[Final Fantasy IV] Every Light Casts a Shadow, Chapter Twenty-Four: The Hungry Harvest

[lassarina]

Pairings/Characters: Kain Highwind, plus cast
Rating: R (overall), G (this chapter)
Warnings: Spoilers. Violence and language. Occasional sexual content. Other warnings may apply that are not listed here.
Notes: This fic belongs to the Lucis Ante Terminum arc. Chapter list is here.
Summary: Though it is possible to return home, it is rarely possible to return affairs to their previous state. Sometimes the only course of action is to move forward.
Wordcount: 4500 this chapter.
Beta: celeloriel

Twelve years after Zeromus

Kain thrust the lance forward and was met with his opponent's shield. His opponent's own lance glanced off the side of his helmet. He thrust his shield forward to send his opponent off-balance, but the shield was sidestepped and he found himself scrambling to parry the next blow.

A quick exchange of strikes followed, and Kain deliberately turned, exposing his left side in favour of a swift blow to his opponent's abdomen.

The shaft of his opponent's spear caught him in the back of the knee and was supported by the edge of the shield striking him in the back. He went sprawling face-down in the dirt, and felt the point of the spear against the back of his neck.

"Well done, Princess Sophia," he said, spitting out a mouthful of dirt.

She made a disgruntled noise and stepped back, allowing him to get up. "You let me win," she accused him.

"I did no such thing, Princess," he protested. "I provided you an opening, it is true, but if you do not learn to recognize them when we but spar, you will not recognize them in true battle."

Sophia huffed out a breath and pulled off the stiffened leather helm that she wore. A few pale blonde curls had escaped from her tight braid, and where they caught the sunlight she seemed surrounded by a bright halo. "I shall not learn to make my own openings if you do not defend appropriately," she said.

"With all respect and courtesy, Highness, I am teaching you in the same way that I was taught when I was your age," Kain replied.

Sophia considered this for a moment. Then she nodded. "Very well, Captain," she said formally.

At seven, Sophia was still just as mischievous as she had been at five; Rosa had declared on more than one occasion that she was sure that her daughter was more trouble than Cecil and Kain combined. Kain had refrained from reciting reasons why her assertion was untrue, mostly due to his conviction that if Rosa had known half of the mischief that he and Cecil had gotten into, she would ban him from ever talking to Jalen and Sophia again.

Kain saw, over Sophia's head, that Lord Lymwich and Lord Eltrin were approaching the training yard. He caught Matthew's eye, and his former Lieutenant—who had served as Captain of the Dragon Knights since Kain's unexpected ascension to Lord Regent four years prior—approached.

"Captain Darmin, would you kindly take over the Princess's training for the rest of the afternoon?" Kain said. "I fear there is other business to which I must attend."

"But Uncle Kain, you promised!" Sophia protested.

"A Dragon Knight does not complain when her teacher changes, Princess Sophia," Kain said firmly.

Sophia's lower lip threatened to wobble, but she set her jaw and nodded. "I am sorry, sir," she said, though the look in her eyes still betokened rebellion.

Kain left Sophia to Matthew's capable instruction and crossed the practice yard to meet the Minister of Native Affairs and the Royal Treasurer. "Good afternoon, my lords," he said courteously. "What brings you to the practice yard this afternoon?"

Lord Eltrin shook his head. "We have difficulties, my lord Regent."

"So I perceive from your coming to find me outside of a normal Council meeting," Kain replied.

Lord Eltrin inclined his head in acknowledgement but did not smile. "I have troubling reports coming in from all over Baron, Lord Regent," he said.

"Is this a discussion for which the Queen Regent and the King should be present?" Kain asked.

"That might be wise," Lord Lymwich said thoughtfully. "At least the Queen Regent."

Kain caught Matthew's eyes and signaled that he would be leaving the training grounds. Matthew nodded even as he continued patiently showing Sophia the correct way to strike for the gaps in an opponent's armour.

As they moved toward the castle, Kain stopped at the archery range, where Jalen was being taught to wield a bow. "King Jalen," he called.

He was pleased to see that Jalen released his arrow—which struck very close to the center of the target—before turning to face him.

"The Royal Treasurer and the Minister of Internal Affairs request the honour of your presence for a discussion," Kain said.

