many push-ups he had done already.
"Why would a certain set of clothes be associated with who is the dominating one? The interactions are what decides that. Sure, looks can signal your personality but a relationship of dominance and submission is expressed through the interactions."
"So you mean to say that your entire attire has nothing to do with any of that culture? The thigh high boots. Your really short skirt. Your giant cleavage and that cap. Combined with those gloves. You must have taken some inspiration from that community."
"If you got something that you are proud of, you should not be afraid to flaunt it. And besides, I prefer the feel of cotton over leather."
"AHA!" Tatsumi said triumphantly. Looking up at her. "So you do know what I am talking about!"
"I have a meeting now, Tatsumi." Esdese said nonchalantly and put the last of the papers down on the table. Ignoring his triumphant exclamation. "We will be in my office if you need me."
Tatsumi was about to ask who she was meeting with but just some moments before he did, he could feel a group of people approaching the door to the room. Coming down the corridor outside it. Esdese had probably been able to detect them a long time before he did. He forced his hands down to the floor with enough force to push himself up to standing position. Walking over to a towel that was hanging over one of the room's chairs. Four of them standing around the small table Esdese was standing by.
He had barely draped it over his shoulders before there was a knock on the door.
"Enter." Esdese commanded without looking at the door. Her eyes stuck at Tatsumi's well-defined stomach.
The door opened and general Gallus walked in. His head still wrapped up in bandages. His wounds from Esdese's punch not fully healed yet. Followed by two of his attendants. Young men looking like monks of some sort. One in about Tatsumi's age and one a little bit older. Both wearing the same black and white robes as Gallus did. The hair on their head shaved in the traditional way.
They were in turned followed by general Faye. Surprisingly enough, her face didn't show any trace of the kick Esdese had given her just some days prior. Not wearing any bandages or band-aids. She was followed by her own attendant, Ivan. He seemed to have mostly recovered from his fight with Tatsumi himself. The big man's face no longer covered up in bandages anymore.
"Ahh, my generals." Esdese said in a welcoming voice. "I am glad that you are here. Come with me." she said and turned around. Walking towards the only other room in the apartment. Beside the bathroom.
The generals and their attendants looked around the room as they followed Esdese.
Many of their eyes landing on Tatsumi briefly. But only the ones of Faye and Ivan remained on him for more than a moment.
"Hey!" he said and smiled at Faye. Waving a hand at her.
She only returned his grin with a sweet smile of her own. "Greetings, head administrator Tatsumi."
"Could I just have a minute of your time, general." he said. Casting a quick glance over at Esdese as he did. She was already looking at him over her shoulder when he looked in her direction. They stared at each other for some moments. Then he winked at her with the eye that their visitors couldn't see. Since he had turned his head in Esdese's direction.
She looked at him for a second or so after that but then she just shrugged with a smile and kept walking. "Come into my office as soon as you are done, general Faye."
Faye didn't seem overjoyed by Esdese's words since she now had little choice but to talk to Tatsumi if she didn't want to start a scene. She smiled her usual sweet smile. "I will be with you shortly, great general."
Esdese just walked on into her small office. Gallus and his attendants following her. Casting curious looks at Tatsumi as they walked through the door after her. Ivan stayed behind with them. Standing a bit behind Faye. The general turned to him when Gallus' attendants had closed the door after them.
"I hope that this won't take too much time, head administrator."
"Listen." Tatsumi said and took a couple of steps towards her. "I won't be able to make a good case for myself in what little time we have here but I want you to try and consider what I am trying to say."
"And what is that, head administrator Tatsumi?" Faye asked in her usual sugary voice.
Tatsumi took another step closer to her. Causing Ivan to also take another step closer. Not trusting him. Tatsumi spoke in a much lower voice when he continued. "I am not the man that you think that I am, Faye."
"Care to elaborate a little bit?" Faye answered. Her face a smiling mask.
"I am nothing like Esdese. I am not your enemy."
"Ohh I know that you are not the same as her, Tatsumi. You are far more sneaky and far more devious."
"For a good reason. It is stupidity to flaunt your ambitions if you aren't sure about your success. Especially when we share this world with such insane beings as her."
"Agreed." Faye answered with the same fake sweetness.
