Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! Thanks for all the comments, I really love to read them over and over(to feed my ego- I mean, imagination ~_^). Another chapter has been completed; (robot voice) READ NOW!


Chapter 19-
A New Enemy

Yet another night settled in on the room Van had been frequenting for the past week, where he pored over several maps of both Fanelia and Genduta. Sometimes the young king had advisors with him; while the rest of the time he was alone. However, this day he had requested to be surrounded by everyone he trusted.

Van pointed to various spots that they could settle on as a battlefield, picking places closer to Genduta. "I think that if we set up our encampment close to Genduta's border, it will save that country the hassle of coming to us." he declared as he ran his finger along the solid line marking the edge of Genduta. Van's foremost advisor, Meinrad, was the only one who agreed with the young man. However, the rest had yet to see the wisdom in this decision.

"Your Majesty, if we travel to Genduta to wage battle there, we would be giving the enemy the advantage." Frestic pointed out. Van shook his head, but it was Meinrad who explained the reason for him.

"No, gentlemen; this time King Van is in the right." he began, "Although he has only been to Genduta once, he knows that the country possesses a vast hoard of guymelefs. Fanelia would not be able to support so many soldiers and equipment during a war, and most likely the country would suffer physical damage since its green forests would be constantly be target during the fighting. King Van had the foresight to see how war could affect our land." Meinrad smiled, putting his hand on Van's shoulder. But some of them were not convinced.

"But- to fight on the enemy's territory! They have the boast of knowing every route, waterway, path, and trail!" Van once again shook his head, but spoke up for himself rather than allowing Meinrad this time. "The geographical situation of the land is that of a desert; there is no tree or bush cover, in addition to the sweltering heat, skirmishes would be kept short and the victor would be clearly seen within a few minutes of combat." Some of Van's advisors glanced at each other in understanding, now accepting their king's wisdom.

"Very well, King Van." Frestic replied, "Fanelia will travel to Genduta's border, with permission of the neighbouring country, of course." Van circled the border of Genduta with a quill, his eyes travelling to the country on the border of Genduta, Freid. Recalling his days in Freid during the Destiny War, Van knew he could count on the support of its young prince, Chid zar Freid. Even now he could hardly believe that Freid bordered with Genduta, but now he knew that it was very realistic. Both countries shared a desert climate and heritage; the only difference was that Fanelia was allied with Freid. Van wondered what had happened in the last year to the young prince, who had been only a child when he had first met him. It would be interesting to meet him again, to see how he had grown up since then.

Turning to Meinrad, Frestic, and the rest of the lords and advisors, Van declared, "Once Fanelia has supplies and equipment up to speed for war, we will depart for Freid. I will send a message to Freid forewarning our coming. Just because we are in war doesn't mean we have to be rude." He induced some smiles from the lords, whose faces seemed to have been hardened into grim looks for the last week or so. Nodding to them, the group left the room so Van could be alone to polish the details to his plan.

Once they had left, Van took one of his extra maps, idly circling his allied countries; Asturia, Freid, and Herisia. So far, only Asturia knew of Fanelia's new war, and in response Queen Millerna had delivered many Asturian guymelefs to Fanelia, so that the proportion of each country's number was levelled off a bit. If it hadn't been for his allies, Van wouldn't have a chance of winning; and what would have happened to Fanelia in the end? He knew that to just give up would be foolish, but up until a month ago, he had almost done just that. Hitomi almost had to die in order for him to wake up and realize his mistake. Now he would never doubt himself nor his country; Fanelia would get through.

The young king stood up, sauntering up to the full length window which allowed a full view of Fanelia's town square. Soldiers were settling the guymelefs into huge covered wagons, while others were stocking supplies for direct combat atop horses and burrows. The entire square bustled with tense activity, and Van knew that he had to write Freid immediately.


