Worth the Wager
Disclaimer: None of the characters of Escaflowne belong to me. No profit is made from this other than reviews and some sense of personal gratification.
Note: Now, here's a chapter that I have had planned for ages so I'm glad we've reached this point. It's one of those definitive moments in the story that I had conceptualized even when the full structure of the story had not yet been formed in my head. I hope that I did justice to the scene I imagined so vividly.
This is a very significant scene for both of them and I was really excited to write it. But it also turned into a nightmare because of how important it was to get the tone just right. As I was drafting this, the ending was originally something a little more dramatic and action-packed but I scrapped it. Because when I wrote the last line, I thought it was just a perfect way to end the scene. And I also realized that this story works better as a collection of quiet but powerful moments, captured more in dialogue and subtle expressions than grandiose displays. It's funny to think that this trilogy has no sword fights or guymelef duels and yet still explores a lot of the characters and their motivations.
Forgive me if parts of this chapter are a bit cheesy. I hope that given the development in the six previous chapters, not to mention the two previous installments of this crazy series, these two can be a bit more candid with one another. Not too candid, of course, but enough to not seem completely out of character.
I worked hard to establish the tone of this part. It was a challenge but it is also one of my favorite chapters. If on at least one point in this chapter you wanted them to kiss, then I have achieved my goal. So do let me know if I succeeded.
Anyway, enough of my rambling. Enjoy!
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Eries heard the soft flutter of wings and turned around just in time to see Folken Fanel land gracefully beside her.
"Lord Folken!" cried the startled princess, gaping incredulously at the large black wings she had heard so much about and never seen until now. "What are you doing here?"
"Forgive my intrusion."
A number of excuses came to mind, each one flimsier than the last, so he decided that, embarrassing as it was, the truth would be the best option.
"This was the fastest way to get here."
"Of course," she replied with slight amusement as she continued to stare at the man before her.
Standing there with his raven wings outstretched and his metal arm glinting in the moonlight, he made a truly impressive figure and as Eries struggled to make sense of what she saw, the word "otherworldly" came to mind. Even the girl from the Mystic Moon, despite her strange attire, still seemed ordinary compared to this. In such a presence, Eries felt completely unremarkable but she was not bothered by this. There was too much to be admired and she could not find the words to express it.
Folken, however, had suddenly grown nervous under the scrutiny of someone he held in such high esteem. He had only ever shown his wings to Van and Hitomi, having always been conscious of his Draconian heritage as well as ashamed of their current, damning color. As the princess continued to gaze at him in silence, her expression unreadable, Folken felt even more exposed and vulnerable and he regretted his impulsiveness. There was so much more to this than the impropriety of approaching a princess alone and shirtless. After all, she had already seen that much when her sister had examined his mechanical arm. But he wanted her to see him as he truly was. After all she had done to help him, she deserved that much. And he tried to imagine what she thought, seeing even the side of him that he usually kept hidden.
"I must seem like some kind of abomination," he thought ruefully, "an appalling creature, part monster and part machine."
He almost regretted his decision to approach her so abruptly. How had he expected her to react? He would not blame her if she turned away from him in repulsion. And yet he knew that nothing would wound him more than such a reaction from her. He could bear rejection from anyone else, but not her, not now.
But his fears were allayed when instead of running away, Eries took a few hesitant steps closer. Shock had given way to fascination and she extended a trembling hand towards one of his wings.
"May I?" she asked timidly, looking at him for permission.
Folken was so taken aback by this request that he merely nodded in response. As Eries closed the distance between them, Folken felt his heart pound so forcefully that he wondered if she could hear it too. He then held his breath as the princess reached out and stroked a wing gently.
The feathers were soft to touch and felt as smooth as silk in her fingers. She remembered the single black feather she had found in his laboratory what seemed like ages ago. She still kept it in between the pages of the book he had lent her, the single feather that had set them both on this path.
