"Was it a dream? Or perhaps an illusion?
I don't remember why,
but I was with Van when he was captured by Zaïbach.
And somehow, they thought I'm someone special.
I met Dilandau Albatou and some old memories came back to me…
Memories of my lost brother Dilan…
And now we are flying to Palas.
I don't know why, but I've have a bad feeling…
about my presence on this world and the secret of my past…"
The crusade was cruising. Both Van and Millennia looked depress, even if Allen tried to distract her. She was just studying the magic book, trying to understand what has happened to her the last days. Listening to Allen's words, an angrily Van told Allen not to worry Millennia about the legend of the dragon knight, because no one did really know what it truly said. The two young people passed hours lonely, one reading a book, one looking his newly acquired sword and wonders about his brother. But they don't told the other one their own problems. They were too pride for the moment to understand that they needed a hear to listen...
They finally arrived at the city with many canals, by the sea, the capital of Astoria, Palas. They all came out of the Crusade. Millennia was late and began to laugh when she saw Merle's face.
"What's happening to you Merle?"
"Don't make fun of me! It's the first time I see the sea! And Van too!"
"Gomen, I didn't know Van. It's just that my birth country is composed by island. So I couldn't imagine someone who never see the ocean."
"It's nothing, it makes you laugh and smile."
"It's more like you Millennia. Come on girls, the others are waiting for us." Said Allen getting out of the crusade.
"Allen!!"
A young woman was horsing them. She had light blond hair and deep blue eyes. She reached them and jumped into Allen's arms.
"Mirana Hime! Do you think it is appropriate clothes and attitude for a princess?"
"Come on Allen, they all know how I feel about you, don't be so shy."
"May present to you Van Fanel, king of Fanelia."
"Gomen, I didn't recognize you, the last time I went to Fanelia, I was only five. I saw you with your brother. Eris was so depress when she heard about his death… Gomen, I'm just talking too much as usual."
"Mirana hime, I must immediately see the king. Can't I take your horse?"
"Okay, but remember, I want to discuss with you."
"I won't forget."
He jumped on the horse and disappeared in the city of Palas. Mirana went back to Van.
"Who are those girls with you?"
"You should remember of Merle, she lives in Fanelia with me."
"And I presume this girl with strange clothes is your maiden. Please would you take all the bagages?"
"I'm not a maiden. My name is Millennia, and I came from… ouch!"
Merle has step on her foot.
"She is my women, princess."
"Gomen, I'll never mind it with so strange clothes. I'll give you proper clothes in the castle. Please would follow me?"
They began to walk. Millennia took Van's hand and whispered in van's hear:
"what is so strange with my clothes?"
"euh… don't worry…"
Allen visits the Court, but gets a rather cool reception. He tried to explain
the situation to king Aston.
"So this is your version of the attack. Do you want to provoke a war, by attacking them Allen?"
"But your highness!"
"Don't say any further words. I just met the ambassador of the Zaïbach empire. Everything has been cleared now. Please return as soon as possible to your fortress."
"Your highness, I just have some question to ask."
The man called Folken came out of the shadow and faced Allen.
"Have you seen a white dragon followed by a young girl, Heavenly Knight?"
"Girls don't play with dragon. And I haven't seen one for years." He answered angrily trying to hide his disgust for his king and the Zaïbach ambassador.
Mirana offered a new long dress to Millennia and helped her to discipline her long black hair. She shown herself to Van and Merle.
"Here goes a real lady. It's a shame, you still have to wear your bandages. So What do you think about it ?"
"I think it's to beautiful for this kind of girl !" answered Merle, but Van just let his mouth wide opened of surprise.
"Men! That's not me! Why can't I wear a pant ?"
"Because good Lady doesn't wear men's clothes!" answered Mirana.
"But why a long dress? I can't move with this one! What if I have to run or…"
"Just cut it ! Do you want me to let you with those strange clothes ? please, burn them!"
"Noo!" yelled Millennia by snatching her new school uniform back.
"Why not? I'm giving you royal clothes."
"Please don't be mad about me. These clothes are the memories from my land. I'm not ready yet to abandon them."
Mirana smiled to Millenia.
"That's Ok for me. But please don't wear it at diner or my father will kill me!"
"I promise ! Van? What are you looking at?"
They both began to blush. A maiden entered and delivered a letter to the princess Millennia.
"King Van, Lady Millennia, Merle, Allen wants you to join me on a meeting in the market. Shall we go?"
"We follow you princess Mirana." Answered politely Merle.
Van took Millennia bag.
"Why are you taking this?"
