{{::Runs after Shrike, and drags Dilly-sama back here:: You can't have him yet...I need him for this fic....

I just have to say......wow!! Those reviews were absolutely touching!!!
I'd almost thought that the last chapter might be too sappy for some people....:-)Shows how much I know.
I just have to say that it makes me very, very, VERY happy to know that I can make people feel what I want with my stories...
::"Yeay....I can manipulate people's emotions.....muahahahahaha!"::

::Wraps Feye Morgan in a bear hug:: That is positively the best review I've ever seen.....my life has meaning now!!

And, after much driving myself absolutely nuts, and lots and lots of sugar & trying to get to a computer every chance I could….voile, chapter 8. Bon Apetite}}
Dirandau's shirt was being cleaned and mended. "Don't worry," Dryden had said. "Our people know how to get blood stains out...they've had lots of practice..."

Dirandau sat on the floor in front of a fireplace, barefoot and shirtless, soaking in the heat of the flames.

This was strange. After months of having her constantly harass him...she was gone. All that persecution from her, and from Allen, was over.

"Allen...."
He felt frigid and conflicted. He didn't know how to feel about Allen now.
Ever since he'd first met Allen, he'd instantly hated him....right when he saw him kiss that little wench. That was one of the few times when he'd actually been able to interact with foreigners, when not in battle. He hadn't believed that a person could really be like what he'd heard Allen was......a slut.
All he could wonder when he'd seen Allen kiss Hitomi was how these other countries could possibly have become so screwed up, to be led by such 'rabbits'.

Stranger now was what he had to wonder.....how did this situation become so marred? Zaibach had lost to this pathetic country [That thought always made his head spin...it was impossible, yet it was true.], never to rise to power again…at least, not in his lifetime. And the harlot knight of Caeli was the only person who cared about him.
He didn't want to let go of his hatred for Allen. He didn't know how. He didn't have to fight anymore..but still, he wanted to. Fighting was all he'd ever known.

He looked down at the cravat tied around his arm.
"So...those are good for something....."
It was a foolish idea to wear anything around one's neck like that. It made the task of choking someone ever so easy...
Maybe later, he'd ask Allen about sending a cravat to Van.
Allen was in Dryden's study, seeing what he could do about sending for help. Dryden had assured him that things would be fine. They'd fight in the courts, and most likely they would win.
An hour after they had arrived at his house, Dryden had taken off again. After some thinking, he'd decided that it would be best to strike Eries before she struck them. He promised to send word as soon as he was done to let Allen know what would happen next. He said that they had every reason to hope that everything would turn out fine.

His assurances did no good. Allen knew better than to trust politics to solve problems.
::"The only thing that does any good is the sword...That, at least, is real, tangible..."::

How many times had some politician called him a criminal? If he could remember, he wouldn't have memory enough for anything else. And all he'd been doing was trying to help them. They were so ready to strike people down for their own profits, regardless of what these people had done or who they were. They were all short-sighted, and unrealistic. Their arguments took up precious time, and delayed what really needed to be done.
As promised, a doctor came to take care of Dirandau's arm. This one was no more intelligent than the others.
Dirandau didn't him give any trouble to him....at first.

The doctor took off the cravat, and looked it over.
Doctor: "Does it hurt much?"
He pressed it lightly. He received a slap.
Dirandau: "Only when you press it like that...baka."
::"Why do they have to choose such idiots for doctors?"::

Doctor: "I..uh...I see..."
He rubbed his reddened cheek.
Dirandau: "Don't waste time talking about it....just take care of it, so that you can leave me alone.."
The doctor, not wanting to be slapped again, went about his business quickly and silently. He pulled some clean bandages and a bottle out of his bag. He doused the cloth with liquid, and began to apply it to Dirandau's wound.

Dirandau: "Aya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Dirandau pinned him to the floor, and gripped him by the collar.
Dirandau: "What the hell do you think you're doing???"
Doctor: "I..uh..should've told you that would sting...sorry..."
Dirandau: "I should kill you!"
Doctor: "I was just doing my job...you'll get an infection unless I-"
Dirandau smacked him across the jaw, and stood up.
Dirandau: "Get out of here and don't ever try to touch me again."
The doctor, now thoroughly terrified, was happy to comply. He ran out of there as fast as he could, forgetting his belongings.

