Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Escaflowne cast, or the plot line. Yes, it's very sad, I know. But I own Jewel, Narisia and the new DS, so ask if you wanna use them!
Chapter Eleven: Exchange
"You evil bastard!" Jewel screamed-in her human form-at Dilandau.
"Thanks for the compliment." Dilandau replied, and edge to his voice.
"Let her go!"
"I don't think so."
"Do it!"
"Last time I checked, I didn't take orders from you."
"Let Narisia go! She's my sister!"
"I've noticed."
Jewel stared at Dilandau, eyes wide. How could he do this to her? How could he threaten Narisia's life, and watch proudly as she begged him to let her go? How could he? Suddenly a pain in her head brought Jewel to her knees. She grabbed her head and doubled over in pain. How could he...?
A burly man, standing over her, holding a gun. "Runt, get outta here," he hissed, looking over her shoulder. "But..." "OUT!" And Jewel had ran. How could he do this to her? How could he send her away after they had become friends? A sudden scream, and a gunshot sounded. Jewel flinched, but kept running. How could he give himself up to save her?! Why did he do it? How could he?
"How could he...?" Jewel moaned, tears spilling out of her eyes. She balled her hands and hit the ground. "How could he?" She cried, hurt and anger in her voice. She stayed on the ground, silently crying. Why did he kill himself? Who was he...?
Suddenly Jewel stopped crying. She pulled herself up to a sitting position and looked at Dilandau, who was looking down at her with an odd expression in his eyes. "Who was he?" She asked. Dilandau looked shocked and surprised, so Jewel just shook her head. "Never mind," she muttered.
She stood and looked at Dilandau. Standing tall against him, she felt a surge of pride. She may not have known what Earth-the Mystical Moon-was or who exactly lived on it, or how she had a sister from there, but she knew something. She was still loyal to Zaibach, and she had a sister to protect.
"I'll make you a deal, Dilandau," she said, strangely calm.
Dilandau raised his eyebrows. "What kind of deal?"
"One that involves a life."
This interested Dilandau. "I'm listening."
"Tomorrow, when we attack Austria, I assume you'll keep some guards here for Narisia. I also assume you'll kill her, sooner or later. But, if tomorrow I am able to capture King Van and bring him back, alive, to you, and give you to him, will you let Narisia go and give her to me. A change of people, Narisia for Van."
"And if you can't get Van?"
"Then... Then you can kill Narisia."
Dilandau was silent for a couple minutes. Jewel stood before him, staring at him with a blank expression on her face. If Dilandau accepted her offer, then she would be risking Narisia's life. It all depended on her...
Dilandau looked and Jewel. "We have a deal. Tomorrow, you bring me Van, and I give you Narisia. But, if you fail to give me Van, I kill Narisia," he said. Jewel nodded. "Understood." And with that, she walked out of his tent and towards hers.
****
It was hours before dawn when Jewel emerged from her tent. The cold, wet air blew across her face, sending shivers down her spine. It had sprinkled the night before, and more rain was expected for later in the day.
All night Jewel had stayed awake, she had tried to sleep but Lady Sleep wouldn't come without horrid dreams... Dreams of fire, Narisia, a past unknown, and Dilandau. Jewel shook her head, clearing it. She had to stay focused; Narisia's life was in the balance now.
Skillfully dressed in tall black boots, a short (mid-thigh length) black skirt, a long sleeved tight black shirt, and a long black coat, she set off into the forest. She only had a few hours before the King would awake and start his activities for the day. If she didn't get to him before then, all her chances would be blown off.
After Jewel was sure no one else was around, and she had a good distance between herself and the camp, she changed back into her cat form. This time the change was quick and silent, causing no pain or discomfort. Once she was fully changed, she set off towards the castle at high speed.
It only took Jewel two hours to get inside Austria and make her way to the castle. It took her less time to sneak past the guards; most of them were asleep anyway. Being highly cautious and glancing at the sky to make sure she had enough time, Jewel began to scale the castle walls.
The climb was an easy one for her. Her cat-like reflexes and muscles helped her climb quickly and surely. Once she had climbed to about-what Jewel guessed was-the nineteenth floor, she flipped herself up through a window.
Perching on the small still, she peered into the room that she was about to enter. "Bingo," she whispered under her breath. She could just make out the forms of two sleeping people, one with wild hair and muscles.
