Lequerion was still laughing as J’ard came off the road, and went to approach the bounty hunter with a sympathetic shoulder-smack, “All those years, you hunted down some of the worst, only to be bamboozled by a couple teenagers. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.”

“…I suppose I’ve become complacent in my elder-years.” J’ard shook his head and sighed, “The Prince has gotten impatient with the idea of being followed around…”

“I’m sure they’ll both be fine.” Lequerion mused, “Agartha’s the safest city on Hadira. If they can’t be idiots here, they can’t be idiots anywhere. Take the ditch for what it is, and take a break.”

Furion watched the duo curiously, “I forgot how much more closely the hunters worked with the Fafnir back in the day.” He commented to his partner, one arm wrapped lightly around her back, “Things were very different when my father was Captain.”

“…Prince Iresha has changed a lot, too.” Ren added, “Maybe Gabe was onto something when he thought to give the kid a friend.”

“Maybe, but it still wasn’t his place to suggest it the way he had.”

“I know. I’m just saying. Iresha seems quite a bit more relaxed in his own skin. From the things I’ve been told…he was really uptight before.”

“Oh, he certainly was.” Came an unexpected voice, and the two Fafnir turned around to spot their Eidolon approaching. They both quickly parted to salute the man, and he paused his advance a few steps ahead of them, “But I suppose anyone would be if they lived a life as sheltered as his was. Grandmother murdered by rioters in the palace, an affliction that set half that same palace on fire, being the reason the Council is in the country… Oh, right, at ease.”

The duo relaxed their stances, and Rylen stepped closer to see around the park walls, “Sir!”

“I’ve known his father since before he became Emperor.” The First continued, amused in his own way at the fact that J’ard had been dumped, “Back when your father…” He looked to Furion, “…was still Captain, and the whole sordid incident with the Exclusion Zone happened. The late Empress tried to intercede – Sargon and Kitez were much more in lock-step with one another at the time; practically one nation split into eastern and western provinces – but found herself in the awkward position where she actually agreed with me in the whole thing. I thought she and I might be partners in our mutual desire to see afflicted threats diminished, but…well, she balked when protests started breaking out in Sargon, and Xanarken told me to back off. We swapped out after the Empress was murdered, and Iresha – not yet of ‘the Elder’ title - was coronated. Those were certainly interesting times. …I warned Xanarken back then to keep a close eye on things, especially after the man who’d championed the riots in Sargon – Latheroux - absconded into Kitez and popped-up in their court, but…I think he believed the soft-paws approach would work better. But by that point, it was no longer a military conflict, and Xanarken had the final say in how it was all handled.”

“Do you think Lord Xanarken handled it improperly, sir?” Furion wondered dubiously, “Is that why he’s giving it up?”

Rylen shrugged, “Hard to know. Sargon made a mess of things in their own way when newly-crowned Emperor Iresha sent Mardu to Kitez to make amends. I suppose he believed that if Sargon gave up one of their own as a peace offering, Kitez would settle down…and for a time, the former Duchy seemed okay with that. They married Mardu to their daughter, Far’nah, and a so-called harmony returned to the region. Maybe we lost track of the goings-on there when Sargon resumed its position that the Council should mind its own business. A lot had changed by the time Iresha dusted off the communicator I’d given to his mother, and called us in directly.” The First suddenly looked oddly frustrated, “Did you know that shit-kicker riot-starter actually became friends with Mardu? Of all the people… In a normal universe, Mardu ought to have kicked Latheroux to the curb for what he started in Sargon…but instead, sympathized with the man and kept him around like an abandoned puppy. And Xanarken didn’t even notice Latheroux was there!” He stopped himself there though, and tried to re-find his Zen, taking a few symbolic breaths before he shook his head and resumed his normal affect, “…Anyway, that was quite the segue…that’s not even why I came over here. I actually wanted to know why the both of you made a scene of yourselves by jumping over a crowd earlier.”