Dirandau sat back down in front of the fireplace, with some of the clean bandages that hadn't been soaked yet.
Allen finished his letter. He appreciated what Dryden was trying to do, but he knew it wouldn't work. After what Eries had tried to do to Dirandau, Allen would not willingly let her have him. If she tried to send him to trial, it would certainly be a fixed mockery of the justice system.
If the word Dryden sent back was 'trial', Allen wouldn't stay another moment. Allen would protect Dirandau no matter what he would have to lose.

He sent for a maid.
Allen: "Have this sent to the Schezar Estate of Asturia."
He had asked Gaddes to watch over his home while he was gone. If there was need to escape, he would need his crew as well as the Crusade.

She bowed, took the letter, and walked out.

Now that he was finished, he decided to head back to his room. Under the circumstances, he'd decided that he and Dirandau should share a room...that way, if anyone did try to kidnap Dirandau, he would be right there to stop them.

He was surprised that there was no evidence of struggle.
Dirandau had sat back down at his place in front of the fire. He gazed at the flames. Such beautiful flames...

Allen: "Thank you for not giving the doctor any trouble."
Dirandau: "The man was a complete idiot. I should've killed him.."
Allen: "Yes..but you didn't....that was good self-restraint."
Dirandau nodded.
Dirandau: "My patience is astounding..."
Allen had trouble keeping himself from laughing. Sometimes, Dirandau didn't realize how amusing he could be. Allen sat down at a table.

Dirandau: "Don't send anymore doctors for me.....I know more about taking care of wounds than they do."
Allen: "Fine. But, please, at least let this one come back to check on it later, alright?"
Dirandau: "He won't be coming back.."
Allen: "What do you mean by that?"
Dirandau: "Oh….he just sort of…..left…"
Allen: "Dirandau, you....did let him take care of that wound, didn't you?"
Dirandau: "Of course not! Do you have any idea what he tried to do to me??"
Allen: "He's a trusted doctor...I'm sure that he wasn't doing anything unnecessary."
Dirandau picked up a bottle of the antiseptic and chucked it in Allen's direction.
Dirandau: "He tried to put that stuff on me! It's poison...or something....."
Allen looked at the label on it.
Allen: "Antiseptic? Dirandau, you should have let him use this stuff...if you get an infection, you might have to have your arm amputated. Even I know that...."
He was very surprised. Usually, members of Zaibach knew a lot about medical science.

Dirandau: "Shut up. Nothing that hurts that much could do me any good."

Allen doused some extra bandages in antiseptic, and sat down next to Dirandau. He took Dirandau's arm.
Dirandau: "Allen....don't you dare..."
Dirandau could see that Allen wasn't going to listen. He pushed him away, and ran towards the door. Allen ran after him, and a wrestling match began.
Allen won in the end....as usual. He pinned Dirandau to the floor.
Dirandau: "Allen...Allen.!!! Don't....please…..go away.....just-"
Allen: "Sometimes it hurts to get better..."
Dirandau: "Allen..please...don't...."
He was now pleading with Allen. Allen obviously wouldn't listen. He shut his eyes.
::"Why can't I get people to stop hurting me??"::
He quit struggling for a moment. Allen took this opportunity to apply the antiseptic. He finished as quickly as he could, though it wasn't quick enough for Dirandau's taste. Great screaming filled the halls...it was terrible..

Allen let Dirandau get up. He clutched his arm in agony. He tried to tear the bandage off, but Allen clapped a hand over it.
Allen: "It will stop hurting eventually."
Dirandau: "No...nothing ever stops hurting..."
Allen sighed.
::"Sometimes he's wiser than I give him credit for..."::
Allen put his other arm around Dirandau's shoulder.
Allen: "Your wounds are deep, and not heal-able alone. But, if you'll let me...I'll try to help..."
Allen's men were more than happy to hear from him. They hadn't been working ever since the war had ended. Allen had been too busy at home to do anything with them. And, much as they liked being able to get drunk every night without fear of having to work with a hangover, it was getting a bit boring. They had hopped on the Crusade before Gaddes had been able to finish the letter, and headed off for the Fassa estate.
They reached it about two days later.

