Earth Angel
Prologue: A Death to All Things

Author: Hoowee
E-mail: hoowee_darkelf@yahoo.com
Warnings: Angst.
Archive: http://animefruitloops.tripod.com
Timeline: Set 1-2 years after the end of the tv series.

Disclaimer: Escaflowne belongs to Bandai & Sunrise, not me.
The original character of Rainer does belong to me, as does the original plot.
No profit is being made from this fanfiction, kindly do not sue.

....~*~....

Burning.

Everything was burning again.

Everything that he had worked so hard to build up from the rubble of the Destiny War had collapsed back in on itself again despite the blood, sweat and tears he had shed in its name.

Fanelia was burning...

....~*~....

Standing on the edge of a cliff, Van watched the fire engulf his capital glassy eyed, all feeling long since dead. Through the choking smoke he could still see the red-orange flames that licked through the timbers of homes, gorging themselves on the massive planks as if they were mere kindling until the charred remains broke and collapsed, much like his hopes.

The wood smoke that the wind carried like a burden from the burning city tasted like ash to his tongue, and he fought to keep from choking on the stinging pain that it carried down his throat to his heart.

Flickering heat washed over his body, searing his skin and senses with the scene before him ensuring that he would never, ever forget.

Worst of all was not the destruction before him but the whispered words that he could hear uttered behind his back.

Huddled together, covered in soot and grime, the various peoples of Fanelia who had had the good luck to survive the fire now stood or sat throughout the clearing, muttering amongst themselves, the muted whispers interrupted only by a keening wail of a child searching for his mother or the dry sobbing of a wife at the knowledge of a family that she would not see again.

'The king had saved many lives that night,' they said, 'fighting the fire for our sakes and keeping hope alive where it should have crumbled to dust long ago. The king is noble and kind and strong... and cursed. His blood flows with that of a Draconian... cursed blood that will turn whatever he touches to ashes soon enough no matter how good and pure his intentions are, no matter how he tries to change it. It was his cursed Draconian blood had caused the firestorm to come.'

He heard their whispers and he refused to cry, to show how deeply their words cut him and left him bleeding.

...~*~....

Across the clearing from the young king, Allen Schezar, Knight of Ceali and trusted friend of Van Slanzer de Fanel, stood against a tree examining the burnt ends of his soot smeared golden hair. Sighing with frustration he dropped the scorched strands slightly annoyed with the fact that his once long hair now barely reached passed his shoulders.

Two children were bickering loudly at each other, each so intent on what the other was saying that they didn't realise where they were running burst from one of the clumps of people and dashed towards where the knight was standing.

"It was the Draconian blood that called to the firestorm! Mama said so!" One shouted through clenched teeth, chasing the other around the tree that Allen reclined against. The other stuck his tongue out at the red-faced urchin chasing him and yelled his reply. "Was so not!"

"Was so too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

Half shocked that such talk would be common even amongst the children of Fanelia Allen was slow to react to the scamps underfoot, finding that when his body was capable of motion again, a fat little man in ash covered robes and whispy hair barely covering his almost bald head had stepped in instead.

"Now, now, speaking of the king in such ways is not a nice thing. Here, have some candy." The man almost cooed in a gooey fashion.

Searching his memory for a name to go with the pudding pudgy figure nattering to the children, Allen recalled a newly promoted adviser to the crown who matched the mans description who went by the name of Rainer Parizel.

Seeing the man shoo the children away Allen directed his earlier questioning thoughts to the adviser in hopes for a better and more knowledgable second opinion.

"Sir Adviser, is such talk among the people really so common that children go about spouting the faults of their King?"

Sighing at the question and straightening up, Adviser Rainer answered as best he could. "People need a scapegoat, someone to lay blame on when there is no-one to blame so they don't need to feel so scared. Fingers point quickly in such situations as no-one wants to see that finger pointed at themselves."

A frown creased Allens forehead at the answer he received and his voice rang passionate around the small area, quieting the murmurs of the groups huddled together."Van is not to blame! The firestorm was a freak of nature! Something that no one could predict! It is dishonourable for people to seek blame for something which has none!" Taking note of the look of interest springing up around the groups of people, the knight lowered his voice again and apologised for his outburst. "Please excuse me Adviser, my anger is not directed at you and I had no right to shout as I did. I am, however, deeply troubled at the news you say is frequently discussed among the citizens of Fanelia."

Licking his lips nervously, the adviser leaned in towards Allen, looking for all the world like a man planning conspiracy. "I know as I am rather disturbed by such talk myself and anyone with half a brain knows that Lord Van is not the cause of our recent troubles. But people who have been continually struck by bad luck tend to forget their brains and start to become a mindless mob believing anything they're told."

Faintly disgusted by the sweaty, smelly little man invading his personal space, Allen leaned slightly away with the idle thought of how could someone's breath still smell of chocolate mint candies after inhaling as much smoke as everyone had.

Too wrapped up in his own speech to notice the knights distaste, Rainer drew a deep breath and started ticking off various problems of the country on his fingers.

