Chapter 6: Allegiance
Author's Notes: Thank you, dragons*shadow for reviewing. I don't own Escaflowne! There! I said it!
The door opened, to reveal a tall, azure haired man in his mid twenties wearing a flowing, ominous black cloak, along with several boys wearing armor like Dilandau's, only navy blue instead of blood red. Dilandau and Iris both paused to look at the unexpected arrivals. Surprised, the girl's grip on the sword slackened just slightly. Dilandau saw this as his opportunity.
"Dilandau, we've been looking for you for hours. Come back to the Vione. There's no need to accomplish the errand now," said the man, as he glanced at Iris. "And bring the girl back with you. Dragon Slayers, take the girl back to the Vione," he nodded to the blue-clad soldiers.
Dilandau took advantage of the distraction of Folken talking, and as soon as he was done, carefully gripped the tip of the sword and the edge of the hilt, pushed it away from his neck slightly, then spun it around, so that the blade now rested on her neck instead of his. All this was done in the blink of an eye, so the next thing Iris knew, cold metal pressed into her neck suggestively. "I believe there's no need for that. I will personally escort this little wench to Zaibach."
"Wait, where are you taking me? Let me go!" Iris tried to kick and hit the boy holding her, but to no avail.
"I suggest," Dilandau whispered dangerously in her ear, "That if you wish to keep your head intact, you had better follow my orders, or I will not hesitate to kill you, just like you would have done to me. You know, return the favor," he cackled.
"You're mad..." she muttered in horror.
"I know..."
Later, when they had reached the floating fortress, Iris was taken to a waiting room, where she sat for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, she was taken to where she was told she "would meet Emperor Dornkirk". When she entered, she saw this huge screen with a withered old face on it, rather like an old- fashioned television with a lot of static.
The tall man was already inside when she arrived. "Do you agree?" was the question. Obviously, they had had an entire conversation about her prior to her arrival.
The screen peered at Iris, scrutinizing her. (This old fart is the great Dornkirk?! Oh, please, have mercy and save me from the great prune! Iris thought sarcastically.) "Yes, you've made an superb choice, Folken." he said finally. He then addressing Iris herself, "Congratulations, girl. You are now a Dragon Slayer, in the Zaibach Empire."
Iris panicked. A Dragon Slayer?! She then replied with defiance, "I will never join the Zaibach Empire! Zaibach is not worthy of cockroaches, much less true soldiers! Besides, you're the great Emperor Dornkirk? Puh-leeze! Since when were century old raisins put in charge of a nation? Frankly, I am not impressed." she spat out. Despite her scornful words, she was actually slightly intimidated by the coldly calculating expression on the old man's face.
"If I were you, I would hold my tongue. We might decide to take away this wonderful favor you've been given, and kill you on the spot. After all, you did attack one of our soldiers, and the commander of the Dragon Slayers at that." Dornkirk narrowed his eyes.
"I don't care! I'd rather die than join the empire that murdered my family!" Iris declared, her hand placing the sword to her neck.
"I'd reconsider that, girl"; Dornkirk's voice was frosty. He gave Folken a look, to which Folken nodded.
He then summoned a servant, to whom something was said, but Iris could not catch what. The servant hastily left the room and returned shortly with a uniformed soldier.
"Cyril?!" Iris said in disbelief.
"Hello, sister", the soldier replied coldly.
Author's Notes: Thank you, dragons*shadow for reviewing. I don't own Escaflowne! There! I said it!
The door opened, to reveal a tall, azure haired man in his mid twenties wearing a flowing, ominous black cloak, along with several boys wearing armor like Dilandau's, only navy blue instead of blood red. Dilandau and Iris both paused to look at the unexpected arrivals. Surprised, the girl's grip on the sword slackened just slightly. Dilandau saw this as his opportunity.
"Dilandau, we've been looking for you for hours. Come back to the Vione. There's no need to accomplish the errand now," said the man, as he glanced at Iris. "And bring the girl back with you. Dragon Slayers, take the girl back to the Vione," he nodded to the blue-clad soldiers.
Dilandau took advantage of the distraction of Folken talking, and as soon as he was done, carefully gripped the tip of the sword and the edge of the hilt, pushed it away from his neck slightly, then spun it around, so that the blade now rested on her neck instead of his. All this was done in the blink of an eye, so the next thing Iris knew, cold metal pressed into her neck suggestively. "I believe there's no need for that. I will personally escort this little wench to Zaibach."
"Wait, where are you taking me? Let me go!" Iris tried to kick and hit the boy holding her, but to no avail.
"I suggest," Dilandau whispered dangerously in her ear, "That if you wish to keep your head intact, you had better follow my orders, or I will not hesitate to kill you, just like you would have done to me. You know, return the favor," he cackled.
"You're mad..." she muttered in horror.
"I know..."
Later, when they had reached the floating fortress, Iris was taken to a waiting room, where she sat for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, she was taken to where she was told she "would meet Emperor Dornkirk". When she entered, she saw this huge screen with a withered old face on it, rather like an old- fashioned television with a lot of static.
The tall man was already inside when she arrived. "Do you agree?" was the question. Obviously, they had had an entire conversation about her prior to her arrival.
The screen peered at Iris, scrutinizing her. (This old fart is the great Dornkirk?! Oh, please, have mercy and save me from the great prune! Iris thought sarcastically.) "Yes, you've made an superb choice, Folken." he said finally. He then addressing Iris herself, "Congratulations, girl. You are now a Dragon Slayer, in the Zaibach Empire."
Iris panicked. A Dragon Slayer?! She then replied with defiance, "I will never join the Zaibach Empire! Zaibach is not worthy of cockroaches, much less true soldiers! Besides, you're the great Emperor Dornkirk? Puh-leeze! Since when were century old raisins put in charge of a nation? Frankly, I am not impressed." she spat out. Despite her scornful words, she was actually slightly intimidated by the coldly calculating expression on the old man's face.
"If I were you, I would hold my tongue. We might decide to take away this wonderful favor you've been given, and kill you on the spot. After all, you did attack one of our soldiers, and the commander of the Dragon Slayers at that." Dornkirk narrowed his eyes.
"I don't care! I'd rather die than join the empire that murdered my family!" Iris declared, her hand placing the sword to her neck.
"I'd reconsider that, girl"; Dornkirk's voice was frosty. He gave Folken a look, to which Folken nodded.
He then summoned a servant, to whom something was said, but Iris could not catch what. The servant hastily left the room and returned shortly with a uniformed soldier.
"Cyril?!" Iris said in disbelief.
"Hello, sister", the soldier replied coldly.
