02-Aug-2002
Twisted Fortune - An Escaflowne Fanfiction
By Bonnejeanne and Nixers
Contact: bonnejeanne@yahoo.com and nixerchan@aol.com
Warnings: Spoilers
Notes: Set a little over one year after Vision of Escaflowne's end.
Chapter Sixteen - Arrival at Freid
Part 40
They sat, back to back in silence. This time not for lack of anything to say, but an inability on both sides to even begin to say what was on their minds. It was easier when the meetings were just demands, or an exchange of information. The arguments and shared memories were easy things. What now had caught their attention was a change in their surroundings themselves.
Of all the times they had met, or could remember meeting, their dreams had never had substance. The entire solidity was in the presence of the other. But now...
In the direction Serena gazed out over, it was filled with the gently rolling fields of high grasses and solitary trees that made up the Schezar estates. A few butterflies danced on the breeze, their brilliant wings giving color against a gray, and clouded sky. Without a line of delineation, the other half of the realm seemed to be made of blacks and grays, the steel and concrete so distinctive to Zaibach architecture.
It wasn't so much the appearance of these visions, this background that was disturbing but the fact that within the fields, more than one patch of hill was revealed by the passing winds and bending of the high grass to be barren, blackened as if covered by the same substance of Dilandau's dream... and the boy could swear, out of the corner of his eye, just when he was focused elsewhere, he could see a flash of open land and covered sky, but the sight was always gone before he'd turn to look at it with more intense scrutiny.
The silence stretched as neither wanted to acknowledge out loud their own view, to find out that they were alone in the visions, or wanted to think about, if they were real, what it could mean.
There was another light gust of the passing breeze, that seemed to shift its direction, coming from behind the direction they were both viewing. The air seemed to carry an odd tang, almost spicy, earthy, like a breath from under the deep shadows of a thick wood. The silence was frayed by the shred of a distant sound, almost inaudible, like a deep whine over miles of ground, almost a vibration of the earth itself, too subtle to be heard, barely troubling the senses.
It was enough to turn the soldier's head instantly.
And what he saw at the edge of the landscape was neither grassland nor Zaibach city or desert. It was the unmistakable shadow of a forest as old as Gaea.
The touch of the breeze, had soothed inexplicably, almost as much as the sound had awoken both on some level, bringing a different type of tension than just their contact seemed to bring. Dilandau was the first to move, standing up and drawing Serena's attention to the new landscape.
Sensing the confusion and consternation more than seeing it Serena stepped forward, past the boy almost eagerly. "It's Fanelia," she explained as she passed. Looking back over her shoulder, she fixed him with a look of curiosity. "Don't you recognize it?"
Dilandau crossed his arms over his chest, a petulance giving him a delay before he followed a good five paces behind. "I've only seen it from above," he replied, walking along what he deemed as his side.
If they'd had to walk all the way to the forest, it might have been a trek, but Serena saw something in front of her, a slowly moving figure that resolved into a boy walking, the forest behind him, his dark head down, his normally energetic stride a little wandering or uncertain. He seemed almost to walk with one foot through the waving grass and the other across sand or gravel. Each step brought him a great deal closer, but his expression was troubled, his eyes down and he seemed oblivious to the land he walked through or the figures ahead of him.
At that, both had paused, falling into a silence again, watching the other's progress with disbelief and a little wonder. It almost seemed like he carried the land of forests with him, sprouting in full growth and health in his footsteps, and it seemed, outside of his awareness.
"What's he looking at?" Dilandau asked, breaking the silence first. Serena shook her head.
"Does it matter?" she asked, throwing her other a beaming expression, before breaking out into a full run. "Van!" she called, seeking, hoping with all her heart for his attention and crossing the grassy lands on bare feet.
"...they drove me out, the dragons drove me this.." the Fanelian said aloud as if answering some question only he heard, and then he blinked, hearing Serena's cry almost a full second after it sounded. Looking up, his eyes widened and he stopped, then reached out instantly to catch her as she flung herself towards him. The flash of joy/confusion/hope shook the vagueness from his face and he held her tightly, kissing her face with desperate hasty kisses. Clutching her against him he glanced up over her should and saw the figure standing beyond, and the second shock was almost greater than the first, flashing from his eyes with a heartstopping intensity that almost seemed to fill the air with feathers...