Ren immediately went down to a knee, “Sir, I’m so sorry, I-”

Furion stepped between them though, blocking out the sight of his partner with his cape, “Lord Rylen, with all due respect… I’m aware that you were unhappy with the expression of Dame Ren’s familiarity with Lord Gabriel, and reprimanded her severely for how it came out recently. She didn’t want there to be any misunderstandings about how she interpreted that, and dismissed herself in such a way so as to make it clear that she was abiding by your instructions. The Fourth Wing has become somewhat pushy in its desire to continue communications with her, as though she still had ties to both Wings. Lord Xanarken went so far as to come to my family home to find her.”

Rylen’s brow twisted, “…Really.”

“I know he means well, sir, but I would request that something be done to keep the Fourth out of the Sixth’s affairs.” Furion continued; behind him, still on one knee, Ren felt the heat of anxiety burn through her, “While we are grateful that they offered Dame Ren a place to go while we addressed the source of her beguilement, that’s all in the past now, and she’s back with us again. We can no longer abide by the meddling, and I lack the authority to keep them at bay.”

“I see.” The First said simply, and pulled a hand up to rub a knuckle on his chin, “Well…reminding Gabriel that he’s not as powerful as he thinks he is has become a favorite pastime of mine… I’m sure I can think of a way to kindly tell him to mind his own business. And Xanarken, for that matter. I’d rather not think he’s forgotten our agreement.”

The scene hadn’t gone unnoticed by Lequerion or J’ard, but neither was about to get in the middle of the scene, and kept a respectable distance.

Rylen nodded to himself after that, and gestured for the Captain to step aside. Furion warily did so, and Ren quickly bent her head down a bit further. She didn’t expect the Eidolon of the First to join her down there, but he crouched in front of her anyway, “I know it can be problematic when you’re torn between the authority of two and a half different Eidolon. I suppose you did the right thing, given the circumstances.” He started, and offered his hand, “I’ll take care of this little problem. The Fourth will be in your rear-view mirror again soon, and you can go back to doing what you do best.”

“…Y-yessir.” She answered cautiously, and accepted the help up.

“Until next time, then.” The Eidolon commented, and quickly took his leave, dissolving before his visit could be prolonged somehow.

That left a line of sight between the two Fafnir and the two older man, and they gaped at each other awkwardly. Ren just turned to Furion though, “…You didn’t have to throw them both under a bus. If Lord Xanarken hadn’t insisted…”

“And I’ll do it again, a thousand times over.” He countered, “My job, first and foremost, is to keep you safe, whether it’s as your Captain or your partner. I don’t know what’s gotten into Lord Xanarken’s head, but he can’t just insist himself onto you. You’re not his responsibility anymore, and it’s…inappropriate…how he’s trying to be so chummy with you. Weird even.”

“…Maybe a little, but…it’s exactly how he is with Gabriel.”

“You’re not him.” Furion insisted, a sort of pleading tone in his voice, “It’s not right.”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“Everything okay here?” Lequerion wondered, “It’s normally not necessary to take a knee for the Eidolon.”

“It’s fine…” Ren answered, “I think I’m going to go back to the room though.”

“Your comrades have indicated they’re planning to deploy tomorrow.” The former Captain said, drawing those eyes back in his direction, “I told them they shouldn’t go without saying something first, so…”

“Oh…” She looked to Furion.

“I’ll arrange something.”

.

Gabriel finally made it back to Maeve, but as soon as he slumped back into the pilot’s seat, he heard the unmistakable shifting-sands sound of nanotech coming together. Before he even had a chance to look around and figure out who was there to bother him, he felt a thwap come down on the top of his head. He yelped in surprise, and pulled both hands up to protect himself, “What the Hell-”

“Leave.” Thwap. “My.” Thwap. “People.” Thwap. “Alone.”

“Ahhh!” Gabriel flailed, and finally got enough of a break to look up at the offending animal that had assaulted him, “Rylen!”

