Hi again after so long, esca lovers! Sorry about the huge hibernation
period, cuz I've just been too busy. If you happen to have forgotten what
happened in the previous chapter, feel free to ask me. Nehow, we're
getting closer to the climax. Ok, important news (well, kinda): this
chapter and the two after it were originally meant to be one whole chapter
with about 40 pages. For the comfort of your eyes, I've divided it into
three separate chapters, with 'World in the Wind' being the first section,
'Pandemonium' the second and 'The Atlantis Within' (which is the name of
the original huge chapter) as the climax section. Each of the sub-section
are about 15 pages long (the last one is slightly longer). Of course, this
means I can update more often, hehe =) I hope that the division won't screw
up the content or continuity, so let me know if there are problems.
VIII. World in the Wind
Mine is a world forgone though not yet ended, -
An imagined garden grey with sundered boughs And broken branches, wistful and unmended, And mist that is more constant than all vows. Hart Crane, "Postscript"
Escaflowne, Escaflowne, Escaflowne.the spirits of the spring zephyr flowed round the dragon and carried away its noble name on their iridescent wings. The wind spirits and sylphs exist in every space of the universe, and they brush pass every blade of grass, every animal. Now, they swept the Gaean earth and they instantly felt the desolation of a darkening world. Their feathers flew pass the young man and woman seated on the great dragon. By flowing through their hair, the aeolian spirits understood the sorrow in the hearts of the two humans. The young man, in his wind-swept red shirt, was crying, but he himself could not hear it. His lovely companion was weeping also, but there were no tears, no sounds. Only the spirits heard. They carried the lovers' laments along with the name of the white dragon, and they scattered the sound all over Gaea.
The sympathetic Nature heard, but tried in vain to solace the two young souls. Soon, every spirit, whether sylvan, aeolian, oceanic or empyrean, heard the sound and they filled all over Gaea with echoes of what the lovers thought: I'm sorry, Hitomi. I'm sorry, Balgus. I'm sorry, brother. I've become a killer once again. I don't want war. Please don't make me fight. Peace? Where is it? Some of the wind began to howl. I worry about you so much, Van. I don't want to leave you ever again. I'll stay even if it means seeing you like this. Yes.I guess, yes.Love must be all accepting, all forgiving. You have the strength within. I know you do. The dragons of Fanelia heard also, and they roared.
As soon as Escaflowne landed, they ceased to feel the wind upon their bodies. Before Van leapt off, Hitomi caressed him gently on the back. He turned around and gave her a kiss then ran to the castle. All the citizens and lords looked sombre as if awaiting funeral bells. Palladium was not as noisy as when he left it. There was a greater amount of standing around and staring aimlessly. It was stagnancy, tense and ominous. This made Van somewhat angry. He turned and yelled at the crowd, "Stop this! He's not dead yet! I'm not dead yet!" Then he hurried inside.
His statement seemed to have shaken many people from their languish and even disillusioned them a bit. Hitomi followed Van's steps slowly. Everyone made way for her and focused on her. She looked around timidly and saw many pairs of exhausted eyes imploring for help and Love. The people. Hitomi understood how much they mean to Van - they are the blood of Fanelia. Then she suddenly felt that they are her responsibility also, from now on. She saw in their loss and sadness a melancholy reflection of her own; the whole of Fanelia became like a placid lake, mirroring the Mystic Moon. The affinity was established forever. Hitomi smiled at everyone.
An old man staggered out of the crowd. She went forth to support him but he stubbornly rejected her arms and knelt down on one knee. "Let me, let me, speak," he addressed her in a husky, ancient voice. "And please let me remain kneeling. Little girl, I have been with Fanelia all.my life. When King Van's father, King Goau was but a baby, I was already a budding young lad. I have seen Fanelia.through her glories and tragedies. Now.the present time is most extraordinary.it's both glorious and tragic, no?" he held Hitomi's hands, "King Van is strong, but he still needs you. We need you." She helped him up and kissed his forehead. As she walked towards the castle, she could see, from the corner of her tearful eyes, people bowing to her.
The reverence and dignity was warm yet pressing. She soon cast off the gratitude and content when she approached the sick-room. Many lords and soldiers were outside in the hall, waiting, waiting. Nestor stood at the door, more panicked and distressed than ever. Hitomi walked inside and beheld a heartbreaking scene. Selena and Merle were kneeling on either side of the bed sobbing convulsively. Van was next to Merle; he held Orion's hand in his and from the back, it looked as if he was in a praying position.
Millerna, who was in her healer's outfit stained with blood, came up and whispered to Hitomi: "Last night, he took a few stabs in the back. If he hadn't been able to fight back, he would have died. When Merle found him, he had already lost a fair amount of blood. I've managed to stop it, but he still needs to survive the coma."
Hitomi gasped in anxiety. "My goodness.I.I don't know what.why do bad things keep happening? You must've heard about Freid," Millerna lowered her head and nodded. "But don't worry, Allen's fine. He should be back today. Maybe he just wants some more time with Chid, seeing as how they've just re-." Hitomi paused awkwardly. She realized that Millerna may not be comfortable with the situation regarding Allen claiming the son he had with Marlene.
"Oh." Millerna said feebly then walked away. Hitomi was surprised to detect a feeling of haughtiness in her, and not sadness. She injected a shot then left the room. The rest of them remained with Orion. Hitomi tenderly touched Van's shoulders and tried to ease his tension, but he remained catatonic for a long time. Eventually, around noon, Nestor came to call Van away. Hitomi took Merle out for some food. But Selena never left.
From the minute he stepped out of the room, all Van could say in his mind was the word, "Live!" He stormed through all his duties with the same alacrity he displayed two days ago. There was also a stoicism in his gaze and gestures - a death-defying determination. For the rest of the day, he laboured away at the work site, and discussed the diamond trade with Dryden. Come evening, he locked himself in the conference room with Allen and Nestor. There scarcely seemed time to breathe or space to move. Everything was packed together like atoms. The momentary illusion of relaxation was filled with echoes of "Live!"
