Note: sorry for the inconsistency in how I spell the Chars. names. Spell
check always highlights the names so I usually ignore them, and when I'm
writing I usually don't pay much attention to spelling.
Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne or its characters, so there!
Chapter 5 : A Chance Meeting
The door to Folken's chambers was unlocked. Dilandau peered suspiciously into the darkness before him; Folken's door was never unlocked. Well, perhaps he should just count himself lucky that that fool of a commander was letting his guard slip.
He slipped inside and let the door close softly behind him; then proceeded to blindly make his way to the sleeping chamber. There was no light anywhere in the room save the tiny bit that seeped in from the crack under the door. Dilandau then proved his lack of night vision and lack of sobriety by getting one of his legs tangled on the edge of a chair and falling gracelessly to the floor.
Grumbling countless curses and rubbing his newly bruised shin, he managed to somehow get up again and feel his way to the bedroom. Once again, the door was unlocked; this time it was also open. In a drunken daze, Dilandou tottered in, hand on the hilt of his sword, cackling quietly to himself.
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"Dammit! Damn it all!" Eriya hissed between her teeth.
Their guymelefs had still not been repaired since their last battle. They stood leaning against the wall for support, their mechanical insides hanging out like the entrails of a gutted fish.
"What do we do now? Surely Lord Folken has left already." Naria whispered urgently.
Eriya shook her head. "I don't know. We could try and take two melefs from another hangar," she sighed. "But that wouldn't work, we'd be seen and ultimately questioned. So now I suppose we wait....."
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Folken walked slowly down the uneven trail, using his staff to steady himself; certain questions plaguing his mind. Why hadn't the girls joined him yet? No matter, Fanelia was still a long way off and if he knew the twins, they'd find him easily.
It was early morning, and a tinge of grey was beginning to touch the horizon; he'd been walking for about two hours. The beauty around him brought him no solace, however. He was surrounded by life, a forest in perfect harmony, in the past this would have moved him deeply.
Folken sighed and ran his fingers through his untamed sea foam locks. Perhaps he should have just flown in the melef after all. It would take him several more hours to reach the Fanelian border, and that left plenty of time for his mind to over flow with the self doubt that was already taking root. First Fanelia had been his home, then Zaibach, but now he was without either because of a sudden and perhaps fool hearty decision. Maybe it wasn't too late, he could turn back..........
He shook his head violently, his face suddenly set in a stubborn scowl. That kinds of thinking could not be tolerated if he was to succeed. His stomach suddenly gurgled loudly, and Folken was reminded that he hadn't eaten since dinner the evening before. His ruddy brown eyes searched his surroundings for a suitable resting place, and soon found one. A Dried up stump beneath a rather large sycamore caught his eye, and soon he was seated upon it, munching on the travel bread and dried fruit he had brought as a part of his provisions.
He was nearly finished, and about to sling his pack back onto his shoulder when the crack of a twig snapping in half reached his ears. Folken leapt up form his seat and drew his sword in a blinding flash of sliver. His eyes darted anxiously around him, searching the spaces between the ancient trees and tangled underbrush for any kind of movement. Again a sound, this time the rustling of footsteps on dry leaves; no animal was stalking him, those footsteps were quite human.
"Hullo! I know someone is there! If you come in peace, show yourself!" Folken's heart beat heavy in his chest, but his exterior was cool and calm as ever. He waited with drawn breath, muscles tensed and prepared to defend himself if it became necessary.
Moments later a lithe, thin form stepped shakily from behind a nearby tree. The girls eyes were Widened in fear, her body half limp from exhaustion.. She took a few steps forward and then retreated quickly, studying him carefully to determine if he was a threat. She backed against the tree and stared at him from beneath the strands of her short-cropped dirty blond hair; her breath coming in short audible gasps.
"Pl-please don't hurt me, " She pleaded meekly, "I'm lost and I thought you might be able to help me."
Folken sheathed his sword and frowned as he looked the girl over. She had obviously been through quite an ordeal, cuts and bruises decorated her face and legs. Her bangs were drenched in sweat, as though she had been running; but from whom or from what ? He raised an eyebrow as he studied her clothing, it was like nothing he had ever seen on Gaea and it was badly stained with mud presumably obtained from a nasty spill, perhaps during a hasty retreat.
He relaxed and re-seated himself on the stump. "You needn't worry, I have no intention to harm you. But I am wondering what you were doing sneaking around like that. I've never seen anyone like you, where are you from, young miss?"
The girl shook her head feebly and collapsed in a heap, staring blankly at the ground.
Folken had a feeling there was a long explanation ahead. ............................................................................ ............................................................................ .......................................