Curling against Van with desperation, Serena seemed to latch onto him as if he'd disappear. "It's been forever. Been too long," she paused, looking up at him, the vulnerability slipping under a familiar grin. "But then every second is too long," she added.
Over her, Van could hear the low crackle of gravel shifting beneath bootheels as the boy slowly approached, after an indeterminate moment, he simply smirked, whatever indecision had been holding the boy gone, and sat down heavily at Van's side, conspicuously in close contact. "Didn't expect to see you here too," he said, with a sidelong look. "Though now I just need to figure out how to keep you."
One of Van's arms held Serena tightly against him and the other shot out, grabbing the albino's wrist with a fiercely possessive grip. For the moment he could not form coherent words, and simply kissed Serena's lips and cheeks, and then pulled that pale hand up against his own cheek and kissed the palm, a bit of silver liquid spilling off tanned cheeks as his eyes sought first blue, then garnet and back. After neither of them melted away or disappeared, he managed to speak. "Where... is 'here'?"
Serena had reached up, gently tracing the lines of liquid that had fallen, erasing them. At the question her blue eyes clouded with confusion before glancing at Dilandau uncertainly, but the boy seemed to have no better answer. He shrugged one shoulder. "Somewhere in between. No one's awake right now... but I don't think we're sleeping either."
The boy shrugged again, apparently unhappy with his answer, another glance was shared between the two.
"I don't know," Serena confessed. "I've.... been ... here longer, but it's never been like this."
"I want to stay," Van said simply, his voice throbbing slightly. "I want..." he dropped his eyes for a moment. Then he looked up quickly, his eyes going from one to the other easily, as if drinking something strengthening. "I was walking in Fanelia. Trying to find something... the dragons drove me to the edge of the trees, I didn't understand why..."
Serena giggled. "Just Gimpy taking care of you... after all they brought you to us." She smiled brightly at the last. Her tone was a little uncertain, as if she couldn't quite believe it yet.
Dilandau only turned and stared at her, making an incredulous face. "Gimpy...." he repeated, arching an eyebrow.
She stuck out her tongue at the albino and snuggled deeper against Van.
Van stroked Serena's back soothingly, refusing to let go of Dilandau's hand, twining his fingers between the other boy's in a possessive grip. "Serena..." he said quietly. "I need to ask you... and if it's wrong I don't think I can do anything about it..."
Both were watching him intently, though in truth, neither had been truly able to take their attention away for long. "Mmm?" she asked, drawing back only far enough to meet cinnamon eyes.
Van reached around her waist and took her arm, shifting her hand to rest in his lap. Then he drew Dilandau's hand toward it and captured both his and hers in his fingers. Focusing on those twined hands, not looking at either of them, he said, "I was taught there was room in a heart for a single love, I don't mean excluding family or dear friends. But one heart to one... like my f-father and mother. Have I... is it..." he swallowed. "I want him, and I need him, Serena, as I need you. Have I.... is it because I'm half Draconian or something not human?" he whispered. "And is it not somehow less than he deserves, than you..."
"Why are you giving me this choice and not him?" she asked, her eyes darting away from both. She paused a second, but before giving Van a chance to respond, she babble on, "If that's what makes you happy then that's what I want. And you aren't less or something, at least you have a name for what you are. It wasn't much of a choice when I just thought that he was I and I was just as crazy as everyone thought, and how come it doesn't hurt..." she asked staring down at where her and Dilandau's hands met, underneath Van's.
Van flinched ever so slightly from the first of her words but listened closely to all of them, his eyes rising to move from her face to Dilandau's and back. "Why you," he said softly, meeting her blue eyes and then turning to face the other boy's garnet ones, "Because he knew from the beginning that you had a full claim on my heart. And he's let me have more, knowing." Leaning forward, Van kissed the other boy's lips briefly but tenderly, gratefully. It was almost an homage.
Dilandau had leaned in just slightly, his hand rising halfway then pausing, not wanting to dispel the sensation.
