~Sorry that it has taken me so long to post this chapter. I haven't had
much time to type this fanfic lately. I've had a lot of other stories that
I needed to work on as well. Please, enjoy this chapter and review it so
that I know what to work towards for the next chapter. Thanks, Äñîmé Wëñçh
Chapter Four: A Broken Heart for Crazed Man?
"Van, how could you have caught onto my plan? Stupid girl ruined everything!" shouted the silver haired man as he sat on a large piece of granite as he gazed down the hill and over the forest trees to see the flickering lights of Fanelia. "Damn that girl! No one crosses me without being punished for it." A sly smile grew on his face then started to laugh hysterically as his red eyes burned with hatred.
Allen, Van, and Hitomi were in Fanelia's strategy room filled with books and maps. Van was digging through a chest in search for a map of Fanelia that could be used to find Dilandau. Allen sat across from Hitomi in silence and his eyes stayed glued to the wooden floor to avoid her emerald eyes. She didn't notice or really mind his avoidance since she was setting up her cards for no apparent reason. Van pulled out a dusty old map and unrolled it to reveal the country of Fanelia and her forests. He rose to his feet and placed it onto the table where his companions were seated. "This is an old map, but it's the only that shows all of Fanelia and the forests surrounds her. Hitomi, can you find where Dilandau is hiding? If he's gone into the forest of the winged dragons then 'they' could harm Celina as well." Van stated as his face began to some his concern.
"Winged dragons?" Hitomi questioned as she draws a card from the top of her freshly stacked deck of tarot cards. "The ace of serpents, Van, what could it mean? It means courage in the game itself, but the meaning varies at times. I learned that the night before I came to Gaea. I think there won't be any harm going into the forest as long as we're prepared." Allen rose to his feet and nodded.
"Allen, go get Scherazade and I'll retrieve Escaflowne!" Van stated then began to head for the exit, but turned and faced them again. "We'll need our Guymelefs if we plan to survive the dragons inhabiting that area. Hitomi, stay here! I can't risk you getting hurt!" He received a nod from both of them so he left to prep his Guymelef. Allen exited after him to leave Hitomi to her thoughts. She sighed as she started a game to see what would come of this search.
~ * ? * ~
There came a voice from the main hall. "What's this about the marriage possibly being cancelled?" said a guard as he stood outside Van's throne room. He glanced at the other guard who was standing by the opposite door. "Hey! Are you listening to me?"
"Yeah, I heard," the older samurai replied as if he didn't care about it.
"Well, do you know? That strange girl came here with the King and all, you know? She looks like that girl from some years back, doesn't she? She does have a less boyish haircut and all though. Hmm, I wasn't even old enough to be a samurai back then, huh? Man, that was a depressing year," he rambled.
"Yeah."
"You aren't much of a conversationalist, are you?"
"Nope."
"Milo, Kite, what are you two rambling about?" Van questioned as he turned the corner heading for the main exit. "You need to shape up, Milo! You're a samurai now." The samurais nodded. "Keep up the good work, Kite!"
"Yessir!" the elder of the two guards replied.
Van headed out to leave the samurais to their thoughts. The moment of silence was broken when Milo asked, "So, what do you think, huh?" Kite's head fell forward and swayed side to side in disbelief. "What did I say? Come on, Kite! What do you think? Say more than three words!"
"Shut the hell up," Kite ordered as he raised his head to continue his guarding.
"Well, I guess I asked for it. At least you're up to four now!" Milo cheered kind of missing the seriousness in Kite's voice.
"What'd I say?" he growled.
"Sorry, I'll shut up, okay? I was just curious," Milo whined.
"You're still talking," he sighed as he shook his head again.
"Oops! Sorry, I'll be quiet! I'm good at that really!" the youngster stated.
"Then why are you talking?" he growled as he gave the boy a cold glare.
"Up to five now!" Milo grinned.
"This is going to be a long night," Kite groaned.
"Seven!"
"Shut up!" Kite scolded.
Van made his way to Folken's grave where he had left Escaflowne. He approached the large head stone and sighed deeply as he thought about what all had happened five years ago. All was changing again now that Hitomi was back. "Dilandau, you will release Celina, I swear!" A rustle came from the bushes so he turned to face whatever was causing the disturbance. "Who's out there?!" Merle poked her out from the brush then came completely out of hiding. "Merle, what are you doing here?"
"I want to help, Lord Van!" she stated. Van shook his head from side to side signifying no. "But, Lord Van, I can help you guys!" She stood her ground, but led to no prevail. "I know you don't love me as much as you do Hitomi, but do you have to depend on her like that! I've been there by your side, Van, for as long as I want to remember. Please don't leave me out!"
"Merle, it's too dangerous! Besides it'll be just me and Allen going into the forest. You just stay here and watch over Hitomi until we return with Dilandau, okay?" he replied then approached Escaflowne and pulled his Drag-energist from under his cape. It began to glow as he placed it into the heart of Escaflowne. "Merle, I'll return with Dilandau safely, don't worry." Escaflowne opened up and the Fanelian king hoppedin and was off to meet Scherazade at the edge of the dragons' forest. It transformed into its dragon form and flew into the night.
