A Royal Welcome - FINISHED

Loki stood on the balcony of the Royal Palace in Drachma. It was... what? Almost the end of his first week of rulership over this country. And now all he could hear were his advisors, generals, the Head Butler - Alexey Grodvich, and some other people he even didn't want to know. They all needed something - be that a signature on documents or a single word about attacking someone. At least Alexey had the decency to ask if Loki needed tea or some food.
Now Loki just wanted to be left alone. He wasn't going to do anything this evening, but play around and maybe flirt with one of the royal maids - but NO. It was today that an ambassador, or something, from Amestris would come. It would seem that the evening would be ruined. Everything was already going to hell with Danil dead. He was the only person Loki truly kept contact with - he was the only one he cared about as a friend, no - a family. Now everyone were dead and there was no way to bring them back, and Loki was not insane enough to try and use human transmutation.

So now he awaited for the Genral Brigadier Reila Tsukino to arrive. He decided to meet her on the balcony and not in the throne room or the guest hall. He wanted to enjoy the quiet, beautiful, fresh air of today's cozy evening. He had already ordered for a table, two chairs, a bottle of wine and some snacks to be delivered here. Of course when Loki arrived it was done already. Nearby a old-fashioned style music box was emitting a pleasant tune.
Loki came up to the railings of the balcony, putting his right elbow on them. Today he wore a black tuxedo, black pointy shoes and his usual glasses. All that gave out his position was a Royal Crest that was pinned just above the area of the heart. It looked like an eagle with spread wings that held a laurel wreath with five stars.

"Haaah.... I hope I'll get this over with quickly. I don't need a sermon on politics - not now at least. It's bad for my health, desu ne?" - Loki spoke to himself, aloud, while staring at the moon. It was one or two days left until the full moon. He would hear as this Reila Tsukino would approach the moment she would enter the hall that led to the balcony.

She could be killed. Reila was very aware of this. Therefore she did not come in the way that was expected. The front door...just didn't suit the girl. In a fancy red dress adorned with frills and lace, she trudged through snow wearing silver high heels. Her toenails and fingernails were all painted a soft red to match her dress and her hair was braided nicely all the way down to her ankles, tied with a bow of the same color. As the helicopter Reila had just come from took off into the snowy sky, she stopped just below the balcony. Softly, the lieutenant general brushed her fingertips against the snow, turning it to ice. A large platform was created that lurched upwards to the railing and stopped just as it reached it. The girl leaped from it and landed daintily with a click of her heels beside Loki.

She was extremely surprised to find the man himself right there. She had actually planned on sneaking in through the door to find him, but here he was! She grinned, reaching to touch the ice platform. It turned immediately to water and dropped to the ground. Once her task was finished, she fell to one knee and bowed elegantly, withholding her honor at the same time. Reila stood, the dress flowing graciously in the freezing wind. "I believe you are Tzar Loki Dragunoff?" She said in fluent Drachman. Her braid whipped every which way behind her and she shivered as the cold air caressed her semi-bare neck. It was much colder in Drachma than it was at Fort Briggs. "I am Lieutenant General Reila Tsukino. I do not come representing Amestris, but as the Head of Fort Briggs."

At first Loki heard the sound of a helicopter nearby. Well - nearby was about.... 200-250 meters away, maybe. It definitely was not a Drachman helicopter. Perhaps it was even a miracle that it did not get shot down, as the Palace Guards informed their commander, and he in turn informed Loki of the threat. It was all via the commlink of course, which Loki always wore while he lived in the palace. Well - almost always.
The young alchemist - now a Tzar, told his people not to shoot. Whoever it was they were either stupid enough to fly up to the Royal Drachman Palace and try to make an assault - they would of course be instantly shot down by the Palace's Anti-Air Defence gun stations, or... it was the ambassador of Amestris. If it was her - she was either fearless or did not think this through. Even if she would somehow find a way to take out the 16 guns - all much bigger than a man, she would still have to watch out for regular soldiers equipped with the "DRAGON" missile launchers.

