Chapter 5: In Defiance of Gods

Eries wondered if King Aston planned to leave her in the jail cell forever. Four months had passed since her arrest and she had not heard a thing from Asturia. Not even a letter from her sisters, though she'd sent a few awkward ones in their direction. She wondered if she would mind staying in her jail cell forever. The tiny space felt more like home than the palace in Asturia ever did.

Time passed quickly when Folken came to visit. And when he wasn't there it crawled along at snails pace as she dreamed about him. About talking over a million things with him. About telling him her dirty little secrets and finding he accepted her. And the dreams didn't all come while sleeping. When the guard arrived and broke the cloud of her thoughts the dreams burned her cheeks.

But her dreams did not cease no matter how embarrassed she became when he came to questioner. In a sleeping dream, the night before, she had kissed him. Touched her lips to warmth of his mouth, felt his arms come up across her back and hold her tight. In the dream it had been so nice, but when he showed up bringing her meal with him she'd wanted to crawl under the cot in humiliation. She always felt like those eyes could see through her and read her thoughts.

"You've gotten a letter," Folken said, handing her a scrap of parchment. "From your little sister."

"I suppose you've already read it," Eries said.

"I'm sorry. Standard procedure."

Eries read it out loud to ward off an awkward silence.


~ Dear Eries,

How are you? I am good. I miss you. Much has happened while you're away. I hope you're having fun. Marlene is gone. I miss her. I miss you. She married the Duke of the Dutch e Afraid. I hope she's happy. Allen, the Knight (you remember him?), is gone too. He's guarding the boarder by Fanelia. I remember Fanelia, you didn't get to go that time, but it was nice. When you're done having fun come home soon. I miss you.

~Millerna Sara Aston


Eries read the letter again silently chewing her bottom lip. Marlene was married? Eries deciphered Millerna's 'Dutch e Afraid" to mean the kingdom of Fried. A large twinge of guilt fell into the pit of Eries's stomach.

"I have more good news from Asturia," Folken said. "Your father's going to be here tomorrow, and you'll be free to go."

Eries did not smile. "He's coming here himself?"

"Yes, and Zaibach and Asturia have formed a new alliance," Folken continued.

Eries stared at him.

"Since our kingdoms are friends now you don't have to stay in this cell any longer," Folken said. "So you'll get your own nice quarters for tonight. Complete with bath. And we'll bring you some new clothes too."

Eries sniffed her clothes. She did smell a more than a bit raunchy. Four months without a bath or a change of clothes could do that. But she hadn't felt overly greasy and dirty until Folken mentioned the bath to her. She must look an awful fright.

Folken escorted her himself down the metal corridors to a large room that was furnished the most comfortable bed Eries had seen in ages and a bathroom containing and actual bathtub.

She glanced in the mirror as she filled the tub up with water. Her pale hair fell in thin wisps down into her face and over her eyes, around her neck, and far past her shoulders. It looked like she was trying to hide behind her hair. Her clothes itched beyond all belief, and were dirty and frayed around the edges. She looked downright awful.

Quickly she turned from the mirror, shed her clothes and slipped into the bath. The water was cold, but grew comfortable the longer she stayed and scrubbed away the months of grime. It felt so good she didn't want to get out, and found that the pads of her fingers and toes had wrinkled by the time she finally forced herself to emerge.

There were some clean clothes sitting in the room and Eries was thankful that Zaibach's style was high collars and long sleeves or she would have had to put on her old clothes and she would have just as soon preferred to burn them. The dress looked like a mangled military uniform made of leather and vinyl, and the neckline swooped uncomfortably low showing off the top of her cleavage. It made Eries feel rather uncomfortable but she sleeked her hair away from her face and behind her gold covered ears so only a few ornery strands fell into her face.

Considering herself in the mirror once again she decided she looked presentable. Maybe even ready to meet King Aston. Eries stared at her reflection for a long time with that thought dominating her brain. She'd have to leave tomorrow. Say goodbye to Folken who'd been so kind to her and return to King Aston. Tears welled up in her eyes and a stray one slipped down her face.

"Eries Hime?" Folken's deep voice called her. She wondered if he had been waiting in the other room the whole time.

He didn't say anything when she emerged. Just looked at her quietly and she looked at the floor trying to hide her tears and escape Folken's silent stare. She sat down upon the bed sinking into its soft comfort; it'd been a long time since she'd felt a bed that soft. Folken continued to stare at her.

"Is there a problem?" she asked quietly.

"I hardly recognized you," he said. "Thought I got the wrong room."

Eries sniffed back her tears as he came to sit next to her.

"Are you alright?" he asked, realizing she was crying.

"I don't want to go home," she said. "I don't want to go with King Aston tomorrow."

"Why not?"

"He's going to be mad at me," Eries confessed. "I'm scared."

Folken's arms came up around her holding her tightly. Eries trembled from the tears and from the pleasure of being held. She couldn't remember the last time someone had held her like that. It felt so incredibly good to be held.

