Windflowers...


By: Koneko Kamiya




A wistful melody floated from one of the windows of the castle of Fanelia, its sad notes feeling out of place in the bright morning light. A peaceful breeze was blowing through the tall trees that surrounded the ancient palace, carrying the familiar scent of spring blossoms back to the young man that was leaning tiredly against the stone banister of the balcony.

His cape was flowing in the wind, as was his raven hair, his hold on the banister tightened as a cloud momentarily obscured the sun and he shivered despite the relatively warm air.

The music seemed to become slow down more and more, until, after the last beautiful notes, it stopped completely and the remains of the melody lost themselves in the air of Fanelia.

The young man looked at the sky one last time and then turned into his apartments closing the glass doors behind him.

Once he entered his room, he blinked repeatedly trying to adjust to the sudden darkness that surrounded him.

"Why did you stop Tareel?"

A young girl of about the age of 14 was sitting on the carpet covered ground, her legs crossed and her long, brown hair spilling down her shoulder and onto her lap. In her hands she held a small, golden harp with silken strings and floral pattern engraved upon it. One of her fingers traced a particularly complicated design as her other hand started braiding one of her long tresses and finally pushed it away from her eyes.

"You looked sad, lord Van. I didn't want my humble music to bother you." with that, the young girl smoothed out invisible creases in her red cotton gown and tucked her feet even closer to her body.

Van sighed as he walked back towards the window and looked out at the beautifully rebuilt city of Fanelia.

"You never are a bother Tareel, I love your music"

The girl blushed and looked up towards her young king. He still had that faraway look on his face, and it was starting to bother her. She had known the king for five, long years now and his expression always seemed one of complete and utter despair. He rarely smiled, and when he did, his smile was always a wistful, melancholic one.

She set the harp down next to her and stood up. Smoothing her gown, she stretched and started walking in the direction of the window, the bracelets round her ankles making a soft, jingling sound as she moved.

"Lord Van..." she started gently,

"I'm alright Tareel... it's nothing."

As he turned round to look at her she noticed that his fingers were gently touching the pink pendant that was around his neck. He seemed to do that often; play with that strange ornament he was always wearing.

"But thank you for your concern..."

Tareel couldn't help but to lower her eyes and blush a brilliant crimson; he always seemed to have this effect on her.

The king was in fact considered to be extremely handsome by many. His shoulder length raven hair, shy burgundy eyes, muscular figure were qualities that were greatly appreciated by females all over the reign. And even further away than that. Florelia, Asturia, Inari and even Aibara.

But, in Tareel's point of view, his looks weren't the most important feature of attraction. It was his personality. Introvert sensitive... artistic even. She had seen him paint a couple of times, she found his paintings beautiful, but she would never find the courage to tell him that for she had been spying at the time.

Never the less she thought his paintings were outstanding... a recurring theme seemed to be a young girl with short, sandy blond hair and angel wings. She idly wondered why; maybe she was his long lost love?

Surprised by the total absence of jealousy concerning this young woman, Tareel frowned. She probably was dead anyway, for if a king wanted something, someone, there was nothing that could interfere... but he didn't seem the type of person that would force someone, especially a woman, into something she didn't want to do. Maybe it had something to do with the King's rebellious past, all the way back during the Great War...

But enough of that! These were personal matters concerning Lord Van, and him only.

"Are you alright Tareel? You seemed thoughtful a moment ago... but it's late! If you don't leave now you will be late for your music lesson."

Startled, she looked outside and noticed that the sun was already reaching its zenith and that the streets were crowded with people going to the afternoon market.

"Oh no... Sir Revel will be extremely upset..." with that she clumsily curtsied, grabbed her harp and ran towards the door.

"Tareel, calm down... if he says anything tell me, and I'll explain that you were playing your harp for me..." he smiled again, that tender almost... fatherly smile as he grabbed her wrist forcing her to slow down.

Tareel blushed at the feeling of his warm fingers encircling her wrist, then nodded whispering her thanks and fled down the dimly lit corridor.

Van, looked at her retreating form running down the corridor and smiled...

*Little Tareel... always so careful when dealing with people's feelings.*

He gently closed the door of his room and walked towards the balcony once again. Opening the glass panes he stepped outside and looked at the sky. The clouds had disappeared and he could clearly see the big, azure moon that hung in the Gaean skies.

