Chapter 8 - Princess
Zero looked around the class and sighed. Everyone was staring at him this morning. Was it really that much more of a shock that he'd beaten a triangle mage compared to a dot mage? He was fairly certain that they said Fouquet was a triangle mage. She had been more of a danger than the stupid old man, but they decided to treat this as the more shocking event? Was it because she wasn't actually a noble? He'd never understand people. He flexed his right arm. For some reason, now it was starting to ache. He'd been running his diagnostics all night, and now it was his right arm that was giving the anomaly. Just what was happening to him? He was pulled out of his musings by a voice from one of the students behind him.
"Can you believe it? Such a zero of a mage was able to summon a familiar that was so powerful? It must be the founders way of compensating for her being so useless otherwise! Perhaps his name is Zero to signify that!" One of the student said from behind Zero, causing chuckles to break out from a few people.
Zero looked to Louise, who had her hands balled on the desk in front of her, and sighed. Turning to look at the student again, he stated quite loudly with an air of seeming indifference,"Not that I'd expect such uneducated fools to understand, but my name Zero means that I was to be the start of something new. Something with unlimited potential and power. To be able to summon something like me her potential has to be far greater than some fool who got a cat. I mean seriously. I can defeat a triangle mage with a single attack. Your cat can puke in your shoes if it gets annoyed with you. What does that say about YOU as a mage?" with a laugh Zero watched for the young mage's reaction.
"What did you say?" the young man in question stood up, trembling in outrage. "Say that again!"
"Sit back down kid, you know you're just posturing now. Unless you'd like to face me like Guiche did. Although I might not be half as nice with you as him." Zero said darkly, his eyes narrowing. He turned to face forward after the young mage sat down, his face red from embarrassment or rage.
"Zero..." Louise said looking at him, "that isn't going to help..."
"I don't care. They talk down about you when they think I can't hear it. If they're going to do that they'd damned well better have something to back up that talk or shut the hell up." Zero stated looking annoyed.. "I don't care if its noble pride or something, but I'm just a 'commoner', so I don't understand. I can't wait till you really figure yourself out and put them all in their place. Stupid kids" Zero muttered to himself.
Louise looked at Zero and couldn't help but smile. He might be direct at times, but she'd come to realize he was anything but common. His intellect was at odds with his demeanor. While she hadn't expected it, his mind was probably the equal of anyone in the academy. His logic and problem solving skills were amazing. Suddenly she spoke up, "Zero, i wanted to apologize"
"Hmm? For what?" Zero asked. She hadn't done anything to piss him off. He was just annoyed by these stupid brats.
"Do you remember the day you first came to class?"
"Yeah. You blew the room up with a huge explosion" Zero recalled.
"I wanted to apologize for not taking you seriously. I know i got angry at you, but you were just trying to help. I'll keep doing my best. I'll make you proud to be my familiar" Louise said, determination filling her voice.
"Never had any doubt about it," Zero said as he sat there. Looking around the room, he noticed that nobody had even cracked a book, except for Tabitha. For self study, there sure was a remarkable lack of studying present.
"So, what did the headmaster say when you talked to him earlier?" Louise asked Zero quietly.
"He said that the only places he knew that the money could go to were orphanages. Apparently the there aren't clinics or other things around here that treat the Poorer commoners. He said he'd make sure Siesta was taken care of, then he'd pass the gold into various orphanages. He said that improving their lives as children could make a difference as they got older. He also said that investing in businesses in a few places would likely help the commoners, by creating jobs and allowing them to buy more with more money. I kinda stopped him there. I really didn't want a lesson on economics. So I left it to him. Saves me the pain," Zero said with a shrug.
"I still don't understand how you could just give up that much money. You probably could have bought yourself a minor noble title," Louise said quietly. And if he were a noble...
