Author's note: I've finally got around to actually putting my fan fic online. I wrote these first chapters when I first finished the series at the tender age of 14. I've decided to leave these chapters largely untouched by editing. I know it's a risk, but one I willing to make. I'm doing this in tribute to my many hours alone in my room, telling myself I will put this on I'll tell you ahead of time when I will begin the editing process. Sue me, I'm lazy. I hope you overlook the grammatical errors and read on. I will update as often as I can, and I assure you, It will get better. Enjoy.

P.s: I am 17 now. see how lazy I can be? Lol.

(I(I don't own Escaflowne, although I wish I did. I do own some of the characters in the story, and one character's name, but otherwise…oh, and the plot, but anyway, nothing else. I'm done with the disclaimer.)

Two years after the fall of the Zaibach empire and the beginning of the new age, a small, ancient country hidden like a green emerald deep in the Dragon forest was ruled by a great man.

The King was an essential player in the war years ago. He destroyed the machine that had covered the whole world in a blanket of chaos. He wouldn't give up his fight to bring back his broken country to greatness.

He was only a boy then, dominated by his constantly changing emotions, but now, he had changed.

Now that his country was almost back to normal, beginning to prosper again under his rule, he started to seem distant to the world around him. He was very kind to his people, and they respected him, but he acted as if he wasn't there sometimes, lost in his own thoughts.

There were many speculations, of course, to the young King's behavior. Some believed he was broken, somehow by the war, changed from pacifistic boy they knew to, a man of action and bloodshed, making him quiet and reserved. Others believed a different reason for his sudden change in demeanor.

Merle, a young cat girl something of a sister to him, told of a girl from the mystic moon. A girl with eyes the same color as the sweet grass that covered the nearby hills, a girl with the power to see the unseen. Some remembered the day she came to the castle.

"It was the same day Lord Van came home as king." Some of the peasants would remember fondly. "He looked happier with her here. What happened to that nice young lady?"

When Merle heard the people speaking of Hitomi this way, she could do nothing but hope, that the great light would shine in the sky, and bring Hitomi back to them… to him…

Merle sat up with a sigh. "Well I'd better go see what Lord Van's doing…"

Merle had lost track of time. She was on the roof of building near the edge of town, and ever since the sun had begun to set, she had been laying on the freshly patched roof, staring at the gradually darkening sky.

"Ok I'm at the Inn so...the castle shouldn't be too far." She said jumping off.

An old fat man with brown hair who was washing dishes below her looked up as Merle made a loud thump on the ground.

"Already going' back eh Merle?" He asked with a slight smile.

She looked up at him. "You don't mind do you, Jake? I want to see what Lord Van's doing right now. I'll be back in a bit for my shift okay?" She said with a toothy grin before dashing into a crowd in the street. She ran on all fours on the hard cobbled street, her now shoulder-length hair flinging against her back.

"I hope he isn't with Gothel." She growled, gust of wind blowing the back of her dress up.

Just the thought of the horrible man made her fur crawl. "I wish Van would fire him."

She was disappointed when she got there.

Out on the front lawn a middle-aged man and Van were having an argument about something.

She hurried down the grass, the night mist clinging to the fur by her shoes, chilling her.

She stopped next to Van and grabbed his arm. "Hi Van." She said aloud so Gothel could hear. She knew exactly how to make Gothel angry. Show she was superior to him. What better way then by showing affection to Van?

The man stopped talking, a look of deep disgust flashed across his aging face. Van greeted Merle fondly, patting her on the head affectionately, he asked,

"How are you today Merle?" Merle turned her head slightly to see Gothel's face at the remark. If looks could kill, she wagered she was already 6 ft under.

"Fine," she replied, pulling Van closer to her.

"Is there a problem with my decision, Gothel?" Van bellowed his sudden change of attitude was a bit unnerving, making Gothel take a step back.

Gothel was a handsome man for his age. He was already into his 40th year and had the build and character of a man of thirty. The only signs of age on the man's face was his gradually graying black hair and the heaviness in his deep blue eyes, a heavy burden showing through to the bags underneath them.

"I-I wasn't saying that my Lord, I was merely stating that –"

"That you think that I need to decide now on your daughter, Gothel. I apologize but I have already made my decision."

Merle looked up at Van. Despite the words he had spoken, he showed no sign of regret in his almond eyes. What is he discussing? He can't have found someone else…can he? The questions in her mind were growing, and in spite of herself, she asked, "Huh? What are you talking about Van?"

Van looked down at the young cat girl's questioning eyes and smiled. "I'm sure you already know Merle. No need to worry about this now."

He turned back up to Gothel.

"I don't see my need to speak to you further, so leave."

