The Conquerors bloodline

With a single long breath in, Parc threw his hands up, palms facing the bright sun setting far in the distance. Basking in the dusking rays. Only dropping his arms when he felt the warmth of the orange beams fade away.

"Mmm, now I know why Solaire does that," Parc cracked his back. Turning on point to face Kurome who was carrying in her arms a small bag of candies, the non-drugged kind. Munching on them with glee as she watched Parc take that unusual pose.

On the inside she was thinking about how much he seemed to enjoy doing it, thinking she should try it as well.

"Let's head in," Parc said, "they'll be here soon." He could just feel it, that today Night Raid would finally make their move on Bolic. And when they did, oh, there would be a surprise waiting for them.

"Okay~" Kurome hummed making sure to stay just besides Parc as they walked through the cathedral Bolic had been unceremoniously dragged to for protection by Esdeath. "Master," Kurome hummed for him, holding a small jam centred cookie to his mouth. Body bouncing happily when pulled it from her fingers with his teeth and began to chew the delectable treat.

"You made sure everything's ready?" Parc asked with a turn of his eyes.

"Yep," she popped, "everything's sealed. Bolic won't be leaving alive," he was never going to not find a cute girl like Kurome being so happy about someone dying not unnerving. A cute unnerving albeit, but unnerving nonetheless.

Parc bobbed his head, swallowing down the strawberry cookie, soon finding his feet atop the stone flooring of the cathedrals back room near one of the many escape routes where Bolic would be 'safe' from Night Raid.

Just as he entered, Parc glanced around the room, seeing the various eyes of the Jaegers immediately turning onto him and the girl besides him. Hearing an offhanded "I told you she was cavorting with evil!" from Seryu across the room.

Hearing a "Seryu, please… just shut up," from wave who was massaging his temple, still trying to comprehend the plan Esdeath had come up with.

"But I told you so!"

"I know…" he groaned, he knew for a week now. This just cemented it. The fact that Kurome, that strange candy obsessed girl was now stuck to their supposed prisoner by the hip dressed in her usual sailor uniform now just added with a pair of dog ears atop her head. A sight that had given pause to all the Jaegers bar Run who just gave her an offhanded stare before returning to his reading.

Parc had long since guessed that Run had some form of knowing about what was going on behind the Jaegers backs. He just seemed to exude that knowing atmosphere.

"And I'm still really confused," Wave muttered rubbing his eyes free from buildup of several sleepless nights since Esdeath's little announcement to their impending betrayal of the Empire and her offer for them to refuse any involvement with it. Of course, that would only become applicable once the night had ended.

Parc didn't give the three any mind, instead parting his eyes towards Bols leaning against the far wall staring down at a drawing Parc presumed was of Logue and Kije. Likely still pondering about what he should do.

"Honest will not stand for this Esdeath!" Parc's attention was stolen by the angered shouting of Bolic, now tied firmly in several layers of unthawing ice, a gift from Esdeath to him.

"This is for your own safety Bolic," Esdeath calmly said while tipping a tea cup, pouring some dark brew into her mouth and swallowed.

"Safety!? SAFETY!? You're sacrificing me to the beasts!" he roared "actively going against the ministers orders! Do you have any idea what he will do after learning of this!? He will have your head!" Bolic caught sight of Parc in the corner of his eye, his head swivelling not long after to send Parc a scathing look.

"And you! I should have known you were up to something! To think you had brainwashed the general into believing your lies!"

"First off," Parc raised a hand up, "I can't mind control her. She resists it-" not anymore, but still, he wasn't really 'lying' just using the past as a statement. "And second," Parc rolled his eyes letting them fall onto Esdeath, "can you shut him up? I can already feel an aneurysm coming along the more he speaks."

"Of course, darling. I am feeling much the same." a single wave of her hand was all it took for ice to raise up and engulf Bolic's lower face, silencing him bar the muffled screams of rage.

"Seems everything's going well," Parc said slumping onto the stairs besides Esdeath who had taken seat upon the short staircase, giving herself a bit of rest. A thing she had come to learn was particularly frustrating with baring a child. It sapped much of her energy. The feeling only growing by the days of nausea and near regurgitations.

"Indeed," she answered sipping her tea, a remedy Run had devised to help her with dealing with any motherly effects the child was having on her, "now we simply wait."

"Still certain about going through with this?"

Esdeath's tea cup clicked against its saucer, "darling, no matter how many times you ask me, my answer will not change. Yes, I will be going through with this."

