Author's Note: Despite the fact that I am trying to stick to updating all my stories every three weeks, I simply had to post this chapter early. 9 and 10 are super exciting for me to present, and I look forward to hearing what my wonderful readers have to say about it! Please don't forget to review!
Disclaimer: Digimon and Escaflowne are owned by Bandai and Sunrise respectively. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort these series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.
Takato moved slowly up the side of the mountain, the soft snow still not bothering him while the jagged terrain proved a simple challenge. Climbing into a forested ridge, Takato took a break, noticing more and more that his new sister was growing tired. "Can't we just fly?" she protested at one point, when the afternoon sun was at its highest. A little embarrassed, Takato ignored the inquiry by pressing onwards. When she stumbled over a rock, he extended her a hand, "Let me carry you for a while."
Smiling, she took his hand and then crawled on his back, Dorimon grasping on his other shoulder as Gigimon continued his ride in Hitomi's old duffle. Though the walk was harder on Takato, he noticed that his sister was less strained, and even felt her fall asleep on his back. At first, he worried about hypothermia, but then recalled that their kind could handle cold quite well.
With a sigh, he crawled up on the next ridge, only to hear the crunching of snow. Suddenly concerned, Takato found a large tree to hide behind, bringing himself low so that his sister would not be spotted. His red eyes spied silver clad men, each armed with swords and shields as they slowly made their way through the snowy brambles, "You can't honestly expect her to survive out here?" One of them mumbled to the other, his lower lip chattering, "I mean, seven known dragons roam this reserve. They've had our country's flank since the rebuild… What if the princess-"
"-The princess is a draconian." the other guard interjected, "Rumor has it that dragons don't bug 'em so long as their wings are out. She'll be a lot better off than us, that's for sure."
Realizing that these were guards from Fanelia, Takato debated about what to do. He could reveal himself to them, But then they'd have to deal with me along with this mess with Gitta. Cringing, he deliberated more internally, turning to Gigimon with confused eyes. His partner merely shrugged, clearly understanding the dilemma. Eventually he rationalized it was better to get Gitta home and allow time for this mess with her mother straighten before putting the focus on him.
"What about that assailant?" he heard a guard mention, "That ice demon?"
There was a pause, "He got two of our men before Lord Van was able to chase him off. It-" What was said next, Takato could not hear. The men had wandered too far down the game trail.
Sighing, Takato stepped out of his hiding place and looked after the guards. He wanted to go to them, to ask about this ice demon, but he also didn't want to wait longer to return his sister home. Tentatively, he stepped in the other direction, turning back only once before he headed towards the now visible castle.
The crunching of his boots accompanied his thoughts as he moved closer, now roaming down the mountain instead of up. It amazed him how far his sister had been able to run on her own, given the difficulty of the terrain. Then it occurred to him, She may not have run.
So lost was he in his thoughts that he didn't notice his surroundings, a large eye opening along the face of the brown mountainside as he passed by it on the road. Gigimon, however, realized instantly that something was amiss. "I smell something." He warned, his eyes popping open wide.
"Me too." Dorimon agreed, his voice waking Gitta up.
A growl punctuated that statement as a large, scaly beast stepped out into the game trail. It had light brown scales covered in snow and a massive jaw lined with dangerous looking teeth. It entered an attack stance, its tail high in the air while his massive forearms crouched low to the ground. With intense eyes, it stared the four of them down.
"A land dragon." Gitta gasped from behind her brother, suddenly finding determination within herself.
"Gitta?" Takato asked carefully as his sister slid down his back, "What do we do?" Wordlessly, she stepped in front of him, taking a deep breath before flexing her shoulders. From the area of her back covered by black hair emerged two white wings. They were luminescent in appearance, almost glowing on their own in the light. The sheer sight of them left Takato breathless.
And apparently he wasn't the only one. After sighting the wings, the dragon almost appeared hypnotized. He stared at the glowing appendages a moment, and then turned to leave. Takato could only watch in awe, Gigimon and Dorimon no better. "That was amazing!" Dorimon cheered once it was clear they were safe.
Turning about, her wings retracting as she did, Gitta smiled, "Thanks! Daddy always told me to show dragons my wings. He says it makes them calm." Takato laughed, amazed as he approached his sister.
