A King's Council [Plot|Ariella|Garret]

Azix sat at the front of his magic carpet as it sped towards Kios. Behind him sat Ariella and Garret as they accompanied him. Since he had obtained his metal vessel and was given the power of a King, Azix needed to plan for the future. There were too many ears in Remano and he needed a place where they wouldn't be overheard.

It would be afternoon by the time they flew over the small farming town. Azix settled the carpet down near the edge of a forest and the happy sounds of children's laughter could be heard in the distance. After everyone stepped off, the orange magician would gather his carpet and fold it over his shoulder. "I hope you're ready for a swim."

Azix would lead the way towards the hot springs, but quickly get lost and need Ariella's guidance. Once they arrived, Azix would strip off his shirt and set his possessions on it. He'd wink at the pair of magicians before he leaped into the spring. Once they had relaxed for a bit, Azix would grow serious, "So, I think we should talk about what our plans are."

The King Candidate looked at the Spymaster, "You said you would follow me down fate's path. Would you still want to if I said we should fight against Kou if they invade? We both saw the soldiers in Portsmouth and I don't like what that means. Between the Opportunity Initiative, the education reform and Kios, I have too much invested in Reim to let the Emperor sink his claws into this land." Azix finished speaking with a sigh and waited for Garret's response.

Garret followed Azix, getting onto the carpet alongside Ariella. The trip was fairly silent, giving Garret some time to wonder as to what Azix wanted to discuss. Something of a sensitive nature, no doubt, considering his desire to lead the group to a less populated area. Garret took note of the geography below them; he wanted to know where they were going. Though he didn't consider needing to use the information in order to run away, set up traps, or use it for other reasons, it was a habit that he knew where he was and how to leave.

When they stepped off of the carpet, Azix asked if they were ready for a swim. The blue magician raised a brow, but asked no questions as first Azix, then Ariella, lead the way forward. After traveling for some time, they came upon a hot springs, and Garret smiled. He was fond of them, as it helped him relax from a stressful day of work, yet he had neither worked nor had the opportunity to visit such a place since he had been back from the Imuchakk lands. He did not hesitate in following Azix's lead undressing, with the only remaining clothing being his undergarment; the fundoshi. The spymaster walked into the water as Azix jumped into it. Its warmth was a stark contrast to the chill that came with the autumn air, and felt hotter to the touch than what it truly was. Even so, Garret forced himself in knowing that in just a few moments his body would adjust and the water would begin to feel like a decent temperature.

He sighed and dipped his head under the water before leaning back against a stone and closing his eyes. When Azix spoke, Garret listened. He frowned, but opened his eyes and looked towards Azix. "I do not wish to fight against Kou... But I know that if a war breaks out, it would be... difficult on everyone. I wish to follow you down your path, yes, but that is because I believe your path is better for bringing people together..." Garret paused, frowning. "Do you... Do you think Kou's dream of a united people is... Impossible?" The possibility was always present, yet Garret constantly kept it from his mind. The only thing that brought him to even think about considering it at this point in time was the fact that he was forced to, in order to better understand whether he was willing to continue to follow Azix or not.

Ariella led the two men to the hot springs when Azix got lost, chuckling and shaking her head. When Azix jumped in and Garret joined him, she paused for a moment before remembering the treasure hunting job they had all done together. They had seen her in nothing but her undergarments before, so she stripped down to her wrappings and waded into the water, sighing as the warmth enveloped her sore muscles. Finding the natural seating on the opposite side of the pool, she sat, the water coming up to her shoulders as she listened to the men talk.

She could not say she was surprised by Azix' words, he was heavily invested in the area and did not seem to hold much love for his own country. After hearing about what he had went through in court, she could not blame him. With Garret's doubting words, she considered his last question, quietly speaking up.

"I would not say the goal of unification is impossible... but the means they use, its... its not possible with that. I have seen first hand their methods, and have heard more stories than I ever wished to hear. They do not unify so much as absorb. Unity on its own would be extremely difficult, but unity through fear and conversion... the people will reject this. You see how Reim has responded just to the small influx of Kou to the area. Now think of the bloodshed that will happen, if they were to truly invade, which it seems the growing numbers is alluding to. No one wants to lose their culture, their history, what makes them a society unlike any other. Unity can only be obtained through a true alliance, not invasion."

