The word is 'schadenfreude,' pleasure derived from other people suffering what you believe they deserve.
Man, English has a word for everything. Sure, it's stolen from another language, but that's how we get practically all our words.
"So, what do you think of the real me?" Luke asked them, swinging down over a ledge (very glad to have his normal coordination back), in order to surprise them. Of course, this seventeen-year-old body wasn't actually his real form, but they thought it was. He couldn't wait until Asch and Van's plan was done and he could go back to being small.
"Luke! Glad you're back, man." Guy clapped him on the back and Luke laughed cheerfully.
Jade was finally able to put certain worries to rest. While exposure to the sun could tint hair more golden, it was doubtful that Luke, confined to the manor, would have gotten more than an active god-general. He'd thought that perhaps the evident (and dye-free: dye couldn't match that gradation) difference between Asch and Luke's hair colors might be due to Asch's hair darkening as he aged, a common phenomenon. Some children born blond could be brown haired by the time they reached adulthood: Jade's own hair had once been much lighter.
But Luke's now appeared even more gold-tinted than before, indicating that although it had indeed darkened as he aged Asch's was indeed a purer red. Jade wondered who Asch's mother was. Quite possibly some back-country minor noble who hadn't married into Malkuth's blonds recently. What made the red hair of the Kimlascan nobility so atypical was that it was not only a true red, as opposed to a more common orangey-brown or pink, but a dominant trait, or possibly gene complex, which was what made Princess Natalia possible. If her parents had both been carrying blonde recessives…
Still, they were involved in a peace process. Not the time to investigate if Princess Natalia was illegitimate or Lord Luke fon Fabre a replica.
Asch's hair looked like blood, Luke's like fire. How appropriate for someone with the last name fon Fabre.
"Luke, I'm glad you're finally okay."
"It wasn't your fault Tear, it was freaky hyperresonance stuff."
"You're a noble, and you're kind of hot now that you're older." Anise sighed. "Too bad you're engaged. Could I be your mistress? Pretty please?"
"Sorry, Natalia would kill me?" Luke backed away quickly. Seeing Asch had come down the stairs he dove behind him for cover.
Asch quirked an eyebrow at him. "In any case," Luke's shenanigans aside, "Fon Master Ion? Could you please come with me?"
"Why?" Anise's tone was sharp. "He's not going anywhere without me."
"That's what we're going to have to discuss. I'm sure you're all aware of the practice of having body doubles for high-ranking nobles?" It was a measure with a risk of being impersonated, but having a high-level double who could take a king's place when there was a danger of assassination attempts was usually considered well worth it. The problem was finding someone high-level willing to sit around and wait to be needed. "Sync the Tempest was originally accepted for training because he has a great resemblance to Ion. That's why the mask, and the spiked hair. Actually, since he cuts his even though it looks like someone took a hedge trimmer to it, Ion, we're going to have to measure your hair and cut down one of the wigs. Arietta is…" he searched for a word.
"Being Glomietta."
That worked. "And Mohs and others opposed to the peace effort know that you are the key to it. May I examine your face?"
"Yes, if it will help."
Asch examined him, taking his chin and tilting his face to look at various angles. "We're going to need cheek pads, your face is much rounder than his. He's leaner in general, but your robes will hide that. And since he wears that mask he's much paler than you… The fact he wears the mask means you could easily just switch places, provided you're willing to cut your hair."
"If it's to help prevent this war I'm willing." Of course.
"Anise, Ion, you're going to have to stick close to Sync. He takes offense to being treated as a 'mere' body double, since that implies it's the only reason he holds his rank, and that meant that we haven't been able to get him to learn to copy your mannerisms well enough. Try to keep him from doing anything too out of character."
"Gotcha."
"He's in the other wing, go up three flights of stairs." They were dismissed.
"Come on, Ion." She was going to get to boss around a body double! And keep Ion undercover! This was real Fon Master Guardian stuff, like in the case studies! This was going to be fun! Not to mention that Sync was all arrogant and it would be nice to make Ion act like he had a spine for once. Maybe he'd learn something.
"We have two choices for traveling to Baticul. One, the Katsburg Ferry, which involves either explaining how we got past Kaitzur unnoticed or crossing to the Malkuth side undetected and then crossing back, and two, flying there on some of Arietta's pets. The second option requires Sync acting as Ion's body double for the duration, since she's quite likely to attempt to fly off with him. Sync would be able to convince her he's not Ion afterwards and make her put him back."
"I vote for flying," Luke told them. "I've never done it before. Well, I haven't been on a ship at sea either, not that I remember, but flying sounds more fun. And it would get us to Baticul faster, so we can stop the war."
Jade considered that. "We've already lost a great deal of time. While the legitimate route might be more suited for diplomacy because of the fact that it's slow and so people don't have surprises sprung on them, I think under the circumstances I'll have to cast my vote for the carrier pigeons." How would Arietta react to them being called that?