Days flew by as Fanelia prepared to depart for Freid. In the last few days, Prince Chid had sent his approval to use their border to set up camp. By this time, everything was ready to go. Despite the situation, Hitomi felt excited, especially to see the young prince again. She began packing her bag, trying not to bring unimportant things with her, like her Asturian trinkets. When it was full of clothes and hygiene products, she finally looked under her bed for her corsage. Hitomi didn't want to leave this behind, so she put it gently in the little box it came in and put it in the front pouch of her bag. Her hand left the bag and entered the wooden crate again, and she gazed once again at the energist. Shaking her head, she put it in her bag as well. Leaving it here would be a mistake. What if one of the soldiers discovered it and told Van? He might never forgive her for hiding it if he found out.

Taking the bag and putting the strap over her shoulder, Hitomi left her room. It still seemed a little crazy, that she was going as well. The border between Freid and Genduta would be a blood-soaked field, and she, Hitomi Kanzaki, was actually willing to go? But as she walked down the hall, she saw Merle running ahead of her, a bag in her arms as well. Merle was going too?! Hitomi couldn't believe it, but that was what she saw. She ran to catch up with the cat girl, who could sure run fast.

"Merle! Are you coming to Freid too?" she said when she had caught up. Merle nodded, looking over at the older girl.

"Of course! Lord Van needs me! He always has, and always will." she said with a determined, don't-mess-with-me edge to her voice. Hitomi smiled, shifting her heavy bag from one shoulder to the other. "What are YOU coming for?" Merle asked. Hitomi began stammering her response.

"Um, well- the same reason as you, of course!" she said, her face turning a deep red. Merle noticed this, but didn't rub it in for once. Hitomi also added, "I want to see Prince Chid too. He's a really sweet boy." Merle seemed to remember that Freid actually had a prince.

"Oh yeah, him. I forgot him for a second there." Hitomi grabbed the cat, rubbing her head with her fist. "How dare you forget Prince Chid's hospitality! You should be punished for your ignorance!" Hitomi yelled in a light-hearted tone. Merle sensed the joke and pushed her back. "And you should be punished for bringing so much junk to Freid! You'll pollute Gaea with all that crap!" Hitomi laughed, trying to talk between gasps for breath.

"L-let's go M-Merle." she managed to say, "Everyone's probably waiting for us." Merle's ears pricked up suddenly as an unfamiliar sound travelled through the hall. "What's that?" she said aloud. Hitomi hadn't heard it as well as Merle, but she had felt the ground rumble as if something giant had come to rest on it. Merle ran on ahead, Hitomi desperately trying to keep up. When they reached the entrance doors to the manor, several soldiers stood beside it, Van among them.

"Have they arrived?" Van asked one of his advisors, whose name escaped Hitomi at the moment. The old man nodded. "Yes. Sir Allen Schezar and his crew of the Crusade are here." Two soldiers opened the door for King Van as he made his way to the giant airship, which had landed perfectly in the square outside. "What a magnificent ship!" Van's advisor gasped, gazing up at the huge contraption in awe, "Asturia is filled with wonders..." Hitomi and Merle, meanwhile, had made their way up to the doors, stopping next to the old man.

"I remember this!" Merle exclaimed. "We always travelled on this thing during the other war." Turning around boldly, she began explaining matter-of-factly about how the machine was powered, to the lords, advisors and soldiers who stood amazed nearby. While she did this, Van descended the steps, ready to greet the crew when they came out. Although Van had been on the ship before, he couldn't quite remember where the door was. Finally, a noise that sounded like a giant balloon letting out its air sounded behind him, making him jump. A ramp was lowered into the square and Van quickly turned around to face them. The rag-tag crew of the Crusade stepped out, approaching Van and giving him a couple of hard whacks on the back in friendship. Van lost all kingly pride and put his arms around their shoulders, welcoming the group.

