Amoro Revidi
Title: Memory Fever [Part Eight]
Series: Vision of Escaflowne
Rating: PG-13 [torture]
A/N: Part 8... I really, really should be doing
homework instead of writing these, but call me a glutton for punishment or just
a really dedicated writer. Besides, I like to try and keep you guys happy, ^_~.
The house out of food was for a class project. And yes, you ask, how can she be
in college if she's being assigned to play with her food? I don't know, but it
was for a party as well as an architecture project.
***
"You're from Ispano?" Van repeats, face blank.
Tristan smiles and nods. "A simple land, really…"
"That's on the other side of Gaea." Van folds his arms on his chest. "If Ispano was attacked, how did you end up inside Fanelia's borders, wounded and bleeding freshly?" He gently disengages Hitomi, placing himself before her and between the two beds inside the room.
Arik snorts and closes her eyes, "Tristan's responsible for that, I just got brought along for the ride."
"I summoned the might of the ancients during a time of need," Tristan says cryptically.
Arik rolls her eyes. "Which, in common language, means that a bright column of light descended from the sky to get us out of the danger zone. After that… I carried him."
Hitomi grips the back of Van's shirt. "Is that supposed to happen?" she asks in a whisper. "I didn't know that anyone else knew how to…"
"Pardon me, everyone," Merle says from the door where she's leaning and watching them all with disinterested intensity. "But I need to speak to Lord Van."
Hitomi, put on the spot, nods and leaves the room quickly. Van does not even glance after her, but nods. "You'll excuse me then?" he says, eyeing Tristan distrustfully.
"Of course. We are, after all, either your guests… or your prisoners."
Arik closes her eyes again as Van heads out of the room, one eye cracked alertly as Merle closes the door behind the two of them.
***
"What is it, Merle?"
"Have you taken the time to look over her weapon?" she asks quietly. "It bears a striking resemblance to the ones those kidnappers had."
"Merle, this is not the time to worry about the past," Van says angrily. "Somehow…" his hand strays to the pendant he wears at his neck, still on a small golden chain around his neck. "Somehow this 'Tristan' can control the columns of light that only I… and Hitomi… have ever been able to…"
"Lord Van!" Merle snaps, gripping his upper arms and shaking him once and pulling his face up to look her in the eye. "What does it matter? Do you honestly think you're the only one to ever experience that?" she growls, low in her throat and sneers. "You can't honestly tell me that with all we learned in Atlantis you think that the two of you were the only ones to ever use the damn things, do you?"
Van's eyes widen and he glares at her. "Merle," he begins in a harsh tone, glancing around to see whether or not they are alone. Seeing that they are, he blinks, "Merle… where's Hitomi?"
***
Running as fast as her still sore legs can carry her, Hitomi finds herself in the stable, hands moving about around her and keeping their gazes to the ground. She doubles over, breathing deeply and feeling a wave of exhaustion surging up inside her.
Looking around she wanders slowly, staggering slightly in the mid-calf length gown as she makes her way to the stall of the horse she rode the prior evening. As though understanding her dejected mood, it neighs softly, extending its nose to nuzzle her gently.
She smiles fondly and pets its head, feeling the soothing bulk of the animal transferring to her as she strokes its soft nose. "Hey there, Crisslis," she whispers and the mare's ears prick forward at the mention of her name. "I bet you don't have to worry about this sort of thing… torn between two planets, two homes… nowhere left to go."
Moving sluggishly she opens the stall door and steps in to lean against the mare's shoulder, stroking the soft mane between her fingers and inhaling the earthy scent of the stables. "I bet if you had to choose what to do you would have done so long ago," she whispers quietly, voice barely a coo, "I bet you wouldn't hesitate before stepping out into the storm all around you."
The mare lets out a small neigh, head bearing back to nudge Hitomi's shoulder gently before motioning towards a brush on the wall.
Hitomi smiles and whispers, "I get it, if you're going to listen I've got to brush you?" The mare flicks an ear back, as though amused by the concept, as though she can understand Hitomi's words and she reaches for the brush.
Slowly she runs the brush over the mare's neck, experimenting with the touch of the large object against its fur. The horse lowers its head.
***
Staring at the back of her eyelids restlessly, Arik struggles against her exhaustion. A low voice in the back of her mind says, Sleep child, you have much to recover from.
Gently the maids turn her over, redressing her wound behind the screen set up between her side of the spacious room and Tristan's. She hears their voices distantly as her face is pressed against the pillow and she closes her eyes tighter against the low murmur of the servant's voices.
"Those scars on her back must be a painful hindrance," one says, sponging her upper shoulder blades.
"I wonder how she got them?"
Wonder how she got them… as if it weren't obvious. Arik thinks with a mental sneer. Biting her lower lip she finds herself forced to listen to their continued conversation.
"Helen, it's not nice to wonder such things," the first maid admonishes. "It's none of our business how she got the scars."