"I do not condone even half of the things that Esdese does. I don't share her beliefs or her cruelty." Tatsumi said. Almost whispering now.
"So you say. Yet you have let her do all the grim deeds she has done without interfering and some times without even objecting."
"What were my choices?" Tatsumi hissed in light irritation. "You have to pick your fights. Especially when dealing with such an unstoppable force."
"According to my sources, you have worked rather closely with Esdese, ever since she killed the prime minister." Faye said.
Tatsumi picked up on her misinformation. Whoever it was that had given her the information about him was clearly trying to paint him in a very bad light. He decided to make a slightly risky bet. "Esdese didn't kill the prime minister. That is just what we told everyone. I killed him. And she nearly killed me for doing it."
That caught Faye a bit off guard. Her eyebrows rising slightly. "Let's say that what you say is the truth, just for the sake of argument. Why are you trying escape from one accusation by confessing to an ever greater crime?"
"Because if you are anything of what I have been told that you are, then you know that I did the right thing."
Faye stayed silent as he talked. Which Tatsumi hoped meant that she was considering what he was saying.
"Listen, Faye, this trial is a horrible idea. At best, it will lead to the death of you and most of the imperial court that has just been instated. At worst, it will lead to another civil war and the death of the empire. Then Esdese will turn this nation into true anarchy and horror."
"So you are actually aware that you are going to be convicted in the trial." Faye said. Her smile had lessened considerably. Her expression mostly just surprised.
"Of course they are going to find me guilty! You wouldn't be able to even have a trial if you didn't have some kind of evidence or information about what has happened. And just a fraction of all the laws that I have broken will be enough to give me a rather harsh sentence. And then Esdese will step in."
Faye just nodded in response. Tatsumi chose to continue when she stayed silent.
"I don't know what kind of plan you have cooked up for when that obvious situation arrives but you need to understand that I am not your enemy here, Faye. And there are better ways to do this. Without throwing the capital and the nation into civil war."
"Esdese will never step down or change her ways. A conflict like this will be inevitable." Faye stated blankly. Her smile almost gone.
Tatsumi had a hard time arguing with that. "There are better ways to do this. You cannot win against Esdese. Not in an open conflict. And what do you think will happen if this conflict erupts properly? Do you think the neighboring nations that we are at war with will just sit idly by? Do you think the pillager and his guerrilla forces will just remain passive? Everyone will seize that opportunity and this nation will be thrown into a much worse state than what it is in now."
Faye remained silent for a little bit after that. Just looking at Tatsumi. Sizing him up. "What better ways?"
"Well, for a start, you can try to postpone or cancel this trial. After that, we can think about the next step."
"We? You already talk like we have some sort of alliance. Yet I have no reason to believe any of your words yet."
Tatsumi had been prepared for that. "I was the one that made sure that Esdese promoted you. Solely based on the fact that you seemed to be "for the people". But you don't even have to believe that. Instead, search for evidence of my betrayal before the death of the prime minister. It won't be easy. Most of it has been destroyed and discarded when Esdese remade the imperial leadership. But I think you can still find pieces of it if you search hard enough. Maybe you have a little informer you can ask?" he said. Putting some more weight on the last sentence. Though it didn't give him any reactions from Faye.
"Evidence of what kind of betrayal?" Faye asked.
"Maybe you can find the information the prime minister gathered about how I burned the imperial archives. Or how I orchestrated the death of great general Budo. Or maybe your little informer can tell you who the late emperor's real killer was."
That actually took away Faye's smile completely. Her expression blank. "Call me crazy but these claims are so ridiculous that I actually think that there might be something behind them."
Tatsumi nodded energetically. "Search for the clues. They are all hidden out there. Find them and then cancel this insane trial. Before you throw us all into another civil war."
"If there was evidence of all this, then why weren't you jailed and executed before you got to the prime minister?"
"I was jailed. By Esdese herself. Though it was kept a secret. Only a handful of people knew about it. But if your informant is who I think it is, then he will be able to verify this."
Faye stayed silent once more after that. But when she spoke, there was something there that Tatsumi hadn't heard before. Something sincere. "I will give you the benefit of the doubt. Against my better judgment. Not that anything will change between us until I have seen any of this evidence. But I will be looking for it."
