Lord of Azure Flame Chapter 24x: Fires of Liberation

[Balcerzak]

Iris conducted the handshake with firm grip, yet not overbearing. It was a quick, one-pump affair: down, up, release. The boy seemed to be having some trouble figuring his way around her surname, though, so she extended an olive branch. "If it's easier for you, just 'Lieutenant' would be fine."

Edited September 25, 2011 by Balcerzak

[Mercakete]

"Oh, yes, that's much shorter than having to say your full name and rank," Tas gratefully replied, relieved that he didn't have to remember the whole thing. When the food came and people started plating their own brakfast, Tas' timidity faded for a while as he took good-sized portions and began eating them hungrily. He wanted to fill up as much as was healthy so that he could go for as long a stretch as possible before having to eat again and while the food was both good and free, he was going to take advantage of it, especially having gone for so long without much to live off of and having not been eating regularly. With the payment from his sale he'd be able to fix that, though he planned to still be conservative about it since he didn't know how much his father had made from his sales.

[Phoenix]

On Their Way To See The Emperor

Once breakfast was eaten, the siblings checked their close for any residue and then waited around. It wasn't long before word returned that they had been granted an audience with the Emperor. The mere thought of needing to be granted an audience was still eating away at Iso but he shut the rage out for Irina's sake. She couldn't bring him with if he was going to be confrontational after all.

As they closed in on the office Ivanko was using, they saw more guards. Iso was wondering if they would be swimming in body armor by the time they reached the door. When they did arrive at the door, Iso finished counting up the guards in his head.

Iso: (Okay a whole battalion's worth for one guy ... and said guy is a monster of and by his self. I need to get the hell out of this country.)

Guard: <Your highnesses?>

Iso: We've got a meeting with Ivanko, please move.

Iso spoke while giving a frivolous shooing gesture.

Irina: Iso.

[Phoenix]

Inside The Office

The guards let the siblings, friend, and assigned guard inside. Ivanko wasn't alone in the office, something that seemed to upset and surprise Iso. Ixion was there as well but seemed to be on his way out anyway.

Ixion: ...

Iso: ...

Ixion: ... hmh.

He passed all four of them and exited the office. Ivanko just glanced over at the four.

Ivanko: Need something?

Irina: Yes. I'm here to request permission to return to my previous mission with my brother.

Ivanko: Hmm. Mmmmmm ... nah. I don't think so.

Irina: *gasp* Why not?!

Ivanko: I think the better question is why should I let you?

Irina: Well I ... I freaking killed the emperor for crying out loud! It wasn't just a fluke either! I was trying to take him out or at least hurt him!

Ivanko: I said I'd let you go if you proved yourself. Killing the emperor is quite the feat, but what does it actually prove? That you can kill a man when his guard is down? Hell, we already knew that.

Iso: Urrrrgh. It figures you would just up and trivialize the most important kill in the whole damn battle just so you can justify keeping her here!

Ivanko: I don't have to justify anything. I'm actually surprised you thought killing Denisov would do it for you. Maybe if you took him out one on one without any interference from me, but as impressive as what you did was, it was really just a fancy looking cheap shot. That's not going to win you your freedom, Irina.

Irina: Then what will, because I'll fight you again if I have to.

Ivanko: Yeah. I'm sure you would. Do you think it's going to go any different this time though?

Irina: Just give me the chance and I will put you on the ground, Uncle.

[Mercakete]

"Is that the only way for her to prove herself?" Tas inquired. He'd been quiet for a little while just because Ivanko did somewhat intimidate him, but speaking out for his friend was important enough to prompt the question's voicing. "You said she had to prove herself somehow and she's done all you've asked her to so far. What else has to be done?" He was a bit frusterated, though that was balanced with his nerves enough to keep an even, respectful tone. Both enotions were evident in his eyes, though.

[Phoenix]

Requirements

Ivanko glanced over at Tas when he spoke up and replied with a blank and almost innocent expression.

Ivanko: Well, I did tell her she could stay with the crimson group if she beat me. Assuming she can't fine some other way to show me she's ready to take full responsibility for herself, she'll still have to do that.

Irina: Fine by me. (I've been going over the last fight in my head over and over. I even dreamed about it last night. I'm not going to lose this time. I won't lose this time.) There's room right in here, so stand up and let's get this over with.

Iso: Irina ... you're in a dress.

