Author's note: This is a rather long chapter. I'm trying to resolve the relationship between Millerna and Dryden ( I Do want them back together, I thought they made a great pair. I loved the line he left her with. Any girl would fall for that.

More on the plans of Zaibach and the Allies, plus Celena is moving center stage.

Reminder: Dilandau is not coming back. He plays a role in this story, but not in the way you think. Thank you Ice Eyes for you're tips. I wasn't sure on spellings.

Chapter 7: Jock

"I like your friend, Hitomi."

Millerna and Hitomi stood on a balcony overlooking the gardens.

"Thank you." Hitomi glanced sideways at the beautiful princess. "She's from my world, but a different country. That's why she's trying to learn the language."

Millerna smiled, "She certainly is funny. I haven't laughed this much in a long time." Her eyes grew distant. "In a very long time."

Hitomi gently steered the conversation away from the past. "So what have I missed in Asturia?"

The princess looked down at her clasped hands. "Well, nothing much. We rebuilt the city, improved it really. After we put out the fires, we restructured the harbor so that more ships can come in. But the activity has attracted sea dragons. We've lost some convoys, but things are still moving smoothly. Dryden and his father have helped us immensely." She hesitated. "Allen has rebuilt the defense outposts and created work forces from the soldiers. Asturia is bigger and stronger that ever," She smiled. "My mother once told me that there was never a great loss without some gain."

Hitomi smiled back. They lapsed into silence.

A silver haired girl came wandering down the garden path below. She paused to pick a flower from the borderline and put it behind her ear. Soon after came Allen Schezar.

"Celena, come back here. The maids need you for a fitting."

"I don't want to. It's too stuffy in there."

Allen caught her by the hand. "I know, but it won't take long if you hold still."

Reluctantly Celena complied and followed him back down the path. Millerna laughed softly.

"Poor Allen, she's still just a child after everything that's been done to her."

"And she doesn't remember anything?"

"As far as we can tell. Her mind is still young, though her body grew up. She knows what happened, we had to tell her that. But it didn't affect her at all, as if she was hearing the story of a different person."

"In a way, she was."

The princess turned to Hitomi. "But it's Allen's worst fear that she may turn back into Dilandau. I know that you don't like your powers of sight to be used as an advantage, Hitomi, but for Allen's sake, if - could you see if something will happen to her?"

Hitomi shook her head regretfully. "I gave up tarot cards when I went back. Reading the future was just asking for trouble. But I still have occasional visions. As if I can see the future when the time is needed. But if I see something happening to Celena, I'll tell Allen right away."

Again they fell silent. After a while, Hitomi remembered a question she had been meaning to ask.

"Millerna, what happened between you and Dryden?"

To her surprise, her friend blushed. "Nothing - well, actually everything. I let him go because I thought I loved Allen, and he left because he said he needed to become a better man for me. I let him go because I was obsessed with Allen. Compared to Allen, Dryden was so annoying, so crude and casual...so different. But he said he loved me." Her hand clenched into a fist. "I got scared because I could tell he really meant it, and not even Allen looked at me the way he did. Even after I found out that Allen loved my sister I thought things could stay the same."

She tossed her head scornfully. "It was a foolish thought. I still love him, but it's turned more into friendship and some pity – for him, and myself. It's taken me forever to get over my obsession." Millerna briefly brushed a hand across her eyes. Hitomi asked softly, "So what about Dryden?"

"Go back to Dryden? After he went away, and I told him I may not wait for him? How could I? I'm surprised he still comes back to Asturia after what I've done."

"If he still cares about you, should that matter?"

"I don't know!" Millerna's dainty hand grasped the rail. "I don't know and I'm too afraid to say anything. You know what he told me? He said, 'I can make you fall for me because I love you more than anything.' And the way he said it…" Millerna's eyes misted over again but she turned to Hitomi with a laugh. "Besides, you know what he'd do? He'd go off about how he knew I'd come back to his good looks and prosperous business, when I'm confused enough."

"He defended you at the dance."

"Yes, and he commented that it wasn't very nice to waste such vintage wine on assassin scum."

Hitomi couldn't help smiling. "That's Dryden for you."

Her friend gave a small smile in return. "That and his hair bow, glasses, and scruffy face."

"And his smooth talking."

"And his ego."

"And his cloths."

"And his attitude."

"And the fact that I think you do like him."