"Don't worry. I'll be there when you get sent off," Folken said. "I'll make sure he's not mad when he leaves."

"Can I stay here in Zaibach?" Eries asked.

He was silent for a long time. "No," he finally said. "It's part of the bargain that you be returned."

"I don't want to go. He beats me," Eries whimpered. "He's tried to kill me."

Folken's hands slid up to her shoulders and he held her even tighter. "Eries."

"I don't want to do home. I don't want to return to that. You've been so kind to me. No one has ever been that kind to me unless they have to. And I know you didn't have to." Eries pressed herself into his chest. "Don't make me go home."

"Remember what I said about fate, Eries? How we shouldn't accept them?" Eries nodded. "You must take charge of your own fate. Break free of the thread that you're on."

"How am I suppose to do that?" She looked up at him.

"Well, I could always just crush his throat," Folken muttered. "But that'd probably strain relations between Zaibach and Asturia again."

"Then I'd have to come visit you in prison." She smiled through her tears.

"You'll have to stand up to him, Eries. Our technology can't change fate yet. So you'll have to change your own. Stand up to him. I think you're more powerful than you realize. King Aston needs you. You're essential to his success."

Eries looked up at Folken. His long face, the purple tattoos, the steel blue hair. He looked so intimidating at first. Eyes were so cold at times, but there was only compassion in them now. Eries leaned up drawing her face to his and kissed his lips.

Folken stood up with a start, nearly tripping over his cloak as he backed away. Eries rose to her feet as well. His arms were no longer around her, they were hidden beneath his black cloak.

"I think," he said slowly. "I think there's been a misunderstanding."

Eries watched him as he backed farther across the room.

"You're a very nice girl," Folken said. "And I didn't mean to lead you on to thinking there was anything happening here. But you're a child."

"I'm fifteen," Eries said.

"That's very young. Too young to get messed up with a guy like me." He turned quickly and left the room before she could say anything.

Eries stared after him as he hastily departed the room.

"Stupid," she told herself. "He sees you as a little kid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid."

She sighed but did not cry. "Don't be foolish now, you have more important matters to take control of tomorrow. You have to stand up to Aston tomorrow. If you don't make your life better who will?" She crouched on the floor hugging her knees to her chest. "I don't know if I can do this."

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+

Folken was there when Aston arrived with his personal guards to collect her, but his eyes were as cold and impersonal as when she first saw him. When he did look at her, there was no hint of the warmth she'd seen only one day earlier. He simply said farewell and disappeared back into the corridors of the floating fortress. But he had kept his word. King Aston was in jovial mood while aboard the floating fortress.

Eries walked at King Aston's side through the leviship to his personal study. The guards were dismissed and Aston turned to face her. She must have grown quite a lot over the past months because he didn't stand as tall above her as before.

"Didn't I say not to cause trouble?" he said roughly, no hint of jovial mood left in his voice.

Eries turned her eyes to ice and met his glare unflinching. "What are you so unhappy about? Asturia and Zaibach are closer allies now."

His hand smacked her hard across the face, but she didn't fall back.

"Don't hit me!" Eries said sternly. "I'm not a little child anymore, King Aston. You can't push me around, because I won't sit silently taking your abuse anymore. If you want me to continue being your ambassador, your spy, then you'd better treat me right. Otherwise, I'm sure I could find another kingdom that could use my abilities and information."

"Malicious little cretin," Aston growled. "You think you can threaten me? Don't you know who you're talking too?"

"Yes, I do," Eries said. "You're a wicked and stupid man who's been given a lot of power. More than he deserves."

Her words were met again by his fist striking her on the lower jaw. "Bitch!" He grabbed her shoulders and thrust her against the wall. "How dare you talk to me that way? I've put up with that attitude of yours for long enough. It's time you learned some respect."

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+

Eries lay on the floor where she'd eventually fallen. Unable to move because she'd fought back and made the beating worse. But she did not cry.

"Folken," she whispered to the empty room. "I wanted to stay with you. I wanted you to take me away from all this."

The leviship was on its way back to Asturia. Leaving behind Folken. Leaving behind the technology of Zaibach. Leaving behind her refuge of safety and comfort. But she brought with her a dream for the future and small spark of defiance. So she did not cry.



*_* Authors Notes: The only problem with the way I wrote this story is that we only get to hear what Eries is thinking. (Which I did on purpose so it really isn't a problem.) You just have a read a little deeper to get what's really going on. Last chapter Eries thinks she's winning the little negotiations game, but what's really happened is that Folken's made her think in a 'Zaibach' sort of way.
The 'Dutch e Afraid' was my own initial misunderstanding so I thought I'd include it in Millerna's letter.
Next chapter we're into the series and I get to have soooo much fun with Eries. Mwa ha ha. It's a short chapter, but it's a great one for threading Eries into the plot. Wheee!!!