Irina: Don't worry about that. (That works to my advantage too since he can't see exactly what I'm doing down there ... or what I already did.)

Ivanko: *sigh* ... alright.

He stood up from the chair standing as tall as ever. He wasn't decked out in his armor, but he did have on his armored gauntlets and greaves. That kind of habit seemed a bit more acceptable and less paranoid in a place like Zaftra. He cracked both of his fists and stood in front of the four of them.

Irina: Alright, you three back off. Iso, don't get in the way, not even if he lands a hit or two.

Ivanko: A hit or two? You're not going to be conscious if you lose to me this time. Iso's next by default if that happens, I bet.

Iso: Grrrrr. (Sick bastard. Does he enjoy beating up on his own relatives?)

Edited September 30, 2011 by Phoenix

[Mercakete]

She didn't have to tell Tas twice. He knew there was nothing he could do against an opponent like Ivanko, so he simply backed off, giving the new Zaftran royalty a fair amount of space to do combat with. Of course, he'd be watching, not only to see how things progressed, but also so he could run out of the way if their spar travelled too close to where he was for comfort.

[Balcerzak]

Okay, this was rapidly veering into something that would certainly qualify as needing her to "keep them out of trouble", in Iris's opinion. But... the Emperor himself was the cause here, and that froze the lieutenant up for awhile while Irina and her uncle had a few more back-and-forths. How to do this without risking impropriety was the question.

Deferring respect for the heirs slightly in favor of properly respecting the emperor, Frederikov stepped in front of Irina and quickly kneeled down, before addressing Ivanko. "Forgive me for being entirely out of line here, Majesty, but you are no longer simply a leader of mercenaries, free to duel whenever you please. With an obligation to your people now, it is my humble opinion that for now, especially coming fresh on the heels of the revolution, it would be best that you refrain from any action that would endanger your heirs, or in the rare chance of some accident, could lead yourself to injury. If Her Highness is intent proving herself, wouldn't it be better for her to lead a mission herself to quash any resistance in the hinterlands or something?"

Offering an objection, and a possible alternate solution. It was all she could do, and it was more risk than she probably should have taken. What would Borodin have done, she wondered?

[Phoenix]

Office

Frederikov's objection didn't fall on deaf ears, as Ivanko actually thought about what she said for a moment. Only a moment, but still. He then leaned back against his desk and crossed his arms and legs.

Ivanko: You know, what I hated most about Denisov's reign here was all the protection surrounding the royal family. Up until the end, his excuse for holding up in this place was to protect the country's future. The man simply didn't want to have to risk his own neck in a war against the demons if they ever returned. The Denisov's have had control of Zaftra ever since the mountain palace and the citadels were constructed which is a very long time. In all that time we've been acting like other countries, guarding royalty like priceless gems and in the process we've left them reliant on that protection and barely able to stand on their own.

He eyed Iso and Irina a few times while speaking.

Ivanko: It's going to take awhile to get people around here out of that mindset (The whole reason I even thought of letting her challenge me in this office was because there wouldn't be any witnesses or others trying to get in the way. People worry too much.), but I won't have the Orlovs fall into the same pit the Denisovs did. We cannot be safeguarded at the expense of our own strength.

Iso: You say that as if having any protection at all makes people weak.

Ivanko: There's a balance that we Zaftrans need if we're going to be a strong regime. The Denisovs didn't have that balance, and so all it took to defeat his was a 'mercenary company' backed by some chimeras.

Irina: (I'm not sure how much protection is too much or too little myself. I know I'm a princess now but I'm fighting him so I can be allowed to go off and fight the demons on the front lines. Everything's a little ... messed up right now.)

Ivanko: Anyway, that stuff aside. My goal here now isn't to hold Irina here for her safety, nor is it to have her prove that she's strong enough to tango with me so I'll let her go off and play war with her brother. What I want from this is to see just how far she's come and the easiest and fastest way to do that is to take her myself. Once I know that for myself, I'll decide if I want her out there or here in the palace for the time being. If you're concerned about injuries, I don't see why we couldn't bring a staffer in here to stand by.

Iso: It's really going to be that bad? Ugh. (And to think, this is as close to bonding time as either of us are ever going to get.)

[Balcerzak]

That explanation... was exactly right wasn't it? Ivanko's words hit Iris like an epiphany, and as she nodded, stood and stepped aside, she mulled over the implications.

