Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne. If I would, why would I spend my time writing ficcies like this? Pluease! Anyway, school took all my money so sue them!
The High king
"Let's go!"
Gordon motionned to the party to move forward. It was early dawn and the air was crisp and cool. I was drapped in a heavy cape and sat on top of what must"ve been the tallest horse in the world. It was... It was a strange sensation. I had never been very good around animals and horses were definetly not the best thing. The beast must have felt my nervousness because it kept pulling on its bridle and emitting strange sounds. The leader noticed this tough and slowed down to keep up to my pace. As soon as he was beside me, the horse settled down and relaxed.
"I see your steed is a bit nervous lady."
"Hum..." It was all I could say.
"Do not be alarmed, our journey will not take that long. We should be there by the end of the afternoon."
"Are we very far?"
"Oh no", said Gordon, shaking his head, "Fanelia isn't THAT far."
Fanelia... I tasted the name and it had a familiar ring to it. I couldn't make out were I had heard it last but I was quite shure I knew the word. This city intrigued me. I was lost in my thoughts and suddenly realized Gordon was starring at me. He quiclky moved his eyes away when he realized I noticed him and a slight blush spread across his severe features.
Inwardly, I laughed. It was a funny thing for me to see a man react this childish to my presence. I was never popular with boys and never wished to be. Males my age were strange. They weren't like me... They had this gleam in their eyes that set them apart from the others and even the other girls were so pathetic. I could've never been like them... But then, I was too. If I wasn't a slightess bit, how could I have not laughed at Gordon's blush and been terrified by the wolves in the forest? My heart was, purely human but my mind, strongly Dracolian.
Yes, my father had told me about my mystic origins. How Dracolians grew wings and each had a special gift. I believed mine was to read in other's eyes. He had told me Dracolians had existed on Earth long before humans but disapeared mysteriously one day. Only a few survivors had remained. He, himself was not of pure blood but a mix of human and Dracolian. That made me a quarter mystic... But there was more to it than just that...
"Lady Fay, look."
Gordon once again pulled me out of my reverie and I realized we had arrived already. Before my amazed eyes, a beatiful city streched lazily in the last rays of the warm afternoon and sparkling rooftops welcomed tired travelers. All thoughts left my mind and I just feasted my eyes in this superb majesty. A tug at my sleeve brought me back to reality.
"Say, let's go forward, the palace is waiting for you..." said Gordon tentatively.
"Absolutely..." I answered, my eyes still locked on the golden city.
We crossed the magnificent city a bit too quickly for my content but when the palace emerged into view, everything else was obsolete.
"Oh my God..."
Tall, sparkling white granit walls stood endlessly, guarding the entrance that two immense wooden doors linked to the outside world. What layed behind them almost made me gap in awe. A courtyard streching for miles, covered by lust, green grass and trees, filled with soldiers and servants. The sun gave to it all the shade of a painting and the palace itself was the most purest site I had ever seen. Fresh lines, simple banners, with as milk walls of marble and hovering above, a crest, a symbol that made me almost jump out of my skin.
"Lady Fay, we are pleased to have you in Fanelia."
The courteous voice reached my ears a few seconds later and I gazed down at an old man in suit, streching out his hand to help me off my horse. Thankfull, I let myslef slip down and gave a huge thanks to the heavens for rescuing my behind from further torture. My ass hurt so and I rubbed it slightly. This made Gordon smile a bit and I had the reflex to smile back. He picked my very empty and light bags from my horse and stood right behind me. The old man motionned for us to follow him and soon, we stepped in the cool shadows of the palace.
"Lord Rylan is waiting especially for you. Please, follow me..." said the old man.
Waiting just for me he? This thought made me smile. How pleasing to know that a king had put a halt to his oh-so hard daily hardships to meet me, an insingnificant girl from nowhere. Then I frowned. How could I let myself think such? Where was the hard, cold girl that had survived in a world that wasn't her own for so long? Where was the armour, the strong protections and the empty stare that made my classmates uneasy in my orals and only made them wish that I didn't decide to look at them while I spoke? Where was the cold mind, the perfect mind that kept me from hurt and pain? Who was this new girl that laughed and smiled warmly, that delighted herself of simple things and a beautiful city? That made humor of a waiting king? Who was she?