The memory of Tareel's soft music still echoing from the ancient stones, Van concentrated on his memories... on the bittersweet moments with her, on her face, her tears. He could still feel her soft skin under his fingers, her weight in his arms, the smell of her silky hair.

She was up there somewhere, somewhere in that immense sky.

*What if she... what if she has forgotten about me?*

He suppressed that train of thought... she had promised. Promised that night, and promised all over again the next day.

Fool. He was a fool. He had let her go... told her everything would be fine, told her they would always be together... feh, he was sure he must have sounded like a prince from one of the fairy tales his mother used to tell him when he was young.

Not a prince, a fool. A hypocritical fool.

She had practically asked him if she could stay and he had told her she could leave. And while he was telling her all those _lies_ his heart was shattering inside his chest.

He had never seen her again.

She visited his dreams, his fantasies but it wasn't her. In his imagination she still was the young girl she had been then... how old was she now? 19? 20 maybe...

*Van Fanel you are a fool and an idiot*

He cringed as he insulted himself... cringed because he knew the thoughts in his mind where true.

The grip on the warm stones tightened as he gave into the despair of having lost her. She was lost to him... she probably was married by now, and probably loved her husband more than she had ever loved him...

Maybe he should just en...

pa-thump

He strained his ears to hear the strange noise bu...

pa-thump

a heart beat?

pa-thump

the soft sound echoed through his mind... could it be that ... that...

pa-thump

Escaflowne?

He looked towards the lush forest in which Escaflowne lay next to his brother... protecting his eternal sleep...

The sound in is head became clearer until he was sure that the giant mecha was calling him...

He rushed out of his apartments, knocking into a couple of servants as he ran towards the stables...

The heartbeat became stronger and stronger and it soon drowned everything else apart the rhythmic sound of his horse's hoofs hitting the soft ground.

What could be happening to Escaflowne? He was the only one who could pilot the giant mecha, much less make it function _without_ an energist.

Through the top of the trees he could finally see the top of the pure white monument that was his family's tombstone...

*Brother, mother, father... what is happening? I don't understa...*

Riding through the last branches of the lush trees that hid his vision of the small clearing, he gasped for he saw a young girl climbing on Escaflowne's shoulder...

But she was soon forgotten as he took in the rest of his surroundings and noticed Her...

Lying on the soft grass, the small, white, bells of the lily of the valleys framing her figure... the sweet, intoxicating smell of the flowers permeating the warm breeze...

Longer hair, ripped shirt, adult features... she had changed... but the moment he laid his eyes on her he was sure...

*Hitomi...*

"HITOMI!"

Jumping of the horse he stumbled towards the unconscious young woman and when he reached her he knelt down beside her... and with a sudden movement he gathered her into his lap. The familiar weight of her head resting against his chest, her soft curves pressed against his body, her lips slightly parted and her features relaxed in sleep...

Van held Hitomi tighter... murmuring her name into her hair over and over again. he rocked her sleeping form back and forth and inhaled deeply the never forgotten fragrance of her skin...

Suddenly he felt a little hand touch his shoulder and he turned around... gasping as he found himself staring into two red eyes that mirrored his own...






to be continued...


mwahahahahaha... cliffhanger! ^_^

Finally chapter 2 is up... I'm sorry if it's so short... I'll try better next time. ^_^

I had hoped to post this yesterday but fate wouldn't have it that way... ::pouts::

anyways...

Sadly, Escaflowne does not belong to me. If it did.. I would have probably based Van on a real person and if I knew a person that looked like Van I wouldn't be here writing... I'd be occupied with more ::blush:: interesting activities... ^_^ Ran and Tareel do belong to me though... otherwise I own nothing but the plot...

Oh.. and if you want to know... the music Tareel is playing is memories of Fanelia... immagine it slower and played with a harp... ::sniff:. so... so nostalgic! ;_;


Thank you for all your encouraging reviews... I really appreciate them... =^.^=

luv Koneko-chan

P.S.
I'll try to get chapter three out before Monday... although school is getting more and more _annoying_ these days... ::sigh:: =^.^=