Hold On Dearly
Chapter 1
Disclaimer: I do now own Escaflowne and am not making money off this.
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Faint humming could be heard on this bright day. A child walked a long a dirt road no older then five years of age. By the looks of it one would say the child was female. Wearing only a simple plain dress and no foot coverings of any kind she continued onwards.
A gentle breeze ran its invisible fingers through her glistening white hair. Large childish eyes the color of liquefied red candle wax innocently looking from side to side at the lush trees and plant life growing all around this area. She knew there was a kingdom ahead… Fanelia if she heard the people right before she'd been dropped off here. That's right…I must go to this Fanelia… complete my birth right. She thought as she continued down the path. Climbing up a hill the breeze seemed to push the child up the hill. There her round eyes widened more if possible at the sight of her destination. The Kingdom protected by dragons was a beautiful sight indeed. A valley protected on three sides by mountains and the castle set up high overlooking the rest of the homes. Within those walls stood a massive tree bigger then anything she had ever seen before.
"It looks like a Tree House…" She gasped in astonishment.
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Not far behind the child a pair of beautiful unworldly jade eyes watching closely. These were the eyes of a hunter. A slight smile appeared across the figure's features filled with amusement of the girl's surprise over the view. Though there was also a hint of sorrow in those eyes for what this person was going to do.
Deciding now was as good as a time as every this figure silently started to close the gap between the two. All the while drawing a black blade from its sheath like a serpent ready to attack, the blade –a work of exquisite craftsmanship- had a white insignia just below the hilt.
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Faint…
Oh so faint… but it was there.
A presence familiar yet foreign at the same time. Turning quickly to search for the source the child saw nothing. Not a thing out of place.
"I don't understand…" She whispered to herself. A sudden cracking noise was heard just in time to see a large tree nearby was falling right on top of her. The small body was frozen in fear just for a moment before she jumped out of the way as the thick trunk came crashing to the ground. The dirt beneath her shook under the impact. Giving a hiss at the pain that shot up through the child's knees, hands and chest. Sniffling some she pushed herself up from the ground rubbing those wide eyes. Looking at the tree it became obvious this wasn't a coincidence as the trunk hadn't split in the usual uneven splinters but as a sooth slice. Turning her back to the tree she made to escape from the area but didn't even get three steps away before the sharp sound of another person zipping right up behind her.
A swift and harsh blow was landed to the back of her head. It had happened so quickly that the light left those eyes before that young body fell to the ground again.
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The figure stood over the unconscious body of the child. Sheathing the blade the man kneeled down near the child, "I'm sorry about this, little one. This is for your own good."
Gently picking up the child he leaned her against his knee. Using the pad of his thumb he brushed off the dirt and parted that white hair to get a good look at the innocent face. In a low voice the man started to chant a phrase in an unknown language as he waved his hand in front of the child. The hue of the figure's eyes took up a glow as the chanting increased. As a result the child's appearance shifted under the man's influence. Her white hair darkened to a rich brown tone with natural golden highlights from being out in the sun so much. Placing a finger on one of the eyelids he lifted it enough to see those red orbs change to a clear ocean blue.
When satisfied with his handiwork he set the child back down in a way that it looked as though the tree was the one that knock her down. Standing now he just took a few moments to watch her.
"I'm not expecting to ever be forgiven by you," Looking off down the road in the opposite way of the city the child was headed towards his eyes narrowed seeing a couple travelers coming this way, "Someday you'll understand my reasoning." Starting to move away from the child he added one last time, "For your sake… don't turn out like the rest of us. Find a way to break free of this cycle stained in blood… Find something or someone precious and hold onto them dearly. Goodbye…" With that the figure vanished into the forest from whence he came.
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"Balgus!" One of the travelers said, "There's a body behind this fallen tree."
This Balgus stepped over the fallen tree and kneeled down next to the same body. Pressing two fingers to the child's throat he sighed in relief, "Don't worry. She's alive." Looking around for any signs of others maybe parents he was disappointed not to see any though.
"Who could done this? To leave a child like this is a poor example of the carelessness of some…"
"Sir?"
"We'll take her with to Fanelia with us."