Millerna blushed. "I don't know." She brushed back a lock of golden hair and silently traced the place where he had kissed her after finding that she had been unharmed.

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Celena sat on her bed, waiting. The guards on patrol passed by her window twice, following their circuit. Not long after the third watch, a soft tap on the window drew her to her feet.

"Jock!"

A skinny boy of about seventeen sprang though the window. He grinned, black eyes flashing with mischief. "Hey Celena, it's the thirteenth! You know what that means?

"No, where have you been? I haven't seen you for three nights. I was worried that the guards had caught you."

Jock's grin became cocky. "Course not. No one catches me. I was checking some things out."

Celena smiled up at her city friend. Jock had snuck into the gardens of the Schezar household one night and accidentally found her hiding behind the sculpted hedges. He had offered to take her out from under the strict watch of he brother. Together they began to explore the allies and backways of Asturia.

Eventually Allen found out about the conspiracy and caught Jock as he climbed the vines to Celena's window. A long argument between the brother and sister led to a monitored system of visitations. Now the brown haired boy quickly locked the bedroom door.

"Come on, it's the thirteenth."

Celena drew back from the bundle of clothes he tossed at her. "Jock, I can't. Allen didn't say I could."

Jock opened the window further. "Allen hasn't been home to let you go anywhere for over a month. Tonight supposedly ghosts rise and haunt people. We can go scare the fools out past sundown." He turned. "Come on Celena, he doesn't have to know. Besides, I want to show you something. It's got to do with your brother and why he's been gone for so long."

The temptation was too strong. Celena picked up the cloths.

A few minutes later, two shadows climbed down the side of the house and vanished into the garden.

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General Alessandro let the roll of parchment snap back into its case.

"Finally we have a chance for peace. I had just about given up hope."

He turned to his assistant. "Tell the helm to turn around. We were not in vain."

"You realize that you are taking Dilan back towards his revenge."

Alessandro did not look up at the sound of his friend's voice. "He will not have it. Not unless you give it to him, Onusa."

Drax Onusa smiled and picked up the parchment case. Fingering the crest of Fanalia, he answered, "He will not be given that chance through me. I am not that foolish. Besides," He sighed and sat down. "I am as tired of this chaos as you. The remaining scientists and politicians in the Empire are tearing the guts out of what remains of the system."

Alessandro walked to the window. "They would tear our guts out if they knew what we were doing."

"The people will follow you. You are the hero of the Empire, Alessandro. You are the survivor the Dark Ages. The politicians dare not confront you before them."

"But they do from behind. Just before we left Zaibach, I discovered a dopplganger in my rooms."

Drax clicked his tongue. "Such low tactics."

"We have sunk that low." Alessandro sighed. "This is a sad day when we must ask the help of an enemy."

The scientist gently lay the scroll back on the table. "It is for the best."

Neither noticed the cracked door of the corner closet.

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Jock led the way through a series of allies. Pausing at corners, he listened closely before continuing on. Finally reaching the edge of the city, he ducked down a pathway into the forest. Celena followed in silent, practiced ease.

"Move it along there! It doesn't take four men to carry a barrel." A familiar voice rang out over muffled creaks, groans, and rumbles of what sounded like wagons. Celena peeped through the bushes.

Gaddes stood next to a brightly burning torch, overseeing a train of men and wagons. Her eyes widened.

"That's my brother's ship!"

The Crusade sat in the tiny clearing, being loaded with supplies and weapons. Jock pointed to a figure just arriving on horseback. A messenger waved Gaddes over.

"Sir Allen wants to inform you that the plans have been accelerated. They are leaving in two days for the Deadlands."

"The Deadlands?" Celena whispered.

"The neutral zone between us and Zaibach." Jock answered. "It's where that massive bomb was set off in the Dark Ages."

Celena's eyes glazed over. "That's where I found Allen again." She shook off the memories. "Why are they going there?"

"Shhhh!"

Gaddes was shaking his head. "He's really set of going then..."

The messenger remounted. "I know King Van and Duke Chid plan of going through with a treaty."

One of the pack animals nearby snorted, it's eyes fixed on the eavesdropper's hiding place. Gaddes turned back to the working men.

"All right you lazy bums. We have till tomorrow morning to get all this loaded."

The animal snorted again. The First Mate took notice. Drawing a knife he continued. "And watch out for predators."

Jock grabbed Celena and pulled her deeper into the forest.