“Lord Rylen.” The angry Russian Blue corrected, paw up still, and thwapped him one more time for good measure, “I won’t tell you again. If you’re going to hold any sort of authority in the Fourth then you have to understand that the other Wings aren’t your concern.”

“It wasn’t even my idea!” The Vice protested, “I was trying to keep to myself, but Xanarken went himself and then all-but ordered me to come over, too! What was I supposed to say to him!?”

“No.”

“As if that would work! Why don’t you go smack him around!? I’m going back to Sargon! I got the message loud and clear days ago!”

The cat narrowed its gaze and lowered its paw…but then raised it again, and smacked the man again – right between the eyes for good measure, “…Are you going to do something about the Tuonela soon?”

“I’m trying!” Gabriel rubbed the sting away, and before he could get hit again, he stood up from the seat and turned around, “Mardu is supposed to get himself here during the Dawn of Ages. If the Duchess loses her shit after, then you can be my guest. I just need his ass here before that.”

Rylen gave a low growl, “I feel like I’m the only one who truly appreciates how serious that situation is…and yet, I’m stuck here, watching you and Xanarken bumble-around in the dark.”

“I promise, I understand…” Gabriel explained, “But as much as you want to remind me that the Sixth Wing is none of my business, this…is none of yours.”

The cat lifted its head straight up; Gabriel wasn’t sure if Rylen was offended or impressed.

“The Sargonians are sticking their neck out to offer Mardu somewhere to go while we figure out how to deal with Kitez afterwards.” He continued, “Everything hinges on how Far’nah reacts though. Please, just…wait until the end of the celebration. All of it should come together in a hurry afterwards.”

“And if she does nothing?” Rylen countered, and hopped down into the seat, staring intensely with those blazing orange eyes, “It cannot be allowed to stand that she holds onto that ship. She did everything short of invite an invasion from the Sixth.”

“I know…I know… I’m working on it.”

“How are you working on it!?” The First hissed, “What are you doing!?”

“…I tried to kill her, didn’t I?”

“I’m sure Xanarken tried his best with his novice, peasant hands.”

Gabriel slouched and sighed, “He only went down there because I said so. It was my lack of experience that left the plan vulnerable to failure. I just…didn’t think I’d have another chance if I hesitated.”

Rylen sat down again, claws flexing into the seat a little before retracting again, “…You and I are going to have to have a better working relationship if this is going to pan out.”

That surprised the Vice, and he paid very close attention.

“Once you’re in the System and using a mantle, things are going to change rapidly.” The First explained, “The Luminary Council has only been as successful as it has been because the Eidolon haven’t kept secrets from each other, or acted on impulse without conferring with the others. If Xanarken wasn’t toying with Kitez like an entry-level learning experience, he ought to have told you to talk to me before you went there, so we could plan-out contingencies based on every possible outcome…even the ones you’re not comfortable confronting. The Fourth and the Sixth are two sides of the same coin; where one fails, the other succeeds. It’s always been that way.”

Gabriel’s brow crinkled, and the weight of it settled poorly on his shoulders.

Rylen shook his head, and hopped up to the head-rest again, only to leap down behind the seat and reemerge as his normal self. He crossed his arms and leaned against the same seat Xanarken usually did, “And if you had talked to me before going, I would’ve probably sent the Aegis instead of the Fulcrum. With the stealth of the Fafnir, they could’ve obliterated the Duchess.”

“…The Fafnir were developed to fight Limitless threats though. I don’t know that they would’ve been willing to engage in political assassinations.”

“The Fafnir do what they’re ordered to do. It wouldn’t be the first time they’ve bloodied their hands with non-afflicted offal.” Rylen countered, “They could’ve easily achieved that post-take-off accident that you were going for…and they would’ve been able to wait to confirm the Duchess was aboard before doing it.”

“…Then why didn’t you send the Aegis?” Gabriel wondered, “There was no reason to send it the opposite direction just to give the Prince a lift.”

“Because you didn’t come to me.”

