THE PRICE OF HONOR
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy XII and all other related characters, events, etc. do not belong to me.
Overall Story Notes: (minor spoilers) The story is about Gabranth and Larsa so in my story, Gabranth DID NOT die in the end of the game. :)
Chapter Notes: Chapter 15 happens in the Ridorana Cataract, a few days after the events of Chapter 14.
Author's Notes: A little hurried and not proof-read, so I apologize for the grammatical eyesores.
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Ashe stood frozen before the Sun-Cryst, hesitation suddenly weakening the resolve which brought her there. "King Raithwall stood here. With this sword he cut the Sun-Cryst... and took its power in his hand."
"But you're going to use the sword to destroy the Sun-Cryst. Aren't you, Ashe?" Vaan asked as he walked up behind the princess.
"Don't interrupt me, Vaan." Ashe inhaled deeply as she wielded both the Sword of Kings and the Treaty-Blade.
A fire suddenly broke out, quickly turning into an inferno which spread about the Ridorana Cataract, until the mist surrounding the Sun-Cryst dissipated to nothingness.
The princess took a step forward to the mother of all nethicite, her chest tightening almost painfully as she took step after step—dread filling her heart. Is this what Rasler would want? Is this what—I want?
A hazy figure suddenly began to take form before Ashe, she knew it was him, even before the apparition appeared completely. Rasler. She shook her head, trying to get rid of the vision—but this time, it wasn't a vision... he was real! Rasler was truly... here, and everyone could see him!
Basch's throat ran dry, eyes wide at the realization that his perished lord was standing before him. "Lord Rasler?"
However, Ashe continued speaking to the apparition, oblivious everyone else. "You want revenge. You would have me use the stone?"
At this, Rasler offered his hand to Ashe without a word.
"—You would have me destroy the Empire? Is this my duty?" The princess began to tremble, knees weak at the daunting task before her—suddenly uncertain. Tears stung her eyes and lips quivered with emotion as she spoke. "Is this what you want?" A sharp intake of breath.
"I cannot."
"Why do you hesitate? Take what is yours." A metallic voice interrupted, followed by measured footfalls by none other than the Judge Magister Gabranth. "The Cryst is a blade. It was meant for you. Wield it! Avenge your father! Yes. It was I who wore Basch's face—who cut down the life of Dalmasca."
With this, the Judge stood squarely before the princess. "Lady Ashe! Your father's murderer is here!"
"You!" Ashe hissed, hate and anger flooding her senses.
"And Reks!" Vaan shouted almost simultaneously.
"I slew your king. I slew your country. Do these deeds not demand vengeance?" Gabranth chose his words carefully, the words slipping through his lips as though he was genuinely asking for death.
The Sword of Kings fell to the stone floor as Ashe gripped the Treaty-Blade tightly in both hands, her whole body trembling with almost uncontrollable rage.
"—Yes. Good! Find your wrath! Take up your sword! Fight, and serve those who died before you!" The Magister growled, swords drawn, and made to strike the Dalmascan princess.
Vaan gaped in surprise, totally defenseless, but the attack was quickly blocked by Reddas.
"A Judge Magister there was... two years past, he took the Midlight Shard and used it, not knowing what he did... and Nabudis was blown away. Cid ordered this of him to learn the Nethicite's true power. That man swore never to let such terrible power be used again. He forsook his Judicer's plate, and his name."
"Judge Zecht!" Gabranth grunted as he roughly pushed the rambling Reddas aside.
Reddas shook his head sadly. "It's been too long, Gabranth. Reach out your hand, Lady Ashe. But remember that which you must grasp is something beyond revenge, something greater than despair. Something beyond our reach. Try as we might, Gabranth, history's chains bind us too tightly."
Gabranth attacked Reddas with his swords, the other man having great difficulty keeping up with the younger Magister's assault. Steel clashed against steel, sparks flying with the strength behind the blows. The years had taken its toll on Reddas and Gabranth, again, shoves him away.
"No, we cannot escape the past. This man is living proof. What is your past, daughter of Dalmasca? Did you not swear revenge? Do the dead not demand it?"
Ashe looked at Rasler who only blinked in return. The prince opened his arms wide for Ashe, but the princess shook her head—tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Rasler. My prince. Our time was short. Yes I know this, you were not the kind to take base revenge!" Ashe raised her sword and slashed through the apparition before her as she wept. "The Rasler I knew is gone."
Rasler opened his mouth to speak, but it was the voice of the Occuria which spoke. "You are our saint, Ashelia B'nargin. You must be the one to straighten history's weave!" The apparition then dissolved into thin air.
