The drive from the terminal Avery, Kasandra, and Jasmine had landed at went by quickly.
Along the way Ciphilolia often addressed Jasmine and told her about her mother and what she had been doing since she was elected chancellor.
It was obvious that she was doing so in order to enhance Jasmine's opinion of her own mother. Even if they had not specifically been instructed to, everyone working for the chancellor wanted to influence Jasmine so that she would stay.
Soon the vehicle pulled into a garage connected to the main residence on the estate, and all of them disembarked.
Once they entered the building, several more guards joined their retinue. Avery was unsure if this was ant as a show of force or just standard procedure, but he was certain that this individuals were trying to intimidate him on account of the swift glares he was receiving.
'If I was still just a salvager barely scarping by, I bet I'd shaking in my boots. But, compared to everything else I've faced since becoming a rcenary, these guys are ta by comparison.' Avery thought, maintaining a nonchalant smile the entire ti.
The killing intent of Iniquus' soldiers and the man himself had been far worse than this. Avery had no reason to be afraid here.
After a short walk down a few hallways, their group stopped in front of a large set of wooden double doors.
Ciphilolia waited for a mont and then opened the doors.
'Does she have a communication implant in her head?'
The slight pause followed by a noticeable change in her expression for no apparent reason led Avery to this conclusion.
Inside, the room was decorated with lavish furniture and exquisite artwork. A show of the wealth and power of Azade's chancellor.
A hint of a sweet sll wafted through the area, and while it was not visible, the scent was coming from a calming incense being burned in a hidden compartnt.
In the middle of the room, several high-quality chairs and sofas had been set up for people to sit down.
A single look was all it took to tell that this was a remarkable lounge. Most likely a place for less formal etings with bureaucrats, officials, and the like.
"Please have a seat. And if you want, I can have refreshnt prepared while you wait. The chancellor has been caught up with so work that is taking longer to resolve than expected, but she will arrive in short order." Ciphilolia said as she led them into the room.
The guards that had joined them once they entered the estate spread out across the edges of the room, while Jasmine's forr personal guards stuck a bit closer.
Feeling that there was no reason to let the slight tension in the air stop him from enjoying this visit, Avery sat down and decided to ask for so food and drinks. Considering where they were, everything here was undoubtably going to be topnotch. No way was he going to miss out on trying items served in Azade's Chancellor's estate.
Unfortunately, before what he had ordered arrived, Jasmine's mother made her appearance. With four guards of her own and a secretary walking in step just behind her.
When she entered the room, Jasmine pulled both Avery and Kasandra up so that they could greet her. It was apparently considered rude to stay seated when soone important entered.
For just a mont, the mask Regina always wore as head of state cracked when she saw her daughter.
Her lips unconsciously twisted up into a smile, and she nearly started crying.
A part of her wanted to completely throw away dignity and run up and embrace Jasmine. Yet, she did not. Instead, she maintained her more aloof deanor and kept calm.
"Please sit. There's no need to stand on ceremony here. It's not as if this is a formal affair." Regina said.
In response, Jasmine glanced around at the guards that lined the room. Insinuating that there was a lot of security for such a casual eting.
Picking up on this but not overtly addressing it, Regina said, "Everyone but Ciphilolia may leave. If I need this many protectors just to et with my daughter and her companions, then I must be the biggest failure of a ruler and mother in Azade's history."
Following their boss's order, all of the guards uniformly left the room without any hint of hesitation. If they had objected, it would have ant that they implicitly agreed with Regian's sarcastic assertion that she was a failure in her role as chancellor and as a mother.
"I'm truly glad to see you again Jasmine. When you left, I was unsure if you would ever return. Now, why don't you co sit next to . It's stifling to talk to you when you're all the way over there. I want you to tell about your ti with the Alliance Police."
Regina beckoned for Jasmine to co sit on the couch next to her. A place no one else on the planet could claim. The only ones ever allowed to be in such an intimate proximity with her were Jasmine, and her late husband.
Yet, despite her mother's instruction, Jasmine stayed next to Avery. Even going so far as to grip his hand and hold on tightly. A show that she would not be leaving him to rejoin her mother.
This interaction was not lost on Regian, and her expression beca harsher. For the first ti, she turned her attention away from her daughter. Instead, staring directly at Avery with a look of disdain.
"I presu that you are be Avery Asteria? The rcenary that my daughter has chosen to follow."
"Yes… ma'am." Avery said, hesitating for a mont on how to address Azade's chancellor.
"Please, you are a friend of my daughter. You have my permission to call Regina. Perhaps in due ti I will even allow you to call mother. Seeing as how you are the one that has deflowered my daughter and captivated her so thoroughly."
The sudden shift in conversation naturally caught Avery, Jasmine, and Kasandra off guard.
"Mother! What are you saying?! This is hardly the ti or place to talk about things like that! Jasmine said loudly, her cheeks already turning red from embarrassnt.
For the first ti since the eting started, she was unsettled. And Avery was right there with her.
"I don't think so. My daughter disappeared nearly eight years ago, and she has co back with a perspective husband in tow. He's also a rcenary. A sort known to be uncouth and rowdy. Fortunately, it seems that you managed to find one of the few more stoic of their lot. If it was not for his Silver Cross of Heroism, I would not have allowed his and that other woman's attendance." Regian said authoritatively.
Once Jasmine had shown rebelliousness by refusing to co to her side, Regina had decided to abandon her more friendly façade.
Her ideal scenario would see Jasmine leaving the rcenary life completely and cutting ties with Avery and the others, but she could tell that was not going to happen willingly. So, she decided to go with her second plan.
"Avery, I will permit you to marry my daughter. Your background is absolutely nothing, and normally I would not allow you to even speak with her, but I cannot deny the achievents you have collected. Being a champion of the Alliance and already having proven yourself in battle many tis, you have at least the minimum requirents to stay by my daughter's side."
"I'll prepare a suitable position in Azade's military, and within ten, no perhaps only five years, I'll see you appointed as our new minister of defense. The person that currently holds the position has beco too old and was hardly capable of the job when he still cared about doing his job. It will be nice to have soone reliable that I can count on."
Avery was left dumbfounded by Regina's proposal. He had expected her to try and keep Jasmine here, but he never expected that she would try and use him as a tool to tie her down.
He had just been offered an impressive and cushy position. If he accepted, his path in life would be set and he would be able to live comfortably to the end of his days. With Jasmine as his wife to boot.
Still, this would an the end of his career as a rcenary and the dissolution of his group. Perhaps he could also have Regina bring them into Azade's military, but that be far different from their current arrangent.
Then there was also the matter of Kasandra. He loved her as well, and if he had to marry Jasmine in what really amounted to a political marriage, there was a good chance that he would have to cut off their relationship.
"There are no laws against having multiple partners on Azade. I will not protest you marrying another as well. So long as it is after you've married Jasmine and your position is secure." Regina said, as if she could read Avery's mind.
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