Jalen nodded, and handed his bow over to the soldier who had been training him under the watchful eyes of Jalen's Dragon Knight bodyguards. "Thank you, Lord Regent," he said formally, and came to join them. Over the last six months he had become increasingly formal and grave in his demeanour, only occasionally lapsing into bursts of childlike enthusiasm. Kain was not particularly surprised by this; Baron's military culture made her sons and daughters quite serious at an early age, in direct contrast to a nation like Mysidia or Eblan. When he and Cecil had been Jalen's age, they had been leaving childhood behind as well.

They found Rosa in her office. She looked up in surprise when Kain tapped on the door, and sighed. "I suppose it is too much to hope for that you have come with good news," she said, clearing away the papers she had been labouring over. "Well, come in and sit down."

Once everyone was comfortably settled, Lord Lymwich began his explanation. "You know that the autumn storms have been more severe than usual," he said.

"We have only recently authorized the funds to repair the castle," Rosa replied. "Are repairs needed to the roads as well?"

"More than that, I am afraid," Lord Eltrin said with a sigh. "Because the storms were so heavy, many of this year's crops were ruined, and the harvest has been very thin indeed. My assessors tell me the same thing in every area: that people will not have enough food to see themselves through the winter, never mind enough to sell to be able to pay their taxes."

"If they cannot even feed themselves," Jalen said thoughtfully, "I do not see how we can expect them to pay their taxes."

"You say this is a consistent problem, Lord Eltrin?" Kain asked. "Your assessors are certain no one is hiding anything?"

"They are as certain as they can be, Lord Regent," Lord Eltrin replied.

Rosa sighed. "Then I think we must forgive the taxes for this year," she said. "Kain?"

"Agreed, Your Majesty."

Lord Lymwich shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "There is still the matter of the harvest being insufficient for our needs," he said.

"We will reach out to Eblan and Fabul," Kain suggested, "and see if they have aught to spare to aid us."

"Failing that, the Lord Regent and I will discuss alternate measures," Rosa said.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Lord Lymwich said, and then he and Lord Eltrin withdrew.

"What options would we have?" Jalen asked, once they were gone.

"Ideally, Edge or Yang will be able to supply additional foodstuffs," Rosa said.

"What if they cannot?" Jalen asked.

Rosa pressed her lips together into a thin line. Kain sighed. "Were it up to me," he said, "I would advocate seizing all the foodstuffs in the city, having them held by the government, and doling them out in even degrees to rich and poor. The Council would have none of it, of course, and many will decry it as interference."

"For myself," Rosa said, "I care not what the Council thinks so long as our people remain hale and hearty. They are but a tiny, tiny subset of our population, and our country will not long remain vital without attention to her poorest citizens."

Jalen nodded. "I agree," he said. "Uncle Kain?"

"Yes, Your Majesty?" Kain asked.

"It will make them angry, won't it?"

"Very much so," Kain answered.

Jalen considered. "Yet it would be for the greater good," he said.

"The Queen Regent and I think so, yes."

"Then I wish for you to do it, if King Edge and King Yang cannot spare anything," Jalen said.

"As Your Majesty commands," Kain said with a bow.

"Remember that you are not yet king," Rosa said to her son.

Kain watched as Jalen's desire to please his mother warred with his desire to be on his dignity. Dignity appeared to win; Jalen drew his shoulders back and tilted his chin up, meeting Rosa's eyes squarely. "I know that the crown is not yet mine alone," he said to her, "yet I would make my opinion known so that if there are problems with a plan that I have not yet seen, you and the Lord Regent could correct me; else how shall I learn?"

Kain drew back a discreet step, proud on the one hand of Jalen's self-sufficiency but also worried that he had chosen the wrong time to battle Rosa on this particular matter.

"Learn as you will, and question as you will," Rosa said, "but you are not yet the one who makes the decisions."

Jalen gave her a coldly precise bow and left the room. Kain waited until he was fully out of earshot before he turned to Rosa.

"Do not," she said, holding up a hand.

"I do not question your style of raising your son," Kain said carefully, "yet Jalen has a point. It would not harm him, I think, to allow him to make arguments for decisions he would like to make."

Rosa sighed. "I do not wish to argue with you, Kain," she said.

Kain could not repress a wry smile. "Yet you will do so anyway," he said.

Rosa shook her head. "Pray understand," she said, "I would have my son be my son for as long as I may, before he is king."

"As would I," Kain assured her, "yet I do not think it so ill for us to encourage him on those occasions when he wants to take an interest."

