Forbidden Chains
By: rainjewel
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Akaro sat at a wonderfully decorated dining table. To her right, at the head of the table, sat Chid. He was dressed in black formal Freidian robes, and the Royal Crown was upon his head. His blue eyes were dull and tired.
Earlier that morning, Chid had held a public assembly, and had informed the kingdom of the passing of Duke Mahad. Chid had claimed that Mahad had died in a hunting accident. Freid hadn't required a lot of elaboration on Chid's tale, which was a good thing. Chid had already been disgusted with the fact that he had to lie to his country. He had been muttering the word "politics" all morning in an effort to soothe his conscience. Chid had ceased his muttering since then, and now was very quiet.
Akaro sighed and looked at her clasped paws in her lap. Her dress was black, as was almost everyone else's. Freid was in a declared state of mourning, and most people had retreated to their houses, and those who were walking outside were dressed in black as well. Even Millerna, who was sitting diagonally from Akaro, was dressed in black garb. She and Dryden had come to Freid to show how Asturia was incredibly loyal to its allies. Dryden had been working incredibly hard to erase the sour taste King Aston had left in Asturia's mouth.
Besides the couple, Allen and Serena were also at the table, Serena to Akaro's right, and Allen sat at the opposite end of Chid. He stood out brightly, his Caeli Knight uniform shining like a beacon next to the black outfitted party.
"So Chid," said Dryden, breaking the silence, "How do you think the assembly went today?" The dark haired man broke off a roll and chewed on it, his cheeks bulging.
"I believe that it went fine. The public seemed to accept the Duke's death. I guess it comes with practice," Chid said. He smiled wryly at Dryden, then at his wineglass. He raised the dark liquid and took a small sip.
"I thought that public accepted everything spectacularly," Millerna said cheerfully. She picked a little at her salad.
Akaro felt like screaming. The tension in the room was so awful. Nobody seemed to know what to say. Chid was being very princely and melancholy at the same time, Millerna was acting way too cheerfully, and Dryden was pointedly ignoring Allen and trying to engage people in boring discussions on taxes and such. Allen was very quiet. He was obviously uncomfortable around Millerna and Dryden being together, and he sent worried glances towards Serena, who had been silent and unresponsive ever since she'd been, well, "turned back". DAMN, Akaro thought to herself. She took her wineglass and downed the potent alcohol in a very unladylike gulp. No one seemed to notice. A servant came to refill her glass.
Akaro flitted her eyes to look at the boy. He had dark red hair that flipped over one side of his face. His eyes were large and gray-green. She held a gasp in. It was Merrik, one of her best childhood friends. He kept his eyes averted, but gave her a small familiar smile as poured the wine. Akaro blushed and fidgeted while he poured, then quietly thanked him as he retreated.
Akaro had felt incredibly uncomfortable in the palace. She had been put in a fancy guestroom, not her old servant room. What had come as a total shock was when Inger and Rita, who had beaten her for not doing chores early in her servant days, dressed her for the dinner. The women had said nothing as they had bound her in the tight black gown she was wearing now; despite Akaro's failed attempts at conversation. Her heart burnt with the awkward feeling of indirect betrayal.
Chid noticed her discomfort. He reached under the table and gave her hand a squeeze. Akaro looked at him first in surprise, then smiled in pleasure. He smiled back at her.
"Chid, oh Chid!" A voice called out.
"Huh?" came Chid's startled reply. Akaro broke contact with Chid and looked at her plate, blushing. Chid straightened himself.
"Jeez, you looked like you were out there on the Mystic Moon or something," Dryden said. Akaro smiled inwardly. She thought that Dryden was one of the most lackadaisical and well educated she'd ever met. She found him a delight to listen too.
"Sorry Dryden. What were you saying?" Chid asked, regaining his princely manner.
Dryden smiled slyly at Akaro, which made her blush even redder. "Oh, I was just asking if you had an idea about what you're going to do as the new Duke."
"Well," Chid began, " First off, I'm creating equal rights for everyone. Demi-humans are just as important to Freid, and half the time are better upstanding citizens." Chid winked slightly in Akaro's direction. She smiled and took a bite of her chicken. Chid continued, "Then I thought that I'd probably create an alliance with Fanelia, for obvious reasons, and—"
"Speaking of Fanelia, where is everyone? I thought for sure Van, Hitomi, and at least that delightful Shail would be here. I like that little one too, that Lorallee. She has spunk!" Dryden said. Akaro's food caught in her throat, and she looked about her. Allen and Millerna were as pale as ghosts. Serena was staring blankly at her plate.