"Hey, you guys!" he said when they had eased off for a minute, "What have you been doing for the last year?" Gadeth leaned over, a sly grin on his face. "We're all still alive. Can't say if we will be for long, what with the boss's herding us to every known corner of Gaea." The group shared a chuckle at this remark, only to hear a voice call out, "I heard that." Upon realizing that Allen had said it, they laughed harder. Allen, captain of these men, came down the ramp and stopped in front of them, his arms crossed and his smile wry.

"Ah, Boss, we didn't mean it." Pile replied, putting his hands up in supplication, "Gadeth's always saying things behind your back." Gadeth punched his arm at that comment. Allen shook his head, still wearing his smile as he turned to Van. "Are you ready, Van?" he asked the king, gesturing with his hand toward the machine behind him, "My airship is at your disposal." Van grinned, putting his hand on Allen's shoulder, surprising him. "Thanks for everything, Allen." Allen coughed, embarrassed at Van's gratitude.

"Wow, I didn't think I'd see the Crusade again." came a voice from behind them. The two men turned around to see Hitomi had approached them, holding her bag over her shoulder. "Hitomi?" Allen said in disbelief, "You're coming too?" Hitomi looked at him, her eyes big. "Yeah, I am! What, did you think I was going to stay home and do nothing?" Allen looked at Van in an accusing way, waiting for him to say something supportive. However, Van only shrugged, smiling in defeat.

The crew gathered around Hitomi as she greeted them, feeling happy to see them all again. Allen pushed through them, still protesting. "Hitomi, do you realize where we're going? You could get killed out there! Come on, someone say something to her!" he called out to the crew, who ignored him as they brought Hitomi onto the ship, Teo taking her bag. Allen looked on as his crew disappeared, sighing. Feeling a presence beside him, he looked over and saw Van standing next to him.

"I never could argue with her." he said simply. Allen smiled at the remark on Hitomi's behaviour, as he took a step toward the Crusade. "Allen, wait." Van said to the older man, causing him to stop. "I need to ask another favour of you. Could you help me move Escaflowne from the graveyard to your ship?" At the mention of the guymelef's name, Allen turned to face him. "Escaflowne? Van, I thought you said you'd never-"

"Never mind what I said." Van interrupted him, "I know I said it shouldn't be used again... but when I said that, I had been rebuilding a kingdom. Another war seemed impossible at that time, because of all the sacrifices that had been made during the Destiny War. I never thought far enough into the future; I never thought anything like this would happen. It was a foolish promise." Allen listened while Van explained, his eyes closed in thought.

"All right. I'll get out my rig." The two of them walked to the back of the Crusade. "Van, why the secrecy? I could have asked Gadeth and the crew to help us." Allen asked. Van remained silent for awhile, but answered when they had finally pulled out the rig used for transporting the suits of armour overland. "I didn't want anyone to know. Especially Hitomi." he said, hooking the ropes to the horses provided nearby. Allen looked over at him. "Why?" Van grabbed one of the horses' bridles as he led them down to the graveyard, where Escaflowne was kept, almost like a sentinel watching over the dead souls resting there.

"Hitomi... she never liked seeing me fight inside Escaflowne. I know I don't have the energist to power it, but I'm mostly bringing it along for safe-keeping. There are rumours that Genduta is planning to conduct a raid of Fanelia, and Escaflowne may be their target for theft." Van finished, as he noticed that they had come into the graveyard. Escaflowne stood, crouched down on one knee. Allen got to work, tying ropes around the arms, legs, and waist. Van's group of soldiers who had agreed to meet him there earlier took hold of the end of the rope, throwing it over the thick tree branch. They pulled heavily onto it, hoisting the guymelef into the air. Allen quickly backed the wagon under the suit, and the men gently lowered it down again, into the wagon. Van climbed up the suit, throwing a large tarp over it and tying it securely on with more rope.

Van sat down next to Allen on the wagon. "It's almost next to impossible when you can't actually move the guymelef, isn't it?" Allen said to him as they made their way to the square. Van nodded, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Soon, he jumped down and made his way to the square ahead of the wagon, so he could set up the larger ramp. As the wagon made its way into the square, Van directed the wagon into the ship. Allen moved the Escaflowne to the guymelef storeroom of the Crusade, leaving the wagon there.

