pFour Souls: Visions of the Past
p
pAuthor's Note: zzzzzzzz. What? Huh? Oh sowy, I must have dosed off ^_^; Oh well, have fun reading -_^
p
p"Target sighted dead ahead!" yelled Redeen, one of Allen's men.
p"Good, approach carefully. Don't give us away. Kio, take us in." Gaddes had control of the bridge for now, while the majority of the crew, Allen, and Van prepared for docking. They had all agreed that it would be to dangerous to let Dalandilu go along, so he had locked himself in his room with a bottle of wine and a set of matches he'd swiped from Hitomi. (I hope they fireproofed his room!) Miguel, their new recruit, had also been ordered to stay behind. Instead of sulking, he had helped by drawing a detailed map to the fortress for them to use, and helped to plan the invasion. Most of the crew had been cautious of Miguel at first, until they noticed how insanely devoted he was to Dalandilu. Miguel had also been receiving messages from a friend within the fortress. Aethan had given him detailed information on guard shifts, when he and his close friends were on and off duty, and anything else that might come in handy. They had arranged to meet Aethan, Yaren, Owean, and Mandan half way with the captives and take them the rest of the way. They had been warned that Jeris, Lia's friend, was injured and couldn't walk far. Lia and Merle themselves seemed to be fine. The letters had also warned that the fortress' commanding officer wouldn't tolerate intrusion. At this point, the plan was set. In fifteen minutes, they arrived.
p
pThe four dragon slayers reached the holding cell right on time. They had ten minutes to get the captives to the scheduled point. Aethan shook both Lia and Merle awake while Mandan, being the strongest of the four, helped Jeris to his feet. They raced along the deserted, dimly lit hallways, taking care to avoid being seen.
p
pDim-witted boys, they'll pay for betraying me. Aloran watched the small group on the screen in front of him. They'll never leave this fortress alive!
p
pYaren could see the docking bay in front of them. They were almost safe. Suddenly the door rushed closed. Damn! Yaren scanned the celing carefully. Above them was a small air vent.
p"Mandan! Can you give me a boost?" Mandan handed Jeris over to Aethan and Owean. He braced himself as Yaren stepped carefully into his out stretched hands. With the added height, Yaren grabbed onto a rafter and pulled himself up. From his jacket he retrieved a set of helpful tools. Carefully unscrewing the vent, he stuck his arm up far enough to feel the air current. "The air's to strong! Can't get through that way!" As he jumped down Yaren heard a loud noise from the other side of the door. Three crima-claws burst through, merged and tore the door apart. (A crima- claw is one of the liquid metal things the Zaibach gymelefs use as weapons) On the other side of the door stood Jeris' black gymelef. Yaren glanced back at him. Jeris was grinning insanely at the group. Yaren shrugged and led them through the door. Hey, whatever works, he thought.
p"Jeris, can you pilot that thing in your condition?" asked Mandan.
pJeris snorted a haughty laugh. "Of course!" he said, then promptly collapsed into a fit of coughing. Lia rolled her eyes in disgust and amusement at his display of macho manliness. Mandan helped Jeris up into his gymelef. Yaren and Owean ran for their own gymelefs. Aethan helped Lia and Merle onto Jeris and Yaren's gymelefs and then ran for his own.
p
pReeden watched the fortress from the hidden Crusade. (The Crusade is the name of Allen's levy-ship.) The docking bay doors exploded. "Commander! Docking bay doors open!" That was the signal.
"Dive and prepare for docking!" yelled Allen.
p
pThe Crusade's sudden appearance caused a slight panic on the floating fortress. Aloran swore. This was not what he'd planned. "Fire at will!" he hissed over the intercom to his troops.
p
pA volley of torpedo like crima-claws sped toward the descending ship. This was Van's cue. This would be easier on Escaflowne, he thought. Tearing off his shirt, he sprouted wings and dove off the Crusade's deck. Once he reached the docking bay he was to lead the four slayers and the captives, in their gymelefs away from the distraction caused by the Crusade.
p
pAloran grinned when he saw the small white shape descending from the levy-ship. "Target shape 10 meters below the ship!"
"Aye, sir!"
p
pVan dodged the cascade of torpedoes that sped toward him. He shouldn't have been seen yet! Van flew faster towards the large doors. He could see the five waiting gymelefs.
p
pMerle spotted the winged shape and waved at Van. Lia glanced up, worry written all over her face. Aloran shouldn't have seen him yet. "Jeris, we have to move! Van's a sitting duck out there!"
p"We can't yet! If we're seen then he might call the other slayers out on us!" yelled Yaren.
p"Too late!" Owean was hurriedly trying to block the inner door.
p"We have to go!" yelled Lia.
p"Stand back Owean!" Mandan's gymelef held a large square piece of metal in its hand. Owean moved back and allowed Mandan to place the metal over the door. "Lia's right, let's go!" The Alsedis gymelefs changed to flight mode as Van flew through the open docking bay door in front of them.
p"Good timing!" yelled Aethan.
p
pThe attack on the Crusade was getting more and more accurate. "Kio! Pull up! Pull up!" yelled Gaddes desperately. The primary plan was failing miserably, and it was now up to Van to get the captives safely away.
p
pAloran watched the levy-ship's retreat. Now to take care of the miscreants in the docking bay. Aloran gritted his teeth in frustration. The inner door to the docking bay was blocked. It looked like the rebel scum might get away this time. (Who you calling rebel scum Aloran?)
p
pVan led the five gymelefs away from the fortress. Aloran hadn't seemed to notice the escapees as of yet. The cliffs surrounding them rose as Van's group approached. Veering left, Van led them through a thin crevice in the rocks, just big enough for the gymelefs to follow single file. They landed in the woods.
p
p"Rescue mission complete! Fall back!" yelled Allen. The Crusade turned in mid air and sped off.
p
p"General! Permission to follow!" yelled one of the Zaibach soldiers.
p"Permission declined, this ship can't match their speed," replied Aloran.
p"Sir, they're getting away!"
p"Then track them! I'll be in my chambers." Aloran walked away disgusted. Losing six of his best soldiers within two days had really hurt his pride.
p
pThe Crusade met Van and the gymelefs in their clearing deep in the Lavian woods. Millerna, seeing Jeris' wounds, had two of Allen's men take him to the closest thing they had to a sick room. Hitomi followed Merle and Lia to the nearest fire. "Lia, I think we have a right to know what's going on here," she said. Van sat down next to her with at quizzical look on his face. Lia sighed, staring at the dancing flames that could never seem to warm her heart.
p"It's a long story," she replied curtly.
