Of Cat and Boy
By Lady of the InkDisclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, but you knew that. At least, I hope you knew that. But I do own this story, and all the twists and turns it takes.
Chapter Ten
A New Family(Part Two)
Josias.
Of all the people that had flitted through her mind as possibilities for being her abductor, his name was first on the list. But she never would have thought that the conceited, bigoted, narrow-minded jerk would actually have the gall to do something like this. He flaunted his position as if it raised him above everyone else, so why would he do something that practically guaranteed his dismissal?
Still caught up in her confused thoughts, she shrieked in surprise as his hand connected with her shoulder, pushing her roughly to the ground. He glared down at her, his face twisted with disgust. As she stared at him, she noticed him wiping his hand on the side of his pants, as thought touching her had somehow dirtied it. The other hand held traces of blood from the bite she'd managed earlier.
"Don't look so surprised. Did you really think that I would allow such a vile creature such as you to share space with me for longer than was absolutely necessary? Even then, I might have been able to allow you your miserable existence if you had just remained in your place.
"But, no. You dared to leave the kitchens, where you belonged, and roam about as if you had the right. And more than that, you had the nerve to actually speak to the prince!" His eyes narrowed and he smirked at the stunned look on her face. "Did you really think that I wouldn't know? You actually believed that something like you could keep a secret from your betters?
"I've known for quite awhile now. There were more than enough clues for someone as intelligent as me to piece it together. All the times he fell asleep during his lessons, it was easy to see he was doing something other than sleeping at night. It was a simple thing to follow him. And what do I find but you, who only had a place because I allowed it, playing games and speaking with him as if you were his equal!"
The anger that had been building all during the trip finally had an outlet in the self-important man standing over her. Her fur bristled as she tensed to lay into him. "You 'allowed' me to stay? You? Since when do tutors decide who and what stays or goes? I think the only place you're as powerful as you think you are is in your own mind. All you are is some delusional, power hungry nobody who just made the biggest mistake of his life! When Van finds out what you've done, you'll be out on your butt so fast that your head will spin!"
During her speech, his face got darker and darker until, by the time she reached her final sentence, he was almost purple. But instead of the angry reply she was expecting, he answered with laughter. An unsettling feeling unfolded in her stomach at the nearly hysterical sound.
"You expect 'Van' to be upset about this?" He spat Van's name like a curse, obviously upset by her informal way of addressing him. "You are nothing. Your existence is of no meaning to me or to him. In fact, whose idea do you think it was to get rid of you?"
Even though she didn't really believe him, Merle couldn't help stiffening a little at his words. Van was her friend. He would never allow someone to do something as mean as this if he could help it. And besides, he had told her how much he disliked his tutor. Why would he make plans with someone he hated?
Josias smirked at her, and then began walking back to the little cart. Before she could regain her feet, he had swung himself up onto the seat. Giving her a final look of loathing, he slapped the reins, sending the horse into a quick brisk run.
It was raining. The drops were large and cold as they dripped their way down her neck. Merle shivered, and then increased her speed as she struggled forward. Already the ground had turned from thick packed dirt into an inch deep sheet of foot grabbing, slippery mud. Slogging through the goop, plus the chill that had set in were tiring her out. Add in the stress of the morning and afternoon, and it was all she could do to keep her eyes open and locked on her destination. About a hundred yards ahead of where she stood was a small stand of trees. She was hoping that they would offer some shelter from the elements.
As she finally settled beneath the branches, she heaved a sigh of relief. It was slightly drier there, though a few random drips struck the ground around her feet. Wrapping her arms around her up drawn knees, she tried to hold on to what little warmth she had left.
'This day just keeps getting worse and worse,' she thought. 'First, I'm pulled right out of bed and dumped out in the middle of nowhere. Then, when I tried to follow Josias back, I tripped and lost sight of him. When I decide to keep walking until I find someone to ask for directions, Fanelia gets the heaviest rain it's had in months. What's next? The ground opens up and swallows me? A dragon comes and eats me?'
Knowing that being sarcastic with herself wouldn't help, Merle tried to think positive thoughts to keep her mind off her situation. The only problem with this plan was that for every positive point she found, some sadistic inner voice immediately countered with the negative.
Though they had left early, Josias couldn't have taken her very far. When he pulled off the blindfold, it wasn't long after sunrise.
But if this place is as isolated as it feels, distance doesn't matter.
Van had said he was having a talk with his mother after breakfast. Surely he would want to tell her how it went.
Unless it didn't go well and he'd rather not talk about it.
