Chapter 2: Problems on Gaea
Merle walked through the desolate hallways of the newly rebuilt Fanelian castle. A lot has happened since Hitomi left this world, some for better, and some for worse. Although Fanelia has now begun to forget the horrible destruction it once knew and prosper once again, one could not say that about the king.
King Van Slanzar de Fanel could never forget the attack, or what the madness brought about. Mostly; however, he couldn't ever forget about that girl who descended with him from the Mystic Moon. Thinking of Hitomi pained Van and it hurt Merle to witness his bouts of depression.
Merle had become a very mature sixteen year-old and one of Van's closest companions. He nearly entrusted her with his life, but there were still many things he kept from her.
Oh, I wish I could do something to make Van happy again, she thought, Damnit Hitomi why did you leave?! I wish you would come back and make him happy again. Merle sighed wistfully and continued to walk among the empty passageways. Of course Merle knew from the very beginning that she couldn't have Van, but that still didn't stop her from dreaming. She refused to compete with Hitomi, not after they became friends. If Hitomi had not come here, there's a giant possibility that everyone on Gaea would've perished. She should be thankful, not resentful. Merle knew that the only way that Van could ever be happy again was that if his love came back to him.
Suddenly, Merle heard faint voices come from the throne room and decided to see what was going on. Using her stealth-like walking ability, she hid behind the open doorway to witness the conversation.
"King Van, it's time that you chose a queen to sit with you on the throne and we have come up with many choices for you to..."
"Enough," Van said assertively, "I will choose a queen when I feel the time is right. Right now is not the day, tomorrow is not looking good either, or any time in the near future."
"But-" the advisor tried to explain.
"No, you heard me, I will not," he interjected.
"Of course we won't force you," one of the other advisors stated, "It's just that it's been a long time since you've been happy King Van. Your people want to see you happy and settle down with a nice girl and perhaps have some children."
"So you're saying that getting married to a woman I don't love is going to make me happy?" he raised an eyebrow.
"King Van, if I may, do you have to be cynical about things, all we're trying to do is see that you're are happy. A happy kings equals a happy kingdom and people."
"The way I see it, all you're trying to do is see that I produce an heir to the throne. The only thing that bothers the people is the security of the Fanel dynasty sitting on the throne, not my personal happiness. Well, I'm sorry but things don't work out like that in my book. Now I want you to leave," he raised his voice.
"But your majesty-" one pleaded, but was shunned.
"Leave I said!" he exclaimed and the advisors left the room.
"Why doesn't he see that we just want to see him happy for once?" Merle heard one of them as they retreated down the hallway.
"Merle, you can come out now," Van said and startled Merle.
"How did you know I was there?" she came out behind the door.
"Merle, what kind of friend would I be for not noticing your entrance? I know you and even if other people can't see you, I can." She laughed nervously.
"Those fools, why can't they understand that I'm not interested in arranged betrothals?"
"Well, they're just trying to help," Merle started, "they're just not going about it the right way." Van chuckled.
"And what do you suppose is the right way?" he asked.
"...To find a way to bring Hitomi back, it's the only way."
"Look Merle-" Van couldn't believe she was bringing this up yet again.
"No Van, you keep denying it, but I know that you still love her!! DON'T RUN AWAY FROM IT, YOU HAVE TO-" Merle didn't even get to finish her sentence, Van left the room.
"Oh Van…" she sighed before she left the room in defeat.
(Meanwhile, In Asturia)
Allen had given up living near the large cities near the palace. They had brought too many harsh memories for him. No matter what he did, this was one battle he couldn't win. Deciding to take off, Allen was living in a cabin that was located within the Asturian forest (the place where he met Hitomi for the first time). It seemed that after Hitomi left, everything in his life seemed to fall apart. For the first couple of months, things seemed to be going fine, but then, everything took a pitfall for the worse.