p"We have time," Hitomi coaxed.
p"Alright, now where to begin…"
p"Lavia was founded over four hundred years ago by a small group of draconians who wished for a refuge for their kind. Back then, this land was said to be inhabited by huge creatures, dragons. These true-dragons, as they were called, were not like the usual ones seen on the mainland. They were intelligent, with their own traditions and language, and culture really. But even with the wisdom the race possessed, they were dying. They had come from another world to this one to escape a plague, but most of thoughs who had escaped were old and there had been few births in the new world. The leader of the draconians made a pact with the true-dragons, that creatures would be protected on these islands. In return, the true- dragons granted the draconians and their descendents the larger island of Lavia. Being few in number, the true-dragons retreated to one of the smaller islands, the Drian isle. (Dria meaning Dragon in their language.) With their dwindling power they shrouded the island in mist so that none but the descendents of the draconians, who had been now named the Dragon Clan because of this treaty, could enter. For hundreds of years the country of Lavia thrived. The Dragon family branched out into smaller clans. One of these, the Drian Clan, became the ruling clan of Lavia. From among the branched out draconian clan came a second powerful kin- group, the Phoenix Clan. These two clans lived in peace, helping each other and the many refugee draconians from the mainland… until eleven years ago, when the friendship turned into bitterness. The new leader of the phoenix clan, Asgaurd, became jealous of the dragon king and plotted to over through him. Under his anonymous influence, much of the population turned against the king as well. He told them lies, like the king was planning to wipe out the humans living in Lavia and make it a place where only draconians could live. In that year, Asgaurd attacked the royal family, assassinating the entire clan publicly. He seemed to have a sick desire to demonstrate his absolute power in the most savage ways. Since then, Lavia hasn't prospered as well as it used to. The fall harvests, for one, haven't been as good, and most of the cities have been in a constant state of martial law. With the army stretched thin throughout the island, it's no wonder Aloran managed to step in and take the capital. The Lavian army couldn't have reached it in time with a strong enough force to counter the siege. Now all that's left here are power-hungry Zaibach minions, a few pathetic bands of hopeless rebels, and a whole lot of lost culture. Well, that's pretty much all I know of the history of Lavia." Lia broke off her story abruptly, stood up, and walked towards her tent. The small black kitten ran towards her. Lia crouched and picked it up. Settling the kitten on her shoulder she turned and smiled sadly at the group behind her. Looks like I've made some friends after all.
p*Of course you have.* To Lia, the meowing most people heard from her kitten sounded like talking.
p*I know I know Amana, it's strange though, I've never had any real friends.*
p*That's because you've never met anyone as strange as your self*
p*Oh shut up!* Lia could have sworn the cat was smirking through its whispers.
p
pVan had been thoroughly shocked by the story, mostly because his own mother had been part of the Phoenix clan. He lay back on the grass. Thank God she wasn't there when it happened, he thought. He heard someone move nearby. Sitting up, he saw Hitomi making her way over to Lia's tent. He was so glad Hitomi had come back. He'd missed her. Even though they could have communicated telepathically, it wasn't the same as being together.
p
pHitomi pulled back the canvas flap that made up Lia's tent door. The kitten looked up, and then bounded over to her. Hitomi picked up the little black ball of fluff and stepped inside. Lia looked up, surprised. "Lia, can I talk to you?" Lia looked a little confused.
p"Sure. What about?"
p"Um, have you told us everything?" Lia looked even more confused.
p"What do you mean?"
p"Are you keeping something from us?" Hitomi ventured timidly. Lia turned away.
p"Everyone has their secrets, Hitomi. You of all people should know that." Hitomi did a double take.
p"What's that supposed to mean?" Hitomi asked, unsure. Lia smiled sadly.
p"You have your secrets to protect. So do I. A gift isn't always accepted and sometimes it's used against you. You're only safe if you hide it." Hitomi frowned.
p"Look, I saw you heal those blisters on the way to Port Orian. Millerna told me that with the kind of wounds Jeris had, he should have been unconscious for days. Just tell me, can you heal or not?"
p"You can see the past and future, so why are you so surprised to find another with similar gifts?"
p"You mean you can heal!"
p"That and other things as well," Lia replied, mysteriously. Hitomi frowned again.
p"If you wanted to hide it, then why tell me?"
p"Mages know when they can trust other mages," Lia said knowingly.
p"Mages, what's that supposed to mean?" Hitomi asked in an overwhelmed voice. Lia sighed.
p"This is how it happened for me. Four years ago I met a man in the village. He invited me to his home and showed me what I could do if only I had the training. I snuck off the farm every second I could to go to him. Mage-craft fascinated me. To make a long story short, I found it to be my calling, so to speak. Do you know what the crystal on this pendant represents?" Hitomi shook her head quietly.
p"This is called a Mage-crystal. It is the mark of a fully trained Master Mage. These days almost no one remembers what it means."
p"Then why hide it? I didn't have to hide my powers."
p"And that caused havoc. I realized that not only was the irrational fear of people dangerous, but the ambition. Those who can see past their fear often see the possibilities that lie in controlling the power I hold." Lia looked away sadly.
p"How did you find out about me then?" Hitomi found Lia's knowledge unnerving.
p"The day we left for the city we spoke shortly. You went into a state of shock for a few minutes. Being able to come back from a shocked state like that without being hurt means you must have had a vision."
p"I did…"
p"And?"
p"Well…" What if she gets mad at me? Or worse, decides to bewitch me? Hitomi cringed at the possibilities.
p"Hitomi, I can help you learn how to use your powers to their full extent, but not if you don't trust me. I already know the vision had something to do with me and the past."
p"How? Can you read my mind, too?"
p"No, if I could I'd know exactly what you saw. I tried to snap you out of shock but I caught a small flash of your thoughts instead. That's how I knew for sure that you were having a vision."
p"Oh."
p"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Lia said quietly, realizing this must be a bit overwhelming for a young foreigner. Hitomi looked up, than smiled.
p"Thank you, I'll go now."
p"Alright…See you tomorrow."
p
pThe lights from the various tents went out one by one, but a single soul had found sleep to be impossible. Van paced through the trees, unaware and unconcerned as to where he was going. He only knew that he needed some time alone. So much had happened in such a short time, that it seemed as if they had gone back to the war two years ago. He felt the need to return home to Fanelia so strongly that he wondered if something was wrong there. Were the events of two years ago returning to haunt them all? If so, would they be able to stop their new enemy before it was to late? Van reached the edge of the cliff they were camped on. He pulled off his shirt and allowed his feathery white wings to emerge. Flying always calmed him down. He circled the sleeping camp until his wings began to feel heavy. Landing quietly he retrieved his shirt from the tree he had hidden it in and started to walk back to camp. As he approached, he saw Hitomi huddled by the dying embers of the fire. She looked up startled when she heard him, then smiled softly. "Couldn't sleep either?" Van grinned; Hitomi always seemed to understand him.