Eries gazed at the wing tenderly for a few moments while Folken struggled to remain completely calm. No one had ever been this close to him before and though he had no objection to this, he was not sure how to react.
Eries met Folken's gaze briefly before blushing and hastily dropping her hand and taking a few steps back, establishing a more respectable distance between them. Folken found that he could breathe normally once more.
"Forgive me," said Eries abashedly, unable to provide any excuse for her actions. Folken shook his head and gave her a small, reassuring smile even as he recovered from his own embarrassment.
There was another moment of anxious silence before Folken seemed to have found his voice. "I'm leaving for Zaibach in the morning," he blurted out, "after much careful study, I'm certain that the only way I can help Celena Schezar is by finding Dilandau. And for that I will have to infiltrate the military camp and hopefully, the answers to this problem will begin to manifest as soon as I speak to him again. After that, I have some ideas of where we might proceed to understand more about the Fate Alteration experiments."
"Oh," was all Eries said in reply. She was still slightly rattled after the what had just transpired between them although she admitted that there ought to be no harm in showing an interest in his wings. These had been the topic of so many urgent discussions so she was glad to finally see them and she was thankful that he had decided to trust her with this revelation. Eries knew him well enough to understand that appearing before her like this was deeply personal. Even allowing her to touch the feathers of his wings was surely a rare gift.
As for his trip to Zaibach, she did not question his plan though she felt slightly disappointed that he would be leaving so soon. But she was heartened by the fact that he would be making significant progress in fulfilling his mission.
Folken regarded her cautiously, unsure of what to make of her reaction. She had not spoken for some time and she seemed to be lost in thought. "I will not betray you," he assured her, feeling the urgent need to assert his loyalty.
"Lord Folken, the thought never even crossed my mind," Eries replied, noting his distress and swiftly clearing up a potential misunderstanding, "I was simply coming up with a plan of my own. While you are off dealing with Celena Schezar's condition, I thought I might take a trip to Fanelia to consult your friend about the final stage in the atonement ritual. Time is of the essence and I think it would be more efficient to find out what else needs to be done even as you are fulfilling one task. This way, by the time you return, you will know what to do next."
Folken could not help but stare at her. "You would do this for me?" he asked in awe, as was becoming a habit whenever he spoke to her, "when you have already done so much."
"You know that I would be only too happy to help," Eries replied earnestly.
"Yes, but…" Folken began to protest.
"And I assure you, I may have some selfish reasons for this," the princess conceded, interrupting him, "Taking this trip would be a welcome respite from my burdens here. Not that I would be abandoning any duties, of course. But my sister seems to have nearly everything in hand, and my father's condition has significantly improved. And lately, my presence seems to have become redundant in some council sessions. I am sure nothing would go amiss if I were to be gone temporarily. I would much rather be of some use elsewhere."
"Your reasons are not as selfish as you seem to think, princess," Folken remarked with a smile, "and I can have no objection to your plan. I can only regret that I will not be able to personally introduce Ruhm to you."
"I'm sure there will be another opportunity for that when all this is over," said the princess.
They then discussed their plans in more detail and resolved to make all the necessary arrangements. With Van out on the battlefield, Eries had decided that she would ask for the help of his cat-girl companion, Merle, who would surely be a proper guide to Fanelia and would be able to arrange for a meeting with Ruhm. Folken agreed and praised her for her excellent judgement. As usual, Princess Eries had given the plan a lot of thought. He was also relieved to know that she would not be making the journey alone. Merle could be trusted completely to keep the princess out of any trouble. And so the matter was settled.
"I cannot say how long it will take for me to sort the matter out in Zaibach," Folken conceded gravely, "and even getting Dilandau's cooperation is sure to be a challenge. There are still so many factors that cannot be accounted for, so many potential risks."
"Let's try not to dwell on those aspects," Eries advised, "while it is important to keep them in mind, we might be better served by focusing on success."