"Don't care about titles. With or without a title I'm still Zero. It would probably just get in the way and tie me down." Zero said smirking at Louise's irritation. Noting her reading her book out of fustration again he looked towards the front of the room, waiting for something worth paying attention to.
"Zero! I'm so bored!" Kirche said as she leaned back in her chair, her head tilting back till she met his eyes. "Self study is so tedious!"
"Well, you're not really studying are you?" Zero asked amused
Before Kirche could answer door opened, and Mr. Colbert entered the room. Zero wondered what was up with the giant blond wig he was wearing, and the excessively expensive clothes he was wearing. The teacher had always displayed much more sense than the other nobles when it came to this sort of thing. Murmurs and comments rippled through the class about the obvious change in Mr. Colbert.
"I have something to tell everyone." Colbert exaggeratedly tilted his head back, causing his wig to slide off, landing on the ground. The class burst into laughter.
Tabitha, who sat in front, pointed at his balded head and suddenly said, "Shiny." in a serious voice.
The laughter grew more intense. Kirche laughed while hugging Tabitha's shoulder, "You don't speak often, but when you do its the best!"
Colbert blushed, and loudly yelled. "SILENCE! Only commoners laugh out loud! Nobles only covertly snicker with their heads down even if they find something funny! Otherwise, the royal court will question our school's educational results!" The classroom finally quieted to those words.
"All right. Everyone, today would be the most important day for Tristain Magical Academy. This is our great Founder Brimir's birthday, a very celebratory day." Colbert's face straightened, and he placed his arms behind his back.
"It is highly probable that His Majesty's daughter, the beautiful flower that we Tristainians can proudly boast to the rest of Halkeginia, Princess Henrietta, will, to our great fortune, pass by the Academy on her way back from visiting Germania."
Whispers and chatter filled the room.
"Therefore, we must not allow any slack. As this is very sudden news, we have begun preparations to receive her to the best of our abilities. Due to this, all of today's classes are hereby canceled. All students, please put on your formal wear, and assemble at the main entrance." The students anxiously nodded in unison. Colbert severely nodded in return, and loudly announced, "This is an excellent opportunity to let Her Majesty the Princess know that everyone has matured as model nobles. Everyone must prepare to be their best to let Her Majesty witness this fact! Dismissed!"
***Break***
Four elegant stallions led a carriage quietly on the road to the Magic Academy. Bridles and tack made of silver and gold gave them a splendorous look. The carriage was exquisitely adorned with gold, silver, and platinum sculptures. A number of intricately detailed crests were placed on the carriage. On one of those, a unicorn crossed with a crystal staff signaled that this carriage belongs to Her Majesty the Princess.
One can find, upon closer examination, that the stallions drawing the carriage were not normal horses. The ivory horns which seemed to be a part of the beaten gold helmets, were in fact a part of the animals, identifying them as unicorns.
The carriage's windows had ivy borders and coverings, as if disallowing the outside from looking in. Behind the Princess's carriage is Cardinal Mazarin, who has held all Tristain political authority with an iron grip since His Majesty passed away. His carriage's splendor does not lose to Her Majesty the Queen's. In fact, his was even more embellished. The difference of these two carriages on the road clearly shows who currently holds the top authority in Tristain.
Around the two carriages was the Imperial Guard, a division of mage guards. Composed of the most prominent noble families, the Magic Imperial Guard is the pride of all nobles in the country. Every noble male dreams of wearing the black cape of the Magic Imperial Guard, and every noble female dreams of being their brides. This Imperial Guard is Tristain's symbol of prosperity and power, very similarly to the great dragon knights of Albion.
The road is paved with flowers as commoners cheered from the roadside. Every time the carriages passed them, one could hear "Long live Tristain! Long live Princess Henrietta!" and sometimes even "Long live Cardinal Mazarin!" though those shouts paled in comparison to the cheers for the Princess. The Cardinal was not well-regarded as he is rumored to be of commoner blood. Some say it's jealousy of his position, others believed it to be true. As the carriage's curtains opened, and as the crowds see the young Princess, the cheers get ever more passionate. She also returned a genial smile to the people.