The right and proper Zaftran way had always been rule of merit. Strength and excellence were the key factors for earning respect, at least in theory. So why exactly had the royal family at some point transcended above this, and what would learning to regard them simply on their own worths and treat them accordingly entail. Deep in thought, she chewed lightly on her lower lip, while considering how best to revise her attitude and handling of the heirs in light of this. Also, selfishly, she began to wonder if the new Orlov order might actually mean she get the promotion she had badly deserved for so long.

Realizing she was veering into subjects removed from the current situation, and best pondered later, alone, she stopped herself. Looking back to the heirs, the adjutant passed her gaze from Irina to Isotov and back. Isotov was hot-tempered, when Irina when down he would undoubtedly step in to receive the same treatment. Ivanko had basically confirmed this, and well... she had no idea just what his durability was, or a good idea of his strengths in general. And Irina wasn't dressed for a fight, no matter her competency. Just how worried did she have to be over injuries...

To add, Iris was almost getting the feeling that this was hoped to be kept a private matter, and if she were to send for a medic now, that might cause undue and unwanted publicity. If she left to fetch one herself, she wouldn't have the first-hand opportunity to watch them fight. There was one solution, though. Reaching for her spirit doll to Borodin, she activated it and transferred a message. <In Ivanko's office, there's going to be a "fight". If you're coming, maybe you should bring Grigori. Not sure if necessary.>

[Phoenix]

Irina VS Ivanko

When Iris stepped aside, Iso stood back a ways too. They had what looked like enough room already but one could never be too sure. Ivanko ceased leaning on the desk and took a moment to push the entire thing back closer to the wall and the chair along with it. After that, he turned back around to face her, and she immediately took one step forward to get her footing and assume her fighting stance.

Ivanko: Are you ready?

Irina: Doesn't matter at this point.

Ivanko: (Heh, perfect answer.)

He put his fists out and assumed his own fighting stance as well. They stood their ground silently for the first ten seconds, and then both closed in on each other at the same time. Irina threw a left hook while Ivanko threw a right. His came down over hers and not only forced her punch down toward his chest, but almost forced her into his grappling zone, a place she dreaded. If she got caught there, the battle would be over immediately. Her only option was to fall under him and roll out of the way. He nearly tripped over her but kept his footing as he passed over her. She was back on her feet in less than a second and had her fists up and ready again.

Irina: (Okay, what I've gathered so far is that he's faster than I am without that armor on. He's obviously stronger, and he's more experienced at hand to hand combat than I am. The fact that I'm in this dress means the only advantage I have is my small size and the fact that figuring out my leg movements is nothing but guess work. I might need to switch over to kicks if I can't get a punch in.)

Ivanko: What are you waiting for? You want your freedom, then come and get it.

She glared before rushing in. Ivanko was ready for her with a punch that could have easily knocked the girl out, but she expected this and backed off just in time. His fist stopped a couple of inches from her chest.

Irina: (Almost ran right into that one ... urgh! It's now or never!)

She quickly threw up her right leg aiming to catch him with a roundhouse kick, but he quickly caught her leg and gripped it tightly.

Irina: (Oh no!)

Ivanko: Is that? Hah ...

Ivanko could tell she was wearing her riding greaves under the dress and suspected that she had her gauntlets on as well, minus the gloves. She recognized the movements he was making as he put his free hand to her side and began moving as if to bring her around to his side. After catching a kick, Ivanko's favorite maneuver was to keep hold of that leg and use the other hand to guide the opponent's body and slam them into the closest sturdy object he could find. He'd done it to Iso enough times that he saw it coming before her kick was even caught in his grasp. He clinched his teeth at the thought of the impending crash, but Irina put her counter into action. Thrusting herself back as far as she could, she lifted up her other leg and Ivanko's hold on her waist was the very support that allowed her to flip backward and kick him square in the face! Putting her hands down to catch herself as Ivanko let go, she finished the backward cartwheel with a surprisingly stylish landing and resumed her fighting stance as before.

Irina: (That was close.)

Iso: (That was close.)

Ivanko: (Huh, not bad.) ... well, is that it? Do you think landing one hit is going to get you out of here?

Iso: Stop goading her!

With a bit of frustration Irina charged forth again. This time, it wasn't a punch she had to avoid, Ivanko threw a kick at her. She had no way of blocking or catching a kick like that, not at her size. She had to avoid it. As she slid down to the floor, his leg passed over her like a swinging bat and his entire body span around. As he came back, she used her legs to kick the foot he was balancing on. His weight and greaves made it little more than a weak gesture. About one second before his foot came down, she tried to pull him to the ground using her legs, and that didn't work either. His foot came down and pinned her by the chest.