Van comes to the kitchen every night after bedtime, so even if he doesn't know I'm gone now, he will in a few hours.
Even if he wants to start searching, nothing can be done until morning.
One night isn't so very long to wait.
One night alone in a strange place is a very long time to wait.
I'll wait until he gets here.
Unless Josias was telling the truth, and he isn't coming.
She hated herself for even thinking the last one, but as the hours had passed by, her cynical side was changing her mind. After all, everyone else she had ever trusted in her young life had left her. Why should Van be any different? Just because he was the closest friend she'd ever had didn't mean he had to feel the same way back. Resting her forehead on her knees, she sniffed. Then sniffed again.
'I really wish he would come.'
"Merle. Merle, wake up!"
The voice was loud, and getting louder by the minute. Frowning in her sleep, Merle struggled to ignore it. If she could just fall back to sleep, all her problems would disappear again. There would be no cold, wet ground, no unfamiliar landscape. She would be warm, fed, and most of all, not alone.
"Merle!"
Okay, that one got her attention. It sounded like someone was bellowing right in her ear. A growl started in her throat as she forced her eyes open to lay into the intruder. As her bleary vision focused, she saw a grinning face half covered with an easily recognizable mop of jet-black hair.
As she jerked upright, her elbow came into contact with something warm and soft. The muttered "oof!" was enough to tell her that the muddy boy crouching next to her was real, and not just a dream. Feeling happier than she could ever remember feeling, Merle did the first thing that came to mind. Launching herself at an unsuspecting Van, she wrapped her arms around him in a bear hug. When he froze in surprise, she dragged her tongue up the length of his cheek, earning an "Eeew! Whadya do that for?"
With smile so big that it showed every one of her teeth, she pulled back enough to see Van's face. "I knew you'd come! He said you wouldn't, but I knew."
For the first time, the happy expression on his face faltered. "Josias, you mean?" She nodded. "Yeah, well, he's kind of an idiot, you know. Of course I'd come. I know it took awhile, but we've looking all day. He wouldn't tell us exactly where you were, so we had a lot of ground to cover."
At the mention of "we", Merle looked behind him, for the first time seeing the small group of what she assumed were guards milling around. She also noticed that the rain had stopped. The clouds had cleared enough to allow a few sections of the night sky to be seen.
Turning back to Van, she asked the first of the many questions filling her mind. "How did you know it was Josias?"
Leaning back, he rubbed a hand through his hair, sending it into even more disarray. "That was actually more of Daphne's doing than mine. She was asking around to see if anyone had seen you. A couple of people mentioned that they'd noticed him heading out pretty early, which is not something he's ever done before. And since just about everyone knows how he felt about you, I decided to ask him a few questions. That's when I saw his hand."
"I bit him."
Van grinned. "I know. When he couldn't think of an excuse about the wound quickly enough, it was pretty clear he was the one who took you. Needless to say, he won't being hanging around in Fanelia for long, so you don't have to worry about him anymore. But even after he got caught, he wouldn't tell us anything other than he thought he was doing what was right, so it was hard to know where to start. We just took the direction people saw him leaving in, and kept going till we got here."
"I'm glad you didn't give up." Her voice was soft, but by the affectionate smile that crossed his face, she knew he had heard her words.
"Let's go home, Merle."
Varie was staring out the window of her bedchamber when the small procession came through the castle gates. Leaning slightly forward, she watched as her son swung down from his horse. A moment went by while he talked to the small group of guards she'd insisted he take with him. They started off towards the stables, and Van turned back to his horse. Reaching up, he helped a small figure to the ground.
When she saw the flash of pink hair, Varie knew Van had found what he was looking for. As the two neared the castle, she managed to catch a few words of their conversation. Van was telling his friend about the morning's discussion they'd had.
"So after I explained everything, Mother said you could stay with me. She had a room readied and everything. No more sleeping in the kitchen for you."
"Really?"
"Really. But there's one condition."
"What's that?"
"You have to call me 'The Super Magnificent, Best That Ever Lived Lord Van'." Varie laughed softly at the exaggerated swagger he adopted as he droned his "title".
The little cat girl snorted. "I'll tell you what. I'll call you Lord Van, just so long as you know that when I say it, I mean "Loud, Obnoxious, Really Dumb" Van."
"Is that any way to talk to your rescuer?"
"It's the best you're gonna get." There was a pause. "Hey, Lord Van?"
"Yeah?"
"First one to the top of the stairs wins!"
There was an orange and pink blur followed by a shout from Van as they both disappeared inside. Hearing her son's laughter echoing from the hall, Varie smiled.