Dilandau awoke to a loud and urgent pounding that echoed the painful pounding in his head. The world was blurry as he opened his bloodshot eyes and it took him a moment to comprehend his current situation
*What the hell....... FOLKEN YOU SNIVELING RAT!!* The events from the night before suddenly came back to him and his inner rage was dangerously close to boiling over. Revenge had been so Close...... or so he had thought.
He sat up slowly on Folken's bed and clenched his teeth as his head pulsated with agony, it felt as though his skull would explode like an over- ripe pumpkin. He vaguely heard the entrance to the chambers creak open and quickly hid what remained of Folken's pillow to hide his real reason for being there. He had slashed it to bits with his sword, fully expecting Folken's head to be slashed along with it.
A Zaibach soldier cautiously entered the bedroom, an oil lamp in his right hand, and kneeled in a sign of respect "Lord Folken? Are you there, my lord?"
Dilandau looked the man over with disgust. * Lowly messenger, just common Zaibach cannon fodder* "Your "dear" Lord Folken isn't here, worm, "he sneered. "I came looking for him myself and found his chambers unlocked and empty."
"Oh, Lord Dilandou, sir, do you know were I might find him? Lord Dornkirk needs to speak with him."
Dilandau rose, a scowl wrinkling his boyish features into the face of a monster. "Imbecile! Do you think I would be here if I knew?!" He stormed out of the room, roughly knocking the messenger to the floor, and slamming the chamber door on his way out.
A guttural scream of rage filled the halls of the floating fortress that morning, then was replaced by an uncomfortable silence. *Let the bastard run! I'll hunt him down like the sniveling coward he is! Folken, you are nothing but prey to me now*
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Was it destiny that brought this strange girl before him? Folken sat deep in thought, the girls words repeating endlessly in his head. There could be no doubt in his mind, in he who so believed in the power of fate.
"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?" The girl called to him uneasily, probably taking his silence for anger or discomfort. Her eyes were almost too much to bare, looking past his cold and polished exterior to the very heart of who he was. Never had he seen such eyes.
He smiled weakly, so weakly it could barely be noticed except by the keen eye. "No, not at all. I have some explaining to do myself. What did you say your name was?"
"Hitomi."
"Hitomi, you say you met the king of Fanelia, yes?"
The girl cleared her throat and twiddled her fingers uncomfortably. "Well, yes, but when I first met him he was still prince."
Folken looked away and gazed off into the trees, her stare was just too much to handle. "I see....... Lets just say I knew the king personally once and I heard what happened to his country. I was on my way to aid the Fanelian people in anyway I could when I came across you." Folken stood, approached Hitomi and crouched down next to her. "It must have been terrible what you went through. Do you feel fit enough to travel with me?"
Hitomi looked at him questioningly. "You'd really let me come with you?"
"Of course, it would be cruel to simply leave you here. And if what you say is true, about the visions, you could prove to be very helpful in my mission." He stuck out his hand to help her up. "Will you come with me?"
The light in her face disappeared suddenly with Folkens last words. "I - I want to, you see, I'm just so tired. I haven't stopped for rest since last night."
Folken nodded apologetically. "Of course, how selfish of me. I wasn't thinking of the long trek it must have been to get here, especially for someone who doesn't know the land. I do hesitate to stop here however. I could carry you for a ways."
A slight blush settled on Hitomi's cheeks. "You'd..... do that for me?"
"I am in a great hurry, and I wouldn't want you to suddenly collapse on the way there."
"You mean, we're going to Fanelia? Do you think that's safe?"
His voice was suddenly colder and distant, making Hitomi shiver. "Whoever launched that attack should be long gone. It would be foolish to stay." Folken pulled the over-sized hood of his cloak back over his head and placed his back towards her. "Climb on."
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I had no idea people were actually reading this thing! I tend to be very critical of myself and my work so I just figured it was bad. Thank you much to everyone to sent a review. I'll try to get another chapter up before I leave; I'm going home for the holidays. If I can find a disk to save it on, I'll try to work on the fic while I'm there, but I'll be gone for about 3 weeks starting Dec 17th.
Again, the reviews are much appreciated, and I'll answer some of the questions for ya. Yes, it was Dilandau's Guymelef (man is he gonna be pissed!). The situation with the twins will be cleared up, but I don't want to say anything yet so it'll be a surprise. I'm sorry for all the spelling mistakes, my spell check doesn't always catch them and I'm usually to involved with the story to notice when I misspell a word. (I suck at spelling, and my typing could use some work .) - MononokeHime
Note: went back through all the chapters and corrected the spelling mistakes, think I got them all. Man do I feel like a ditz, Its been so long since I've watched the series, and I've seen the names spelled so many different ways, I forgot how the were actually spelled. Thank you to the reviewer who set me straight on that. Hope to get the chapter up soon, but I'm scampering to get my holiday shopping done.
Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne or its characters, so there!
Chapter 5 : A Chance Meeting
The door to Folken's chambers was unlocked. Dilandau peered suspiciously into the darkness before him; Folken's door was never unlocked. Well, perhaps he should just count himself lucky that that fool of a commander was letting his guard slip.
He slipped inside and let the door close softly behind him; then proceeded to blindly make his way to the sleeping chamber. There was no light anywhere in the room save the tiny bit that seeped in from the crack under the door. Dilandau then proved his lack of night vision and lack of sobriety by getting one of his legs tangled on the edge of a chair and falling gracelessly to the floor.
Grumbling countless curses and rubbing his newly bruised shin, he managed to somehow get up again and feel his way to the bedroom. Once again, the door was unlocked; this time it was also open. In a drunken daze, Dilandou tottered in, hand on the hilt of his sword, cackling quietly to himself.
............................................................................ ............................................................................ .......................................
"Dammit! Damn it all!" Eriya hissed between her teeth.
Their guymelefs had still not been repaired since their last battle. They stood leaning against the wall for support, their mechanical insides hanging out like the entrails of a gutted fish.
"What do we do now? Surely Lord Folken has left already." Naria whispered urgently.
Eriya shook her head. "I don't know. We could try and take two melefs from another hangar," she sighed. "But that wouldn't work, we'd be seen and ultimately questioned. So now I suppose we wait....."
............................................................................ ............................................................................ .......................................
Folken walked slowly down the uneven trail, using his staff to steady himself; certain questions plaguing his mind. Why hadn't the girls joined him yet? No matter, Fanelia was still a long way off and if he knew the twins, they'd find him easily.
It was early morning, and a tinge of grey was beginning to touch the horizon; he'd been walking for about two hours. The beauty around him brought him no solace, however. He was surrounded by life, a forest in perfect harmony, in the past this would have moved him deeply.
Folken sighed and ran his fingers through his untamed sea foam locks. Perhaps he should have just flown in the melef after all. It would take him several more hours to reach the Fanelian border, and that left plenty of time for his mind to over flow with the self doubt that was already taking root. First Fanelia had been his home, then Zaibach, but now he was without either because of a sudden and perhaps fool hearty decision. Maybe it wasn't too late, he could turn back..........
He shook his head violently, his face suddenly set in a stubborn scowl. That kinds of thinking could not be tolerated if he was to succeed. His stomach suddenly gurgled loudly, and Folken was reminded that he hadn't eaten since dinner the evening before. His ruddy brown eyes searched his surroundings for a suitable resting place, and soon found one. A Dried up stump beneath a rather large sycamore caught his eye, and soon he was seated upon it, munching on the travel bread and dried fruit he had brought as a part of his provisions.
He was nearly finished, and about to sling his pack back onto his shoulder when the crack of a twig snapping in half reached his ears. Folken leapt up form his seat and drew his sword in a blinding flash of sliver. His eyes darted anxiously around him, searching the spaces between the ancient trees and tangled underbrush for any kind of movement. Again a sound, this time the rustling of footsteps on dry leaves; no animal was stalking him, those footsteps were quite human.
"Hullo! I know someone is there! If you come in peace, show yourself!" Folken's heart beat heavy in his chest, but his exterior was cool and calm as ever. He waited with drawn breath, muscles tensed and prepared to defend himself if it became necessary.
Moments later a lithe, thin form stepped shakily from behind a nearby tree. The girls eyes were Widened in fear, her body half limp from exhaustion.. She took a few steps forward and then retreated quickly, studying him carefully to determine if he was a threat. She backed against the tree and stared at him from beneath the strands of her short-cropped dirty blond hair; her breath coming in short audible gasps.
"Pl-please don't hurt me, " She pleaded meekly, "I'm lost and I thought you might be able to help me."
Folken sheathed his sword and frowned as he looked the girl over. She had obviously been through quite an ordeal, cuts and bruises decorated her face and legs. Her bangs were drenched in sweat, as though she had been running; but from whom or from what ? He raised an eyebrow as he studied her clothing, it was like nothing he had ever seen on Gaea and it was badly stained with mud presumably obtained from a nasty spill, perhaps during a hasty retreat.
He relaxed and re-seated himself on the stump. "You needn't worry, I have no intention to harm you. But I am wondering what you were doing sneaking around like that. I've never seen anyone like you, where are you from, young miss?"
The girl shook her head feebly and collapsed in a heap, staring blankly at the ground.
Folken had a feeling there was a long explanation ahead. ............................................................................ ............................................................................ .......................................
