A Tale of Two Crowns

[admtrap]

A chronicle of the diaspora of the House of Anais from Kizenia: December 3020 to ???

Cetatea Alba, Tilarnia Province, Kizenia. December 8, 3020.

"Of all the absolutely stupid, cowardly, craven, idiotic, cowardly..."

"You said that one already."

"I meant it twice!" yelled Silvia, sixth of her House to rule, and the current Regina of Kizenia. "How dare they presume to designate an heir on their own! And then to... I'll have them all shot. No, I'll have them all deep fried!"

"I think that went out of style in Ai's day," noted her assistant and confidant, a tall man of obvious Caillean origin. "Think of it from their perspective, Silvy. Right now the real idiots are getting drunk, celebrating the downfall of tyranny. But you spotted it, give them some credit."

Silvia blew the hair from her bangs, and peered out the balcony to her garden. "No budget means no police. No police means no law. No law means steal, rape, murder to your heart's content. Any idiot can see that, Raul."

"Right now, the common man doesn't. Hear me out, Silvy, and don't give me that glare." Raul stepped out onto the balcony, and lit a dark cigarette. "He sees laws as restrictive. They prevent him from doing as he pleases. Taxation robs him of his pay. The little resentments build up. Then you get, well, this."

Silvia fanned the sidestream cigarette smoke from her face with an annoyed expression marring her face. Anyone else would have long since been kicked out, for daring to smoke in her presence - but Raul was Raul, and he wasn't going to change. "I tried dictatorship. That didn't work. Then I tried democracy. What the hell could I have done?"

"Honestly, Silvy?"

Silvia sat down with a sigh. "No. It's too late now anyway."

"Your cousins see it the same way, I'm sure. They're not betraying you, they're just... well, getting out before the full implications set in. And I think they're right."

Silvia glared at Raul again. "You think I should leave my home to those..."

Raul took a deep drag. "I think, my Queen, that you should protect the most valuable treasure in Kizenia. That being you, yourself."

Silvia stood, angrily. "When my great great grandmother was being tortured in the dungeon of this very palace, did she think to flee the country?"

"She did flee the country, Silvy. Trigunia."

Silvia growled. "Ok, fine! Bad example! Did Jade flee when things got tough? Did Ren?"

"Jade, the poor fool, didn't even realize she had been deposed, Silvy. If the history is true, Ai came in, gave a hug to her grandma, then snapped the poor old bat's neck without so much as a blink."

Silvia growled even louder. "Raul, I swear to God, if you don't quit correcting me, I may follow my dear old great-grandmother's example on you."

Raul shook his head ruefully. "You won't leave, then."

Silvia waved her arms out towards the city beyond the high walls of her garden. "The people don't really realize it now, but they need me. How can I abandon them, merely because they've been mislead?"

Raul smiled, a sad smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "You really believe that. Alright. For now, we will drop the matter. But you will need guards."

"Yes, I know. I'm thinking ex military, special forces, the real deal."

Raul nodded. "It will cost money to get the kind of defense we'll need. And that won't protect us if we get invaded outright."

Silvia nodded, firmly. "It will take that to get me off that throne. Let them come with tanks, I will fight them to my last breath. And then, they'll have to shoot my ghost."

Raul laughed suddenly. "Now there is a mental picture, my Queen. If you'll pardon me, I have much to do."

Silvia nodded. Then she turned towards the door. "Wait, Raul!"

"Yes?"

"My sons. They are the treasure that cannot be risked."

Raul nodded. "Exile with your cousins?"

Silvia sighed. "They can do no good here, save to lift my spirits. And my spirits will be far higher knowing they live on, near family. As soon as the... Hikaru and her group reach safety, make arrangements. Whatever cost necessary."

"It will be as you command, my Queen."

Silvia turned back to the balcony, and let the ambient sounds of the city fill her ears, shedding a tear when the first distinctive pop of a firearm went off. "It has already begun."

[admtrap]

outside Frontiera, Tiania Province, Kizenia. December 9, 3020

From the diary of Aurora Kuzaki, daughter of Princess Soria, Royal Family.

The dreary weather in this part of the country is nearly unbearable. Our little 'caravan' proceeds along the seemingly endless back roads, never on the modern highways. Mother says it is no longer safe. I am grumpy. I had no idea it would be such a long trip, else I would surely have brought some books, perhaps a servant. My poor violin, even.

Ah, but we must leave the servants be. Mother, you are so positively backwards, sometimes. Who cares that the commoners might now drive too fast. Surely they know their manners, still.

I look ahead, to the ugly vehicle that leads our little train. Jon, ever the annoying know-it-all brother, says it's a surplus military truck, bought a few years ago by one of my cousins. It seems he was deployed somewhere overseas, in that very truck, as a common soldier. Some of the family branches are quite odd that way, insisting on being naked with commoners of the same sex, in their communal showers. It's somewhat galling that Our Leader is one of them.

I see Her now. She can't be more than 20, a small slip of a girl, smaller than even I. Leaner, I'm ashamed to admit too, and worst of all, her breasts are larger than mine. That crime can never be forgiven. I spot Her, looking through some sort of queer looking glass on her rifle. Her uncles are doing similar, inspecting the canyon we're about to enter. I do wish they'd put those guns to some useful use and shoot a cow. I would kill for a bit of steak right about now.

Uncle Hiro raises his hand into the air suddenly. "We're camping here for the night," notes Mother, grumpily.

"But we're so close now, surely we could cross the border and have a night, at least in a hotel!"

Mother looks at me and smiles in that annoying way only a mother can, I think. "Perhaps tomorrow, Princess."

Before last week, she had never called me "Princess" in her life. Last week, the family voted to make That Girl the new Queen. Or Duchess, anyway. Mother wanted the title for herself, or for me, but it was not to be.

---

December 9, 3020, later that night

I couldn't sleep. The sounds of wolves in the hills kept waking me. I started to imagine perhaps they are not animals... or well, they are animals, but animals sans fur. I got out of the car, to stretch my legs, have a cigarette, and see if maybe someone on guard duty had a decent bottle of wine with them. Two nights ago, after all, Uncle Hino had that nice bottle we shared. Simply a divine vintage.