"Hitomi's hasn't been here a day and everything is already falling apart," Merle sighed as the cool breeze sent a chill down her spine. "Be careful, Van. Come back to me safely, okay?" She gazed at the stars and the Mystic Moon then she finally starts off for the castle as Van had ordered.
Hitomi is standing on the balcony overlooking the dragon's forest. She sighs deeply as she crosses her arms and placed them onto the railing. "Oh Van, be careful out there. I have a bad feeling about all this," she mumbles as she rests her chin on her arms. The sound of footsteps sounded from behind so she turned to see it was Merle. "Merle, what is it? Come to scold me or something?" The cat woman shook her head and ignored the girl's comment. "What?"
"Van and Allen just went off for the forest. He asked me to keep you occupied while they were gone, you see?" she replied then started to grow even more serious. "You're lucky Hitomi and I won't step between you and Van! Just don't leave him again, okay? I can't stand to see Van sad!" *Boy, isn't she starting to sound like Naria?*
"Okay, Merle. I won't be leaving again unless I'm forced to. Even then I'll be putting up a fight and do everything to stay here," she replied and received a nod of approval from the cat. "So what are we going to do while Van and Allen are gone?" Merle waved for her to follow then turned and walked off the balcony. "Where are we going?"
"The future queen of Fanelia can't be seen in such clothes for a wedding, come on! We're going to get you a proper wedding gown and some other things," she replied. Hitomi smiled brilliantly and followed the cat out of the castle to the market.
Scherazade and Escaflowne had begun their search for Dilandau within the forest. "Van, where do we even begin to look? Maybe we should split up and look!" the knight shouted towards the white Guymelef.
"No, we have to stick together! The dragons that inhabit these woods aren't like earth dragons! We'll find him so don't worry about it, okay? We'll find Celina!" Van replied as he continued to walk Escaflowne up the steep hill. "Over this hill we'll be able to see the Valley of Dragons!"
"Why is it called that?" Allen questioned seeming worried.
"The valley used to be a breeding ground for the winged dragons! Now that the dragons are sparse, it is rare to even see anything out there, but Dilandau might be!" he replied as they neared the top of the hill. Van and Allen gazed upon the valley in awe. "The dragons are all here! I didn't even know there was this many in the forest! There has to be hundreds here alone!"
"This isn't good, Van! Celina might be out there!" Allen shouted as he started to run down the hill in his mighty grey Guymelef. "Dilandau, where are you?" Van followed after him so that he wouldn't have to fight the dragons alone if it came to that.
"Allen, prepare to fight for your life!" Van shouted as the neared the bottom to the hill and nearer to the mass of winged dragons awaiting them.
Chapter Four: A Broken Heart for Crazed Man?
"Van, how could you have caught onto my plan? Stupid girl ruined everything!" shouted the silver haired man as he sat on a large piece of granite as he gazed down the hill and over the forest trees to see the flickering lights of Fanelia. "Damn that girl! No one crosses me without being punished for it." A sly smile grew on his face then started to laugh hysterically as his red eyes burned with hatred.
Allen, Van, and Hitomi were in Fanelia's strategy room filled with books and maps. Van was digging through a chest in search for a map of Fanelia that could be used to find Dilandau. Allen sat across from Hitomi in silence and his eyes stayed glued to the wooden floor to avoid her emerald eyes. She didn't notice or really mind his avoidance since she was setting up her cards for no apparent reason. Van pulled out a dusty old map and unrolled it to reveal the country of Fanelia and her forests. He rose to his feet and placed it onto the table where his companions were seated. "This is an old map, but it's the only that shows all of Fanelia and the forests surrounds her. Hitomi, can you find where Dilandau is hiding? If he's gone into the forest of the winged dragons then 'they' could harm Celina as well." Van stated as his face began to some his concern.
"Winged dragons?" Hitomi questioned as she draws a card from the top of her freshly stacked deck of tarot cards. "The ace of serpents, Van, what could it mean? It means courage in the game itself, but the meaning varies at times. I learned that the night before I came to Gaea. I think there won't be any harm going into the forest as long as we're prepared." Allen rose to his feet and nodded.
"Allen, go get Scherazade and I'll retrieve Escaflowne!" Van stated then began to head for the exit, but turned and faced them again. "We'll need our Guymelefs if we plan to survive the dragons inhabiting that area. Hitomi, stay here! I can't risk you getting hurt!" He received a nod from both of them so he left to prep his Guymelef. Allen exited after him to leave Hitomi to her thoughts. She sighed as she started a game to see what would come of this search.
~ * ? * ~
There came a voice from the main hall. "What's this about the marriage possibly being cancelled?" said a guard as he stood outside Van's throne room. He glanced at the other guard who was standing by the opposite door. "Hey! Are you listening to me?"
"Yeah, I heard," the older samurai replied as if he didn't care about it.
"Well, do you know? That strange girl came here with the King and all, you know? She looks like that girl from some years back, doesn't she? She does have a less boyish haircut and all though. Hmm, I wasn't even old enough to be a samurai back then, huh? Man, that was a depressing year," he rambled.