Rosa seemed about to speak, but pressed her lips together and shook her head. Kain waited a moment to see what more she would say, but when no comment was forthcoming, he offered her a formal bow and withdrew to his own office. He had letters to write and send to their fellow rulers requesting aid.

~*~

"Something troubles you."

Kain glanced up from the report he was reading to find his wife standing on the opposite side of the table in front of him. He set the sheaf of papers upon the table and gave her his full attention. "Many things trouble me," he countered. "Does something trouble you this day?"

She frowned. "I would ask that you treat me as though I have a brain in my head, thank you," she said tartly.

Kain nodded. "Let me rephrase my question: is there a particular reason for your earlier observation?"

"Only that I wonder if I might be able to alleviate your discomfort in some way, or at least take your mind from it." She smiled faintly.

"Perhaps you have a suggestion, then," Kain said.

Elizabeth took a seat and rested her hands on the table, still folded. "I cannot make a suggestion until I am aware of the context," she answered.

"Consider, then, the following situation. The harvest has been terrible across the land, due to the storms; crops rot in the field as they are harvested, or are not fit to reap at all. Not only have many people no food, they have no surplus to sell to meet their obligations in terms of taxes."

Elizabeth nodded. "I will assume that you, the Queen Regent, or your advisors have thought of the obvious remedies to the situation, and ask what makes this different."

"How, then, if there are no additional stores of grain to purchase from abroad?" Kain asked her.

"Well, one of two things happens. Either you do nothing, in which case the price of food is driven so high that most families cannot afford to eat, and this situation invites riots and rebellion; or you seize control of whatever food stores remain to more evenly distribute the food among the population, and risk being called a tyrant and have a rebellion or civil war led against you by the nobility, who probably encourage or compel some number of their tenants to join them."

"Just so." Kain sighed. "Well, then, have you a solution?"

"No solution," Elizabeth said slowly, "merely an observation; and that observation is that there are rumours already spreading that there will be insufficient supplies to see us through the winter. Prices are already rising, and House Vyran stands to make an absolute fortune. House Tyrell has been stockpiling as well, but knowing Malcolm Tyrell, he plans to keep such stores to see his own people through the winter."

Kain sighed. "I had hoped that this would be less well advertised; I suppose it was too much to hope for, since the information came to me by way of Lord Eltrin."

Elizabeth shrugged. "It is in no one's interests for the people to starve," she said.

"Would you say that even if we ate porridge all winter?" Kain asked her, in all seriousness.

She tilted her head and considered him thoughtfully. "I admit it would not be my first choice," she said, "as I do enjoy the luxuries that come attendant to my station, and would be loathe to give them up. However, I am nothing if not practical; if the choice is between attempting to put down a rebellion or a diet of porridge, I will take the latter, and try to be grateful." Her lips quirked in a faint smile.

Kain could not help but smile back. "Well, my lady," he said with more humour than mockery in his tone, "I shall endeavour to assure that you are not reduced to eating porridge all winter; but I make no promises."

"Neither did I ask for any," she reminded him. "I assume, then, that the situation is in fact as dire as you described?"

"I would not precisely say it is dire yet," Kain said slowly, "but neither would I say that the outlook is cheerful at the present time. However, I believe you spoke hitherto of directing my thoughts elsewhere?"

"I did," she acknowledged. "I wonder if you might be persuaded to walk with me."

"Whither would you go, that you require my escort?" He rose and offered her his arm.

"It is not that I require escort," she replied seriously, "but I would go with you. I have scarce seen you these three days past, and I would enjoy the opportunity to speak with you of somewhat other than politics."

"In that case, I am at my lady's disposal."

"Must I always be your lady?" she asked.

"Your pardon?" He looked at her, surprised.

"Betimes I think that to you I am but a commodity," she said, "a useful source of information and a warm body in bed."

Kain winced to hear the words so plainly said. "It is not my intention to treat you thusly," he said, "yet I fear I have neglected you."

"Acknowledgement and apology are of little worth, my lord Regent, unless you would take action to correct the cause," she replied.

Kain struggled with the immediate urge to protest his innocence, to claim the burden of work, and tightened his jaw until the words gathering on his tongue were quelled. "If you would be so kind, then, Elizabeth—" and he saw her eyes flick to his in surprise "—pray tell me how I may take such action in the way that best pleases you, for I would not be a cause of sadness to you."

She tilted her head, and considered him carefully. "Walk with me," she said, though her tone made it more of a request than an order.

