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Chapter 21-
Insurrection in Freid
Van gazed out the cracked window, his eyes anxiously waiting to see beyond the horizon. The day had quickly worn away, with everyone up early that morning to manage the ship. Only Merle had slept in, but she was up now, standing behind him.
"Lord Van, are we close to Freid yet?" she said, still rather sleepily. Van nodded, answering, "Yes, the capital of Godashim should be over this horizon." As the ship rose up, just skimming the large dune in front of them, buildings seemed to rise from the ground as the capital met their eyes. The crew gathered around Van and Merle, cheering aloud at their arrival to their destination. Merle, losing her sleepy demeanor, jumped up and down upon seeing a town again, excited to go to the palace again.
Hitomi rushed over, her handkerchief about her head coming loose, dropping her broom that she had been sweeping up the glass all that morning with. "Did I hear that we've reached Freid?!" she exclaimed excitedly. Van turned to her, almost unable to keep his own excitement inside. "We have, Hitomi. You can stop working and worrying for today, while we settle down a bit." Hitomi pulled off her kerchief, and let her broom fall to the floor with a clatter.
"Thank goodness!" she laughed, as everyone else around her did as well. Pile doused the coals as they prepared to land in the palace's courtyard. Below, people were shouting and pointing to the airship above them. A few of the soldiers standing at the palace gate looked up as well, shielding their eyes from the desert sun. Nodding to one another, they lowered their arms in a gesture of friendship. After making sure that the ship had seen them, the soldiers opened the large doors to the palace. Merle was the first to leap out.
"Finally, land!!" she exclaimed, falling down and practically hugging the scorching desert sand. However, she quickly realized that it was too hot and jumped with a yelp into Van's arms. He had just come out and turned from his conversation with Gadeth, but received the cat girl calmly. Grinning that cat grin of hers, Merle quickly licked Van's face in her very original show of thanks.
As he set her down on the ground, Hitomi, putting her kechief back on, came up. "It's so hot, I guess I couldn't take it off." she explained, noticing the strange look Van gave her. Even so, she smiled. "Let's go! I want to see Prince Chid." She grabbed his arm and led him up the steps, leaving a ruffled Merle behind.
Hitomi gazed through the many bodies to see if the Prince would greet them in person. She hoped he would. Unfortunately, she couldn't see through them, as all the men in the room were much taller than she. "Van, can you see Prince Chid?" she asked. In the past year, he had grown quite a bit; he was now almost a head taller than her. He nodded, saying in reply, "Yeah, you should see him; he's amazing." Hitomi frowned in frustration at being in a room of tall people, when Merle came over to them.
"I can't see, Lord Van!" she whined, latching yet again to his arm. Hitomi watched in surprise as Van suddenly hoisted her up on his shoulders, a smile raising the corners of his lips.
"Is that better, Merle?" he asked, looking up into her shocked face. However, it didn't last long, as her expression changed into a happy one. "Yes! Thanks so much, now I can see the top of Gadeth's head!" At her own words, she burst into a fit of giggles at her discovery, nearly falling off. She was interrupted when a voice called out over the crowd.
"Hitomi?" Hitomi looked up, trying to see past Merle's swinging legs as she sat on Van's shoulders. The crew made way for her and she suddenly felt exposed. It gave her a sudden feeling of embarrassment. However, she looked up and saw a young boy approach her. "Prince Chid?" Forgetting her embarrassment, she took in Chid's profile.
He had certainly grown; he now reached up to her shoulders. His hair had grown out, almost like his body, to the point where it reached his shoulders. He still donned a turban, but one that was more suited to his older persona; it contained many gems just above his eyebrow line. His face had lost some of its childhood plumpness, and his eyes seemed to suggest that he had seen many things since she had left Gaea over a year ago, both fortunate and tragic.
"Hitomi! It is you!" he beamed, spreading his arms wide to embrace her. Hitomi accepted, letting him take hold of her. "I've missed you since you left. Are you doing all right?" Hitomi nodded, standing back up straight. "We're all fine. Thank you for having us." she replied, looking back toward everyone else; Van, who had set Merle down, and the crew who had gathered behind her somehow. Upon seeing the Prince looking at him, Van dropped to his knees, humbly giving his thanks.
"Van, you don't have to do that for me. I'm glad to do this for you." Nodding to his minister, the man came up beside the young Prince, ready to explain the situation.
