Leviathan's Daughter
GoldenEagle
Author's Note: Again little sign of Van&Company in this one, but I promise he shows in the next one! These chapters aren't as action packed as the last few, but Folken's scene has later importance, and Leviathan does mention something important about Zaibach in one sentence. Plus, it kind of works with the character's a bit, so... Anyways, hope you guys enjoy!
Chapter Twenty-Eight
It had been a few weeks since Persephone had left, since the attack on Fanalia. No signs of the girl had been given. Zaibach and Persephone had not even touched in the slightest way since her escape. But things would soon change.
It was a caravan, a group of traveling merchants. Among their group they carried objects that they were to deliver to many different countries. It was fairly large, twenty to thirty people in the group. But despite their size, they didn't even catch sight of her sneaking in.
Persephone followed the shadows of the forest, drifting closer to the group. With a graceful and silent leap, she landed in one of the wagons. Immediately she searched out food or weapons, anything that would be of importance to her. "What do you think you're doing here?" A gruff voice asked from behind her. She jumped and turned, only to find a blade pressed at her throat. The man in front of her was ugly and large, a few teeth missing. "You think you're going to steal some of our cargo, hm, little girl?"
"Damn," she said plainly. "Now I'm going to have to kill you." And she did so, quickly, silently, and efficiently. She had learned the value of secrecy since she had joined Leviathan and his lifestyle. One pair of curious eyes could get you killed.
Persephone delved in immediately, grabbing the exotic and life sustaining food within the pile. Caviar, foreign cheeses, chocolates... It didn't matter. Leviathan could go months without food, which was good, because he couldn't afford to go out a lot. But Persephone needed this food, and she wouldn't risk Leviathan for herself. These delicacies would have to last her.
After hoarding all the food she could fit into her bag, she searched for weapons. She found a beautiful golden bow and silver arrows, but passed it by quickly. Even if she did know how to use it, it was more of an art object than a weapon. The bow would be too solid and heavy to manage, the arrows would hold no real accuracy or power. She set her eyes on a long, curved blade, light but of good metal.
She turned to leave, wrapping the belt which held the blade's scabbard on it around her waist, when something caught her eye. The slightest ray of light shone through the wagon's covered opening. It fell on a pair of grey, familiar eyes, though only two dimensional. She moved forward silently, stepping over the man's body she had felled earlier. She cocked her head as she took the picture in before pulling out a small dagger and cutting it from its frame and rolling it up carefully. With a final glance around, she was out of the cart, the only sign of her ever being there was the lack of food, a portrait, and one man's life.
**********
Folken sat quietly, going over plan after blue sheet after outline. He took it in with the cold precision one must when their heart is on other matters. A man continued to speak to him, his subconscious picking out little tidbits of information that might be important from the dull words. "As for fatalities in the fifth sector," the voice droned on, "We've only had three. One was lost to a dragon, one was from an earlier infection from a battle wound, and one was killed by most likely a thief while he was guarding some of Zaibach's plunder. As for-"
"What was stolen?" Folken asked, averting his attention momentarily from his work.
"Nothing much, sir. Food, a sword, and a portrait. That's about it."
Folken raised an eyebrow. "That's it? No gold, no other weapons?"
"No, Lord Folken. Most likely it was from a nomadic group. Nothing much would be needed." He said plainly.
"Then why the portrait..." Folken muttered. "What was the portrait of?"
The man sounded annoyed, not finding the importance in the conversation. "I'm not quite sure, Lord Folken. It was taken from Fanalia. Most likely it was a portrait of one of the royal family. That would be my best guess."
"That's all." Folken said, his mind working through the information. The transmission ended. Suddenly, an amused and proud smile crossed Folken's lips.
"So, Persephone. I see you've taken an interest in the arts."
**************
~Hmm. So, Daughter, I see you've brought home a little art.~ Leviathan chuckled, laughter floating through his voice.
Persephone rolled her eyes as she continued to place rocks on the outside edges so the canvas would stay open. She was in a small cave on the Northern boundary of Leviathan's territory. It was one of the only dry places she was sure of that would stay dry. Leviathan leaned over her and let out a hot, steamy breath.
"Hey! Quit that! You'll melt the paint!" She said, a slightly playful tone, but serious none the less.