It wasn't fontech, but, "Same here. Your mother has to be worried sick, Luke." While she was only the wife of his enemy, Guy's mother had been 'only the wife' of Duke Fabre's enemy. Still, she wasn't a bad person and she already had an incurable disease. Anything else would be unnecessary overkill.
"Then I vote for flying too," Tear agreed. Luke's poor mother! Tear hadn't known her mother and therefore had a somewhat idealized vision of the relationship in her head, the mother she dreamed about.
"Sync wants to get this over with, too," Asch added. "So it will depend on how soon they can get their act together." The two (or three, with Anise) actors in that little play.
People were searching for the Fon Master. Searching for explanations. Delaying his reappearance until they got to Baticul would just give it more time to stew.
Asch and Luke were the only ones who knew what they would be getting into. Asch hadn't told Van, since he wanted it to be a surprise. There had, however, been an argument with Luke over continuing the insane weather when they landed for a meal briefly.
"What will happen to the crops? And you're the one who bound me not to toy with people, Asch. No. I'm giving control of the weather back to Sylph."
"But…"
"I know how exactly how you feel, and it's still freaking me out a bit. You're…" Luke had to look outside his own experience for words. "Getting off on it."
"It's glorious."
Luke looked at Van for advice and/or support. "Sylph?"
"She's… they're… They used to handle it, before the Score. I think it's best to just give control back to the others. I mean… Things should be unpredictable, but not planned unpredictable? The weather should be chaos. They never could predict it in the Dawn Age. It was always a gamble, like two/thirds chance of rain and it could be sunny all day, when Sylph was the weather and was free. The seventh fonon is made up of all the others. Binding Lorelei bound all of them."
"If that's how it should be then Luke is right, Asch."
"I know. I suppose it's a good thing the pact forces Luke to disobey me when it comes to some things. You're far too kind and eager to please. If it were up to you everyone would have perfect weather." Asch scowled at the thought of that.
"Maybe. I could never do anything right, so if people asked me to do things for them and I could it would be hard to say no. And I don't like this, Asch. You may enjoy it, but they're scared and…"
"Ssh, Luke." Asch reached out and stroked his cheek. "Their fear is your fear, their pain is your pain. But you know it's for the best."
"I know. They have to learn how to take care of themselves again, I can't do it for them, they forced Lorelei to try and he couldn't. But I can't enjoy their pain, Asch. I… I don't think there's anyone that's evil. They're just confused, or they want things to be simple, or they can't think straight, or…"
"You may forgive them on even the flimsiest of excuses, but I won't. And that's why you have to obey me when it comes to some things." Asch drew his sword. "Now we should probably start sparring before someone wanders over to find out why we're not."
"It appears the threat of war is very real," Jade commented after they had landed. Even from the air they had been able to see an increased military presence on Baticul's defenses and entrances.
Asch just smiled, then assumed a serious and commanding look. "Sync, Anise, Ion, be ready."
As soon as 'Ion' was recognized they were swarmed. "Fon Master!"
"What should we do?"
"Fon Master, tell us what to do!"
Even the soldiers lost discipline amidst the mob, or some of them did, and it took the White Knight elite to escort them to the upper levels. "What happened?" Tear looked down behind them as the lift ascended. "I was here not that long ago, and..." There hadn't been the people camped on the streets, the smell of mold and mildew, the closed stores, the patrolling soldiers, the air of suppressed panic.
The most high-ranking of their escort explained that, "Not long after the Score disappeared it started to rain here. Baticul has never been flooded, the Score stated that it never would. The lower levels are below sea level, and the pumps were meant to keep water out. Since there was water in the basin, and not a normal rain but hundreds of times more than the pumps were designed for it was able to rust some of the pipe mechanisms. We evacuated the lower levels so most of the citizens are alive, but everything below the mall district is flooded."
"So the Score did disappear?" Ion (Sync) was barely able to hide the same glee there would have been in his original's voice at that idea.
"Yes. It's only been a few days, but…" The man got a hold of himself. "His majesty is eagerly awaiting your arrival." They shouldn't talk in front of people who might gossip. Not when trained eyes were well able to see that Baticul was a powder keg. So many people in so little space, so much fear…
"How is Princess Natalia holding up?" Guy was the one to ask, although Luke really should have been, his pointed gaze reminded her fiancé.
"She's been wearing herself to the bone. His majesty has been busy formulating strategy, so care for the city has fallen to Princess Natalia. According to Grand Maestro Mohs the lower levels shouldn't have flooded despite the Score's disappearance. If she hadn't ordered what troops would obey her at that point to evacuate the citizens by force if necessary despite his opposition far more would have drowned. As it was, some refused to leave their homes for the streets despite all the warning signs, and she was forced to abandon them when the water started rising fast enough the engineers knew it was a sign the barrier was about to burst."
