Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Escaflowne. However, this story is from my original idea.
Chapter Two Lost Dove
Pain... Hitomi feels her left chest almost exploded. As if rooted, the hand of Death deeply stabs into her fragile systaltic rhythm. Trying to cry out the great suffering, she only manages to whimper. Instantly, from her slightly opening eyes, Hitomi vaguely has a glimpse of a pair of amber eyes. "Where am I? Who are you?" All the questions are hovering in her mind. "Of course I am dead." With this conclusion, she is involved into another coma, unaware of the tears slipping out of the corners.
Van is editing the invading paths on the map. The success of attacking the Kingdom of Kanza brings tremendous joy into his proud heart. The goal has already been reached and King Goau has passed down a command to call him back to Fanelia, leaving the rest of the conquest to General Allen Schizar. Indeed, Van would rather stay for more couple of days to fulfill his abundant fighting will. However, that girl's wound has to be tended by an experienced doctor at once. Thinking of this, he catches a groan in his agile ears. He immediately walks to his cot from which the sound came. Under the flickering candlelight, the girl's face is as pale as paper. Although she lost too much blood, Van still finds himself enjoying her angelic beauty. Straight nose, meek cheek... What he craves to see is her seductive emerald eyes. Till now he still cannot explain the reason for not killing her. Recalling the scenario that day, Van ponders how her eyes cast a spell on him to break his flawless sword art. He discovers the streaming tears from her eye corners and spellboundly, he reaches her cheek to dry the crystals away. Upon contacting her smooth skin, he suddenly awakes: "What have you done, Van Fanel? You never show any feelings towards any girls. Stop acting like a lad!" Instantly his eyes restore the original icy tone.
A maniac laughter spreads from behind. Turning his back around, Van threatens with the most dangerous voice: "Dilandau, if you ever dare to intrude my camp again, I will cut your head no matter what kind of war will happen between Fanelia and Zaibach."
Ignoring Van's warning, Dilandau casts a lopsided smile: "I am totally confused when the most brilliant sword master in Fanelia fails to assassinate a weak girl. If my instinct is no wrong, you want to possess her, don't you?"
Van cocks up one eyebrow to reveal his sarcastic non-concern: "The Great General of Zaibach, don't you have any ideas about politics?"
"What's she doing with politics?"
"If my guess is correct, she is the princess of Kanza. Since the old King was dead, she is now certainly the new 'Queen'. If she remains as an 'honorable' hostage, people of Kanza would be glad to surrender to our Alliance."
"According to the old tradition, the direct blood heir of a defeated country has to be executed." Dilandau emphasizes the word "executed", reveling the excitement.
Van says disdainfully: " Rules made by people are intended to be broken."
"Are you sure that she is not a replacement?" Dilandau asks skeptically.
Looking back at the sleeping girl, Van says: "Very sure. She has the legendary green eyes of the Kanza Royalty."
Compressing the puzzle, Dilandau changes his topic: "Chesta has just brought me some fine Kanza sake. Do you want to try some?"
As soon as he hears the word of wine, Van's eyes radiate the enthusiasm of a warrior. He desperately needs the alcoholic effect to raise his spirit.
Dilandau grins: "I will ask Chesta to send sake to you." As he turns to leave the camp, he abruptly halts: "Don't let that girl destroy you, Van Fanel." He swiftly passes the drape, leaving an angry prince unsheathing his sword.
Struggling in her nightmares, Hitomi is devoured in a burning flame. She sees her father pierced through by more than ten arrows. A pool of blood gushes out of his gores and he falls wiggly down on the battlefield. Crying with all the energy she has, Hitomi runs towards her father, only to be stopped by an abyss. The ground is trembling, sending her down to the turmoil. During her fall, she unclearly spots a pair of mahogany eyes with such stern coldness and hears the hoofing of horses, the rapture of horns and cheers. Finally when she opens her eyes weakly, she finds herself in an enormous fluffy bed. Feeling extremely drained, she whispers: "Water..." A cup of water is sent to her immediately. Raising herself up, she let her sight fall upon a girl with blonde waves. The pair of amethyst orbs smile at Hitomi: "Here, drink it." Without any hesitation, Hitomi gulps even the last drop. Balancing her gasps, she finds her ethereal voice recovering: "May I ask where I am and who you are?"
The girl chuckles: "Nice to meet you. My name is Millerna. You've been unconscious for two weeks."
"Two weeks?" Hitomi is shocked. Recollecting her lost memories, she recalls that she was waiting for death in her own room when a cold sword pierced through her chest. Wincing back involuntarily, she is electrified by the lurking pain at her left chest. Somehow, she cannot remember the face of the assassin because everything happened too fast for her brain to digest. However, she is quite certain that the assassin was a Fanelian warrior. The realization chills her at the back. She locks her gaze on Millerna: "Where am I?"
