Not Beyond Recovery

Disclaimer: None of the characters of Escaflowne belong to me.

Note:

Welcome to the sequel to "A Perilous Pursuit." I know that I ended the last story on a bit of a cliffhanger. There is a more for us to explore with these characters and I intend to do that. The previous story was about the relationship between the Aston sisters so this one will tackle murkier territory, the Fanel brothers' relationship.

And of course, in all of this is the developing connection between Folken and Eries. But I'm going to try my best to tone down the cheesiness and romance. I want to develop their relationship well enough so that wherever they find themselves at the end of this road, it will feel earned. I hope that makes sense.

On a practical note, I'm thinking about posting one chapter a week. I want to be as regular as possible so that I feel more motivated to work and won't leave this story hanging for a ridiculous amount of time. The plan for now is to do five chapters like "APP" so I hope you won't get bored or annoyed.

Thank you for taking this journey with me. Happy reading.

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"Lord Van, may I have a word?"

Surprised, the young king of Fanelia turned around to face who had addressed him, Princess Eries Aston.

They had just attended a briefing on the current political and military situation in Gaea and he wondered what particular concerns she would have to discuss with him. He had never spoken to her alone other than to exchange formal greetings and courtesies whenever they would see each other around the palace. He was better acquainted with Princess Millerna but he had never had an opportunity to ask what her what her sister was like, not that there had been any need for such information. At that moment, however, knowing something more about Princess Eries would have been helpful to him.

"Of course, Princess," he replied respectfully, "how may I be of service to you?"

"It is quite a delicate matter, I believe," she explained, "and it would be better if we spoke in private."

He nodded and she led the way down a narrow corridor in some part of the palace that was unfamiliar to him. The hallway was deserted and it seemed as good a venue as any for a discreet conversation. They were surrounded by solid, stonewalls with no large pillars to hide potential eavesdroppers. Van understood why she had chosen this place.

"Now, what is this about exactly?" he asked curiously, once they seemed certain that no one was around to overhear their conversation.

Eries paused, as if making some final adjustments on a well-rehearsed speech before finally replying.

"Your brother."

Van stiffened visibly and the princess noted that immediately. She had expected as much so she had thought long and hard on the kind of approach she would take for this crucial discussion. She knew that she would have to tread carefully from hereon in but she was determined to see it through.

"What about him?" Van asked in a tone markedly cold.

"Forgive my intrusion," Eries began, "but have you ever spoken to him since his arrival in Asturia?"

"No," he answered curtly, "I assume that's what all the council meetings and inquiries are for. "

"Certainly," Eries agreed, "but surely there are some matters that you need to discuss between yourselves."

"I have nothing to say to that traitor," Van muttered scornfully, "and there is nothing he can say to me that I care to hear."

Eries sighed but she could not say she was surprised by such anger. Having observed Van's behavior towards his brother during various meetings, she had seen how the young man consistently rebuffed any of Folken's attempts to reach out to him.

While she was acquainted with having a difficult relationship with a sibling, she knew that there had never been so great a rift between her and Millerna. For this, she was grateful and because she could not even imagine the depth of the wounds suffered by the two brothers, she felt a strange desire to help them in any way that she could. Folken's role in improving her relationship with her sister made Eries feel a debt of gratitude to him and compelled her to do what she could to return the favor.

She had not seen or spoken to him since the visit to his laboratory. They had been too occupied with their duties to exchange even a quick word in the hallway. The ministers of the council were becoming increasingly demanding to Folken, grilling him even more relentlessly about Zaibach's military strategy and defensive technology. That he was no longer privy to all Dornkirk's plans was a factor these anxious officials refused to take into account. As far as they were concerned, Folken was the only lead they had on their enemy and they intended to make the most of his willingness to help.

Though her schedule was not less hectic, Eries still decided to do something for him. She knew well that there were few moments of respite that he could enjoy during his time in court. He was too dedicated to his work and too eager to atone for his past mistakes to complain about anything. But Eries knew that if there was anything that could be of any comfort to him, it would be some progress, no matter how small, towards reconciliation with his brother.

Eries generally disliked meddling in other people's affairs since she greatly valued her privacy. But she had seen how sincere Folken was about making amends to his brother, even against seemingly insurmountable odds, and she wanted him to have some chance of success. Her concern ran deeper than mere gratitude but she was not yet willing to acknowledge her current predicament. For the moment, she needed to focus on the task at hand, which was challenging enough without taking her convoluted motives into account.

"On the contrary," Eries suggested calmly, "do you not have much to discuss? You are angry with him, and justly so. But would it not be better to face him and express all your anger instead of constantly avoiding him. Clear everything up immediately and you will feel the better for it."

"What difference will that make?" Van answered dourly.

"More than you know," Eries explained, "after all, it is to everyone's interest to reduce discord. Misunderstandings cause more damage than they are worth. And we could all be spared so much pain if we confronted each other over the things we have done."

Van stared at a wall sullenly, his brow knotted in thought. Eries was glad that he was at least considering her words even if he clearly did not agree with them. His stubbornness was familiar to her and she was glad she had years of experience dealing with such behavior from her sister. Since he still refused to talk, she decided to prod him a little more.

"You have grown accustomed to rejecting him even when he only wants to talk to you," Eries continued, "you have the right to be angry at him but you can at least settle things properly instead of pretending he doesn't exist. Glaring at him in silence can only go so far."