This made the great dragon chuckle more. ~I was never a fan of the arts.~ The beast turned his head to the side, looking at the portrait with his one good eye. ~Who are they?~
Persephone stared at it quietly for a moment before pointing to the different figures. As she did so, she ate an apple from her sack and spoke. "That," She said between bites. "That is Folken Fanel. He is a good friend of mine, though he's a lot younger in this picture. And that," She pointed to a shorter boy, with black hair. "That must be Van Fanel, his brother. And those two, standing just behind them, must be their parents." She said plainly, a strange smile on her face as she looked at the seemingly happy family. But when she looked up, she saw a deep frown on her companion's scaled face.
~The Fanels of Fanalia. Yes, I know the name well. They send out their young to kill our kind.~ He said disapprovingly, a bit of anger in his voice.
Persephone nodded after looking back down at the picture. "Yes. But Folken is my dear friend, and so his family is my own."
A roaring laughter filled the cave and Persephone turned around quickly, alarmed by the unfamiliar sound. Her face was soon masked with a quizzical expression when she saw Leviathan was the source of the laughter, his great chest shaking. ~Ah, yes,~ he said finally. ~Your "dear friend"!~ The laughing picked up again. ~Anyone would know that he is your lover by the tone you use!~
A deep flush covered Persephone's face and she lowered her head slightly. "He's not my lover. I mean, I *guess* he's my lover, but he's not my *lover* lover..." She muttered, her face still burning.
~Ah, so you haven't been with him yet?~
"It's not your business, but, no. I have not *been* with Folken." She said, raising her head with a defiant look in her eyes, despite the cherry coloring of her cheeks and ears. It matched quite nicely with her hair.
~Ah, sure.~ The dragon said sarcastically.
These accusations were starting to get on Persephone's nerves. "And what do you mean by that?" She asked hotly.
Leviathan smirked down at her. ~Well, it's obvious, to a creature such as myself, that you are no virgin, Persephone.~
A strange pain filled her chest along with hate and bitterness. "Yeah, well, I didn't have much choice in the matter at the time, all right?" She snapped. Immediately she regretted the words. The playful mood of her friend melted into a strange solitude. There was silence in the cave and Persephone fidgeted with the hem of her dirt covered shirt, her eyes roaming her surroundings, falling everywhere but on the magnificent beast.
Finally, her eyes rested on the picture, and she was quite surprised to have all her previous thoughts whisked away as she stared into the eyes of Folken's mother. He had once spoke of love in her gaze, and she could see it through this painting. Most surprising of all was the look was not as unfamiliar as she would have thought. She had seen the very same look cross Folken's face on many occasions. 'Why didn't I see it... Why didn't I see it until it was too late...?'
~He treats you well?~ Leviathan questioned seriously, moving forward and tilting his head to look down at the picture once more.
Persephone's face softened with a sad smile. "He treated me better than I treat myself."
~Then why did you leave?~
She sighed, looking the other way. "I... I really don't know. But I do know that it was right. That I was meant to come here, with you. To find out about my past."
~And now that you know your past, what are you going to do about it?~
"I really don't know." She said honestly. "All I know is that I can't go back to Zaibach now."
The dragon snorted and stiffened. ~Zaibach? You came from that wretched society?~ Leviathan nearly roared.
Persephone flinched. "Yes. I thought you would have known."
~It is Zaibach that threatens Gaea most, Zaibach that seeks to kill her! And your Folken, your perfect lover, stayed behind with them instead of escaping with you?! What affection is this? What sort of blackened love does your lover give you?!~
"Please, Leviathan. Do not be angry! He had to. It was his place, his destiny for the time being. When all is done, he will be here, with me. I know he will. He *has* to." The dragon softened at the girl's tears, the doubt he had planted with his words struggling with her emotions. "I would die for him, and I know he would do the same for me. I love him, so do not think of him with such hatred. Please, Leviathan, my father, do not hurt me so deeply." The tears had come faster and the Leviathan sighed. He gave one final glance at the girl and the picture before her before sighing.
~Alright, Daughter. I have faith in you and your lover.~ He said plainly before turning and exiting the cave, leaving the girl plagued with doubt and loss behind him, her tears falling on the picture of a family captured eternally in a moment when their joy was still strong, before their pain had torn them apart.