“I didn’t think I was going to try to kill Far’nah on the way home!”

“Maybe you would’ve if the Sixth had known to present the option!”

Gabriel threw his arms up in frustration, “You were listening to the conversation I had at the palace! You had every ship in the fleet go to high-alert when we got news of the Tuonela being raised, and then immediately agreed to Iresha’s blockage when he asked for it! What more am I supposed to do? You don’t want me touching your stuff! I thought you wouldn’t see any reason to get involved unless we expected violence, and I didn’t!”

Rylen just put a hand on his face, eyelids pulling down a little as he rubbed downward, “…We really are just two ships passing each other in the night.” He sighed, “When I say not to get into my business, I mean don’t interfere with the things I’m already doing. That never meant you shouldn’t try to work in tandem with me.”

“You haven’t exactly been super inviting, God-Emperor, Lord of the First and Sixth, Rylen Vor’antiss.” Gabriel countered, and crossed his arms stubbornly, “You can’t blame me for excluding you from my thought-process when you all-but refused to level with me before. Hell, the fact that you yourself could’ve tried to bridge that gap – only to choose not to, even with Xanarken – says a lot. We’re both at fault here.”

Rylen pressed his hands together and gestured his fingertips towards the Vice, “…Fine. I’ll give you that.”

“Thank you.”

The First went quiet for a moment as he considered things then, and started pacing slowly around the open space at the back of the skiff, “The blockade that the Emperor demanded is still in place. If you’re certain that Mardu can get himself out of Oceanside, you should be sure to tell him to head straight for one of those ships, and we’ll guarantee his safe passage across the border.”

Gabriel looked a bit nervous, “…I don’t know that we can talk to him right now.”

“…What do you mean, you can’t talk to him? What if he runs into problems?”

“I mean, every channel of communication going into Kitez is monitored, and anything we say to him through them will be known by the Duchess. We can’t just call and ask him if he has questions about his plan to escape the country.”

Rylen’s left eye twitched slightly, and he drew in a long breath, “…One moment.”

“What are you doing…?”

A few uncomfortably-quiet seconds passed, but soon, that noise of sand coming together sounded again, and Xanarken manifested there in that little skiff with them. He looked at the pair in surprise, but crossed his arms, “…Fine, I’m here. What now?”

Rylen stared for a moment, but quickly changed his mantle to the cat again, and started swatting at the Fourth’s face with that angry paw, “Quit…touching…my…stuff!” Pap, pap, pap, “Ren’s not your project anymore! And quit dragging Gabriel into it!”

The Vice felt a cold rush go through him, but he stayed quiet as the horror of that sight carried out in front of him.

Xanarken just stared cross-eyed at the feline, “I take it you sorted out your personal problems?”

Rylen clung to the head-rest of the seat, tail swishing irritably, “Please tell me you have a way to reach the Duke if needed.”

“Yeah.”

“Heh!?” Gabriel balked, “What the Hell!?”

“I talked privately with Latheroux after the Duke kicked us both out. What did you expect?” The Fourth noted, “I don’t trust Mardu to pull this off on his own. Latheroux is more than capable of picking up the slack.”

Rylen’s feline mantle practically expanded, fur fluffing in anger, “I hate that you just talk to and about him like he’s just some guy over there. I think the only thing that frustrates me more is the fact that the Emperor is so blasé about dealing with the guy. Twenty years would never stop me from hating a man who was responsible for the death of someone I loved. Hell, 350 years hasn’t subdued that rage.”

“I don’t think it’s fair that we judge Emperor Iresha’s reaction to hearing Latheroux’s name when I’d just blindsided him with news that Aamin is in Kitez.” Gabriel interrupted, “He’s had plenty of time to reconcile the fact that Latheroux is over there in the first place. If we have an in-road…we have to take it.”

Xanarken gave a smarmy grin to the cat, “And thus, the massive pain in your ass has become a lifeline. Funny how things work out.”

Pap, pap pap.