Chapter 9: Treason

Eries waited all alone in the graveyard using the rare moment of solitude to adorn her mother's and her sister's graves with flowers. For over an hour she'd stood amongst the moss-covered headstones that marked each burial plot scanning the skies and waiting for her solitude to be broken. The sun sank lower and lower in the sky foretelling the coming night and her return to palace where Meiden was surely waiting for her.

The man had become stalker constantly standing a few paces away wherever she went. His presence a reminder that his offer was still available and her life lay in his hands should she slip-up under his intense scrutiny. The cemetery was the one place she could go to escape his gaze. However, this evening's visit was not about dead family members. Eries was waiting for someone.

A strong wind raged suddenly across the land, whipping her skirt and hair wildly about. From out of nowhere two massive guymelefs appeared throwing back their cloaks of invisibility.

Eries did not run. She stayed firmly planted on the ground and watched as one giant metal hand gently lowered a black-cloaked figure to the ground.

"Where is the dragon?" Folken demanded.

Eries slapped him across the face, but he hardly seemed to notice. "Where's my sister, Folken? You promised."

The guymelefs opened with simultaneous puffs of steam and their twin pilots lept out. They were women. Catwomen.

"Naria, Eryia, stay back," Folken ordered. Together they crouched below the guymelefs, two pairs of shining eyes staring menacingly at Eries.

"Your sister is still alive. Where is the dragon, Hime?" Folken demanded again.

"I don't know. Find the Crusade - your dragon should be with them."

"He's not, and I have reason to believe he's in Asturia. Eries, the ideal future is at hand, but Zaibach needs the dragon and the girl from the Mystic Moon."

"The Mystic Moon?" Eries shook her head unsure of what he was talking about. "If they were in Asturia, Folken, I would gladly hand them over to you."

"If you will not give them to me now Zaibach will come and take them by force."

"You promised Asturia would be left alone," Eries said hotly.

"It will be - if you cooperate. Why do you resist?"

"Why do you resist me?" She took hold of the folds of his black cloak. "Why won't you believe me?"

"Lies come too easily to your tongue. Much like your father's."

"He is not my father!" She buried her face into his cloak. "And I speak the truth. I'd do anything to help you, Folken. We're both looking to make a better world."

An arm, a real arm, came up around her shoulders. "If they aren't here now, they will be soon. Tell me, Hime, when will be the best time for us to attack? When will there be the least resistance so the least number of lives are lost?"

Her mind had to work hard to find his answer distracted by the comfort of Folken's arm around her. "When Millerna and Dryden return there might be a wedding. Everyone in the city will be there and distracted by the ceremonies. An attack will be the least thing they'd expect. You should be able to quickly find what you want and get out."

He let go of her shoulders.

"Folken?" Eries pleaded. "People are going to get hurt, aren't they?"

He didn't answer her and tears began to well up in Eries's eyes.

"I can't stay here," she whispered. "This makes me a traitor."

"Zaibach and Asturia are allies; for now."

Trembling she fell to her knees at his feet. "Take me with you, Folken, please!"

He knelt beside her. "If we attack during the wedding it will be taken as an ill omen. The people will want you to be their queen."

Eries looked up into his dark eyes. "I don't deserve to be queen."

Folken rose back to stand tall above her. "You will make a good queen, Eries. This is best for your people and this is best for Gaea."

"I can't do this anymore! Let me go with you," Eries begged.

He walked away. He walked away from her and towards the waiting women and their guymelefs.

"I love you!" Eries cried to his back.

That stopped Folken. "You will become queen, Eries. And that, I believe, is all you really want."

He boarded the outstretched hand of the guymelef; not even turning to look at her as they all disappeared from sight.

The wind's whipped up once again as they departed and Eries looked up to sky trying to see what could not be seen. There was no guymelef above her, but there was a leviship sailing silently above the cemetery towards Asturia.

Could it be? The Crusade?

Eries climbed to her feet brushing her skirt smooth and looked to the sky again. It was the Crusade! Millerna was coming home at last.

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

Eries peered out the coach window as they neared the docking platform. Millerna was there with Dryden at her side. The crew of the Crusade was unloading the ship, but there was no sign of the Fanelian king or Allen Schezar.

Eries emerged from the cabin. Both sisters stood frozen, each taking the sight of the other in. Millerna had lost weight, and her clothes were worn, but she seemed otherwise intact.

A rip was torn down the conscious of Eries's soul. She wanted to run to Millerna and bridge the gap they'd formed when parting last, but her mind told her she couldn't. She'd sold her little sister out and now Zaibach would come on her wedding day.

Dryden approached, bringing Millerna with him by the hand. "Eries Hime." He bowed low to her and Eries nodded back.

Millerna's tear-filled violet eyes were pounding into Eries like an axe. "Onee-sama," Millerna whispered. "You're crying."

Eries tried to reconstruct her icy wall. "Father is sick, Millerna. He's dying."

Her sister's lower lip quivered as she took in the news. "I'm so sorry, onee-sama. Is it because of me?"

"He's been very worried about you. I've been very worried about you." Eries approached and took her in her arms. Millerna wrapped her arms tightly around Eries's waist. They held each other for a long time the two sisters reunited for one brief moment.

"I'm sorry, onee-sama. I didn't mean to hurt anyone," Millerna sobbed into Eries's chest.

But Eries couldn't say anything.