Serena watched quietly a strange sort of curiosity on her face. "He.... you," she corrected, glancing at Dilandau, "Even kind of look like me," she said, watching the boy return the scrutiny. "I hadn't really noticed. I knew, but I hadn't noticed." She dropped her eyes from the red ones, who were challenging her to make something of it. "I don't think I mind," she said, dropping her voice and the bravado. "It doesn't hurt as long as you look at me that way too.... I just don't want to be here anymore."
Van kissed her, his eyes holding nothing back from her, as clear as their first night together. Then he bent down and rested his cheek against their twined hands. "I do," he said softly. "It's the only time I've felt whole. I... maybe... maybe we're supposed to meet here after...? If so, I'm ready."
This caught the boy's attention far more sharply. "After... what?" he asked cautiously.
Raising his head slowly, Van met Dilandau's eyes with some reluctance. "After it's... all done," he said slowly.
The statement was met with something of a growl, drawing Serena's confused attention. "If you start getting suicidal on me, I swear I'll go back to trying to kill you," he paused at that, somewhere between a troubled expression and a wry smirk. "Maybe not kill, just make it enough trouble to change your mind."
Serena's eyes had hardened at that, "What's this all about?" she asked, her tone bordering on a demand, looking at both boys scathingly.
Van winced and then reluctantly smiled. "All right, all right," he said, in a tone of surrender. "I'll find a way... I don't know how, but I'll find a way..." He turned his head, as if hearing something in the forest behind. "They... wouldn't send me here if there wasn't any hope."
Shifting his free hand to his hip, the defensive anger slipped into a more familiar arrogance. "Seems fine to me."
"That's because you're going to wake up," Serena retorted, then gave him a grin. "Which I mean to talk to you about."
"After," Dilandau said. Something about the conversation gave Van the feeling that the majority of it wasn't out loud anymore.
The girl shrugged slightly, her free hand pulling down her lower lid at the boy before relaxing back against Van. It was almost frighteningly like standing between siblings.
Van's attention moved from one to the other but his expression was neutral, which is to say, regarding each with a quite open, deep love, but sensing that he could have no part in influencing the dynamics that seemed to tip between them.
The sun had just barely risen from its bed of the eastern mountains when the bleary eyed crewmen of the first watch began to spot the outlying settlements on Freid's border. Radyen poked one large elbow into Gaddes' side. The first mate woke noisily from his "comfortable" position in the far corner of the bridge, half draped across one of the consoles.
Gaddes had long decided this was a safer part of the ship, as during the days of the trip, it had seemed like both the Captain and their guests had near disappeared into the interior. He had long experience in the fact that when someone makes themselves that scarce on a small ship, curiosity usually wasn't worth the consequences.
The only constants had been two things over the past few days, Kaerin was spending more and more time on the bridge, under the pretense of conversation and company, but every man could see him discreetly glancing out the massive windows more than once in any given conversation. The other was the sorcerer they'd picked up. The man hadn't so much as stirred as anyone could tell. Gaddes' own shift had been more than enough to unnerve him. No one should be that still, and still be alive. Besides, he could almost swear there was a smile on the creepy guy's lips.
Rubbing one hand briskly over his face, he stood up, stretching out the kinks of the unaccustomed position, "Already here huh?" he mumbled more to himself than the others in the small room. "Suppose someone should be get the Cap'n," he said pointedly, scowling lightly as each man seemed to make themselves busy.
A hand dropped onto his shoulder. "Here," Allen said briefly, coming onto the bridge, looking clear headed and awake as usual. "Passing the borders? Good. Start the speed decrease as we get close to the city."
Ignoring a few scattered snickers as he got his startled grimace under a more collected appearance, Gaddes ran his fingers roughly through his hair and nodded. "You're about early," he commented, a little defensively.
Allen raised one gold eyebrow and simply shook his head briefly. "You have a cabin - you should use it sometime," he mentioned. Taking a look at the ship's consoles, and then out at the landscape passing, he said, "I'm surprised Kaerin's not up here yet."
Gaddes smirked slightly at that. "Yet being the key word there. Got an hour or two by the looks of it til we get to the city." In the far distance, remains of the temple, sat, untouched by any workman's efforts still. Most of the masonry was still intact, but it held a hollowed out appearance from where the fire had eaten out the wood from the inside out. Gaddes shrugged again, pausing another moment to try and rub come clarity back into his eyes. "Sides, why bother staring at four walls when I've got these ugly mugs to keep in line."
