This is a rewrite for my old DxH fic, An Alternate Vision of Escaflowne.

Disclaimer- I do not own Escaflowne

After a long, exhausting day, I finally have a chance to sit down. We're in a dining room, King Aston is at the head, and Van and Meiden are on different sides of him. Next to Meiden is Princess Millerna, and her sister, Eries and then Allen. Next to Van was his older brother and enemy- Folken. In between me and Folken is Dilandau. I can see that Van is barely containing himself. I wish that I could reunite him and Folken, but can there really be reconciliation after the elder obliterates his brother's country? I'd like to know what King Aston is thinking, putting these two together, with Escaflowne right in front of them.

I sigh and study everyone as the kings, the Strategist and the merchant converse. Eries, her face is an icy mask. I can't tell if she's bored, or if she has something to say. Eries has a quiet, elegant beauty, my favorite kind. It's mature, unlike Millerna's. Millerna...there's no doubt that she's beautiful. But she's mean. I wonder if Eries would chastise her if she knew how unladylike Millerna's behavior towards me has been. First she teases me about my looks on the carriage ride to the castle, and then she tries to throw out my clothes without my permission! I take a gulp of my vino before continuing. Folken, he's like Eries, but I feel like there's still some innocence in him. Maybe it's because he's misguided-war to end wars? That's right, take over the world and create resentment and fear so that you can make it a better place. I wish he knew Mystic Moon history to know that it's not a very productive path.

I look over to Dilandau.... and he's giving me some crazy eyes! I guess he could see the fear in my face, because he smirks. Does he really hate me? I'm half of the reason why his face is bandaged now. Maybe I can give him some antibiotic ointment? Or would that just result in my body mysteriously disappearing tonight? I look to Allen for some comfort, but his eyes are glued to Van and his king. I follow his gaze and catch Meiden staring at me in a strange way. He smiles and I give him one back. I look around and notice two of Dilandau's men, Slayers, one blonde and one brunette, standing off to the side. Before I could think of why they were here, Meiden interrupts.

"Your name, it's Hitomi, isn't it?" he asks me.

"Yes, it is," I reply quietly.

"I heard you were with Allen, but where are you from?"

Everyone's eyes lock on to me, and Millerna snarkily replies, "She's from a strange land, with some very unusual customs."

"Oh really? I'd like to hear more of this, Princess," I can tell that under the pleasant façade, Meidan was peeved that Millerna spoke before he got a precise answer.

I swallowed a glass of vino, hoping that it would ease my nervousness. Van, as if he couldn't bear it any longer, left, with a certain catgirl trailing him. The server placed another full goblet of wine in front of me. I downed half of it, hoping if I said something strange, the vino would cover it. Maybe I could distract them by babbling!

"Princess Millerna, unusual to one person is just plain usual to another. I mean, even though I am an eccentric person, a lot of what I do is normal to other people in my country. You know, some things here seem a little odd to me. For example, people thinking they could throw away others' belongings without his or her permission is quite rude," Eries looked at Millerna and I felt like I won a small battle, "Also, having people actually watch you while you bathe is indecent."

Millerna seemed shocked by my confession. "Indecent? So how do people in your country do it?"

Allen looked worried, he did advise me not to broadcast where I'm from, but I don't know enough about Gaea to compliment the lie we told Dilandau. Couldn't I be from the far, far, far East? Maybe I will just drink myself stupid. What if I'm already drunk? I swallow the rest of my glass, and continue on.

"People do it themselves. There are pipes in the bathroom that bring water to you, and can turn it hot in the furnace beforehand. People like their privacy. Some read, some listen to music, some just relax in the tub, and other people do other things." My face grew hot and red at that last part, and I stammer out the next part, "There are bath houses, but even then there's a level of privacy."

"I see, we have such things in Zaibach," Folken's voice rang clear and deep, "As well as soaps for the hair."