"Freid has always had problems with the Genduta Empire; you could say that it is a rivalry between our lands." He smiled, continuing, "So, King Van, despite the generous offer the Prince seems to be making, we still have our own interests at heart. If Genduta is your enemy, then this fact makes us automatically your ally." Van looked up from his place upon his bent knee, gazing into Chid's sincere face. Slowly rising, he extended his hand to Chid, saying, "I won't forget what you've done for Fanelia. My friendship is yours for life." Chid grasped it firmly, Van's words settling permanently in his mind.
"Prince, has the rest of Fanelia's war stock arrived yet?" Allen came up behind Van and added. Van sheepishly let go of the Prince's hand, putting it on the back of his head. He had completely forgotten about that! "Yes, Prince Chid. Have they?" he added. The boy shook his head.
"No, they haven't. I'm afraid it may be a few more days for you, as we are expecting bad weather." Chid explained, but he quickly added, "But I'll send out some of my troops to retrieve your cargo and help your own soldiers." Van thanked him several times before Gadeth finally smacked him on the back.
"Quit it, your Majesty! Prince Chid is obviously not going to leave you in the dirt, and he's told you over and over! So quit thanking him already, it's making me sick!" The room shook with the laughter of many voices at Gadeth's comment. Hitomi laughed too, her eyes travelling over to where Allen stood. He was not laughing with everyone, but his eyes beat with a steady pulse of admiration for the young Prince.
Hitomi stopped, a distant memory
coming back to her mind. Everyone believed Chid was the late Duke Freid's
child, but Hitomi knew differently. He was, in fact, Allen's own son. She
had come to know this because of a Tarot reading she had done for Chid
a year ago. Feeling a sudden pain inside her chest, she knew that Chid
was not even aware of whom his father really was. But it was hard to remain
feeling that way, especially upon seeing the look of pure ecstasy on Chid's
face when they had arrived. Hitomi knew she couldn't interfere; Chid would
not believe her if she was the one to tell him. She left the room, glancing
back at Allen, and knowing it still remained on his shoulders.
"The lower floors have been set up for guymelef storage." Chid led the group down some old rickety steps, which creaked with every foot placed on them. Van glanced around, noticing that the space inside was enormous. The crowd that followed Prince Chid and he downstairs only shared a tiny square of the space that was available. "I trust it will be sufficient." Chid, finished instructing, turned around, a smile across his face.
Van nodded. Chid then addressed the rest of them, among them the Crusade crew. "You're probably all tired, right? Mishrid will lead you each to a guest room of your own." The crew, realizing their weariness, did not try to deny it. They waited as Mishrid, Chid's new minister since Voris's death, took his place in front of them to lead them upstairs. However, even after they left, Van lingered to speak with the Prince.
"I'm sorry to involve your country in my war. I will make it up to you someday." Van said, his head slightly bowed. Chid shook his head. "You don't need to make it up to me. Just live through this war, Van. I want to see you prosper." He stopped, but continued, as Van raised his head, "Show King Gendas what it really means to be a king. You've taught a child like me how to; I'm sure you can do the same for him." Van averted his eyes, wanting to tell Chid what was on his mind; how he didn't even know his enemy's reasons for war. Finally, he felt the need to tell someone, now that he was in the presence of his ally.
"Chid, you know King Gendas better than I do, in sharing your borders. Do you know why he would need a country like Fanelia as part of his own?" Van gazed expectantly at the boy, as he searched his memory of the times he had met with Gendas in his country. Finally he spoke up.
"Yes. Although at first when Mishrid spoke for me, I only listened to him. Back then, it was all I could do." Chid laughed absently, but continued afterward. "He never took much notice of me, but I always watched him. It was only after the Destiny War that he began seeking material things again. My father often spoke of his strange lust for precious stones." Van pondered his words, trying to connect the King's love of gems to his conquest of Fanelia. Nothing came to his mind until Chid put in, "I don't see how he could power all his guymelefs with a lack of energists, though. Dragons don't inhabit our type of climate."
Van's head shot up out of his hand, and he stared at Chid with the newly acquired knowledge shining in his eyes. "That's it, your Majesty! I don't know why I didn't see it before!" Chid, now staring at the older boy, nodded. Van laughed aloud upon seeing the blank look on his face, trying to gather his wits to explain it to him. "The energists! He wants Fanelia so he can power his vast amount of guymelefs!" It was by pure luck that Van had posted many guards in Fanelia, so the land itself was very safe indeed. Sighing, he ran his hand through his hair.
