Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne or any of its characters. This is all purely for fun so please don't sue me. I don't own anything worth owning anyways.
The hungry Sheep look up and are not fed,
But swoln with wind, and the rank they draw,
Rot inwardly, and foul contagion spread...
-John Milton, Lycidas
NEKO HIME
By leila
Chapter 1: Birth of a Princess
The newborn morning light danced across the glistening sea like a million diamonds had been caught in its' waves. A gentle breeze blew the sea air across the city and sent the water gently lapping against the shore where a throng had gathered for a day of celebration. Through the blue sea above a convoy of airships had approached in the night docking on the cliffs that cradled Palas of Asturia. They were finally home, the tired and weary soldiers from a distant war and their king with them.
Theresa stared out the palace window high above the city and saw none of it. Only her face reflected in the glass panes. Once it had been beautiful and proud, the face of queen wrapped in a golden halo of curls that cascaded down her back. Now creased with the year of worrying and waiting. She had cried so many nights staring out the window towards the sea, but the tears would no longer come.
Behind her she could see the crib where a baby, her baby, slept soundly. A dozen times already that morning she had considered grabbing the tiny bundle and tossing it over the balcony. She hadn't. She couldn't. Perhaps if one of the canals had run below the window she would have tossed the whole cradle but there was only the hard ground, and she didn't want to kill it.
Behind her, the sound of footsteps quickly approaching her room echoed down the corridor. She began to shake; her whole body trembled at the sound. The sound of her doom.
He appeared, reflected in the panes, his large muscular body filling the doorframe. In his arms he carried a young girl with golden locks; her arms wrapped tightly about his neck.
"Theresa," he said softly, but she did not turn to him.
"Momma! Daddy is home!" the girl cried.
His free hand turned Theresa away from the window and she was forced to look at him.
"Grava." Her voice shook.
He gently kissed her. "I have missed you, Theresa. Marlene tells me I have a new daughter."
Marlene giggled. "She's so pretty, Daddy."
"I bet she is. Let's take a look."
"You'll wake her," Theresa said quickly. "Wait until later."
"I'll be quiet," he laughed gently. Still holding Marlene he walked to the crib. Grava's face paled whiter than a sheet, and Marlene slipped from his arms to fall on the floor with a thud. Marlene began to wail loudly, but her voice could not outmatch Grava's single quiet word. "Spots." He said nothing else only turned and left the room.
Theresa closed her eyes and collapsed against the window, sliding down the glass to the floor. She buried her head in her skirts and stared to sob.
+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+
A cold hand shook Eries out of her peaceful slumber. She wearily opened one eye to find she was not in her own room, but her sister's. Marlene stood beside the bed, the moonlight casting eerie shadows off her face.
"I'm sorry, sister. I didn't mean to doze off in your bed," Eries apologized. It was nice to snuggle in the warm sheets and she hoped Marlene wouldn't make her move to the floor.
"Oh, never mind that. We'll get the hair cleaned up tomorrow."
Marlene usually got angry when she found white strands of hair in her bed. Not that Eries shed a whole lot; she only grew fur on her wrists, shoulders, ankles, and tail. White and silky fluffs that she trimmed and brushed every day so it would stay hidden beneath her sleeves.
"Mother had a baby, Eries," Marlene said. "A baby like me."
Eries tried to smile. "Can we go see it?"
"I'm going to see her, but Father is there so you'd better wait." Marlene eyes narrowed. "Father's happy to have another normal child."
"What's her name?" Eries asked, at a loss for anything else to say.
"Millerna Sara Aston."
"Pretty."
Marlene turned to leave and Eries buried her head into covers to keep from crying.
"Are you going to be okay, neko?" Marlene asked.
"Yes, onee-sama."
The door clicked shut behind Marlene as she left.
Another daughter, the thought traveled slowly through Eries's mind. On one hand, she was happy it took after Marlene. She would never have to bind her tail to her leg or pin her ears to her head to hide her deformities. She wouldn't be forced to wear the high collars and long sleeves that concealed the black spots that speckled Eries's arms, legs, and neck. She would be free to roam about the castle and the city instead of being confined to a few isolated rooms. She would never be a disgrace to the family like Eries was.
But she would have their mother's love. Both their parents already adored Marlene. They talked constantly about what a beautiful young lady she was becoming and how proud they were of her. Father especially adored Marlene but he did not feel the same about Eries. Father couldn't stand the sight of her; and if her cat-like qualities weren't completely hidden he would get angry. Not all of the dark marks that blemished her pale skin were natural.