Sounds like I should be living in Zaibach! "Yes, we have soaps for the hair too, but we call them shampoos and conditioners. And other luxury items for a bath, like scented crystals, and crystals that turn the bath different colors, and lightweight decorations that float on top."

"Sounds like a very rich country you live in," stated Aston.

"Oh…well, I suppose. You don't have to be rich in order buy any of that stuff, soaps, shampoos and conditioners are just ordinary household items. Like beds or furniture, it's just natural to have them."

Meidan looked intrigued. "You mean to say that everyone has access to these items?"

"Yes."

"You must have a successful ruler then," Aston chimed in.

"We elect our leaders, so it's not really about that. I mean, yes, he or she has something to do with it, but the government doesn't control everything. They may put limits or bans on certain items, but really, it is the business owners and consumers who make the decision."

Eries, who had been pretty quiet up till now, asked, "You elect your leaders? What about royalty, the nobility?"

"Well, we do have a royal family, but they don't have any power, just a tradition and just have the rich and the even richer, but everyone is supposed to be equal, given the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. "

She continued with, "Even women?"

I wasn't surprised, really, by her question. This world seemed so Middle Ages. "Yes. Women can go to school, vote, work, and take care of a family, all without being dependent on a man."

"How about the army? I bet they aren't allowed there!" Dilandau ever so arrogantly said.

"Women can be in army. In fact, just about any job a man can do, a women is allowed to work as that too. And more or less vice versa." That little tidbit didn't seem to sit well with Dilandau.

Millerna was looking into her lap, seeming shy and embarrassed about something. When she spoke, it was if something was paining her. "What about marriage? Are…are the women of your country betrothed?"

Eries said what Millerna wouldn't, "Millerna is betrothed to Dryden, Lord Meidan's son."

Allen and Folken congratulated her. And I was happy, Allen was free now, but at the same time, this poor girl was being treated like a piece of meat. When I answered, I couldn't keep my voice even, it hinted at the tightening of my heart, the "How? Why?" that lingered there. "No, Princess Millerna, to be betrothed is illegal. Engaged, of one's own free will, is legal, but no one can force marriage onto someone else in my country. Although plenty of women have been shamed into marriage. I feel stuff like that is rape." I felt a rant coming on so I stopped myself before I could dig a deeper ditch.

My comment must have not sat well with Aston. "Rape? A women has to do what's right for-"

I lost my temper. "And forcing a woman to marry a man she doesn't want to and forcing her to have children is rape. You are nothing less than being an accessory to your daughter's rape. How is that right?"

There was silence for a moment, and then Allen spoke, "Hitomi, we have a very different way of life than you and-"

"And I can respect and even appreciate that, Allen. And I am sorry about my outburst but I can't sit by and let someone be treated like, like...they don't matter!"

Aston spoke, "What matters is that Millerna must keep the Aston blood flowing, even if the line stops with her. I can trust that Meiden's son will keep the throne safe."

"Why don't you change it then? Make it so that the throne is passed through the maternal lineage? You can't always be sure of the paternity of a child, but you can almost always be sure of who the mother is."

I was almost to embarrassed to look at everyone. There was tension in the air. I must have offended Meiden and King Aston. I basically told Aston how to run his country- no ruler likes that. As for Meiden, it would be his family that moved from simple wealth and nobility to royalty. If Aston followed my advice, it would lessen or even prevent Meiden's increase of power. Eries and Folken did not show any emotion, they had masks up again. Allen looked at me, his jaw hard. I've really upset him. Millerna was looking at her wine, but I can tell that her once empty head is now swirling with ideas. Dilandau looked...well, like Dilandau but more amused.

It was Meiden who spoke first, "Well, it seems like you are a very educated young lady with a lot of....innovative ideas."

"Thank you Meiden," I whispered. Silence fell again and I took my leave. I'm in big trouble-with Allen, with Dilandau, Meiden and most importantly, King Aston. I don't know how I'm going to get out of it alive.

Thanks for reading! Please review! :D Also, I'll be listing Escapod and Character songs on my profile instead of making chapters for them.