Disclaimers:As stated in Chapter 1.
Author's Notes:In which the 57th sevalle, Scarface Vy Low, finds himself involved in the Lady Holder's predicament...
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King Iba Stola's dark eyes glinted as he entered his private audience chamber, taking in the measure of its sole occupant. Despite, or perhaps because of, his fourscore years, the King presented an impressive figure. His lean, muscled body was a fit as the day he had been proclaimed the 55th sevalle of Kuruda, advancing from there to the position of High Sevalle and eventually to that of the kingship. He had fought and defeated many men in both single combat and as a leader of troops in the field. Very few men had come to within a draw when pitted against the Hawk Eye.
Only two had bested him in combat. One was the Lord Kai Sink, who, before entering into his powers as Kuruda's Raze Reme, captured the title of Crimson, the 56th sevalle. The other was the darkly handsome young man who stood before him now, his stance just barely short of pure arrogance before the King.
Kuruda's High Sevalle, 57th of that line, Scarface Vy Low, met the King's gaze with the confidence of a man sure of his place in the world. The King's reputation as a fighter was already the stuff of Kuruda legend when Scarface -- then but a lad of sixteen -- captured the coveted sevalle title by defeating the King in fair combat. Having done so, he then proceeded to become the terror of Kuruda's enemies, entering into a formidable partnership with Crimson, Dias Ragu, and Kain Phalanx.
"Greetings, Your Majesty." Scarface acknowledged the King's presence with a slight bow. "I arrived as soon as I could."
The King acknowledged Scarface's respectful greeting with a small grunt. "I seem to recall having sent for Crimson Kai Sink to be present as well. Has he not arrived?"
"Majesty, I am unaware of his whereabouts at the current moment." Which was, reflected Scarface wryly, not quite the truth, but not entirely a lie. For he *had* seen Crimson in the great hall not half an hour before, arm-in-arm with the Lady Ravella Unaeri, the pair apparently heading for the palace gardens. However, knowing his friend's decided preference for female company, Scarface had chosen to leave them to their own devices...the King's mildly irritated voice kept a smile from crossing Scarface's lips just in the nick of time.
"Hn," said the King, investing the syllable with a richness of expression that told Scarface the King's thoughts closely paralleled his own. A conjecture immediately confirmed when His Majesty said, "He has been dancing attendance on the Unaeri heiress of late. The girl is charming enough, I dare say, but I am not overly enamoured of her mother's obvious machinations to land a splendid match for her daughter. Be thankful that you are contracted to marry young Faulstis..."
Scarface chuckled wickedly, his cinnamon eyes sparkling with mirth at the thought of his betrothed. In two years, Faulstis, daughter of the Regent of Juliannes, would complete her training as a Holy Knight and their marriage would be celebrated directly after her investiture. His voice filled with unconcealed teasing, he said, "Souma preserve His Majesty from matchmaking mothers..."
The King made a sign of warding in the air, and the two men suddenly laughed. After the moment passed, the King nodded to Scarface.
"It's all very well and good to laugh. But Crimson must be present for our discussion. The border patrols report that Sulouthan grows restive, and I would have you both check out the situation."
"I thought I saw where he was heading, Your Majesty. With your leave, I'll go find him and we shall attend you at your leisure."
"Do that. When you do manage to extricate Kuruda's most notorious rake from his present occupation..." the two men, King and High Sevalle, shared a conspiratorial chuckle, "I will be found in my private study."
Scarface nodded, and waited until the King left the audience chamber before turning to the bay window overlooking the King's pleasaunce. It would not be the first time Crimson had used the lovely garden for his amorous pursuits, usually conducted in the welcoming shade of the ancient tree that presided over the flowerbeds. Scarface scanned the garden, and felt smug satisfaction overtake him as he spotted the 56th sevalle pushing the swing where Lady Ravella was seated.
A flash of silver in the leaves above the couple caught his eye, and cinnamon eyes narrowed as Scarface realized someone was observing the scene from an incredibly close vantage point.
"What the devil...?"
Another flash of silver-gilt, startling against the green, and a slender hand, clutching a branch for support. A short laugh escaped the 57th sevalle despite himself, as recognition came swiftly. Stupid of him not to have made the connection sooner, he thought, striding swiftly down the hallway. Only one person in all of Kuruda had hair that was the color of the sun at noon; only one person wore a bracelet fashioned from the same steel that made up Dias Ragu's famous Black Wing; above all, only one person could get herself well and truly caught in a tree while her swordmaster and her sworn nemesis conducted a flirtation right below her.
"My dear Lady Holder, you've really done it now, haven't you?" he chuckled roundly to himself, making quick progress to the pleasaunce. He was well aware that there was no love lost between Shavra and Lady Ravella; Shavra had sighed out the story to him when he had come to see her after his last trip to Juliannes, bearing letters from Faulstis and the Princess Lilivelt. He was also aware that only Shavra's desire to stay within the good graces of Crimson and the King kept her silent in the face of the many feminine snubs Lady Ravella had sent her way.
Scarface slowed his steps as he approached the door leading to the pleasaunce, thinking of a way to extract Shavra from the tree without Crimson or Lady Ravella being none the wiser. Given that the King wanted to see both sevalles *soonest*, the most expedient method, certainly, would be to coolly inform the couple of the fact and haul Crimson away.
However...Scarface snorted in dry amusement as he pushed the door open. That course of action would leave Lady Ravella under the tree for an indeterminate amount of time, should she announce her desire to wait for Crimson there. If Shavra, as he suspected, had been trapped while studying in the branches of the tree, all it would take would be an sudden breeze to tumble down her books, an errant sneeze or upward-looking eyes at the wrong moment; then all would be lost.
A tricky situation, indeed.
end part four