Mother was Eries's one refuge. Marlene could be cruel sometimes, but Mother was kind. She'd taught Eries how to embroider and would take her for walks in the garden occasionally. But she didn't really love her, and Eries knew it. Marlene would be embraced in their mother's arms and showered with praise and kisses, she'd tell Marlene how much she loved her and Eries would watch, wanting so badly to held like that.
Mother never said 'I love you'. She only said 'I'm sorry' and Eries didn't understand why.
Eries began to drift back asleep. Maybe this Millerna would love her; maybe Millerna wouldn't hate her for being a freak.
It could have been a minute, or perhaps an hour, but the next thing Eries knew the door was open again and the large form of Father was in the room. He'd once been a muscular man, but now he was large in a different way.
Eries sat up and pulled the sheets around her to hide her spots and tail; there was nothing she could do about her ears.
"Eries?"
"Yes, Father?" She controlled her voice carefully to keep it from shaking.
"Your mother is dead," he said emotionlessly.
The words hit hard and she didn't even notice when he approached her.
"She died soon after giving birth. It was too much for her."
Tears slid down Eries's face and she wiped them away with the sheets. Her father's hand came to rest upon her head and stroked her pale blonde hair almost comfortingly.
"Eries, you must come with me. There's something that needs to be done."
Eries didn't move. Mother was dead. The words were unreal. Mother. Dead. Gone. No more refuge. No more kindness. Father scooped her up out of bed, the sheet still wrapped around her, and held her gently as she sobbed into his broad shoulder. She'd never been held by Father before and it felt good to be carried in his strong arms. It felt good to be held. He didn't even seem to care that she wore only her nightgown and the thin sheet and he didn't seem to mind when she wrapped her speckled arms around his neck.
Instinctively she began to purr, rubbing her head against his comforting shoulder.
Could it be that Father had forgiven her?
They entered a part of the castle Eries had never been to before, somewhere deep below ground where the halls were uncarpeted and the air smelled musty. He brought her into a dark windowless room lit by a single oil lamp. Four men seemed to have been expecting them. One of them took Eries from her father's arms and set her on a cold metal table in the middle of the room.
"Who are they?" Eries asked. She'd never seen these men before.
"They are doctors," Father said. "They will make you better." He turned to go.
"Daddy!" Eries cried out. "Don't leave me!"
"It's all going to be made right," he whispered, and then disappeared from sight.
Eries turned towards the doctors. In the dim light she saw the flame of the oil lamp flash in the polished metal of a knife.
The hungry Sheep look up and are not fed,
But swoln with wind, and the rank they draw,
Rot inwardly, and foul contagion spread...
-John Milton, Lycidas
NEKO HIME
By leila
Chapter 1: Birth of a Princess
The newborn morning light danced across the glistening sea like a million diamonds had been caught in its' waves. A gentle breeze blew the sea air across the city and sent the water gently lapping against the shore where a throng had gathered for a day of celebration. Through the blue sea above a convoy of airships had approached in the night docking on the cliffs that cradled Palas of Asturia. They were finally home, the tired and weary soldiers from a distant war and their king with them.
Theresa stared out the palace window high above the city and saw none of it. Only her face reflected in the glass panes. Once it had been beautiful and proud, the face of queen wrapped in a golden halo of curls that cascaded down her back. Now creased with the year of worrying and waiting. She had cried so many nights staring out the window towards the sea, but the tears would no longer come.
Behind her she could see the crib where a baby, her baby, slept soundly. A dozen times already that morning she had considered grabbing the tiny bundle and tossing it over the balcony. She hadn't. She couldn't. Perhaps if one of the canals had run below the window she would have tossed the whole cradle but there was only the hard ground, and she didn't want to kill it.
Behind her, the sound of footsteps quickly approaching her room echoed down the corridor. She began to shake; her whole body trembled at the sound. The sound of her doom.
He appeared, reflected in the panes, his large muscular body filling the doorframe. In his arms he carried a young girl with golden locks; her arms wrapped tightly about his neck.
"Theresa," he said softly, but she did not turn to him.
"Momma! Daddy is home!" the girl cried.
His free hand turned Theresa away from the window and she was forced to look at him.
"Grava." Her voice shook.
He gently kissed her. "I have missed you, Theresa. Marlene tells me I have a new daughter."
Marlene giggled. "She's so pretty, Daddy."
"I bet she is. Let's take a look."
"You'll wake her," Theresa said quickly. "Wait until later."
"I'll be quiet," he laughed gently. Still holding Marlene he walked to the crib. Grava's face paled whiter than a sheet, and Marlene slipped from his arms to fall on the floor with a thud. Marlene began to wail loudly, but her voice could not outmatch Grava's single quiet word. "Spots." He said nothing else only turned and left the room.
