((CLOSED))Time to think

[alexanderthegreat]

((Alexander/Seigmand))


"You'll be sure that no one will come in after me, right?" Alexander had to double-check in a half-teasing tone as he stepped up to the large white-stoned temple just on the outside of the main city. He wore his long-sleeved white shirt, the long pants with it and removed his shoes so he entered bare-footed in the clean temple.

The guard that stood by the front door simply nodded, not much of a joker himself. He made no effort to answer with anything else as his king disappeared through the huge double doors, closing them tightly behind him.

Alexander sighed deeply as he entered the bright temple, looking around. He pulled out of his pocket the small prayer book he'd had for years, he'd been so eager lately to get back to it, to come here and relax and read.

He walked up before the pedestal at the very end of the room, surrounded by a light as bright as the heavens (or so people claimed), sat himself upon his knees and began to recite the book aloud to himself.

"Jeil'zu na hei ali mah duondo los...."

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand held his ear next to the outer walls of the temple, feeling for whatever vibrations he could. One person, anyone else seems to be outside the main temple room. Good. He pressed his body up against the stone walls, his power slowly turning the stone and mortar to a viscous mud that he easily passed through. As his body sunk into the temple room, he held close to the wall and refocused the wall back to normal.

Turning to look around he was glad to see Alex was indeed inside, and the only one here. The few loyal agents from his kingdom had done well to track the boy, and it had been all the more appropriate that he'd been seen fraternizing with one of the Heroes. Seigmand hoped that it would make what he was about to do all the easier. His footsteps crept silently against the floor as he approached the boy. Moving near he swept down and clasped his hand around Alex's mouth.

"Alex, do not cry out. It's me, Seigmand. I have to speak with you." He whispered quietly, hoping Alex would not break free of his grasp. The boy did so often have a tendency to be loud at the worst times.

[alexanderthegreat]

And cry out Alexander did not as Seigmand grabbed him, but rather the tiny book he held in his hands came flying up, the blond boy feeling the instinct to smash it into the face of whoever it had been who snuck up on him.

And of course having it sink in his head afterward that the intruder totally just stated that he was Seigmand. Oi.

He slapped at the older man and wriggled free, turning his head sharply to Seigmand and hissing, "What are you doing here, what was that about?! This is a spiritual place, why are you trampling dirt everywhere!?"

Well, at least he wasn't yelling.

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand stepped back at the hard cover thick book cracked him across the top of the skull. Wincing from the blow he rubbed his head, muttering "Guess I should have expected that much.". Seigmand put a finger to his lips, urging Alex to be quiet.

"My apologies for the rude intrusion, but it's important that no one knows I came to see you Alex." Looking on the ground he saw the bit of the mortar that still clung to his shoes. With a wave of his hand the material sprang to life and crawled up into his robe. "Better? Now please listen Alex, time is of the essence and I'm afraid that it won't be long before someone gets suspicious." Seigmand's rambling came off every bit as paranoid sounding as he knew it would. He wasn't even sure if Trucido had anyone tracking him, but this close to the finale of his plan he had to ensure nothing went wrong as he tied up his loose ends.

[alexanderthegreat]

Alexander sighed.

"You know I won't tell anyone you've been here, but why all the secrecy? What's going on?" he spoke much quieter, picking up his book and thumbing through the pages carefully.

[Seigmand Dezmar]

"Alex, I've come to apologize. For a lot of things. More than anything how I've led you and used you to further my whims. For most of the time you've been with the Sumata I've made use of your... naivety. Your easy going nature. Most of all, I used the fact that Trucido trusted you so much to syphon info out of you. What was likely a simple conversation to you was an intel gathering mission for me." Seigmand paced steadily from side to side of the temple room, uneasy from his confession.

"For a while I disliked you quite a bit. The very traits I took advantage of were those I saw as weakness in you Alex, and I endured through your silly attempts to befriend me because you were useful and I needed an ally. Anyone who I could trust." He stared down the boy. "You, who I thought were too dumb to be anything else but straight forward, were perfect."