"We can leave it in the wagon, I won't miss it." Allen offered, as he turned around to begin their departure. Van stared up at the covered guymelef's face, hearing shouts behind him to weigh anchor and to heat the levistones. They would be leaving soon. This is the safest place for it, he thought as he turned around to join the crew outside. Gazing out the window, he turned his thoughts from Escaflowne's safety, instead focusing on Freid and what the next few days would bring.

Tobias de Genthilia watched as the soldiers filed past him, ready to report the enemy Fanelia's current position, which was journeying to Freid. Several men nodded or saluted in his direction, and he acknowledged by nodding back indifferently. When they had left, he sighed. Lately, he had been seeing more soldiers around the palace, and even more recruits outside, preparing for battle. Recruits, who had only a month before been simple farmers or merchants, who had been drafted into this foolish war.

Turning around and staring out the window nearby, Tobias folded his arms as the sight of men training for war filled his eyes, which had sheltered from the violence of the Destiny War. It was common, however, during that time for him to see weapons in the process of being fashioned, men ready to fight, and guymelefs in motion all around him. Tobias had hoped to be involved in that war, but his father, King of Genduta, had forbidden it. He had been angry, especially since all his schoolmates had gone, leaving him behind with Ladislaus, his father's advisor.

However, in those years he had discovered that waiting for news proved to be even more painful than any injury that might have been caused on the battlefield. Several of his friends had been killed during the war, their young lives snuffed out within seconds. Now a man of nineteen, Tobias despised war as a method for solving problems, preferring diplomacy and reasoning. He knew how to speak publicly in his lessons of rhetoric, which he had studied a great deal during the past year.

But his father would not look at it in the same way. War was simply easier for him to decide upon. Once I'm king, Tobias thought to himself, war will never be my option. As he pondered his new philosophy, he suddenly sensed that he was no longer alone. Turning around, Tobias discovered Ladislaus coming toward him. He brushed off his clothes and stood up straight, somehow knowing what Ladislaus wanted. When the older man reached him, he greeted him, "Good morning, Minister Ladislaus. What brings you here to speak with me?" Ladislaus gazed at him with a look of disappointment on his face.

"Not myself, your Majesty. Your father would speak with you now, in the room where he thinks best." With his hand, Ladislaus gestured for the prince to follow him. Tobias lagged behind the minister, knowing somehow that what his father had to say would be no good. Most likely it would be talk of how superior Genduta was to Fanelia when it came to preparing and fighting a war, and he didn't want to hear about it, especially since he wanted nothing to do with the war. The two of them reached the empty room where Ladislaus ushered him inside, leaving him alone to talk with his father.

The figure of a man came up to the light, revealing his face in the single overhanging lamp above them. Gendas smiled when he saw that his son had come so promptly. "Tobias, my son..." he began, which was how he usually did when he wanted something. "What is it, father?" Tobias answered with almost the same tone he always used in response. He didn't like to admit it of his father, but the older man intimidated him greatly. It was no question that Tobias loved and was obedient to his father, but today would be different. Today he wanted to take a stand, and refuse to have anything to do with the war. He knew it was selfish, but he didn't want any more pain in his life.

"My boy, every soul in this building has been telling me that you want no part of all this." Gendas said to him. Tobias nodded; perhaps his father understood after all. However, Gendas had more to say. "I'm wondering why." Tobias glared at his father, amazed at his ignorance. Did he not know that he had had horrific experiences with war? That his friends, and even his younger sister Faye had died because of it? Even the circumstances of his sister's death were still unclear to him. Why should he help his father on a simple quest to satisfy his greed?