Allen shook his head again, without looking around. He too took a moment to gaze at the burned out temple. "Cid..." he said softly. Then he shook himself. "Put up Fanelia's flag above Asturia's, so the Prince will know on who's behalf we've come."
Gaddes looked at Allen strangely for a moment before wandering for the door. "Yeah, probably better. Zaibach's flag'd prolly get us shot down if we had one."
Allen snorted softly without answering.
Thinking it over, he realized that none of the men were going to relish the next errand, and turned to do it himself. He made his way through the ship to the door of the cabin being used by Van and Dilandau. Knocking briefly, he called, "We're passing the borders into Freid." Without waiting for an answer, he went back a bit and took a moment to check on the prisoner.
"We're at the borders," Allen said to Kaerin, as he found the young knight on guard duty. He glanced in and then closed and locked the door. "If you want to go up, send Pile down, I'll stay till he gets here."
Kaerin relaxed slightly from the attention he'd taken at Allen's approach. He glanced out one of the portholes in the outer wall and back to Allen a tiny smile on his face. "Thanks." After a pause he added. "Remind me not to play your men at cards when shifts are at stake again." With that he picked up the sword belt he'd laid to the side within easy reach of the post, and pulled it around himself.
Allen chuckled. "Don't play my men at cards with *anything* at stake that you care about loosing," he commented.
The younger knight shook his head, returning the mirth with a matching expression. "Oh, I can hold my own when it's important enough," he replied. Stretching out his shoulders with another glance out the window, he said. "I won't have Pile keep you long." The younger man mimed tipping a hat formally before turning for the bridge with fast strides that seemed just a pace under a run.
Allen smiled slightly and rested his shoulders against the wall next to the door.
It was a noticeably wind ruffled and far more awake first mate who came back into the bridge from his brief stay on the outer decks. Finding Kaerin there, watching the passing landscape with feigned disinterest wasn't unexpected, but Allen and Pile missing was a change in crew that wasn't quite the normal change of itinerary.
"You're a bit late, Gaddes commented off hand. At the knight's polite, but uncomprehending stare he elaborated. "Thought you'd be up earlier."
The other man shrugged and returned to looking out the window. "Won someone else's bad shift," he replied quietly. "Allen-san should be returning soon I think."
In the cabin, Van finished pulling on his clothes and gloves, and settled the borrowed Zaibach sword again into his belt. He looked up at the Captain, running his eyes over the familiar figure as a kind of reassurance.
Dilandau was not by any estimation or chance, a morning person. He'd been quite happy, half asleep, but warm and rather comfortable. Leaving that this early, or leaving that at all for that matter was not high on his ranks of things to do. Pulling his boots on with every show of reluctance, he kept up a thoughtless monologue to himself. "Too damned early for political bullshit," he lamented. "Now a good fight would be worth getting up, even if it was to him pounding on the door." With a slight growl to himself, he began to notice he was just filling up the space of the silence. Standing up abruptly, he brushed down the civilian's clothes. Then with a glance at Van he admitted, "Could be worse though."
Van listened to the one-sided conversation, letting it move against his ears like the sound of rainfall. "We have to find the sorcerers," he said quietly. "That should be worth getting up for." Then he crossed the short space and slid his arms around the albino's waist. He regarded him for a moment, looking into the garnet eyes as another capture of something important to hold onto, and kissed him briefly, but not without heat. Then he moved back, giving Dilandau his space.
Running a bare hand lazily along Van's side in a familiar, possesively-edged gesture, Dilandau closed the space again minutely. "More of a hunt than a fight," Dilandau said, though the red eyes had lit up noticeably at the reminder of their quarry. "Depending on how they chose to travel the might not even be here yet." With a moments consideration, he grinned at the thought. "Which would be convenient, an ambush would be much more fun."
Van's lips curved slightly, in what could be recognized as an affectionate half-smile. "It will be fun to get this over with," he mentioned. He reached up and brushed the back of his glove-clad fingers against a pale cheek. "Then I can concentrate on finding a way to make this work... for all of us."