Millerna is astonished to be imprisoned by the girl's solemn and demanding green irises. Not willing to let the girl know the difficult circumstance prematurely, she casts a reluctant grin on her face: "You haven't told me your name yet."
Hitomi knows that Millerna is stalling her off. As a result, she becomes more skeptical. Inwardly, her regal serenity still well controls the anxiety: "I am Hitomi. Please tell me about this place."
"You are currently living at my residence under my supervision, Lady Hitomi, or shall I call you Kanza No Hitomi Hime?" A richly deep magnetic voice is sent to Hitomi's sensitive ears, frightening her. She turns her gaze to the mahogany door entrance and spots that pair of eyes in her dream. The owner of those eyes is dressed in a suit of black haori and hakama. His tanned skin glistens with a golden tone under the sunrays. His sword-like eyebrows knit together slightly and it hardens his facial features. His appearance instantaneously brings out a strong aura of superior controlling will. "The sword wound on your chest is caused by me. I am Van Slanzar de Fanel." His icy tone lightly brushes away the reason for Hitomi's wound.
Hitomi's blood stream is frozen at the very words. She does not really care about her assassination because she was ready to die at that moment anyway. However, the name of Van Slanzar de Fanel acts like a real sharp sword, reopening her vulnerable wound. An endless anger rises from the bottom of her soul, blazing her sacred eyes. Fanel? The Prince of Fanelia? Gritting her teeth, she finally let her pent-up emotions of wrath and sorrow burst out: "What do you want from me, Fanel, now that you got my country and my father died because of it? What on Gaea do you want from me? Why don't you give me an honorable death instead of torturing me like this? You... You are such a intrigant!" Hitomi searches all the vocabularies in her brain, failing to find a ruder noun.
Ignoring Hitomi's outburst, Van merely throws her an arrogant glare: "You should be thankful to me for sparing your life. From now on you are under my administration. Cherish your life, Hime. Let us put it in this way-if I find a dead Princess of Kanza on a certain day, I will instantly lose all my confidence to preserve the Kingdom of Kanza and a civil slaughter will be followed in your beloved country. I always keep my promise." Van sarcastically touches the sword binded at his narrow waist and leaves the room.
Trembling, Hitomi sits on the bed silently. She has never been humiliated in her whole life. She clutches the bed sheet tightly and two lines of clear tears gush out of her emerald pools. Millerna pitifully embraces Hitomi: "Oh, Hime Sama..." Hitomi stubbornly shoves her away: "Leave me alone, please." Sighing, Millerna walks away with her wooden sandals echoing Hitomi's falling tears synchronously.
Chapter Two Lost Dove
Pain... Hitomi feels her left chest almost exploded. As if rooted, the hand of Death deeply stabs into her fragile systaltic rhythm. Trying to cry out the great suffering, she only manages to whimper. Instantly, from her slightly opening eyes, Hitomi vaguely has a glimpse of a pair of amber eyes. "Where am I? Who are you?" All the questions are hovering in her mind. "Of course I am dead." With this conclusion, she is involved into another coma, unaware of the tears slipping out of the corners.
Van is editing the invading paths on the map. The success of attacking the Kingdom of Kanza brings tremendous joy into his proud heart. The goal has already been reached and King Goau has passed down a command to call him back to Fanelia, leaving the rest of the conquest to General Allen Schizar. Indeed, Van would rather stay for more couple of days to fulfill his abundant fighting will. However, that girl's wound has to be tended by an experienced doctor at once. Thinking of this, he catches a groan in his agile ears. He immediately walks to his cot from which the sound came. Under the flickering candlelight, the girl's face is as pale as paper. Although she lost too much blood, Van still finds himself enjoying her angelic beauty. Straight nose, meek cheek... What he craves to see is her seductive emerald eyes. Till now he still cannot explain the reason for not killing her. Recalling the scenario that day, Van ponders how her eyes cast a spell on him to break his flawless sword art. He discovers the streaming tears from her eye corners and spellboundly, he reaches her cheek to dry the crystals away. Upon contacting her smooth skin, he suddenly awakes: "What have you done, Van Fanel? You never show any feelings towards any girls. Stop acting like a lad!" Instantly his eyes restore the original icy tone.
A maniac laughter spreads from behind. Turning his back around, Van threatens with the most dangerous voice: "Dilandau, if you ever dare to intrude my camp again, I will cut your head no matter what kind of war will happen between Fanelia and Zaibach."
Ignoring Van's warning, Dilandau casts a lopsided smile: "I am totally confused when the most brilliant sword master in Fanelia fails to assassinate a weak girl. If my instinct is no wrong, you want to possess her, don't you?"
Van cocks up one eyebrow to reveal his sarcastic non-concern: "The Great General of Zaibach, don't you have any ideas about politics?"
"What's she doing with politics?"
"If my guess is correct, she is the princess of Kanza. Since the old King was dead, she is now certainly the new 'Queen'. If she remains as an 'honorable' hostage, people of Kanza would be glad to surrender to our Alliance."