"Who's there?" came the loud voice from the guard. I realized it was the girl, herself. That Girl. I used my lighter to shine light on my face. "It's me, Aurora, be at peace, your Grace."

That Girl. Hikaru, lowered the gun she had been pointing at me. "Spooked me, cousin. Be careful next time."

This is really the first time I'd been this close to her. She had lived in Solgobat, while I was in Fluviului. Practically different planets. "My apologies, Duchess," I forced myself to say, in the neutral, respectful tones I had previously used only with my mother, my governess, and the Queen her-damn-self. "If I am bothering your Grace..."

"Nah, take a load off," she said, after a moment of staring at me. "It's a lonely night, and I don't get relieved for another couple hours."

Unsure, I finally sat down, nervously, and smoked while she looked out into the distance through that queer looking glass. After a minute, another howl pierced the air, and I admit I jumped up a bit, as did my oh-so-brave cousin.

"Just a damn wolf," she muttered. How coarse her language... "Hey, cuz. Gimme one of those."

"Those?" I asked, not sure what she meant.

"A smoke."

"Oh. Oh, dear, I'm sorry. And I've been having one while you're out, it must be absolutely dreadful..."

"Actually, I don't smoke that much," she admitted, as she took the cigarette I extended, looked at it briefly, laughed (snorted, I should say!), and lit inexpertly. "Still, it's something of a family tradition, I suppose," she said. Sadly?

"Queen Silvia doesn't smoke," I noted, with a slight frown. First of her line not to do so, actually, I don't add, although I can't help but recall that dreary day when... oh, I'm getting offtrack here.

"If I may ask, your Grace," I started to say.

"Can it, kay? Just call me 'Karu. I never asked for the stupid title."

"Um... alright, your Grace, Karu..."

"Nevermind," she said turning away. "Just ask."

"Why are... you guarding the caravan? Shouldn't it be someone more..."

"Experienced?"

"Expendable."

She laughed so hard, she choked on the cigarette she was trying to take a puff from. I couldn't help myself, I was laughing a little myself.

"Look, Aurora, right? Mind if I call you Aura? Anyway... how many ex soldiers you think we got here? When we get across, then we can quit this whole bog-march, but till then, who's gonna sit out here and get spooked by wolves? You?"

"Well.. I could..."

"Here. Ever held a gun?"

"Well, not per se, but..."

"Thought not. Look, Aura, tomorrow we cross the border. I don't speak a damn word of Dolgarian, so I'm going to be useless when we're negotiating whatever bribes it takes..."

"Bribes?" The very thought struck me as vulgar.

That Girl just shook her head, seeming to get angry, although surely not with me. "Nevermind. Let me just clue you in on a couple things. First... I've been out there with the... commoners. I know how they think. Hell, most of the time, I think like they think. The Dolgis are gonna want a nice fat bribe to look the other way at the border, and I ain't... I'm not the one to make that deal. Aunt Karol is from Quigotu, she speaks good Dolgi, and a couple of us... soldier-boys studied it. Wish I had, we're gonna be there a whole long time."

"Actually, I speak Dolgarian passably," I mention quietly.

That Girl snapped up at me, and crushed out the cigarette. "We could have been informed of this earlier. Alright then, Aura, you just got yerself appointed schoolteacher."

"What?"

"Ya heard me. Someone's gotta teach us all how to speak the stupid language. We're gonna be livin' there a long while, I think." I am trying to reproduce her odd accent. Quite uncultured, but I suppose that's from her odd branch of the family.

Silence. A dreadful silence filled the air. I think it was really the first time I noticed we really were leaving our homeland. Maybe for good.

"And second?"

"Huh?"

"Your Grace said there were two things?"

She snorted again. Maybe that's how Kuzaki-eyed people laugh? I never noticed before. "Second, Aura, is that if I'm in charge of the family, we're gonna quit with the 'your grace' stuff. At least in private. I actually like ya, Aura. You make me laugh, even with this crappy situation. Just don't be too sure I'm always right. I ain't ready for this."

I sighed. "No one was, really. You know who they were going to pick if it wasn't your gr... if it wasn't you?" That felt even stranger than calling that little girl "Your Grace."

That Girl.. Hikaru, she just shook her head. "Yeah, I do know, Aura. Be greatful. I'd change jobs with you in a second, if it was up to me. Now go on, get your royal butt to bed, we've got an adventure ahead of us tomorrow."

I was aghast. I'm still confused by her, but... it's hard to hold a grudge against her, somehow. Even if she does insist on calling me that absolutely awful nickname. What did she mean, though? Surely she wasn't suggesting I should be guarding us all, what with such a crude weapon to boot. Maybe things will be clearer in the morning.

You know, I never did get any wine. That's ann... (page fades out here, she never did finish that thought.)

[admtrap]

Cetatea Alba, December 14, 3020

"Her Royal Highness, the Queen of Kizenia, Empress of Kuzaki, and Regent of Sodali, Silvia," the announcer stated, as Silvia entered the Royal Press Office, to the shutters of cameras.

"Thank you, and please be seated," Silvia said, as she looked into the small crowd (and the far larger one watching her address via the television signals. Her speech, precisely crafted, was visible to her via the transparent teleprompter - as all her speeches had been, really. Ai had spoken from the heart (as dark and twisted as that heart was, it was an honest one), but none of her other predecessors had had that confidence.

"My subjects, my friends, and my nation." The standard address that her immediate predecessor, Alexandra, had used. Ren had, of course just said "Shut up and listen, pigs." Never particularly good at speechifying, that one.

"I want first to commend you all in your restraint and calm during this time of upheaval, and assure you, that I remain on the throne and that our nation remains secure." A lie. A whopper, really. The throne was in-name-only at this point, especially now that the coward Cosma had vanished. So much for an elected viceroy. Took the executive jet, never looked back.