"Yeah."
"You aren't much of a conversationalist, are you?"
"Nope."
"Milo, Kite, what are you two rambling about?" Van questioned as he turned the corner heading for the main exit. "You need to shape up, Milo! You're a samurai now." The samurais nodded. "Keep up the good work, Kite!"
"Yessir!" the elder of the two guards replied.
Van headed out to leave the samurais to their thoughts. The moment of silence was broken when Milo asked, "So, what do you think, huh?" Kite's head fell forward and swayed side to side in disbelief. "What did I say? Come on, Kite! What do you think? Say more than three words!"
"Shut the hell up," Kite ordered as he raised his head to continue his guarding.
"Well, I guess I asked for it. At least you're up to four now!" Milo cheered kind of missing the seriousness in Kite's voice.
"What'd I say?" he growled.
"Sorry, I'll shut up, okay? I was just curious," Milo whined.
"You're still talking," he sighed as he shook his head again.
"Oops! Sorry, I'll be quiet! I'm good at that really!" the youngster stated.
"Then why are you talking?" he growled as he gave the boy a cold glare.
"Up to five now!" Milo grinned.
"This is going to be a long night," Kite groaned.
"Seven!"
"Shut up!" Kite scolded.
Van made his way to Folken's grave where he had left Escaflowne. He approached the large head stone and sighed deeply as he thought about what all had happened five years ago. All was changing again now that Hitomi was back. "Dilandau, you will release Celina, I swear!" A rustle came from the bushes so he turned to face whatever was causing the disturbance. "Who's out there?!" Merle poked her out from the brush then came completely out of hiding. "Merle, what are you doing here?"
"I want to help, Lord Van!" she stated. Van shook his head from side to side signifying no. "But, Lord Van, I can help you guys!" She stood her ground, but led to no prevail. "I know you don't love me as much as you do Hitomi, but do you have to depend on her like that! I've been there by your side, Van, for as long as I want to remember. Please don't leave me out!"
"Merle, it's too dangerous! Besides it'll be just me and Allen going into the forest. You just stay here and watch over Hitomi until we return with Dilandau, okay?" he replied then approached Escaflowne and pulled his Drag-energist from under his cape. It began to glow as he placed it into the heart of Escaflowne. "Merle, I'll return with Dilandau safely, don't worry." Escaflowne opened up and the Fanelian king hoppedin and was off to meet Scherazade at the edge of the dragons' forest. It transformed into its dragon form and flew into the night.
"Hitomi's hasn't been here a day and everything is already falling apart," Merle sighed as the cool breeze sent a chill down her spine. "Be careful, Van. Come back to me safely, okay?" She gazed at the stars and the Mystic Moon then she finally starts off for the castle as Van had ordered.
Hitomi is standing on the balcony overlooking the dragon's forest. She sighs deeply as she crosses her arms and placed them onto the railing. "Oh Van, be careful out there. I have a bad feeling about all this," she mumbles as she rests her chin on her arms. The sound of footsteps sounded from behind so she turned to see it was Merle. "Merle, what is it? Come to scold me or something?" The cat woman shook her head and ignored the girl's comment. "What?"
"Van and Allen just went off for the forest. He asked me to keep you occupied while they were gone, you see?" she replied then started to grow even more serious. "You're lucky Hitomi and I won't step between you and Van! Just don't leave him again, okay? I can't stand to see Van sad!" *Boy, isn't she starting to sound like Naria?*
"Okay, Merle. I won't be leaving again unless I'm forced to. Even then I'll be putting up a fight and do everything to stay here," she replied and received a nod of approval from the cat. "So what are we going to do while Van and Allen are gone?" Merle waved for her to follow then turned and walked off the balcony. "Where are we going?"
"The future queen of Fanelia can't be seen in such clothes for a wedding, come on! We're going to get you a proper wedding gown and some other things," she replied. Hitomi smiled brilliantly and followed the cat out of the castle to the market.
Scherazade and Escaflowne had begun their search for Dilandau within the forest. "Van, where do we even begin to look? Maybe we should split up and look!" the knight shouted towards the white Guymelef.
"No, we have to stick together! The dragons that inhabit these woods aren't like earth dragons! We'll find him so don't worry about it, okay? We'll find Celina!" Van replied as he continued to walk Escaflowne up the steep hill. "Over this hill we'll be able to see the Valley of Dragons!"
"Why is it called that?" Allen questioned seeming worried.
"The valley used to be a breeding ground for the winged dragons! Now that the dragons are sparse, it is rare to even see anything out there, but Dilandau might be!" he replied as they neared the top of the hill. Van and Allen gazed upon the valley in awe. "The dragons are all here! I didn't even know there was this many in the forest! There has to be hundreds here alone!"
"This isn't good, Van! Celina might be out there!" Allen shouted as he started to run down the hill in his mighty grey Guymelef. "Dilandau, where are you?" Van followed after him so that he wouldn't have to fight the dragons alone if it came to that.
"Allen, prepare to fight for your life!" Van shouted as the neared the bottom to the hill and nearer to the mass of winged dragons awaiting them.