The alternative is too painful, she added to herself. If I let myself be dragged down by doubts now, all will be lost.
"I confess I had never been much for optimism before," the princess acknowledged, "it did not seem very practical."
"And you are nothing if not practical," Folken commended her. He knew the trait only too well.
Eries smiled at him gratefully. "But I have since learned that there is no real harm in some optimism," she elaborated, "it can even be quite useful, as long as it is in moderation. As in all things, a balance must be struck, in this case, between caution and hope."
"You're absolutely right," Folken agreed, "it is always in excess or deficiency that problems arise."
They spent a few moments in cheerful contemplation. This was what they both enjoyed so much about the other's company. With no one else were they able to communicate so much with so little. There existed such a profound understanding, a compatibility of their minds and temperaments, despite the difference in their background and experience.
Folken realized that she had brought so much into his life in such a short time, and there was truly no one else who had made such a profound effect on him. He would never presume to have had a similar impact on her life but he knew that she had still been moved. And once again, he was reminded of how inadequate any attempt at recompense would be in the face of such debt.
"Princess Eries, how can I even begin to express my gratitude to you for all that you've done for me?" Folken said earnestly, aware that this line of conversation between them was becoming almost tedious, "I can hardly believe my good fortune at having earned your trust and support."
"Please, Lord Folken," Eries protested fervently, "I beg you not to see me as someone you are forever indebted to. As much as I appreciate it, I do not desire eternal gratitude."
Having spoken impulsively, Eries hoped that he would not ask her what she truly desired. She had already revealed more than she had intended to and she was ill-prepared for any continuation of that sentiment. To her great relief, that thread of the conversation was not pursued.
Folken had been too taken aback by her outburst and its implications that he had no ready reply. And he was on his guard against saying something carelessly, to avoid embarrassing them both. He had acted rashly enough for one night.
"You may not believe it but I have also benefited from all this," Eries continued earnestly, "I have valued all our conversations as well as all the support you have given us during this trying time. You are too modest to admit that the completion of the atonement rite notwithstanding, you have already done a great deal of good. And I believe that given the chance, you can help build a better, kinder world in the future."
Once again, Folken stared at her in awe, humbled by her faith in him. How could one respond to such praise? Especially since he still felt that he did not deserve it. Eries never failed to leave him dumbfounded. While it was true that he did feel a profound gratitude towards her, there was also more to it and he was both relieved and nervous about expressing this. But he knew better than to leave the matter completely unresolved. Somehow they were both aware that this was an opportunity not to be wasted.
"Let me assure you, Princess Eries, that you are so much more to me than a generous benefactor," he began carefully, and then solemnly met her gaze. For a moment, he considered taking her hand in his but he decided against it. It would be painful if she pulled away.
"And though I have only had the honor of your acquaintance for a short time," he continued, "you have become one of the most important people in my life and your happiness is what I desire above all else. I wish I could build a world that will not disappoint you."
Moved by such a fervent declaration, Eries' eyes widened before she turned away timidly. She found that she could not face him directly and yet she knew that she needed to say something so as not to discourage him. It seemed only fitting on an evening filled with revelations.
"You are too hard on the world, Lord Folken, and you must think me too easily disappointed," Eries replied, choosing her words with great care as she directed her gaze to the horizon, "For all its faults, this world has given me ample causes for happiness, not least in the people I love."
Folken blinked at those last words and could only gape at the lady in wonder. He dared not utter another word, afraid that it would ruin such a powerful moment. He was not even sure if he had interpreted her words properly or if he was laboring under some grand delusion. He reminded himself not to read too much into it and yet he could not help but feel elated. The lingering doubts that had plagued him for the last few days began to dissipate as he reached another momentous decision.
Cautiously, he stepped forward until he stood beside the princess and silently gazed at the magnificent view as the sunlight began to spread across the rooftops of the city. Folken knew then that whatever future Eries saw before her, he wanted to be a part of it.