p"No, I couldn't."
p"Worried about something?" she asked. Van's face fell.
p"I just feel like we should be back in Fanelia by now. I can't shake the feeling that something's wrong, and I'm ignoring my obligation to be there…"
p
pThe next morning, Hitomi had a talk with Allen about returning home. It seemed he had a similar idea. Now she would just have to try to convince the Lavians to come help them. The four slayer boys agreed, anything to get out of the clutches of Aloran and his minions, though Aethan wanted to stop at his home on the way and Jeris seemed up for it. Now she just had to talk to Lia.
p
pHitomi found her packing her tent and supplies. Lia looked up as she approached. "I heard you guys were leaving for Fanelia today," Lia started out. Hitomi looked at her.
p"We are… and I was wondering if you'd join us," Hitomi said, hope in her voice. Lia smiled.
p"I'd be honored. I've always wanted to see Fanelia."
p"Great! See you on the Crusade!" Hitomi walked away. Soon, she reassured herself, soon they'd be in Fanelia.
p
pThe levy-ship descended in the pure country breeze near a small farm around mid-day. From the air, it looked peaceful and quaint enough, but once they had landed, they saw that the farmhouse had been burnt out. Aethan, hysterical and in tears ran inside, searching for any clue that could tell him what had happened to his family. Van and Hitomi began searching through the charred remains of the barn. Hitomi saw a shadow from behind her and turned, shrieking. Hearing her, Van leapt to his feet, sword drawn, and raced across the burnt floor. As he approached he saw a small girl about Merle's age holding an old hunting knife to Hitomi's throat. She was small, with dark hair and eyes that reminded Hitomi of a stormy tropical sea. Even with her size, she looked determined enough to harm them. "Let go of her!" he yelled. The girl turned and glared at him.
p"What do you want here? We have nothing for you to take, so go away!"
p"We're looking for the family of a friend of ours. Now let her go!" Van glared at her, madness in his eyes. The girl lowered her dagger a bit.
p"You're not bandits?" she said in a slightly relived tone. Van sighed and lowered his sword. No need to scquewer the girl for that.
p"Now will you let her go?" he asked patiently. The girl lowered her dagger all the way and allowed Hitomi to stand up. As Van approached the two, he heard a loud noise. Aethan ran through the door and pulled the girl into a tight hug. Van and Hitomi looked at each other and winced.
p"Aletta! You're ok!" relief flooded Aethan's features.
p"I was until you started squeezing the life out of me," muttered the girl named Aletta.
p"Wait a minute…" A voice sounded from the door. "You never told us you were a…" Lia's voice was cut off by Aethan's glare.
p"Let's go outside," suggested Aletta.
p
pOnce outside, Aethan let go of his sister and dragged Lia into a more concealed area. "Ow, what was that for?" she whispered. Aethan was still glaring at her.
p"You don't have to spread your findings to the world you know," Aethan hissed. Lia rubbed her sore shoulder.
p"Well, you could have told me you were draconian," she mumbled.
p"Just because Aletta's name means 'Winged One' doesn't mean we're draconian," he said indignantly. Lia grinned.
p"Nice try, I already knew," she taunted. Aethan sighed.
p"Damn you mages and your powers," he grumbled. Lia looked startled, then smirked.
p"You were the one eavesdropping on my little conversation with Hitomi. I'm not that much of an idiot you know…" She grinned dangerously at him. Aethan took a step back.
p"Well, so I was… I'm going to live… right?" Lia just glared.
p"For now," she said haughtily, and stalked out of their hiding place.
p
pVan and Hitomi were sitting on a half burnt bench listening to Aletta's story.
"Last week a group of bandits came through and killed everyone. They burned everything and stole the livestock. I was at the neighbors farm when it happened else I would have been killed to." Aethan and Lia had heard the last part.
p"So mother and father are…"
p"Sorry Aethan, they're dead." Aletta let a few glistening tears fall to the still warm earth. Hitomi bowed her head. Van stood and looked at Aletta.
p"I'm sorry for your loss. If you want you can join us, we're headed for Fanelia." Aletta's face brightened as much as a saddened child's face could.
p"You mean where dragons guard the land? That Fanelia?" she asked, with a glimmer of hope chiming in her dead voice. Van smiled.
p"Yes, my home."
p"You mean I can come? Of course I'll join you!" Aethan grinned at his sister. He had expected that reaction. Ever since she was little, Aletta had been obsessed with dragons. Of all the places in Gaea the only places that had ever interested her were the Drian Isle, realm of the true- dragons, and Fanelia, the country guarded by land-dragons. She had been so obsessed that Aethan had nicknamed her Aletta Ryo Alma, Aletta Dragon Soul. She had immediately taken that name as her own. Now Aletta would finally get part of her wish fulfilled.
p
pWith their new recruit in tow, the crew of the Crusade set sail for the mainland. Jeris had recovered completely by the time they reached Palas. As they left the Crusade for a night, he couldn't help but notice that both Lia and Aletta were staring goggle-eyed at the bustling market place. Farm girls, he thought, and sighed.
p
pMillerna and Dryden led the group through the busy market place to the castle. Once there they were led to separate rooms by some of the servants. Aletta, after being shown where her room was, escaped to explore the palace. Having an insanely good sense of direction, she managed not to get lost. She carefully made her way down to the kitchen only to find her brother had beaten her.
p"Hey sis, get lost?" he asked.
p"No, the servant took forever about showing me where my room was and then insisted on knowing if I wanted anything." Aletta grinned. "You did leave some for me didn't you?" Aethan looked towards the basket of fruit beside him. On top were strawberries, his favorite. He slipped them into a napkin and then handed the bowl to his sister. She gave him a questioning look, then picked up one of the oranges.
p
pLia's late-night exploration took her into the elaborate castle gardens. From the balcony she could see hundreds of small walled grounds decked out with flowers of all kinds. Her favorite, she decided, was a tiny garden filled with tiny white roses and small purple flowers she had never seen before in her life. It was there that Jeris found her.