It was three days after that, and there was still no word yet on what Eries was up to. They could not do anything but wait.
Unable to handle the waiting, Dirandau had gone about the house, terrorizing the maids, and causing whatever destruction he could. When he set the library afire, Allen decided that this was enough.
For the time being, Dirandau wasn't allowed to wander off by himself. Allen did his best to keep Dirandau busy.
They were now engaged in a chess game.

Dirandau: "Good move, Allen....but, not good enough!"
Dirandau laughed as he captured a bishop which Allen had left wide open.
Allen: "You fight well, Dirandau."
Dirandau had fallen for a trap. His queen was now in the line of fire. Allen captured it with a knight.
Dirandau looked shocked.
Dirandau: "Rrrrrrr...."
Dirandau took the knight with his king.
Dirandau: "Allen...this is you..."
Dirandau then proceeded to smash the knight to pieces.

Allen: "I see that we won't be playing a second game."
Allen took a rook with one of his bishops.
Allen: "Check."
Dirandau stared at the board. Most of his pieces were gone. He was obviously out of practice...he used to be able to beat Folken all the time.
There were only a few moves that he could make, and none of them would turn this game around.
Allen: "Well? Make your move."
Dirandau smiled, nodded....and flung the board to the other side of the room.
He sat back in his chair.
Dirandau: "Your turn."

Allen sighed. Dirandau didn't even have cause to be angry, and he was acting like this. Allen wished he could just understand Dirandau.
It was like seeing a blind man, wandering through an unfamiliar place. It looks quite awkward, and his actions make no sense unless one understands that he is blind. One can't do much to help unless one understands the blindness.
Allen sighed.

The door opened, and Gaddes entered....with a letter.
Staying as far away from Dirandau as he could, he handed it to Allen, without so much as a greeting.
He knew that Allen was very anxious about this...he wouldn't give any delay, no matter how small.
Allen quickly began reading.

Dryden apologized for not coming in person. He would be extending his stay at the capital for a little while more...he'd begun talking with some others who had problems due to Eries' and the counsel's decisions. He was fascinated by how much damage this bureaucracy was doing.
The fight had been long and hard-won. Every one of those leaders was just like Eries...prim and prude when it came to doing anything which they, in their glorious paranoia, deemed to be not of the people.
"I asked them if they could possibly get an autograph from 'The People' for me, because they seem to be fans of this group...maybe it's a bunch of singers or something..."
In the end, Dryden had convinced them that, because Dirandau hadn't done anything thus far, there would be no action necessary. As for his war crimes, Dirandau was obviously in no state to commit anymore. Judging from his health as of late, he couldn't endure a trial.
It was decided that charge of Dirandau was to be given completely over to Allen Schezar. His citizenship papers were now being put in order [He had to be a citizen in order to be able to stay in Asturia.]. It was promised that they would be done in a day or two.
"Which means that they'll probably be ready in about two weeks. You'll receive a summons when everything is ready."
They used the Crusade to get back to the Schezar estate. Dirandau hadn't seen any kind of ship in ages, so he went about, checking everything out. It made some of the men nervous....they would rather not have the ship taken apart while they were on it.

Allen and Gaddes stood next to eachother in front of the large window, watching everything pass by.
Gaddes: "Uh...boss? There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about...."
Allen: "Hm?"
His mind was on other things. He was very happy, and relieved...the biggest hurdle that had been in his path was now gone.
Gaddes: "Should I still call you Boss?"
Allen: "What are you talking about?"
Gaddes sighed.
Gaddes: "Much as I hate to say it, you've changed....you're pouring all your energy into taking care of that little brat."
Allen: "I'm the only one who can help him. He really needs my help."
Gaddes: "Alright, so maybe he does...that's fine. You're really living up to that whole 'honorable knight' image by helping him. But, what about your job, your title? What about us? We are your crew, Allen, but we can't just sit around doing nothing because you're too busy at home.."
Allen: "Gaddes, what are you driving at?"
Gaddes: "I....I think we should get re-assigned...to someone else..."
Allen wasn't sure what to say.
Gaddes: "It's not just me....the others have been talking. They think you've gone crazy."
Allen: "Gaddes-"
Gaddes: "Boss, we used to be such a tight-knit crew...they think you've abandoned them. And...well, it's just my personal opinion, but that psycho is ruining your life."
Allen: "Gaddes, please-"
Gaddes: "Boss…….Allen.......I'm only speaking as...as a good friend......whatever you decide to do with your life, I'll hope we can still remain friends. I just...thought you should know...."
Allen smiled half-heartedly.
Allen: "Thank you for your friendship, Gaddes.