Tatsumi smiled warmly at her. Genuinely relieved. Maybe he had just managed to solve the entire situation. "If nothing else, try to postpone this trial for as long as possible. So that we don't do anything hasty or stupid here."'
"I will consider it." she said solemnly. It looked like she was about to say something more when the door to Esdese's small office opened again. Esdese standing in the doorway.
"I don't appreciate having to wait on my own subordinates." she said in a slightly irritated voice. "Will this take much longer?"
"No, great general." Faye immediately responded. Her sweet tone and smile returning in the blink of an eye. She gave Tatsumi a small nod and the walked over towards Esdese. "Sorry for the wait."
Tatsumi looked at her as she walked away. Ivan following her. When he looked over him, his smile got a bit more somber. But he still smiled at the larger man. "I hope your wounds have recovered a bit. I really went overboard last time." he said in a slightly apologetic voice.
"No." Ivan said in a clear and plain voice. "You did not. You were provoked."
Their exchange didn't get to be longer than that. Faye crossing the room rather quickly. Walking through the door to Esdese's office. The great general herself holding the door for them. Finally closing it behind her when they had both entered. Giving Tatsumi a last look and a smile as she did.
Tatsumi didn't like Esdese's expression at all.
It was way too menacing and way too playful, for being a fair representation of how she would usually feel if this was only a normal meeting. He hurriedly walked over to his clothes and Incursio.
After Esdese had closed the door, she turned around. "Well then." she said in a rather loud voice for such a small meeting. "I would offer you to sit down but we haven't brought any other chairs down to this room yet." she said as she walked through the group that had turned around to look at her after they had entered. Everyone moving out of her path as she walked to the opposite side of the door.
The room was very dim. Only lit up by a single lamp that was standing on Esdese's desk in the room. The desk itself was not turned against the door but rather lined up against the side of the room. The desk a bit too wide to comfortably fit standing on its other side without making it hard to pass by it. Esdese sat down in the chair that was placed by it and turned around to her guests. Her legs placed over each other. Resting her head against the knuckles of her hand. It's elbow resting against the desk.
"Can you guess why you are here?" she asked. Her smile foreboding.
"We are here because you summoned us here." Gallus said.
Esdese gave him a tired look. "Brilliant observation, general Gallus."
"You have probably called us here because of what transpired during your absence from the capital." Faye said. Attracting Esdese's gaze. "I guess that you want to know how the new emperor was elected and how the military reacted." she continued.
"Well, you are partly correct, general Faye." Esdese said and closed her eyes. Still smiling. Only now did the guests that had entered the room with her notice that in a sense, they were far from alone in the small chamber. Along the walls on their sides, stood what looked like suits of armor. Almost concealed by the shadows. Since the room was so dark. But there were several large figures of armor standing around them. Much bigger than an average human. Holding spears, swords and maces. Standing completely still. None of Esdese's visitor had seen them when they entered the room.
"I don't really care about which bureaucratic method you used to sneak this decision behind my back. Nor do I really care about how you managed to find Kotaro. His real identity was a rather well-hidden secret."
"Wait, great general. Were you already aware that an heir to the throne was in the cap-" Gallus began to question but Esdese cut him off.
"What I do care about is that my own subordinates went against what would naturally be assumed to be my will." Esdese said. Still smiling at the two generals. "I don't tolerate insubordination in my ranks, generals."
"Great general," Gallus said. Slightly louder than he had intended. "I don't mean to go against you in this but I think it is a bit too harsh to call what we did for insubordination. This was not some sort of mutiny. I hope you can agree with us on that."
"If I had considered this as a true attempt at mutiny, then both you would be dead by now." Esdese said. Still smiling the same calm smile. Clearly the most relaxed person in the room. "But you were the highest ranking military leaders present in the city while this happened. This could not have transpired without you either being a part of it or knowing about it."
The generals were silent at that. Neither of them sure if it was wise to try and deny her words or if they should just stay quiet and hope that this was nothing more than a scolding session. But they both knew that Esdese was not one to just scold people for something like this.
"I will keep asking for forgiveness for as long as it takes, great general." Gallus said stubbornly. Faye keeping quiet for the moment.