GoldenEagle
Author's Note: Again little sign of Van&Company in this one, but I promise he shows in the next one! These chapters aren't as action packed as the last few, but Folken's scene has later importance, and Leviathan does mention something important about Zaibach in one sentence. Plus, it kind of works with the character's a bit, so... Anyways, hope you guys enjoy!
Chapter Twenty-Eight
It had been a few weeks since Persephone had left, since the attack on Fanalia. No signs of the girl had been given. Zaibach and Persephone had not even touched in the slightest way since her escape. But things would soon change.
It was a caravan, a group of traveling merchants. Among their group they carried objects that they were to deliver to many different countries. It was fairly large, twenty to thirty people in the group. But despite their size, they didn't even catch sight of her sneaking in.
Persephone followed the shadows of the forest, drifting closer to the group. With a graceful and silent leap, she landed in one of the wagons. Immediately she searched out food or weapons, anything that would be of importance to her. "What do you think you're doing here?" A gruff voice asked from behind her. She jumped and turned, only to find a blade pressed at her throat. The man in front of her was ugly and large, a few teeth missing. "You think you're going to steal some of our cargo, hm, little girl?"
"Damn," she said plainly. "Now I'm going to have to kill you." And she did so, quickly, silently, and efficiently. She had learned the value of secrecy since she had joined Leviathan and his lifestyle. One pair of curious eyes could get you killed.
Persephone delved in immediately, grabbing the exotic and life sustaining food within the pile. Caviar, foreign cheeses, chocolates... It didn't matter. Leviathan could go months without food, which was good, because he couldn't afford to go out a lot. But Persephone needed this food, and she wouldn't risk Leviathan for herself. These delicacies would have to last her.
After hoarding all the food she could fit into her bag, she searched for weapons. She found a beautiful golden bow and silver arrows, but passed it by quickly. Even if she did know how to use it, it was more of an art object than a weapon. The bow would be too solid and heavy to manage, the arrows would hold no real accuracy or power. She set her eyes on a long, curved blade, light but of good metal.
She turned to leave, wrapping the belt which held the blade's scabbard on it around her waist, when something caught her eye. The slightest ray of light shone through the wagon's covered opening. It fell on a pair of grey, familiar eyes, though only two dimensional. She moved forward silently, stepping over the man's body she had felled earlier. She cocked her head as she took the picture in before pulling out a small dagger and cutting it from its frame and rolling it up carefully. With a final glance around, she was out of the cart, the only sign of her ever being there was the lack of food, a portrait, and one man's life.
**********
Folken sat quietly, going over plan after blue sheet after outline. He took it in with the cold precision one must when their heart is on other matters. A man continued to speak to him, his subconscious picking out little tidbits of information that might be important from the dull words. "As for fatalities in the fifth sector," the voice droned on, "We've only had three. One was lost to a dragon, one was from an earlier infection from a battle wound, and one was killed by most likely a thief while he was guarding some of Zaibach's plunder. As for-"
"What was stolen?" Folken asked, averting his attention momentarily from his work.
"Nothing much, sir. Food, a sword, and a portrait. That's about it."
Folken raised an eyebrow. "That's it? No gold, no other weapons?"
"No, Lord Folken. Most likely it was from a nomadic group. Nothing much would be needed." He said plainly.
"Then why the portrait..." Folken muttered. "What was the portrait of?"
The man sounded annoyed, not finding the importance in the conversation. "I'm not quite sure, Lord Folken. It was taken from Fanalia. Most likely it was a portrait of one of the royal family. That would be my best guess."
"That's all." Folken said, his mind working through the information. The transmission ended. Suddenly, an amused and proud smile crossed Folken's lips.
"So, Persephone. I see you've taken an interest in the arts."
**************
~Hmm. So, Daughter, I see you've brought home a little art.~ Leviathan chuckled, laughter floating through his voice.
Persephone rolled her eyes as she continued to place rocks on the outside edges so the canvas would stay open. She was in a small cave on the Northern boundary of Leviathan's territory. It was one of the only dry places she was sure of that would stay dry. Leviathan leaned over her and let out a hot, steamy breath.
"Hey! Quit that! You'll melt the paint!" She said, a slightly playful tone, but serious none the less.