Either way - no one got shot down, due to Loki's efforts. He smiled as he heard that something happened beneath the balcony, which was to say - not on the level of a building's first or second floor, but much higher. He watched as a fine woman appeared - he had met many of the opposite gender, but this girl was even more beautiful. Loki wouldn't be surprised even if some of the same gender as the girl would admire her looks... AND she was somewhere around 20 or 21, it seemed.
But Loki was not that easily impressed with looks alone. Yes - he was rather uninterested in this stuff. Of course a light flirt would be just the thing, but taking the matter forward would be too bothersome. The Tzar changed his smile overconfident smile to a pleasant one as Reila looked at him after she landed and a few seconds passed. After she had introduced herself Loki spoke, deciding to speak Drachman, since the lady seemed to know it well:

"Indeed - I am Loki Dragunoff - the Tzar of Drachma. I may not be the first to welcome you to our country, but I will do so nonetheless. - welcome." - Loki smiled and bowed a little bit, just bending his back and lowering his head - he would even make a bet with Alexey that the girl did not expect that. As he straightened his back he smiled again and spoke in a less official tone. -"Though, Miss Tsukino I would not advise to do the helicopter stunt again - you nearly got shot down by our superior defences. I had to tell my men to stand down personally. Please - do not risk yourself like that anymore." - Loki showed some teeth with his next smile. He managed to show both superiority and concern at the same time... it seemed that all those speech training with Alexey was giving results - yay!
Next Loki moved to the side, showing the lady the table that was already prepared for them.

"It would be an honour if you joined me."

Reila laughed pleasantly, holding a slender hand over her red lips. "You are actually the first to welcome me," she said in a silky voice that still held her girlish innocence. Reila's golden eyes held enjoyment and yet caution at the same time. It was very clear she had everything sorted out in her mind and the method with which she came was a simple show of her daredevil way of life. Reila took chances, but only when she was sure of the result.

"I must thank you for that, however, I was confident that everything would work out." She nodded, smiling with vague amusement. She had no ulterior motives; she really just liked being simple and skipping all the ambassador garble. "But I will try!" She giggled, following Loki, the Czar, to the door inside. Into the warmth was set a glorious table that made Briggs feel like an industrial garbage dump in a virtual world. Okay, wait, she was taking her imagination a bit far. But seriously... it was..well, an honor.

Reila spun around, the picture of happiness. She mostly felt better because the warmth melted her frozen muscles and enabled her to be on more of a guard. Shivering didn't really suit a girl. "I don't want to jump into business or sound rude or anything, but I really think Drachma and Briggs should stop fighting..maybe we can even become friends." Reila was determined. It showed through her eyes and the bright, genuine smile she was exulting. All this bloodshed needed to end. There were other ways... She may seem naive, she knew, but she also didn't care. If that was the price she had to pay then she would do it without a second thought.

Loki helped the girl sit down at the table, by holding and moving the chair for her. Then he sat opposite of her. The table was round and rather small. Not that small - but it would make only two people comfortable, and a third person wouldn't have anywhere to place their plate due to the table being packed with expensive tableware and food/drinks. Everything was up to the Tzar's standards - not too expensive, but quite rich.

Loki smiled at Reila as he sat down. It was sure good to be young, Loki was getting kinda depressed - seeing the girl behave this freely and even childlike. It was like she was almost pure. Wait - she was just 4-5 years younger than Loki was - he wasn't that old!!! The Tzar shook his head from side to side, getting things together and spoke, his memories coming back as the words came out of his mouth:

"Drachma and Briggs... it's true that there have been a few attack in these recent years, weren't there? I have no idea why - but perhaps both Drachma and Amestris were at fault. But - it seems you are here only as a representative of Fort Briggs aren't you?" - Loki's face turned more sour with every word. It was evident he was stressed - and then. - "God! I can't do this - I just can't..." - the alchemist exhaled loudly, one would expect a cloud of steam would come out of his mouth, but it didn't. - "I'm not made for this stuff... let's drop the formal tone and stuff, 'kay?" - Loki smiled in his usual, tricky way and poured some wine into Reila's cup and his own. Then he drank his wine and continued. - "I mean - I'm sure that war will bring nothing but disaster - and I don't want war. I have already lost something precious... you must've heard, desu ne?"

Loki remembered Danil. His only brother - his only true family. And he was dead... and if he ever found those who did it - they would pay. They would pay with their lives! And all those who were with them would die as well. If this was organized by some other country's leader as a political move... Loki would wipe them out - and all of their country would go to hell with them!
Loki's emotions showed on his face. He was angry - no furious. At first all he could do was mourn and feel empty, but now he was filled with nothing but rage for the ones who did it! And all he had were simple rumors and some survivor's delusions.

Reila sat at the small table, feeling as if she were in a palace. Maybe she belonged in these sort of places. But...to her, it didn't feel homely. She could just hear her father's angry voice echoing in her head, wishing for her nonexistence. It was painful, but her smile did not fade. Loki sat down and their conversation continued, except halfway through the Tzar's dialogue halted. Reila's eyes widened slightly, but then she laughed, leaning back in her chair. "Of course we can!" She was actually relieved. All those pleasantries and expectations of those representing others really wore her down, especially since Briggs wasn't like that at all. Heh, it was more like a zoo than a military base. And she was damn proud of it!