"Over the past few days, I have been in contact with your leaders in the Parliament, and have heard their concerns. There is no real crisis, it is merely a time of fine adjustment and minor disagreement, in this grand experiment of ours." Another whopper; she'd spoken, briefly, with a junior member of the government, and a couple of the refusniks - the nobles who were too old or too stubborn to flee with the younger group. Not that she could cast stones; she was Head Refuskik, after all.

The next line blared at her. She swallowed subconsciously. An even bigger whopper. She couldn't do this...

Rebelliously, she flicked the small switch that turned the teleprompter off, ignoring Raul's frantic waving. "I would entertain questions from the press at this time."

The tension in the room was palpable. Never, in her time, nor even in Alexandra's, had the press been allowed to freely ask questions. Most agencies didn't even send a real reporter, just a cameraman. A nervous fourty-five seconds passed.

"Um, your Highness, Georges Chausen, KNN. Would Your Highness care to comment on the rumor that Hikaru of Solgobat has been named your heir?"

Considering the dangerous questions that could have been asked, that one was almost a relief. "I can confirm that rumor, Georges. Hikaru has been named Duchess of Sodali, and she has my complete blessings. If circumstances were different, I would have presented her to you myself, but I'm afraid she's indisposed at the moment."

Raul winced visibly, and Silvia realized she'd spoken one sentence too many.

"A followup, your Highness? What of the rumors that most of the Royal Family has fled the nation, and is now headed by car to Trigunia, and named Hikaru your heir without asking you first?"

"I have not heard that rumor."

"You haven't?"

Another nervous half minute passed. Silvia reached down, and put on her glasses. "I have not heard they would drive to Trigunia, no. You are aware Trigunia is an island chain, yes?"

A couple of the cameramen started chuckling, despite themselves. "Admittedly, it would be a wet drive," Georges admitted. "Then you know where they have, in fact, fled, and why?"

"No. I do not know where they have fled, Georges. Thank you for..."

"Do you approve?"

"They must do what they think best. As Queen, I must stay with my people, and attempt to save them from themselves. Georges, I love this land. I love the people. I think there have been some poor decisions made in the last few weeks, but ultimately, this too shall pass. Thank you for coming, I have an exceptionally busy schedule today, I'm afraid."

---

"You said way too damn much, Silvy," Raul said, as the pair walked back towards the royal chambers.

"Too late now. Raul, I... I couldn't give that speech. You know as well as I do that things are not going to be milk and honey. You hear the gunfire at night."

"It'll get worse before it gets better. My great grandpa was in the Caille war. He told me stories that'd make your royal ni... toes curl."

"Ren wouldn't have given that speech. Ai wouldn't have even considered it."

"Either of them would have personally executed the so-called Prime Minister and then gone out for a pleasant dinner," Raul noted, wryly. "Then they would have shot me for writing the damn speech in the first place. But I understand. You are feeling helpless in your own castle, yes?"

"Exactly! I know... I know this can be fixed. If only I could get through to..."

"Well, you're going to have to start trusting your advisors, Silvy, to polish your words for public consumption. Times like this are why you have people like me. Silvy, we need to keep the people calm, and..."

Another aid rushed up. "Channel 17, your Highness. You're going to want to see this."

He carried a small, handheld computer tied into the local television networks. On the screen, with a "Breaking News" banner, was the picture of Hikaru Shimatta, the Duchess of Sodali in exile, speaking with a very drab background - probably just a curtain - behind her, but dressed in jewels and looking far more regal - imperious, even - than Silvia could remember the small girl appearing.

--
"But we will not stand idly by and be executed by the idiotic mobs that now rule our nation, in the absence of any law whatsoever. We will restore Kizenia, once the insanity that has gripped her has ended, but the madness clearly must be permitted to run its course first."

"Those were the words of the Duchess Hikaru of Sodali, received by network upload moments ago from an undisclosed location. Her words seem to confirm in part those of Queen Silvia, which you saw live moments before, but with a far different..."

Raul snapped the picture off. "Well, Silvy, we've got a problem. While you're trying to calm the jackals, little Riku's out there firing them up."

"She's safe. They made it."

"Huh?"

"They must have reached safety, Raul, if they're firing off video messages back home. Find out where they are. Get my boys out there. We'll figure out how to get her to... I don't know, calm down the fire a bit, I suppose. But first, get my sons to whatever safety they've reached. Now!"

"Yes, your Highness."

[admtrap]

Promishlyennostigrad, Quagotu Region, Dolgava
December 14, 3020

"Get your fat ass out here, Pops, I'm gonna clean your clock!" yelled the would-be Duchess of Sodali, in the courtyard of a small hotel (motel, really) in the industrial Dolgarian port city. "You and your dumb ideas!"

Hiro Shimatta walked out slowly, to face his daughter's wrath, and took a ready position. "Daughter, it was necessary, to ensure your future subj..."

Hikaru slammed into her father with a punch and kick which Hiro barely deflected. "They aired it right after Aunt Silvy's speech, you boneheaded moron!" She followed up with a legsweep, which Hiro also avoided.

Hiro took a few punches of his own, which Hikaru evaded. "We had no way of knowing if she was even still alive, 'Kuku."

"We'd've heard if she was dead!" Hikaru retorted, as she swung for her dad's head. No one was more surprised than her, when it connected, sending Hiro spiraling to the ground. "Dummy, why didn't you block that?"

"Didn't see it coming," Hiro said, as he uneasily got to his feet, rubbing his jaw.

"You're getting real slow, old man," Hikaru said, as she bowed, and resumed her quest to "clean his clock."

---

Above the balcony, Aurora sat with her mother, in distaste, watching the two go at it.

"So primitive, like apes," Princess Soria noted, as she took a sip of the "almost wine" available in Quagotu, with a frown. "Like this place."

"It's almost like a dance, though. Like ballet with punching," Aurora noted. "Mother, why didn't you ever make me or Jon take up such a thing as this?"

"So vulgar? Don't be absurd, Princess. These aren't the days when a thrown punch or kick can decide a nation's fate anyway. They're stuck in primitive traditions."