"I think we've both discovered a little too much today. Why don't we go to bed?" Chid, hearing a request that he understood, nodded briskly. "I was just about to say that to you, Van. I'll lead you to the guest room, I guess, seeing as Mishrid is gone." The two boys climbed the stairs out of the storage basement, Chid leading the way. Van, as was his way when he was inside a palace, looked around at the surroundings. Something caught his eye, from the hall he had just passed.
The ribbon of a turban whipped
behind the hallway corner just as Van turned his head to catch a glance
of whose head it was set on. No, nothing, he said to himself, looking
from one hall to the next. Shaking his head, he knew that there could no
enemies here; after all, this was Freid, his ally, not his enemy. Besides,
the ribbon resembled the one Mishrid was wearing. If he couldn't trust
Chid's minister and advisor, what hope was there to win this war? Brushing
it out of his mind, he continued after Chid. There would be plenty of time
to think about that.
"Hitomi, do you still do fortunes?" The question hit Hitomi like a bullet. She looked up from her things she was pulling out of her duffelbag, which had been thrown together in haste of their journey. Merle was batting at the curtains, lying lazily on her back as she did, when she had asked the question. When her initial shock had worn off, Hitomi smiled.
"Oh no, Merle," she replied, folding her nightgown and placing it near her pillow, "I would rather not anymore." Even as she said this, her mind floated back to a distant memory; a smiling young girl gazed in wonder at her Tarot cards, her blonde hair covering her shoulders as she released it from its ribbons. The image faded as Hitomi turned to the cat girl.
"Not since I went back to the Mystic Moon anyway." she smiled, knowing that she was lying. But she didn't care. Merle, looking only mildly disappointed, answered, "Oh. Oh well, if that's what you want to do." Hitomi continued to stare at Merle, almost wishing she would carry on the conversation, but Merle made no effort to keep going.
"But I still have them. Do you want to look at them or something?" Merle, to Hitomi's amusement, rolled over to Hitomi's side, and beckoned her finger toward her. Hitomi dragged out her cards and handed the pack into her awaiting hand.
About half an hour passed quietly as Merle shuffled the cards like a dealer, while Hitomi sat on her bed, sewing up a rip in one of her shirts. The silence was broken when Merle said out of the blue, "I like this one. It reminds me of Lord Van." She sighed as Hitomi leaned over and scrutinized the card in her hand. Angel. Smiling, Hitomi thought to herself; she had a feeling she'd pick that one as her favourite. She had just put her eyes back on her work when the door swung quickly open.
Van stood there, fire almost burning in his eyes. Glancing up at him in surprise, Hitomi found herself gazing deeply at that look. She knew it; he had just made a very important decision. His features were lit up, as he smiled upon seeing the two of them.
"Hitomi, Merle!" he exclaimed, closing the door not so quietly behind him, "Tonight we're setting up camp, a few miles from the city!" It seemed hard for him to contain his excitement, but upon catching his breath, he added, "We're going to have to leave Godashim, but I understand if you want to stay here." Merle jumped up and grabbed Hitomi's arm, making her drop her needlework.
"Lord Van, you're crazy if you expect us to stay in boring old Freid! I mean, it's not like we're going to fight, but you guys need us women to keep you in line!" Merle laughed as she bounded up to Van, still clutching Hitomi's arm, and hugged him. Van smiled down at Hitomi as Merle buried her face in his shirt, and Hitomi grinned shyly back.
"She's right Van." Hitomi began, closing her eyes as if in thought, "Merle will keep you in line, and I'll be there to keep her in line." Merle broke away from Van and hissed at her, but she still wore a smile.
"Thank you, girls." Van replied, embracing them both in his arms, "What would I do without you?" Hitomi leaned her head on his chest, feeling a sudden pang of guilt. She had been wandering on the Crusade the night before, unable to sleep, when she happened upon the storage chambers. Admiring the guymelefs that were slightly hidden under the tarps, she was surprised to see that one of them was shining more brightly in the moonlight than the others. Lifting the tarp blanket up a bit, she had gasped to see Escaflowne kneeling before her! Escaflowne, she had thought to herself. Did this mean that Van meant to fight once again inside it?
She had gone back to bed, trying to shake away her fear. She had never been so scared until now; now that she knew Van was going to risk his life again. Troubled thoughts entered her dreams when she did finally get to sleep. She dreamed about the war more vividly than ever, and she saw everyone she loved being killed. Hitomi finally came back to herself when Van let her and Merle out of his arms.
Van can't operate Escaflowne as long as I have the energist, she thought to herself. But- She looked up at him, chatting with Merle about the humid weather. I'm denying him something important; I'm not giving him a chance to fight. A weight seemed to lift from her shoulders, knowing what she had to do.