Henrietta closed the curtains, and deeply sighed, losing the rose-like smile that she just sent to the crowds. All that was left was distress and deep melancholy unbecoming of her age. The Princess was turning 17 this year. With a slim figure, light blue eyes, high nose, she is an eye catching beauty. Her slender fingers played with her crystal staff. As of Royal blood, she is, of course, a mage.
Neither the cheers along the road nor the flowers flying in the air could cheer her up. She seemed to be holding deep political and romantic anxieties.
Sitting beside her, Mazarin watched her while playing with his beard. Wearing a hat like that of a priest and a grey formal suit, he was a slim and frail man of forty-some years old. His hair and beard have already grown white, and even his fingers looked like skin on bones, creating an appearance far too old for his age. Ever since His Majesty had died, his iron grip on both foreign relations and internal politics had considerably aged him.
He had left his carriage and entered the Princess's. He wanted to talk about politics, but the Princess only sighed, and paid no attention.
"That is your thirteenth time today, Your Majesty." Mazarin noted, annoyed and concerned.
"Hmm? What?" she said, not really paying attention to the old man.
"That sighing. Those of royalty shouldn't do that all the time in front of their subordinates."
"Royalty? What? Have I missed something, M'lord?" Henrietta said, sounding shocked. "Aren't you the King of Tristain? Doesn't Your Highness know about his rumors on the streets?"
"I am not aware." Mazarin replied indifferently. He was lying. He knew about everything in Tristain, and even Halkeginia. He knew all about it. He just pretended that he didn't.
"Then let me tell you. Tristain's Royal family has beauty, but not its scepter. Cardinal, you're the one holding the scepter. Bird's bones wearing a gray hat..." she said distastefully.
Mazarin blinked. The words 'bird's bones' coming out of the Princess stung. "Please don't speak of commoners' rumors so carelessly..."
"Why not? They're just rumors. I'll marry the King of Germania as you told me to." she said, regret heavy in her voice.
"We can't help that. An alliance with Germania is extremely important to Tristain." said Mazarin.
"That I know."
"Your Majesty understands the rebellion being carried out in that 'White Country' Albion under those idiots? Those people can't seem to tolerate the existence of royalty in Halkeginia." He frowned.
"Impolite, unrefined imbeciles! They're trying to hang that poor prince! Even if the entire world can forgive their actions, Founder Brimir shall not forgive them. I wouldn't forgive them." Henrietta said fiercely, surprising the Cardinal at her out of character reaction.
"Indeed. However, Albion's nobility has unsurpassed power. The Albionian Royal Family might not even survive tomorrow. One of Founder Brimir's three bestowed royalties is going to fall, just like that. Countries that cannot solve their own internal strife have no right to exist."
"The Albionian Royal Family is nothing like Germania's. They're all my relatives. You have no right to say that even as Cardinal."
"I humbly apologize. I will ask for forgiveness from Founder Brimir before I go to bed tonight. However, what I just said is the truth, Your Majesty."
Henrietta only sadly shook her head. Even that gesture radiated her beauty.
"Word is that those stupid Albionian nobles have the gall to declare how they're going to unite all of Halkeginia as one. It certainly seems like those people would set their sights at Tristain after extinguishing their royalty, seeing as we're the smallest of all the other countries left. If it really turns out like that, it would be too late if we don't take steps to prepare right now." Mazarin severely explained to Henrietta. She looked out the window, pretending to pay no attention. "Reading the opponent's actions and countering it at the first available opportunity is true politics, Your Majesty. If we can create an alliance with Germania, then we can create a covenant to counter Albion's new government, and ensure this little country's survival."