"Yes, mother."

---

Hiro placed an arm around his daughter, shaking his head. "Better, 'Kuku?"

Hikaru snorted. "Almost had you, you know."

"Now what's really bothering you?"

Hikaru waved her hands wildly in the air, despite her fatigue. "This whole situation. How exactly are we even helping Silvia by releasing tapes like that?"

"The time to ask that question was yesterday, Kuku."

"I s'pose. But I thought you were all looking out for me."

Hiro looked at his daughter with sadness in his eyes. "That, my dearest daughter, was your first mistake. Don't assume that your uncles and aunts support you, just because they supported you."

"Huh?"

"You are a bright child, really, but sadly unschooled in politics. I never really thought it would matter... Kuku, not everyone who is your friend is really your friend. Some people... many people, now... will want to be close to you because of what you can do for them. If you are in the ascendent, they will ride your coattails."

"I ain't wearing a coat in this weather."

Hiro snorted with laughter, like his daughter so often did. "Figure of speech. My point, Kuku, is... well, you went to the academy. If you want to stab someone in the back, where do you stand?"

Hikaru's eyes widened ever so slightly. "I think I see, father. I don't like what it implies."

"I would have spared you that," Hiro noted. "If circumstances permitted it."

----

"Mother, where are you going?"

Princess Soria snapped her eyes back at her daughter. "Home. Away from this primitive place."

"Mother, you said it was unsafe there. It is primitive here, indeed, but far from unsafe."

Soria shook her head. "It is unsafe there. That is why I must go."

"Mother?"

"Aurora, the crown will never be yours if we sit here and wait like good little sheep. Either the crown will be Silvia's, or it will be that... barbarian's. Never mi.. never yours."

"We had accepted that, mother, or so I had been led to believe." Aurora wished she still had cigarettes, but for some reason the stores didn't seem to have them; she instead was forced to endure the unfamiliar urge, yet again. "Mother, the crown is not for us."

"It doesn't have to be this way! Listen to me, Aurora. Listen well, for you are my insurance in a way. Stay close to that barbarian, give her some culture - be her friend. But I, I will be back at home."

"I don't understand why you want to go back there! You saw the news!"

"Aurora. If there are no members of the House in Kizenia but Silvia, and Silvia is killed, who inherits?"

"The family already decided that, I don't see..."

"What if there WAS an heir still in Kizenia?"

"You don't... mother!"

"Aurora, you are my daughter, and what's more, you are my heir. Understand this. If the crown should pass through my hands, it goes next into yours. That cannot happen, unless the issue is somehow forced."

Aurora sat on her mother's hotel bed for a good twenty minutes after the door closed. Later in life, she would regret never having said "goodbye" to her mother.

[admtrap]

Cetatea Alba, Kizenia. January 2-5, 3021

"It's... a tank."

"Yes, it is, Silvy. What do you think?"

"It's... a tank. Raul, why in the name of God is there a Tank in my garden."

"Well, I bought it. Surplus."

"Surplus," Silvia repeated, flatly.

"Almost depressingly cheap, really. The Government's selling off the assets, rather than scuttle them in the ocean."

Silvia slumped. "I need a drink."

---

There were many rooms in Marble Palace that Silvia had refrained from entering. Most of these, such as servants quarters, or old guard towers, or prisoner cells, she had refrained from entering simply because she had no real urge to be there - she would enter as she pleased, if it pleased her to do so. One room, however, was always at the back of her mind lurking, even if she wouldn't admit it to anyone (even Raul). Half the servants had been dismissed as unneeded, but she was sure these ones had not been; it would have taken, after all, a personal order from her, rather than simply Raul's word, to make these ones leave. The poor fools. That Room. It had been maintained for tradition's sake, like so much else around here, sitting mostly idle.

With five drinks in her belly, Silvia stopped outside That Room. It had been one of Jade's cultists who had made the discovery that had pleased his goddess so. Ai had kept so little, really, of Jade's, but Ai's pursuit of the earthly pleasures meant she made liberal use of Jade's inheritance, here. Ren, like her mother, could be found here whenever she could get away from the affairs of State. Even sedate and calm Alexandra was not immune to the siren call of That Room. Even with the liquid courage in her belly, Silvia could barely force her hand up to the electronic doorway. It had been far too long, however, since she had been with a man - Raul was starting to look good to her, and that could never be.

The haze of long-stale tobacco and perfume pierced Silvia's nostrils as the door slid open, to the sound of gasps and giggles within. A pair of nude ladies quickly gathered themselves up from their... previous activities, and dashed to the door, to all but drag Silvia inside. Twins, some part of Silvia's drunken mind noted. Another pair - men, these ones, although surgically rendered infertile, began to help her disrobe. A younger set of triplets broke up their tryst, giggling like the young teens they were.

The barely functioning reasoning center of Silvia's brain knew that these four didn't know her from the palace chef. They were very simple, with a couple of odd genetic anomalies which had been carefully preserved because of how useful they were to Jade, then Ai, and so on. One of them made the women of this particular family line very susceptible to having identical twins or triplets; their eggs tended to fall apart easily, or some such thing like that; Silvia wasn't entirely sure. The other was more commonplace a genetic trait; idiocy. Not the idiocy of an uneducated person (although surely no one had wasted much effort attempting to educate these people), but a literal brain defect which rendered them unable to concentrate or learn well. The defect caused them to mature (physically) young, and to die young.

Periodically, someone would allow a particularly handsome male guard or courtier to enter the room. Or, as was more common, one of the sons or nephews of a Queen would be granted entry, particularly in their teen years. The children produced were tested; those who lacked the gene for the idiocy were taken, and given out for adoption. Those who had the idiocy gene, but not the "twin" gene (or were male, so as to prevent too much inbreeding), were sterilized but permitted to remain. Those children grew, and lived their entire lives in this room, taking and giving pleasure to each other and to whomever entered the room from outside - which was why the door controls were so strictly limited.