"I am no false saint for you to use!" Ashe shouted angrily. "In all Dalmasca's history, not once did we rely on the Dusk Shard. Our people resolved never to use it, though their need might be dire. That was the Dalmasca I wanted back."
The Treaty-Blade joined the Sword of Kings as it clattered to the ground.
"—To use the stone now would be to betray that. I will destroy the Sun-Cryst! I will discard the stone!"
"You claim no need of power? What of your broken kingdom's shame? The dead demand justice!" The Judge Magister barked.
Vaan shook his head. "You're wrong. What would change? I can't help my brother now. My brother's gone. He's dead!"
Ashe held the Nethicite in her hand. "Even with power, we cannot change what has passed. What is done, is done."
"Yet without power, what future can you claim? What good a kingdom you cannot defend?" Gabranth felt anger, frustration, and confusion boiling within him—he could not understand why his hunger for revenge controlled him while others could let it go so easily.
Basch stepped forward, an arm outstretched as if to keep his twin at bay. "Then I will defend Queen and Kingdom both!"
The younger twin scoffed. "Hah! Defend? You? Who failed Landis and Dalmasca? What can shame hope to keep safe? Your shield is shattered! Your oath poison those you would protect!" Gabranth lunged at the party, resentment pumping in his veins as he dealt blow after blow against them.
A short encounter ensued, but Gabranth's rage and lack of focus made him vulnerable, and the party was able to injure him enough to make him back down—temporarily.
"Hear me, Basch. Do not think killing the King-slayer will win you back your honor! When you abandoned home and kin, your name was forever stained with blood!" The Judge Magister jeered angrily as he pulled himself up, though his injuries protested through the sharp pains that shot through his body.
Basche looked at his younger twin with sad eyes, as if begging him to listen. "Aye, this stain is mine to bear. But I will bear it willingly, knowing that I did all that I could... for hope."
"Preen and strut as you like! In the end, we are the same. Blood-thirsting carrion birds, hell-bent on revenge!" Gabranth attacked the party again, but his movements were wild and uncalculated.
His emotions made him careless, and the Magister was again forced to yield. Blue eyes glared angrily at his twin's sad ones. "So you, too, would leave your debts unpaid?"
Finally, Ashe walked up to the Judge Magister, and before anyone could react, slapped the man squarely on the cheek (his helm long discarded in the heat of battle). The sound of the blow resounded in the deathly silence which followed.
"Stop it! Gabranth, know this. My debt for vengeance is left unpaid only because Larsa has asked it of me." Her voice wavered, but she stood firm. "What you have done—what you have taken from me and my kingdom, will never change... and for that I want nothing more than to take your life. But Larsa—"
"Do not dare bring him into this." The Judge warned, hands gripping the hilts of his swords so tightly, they blanched.
"You are only alive now because he loves you!" Ashe shouted as he pounded on his Magister plate with an angry fist. "Why can't you understand that Gabranth? I do not want him to go through my pain! Why do you want to die so badly-? You are selfish, Judge Magister! You will have him suffer, if only to regain your honor!"
The onslaught of Ashe's words washed over Gabranth and he stood frozen—dumbfounded at the realization. ...because he—loves me? Selfish... I have been so selfish—I never meant to make him suffer. No, not for the honor I've long lost. "I—I never meant..." Gabranth could not continue.
"Enough of this! I can bear no more! You disappoint me, Gabranth. He trusted you. When you bared steel against the Princess, you foreswore your obligations to your emperor!" Doctor Cid interrupted brusquely, holding back Gabranth from enduring another fight; in his left hand, he held a Nethicite. "You shame yourself and make mockery of Lord Larsa's trust. You are unfit to serve him as sword or shield. And so I release you from that service. Your presence is neither required nor welcome."
Enraged, Gabranth made to attack the old doctor as he walked away, but Basch stopped him with a firm grip on his upper arm.
"Noah." Basch murmured though he could not now look into his twin's eyes. "Larsa... at that time in the castle... he did make a choice."
The Judge turned his head towards his twin.
"He chose you."
Gabranth looked into equally cobalt eyes, but said nothing.
He shrugged the older twin's hold on his arm and walked away.
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Larsa waited impatiently at the imperial docks, legs swinging back and forth from the bench where his feet could not touch the ground. Zargabaath had specifically informed him that the airship bearing Gabranth was bound to return to the castle that morning and it was already mid-day—and still nothing.