She then quieted, knowing this decision was more between the two of them. She had as much invested in Reim as Azix did, but it did not really interfere with her nationality. While Magnostadt was in no way fond of Reim, they would not see her actions as traitorous. She began to consider whether Magnostadt would offer assistance to Reim, in light of the previous invasion attempt. She knew from previous conversations with her father that the threat of Kou trying to invade again would be avoided at all costs, the losses had been horrific last time. Perhaps if Magnostadt helped Reim, they could avoid being surrounded. It would not be an easy task to accomplish, though. Her father would probably know best how to pitch such an idea in the magical country, but she had not yet spoken with him since her rescue. Maybe it was time to make peace with her father, or at least talk to him.

Since Garret was paying close attention to the lay of the land, the blue magician would recognize the major road to Portsmouth in the distance. After some time following perpendicular to the path, he would notice Azix led them over a small dirt road that turned to the east, leaving the main road behind, as it slowly wound northeast. They would travel for quite some time down the dirt road, passing above farms, a large wooden area, and finally more farms. From the stories Azix had told Garret during their time training in Imuchakk, the blue magician would be able to gather they would land near Kios.

---

The response Azix received from Garret was one he understood, the orange magician did not want a fight with Kou either. The Spymaster's question did give him pause and during that time, Ariella spoke up, providing her perspective. Azix was grateful for the time to sum up his thoughts and found she summed up his thoughts for the most part. Once Ariella finished speaking, he gave her a small smile before looking back to Garret.

"I don't wish to fight against Kou either, but I fear that if I want to protect the people, it will come to a fight. Growing up in the court, I know how the Emperor thinks as well as those around him. Like Ariella stated, the means they deploy in order to obtain unity are destructive. An alliance instead of annexation would be the best means to reach a closer state of unity." Azix rested his chin on a fist and mused to himself, "It would have to be an alliance that allowed each country to assist each other in times of need while maintaining that each retains their individuality and self-governance. Though, what if the people are oppressed? Would it be acceptable for the outside nation to step in?"

The question was an important one to consider for Azix, since he had slain the previous King of Reim. He slowly realized his ideals and goals were not fully fleshed out. "How do I resolve two conflicting philosophies? On one hand, I say I am fighting so people can be equal and free to live as they see fit, but on the other hand, I fight to prevent someone from living as they see fit. What I may see as an injustice, may not be seen that way by someone else. Does that give me or anyone else the right to kill?'

Azix turned to Garret and Ariella with an expression that showed he still believed killing the previous King was the best course of action, the moral implications still conflicted him.

Garret listened to Ariella and began to feel defensive; she was not from Kou, yet made such liberal remarks. Yet he quickly squelched those feelings as she continued, bringing up the point of how Reim had taken their occupation so far. Garret always believed that the response to it had seemed far out of proportion, what with the small amount of their presence and all. Leaving a Reim man on the throne, as well, didn't seem to have changed the perception of the citizens very much. After she had finished speaking, Garret grunted an affirmation to having listened to it before Azix began speaking as well.

As Garret listened to the Marquis, he thought hard on the direction the man's thoughts were aiming. He listened to Azix's opinion on the matter, and understood that the fighting would be inevitable. He could only imagine that things would continue to escalate, over and over again, and that the words Ariella spoke would undoubtedly be set in stone as truth. It was at that moment that he resigned himself to fighting against the nation he was born to, and the nation he grew to love. His thoughts and feelings were in alignment with protecting Reim, and the work Azix had done up to this point.

Azix continued to speak, discussing the type of alliance that he believed would be ideal when all was said and done. And then he began asking a series of incredibly difficult questions to answer. When Azix paused to look towards both Garret and Ariella, the blue magician's eyes were closed as he considered the words. Thinking on them, a bubble of irrational laughter threatened to overtake the blue magician. We're speaking of philosophies like a bunch of old men... He chuckled, cutting into the heavy atmosphere between the group. "That's why you make a country where you train individuals to wander the various countries and uphold the justice of the people, tearing down corruption wherever it festers. Determine if people are suffering under a heavy ruling hand. Surely, if you remove the signs of corruption and only good remains, everything else will fall in place." It was said as a half-joke, something he didn't even truly think through. Garret let loose a sigh, staring up at the night sky.