Hitomi had begun her share of tasks in the Fanelian community. In the afternoon, she helped Merle in the food shelter. At meal time, she was responsible for one of the carts that distributed dinner boxes to the soldiers and lords who could not spare time to come to the dining hall. When she knocked on the conference room door, Nestor came out to get the boxes. She caught a glimpse of Van, pacing near the front of the room, pensive and angry, speaking rapidly about the attack of Freid. She went away silently and realized sadly that this was what being a king in a time of crisis is all about.
For the remainder of the night, Hitomi began reading Van's book "Ways of Warriors, Codes of Kings", while awaiting her turn to look after Orion. Her and Merle decided to take short shifts so Selena could have a break, however reluctantly. A little after the clock chimed midnight, Hitomi proceeded down to the sickroom.
In the empty and still hallway, she heard a faint echo, vibrating like a soft wind against the wooden beams. It was somewhat spirit-like. As she went closer, she noticed the sound was coming from the room. It was a lofty aria, dulcet yet elegiac in its grand beauty.
Hitomi noiselessly opened a crack in the door and saw Selena kneeling by Orion's bed, singing. The moonlight streaming through the window deified the scene, making it unsurpassably holy. Hitomi could not understand the lyrics since the language was not one she had heard. But this image of moonlit love enshrouded in the sonata sung by a voice of violins, was a vision worth a lifetime of pain. She closed the door and her own eyes, and knelt down in the hall, drenched in midnight music. The chorus went something like, "Sei tu corai ansias." Life's unquiet dream was pacified.
Then she felt a soft kiss on her cheek. She opened her eyes and saw Van sitting next to her. He whispered in an exhausted voice, "The language she's singing in is called Poetics. It's very rare and understood only by people of letters and poetry. Supposedly it's derived from Atlantean. Both Selena and Orion knows it."
"She has the most beautiful voice, like a fairy's. What's the song saying?"
"Oh.I'm afraid my Poetics is a little shaky, but I'll try." He closed his eyes. "I believe this song is called 'Arcadia'. Let's see, the chorus is Sei tu corai ansias, that means 'you are my heart, deathlessly.' Um.something, something, 'the wings of eternity.turning round the moon.' Um.wingdalei souce da pouron, that means.let me see, 'I fly by the love that moves the centre and all the stars.' I can't pick out anymore, sorry."
"No, it's okay," she laid her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, that was beautiful. 'Arcadia'.You know, Selena told me that she used to like you."
"Oh?" Van's trademark blush rushed to the surface.
"But she loves Orion now, though she's till somewhat scared."
"What?" Van looked surprised for a moment but eased down. "Well, from her recent behavior, I thought as much. I'm glad. Orion will be so happy."
"But Merle will be upset, right?"
"So you can tell? Yeah. But I do think her feeling for Orion is mere infatuation and it will pass. She's concentrating on Vianne anyhow."
"Everyone is." she paused, "trying to find a home, I guess. I suppose it's alright to tell you this now, but did you ever discover that Prince Chid is Allen's son?"
"Huh?" compared to the various occurrences of the past week this hardly constituted a shock. "He's never told me anything. Well, I have thought that they do look a lot alike. And last time when they came to Fanelia during the reconstruction, I noticed that Millerna acted weird around Chid. I suppose she knows too?"
"She's known for five years. When I did a reading for her before, it did say that Allen is the right man for her. But I feel that there's this tension between them. It's hard to say. I'm just worried about them."
"Well, I guess you don't know, but a few years back, right after Millerna became queen, she had a miscarriage and she can never have a child again."
"What? Really?" Hitomi glanced down the long hallway. "Poor Millerna. So that's why Allen wanted to reunite with Chid."
"It's a part of his struggle, fuelled by his past history with.all the girls."
She nudged Van slightly. "You're not still jealous about that, are you?"
"No, no," he smirked. "But it is weird to think about it. Anyhow, it's Allen's war to fight, just as we all must fight our own wars," he held his breath for a second. "But you really should tell Allen that Selena told you she'd be happy with Orion. That way he'll get off my back. She will be happy with him.when he wakes up."
"Don't worry. He can hear her song and he'll live." They sat under the flickering torches, illuminating the wooden hall. The aria still rose, higher and higher, unto heaven. ....
Hitomi was astonished to realize that it has only been a week since she left Earth. One week encompassed so much it seemed a lifetime. The following week in Fanelia was slower in comparison but it was populated with a myriad of activities. Everyday, she engaged in helping out and she felt she had already become an integral part of the country.
In the middle of the week, she accompanied Van on an inspection tour of Palladium. The city was more organized. The tents functioned as houses and the chaotic atmosphere was ordered into a familiar home. As they passed the citizens, everyone bowed to her as if she were the queen. A certain exhilaration was inspired by the idea but Hitomi quickly restrained herself, thinking He hasn't even proposed yet.
Other than that day, Hitomi seldom saw Van for the rest of the week. Operation High Sky progressed steadily. Natural caves were discovered so the drilling process was cut short. Van was busy planning the evacuation as well as managing the army in Orion's stead. Allen dealt with diplomatic matters and sent amply provisions to Freid. For the most part, there was an inert standstill, a no man's land in a stalemate. Van believed that this was because Branimir was still devising the next evil.
As the week wore on, Van received less and less sleep. He usually kept vigilance by Orion's bedside. At times, he'd return to his own room and rest next to Hitomi, holding her until she falls asleep. Then he'd slip out of bed and go to the desk to bury himself with paperwork until dawn.
On the last night of the week, Van retired to his room earlier and found Hitomi studying at his desk. "You should be asleep, Hitomi. It's late."
"You should talk! You're the one who needs sleep. Tell me honestly, how many hours of rest did you get this week?"
"That's not important," he went into the bedchamber and got changed.
