53Disclaimer: I do not own Familiar of Zero or Yu Yu Hakusho, they belong to their respective owners. I'm not making money, this is just for fun and a hobby at most.
AN: I really hate the geography of Halkeginia! I think I will soon just start using locations from Belgium to equate their names and general locations in my stories Tristan. Cannon information is not very forthcoming.. As a reminder, a pairing poll is in my author page for this story. If you want to vote to help guide my decision. You can also leave a comment on your preferred pairing if you're a guest reader. Please Enjoy the chapter!
Chapter Nineteen: Dei Gratia
"Say ah Louise..." Henrietta held out a spoon of soup.
Louise was glad that her childhood friend was showing her so much care. In fact she had tried several times to tell her that she would be fine by herself. Alas her friend, princess Henrietta, was not one to be shooed away. Nor was Louise in any position to order a princess to leave her room.
"I really am Fine!" Louise raised her voice in frustration. Holding up her hands blocking the spoon.
The princess sat the spoon back into the bowl of soup. "You are not fine! You nearly died on me Louise! If that's not bad enough, my own duties nearly killed you. Why am I even a princess." She sulked, barely speaking that last line.
"Princess how could you say that, of course your duties most come first!" Louise all but nearly shouted.
How could the princess wish to be derelict in her duties? It went against everything she had been taught. As it was her job to be a noble and live such a life. To become like steel. So was it the princess duty to be the future queen and ruler of Tristan looking over all the masses from on high.
"Louise, can't you just call me Henrietta like when we were children? Do you not remember our time together? Back then we would play and get into all kinds of trouble around the palace."
"Prin... Henrietta if that is your command..." Louise bowed her head.
Henrietta truly felt alone in the world, even her best friend could see nothing but her position. "Please do it for me, not because I command it Louise..."
Louise smiled. "Of course Henrietta."
"You know Louise, when you're feeling better I might have a task for you, you know?" Henrietta tried to change the subject.
"I would do anything for you Henrietta." Louise replied.
The princess felt someone guilty trying to use her friend to solve her problems, but she truly didn't have anyone else she could turn to. Besides what she needed help with was a very simple task. "Some nobles in the capital have been abusing their powers Louise... Unfortunately they have been hiding from the law and require another noble to expose them. I'm hoping once you are better, you might help me end there vile schemes?"
"Of course I will!" Louise attempted to sit up. Until she was reminded of her muscle injuries.
"Not right now Louise, when you get better. Okay?"
*Chapter Nineteen: Dei Gratia*
Karin was embarrassed. They had nearly gotten to the town of Gelrode when her sister decided she had had enough of the carriage ride. Had Karin had her Familiar with her she might have given chase. There was no way however she could keep up with her. Still it would take awhile yet to reach the city of Aarschot where Count Mont had ruled over the town in the Province of Flemish Brabant.
Despite Aarschot being so close to the Academy, the students preferred to go to the city of Mechelen to the north west, which sat between the Capital and the city of Antwerp. Antwerp was part of the Valliere lands, which boarded the Zerbst's Germania lands to the north. Mechelen was a lot more friendly to the students and wares from both Germania and Tristain's Capital could be easily acquired.
Genkai had literally jumped out of the moving carriage... By jumping over the horses and carriage driver, he was quite startled... She then proceeded to leave the carriage in the literal dust of her dash. Dash? Was that a dash? Karin had seen nose diving wind dragons move far slower then that towards the ground. Could her sister outrun a musketeers bullet? She wasn't actually sure, but she didn't think it was impossible..
"Um, Duchess Valliere? Where is Duchess Maillart heading... Wait, was that magic she just used now?" The driver asked. He was concerned. After all if nobles all of a sudden could run from city to city in minutes, maybe he should look into a new line of work? He thought.
With a bit of a stuttering reluctance Karin answered the man. "Most likely she's heading to the city ahead of us... The last bit was her unique magic, don't worry about it that much." Karin replied.
"Will you still be requiring a lift the rest of the way there Duchess Valerie?" The coach driver asked.
"Of course." Karin sat back in he coach seat as another bump shook the carriage. Genkai might have a point about carriages after all she thought. 'Maybe I should use my influence to have the academy research a magic to make more comfortable coaches?'
