Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Escaflowne and I don't make any claim to them, so PLEASE don't sue me. The characters of Escaflowne belong to their respective owners, but some of the characters are of my own imaginings and the plot of the story is mine, so please don't copy it.
*************** Prologue' It's been nearly 21 years since I last visited Earth,' Hitomi thought imploringly.
' I wonder how my parents are doing.' She tried to imagine what her parents would look like, and laughed at herself when the only image that came to mind were a couple of very old people, helping each other to walk. She herself was almost 40, but she was still very beautiful. She had shoulder length brown hair, and her green emerald eyes shone as brightly as ever. She had grown quite a bit, as a person and also as a Queen.
' I hope they're alright.' She smiled as she reflected on all the things that had happened to her ever since she came back to Gaea. She thought of Van and the people of Fanelia. She remembered how they all rejoiced when Van had announced their engagement to the country. She remembered their wedding, remembered the first time that she had been bestowed as Queen of Fanelia. It was a wonderful feeling, giving her warmth inside. She had a lovely year until one day, when she found out, to her surprise, that she was pregnant! The people exploded with joy when the news leaked out that Fanelia was going to have a successor to the throne. The Fanelians who had seen the Great War had been impressed that Van could mature so quickly, and had rebuilt Fanelia far beyond it's former glory. He had led search parties himself to find the people of Fanelia and return them to their homeland. Hitomi had been filled with joy the first time she saw Fanelia after its destruction, she wasn't expecting anything so beautiful and full of life.
They had kept in touch with their old friends: Allen, Millerna, Dryden, Chid, and the rest of the people who helped during the Great War. Fanelia, Asturia, and Freid soon became very close allies. Hitomi returned to find that Allen and Millerna had gotten married, making Allen King of Asturia. Hitomi found that Allen had changed somehow, but he was still the gentleman that he had been before. Soon after Allen had married Millerna, Celena and Dryden announced their engagement plans. Allen was shocked and displeased when he found out, openly mentioning his dislike for Dryden. But Celena begged Allen to let her marry Dryden and in the end, Allen gave in to his sister's begging and gave her his approval. He tried to put up with Dryden, avoiding him if possible, but on the rare occasions that they did run into each other, it was obvious to anyone that Allen rather loathed him.
Hitomi lifted her eyes and stared silently at the Mystic Moon. Her thoughts then wandered to her daughter. She remembered the day that Varie was born. She remembered holding her for the first time, feeling her warm body press against her. Varie mainly took after Van, having his raven hair, magenta eyes and angel like wings. But her feminine qualities and her power to predict the future, she'd gotten from Hitomi. Many people watched Varie grow up, and they often commented on her beauty, grace and poise. Many had offered engagements with their sons when Varie was only four years old, but Van had politely declined them, saying that Varie would choose who she would marry by herself when the time came. By the age of fourteen, Varie was already helping her father make decisions for the country. She sat in on council meetings, listened to the daily reports, and would offer solutions that she thought were best. She was like a goddess to the Fanelians, and they praised and commended her like she could do no wrong. There was never a time that Varie could go into the busy streets of Fanelia without someone recognizing her, even when she had thought up disguise after disguise to ensure her privacy. Varie loved the people of Fanelia, but sometimes she needed to be alone, somewhere quiet, outside the castle and in the fresh air.
' She's all grown up now,' Hitomi thought proudly.
Varie was almost 20 now, her birthday coming up in a couple of days. Fanelia was having a grand party to celebrate, inviting all the leaders of Gaea to attend. Varie had to marry to become Queen, but she hadn't shown the slightest sign of interest to any of the young princes that offered for her hand in marriage. Varie was a quiet and shy girl at times, preferring not to attend big parties and be the center of attention. She made friends easily enough, but almost none of them were of nobility.
Hitomi turned around and went back into her room. She went in front of her dresser, and pulled open a drawer. Inside was a beautiful wooden box. It had intricate carvings of winged people, in a place assumed to be Atlantis. An old woman wearing a dark, hooded cloak bumped into Hitomi in the marketplace one day, and had handed her the box, telling her to use it well. She lifted the lid and inside laid her tarot cards; punctiliously kept so that it was almost imperceptible that they had been used at all. She hadn't touched them since she returned to Gaea, finding no need for them in a time of peace. Hitomi lifted her hand and ran her forefinger along the back of the top card. All at once, images started flashing through her head. Guymelefs, soldiers, battles, war… The tarot cards slipped out of her hand. All of them fell face down except for one. Shakily, Hitomi bent down and picked up the card.
' The Tower! Oh no! Varie! I knew this would happen soon.'
Hitomi clasped her hands together and silently wished. She looked up at the Mystic Moon again, and sent a silent message.
' It all depends on what happens on your birthday, Varie. And it also depends on how you handle the situation when the time comes. Be true to yourself, and be true to your heart. A great obstacle lies in your path, and it will not be easy to overcome. You must trust yourself. I know you won't let us down.'