She frowned at him then began to read, "Listen to this, Van: The philosophic king is the only man fit to rule. He is one who bridges the gap between ideal and reality, a man of both thought and action, who unites political power with the love of wisdom,'" Van pulled up an armchair and sat across from her. " 'This union is made possible by the indispensable existence of heroic courage and of goodness in his heart. The." Van snatched the book from her. "What is it, Van?"
"Forget all the philosophy," he rubbed his eyes in exhaustion. "Let me ask you, does good leadership necessitate or.or justify ruthlessness?"
Hitomi looked at his grief-stricken face. "I really don't know much about politics, Van. But to tell the truth, I believe there are times when a ruler must exercise.authority in order to run a country smoothly. There are too many intrigues in kingship for that to be avoided. But tell me what happened." She reached across and held his hands.
Van heaved a long sigh. "Well, you said it, it's intrigue. Basically, on top of everything that's happened, I've got to deal with a small faction started by Lord Kailan and his son Arwon. It's just a little shocking, seeing as how Kailan has been with Fanelia for so long."
"Why are they against you?"
"Apparently," Van locked his brows, "they think I've handled the current situation badly. They think I've brought trouble to Fanelia. They also don't like.you, being from the Mystic Moon and all. Since I'm inefficient as a king, there's talk of making Fanelia a republic with an elected president. Allen is seriously concerned. He believes there will be danger. Kailan might collaborate with the enemy and send out intelligence regarding our plans. There's no evidence of that so far, we're just speculating. Of course, if there is proof, treason is," he looked up at her, "a crime punishable by death. I don't want to have to." he shrank into the chair and drew his knees up to his chest.
Hitomi went over and held him. Thus they sat in silence, gazing at the darkness that dragged its own impenetrable mass closer and closer towards Gaea.
Eventually, the morning air stung Van's senses and he jumped up to go to Orion. Days and nights of vigilance, of celestial song, of tearful Love, finally called back Orion's clinging life. Just as Van sat down next to the bed, Orion's frail fingers touched his hand slightly. Van winced but it was an ache produced by boundless relief and gratitude.
"I've won," Orion said feebly. "Yes, I've won the battle with death. Don't you.cry on me now, old boy. I gotta tell you, it's.a most unexciting fight. It takes place absolutely nowhere, with no one there to cheer me on. A complete darkness, with an invisible enemy, kind of like how we used to duel, remember?" Van gripped his hand. "Not too tight there. Oh.I didn't believe in my own strength, but then I also didn't believe in death's strength," he coughed. "Well, I won anyways. Now I must wrestle with life."
An aureate sun rose over Fanelia; the mists fled temporarily. Hitomi entered and together with Van, they thanked the gods. Everyone received the good news. Selena cried almost as much tears as when she grieved. Life unfurled its wings splendidly and the awakening of the near-death patient lent hope to the living. However, Death flew after Life with swift dragon-like speed.
Within a day, Orion was able to walk around on crutches and Selena helped him in the process of regaining strength. After a few days, Orion resumed his duties. He proposed a new military plan: the troops will hide in the forest above Fanelian Valley, so when the enemy enters, they can trap them using the position of advantage.
Operation High Sky has progressed as far as the completion of the caves. Van ordered the commencement of the evacuation. Food, water, medical supplies, ammunition, wood were all being stored in boxes and allocated to the caves. Nestor organized the placement of the citizens.
While the men were occupied with such business, the women worked closer with the citizens. Hitomi's days were filled with various tasks, so that she scarcely had any personal time. Yet in the airy space between one job and the next, she noticed the moods of others. Selena acquired a countenance of sober contentment, perhaps because of Orion. Merle seemed able to overlook her own loss and helped realize the happiness of others. Millerna, on the other hand, was settled in a shroud. She withdrew from most of her royal duties, and behaved rather coldly to Allen, Selena and to Hitomi herself. Princess Eries was the only one she remained close to. Van became skeleton thin and his eyes were sunken in fatigue. His change wasn't so much a resignation as a tumultuous clinging on, but some people misinterpreted it as a lack of resolve.
The spring zephyr blew on all this time, gathering and dissipating clouds, until one day an eruption ceased all wind. The trees stood noiselessly, as if bereft of life. People suspended personal battles, for the true war had begun: Orion's trusted Commander Strom intercepted a message written by Lord Kailan to President Basante in which Kailan revealed all the allies' strategic plans, and pointed out gaps in the defensive front where he advised Basante to strike. King Van was once again set in the crucible of indecision. Amid the clamor of conflicting advices and ever-pressing danger, Van ordered the arrest of Lord Kailan, his son Arwon and the seven lords who were in league with them. Despite everyone's support of execution, Van put forth lifelong imprisonment. Later that day, he took a firmer hold of his power and steered the helm of fate: he officially declared war on Basram. The stalemate had to be ended; offence was chosen over mere defence. Allied forces were to set out early next morning.
The night before the battle, when all else slept in dreadful expectation, Van stole away to the caves beyond the castle. He passed the guards and entered a tunnel of solitary blackness. It led to an underground domed chamber of bedrock and polished walls lined with boxes of supplies. He stood with a torch in the middle of the circular space that rose all round into wild heights and undreamt of corners. There was loneliness but it felt mythic, half-present, half-past, real and unreal, capable of overthrowing the most tyrannical force.
He closed his eyes and listened to the dripping of underground water. "Dong.dong." It sounded like a bell, announcing something that was not exactly holy. The echo of the dripping filled the caves and he felt a certain tremor. In the wet circular space, there was no sound but this dripping and it chanced to murmur to him, "There is no permanence." All prayer, all poetry, all emotion that could be spoken there would come out as nothing but "dong.dong," echoed monotonously in the dark. The value of all good words was evanescent - he may die tomorrow and their love will end, divided by a boundary that could never be crossed. He thought the caves had killed eternity.