"Step this way lady. Sir, I will ask that you wait, I will show you to a restroom."
The old man pushed me inside a room and grabbed Gordon's arm and dragged him out of my sight. I gave a hopeless glance behind my shoulders and met his eyes that gave me an encouragment push. I twitched again, there I was, taking support in others... Strange...
"Ha, Lady Fay Kanzaki I suppose?"
I whirled around to stare straight in a pair of azure eyes. The man was so close to me that I could feel his breath against my skin. I took one step backwards and tripped over my bags on the floor. I braced myself for the impact but it never came. I opened one eye and suddenly felt a strong arm holding me, making me hover the floor a few feet from the hard stone. The man pulled me back up, making himself even closer to me than before. I blushed furiously and a sparkle appeared in his eyes. He let his hand slip down my waist with a regret I clearly read in his eyes and I frowned. Finally, he backed away and I realized I hadn't breathed at all the whole time. My lungs noticed tough and made clear that they needed oxygen. I took a few quick gasps until I could settle my wild heart.
"I'm soory for this rather unformal introduction. I am Rylan Slanzar, High King of Fanelia." he said with a small bow.
His eyes laughed at me and they were like an open book to mine. They reflected a deep sense of honour, pride and a touch of stuborness. I could also feel that he knew somewhat exaclty what I was doing. Still, he kept motionless and let my eyes trail down his large shoulders and slim waist, detailing every feature with a piercing eye. I noted his unkept dark-blond hair and what caught my eye the most was the sword resting by his side. Finally, he decided the insepction had gone on long enough and stared back at me. Instinctively, I closed my mind and let his penetrating eyes hit against the imparable wall I had learned to build through the years. He lifted an eyebrow but kept silent. His eyes detailed me mercilessly and even if I could keep my thoughts from his, I couldn't help but feel his gaze on my body. At long last, he looked back at me and I bowed my head.
"And I am Fay Kanzaki, sister of Hitomi Kanzaki."
"So they told me, so they told me..." he said with a nod, locking his eyes to mine.
Suddenly, breathing was becoming hard. My mind was still tired from the exchange with Gordon and yet again, I met another man who could pierce it just as strongly as the first. I braced all my strength to my inner mind and hoped he would turn away for a few moments, permitting me to relax a bit. But he didn't give me that chance, he walked closer as I felt the blood leaving my cheeks and the strenght of his silent assaults against my mind grew stronger.
"What is wrong lady? Are you feeling ill from the journey?"
"I...I..."
I screamed mentally and threw all my strenght at my wall in hope of pushing him back. He was mentally attacking me, I could tell by now. It was a terrible experience and never had I felt such power ever in my life. At school, the other students were not aware of this mental strenght and therefore, could not hurt me but I had still built a wall. Unfortunatly, it wasn't designed to resist to trained assaults and to other people with the same ability... I flinched in pain and was caught by a solid arm. The contact of his bare arm skin against my back sent a thousand needles up my spine, cutting off my breath and breaking my concentration. I felt his thoughts invade my mind, piercing it and leaving me empty and cold. His grip on my back hardened and he pulled me against his chest. I was limp and on the verge of unconsciousness but his mind held me from the darkness and I pleaded for him to let me slip into it. At least, it would take the pain away...
"Your journey must've tired you more than you think lady. You should rest and we will pursue this conversation later." he whispered in my ear.
I could almost make out the twisted face he made and the sneer that covered it. In what devilish creature's lair had I stepped?
"Please rest well..."
His last words were muffled as I felt his cold lips against mine. The pain erupted a hundred times stronger and my scream was silenced by his mouth. He held me close, accenting the contact of his being in mine and all I wanted to do now was to crawl in a dark corner, away from HIM. Finally, he pulled back, letting his tongue trail on my swelled lips and lifted me in his ams. Craddeling me like a child, he walked out of the room and carried me into another. I then felt his contact subside and the warm hands of another woman caressed my burning skin lighlty.
"Oh the poor thing. Thank you very much your Highness, I will take care of her now."
"Please do, and treat her well, she is our honored guest..."
***
That's all for now! ^_^