"Um, yes, well...they couldn't make it," Millerna said. She looked at Dryden lovingly. He obviously needed some explanation. Millerna hastily stood up, and all the men stood up. "I'm just going to go and check on Nidia. She doesn't like traveling very well. Dryden, dearest, would you come with me?" Millerna said. Dryden grinned and took her arm.
"Why certainly, love," he said affectionately. Akaro felt ready to puke. Millerna led the way from the table, throwing a nice wink over her shoulder to the table.
"How does she do that?" Allen mumbled to himself. He sat down and stared dismally at his food.
"Allen," Chid said softly. Allen snatched his head up, and put on his best Knightly manner, Akaro saw.
"Yes?"
Chid sighed slightly and circled his wineglass lazily with his middle finger. "How long did you know? About Aunt Eries, I mean."
"Not very long. When we were going to come and retrieve you, she told us," Allen said. It obviously hurt him to discuss such tender things. Akaro supposed that Shail's predicament hit to close to home for Allen.
"What happened?" asked Serena in a small voice. Everyone snapped his or her heads to look at her. She hadn't spoken since the incident. Her face was pale and her eyes were glassy.
"Well, originally Van was going to declare war on Freid and completely decimate the city," Allen began. He paused, seeing Chid wince at the prospect. "Anyway, Hitomi luckily managed to convince him otherwise, pointing out the fact that Asturia is a Freidian ally and would have no choice but to attack Fanelia. Also, destroying Freid wouldn't really solve the problem of bringing you four back."
"That doesn't explain how Eries got in the picture," Chid said softly. He was gazing out the window of the palace, seeing the city he loved so much reduced to ashes once again.
"I'm getting there," Allen said a bit gruffly, "Van and I were at Escaflowne's sleeping place when a carriage pulled up. Of course, to our great surprise, Eries jumped out and demanded that she go with us. I had severe doubts about bringing he along as did Van." Allen broke off and took a small sip of wine. I bet he had great doubts about bringing A WOMAN of all people along, Akaro thought a little bitterly to herself.
"To continue, Eries passionately told me that she was in fact Shail's mother, and insisted that she come along. I have no idea how she knew that Mahad had them, but time was wasting. Using Escaflowne and Hitomi's rather...unusual...powers, we located you to, and you know the rest," Allen said. He was being extremely professional about it all.
"Well, that's...nice," Chid said. He went back to staring out the window. Akaro felt like running to the window and jumping out it.
"I, I'm going to retire, if you don't mind," Serena said shakily. She stood up and placed a hand on the table to steady herself. "I need to think on things. I don't really think I've been myself." She smiled wryly at that statement. It was too true.
"Wait Serena. Let me come," Allen said, standing. He gently placed an arm around Serena's shoulder. The two gave their good-byes and then left the room, slowly walking down the hallway.
"Do you think she'll be okay?" Akaro asked. She was still staring down the hallway. All she could see was the gleam of Allen's hair.
"I think she feels Dilandau's pain," Chid said, not answering the question. Akaro understood. He didn't know any better then she did if Serena was all right.
"It's late. I think I'm going to go to bed too," Akaro said, standing up. If she didn't do something she was going to go hysterical.
Chid pushed back his chair. "I know what you mean. These dinners are awful. Here, let me walk with you," Chid said, grinning. Akaro smiled as he took her arm. It was some of the old Chid shining through. He'd regained his entire princely demeanor upon returning from Freid. Chid, she had realized, had never had a chance to be a little boy. His excursion to Fanelia, she had decided, was the one chance that he'd had to be a rebellious, carefree young man. Now, Akaro realized sadly, that was gone.
"Why the solemn look all of a sudden?" Chid's voice pierced her thoughts. She focused on her surroundings and found that she was standing before her own door.
"Oh, I guess it's just the thought of what I'm going to do now," Akaro said, recovering. "After being thrown into the complex realm of royalty, I have to now go back to living my simple life. It's halfway relieving, halfway depressing."
"You know," Chid said, "You don't have to go back to that." He turned to look at her, and Akaro caught the hint in his words.