But then, he quickly withdrew the thought. The dripping itself ironically seemed a permanence. Water can be shaped. The constant dripping of water can hollow out a stone. That was the proverb Van remembered when he decided to spare to Kailan's life. He understood the strength of the seemingly soft and inconstant water and he wanted to become it. However, when he declared war, he was the stone. At once rock and water, Van resigned to the impossibility of being both a good king and a happy man.
He approached the cave walls that glistened with residues of diamond. The walls were polished and provided a remarkable reflection of his torch. As he walked closer, the two flames, one breathing air, one stone, seemed to unite and kiss. In between them were the white sparks of the wall, reminding him of the aeons-long life of diamonds. That is eternal enough.
Then the echo murmured to him about Atlantis that had not receded from his mind. He though of his past as Vannius, with Angelus as his father, Lacour as the best friend who died to save him, and Orionis as the little brother who fulfilled his ideals. Then there was the birth of Escaflowne, and the birth of Love. But another few echoes brought the name of Branimir. Who was he? Could it be that they fought over the Love of one woman? But where was Hitomi in all that?
"Van.Van.Van." He gasped as he thought that the caves actually called out to him. But he turned around and saw Hitomi standing at the mouth of the tunnel. She walked over into his arms.
"Hey, how did you know I was here?" he whispered, fearful that his words will echo, and be included in the obscurity.
"I just knew," she wrapped her blanket around them both. "I know you're worrying about the decisions you made today."
"Well." he pulled some logs from the boxes and started a fire. "Come sit by the fire, or you'll catch a cold." They snuggled up together. "I had to decide. It's expected of me. I couldn't evade any longer. But it'll all be okay. I have Escaflowne."
"I believe you made the necessary decisions, so don't fret about it. Van.I want to come with you tomorrow."
He looked at her eyes, reflecting the warm fire and immaculate in their luminosity. "Hitomi." he said with some exasperation.
"I want to be there for you physically, as well as mentally. We defeated Dornkirk together, remember? I can't let you face this alone. We'll take the chance together and I know we will triumph. Atlantis will be sealed up along with all the sorrow and battles. Besides, I will be of help. I have a feeling Branimir has some sad reason for doing all this. Maybe we can try to communicate with him."
Van opened his mouth to respond but all he heard was "dong.dong," so he simply held her. Later on, he said quietly, "I think I'm going to name these the Nerya caves."
"Nerya? After Folken's."
"That's right. There's a legend attached to that name. It carried from Dornkirk's Zaibach, a certain darkness, a potential evil even, but it's also beautiful and echoes with lost Love. It suits the caves."
"You're right, it does. It's almost mythic. Folken would like this very much."
"He would." Then they just sat, in understanding of each other's existence and ever-presence, illumined amid the darkness. The weight of Hitomi's body against his own reminded him of "the gravity of love" and he wanted to experience the full force of that gravity. But suddenly, all thoughts stopped.
Van gestured for Hitomi to sit still and he stood up in alarm. His widened eyes inspected the deep caves. "Listen."
"What is it, Van? I don't hear anything."
"Exactly! The dripping.it's stopped. Hello!" he shouted at the circular dome. Flat silence - no "dong.dong." returned to him. "There's no more echo," he no longer spoke in a whisper. "That's impossible. The echo has always been there. It has to be!"
"Van, take a look at the bonfire!"
"What the.?" The flame isn't flickering. That's not.fire needs continual movement to subsist. It's as if it just stopped consuming air all of a sudden."
"It's as if time as been frozen." Van's eyes met her terrified gaze and he nodded. But suddenly, he could no longer see her. A mysterious force had extinguished the fire. It simply vanished in one whole. There was no wind, no sound, only an impenetrable darkness that infused and deadened the caves.
"Van?" she reached out her hand nervously.
"I'm here, I'm here," he wrapped his arms around her. "Don't worry, we'll find a way out. Come on," holding her hand, he tried to grope his way around the boxes. But everywhere they ended up, a towering, imprisoning wall blocked their exit.
The mythic echo had died into a placid silence and the emptiness became almost evil. It hovered over them like an implacable omnipotence and deepened the blackness. Van stopped to take a breath. "That's weird.I was sure the tunnel was this way. But it seems there's a wall in the way."
"Maybe we're trapped," she held him tighter.
"No." he held his breath. A faint sound came from the far end, from another cave chamber deeper within the cliff. "Shh." they sharpened their ears. It sounded like a devilish droning, drifting out of some sharp- teethed, bloodied hell mouth. As it grew louder, they held each other closer and stood still. It approached and they noticed it had a certain rhythm, then a melody even with incoherent lyrics. At last it entered the cave they were in. It was a chant, spectral and chilling, not in the least bit beautiful. There was no echo yet the sound was booming as if it was everywhere. "That voice." In horror, Van recognized the singing. "It's Seraphine!" he yelled into the darkness.
"Seraphine? What's she doing here?"
"She must be in league with Branimir! I knew it." The sound persisted in all hatred. He shouted again, angry at his own helplessness in the dark. Then the caves felt like they were trembling, as if something large was about to descend. From the arched ceiling of the caves, the pillar of light came down. But it was not swift and aggressive as before. Instead, it throbbed in sync with the rhythm of Seraphine's chant. Slowly and somewhat gracefully, the cold blue column touched the ground. Despite its vacant droning, the light found its way to Van and Hitomi before they could reach the tunnel. Its former energy was still there and along with the draining sound, it stole them into the sky above.
The phantasmagoric chant also withdrew. The dripping echo returned, beating tediously in the circular shadows, ticking like the arms of time. The fire, however, never re-ignited.
~ End of Part VIII ~
Wheeee! Another cliff-hanger for ya! Aren't they just so much fun! There are worse ones coming up *sneaky grin! I hope that the plot is not getting too weird or anything. I should be updating again soon, provided that I get a satisfactory amount of nice reviews *wink, wink, nudge nudge. so please stay with me through this flight! Thanks for your support.