The albino leaned into the caress slightly as a cat would. When his eyes opened again they had something more of a playful gleam to them than earlier. "I like my idea of fun better," he replied lightly.
Van's smile widened. "You would," he said. Then his expression became more serious. "If you want any say in what Allen tells Prince Cid, best get it settled now."
With a slight grimace of distaste, the other boy nodded. "Was wondering how long I could put that off." He leaned forward, pulling Van into a lingering kiss before breaking off with a step backwards. "There were more favorable alternatives around." With another lazy grin at Van, he pulled on his own sword, the glossy belt looking somehow out of place on the loose cotton clothes, and moved for the door.
With a barely bemused expression, Van glanced around the small cabin with a quickly suppressed expression of longing and fell into step at the other boy's heels, and then beside him when the narrow passageway permitted.
As they entered the perpetually open doorway of the main bridge of the Crusade II, things had seemed to either have settled or never had gotten stirred in the first place. The typical crew manning the small area had left, each to attend a different part of the ship, waiting for the command to slow and descend, leaving only a handful of familiar faces in their stead.
Stepping forward to the window's the Dragonslayer Captain took a place to lean beside the blond swordsman, ignoring the speculative glances form the other two occupants of the room. Pretending to take as much interest in the countryside as the others seemed to, he said, "Allen," in something between a greeting, and the trailing start to a conversation.
Allen glanced at the young soldier. "Came up for air, did you?"
A smirk at that statement quickly replaced the neutral one he'd tried to begin with. With a slight widening of expression into a grin. "Had to happen eventually." Shifting slightly he shook his head and decided to hell with tact. "What are you planning on telling Cid?" he asked bluntly.
Allen turned to face Dilandau more directly, his expression loosing any hint of humor. "The truth. That there may be Zaibach sorcerers seeking to take control of the Power Spot. Is that a problem?"
"Depends on what truth involves whom," he replied, picking the words precisely. "Two hunts would be counterproductive," he finished, the smirk remaining without humor.
Allen contemplated the Zaibach youth for a moment, then nodded slowly. "If you are prepared to coordinate with him, I am prepared to request that the Prince work with you. On behalf of Fanelia, Asturia... and myself."
Both silver eyebrows rose a fraction at that, the boy's expression turning to one of thoughtful surprise at the idea of coordination. With a sideways glance at Allen he said, "Of yourself.... a rather large risk you'd be taking."
"I'm glad you realize that," Allen said. Blue eyes met garnet steadily. "Am I making a mistake, Dilandau?"
The direct question was met with an averted glance, garnet eyes glancing towards Van with an almost unreadable expression before returning to the swordsman. With an audible exhalation, the Dragonslayer Captain shrugged. "How should I know?"
Allen tilted his head slightly, and then said, "Well, it won't be the first time I've gambled, anyway."
Dilandau grinned slightly, a dark humor returning in a quick shift of moods. "Makes the game more interesting anyway," Glancing down at the half rebuilt city barely coming within view, he continued, "Though I've never enjoyed playing fair." With calculating look at Allen he asked, "Any chance of avoiding the aristocracy all together?"
"Not this trip," Allen replied dryly. "And, however you play... don't lose this one." He glanced at Van and then turned back to look out over the railing.
"Hmmph, like anyone plays to lose," Dilandau muttered, stepping back with another scan of the room and its occupants.
Van had settled slightly between Dilandau and Kaerin. He watched and listened to the exchange, as his eyes moved over the land below, the sights bringing up memories of a time that seemed to get closer rather than further away with each passing day.
A soft clearing of a throat brought attention to the Third Knight standing at Van's side. With a subdued glance at Dilandau he offered, "You'd have to see Cid, to see Freya anyway. The clergy are a high enough caste that they can be secluded and well guarded, even now." Kaerin turned back to the window again, using the change of focus to gauge the young king's reaction as well.
Van looked over at Kaerin. "She asked me to come, I'm here," he said briefly. "If you are saying I must seek her out," he shrugged. "The sorcerers must be stopped. I'll answer other requirements as I am permitted."
Kaerin pursed his lips but nodded. Eyes sweeping over the still expansive city, the young man gave a sharp smile. "And how are you expecting to find them?"
"You'd rather we didn't?" Van growled quietly.