Ivanko: Now what?

She didn't give him a verbal answer and quickly aimed a leg up to hit his groin. He leaned out of it and grabbed her leg again. She knew where this was going and threw up her other one which he swiftly caught as well. Since he was going through the trouble of grabbing all of her attacks, she decided to use that to get to her feet again and with both legs firmly gripped she used her arms to push her whole body up. Ivanko thought of letting go but wasn't sure what she was planning yet.

Irina: (What are my options here? I can't pull him down, he's way heavier than I am even without the armor. I've got to just focus on getting up then ... no, he'll slam me onto the ground at this rate! I've got to get another attack in or he's going to crush me!)

She went through the motions of trying to pull her legs free, and Ivanko eventually just lifted her right off the ground by her angles.

Irina: (Screw it!)

She mustered as much strength as she could to pull herself up. The quick maneuver took a lot out of her and she even had to grab her leg to pull herself up the rest of the way, but once she was there, she used her free fist to throw a punch at Ivanko. He leaned back so it missed completely however. Just before he dropped her, she let herself fall back down so she could catch herself, and when her legs were released she came down and got back up only to be rushed by Ivanko this time. She had no time to react and was close lined. It ended with her being stopped by the bookshelf she slammed into.

Irina: (Aaaargh, I've got to think of something ...)

She couldn't do anything with her left hand from that position so she used her right to deliver a fast blow to Ivanko's chin. He brushed it off and intercepted the next one catching her fist. She then tried to get her leg up to kick him in the side of the head, a move he avoided by simply leaning a little to his left. From there, he grabbed and chucked her to the other side of the office. She rolled to her feet revealing a dressed getting progressively more torn up by the second.

Ivanko: ... well?

Irina: (I'm at my limit here. He's stronger than I am, faster, and even smarter. He's not even taking my strikes seriously, is he? I can't lose ... I can't ... wait .... He said this wasn't to prove myself able to fight on equal terms with him ... this ... this isn't about winning at all, is it?)

The revelation was evident on Irina's face, and Ivanko quickly caught it. It was the only thing that kept him from launching another attack.

Irina: ... Uncle. I can't beat you. I know that. There's no point in trying to.

Ivanko: Then why the hell are you fighting?

Irina: Because I want to remain standing, dammit! I want you to let me go with my brother and Tas! I don't care how long I have to fight you, I won't quit until you let me go!

The moment the word 'go' came from her lips, she was mid charge! Ivanko made a summoning gesture egging her over, and then threw a very fast punch that she narrowly avoided. She was too caught off guard to counterattack and simply flew into his chest. It took her a moment to realize she wasn't going to get grabbed and thrown across the office again. She then found his gloved hand on her head and looked up to see a smiling Ivanko.

Ivanko: You're not always going to be strong enough to accomplish your goals, but never give up. You're already wiser than the previous Emperor of this nation.

Iso: Was that really necessary? (... god forbid you save us this drama and just tell her.)

Ivanko: For me ... it was. She can come out and say she gets it, but until I see it in her actions, there's no reason to believe her or care.

He bent down slightly to speak quietly to Irina.

Ivanko: Don't ever forget what that feels like, alright?

Irina: ... I won't. So ... can I leave with them or not? If not then you might want to get back, because I'm not finished with you yet.

The threatening tone in her voice put a strangely amused look on Ivanko's face.

Ivanko: I think you'll be just fine. You're going to have to watch out for Iso, though.

Iso: Hey!

Irina: I plan to.

[Mercakete]

The fight was brutal and many of the attacks left the courier fretting over the participants' health. Each time, they both proved to be alright, which was good, but with every powerful attack, Tas flinched. When it finally ended, he let loose a giant sigh of relief -- one he'd been holding for basicly the entire fight. Then Ivanko started talking to Irina about why he'd had her go through all that. (I...guess that's a legitamate lesson to teach, but...that was pretty harsh...and she might never have understood that that was what he'd been trying to teach her. It's...a bit much, I think...)