Seigmand realized how harsh he sounded and put a reassuring hand on Alex. "I'm sorry, but I think you've experienced enough to understand by now. This was for the good of my people. To deceive you, and more people than you'll know was to save everyone I looked over."

[alexanderthegreat]

Alexander stood still, listening quietly to Seigmand and watched him pace slowly back and forth. His words started off negatively to Alexander, but as Seigmand continued he slowly felt a sickening feeling forming in his stomach, which then turned to anger as the younger man slapped Seigmand's hand away from him.

"So it finally comes out; you all were out to just use me all along. What, because I'm younger? I don't understand a damn thing about ruling over a kingdom? Because I'm new?! If even you couldn't be trusted by me, then surely that means that all of my theories behind the other Sumata members was more than mere paranoia!" Alexander tried to keep his voice hushed to not upset the guard out the door but at the moment it was a little hard as his voice rose a notch in volume, "and that means Trucido truly was out to screw me over all along. In fact, what if it was one of the other royals who had it out for me, who had my own servants in my own castle turn against me? Seigmand, you've no damn clue what I've gone through trying to sort everything out, from my father's more-than-mysterious death to the sudden betrayal in my own army. Someone's been out to get me the whole time because they view me the very same as you have apparently--just some stupid kid, isn't that it?!"

Things for some reason went from bad to worse, and somehow it was going even more than worse yet. Wasn't this the bottom of the barrel yet?
No, no of course it wasn't. He'd consider the bottom being when Holmes left him. He'd managed to gain the man's trust and respect as a real royal...that was the only thing he held on to--if Holmes believed in him then surely he must be doing something right...

He only hoped Holmes wasn't wrong.

"I can't stay angry at you, hearing that you've apparently been playing the whole gang all along for the sake of your kingdom. Despite you lying to me, I find your reasoning very admirable. It's hard to look after so many people, especially when they all turn to you for help...it's hard to look them in the eye and tell them when things are going to be bad, you always try to tell them it'll be better, it'll get better..."

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand smiled briefly at the boy's own outburst. He was surprised to hear of the sheer trial by fire he'd gone through recently. As much as it comforted him, though he couldn't quite understand why at the moment, he knew he couldn't get off track now. If he wanted to get his point across quickly, he'd have to put Alex's worries to rest for at least a moment. "As odd as this may sound, I'm glad to hear of all that. Not because of your hardships, but to see you've endured them Alex. As I said, be prepared for anything, even what you aren't prepared for."

"Though I can't be 100% sure, I wouldn't be so quick to blame the recent coup on the Sumata or Trucido. Not too long ago you were weak and unprepared to rule, and many under you would have either tried to use you or get rid of you before you could gain the strength and wisdom to know better. I'm glad to say I think you are getting closer to that moment. But the reason I come to you today is to ensure you live long enough for that time to come." Seigmand's gaze hardened as he stared down at the Santo-Lucian king.

"Leave the Sumata now. Don't outright defy them, but put as much distance between yourself and them as you can."

[alexanderthegreat]

Alexander stared at Seigmand. Put as much distance from the Sumata and himself? Did Seigmand seriously just tell him that? Alexander had thought that Seigmand was a pretty loyal person to Trucido, afterall.

"....how do you mean?" he spoke, his voice barely louder than whispering, "...I already have an agreement with Crepusculum that Trucido knows nothing about..."


There was nothing else he could think to say right now. He was trying to pull from the Sumata already; his people wanted him to, he had to make sure they would be safe first if he did...he was preparing for it already. At this time, Alexander's response to Seigmand's apparent confession was the revealing of his own to the Roccia king.

[Seigmand Dezmar]

"I mean do anything you have to Alex..." He wanted to go into more, but the boy's words sunk in. "What do you mean an agreement with Crepusculum?" He thought about it, then smiled and put a hand on Alex's shoulder. "You have indeed learned fast Alex. Your father would be proud of you."