p
pHe had been looking for the chance to speak with her alone since he had been strong enough to walk, but every time he tried either Aletta or Hitomi walked in. Lia saw him and smiled in that quiet, despairing, yet hopeful way of hers. Her smile, it was one of his favorite things about her. She always looked so timeless, but still adorable with that small grin of hers. (Jeris, enough sappiness! Jeris: "Live with it") Jeris walked towards the bench she was sitting on and sat down on the edge. Lia looked up, a little confused, and then slid closer to rest her head on his shoulder. "Hi," he said, "Um, Lia? Can I talk to you?" Lia looked curiously at him.
p"About what?" Jeris grinned shyly at her.
p"You remember the day I left? You know, three months ago?"
p"Yeah, why?"
p"You remember what I asked you?" Lia sighed.
p"Yeah…" she answered. Jeris looked down, and gritted his teeth.
p"Well… I meant what I said. I want to marry you." (Jeris, *sighs* great job buddy) Lia sighed yet again.
p"Jeris, you know I feel the same way, but now… now things are a little more complicated." Jeris was the one with the confused look now.
p"What do you mean? We've always been together, ever since I met you…"
p"Jeris, before, the only real problem with this was the difference in our social classes, but now… unless one of your older brothers turns up alive your going to be king."
p"So, why should that make a difference? We've always said 'screw the class system'. That was one of the reasons that I… that I love you so much Lia! We think the same. We're meant for each other, so who cares what everyone else says!" Lia looked at him with sad, tired eyes.
p"Jeris, think about it. The king of Lavia can't go marrying some farm girl on a whim. If it were any consolation, were this possible, I'd say yes." Jeris gripped Lia's arms tightly.
p"Lia, I don't want to lose you…" he said, panic rising in his voice. Lia leaned into his embrace, smiling against his chest with tears in her eyes.
p"I feel the same, but if you were crowned the best I could ever be is your mistress, and I won't sink to that level. Don't worry," she smiled at him, brushing his scruffy hair from his face. "We've always had each other. This thing that we have is never going to end. I know you better than anyone… and I just know we'll get through this, somehow…" Jeris gently tilted her chin up.
p"I couldn't ask you to do that for me. I could never do that to someone I love. At least we'll be together until this is resolved." He leaned closer until his lips touched Lia's. She pulled away; her eyes screwed shut, and collapsed on the cold stones. Tears streamed down her face. "Lia, what's wrong?" The hopelessness of their relationship had finally taken hold of her "Don't cry. We'll get through this, we always have. Lia just shuttered sobbing quietly against his warmth.
p"It's… It's just not fair!" she cried. "How come everyone I love is so far away?"
p"Don't talk like that," Jeris said, embracing her more fiercely. It scared him to see her like this. "I'll take care of it, don't worry… shhhh," he cooed, rocking her back and forth.
p"Woo Hoo!!! Go Jeris!!!" A voice sounded from across the garden. The two lovers looked up to see Yaren, Aethan and Aletta sitting atop one of the hedges. Yaren was yelling at the top of his lungs while Aethan and his sister shared a bowl of fruit between them. (Ah… the powers of the authoress. Hehe.) Jeris and Lia blushed as red as one of the strawberries in Aethan's hand.
p"Woo Jeris I never knew you had it in you!" yelled Aethan, popping another strawberry into his mouth. Jeris, still blushing slightly, frowned and pulled Lia back into his arms.
p"Well then…" He pulled Lia into a more passionate kiss. Lia pulled away and smacked him playfully. Jeris cocked his head, confused. Lia sighed,
p"Well, we might as well give them something to spread around…" She kissed him back, just as deeply. Yaren, Aletta and Aethan were howling at the top of their lungs, and when things began to get a little more than PG, they broke off. Lia winked. "Let's go inside, these characters are ruining the atmosphere." They left arm in arm with their audiences' laughter following them.
p
pVan heard the bouts of raucous laughter from the garden and followed the noise. In a small walled garden he found Yaren, Aethan and Aletta on the ground howling with mirth. When they saw Van they stopped abruptly, blushing in embarrassment. "What happened here?" asked Van. Yaren broke out in helpless gasping giggles all over again. Aethan, who was a little calmer, tried to explain.
p"Well, we were eavesdropping on Lia and Jeris, and the conversation got a little too sentimental for our taste, so we climbed up on the hedges and cheered them on." Aethan broke out laughing with that last comment.
p"You really should have seen them, they played along like it was no big deal," giggled Aletta. "Did you know they're betrothed?" Van looked confused.
p"Err… no."
p"Well they are, and it looks like it's getting a bit complicated." Aletta was still giggling, but the happiness was a little quieter now. Van sighed,
p"You better get inside, it'll be dark soon." He turned and walked back into the castle, shaking his head.
p
pDuring this, amusing fiasco, preparations were being made to bring Van and the rest back to Fanelia as quickly as possible. Allen had agreed, after a bit of tactfully supplied pressure, to fly them there on the Crusade. His sister, Celena, would stay at the palace until he returned. Allen was a little reluctant. Even though the flight to Fanelia would take less than a day, he still didn't like leaving his sister. (Jade's (my editor) note: separation anxiety eh() Once Van and the others had been brought home, Austuria would begin sweeping the countryside for any signs of the rebels who had destroyed Lavia. In Fanelia, Van would organize a similar search. It was agreed that, if possible, the rebels should be found and taken into custody before the situation escalated.
p
pEarly the next morning, the Crusade left for Fanelia. Millerna, Dryden and Celena saw them off as they flew over the cliffs surrounding the city of Palas. Lia and Aletta couldn't tear their faces away from the broad windows. Neither had ever been to the mainland before. Jeris just watched them with a small grin on his face. He remembered going to Fanelia when he was very young to visit his aunt, Varie. Some of his favorite memories were of the pranks he and Van had played on Folken, Van's brother. He remembered flying with his two cousins over the Fanelian Mountains for as long as they could without being caught. Varie had always been a strict, but caring mother. Jeris had spoken little to Van since they had met again. His younger cousin was often busy with something or another. (By the way, if you haven't caught on yet… Jeris is nineteen, not seventeen) Ah well, he thought, when we get to Fanelia we can get this whole thing sorted out. He looked up when he heard Aletta exclaim with joy as they reached the Fanelian border. Soon, hopefully soon, this would all by resolved.
p
pAuthor's note: Like? Well keep reading if you do! Yet again I seem to need to publicize the fact that Crusade is the name of Allen's levy-ship(. That and a disclaimer… I do not… I repeat, DO NOT own Escaflowne or any of the pre made characters!!!! My new characters are mine though!! Now one may have them without my express permition and their consent. (I don't run a slave circus here () I do not own any of the original Esca characters… I blatantly stole them for my story from who ever owns the copyright to the show. Thank you… I'm done ranting now! See ya!!!