Henrietta continued to sigh. Mazarin opened the curtain and looked outside, and saw the shadow of his pride. A young, breathtakingly sharp-looking noble, sporting a feather-hat and long beard, marched with the convoy outside. A device of a griffin fastens his black cape, and one look at his mount shows why. It had an eagle's head, wings, and talons, and it had a lion's body and hind legs. A griffin.
This man is the leader of one of three Mage Guard divisions, the Griffin Knights, Captain Lord Wardes. His division is the most memorable amongst the entire Mage Guard, and especially to Mazarin. Wielding formidable magical prowess, the Mage Guard is organized through extremely selective trials amongst nobles, and each member rides a magical beast to his division's name. They are the Tristainian symbols of fear and pride.
"You summoned me, Your Highness?" Wardes's eyes twinkled, and approached the carriage window on his griffin. The window slowly opened. Mazarin looked out.
"Wardes, Her Majesty is feeling depressed. Can you get something for us that can cheer her up?"
"Understood." Wardes nodded, and observed the road with the gaze of an eagle. He quickly found a small section of the street, and had his griffin head there. Pulling out his long staff from his waist, he chanted a short spell, and briskly waved it. A small gust erupted from the ground, collecting all the petals strewn on the ground into Wardes' hands. He returned to the carriage with the bouquet, and presented it to Mazarin. Mazarin stroked his beard, and suggested, "Perhaps Captain, It would be better to present these to Her Majesty yourself?"
"That would truly be a great honor." Wardes saluted, and turned to the other side of the carriage. The window slowly opened, Henrietta extended a hand to receive it, and showed her left hand to him. Wardes emotionally held her left hand, and lightly kissed it.
Still quite upset, Henrietta asked, "What is your name?"
"Your Majesty's Mage Guard, Griffin Knights leader, Lord Wardes." He gratefully lowered his head and replied.
"A model of nobility. How very fine of you."
"I am merely a lowly servant for Your Majesty."
"There have been fewer nobles who would say this lately. When Grandfather was still alive, oh my... under the great Philippe III's reign, the whole nobility shared that kind of marvelous chivalry."
"Sad times nowadays, Your Majesty." Wardes said regretfully.
"May I expect your sincerity when I am effected by such upsetting times again?"
"When that happens, no matter where I am, in battle or in the skies, no matter what I must leave behind, I will run over to serve Your Majesty."
Henrietta nodded. Wardes saluted once again, and left the carriage's side.
"Is that noble quite capable?" she asked Mazarin.
"Lord Wardes. His runic name is 'Lightning.' Even the 'White Country' can only boast of few people who can prove to be a match against him."
"Wardes... I think I've heard of that place before."
"I think that is close to Lord Vallière's territory." the cardinal said absently.
"Vallière?" Henrietta nodded. That name is now in their destination, the Magic Academy.
"Cardinal, do you remember the name of the noble that caught Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt?"
"I'm afraid not."
"Aren't you about to knight them soon?" Henrietta was shocked.
Mazarin was uninterested. "I think it's high time for knighting rules to change. One needs to serve in the military to deserve that. How can the title of a knight be so easily given away for arresting a thief? Either way, it seems we would be fighting Albion with Germania soon, and it will not be a good idea to lose our nobles' loyalty due to jealousy."
"You made a lot of decisions without me knowing." Henrietta accused.
Mazarin did not reply. Continuing to mumble, Henrietta remembered that the name Vallière was among the nobles who caught Fouquet. It will all work out, Henrietta thought, and calmed down.
"Your majesty, there is another problem that I must report to you" Mazarin said,
"And what is that?"
"One of the nobility was apparently challenged by a commoner who resides at the academy of magic" he said regretfully.
"Oh?" Henrietta looked at the cardinal, "I take it that he died, and that it is causing some strife with the commoners?"
"No. In fact, apparently the noble had made the mistake of staking his fortune and his life upon it. The commoner defeated, or should I say mutilated him. Took off his hand as i understand it. To give the commoners the thought that they can throw off nobility in such a way, with what is happening in Albion, we might wish to take steps in this matter."
