Suikoden VII

Chapter Seven: Part Four

Note: New Investigations are up for David, Viktor, and Zerase! The next Investigations will be about Viki, Pesmerga, and Richard.

I have released a new poll on fanfiction.net! You can vote here: https://www.fanfiction.net/topic/240701/190207163/1/Poll-12-What-Should-the-New-Government-Be.

But if you cannot vote in the poll write a comment and I will count your choices towards the final total. You may make up to three choices.

Poll #12: What should the new government be?

- Republic

- Maintain Kingdom

- Queendom

- Federation

- Alliance

- Feudalism

- City-State

- Empire

—

—

Chapter Seven: Part Four

The next day...

Portraits of Princess Philomena and Aravine were ordered to be publicly hung in every city across the Kingdom with a thin black veil of mourning hanging over both portraits. Most of the towns displayed the portraits in their town squares, and citizens placed flowers and tokens in front of them in respect for their fallen princess and her assist.

Most everyone did not know what exactly had happened to the two women, but everyone knew they were dead.

In Triona, Sarka checked herself for the umpteenth time in the mirror. She hated wearing mourning clothes. She wore them for her mother and for Milo, and now she was wearing them for her two half-sisters. She sighed quietly and closed her eyes, swallowing thickly. She felt sick.

There has been no public announcement, but they're going to blame Astraea for this. I know they will. But... she clenched her jaw and her fists at her sides. But...!

"Lady Sarka?" Her maid called on the other side of her bedroom door. "The citizens of Triona have all gathered in the square."

"I'm coming," she announced, and quickly headed towards the door.

In Niebieska Brama, a ship docked at the harbor. It was allowed to dock because it was a Zelantan ship. On the deck Lord Reilly Krieger looked out over the city and saw the black banners and the flags hanging at half-mast. He looked around, and some of the crew were openly crying. "What happened?" he asked.

"W-We just heard from the dock!" one of the crew members wailed. "P-Princess Philomena was murdered!"

Reilly felt a jolt of shock in his body, quickly followed by a cool rage. He glanced over his shoulder at the person standing behind him. "I know who did it," he said sharply. "It's the same bitch who killed my son. Now you know what you're dealing with, Pahana."

Pahana was a young man who looked to be in his late teens or early twenties, but it was difficult to determine his age and Reilly didn't ask. He had short dark purple hair and cold, intense amber eyes. He wore a long cloak with the hood covering his head. He gave off an unsettling presence, but Reilly didn't bring him to Zelant for pleasantries.

He was exactly what one would expect from the Howling Voice Guild.

Lord Benedict de Lancret smoothed out his black overcoat and vest. There were no creases and nothing looked out of place. But he still felt uneasy. "Poor girl," he murmured to himself, shaking his head. "How could His Majesty let something happen to the Princess?"