p
pAuthor's Note: zzzzzzzz. What? Huh? Oh sowy, I must have dosed off ^_^; Oh well, have fun reading -_^
p
p"Target sighted dead ahead!" yelled Redeen, one of Allen's men.
p"Good, approach carefully. Don't give us away. Kio, take us in." Gaddes had control of the bridge for now, while the majority of the crew, Allen, and Van prepared for docking. They had all agreed that it would be to dangerous to let Dalandilu go along, so he had locked himself in his room with a bottle of wine and a set of matches he'd swiped from Hitomi. (I hope they fireproofed his room!) Miguel, their new recruit, had also been ordered to stay behind. Instead of sulking, he had helped by drawing a detailed map to the fortress for them to use, and helped to plan the invasion. Most of the crew had been cautious of Miguel at first, until they noticed how insanely devoted he was to Dalandilu. Miguel had also been receiving messages from a friend within the fortress. Aethan had given him detailed information on guard shifts, when he and his close friends were on and off duty, and anything else that might come in handy. They had arranged to meet Aethan, Yaren, Owean, and Mandan half way with the captives and take them the rest of the way. They had been warned that Jeris, Lia's friend, was injured and couldn't walk far. Lia and Merle themselves seemed to be fine. The letters had also warned that the fortress' commanding officer wouldn't tolerate intrusion. At this point, the plan was set. In fifteen minutes, they arrived.
p
pThe four dragon slayers reached the holding cell right on time. They had ten minutes to get the captives to the scheduled point. Aethan shook both Lia and Merle awake while Mandan, being the strongest of the four, helped Jeris to his feet. They raced along the deserted, dimly lit hallways, taking care to avoid being seen.
p
pDim-witted boys, they'll pay for betraying me. Aloran watched the small group on the screen in front of him. They'll never leave this fortress alive!
p
pYaren could see the docking bay in front of them. They were almost safe. Suddenly the door rushed closed. Damn! Yaren scanned the celing carefully. Above them was a small air vent.
p"Mandan! Can you give me a boost?" Mandan handed Jeris over to Aethan and Owean. He braced himself as Yaren stepped carefully into his out stretched hands. With the added height, Yaren grabbed onto a rafter and pulled himself up. From his jacket he retrieved a set of helpful tools. Carefully unscrewing the vent, he stuck his arm up far enough to feel the air current. "The air's to strong! Can't get through that way!" As he jumped down Yaren heard a loud noise from the other side of the door. Three crima-claws burst through, merged and tore the door apart. (A crima- claw is one of the liquid metal things the Zaibach gymelefs use as weapons) On the other side of the door stood Jeris' black gymelef. Yaren glanced back at him. Jeris was grinning insanely at the group. Yaren shrugged and led them through the door. Hey, whatever works, he thought.
p"Jeris, can you pilot that thing in your condition?" asked Mandan.
pJeris snorted a haughty laugh. "Of course!" he said, then promptly collapsed into a fit of coughing. Lia rolled her eyes in disgust and amusement at his display of macho manliness. Mandan helped Jeris up into his gymelef. Yaren and Owean ran for their own gymelefs. Aethan helped Lia and Merle onto Jeris and Yaren's gymelefs and then ran for his own.
p
pReeden watched the fortress from the hidden Crusade. (The Crusade is the name of Allen's levy-ship.) The docking bay doors exploded. "Commander! Docking bay doors open!" That was the signal.
"Dive and prepare for docking!" yelled Allen.
p
pThe Crusade's sudden appearance caused a slight panic on the floating fortress. Aloran swore. This was not what he'd planned. "Fire at will!" he hissed over the intercom to his troops.
p
pA volley of torpedo like crima-claws sped toward the descending ship. This was Van's cue. This would be easier on Escaflowne, he thought. Tearing off his shirt, he sprouted wings and dove off the Crusade's deck. Once he reached the docking bay he was to lead the four slayers and the captives, in their gymelefs away from the distraction caused by the Crusade.
p
pAloran grinned when he saw the small white shape descending from the levy-ship. "Target shape 10 meters below the ship!"
"Aye, sir!"
p
pVan dodged the cascade of torpedoes that sped toward him. He shouldn't have been seen yet! Van flew faster towards the large doors. He could see the five waiting gymelefs.
p
pMerle spotted the winged shape and waved at Van. Lia glanced up, worry written all over her face. Aloran shouldn't have seen him yet. "Jeris, we have to move! Van's a sitting duck out there!"
p"We can't yet! If we're seen then he might call the other slayers out on us!" yelled Yaren.
p"Too late!" Owean was hurriedly trying to block the inner door.
p"We have to go!" yelled Lia.
p"Stand back Owean!" Mandan's gymelef held a large square piece of metal in its hand. Owean moved back and allowed Mandan to place the metal over the door. "Lia's right, let's go!" The Alsedis gymelefs changed to flight mode as Van flew through the open docking bay door in front of them.
p"Good timing!" yelled Aethan.
p
pThe attack on the Crusade was getting more and more accurate. "Kio! Pull up! Pull up!" yelled Gaddes desperately. The primary plan was failing miserably, and it was now up to Van to get the captives safely away.
p
pAloran watched the levy-ship's retreat. Now to take care of the miscreants in the docking bay. Aloran gritted his teeth in frustration. The inner door to the docking bay was blocked. It looked like the rebel scum might get away this time. (Who you calling rebel scum Aloran?)
p
pVan led the five gymelefs away from the fortress. Aloran hadn't seemed to notice the escapees as of yet. The cliffs surrounding them rose as Van's group approached. Veering left, Van led them through a thin crevice in the rocks, just big enough for the gymelefs to follow single file. They landed in the woods.
p
p"Rescue mission complete! Fall back!" yelled Allen. The Crusade turned in mid air and sped off.
p
p"General! Permission to follow!" yelled one of the Zaibach soldiers.
p"Permission declined, this ship can't match their speed," replied Aloran.
p"Sir, they're getting away!"
p"Then track them! I'll be in my chambers." Aloran walked away disgusted. Losing six of his best soldiers within two days had really hurt his pride.
p
pThe Crusade met Van and the gymelefs in their clearing deep in the Lavian woods. Millerna, seeing Jeris' wounds, had two of Allen's men take him to the closest thing they had to a sick room. Hitomi followed Merle and Lia to the nearest fire. "Lia, I think we have a right to know what's going on here," she said. Van sat down next to her with at quizzical look on his face. Lia sighed, staring at the dancing flames that could never seem to warm her heart.
p"It's a long story," she replied curtly.