Allen had dedicated much of his life brooding over his sister, and when he found her again, he was purely blissful. Nothing made him happier than to see his sister enjoying her life. However, her health didn't look too well and she collapsed one day. Of course Allen and all of the other knights called a healer to see what was wrong. Allen remembered that day like it was just yesterday. The memory kept repeating itself in his mind over and over again, like a broken record.
Flashback
"Celina! Celina are you all right!!" Allen rushed over to his sister who had collapsed on the floor.
"Gaddes call a healer quickly!!"
"Yes sir!" he answered and rushed out.
Celina lived with the princesses in the palace, becoming one a Millerna's best friends and she was being taught to be one of society's upstanding courtiers. A refined lady, she was going to be apart of the royal house. These plans would be soon diminished. Every month, she would come to live her brother in the castle for a week. They treasured each moment and all of them would soon be all Allen would ever have.
Once the healer arrived, he performed all kinds of tests on her, trying to find out exactly what was wrong with her. The words he would say next, forever remained in Allen's being as the most horrifying statement anyone has ever given him.
"I'm sorry Sir Allen, but her body is much too weak. All of the experiments done on her in the past have nearly emaciated her entire immune system. It's quite a miracle she's lived this long, my apologies, but she has three months to live at the most."
"W-what!? No, it can't be! I just get her back and now she's being taken away from me! No I won't let it happen, it will not happen!"
"I'm afraid it will, her body can only take so much. Even the strain of a small common sickness overpowers her immune system; eventually it will just give up and die. Denying this will just prolong and agonize the inevitable. This is all I can do for her."
Allen refused to believe the words of this medic, so he decided to gather the best healers in the world to get a second opinion, or third or fourth or fifth. Each and every one of them said the same thing: Celina was going to die.
About a month into her "sentence" Celina made a decision that she didn't want to be examined anymore.
"So you're saying you want to give up, we can't Celina, we can't!"
"Brother, I know it's hard for you, but I can't fight anymore. I don't want to fight anymore! Please understand I want to spend my last days in peace. I'd like to share them with you Allen. Please grant me that one wish." Allen couldn't believe what he was hearing, but in his heart, he had accepted his sister's cruel fate.
"Of course Celina, anything you want," he promised as he put her hand on his cheek.
"Thank you, I love you Allen and thank you for being my family," she said before the tremors of fatigue took over her. Sadly, Celina would not be able to do what Allen promised her. She never woke up from that sleep. Those words...were her last.
End Flashback
After she died, many tried to console him, but none succeeded. He chose to live in isolation, only going to the main city for sword duels and meetings to retain his place as a knight of Caley. No one has defeated Allen for his place and rarely anyone even tried. Allen was the best swordsman in all of Gaea. Balgus had previously held that title, but his death left room for Allen on the "pedestal".
Ever since Celina's death, Allen has been drowning his sorrows in the local harlotry in town. He could never bring himself to love another woman or give any love to the female race. All they did was cause pain and suffering. The concubines he picked up on a regular basis were paid very well and each knew they wouldn't be needed for more than one night. Some were even lucky they got to stay the whole night. One of the things he ever truly cared about brought the most pain in his life, first there was Marlene's death, then Millerna's betrothal, Hitomi's farewell, and finally his sister's death. Of course he loved his sister in a different way than the other three, but her death was just as painful.
However, one big problem remained, Allen WAS still in love. As much as he would like to just brush it all away, he couldn't shake the feeling left in his heart. It tore at it piece by piece each day she was gone. Allen stood up and knocked the bottle of wine off the table.
"I don't love her anymore!!" he screamed blankly and slumped back in the chair. No amount of screaming was going to change the way he felt and he knew that. She was the only woman ever to refuse him, the only one who didn't fall into his arms at his beck and call. Allen used to love the attention he received from woman; it was just that this one was different. He felt like she was more his equal.
