Bah. So it's a short chapter. I'm tired and I'm ill and I have work tomorrow. ( I need a nice long, hot bath. And then maybe you'll get another chapter tomorrow - though I really do need to update Sellsword. Yawn. I have too much schoolwork to do. Oh, yeah - you guys should listen to Sick Puppies' song All the Same. It's my new Ike/Soren tune to listen to while I'm writing. Hehe.
I've been bitten by plot bunnies again, to write a fic with older Soren and old, possibly dying, Ike. But I'm not sure I can pull it off. Eh. We'll see how things go. I might write it anyway, just for laughs.
In other news - I'm VERY happy, because Anon has finally answered my prompt on the kink meme. Well, to be more precise, they've promised to answer it. They haven't actually written it yet. But I know they will. I have faith in the power of Anon. =3
Oh, and I'm sorry if Ranulf's really out of character in this chapter. He'll get back to normal shortly. =3
And please review! Another Soren fic has 75 reviews, and the same number of chapters. =( That makes me sad. I've had hits from 29 different countries now, so I'm really happy - but more reviews would make me ecstatic! =D
"He wants both of us to attend?" Disbelief resounded in Soren's voice.
Ranulf shrugged. "The prince of Goldoa will also be attending the meeting as a dignitary. He is rather…peculiar in his fancies. He expressed some curiosity in meeting one of the Branded. And the king believes it worth our while to play to his whims."
"…I see." Soren frowned. Then this was not a matter of politeness, but of politics. "You'll forgive me if I'd rather not be paraded around as some circus freak merely because you need Goldoa as an ally."
Ranulf narrowed his eyes. "You seem to be under the delusion that you have some choice in this matter. You wanted to attend the meeting, didn't you?" Soren opened his mouth to reply, but Ranulf interrupted. "Then stop complaining. You forget that you are indebted to us for offering Princess Crimea sanctuary."
Soren felt Ike's hand brush across his. "Very well. I understand that hands are tied in these matters."
His words were spoken coldly, but Ranulf grinned nonetheless. "Good. Glad you're willing to cooperate. Meeting starts in ten minutes."
He left the room, tail swinging, leaving Soren to quietly fume.
"What was all that about?" Ike asked, leaning towards Soren in concern.
"I thought it was made perfectly clear. They want entertainment, and apparently I'm it."
"No, I mean…one second you were completely against the idea of it, and then you suddenly backed down. I didn't expect you to be so…"
Soren turned to face away from him. "As Ranulf pointed out, we owe King Caeneghis for sheltering Princess Elincia. We need Gallia right now, in order to support her claim to the throne - just as Gallia need the support of Goldoa before they can move in this war. It's in our own interests to please the Goldoan prince, Commander."
"But it isn't in your best interests," Ike said, taking hold of Soren's wrist. "You didn't have to do that."
Soren looked up at him. "I did what was best for the company. That's also in my interests." He exhaled. "Now…are you ready to depart?"
"Huh?" Ike frowned at him. "But Ranulf said the meeting wasn't for ten minutes."
Soren rubbed his forehead. "Honestly, Ike. Left to your own devices, you'd arrive at the last minute, wouldn't you?" He couldn't help but smile at his clueless commander. "You should always arrive early to these attendances."
Ike shook his head wordlessly as they exited the room. Soren looked at him questioningly, and he grinned. "I thought I was the one in charge."
Soren sighed. "If it's any comfort, I feel like your mother. Come on, we'll be late if you don't hurry up."
"Of course. We'll be late to…being early." Soren was ahead in the corridor, and didn't see Ike rolling his eyes behind his back.