Dryden had begun fighting a myriad of other cases [much to the dismay of his personal assistant]. He became a sort-of self-proclaimed public defender.

The news about Dirandau spread like an eagle's wings through all the gossips of Asturia.
[Gira was absolutely mortified. After what Dien had told her, she'd had nothing but nightmares about Dirandau coming to slice her head off.]
Thanks to Dryden's magnificent public relations skills, the people had reacted exactly as he had promised Eries earlier. She was completely shocked, but not displeased. True to her appearance, she only cared about the people....if they were appeased, she wouldn't do anything to cause anyone more trouble.
The other bureaucrats of the council, however, were not so pleased. They disbanded shortly after Dryden began defending these people. They felt that he was controlling things, behind the scenes, and they disliked it. They formed their own political group, to fight against this, and try and make the republic exactly what they wanted it to be.
No one missed them. Now that they had left, things could finally start to get done.
Half the cases were thrown out...and many others were sped up. Allen didn't have to come back to the capital to deal with Dirandau's case. Dryden got Dirandau's citizenship papers completely in order, and sent them to the Schezar estate.

Allen had been avoiding telling Dirandau about citizenship. He knew that Dirandau would absolutely detest this, but it was a necessary thing to do.
::"I'll tell him now..."::
He'd been watching Dirandau sleep, peacefully. At least, this could be considered peaceful for Dirandau. He never seemed to get enough of a nightmarish existence. He had to continue that in his sleep.
Sometimes, he talked in his sleep. He'd be calling for his men....

Right now, he was quietly laughing.

He shouted something unintelligible, then made the motion of slapping someone.
He had thrown so much energy into that motion that he landed on the floor, amidst his cover and sheets.
Allen rushed over to help him.
Allen: "Are you alright??"

Dirandau was still laughing.
Allen: "What happened?"
Dirandau: "Van...."
He smiled.
Dirandau: "I was back at the Vione....Van was my prisoner.....and I just-"
He made the motion of slapping again.
Dirandau: "And his head flew off, and rolled to the floor."
He cracked up laughing again.
Allen: "Oh..."
Allen wondered if Dirandau would ever get over this obsession with Van.

Dirandau blinked, as if he had still been asleep and was just awakening now.
Dirandau: "Why are you here?"
Allen: "I was just worried-"
Dirandau: "Allen...you haven't left me alone for weeks...or was it months? If I have to wake up with you watching over me one more time, I swear, I'll just.....RRrrr...."
Allen laughed, trying to break up the angry tension.
Allen: "I'm sorry, but can you blame me? Who wouldn't want to spend time with adorable little you?"
He ruffled Dirandau's hair.

Dirandau: "RrrrrrRRRRRrr…….DON'T DO THAT!!!"
He smacked Allen with a pillow.
Dirandau: "I'm serious.....can't you just leave me alone???"
Allen: "I would...but then I have to worry about whether or not my insurance man will try to kill me.."
Dirandau whacked him again. Allen picked up a pillow, and started defending himself.

Dirandau: "I can't stand the sight of your face anymore......I guess I'll just have to bash it in…."
Pillow-feathers were flying everywhere, like white, fluffy, rain.
Dirandau managed to knock Allen to the floor.

Allen sighed. At the moment, his was not a disposition for fighting.
Allen: "Fine. You win."
Dirandau: "Good."

Dirandau sat back down on the bed. He looked at Allen...whose hair had millions of pink and white little feathers stuck to it. Allen looked absolutely ludicrous.