"I am not really interested in your excuses, generals. What I need to check is your loyalty." Esdese said and straightened up in her seat. "Since you have given me doubts about it these last weeks."
She slowly rose up from her seat. As she did, a rattling could be heard from the suits of armor standing along the walls.
Esdese put her hands on her hips and walked up to Gallus. Looking at him with a certain challenging tone to her expression. "Let's start with you, general Gallus. Do I have your loyalty?"
"Always!" general Gallus answered without a moment of hesitation.
"Then how will you prove it?" Esdese said and stopped in front of him. When she was well within his personal space. Looking up at him because of their height difference.
"I will prove my loyalty in any way that you see fit!" Gallus proclaimed loudly.
"Any way that I see fit." Esdese repeated slowly. She leaned slightly to the side. Looking at the two young men that were standing behind him. "Who are these two boys that you have brought with you?"
"They are my top aides."
Esdese smile widened. "So they must be some of your best?"
"Yeah. They are some of my most loyal subordinates. Good lads." Gallus said with a smile. Only realizing his mistake after he had already said it.
"How fitting." Esdese said as her eyes moved up and met his again. As she did, the suits of around them started to walk out from the walls. Causing everyone except Esdese to look or turned around towards them. The suits of armor slowly encircling those in the room. Or rather, the subordinates that the two generals had brought with them. Surrounding them from all directions. And as they got closer, Esdese's guests noticed that the giant moving humanoids were made out of ice.
"Great general?" Gallus questioned. But Esdese just smiled at him as the giant soldiers of ice moved closer.
"Loyalty often requires some sacrifices." Esdese finally said after a little while. "So let's try and put your loyalty to test, Gallus."
Without a single warning, all the ice soldiers standing behind Gallus reached out and grabbed his subordinates at the same time. Reaching out towards them quickly. Several giant ice warriors on each of the two of them.
In panic, the young men struggled and swung out at the giant ice humanoids but their assailant seemed to barely register their flailing and thrashing.
"Get off!" the younger one of the two assistant shouted out.
Gallus turned around towards his subordinates. So did Faye and Ivan.
"Great general, is this your doi-" Gallus began but stopped himself as he could feel Esdese's slender finger stroke the side of his face. Her touch gentle. "Eyes over here, Gallus. I was talking to you."
When Gallus turned his head back towards Esdese, her hand grabbed a hard hold around the back of his neck. Pulling his head down until their eyes were basically on the same level. A wide smile on her face as the struggling behind Gallus grew more intense.
"You bastards!" the older one of the assistants screamed as he drove his fist into the head of one of the ice soldiers. Only damaging his own hand. But he hadn't even drawn back his arm from the attack when the front of his chest erupted in a spray of blood and gore. A large piece of ice protruding from it. The ice forming the tip of a spear. One of the ice warriors behind him holding the big weapon.
"You damn.." the heavily wounded man started. No longer having any power in his voice. His lungs unable to push any air out. But before he could finish what he was trying to say, another spear flew into his mouth. Piercing through the back of his head through his neck. Thrust through him by one of the ice soldiers in front of him. In the same second, several other pierced the body of the man from different angles. Skewering him several times over.
"What the hell?" Ivan exclaimed. Both he and Faye as surprised as the other attendant seemed. Taking a couple of steps back. Terror filling the face of Gallus' other attendant. Panic taking full control of him.
"Oh my god!" he shouted as he struggled with the big icy hands that were holding his arms and shoulders.
He kicked the ice soldier in front of him with both his feet. Moving his body upwards as he did. Trying to use the kick to jump up and over the soldiers that were holding his arms. But the room was too crowded. As soon as his legs started to rise into the air, other ice warriors grabbed them. And then, even more hands grabbed his arms, his chest, his legs and his feet. Leaving few parts of his body ungrabbed.
And then they all started to pull.
Esdese's fingers slowly stroked Gallus' neck. An amused and sadistic look on her face as she stared him in the eyes. Gallus himself looking way more stressed. Not daring to look away from her.
"GENERAL!" his subordinate screamed behind him. "HEELP MEE!"
