Chapter 4: Out of the Darkness
Millerna arrived with her father three days later. Immediately Van called a council with King Aston, leaving the women on their own once more.
Merle sat primly on a chair watching the others. True to her word, Emilee asked Millerna to teach them how to dance. Now the three were giggling helplessly at their own antics, trading places as the 'men' while Millerna instructed.
"By the time the ball comes we'll know both parts forwards and backwards." Emilee groaned as she tripped on the dress she borrowed from the princess while trying to spin Hitomi. Millerna began scolding her and Hitomi translated.
"She says you're dancing too quickly. It would be fine if you wore pants, but in a dress you have to slow down."
"Then maybe I'll just wear pants to the ball and dance with the ladies."
Startled for a moment, Millerna began laughing. Hitomi smiled. "She likes you. She says she used to wish the same thing."
Merle swished her tail and commented, "I'm just glad Lord Van said I didn't have to dance. I'll just watch everyone trip on themselves." A shirt hit her in the face. "Hey!"
"Emilee's beginning to understand what you're saying now so I'd be careful Merle."
Emilee grinned and took Merle by the hand. "You come dance."
Merle shook her head. "No, I'm a cat girl. Who would want to dance with me? No person would, so why learn?
"I will."
The four fell laughing on the floor.
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A chilly night wind blew across the deck of a silent floating fortress. No one was awake except the sentries and one other. A dark cloaked figure stood on the edge of the platform. For a moment it seemed as if the person was contemplating whether or not to jump, but instead stretched their hands up, as if they wanted to grasp the stars and moons. A single soldier was on duty and caught sight of the strange action. Curious, he moved towards the figure.
"Sir, are you alright?"
The figure turned, his cloak falling back. It was a thin, black haired youth, thin to the point of emaciation, moonlight making his pale skin transparent. His eyes were queer. The soldier shuddered, the whispered rumors of such a creature becoming reality. No color reflected from the man's eyes. Only a crystal white cornea with black pupils seemed to suck in anything and everything. He smiled serenely.
"No, nothing is right."
Impossibly fast, the man slammed the soldier in the chin, stunning him. Cold light shone behind his eyes as he crouched over him. His breath slid over the other's cheek.
"There will be revenge on the dragon in the air."
His hand came down hard on the soldier's throat.
Leaving the gagging man nonchalantly on the ground, the man who was not a man turned back to the two moons. A blissful smile crossed his face. Reaching towards the sky once more, he whispered,
"My Master Creator."
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Van rose from the council table signaling the end of the meeting. He looked around the room slowly.
"We have come to our decision then, to accept the proposal of General Alessandro and help establish peace between fractions and countries. The risks are high, I realize, but the benefits I believe, will be greater. I thank you for the support of Asturia and Fried, Lord Dryden, King Ashton, Duke Chid, and Allen Schezar. May our friendship be long and steadfast though joy and sadness." He paused and smiled. "To celebrate this epic alliance, and with the assistance and graciousness of Duke Chid, I've prepared a ball for two nights hence. If you will honor Fanalia to join, we will be most pleased. This meeting is adjourned."
Dryden muttered to himself. "That means I gotta shave."
Duke Chid stopped Allen outside the council doors. "Allen, may I have your permission to dance with your sister? Strictly in terms of friendship?"
The knight paused, noticing how grown up the eleven year old had become. He smiled. "Unfortunately, she is not with me." Chid's face fell. "But if she were, I would give you my permission."
Chid smiled, "Then next time I will invite her myself as an honored guest."
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Millerna sat quietly under an arbor in the garden. Half-hidden by the hedge, she mused to herself. The sound of gravel crunching underfoot made her stiffen. Someone passed by whistling a ballad, but moved on. It sounded like Dryden. A whisper of a sigh escaped her.
Dryden and Allen, both here, both with a past interest in her. Well honestly, now Millerna wasn't sure if Allen had had and interest in her, if it wasn't just because of Marlene. Ever since she told him she wished to rely on herself, he seldom came to the palace. But then he was so wrapped up in his sister. Her eyes stung but she stubbornly blinked them. She was finished with crying. She would straighten her heart out and rely on no one. A gruff harumph made her start.
Dryden stood next to the hedge in the doorway of the arbor. Characteristically he looked at her over the tops of his glasses.
"My lady, it is unfitting for you to be alone."
She felt her face warm. "And it is more unfitting for me to be here alone with a man." She retorted.
Boldly he sat down next to her, making the bench seem suddenly small.
"But my dear, we were once married. I think there is an exception." He glanced sideways at her and grinned. She coolly asked,
"Did you wish to speak with me?"
"Yes I did." Dryden actually looked nervous. "I wanted to know if you would allow me to take you to the ball."
Her first thought was, What will Allen think? The second was, I don't care anymore.
She laughed out loud at her sudden personal freedom. Dryden started. She turned to him and smiled.
"You may, Lord Dryden, and I welcome it."