The young lord leant back and watched as small clouds sailed through the sky—its color painfully reminded him of his Judge Protector's eyes. He frowned. It had been a few days following their huge argument in his chambers and Gabranth had left the day after without any chance of making amends—and the days seemed to go by slower while the blonde was away. Lost in his thoughts, Larsa did not notice as he slowly drifted off into a light sleep.
The young lord woke up in his bed that afternoon—an imperial brought him to his chambers no doubt, after finding the heir of the Empire sleeping in an airship dock bench of all places. Taking only a few moments to make himself presentable, Larsa quickly made his way to the doors of his chambers, intent on finding Gabranth. However, a sharp knock from the outside suggested otherwise.
With a sigh, Larsa opened one of the large double doors. Gabranth stood outside in his armour, but without his helm—an unreadable expression on his face, though he smiled when his eyes fell upon the young lord. "Lord Larsa."
"Gabranth." Larsa breathed as he all but melted into the Judge Magister's arms, not even waiting for the latter to step inside his chambers before doing so.
There were so many things to be said, Larsa had gone over his speech over and over and still found himself at a loss for words as they just stood there in each other's arms. "Gabranth, forgive me..."
"No, it is I who should ask for forgiveness. Forgive me Lord Larsa, it was never my place— to call you mine." Gabranth whispered as he tightened his hold on the boy, refusing to look down into cobalt eyes which were now turned up to him—afraid and confused.
"Gabranth, what are you saying? You know that I—"
"Shh. Let me finish Larsa." The blonde murmured, dropping to his knees, armoured hands cupping Larsa's face as he brought their foreheads together. "For both our sakes."
"I... I have been dismissed from your service." The Magister began, the words stabbed painfully in his mind—their weight almost unbearable. Larsa opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again when the blonde begged him with his eyes to listen. "And I have already decided—to accept. My Lord, this is for the both of us... for you. Please underst—"
"No! I do not understand! Gabranth, I am heir to the Empire—I am the one to decide! I can make you stay."
"Why? Why make me stay! I have brought you nothing but pain."
"I've said it a thousand times. Gabranth, I love you." Larsa grips the hands holding his face as he looks at equally blue eyes. "I love you."
The Judge looked away. "For how long? My Lord, you are yet young. My feelings, I can bring to the grave for I have lived my life. I only wish to let you live yours."
"Then let me live it with you by my side!"
"I cannot."
"Cannot or will not?"
"You will grow up Larsa, and with time you will outgrow this—me—us. Time will ease your pain as it will mine."
"Never."
"This is the way it must be. My only regret is that I did not spend more time with you Lord Larsa, I would have truly wished that."
Larsa was crying now, tears flowing as he clutched desperately at hands which began to pull away.
"Why? Why now... after giving me so many promises? Why leave me now Gabranth?"
Gabranth swallowed a choked sob, guilt washing over him in waves. "Because I... let myself hope."
"I do not understand."
"Grow up my lord. Become like your father, marry, and be happy. Let me live the rest of my days knowing that I gave the Empire their king." The Judge whispered hoarsely into Larsa's onyx hair, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. He pulled the boy tight against his chest, just once more—one more embrace to last him his lifetime. "Be happy Larsa."
"I would leave the Empire for you." The boy sobbed into Gabranth's neck.
"I know, and for this reason I do what I must."
Gabranth closed the distance between them, and their lips met in a chaste kiss. It was a bare brush of lips against lips, but the emotions conveyed through it were almost palpable. The Judge pulled away, but Larsa stopped him—still refusing to let him go.
"Gabranth please.."
"I have decided. My lord, you must let me go. Larsa, you must let me go." The blonde pressed a kiss to the boy's tear-stained cheek, wanting nothing more than to erase this bitter memory from his young mind. "Do not make me do this."
"Do what?" Larsa sobbed, believing nothing could hurt more than being left behind again.
"This." Gabranth whispered as he stood up, pulling away one last time before he left—without looking back.
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A little hurried really, but only because the next chapter was running away in my head and I had to catch up to it. O.O
But first, a huge THANK YOU to my readers. :) Special thanks goes to "Swth" for informing me that Noah really is the younger twin! And to "Crispy For A Change", I was really, really overwhelmed by your comment—thank you so much, it was truly inspiring. :)
Also, you may have noticed that the party is already at the Ridorana Cataract, meaning the game story (and this story) is nearing its end. This chapter is actually short, but necessary to bring the game storyline full circle. I hope you guys stick around till then. :)
Classes are suspended today, which is a rare occurrence in law school so I'm taking the opportunity to write the next chapter before it runs away again. Cheers!
Seph