*
Cracksnap!
*
Arik tries, in vain to fall asleep, but the echo of the whip in her mind keeps her awake. Keeping her eyes closed tightly she clutches at the sheets with weak hands.
Her awareness of the stone room around her fades and she sees through the eyes of memory. Her arms are bound and spread high above her head, her feet chained together and to the floor.
*
Cracksnap!
You should give in, High Priest, and save your pretty little plaything the pain.
*
A choked noise comes from Arik's throat and the two maids fall silent, washing her wounds more carefully. "We did not mean to hurt you," Helen says.
*
Cracksnap!
*
Tristan glances at her to see how she is holding up under such abusive treatment. She meets his eye and shakes her head. He stands stock still and silent at the bars of his cage. Her hands ball into tight fists on the sheets.
*
Cracksnap!
You know, Priest, I don't think your little toy can take much more of this. You should really tell me what I want to know.
Rebel bastards… Arik feels unshed tears in her eyes and keeps her eyes tightly shut to keep them from her face.
*
The two maids look uneasily at each other, beginning to wrap the bandages around her upper body again, carefully.
In her mind's eye, the rebel captain takes a step towards her, hand reaching out to draw down the bloody lines on her back. She tenses as the two women secure the bandage around her midsection snugly.
*
The blood of the innocent, the rebel captain says with a sneering smirk, always smells so fresh, eh, Priest? He crosses to hold his bloody hand before Tristan's face. He looks at her with pleading eyes and a blank face.
Still she shakes her head, imperceptibly.
'No. I will be strong…' she thinks and remembers, hands unclenching as she lets the pain sink from her mind.
Still not talking?
Cracksnap! CrackSNAP!
*
Finally the pain bubbles forth from within her and she cries out into the soft cushion of the pillow. The two maids look at each other and cover her with the sheet quickly, leaving to call the healer to come and look over her prone form.
"Arik?" Tristan calls after watching the two women leave the room. With a slight groan he gets up out of his own bed and crosses, drawing the screen aside with his uninjured arm.
*
Cracksnap! CRACKsnap! CRACKSNAP!
Captain, you're killing her, one of the rebel guards says. The Priest isn't talking, and we were ordered to keep the two of them alive.
Are you questioning my actions? The captain asks, crossly.
CrackSNAP!
*
Arik cannot hide her tears and they flow freely down her face. Tristan lays a hand on her forehead and pulls back with a slight jolt. "You've got a fever," he responds. "Arik, snap out of it!" he puts one hand to her shoulder and shakes her gently.
***
Van paces unhappily on the battlements, looking past the crenels down at the central atrium and surrounding courtyard. He had started looking for Hitomi almost as soon as he had realized she'd run off, but still he hadn't found a sign of her.
Merle approaches quietly, eyes downcast. "Lord Van," she says.
He turns to regard her, sword half drawn.
"What is it?" he asks in an anxious voice. "Hitomi…?"
"No. There's been a bad change in the young woman's condition. Her fever's risen considerably and she's apparently suffering from delusions."
"Let's go then," he says, moving into the doorway before her. He pauses as he stands at her shoulder and says, "Merle, it really… wasn't your fault."
Merle shakes her head violently and her tail curls around her leg in shame. "I was supposed to be able to protect you, Lord Van. I failed," she says in a shaky tone. "If I hadn't, if I had been strong enough then maybe I could've saved you the grief."
"There were thirteen of them, Merle, and both of us were armed with foreign weapons," Van replies, turning to regard her with compassionate eyes. "I should have been a stronger king, if I had then you wouldn't have been forced into that situation."
She continues to stare straight ahead. "Regardless, you know I'll be spending the next week with the Kathis."
Van sighs unhappily and nods. "If you feel you must," he says dejectedly. "I really wish that you'd come with us to Asturia. Chid will be there, and you haven't seen him in ages, and…"
"Please, Lord Van," Merle says in a low tone, looking down at the ground, "I cannot. I have not yet proved myself worthy."
To everyone you have, Van thinks to himself, to everyone but yourself. He starts to say something, but holds his tongue, turning to face her and drawing her into a warm hug. "So you think," he whispers as he pulls away. "Now, let's go see what's happening with…"
"Her name is Arik," Merle replies, brushing her hair behind her ear.
"What's happening with Arik," Van repeats, heading towards the temporary quarters the two injured guests had been put in.
After a moment's pause Merle turns and follows him, head low, tail still wrapped around her leg comfortingly. There is a small twitch of her shoulders and she pauses, forcing herself to move naturally.
***
After nearly an hour, Hitomi leans against Crisslis' side, tired out. The mare grazes slightly before her ears prick forward and she nudges Hitomi back behind her somewhat. "Oh, don't be silly, Crissy," Hitomi says, moving to stand at the stall door.