Ari listened intently to both of the men, relaxing back against the rocks and waving her arms under the water idly. She knew her words were probably the least helpful, but she wanted to give any input she could. Compared to the other two magicians, she felt... young, almost. They were all fairly close to the same age, but they made her feel like she was listening to her parents again. She shook off the thought, she had much more knowledge and experience now than she had even a few months ago, but she had paid enough attention to her parents speaking that she knew what kind of dangers to expect with any dispute between countries. At Garret's words, she arched a brow. That was an interesting thought, indeed. From his tone, he sounded like he was trying to make a joke, but he had a valid point. Decided to hold with the semi-joking nature, she threw out comments, giving a playful smile, though there was a note of seriousness in her eyes.

"There you go... we find an island, grab up a bunch of people with the same ideals, train them on the best ways to take out tyrants and make alliances with the good countries. We call it Azix-ville! Sign me up!"

She chuckled again, but let the thoughts roll through her mind. It wasn't a bad idea, actually, if you had the wealth and influence for it... She sighed, shaking her head before dunking it under the water and popping back up with a sputter.

"Well, I am all for helping Reim, personally. I have this farm and all the Grumptoes to think of, after all. But, with the possibility of Kou coming in to crush Reim, other countries will get nervous. I know Magnostadt will be getting nervous... more so than usual. Nobody likes to be surrounded, after all. I should probably make peace with my father and see if he has any insights on the situation. He did have a heavy influence in the dispute with Magnostadt, so he would be a good source of information."

She made a face at the idea of having to speak with Adamus, still not quite ready to forgive him, but knowing that he would have valuable information and insights on strategizing against Kou. She would not let her personal anger interfere with the safety of the life she was steadily building here. She laughed softly, letting her body float in the hot water.

"Can we just run away, order some drinks on a warm beach somewhere? Wait for this all to blow over?"

Her joking tone almost covered the longing in her voice. She always had been more comfortable running from the serious stuff, it was how she had ended up in Reim in the first place.

The hot springs had done its job of relaxing the three magicians, evident by Garret's chuckle. It wasn't often that the blue magician relaxed enough to laugh. Nor was it often that he joked, so when he replied about making a country and training a force to battle corruption, Azix considered it. The idea sounded good to the King Candidate, but he had seen the toll running a Country took on Lagi. Plus, Azix had no interest to at this point in time, but in the future, it could be something he saw himself doing. "I see..."

Ariella's joking comments added onto what Garret had said, yet something she mentioned fit. Building a nation of like-minded people on an island, it sounded perfect. In his mind's eye, Azix could make out forms within the haze that shrouded the future. A fanciful idea, but a possibility.

Ariella turned the conversation back from the distant future and Azix smiled when she spoke of making peace with her father. It also made him think of his father, he wondered what the man had been like. He had been too young to really remember Talix Niraj and only had stories to go off of. It sounded like they followed similar footsteps. Would Talix have been proud of Azix?

He shook those thoughts from his mind, in time with Ariella's suggestion they run away. "Well, if we're in agreement to focus on helping Reim, then I guess that's settled. Has there been any news of Sato?" The Spymaster of Kou planned to revolt against the Emperor as well, but the man was a wild card.

Garret smiled as the two spoke, carrying on the joke a bit further. When Azix brought the subject of Sato up, Garret frowned; he had been avoiding the operatives since they had gotten back, having only been back in Reim for about a week now. "To be honest, I'm lying low for now. I want to get my feet steady on the ground before I show up again. It's been months since we left, and I don't know what kind of changes may have happened. Kept contact to a minimum so they wouldn't find out about me being here yet." Garret rolled his head in a circle, cracking his neck. "I'll return in a couple of weeks, I think, once I set everything else up that I need to... In preparation for a worst case scenario unfolding."