*Chapter Nineteen: Dei Gratia*
Aarschot hadn't changed too much since she had last seen it. It was a pity that the Count had driven it's citizens into poverty though. Other nobles may not notice it, but Genkai had experience seeing Japan during the restoration period after world war two. She recognized desperate faces, sullen cheeks, and of course the cries of children going hungry.
In her day this city had been a popular attraction to the Academy students, as it let them get away from the academy. It was also a beautiful place covered with vineyards, rivers, and hills. A nice relaxing place away from the Academy. A tourist spot you could say. Not that Genkai had cared for them much in Japan, unless they were shrines, forests, or the simple pleasures of a good arcade.
Of course Mechelen had been visited to in her day, but she felt it reminded her too much of home. So she had spent a lot of her off time here instead. How ironic that she had been here before she had left for earth back then. Had she know she supposed she would have wished to have visited her father instead. Not the Genkai was the type of person to hold such regrets. Holding onto regrets instead of moving forward was wrong to her.
His regrets had led, HIM, to become a monster after all. There was no way he could have known what would happen back then. Blaming himself, filled with regret, HE, forsook his humanity. Where had she just gone wrong with Toguro? Thankfully her wish to avoid further dark tournaments had been granted. Even if they did brake their promises now, it's not like they could come after her to Halkeginia.
The city of Aarschot hadn't changed, just like the rest of what she had seen so far in Halkeginia, no new buildings. Nothing. But the atmosphere was much more depressing then before. Stagnation could only do so much, the Count probably was involved with most of this atmosphere. She felt she would see no Academy students bringing their dates here for a rendezvous. She had done so back then, if only to cheat foolish young men out of their ECU. A common ruse in her day.
It was best not to dwell on such thoughts though. Genkai had already arrived at the Count's mansion, and analyzing her past when she wasn't even as the same world as, HIM, anymore was foolish. Right now she had a duty to perform, not as a noblewoman, but as Genkai.
"Stop right there! Count Mont's Mansion is off limits to commoners besides servants only on the grounds at this time." A guardsman said from behind the gate.
"Oh? You would refuse this old lady entry into the grounds? May I ask why?" Genkai questioned the man. In her day, the grounds were open to everyone including commoners. After all how else could they voice their complaints to the nobles who ruled them.
"It is not your concern. Go back from whence you came. If you have a problem with that, go to the capital to complain." The guardsman ordered her.
"But it is my concern. Are you a noble? On whose authority do you bar access to the public their right to seek audience with their rulers?" Genkai pushed the mans buttons further.
"Listen old Hag! The Count can't be disturbed right now to hear your stupid complaints. Now leave!" The guardsman said, nearly out of breath.
"That's funny kid. Here I was trying to be nice like the mother that raised you. Perhaps this... Old Hag." She mocked. "Should show you how to respect your elders?" Genkai walked up to the gate near inches from his face behind an iron gate as she finished speaking.
"Bring it on Grandma!" The guard mocked her back.
"Wait sister!" Karin darted from a coach grabbing her sister from behind.
The guard looked over the woman who had just arrived from the coach. Noble bearing, fancy dress, red hair with jeweled ornaments, sword wand on her hip. Her entire being screamed high ranked noble! He had insulted a noble woman's sister? In his panic he tried to step back.
"Where do you think you're going young man?" Genkai pulled the man into the gates iron bars. Her hand held him by the collar of his armor. Her hand had snapped the wrought iron bars like twigs in a split second, the man had never even seen her move.
"Let him go sister. He couldn't have know you were a noblewoman." Karin pleaded from behind, as she did not wish to make such a scene.
"Karin, he was refusing commoners their right to have their due process. It did not matter if I was a commoner or not. I would have had the right to enter regardless. Or has Tristan fallen so low?" Genkai lectured.
"Please let me go!" The man said panicking. He tried with little success flailing, while be held by his armor.
Karins elder sister dropped the man, much to her relief. "He was just doing his Job Genkai! Even if his orders were wrong, you must punish his leader!"