Notes and Points of Interest: The passage that Hitomi read out of Van's book is a paraphrase of a section in Plato's "Republic". The proverb, "Constant dripping hollows out a stone" is by the Roman writer Lucretius. Selena's aria called "Arcadia" is supposed to be the same tune as the song "Arcadia" that you can find on your Escaflowne CD - it is one of my fav. Songs.
VIII. World in the Wind
Mine is a world forgone though not yet ended, -
An imagined garden grey with sundered boughs And broken branches, wistful and unmended, And mist that is more constant than all vows. Hart Crane, "Postscript"
Escaflowne, Escaflowne, Escaflowne.the spirits of the spring zephyr flowed round the dragon and carried away its noble name on their iridescent wings. The wind spirits and sylphs exist in every space of the universe, and they brush pass every blade of grass, every animal. Now, they swept the Gaean earth and they instantly felt the desolation of a darkening world. Their feathers flew pass the young man and woman seated on the great dragon. By flowing through their hair, the aeolian spirits understood the sorrow in the hearts of the two humans. The young man, in his wind-swept red shirt, was crying, but he himself could not hear it. His lovely companion was weeping also, but there were no tears, no sounds. Only the spirits heard. They carried the lovers' laments along with the name of the white dragon, and they scattered the sound all over Gaea.
The sympathetic Nature heard, but tried in vain to solace the two young souls. Soon, every spirit, whether sylvan, aeolian, oceanic or empyrean, heard the sound and they filled all over Gaea with echoes of what the lovers thought: I'm sorry, Hitomi. I'm sorry, Balgus. I'm sorry, brother. I've become a killer once again. I don't want war. Please don't make me fight. Peace? Where is it? Some of the wind began to howl. I worry about you so much, Van. I don't want to leave you ever again. I'll stay even if it means seeing you like this. Yes.I guess, yes.Love must be all accepting, all forgiving. You have the strength within. I know you do. The dragons of Fanelia heard also, and they roared.
As soon as Escaflowne landed, they ceased to feel the wind upon their bodies. Before Van leapt off, Hitomi caressed him gently on the back. He turned around and gave her a kiss then ran to the castle. All the citizens and lords looked sombre as if awaiting funeral bells. Palladium was not as noisy as when he left it. There was a greater amount of standing around and staring aimlessly. It was stagnancy, tense and ominous. This made Van somewhat angry. He turned and yelled at the crowd, "Stop this! He's not dead yet! I'm not dead yet!" Then he hurried inside.
His statement seemed to have shaken many people from their languish and even disillusioned them a bit. Hitomi followed Van's steps slowly. Everyone made way for her and focused on her. She looked around timidly and saw many pairs of exhausted eyes imploring for help and Love. The people. Hitomi understood how much they mean to Van - they are the blood of Fanelia. Then she suddenly felt that they are her responsibility also, from now on. She saw in their loss and sadness a melancholy reflection of her own; the whole of Fanelia became like a placid lake, mirroring the Mystic Moon. The affinity was established forever. Hitomi smiled at everyone.
An old man staggered out of the crowd. She went forth to support him but he stubbornly rejected her arms and knelt down on one knee. "Let me, let me, speak," he addressed her in a husky, ancient voice. "And please let me remain kneeling. Little girl, I have been with Fanelia all.my life. When King Van's father, King Goau was but a baby, I was already a budding young lad. I have seen Fanelia.through her glories and tragedies. Now.the present time is most extraordinary.it's both glorious and tragic, no?" he held Hitomi's hands, "King Van is strong, but he still needs you. We need you." She helped him up and kissed his forehead. As she walked towards the castle, she could see, from the corner of her tearful eyes, people bowing to her.
The reverence and dignity was warm yet pressing. She soon cast off the gratitude and content when she approached the sick-room. Many lords and soldiers were outside in the hall, waiting, waiting. Nestor stood at the door, more panicked and distressed than ever. Hitomi walked inside and beheld a heartbreaking scene. Selena and Merle were kneeling on either side of the bed sobbing convulsively. Van was next to Merle; he held Orion's hand in his and from the back, it looked as if he was in a praying position.
Millerna, who was in her healer's outfit stained with blood, came up and whispered to Hitomi: "Last night, he took a few stabs in the back. If he hadn't been able to fight back, he would have died. When Merle found him, he had already lost a fair amount of blood. I've managed to stop it, but he still needs to survive the coma."
Hitomi gasped in anxiety. "My goodness.I.I don't know what.why do bad things keep happening? You must've heard about Freid," Millerna lowered her head and nodded. "But don't worry, Allen's fine. He should be back today. Maybe he just wants some more time with Chid, seeing as how they've just re-." Hitomi paused awkwardly. She realized that Millerna may not be comfortable with the situation regarding Allen claiming the son he had with Marlene.
"Oh." Millerna said feebly then walked away. Hitomi was surprised to detect a feeling of haughtiness in her, and not sadness. She injected a shot then left the room. The rest of them remained with Orion. Hitomi tenderly touched Van's shoulders and tried to ease his tension, but he remained catatonic for a long time. Eventually, around noon, Nestor came to call Van away. Hitomi took Merle out for some food. But Selena never left.
From the minute he stepped out of the room, all Van could say in his mind was the word, "Live!" He stormed through all his duties with the same alacrity he displayed two days ago. There was also a stoicism in his gaze and gestures - a death-defying determination. For the rest of the day, he laboured away at the work site, and discussed the diamond trade with Dryden. Come evening, he locked himself in the conference room with Allen and Nestor. There scarcely seemed time to breathe or space to move. Everything was packed together like atoms. The momentary illusion of relaxation was filled with echoes of "Live!"