He grimaced, remembering his accusations from earlier. He knew what his concience was telling him to do, but Ivanko was still quite frightening to the courier. All the same, it had to be done. So, Tas stepped forward towards Ivanko (though only a couple steps) and managed to appologize, "Um...I'm sorry for assuming-- no, wait, that's not the word... Um... I'm sorry for accusing you of being an uncaring guardian. You were trying to teach Irina a valuable lesson, just like you said you were... Your methods were just so different and dangerous that I thought you were being unfair. So, I'm sorry for that..." The whole time, Tas kept his gaze on the ground, afraid to look the hulking emperor in the face, much less the eye. He feared Ivanko as much as he feared Victor, that is, they were safe so long as you didn't do anything to provoke them (and so long as they didn't decide to obliterate you on a whim.) So he was shivering a little, but not really all that noticably.

[Phoenix]

Office

Ivanko: I won't try to claim my methods are perfect, or even morally correct. What I will say is that they're potent, and that's the real point behind it.

Iso: That's what words are for.

Ivanko: Iso ... what does it take for me to get you to listen? Is it talking through your ears are beating the living crap out of you?

Iso: You're not someone I consider a family member so that's different.

Ivanko: Heheh. It's ... been such a long time coming I'm not even sure why you hate me so much.

He put a hand on Iso's shoulder only to have it smacked. Iso underestimated its size and weight as well as the gauntlet and his attempt to smack Ivanko's hand away just ended with the sound of bone hitting metal. Iso ignored the sore spot and glared at Ivanko.

Ivanko: Maybe it had something to do with Irina's training? No, it was probably about Proxima, right?

Iso: ....

Irina came over to Tas and Iris with her head held down a little bit.

Irina: And here we go again.

[Mercakete]

(I'm alive.) Ivanko had seen it fit not to completely obliterate the smaller courier and for that, Tas sighed with relief and relaxed. He became somehat concerned for Isotov, though, as he began arguing with the new emperor. When Irina came up to him and Iris and voiced her grief over the argument, a quick and simple idea came to Tas. He wasn't sure if this was going to turn into an important father-son discussion, though, so he quietly asked Irina, "Should I interrupt them? We could just start leaving and call Isotov over to come with us if you think this will just result in disaster."

[Phoenix]

Iso VS Ivanko

Irina: Knowing him, that won't work once Uncle gets him going ...

Ivanko: The truth is, Iso, that there was nothing terrible about Irina becoming a crimson weapon wielder. You took the situation badly because we weren't coming out and warning her about it, then you took the situation into our own hands and got stuck with Proxima as a consequence.

Iso: You're saying that it's MY fault our mother and f- ... and Aleksandr got killed? Are you seriously going to try to pin that on me?!

Irina: (And here we go.)

Ivanko: No, Iso. I won't blame a stupid little kid for the death of his parents. Are you going to blame me and Ixion for it?

Iso: I already know the demons are the ones that killed them, but it's because of you and Ixion that it even happened!

Ivanko: Iso, open your fucking eyes for just two seconds. Ixion, Aleksandr and myself had no intention of letting the demons that bound you to Proxima roam free. What went wrong is that you found out about it and took matters into your own hands.

Iso: Please enlighten me.

Ivanko: Let me start by saying that I don't care about how wrong it might have seemed to keep Irina in the dark about it. She's not my daughter and it was never my decision in the first place. Aleks and I respected each other just enough to not go over each other's heads. That applied to you two as well. The three of us got together to discuss how to deal with the demons trying to bind Proxima to Irina; we eventually decided to let them do it, and then destroy or capture them before they could escape. The third night the demons bound Proxima to you instead of Irina and Ixion didn't make it there in time to stop them from escaping or prevent them from binding Proxima to you because he was conveniently distracted by a disaster we later learned that you caused. A timed fire in the lab ring any bells? You were probably just trying to keep him busy long enough to deal with the demons yourself. Understandable since Ixion would have stopped you effortlessly. Unfortunately, that demon you call Shanice is only alive because Ixion didn't arrive in time to kill or capture him like we'd planned. It's not your fault that Natasha and Aleksandr died. They couldn't keep themselves alive. However, the demon that is still alive ... Shanice ... that one is your responsibility. You got in our way and tried to handle everything yourself, and then instead of handling it, you ran off for ten years. Why do you think Ixion despises you so much?

Iso: I don't ... believe you ....

Ivanko: I don't care what you believe. Just do your damn job this time. If you want to wield Proxima in place of Irina, then do what a crimson weapon wielder is supposed to do: Kill demons, and stop the demon king himself, whatever that takes.