"Your wings are beautiful." He complimented her, "I guess you must know how to fly then?" Nodding, Gitta stepped forward and took his hand.
"Don't you fly around too?" she asked as the castle came closer. He shook his head, still quite ashamed. "Why not? You should have your own wings too." Nodding as he laughed, Takato turned back to his sister.
"My mother doesn't have wings." He explained, "So I never had anyone to teach me how to use mine." They walked a while, the castle walls coming into view as they did. At last, Gitta, who'd been pondering his words the whole time, found her own solution.
"Daddy can teach you."
Chuckling, Takato nodded, "Maybe he can… Though I think it would be fun if you could teach me instead." Gitta giggled.
"I'm still learning." She told him honestly, "It takes a long time to get really good at flying like daddy. Sometimes a dragon wind pops up, making it really hard to glide. You have to practice dealing with those a lot." Tilting his head in thought, Takato shrugged. It seemed that there was quite a bit he had to learn about this world.
As various teams of soldiers scoured out the forests around Fanelia, Van begrudgingly found his way towards where the nobles had been rounded up after the attack. He'd thrown the doors open towards a mob of whispering and hissing individuals, all of whom froze into silence as the man marched down the center of the room towards his captain of the guard. His steps echoed under the dome as he moved, making him seem far larger than he actually was.
With a growl hushed under his breath, the man turned about and informed the crowd, "We endured another attack today: this one from an ice demon-like creature from whereabouts unknown." He paused a moment, catching his breath for a second announcement, "He managed escape shortly after confronting me and my men. As such, our castle is on lockdown until the assailant is caught or it is otherwise deemed safe to move about."
He was met with a chorus of disgruntled nobles, the majority of which shouted out his way, "And what if we are attacked in our quarters?" being the most notable demand.
Raising his hands to silence the crowd, and wishing now more than ever that Titania had been present to ease their minds, Van found a new opening to talk sternly to his guests. "The entire castle has been called to action. No one room will be left unattended by staff and guards to sound an alarm and come to your aid." This time the room had quieter objection, which Van found even less comforting: if something went wrong, he would be blamed for it.
As the din once more began to rise, the door creaked open to reveal a new face in the crowd. Turning along with the rest of the eyes in the room, Van sighted Hitomi moving tentatively through the crowd. While various nobles gossiped aloud at her passing, some clutching feathered pendants and praying, Hitomi kept her eyes solely on Van, her green gaze filled with determination.
At last, she curtseyed before him, "If it pleases your majesty," she began, checking around the room to make sure that all eyes were on her, "I would like to use this lockdown to interview the crowd and get a sense of what we are dealing with."
Still frowning from the spotlight, Van nodded, "That is a swell idea."
Nodding back, Hitomi added carefully, "I will need the court artist to sketch these descriptions, and a room offset from this one to use for private interviews." The then paused before inserting, "Lady Merle should also be present to assist with cataloging. Her memory is fantastic."
"Done." Van replied, walking past her with harsh eyes. His glowing eyes, however, did notice that Hitomi's entreaty did pacify the mob of nobles in his home, and for that he was grateful. As he moved, several of the women, and some men, were uttering under their breaths "Praise be Irisa." And he frowned, hoping that Hitomi understood what she would be dealing with.
Having sighted the wall surrounding the gardens of his father's home, Takato breathed a sigh of relief. Gitta, having fallen asleep on his back once more, was nothing more than heavy dead weight after so long a hike through the woods. The digimon weren't proving to be much help in that regard either. Chuckling to himself as he slowly crept along the bricks, Takato noted that the area was quite serene and wondered why a wall was even necessary.
Then he remembered the dragon from before.
Yet the beasts didn't scare him, not with his draconian sister on his back. In truth, he was hoping to meet one again, simply to see if a friendship could be solidified, something he doubted nonetheless.
As he moved along the white bricks of the castle wall, he contemplated what he was going to do. He'd already decided that Gitta's dilemma with her mother had to come before his introduction, but he'd also promised to protect her from his step-mother. And that task was better done in the light.
Sighing, he stopped before where the bricks were covered by a large bush. Staring at the ground below the barren branches, he noticed a familiar set of tracks emerging from them.