Outside the stall there is quite a commotion going on in the courtyard, servants running to and fro with pots and supplies and some just running with messages. Hitomi opens the door of the stall and ventures out, closing it absently behind her. Crisslis neighs softly, but she ignores the summons and stops one of the empty handed servants.
"What's going on?" she asks politely, with a confused smile on her face.
"One of the King's new guests has gotten much sicker, and the Lady Hitomi's disappeared…"
Hitomi sighs and rolls her eyes. "I haven't disappeared at all."
The shocked young man takes off his cap and bows at the waist, "Sorry, m'lady, I didn't recognize you."
Hitomi looks down and sees the amount of fur and dust on her gown. She chuckles and smiles at the young man, "No need to apologize. Can you show me where Van is?"
"Oh, yes, of course, Lady Hitomi, right this way," he says, ushering her to follow him and obviously forsaking whatever former occupation he had before him in order to show her the way.
Maybe one day I'll get the hang of this crazy castle, and stop being such a burden to people, Hitomi reasons. Until then I guess I get to be lead around by the wrist until I can be of some use to someone.
***
Van stands at the foot of the bed and watches the healers' prognosis with concern. Something is seriously wrong with this. She was talking and annoyed this afternoon. He glances at Tristan and sees his furrowed brow.
"What do you think about so deeply over there?" Van asks, making no step towards him. Tristan, apparently startled, glances up with a confused expression at Van. "You heard me," he responds, glancing around for Merle, "what do you think is wrong?"
"The maids…" Tristan says vaguely, making some abstract gesture with his good hand, "they were talking about the scars on her back…"
"And what would that do to her?" Merle asks, kneeling next to the bed as the healers go off to make some poultice to draw the heat from her body. She lays a hand on the young woman's neck.
*
Cracksnap!
The captain comes close to her and breathes in her ear, It's a shame you're going to die on me, pretty thing, I'd have enjoyed getting to know you better.
*
Arik's body tenses and Merle pulls her hand back.
***
"Right through here, Lady Hitomi," the servant boy says, bowing and ushering her forward. Hitomi nods and smiles her thanks, pushing the door open and pausing to take in the scene.
On the one occupied bed the young woman, Arik, lies prone and sweating, her face tense and tears marring her tanned cheeks. Seated on the other bed, her companion, Tristan, glances at her worriedly, while Merle stands off to one side and Van paces beside the window.
Without saying a word, Hitomi enters the room and crosses to the bed. Van starts and says her name, a quiet whisper of, "Hitomi…" as she takes a seat on the stool next to the bed, laying a cool hand on Arik's forehead.
"Arik," she says quietly, unsure of herself and yet positive that she has to do something to stop the young woman's suffering.
***
The lights in the room go dim and Arik's exhausted eyes open. Trapped in his cage, Tristan blinks and says quietly, "Mother…"
Guards enter with the High Priestess and dispatch those rebels in the room. The captain of the rebels shrinks away at her approach. "Edrick," Iona says distastefully.
Iona… he snarls in response.
Walking straight past the brute swordsman, Iona raises a hand and touches Arik's back, the blood drying and disappearing at the touch, the wounds healing to scar tissue. And then, just as the healing touch would have taken them away, the sickening sound of sword meeting with an unprotected back is heard.
Mistress! Arik chokes out.
Mother! Tristan echoes, hands clenching on the bars of his cage.
Feeling a surge of strength, Arik wrenches her arms in the chains, finally tearing the thick bolts from the ceiling, but nearly toppling over with the weight of their fall. She whirls to see the High Priestess, a serenely calm smile on her face, fall into a kneeling position between Edrick and Arik.
With a snarl, Arik swings the chains in a powerful arc, crashing them into Edrick, whose sword arms are lifted to strike the final blow to the back of Iona's neck. Somewhat thrown off balance, Arik takes a staggering step forward, falling to her own knees.
***
"Hitomi?" Merle asks, reaching over to touch her friend's shoulder.
Hitomi looks down forlornly at Arik, a sad expression on her face as she collects herself from the memories, and Van comes to her side as her eyes drift closed and she passes out.
Tristan gets to his feet and approaches Arik's still form, glancing concernedly at Hitomi, who Van lifts and lies out on the bed he vacates. He kneels at Arik's side and places a hand on her breast bone, closing his eyes and concentrating.
Slowly, gray-red eyes open and blink away more unshed tears. "Sleep," Tristan says quietly, his voice a whisper as he leans over her and presses his lips to her forehead.
Gratefully, the gray eyes drift shut again, face blank and calm, feverish dreams gone as her skin cools down to normal temperatures.
Hitomi curls up on herself, bringing her knees to her chest, and Van, watching in helpless anger, grabs Tristan by the collar of the simple robe he was dressed in upon arriving and being treated. He hauls the other young man up to eye level and glares at him a moment before dragging him, unresisting, into the hall.
Merle glances at the two young women and then down at her feet before turning and following Van and Tristan into the hall.