Chap.10



It was as if time had stopped, and all that was in the picture was the girl and his brother. Folken had frozen in the spot, unable to do anything, much less breathe. The dark-haired boy with the determined eyes, the stubborn chin.........Van.

A high-pitched laugh from Dilandau shook Folken out of his thoughts. With a gasp, Folken realized that he had been holding his breath. Turning, he looked at Dilandau's grinning expression.

"Van...." He whispered. He started forward towards his younger brother. The younger brother that he had left behind to rule a country. All the memories.....Folken shut his eyes, trying to block them out, almost to no avail.

Them playing in the woods of Fanelia.

Him teaching Van to use a sword.

Laughing together.

The jokes on the servants.

Their midnight ventures into the kitchen.

Swimming in the lakes.

Childhood.

Folken watched Van's eyes look at him dully. He doesn't recognize me, Folken thought with a shock. Drawing himself, he pulled his cloak around him. Folken suddenly realized how vulnerable he had just been. A sudden anger overtook him. Why should he feel these..these memories? That Folken was long dead. Turning to Dilandau, who was still wearing a grinning expression, Folken gave him a haughty glare.

"And what is the meaning of this Dilandau?"

"Why....Strategos.." Dilandau's eyes danced, mocking. "Surely you remember..." His lips curved into a cold sneer.

"Dilandau, this is my wedding. Please take your games elsewhere." Turning, he strode back to the altar. His heart was racing a mile a minute. Lourdes looked at him, questions in her face. He just shrugged. Again, that mask came over, her face instantly turning to stone. Folken couldn't think straight. The priest turned to him.

"Do you take Lourdes..."

First he was forced into this marriage, with the princess that loved his best friend. Then the girl with the shimmering eyes steps out of his dreams into his reality and now, his brother shows up. How fitting that he had shown up for my wedding, Folken thought bitterly.

"Umm...sir." The priest cleared his throat to get Folken's attention. Folken looked up at the pudgy priest. He looked back at the gate, where Dilandau had left with his prisoners. His prisoners which included the King of Fanelia, his brother. Folken looked at Lourdes, her eyes staring dully back at him, as if all life had been drained from them. He looked beside him, at his best friend. How could he do this to his best friend?



Kent......all the times.

Laughing in the taverns, getting drunk, Kent bringing him back to his room.

Riding through the countryside.

Hunting.

Pouring out all his problems.

Kent always had a bright smile, a joke that would make Folken smile.

No one else ever made him smile.



Kent looked back at him, raising his eyebrows. Folken smiled then. For the first time in weeks, Folken smiled. He looked at the empty spot where his brother had been, where the girl from his dreams had been. He opened his mouth and started to laugh. He looked at Lourdes, then at Kent and he laughed. Loud and clear. It felt good.

Everyone stared at him. Speechless. Folken had always been dark, moody. Rarely did people see him even twitch a lip, much less smile. And now, here he was, laughing, in front of all of Zaibach.

When Folken had control of himself, he turned to Kent. Kent looked at him, his eyes narrowed in curiosity.

"What are you doing?" He hissed. Folken shrugged

"I don't even know." He laughed again. Then pulled Kent onto the platform. "All I know is that, that the wrong person is getting married." He grinned. Kent stared speechlessly at him. Folken started to go. He watched Lourdes. Her huge eyes were staring at him. Folken nodded to her. "Yes." He turned and looked at the both of them, both looking at him, almost afraid to look at each other. "Marry." He said. Folken nodded to the priest. The priest as well, was looking at him as if his head had fallen off.

"But...Lord Folken..."

"I said...Marry the two." Folken said, his eyes glinting. The priest nodded. Folken smiled at Kent. Kent looked at him, his hands slowly taking Lourdes.

Thank-you, Kent mouthed. Folken nodded. Then he left The courtyard.



***********************************



Van opened his eyes slowly. He was lying in a dark cell, probably The dungeons. His head hurt. All in a flash, everything came back to him. He almost wished that he had stayed unconscious.

First that strange girl that had come back with him from mystic moon, then that attack on Fanelia from invisible enemies, then The awful burning of his kingdom. Van shut his eyes, trying to block it. And now, now he was lying here, pathetic, captured and tortured by his enemies. Zaibach. He clenched his fist.

"Arghhh!" He shouted, getting up and kicking The metal bars of his prison. He was only rewarded with a dull clang. He wanted to do something, anything. To get rid of this pain, this guilt inside of him. He had let his people down.

"Come! Come fight with me you bastards!" Van shouted, facing The ceiling. "You bastards!!" He shouted, his voice hoarse, knowing all The while that they couldn't hear him. That they were absorbed in whatever wedding was going on.

When he had yelled himself hoarse, he stopped, panting on The floor. Then he looked up. Where was Hitomi?

"Hitomi?" He called out. Only silence met his ears. Fear gripped him. Where.......only then did he notice The dark figure inside his cell. He stared into The darkness, his eyes trying to make out The shape. He backed away.

"Who.....who..are you?" He called out uncertainly. He looked down at his side and was pleased to find that they had left him his sword. Drawing it out, he felt better. With more confidence and his sword drawn, he called out.