Silvia had been able to lie to herself until now; she was only keeping the room for her sons' use - surely they would appreciate it. They were too young, however, to have had a day in here. Silvia, on the other hand, had always feared that part of herself that would be curious about the room.

-----

"What time is it, Raul?" The haze of the last few hours was finally beginning to fade from the Queen's mind. She noted she was in her own room, but didn't recall having walked here.

"Four am, Highness. Janurary 5th."

"Fifth? Wha?"

"Had to send a search party out for you yesterday. You were gone a good sixty hours, Highness."

Silvia willed herself not to blush. It didn't help much, but it gave her the energy at least to respond. Sixty hours! She didn't want to really consider that. "I never left the Castle. You know that." She rolled her eyes upward. "I'mma get some sleep. Think I need it.."

Raul walked out of the royal chambers, with a frown on his face. Just one more complication he didn't want to consider right now. Snapping his cellphone open, he hit a number out of memory. "Have we heard back about that Aircraft Carrier? Really? That's a bit steep, surely they can... yes, I realize it's a fraction of the cost of a new one, but who else has the kind of cash assets we do? Yes. Well, do what you can. Alright, yes, we'll talk later."

"The things I do for this bloody family," Raul said, with a sigh.

[admtrap]

Spokoystviye, Quagotu, Dolgaria
January 14, 3021

Hikaru smiled to herself proudly, having successfully ditched her lessons with Aunt Karol for the day. By her calculations, the old bat should be able to free herself in two hours; one and a half, if she was flexible. Amazing what one could do with enough taffy, imagination, and above all, sneakiness.

She strolled down the wide street of the Spokoystviye (or as she called it, Spookytown) shopping district. The various nobles had split up a bit, to keep from being an easily harassed target, and Spokostviye had a fair Kizenian minority community... by Dolgarian standards, anyway.

The sounds of a strong Kuzaki accent tore Hikaru's attention away from her windowshopping. But she was ill prepared for the sight of Aura-chan, giving... what was that, some sort of political rally or lecture?

She didn't understand a damn word of Dolgi still, but she recalled Aurora had mentioned that she spoke it well. With a Kuzaki accent? That made it even odder. The crowd seemed to be eating it up though, chuckling, applauding, hissing (but only when Aura made a face of disgust herself, clearly they were hissing in agreement.) Finally, the crowd disbursed, except a few stragglers. Aurora chatted animatedly for a while, before she spotted Hikaru.

"Your Grace!" she called out in Kizenian. "Come, come, meet Sara here. Sara, this is.. oh, silly me. Sara, ir mans brālēns, hercogiene Hikaru."

"Jūsu Augstība!" the elderly woman exclaimed, before starting a curtsy. Hikaru groaned to herself.

"Es.. um.. pata.. no.. pateos? pateos jummb"

"Paldies, viņa ir ko teikt," Aura said, to the confused lady. "Her Grace has not been studying, I see," she added with a smirk.

"Aw, gimme a break, Aura, I just wanted to see what you were up ta."

"Lūdzu atvainojiet, man ir lekciju mana mīļā māsīca," Aura said to the lady, who smiled and waved.

"It's so nice being able to talk to the commoners again, after being so hidden away," Aurora said, contently as she walked along with Hikaru. "Tell me, Your... sorry, I keep forgetting. Karu? How many tongues do you speak?"

Hikaru snorted. "Kizenian and Kuzakigo, and that one not well. I can curse in old Endralonian if that helps."

Aurora frowned. "Dear me, you simply must learn more languages. One cannot appreciate the finer points of, say, Egelian poetry or Dolgavan music without understanding the native language."

"You're weird, Aura," Hikaru said, with a sigh. "So what was the speechifying back there?"

"Oh, well, I'm sure you at least recall your history lessons about the rise of our family, right?"

"Oh, yeah, sure. Um, Alexandra, uh... Soria? Not your mother, the other one. Uh..."

"Honestly, Riku, do you want people to think you a barbarian? I was reciting one of Anais' most famous speeches, from before she was even Prime Minister."

"Which one?"

"THE Anais. You know, the one our whole family is named after!" Aurora was clearly getting exasperated. "2773 or so."

Hikaru whistled. "You memorized some politician's speech from way back in the dark ages? And translated it on the fly?"

"Hardly the dark ages, it was a more cultured time, really, before those goons with the cult took over."

"I thought your dad was one of those goons."

"My great grandfather on his side was. Please, who in this day and age is going to make some uneducated slob absolute ruler just because she's got a pretty smile and big bre.. you know, forget I said anything."

Hikaru glared at her cousin. "Gee, thanks."

Aurora giggled. "You're so easy to tease sometimes, cousin."

Desperate to change the subject, Hikaru asked "Have you heard from your mother?"

Aurora shook her head in the negative. "I'm sure she's fine. She's quite resourceful when needed. Why, once, when we were out of rose wine, she rolled up her sleeves, and simply mixed some dark red burgundy in with her white wine."

Hikaru raised an eyebrow. "A real go-getter, your mother."

Aurora sighed. "Fine. She ordered a servant to do it."

"Even more inspiring."

The girls walked in silence back towards the hotel they were staying at. "Um, 'Riku, forgive me if this is out of line, but..."

"Yeah?"

"Weren't you supposed to be with Aunt Karol right now, studying?"

"Oh, no sweat there. Got the day off from that."

"Is that why she's running towards us so angrily?"

"Eep!"

[admtrap]

Cetatea Alba, January 21, 3021

"To quote the great sage, dumbass has a point."

"Even a broken clock can tell time twice a day, Karl. That... pig, Socrate. 'they should be pleased,' indeed." Silvia hurled a wine glass at the television, as the creepily smiling face of Prime Minister Ucigaş continued chatting about his grand anarchy crusade.

"I didn't say it was a particularly good point, Silvy. Just that, well, we're not paying taxes now on all the properties we own."

"We're not collecting much in the way of revenue, either. You saw the books. I saw the books. Virtually all our revenue comes from domestic corporations we own major stakes in. Very few are paying dividends this year. Most of what they produce is being stolen!"