Carefully she slid her long nails around the window, searching for something to grab hold of. Her search turned up nothing, so she gently leaned her shoulder against the glass and pushed. A couple seconds later there was a small pop of the hinges being broken, and the glass began to fall inward.
Jewel reached out quickly and grabbed the glass before it fell and shattered. This was the part where she had to be extremely careful. One wrong move, one slip up, and it would be over. Jewel checked the sky quickly before entering the room. Good, she had barely enough time.
She pounced silently into the room and landed gracefully onto her hind legs. She stood up to her full height and slipped the glass panel back into its hinges. It was a very small window; she doubted even she could've fitted through it in her human form. But there were all the advantages to being in cat form.
There was a rustle of covers, and an audible yawn. Quickly Jewel jumped high into the air. She dug her claws into the celing and pulled herself up, digging in her back claws. She watched over her shoulder as a slim, young woman with short auburn hair and emerald green eyes sat up and got out of bed with the man.
She was wearing a short white nightgown that flowed behind her as she moved. She stood up, stretched and left the room, entering a smaller one attached to the room Jewel was in. The woman stopped just under Jewel before she left for the smaller room.
Once the door closed, and Jewel could hear the sound of a shower starting, she dropped down from her vertical hiding place on the celing. She landed soundlessly, and looked expectantly at the man. He only gave her a tired snore and rolled over. A small smile appeared on Jewel's face as she flicked her tail. So he's a heavy sleeper. All the more good luck for me, she thought.
Jewel looked out the window. The sun was starting to rise; the sky was lightening up greatly. His wife goes for a pre-dawn run, I see. I hope Dilandau is in place, she thought. Just on the border of the forest she could see a dark red guymelef. She flashed it a quick smile. Suddenly she heard the door start to open, so she dived to the side. She rolled into the shadows and remained still.
Hitomi Fanel came out of the bathroom, dressed in running shorts and plain white shirt. She turned and left the room. Jewel waited until her footsteps faded away. Once she was sure she was gone, she went to the window and watched as Hitomi began to run away, heading towards the forest.
A small smile appeared on Jewel's face as she realized what Hitomi was heading towards. And then the sound of covers moving and a human getting up alerted her to the danger. "Hey, what are you doing here?" A deep male voice asked her. Jewel's eyes widened in surprise. She was in trouble now.
TBC...
Chapter Eleven: Exchange
"You evil bastard!" Jewel screamed-in her human form-at Dilandau.
"Thanks for the compliment." Dilandau replied, and edge to his voice.
"Let her go!"
"I don't think so."
"Do it!"
"Last time I checked, I didn't take orders from you."
"Let Narisia go! She's my sister!"
"I've noticed."
Jewel stared at Dilandau, eyes wide. How could he do this to her? How could he threaten Narisia's life, and watch proudly as she begged him to let her go? How could he? Suddenly a pain in her head brought Jewel to her knees. She grabbed her head and doubled over in pain. How could he...?
A burly man, standing over her, holding a gun. "Runt, get outta here," he hissed, looking over her shoulder. "But..." "OUT!" And Jewel had ran. How could he do this to her? How could he send her away after they had become friends? A sudden scream, and a gunshot sounded. Jewel flinched, but kept running. How could he give himself up to save her?! Why did he do it? How could he?
"How could he...?" Jewel moaned, tears spilling out of her eyes. She balled her hands and hit the ground. "How could he?" She cried, hurt and anger in her voice. She stayed on the ground, silently crying. Why did he kill himself? Who was he...?
Suddenly Jewel stopped crying. She pulled herself up to a sitting position and looked at Dilandau, who was looking down at her with an odd expression in his eyes. "Who was he?" She asked. Dilandau looked shocked and surprised, so Jewel just shook her head. "Never mind," she muttered.
She stood and looked at Dilandau. Standing tall against him, she felt a surge of pride. She may not have known what Earth-the Mystical Moon-was or who exactly lived on it, or how she had a sister from there, but she knew something. She was still loyal to Zaibach, and she had a sister to protect.
"I'll make you a deal, Dilandau," she said, strangely calm.
Dilandau raised his eyebrows. "What kind of deal?"
"One that involves a life."
This interested Dilandau. "I'm listening."
"Tomorrow, when we attack Austria, I assume you'll keep some guards here for Narisia. I also assume you'll kill her, sooner or later. But, if tomorrow I am able to capture King Van and bring him back, alive, to you, and give you to him, will you let Narisia go and give her to me. A change of people, Narisia for Van."