Kain offered her his arm. "Where to?"

"Would you mind walking in the orchards?" she asked.

Kain thought of the stack of reports that awaited him, and the meeting he had planned with Lord Nerthic later that day. In truth, the idea of being out in the open air was far more appealing. "I would not mind at all."

She smiled, and walked with him out of the office.

~*~

It had occurred to Kain on more than one occasion that the council room, for all its spaciousness, was exceedingly claustrophobic. He had never much cared for the feeling of stone walls around him, although he acknowledged their utility for defense. He preferred the feel of air moving freely about him, clean winds he could breathe.

In as little as six more years, he would have the option of walking away.

He tried not to be too enthused at the prospect.

He was, as usual, the first to arrive. He was almost always the first to arrive, and he intended to keep up that practice for a significant time to come.

Somewhat to his surprise, the new head of House Vyran, Eric, was the next arrival. He nodded with reasonable civility to Kain before taking his seat. Eric was just as predictable as his father in some ways, but whereas Edwin Vyran had opposed first King Odin, then Cecil, and then Kain and Rosa on anything and everything he could think of, Eric was merely interested in the financial viability of his House and increasing the same. It was both easy and difficult to negotiate with him for that reason.

Others filed in slowly, and took their seats. Kain watched them seat themselves, most of them casting suspicious looks at Lords Eltrin and Lymwich. He wondered how many of these had been making mass purchases of foodstuffs. He would have to ask Lord Nerthic to find out for him.

Rosa arrived last, but still early for the meeting. Amid the rainbow of colours that the nobility tended to wear, Rosa always stood out in her white gowns. Kain waited until she had seated herself. She raised her eyebrow at him, and he shook his head faintly. The corners of her mouth turned down. She had held out hope that one of their friends would have something to spare, but even Troia had nothing to sell, and Kain had offered a sum that would have made Lord Eltrin cry himself to sleep for weeks.

"Have any of you business to bring before the council?" Kain asked when everyone was settled.

Many of the lords shifted uncomfortably in their seats, but none spoke for a long moment.

Just when Kain was about to open discussion on the matter of the grain shortage, Lady Farrell rose from her seat and cast a censorious look over the council table.

"You have been complaining for a week and a half now, at every gathering I have attended, yet when the Lord Regent gives you a blatant opening, not one of you can summon the steel to speak," she said with profound disgust. "Well, I am an old woman and I have never shirked to speak my mind ere now; shame on me if I alter my course at this late date."

"Lady Farrell, you have a concern?" Kain asked blandly.

"I do, Lord Regent," she said briskly. "There have been a number of rumours concerning the effects of all these storms on our harvests. The rumour mill would have us believe that we are all to starve to death this winter; that there is insufficient food to feed us all. Instead of taking efforts to ascertain the truth of these statements, my peers have elected to cower in fear and attempt to lay in such stocks as will prevent them from suffering the same fate as those over whom we rule. I will have none of this idiocy without knowing the truth, so I put a question to you, Lord Regent, Your Majesty. Do we have a shortfallen harvest, and if so, what steps shall we take to alleviate the lack?"

Kain hid a smile and stood. Lady Farrell seated herself, folded her hands on the table before her, and pinned him with a gimlet stare.

"Thank you for your straightforward questions, Lady Farrell," he said first, and caught the faintest hint of a smile flickering at the corner of her mouth. "It is true that the storms have caused us to have a much less generous harvest than we might have hoped. Her Majesty Queen Rosa and I have sent messages to the King of Eblan, the King of Fabul, and the Epopts of Troia in hopes of securing additional foodstuffs for the kingdom, to see us through this time. Unfortunately, our efforts have not met with success; no one has anything to spare."

All of the nobles leaned forward, as though they both anticipated and feared what he might say next. Eric Vyran, in particular, looked anxious. Lord Nerthic tapped his fingertips idly against the table, managing to look very nearly bored. Kain wondered if Lord Nerthic had already determined what steps he planned to take.

"As a result," Kain said, "we face several untenable options. Her Majesty and I have conferred about this matter several times. If food supplies are too shortfallen, we shall have rebellion on our hands. Therefore, the Crown will be taking the following actions. All foodstuffs, including those held in markets, private stores, and those not yet harvested, will be seized by the Crown. They will be held by the Crown and disbursed by agents of the Crown to each family. Attempts to hoard foodstuffs will be treated as treasonous acts—"

"You can't do this!" Eric Vyran was on his feet and shouting. Kain bit back a sigh and prepared for the inevitable argument.