Well no use thinking about it now, he thought to himself, She's gone for good and there's no way she's coming back. What was so special about her anyway? What am I kidding; I'm only fooling myself. Even if she were to come back, she would go to King Van and love him, not Allen. Perhaps a big factor in his desire for her was the fact that he couldn't have her….
(In the Palace of Asturia)
"Princess Millerna, I send my apologies, but I'm afraid he won't make it through the night," the healer came out of her father's room and delivered the bad news.
"Oh- oh my," Millerna felt the hot tears stinging her eyes. The medic left and she just collapsed onto a chair.
This can't be happening, she thought. Her father had been sick for quite awhile now, ever since the war three years ago and he hasn't recovered at all. Now, the worst had taken its toll and would soon take his life. Millerna scoffed, and there was actually a time when I would've actually given up my father to a man I once loved.
She had loved Allen for a time, even after she was separated from Dryden, but in her heart she also knew that her and Allen could never be. Millerna had felt so sorry for the loss of his sister. After Allen had finally found what seemed like true happiness, he was robbed from it. He often thought it was a punishment for his affairs with women.
Celina had become one of Millerna's best friends and was horrified with the news of her demise. It seemed that many things around her revolved around death. It wasn't exactly a pleasant aspect, but her people were finally beginning to forget the horrible war. Soon, Asturia would know peace and what it was like to sleep in their own beds without fear of being attacked.
The news of her father would upset them, however. They now have no king and Eries refused to take a husband, She swore off love and decided to become the first high priestess in the Aston dynasty. Eries figure she would be able to help more people this way, leaving Millerna to take the responsibility of the throne. She just didn't know what to do. Suddenly, she heard a knock at the door.
"Millerna?" she heard.
"Who is it?"
"Eries, please let me come in."
"Fine, the door's unlocked." Eries walked in to see her grief-stricken sister.
"I assume you heard about Father," Millerna stated.
"Yes, and I've come to discuss the situation with you."
"Why, Father's dead and we need a ruler. Unless you can find a new king, a discussion would be idle."
"That's why I've come here, it's about the new King," Eries justified.
"Really," Millerna said skeptically, "Well then, who is going to take his place." Eries took a deep breath.
"Lord Dryden." Millerna almost fell to the floor.
"Why is Dryden going to be King?"
"Do you remember when you two separated?"
"What? Of course I do, what kind of question is that?!"
"Anyway, you may've separated on your own terms, but you never had a legal divorce, therefore, you are still married to him." Millerna couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was still married to Dryden? The separation wasn't legal? It couldn't be, she was told it was. Dryden told her that he would take care of all the legal matters. There definitely something wrong with this picture.
"A message was sent to him and he will be here tomorrow morning, that will be all princess. Please prepare for his arrival. Our new king should be welcomed properly." Eries left the room, leaving Millerna shocked. Everyone had just dropped a bombshell on her, first her father's death and now Dryden's arrival. This was just too much!
Millerna hadn't seen Dryden in three years. He promised to come back when he'd become the man she deserved. That didn't seem right. Perhaps Millerna was the one who didn't deserve him. He was the one who loved her, while Millerna was still hooked to Allen. Even though she was faithful physically, she couldn't say that about her mind. In her own eyes, she really didn't make a fitting wife at all.
Well, it'll be different this time; I'll try to be better than I was. I owe it to him, she thought while she made her way down the hallway to her room. Once she was behind closed doors, Millerna turned to her vanity table and opened a compartment under her mirror. Inside held a small crystal box that she opened very carefully. It contained both her and Dryden's wedding rings.
All my life, I've always wanted people to make me happy. It's about time I start doing that. I can't expect people to make me happy if I don't do the same. I'll start with Asturia's people and then...maybe Dryden. She stared at the pair of rings and couldn't help but cry. Not knowing the exact reason why she was doing this only made her cry harder. Why is it that everything has to happen at the same time? Nothing ever comes along piece by piece; it all comes down at you like a bucket of water as opposed to drops of rain.