Drink in the Moonlight
Disclaimer: I own nothing of "The Vision of Escaflowne. Otherwise, Folken and Eries would somehow be together.
Note: I'm on a roll. There are only two chapters left after this so I can assure you that I will be posting one every two days. I'm so pleased with the pace at which I've managed to write these after putting it off for so long. But we shall soon reach the conclusion.
I must say that I always try to involve Dilandau in every long-ish Escaflowne story I write. As much as I love Folken and Eries together, Dilandau will always be my favorite character and I feel that the story did not give him enough justice in the end. So I write fan fiction to rectify that. But I didn't include him here just for the sake of including him. I assure you that he has an important role to play in this story and one that will directly affect our beloved couple.
I'm sure this does not come as a complete surprise since Celena had joined the story very early on. And I believe that to give justice to Celena, one must always consider Dilandau as an essential part of her life. Anyway, all will be explained in a hopefully satisfactory manner.
Please let me know what you think of the developments in this chapter and I hope that you enjoy reading it.
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"He's back," Van declared gravely, as he stared at the unconscious figure of a silver-haired young man strapped to a bed. Those were the only restraints they would put on him for the moment. But there was no knowing what he would do when he woke up.
"It appears so," Eries agreed sadly. It was not as bad as they feared but nothing could be certain.
Unless one had seen him in action, it was hard to believe that the sleeping figure was one of the most dangerous warriors of the Zaibach Empire. There was a serene expression on his pale face which showed just how young he truly was. But there was no denying his identity. They waited in anxious anticipation for him to awaken.
But it was such a great comfort to see Celena escape unscathed by what had probably been an extreme ordeal. The girl was also asleep but she was lying in her room, safely away from Dilandau, and she was being guarded fiercely by Merle, who was determined to protect her friend from any danger.
Celena had shrunk back to the size she had been when she first arrived in Fanelia. Everyone now realized that the sudden spike in her appetite had been in preparation for Dilandau's arrival. She had had to gain enough bulk to be able to support two whole bodies. And somehow, it had worked.
From what they had seen, the split had not caused any external injuries to the two people involved. A medic had been sent for to check on Dilandau and he did not see anything physically wrong with the young man. Both bodies were intact and unblemished. Whatever had caused them to split had been powerful and precise.
"Perhaps it was too much for one body to contain two personalities," Eries surmised, "and somehow, the forces that had created Dilandau found a way for him to exist independently of Celena at last."
Eries was just glad that Celena was all right. From the looks of things, the girl was finally free of the burden of her darker self. Dilandau was a completely separate person now. And this way, it would be easier to deal with him.
Allen had been sent for and all the pertinent details of what had happened were relayed to him. Eries told him not to worry too much as his sister was safe and sound. She told him to leave the problem of Dilandau to her and Van for the time being.
Eries watched Van's reactions carefully because she wanted to make sure that he would not try to do anything rash. She knew that even the most serious discussions could be forgotten if emotions overcame reason. It was already taking so much of Van's self-control not to throw Dilandau in the dungeons or worse but he was following Eries' advice and was waiting patiently for what was to come.
It was a great help that the former captain of the Dragonslayers remained unconscious and so looked as peaceful as could be. Both Eries and Van wondered how much of the old Dilandau still remained in this new, frail-looking body. Though he had his own body now, separate from Celena, Dilandau was still very thin and his complexion was even paler than usual. He looked quite ill and weak, not at all the vigorous, fiery warrior Van remembered. The king almost pitied the figure lying there, a shadow of his old self. But any pity was soon overpowered by painful memories of fire and destruction. Dilandau's achievements were not easy to forget.
"I think it would be best if you let me talk to him first," Eries advised, "as much as a familiar face would be welcome to one who will surely wake up confused and disoriented, I doubt he will react favorably to your face."
"To say the least," Van replied, "I don't trust him but I also don't trust myself if I'm around him when I wake. But will it be safe for you to face him alone?"
"He's restrained, is he not?" Eries remarked, "Besides, there will be a guard just outside the door. I do not think he will try to hurt me…immediately. But I'm sure that he will demand an explanation for his current circumstances."
"But he is acquainted with you, is he not?" Van asked.
"Yes, we have spoken to each other on occasion whenever Folken would be on a mission from Zaibach," Eries answered, "I'm not sure how much Folken ever told him about our association with each other but Folken did mention that Dilandau was a keen observer and was always looking for a reason to tease. So I suppose the captain would know more than he let on. At the very least, I think he will recognize me."