"Most of that is by the employees themselves, you realize. And the executives at the mid-level are worst of all."

That stopped Silvia short. "You think so?"

"Absolutely. Ok, take the banks. Who's actually robbing banks? You'd get shot - especially now that their guards are packing military grade weaponry, and face no real liability for an itchy trigger finger. But what stops the bank manager from pocketing from the till, if there's no one investigating? We're relying on managers at that level to give honest reports - look at Imperial Bank's books."

"What am I looking... oh. Yeah, that's not suspicious at all. 114% default rate."

"That's the one I spotted last night. I'm sure the other reports of loss and theft are just as exaggerated. Small time crooks don't pull big-time amounts, never have and never will."

Silvia sat, almost bonelessly, in her comfortable chair. "How bad are we off?"

"I'm quietly shedding stocks whereever I can - a lot of foreign investment is helping prop the markets up a bit, but that won't last if we dump everything you own all at once."

Silvia nodded. "Yes, yes, I know, supply spike. Spare me the lecture." She poured herself a glass of Kuzaki rice wine, and swirled it in a cup. "You didn't answer my question, really."

"We can last a few years, with just what we have easily liquid," Karl said after a bit of thought. "That's almost-worst-case scenario, where no investment pays any return. We'd be doing better if we shed some excess staff."

Silvia nodded somberly. "I know. But it would be a cruel way to repay such loyalty..."

"Silvy, understand that if we hold onto these people to the bitter end, they'll be repaid with death by your side. Letting them go now, and en masse, so there's no question of whether they were competent, and while your esteem is still good with the upper classes..."

Silvia, Queen of the Kizenians, threw her head and glass back, swallowing down the rice wine forcefully. "Tomorrow is Monday. Let them know that... a week from this Friday will be their last day. I think we can at least afford to give them two weeks. Seventy-five percent?"

"I was thinking Ninety, Silvy. I don't honestly need a full staff under me. With fewer people, we'll need fewer maids and chefs. No children left means no need for day care. And the garden..."

"Is ruined. You and your stupid tank. I swear, if we run out of food, I'm going to have you cooked first."

Raul caught the gleam in his Queen's eye, and smirked. "They do say, you are what you eat, so I suppose that would be appropriate."

Silvia groaned at the lame joke, then sighed. "Make the arrangements. I'll not be needing you the rest of this evening."

"Yes, Highness."

[admtrap]

Zamokgrad, Kirzon Valley, Dolgava. February 3-18, 3021

On the third, Aunt Karol had left the group for good; not only was she needed elsewhere, up in Lirath, for the Almighty Plan, but Karol was nearing the point of murdering the Duchess. Hikaru was still almost entirely without any ability to speak Dolgarian. Meanwhile, although the evidence was less obvious, Aurora was clearly depressed. Hiro might not have been a traditional man; practically a commoner in bearing, but he understood daughters. And at this point, Aurora was, at least de facto, another daughter - Soria had surely gotten herself shot somewhere. That was, of course, probably the crux of Aurora's depression. And to make matters worse, Silvia's sons had arrived in country... and would be staying with Hiro, since his assignment was the safest - Zamokgrad was probably the safest spot in Dolgaria right now.

Hikaru's education could wait one more night; as could the future problem of Silvia's sons.

"Lady Aurora, I would speak with you," Hiro said, in his most formal voice; he used it seldom, but he did know at least some decorum.

"My Lord Captain, please be at peace," Aurora answered. Her smile was as radiant as it was false; the courtesy and formality of state.

"I must beg my Lady's forgiveness, for I have deceived her by omission until now," Hiro said, as he took a seat in the small room.

"You have news then?" The tension in Aurora's face was obvious.

"No, there is no news of your mother, for good or ill." Aurora's face relaxed, at least slightly. Hiro noted to himself that joking, even mildly, had not been smart. Flustered ever so slightly, he pulled out a pair of cigars from his coat pocket. "I was referring to the tobacco shortage, my Lady. I have been holding out."

Aurora accepted a cigar from her uncle, with a rueful smirk. "My Lord Captain has impeccable timing. My own undisclosed supplies have run short just today. I am surprised, however, that He shares with me, rather than the Duchess."

Hiro lit his cigar, and shook his head. "My Lady, my daughter is a very athletic and... rebellious child. She does not... well, she seldom, I note by the smirk on your face, anyway, smokes. Clearly she has not informed me of that development; I had believed that I had successfully prevented her from taking up the vice, simply by informing her it was encouraged."

Aurora smiled demurely. "Indeed? Somehow I can see the Duchess responding in exactly such a manner. I had no idea my Lord Captain was so devious, however. He should not be unduly concerned; the habit has surely not taken hold on Her Grace, except when she is bored and scared during guard duty."

The pair of displaced nobles smoked quietly for a few moments, before Hiro judged it safe to make his proposal. "My Lady, my daughter must learn to speak the language of the Dolgarians."

"Perhaps you could forbid her to study it?"

"She is less easy to manipulate than when she was a young teen, I'm afraid. And, I fear, I must ask you to bear the burden of teaching."

"You presume much, my Lord Captain. A student will only learn when she is willing to learn. The Duchess does not seem willing."

"Tell me, my Lady. How did you learn the languages you speak?"

Aurora's eyes seemed to lose focus, staring into the distance. "Each year, my mother would introduce me to a new tutor. Invariably safe, elderly women, usually foreign. They would converse with me in the tongue I was to learn. My mother... the Princess made it clear that it was my duty to learn, so that I could lead my peoples on the world stage, one day."

"So your motive was duty. To your mother?"

"And to my homeland and my people. Of course, I was rewarded for my efforts, even after I understood the realities of the likelihood of me assuming the crown. Visiting the great cities of Terra as an honored guest. Seeing the priceless works of arts. Listening to operas performed as they were intended, by true masters. And of course, being courted by eligible young men of breeding."

Hiro snorted. "I see I shall have to keep a closer eye on My Lady."

