Chapter 28: Wedding
"Hitomi!" Happy laugher of a child filled the hall as Hitomi walked back to her room to get changed for Millerna's wedding later that afternoon and she smiled upon seeing the young boy running towards her. "Chid." Kneeling down, she opened her arms to embrace him tightly. It had been almost a month since they had fled Freid after they lost in the battle against Zaibach, leaving the young prince, now Duke, behind with what remained of his people. "Chid, what are you doing here?"
He stiffened in her arms, pulling away. "Hit-Hitomi, Can I talk to you alone..?" All earlier eagerness gone.
Concerned, she led the young Duke to her room just down the hall where no one would over hear them. She sat down on her bed and patted the mattress next to her, indicating for the young boy to sit beside her, but he crawled up and hugged her tightly, burying his face in her chest as he started to cry.
"They… they took it away!" He sobbed.
"Shhh… Chid, what happened?" She asked as she stroked the boy's back.
"Zaibach they…"
So he told her. After their ship had finally left the sky over Fortuna temple, Zaibach's armies began to advance once more. Now that they had the seal sword, they controlled the power spot and had no use for the Duke. So they took his lands, his people, his kingdom. He was powerless to fight against them. He was able to escape with a handful of monks before Zaibach started to slaughter the rest.
"We…we were able to find a ship willing to bring us-" His gave another sharp sob. "-here. And I hadn't even heard," He sniffled. "of Aunt Millerna's wedding…"
She wasn't sure what to say. "I'm sorry, Chid…" Even that didn't seem to be enough. "Do any of the others know?" He shook his head. "Alright then, we'll tell the others later but right now we have to get ready for Millerna's wedding." So she put to work distracting the young Duke from his tears and even managed to make him smile a little from time to time.
Pink lilies with bight sunny centers floated softly on the water of the canal, thrown there by the many watchers who had gathered in the warm late-morning sunlight. Peasants and townsfolk lined the banks, filling every available space in order to watch their princess glide down the channel in a richly carved wooden boat in her wedding silks. The gold plated bow was carved in the image of the great dragon god of the sea, a sign of safe travel and peace.
Millerna's hair hung free around her shoulders, blowing in the mild breeze. They passed under another of the stone arches that spanned the canal, where royal banners in blue and gold had been hung in celebration. Millerna sat silently in her dress of deep blue and gold upon the small throne-like chair at the stern of the boat; Dryden stood proudly at the front in his own blue robes topped with a beret with a red feather. Unlike Dryden who wore few jewels, Millerna was covered with them: from the golden headband with the large emeralds to the thick gold necklace with it's coin sized ruby. Even the veil that hung down her back sparkled with dew-drop diamonds. Attire fit for the future Queen.
Their small boat was dwarfed by the barges moving slowly behind them. Each filled to the very top with tributes for the soon to be rulers.
When Dryden and Millerna's small boat came to rest at the head of the canal, the couple exited the boat carefully and walked side by side up the red carpeted stairs to stand before the castle doors where the priests stood waiting for them.
On a hill outside of town, Merle and Van sat on the roof of the small mill watching the events. Though they would not be able to see the actual event, they had been able to watch the couple ride up the canal. Van was in no mood to be amongst the crowds.
"Lord Van, why don't we go down there with the others? We were invited." Her tail batted slowly from side to side as she watched to happy city. She knew it would be a sight to see, a royal wedding. It would be far grander then anything Fanelia had ever seen.
"I just don't feel like being around so many people right now, Merle." Van replied, closing his eyes for a moment and wondered if he should just suggest that she and Yuki go alone.
oOoOo
Her cheeks were flushed in the early morning light. "Thanks Van… I mean." Hitomi turned her head away slightly. "It was very nice of you to let me stay for the night."
"Well I couldn't let you stay out in the rain. Now you'd better go. I'm sure Millerna is waiting for you." He smiled slightly.
Hitomi nodded. "Alright Van."
oOoOo
"Gaia to Lord Van?" Merle waved her hand in front of his face.
He blinked rapidly to clear his thoughts from his face but it was too late.