"And even someone as depraved as Dilandau would not immediately attack a woman," Van thought, trying to give himself comfort, "especially a pregnant one."
"Are you sure you will be all right?" he repeated in concern, "I will never forgive myself if anything happened to you."
"Don't worry," Eries said comfortingly, "I know what I'm doing. Believe me, this isn't the first time I'll be negotiating with a highly volatile individual. I am not completely afraid of him."
Eries did not mention the other motive she had for speaking with Dilandau first since she wasn't sure of how Van would take it. And if he was completely unsympathetic, it would be perfectly understandable. But in spite of everything, Eries wanted to help Dilandau. She had witnessed firsthand the kind of damage ten years in Zaibach could do to a person but she knew that it was possible to survive the horrors and start afresh. It was difficult to compare the red-eyed man to Folken but she still felt some hope for him. She believed that he only needed to be given a chance.
"Perhaps there really a soft spot in my heart for the stolen children of Zaibach," Eries mused.
Crimson eyes snapped open and blinked, trying to get re-accustomed to light, after spending an unbearably long time in darkness.
"Where am I?" a faint voice whispered.
"Somewhere safe," another voice replied, "Do not be afraid."
Dilandau blinked again and looked around for the person who had spoken. But he was still too weak to get up so he leaned back against the soft pillow on the bed. It felt like ages since he had last slept in a bed, since he had last slept at all. The voice sounded familiar and since there were no shadows looming around him, no threat yet to be discerned, he did not make any sudden movements. He was still too tired to put up a fight.
"I'm sick of being afraid," he muttered bitterly in reply, "I was living in fear for far too long."
Eries listened to him in concern. It was too early to tell but already she thought that he seemed different somehow. Wherever it had been, it had clearly been unpleasant and she could not imagine what horrors he may have witnessed while trapped in Celena's consciousness.
"What do you remember?" she asked cautiously.
"Everything," he replied after a thoughtful pause, "even some things I would rather forget."
He tried once more to get up and he managed to push himself up slightly against the pillow so that he could get a good look at whom he was talking to. He never liked being ignorant of his circumstances. He squinted at the figure seated not far from his bed. The lady looked back at him calmly.
"I know you," he declared slightly eagerly, "you're the second princess of Asturia."
"You're absolutely right," Eries answered, nodding in acknowledgment, "but my circumstances have changed somewhat recently."
"Yes, if I recall correctly," Dilandau added with a hint of slyness, "you're the one Folken always fancied."
Eries could not help but smile at this. Clearly, his memory was sharper than she had anticipated.
"And now I'm his wife," she confirmed serenely.
Dilandau took note of her increased size and made the logical conclusion.
"Well, you two certainly didn't waste any time," he commented wryly.
Eries wasn't sure if his sense of humor was a good sign but she could not help but enjoy his little jibe. In spite of everything, he had not lost his spirit. At least, he was not totally in despair.
"Where is he, then?" the young man asked, "I'd like to speak with him."
"He..is not here," Eries answered carefully, "I don't know where he is and I'm still waiting for him to return."
"I see," said Dilandau, "so are we in Asturia then?"
"No, we are not," Eries replied, "but we shall discuss that later. What I need to know is why have you come back?"
Dilandau paused and gave this some thought. He could not explain how he had somehow broken away from Celena Schezar's mind and body and why this had happened. It was all still a blur to him. All he knew was that he was alive again, after feeling dead for so long.
"I escaped," he said simply, "and I never want to go back to that hateful place again. I want to go back to Zaibach."
"I'm afraid that won't be possible," Eries explained as gently as she could, "the place that you knew is no more. Zaibach lost the war."
The silver-haired soldier's eyes widened in shock and dismay as he let the news sink in. It was worse than he had expected.
"So the war is over," he said gravely, "and all my men are dead. There is nothing for me here."
He leaned back against his pillow and sighed with resignation.
"You ask me why I've returned," he continued, "Well, I don't know why. But no matter what happens now, I'm never going back to that cold, empty darkness again. I'd rather die. A proper death this time."
"I understand," Eries said somberly, "The situation is rather complicated at the moment. But I am sure we will come to a suitable arrangement."
The young soldier merely shrugged and looked away from his companion. He was growing sleepy again and he wanted to rest. Eries thought it best to leave him for now and discuss what she had heard with Van. From what she had seen, there was not much to be feared. She was still on her guard, of course, and she wouldn't put it past Dilandau to cause any mischief once he was fully recovered. But there was definitely something different about him. His experience had clearly drained him of much of his ferocity and hate. His eyes glowed with life but no longer with the same bloodthirsty madness that had driven him during battle. Now, he looked completely exhausted.