"I... see," the princess said, "Who was the unfortunate noble that this happened to?"
"Count Mott, one of my esteemed messengers. He was affiliated with the royal family, and still this commoner did not care," the cardinal said with a hint of distaste in his voice.
"I can't find myself too upset at this," the princess responded, "After all I know that you know what he had been doing. I didn't have the power to stop him, and you refused to. To punish the person who finally brought him low, one thinks the commoners would react even more violently to that. But, one of your wisdom would be able to see that immediately."
"A valid point, but are you sure? It is little different than the revolt in Albion and all such things must start somewhere." The cardinal didn't want to let this go.
"Somehow, I think you're trying to get me to take the responsibility for this." she looked at him with a rare flash of steel in her eyes. "If you want something done about it, you can easily do something about it."
"Well, the head master of the academy is protecting this individual. There is also the matter of it being a duel, and since it had all been done legally, that there was absolutely nothing I could do to convince him to give the person up." the Cardinal said, looking at the floor of the carriage.
"Ah. So you found someone who wouldn't bow to your great and magnificent power. Well, that does happen sometimes. But you won't get me to help repress a commoner who was simply doing the right thing." she said, a hint of bitterness in her tone.
"Be reasonable your highness." The Cardinal said to her, but before he could say anymore he was interrupted by the herald that was riding outside the carriage.
"Her Royal Highness of the Kingdom of Tristain, Princess Henrietta has arrived."
The first out the door, however, was Cardinal Mazarin.
The students grunted, but Mazarin paid no attention, standing at the side of the carriage, holding the Princess's hand as she alighted. The students finally applauded. A youthful, flowery smile emerged from the Princess's face as she elegantly waved.
"That's the Princess of Tristain? Heh... I'm better looking than that." Kirche mumbled. "Oh my dear, who do you think is prettier?" She turned to Zero.
"Nope. Loaded question. Not gonna answer. Gonna pretend I didn't hear it." Zero said, recognizing the dangers inherent to that situation immediately, especially when Louise growled when Kirche asked that particular question.
"You can tell me, its not like I don't already know, right?" she said, pressing herself against Zero.
Zero looked towards Louise, who was attentively looking at the Princess. He wondered why she was so absorbed in the princess. A past perhaps?
Louise suddenly blushed, which Zero saw. What is this about? He turned towards whatever she was facing. A hat-wearing, rather cool-looking noble, riding on a magical beast with an eagle's head and a lion's body. Louise was watching him enthralled.
Zero found it weird. Something about him set him off immediately. That way he carried himself, was like a warrior. And even though he had a reasonably handsome face and a kindly expression, his eyes had a hardness to them that he'd seen in only a few sentient beings. He was a cold blooded murderer. There was no remorse in his eyes like a soldier normally held. There was no emotion. Just a coldness that spoke of deaths uncounted. He wondered why she was looking at him so deeply and blushing like that. Ah well, he'd keep an eye out for that guy. Not like he could reasonably act on feeling alone.
***Break***
That night...
Zero laid on the floor, watching Louise. It seems like she couldn't calm down. She would stand up one moment, and sit down the next, worrying about something while hugging her pillow, ever since she saw that noble earlier. After that, she said nothing, and since then sat on her bed just like that. It was actually starting to get irritating. "You're... acting weird." Zero started, but Louise made no answer. He stood up, and waved in front of her eyes. She didn't move. "A bit too weird." Zero pondered what to do. He walked up to her, and she didn't even acknowledge him. "I'm kinda lonely like this. I think I'm going to get spend the night with Kirche. I should be back by morning, but with a girl like that... You never knew" he said lightly, and turned to take a step. As expected he found that something had grabbed his wrist.
"What did you say, you stupid dog?" she said with a growl, her face turning red.
"Ah so there you are. I just knew that would work" Zero gave her a confident grin.