Although Asch pitied Natalia, that had been glorious. "Truly a sad day, when men are punished for adhering to the Score that Yulia promised would bring prosperity and the faithless who refuse to follow it are the ones that survive. What has the world come to?"
"You're right, Asch." Yes: Van was a wonderful actor, to pretend to mourn.
Jade, Guy, and Tear had picked up that they had something to do with this. Anise soon picked it up from them. Ion had always been unreadable: the mask didn't help. Sync needed to bury his face in his hands, aping mourning, to hide his grin. His shaking shoulders were easy to mistake for suppressed tears instead of laughter.
"Luke!" Natalia greeted them when they got off the elevator, gasping for breath. A runner must have been sent to fetch her: she'd made an effort to wipe off her arms but she had clearly been pitching in right beside her men. She had also been kept somewhat isolated from the true power of the score: her father hadn't wanted her to discover her love's death sentence nor Mohs her true origin. When it had vanished she had gone to work, not poured her efforts into regaining it. "Oh, Luke, I thought something terrible had happened to you!" She flung her arms around him. "Father and Uncle were talking about you, and they would stop whenever I came into the room… You must come see Aunt Suzanne!"
"The king ordered us to bring Lord Luke to him as soon as possible the instant he appeared," the knight objected.
Natalia stared him down. "He has been missing for weeks: a few more hours will mean nothing! And whatever father wants him for, it can't be as urgent as his health or my aunt's!" Turning away from the luckless officer, she told him that, "Aunt Suzanne's health has been declining: all this damp isn't good for her, she's been so worried, and they're running out of her medicine. Oh, Luke, you must hurry and let her see that you're alive!" Natalia started to drag him along. The Natalia they both knew would never have done something so undignified as run.
"Hey, wait up!" Guy sprinted to catch up to his master.
"Go with them, Asch," Van ordered. This was his mother, after all. "I'll escort the envoy and Fon Master Ion to the palace."
"I'll meet you there."
Asch leaned against the wall by the door as his bedridden mother wept in her son's arms. Guy kept to the other side, guarding the entrance and staying well away from Princess Natalia, who was clearly in need of a hug as she stood beside her cousin watching helplessly.
When the doors flew open Asch and Guy had their swords drawn and pointed at the intruder before they realized who it was they were threatening. They hurriedly backed down and bowed: King Ingobert had brought his personal guard, who were clearly on edge. "Natalia!"
Despite his angry tone Natalia was unrepentant. "Yes, Father?"
"I ordered him brought to me at once!"
"Father! What could possibly be more urgent than your sister's life?" Natalia's hands were on her hips as she demanded he explain himself. "And why is Grand Maestro Mohs here, and why have you spent so long closeted with that fool? What could possibly be more important than our people's lives?"
"King Ingobert acts as a true man of royal blood should, putting his people's long term prosperity over minor deviations." Mohs stepped forward, ignoring Natalia's glare. "Light of the Sacred Flame, inheritor of Lorelei's power." Mohs knelt to Luke. Mohs knelt to Luke, as Van and the others came forward through the caravan that had invaded Asch's former home. Mohs knelt to Luke, the one he had intended to sacrifice.
And, in fact, still did. Watch, Asch's glance instructed Van. Watch, and enjoy.
"What are you talking about?" Luke stared at him. "All of you, get out of here! The last thing my mother needs is to catch something from you people! Uncle, what are you thinking?"
"Luke, you must come to the palace right away."
"I just got home!"
"Luke, please go." Suzanne's arms were so frail. "I'll still be here when you get back, I promise."
"…Alright." Luke hugged her and then strode out of the room fuming like a small thundercloud.
Asch hung back with Van and nudged him to lean down for a private exchange. "Just wait until you see what's left of Daath." The power flows and Efreet's freedom had set off Mt. Roneal. There hadn't been an explosion, sadly, just the advancing lava. It was more than enough. The catacombs and secret passages had given it a downhill path right to the heart of the cathedral.
"Am I correct about what they want Luke for?"
"Mohs wasn't foolish enough to miss the potential for disrupting the Score Luke fon Fabre embodied either. That was why he was so focused on having him die safely at Akzeriuth before doing anything that could have an impact." The corner of Asch's mouth turned up. "Now, however?"
"I think we're going to need Sync and Ion to switch so Sync can leave. He's finding it almost impossible not to burst out laughing." Van himself was smiling.
"And miss this? I suppose I could show him a memory of it later."
"You can do that?"
"It's priceless, Van. Priceless." Asch took a deep breath and thought of staff meetings to clamp down on his own jubilation. Staff meetings, formal ceremonies… "But being in the center of the action is so much better than memory." Controlling the outcome? Surprise? "Priceless."