At that point Iso was having a very difficult time finding the words to express the slew of emotions going through him. His thoughts raced out of control. The thought of a different outcome. An outcome with Shanice killed on that very night, his mother and uncle still alive. The thought of Irina wielding Proxima was the last thought to enter his mind and it made him wonder about the price he paid. Everything between that night and present day was beginning to feel like a price he would pay for such a simple exchange. Iso for Irina, and their parents died, and all of his friends died, and a former friend became one of his most hated enemies, and ten years apart on the run for his life ...

He stumbled back a bit overwhelmed by it all and for the first time in a very long time, on the verge of tears. Irina rushed up from behind and kept him standing even though he was ready to fall to his knees.

Irina: Iso, it's okay.

Iso: ... it's ... not okay. It's never okay. Yesterday's problems and heartaches ... always lingering in some new form in the future. Why ... why couldn't we just stop it, all of it? Why couldn't we have just been honest with each other and worked together? I was so convinced all three of you were my enemies. Irina was all I had, and you wanted to let those demons ... just ... let them do whatever it took to bind her to the tome so you could use it yourselves. I hated you for that. But it's my fault? It's my fault that all of this happened? It's my fault that Shanice survived? My fault that that monster lived to kill my mother and uncle and torment me for years and kill all of my friends along the way?

Irina: Iso ...

Iso: No more ... I can't take this anymore. I ... I have to do something to end this.

Ivanko: Well, whatever it is, I certainly hope it doesn't involve running in the opposite direction.

Iso: Just shut up. I made a huge mistake and the only thing in life it hasn't cost me is my sister, but the two of you are still no true allies of mine. Because of you two and my uncle I thought I was living in the enemy's house and I acted accordingly when I should have been focused on the demons. If we all could have just believed in each other, maybe this all could have turned out differently, but all we can do now is put an end to the demons once and for all.

Ivanko: You're not the only one paying for your choices, Iso. I lost Natasha to my brother for the sake of my country and its people. I lost my wife Jessica for the sake of my own training, and even your little half brother or sister. I lost hundreds of my men and comrades liberating the country from the paws of that idiot, Denisov. I even lost my son over it.

Iso: ....

Ivanko: You might not believe this either but I'm not your enemy, Iso. If my son's trust and kindness is part of the price I have to pay for this country's restoration, then I'll gladly pay it. It's not that you and Irina mean little to me, I'm just particularly unskilled at getting everything I want.

His last sentence came with a bit of a smile before he pulled the desk back out and then sat down and leaned back in his chair.

Ivanko: Zaftra was my biggest goal, so I chose it at the expense of everything else. Everything. I can find peace with that. You're going to have to do the same.

Iso: ... I don't know if I'm ever going to find any 'peace', but I'm going to stop this at the very least.

Ivanko: Well ... you're all free to go so ... please do go and take care of that. I'll be too busy just fixing up the palace to be of much help, but that's what Ixion's for. If you need any extra support-

Iso: Grr, I'd rather lose than-!!! ... alright. I'll keep that in mind.

Ivanko: One more thing. Ixion's going to be heading off to the summit as one of the Zaftran representatives. After that, he'll be fully committed to our anti-demon campaign until its conclusion. There's a very good chance your crimson group will be arriving there, so that' where you should head next. It'll be starting in a few days so you've got a little time still. I'd recommend taking Stephanie with you anyway just to give yourselves some legroom. Just return her in one piece, please.

Iso: That it?

Ivanko nodded and Iso turned to leave.

Irina: I guess ... I'll see you around, Uncle.

Ivanko: Heheh, I doubt it if you're sticking with Iso from now on.

Iso: I can stomach this place and you for her sake. I suck at getting what I want too, remember?

Ivanko: *sigh* Indeed.

As Iso and Irina began exiting the office, Iso turned around for a moment and leaned in to say one more thing to Ivanko.

Iso: Hey.

Ivanko: Yeah?

Iso: You know you could have had both, right? Your so called family and your stupid regime ...

Ivanko: ... ... ... no shit, Iso. ... no shit.

He waved his hand in a shooing gesture and Iso left the office with the others.

The Defeated

Hearing noises ... likely soldiers and a few wyverns scattered about, Orteiga opened his eyes, slowly and carefully to avoid alarming whoever had surrounded him. He saw more people than he anticipated, about twice as many.