"You were thinking of Hitomi again, weren't you?" She asked giving him a sideways look when she returned to her seat.
Van just continued to stare out over the peaceful city.
"Hey Lord Van, you know, I bet your mother is looking for you…"
Guymelefs lined the walkway up to the palace doors; the Knights Caeli stood before them, eyes straight ahead and heads held high. This was a great day for their kingdom, they were proud to be part of it. As the couple passed by, swords were raised and melef spears crossed.
On the balcony above, the royal family sat to watch the event. Millerna's father and older sister Eries, along with the high nobles of the kingdom. This is where Van would have been sitting, had he wanted to. Chid stood silently next to his grandfather as he watched his Aunt's wedding. They hadn't really asked why he had come, it was more or less expected of family but he had a feeling they knew what had happened.
Varie sighed. Even though she didn't mind the company of the King and his older daughter, she didn't know them, and it had been a very long time since she had been to court. She forgot how tiring it could be. She also wondered where her son and young lady Hitomi were hiding.
Hitomi too, sighed as she stood with the crew of the Crusade amongst the crowds. She wondered why Van hadn't come, and the reason Millerna's sister had told her not to stay up with Varie on the balcony. She looked lonely up there on her own.
"Hey boss… where's the Commander?"
Gaddess turned to face the rest of the crew. "What do you mean, Reeden?" He whispered back, so as to keep it from the people around them.
Hitomi half turned to listen as she kept her eyes on the ceremony.
"Well you see… The Commander is nowhere to found and Scherazade is gone too!" Reeden cupped a hand over his mouth as he told him the news, if though he said it loud enough for everything else to hear.
"You mean he's just gone?" When the man nodded Gaddess sighed and ran his hands back through his blue-black hair.
While the two men argued about the possible reasons why their leader was missing, the crowd grew silent as Millerna and Dryden walked by.
Hitomi smiled. "Millerna, I want you to have all the luck in the world…" She whispered to herself. She wanted Millerna to be happy, and Dryden would make sure she was.
When Millerna and Dryden finally reached the end of the red carpet, they knelt before the gathered priests. The high priest held up a staff topped with golden images of the moon and sun; the others, dressed in red, held smaller staffs. They bowed their heads.
Hiding among the shadows Yuki watched with interest. Everyone was so… happy. Over a wedding? He didn't understand the excitement. He sniffed the air… something else was coming. He turned his ears to see if he couldn't figure out was it was.
"Ye wise children of Asturia," The priest began. "A land blessed with rich land and water, embraced by sun and moon; this day bears witness to a blessed event." The high priest raised his staff high into the air. Bright beams of sun catching on its gold surface.
Back in the shadows, Yuki with his pale green eyes moved farther into the crowd before jumping into the open window of a nearby house.
"The probability graph is stabilizing due to the separation of the girl and the dragon. This is the perfect opportunity to capture Hitomi Kanzaki, the key to the alteration of fate."
"But what if there is further influence from the dragon?" He asked. Much rested on this plan.
"Should that happen, eliminate the dragon."
Folken bowed his head and Naria's voice came over the intercom in the bridge. "There is nothing to worry about, Lord Folken."
"We will capture that girl, Hitomi." Eriya confidence was evident. "Luck is on our side." And it was. He watch them fly out over the waiting city in their cat-like guymelefs and wondered what his brother was going to do.
In the mill to the east. The hatch on the dragon armor opened, and its heart began to glow. Waiting.
Hitomi gasped as if she had been hit, her eyes drawn to the sky.
Lightning began to rain down as large shadows fell into the city. A falling dragon and a crashing tower. Everything is falling. Down and down. Screams and blood.
"No they can't!" Hitomi's green eyes snapped to the couple, Dryden was now placing a large ruby ring on Millerna's slender finger and the feeling of dread was growing, making it harder to breath.
The men of the Crusade around her turned confusion but she didn't pay them any heed. "This marriage is all wrong!" She began pushing her way through the crowd.
"Hey, what?" Gaddess reached out after her but she slipped through the moving crowd. "Wait!" He called out but was already gone.