"He can, as can I, and we will," Rosa said, and Kain relinquished the floor to her and seated himself. She stood and cast a disapproving look around the table, nearly twin to her grandmother's a few moments before. "Wealth, power, and status are a privilege, not a right. You will receive your rations of food like everyone else, and they will suffice to keep you and your families fed and healthy. It may not be the manner of food to which you are accustomed, but we will not see our subjects starving in the streets because a few greedy individuals chose to hoard food for themselves." She seated herself again and most particularly glared at Eric Vyran.

"Your Majesty," Lord Darmin said, "if I may be so bold as to inquire, whom do you intend to have overseeing the distribution of the foodstuffs?"

"We will be asking Lord Eltrin and Lady Farrell to oversee the distribution—with occasional checks from Lords Nerthic and Lymwich, should all parties prove amenable to this arrangement," Rosa replied. Kain glanced around the table to see the reaction; both parties had been relatively neutral in the power struggles between the nobility and the Crown, and Lady Farrell had certainly shown no favouritism to Rosa over the years.

"I would be honoured," Lord Eltrin murmured, and Lady Farrell snorted.

"Someone has to keep the youngsters in line," she said firmly.

Lord Nerthic and Lord Lymwich nodded agreement.

"Excellent," Kain said. "I will expect each of you to turn over such foodstuffs as you have that exceed what you require for the remainder of this week. I do not expect to have to send soldiers to search your properties to ensure that you are holding nothing back, but pray do not think that my distaste for the action will prevent my executing it."

Eric Vyran uttered a number of particularly disgusting curses. "I cannot believe you think that we will idly accept these terms!" he said. "I have businesses to run—"

"Your businesses," Rosa interrupted in an icy tone, "do not trump people's lives, and if you choose not to cooperate, you will be punished. We have told you our decision, Lord Vyran. We do not trifle with our subjects' lives, and you are but one in a nation of many thousands." She leaned forward. "As you should know by now, I do not make a habit of interfering in the affairs of any one individual, but I will not permit you to endanger others through a willful act of selfishness."

Eric Vyran flushed an ugly, mottled shade of red. Kain's hand itched for a weapon.

"Sometimes," Lord Darmin said quietly, "we must make sacrifices for the good of the nation. I think that all of us can handle a diet perhaps less varied and rich, but just as suitable to our health. Some of us might even benefit from it." He smiled faintly. "You may agree or disagree as you see fit, Eric, but ultimately, the King's word is law—or in his minority, the Regents."

"So I am to lose money hand over fist because some stupid peasant can't be bothered to bring his crops in out of the rain?" Eric snorted.

"The peasants you so deride are the ones whose work creates the items you trade," Kain pointed out. "Without them, you would have no business, for you would have neither suppliers nor customers."

"While I am not overly fond of the methods that you propose," Lord Nerthic interjected smoothly, "I understand the necessity that guides your actions, Your Majesty, Lord Regent. Yet Lord Vyran's position is understandable as well: for those of us who operate businesses specializing in foodstuffs, we are left in a position of having employees who will need to be paid, but who will not have work to do. Are we to release them from our employ?"

"If they are already accustomed to working with foodstuffs and accounting for what is sold," Lord Lymwich said, "then let them work in the storage houses, assisting with cataloguing and doling out the food. That way, they will still earn a living wage, we shall not have to find workers to do so, and their upkeep will not be a drain on those who own businesses."

"Lord Eltrin, can the treasury support such wages?" Rosa asked.

Lord Eltrin sighed. "It can, Your Majesty, but we shall be stretching ourselves dangerously thin."

Kain knew that to Lord Eltrin, "dangerously thin" meant that there would still be several years' worth of monies in the treasury, but not sufficient to conduct major projects or wars without their funds being overspent.

"Then let it be done as the Lord Regent and Her Majesty have proposed," Lord Demetrick said firmly. "I cannot see that we have many choices, as the harvests have been truly dismal in my districts and I cannot imagine that any of yours have fared any better."

There was significant muttering around the table, but Kain could see that Lords Darmin and Demetrick had turned the tide somewhat. Lord Vyran was still sulking at his end of the table, and would no doubt raise an unholy ruckus throughout the winter, but the most major objective appeared to have been accomplished.

Kain hoped that the backlash would not be too severe.