p"We have time," Hitomi coaxed.
p"Alright, now where to begin…"
p"Lavia was founded over four hundred years ago by a small group of draconians who wished for a refuge for their kind. Back then, this land was said to be inhabited by huge creatures, dragons. These true-dragons, as they were called, were not like the usual ones seen on the mainland. They were intelligent, with their own traditions and language, and culture really. But even with the wisdom the race possessed, they were dying. They had come from another world to this one to escape a plague, but most of thoughs who had escaped were old and there had been few births in the new world. The leader of the draconians made a pact with the true-dragons, that creatures would be protected on these islands. In return, the true- dragons granted the draconians and their descendents the larger island of Lavia. Being few in number, the true-dragons retreated to one of the smaller islands, the Drian isle. (Dria meaning Dragon in their language.) With their dwindling power they shrouded the island in mist so that none but the descendents of the draconians, who had been now named the Dragon Clan because of this treaty, could enter. For hundreds of years the country of Lavia thrived. The Dragon family branched out into smaller clans. One of these, the Drian Clan, became the ruling clan of Lavia. From among the branched out draconian clan came a second powerful kin- group, the Phoenix Clan. These two clans lived in peace, helping each other and the many refugee draconians from the mainland… until eleven years ago, when the friendship turned into bitterness. The new leader of the phoenix clan, Asgaurd, became jealous of the dragon king and plotted to over through him. Under his anonymous influence, much of the population turned against the king as well. He told them lies, like the king was planning to wipe out the humans living in Lavia and make it a place where only draconians could live. In that year, Asgaurd attacked the royal family, assassinating the entire clan publicly. He seemed to have a sick desire to demonstrate his absolute power in the most savage ways. Since then, Lavia hasn't prospered as well as it used to. The fall harvests, for one, haven't been as good, and most of the cities have been in a constant state of martial law. With the army stretched thin throughout the island, it's no wonder Aloran managed to step in and take the capital. The Lavian army couldn't have reached it in time with a strong enough force to counter the siege. Now all that's left here are power-hungry Zaibach minions, a few pathetic bands of hopeless rebels, and a whole lot of lost culture. Well, that's pretty much all I know of the history of Lavia." Lia broke off her story abruptly, stood up, and walked towards her tent. The small black kitten ran towards her. Lia crouched and picked it up. Settling the kitten on her shoulder she turned and smiled sadly at the group behind her. Looks like I've made some friends after all.
p*Of course you have.* To Lia, the meowing most people heard from her kitten sounded like talking.
p*I know I know Amana, it's strange though, I've never had any real friends.*
p*That's because you've never met anyone as strange as your self*
p*Oh shut up!* Lia could have sworn the cat was smirking through its whispers.
p
pVan had been thoroughly shocked by the story, mostly because his own mother had been part of the Phoenix clan. He lay back on the grass. Thank God she wasn't there when it happened, he thought. He heard someone move nearby. Sitting up, he saw Hitomi making her way over to Lia's tent. He was so glad Hitomi had come back. He'd missed her. Even though they could have communicated telepathically, it wasn't the same as being together.
p
pHitomi pulled back the canvas flap that made up Lia's tent door. The kitten looked up, and then bounded over to her. Hitomi picked up the little black ball of fluff and stepped inside. Lia looked up, surprised. "Lia, can I talk to you?" Lia looked a little confused.
p"Sure. What about?"
p"Um, have you told us everything?" Lia looked even more confused.
p"What do you mean?"
p"Are you keeping something from us?" Hitomi ventured timidly. Lia turned away.
p"Everyone has their secrets, Hitomi. You of all people should know that." Hitomi did a double take.
p"What's that supposed to mean?" Hitomi asked, unsure. Lia smiled sadly.
p"You have your secrets to protect. So do I. A gift isn't always accepted and sometimes it's used against you. You're only safe if you hide it." Hitomi frowned.
p"Look, I saw you heal those blisters on the way to Port Orian. Millerna told me that with the kind of wounds Jeris had, he should have been unconscious for days. Just tell me, can you heal or not?"
p"You can see the past and future, so why are you so surprised to find another with similar gifts?"
p"You mean you can heal!"
p"That and other things as well," Lia replied, mysteriously. Hitomi frowned again.
p"If you wanted to hide it, then why tell me?"
p"Mages know when they can trust other mages," Lia said knowingly.
p"Mages, what's that supposed to mean?" Hitomi asked in an overwhelmed voice. Lia sighed.
p"This is how it happened for me. Four years ago I met a man in the village. He invited me to his home and showed me what I could do if only I had the training. I snuck off the farm every second I could to go to him. Mage-craft fascinated me. To make a long story short, I found it to be my calling, so to speak. Do you know what the crystal on this pendant represents?" Hitomi shook her head quietly.
p"This is called a Mage-crystal. It is the mark of a fully trained Master Mage. These days almost no one remembers what it means."
p"Then why hide it? I didn't have to hide my powers."
p"And that caused havoc. I realized that not only was the irrational fear of people dangerous, but the ambition. Those who can see past their fear often see the possibilities that lie in controlling the power I hold." Lia looked away sadly.
p"How did you find out about me then?" Hitomi found Lia's knowledge unnerving.
p"The day we left for the city we spoke shortly. You went into a state of shock for a few minutes. Being able to come back from a shocked state like that without being hurt means you must have had a vision."
p"I did…"
p"And?"
p"Well…" What if she gets mad at me? Or worse, decides to bewitch me? Hitomi cringed at the possibilities.
p"Hitomi, I can help you learn how to use your powers to their full extent, but not if you don't trust me. I already know the vision had something to do with me and the past."
p"How? Can you read my mind, too?"
p"No, if I could I'd know exactly what you saw. I tried to snap you out of shock but I caught a small flash of your thoughts instead. That's how I knew for sure that you were having a vision."
p"Oh."
p"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Lia said quietly, realizing this must be a bit overwhelming for a young foreigner. Hitomi looked up, than smiled.
p"Thank you, I'll go now."
p"Alright…See you tomorrow."
p
pThe lights from the various tents went out one by one, but a single soul had found sleep to be impossible. Van paced through the trees, unaware and unconcerned as to where he was going. He only knew that he needed some time alone. So much had happened in such a short time, that it seemed as if they had gone back to the war two years ago. He felt the need to return home to Fanelia so strongly that he wondered if something was wrong there. Were the events of two years ago returning to haunt them all? If so, would they be able to stop their new enemy before it was to late? Van reached the edge of the cliff they were camped on. He pulled off his shirt and allowed his feathery white wings to emerge. Flying always calmed him down. He circled the sleeping camp until his wings began to feel heavy. Landing quietly he retrieved his shirt from the tree he had hidden it in and started to walk back to camp. As he approached, he saw Hitomi huddled by the dying embers of the fire. She looked up startled when she heard him, then smiled softly. "Couldn't sleep either?" Van grinned; Hitomi always seemed to understand him.