"May I ask why you seem so concerned about my relationship with that man?" Van said earnestly while also trying to change the subject.

"I am doing this out of concern," Eries replied simply, but his bitter allusion to his brother did not go unnoticed, "I know that resentment is a heavy burden and you must never have to bear it any longer than necessary."

Van nodded respectfully. He was not so insensitive as to disregard the honor of having the concern of such a kind and well-respected lady. He did not know how he had gained her favor but he was thankful for it, all the same. He was also not so foolish as to ignore any counsel she had to offer. As reluctant as he was to change his opinion on his brother, Van knew that Princess Eries was right about letting go of resentment. Easier said than done, however.

"I am grateful for your concern, Princess Eries," Van said sincerely, "but I'm afraid I can never trust him."

"Of course," Eries replied, going out on a limb, "but do you think you could ever give him a chance to earn your trust?"

"No, not after everything he has done," Van declared gravely, "He razed our country to the ground as well as many others. He and his master have torn this world apart."

"I have not forgotten," Eries remarked somberly, "And neither has he."

"Good," the young man said icily, "he ought to be constantly reminded of his crimes."

At that moment, the young king's face bore an expression so cold and contemptuous that there was an unmistakable resemblance to his brother the Strategos. Folken's manners had grown considerably gentler since he defected from Zaibach but there was still an air of aloofness that he wore about him like a cloak. And in his defiant declaration, Van had, if only for an instant, adopted his brother's former appearance.

Eries found this fascinating. The Fanel brothers shared more in common than either cared to admit. But she knew that, in spite of everything, Van had always been of a gentler disposition and Folken would not have wanted his brother succumb to the darkening of spirit that happened so easily during times of war.

He clings obstinately to his anger, Eries thought, if he does not find a way to let it go, it will destroy him.

"How did he manage to get you to take his side?" Van asked suddenly, interrupting Eries' reverie.

"I don't see how his side differs from ours at this moment," Eries said simply, "No shift in allegiance is involved."

"You must be careful that he hasn't manipulated you, Princess Eries," Van warned. But as he spoke those words, he instantly regretted them.

There was a subtle but powerful change in Eries' countenance. She straightened up and gazed at him gravely and, to his mind, almost grimly. At that moment she seemed to tower over him and had he been a weaker man he would have quaked with fear at the look in her eyes. As it happened, he simply gulped nervously. He had faced dragons and deadly guymelefs and yet he had never felt so intimidated.

"Did you think I would be so weak as to be so easily manipulated?" she asked tersely.

Van looked down timidly, all of a sudden feeling like a little boy being scolded by his mother. But he never remembered his mother ever being this severe.

Seeing Eries thus, her dignity as piercing as a blade, her gaze exuding absolute authority, Van realized that she could have easily been a queen. He wasn't well acquainted with the particulars of Asturian succession and so did not understand why Millerna was heir to the throne when she was the younger princess. He never wondered about it until this moment. It occurred to him that the only reason Princess Eries wasn't queen of Asturia was because she chose not to be.

"Forgive me," Van said earnestly, "I meant no disrespect."

Eries' expression became less stern but she said nothing and Van was on his guard.

"You must not let him take advantage of you," Van cautioned with genuine concern.

"I assure you, I am perfectly capable of making my own judgments," Eries asserted.

"But I think he has gained your sympathy," Van continued gravely, "but you must not pity him. He brought all of this on himself. He has no one else to blame for his misfortune."

Eries was about to protest that being granted asylum in Asturia was hardly a misfortune but she sensed that Van was referring to something else entirely. She thought that perhaps he was lamenting the loss of brotherhood but this did not seem to be the case.

For the first time in their conversation, there was a note of sadness in his tone, which he tried to mask with bitterness. But she was not so easily deceived. There was something about the way he spoke that put her ill at ease, as if he alluded to an irrevocable circumstance.

Van had not noticed the princess' confusion. She was better by far at concealing her thoughts.

"He is trying his best to make amends," Eries ventured carefully, "surely that makes a difference to his fate."

Van shook his head and Eries felt a pang of worry.

"If he has shown them to you," the young man said, "you will know that nothing can change. I can't quite explain it, but I knew it as soon as I saw."

"I don't understand," Eries said with a frown, no longer hiding her puzzlement, "show what to me?"

Van looked at her in surprise and it was only dawning on him that she had no idea of what he had been talking about.

"You know that my brother and I are half-Draconian," he began slowly, making sure they were both on the same page this time.

"Yes, the others have informed me of that," Eries replied calmly although she was growing more and more apprehensive.

Her mind turned immediately to the single black feather that she had found during her visit to the laboratory. She had not spoken of it to anyone and had kept it safely between the pages of the book Folken had lent her. The book was on her bedside table and she spent several nights idly turning its pages only to open it to where the feather lay. She would stare at it, its dark color stark against the yellowish pages. There was always inexplicably ominous about it, as if it could convey a message or even tell a story in a language so ancient that it had no words. One simply knew, at a glance, what the feather represented. But she had obstinately ignored that strange message, as if refusing to acknowledge it would render it false.

"But my brother's wings have turned black," Van continued, "I think it happened just after he decided to defect from Zaibach."

And though she was almost certain of what this meant, Eries needed to hear it confirmed, even if this meant snuffing out her last glimmer of hope. She had put it off long enough. The princess took a deep breath and pursed her lips as she heard her dread put into words.

"My brother is dying."