Zaftran: <He's awake!>

Orteiga: <What has ... happened? The battle ... what was the outcome?>

Zaftran: <The mercenaries won. Denisov and his regime have been laid to rest and Ivanko Orlov has been crowned the new emperor of Zaftra.>

Orteiga closed his eyes and let out a deep heavy sigh.

Orteiga: (Denisov, old friend, I am deeply sorry that I failed you ...)

Zaftran: <Hey!>

Orteiga: <Hm?>

Zaftran: <You're going to have to take a stance sooner or later, Orteiga. The new regime can't have a dragon running around trying to start a revolution or something like that.>

Orteiga: <I will not swear my allegiance to this new regime, not without seeing its merits with my own eyes.>

Zaftran: <Good enough answer that we won't kill you, I suppose.>

Orteiga: <What?>

Orteiga finally noticed that he had been chained down quite effectively. The people behind him that he couldn't see were mostly mages with tomes at the ready. They didn't know how many it would take to kill the dragon if it came to that, so they would be sure that he couldn't resist them proper while they went about it.

Zaftran: <Send a report back to the palace. Tell them Orteiga is neutral for the moment. Better yet, tell them he's indecisive.>

Messenger: <Sir!>

Orteiga: (Things seem to be changing swiftly ...)

[Balcerzak]

Watching the fight between niece and uncle was not nearly as nerve-wracking as Iris had thought it might be for some reason. The two's movements were fluid and dynamic, and while both combatants were fully serious and putting honest effort into their attacks, the lack of killing intent brought measureable relief, and the lieutenant merely observed from the side until the natural conclusion. What followed after was a genuine surprise to her though.

The revelations of the Orlov family history was in part fascinating, and in part uncomfortable and embarrassing for Iris to witness. While she'd some experience with standing by, not being paid attention to as higher-ups discussed matters, it had never before been quite like this. Military plans, strategies, and training regimens couldn't compare at all to the experience of being a fly on the wall, watching a man come to the realization that, as a young boy, his good intentions had paved a path for demons. It was awkward, and turning to look at the door when the heir seemed about to break down in tears did little to alleviate sensation. As the sister... half-sister had run up to comfort him, Frederikov quietly moved just outside, and remained on vigil there, still in earshot just in case.

That was a good a time as any to provide an update on the communications with Borodin. <No injuries, looks like I was overcautious. It appears the heirs have successfully received permission to depart.> As the conversation had now progressed to the details, she waited until she finished hearing Ivankov lay them out before adding a final comment. <It seems the destination is the summit, and they will be going in accompaniment with the man named Ixion and a woman named Stephanie. Please advise.>

When everyone had filed out of the office again, the adjutant took up the standard flanking position she had had bringing them here. "Returning to your room now, or...?" she asked.

Edited October 3, 2011 by Balcerzak

[Inactive Account]

As Borodin walked, the spirit doll linking her to her assistant lit up. "<Hold for a minute, I need to answer this,>" she told the ambassadors, and stepped to the side. She listened as Iris gave her reports. "<They'll need a guard,>" she replied after Iris had finished. She had been neither surprised nor worried about the apparent duel that had just occurred. "<If they didn't state a preference for anyone else, I'm sending you with them. Your assistance will be missed, but you're the only one of my subordinates they've had any time to get used to.>"

[Mercakete]

And again, Ivanko proved himself to be quite the insensitive father, though Tas was beginning to suspect that was just the Zaftran way or something along those lines. This was as compassionate as he was going to get, it seemed. He felt terribly sorry for Isotov, but he knew there was nothing he could do to help him. After all, he didn't know him well enough. Irina could handle her brother well enough, though, so that was good. He was also quite happy to be out of the office with everyone having permission to leave. "So, we're going to a summit?" Tas asked Irina and Isotov since he didn't think the liutenant was coming along and didn't really know her too well anyway. Also, he had entirely the wrong definition of "summit" in his head.

[Phoenix]

Through The Palace

Iso shrugged and kept his hands behind his head as they strolled through the halls.

Irina: If that's where the others are going to be then that's probably the best place to go to meet up with them again. Right now we should probably find Lev and Stephanie though, and then get our things packed. I should check on Kiev and Nikita too come to think of it ...