Dirandau: "You look like a snowball…."
Allen picked up some strands of hair and looked at them. He shrugged.
Allen: "Oh well.."
Dirandau blinked.
Dirandau: "But, won't it be hard to get all that out of your hair?"
Allen: "No….watch this."
He bent his head down, and flipped his hair over to the front. A few shakes of his head, and all the feathers fell neatly into a pile…every last one of them.
Dirandau blinked again.
Allen: "Hey...you don't think I'd have hair this long without having learned a few tricks for dealing with it, do you?"
Dirandau: "I..uh….guess not….."
Allen smiled.
Allen: "The maid is going to have a conniption fit when she sees this mess. I'd get out of here for awhile if I were you…unless you want to deal with her."
The two walked all around the estate, finishing up that tour that Allen had tried to give earlier. All the while, Allen was trying to think of the best way to talk about the citizenship with Dirandau.

He felt badly for Dirandau. He kept thinking of how he'd react, if he were in that same situation…he'd probably have gone crazy long before this. But, if he hadn't…he might upon receiving this news.

They ended up in the garden again.
:: "I'll just have to come right out and tell him…"::

Allen: "Dirandau, sit down.."
Dirandau had already been sitting down.
Allen: "Oh..um………"
He bit his lip. There was no good way to begin this.

Allen: "Alright…I have some good news…and some bad news- "
Dirandau: "Which means that it's all horrible, so just get on with it."
Allen: "Uh..yeah……"
He tugged nervously at his cravat.
Allen: "Alright…you remember all the problems we've been having with the new government?"
Dirandau: "……."
Allen smiled, attempting to brighten the news he had.
Allen: "Well……those problems will be over with now. There's just one small hitch…"
Dirandau rolled his eyes.
Dirandau: "They want me to do something embarrassing, don't they?"
Allen: "…..Not quite…..They said that you can stay, but you've got to be a citizen, under my care…"
Dirandau stared at Allen for a moment, disbelieving. Then he came back to his senses. He sat back in his chair, his eyes resuming that cool, angry temperance. He stayed silent for a minute or two.

The silence worried Allen. It would be fine if he had started ranting and raving. That was expected, Allen knew how to deal with that. But, when he was quiet……
Allen: "Dirandau…don't you want..to say..something?"
Allen's question yielded more silence.
Allen: "Dirandau, I think-"
Dirandau: "What…did you say?"
He sounded angry, quite dangerous. Allen looked at him quizzically, not knowing what should be said.

Dirandau: "I only respond to the title 'Dirandau-sama.' Understood?"
Allen: "Huh?"
Dirandau walked up to him, hate welling up in his eyes.
Dirandau: "I want my tiara back. And my uniform. And my title. They are mine, just as they always have been."
Allen: "Well, as for your uniform, it was burned…Serena decided that she didn't like it, so she burned it as soon as she got the chance. And your 'title'…I never call anyone by false title, not under any circumstances. And, your tiara….you can have that back, if you like. Though, I don't know why you would need it now…"
Dirandau: "I need it now more than I've ever had need of it before!"
Allen sighed.
Allen: "I had thought you'd gotten over these few trifles. I can see I was wrong. It's a shame, because you were doing so well."
Dirandau: "Don't talk to me like I'm some invalid child!! I'm not, I never was, and I can't stand to be talked to that way anymore!!"
Dirandau started to walk away.

Allen sighed.
Allen: "And I thought you'd come so far these last few days…"
He had almost been talking to himself.

Dirandau stopped. A smile crept acrost his face, and he began to laugh…the joke was too good not to laugh at it…
Dirandau: "Oh, yes!! I've come such a long way………..gone from captain of an elite corps to invalid ward of an enemy idiot……."
Lady Irony does have such a delightful sense of humour! She must love Dirandau very much, to show him full-scale what she does best.

Allen started to move closer to Dirandau. He put out a hand, motioning for Allen to stop.
Dirandau: "Don't come after me…unless you want your hand bitten off……..that's right, I bite people now. The only defense I have left, because I don't have a sword…"
Dirandau grimaced. He knew full well how pathetic that was.
Dirandau: "Don't help me, Allen. Don't do that anymore…..I don't want it."
Allen: "You may not want my help, but you need it."

It was true, but Dirandau refused to believe it. It's amazing, sometimes, what the mind can do…make one thing true and then another. Denial is possibly the greatest of mental powers that anyone can possess. It can make the suffering and weak into something stronger, can make a terrifying experience into a blessing. It can change the world into anything which the believer deems fit.

