|
Marching Orders (Sasarai, etc.) By Amber Michelle K. (Myaru) - One Temple, Harmonia Teaser: Sasarai receives orders regarding the situation in Barrinhill. A maid shook him awake while it was still dark. He caught the words 'important message' and barely suppressed a groan. Though his dreams lately were uncomfortable, being awakened a mere few hours after midnight ws a more aggrevious offense to Sasarai's sleep-fogged mind than being forced to endure his own insecurity. He sat up slowly and waved her away with a muttered promise that he would get up, and sat for a moment to rub his eyes and push his hair behind his ears. The dream still lingered, the sharp scent of lavendar strong still in his memory, if not on the air. He'd liked it, once upon a time. When his head had cleared sufficiently, Sasarai grabbed his robe and slid out of bed, pushing his arms into the sleeves as he walked. The maid hadn't mentioned if someone was waiting with this urgent message or not; he hoped not, but as his luck would have it, a familiar head of silvery hair, spotted upon entering the parlor, told him that he would indeed have company. Asen's back was to him, but he spoke as soon as Sasarai entered the room. The servants were nowhere in sight. "We have confirmation of the phenomenon in Magridal. It is his wish that you prepare to march." It was real now; a touch of it, sensed when he neared the other man, lavendar mixed with something to soften it. He never figured out just what it was. "Are you sure? I would like more than a few words to go on." He wouldn't have dared question them before, and Asen's expression when he turned was politely surprised. "These are his orders. I cannot offer you more than that." His face relaxed into its usual placid mask. "If you wish to confirm these reports I'm sure he won't mind... as long as you do so while preparing your forces." A million retorts came to mind and were only just bitten back to allow a curt, "Understood," that he didn't really want to say. There were other bishops in Harmonia; why not call upon one of them to run this errand? There were other true runes in the Temple; why not inflict the duty on someone else for a change? Why did he want them so badly? What use was there in retrieving this rune when it would be easier to let Magridal destroy itself? Why waste valuable troops? "I want to see him," Sasarai said when Asen turned to go. "When you return with good news, I'm sure he will see you." Asen did not wait, and a servant scurried from her hiding place to open the door. "Ask him." Asen glanced back at that, but if he objected to Sasarai's tone, he said nothing. If he had it in him at all to be angry or irritated, it didn't show before he went on his way, and the moment was broken when the door closed. It was unfair that his sleep was interrupted for that. His orders could have been sent in a note. He could have made his request with another note. If the high priest didn't want to speak with Sasarai directly, it would make no difference if Asen kept his distance and took a liking to stationary. Sasarai remained, staring at the door, until the servant approached. He waved her away before she could say a word and stalked back into the darkness of his room, fully intending to make the most of the hours left before dawn. He tripped over the edge of the rug but otherwise managed to make it back to bed without incident. With the curtains drawn and tucked safely between the covers, he sighed and stared at the canopy, waiting for his eyes to grow accustomed to the darkness. Then he realized he was wide awake, and his idle gaze narrowed to a glare. At the moment, he thought, it was only one of many things that Asen would eventually have to answer for, one way or another. * His morning didn't get any better after the sun rose. Messages had to be dispatched to the officers under his command, to the Temple Guard, and to his own office so they would be ready for the rush. Dios had to be notified that his vacation would be cut short, and Lena would have to be recalled. He wanted to send Nash to Magridal immediately, but first he also had to be contacted, and a proper meeting arranged. It was his most unpleasant breakfast in a while. The others wouldn't let him rest once they heard of this, and surely, by the time their daily meeting came around, some of them would know. Corel seemed to take particular pleasure in dragging these things out of him. He left the table fighting a scowl and stood to let a maid adjust his uniform. He found his aide waiting in his office with a guest, and if he thought it was difficult to keep his expression smooth while walking the halls, it was doubly hard to maintain his composure when his aide bowed and said, "Amelia Hecht to see you, sir." His inquiring look was met with a smile and a curtsy from the woman in question. "Your Grace. I apologize for arriving without warning, but there is something we must discuss." /Really/, he wanted to say. /I thought our last meeting was conclusive enough?/ They'd been after him since his return from Grassland, upset that their son was dead, and dissatisfied with his explanation of the matter. Their son - Jonathan, and how could he forget after so many heated discussions? - wasn't the only young man to die in that war, yet they seemed to think they deserved more by virtue of their lineage. House Mercade had lost men. Dowaine had lost men. They were both older and more influential than the Hecht family, no matter the current state of politics in the Temple. And Sasarai did not bow to their demands any more than he would for this clan of self-important nobles. He tried to plaster a polite smile on his face and nodded, gesturing to a chair. "No need to apologize." He hurried to his desk. "How may I help you?" His aide helped her into a chair and left at a motion from Sasarai. Amelia waited patiently until he was done, smoothing her skirt, and then said almost hesitantly, "It is about my children, if you are not weary of the subject already." Sasarai propped his elbows on the desk and eyed her over his clasped hands. As he'd feared, then. "I see." She licked her lips, but did not look away as he thought she would. "The matter of Jonathan's death is resolved, as far as I know. This is about the others - the young ones." They had a son by the name of Vincent, he'd heard, who was recently employed by Gabriev. He knew nothing of their daughter, except that she was proving to be an exceptional runologist. "I confess that I am not sure why you came to me, Miss Amelia. Your son and daughter are employed by others, aren't they?" "I know. That is something I would like to change." He couldn't stop his eyebrows from lifting, at