Aurora took a lazy puff, in contemplation. "Tell me, my Lord Captain, that combat dance you and the Duchess do..."

"Ah, yes. It is my family art. From my father's side; indeed, my Lady, the commoner my mother married. It is an ancient Kuzaki combat art, although I have combined it with the more modern forms taught in our military... formerly taught in our military academies. It is not quite a dance, although I can understand the confusion."

"Why do you do it? Surely if you must enter into the dreadfulness of combat, it would be better to be armed."

"Yes, normally, and there are armed variations of the... dance, as you put it. But there are times when armed force is ill advised. It is too easy to kill by accident, with a weapon; in our practices, we use wood substitutes, when weapon training is called for. There are times when one fights not to kill, however, but merely to control. Imagine, if you would, your brother, drunken, and making inappropriate movements towards the local women."

"That mental image is all too easy to form, my Lord Captain, and I would thank you not to place the thought in my head again."

"I apologize, my Lady, and I raise the point only for example's sake. You might be angry at him, but upon sober reflection you might not wish him killed or maimed. An art, such as that my daughter and I practice, not only makes for good exercise and training, but is useful to subdue someone who you wish to force your will upon, without undue harm to him or others."

"I will accept your point for now, my Lord Captain, even if I am not convinced entirely as to its utility. My question is, how did you teach the Duchess such an art?"

Hiro snorted. "I couldn't have stopped her if I tried, my Lady. She has always been a very physical child."

"I misspoke, my Lord Captain. What methods did you employ to teach her?"

Hiro's eyes widened, as the implications hit. "You have been pondering the problem, seriously. I underestimated my Lady, greatly."

"Oh?"

----

Hikaru was a very unhappy heiress, to say the least. Her father was a traitor.

The source of Hikaru's discomfort was Aurora's evil, evil, plan to teach her Dolgi. Diabolical, indeed. Her father's approval only made it worse. Who would have thought such a perfect teaching method could become so perverse?

The method was deceptively simple. Aurora simply talked. And talked. And talked. In order for Hikaru to get the girl to leave her the hell alone, and shut the hell up, she had to respond. In the same language. As she started to become successful with one method (learning to say "shut the hell up, you damn windbag" had worked. But only twice.), that method would become less and less effective. The goal, as far as Hikaru could tell, was that the only real way to make Aurora be silent (other than killing her; an idea that held an increasing amount of attraction) was to dominate the conversation herself. But only Dolgi could be used in this battle of witlessness. Which made for insufferably long days, as Aurora babbled on about inanities like poetry and pretty dresses and cute animals.

It was enough to make a girl homicidal. Worse, the stupid plan was working. And the side effects were painful; Hikaru could now understand part of what Aurora was babbling about - that was necessary, since at this stage, to shut Aurora up she would have to "naturally turn" the conversation - impossible without knowing what the conversation was.

"I can feels my brains leaking out my pocket," Hikaru complained in Dolgarian.

"Head, not pocket," Aurora corrected, sternly, then resumed her discussion of the finer points of 23rd century love poems.

Oh, it was working, but Hikaru wasn't sure whether Aurora would survive the training.

[admtrap]

Cetatea Alba, Kizenia. April 14, 3021

The interior of the Marble Palace was like a museum now. No, a mausoleum, that was more appropriate. The hustle of various courtiers and servants now was replaced by the very occasional sound of a clang of metal on metal, or the even more rare sound of a door being shut.

For two months, Silvia wandered the halls, almost ghostlike. When she encountered one of her few remaining servants (those who deemed "essential" had remained; aside from the new Royal Guard, that number almost always meant someone very elderly, or disabled in the service of the Royal House. Or, the occupants of That Room... but Silvia wanted to keep that off her mind), she spent time with them. In the evenings, she personally reviewed financial records, news reports, whatever she could get ahold of, just to take her mind off the sheer monotony.

Of Raul, even, she saw less and less, as his duties now required him to handle many of the details of his former staff. And, of course, that boyfriend of his... Silvia took a deep breath, and forced herself to be calm. Raul had been her first crush, but she'd known for decades now of his... preferences. It was only the tension, nothing more, that was causing her to relive those impossible teenaged fantasies. Well, that, and the fact that he was so utterly safe, for the same reason, that even when her mouth ran away with her thoughts, it would neither offend nor lead to something harmful.

"'ighness!"

Silvia sighed. "Yes, Sergeant LaRoche, what news?" Silvia did not particularly like Raul's boyfriend, but she could not lose him either; he was an extremely competent leader for the guard forces, and their esprit de corps was high. Even Ai had tolerated people she despised, because of their competence. Jade had not; and she had not died of natural causes, as a result. It wasn't hard to decide, when the historical examples were stupid versus crazy - the smart money sides with the lunatic, in that contest.

"'Sree tresspassahs, 'ighness. Jush keeds, but zee 'oncho says to gets yor 'pinion."

Silvia nodded, solemnly. Three kids. She allowed the Francophone sergeant to lead her to the dungeon, where the boys were being held.

---

LaRoche hadn't been exaggerating. The eldest of the three might have been 14 at the oldest, while the youngest was probably about 8. The two younger ones gasped at the sight of Silvia, and fell over each other trying to bow, while the oldest stood defiantly.

"Get up, ya idiots, what'r ya doin?"

"Vince, she's the Queenie! Don'cha recognize her? She's on the damned money!"

The eldest, Vince, squinted. "Don't look a think like 'er. But it is her house, I suppose. Hey, Queenie, zat you for reals?"

Silvia smiled ruefully. The accents gave the kids away pretty well. Lower class, from the Kuzaki side of the river, probably the South end of Alruba. One of her favorite gardeners would speak like that, when he thought no one "important" was watching. "My name is Silvia, and yes, this is my home. What are you three doing here?"

"Well tell yer goons here to let us out! And give us back our sh... stuff, too!"
"Yea! We ain't slaves here!"

Silvia turned to LaRoche, who shook his head and pointed to the table, where a short rusty knife and a battered pack of cigarettes lay, along side some string, chewing gum, and other assorted pocket debris.