Leaning down carefully, so as not to throw his sister from his back, Takato observed a light spot behind the twigs. "So that's how you got out." he remarked, grinning over his shoulder towards the sleeping girl. Realizing that, while he was still young, he was no small boy anymore, Takato decided against attempting to fit through the gap. Instead, he turned his eyes upwards, wondering what it would take to overtake the wall.
Brushing some stray brown hairs out of his eyes, Takato glanced down at his hand. Having given his gloves to his sister a while back, the strange marks on the back of his hands were clear as day. While unsure as to what they represented, he realized it was worth his while to test out his supposed power. I am in a world of wishes, he recalled, glancing up once more, so what if I wished I could jump over this wall?
Finding the idea plausible, Takato stepped back. Closing his eyes a moment, he focused, not noticing how the marks on his hands seemed to pulsate a red light. When his eyes again opened, they were glowing the fierce red of his father.
After a deep breath, Takato jumped, his feet suddenly landing atop the wall. So stunned was he, it took him a moment to register his accomplishment. Turning about, he glanced at the snow behind him, seeing that he had, indeed, jumped himself.
A "Hey!" from behind him pulled him from his reverie.
Stiffly, Takato turned about to face two guards with spears aimed at him. Before he could utter a word, one of the men noted, "The princess!" Stepping a few steps forward, the man demanded of him, "Release the princess at once!"
"Rodain look!" the other muttered, his jaw dropped in awe, "The boy's face!" As the first man turned to look at Takato with fresh eyes, the boy began to panic as to what to do. Glancing about, he found no safe landing that the guards could not easily overtake in the courtyard. So he decided to jump on to the well roof and hope it wasn't as slippery as it looked.
With a single spring, Takato was once again airborne, sliding down the shingled roof slightly before regaining his balance. The guards shouted frantically at him to get down, one even referring to him as "prince" while throwing his spear to the side. "M'lord, it isn't safe up there!"
Scanning the pleasure gardens for some safe escape, Takato attempted not to address the guards. His rough movements stirred his sister on his back, with her moaning a moment before registering where she was. She glanced about over Takato's shoulder sleepily, waving to the guards with a big smile. "Hi Mr. Rodain! Mr. Garreth!" she grinned.
"P-princess!" the one most likely called Garreth replied, "Where have you been? The whole castle has been looking everywhere for you!"
Giggling, Gitta wrapped her arms tighter around her precious brother's neck, "I met my big brother, silly!"
"-Uh, Gitta," Takato mumbled, his face flushed as he attempted a serious face her way, "Now isn't really the time to-"
"-So he is Lord Van's son!" Rodain muttered just loud enough for Takato to hear, sending a sharp shock of panic up the boys spine while his sister nodded wildly on his back, "Well, come down here lad! We don't bite."
Turning over his shoulder to hiss at his sister before the Digimon woke up and Gigimon made a fuss, Takato demanded, "Gitta, I don't want anyone to see me right now." he then added, "I need somewhere I can hide."
Her face confused at first, Gitta's large purple eyes soon demonstrated understanding, "My room is up there." She pointed to a window three floors up from the large double doors before them, "There is a latch we can use to open it from outside if you have a knife with you. Daddy does it all the time." Nodding, Takato smiled at her and then knelt down to push his luck and reach the floor.
Yet, just as he was about to leap, ignoring the guards that were now trying to climb up onto the well to reach them, a party of nobles passed by the windowed doors to enter the small dining room behind them. They each turned to towards the ruckus, catching Takato and Gitta's eyes before he cringed, grunted and leaped skyward.
His jump just barely shy of the windowsill, Takato scrambled with his hands to grab onto the bricks and catch himself. He was surprised to find success with both hands and feet, him crawling up the wall like an animal. Once he'd gripped the sill, the snow and ice making his grip rather unsteady, Gitta crawled from his back to unlock the window with the hunting knife he'd hidden on the back of his belt.
Moments later, with the guards below forcing their way through the newly assembled crowd below, Takato and Gitta slammed the window shut and caught their breaths. "That was awesome!" Gitta giggled, falling onto her bottom in glee, "I didn't know you could do that!"