Hitomi had begun her share of tasks in the Fanelian community. In the afternoon, she helped Merle in the food shelter. At meal time, she was responsible for one of the carts that distributed dinner boxes to the soldiers and lords who could not spare time to come to the dining hall. When she knocked on the conference room door, Nestor came out to get the boxes. She caught a glimpse of Van, pacing near the front of the room, pensive and angry, speaking rapidly about the attack of Freid. She went away silently and realized sadly that this was what being a king in a time of crisis is all about.
For the remainder of the night, Hitomi began reading Van's book "Ways of Warriors, Codes of Kings", while awaiting her turn to look after Orion. Her and Merle decided to take short shifts so Selena could have a break, however reluctantly. A little after the clock chimed midnight, Hitomi proceeded down to the sickroom.
In the empty and still hallway, she heard a faint echo, vibrating like a soft wind against the wooden beams. It was somewhat spirit-like. As she went closer, she noticed the sound was coming from the room. It was a lofty aria, dulcet yet elegiac in its grand beauty.
Hitomi noiselessly opened a crack in the door and saw Selena kneeling by Orion's bed, singing. The moonlight streaming through the window deified the scene, making it unsurpassably holy. Hitomi could not understand the lyrics since the language was not one she had heard. But this image of moonlit love enshrouded in the sonata sung by a voice of violins, was a vision worth a lifetime of pain. She closed the door and her own eyes, and knelt down in the hall, drenched in midnight music. The chorus went something like, "Sei tu corai ansias." Life's unquiet dream was pacified.
Then she felt a soft kiss on her cheek. She opened her eyes and saw Van sitting next to her. He whispered in an exhausted voice, "The language she's singing in is called Poetics. It's very rare and understood only by people of letters and poetry. Supposedly it's derived from Atlantean. Both Selena and Orion knows it."
"She has the most beautiful voice, like a fairy's. What's the song saying?"
"Oh.I'm afraid my Poetics is a little shaky, but I'll try." He closed his eyes. "I believe this song is called 'Arcadia'. Let's see, the chorus is Sei tu corai ansias, that means 'you are my heart, deathlessly.' Um.something, something, 'the wings of eternity.turning round the moon.' Um.wingdalei souce da pouron, that means.let me see, 'I fly by the love that moves the centre and all the stars.' I can't pick out anymore, sorry."
"No, it's okay," she laid her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, that was beautiful. 'Arcadia'.You know, Selena told me that she used to like you."
"Oh?" Van's trademark blush rushed to the surface.
"But she loves Orion now, though she's till somewhat scared."
"What?" Van looked surprised for a moment but eased down. "Well, from her recent behavior, I thought as much. I'm glad. Orion will be so happy."
"But Merle will be upset, right?"
"So you can tell? Yeah. But I do think her feeling for Orion is mere infatuation and it will pass. She's concentrating on Vianne anyhow."
"Everyone is." she paused, "trying to find a home, I guess. I suppose it's alright to tell you this now, but did you ever discover that Prince Chid is Allen's son?"
"Huh?" compared to the various occurrences of the past week this hardly constituted a shock. "He's never told me anything. Well, I have thought that they do look a lot alike. And last time when they came to Fanelia during the reconstruction, I noticed that Millerna acted weird around Chid. I suppose she knows too?"
"She's known for five years. When I did a reading for her before, it did say that Allen is the right man for her. But I feel that there's this tension between them. It's hard to say. I'm just worried about them."
"Well, I guess you don't know, but a few years back, right after Millerna became queen, she had a miscarriage and she can never have a child again."
"What? Really?" Hitomi glanced down the long hallway. "Poor Millerna. So that's why Allen wanted to reunite with Chid."
"It's a part of his struggle, fuelled by his past history with.all the girls."
She nudged Van slightly. "You're not still jealous about that, are you?"
"No, no," he smirked. "But it is weird to think about it. Anyhow, it's Allen's war to fight, just as we all must fight our own wars," he held his breath for a second. "But you really should tell Allen that Selena told you she'd be happy with Orion. That way he'll get off my back. She will be happy with him.when he wakes up."
"Don't worry. He can hear her song and he'll live." They sat under the flickering torches, illuminating the wooden hall. The aria still rose, higher and higher, unto heaven. ....
Hitomi was astonished to realize that it has only been a week since she left Earth. One week encompassed so much it seemed a lifetime. The following week in Fanelia was slower in comparison but it was populated with a myriad of activities. Everyday, she engaged in helping out and she felt she had already become an integral part of the country.
In the middle of the week, she accompanied Van on an inspection tour of Palladium. The city was more organized. The tents functioned as houses and the chaotic atmosphere was ordered into a familiar home. As they passed the citizens, everyone bowed to her as if she were the queen. A certain exhilaration was inspired by the idea but Hitomi quickly restrained herself, thinking He hasn't even proposed yet.
Other than that day, Hitomi seldom saw Van for the rest of the week. Operation High Sky progressed steadily. Natural caves were discovered so the drilling process was cut short. Van was busy planning the evacuation as well as managing the army in Orion's stead. Allen dealt with diplomatic matters and sent amply provisions to Freid. For the most part, there was an inert standstill, a no man's land in a stalemate. Van believed that this was because Branimir was still devising the next evil.
As the week wore on, Van received less and less sleep. He usually kept vigilance by Orion's bedside. At times, he'd return to his own room and rest next to Hitomi, holding her until she falls asleep. Then he'd slip out of bed and go to the desk to bury himself with paperwork until dawn.
On the last night of the week, Van retired to his room earlier and found Hitomi studying at his desk. "You should be asleep, Hitomi. It's late."
"You should talk! You're the one who needs sleep. Tell me honestly, how many hours of rest did you get this week?"
"That's not important," he went into the bedchamber and got changed.
She frowned at him then began to read, "Listen to this, Van: The philosophic king is the only man fit to rule. He is one who bridges the gap between ideal and reality, a man of both thought and action, who unites political power with the love of wisdom,'" Van pulled up an armchair and sat across from her. " 'This union is made possible by the indispensable existence of heroic courage and of goodness in his heart. The." Van snatched the book from her. "What is it, Van?"