Merle noted the new expression forming on Gothel's face, the same as if Van had punched him. She could see the anger clearly on his defined face. The expression lasted but a moment, then it returned the monotonous tired look.

Gothel bowed his aging body in respect to the young king.

"Yes sire."

He turned and left.

Once he had gone, Merle let go of Van's arm and stepped in front of him, a sign of annoyance on her cat like face.

"What are you talking about Van? Are you hiding something from me? Gothel wasn't here to talk about 'his beautiful young daughter' again, was he?"

Van's face lit up for a second, then let out a stout laugh at the cat girl's question.

"Of course. However, he was also here to inform me of something very important…" He stopped laughing and to a step toward her. His face looked tired, but something was different about it. He looked a bit confused.

"It's Zaibach, isn't it?" Merle asked, fear gripping her heart.

The feeling was so familiar, but she never grew used to it. The cold throbbing of old fear was deep in her chest, and the prospect of being controlled by it again was just as frightening.

"How?" she forced herself to ask.

The words were almost pleading, knowing the answer had been there all the time, the clues to it had been right in front of them for a year. With the alliance's newfound 'peace', they were blind to it for almost as long.

Van answered slowly, and Merle stood silently, listening.

"One of Dornkirk's underling's, a man named Diaz, had been working to rebuild his machine. There are reports that he is near completion, but new reports suggest minor changes in the machine from before.

Today Donte received word from the Alliance that he has taken Zaibach's capital and claims the new machine has the capabilities to destroy…at least an entire country the size of Austuria.

The alliance has asked for my assistance with this matter."

Merle took a step forward, "In what way?"

She knew Van hated fighting, especially after the war almost two years ago. To be asked to fight now would probably be hard on him.

His face was hard to read. He seemed torn about it, but what he said next surprised her.

"They have asked me to get "their secret weapon"." He sounded angry about it, his hands balled into fists, and whatever the secret weapon they were referring to made him mad.

"What do they mean?" She asked, hoping it wasn't Escaflowne.

"Why did they say… To be refereed to as a weapon…" The angry tone in Van's voice was increasing, and he turned away from her to curse under his breath about something.

Merle placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, which was tight with tension. "What are you talking about? What is the weapon…" Then it struck her.

Although many things made Van emotional, only one subject really got to him.

Using people as weapons or tools for one's own personal gain made Van particularly angry.

The one person Merle could think of that the alliance would want to use in this situation would be Hitomi, but she had left over two years ago, and despite Merle's best wishes, she had never returned.

For the alliance to ask for Van's help to get her would be impossible, even if Van himself wanted to. How could they get her when no one could?

"Hitomi…?" Van's shoulder's tightened slightly, and he stepped away from her hand. He nodded.

"How would they get her? She's on the mystic moon! Why would they ask for your help to get her when you can't?"

Now Merle was getting angry. Van still had his back turned to Merle, but he answered her question.

He pulled from around his neck the small pink pendent that Hitomi always wore. The pink jewel was bright and shiny against the light in the room, the chain wrapped loosely around Van's finger.

"I told them I would help."

He took a step toward the direction toward the forest east of the castle. He turned to Merle's puzzled face.

"It's alright. I didn't tell anyone about it. She gave it to me right before she left, and I just want to see if this will work. If it doesn't, I at least know how to help the alliance anyway.

Besides," he added, "It worked for her, I'm sure it will work for me."

He had reached the archway leading out of the yard before he called back to Merle;

"Oh…Donte wanted to speak with you about something Merle. Don't worry about me."

He walked away, the shadows of the trees covering him from view, leaving Merle alone on the grass confused and worried, not only about Van and Hitomi, but Donte as well.

"Stupid." she growled under her breath before heading out in search of Donte.

The cool night air was brisk against Van's face as he headed for the clearing just beyond the tree line of the forest to try to contact Hitomi.

He had done it only once before, and he was sure that he could make contact again.

He would try to get her to understand that he was trying to come, but when he tried before, he was only there for a second, and not knowing if it would work was like a stitch in his side. A false move could make old wounds bleed again.

He pushed the thought out of his mind, the only thing left was the blind hope he could make it there, to be with her again.

The cool memory of her features crept into his mind until all he thought of was her, the small memory of her jumping into his arms almost two years ago was one of the happiest moments of his life. "Hitomi, I want to see you again…"

He felt for a moment before his feet left the ground into the night air, a warm sensation on his chest where the pendent she had given him lit up with a pillar, engulfing him a bright blue light illuminating the night sky, sending him to the mystic moon.

How was that for a first chapter? I thought it was okay, considering the circumstances. Oh well. Who is Diaz, and who is Donte? Find out soon. Laaaaaa. This is my first fic, so be helpful, please. R&r!)