Chuckling, Takato admitted, "Neither did I." He then listened closely, Gigimon now awake and joining him after his sleeping place slammed against the castle wall, "I need to find a place to hide Gitta. Those guards will be here soon."
Turning her head, Gitta inquired innocently, "Why? You're my brother."
Nodding, Takato reminded her, "But I haven't met dad yet… Do you think it is fair for anyone else to meet me before him?" Putting her forefinger to her chin, the young girl took her time to deliberate it, with Takato sweating every second of the wait. Eventually, she nodded and led him towards a servant's door hidden in the far wall.
"Your mom's room is down the hall, second right, then two lefts right away." Nodding to her as he snuck off, Takato waved with a smile and made the first turn, Gigimon giggling as they moved.
Closing the door just in time, Gitta hopped into her chair by her tea set and sat Dorimon down. As she pretended to play, the guards barged in. "Princess Gitta!" they shouted synonymously. As she smiled at them gleefully, they scanned the room. Eventually, Rodain had to ask, "Where is the prince?"
"What prince?" she asked innocently, forcing the two men to glance at one another.
Garreth was the one to reply, him pulling his long hair once more behind his shoulder, as it had fallen forward in the rush, "Your big brother." he reminded her, "The boy from the pleasure gardens."
For a moment, Gitta feigned thinking, the men holding their breaths as they awaited her contemplation. After a time, she smirked and shrugged, and their countenances fell.
As Garreth remained with the princess to watch her and investigate her room, Rodain turned about to find her father. Though, he had to wonder what he was to report to him.
Van had surrendered his office to her purposes, providing Hitomi a very luxurious workspace. The room was fitted with everything befitting a king, plush armchairs, a large darkwood desk and various furnishings that were acquired from other countries. A warm fire had been supplied in the large hearth behind her, making the room far more comfortable than necessary.
As she sat at the desk, taking notes on paper while the artist listened in, she began to wonder just what she was dealing with. That ice demon had looked so familiar, she realized, but where have I seen it before?
Van had followed her and her appointments into his office, a stack of books beside his reading chair as he attempted to learn more of his ancestor's magical arts. With his men patrolling the castle and all the nobles keeping him home, he felt his time best served in the study to find a solution to this overpowered maniac. But Hitomi could tell from the way he occasionally nodded that he was also listening in on her interviews.
Before her was an odd man with red hair and freckles. From time to time, he would wink at her oddly, forcing her to turn away with blush over her cheeks. His name was Lowen, and his was reigning king of Malachia. "She was lovely to behold, with locks so pure, they were white and silky." he described her as though describing the love of his life, "She had a heart shaped face and perfect figure. Her lips were tinted dark, as though purple, and her skin was powdered white."
As the description continued on, Hitomi found herself in the room with this man. He lie before her over a woman as white as porcelain, save for the glowing red in her eyes. She had long bony fingers that reminded her of claws, and a devilish grin on her face while the man permitted her seduction. What made her cringe most was how intent he was over her: this married man.
A moment later, the woman flipped him over, her clawlike hands replaced with true claws as she grinned maniacally downwards. Yet, just as she was about to slice, the door flew open, revealing Van with Titania at his heels. Taking a stance, Van used that odd power from before to banish the woman, her screaming before sprouting leathery wings and vanishing into a new fog.
Taking a deep breath as the woman returned to reality, Hitomi blinked and then stared at Lowen. While he leered her way, she turned anxiously towards Van and then began. "I have seen your ordeal." she explained, "But I do not yet know what to make of it."
Frowning, Lowen stood up and growled at her, "Is that it?" When she nodded, he turned towards Van and scowled once more before stomping out the door.
"What's his problem?" she asked as the artist finished the likeness for her records.
Snapping his book shut, Van turned her way and confessed, "He's likely cranky because I ordered Titania to be arrested in her chambers." Hitomi nodded and conceded that fact before thumbing through her notes and drawings, adding what details she could to her files from her vision. She yawned in exhaustion, her efforts draining her severely. "Are you all right?" Van asked kindly, breaking the silence between them. Blushing, Hitomi nodded.