"That being said, by no means should you send anyone to help that woman. Much to her best intentions, I fear she has caused more damage than she has prevented with her war. Trucido will be dealt with soon, I promise you that much Alex. Keep yourself far from his company. I can't promise when it will happen, but I don't want you foolishly giving your life away to save him and by proxy your people."

[alexanderthegreat]

The words "your father would be proud of you" hit Alexander's heart strongly, Holmes had said that to him only not too long ago himself. On one hand it was hard to believe because in his time he was alive he never ever really did tell Alexander he was proud of anything he'd ever done...at the same time, Alexander had no real reason to doubt either Seigmand or Holmes; Bradley wanted Alexander to take responsibility and look after the kingdom smartly. Smart would had to have meant make sure everyone is safe, happy, and in general supports their king.

He sighed deeply and smiled up at Seigmand, feeling an extra tingle of happiness more because he then realized this was actually probably the first time he'd ever heard a genuine compliment from Seigmand himself.

"...I understand I can't send anyone to help Milicia, she's supposed to be my 'enemy' afterall," Alexander spoke again, "but at the same time, I can't send people to help Trucido as Santo-Luce is more helpful as a healer, caring for the weak, sick, and injured. I'll stay out of any battles he wants me to fight with this reason and protect my people from anyone who does try to attack my kingdom. Does this sound reasonable to you?"

[Seigmand Dezmar]

"It's not up to me Alex. Your kingdom is yours to rule, and the decisions you make for your people are yours and yours alone. I only ask that you personally stay away from the events soon to come." Seigmand seemed to be growing increasingly edgy, watching the windows and moving his eyes more frequently around the room. He had stayed around long enough. It was time he wrap things up and disappear.

"You want to save your people? Stay alive Alex. If you have to run, or kill or sacrifice others, you stay alive. After Trucido falls, and he will fall, your strength as a ruler will really be tested. If you don't want your land invaded and your people slain in droves then you'd better not leave them in the hands of an incompetent." His thoughts turned to the Council of his own kingdom and his idiot of a barbarian father. There was no way in hell we intended to leave Roccia in his hands, and yet deep inside he knew that the path he was about to undertake wouldn't leave him much chance of survival.

[alexanderthegreat]

Alexander simply nodded while listening to Seigmand. It sounded like something bad was going to happen, and soon. Not that it surprised Alexander fully, he'd been knowing for a long time that something was going to eventually happen with Trucido, especially with these heroes on the job and all.

Alexander's eyebrows raised, having noted Seigmand's overly-cautious behaviour. It seemed he wasn't the only one who was a little paranoid lately...

"I'll do just that and anything I have to for the better of Santo-Luce. I thank you for the warning, of course," Alexander said, tilting his head, "you are doing the same, I presume? You have an in with the heroes yourself or something, knowing what's to come?"

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand moved towards the wall, confident he'd done well. "For your own safety Alex, let's leave that question for another day." He placed his hand on the far wall that he'd come from and moved through it once more. Just before his head moved in he spoke softly. "Keep safe." The words were heartfelt, perhaps more than Seigmand would have wanted them to come out but something he wanted to say all the same.

As he moved swiftly through the thick woods that took him away from the watchful eyes of Santo-Luce, his thoughts were focused on the borders of Crepusculum. There was one more that he had to see for his plan to come together, and he hoped that she had not moved too far from the safety of that land.

[alexanderthegreat]

Alexander watched almost sadly as Seigmand stepped towards the wall and made his exit. There was something more that he had wanted to learn but it appeared time had run out on the both of them. He bit his lip and clenched his fists as he thought about Seigmand.

'Hiding something? Most likely. You're the very kind of person who would, apparently. I wonder if anyone even knows...I sure didn't...'

With these thoughts added to his untidy pile of mysteries and interesting points, Alexander took a deep breath, stepping back towards his meditation spot and kneeling again. There he stayed for only a few short moments before he rose again, turning and heading towards the door with his book in hand.

'Nevermind this at the moment, I need to go check on things...I can't tell Holmes about this, though...'



((End of Thread I presume))