She watched as the ruby-colored wine slid neatly into her glass. It went with the deep red of her dress very well. Everything seemed to match. It threw the girl off a little. "Thank you," she said, taking a dainty sip. Her eyes widened. This wine... it was so good! She swirled her glass like an expert wine-taster and took a larger sip, letting her taste buds and the smell assail her. Loki began speaking again and she raised her face, giving the man her full attention. The 'desu ne' he spoke almost made her choke, however. Did he know Aerugese? She was rather taken aback. "I have heard very little... But I do know that you used to work under Spade, is that correct? I'm so sorry...that your brother was murdered. Are there any leads as to who the culprit is?" She was holding her glass a bit too tightly now, golden eyes on fire. Though Loki's brother had hated Briggs and tried to take the North so many times, she felt assassination was extremely cowardly... "Please, if there's anything I can do..." she trailed off, lowering her head again. Shimmering strands of hair that caught light from the setting sun fell over her face. She sighed, and looked at him intensely, straight on, and completely serious. "I represent only Briggs and I would like to impose a non-aggressive pact between you and me."

Loki understood that he was staring at Reila's stomach, his look was full of anger and rage - his pretty face was starting to get twisted by the negative emotions. The next moment he looked up, he had a very surprised look. He wasn't surprised by anything Reila said - no. He was actually surprised at himself. How could he - he who never admitted violence and always was against it - wish for a whole country to die? Countless lives taken away - all to sate his hunger for revenge. He put a hand to his own stomach, it felt like there was something there... something alien, something evil and unnatural. Like there was a completely different being inside Loki. The thought made him shudder.
... But now was not the time for such thoughts. He listened to the girls voice, and to her words. She offered alliance? She offered help? Maybe it was her - HER! Maybe under her orders they stormed the meeting brutally murdered his brother! Loki shook his head again and looked into Reila's eyes. She looked... like she was really willing to help, she wasn't capable of such a thing - no. She was better than that.
Loki gave her a bitter smile and spoke after she finished:

"I'm sorry for being so down. I'm just confused. I'm still taking it hard... my brother's death." - the Tzar made a pause and poured the wine again, both into his glass and into Reila's. - "All I have are reports of the destruction, which was as if a whole unit of artillery stormed the place from the inside. And a lone survivor. He's currently in a hospital... a mental institution. He was badly injured and he seems insane. All he could say was that... how do I say this? - "... they came and started killing. They were the Gods of Death - they were unstoppable. And along with them the demons followed..."." - Loki sighed and drank a bit of the red liquid. - "After that came useless blabbering and screaming. We have no idea how they look, how many were there - nor how or where did they escape."

Loki put his elbows on the table and put his chin on his crossed fingers. He smiled again and spoke in a soft tone:

"But... you can't help me anyway. As for this pact with Briggs.... I want to ask you - why? Why Briggs, and not Amestris? I thought that you would come to ally Drachma with your country - not your city fort alone. Why?" - the Tzar looked at Reila. He was good, but he wasn't that naive either.

His anger touched her, caressing the silky fabric of her dress--the color of blood. She watched Loki's expression, his emotions reverberating from across the table and wafting throughout the entire room. She knew... Reila understood. Her eyes set directly on him, unwavering with resolve. How he felt...she knew the pain, the sadness, no, most of all it was the loneliness--the knowing that you were the only one--you against the world. She lowered her eyes then, listening his words and becoming them. They ran across her skin, making the hair on her arms stand on end. Immediately, wetness gathered on the rims of her eyes. She couldn't stand all the pain and sadness--it was too much. No one...no one should ever have to face such a loss. They had to stop it--put an end to all the killing before more people learned the true meaning of hurt--the nightmarish recollections of survivors...fragmented tragedies. It had to end.

Reila placed her hands lightly on the table as he poured them their wine. She stood up, tears vividly shining through her eyes. She shook her head. "We need to stop it! No more. Please..." A tear strode down her cheek and left a spot on the beautiful table cloth. It took effort for her not to break out into Amestrian in her confluence of emotion. But almost immediately it washed away, replaced with her steadfast determination. "We can do it, you know." She let a sad smile slid onto her red lips. "And the reason why I come solely representing Briggs is...well, Drachma is my responsibility. The Fuhrer refused to have a non-aggression pact with a country that has mercilessly been attacking us for centuries. But...now it's time to change, so, I am splitting from the Fuhrer's will and declaring my own treaty. If you agree, I believe it will be a step to preventing further deaths in the future. I don't want to see any more needless bloodshed."