"No Chid, I couldn't do that," Akaro carefully spoke. Her words were laced with double-meanings.
"Why not?" Chid asked simply, undaunted by her protest. His blue eyes were wide and very innocent looking.
"Well," Akaro began, not quite knowing what her reasoning was, "I don't...I don't know anything about politics, or being proper for that matter."
"Does it matter?" Chid asked, his voice low.
Akaro looked at him fully in the eyes. "Yes."
"It doesn't matter to me," Chid said softly. Some golden hair fell in his eyes. He didn't seem to notice. Akaro resisted the urge to brush it away.
"It matters to me, and it will probably matter to the people of Freid as well," Akaro said, a little more passionately then she had meant.
Chid stepped back. Great, Akaro thought, I've made him angry. Maybe it's for the better. Gods, everyone knows that I couldn't be a Duchess because...well, just because!
"Curtsy," Chid said. It was spoken like a Duke to his servant. Akaro obeyed instinctively. She curtsied deep and low, then slowly brought her body back up from the ground. She didn't look into Chid's eyes.
"That was one of the best curtsies I've ever seen," Chid said quietly.
"I've watched the Ladies do it all of my life," Akaro replied. She spoke in quiet bell-like tones. Careful now, she warned herself.
"Then," Chid replied, "You know how to dance as well." Akaro looked up, her eyes wide.
"I wouldn't go that far," she said. Akaro was not about to do whatever he had in mind. Unfortunately, it was too late. Chid was already too close. He took her hand and wrapped the other around her waist, then set off on a soundless waltz. Akaro felt like taking his Royal Crown and jerking it down to his knees. But instead she concentrated mostly on what his feet were doing, and refused to look at him.
Chid glided up and down the hall. Akaro was torn between feeling angry, ecstatic, and embarrassed all at the same time. Chid was dancing to some music in his head, which he hummed occasionally. Akaro had no idea what was going on his mind. Finally she relaxed, closed her eyes, and laid her head on his chest. Let him lead wherever he feels like going, Akaro thought. She felt to tired to do much protesting anyway.
After awhile, Chid stopped. Akaro locked up her body the minute she felt his momentum cease, hoping to all the Gods she wouldn't crash into him. Luckily, she didn't. She didn't move.
"Politics," he whispered to her ear. "We'll worry about later.
"Chid, I—" Akaro began. Chid cut her off.
"What are you so afraid of?" His voice was a mixture of tenderness and exasperation.
Akaro reached inside herself for understanding. She didn't find it.
"I...I don't know," she said finally. Chid gently pulled her back and held her at arm's length.
"Then marry me," he said. His eyes were large and wet. Akaro felt like falling over.
"Don't you have an arranged—" Akaro stopped talking as Chid placed a hand on her mouth, forcing her to be quiet.
"Shh. Akaro, stop dodging the question and simply answer me," Chid said. He dropped his hand and got down upon one knee. From within the folds of his robes, he produced a diamond ring that was encompassed with shining emeralds. Akaro again fought off a major fainting fit. Chid slipped the ring onto her right hand, as was the custom in Freid. Akaro could sense her own burning cheeks and wide eyes.
"Akaro Havanna Daliente, will you marry me?" Chid asked softly, looking up at her. Gods, his eyes are huge, Akaro thought.
"How do you know my full name?" Akaro breathed.
"I'm the Duke of Freid, I have my ways. Please, just answer me!" Chid said. Akaro suddenly was completely calm. Soothed beyond belief. All the memories that she had of Chid came flooding back to her in a calm, gentle sea. Helping him on the balcony, sleeping in the woods, when he jokingly knocked her off the cliff and caught her. Everything. Finally, everything was crystal clear.
"Yes." The words escaped Akaro's lips triumphantly.
Chid's eyes sparked and he leapt up and hugged her as hard as he dared. Akaro took tiny breaths as she felt her feet lift the floor. Chid spun her around in tiny circles. I'm going to be sick, Akaro thought to herself. She then smiled and hugged him back as hard as she could.
"Now," said Chid, setting her down on the ground once more, "That wasn't too hard was it?"
Akaro laughed lightly.
"No, I guess not," she said, her voice sparkling. "Now what do we do?"
Instead of replying, Chid just looked at her slightly mischievously. Slowly a grin widened on his face, and he picked Akaro up and kissed her in response. That, Akaro found, was fine with her.