"I don't know if the place is safe. We don't know if we'll stay here tonight, we must be ready to leave." Whispered Van in her ear. She nodded, but took her bag back and took his hand in order to reassure him.
At the landing site, Astoria soldiers appeared and arrested the crew, and cut
the ropes securing the covers on the guymelef Escaflowne, revealing the giant
guymelef.
Millennia, Van and Merle were taken for an excursion to the market. Millennia
was astonished to see people with fish and animal heads, but somehow she has
seen dragons, why not human with animals head? Following Princess Mirana, Van
met an old woman who wanted to tell him his future.
"Joli missieur, for one little piece of money I'll give you a read of your future."
"I don't need it old woman. Just take the money and have a good day."
"I want a read, if you don't mind Van, Mirana Hime." Said Millennia falling down one more time on her skirt.
"I'll wait for you on the next bridge." Replied Mirana.
"Give me your hand young lady."
Millennia took off the bandages of her right hand and gave it to the lady. The eyes of the woman opened wide and she began to shiver.
"What going on, Lady?" asked Millennia.
"It's written that you came back after a long time. You'll have to fight by yourself and find who you truly are, destruction is on your way but you'll share your way through love and death, you 'll meet the dragon's destiny. It's said you've find your brother and that you'll fight him for a great power…" she took her eyes off Millennia's hand and watched panicked her forehead.
"You… You are…"began the old woman. Van took Millennia's hand away, the woman ran in the crown to hide herself.
"Nani? What happens?" asked Millennia very surprised.
"Are you all right?" asked Van.
"Yes but I don't know what she was talking about. Why do I want to fight for a power I don't even know? And what power? has it something to do with legendary knights?"
"Millennia, the dragon knight is a legend, a very popular legend. I think they have a temple in the Fleid kingdom related with this legend."
"King Van!! Lady Millennia!! Please hurry! We have a long way to go!" yelled Mirana on the bridge.
Millennia sighed and headed to the princess.
They continued to walk. Millennia arguing with Merle and Van following the princess. On a junk stall Millennia found amazingly a MD from Earth. She took a portable MD player out of her bag and plugged it in, and heard some romantic music from Earth. Her mind just flew and wandered in her memories from Earth. But nothing did really bound her with her world. She finally let her mind wandering on Gaea, this new world, my birth world, said the old lady. She didn't notice that Van ran after a man, his brother Folken, letting the princess Mirana alone.
I'll kill him right now !
She opened her eyes and looked around . What's that? Am I hearing voices now? The wind whistled around her, telling her the danger. She dashed off.
"Strange girl!" said one of the ladies.
Merle trailed after, a general hindrance as usual. Millennia just fell down on her skirt.
"That's enough! Merle catch my bag!" she yelled by ripping off the bottom of her skirt so she could run faster.
Van meanwhile had spotted his brother and was following him. Folken stopped on
a bridge on the other side of which a dark coach had drawn up. Van approached
and the two brothers argued. Van is accusing Folken of the obvious sins.
"That Folken is dead," said Folken. "Van, come with me and help me to create the world of peace we both want."
"You were the one to start all of this!"
Dilandau was observing all this from the flying fort, and get into his robot
suits, not paying attention to Folken's orders. He had recognized Van and
wanted revenge for the scar he had now on his right cheek. He extended a metal
tentacle in a long-range attacked.
Millennia reached the bridge just in time to warn Van as the metal tentacle
slammed down. She fell on top of Van and spell the charm of wind. The tentacle
was thrown away. They stand on the ground a few minute. Van paralysed because
he was trapped, Millennia because she needed to take her breath back. She
finally move her head.
"Van, are you all right?"
He get on his feet and helped her too. Anger made his eyes more red. He faced his brother.
"Is that how you want to bring peace on Gaea?"
"The attack was not my order. This soldier will be punished. Damned Dilandau…"
"I don't believe you, And I don't have a brother!"
Folken departed in the carriage, as Merle jumped to Van, crying "Van-sama! Are you ok? This girl just run after you. I though something was going to happen to you… ouin…"
"It's ok Merle, everything is ok."
Some Asturia soldiers arrived encircling them.
"Are you the Van Fanel King of Fanelia?"
Dilandau's guymelef, plainly overstressed, blown up around him.
"Dilandau-Sama, are you all right?"
He slapped his men angrily.
This girl… Van… I'll kill them all !
In an arena, Van in Escaflowne was obliged to take part in a tournament against
three local mecha. Millennia, Allen, Merle, and the king were watching.
"King Van is the one to observe, your highness." Remarked the advisor to king Aston.
Millennia though of her earlier feeling that Van was in danger. She took her pendant in her hand bit it, waiting for the fight, anger mixed with the wind surrendering her.