"Merle? Could you excuse us, please?" Merle looked up from doing her imitation of a dehydrated traveller making his way across the desert, in Hitomi's direction. "Why? You two wanna get close?" Hitomi, blushing furiously, waved her hand toward the door. "That's not it! I just need to tell him something!" Merle jumped off her stomach and waved comically at the two of them as she left. Hitomi sighed, relieved she was gone finally. Van looked toward her, interest alighting his eyes at what she had to say.
"What is it, Hitomi?" he said, making his way over to her bed. He pushed the needlework she had been previously working on to make a space for her to sit down. She took it looking down at her hands folded in her lap.
"I'm sorry." she began. Van started, replying, "Why the apology?" Hitomi looked at him for what seemed like hours to her, but finally she continued.
"I hate keeping things from you, but I've done it again." Reaching behind her, she grabbed her duffelbag and reached inside. Van gazed in wonder as she pulled out his energist, the one he had lent to Dryden a year ago! How did Hitomi come upon it and why did she have it? he thought to himself, but he kept quiet as she placed it in his hands.
"Dryden gave it to me, the night war was declared." she explained. "I was going to give it to you- I meant to, but- but-" Hitomi looked at his face as he locked his own eyes onto the energist in his hands, and she couldn't hold back her tears. "Van, please forgive me! I didn't mean to keep it from you, but I didn't want-"
She stopped in mid-sentence. How could she possibly tell him what she feared? Van, I'm afraid that you'll lose your mind inside that machine?! It seemed so stupid now! At a loss of words, tears flowed instead from her eyes, and she made a feeble attempt to cover them with her shaking hands. Van said nothing, but instead looked down at her sobbing form beside him. Quietly he placed his hand on hers.
Feeling his touch, she looked up. Van put the energist in his shirt pocket, continuing to stroke her hand with his thumb. "Hitomi, since you've given the energist back to me, I know you must trust me very deeply. Thank you so much for that." She finally turned to him, her eyes widening when she noticed a tear trimming the corner of his eye. She smiled in relief, leaning her forehead on his chest and sighing.
"Just win, Van. I want to see
this world at peace again." Van gathered her in his arms, resting his cheek
on her sandy head. "I will, Hitomi. But peace isn't always gained easily."
Hitomi squeezed her eyes tightly shut, as she wrapped her arms around his
strong waist. But I'm prepared for anything that will happen, she
thought.
Footsteps echoed off the wall as a distraught man hurried through the high ceilinged halls, bent on reaching his destination. But he did not know where that destination was. He had overheard the King of Fanelia speaking with Prince Chid soon after he arrived. Despite the Prince's orders, he had directed his subordinate officer to take the new arrivals from Fanelia and Asturia to their rooms, rather than do it himself.
Mishrid quickened his pace, upon hearing footsteps other than his own behind his back. Despite that the hall was empty of people, he never felt alone. Threats had been sent to him, and he was afraid. In spite of the treasure promised him if he aided the enemy, as well as the promise of death if he refused, he still lingered in confirming his loyalty to either side. He had done as Gendas had asked; he had spied on the King and had discovered his battle plans, as well already having the knowledge of the storage room of his supply of guymelefs that Chid had avoided showing to anyone but himself and the new arrivals.
But now Mishrid wished that such knowledge had ever been shown to him. Prince Chid, please forgive me, he thought to himself as he suddenly broke into a run, but I don't- He stopped, both thinking and running. I don't have to, he reflected, placing his hand on the dagger he held at his belt, as many people in Freid did. Gendas can't find it if I'm dead.
Glancing to either side, he discovered no one present in the hall. However, he slipped behind a nearby pillar, confident that no one would discover his body for several hours at least. Mishrid slipped the dagger out of its sheath, positioning the tip to the bottom of his chin. His hands were shaking, but he inched the dagger closer. Swallowing hard, and drawing blood due to the closeness of his weapon, he thrust.
But he didn't die. Mishrid opened his eyes, glancing down at the dagger which now lay on the floor. Just as he reached down to retrieve it, strong hands seized him around the neck, one covering his mouth, and dragged him back into the dark corner of the pillar.
"What is the meaning of this?!" he shouted, trying to fight off his attacker, to no avail. The man who had grabbed him set a long sword against his neck. Mishrid did not flinch.
"His Majesty of Genduta forbids you from leaving this world without receiving your information first." the man replied simply. Mishrid turned his head away, saying in reply, "Kill me if you please. I have no desire to live in betraying my Prince, as well as the King of Fanelia." The attacker lowered his sword, somehow knowing the minister would never have fully given his loyalty to Genduta. However, the king had demanded him alive.