"And if you can't get Van?"
"Then... Then you can kill Narisia."
Dilandau was silent for a couple minutes. Jewel stood before him, staring at him with a blank expression on her face. If Dilandau accepted her offer, then she would be risking Narisia's life. It all depended on her...
Dilandau looked and Jewel. "We have a deal. Tomorrow, you bring me Van, and I give you Narisia. But, if you fail to give me Van, I kill Narisia," he said. Jewel nodded. "Understood." And with that, she walked out of his tent and towards hers.
****
It was hours before dawn when Jewel emerged from her tent. The cold, wet air blew across her face, sending shivers down her spine. It had sprinkled the night before, and more rain was expected for later in the day.
All night Jewel had stayed awake, she had tried to sleep but Lady Sleep wouldn't come without horrid dreams... Dreams of fire, Narisia, a past unknown, and Dilandau. Jewel shook her head, clearing it. She had to stay focused; Narisia's life was in the balance now.
Skillfully dressed in tall black boots, a short (mid-thigh length) black skirt, a long sleeved tight black shirt, and a long black coat, she set off into the forest. She only had a few hours before the King would awake and start his activities for the day. If she didn't get to him before then, all her chances would be blown off.
After Jewel was sure no one else was around, and she had a good distance between herself and the camp, she changed back into her cat form. This time the change was quick and silent, causing no pain or discomfort. Once she was fully changed, she set off towards the castle at high speed.
It only took Jewel two hours to get inside Austria and make her way to the castle. It took her less time to sneak past the guards; most of them were asleep anyway. Being highly cautious and glancing at the sky to make sure she had enough time, Jewel began to scale the castle walls.
The climb was an easy one for her. Her cat-like reflexes and muscles helped her climb quickly and surely. Once she had climbed to about-what Jewel guessed was-the nineteenth floor, she flipped herself up through a window.
Perching on the small still, she peered into the room that she was about to enter. "Bingo," she whispered under her breath. She could just make out the forms of two sleeping people, one with wild hair and muscles.
Carefully she slid her long nails around the window, searching for something to grab hold of. Her search turned up nothing, so she gently leaned her shoulder against the glass and pushed. A couple seconds later there was a small pop of the hinges being broken, and the glass began to fall inward.
Jewel reached out quickly and grabbed the glass before it fell and shattered. This was the part where she had to be extremely careful. One wrong move, one slip up, and it would be over. Jewel checked the sky quickly before entering the room. Good, she had barely enough time.
She pounced silently into the room and landed gracefully onto her hind legs. She stood up to her full height and slipped the glass panel back into its hinges. It was a very small window; she doubted even she could've fitted through it in her human form. But there were all the advantages to being in cat form.
There was a rustle of covers, and an audible yawn. Quickly Jewel jumped high into the air. She dug her claws into the celing and pulled herself up, digging in her back claws. She watched over her shoulder as a slim, young woman with short auburn hair and emerald green eyes sat up and got out of bed with the man.
She was wearing a short white nightgown that flowed behind her as she moved. She stood up, stretched and left the room, entering a smaller one attached to the room Jewel was in. The woman stopped just under Jewel before she left for the smaller room.
Once the door closed, and Jewel could hear the sound of a shower starting, she dropped down from her vertical hiding place on the celing. She landed soundlessly, and looked expectantly at the man. He only gave her a tired snore and rolled over. A small smile appeared on Jewel's face as she flicked her tail. So he's a heavy sleeper. All the more good luck for me, she thought.
Jewel looked out the window. The sun was starting to rise; the sky was lightening up greatly. His wife goes for a pre-dawn run, I see. I hope Dilandau is in place, she thought. Just on the border of the forest she could see a dark red guymelef. She flashed it a quick smile. Suddenly she heard the door start to open, so she dived to the side. She rolled into the shadows and remained still.
Hitomi Fanel came out of the bathroom, dressed in running shorts and plain white shirt. She turned and left the room. Jewel waited until her footsteps faded away. Once she was sure she was gone, she went to the window and watched as Hitomi began to run away, heading towards the forest.
A small smile appeared on Jewel's face as she realized what Hitomi was heading towards. And then the sound of covers moving and a human getting up alerted her to the danger. "Hey, what are you doing here?" A deep male voice asked her. Jewel's eyes widened in surprise. She was in trouble now.
TBC...