"According to the old tradition, the direct blood heir of a defeated country has to be executed." Dilandau emphasizes the word "executed", reveling the excitement.
Van says disdainfully: " Rules made by people are intended to be broken."
"Are you sure that she is not a replacement?" Dilandau asks skeptically.
Looking back at the sleeping girl, Van says: "Very sure. She has the legendary green eyes of the Kanza Royalty."
Compressing the puzzle, Dilandau changes his topic: "Chesta has just brought me some fine Kanza sake. Do you want to try some?"
As soon as he hears the word of wine, Van's eyes radiate the enthusiasm of a warrior. He desperately needs the alcoholic effect to raise his spirit.
Dilandau grins: "I will ask Chesta to send sake to you." As he turns to leave the camp, he abruptly halts: "Don't let that girl destroy you, Van Fanel." He swiftly passes the drape, leaving an angry prince unsheathing his sword.
Struggling in her nightmares, Hitomi is devoured in a burning flame. She sees her father pierced through by more than ten arrows. A pool of blood gushes out of his gores and he falls wiggly down on the battlefield. Crying with all the energy she has, Hitomi runs towards her father, only to be stopped by an abyss. The ground is trembling, sending her down to the turmoil. During her fall, she unclearly spots a pair of mahogany eyes with such stern coldness and hears the hoofing of horses, the rapture of horns and cheers. Finally when she opens her eyes weakly, she finds herself in an enormous fluffy bed. Feeling extremely drained, she whispers: "Water..." A cup of water is sent to her immediately. Raising herself up, she let her sight fall upon a girl with blonde waves. The pair of amethyst orbs smile at Hitomi: "Here, drink it." Without any hesitation, Hitomi gulps even the last drop. Balancing her gasps, she finds her ethereal voice recovering: "May I ask where I am and who you are?"
The girl chuckles: "Nice to meet you. My name is Millerna. You've been unconscious for two weeks."
"Two weeks?" Hitomi is shocked. Recollecting her lost memories, she recalls that she was waiting for death in her own room when a cold sword pierced through her chest. Wincing back involuntarily, she is electrified by the lurking pain at her left chest. Somehow, she cannot remember the face of the assassin because everything happened too fast for her brain to digest. However, she is quite certain that the assassin was a Fanelian warrior. The realization chills her at the back. She locks her gaze on Millerna: "Where am I?"
Millerna is astonished to be imprisoned by the girl's solemn and demanding green irises. Not willing to let the girl know the difficult circumstance prematurely, she casts a reluctant grin on her face: "You haven't told me your name yet."
Hitomi knows that Millerna is stalling her off. As a result, she becomes more skeptical. Inwardly, her regal serenity still well controls the anxiety: "I am Hitomi. Please tell me about this place."
"You are currently living at my residence under my supervision, Lady Hitomi, or shall I call you Kanza No Hitomi Hime?" A richly deep magnetic voice is sent to Hitomi's sensitive ears, frightening her. She turns her gaze to the mahogany door entrance and spots that pair of eyes in her dream. The owner of those eyes is dressed in a suit of black haori and hakama. His tanned skin glistens with a golden tone under the sunrays. His sword-like eyebrows knit together slightly and it hardens his facial features. His appearance instantaneously brings out a strong aura of superior controlling will. "The sword wound on your chest is caused by me. I am Van Slanzar de Fanel." His icy tone lightly brushes away the reason for Hitomi's wound.
Hitomi's blood stream is frozen at the very words. She does not really care about her assassination because she was ready to die at that moment anyway. However, the name of Van Slanzar de Fanel acts like a real sharp sword, reopening her vulnerable wound. An endless anger rises from the bottom of her soul, blazing her sacred eyes. Fanel? The Prince of Fanelia? Gritting her teeth, she finally let her pent-up emotions of wrath and sorrow burst out: "What do you want from me, Fanel, now that you got my country and my father died because of it? What on Gaea do you want from me? Why don't you give me an honorable death instead of torturing me like this? You... You are such a intrigant!" Hitomi searches all the vocabularies in her brain, failing to find a ruder noun.
Ignoring Hitomi's outburst, Van merely throws her an arrogant glare: "You should be thankful to me for sparing your life. From now on you are under my administration. Cherish your life, Hime. Let us put it in this way-if I find a dead Princess of Kanza on a certain day, I will instantly lose all my confidence to preserve the Kingdom of Kanza and a civil slaughter will be followed in your beloved country. I always keep my promise." Van sarcastically touches the sword binded at his narrow waist and leaves the room.
Trembling, Hitomi sits on the bed silently. She has never been humiliated in her whole life. She clutches the bed sheet tightly and two lines of clear tears gush out of her emerald pools. Millerna pitifully embraces Hitomi: "Oh, Hime Sama..." Hitomi stubbornly shoves her away: "Leave me alone, please." Sighing, Millerna walks away with her wooden sandals echoing Hitomi's falling tears synchronously.