Another chapter! Yay! Okay, this chapter is a bit more insightful than how I usually write. If you haven't noticed by now, I tend to let detail flow from dialogue, but this time it would be to talky and speechy if I did that. Thus, this is more insightful. By the way, I have added the true pictures of Airship Escaflowne and also pictures of two new characters that are introduced in this chapter to my website: http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/abydospersephone/index.html . And Sage: I thought that you, or at least your name, would appear in this chapter; but since I haven't quite worked out the floor plan of Escaflowne, it'll have to wait. Deepest apologies!
Ditto. Lord Zelacks and Iquitel are mine.
~*Chapter Three: Insight and Intrigue*~
Van awoke
more rested than ever. He actually felt
like he had a decent night's sleep, a sleep in which he was not plagued by
political or economical matters. Yet he
actually had quite a fervent slumber; he had dreamed of his encounter with the
emerald-eyed hologram.
A hologram.
It almost
scared him, that fact. Not so much the
fact that she wasn't human—heck, he himself wasn't human, instead being
Draconian—, but the fact that she had openly admitted to belonging to him. If she belonged to him, then he could…. No. He couldn't and wouldn't do that to anyone, let alone her. She had been so kind to him, so nice to him
even when he recalled speaking in cold and aloof tones of voice.
Perhaps
what scared him the most was that he was actually becoming curious about
her. Normally he was too indifferent to
make inquiries on what he deemed trivial and petty matters, or petty people for
that matter. But this-this soul, this
hologram; she sparked his previously non-existent curiosity. He found himself wondering things like, If
she is a soul, then what is her body?—Escaflowne? When I held her hand in mine, could she feel it? Could she feel the leather of my gloves? And if so, then could she…feel the skin of
my hands?
It was at
that last mental question that he had resolved to never wear gloves again. For some reason Van was determined to let
his Hitomi experience as close to real life as she possibly could, and he knew
she wouldn't be able to experience much, for she was confined to walk the
airship. Last night he had taken the
time to read more of the manual, and Celena had written that Hitomi—though she
was referred to as 'Lady Escaflowne'—would not be able to appear anywhere that
did not have holo-emitters connected to machines that had her program and
design schematics in their systems. And
so far, the technological gadgets mentioned had all been exclusive products and
brainchildren of Gaddes.
Henceforth,
Hitomi was confined to the airship.
Van almost
laughed as that sentence traversed through his mind. It seemed he had answered one of his own questions; a soul is
confined to its body, and Hitomi was confined to Escaflowne. Then Escaflowne is her body. But why did that realization upset him
so? What was there in that fact
that…riled him?
Before he
could ponder more, a loud rapping could be heard from his chamber door. "Who's there?" he asked.
The door
immediately opened, and a brisk orange figure waltzed in. "Good morning, Van-sama!" Merle
chirped. "Did you sleep well?"
Van nodded
absently, not truly listening to what the cat-woman was saying. He was paying more attention to a nest of
birds in a tree branch not too far from his balcony. There were three baby birds, and both the mother and the father constantly
skittered about the tree in search of bugs and grubs to feed their needy
hatchlings. Van smiled; it was at
moments like these that he realized that Fanelia was more than just a
responsibility to him. And, on further
thought, perhaps the same applied to Hitomi.
* * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Ycksocksucks
kinnaacksiliiliecksdel, Magaycks Iliocksramdel?" (You called, My Lord?)
"Acksmagaackszelicksnagaginna."
(Amazing.) The speaker paused. "Hagaecks ickssaga nagaockstel
ecksvelecksnaga ocksfam telhagaecks pelocksiwiecksram hagaecks
iwiicksecksilidel. Icks hagaacksvelecks
beleckecksnaga iwiackstelcinnahagaicksnagaginna acksiliili ocksfam
telhagaecksmaga telhagaramocksucksginnahaga telhagaecks nagaicksginnahagatel,
acksnagadel ocksnagailiycks teliwiocks kinnalnagaocksiwi telhagaecks
pelocksiwiecksram. Pelockssagasagaicksbeliliycks acks telhagaicksramdel." (He is not even
aware of the power he wields. I have
been watching all of them through the night, and only two know the power. Possibly a third.)
"Telhagaecksnaga
iwihagaackstel iwiecks telocks delocks?" (Then what are we to do?)
"Ickstel
magaicksginnahagatel belecks iwiickssagaecks telocks iliecksacksramnaga
telhagaecksicksram iliacksnagaginnaucksacksjinnaecks." (It might be wise to
learn their language.) The speaker
shifted position, leaning onto a desk-like object. "Pelecksramhagaackspelsaga ocksnagaecks ofksfam ocksucksram
beleckssagatel kinnaacksnaga icksnagafamicksilitelramackstelecks acksnagadel
sagaiquiucksecksilicinnahaga telhagaecksicksram
acksdelvelacksnagacinnaicksnagaginna." (Perhaps one of our best soldiers can
infiltrate and squelch their advancing.)
"Beluckstel
ocksucksram iliocksockskinnalsaga…." (But our looks….)
"Iquiucksickseckstel!"
(Quiet!) A slim and slick opaque finger
backed up the command. "Iliocksockskinnalsaga delocks nagaockstel magaacksteltelecksram. Ecksackssagaicksiliycks
acksilitelecksramecksdel, telhagaecksycks acksramecks." (Looks do not matter. Easily altered, they are.)
"Telhagaecksnaga
acksramecks telhagaockssagaecks magaycks ocksramdelecksramsaga, Iliocksramdel
Zelacks?" (Then are those my orders, Lord Zelacks?)
Zelacks
grinned. "Yckseckssaga, Iquitel." (Yes,
Iquitel.)