"No." he replied. With that,
he raised his sword and struck the minister on the back of his head. Mishrid
collapsed in a heap to the floor, blood running in a stream from under
his turban. His attacker lifted the older man over his shoulder, easily
making his way out of the empty hall, unseen by any eyes of the court.
He would have fun with this old fool later. Getting the information out
of him would not be easy, but that did not mean it had to be boring.
Van approached the flight of steps much later, observing the hustle and bustle below. Soldiers were busily preparing, shining, and sheathing weapons, armour and, outside, guymelefs. Pack animals were being readied with the canvases that would become the four walls for each soldier's tent. Allen Schezar was directing the Asturian troops, a privilege given him by Queen Millerna herself. Besides readying the troops, Allen had Fanelia and Asturia's goods packed into many wagons outside as well. Van was surprised to see other wagons filled with products that he didn't recognize. He finally realized, after looking around at the soldiers' faces, that the people of Freid were readying themselves as well. Chid stood among them himself, polishing a long sword that had a hilt encrusted with jewels.
"Your Majesty! You don't intend to fight, do you?" Van quickly made his way down the stairs to greet the young prince. Chid looked up, and although he didn't smile, his eyes did.
"Your Majesty, I intend to fight as well as you." he laughed, sheathing the sword, which was nearly as long as his whole body. "I have not been idle since you left Freid a year ago. I've been completely taken with sword arts, as you are." Van smiled, though it was still hard to think of the prince like this.
"Chid intends to fight?" came a voice. Van and Chid both turned to face Allen, who overheard their conversation. A pained look washed over his face, as Chid nodded, his face still bright. "I've been training, Allen," he declared confidently, brushing aside the end of his tunic to reveal the hilt of his sword, "every day, from sunrise to sunset." Allen, however, looked unconvinced.
"You're still only a child!" he shouted. "It's bad enough that a young girl like Hitomi is going to the battlefield, but you? I won't have it!" Allen approached the two of them, ready to take Chid's sword. However, he was stopped by Chid's ready hand.
"I can handle myself." he said in a low tone, turning his head to look the man in the eye. Allen backed away from that look, staring down at him. "Thank you for your concern, but I'm all right the way I am. May I remind you, you are not my father." These last words stung Allen like a poisoned dart. It was hard to forget, but that night with Marlene, Chid's mother... and Chid would never know. Allen stood up, the long strands of his hair brushing his face.
The only gift I can give him, would be to never let him know. He was completely blended into Freid's royal family, and to take him away from his homeland, his place in the royal house... that would be torment to the boy. A secret it would have to remain, until the day he died. Allen smiled, his eyes studying the form of the man that the prince was becoming. He sighed.
"I guess I'm getting old; I'm always so worried for you all." Van started laughing, unable to imagine Allen getting older. Allen frowned at the king's laughter, until Chid began to laugh as well. He lost his frown, and chuckled softly to himself. It didn't matter to him if Chid acknowledged him as a father; just as long he was safe and had a good home, and he could look in on him from time to time. Allen, shaking his head out of memories, clapped Van on the shoulder.
"We're all set, King Van. Shall we make our way down, Prince Chid?" Chid started, surprised at Allen's sudden change in attitude. "Yes, let's go, King Van..., Sir Allen." The three men followed the Fanelian, Asturian, and Freid soldiers to the loading dock. As Allen passed by the guymelefs, he stopped and looked up, as Van and Chid made their way past him.
"Van!" Allen called out, and Van turned around. Allen was gazing up at Escaflowne, which had been set upon a new wagon. Standing next to him, Van asked, "Yes. I will use it again." Allen looked again at Van, who now nearly stood at his eye level. He was still skeptical.
"How will you power it? I heard you loaned your energist to Dryden, and you know that means it's practically lost." Van smiled, pulling it out of his pocket. "I thought it was, but I guess I've got a new opinion of Dryden since it's back in my hand right now." Being kept safe by Hitomi as well. Van extended his other hand toward Allen, declaring, "This time tomorrow night, we'll probably be in battle. Let's hope for the best, and that the gods are on our side once again." Allen grasped the king's hand, nodding silently as he looked him fully in the eye.
After their brief handshake,
they left to catch up to Chid and the rest of the soldiers. The guymelefs
in the wagons seemed to watch over them as the procession made their way
out of the city, bound for the border of Genduta.