The tears in Reila's eyes mad the Tzar sad. It wasn't his intention to make her sad as well. He simply could not control his emotion, that was all - but due to this the girl perhaps remembered something from her own life. She was a high-ranking Military officer after all, and she must have earned it. She must have seen a lot, and Loki wondered how could she remain this pure? This could not be an act - of that the sound alchemist was sure. As the Brigadier General Reila Tsukino spoke of her ideas and the proposition Loki brightened up. She was an idealist that was for sure, but such pacts were not to be taken lightly - even a pact of non-aggression or alliance.
It was then that Loki realized that Reila perhaps was too much of an idealist... not that Loki wasn't positive about an alliance or alike, but there were still a few problems - one in fact was giving Loki no rest. He was a smart and intelligent man - he could already see ahead. He could see the different possibilities that this pact would bring... and not all of them were good.
Tzar Loki smiled at Reila. It was a heart-warming smile. He considered her worthy of it. Even more so that he ever would be, if he would receive the same smile from her. He spoke, lifting his head from his hands and leaning back a little:

"Reila... chan? Can I call you that?" - he asked in a polite manner and continued. - "I want peace as much as you do. And I want to stop the unnecessary bloodshed as well. But...." - Loki's brows drew closer together, giving him more of a funny, than a concentrated look. He sure didn't look like a leader right now. - "I am afraid that this very pact may cause more bloodshed. I would go as far as to say - civil war." - he made a pause. - "I do not know the Fuhrer all too well, but I think if he finds out about this treaty he will brand Briggs a traitor to Amestris. A problem, desu ne?" - Loki looked out the window, he could see the lights of Drachma shine beneath the hill where the palace stood. The night sky was illuminated by the glow of the city lights. It was pretty. Loki turned back to Reila and looked straight into her eyes. - "I want you to make that decision, knowing that you may suffer. Suffer from an attack by Amestris - your home. It is your home, desu ne?"

"You can," she said softly, letting a warm smile caress her lips. It reached her eyes fully, shining like the sun after a rainy day. "And it may very well indeed cause more bloodshed, but isn't that otherwise inevitable?" She sighed and lowered her eyes to the wine glass in front of her. Strawberry blond bangs tickled the edges of her eyebrows. She looked up and struggled to keep the smile on her lips. "I am already a traitor. I don't believe in her ideals. I refuse to accept them or go along with them. I am here to protect my country and their people. I cannot commit acts to endanger their lives, or to threaten those of another country unnecessarily. Loki, he's trying to create a world war!" Reila's voice grew emotional, filled with stress and words so heavy, the air around them could barely hold them. Reila bit her lip, smearing her lipstick slightly. It was clear she had forgotten about it and was very unused to wearing it. "I..." She was staring at her wine glass again as if it held the entire world instead of a few sips of alcohol. "I just want to save as many lives as I can. And if I have to fight Amestris doing it..." She looked up, flashing him a set of dangerously cold, golden eyes. "than bring it."

"I see." - Loki sighed and looked at Reila. She was a determined person, that much could be seen. The Tzar smiled and spoke. - "Then I am willing to uphold peace from my end. I wish for no more bloodshed, and I'm ready for any kind of aggression from the side of either the Fuhrer or other countries, who will be against this. But..." - Loki showed a tricky smile and winked at Reila. - "... it'll be our little secret for now, desu ne?"

Loki turned around in his seat and turned on the old-fashioned music box. Sounds of beautiful classical music filled the air. Loki turned around back to Reila with a bereft look on his face that was practically saying "Sorry - I forgot all about it." and shrugged, changing his expression to a smile again.

"So, with that done, maybe we can enjoy the dinner, at last - without all the political talk and the world's worries." - the young man leaned back on his chair, but not before refilling the wine again. He was getting a little drowsy... or light-headed, since it was a long time when he had a drink like this. Not only the quality, but the quantity as well.

Certainly the wine was of the finest quality. Reila could tell that simply by its sweet color. The taste, well, wasn't that the sole reason why the two of them continued to drink so readily? Her head swam from each glass she placed to her lips, leaving a fine mark from her red lipstick. She sat there, her golden eyes stuck to the mark like glue. Her mind wrapped itself around Loki's kind and informal words. She already knew that this relationship between Drachma and Briggs would work very well. If only he could quell the hatred of his own country? She could only hope.

"Yes, let us enjoy dinner," she said with a warm smile. Despite their pact and the calm, inviting atmosphere, Reila felt ill at ease. The Fuhrer...would she find out about this? If she did...what would come then? To the girl who stood only one rank down from the Fuhrer herself, felt that the ties that held her country together were finally coming loose. "I will stay true to my word."