"I'll tell you what. Vince, was it? You can have your stuff back, and you can walk out, if you do two things, both of which are well within your ability and talent."

Vince shrugged. "Tell me what ya want and I'll think abou' it."

"Vince! Just agree so we can get home! Ma's gonna tan my behind as it is!"

"Shuddup, idiot!"

Silvia shook her head, and wondered just for a moment how her own boys were doing. "First, Vince, you must tell me how you got in, and past my guards."

"An' second? Cause I ain't givin ya the first, unless I know the second ain't too pricy. Ain't good business."

Silvia smiled, ever so slightly. Kid wasn't a dummy. "Second, you must promise not to reveal to anyone that you got inside. Not for my sake, but for yours. Quite a few people would want to know what little you know about the inside of my home."

Vince seemed to ponder for a moment. "Ya, alright, I'll make that deal." 'least till a better one comes along, he didn't say aloud, but a promise was just words, after all. "We went in through the ol' sewers, down by the riverbed. One of 'em had this funny mark on it carved intah the wall, and it leads straight here. Had ta bend a few gates out of the way, tho."

"LaRoche?"

"On it, we'll 'ave to plug zee 'ole, if zhat's true. Jujjing by zee smell of zhese... jentlemen, I 'ave no reason to dizzpute 'em."

"Alright then," Silvia said. "You three are lucky; LaRoche and his boys have itchy trigger fingers. Don't try sneaking in again."

"alright."

---

"Zhey won't be zee last, 'ighness."

"I know. But we can't simply shoot kids who aren't really doing us any harm. Actually they did us a favor, pointed out a glaring flaw in our security. We've been relying on hundred year old piles of rust to protect us."

"Yes, zhat is true. But, zee message would 'ave been stronger, 'ad you allowed us to zhoot zhem. Just in zee legs, per'aps."

"Those three won't be back. The oldest one barely avoided peeing his pants, Sergeant."

"It iz not zhose free I zhink of."

Silvia had little answer for that. Except the hope that, maybe, LaRoche was wrong.

[admtrap]

Zamokgrad, Kirzon Valley, Dolgava. March 2-3, 3021

"and that's important to the structure of the underlying verse, but Gomez' real contribution to Egelian culture was surely his use of the illiteration in his sonnets, and adapting iambic septameter to Egelian forms, which brought..."

Hikaru raised her hand to her face. "I swear to God, Aurora Kuzaki, I will kill you in your sleep if you start talking about Gomez' musical theatre works again." The fact that she said the sentence in Dolgarian was the only thing that actually stopped the Aurora-non-stop-chatterbox.

Aurora blinked, and shrugged. "You're right. Now, Sanchez, her operettas were..."

Finally, a real opening. "Wasn't Sanchez killed in the Caille war? Oh, what a shame that was, the way they dismembered her."

"I think you're thinking of a different Sanchez."

"No, I'm sure, I looked this up! Ha! Now you gotta talk about blood and guts! Finally!"

"You are irredeemably incorrigable, Hikaru Shimata. Is violence really the only part of history that gets your..."

"Karu! Karu! 'toochan!" A pair of young boys pounced on the would-be Duchess, and clamped onto her arms and legs.

"Georges! Edward! You've gotten so strong!"

"Um... Hikaru... I don't think they speak Dolgarian."

Hikaru would have rubbed her hands to the back of her neck, if they were free. "Oh, right. Stupid language, now it's getting me all flustered!"

"You were talkin' funny, 'karu! How come?"

"Well, uh... this is Dolgaria, and they speak that funny talk here, see?"

"Nuh-uh."

"Boys, you know Aura-chan, right?"

The two boys seemed to notice Aurora for the first time, and backed off quickly. "It's the mean old woman!" Georges exclaimed.

Aurora's eyes twitched. "Why, Prince Georges, surely your eyes deceive you."

"Nuh-uh!" Edward pitched in, to his brother's defense, from the safety of behind Hikaru. "You're too old!"

Aurora began to growl as Hikaru broke into laughter.

---

"So that's it, huh?"

"Indeed, daughter. Silvia wants either you or Soria to take on the boys."

"She's nuts if she thought Soria was suitable. I mean, I like Aura. At least, when she shuts the hell up. But... her son is creepy, and can you imagine?"

"The decision is yours, of course. But you are not exactly suited to motherhood yourself yet."

"Pff. Don't wanna be their mommy anyway. I'd rather stay their big sis."

Hiro snorted. "Surely you're not going to saddle Aurora with them?"

Hikaru laughed. "You should have seen her, pop. I thought she was going to pull an Ai on em."

"Well then, I suppose you'll have to take the responsibility. As their 'big sis.' Adopt em as brothers."

"Serious? I can do that?"

"Legally, probably not, but the family won't say no, as long as it's reasonable. It's been a while, but I suppose I can help."

"You just want another coupl'ah victims for your evil training regime."

"Guilty as charged!" Hiro agreed, rubbing his hands together. "They're good boys, Silvia at least did that part right. A little discipline, redirect their energy a little."

"Like it helped me be calm and sedate, right pop?" Hikaru asked, in all innocence.

The laughter father and daughter shared could be heard practically to Quagotu.

---

"Boys, sit down, please."

"Kay, karu. Hey, how come Aurey was so mad at us?"

"Don't worry about it, she's just grumpy sometimes," Hikaru said. "So, you want me to be your sister from now on?"

"Yeah!"

"Ok, you're my brothers." She spat into her palm and watched with amusement as the two boys did the same, and shook her hands. "You're gonna have to listen to me and uncle Hiro tho. And even Aura."

"She's yucky."

"She smells bad."

"She's so old! Like, she's thirty!"

"Actually she's only a couple years older than me, guys. And she's my friend. Almost -my- big sis even. When she's not driving me nuts, anyway."

The two boys nodded. "Ok," Georges said. "But only if she treats us nice!"

"Like ice cream nice, huh?"

"ooooh."