Ariella listened to the men talk about Sato, the name not sounding familiar to her. At some point, she and Garret should probably spend more time together in an attempt to build some more trust. She knew they would probably never have the trust either of them held in Azix, but if they were going to be working together towards the same goals, perhaps it would be a good idea to at least establish a stable friendship not born out of necessity. She shook herself back into the conversation with a nod at Garret.

"Doesn't sound like a horrible idea. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst and things usually fall somewhere in between."

She would duck under the water again, this time swimming under the surface, grinning in the water as she grabbed the leg of each of the other magician's and tugged them under the water before speeding for the edge of the hot spring to lift herself out. Laughing as the men surfaced after her prank, she began wringing out her hair and letting the sun dry her off some before she put her clothes back on.

Azix noted the frown on Garret's face when the man explained that he had avoided checking in. The blue magician needed time to prepare in case things took a bad turn. Azix saw Garret's hesitation and quickly realized that he had underestimated Sato, more concerned with the "Kou threat" in a general sense, along with the Opportunity Initiative, Kios, and Imuchakk.

Azix smiled at Ariella's response, she had summed his response up best. When she ducked under the water, the orange magician spoke to Garret. "Let me know if you come across trouble and keep me up to date when you can." Before he could say more, Azix felt something grab his leg and pull him under the water. He came up sputtering and upon hearing Ariella's laughter, feigned indignation before settling into a fit of giggles.

He swam to the edge and got out to dry off, sitting next to his shirt. Once he had dried some, Azix turned to his two friends, "Before we leave, I think it's been long past due for you to meet the Grumptoes, Iatsu. Want to see what Ariella and I have been working on as a side project?" If Garret agreed, Azix would lead them to the large farmhouse that Ariella had inherited from her Grandmother. Along the way, he would explain how he had purchased a couple of Lagi's beasts and thought of expanding the farms so he could provide food for the schools. It was an idea he thought would help alleviate some of the burden on parents. If it was on "his land", it shouldn't be too large of a problem.

Azix would introduce Garret to the Grumptoes as "Uncle G" and spend some time telling them about Imuchakk. When Viri called them back for their studies, Azix would take Ariella and Garret back to Remano with the Carpet after saying goodbye.

[exit]

Garret still had his eyes closed as Ariella made comment on his plans. He nodded, in agreement to her words; it was a good idea to go by, though the occasional bump in the road could be found in circumstances where one did not quite gather the full extent of the 'worst' situation and did not prepare adequately. Azix made comment, requesting that the blue magician keep him updated on the situation. Not having noticed Ariella ducking beneath the water, as his guard was down, the magician was surprised as both he and Azix were pulled underwater. He managed to keep himself from breathing in the water itself, and opened his eyes to catch the source of the assault. What he caught was the sight of Ariella swimming away.

Garret sputtered, beneath the water. He broke the surface and gathered in a large breath of air. In his haste to get a breath in, he accidentally breathed in spit and started choking on it. Clearing his throat, he did his best to regain his composure. He swam back to his clothing, dried off a bit, and redressed himself. Looking towards Ariella with a cocked eyebrow, Garret spoke a threat in an exaggerated tone of voice. "I warn you, water is my element. Next time we're relaxing at a beach, I'll get my revenge." The edge of his mouth twitched upward as he fought down a smile.

He would return with the Light Magician to see Azix's 'Side Project', the group called 'the Grumptoes.'

-exit-

Ariella paused chuckling, stunned into silence to hear Azix... giggle. She had never heard the sound from the man and she broke into a new peal of laughter at the sound. She planned to make him giggle more in the future, it was a warm feeling to know she had inspired a... giggle. At Garret's words, she snorted, shaking her head.

"The last time I was at the beach, Iatsu, I died. If you can beat that, you are welcome to your revenge."

She stuck her tongue out at him before dressing and following the men towards the farmhouse, eager to spend some time with the children. She had not had much chance to see them since her rescue, and Sophie was literally attached to her leg, latching around it as she filled Ari in on how Nilexa and the eggs were doing.

[exit]