p"No, I couldn't."
p"Worried about something?" she asked. Van's face fell.
p"I just feel like we should be back in Fanelia by now. I can't shake the feeling that something's wrong, and I'm ignoring my obligation to be there…"
p
pThe next morning, Hitomi had a talk with Allen about returning home. It seemed he had a similar idea. Now she would just have to try to convince the Lavians to come help them. The four slayer boys agreed, anything to get out of the clutches of Aloran and his minions, though Aethan wanted to stop at his home on the way and Jeris seemed up for it. Now she just had to talk to Lia.
p
pHitomi found her packing her tent and supplies. Lia looked up as she approached. "I heard you guys were leaving for Fanelia today," Lia started out. Hitomi looked at her.
p"We are… and I was wondering if you'd join us," Hitomi said, hope in her voice. Lia smiled.
p"I'd be honored. I've always wanted to see Fanelia."
p"Great! See you on the Crusade!" Hitomi walked away. Soon, she reassured herself, soon they'd be in Fanelia.
p
pThe levy-ship descended in the pure country breeze near a small farm around mid-day. From the air, it looked peaceful and quaint enough, but once they had landed, they saw that the farmhouse had been burnt out. Aethan, hysterical and in tears ran inside, searching for any clue that could tell him what had happened to his family. Van and Hitomi began searching through the charred remains of the barn. Hitomi saw a shadow from behind her and turned, shrieking. Hearing her, Van leapt to his feet, sword drawn, and raced across the burnt floor. As he approached he saw a small girl about Merle's age holding an old hunting knife to Hitomi's throat. She was small, with dark hair and eyes that reminded Hitomi of a stormy tropical sea. Even with her size, she looked determined enough to harm them. "Let go of her!" he yelled. The girl turned and glared at him.
p"What do you want here? We have nothing for you to take, so go away!"
p"We're looking for the family of a friend of ours. Now let her go!" Van glared at her, madness in his eyes. The girl lowered her dagger a bit.
p"You're not bandits?" she said in a slightly relived tone. Van sighed and lowered his sword. No need to scquewer the girl for that.
p"Now will you let her go?" he asked patiently. The girl lowered her dagger all the way and allowed Hitomi to stand up. As Van approached the two, he heard a loud noise. Aethan ran through the door and pulled the girl into a tight hug. Van and Hitomi looked at each other and winced.
p"Aletta! You're ok!" relief flooded Aethan's features.
p"I was until you started squeezing the life out of me," muttered the girl named Aletta.
p"Wait a minute…" A voice sounded from the door. "You never told us you were a…" Lia's voice was cut off by Aethan's glare.
p"Let's go outside," suggested Aletta.
p
pOnce outside, Aethan let go of his sister and dragged Lia into a more concealed area. "Ow, what was that for?" she whispered. Aethan was still glaring at her.
p"You don't have to spread your findings to the world you know," Aethan hissed. Lia rubbed her sore shoulder.
p"Well, you could have told me you were draconian," she mumbled.
p"Just because Aletta's name means 'Winged One' doesn't mean we're draconian," he said indignantly. Lia grinned.
p"Nice try, I already knew," she taunted. Aethan sighed.
p"Damn you mages and your powers," he grumbled. Lia looked startled, then smirked.
p"You were the one eavesdropping on my little conversation with Hitomi. I'm not that much of an idiot you know…" She grinned dangerously at him. Aethan took a step back.
p"Well, so I was… I'm going to live… right?" Lia just glared.
p"For now," she said haughtily, and stalked out of their hiding place.
p
pVan and Hitomi were sitting on a half burnt bench listening to Aletta's story.
"Last week a group of bandits came through and killed everyone. They burned everything and stole the livestock. I was at the neighbors farm when it happened else I would have been killed to." Aethan and Lia had heard the last part.
p"So mother and father are…"
p"Sorry Aethan, they're dead." Aletta let a few glistening tears fall to the still warm earth. Hitomi bowed her head. Van stood and looked at Aletta.
p"I'm sorry for your loss. If you want you can join us, we're headed for Fanelia." Aletta's face brightened as much as a saddened child's face could.
p"You mean where dragons guard the land? That Fanelia?" she asked, with a glimmer of hope chiming in her dead voice. Van smiled.
p"Yes, my home."
p"You mean I can come? Of course I'll join you!" Aethan grinned at his sister. He had expected that reaction. Ever since she was little, Aletta had been obsessed with dragons. Of all the places in Gaea the only places that had ever interested her were the Drian Isle, realm of the true- dragons, and Fanelia, the country guarded by land-dragons. She had been so obsessed that Aethan had nicknamed her Aletta Ryo Alma, Aletta Dragon Soul. She had immediately taken that name as her own. Now Aletta would finally get part of her wish fulfilled.
p
pWith their new recruit in tow, the crew of the Crusade set sail for the mainland. Jeris had recovered completely by the time they reached Palas. As they left the Crusade for a night, he couldn't help but notice that both Lia and Aletta were staring goggle-eyed at the bustling market place. Farm girls, he thought, and sighed.
p
pMillerna and Dryden led the group through the busy market place to the castle. Once there they were led to separate rooms by some of the servants. Aletta, after being shown where her room was, escaped to explore the palace. Having an insanely good sense of direction, she managed not to get lost. She carefully made her way down to the kitchen only to find her brother had beaten her.
p"Hey sis, get lost?" he asked.
p"No, the servant took forever about showing me where my room was and then insisted on knowing if I wanted anything." Aletta grinned. "You did leave some for me didn't you?" Aethan looked towards the basket of fruit beside him. On top were strawberries, his favorite. He slipped them into a napkin and then handed the bowl to his sister. She gave him a questioning look, then picked up one of the oranges.
p
pLia's late-night exploration took her into the elaborate castle gardens. From the balcony she could see hundreds of small walled grounds decked out with flowers of all kinds. Her favorite, she decided, was a tiny garden filled with tiny white roses and small purple flowers she had never seen before in her life. It was there that Jeris found her.