He felt a bit weak. Keeping up this cocky attitude in such conditions was too much.

Dirandau: "I…don't….want…help…..from you……"
Allen: "Well, that's too bad. I don't give up so easily."
Dirandau: "If I have to give up respect for sympathy, for compassion, I'll just keep respect…."
Allen: "Respect?"

Dirandau shut his eyes.
:: "You don't even seem to know the meaning of the word….."::

Dirandau: "Yes, respect. What I have for Zaibach. What my Dragonslayers ha….had for me. "
He had to be very careful when talking about his Dragonslayers. If he wasn't careful, he might have forgotten that they were dead. Though he would have gladly fallen into that belief, it was impossible….Allen would be quick to remind him of the truth.
If that happened, he would have to endure the same agony as when they actually had died…all over again.

Allen: "You….respect Zaibach….."
Dirandau: "Of course I do! It's my country…….At least there, I was treated like a human being…..a man……and my merits were honoured."

Allen shook his head. Dirandau blindly worshipped Zaibach….this country which had done excessive harm to him. Allen hated trying to destroy that faith. Dirandau had precious little which he could believe in.

Allen: "You really think that everything they've ever told you is true?"
Dirandau just stared at him for a moment. It had never occurred to him to question anything they'd told him.
Allen: "Do you really think that they'd do all that work on you, and just let it go to waste? Tell me, just how did you get to be a captain?"
Dirandau: "I was promoted….the same as anyone else…"
Allen: "Did you have to take a test of some kind? Or prove that you would be able to handle the job through ceremony?"
Dirandau: "No."
Allen: "Hmm...now, that's interesting….just what did they base it on?"
Dirandau: "Past...merits….."
Allen: "Do you remember what they were?"
Dirandau: "No, I don't. They…never told me…."
Allen: "So, in essence, they promoted you for no reason whatsoever. Did they promote anyone else like that?"
Dirandau: "……no……."
Dirandau walked through the doorway, and slumped to the floor. There seemed to be an endless supply of these horrible realizations.

No matter what else had happened to him, he could always take pride in his accomplishments…and now he was to doubt whether he had accomplished anything at all.
There was reasonable doubt as to Allen's words…he didn't have to believe them. It was possible that he'd earned his position. But, one lesson he had spent a great deal of time learning is that the worst possibility is almost invariably true.

He began to wonder…just how much of what he believed was true? If he'd been given the chance, could he have passed on his own? Could he do anything on his own?
Was he really just some little invalid pawn, only capable of doing what they wanted him to…a slave?

He didn't know what to do. No past, no future. Hell, he didn't even have a present….unless you counted the situation in Asturia a good life. His past was a lie, and his future….what kind of future was there for someone like him? He could only exist in the Zaibach Empire, during a war. And now both of those were gone. Like one of those creatures bred in captivity, who can not be released into the wild, because they can't fend for themselves.
They never even gave him a chance……
Allen didn't wait long before sitting down next to Dirandau.
Allen: "I'm sorry."
Dirandau: "For what?"
Allen: "Everything you've been through."
Dirandau edged away from him.
Dirandau: "I don't need your pity."

Allen: "It isn't pity that makes me want to apologize."
Dirandau: "Shut up….you're such a terrible liar, Allen. You always have been. You feel sorry for me…I can't do anything and I have nothing, except what you'll deign to allow me to have…."
Allen: "Perhaps that is true, but so what? It's not your fault. It isn't your fault what they've done to you, either."
Dirandau brought his knees up, and laid his chin down on them.
Dirandau: "That doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt…"
Allen looked at him thoughtfully for a moment.

