Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: The Vision of Escaflowne is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

Note: Sorry for the delay. The weekend was really hectic. But I'll try to get two chapters up this week somehow, to keep on schedule.

The next few chapters will be fun for me to write. I like this part of the story, though it may be a little controversial. It's mostly based on a scene from "The Other Boleyn Girl" and my own imagination of how Asturian politics might be like. Sorry if it seems long drawn-out and repetitive. That's what crappy bureaucracy and corrupt politics is like, from my experience. It must be worse, I think, for women (even royalty) in the patriarchal society of Asturia.

Chapter Ten

"So good of you to attend this meeting on such short notice," King Aston told his daughter.

"It is not within my power to refuse an official summons," Eries replied calmly.

She was wary of what the gathering was about and she was determined not to be outwitted by her father. She knew that this would be more of an interrogation than anything.

Why else would she be standing alone in the center of the council room, surrounded by all the stern, serious Asturian council members, among them that slimy merchant, Meiden Fassa? This was a trap, she was sure of it, but she would not allow herself to be lured in. She would give them no such satisfaction.

"I trust that your stay in Zaibach so far has been agreeable," the king continued, ignoring her severe tone.

"Very agreeable, thank you," she answered curtly.

"And I hope that you have been adjusting well to being married," Aston continued in a slightly amused tone.

"Well enough," she answered, her suspicion rising. Now she had an inkling of what they were to talk to her about and she did not quite like their tone.

"I beg you would speak plainly, your Highness," Eries then added, addressing her father formally to emphasize her tone, "I am certain that you did not summon me before this assembly only to exchange such inane pleasantries."

Eries narrowed her eyes. She was in no mood for any of her father's games. She had wanted to make this perfectly clear.

There were some gasps of surprise at such audacity but Aston was not at all put off. He even smiled with satisfaction.

"I knew that you were not one to mince words, my dear," the king replied proudly, "and indeed you have not disappointed me. After all, we have really called you here to discuss a very serious matter."

"My marriage," she surmised aloud.

"Precisely," the king replied, "you have been involved in political affairs before. You must know how important such alliances are for the success and progress of a nation."

"Well aware," Eries answered formally, "and as you know, I entered into this marriage with full knowledge of the benefits it will bring to Asturia."

"Very admirable of you, my dear," the king told her in a patronizing tone which she recognized and which put her on her guard, "but your duty does not stop there, surely you know this?"

She narrowed her eyes and knew that she would have to be very, very careful with what she said from this point on.

"I know that I am to always behave in the manner befitting my rank and position," she said, almost as if reciting a well-learned lesson, "and that I am to do everything in my power to do honor to my country and my husband."

The men around her nodded approvingly but there were still whispers among them. This was clearly not all that they had summoned her for.

There was something else, she was sure of it. What did they want to know?

"Very good, Eries," the king said, "but there are certain more particular matters which we want to inquire about today, some rather intimate details, I'm afraid."

"What do you mean?" Eries asked warily.

She was really growing more and more anxious as she stood there, under their scrutiny, like a bird in a cage, taunted by the monsters beyond the bars. They were there to pry into her private life, and she did not care for it at all.

"Well, since you know that your marriage with Lord Folken can be taken as an international alliance," Meiden Fassa deigned to explain, "we need to know if it has been accomplished accordingly."

Eries raised her eyebrow at this and suppressed the urge to look scandalized. She would not show them her discomfiture. She knew exactly what they were alluding to and she was shocked that they would even ask this of her, and in such a public and humiliating manner as well.

"I don't see why you need any confirmation of such a fact," she answered cautiously, keeping her temper in check, "it is no secret that I have been living with my husband for several weeks now. Why should any of you doubt that we have not been behaving accordingly?"

"Pray, do not be offended by our questions, Princess," the merchant continued, voicing the concern of the rest of the council members, "but official matters have to be treated with certainty and delicacy."

"I see no delicacy in inquiring so blatantly about my private life," Eries could not help but retort.

"But you relinquished any claims as a private citizen when you accepted your duty as a princess of this nation," her father reminded her, "You can have no secrets from us."

Eries frowned as she looked at the assembly of sinister old men. Though they used the guise of "official business", she could see straight through them and into their filthy thoughts. She now knew that they all wanted certain details, not for any political necessity, but to satisfy some sick curiosity.

"Again I must reiterate that your marriage is an international alliance before anything else," one of the council men declared, "and we have called you here to make sure that you, as a representative of Asturia, have performed your duty accordingly."

"I assure you," she answered with as much composure as she could muster, "that I did not disgrace neither myself nor Asturia."

There were some murmurs among the council members. But the princess, still under their scrutiny, could see that they wanted a more detailed account from her. She refused to give it. It was not for nothing that she was skilled in the language of diplomacy.

"Well then," the king continued, "how many times has your marriage been consummated?"

Eries' eyes widened in shock and she could not answer for the next few moments, so appalled was she by such a question, and asked in public, no less. But the council was waiting eagerly for her answer and she was doing her best to suppress her indignation.

She clenched her fists at her sides and struggled to maintain a neutral expression on her face. But she could not help but color at the thought of the details demanded of her.