Merle had yet to arrive, so when the door declared a knock, both Van and Hitomi were quite eager to answer it. Their being around one another had been made most tedious since Gitta's remainder of the afternoon had been burned away by awkward glances when the other was looking and attempting to ignore one another.
"Enter!" Van called, setting his book to the side as Hitomi leveled a few files using the desk. She turned and watched as a guard stepped through the door and knelt down on one knee before his king.
"Rodain." Van smiled at the man, "How fares the search for my daughter?" It was clear he'd expected good news.
Yet the look on Rodain's face, coated with fresh five o'clock shadow of deep brown, indicated that the news he'd brought was less than desired. He glanced over towards Hitomi with worry in his brown eyes.
Sensing that the man wished to speak with Van alone, Hitomi nodded and informed the men, "I think I'll head to my room and rest a little." Leaving her stacks of notes behind her, piled nicely on the desk, she strode by. "Please keep me updated." She'd added with a smile before she left out the door.
Once the woman was gone, Van noticed a tension vanish from Rodain's shoulders, with him breathing easier. Curious, Van stood up and offered the man a hand to help him rise. He was surprised to find his guard trembling.
And his trembling brought the worst to Van's mind, "She isn't-"
"-No, m'lord." Rodain assured him, his hands waving in the air to settle his king, "She's fine. Garreth is in her room watching over her at the moment." Filled with joy, Van almost sprinted past the man, but was held back by his steady arm, "That isn't the news I came here to tell you about."
Turning about in irritation, Van eyed the man with red glowing slightly in his irises, "What greater news could there be than the safety of my daughter?"
Taking a deep breath, Rodain attempted to explain to his temperamental king, "She wasn't found by the guards, m'lord… She was returned by a strange boy." Furrowing his brow, Van crossed his arms over his chest and heard the man out, "Garreth and I saw him enter the pleasure gardens, the sleeping princess on his back. He appeared roughly fifteen or sixteen years of age, carrying the bag the Lady Hitomi used during her last stay here-"
"-Takato." Van interrupted him, a small smile on his face, "So Hitomi's son did find his way here." He turned to the side, wondering how to break the news to her and his court, actually excited to meet someone so important in her life and thank him for his service to his daughter. Perhaps I could knight him, Van plotted.
"I would wager to say he isn't just Hitomi's son, m'lord." Rodain interrupted his plotting, forcing Van to turn his way curiously, "While his hair is a light brown like Ms. Hitomi's, his face holds striking resemblance to his father."
Suddenly confused, Van inquired suspiciously, "And how would you know that?"
Gulping, Rodain took a deep breath before informing the man, "Because I believe that I am standing before him at this moment, m'lord."
The world suddenly began to spin, with Van's jaw dropping and air escaping him faster than he could retrieve it. He made to sit in a nearby armchair, nearly missing it had it not been for Rodain's help and understanding, "I am sorry to report this to you m'lord, but it felt pertinent that I should tell you of Ms. Hitomi's deception… Of the existence of your rightful heir."
Van nodded, but said nothing, him thinking back to that innocent conversation from before Hitomi's arrival. He looks just like his father, she had said, the words now twisting in his gut as he finally understood what that had really meant: she had never any intention of telling him of their child. She meant to keep him from me our entire lives!
Suddenly filled with a rage unlike any he'd ever felt before, Van clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "Gather the garrison… Tell them to meet me at Hitomi's room." As he spoke, a terrible storm cloud drew over the city of Arsas, lightning clapping unusually in the distance, "We are going to find my son."
Nodding, Rodain turned about and left the king to himself. Van sat trembling on his armchair, as tears spilled down his cheeks. I had a son, this whole time… and not once did she ever tell me! As the thought echoed over and over in his head, he was so overcome with emotions that he stood up and threw a small wood and glass coffee table across the room, shattering it against the stone wall. Yet that wasn't enough. He turned over chairs and threw whatever he could find that was heavy enough and tossed them into oblivion.
Once satisfied that he'd spent enough pent up energy, Van turned about and slammed the door shut, ignoring the worried looks of maids and servants as he stomped past them. His only objective at this point was to see his daughter and make sure she was all right.
Next came Hitomi and their son.
Author's Note: Again, please read and review! I'd love to hear your reactions!