"I'd rather nothing in this matter," Kaerin replied. "Just pointing it out."
Van scowled slightly and dropped his eyes. He didn't want the Heavenly Knight to see his uncertainty, nor the desperate need he felt to stop what he feared was coming. Another war... another tampering with Gaea's Fate.
Gaddes shook his head slightly, having happily stayed unobtrusive at Allen's other side. "Great, ain't even there yet an' having a pissing contest," he said under his breath. More audibly he asked, eyeing the approaching city, "Orders?" more out of habit than need.
"Get a direction from the sentinels," Allen answered, knowing that there were watchers on the towers that would guide them to a safe berth even as the relayed the arrival to the Prince.
"Aye," he responded walking back to take the wheel by the center column, eyes on the towers as they descended, watching for the flagged directions. The ship leveled and began to turn, skimming over the rooftops and empty hallowed out buildings below. Though smaller, Fanelia had made much better and dramatic progress in rebuilding.
Stepping back from the rail, Kaerin favored Allen with a slight bow. "If you'll excuse me, I need to gather my possessions."
Allen acknowledged with a nod.
As the Heavenly Knight disappeared down the adjoining hallways, Gaddes looked after him and shrugged, half commenting to the others in the room, "Go figure. You'd think he'd be in a better mood going home."
Van moved closer to Dilandau, turning once more to look out over the countryside. "They could have done so much more," he said softly.
Dilandau glanced down as well, though one hand, out of easy sight, slid cool fingers down Van's exposed arm. "Battlements and towers are rebuilt by the looks," he commented. After a moment he continued with another grin. "Looks like we made them a little paranoid after the last time."
Van leaned into the touch slightly. He shook his head. "Fanelia was burnt to the ground, but we rebuilt homes and farms... not battlements. I believed in peace." His jaw clenched. "They seem to be expecting war. It must... stop."
Giving Van a sympathetic look, most likely unnoticed from his vantage point, Gaddes snorted slightly, glancing at the albino's back. "What's all this 'we' crap?"
Dilandau glanced halfway over his shoulder, smirking. "Are you trying to say you weren't involved? I could have sworn I saw the Crusade after the temple collapsed."
Locking down the wheel, Gaddes scowled and cross his arms. "That's different. Totally different sides of the line."
Van didn't glance back at the dark-haired second in command, but he answered quite clearly. "The lines don't matter," he said. "They never did. We were all involved."
Gaddes regarded the king soberly a moment before dropping his hands with a sigh. "Now there's a thought to get good and properly drunk over."
"Let's just make sure you have the leisure to do that, Gaddes," Allen said mildly, by way of smoothing over the momentary ruffling. "North northeast - there's our berth."
"All right, all right," Gaddes replied in slow good humor, "Shut up and steer, I get it." With a half smirk tossed at the tall blond, the dark haired man set into doing just that, calling sharp precise orders down speaking tubes, bringing the ship down slowly on the clearing.
Van straightened, and then reached out, catching Dilandau's hand and placing it unerringly over the hidden pendent under the Captain's shirt. Then he dropped his hand and waited for the ship to settle, watching for the approach of any designates from the royal family.
Fingering the outline of the pendant with a considering stare at Van, the albino's regard only returned to the happenings outside as they pronounced tiny impacts of the ship setting firmly brought his attention back. Clearly visible form the windows was a small group, trying to calm unsettled horses in the proximity and noise of the airship. Looking past them with disinterest, he glanced at the city visible behind. /Back to where the worst of everything./ With the half coherent though, he caught Van's hand briefly at his side before moving half to the doorway. He turned and gave the others an expectant look.
Allen took the lead position, moving down the ladder gracefully.
Van moved to Dilandau's side and then around him, moving down next, placing himself in a position able to intercede defensively in the slight chance that the Zaibach Captain might be recognized and actions taken.
The guards and the ambassador on the ground did little more than stare a little overly long at the very unusual features, their main attention however was fixated on the Captain of the airship, however. The guards only shifted slightly to take into account another's approach, apparently from the back hatchway.
"Lord Schezar," the Ambassador began, the man in simple, if will cut oranges nudged his horse forward. "The honorable Prince extends his surprise and happiness at your visit, and has requested that you kindly join him within the palace proper."