"How dare you!" Louise tackled him and started hitting him with her tiny fists,"Idiot!"
Zero laughed at the reaction he got. Sometimes pushing her to this point was hilarious to watch, "Well, my dear 'master' you seemed in such a state of shock, that I said the only thing I could to jolt you out of it!" As he said that, there were some knocks on the door
"Who could it be?" Zero asked Louise.
The knocks were very orderly. It started with two long knocks, and then three short ones...
Louise rushed to the door, and opened it slightly.
Standing there was a girl, covered entirely in a black veil.
She looked around, and then walked in, closing the door behind her.
"...you are?" A shocked Louise barely managed to voice.
The veiled girl made a 'shh' gesture with a finger on her mouth, and took out a staff from her black cape, lightly waving it while chanting a short spell. Glowing powder filled the room.
"A silencing spell?" Louise asked. The veiled girl nodded.
"There might be extra ears and eyes around."
After making sure the room had no magical ears and no peeping holes, she slowly removed her veil.
In front of them stood the Princess, Henrietta.
Louise frantically went down on her knees. Zero stood there with his arms crossed.
Henrietta coolly, and gently spoke. "It has been a while, Vallière."
***Author's notes***
No familiar talent show unfortunately. Would just slow down the plot, and I don't see Zero doing it anyhow. it kinda puts him back into the animal category rather than person. So going the Manga/novel way of just having the princess show up unannounced, and Mr. Colbert making a fool out of himself. And of course, the awesomeness of Tabitha.
I appreciate the positive reviews I've gotten, and would like to thank people for reading. Unfortunately, aside from deciding which character from mega man will end up in the series if it gets that far, I'm really not open to the requests in messages. Pairings will be what they're planned to be. No Spoilers on that. This isn't to be rude, but more to imply that as i'm writing the story and thinking about it, i write what i think the character would do in the situations, and with the changes/effects that are made on them by the world around them. The story while different is going to stick to a lot of the main plot points of Familiar of Zero, because I've been able to figure out ways to keep the events happening in a rational way. Without that I feel it would enter too much of a flux, and Zero's developing character, would be the only consistent thing in the series, making it too abstract to really make it enjoyable. Wondering how Zero will deal with things compared to Saito has been one of the things that has been a common theme in this story. But if i took that away, and let Zero go totally berserk or something, pretty much all the enemies they encounter will die. Fast. With no real suspense or attachment to the characters.
With Zero you have a character that is overwhelmingly powerful. He can destroy everything that stands in his way. The growing attachment to the people he's meeting, the changes in/to himself, and to the ideals that he is building here, are the core of that. He can't go off entirely. he needs to protect the people who can't protect themselves. He's growing from scarred veteran, to a more fulfilling protector roll. He'll never be as kind as X was, but X was an optimist of the highest order. Zero has had far more tragedy than X in my opinion, and you can either be a person who spreads tragedy, or who prevents it from being spread. And as he develops, he's doing more and more humanization to his character. X dealt with humans during pretty much his entire life, from his discovery to the creation of Neo Arcadia. Zero in all games only dealt with reploids for the most part. While he must have had human contact, he didn't work with one for years, he didn't take the time to do the political game with them, to understand their motivations. He's sort of easing into it now, but he's still a few hundred years behind X on that score, with way more baggage to boot. This is just the Zero in my particular story though, which is why he might not react or have the same thoughts as the Zero you envision. They leave an unbelievably large amount of stuff open to interpretation in these series, making it very easy for it to be inconsistent between what fans think of individual characters.
I do appreciate criticism, and have tried to fix things people have mentioned as fast as possible, and ensure the history on the Megaman/X/Z is correct/repaired when wrong. This i have no problem accepting, and i ask that those of you who have sent me messages when I've been wrong please continue to do so. I appreciate it, and am having fun doing this. I also want the story to be as correct as possible.