Gallus eyes flickered to the side. Without his head turning enough to see what was happening behind him. Not that he needed to see to know. The sounds were enough.
"Eyes here, Gallus." Esdese ordered again calmly. Forcing Gallus to return his gaze to the ice blue orbs of her eyes.
"GEENERAALL! IITT HUUUURTS!" the young man screamed behind him. "IT'S TEARING! PLEASE! GENERAL! I AM IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHHH!"
The man's voice turned more high pitch and wheezing as Esdese's puppets slowly tore him apart.
"Gallus." Esdese said in the same relaxed manner. Gallus only hearing her over the scream because she was so close to him."Who are you loyal to? Who is your admired and beloved leader?"
Gallus eyes were filled with despair as he met her gaze. He had clearly not expected anything like this. His mouth was trembling and his forehead sweaty. Yet he did not move.
"GAAALLLLUUSS!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-"
With a loud squelch and a ripping sound, the boy's scream abruptly ended as his body was torn into several parts. His body finally giving way to the large ice sculptures that were pulling at him in all different directions. A splattering sound following as his blood and body parts hit the floor. Some of them making a wet sound as they landed.
Silence followed for some moments after that. Esdese slowly stroking Gallus' thick neck with her fingers. "Am I not a kind leader, general Gallus?"
Gallus was silent for a while. Then he slowly nodded. At this moment, not even he was able to act as if nothing had happened.
Esdese nodded back to him. She let go of his neck and took a step back. "Kneel."'
Gallus stood still for some short seconds but then he did as he was told. Kneeling down until his forehead touched the floor. Esdese only stared down at him for some moments. Her expression blank. It was hard to tell if she was disappointed or satisfied with this. But then she nodded again and turned towards Faye.
And it was clear that Faye was handling this a bit differently from Gallus.
The other woman's face was filled with controlled fury. Frowning deeply at Esdese but not doing anything. Esdese walked up to her. Hands on her own hips. Behind her the ice soldiers had seized Ivan. Many of them holding on to him. But Ivan was not fighting back against their holds. Realizing that struggling was meaningless at this point. Since they were clearly both outnumbered and overpowered.
"Then that only leaves you, Faye." Esdese said. Sounding like she was in a rather good mood. Stopping when she a meter in front of the other woman. "And I have feeling that you are the one who really needs a lesson here."
"You have made a serious mistake if you think I am anything like Gallus, ice queen." Faye said determinately.
"I know that you are a different beast, Faye. In a way, I enjoy your type of character more than his." Esdese said and closed her eyes for some moments. "But that doesn't mean that I necessarily like you. Yet that is irrelevant. You are my subordinate. And I made you into a general myself. Nonetheless, if you don't punish misbehavior, then you will never be able to keep order in the ranks."
"You are about to make a big mistake." Faye said with anger.
"Ohh I don't think I am." Esdese said and opened her eyes. Steadily meeting Faye's furious gaze. She could feel that the other woman was about to attack any second now. And that would mark the end of Faye. Esdese didn't dislike the thought of it.
Behind Faye, the ice-soldiers were slowly raising their weapons. Some holding them in hands made out of ice. Some of their arms just ended in weapons. Everything from spears to swords to maces.
"If you do not back off right now, you will have real fight in your own home."
Esdese wasn't bothered at all. "Is that a threat?" she said calmly. Still just smiling at Faye.
Faye leaned forward slightly. Getting ready to strike. But just before she attacked, she was halted by her dearest friend.
"Don't!" Ivan called out in a somber voice. Causing Faye to freeze in her tracks. She slowly looked over her shoulder. Ivan met her eyes with a determined scowl. "Only one of us has to die here today."
"No one of us should die here today." Faye exclaimed loudly. The underlying panic inside of her showing through when she raised her voice.
"We cannot fail now." he said with a determined voice. "If no one of us leave this room, then all we have fought for will end."
Faye just shook her head. She opened her mouth but Ivan superseded her. "Remember the slums, general. Remember the kids."
For reasons undiscernable to anyone but Faye and Ivan, that stopped her from protesting. Just staring at her old friend's eyes. The silence remained for some seconds before Esdese spoke.
"A subordinate shouldn't try to order his superior around." she said. Sounding rather amused. "But then again, I know little about what kind of show you are running with your legions, general Faye."