Allen bowed with his hand over his heart. "We would be honored, sir," he answered immediately.
The man nodded, turning to Van as well. "O-Fanelia, it is good to have you within our borders once again," he said formally. With a look to the other members of the assembled group, he returned his gaze to Allen. "And your guests?" he asked.
"The young man's identity is for Prince Cid's ears first," Allen said. "He is here on behalf of the good will of another nation. We've been entrusted with a matter of extreme discretion. I will vouch for him personally."
Canny eyes flickered to the young man in question speculatively for a moment. "As you request M'Lord," the statesmen said. Glancing up and away, the man's eyes settled on the newcomer, just arriving. "Sir Tomant... So that's what she meant," he greeted.
Kaerin slung his duffle from over his shoulder, comfortably taking a place behind the rest of the group. "Norin-san." He returned. "What was it this time?"
The man identified as Norin shook his head. "The high priestess merely scared the staff into having your room cleaned. We'd written it off to a ... delicate mindset."
The statement was met with a slight, fond smile. "Figures she'd know."
The man on horseback returned his attention to the others. "We were not expecting a group so large. I must extend my apologies. There is a coach being sent at this moment."
Allen followed the Ambassador and guards into the throne room, leading the small group from the Crusade. He saw that the boy standing on the dais before then had grown taller, his sensitive face showing even more of his mother's delicate beauty.
Allen knelt and bowed deeply to the Prince.
The young prince slid off of the throne made for someone twice his age and crossed the dais to stand before the group. "Allen-san. It's good to see you again after so long," Cid said warmly. Turning slightly the Prince ducked his head in Van's direction. "And I hear Fanelia is doing well in these times of peace."
Van bowed to the Prince. "Her people have worked hard to rebuild, your highness, as yours have."
The Prince tilted his head slightly. "So my advisors tell me," he said, a trace of a look a little too old for the boy in front of them passing across the cherubic face. "I only wish I could do more." He backed up a pace, his face once again taking the more open smile of before. "What has brought you here so suddenly Allen-san?"
"A matter which requires discretion, Your Highness. May we speak as privately as possible? Only your most trusted advisors?" Allen asked.
"Alone then," Cid said. He shook his head slightly as both the head of his advisors and his guards made to protest the announcement. The simple gesture seemed to quiet both into an uneasy, but respectful obedience. Stepping lightly, the child led the way to a half concealed doorway behind the throne. "This way please."
Allen bowed and followed, including the others in the small group with a look and a slight inclination of his head.
Kaerin was the only one to remain behind, giving a deep bow to the members of the court once he rose in the Prince's absence, and quietly left the audience chambers to find his own way.
The room within was sparse but well suited to small gatherings. Paperwork and various maps of both the city and the surrounding countryside littered the wide wooden table. Several assorted chairs circled the wide breadth of the desk, the most comfortable of them seemly reserved for the young Prince, as an unobtrusive padded block has been placed on it so the young ruler could see above the rim of the table at meetings.
As the last of the visitors had filed into the room, a guard pushed the heavy door shut, muting the noise of the court into hardly more than a muffled whisper.
Allen waited until the door was closed and then turned to the Prince. "We've come on a roundabout journey," he began. "From Fanelia, to Zaibach... and thence to here. I've spoken with General Adelphos, as has King Van, and been made aware of certain events that have taken place - the elimination of a Zaibach turncoat in Basram. One responsible for the energist bomb that caused such destruction at the end of the Fate Wars. Adelphos made the decision to end the activities of the sorcerers in Zaibach... but some of them decided to avoid detainment, and fled. Adelphos sends an officer after these escaped ones."
The Prince seemed to deflate slightly in his seat, one hand playing with the ornamental sword at his side. "So rumors of northern conflict is true.. I'd hoped they were lies," Cid confessed looking at the surface of the table. After a moment, his brow furrowed slightly, looking up first at Allen then at the face he didn't recognize, blinking slightly at the gaze that didn't turn from his in the slightest. "Officer?" Cid asked the Knight.
Allen nodded. "Your Highness..." he looked into the young ruler's eyes earnestly. "I believe that Zaibach is attempting to make right what it can." Then he turned to Dilandau. "This is Captain Dilandau Albatou."