"A poor crop brought in during harvesting due to the early frosts has lead to an increase in taxes so that the food that we can not provide ourselves can be bought. The Land Dragons are becoming more of a problem, with many people reporting them prowling past the borders of the forest in full site of the city walls. There are even a few reports of injuries caused by the Dragons but these have yet to be verified." Waving the point aside, the adviser continued. "... Thievery has increased so much in some areas that people are afraid to walk the streets at night despite all the precautions and measures Lord Van has introduced that by all means should have worked, I really can't understand why they haven't... " Noticing a rather black smudge of soot on the finger he had marked that particular point off with, Rainer took a second to scrub at it markedly increasing Allens frustration, before continuing with his list of 'disasters'.

"Rat infestation is at an all time high... "

His patience already stretched thin from the 'list-of-problems-Van-caused' Allens eyes widened incredulously at the last mentioned. "You are blaming a 'rat' outbreak on your King?!" he hissed, his hand moving to lightly touch the hilt of his sword, murder flaring in his eyes.

Sweat beaded on the fat little mans gleaming forehead as he took in the motion the Knight of Ceali had made, licking his suddenly dry lips and backpeddling his thoughts to try and think of something to say that would not end with him resembling a fair day shishcabob. "As I said, I know that Lord Van has had nothing to do with the constant stream of, for lack of better word, 'bad-luck' that has fallen upon Fanelia. All I am saying is that the people need to put a face to their woes and it seems they have chosen to lay blame on their King. Quite frankly I am beginning to become more then worried."

Catching the sideways glance Rainer threw towards the crowd Allen frowned and caught the mans less then subtle hint.

"Rebellion?"

Shrugging the word off, the adviser kept his voice low. "Perhaps for the Kings safety it would be best if he stayed out of the public eye for awhile, just until things have cooled down and the people remember how much they love their King, you understand?"

Allens frown deepened with that remark and his voice took on a slightly louder note."

"Which is as good as admitting that he sees himself at fault for everything that has happened! I will not allow that to happen, I... "

"It's alright Allen."

Turning with a start, both men goggled at the sight of the subject of their conversation not some few feet behind them.

The young king looked beaten, something Allen had never believed would be able to have been said about Van. Dark circles rimmed eyes that had lost their fire and shoulders hung dejectedly from his too thin frame.

Rainer seemed to be the first to recover his composure and eagerly started jabbering his plans to his liege.

"Good. If your majesty permits I will start a making preparations for the moving of yourself and a small unit of guardsmen to a... hmmm... I think one of your majesties hunting lodges would be best. Do you not agree your majesty?"

"That is insane!" Allen protested, again drawing curious stares from the already curious people around the clearing. Visibly restraining himself from strangling the sweating adviser he lowered his voice and continued. "What you are proposing is akin to house arrest. I find your 'plan' ludicrous and am offended that you even give voice to such idiocies."

Wearily raising his hand to stop his friends rant, Van broke in. "It's honestly okay Allen. Adviser, please continue with your preparations." Blinking unenthusiastically Van turned too leave but thought better of it and turned back to address Allen. "Allen, during my absence may I ask you to see to the more pressing duties of Fanelia? I dislike passing on such a responsibility but I trust you as a friend and as a Knight of Ceali and find that I could be no more at ease then to know that you were in charge."

Stunned to silence, all Allen could do was nod mutely as Van half-smiled at his answer and then turned away, walking off through the clumps of people.

Rainer stroked his pudgy neck, a look of confusion pasted to his face.

Why would Lord Van ask for his duties to be seen to? I merely advised a change of location where he could rule from afar, not an abdication... not that his request would be seen as an abdication... more of a temporary change of command... no, even that would seem to much... "

Tuning out the advisers rambles, Allen let his own thoughts tumble over each other at such a strange turn of events. Why would Van entrust him with the running of his beloved country? It was as if...

A dawning understanding materialised on his face and he spun to face the direction of the young kings exit.

Only some few hundred metres into the forest that Van had wandered to, a stream of brilliant light pushed passed the trees and tore the sky asunder, rushing towards its destination... the Phantom Moon.

To Be Continued...

Notes from Hoowee:
I've gotta admit... I love Van/Hitomi continuation fics, but most that I have read have all been Hitomi going to Gaea to be with Van and while I see this as the most probable way for them to be together (what with Van having a kingdom to run and all) it got me wondering about what it would be like if it happened in reverse with Van heading to Earth to be with Hitomi.
Something drastic would have to occur for Van to have to leave Fanelia and his duties as King, which was the major sticking point for my idea, but hopefully *crosses fingers* I've written my way around it. (Even if it isn't too obvious in the Prologue... more is planned to be revealed. ^^v)
And just about naming Rainer... yeah, it's probably an overused name, but I checked out a babyname site on the net and it turned out that 'Rainer' means 'Adviser' which is what I was looking for... so I guess that means I can live with it. ^.^v