Parc shrugged, "just making sure," he leaned back onto his hands. Bringingone leg up while letting the other lay straight across the staircase. Observing as Wave grew enough confidence to wander himself up to both him and Esdeath.

"Captain, is… is this really the right thing to do?"

Esdeath sighed, Parc asking her again and again was one thing, adding Wave onto that list was the last thing she needed. "If you wish for you and Aina to serve a peaceful life far out of the Empire. Yes, this is the right thing to do. If you mean as in 'is this the just thing to do,' then I am sorry to say, no. It is not."

Wave flinched, he had grown up his entire life surrounded by justice, raised as someone honourable and caring to those around him. Protecting the weak from the strong. Yet now with him as the strong he was tossing the weak, Bolic, to the wolves quite literally.

Wave locked eyes with Bolic, finding his resolve strengthening at the sight of the eyes of the devil, the man who unashamedly went around drugging women, turning them into his sex slaves whether or not they were members of the Empire's armies. A man whose very crimes were toletrated, even accepted under Honest's control.

Clenching his hands into tight balls, Wave opened his mouth, about to utter another word when from the ain entrance way to the room one of Bolic's personal soldiers burst in. Panic and fear in his visage as he shouted, "They're here! Night Raid is here!" tripping over a rug not a second later sending him clashing with the floor. Letting out a pained groan as he lifted his head up.

"Wha-" he tried to say something when heard and saw the struggling Bolic, eyes widening just in time for him to catch a glimpse of the cold blue spear piercing through his chest, leaving him impaled in the ground summoned of course by Esdeath who pushed herself onto her feet.

Looking between the five Jaegers, Esdeath analyzed their varying reactions. Run's nonchalance as he snapped his book shut, the tension rising in both Seryu and Wave. A more hostile version being held back by Seryu and her growling hound of Kuro she was carrying in her mechanical arms.

Then Bols who only raised the drawing of his wife and daughter to his forehead, praying that everything went well. Hoping this may not lead to his family living with no father to guide them.

Lastly landing on Kurome who seemed unaffected by the announcement, keeping herself seated besides Parc like a dog incapable and unwanting of being separated from its owner.contemporary romance

"This is your last chance!" her voice rose higher, "our betrayal will not go unnoticed. Honest's spies are everywhere. Chances are high word is already beginning to reach him. If you leave now you may be able to escape unscathed, possibly even gain a position higher in the Empire for defying me.

"But that will make you an enemy. One I will personally hunt down and slaughter. So make your decision. Will you reform the Empire alongside me, or will you stand by Honest and his puppet!"

She lowered her voice, eyes narrowing to sharp points dancing her eyes across the visages of the Jaegers.

Minutes passed like slightly longer minutes before the first, Run responded.

"So long as you keep your promise to me. I will do my part."

Followed by Wave.

"Get Aina treatment, proper treatment. And I… I will follow you."

Thirdly by Bols, whose answer was as predictable as they came. "I don't care about my life. I can never be forgiven for the things I have done. If this small action can at least show my daughter that I was not a terrible father. Then my fire is yours." He pet Rubicante's fuel barrel.

The real last one they needed an answer from, Seryu was just as predictable as Bols was. Moreso in how she spoke, her teeth grinding together and various tight squeezes of her arm. Everything this was went against the very core of her being. Betraying the Empire, she called home, to join the side of the evildoers when she was herself a just person was tantamount to her killing the person she called her.

"I… I… If… If the Empire really is as corrupt as you say," her eyes not turned to Esdeath, but Parc. Imagining Tatsumi who they had left back at Bolic's mansion alongside Aina and Suzuka just behind him. "then… then I cannot justify standing on the side-lines and letting it go on anymore."

Parc smirked, while he still didn't particularly 'like' the girl. Having her not constantly glaring at him with death in her eyes was certainly drawing him around to at least tolerating her.

"Perfect," a sharp whistle of cut air and the sound of splattering alerted all to the main entrance way, just feeling the foul stench of death wafting in from outside.

"Prepare for combat. Attack only in self-defence."

***

********************

You can expect a bunch of 'cultural research scenes' coming up soon

So, a character I've been contemplating for a bit in RWBY. Nora Valkyrie. What do I do with her?

***<br data-mce-bogus="1">

I've been asking alot of questions in my authors notes i've noticed... I don't think this is normal for most writers.

***

Thanks to Avidreader for the donation!

done.co