that. "Why?" "You're familiar with my son, Vincent? He told me you two met briefly." He inclined his head to that, though he didn't remember such a meeting, and she continued. "I know you keep your politics to yourselves in the Temple, but I'm reasonably sure you're keeping an eye on each other." He smiled faintly at that. "So I think it's safe to assume you know of my son's whereabouts." "Ah." Yes, he did know of young Vincent's whereabouts - or had guessed, at least, based on Gabriev's recent activity. It wasn't something he'd cared to protest at the time. Friction within their family could only mean good things for him. She paused, but only to gather her thoughts, it seemed; only a moment later, she rushed on. "If you would consider further ties with us, Bishop, I would like you to press Alexander to recall Vincent and take him into service yourself." "Take him into-" Sasarai lowered his hands. "You can't be serious. I can't interfere with Gabriev's affairs like that." She was silent and, from the look of it, quite serious. Then she said, "Eileen, as well." Two more Hecht children under his command? /Two/? And one of them taken from under Gabriev's nose. He leaned back, staring openly, and didn't bother to conceal his reluctance, or maintain his smile. "You realize this will not be good for them if you change your mind later. It will not reflect well on either of us if I do as you ask. One of the others would be a better choice." Someone not already in direct conflict with Gabriev. Amelia's smile was tolerant, as if she had read his thoughts. "Then please allow me to ask it as a favor. You may find it advantageous to hold us in your debt." Sasarai sighed and felt a sudden urge to rub his temples. A favor. The Temple would be a better place with fewer of those floating around. "This is a bad time." He looked up at her, and didn't return her smile. "Very soon now, I will be leading my forces to Caleria, under orders to invade a country to the southwest. It is very possible, should I hire your children, that they will meet the same fate as their brother. Are you prepared to face that possibility?" Her smile, too, had disappeared. She was pale and very pretty, groomed and made up to look her best for this meeting, but her age showed now that it wasn't overwhelmed with her bright smiles - lines of worry were etched into her face, and became prominent when the corners of her mouth turned down. "Is the risk any greater than what Vincent is facing already? I assume you mean to invade Magridal. We have heard the rumors." "Gabriev has him heading for the province of Barrinhill, if my information is correct." And a fine time Sasarai would have finding him there, if he agreed to this favor. "By the time I reach Magridal, word of our approach will surely reach Barrinhill. I am not sure how the people there will react to our presence." "Then we /must/ get him out now! Please, Bishop." She clutched handfulls of her skirt, crushing the silk in her grip. When she leaned forward, closer to the light, he saw a hint of white in the blonde of her hair. "You have the resources. We will handle Alexander. He will not be a threat to your interests if you do this. /Please/." Sasarai did rub his temples then, closing his eyes with another, heavier sigh. The offer was tempting. He would be gone for months for this invasion, and there would be no better time for Gabriev to work on the others and convince them that expanding Harmonia's borders again would be a good idea. The situation in Magridal would only encourage them. But it meant taking personal responsibility for this boy and his sister. If all went well he would be fine, but if he lost one or both of them, it would only mean more trouble. The Hecht clan was, by far, he decided, the lesser evil. "I make no promises, in regards to Vincent," he said at last, when it looked like she would say more. "If I can find and retrieve him, I will do as you ask. Eileen, of course, is welcome. But if I /can't/--" "The responsibility belongs to Alexander Gabriev," she interrupted softly. "I will make sure my husband casts blame accordingly." Sasarai nodded. "Then I accept. Have their papers sent to my aide, and he will arrange for their transfer." Amelia rose from her chair and bowed low, until her forehead nearly touched the corner of his desk. "Thank you, Bishop. You have my undying gratitude. Please don't hesitate to contact me if the need arises." He rose with her, and when she straightened, returned her courtesy with a cursory bow of his own, indicating she had permission to leave. It would have been a lie to say he was sorry to see her go, but overall, the conversation had been a great deal more pleasant than the last they'd met for. His aide rushed in immediately upon her departure. "Sir, the meeting--" "Right," he said grimly. He leaned over to snatch a folder from the desk, hoping it was the right one, and followed his aide into the corridor once he'd straightened his jacket. "How late am I?" "Only a few minutes, sir. I have the necessary paperwork here." Sasarai paused to take the folder and flipped through the papers as he walked, only taking the time to glance at the headers to inform himself of what would be in discussion. The rebels in Corel's territory were still a problem, the Koalinda region was in trouble - other than that, it seemed nothing out of the ordinary was going on. There wouldn't be time to make sure, but with luck, news of Magridal would derail their routine long enough to let him skim a few papers. Gabriev would be only too happy about this. He'd have to stare at that irritating, ungracious smile for the rest of the morning. Sasarai hoped the Hecht family would make things very difficult for the man during the upcoming campaign. They reached the conference room too soon. Steeling himself, tucking the folder under one arm, and he let his aide precede him, and waited for the guards to pull the doors open. "... riots and the illegal strike in Koalinda," Elsa was saying when he walked in. "So yes, it /could/ be better." "They're fools if they think--" Corel stopped in mid-sentence, catching sight of Sasarai's arrival, and one by one the others turned to follow his gaze. He summoned what he hoped was a cheerful approximation of a smile and strode to his chair. Asen stood dutifully behind it, and did not meet his eyes when he approached. "I'm sorry to be so late," he began as soon as he sat down. "I've just received a bit of news you might find interesting." "What might that be?" Gabriev asked. Elsa looked wary, and Lovelle's spot beside her was still conspicuously empty. "It seems the rumors have been confirmed. We will be marching on Magridal." * ~~~~~ |