Faye turned her head back towards Esdese. Her expression furious. "What is this about, Esdese. Why are you doing this?"
"I simply want to test your loyalty, Faye." Esdese said in a kind tone. "Test if you are the kind of person that I think you are."
"This is madness!" Faye spat.
"I want to know if you will bend or break." Esdese said. Ignoring Faye's words. Not seeming bothered by Faye's aggressive hostility.
"Ohh something is about to break, alright." Faye hissed. She got ready to strike but was once again stopped by Ivan's voice.
"FAYE!" he shouted. "We must not fail! Not now. Not here."
Faye spun around towards him. "I will not leave you behind!" she almost screamed.
The big man looked down at her. A sad smile on his face. He loved her so. "It's all up to you now, general."
Faye just shook her head. "No."
"Please, Faye. Remember me. And never give up on what we have promised."
"Ivan." Faye stammered. Her resolution finally breaking. "I can't.." she began to say.
But then the weapons finally fell.
Ivan didn't scream as they hit him. Keeping silent as the first spear hit his shoulder. Piercing deeply down into him. In almost the same moment, an ice sword hit his other shoulder. Starting to cleave through his entire body. The third weapon to hit him was a mace. Hitting him in the forehead. Finally severing his eye contact with Faye as his skull caved in. But that was far from the last hit.
Faye watched in horror as the arms of the ice soldiers kept moving up and down. Striking again and again with lightning speed. Fourteen different weapons filling the room with grotesques sounds as the form of Ivan was completely destroyed. They didn't stop when what remained of his body was down on the floor. They just kept hitting his remains with enormous vigor.
When they finally did stop, it was impossible to see that what remained of him had once been a human. Nothing left but a red and gory past. Mashed out on the floor.
Faye just stood there. Her eyes wide but not moving. Shaking slightly for some moments before she sprung into action. She spun around. Raising her fist as she did. But when she turned around, she found Esdese standing very close to her. Their noses almost touching when she spun around. Esdese staring her straight in the eyes. A teethed smile on her face.
"Now there is a good expression." she said in a slightly husky voice. Brimming with excitement. "So what will it be, Faye?!" she called out loudly. Raising her voice almost without noticing it. "Will you bend or break?"
Faye met Esdese's gaze with a face filled with nothing but relentless hate and anger. Met by Esdese's own expression. A mix of playfulness, excitement, and cruelty coloring her face.
But then Faye managed to get control of herself. After some moments of internal struggle. She very quickly kneeled down. While she was still in control of herself. Putting both her fists down on the floor.
Esdese looked down at her. Still smiling. If albeit a bit calmer. "You are such a false creature, aren't you, Faye?" she goaded cruelly.
"If you say so, great general." Faye said in a voice bereft of emotions.
"People call me a monster but even I wouldn't just stand by and watch my allies die." Esdese continued with sadistic glee. Her hands on her hips again.
Faye simply stayed silent in response.
Esdese slowly raised her foot. Placing her sole down on Faye's head. Slowly grinding it down as she applied more pressure. Forcing Faye's forehead down into the floor. "Ain't I kind, general Faye?" she taunted.
"Yes, you are, great general." Faye stated blankly.
Esdese stayed like that for some moments. Then she nodded. She turned around. Moving her foot away from Faye's head. "You know, I have heard some annoying little rumors. Telling me of a new military force that is being gathered outside of protocol. In secrecy from the imperial military. Right here in the capital."
She sat down in her chair by the desk and leaned back. "You wouldn't have heard of anything like that, would you?"
Both of the general's had remained in their crouching positions. Esdese crossed her arms over her chest. Smiling. "Well?"
On the other side of the room's only door, Tatsumi had his ear pressed against it. He had heard the screams of Gallus subordinates but not anything after that. He was unsure of what he should do. He felt a need to rush in. It was clear to him that Esdese was punishing her generals. But he didn't know how bad it was. Or if it would be wise to rush in and try to ease the situation.
However, he never had to take a decision. Just a couple of seconds later, the door opened and Tatsumi was forced to jump a couple of steps back in order for his eavesdropping to remain undetected.