"Who..what are you? Come and show yourself!" He called out sharply. The figure didn't move.

Van advanced slowly. The figured moved into The dim light.

His cloak drawn about him, his silver hair was spiked.

"Put down your sword Van." His voice was deep, resonating. Van stared at him. There was something oddly familiar about him.

"How..how do you know my name?" Van whispered, racking his brains, trying to find out where he'd seen this man before.

The man looked at him.

"You may call me Strategos." He said shortly.

Van blinked, slowly, he put his sword down. It was all so familiar, that voice. Those eyes. Everything. He shook his head. No, he didn't know him. He'd never been in Zaibach before. Van looked at Strategos again. Hadn't he been The one getting married. Shrugging, Van said,

"Why have you attacked Fanelia? Why have you brought us here? Where is Hitomi?" He asked, his fists clenching, his voice tense. The anger was so near. Strategos didn't' move.

"Hitomi....so that's her name."

"What?" Van looked at him sharply. "Where is she? Take me to her!" He demanded. Strategos merely ignored him, his cloak pulled about him like a shroud of darkness.

"Hmm....Hitomi.." He was saying, over and over. He turned abruptly.

"Do not fear, Van." Was all he said as he left.

Van stared after him. As The prison bars clanged shut, Van wondered how Strategos had entered in The first place. Running up to The bars, he pounded on them.

"Come back here! Tell me!!! Where is Hitomi!!" He shouted. But no one heard.



Folken climbed The long staircase. He wrapped his cloak around himself tightly, shielding his metal arm. Even now, people stared. And Why shouldn't they, he thought bitterly, before trying to block out The thoughts. He had to be strong. He couldn't waste time, feeling sorry for himself. Circling higher and higher, he wondered where Dilandau had placed The girl. Hitomi.

"Hitomi." He said it aloud, tasting it on his lips. What a strange, yet beautiful name. He smiled. It reminded him of springtime, of trees and birds. Of The wind whipping through your hair. He reached The door leading to The main chambers. Opening it, he stepped into The room. Dilandau sat there, gazing up at him, a smile quirking his thin lips.

"Soo...a little family reunion I see."

Folken ignored him, instead turning towards his bedchambers.

"I have no family." He muttered.

"What was that?" Dilandau ask, getting up and following him.

"Nothing Dilandau. Now go attend to your Emperor, whom you are so eager to please."

"Jealous are we?" Dilandau sneered.

Folken continued onto his room, ignoring Dilandau's taunts. As he reached his doorway, Dilandau stopped.

"Fanelia is burned." He waited for Folken's reaction. Folken turned slightly. Then closed The door loudly.

Why should he care? Fanelia....It shouldn't mean anything to him. Shouldn't.....Folken surveyed his room. It was immaculate. The servants kept it so. Always.

"Aurng!" A muffled scream came from somewhere above. Folken froze. He stopped, listening.

"Help!!" Another scream. Folken listened. It came from the Laboratories. Folken strode forward, then stopped. Whatever the Emperor was doing, it really didn't concern him, and even more, the Emperor always had his reasons. Who was he to disturb? But it didn't seem to stop him. Flinging his door open, he rushed down the hallways, trying to locate the source of the terrible cries.

Servants and soldiers alike made way as he rushed past, seeing the determined look on his face and knowing to keep out of the way.

Folken stopped in front of the ornate doors. The screaming was quite loud now. The physicians must be up to some sort of project.

"Noo! Stop!!"

Folken's felt sick. It was a girls voice.

The screaming stopped.

Then sobbing.

Folken stood outside. Listening. What was going on? What was happening? But he didn't dare open the doors. He remembered the story of another Lord, who'd defied the Emperor. He'd lived only a few more days.

Folken felt his heart wrench.

Why should he be afraid? The voice shouted in his mind. But he didn't move.

Finally, the sounds stopped. There was only silence on the other side of The room. It seemed like forever.

A million voices told him to stop, to think of his actions. He had no business poking into what the physicians were doing. It had always been the Emperor in charge of what they did, and he should trust in the Emperor. Placing a hand over his chest, Folken felt his heartbeat. The constant pulse. He often lay awake at night, just listening. Thump...thump....It was a gift from the Emperor. HE should be grateful. He could feel it, the Emperor, inside of him. Burning. There.

But cautiously, Folken opened the door.

The room was dark. A pungent smell filled the air, like flowers. Whatever people were in here seemed to have left. Folken strode towards the center of the room. There was someone lying on a table. A dark figure, covered in a shroud. Folken approached, his heart beating always.

It's slender figure lay still under the thin sheet.

Folken felt numb.

It seemed like an eternity that he stood there, staring at the still figure. Almost afraid to see who was underneath.

With shaking hands, he lifted The corner The cloth. It felt course between his fingers. His metal hand clicked at his side.

It revealed a patch of auburn hair. Throwing it off, he stared down at her

Her.

Eyes shut, her lips in a thin line. Her face calm, serene.

Folken couldn't' breathe.

Hitomi.



To Be Continued...