'Following orders, the perfect alibi. Yeah right! Genkai had heard enough of that drivel on Earth.' Genkai couldn't help but think
"It should be every soldiers job Karin to question their orders when they feel they are wrong. Otherwise atrocities can happen." Genkai spoke once more. After all Genkai had studied the aftermath of World War two, the Germans also claimed that they were just following orders. And because nobody stood up and said "This is wrong!" many bad things happened.
"That's mutiny Genkai! Orders must be followed, otherwise the structure of society can't function! All soldiers must steel themselves and follow their orders without question! It's the job of us nobles to lead them all down the correct path!" Karin berated her older sister.
Did Karin really believe what she was saying? Genkai knew she practiced her fathers rule of steel. Still history proved that a societies where no one questions anything was wrong. All it took was some small corruption to find its way into a leader to create the next Hitler, Stalin, or Mussolini.
Yes those that broke the rules were bad, but if the rules themselves were bad in the first place, then those rules were trash. If no one spoke out against the rules, then their might not be any people left to complain. After living in Japan most of her life, she had adopted modern views a values, much unlike the ones she had held in her youth. The Magic nobleman system was broken, lead the world to stagnation.
Karin smiled, she thought her argument was won. Maybe now her sister would start acting like a true noblewoman. Genkai was a Duchess now, and Karin wanted her to act like one, she had the divine right of Brimir! Lowering herself to speak and associate with commoners, not caring what others thought of her, and her odd views which they had discussed embarrassed her!
"Karin. Tell me has the crown not done appalling things during your lifetime you don't sorely regret not stopping?" Genkai carefully asked.
Karin frowned. She had not expected Genkai to say that. Truth be told there were many times she regretted the actions of other commanders. Hell Colbert, the Flame Snake had quit his soldiering ways after following such orders. According to him, even woman and children were burned alive in their homes, or while fleeing Tristain soldiers. Colbert even went against his orders! Karin hadn't been their, thankfully. But she could truthfully not answer Genkai with a positive answer, so she hesitated to speak.
"Your lack of response and face says it all Karin. The world isn't so black and white. But I suppose in Halkeginia they haven't learned that lesson yet." Genkai shuddered at the thought of a world war in Halkeginia. Thankfully she hadn't heard anything about war breaking out since she had returned home, not that she was looking. That said she felt this world's stagnation was ripe to create such a War.
*Chapter Nineteen: Dei Gratia*
It had been almost two days. Awful days. Guiche groaned. Those lowly commoners had been attempting to break him, he was unsure why, but the message was clear. They wanted him to confess to the crimes he didn't commit!
At first it seems like they would be playing nice. That did not last..
Guiche thought back to the first day he had been imprisoned.
"Sorry about getting you old muddy Lord Gramont, perhaps we can clean your clothes for you?" Said the man. Armel was his name if Guiche remembered correctly.
"Thank you commoner, these restraints will make it quite hard for me to get undressed however." Guiche spoke with some authority.
"Why certainly my lord, we wouldn't want you to catch a cold." The man said as one of the guards untied him.
"Thank you commoner, I will be sure to make sure they make your punishment light for this false imprisonment." Guiche casually threatened the man.
"I'll go get you some clothes and some fresh clean water for you my lord. Please leave your dirty clothes with the guards." Armel said as he made his way out of the room.
Several of the guards with Armel followed alongside him as well. "Captain you can't be serious about giving that killers such good treatment!"
"Of course not! If he doesn't take the fall for Count Mont's head, our heads are set to roll down hill fast instead. No. That noble will be singing and bragging about what he has done by the time anyone gets here." Armel assured his men.
"But how? It's not like we can break him?" Commented several of the guards.
"Who's to say the Lord Gramont didn't get scuffed up a bit.. A lot in his fight with Mont? Maybe he tried to evade arrest?" Armel paused for effect.
"Think of how good it will sound when they hear of our deeds in capturing the criminal that killed Count Mont? Even the commoner maids did their part in killing his partner." He paused. Contemplating what he should say next.
"Do what you have to break him, if he doesn't confess. Otherwise the nobles that show up may not spare us." Armel finished his long speech. His men grinning as he did so.
'Yes, Count Mont had some really bad hiring standards... Really bad.' Armel thought.