Faye stormed out of the room. Not bothering with closing the door after her.
"General Faye?" he asked in a genuinely concerned voice.
Faye stopped when she had opened the door that led out of their home. Turning her face towards Tatsumi. Looking at him over her shoulder. Her expression unlike anything he had ever seen on her. Fury and hate being the only things visible. Uncontrolled and wild. Yet Tatsumi didn't miss the tears on her chins.
"Head administrator, your trial is scheduled in five weeks. If I were you, I would start preparing. Cause I will do everything in my power to see that you and yours pay for your crimes."
Tatsumi didn't even need to register her words to understand that this was a different person than the one he had talked with before Esdese's meeting. Something had happened that had changed Faye. On some fundamental level.
"Wait.. where is Ivan?" Tatsumi said and looked around towards the room she had just left. He turned his head around when he heard how Faye started to leave again. "Wait, general Faye! Didn't we have an understa-"
Faye slammed the door shut after her before he had a chance to finish his sentence. He just stood there for some moments. Already able to guess what had just happened. His mind racing.
"Goddamit!" he exclaimed. He turned around and stomped towards Esdese's office. Not even paying any mind to general Gallus who walked out of the room just before he entered it. Walking towards the door out of their apartments. His head low and his shoulder slumped. Mumbling some prayer silently.
Tatsumi slammed open the door that Gallus had closed behind him. Yet the sight he was met with made him stop in the doorway for some moments.
It was a grim scene. He could see the remains of Gallus two attendants strewn out around the room. But Tatsumi couldn't see a trace of Ivan. After some moments he looked at the big red mush that was covering a large part of the floor. Understanding with disgust.
Esdese was sitting down at her desk. Calmly dunking a small stack of papers into the desk in order to make them all line up better. A small and content smile on her face.
The room around her was a horrifying mess but the great general herself looked completely unscathed. Not having a single drop of blood on her. Her giant ice soldiers were nowhere to be seen. But the flesh of the slain still remained.
"ESDESE!" he exclaimed. Not able to hold back a bit of the shock and anger. Even now, her cruelty could sometimes take him aback.
"What is it, Tatsumi?" Esdese asked in a calm voice. Her eyes not leaving her papers.
"Could you not go one single day without having to destroy something?" he said in the same loud voice.
Esdese slowly turned towards him. Leaning back in her chair. One leg over another. "Don't let this bother you. It is just a simple display of power."
"It is three young men losing their lives in a horrible way."
The corners of Esdese's mouth moved up a little bit. "It could have been a lot worse for them." she said in a calm voice. More amused over his discomposure than anything.
"How am I suppose to solve or accomplish a goddam thing when all you ever strive for is violence and chaos?" Tatsumi said loudly. His voice angry. Walking across the room towards her as he did.
"Why are you so bothered, Tatsumi?" Esdese repeated in an entertained tone. Smiling as she tilted her head to the side slightly. "These people were not your friends."
"Has it really gone this far?" Tatsumi demanded as he walked up to her. The remains of Ivan getting stuck under the soles of his boots. "Have we become so rotten that we kill our own allies just to make an example."
"Examples and discipline, Tatsumi." Esdese said. Her smile staying as she rested the side of her head against her knuckles. Her elbow on the desk. "As cute and naive as I find your little tantrum, I can't help but be surprised by it. This isn't the first time you have watched me do these kinds of things."
"Yeah, but it is usually some rather despicable person that gets the more horrible part of your attention." He said and gestured towards the room around her. Taking the final few steps up to her. "What did these poor wretches do, other than being loyal?"
"You have killed people for no other reason than loyalty." Esdese said calmly. Looking up at him. "Both before and after you became mine."
"Yeah, in order to achieve less cruelty in the long run. You only killed them to send a message to the people they followed. A simple threat."
Esdese looked at him for some moments. Then she slowly stood up. Changing their height difference. Smiling down at him. "Don't try and pretend that you are above these sort of tactics, Tatsumi. You have employed them before yourself." Her hand came up and grabbed his chin between her thumb and index finger. Turning his face in her direction. "Why are you so bothered by this?"
Tatsumi just stared at her smiling eyes for some moments before he spoke. Speaking in a calmer voice. Acting a bit more submissive now that Esdese's behavior had changed from amused to dominating. Asserting her position by changing their height difference."There was a better way than this."