Aeries

Some disturbing moans and groans were coming from one of the wyverns in the aeries. It was Kiev. While Krinkov, Nikita, and a few dozen other wyverns and pegasi tried to ignore him, he cried out in confusion and sorrow. The young wyvern had been the aeries for almost a full day without ever seeing Irina and had failed to escape to go search for her. He concluded that he was being held as a captive by the unfamiliar humans, and made various calls for his rider for hours and hours ... and hours.

[Mercakete]

"Good idea. I wonder how Namid's doing..." Tas mused aloud, "So, which summit will we be flying to? And why do you think everyone else climbed a mountain?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

For a while, Namid was perfectly fine resting in the aeries. Tas was probably resting in the human aeries with his fellow humans. Though Kiev was making a big fuss for hours now, which was beginning to concern the mountain wyvern. A human had earlier given Namid Tas' protective gear and he'd taken it as a sign Tas would be along soon. But was it actually a sign that he wouldn't be returning? Was he alright? Namid was becoming more and more distressed as he thought about it.

[Phoenix]

Halls

Irina: A mountain?

Iso: By 'summit' he probably meant a meeting somewhere. No one in their right mind would come out to a place like this. We'll probably have to ask someone else about the specifics.

With that, he glanced at Iris. Maybe she knew something about it?

Iso: Hey, do you know where the summit's being held?

[Mercakete]

"A meeting?" Tas mumbled quietly. I never heard of the term being used like that before...

[Balcerzak]

Receiving a reply from Borodin nearly immediately this time, Lt. Frederikov snapped off a quick reply of her own, while the group was organizing. <Ha! Understood. As there was no other discussion of preference, that does seem most logical and I was prepared for the possibility. You can expect daily reports while I am out on the field. Over.>

Guiding the trio along through the hallways, the mentioned that they still hoped to recruit this Lev, and while she wasn't sure just how well that would work out, Iris didn't see fit to speak against the idea. No point ruffling feathers if someone else would likely just do it for her later. There was some small-talk, and the subject of the summit came up, leading somewhat surprisingly to a question being directed at her. It was only odd because the lieutenant was unable to pin down just where she stood with these people: at times the royals seemed almost over-familiar, yet other times they were reserved, guarded, and suspicious of her.

Without breaking stride though, she replied back a little of what she knew about the subject. "From what I've heard it's being organized in Vaorin. Sort of a geographically central location, perhaps it was a compromise."

[Phoenix]

Siblings

Irina: Vaorin? Huh. "I shall return to where I began ..."

Iso: Began?

Irina: I met the others in Vaorin. I told you at least once.

Iso shrugged. It didn't matter to him either way. What they needed to do now was find relevant people ... and wyverns.

Mercenaries No More

Unlike the siblings, Lev was already packed up and ready to go. It wasn't sitting right with some of his former teammates, though, two of which were following him down the hall toward the aeries.

Mercenary: So you're really heading out, then?

Lev: Yep. It's not like I wouldn't be leaving anyway. I don't want to be a royal guard cooped up in here for the rest of my days. I've got to be able to do something more productive than that.

Karina: Like what?

Lev: I've been thinking about that. All damn night I've been thinking about that ....

Karina: So did you come up with anything?

Lev: Maybe. It won't matter until the demon issue is past, though. For now I'm going to focus on that.

Mercenary: Well don't get yourself killed, at least.

Karina: Especially not over any crimson business. Everyone talks about how important they are but you and the heirs are all we really care about. So just keep that in mind.

The Room

Once they made it back to the guest room they had been using, Iso and Irina immediately got to packing what few things they had. While Iso looked all over for a replacement shirt--having already given up on the missing one--, Irina was changing in the other room and looking for any extra clothes she could make use of. Most were too fancy for her taste though and/or dresses. In the end, Iso had to settle for a white shirt and just buttoned up his coat while Irina settled for some of the men's shirts that she felt she could fit into or at least use as spares in an emergency. Once they were packed, all they needed to do was find the people they would be traveling with.

Irina: I'm going to miss this room kinda. There's no comparison between it and the inns we usually stay in. And to think we're on top of a mountain in the middle of a wasteland.

Iso: Llllet's just get going ... before Ivanko changes his mind.

[Inactive Account]

"<Excellent,>" Borodin replied. "<Just keep them from getting into trouble. Goddess help us if either ends up in the direct line of succession, but we should keep them around if only to marry them off for political alliances.>" Knowing that Iris would understand the real scope of "keep them out of trouble", Borodin closed the connection, nodded to her companions, and continued on her way.