"Forget all the philosophy," he rubbed his eyes in exhaustion. "Let me ask you, does good leadership necessitate or.or justify ruthlessness?"
Hitomi looked at his grief-stricken face. "I really don't know much about politics, Van. But to tell the truth, I believe there are times when a ruler must exercise.authority in order to run a country smoothly. There are too many intrigues in kingship for that to be avoided. But tell me what happened." She reached across and held his hands.
Van heaved a long sigh. "Well, you said it, it's intrigue. Basically, on top of everything that's happened, I've got to deal with a small faction started by Lord Kailan and his son Arwon. It's just a little shocking, seeing as how Kailan has been with Fanelia for so long."
"Why are they against you?"
"Apparently," Van locked his brows, "they think I've handled the current situation badly. They think I've brought trouble to Fanelia. They also don't like.you, being from the Mystic Moon and all. Since I'm inefficient as a king, there's talk of making Fanelia a republic with an elected president. Allen is seriously concerned. He believes there will be danger. Kailan might collaborate with the enemy and send out intelligence regarding our plans. There's no evidence of that so far, we're just speculating. Of course, if there is proof, treason is," he looked up at her, "a crime punishable by death. I don't want to have to." he shrank into the chair and drew his knees up to his chest.
Hitomi went over and held him. Thus they sat in silence, gazing at the darkness that dragged its own impenetrable mass closer and closer towards Gaea.
Eventually, the morning air stung Van's senses and he jumped up to go to Orion. Days and nights of vigilance, of celestial song, of tearful Love, finally called back Orion's clinging life. Just as Van sat down next to the bed, Orion's frail fingers touched his hand slightly. Van winced but it was an ache produced by boundless relief and gratitude.
"I've won," Orion said feebly. "Yes, I've won the battle with death. Don't you.cry on me now, old boy. I gotta tell you, it's.a most unexciting fight. It takes place absolutely nowhere, with no one there to cheer me on. A complete darkness, with an invisible enemy, kind of like how we used to duel, remember?" Van gripped his hand. "Not too tight there. Oh.I didn't believe in my own strength, but then I also didn't believe in death's strength," he coughed. "Well, I won anyways. Now I must wrestle with life."
An aureate sun rose over Fanelia; the mists fled temporarily. Hitomi entered and together with Van, they thanked the gods. Everyone received the good news. Selena cried almost as much tears as when she grieved. Life unfurled its wings splendidly and the awakening of the near-death patient lent hope to the living. However, Death flew after Life with swift dragon-like speed.
Within a day, Orion was able to walk around on crutches and Selena helped him in the process of regaining strength. After a few days, Orion resumed his duties. He proposed a new military plan: the troops will hide in the forest above Fanelian Valley, so when the enemy enters, they can trap them using the position of advantage.
Operation High Sky has progressed as far as the completion of the caves. Van ordered the commencement of the evacuation. Food, water, medical supplies, ammunition, wood were all being stored in boxes and allocated to the caves. Nestor organized the placement of the citizens.
While the men were occupied with such business, the women worked closer with the citizens. Hitomi's days were filled with various tasks, so that she scarcely had any personal time. Yet in the airy space between one job and the next, she noticed the moods of others. Selena acquired a countenance of sober contentment, perhaps because of Orion. Merle seemed able to overlook her own loss and helped realize the happiness of others. Millerna, on the other hand, was settled in a shroud. She withdrew from most of her royal duties, and behaved rather coldly to Allen, Selena and to Hitomi herself. Princess Eries was the only one she remained close to. Van became skeleton thin and his eyes were sunken in fatigue. His change wasn't so much a resignation as a tumultuous clinging on, but some people misinterpreted it as a lack of resolve.
The spring zephyr blew on all this time, gathering and dissipating clouds, until one day an eruption ceased all wind. The trees stood noiselessly, as if bereft of life. People suspended personal battles, for the true war had begun: Orion's trusted Commander Strom intercepted a message written by Lord Kailan to President Basante in which Kailan revealed all the allies' strategic plans, and pointed out gaps in the defensive front where he advised Basante to strike. King Van was once again set in the crucible of indecision. Amid the clamor of conflicting advices and ever-pressing danger, Van ordered the arrest of Lord Kailan, his son Arwon and the seven lords who were in league with them. Despite everyone's support of execution, Van put forth lifelong imprisonment. Later that day, he took a firmer hold of his power and steered the helm of fate: he officially declared war on Basram. The stalemate had to be ended; offence was chosen over mere defence. Allied forces were to set out early next morning.
The night before the battle, when all else slept in dreadful expectation, Van stole away to the caves beyond the castle. He passed the guards and entered a tunnel of solitary blackness. It led to an underground domed chamber of bedrock and polished walls lined with boxes of supplies. He stood with a torch in the middle of the circular space that rose all round into wild heights and undreamt of corners. There was loneliness but it felt mythic, half-present, half-past, real and unreal, capable of overthrowing the most tyrannical force.
He closed his eyes and listened to the dripping of underground water. "Dong.dong." It sounded like a bell, announcing something that was not exactly holy. The echo of the dripping filled the caves and he felt a certain tremor. In the wet circular space, there was no sound but this dripping and it chanced to murmur to him, "There is no permanence." All prayer, all poetry, all emotion that could be spoken there would come out as nothing but "dong.dong," echoed monotonously in the dark. The value of all good words was evanescent - he may die tomorrow and their love will end, divided by a boundary that could never be crossed. He thought the caves had killed eternity.
But then, he quickly withdrew the thought. The dripping itself ironically seemed a permanence. Water can be shaped. The constant dripping of water can hollow out a stone. That was the proverb Van remembered when he decided to spare to Kailan's life. He understood the strength of the seemingly soft and inconstant water and he wanted to become it. However, when he declared war, he was the stone. At once rock and water, Van resigned to the impossibility of being both a good king and a happy man.