"Father, I thought you knew... I thought you understood." the young man began, "I hate fighting without good reason, and this war with Fanelia, to me, is not good reason. How do I know that we are in the right for starting war?" Gendas seemed to glare back at his son, who was one of the few who stood tall enough to be at eye level with him. What could he do so the boy would not simply remain neutral? Gendas had taught his son how to fight, and now he refused to use those skills? Perhaps Tobias had inherited that stubborn streak from him. On the other hand, Gendas was skillful at the art of convincing; he could persuade anyone to do as he wished, and his son was no exception.

"Tobias..." the king began, "do you remember attending your dear sister's wedding in Fanelia? I remember it too; she looked as beautiful as light, no- more lovely than even that." Tobias listened to his father intently as he spoke of Faye; he loved his sister more than anything in the world, even more than his father. Gendas continued. "I know it has given you so much grief to discover that she had passed on so early in her life. However, Tobias, it has probably been more upsetting not knowing how she died." The king stopped, deliberately so Tobias could prod him into talking more about it.

"I want to know, father. You never told me how she died, and I appreciate you sparing my feelings. But now I need to know; please, tell me!" Tobias begged. Gendas had turned away, from seemingly wanting to withhold this information, but in fact, he knew he had his son's strong love for his sister to use in his own favour. Turning his face toward his son, Gendas said in a stone voice,

"She was murdered."

"Murdered? What?! By whom?" Tobias leaned backward, using the single chair occupying the room for support.

"The own man she married, who snuffed out her light like a candle, Van Slanzar de Fanel." the king finished. Tobias remembered having greeted the King of Fanelia, who had been no older than he. That such a seemingly kind man had taken his sister's life seemed impossible, especially when Van Fanel had sworn to protect her. He had left after the wedding with assurance that Faye was taken good care of.

"This can't be! I met the man myself the day before the marriage, and I've seen no murderous intention inside him!" he pleaded. Gendas gazed upon his son with a patronizing look, silently suggesting that he wouldn't understand. Finally, he spoke, "The King of Fanelia has had these intentions since before the war. I know this as a fact; when I recall the way he had lustfully held my daughter for the first time, I now know that he had intended to murder her from the start." Tobias still shook his head unbelievingly.

"Is this true, father? How do we know it was Van Fanel?" Tobias tried one more time to proclaim Van's innocence. Sighing almost in impatience, Gendas whipped out a dagger from his belt and held it inches from his son's face.

"You see this? This weapon?" he said to Tobias, making him inspect it closely. The young man did so, and gasped when he realized what it was. "That's the ceremonial dagger you gave to Van Fanel as a wedding gift! And what are-" he brushed his fingers against the blade, feeling the rough surface. "It's not as smooth- it is stained with blood!" Gendas sheathed the dagger again.

"Only Van Fanel and I knew the location of this weapon. It seemed almost chance that I happened upon it, when Van Fanel arrived with the body, seemingly in mourning." Tobias glared at the dagger upon his father's belt, not wanting to believe, but yet knowing that this was the only possible explanation. He stood up straight, a glint rising in his eyes.

"If Van Fanel murdered my sister, then I swear that I will take his life for her sake!" he cried out. Gendas nodded curtly as Tobias told him, "I will fight in Faye's memory during this war. Thank you for telling me, father, but you don't need to protect Van Fanel from me any longer!" And with a swish of his red cape, Tobias left the room, new determination now seeped into his blood, by the cunning words of his father, King of Genduta.

Gendas gazed after his son, who left the room after declaring his personal battle with the king of Fanelia. Smiling to himself, he knew the outcome would be different. His daughter may have died for love of Fanelia's king, but his son would not, being an excellent swordsman worthy of challenging Van Fanel. Laughing aloud, he left the room behind his son, ready to face anything now, with his son blindly by his side.


Ugh, I hate ending chapters with Gendas's gloating. Oh, well, I didn't know how else I could. Thanks for reading this chapter, and keeping interest in my fic. I should really give you guys more appreciation, and more chapters too! See ya later!