A light shone through the roof of the mill right next to Van and Merle. The light from Escaflowne's energist shot high into the sky till it hit what seemed to be a wall in the sky.
"What the-?" Van turned, his eyes following the light as it slowly revealed the flying structure hanging over the city. "That's my brother's floating fortress…"
"They've spotted us!" Hissed Eriya as they turned in the air to see their fortress uncovered.
Her sister looked out over her shoulder to the beam of light. "The dragon showed us it's location all by itself…" She smirked. "Our luck is operating on a whole new level, all right. Eriya!"
"Yes, sister?" She startled at the sharpness in her sister's tone.
"You go after the dragon. Don't let him interfere with our capture of that girl, Hitomi." With that she began to speed her melef down towards the festive city.
"My pleasure, sister." Eriya smiled and turned herself east.
Hitomi was running up the red carpet, having broken free of the crowd. "Wait!" She yelled up to the altar causing the crowds eyes to turn to her with angry glares, shocked gasps and murmurs.
'Almost, almost there. They just can't kiss-' As she neared the stairs, the carpet caught her feet and she fell and was too late. The new King and Queen kissed… and the sky went black.
"Lord Van, where are you going?" Merle asked again as she followed him back inside.
"I'm taking Escaflowne and flying into the city. They're in trouble down there. Zaibach is attacking." He jumped smoothly into Escaflowne's open cockpit, placing it sword beside him as the hatch began to close.
"This doesn't feel right, Lord Van! Something is wrong!" She yelled up to him as she scampered up to the newly transformed guymelef's dragon back.
He didn't answer as he commanded his dragon into the sky and towards the city.
"What's that?" Millerna moved into Dryden's arms as the shadow continued to spread over the city, staring up into the blackened sky.
"An eclipse? Now?" Dryden narrowed his eyes. This couldn't be right. Something else was going on.
"This is an ill omen…" The high priest bowed his heads to pray for the forgiveness of the gods, but there was something moving towards them, something large.
"It's an enemy attack!" Someone shouted from within the crowd. People began to scatter like mice, rushing into the streets and out of their houses as the silver Guymelef landed in the castle square.
"Millerna, lets go!" Dryden scooped his new Queen into his arms, fleeing with the rest, trying to find some form a safety.
The melef's that had lined the streets during the ceremony now took up arms against the attack, but as they were readied for battle, they each malfunctioned one by one. Cables snapped and gears crumbed in an odd show of bad luck. Some refused to move, or even open their hatches to receive their pilots. The city was being left defenseless.
Thick dark clouds had rolled over the city, lightning began to strike and screams rose from the frightened inhabitants. Buildings and homes began to burn as the bolts landed one after another, in a powerful and relentless assault.
Lightning cracked over head and Millerna gasped as rocks started to fall from the tower towards them. "Dryden!" They had little room to run as the huge stones landed on the ground around them.
"What the hell is going on? Huh?" Over his right shoulder he saw Eriya's gold melef rise up behind him as he flew Escaflowne towards the panicked city. Van growled. "Zaibach soldiers." He cursed the darkness and panic for not seeing her sooner.
"I can't let you get near Hitomi!" Eriya shouted as she pressed a button on her controls that revealed her hidden crima claws. She started to shoot at the dragon.
Van dived out of the way of the shots towards the ground in a steep drop. Eriya moved to follow when he suddenly shot up behind her, sword in claw. "Almost…" Urging Escaflowne to go a little faster, Van managed to lock the dragons claws onto the enemy's shoulder plate. "Got her!" Van shouted in triumph, raising his sword high. It froze and suddenly he couldn't move it. He tried again to bring it down, but instead Escaflowne let go of the melef, diving to the side sharply. Escaflowne was out of control. Soon the dragon started to race up and up and it was all Van could do to hang on. Then, energist turning a dead gray on the dragon's chest, it began to fall back to the ground.
Hitomi turned around in the rubble of the tower and saw Van begin to fall. "Escaflowne… it will crash…" In her mind she saw the impact. Van will hit the city street... then he will...
To Be Continued