Dilandau awoke to a loud and urgent pounding that echoed the painful pounding in his head. The world was blurry as he opened his bloodshot eyes and it took him a moment to comprehend his current situation
*What the hell....... FOLKEN YOU SNIVELING RAT!!* The events from the night before suddenly came back to him and his inner rage was dangerously close to boiling over. Revenge had been so Close...... or so he had thought.
He sat up slowly on Folken's bed and clenched his teeth as his head pulsated with agony, it felt as though his skull would explode like an over- ripe pumpkin. He vaguely heard the entrance to the chambers creak open and quickly hid what remained of Folken's pillow to hide his real reason for being there. He had slashed it to bits with his sword, fully expecting Folken's head to be slashed along with it.
A Zaibach soldier cautiously entered the bedroom, an oil lamp in his right hand, and kneeled in a sign of respect "Lord Folken? Are you there, my lord?"
Dilandau looked the man over with disgust. * Lowly messenger, just common Zaibach cannon fodder* "Your "dear" Lord Folken isn't here, worm, "he sneered. "I came looking for him myself and found his chambers unlocked and empty."
"Oh, Lord Dilandou, sir, do you know were I might find him? Lord Dornkirk needs to speak with him."
Dilandau rose, a scowl wrinkling his boyish features into the face of a monster. "Imbecile! Do you think I would be here if I knew?!" He stormed out of the room, roughly knocking the messenger to the floor, and slamming the chamber door on his way out.
A guttural scream of rage filled the halls of the floating fortress that morning, then was replaced by an uncomfortable silence. *Let the bastard run! I'll hunt him down like the sniveling coward he is! Folken, you are nothing but prey to me now*
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Was it destiny that brought this strange girl before him? Folken sat deep in thought, the girls words repeating endlessly in his head. There could be no doubt in his mind, in he who so believed in the power of fate.
"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?" The girl called to him uneasily, probably taking his silence for anger or discomfort. Her eyes were almost too much to bare, looking past his cold and polished exterior to the very heart of who he was. Never had he seen such eyes.
He smiled weakly, so weakly it could barely be noticed except by the keen eye. "No, not at all. I have some explaining to do myself. What did you say your name was?"
"Hitomi."
"Hitomi, you say you met the king of Fanelia, yes?"
The girl cleared her throat and twiddled her fingers uncomfortably. "Well, yes, but when I first met him he was still prince."
Folken looked away and gazed off into the trees, her stare was just too much to handle. "I see....... Lets just say I knew the king personally once and I heard what happened to his country. I was on my way to aid the Fanelian people in anyway I could when I came across you." Folken stood, approached Hitomi and crouched down next to her. "It must have been terrible what you went through. Do you feel fit enough to travel with me?"
Hitomi looked at him questioningly. "You'd really let me come with you?"
"Of course, it would be cruel to simply leave you here. And if what you say is true, about the visions, you could prove to be very helpful in my mission." He stuck out his hand to help her up. "Will you come with me?"
The light in her face disappeared suddenly with Folkens last words. "I - I want to, you see, I'm just so tired. I haven't stopped for rest since last night."
Folken nodded apologetically. "Of course, how selfish of me. I wasn't thinking of the long trek it must have been to get here, especially for someone who doesn't know the land. I do hesitate to stop here however. I could carry you for a ways."
A slight blush settled on Hitomi's cheeks. "You'd..... do that for me?"
"I am in a great hurry, and I wouldn't want you to suddenly collapse on the way there."
"You mean, we're going to Fanelia? Do you think that's safe?"
His voice was suddenly colder and distant, making Hitomi shiver. "Whoever launched that attack should be long gone. It would be foolish to stay." Folken pulled the over-sized hood of his cloak back over his head and placed his back towards her. "Climb on."
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I had no idea people were actually reading this thing! I tend to be very critical of myself and my work so I just figured it was bad. Thank you much to everyone to sent a review. I'll try to get another chapter up before I leave; I'm going home for the holidays. If I can find a disk to save it on, I'll try to work on the fic while I'm there, but I'll be gone for about 3 weeks starting Dec 17th.
Again, the reviews are much appreciated, and I'll answer some of the questions for ya. Yes, it was Dilandau's Guymelef (man is he gonna be pissed!). The situation with the twins will be cleared up, but I don't want to say anything yet so it'll be a surprise. I'm sorry for all the spelling mistakes, my spell check doesn't always catch them and I'm usually to involved with the story to notice when I misspell a word. (I suck at spelling, and my typing could use some work .) - MononokeHime
Note: went back through all the chapters and corrected the spelling mistakes, think I got them all. Man do I feel like a ditz, Its been so long since I've watched the series, and I've seen the names spelled so many different ways, I forgot how the were actually spelled. Thank you to the reviewer who set me straight on that. Hope to get the chapter up soon, but I'm scampering to get my holiday shopping done.