"Do not look so concerned, Princess," another council member said, "but you must answer the question."

She was about to argue that such intimate details about her life were none of their business, that they had no right to question her so vulgarly but she already anticipated the rebuttal to this. This ridiculous notion that she was not entitled to a private life.

She remained silent, pondering on the question for a few moments while the king and his council men waited slyly for her answer. But they were not willing to wait for too long.

"Well, Princess?" an impatient member cried out, "answer the question."

"How many times have you consummated your marriage?" someone felt the need to repeat the question.

Clenching her fist tightly, Eries steeled herself and raised her head proudly, meeting her father's gaze without flinching.

"I don't know," she replied calmly (and almost in a challenging way), "I've lost count."

It was their turn to be surprised and appalled. Hypocritical gasps and murmurs now filled the assembly room as the men sanctimoniously tried to act like she was acting improperly.

Eries was not smiling but she was satisfied by their reactions. She knew that they had not expected such a response and now they knew that she was not about to play this game their way.

"How daring!"

"Exceedingly improper!"

"Shameless girl!"

These and other similar exclamations were exchanged by the frowning council members as they processed her answer. King Aston was frowning disapprovingly at his daughter but she met his gaze calmly.

"Do not make a mockery of this inquisition, Eries," he told her sternly.

"So at last you are revealing the true nature of this assembly," Eries thought silently.

"Indeed I am not, your Highness," she answered serenely, "I was asked a question and I simply gave my honest answer."

Again murmurs of disapprobation, shaking of heads, and some not-so-subtle expressions of interest.

But many of them still looked at her incredulously. Even with such an audacious reply, they were not satisfied.

"That declaration will not suffice," Meiden Fassa declared, "perhaps this situation calls for more proof."

"Perhaps a physical examination or something like that," another council member suggested, eliciting nods of approval from the rest.

No one objected to this except for Eries herself.

Again, Eries looked shocked and appalled by this suggestion. It seemed like the longer she stood there, the more perverse every question became. She felt anger well up within her and she was really using up all her powers of self-restraint to keep from storming out of that assembly hall.

"I beg your pardon, my lords," she addressed them, "but are not my own honest confessions sufficient evidence of the validity of my marriage? Do you not give any value to my sworn statements?"

"We are all aware of your unwavering integrity in all matters, Eries," King Aston said, "but these very important affairs of state really must be investigated thoroughly."

Eries frowned. "Thoroughly" was yet another word used to disguise their perversions. She shuddered at the thought and struggled for some stern objection, for some argument to make them see reason, for some way to end this excruciating interrogation.

And then, she remembered something. There was a flaw in this 'logic', if it was even to be called that.

"You needn't be agitated about anything," Fassa tried to reassure her, "this is nothing but standard procedure."

"If I recall correctly," Eries told them, "my sister Marlene was never subjected to such a thorough and technical inquisition upon her marriage to the Duke of Freid. It seems that this 'standard procedure', as you call it, is only applicable to me. Now, why is that so?"

There was an uneasy silence in the room and many of them did not know how to react to this question. They all knew the answer, Eries could see that, but they were afraid of admitting their mistake, their distorted justification for questioning her.

"You are right about that," Aston had to concede, "but we never needed to confirm anything with Marlene. The Duke's attachment and affection for her was clear, and in a short time, their union already bore fruit."

Ironic, Eries thought, considering the true parentage of Prince Chid. But she wasn't going to raise that delicate issue here. She knew how to keep secrets.

"You cannot use that against me," she answered boldly, "for I have not yet been married as long Marlene was when it was discovered that she was with child."

None of them could argue against that.

"And as for the matter of my husband's showing any fondness for me," she continued, "you seem to be convinced that there is only one way of expressing emotions. But you know that that is not so. And you cannot fault Lord Folken for not being as openly sentimental as the Duke of Freid. That would be doing both of us a disservice."

More murmurs and discussions were made among the council members.

Eries knew why they had not questioned Marlene this way. It was something she had become accustomed to while growing up. Marlene was pretty in a way that was loved by most men. And she was of a charm and disposition that had attracted many suitors.

There was no doubt that whoever Marlene married would love and cherish her as a wife immediately.

But Eries was different, and it did not really help her case that Folken was like her. They were both so serious and formal, rarely showing any emotions. So everyone else believed them incapable of passion.

Eries could understand why the Asturian Council doubted that there was any attraction between them. Nevertheless, she could not forgive them for this farcical inquiry into her private life.

"Both my reputation and that of my husband are unquestionable," she declared, "and we have always fulfilled all the responsibilities that come with our positions. You can have no reason to demand any more of me than my word of honor. To do so would be an affront not only to myself, but also to my husband. And consequently, to the Zaibach Empire as well. To risk such an important ally's displeasure is hardly a wise decision."

These words left them all speechless, and Eries folded her arms in satisfaction. She had turned their words on them and had maintained her dignity. They had no power over her, and she had wanted to show them this.

But even with this victory, she now better appreciated her new life in Zaibach. Because however foreboding and dangerous the people there were, they were honest and straightforward about their desires, unlike the perverse, hypocritical buffoons who filled the seats of the Asturian council.