Theresa closed her eyes and collapsed against the window, sliding down the glass to the floor. She buried her head in her skirts and stared to sob.
+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+
A cold hand shook Eries out of her peaceful slumber. She wearily opened one eye to find she was not in her own room, but her sister's. Marlene stood beside the bed, the moonlight casting eerie shadows off her face.
"I'm sorry, sister. I didn't mean to doze off in your bed," Eries apologized. It was nice to snuggle in the warm sheets and she hoped Marlene wouldn't make her move to the floor.
"Oh, never mind that. We'll get the hair cleaned up tomorrow."
Marlene usually got angry when she found white strands of hair in her bed. Not that Eries shed a whole lot; she only grew fur on her wrists, shoulders, ankles, and tail. White and silky fluffs that she trimmed and brushed every day so it would stay hidden beneath her sleeves.
"Mother had a baby, Eries," Marlene said. "A baby like me."
Eries tried to smile. "Can we go see it?"
"I'm going to see her, but Father is there so you'd better wait." Marlene eyes narrowed. "Father's happy to have another normal child."
"What's her name?" Eries asked, at a loss for anything else to say.
"Millerna Sara Aston."
"Pretty."
Marlene turned to leave and Eries buried her head into covers to keep from crying.
"Are you going to be okay, neko?" Marlene asked.
"Yes, onee-sama."
The door clicked shut behind Marlene as she left.
Another daughter, the thought traveled slowly through Eries's mind. On one hand, she was happy it took after Marlene. She would never have to bind her tail to her leg or pin her ears to her head to hide her deformities. She wouldn't be forced to wear the high collars and long sleeves that concealed the black spots that speckled Eries's arms, legs, and neck. She would be free to roam about the castle and the city instead of being confined to a few isolated rooms. She would never be a disgrace to the family like Eries was.
But she would have their mother's love. Both their parents already adored Marlene. They talked constantly about what a beautiful young lady she was becoming and how proud they were of her. Father especially adored Marlene but he did not feel the same about Eries. Father couldn't stand the sight of her; and if her cat-like qualities weren't completely hidden he would get angry. Not all of the dark marks that blemished her pale skin were natural.
Mother was Eries's one refuge. Marlene could be cruel sometimes, but Mother was kind. She'd taught Eries how to embroider and would take her for walks in the garden occasionally. But she didn't really love her, and Eries knew it. Marlene would be embraced in their mother's arms and showered with praise and kisses, she'd tell Marlene how much she loved her and Eries would watch, wanting so badly to held like that.
Mother never said 'I love you'. She only said 'I'm sorry' and Eries didn't understand why.
Eries began to drift back asleep. Maybe this Millerna would love her; maybe Millerna wouldn't hate her for being a freak.
It could have been a minute, or perhaps an hour, but the next thing Eries knew the door was open again and the large form of Father was in the room. He'd once been a muscular man, but now he was large in a different way.
Eries sat up and pulled the sheets around her to hide her spots and tail; there was nothing she could do about her ears.
"Eries?"
"Yes, Father?" She controlled her voice carefully to keep it from shaking.
"Your mother is dead," he said emotionlessly.
The words hit hard and she didn't even notice when he approached her.
"She died soon after giving birth. It was too much for her."
Tears slid down Eries's face and she wiped them away with the sheets. Her father's hand came to rest upon her head and stroked her pale blonde hair almost comfortingly.
"Eries, you must come with me. There's something that needs to be done."
Eries didn't move. Mother was dead. The words were unreal. Mother. Dead. Gone. No more refuge. No more kindness. Father scooped her up out of bed, the sheet still wrapped around her, and held her gently as she sobbed into his broad shoulder. She'd never been held by Father before and it felt good to be carried in his strong arms. It felt good to be held. He didn't even seem to care that she wore only her nightgown and the thin sheet and he didn't seem to mind when she wrapped her speckled arms around his neck.
Instinctively she began to purr, rubbing her head against his comforting shoulder.
Could it be that Father had forgiven her?
They entered a part of the castle Eries had never been to before, somewhere deep below ground where the halls were uncarpeted and the air smelled musty. He brought her into a dark windowless room lit by a single oil lamp. Four men seemed to have been expecting them. One of them took Eries from her father's arms and set her on a cold metal table in the middle of the room.
"Who are they?" Eries asked. She'd never seen these men before.
"They are doctors," Father said. "They will make you better." He turned to go.
"Daddy!" Eries cried out. "Don't leave me!"
"It's all going to be made right," he whispered, and then disappeared from sight.
Eries turned towards the doctors. In the dim light she saw the flame of the oil lamp flash in the polished metal of a knife.