Iquitel
bowed, both of her three-fingered right hands balling into fists—one fist at
the area between her breasts and the other on top of the white gem that held
together her skirt. As she stood again,
she made like she was about to leave but Zelacks stopped her by grabbing one of
her left arms with both of his right hands.
"Iwihagaycks
iliecksacksvelecks sagaocks sagaocksocksnaga?" (Why leave so soon?), he asked
in a hushed voice. "Icksfam Icks
iwiacksnagatel ycksocksucks telocks sagatelacksycks, telhagaecksnaga ycksocksucks
magauckssagatel." (If I want you to stay, then you must.)
"Icks…."
(I….)
Zelacks
gripped her arm tighter. "Icks
iwiacksnagatel ycksocksucks." (I want you.)
Iquitel
stifled a sigh and forced herself to relax. "Famicksnagaecks, Magaycks Iliocksramdel." (Fine, My Lord.)
"Ginnaocksocksdel
ginnaicksramili." (Good girl.)
* * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Mmmm…Allen…"
a silver-haired woman sighed as she awoke. Her nude body was tangled in dove white bed sheets, and one shapely leg
hung off of the bed slightly. "Last
night…."
Allen
kissed her lightly on the lips. "Last
night was wonderful, Eries," he completed for her.
Eries put a
delicate and long-fingered hand on her husband's face. "Something troubles you. Care to elaborate?"
Allen
positioned himself so that he looked down at her from above. Both of his hands were placed on either side
of her head, resting on the pillows. He
again kissed her lightly on the lips. "Things of troubling natures are not suitable for ladies."
Eries put a
slender finger to his lips, silencing him from any further comment. "Things of all natures are suitable for the
Queen, are they not?"
Allen
kissed her cheek this time. "I…suppose
you are correct," he whispered in her ear as one of his hands tangled itself in
her long silver hair.
Eries
mimicked him by tangling one of her hands in his golden hair. "Then tell me what troubles you. Tell me what runs rampant in your mind."
"I guess
you could say that I am worried," Allen answered as he slithered down and
kissed the hollow of her neck.
Eries
traced his eyebrow. "About what? Surely there is nothing for you to worry
over. The world is at peace, Austuria
is at peace."
"Peace
reigns, yes, but I worry for our friend Van."
"Why? Has there been an assassination attempt
against him? We could spare…"
"No,
Eries," Allen interrupted after shushing her with a deeper kiss. "Nothing of that nature. "What worries me is the airship that we gave
him."
Eries
scowled. "Do not tell me that you are
one to take back what you give."
"No!" Allen
exclaimed, his eyes widening in panic. "That's not it at all." He
paused, then collapsed completely upon Eries and surrendered himself to her
embrace. "My love," he whispered,
"Gaddes informed me of something most startling last evening."
"And what
was that?" Eries asked as she wrapped both her arms and her legs around Allen.
"He said
that Escaflowne could go beyond the sky."
Eries lifted
his head away from her ear. She looked
him deeply in the eyes, and spoke, "It was only a matter of time before Gaddes
would unlock the secret to space travel. Before anyone would, really. The
scientific contributions that the late Prince Folken and Emperor Dornkirk gave
to Gaea have helped us all advance further than what most could fathom."
"But
Eries…."
"Hush,
Lover. It is still early, and the city
still sleeps. Let us not discuss the
outside world while in our bed."
"So
sensible, you are."
* * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
LATER THE SAME DAY
"But
Van-sama!" protested Merle. "There's a
council meeting today! Surely you don't
want to skip it…?"
Van
sighed. As cute as she could be, Merle
was a stickler for going to council meetings. There was once a time when she herself would encourage him to skip them,
but now that she had acquired the position of Ambassador to All Kingdoms she
understood the importance of them and constantly pressed Van into attending
them. "Sorry, Merle, but…" he scrambled
for a good excuse. "I…well, since I am
twenty now I feel I should be able to take a day off from courtly
business." Please, O Divine Deities,
let her believe that…
Merle
narrowed her eyes. "You want to go hang
out in Escaflowne, don't you?"
Again Van
sighed. "Is it that obvious?" An ungloved hand grasped the pendant around
his neck.
"Why are
you so eager to just walk around that airship?" Merle questioned. "We don't even have pilots and a crew yet!"
Van somehow
managed to stifle a sigh of relief; she doesn't know the true reason. "And that's exactly why I'm eager," he
answered. "Hito…err, the hologram told
me that Gaddes gave her a list of possible pilots and crew. I'm going to get that from her…"
"Don't you
mean 'it'?" Merle interrupted.
How could a
simple two-lettered word make such an insult? Van nearly lunged forward to choke Merle, but restrained himself
politely based on the grounds that she had been his only companion after his
father, mother, and brother died. "Just…" he began, the paused. He
realized that he was thinking of saying 'Let me skip this one', when he was king. KING! He shouldn't have to ask for Merle's permission to explore his birthday
gift more thoroughly! Finally speaking
again, he replied, "Merle, I am not going to attend today's council
meeting. Unless someone is bleeding,
dying, or informing us of war, then you are not to disturb me. Understood?"
Merle
fidgeted as she stood. She did not want
her Van-sama to be lounging around on an airship while there could be pressing
issues being discussed during a council meeting. Finally realizing that she had no place to argue, she gave a
reluctant sigh of defeat. "Understood." She walked back
towards the doorway, but before she exited, she turned around. Flashing her nearly always-present grin, she
winked and said, "Have fun!"
Van nodded courteously. "I will." When Merle finally left the room, he sighed and leaned back onto the mattress of his bed. "…Hitomi…."