Surprised, he had nothing to say except take her hand and bow
Millerna arrived with her father three days later. Immediately Van called a council with King Aston, leaving the women on their own once more.
Merle sat primly on a chair watching the others. True to her word, Emilee asked Millerna to teach them how to dance. Now the three were giggling helplessly at their own antics, trading places as the 'men' while Millerna instructed.
"By the time the ball comes we'll know both parts forwards and backwards." Emilee groaned as she tripped on the dress she borrowed from the princess while trying to spin Hitomi. Millerna began scolding her and Hitomi translated.
"She says you're dancing too quickly. It would be fine if you wore pants, but in a dress you have to slow down."
"Then maybe I'll just wear pants to the ball and dance with the ladies."
Startled for a moment, Millerna began laughing. Hitomi smiled. "She likes you. She says she used to wish the same thing."
Merle swished her tail and commented, "I'm just glad Lord Van said I didn't have to dance. I'll just watch everyone trip on themselves." A shirt hit her in the face. "Hey!"
"Emilee's beginning to understand what you're saying now so I'd be careful Merle."
Emilee grinned and took Merle by the hand. "You come dance."
Merle shook her head. "No, I'm a cat girl. Who would want to dance with me? No person would, so why learn?
"I will."
The four fell laughing on the floor.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------
A chilly night wind blew across the deck of a silent floating fortress. No one was awake except the sentries and one other. A dark cloaked figure stood on the edge of the platform. For a moment it seemed as if the person was contemplating whether or not to jump, but instead stretched their hands up, as if they wanted to grasp the stars and moons. A single soldier was on duty and caught sight of the strange action. Curious, he moved towards the figure.
"Sir, are you alright?"
The figure turned, his cloak falling back. It was a thin, black haired youth, thin to the point of emaciation, moonlight making his pale skin transparent. His eyes were queer. The soldier shuddered, the whispered rumors of such a creature becoming reality. No color reflected from the man's eyes. Only a crystal white cornea with black pupils seemed to suck in anything and everything. He smiled serenely.
"No, nothing is right."
Impossibly fast, the man slammed the soldier in the chin, stunning him. Cold light shone behind his eyes as he crouched over him. His breath slid over the other's cheek.
"There will be revenge on the dragon in the air."
His hand came down hard on the soldier's throat.
Leaving the gagging man nonchalantly on the ground, the man who was not a man turned back to the two moons. A blissful smile crossed his face. Reaching towards the sky once more, he whispered,
"My Master Creator."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------
Van rose from the council table signaling the end of the meeting. He looked around the room slowly.
"We have come to our decision then, to accept the proposal of General Alessandro and help establish peace between fractions and countries. The risks are high, I realize, but the benefits I believe, will be greater. I thank you for the support of Asturia and Fried, Lord Dryden, King Ashton, Duke Chid, and Allen Schezar. May our friendship be long and steadfast though joy and sadness." He paused and smiled. "To celebrate this epic alliance, and with the assistance and graciousness of Duke Chid, I've prepared a ball for two nights hence. If you will honor Fanalia to join, we will be most pleased. This meeting is adjourned."
Dryden muttered to himself. "That means I gotta shave."
Duke Chid stopped Allen outside the council doors. "Allen, may I have your permission to dance with your sister? Strictly in terms of friendship?"
The knight paused, noticing how grown up the eleven year old had become. He smiled. "Unfortunately, she is not with me." Chid's face fell. "But if she were, I would give you my permission."
Chid smiled, "Then next time I will invite her myself as an honored guest."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Millerna sat quietly under an arbor in the garden. Half-hidden by the hedge, she mused to herself. The sound of gravel crunching underfoot made her stiffen. Someone passed by whistling a ballad, but moved on. It sounded like Dryden. A whisper of a sigh escaped her.
Dryden and Allen, both here, both with a past interest in her. Well honestly, now Millerna wasn't sure if Allen had had and interest in her, if it wasn't just because of Marlene. Ever since she told him she wished to rely on herself, he seldom came to the palace. But then he was so wrapped up in his sister. Her eyes stung but she stubbornly blinked them. She was finished with crying. She would straighten her heart out and rely on no one. A gruff harumph made her start.
Dryden stood next to the hedge in the doorway of the arbor. Characteristically he looked at her over the tops of his glasses.
"My lady, it is unfitting for you to be alone."
She felt her face warm. "And it is more unfitting for me to be here alone with a man." She retorted.
Boldly he sat down next to her, making the bench seem suddenly small.
"But my dear, we were once married. I think there is an exception." He glanced sideways at her and grinned. She coolly asked,
"Did you wish to speak with me?"
"Yes I did." Dryden actually looked nervous. "I wanted to know if you would allow me to take you to the ball."
Her first thought was, What will Allen think? The second was, I don't care anymore.
She laughed out loud at her sudden personal freedom. Dryden started. She turned to him and smiled.
"You may, Lord Dryden, and I welcome it."
Surprised, he had nothing to say except take her hand and bow