Allen: "You've been through a lot. Things which most people would be faint of……it takes a lot of endurance to survive the way you have."
He moved closer to Dirandau.
Allen: "In fact, most people would have just cracked under the pressure. And, as I understand it, you were about the only one who could stand what they did to you….all the others were either killed by the sorcerers experiments, or they completely lost their sanity."
Dirandau laughed.
Dirandau: "You might want to re-think that last one…."
Allen: "You're not insane."
Dirandau: "Yeah….I'm not crazy, I'm just gifted."
Allen couldn't help but laugh.
Allen: "I meant what I said. You aren't crazy. You are coherent and intelligent…yes, you do some psychotic things, but those are understandable. You aren't what people say you are."
Instead of helping Dirandau feel better, which was Allen's intention, this made him feel much worse.
Dirandau: "So…then I have no excuse. I'm not even some damnable little freak, I'm just the product of someone else's deranged mind. I'm….nothing……."
Allen: "You aren't nothing."
Dirandau: "Do you have any idea what this is like?? I'm not even supposed to be here...I was 'created' from someone else. My thoughts never mattered, my actions were never my own. I haven't done anything…but what…what they…wanted..me to……..."

Dirandau stared at him, almost imploring. But, how could anyone else know how this felt? Dirandau already knew that Allen couldn't understand it…that pain that just sits in the back of the mind where no light can reach. It was there, but he couldn't see it. He could only feel it…..And nobody else would ever have to feel anything like that.
Those bastards..the sorcerers…..they should be feeling this…..not Dirandau..

Allen: "I may not know exactly how it felt to endure your trials, but I can understand how horrible they must have been. Everyone has horrible experiences…some more than others. Some of us lose our reasons to live. Some never really had any in the first place. But, as always, when we finally realize what's been wrong in our past, we can start to change things….."
Dirandau: "I can't change anything….I'm not here….I am nothing…."

Allen threw his hands up in the air.
Allen: "If you keep talking like that, then you truly are nothing. Don't you realize…..now you have a chance to find out what it is that you really want to do? Even if your past was controlled, your future is uncertain, and entirely at your command."
Dirandau: "Not entirely…..I would still have to worry about your government."
Allen: "Yes, but it is getting better…..they are overcoming their prejudices against you. Things will become better still.....and it will only be you who keeps yourself from doing anything."
Dirandau: "But, what about-"
Allen: "Listen….sometimes, you have to take chances to get where you want to go. Just take that chance. I'll be there to help you if you need me."

Dirandau looked calm now. Ever so calm.
Allen was giving him one thing no one else would ever give him, could ever give him….a chance….

Dirandau: "Maybe….I will…agree to those terms after all…."
{{I'm probably not going to drag Serena back into this, after all. I didn't know if I was going to, which was why I typed that in the notes at the end of last chapter........but now, she just doesn't seem to fit in anymore.... plus I just don't want to deal with her anymore. ((I should probably apologize to any Serena fans for how she's been portrayed...that's just the way I think Dilly would think of her..))

Wow....someone actually feels sorry for Serena. :
:Grins:: Okay, so now I know that I didn't completely vilify her…yay!

::Sighs::
Al, I'll promise you this: I won't needlessly kill Van. Unless it is necessary to the story, [Which it probably won't be] I will not kill him. I understand how very annoying it is that in fics so many people give someone like Dirandau the chance to kill someone like Van, just because he wanted to and couldn't do it in the series. And, I don't exactly hate Van either. I just don't think he's very interesting. Even though he did make Dilly-sama mad by giving him that scar, and slaughter all those DSlayers, he was only defending himself. [Dilly-sama was, after all, trying to kill him.] But, I won't promise not to kill him just yet, because I don't know what I'm going to do next.
So, don't worry, alright?

And, yes, Dryden is highly neglected in fan-fics! I love Dryden.....he's rich, he's witty, he's happy....and how about that lovely wardrobe? :-)

Of course, there is someone who's even more neglected than Dryden....and that is Prince Chid......In my opinion, the most adorable character in Escaflowne. I'll probably try to put him in this fic later.

After this fic is done, I may have to get started on some more to see if I can get as good reviews as the ones I got for this story. (I'm toying with the idea of writing about Dilly-sama's past at Zaibach, and one involving Chid and Allen, after the war…..sort of like a trilogy about people related to Allen in some way…{{But, then, I might get started on my original character story again, I don't know.}})

Okay...I've decided. This fic will now have a...::Drumroll:: happy ending....[although, don't blame me if what I think is happy is really not...]
After seeing the emotional response I could get from people without having to torment them, I've decided that I'll try and be nice...Emphasis on 'try.'
::Huggles:: Happy trails, until next chapter.}}