But just as she was about to leave the room, the door was thrown open and Celena Schezar burst in.
"Celena!" Eries cried out in alarm, "What are you doing here?"
"I needed to see him," the girl replied resolutely.
"Are you quite well enough?" Eries asked in concern, "Even he is still recovering from what you both suffered."
"I'll be fine," the young girl said firmly, "don't worry about me."
Eries nodded and watched as Celena approached Dilandau's bed. The soldier had immediately become alert when he heard someone enter and now he was staring intently at the new visitor. For a few minutes, they simply gazed at each other silently but they seemed to be communicating in a way that did not require words or gestures. At length, Celena spoke.
"So, it really is you," she said in a tone of wonder and relief, "And now, you're finally free."
"I know you," Dilandau said in a tone that was almost gentle. They had shared nightmares together and at one point in each other's lives, one had lived in the other's cage.
"I'm so glad you're all right," Celena told him sincerely, "I heard your cries for help and I was afraid something bad had happened to you."
"Well, here I am," Dilandau declared with another shrug.
Celena nodded and smiled. Her presence seemed to have a calming effect on the other so he nodded back and closed his eyes, drifting off into a peaceful slumber. The girl took a chair and placed it by his bedside and then sat and watched him silently.
Eries watched this whole exchange with interest. She had been afraid for Celena at first but now she realized that if there was any person in the world Dilandau would not harm, it was Celena. They shared a unique and powerful bond, tied by something even stronger than blood or romance. This connection would finally be tested now that they were distinct and apart from each other. But Eries felt certain that it was a link that could never be broken.
All this gave Eries hope. There were still certain things to sort out between Dilandau and Van. Then, Allen would arrive and they would all discuss what to do next. But from the way things looked at the moment, Eries thought that things had turned out much better than they had all expected.
Now, with Celena's influence, Eries thought, Dilandau might be less of a danger than they had feared. She saved him and in so doing, saved them all. A part of the girl's gentle soul is in him, and that could grow strong enough to cleanse him of the poison of his old self.
"But how is it possible?"
Folken stared at the report in astonishment. The Ispano had mysteriously furnished him with a copy because his destiny had been linked with the subject in question. Dilandau Albatou.
Through some great force, the Ispano had managed to split Dilandau completely from Celena Schezar and provide the former with his own flesh and bone while the latter retained control of her own body. Folken had never thought it possible for Dilandau to return completely without overpowering Celena's consciousness. But it seemed that the Ispano were capable of anything.
"Nothing goes to waste," one of the Ispano had declared enigmatically, "When the forces of Destiny have been tampered with, we repair the damage. The sorcerers of Zaibach created an anomaly. They trapped two souls in one body. This could not be allowed to go on. Both souls needed to be freed. So we fixed them."
It seemed like such a simple explanation for a very complicated and incredible process but Folken did not question it. The members of the Ispano tribe had proven time and again that they knew what they were doing and he felt honored to be contributing to their work.
He was glad to learn of this change in Dilandau's fate. In his own way, he had been fond of the crazed captain of the Dragonslayers, in spite of all their differences. They had worked together for many years and shared some painful experiences. When Folken first learned about the complications with Celena Schezar, he regretted not having been more observant of Dilandau. While he was glad that he had not taken part in the gruesome experiments that had created this "anomaly", he wished that he had been able to help. In spite of all the crimes Dilandau had committed, he did not deserve such a horrible end as to be rendered as if he had not even existed. No, that was fate worse than death.
Now, he would have a chance at a new life, just like me, Folken thought, and hopefully, he will make better choices this time. That was difficult to tell with an individual as volatile as Dilandau but Folken had a feeling that the experience of being trapped and alone had effected some change on the former soldier.
"There is another reason we have shown you this report," one of the Ispano remarked, interrupting Folken's train of thought, "and it concerns you more directly."
"I'm listening," Folken replied respectfully.
"As with your case," the strange creature explained, "Dilandau Albatou's restoration to life comes at a price. Therefore, we will need him to render us certain services in order to repay the debt."
"Of course," Folken said, growing slightly apprehensive and excited about what would be said next. He had a feeling that it would be good news.
"And so," the Ispano continued, "as soon as we have reached a suitable arrangement with him, we shall no longer be requiring your services."
Folken stared back in wonder, not quite able to believe what he was hearing. Luckily, the Ispano repeated the information in clearer terms.
"As soon as Dilandau is ready," the mysterious being clarified, "he will take your place and you will be released from your contract with us. You will be free to go home."