He approached the cave walls that glistened with residues of diamond. The walls were polished and provided a remarkable reflection of his torch. As he walked closer, the two flames, one breathing air, one stone, seemed to unite and kiss. In between them were the white sparks of the wall, reminding him of the aeons-long life of diamonds. That is eternal enough.
Then the echo murmured to him about Atlantis that had not receded from his mind. He though of his past as Vannius, with Angelus as his father, Lacour as the best friend who died to save him, and Orionis as the little brother who fulfilled his ideals. Then there was the birth of Escaflowne, and the birth of Love. But another few echoes brought the name of Branimir. Who was he? Could it be that they fought over the Love of one woman? But where was Hitomi in all that?
"Van.Van.Van." He gasped as he thought that the caves actually called out to him. But he turned around and saw Hitomi standing at the mouth of the tunnel. She walked over into his arms.
"Hey, how did you know I was here?" he whispered, fearful that his words will echo, and be included in the obscurity.
"I just knew," she wrapped her blanket around them both. "I know you're worrying about the decisions you made today."
"Well." he pulled some logs from the boxes and started a fire. "Come sit by the fire, or you'll catch a cold." They snuggled up together. "I had to decide. It's expected of me. I couldn't evade any longer. But it'll all be okay. I have Escaflowne."
"I believe you made the necessary decisions, so don't fret about it. Van.I want to come with you tomorrow."
He looked at her eyes, reflecting the warm fire and immaculate in their luminosity. "Hitomi." he said with some exasperation.
"I want to be there for you physically, as well as mentally. We defeated Dornkirk together, remember? I can't let you face this alone. We'll take the chance together and I know we will triumph. Atlantis will be sealed up along with all the sorrow and battles. Besides, I will be of help. I have a feeling Branimir has some sad reason for doing all this. Maybe we can try to communicate with him."
Van opened his mouth to respond but all he heard was "dong.dong," so he simply held her. Later on, he said quietly, "I think I'm going to name these the Nerya caves."
"Nerya? After Folken's."
"That's right. There's a legend attached to that name. It carried from Dornkirk's Zaibach, a certain darkness, a potential evil even, but it's also beautiful and echoes with lost Love. It suits the caves."
"You're right, it does. It's almost mythic. Folken would like this very much."
"He would." Then they just sat, in understanding of each other's existence and ever-presence, illumined amid the darkness. The weight of Hitomi's body against his own reminded him of "the gravity of love" and he wanted to experience the full force of that gravity. But suddenly, all thoughts stopped.
Van gestured for Hitomi to sit still and he stood up in alarm. His widened eyes inspected the deep caves. "Listen."
"What is it, Van? I don't hear anything."
"Exactly! The dripping.it's stopped. Hello!" he shouted at the circular dome. Flat silence - no "dong.dong." returned to him. "There's no more echo," he no longer spoke in a whisper. "That's impossible. The echo has always been there. It has to be!"
"Van, take a look at the bonfire!"
"What the.?" The flame isn't flickering. That's not.fire needs continual movement to subsist. It's as if it just stopped consuming air all of a sudden."
"It's as if time as been frozen." Van's eyes met her terrified gaze and he nodded. But suddenly, he could no longer see her. A mysterious force had extinguished the fire. It simply vanished in one whole. There was no wind, no sound, only an impenetrable darkness that infused and deadened the caves.
"Van?" she reached out her hand nervously.
"I'm here, I'm here," he wrapped his arms around her. "Don't worry, we'll find a way out. Come on," holding her hand, he tried to grope his way around the boxes. But everywhere they ended up, a towering, imprisoning wall blocked their exit.
The mythic echo had died into a placid silence and the emptiness became almost evil. It hovered over them like an implacable omnipotence and deepened the blackness. Van stopped to take a breath. "That's weird.I was sure the tunnel was this way. But it seems there's a wall in the way."
"Maybe we're trapped," she held him tighter.
"No." he held his breath. A faint sound came from the far end, from another cave chamber deeper within the cliff. "Shh." they sharpened their ears. It sounded like a devilish droning, drifting out of some sharp- teethed, bloodied hell mouth. As it grew louder, they held each other closer and stood still. It approached and they noticed it had a certain rhythm, then a melody even with incoherent lyrics. At last it entered the cave they were in. It was a chant, spectral and chilling, not in the least bit beautiful. There was no echo yet the sound was booming as if it was everywhere. "That voice." In horror, Van recognized the singing. "It's Seraphine!" he yelled into the darkness.
"Seraphine? What's she doing here?"
"She must be in league with Branimir! I knew it." The sound persisted in all hatred. He shouted again, angry at his own helplessness in the dark. Then the caves felt like they were trembling, as if something large was about to descend. From the arched ceiling of the caves, the pillar of light came down. But it was not swift and aggressive as before. Instead, it throbbed in sync with the rhythm of Seraphine's chant. Slowly and somewhat gracefully, the cold blue column touched the ground. Despite its vacant droning, the light found its way to Van and Hitomi before they could reach the tunnel. Its former energy was still there and along with the draining sound, it stole them into the sky above.
The phantasmagoric chant also withdrew. The dripping echo returned, beating tediously in the circular shadows, ticking like the arms of time. The fire, however, never re-ignited.
~ End of Part VIII ~
Wheeee! Another cliff-hanger for ya! Aren't they just so much fun! There are worse ones coming up *sneaky grin! I hope that the plot is not getting too weird or anything. I should be updating again soon, provided that I get a satisfactory amount of nice reviews *wink, wink, nudge nudge. so please stay with me through this flight! Thanks for your support.
Notes and Points of Interest: The passage that Hitomi read out of Van's book is a paraphrase of a section in Plato's "Republic". The proverb, "Constant dripping hollows out a stone" is by the Roman writer Lucretius. Selena's aria called "Arcadia" is supposed to be the same tune as the song "Arcadia" that you can find on your Escaflowne CD - it is one of my fav. Songs.