p
pHe had been looking for the chance to speak with her alone since he had been strong enough to walk, but every time he tried either Aletta or Hitomi walked in. Lia saw him and smiled in that quiet, despairing, yet hopeful way of hers. Her smile, it was one of his favorite things about her. She always looked so timeless, but still adorable with that small grin of hers. (Jeris, enough sappiness! Jeris: "Live with it") Jeris walked towards the bench she was sitting on and sat down on the edge. Lia looked up, a little confused, and then slid closer to rest her head on his shoulder. "Hi," he said, "Um, Lia? Can I talk to you?" Lia looked curiously at him.
p"About what?" Jeris grinned shyly at her.
p"You remember the day I left? You know, three months ago?"
p"Yeah, why?"
p"You remember what I asked you?" Lia sighed.
p"Yeah…" she answered. Jeris looked down, and gritted his teeth.
p"Well… I meant what I said. I want to marry you." (Jeris, *sighs* great job buddy) Lia sighed yet again.
p"Jeris, you know I feel the same way, but now… now things are a little more complicated." Jeris was the one with the confused look now.
p"What do you mean? We've always been together, ever since I met you…"
p"Jeris, before, the only real problem with this was the difference in our social classes, but now… unless one of your older brothers turns up alive your going to be king."
p"So, why should that make a difference? We've always said 'screw the class system'. That was one of the reasons that I… that I love you so much Lia! We think the same. We're meant for each other, so who cares what everyone else says!" Lia looked at him with sad, tired eyes.
p"Jeris, think about it. The king of Lavia can't go marrying some farm girl on a whim. If it were any consolation, were this possible, I'd say yes." Jeris gripped Lia's arms tightly.
p"Lia, I don't want to lose you…" he said, panic rising in his voice. Lia leaned into his embrace, smiling against his chest with tears in her eyes.
p"I feel the same, but if you were crowned the best I could ever be is your mistress, and I won't sink to that level. Don't worry," she smiled at him, brushing his scruffy hair from his face. "We've always had each other. This thing that we have is never going to end. I know you better than anyone… and I just know we'll get through this, somehow…" Jeris gently tilted her chin up.
p"I couldn't ask you to do that for me. I could never do that to someone I love. At least we'll be together until this is resolved." He leaned closer until his lips touched Lia's. She pulled away; her eyes screwed shut, and collapsed on the cold stones. Tears streamed down her face. "Lia, what's wrong?" The hopelessness of their relationship had finally taken hold of her "Don't cry. We'll get through this, we always have. Lia just shuttered sobbing quietly against his warmth.
p"It's… It's just not fair!" she cried. "How come everyone I love is so far away?"
p"Don't talk like that," Jeris said, embracing her more fiercely. It scared him to see her like this. "I'll take care of it, don't worry… shhhh," he cooed, rocking her back and forth.
p"Woo Hoo!!! Go Jeris!!!" A voice sounded from across the garden. The two lovers looked up to see Yaren, Aethan and Aletta sitting atop one of the hedges. Yaren was yelling at the top of his lungs while Aethan and his sister shared a bowl of fruit between them. (Ah… the powers of the authoress. Hehe.) Jeris and Lia blushed as red as one of the strawberries in Aethan's hand.
p"Woo Jeris I never knew you had it in you!" yelled Aethan, popping another strawberry into his mouth. Jeris, still blushing slightly, frowned and pulled Lia back into his arms.
p"Well then…" He pulled Lia into a more passionate kiss. Lia pulled away and smacked him playfully. Jeris cocked his head, confused. Lia sighed,
p"Well, we might as well give them something to spread around…" She kissed him back, just as deeply. Yaren, Aletta and Aethan were howling at the top of their lungs, and when things began to get a little more than PG, they broke off. Lia winked. "Let's go inside, these characters are ruining the atmosphere." They left arm in arm with their audiences' laughter following them.
p
pVan heard the bouts of raucous laughter from the garden and followed the noise. In a small walled garden he found Yaren, Aethan and Aletta on the ground howling with mirth. When they saw Van they stopped abruptly, blushing in embarrassment. "What happened here?" asked Van. Yaren broke out in helpless gasping giggles all over again. Aethan, who was a little calmer, tried to explain.
p"Well, we were eavesdropping on Lia and Jeris, and the conversation got a little too sentimental for our taste, so we climbed up on the hedges and cheered them on." Aethan broke out laughing with that last comment.
p"You really should have seen them, they played along like it was no big deal," giggled Aletta. "Did you know they're betrothed?" Van looked confused.
p"Err… no."
p"Well they are, and it looks like it's getting a bit complicated." Aletta was still giggling, but the happiness was a little quieter now. Van sighed,
p"You better get inside, it'll be dark soon." He turned and walked back into the castle, shaking his head.
p
pDuring this, amusing fiasco, preparations were being made to bring Van and the rest back to Fanelia as quickly as possible. Allen had agreed, after a bit of tactfully supplied pressure, to fly them there on the Crusade. His sister, Celena, would stay at the palace until he returned. Allen was a little reluctant. Even though the flight to Fanelia would take less than a day, he still didn't like leaving his sister. (Jade's (my editor) note: separation anxiety eh() Once Van and the others had been brought home, Austuria would begin sweeping the countryside for any signs of the rebels who had destroyed Lavia. In Fanelia, Van would organize a similar search. It was agreed that, if possible, the rebels should be found and taken into custody before the situation escalated.
p
pEarly the next morning, the Crusade left for Fanelia. Millerna, Dryden and Celena saw them off as they flew over the cliffs surrounding the city of Palas. Lia and Aletta couldn't tear their faces away from the broad windows. Neither had ever been to the mainland before. Jeris just watched them with a small grin on his face. He remembered going to Fanelia when he was very young to visit his aunt, Varie. Some of his favorite memories were of the pranks he and Van had played on Folken, Van's brother. He remembered flying with his two cousins over the Fanelian Mountains for as long as they could without being caught. Varie had always been a strict, but caring mother. Jeris had spoken little to Van since they had met again. His younger cousin was often busy with something or another. (By the way, if you haven't caught on yet… Jeris is nineteen, not seventeen) Ah well, he thought, when we get to Fanelia we can get this whole thing sorted out. He looked up when he heard Aletta exclaim with joy as they reached the Fanelian border. Soon, hopefully soon, this would all by resolved.
p
pAuthor's note: Like? Well keep reading if you do! Yet again I seem to need to publicize the fact that Crusade is the name of Allen's levy-ship(. That and a disclaimer… I do not… I repeat, DO NOT own Escaflowne or any of the pre made characters!!!! My new characters are mine though!! Now one may have them without my express permition and their consent. (I don't run a slave circus here () I do not own any of the original Esca characters… I blatantly stole them for my story from who ever owns the copyright to the show. Thank you… I'm done ranting now! See ya!!!