It took but a moment for the recognition of the name to set in. The child-Prince's eyes widened looking between the man he respected and the one he'd heard enough stories of to fear. "Allen?" Cid asked softly for reassurance, sounding more like a normal young child than the mantel of the Prince they saw in the room outside.
Dilandau, too, had glanced at Allen, but his look was more communicative of "This was a bad idea," than anything else.
It was Van who broke the silence of the moment. "Prince Cid," he said quietly. "In Freid, more than anywhere else I have ever been, a man may be judged by the truth in his heart. This man's heart has carried burdens even I can not truly understand. In the war, we were enemies. I know now it was neither his choosing nor mine. Gaea asks that we look beyond what we knew."
Cid was still a long moment, his eyes having dropped from Vans to the table again. He seemed to gather himself up again before breaking his own silence. "Forgive me, my guests, if it takes me a while to understand how the man you once came to me seeking refuge from now sits beside you." He shook his head slightly, blue eyes finally looking up to meet Allen's and Van's steadily after a short, still nervous glance in Dilandau's direction. Slowly be began again. "I have trusted you once before, when all the evidence was just as contrary... I will... try my best to do the same again."
"That is all we can ask," Allen said. "Van is right. We must think beyond the ways that brought us to war. We are here because the Captain's intelligence is that the sorcerers may be heading for Freid. They were overheard in a plan to attempt to take over the Power Spot."
Cid frowned and gave Allen and the Captain in question a confused look. "They must be very desperate. We've only managed to recover control of the Power Spot in recent months.... the caretakers of it tell me that there is very little power still within it."
"It may be beyond their ability, Your Highness, but it was not something Adelphos was prepared to allow," Allen said. "With your permission we will prevent them from making the attempt."
Prince Cid nodded hesitantly, not particularly liking the thoughtful and visibly disturbed look on the strange looking man his friends and allies had brought with them. "I will increase the guard at all parts of the new temple," the Prince said quietly. "And can offer you the direction of my guard, such as they are."
Folding his hands on the top of the table, the Prince lifted his chin, trying to master the "stately" look his instructors had gone on about. "If there's any other way I can aid you...."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Allen said respectfully.
Van spoke, after a brief moment. "Your Highness, I received a message from Freya Tomant, delivered by her brother. As events have brought me here, I feel I must attempt to meet with her if it is possible."
Cid blinked once at the unrelated request before nodding with a slight smile. "You will of course already have access to the temple. I believe I've heard that name as one of the clergy. It would be a good chance you may find her there. If not, I can have someone send for her tomorrow, if that suits you, Sire."
Van bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Your Highness."
Dilandau, having bitten the inside of his lip to keep from commenting for the duration of the meeting, finally gave up and broke into the brief silence. "While we are on requests, where are we staying?" he asked, not waiting for a reply he went on quickly. "And how soon can we check out this temple?"
The boy looked started at the new voice. He paused a moment before saying, "Funny, I thought you'd sound different.." he commented, deciding that the man wasn't all that scary, now that he'd heard him. Giving a slight smile in the face of the albino's sudden scowl he focused on answering the questions. "You may stay here in the palace. Rooms can be arranged although much of the construction isn't complete, or you can arrange for them within the city itself if you'd prefer. As for the temple," Cid's face scrunched a bit in consideration. "By this afternoon. It takes a little time to get word to everyone."
Any further conversation between the Prince and his visitors was cut short by a rapping on the heavy door. Cid sighed audibly and climbed down from his chair, smoothing down his clothes. "I'm sorry but I have to go now." With a glance up at Allen, he asked, "Perhaps later tonight, after court concludes?"
Allen smiled. "I'd be honored... and would truly enjoy any time you can spare me, Your Highness," he said quietly.
The boy nodded up to the swordsman before knocking quickly on the door. In moments, it was pushed open by the same guard. The man quickly moved aside to allow the Prince room to walk. The bald headed guard looked around at the assembled group after the young ruler had left. "Staying or leaving?" the man asked simply.
Allen glanced at the other two and headed for the door.
"Leaving, most definitely leaving," Dilandau said inaudibly, following after. One hard to access exitway was not something that settled well on his nerves.
THE END OF PART 40!