"What way?" she asked in a curious voice.
"I could have talked with them. We might have been able to avoid further conflict"
"We have no reason to avoid a conflict. Either way, it doesn't matter, they bent to me just fine. Both of them. Though I am a bit uncertain if Faye took the lesson to heart. But if they should rise up against us again, then I will simply smash them down once more. And if that happens, I will make sure that they will be unable to ever recover again."
"Maybe I would have been able to build some kind of understanding with general Faye. So that we could avoid the trial in some way. You burned that bridge when you killed her subordinate."
"You have said that the trial won't be an issue several times, Tatsumi. You have assured me that it was of no concern." Esdese said. Her smile slightly dangerous. "Did you lie to me?"
Tatsumi didn't answer immediately. Just looking at her amused expression. "I just lost one way to make it a non-issue."
Esdese chuckled slightly. "You are so adorable, my little Tatsumi. This is already a non-issue. You can try and deal with in the ways you prefer. But should you fail, then I will step in and solve it for you."
"How?" Tatsumi said. Already knowing the answer.
"With force. Force and blood."
Tatsumi gave her a darker look. "You promised that you wouldn't escalate this conflict."
"I promised no such thing. Besides, this is how I create stability. This is how the empire has always created stability. Through fear and domination."
"At least for as long as you have been a part of it." he said accusingly.
"I don't really care if some parts of the military regard me as their enemy." Esdese stated calmly. Ignoring him. "I will keep them in line. And when the carrot doesn't work, then you have to use the whip."
"I don't know about Gallus, but there was certainly no love lost between you and Faye before this. I can't imagine that this made her like you any more." Tatsumi said. "She was already your enemy. But if we could just have talked with her we might have been able to lessen to hostility betwee-" he tried when one of Esdese's fingers placed itself over his mouth. Stopping him mid-sentence.
He looked up at her for some moments. His own bitter mood completely contrasted by Esdese.
Her expression amused and condescending. "We don't make peace with our enemies, Tatsumi. We break them. As hard and painfully as we can. Whether you manage to solve this little trial situation by yourself or not is of little consequence in the long run. Because I won't suffer anyone baring their fangs at you. Which is what these accusations are."
She bent in and kissed him on the forehead. A light peck."So you can just relax and stay back. And leave all of this to me."
With those words, she let go of his cheek and walked past him. Leaving him standing amidst the blood and gore as she left the room.
Tatsumi's thoughts were desperate. He now only had one option left. If the trial would be allowed to take place, then he would be found guilty. Esdese had clearly stated that she would overrule any justice or punishment that he was sentenced to. Just by sheer power and force if nothing else helped. And then Faye would easily declare Esdese a traitor who defied the imperial court and its judges and jury. Which Esdese would welcome. And then they would be thrown into a full on civil war. Again.
Tatsumi knew that he would never be able to win back Faye after what had just happened. So he was only left with one more choice. Because there was only one more person that could affect whether or not there would be a trial that he still had any connection to. Except for Esdese.
So now he had to try to meet and reason with emperor Kotaro.
Author's note:
My usual apologies for the delay.
I always knew that I would get a good amount of encouragement to go on with Bent but not Broken. The question was if there would be about the amount that I estimated.
Now, with almost 400 different messages and comments, I can definitely say that my expectations were blown away.
Bent but not Broken will be completed in the way it was originally intended. Which means that we probably still have another year of this ahead of us.
Now, this was another GIANT chapter. I had hoped that it would be smaller but once again the scenarios needed to breathe a bit in order to not seem rushed.
From now on, I am going to change the way we handle the releases of this story. I am going to reintroduce the deadlines. But I am going to make them long. Very long. I am going to set them to a date that gives me enough time to ensure that I will be able to meet them. Without fail. So the new deadlines will have longer intervals in between them. But they will be set in stone.
Now, I simply can't thank all of you enough for the kind words that you have written. I can't help but feel invigorated. When I fail or go through strife in my life, I will return to all these words that you people have written to me. And I will use them to get myself going again. So really, thank you.
I will see you again in a month or so.
Take care of each other.