This made the great dragon chuckle more. ~I was never a fan of the arts.~ The beast turned his head to the side, looking at the portrait with his one good eye. ~Who are they?~
Persephone stared at it quietly for a moment before pointing to the different figures. As she did so, she ate an apple from her sack and spoke. "That," She said between bites. "That is Folken Fanel. He is a good friend of mine, though he's a lot younger in this picture. And that," She pointed to a shorter boy, with black hair. "That must be Van Fanel, his brother. And those two, standing just behind them, must be their parents." She said plainly, a strange smile on her face as she looked at the seemingly happy family. But when she looked up, she saw a deep frown on her companion's scaled face.
~The Fanels of Fanalia. Yes, I know the name well. They send out their young to kill our kind.~ He said disapprovingly, a bit of anger in his voice.
Persephone nodded after looking back down at the picture. "Yes. But Folken is my dear friend, and so his family is my own."
A roaring laughter filled the cave and Persephone turned around quickly, alarmed by the unfamiliar sound. Her face was soon masked with a quizzical expression when she saw Leviathan was the source of the laughter, his great chest shaking. ~Ah, yes,~ he said finally. ~Your "dear friend"!~ The laughing picked up again. ~Anyone would know that he is your lover by the tone you use!~
A deep flush covered Persephone's face and she lowered her head slightly. "He's not my lover. I mean, I *guess* he's my lover, but he's not my *lover* lover..." She muttered, her face still burning.
~Ah, so you haven't been with him yet?~
"It's not your business, but, no. I have not *been* with Folken." She said, raising her head with a defiant look in her eyes, despite the cherry coloring of her cheeks and ears. It matched quite nicely with her hair.
~Ah, sure.~ The dragon said sarcastically.
These accusations were starting to get on Persephone's nerves. "And what do you mean by that?" She asked hotly.
Leviathan smirked down at her. ~Well, it's obvious, to a creature such as myself, that you are no virgin, Persephone.~
A strange pain filled her chest along with hate and bitterness. "Yeah, well, I didn't have much choice in the matter at the time, all right?" She snapped. Immediately she regretted the words. The playful mood of her friend melted into a strange solitude. There was silence in the cave and Persephone fidgeted with the hem of her dirt covered shirt, her eyes roaming her surroundings, falling everywhere but on the magnificent beast.
Finally, her eyes rested on the picture, and she was quite surprised to have all her previous thoughts whisked away as she stared into the eyes of Folken's mother. He had once spoke of love in her gaze, and she could see it through this painting. Most surprising of all was the look was not as unfamiliar as she would have thought. She had seen the very same look cross Folken's face on many occasions. 'Why didn't I see it... Why didn't I see it until it was too late...?'
~He treats you well?~ Leviathan questioned seriously, moving forward and tilting his head to look down at the picture once more.
Persephone's face softened with a sad smile. "He treated me better than I treat myself."
~Then why did you leave?~
She sighed, looking the other way. "I... I really don't know. But I do know that it was right. That I was meant to come here, with you. To find out about my past."
~And now that you know your past, what are you going to do about it?~
"I really don't know." She said honestly. "All I know is that I can't go back to Zaibach now."
The dragon snorted and stiffened. ~Zaibach? You came from that wretched society?~ Leviathan nearly roared.
Persephone flinched. "Yes. I thought you would have known."
~It is Zaibach that threatens Gaea most, Zaibach that seeks to kill her! And your Folken, your perfect lover, stayed behind with them instead of escaping with you?! What affection is this? What sort of blackened love does your lover give you?!~
"Please, Leviathan. Do not be angry! He had to. It was his place, his destiny for the time being. When all is done, he will be here, with me. I know he will. He *has* to." The dragon softened at the girl's tears, the doubt he had planted with his words struggling with her emotions. "I would die for him, and I know he would do the same for me. I love him, so do not think of him with such hatred. Please, Leviathan, my father, do not hurt me so deeply." The tears had come faster and the Leviathan sighed. He gave one final glance at the girl and the picture before her before sighing.
~Alright, Daughter. I have faith in you and your lover.~ He said plainly before turning and exiting the cave, leaving the girl plagued with doubt and loss behind him, her tears falling on the picture of a family captured eternally in a moment when their joy was still strong, before their pain had torn them apart.