Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne.
Japanese Words Studying Session II (If there are any other words that you don't know, go back to the first session!!! HeHe! ^______^)
Gomen: Sorry
Arigatou: Thanks
Botan: Peony
Inshou: Seal
Izakaya: Pub
Mitsusake: Honey rice wine
Bushi senshuu: A competition to select warriors.
Enkai: Party
Kari: Hunting
Demo: but
Chapter Five Deadly Past, Unchained Future
"So, General Schizar has been back." Millerna sighs, heaving the words quietly.
"Oh... Er... Yes." Dryden reluctantly replies.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier? You promised that you would inform me as soon as you heard his arrival."
"Gomen. I just obtained the news from Merle Hime moments ago." Dryden nervously touches his forehead, showing off a grin.
"Oh, please! I didn't blame it on you! In fact, you are the only one who ever cares about me besides Van Sama and Merle Hime." Millerna pouts her rosy lips and flashes an innocent look.
"Arigatou. It's not easy to get praise from the most beautiful girl in all Fanelia, you know."
Blushing lightly, Millerna mumbles: "There are so many more beautiful and graceful ladies around him. It's hard for me to get close to him... I am really nobody. I have never been to any carnival or celebration... Tell me, Dryden, are these girls really dressed in gold?"
Upon seeing her wondering eyes, Dryden feels himself on fire. Kami Sama! Jealousy is gnawing him, consuming him whenever Millerna mentions Allen Schizar. He is so eager to stop the conversation, but as soon as he brushes across that pair of amethyst, he cannot help himself. "None of them can be as special as you. You always have total confidence of yourself. Why do you start to doubt about it?"
"General Schizar's flawlessness forces me to suspect myself. I often think, what kind of girl does he like?" Millerna bits her bottom lip, her eyes downcasting.
"Anata wa... Do you like him so much?" Deep down in Dryden's eyes pain is flickering, but he replaces it quickly with his normal cynicism.
"Maybe... I ... got to go now. Hitomi has gone for quite a long time." Millerna's face is flushed in red hues, totally embarrassed.
"Hitomi?"
"Yes. She asked me to call her by name. Oh, Dryden, she really is a humble person. Sometimes I think, it must be of great agony for someone who is prisoned in an enemy country. I just hope that Van Sama can treat her better." Thinking back about the situation when Hitomi just woke up a month ago, Millerna pitifully shakes her head.
"Actually his highness has already changed his attitude tremendously."
"What do you mean?" Millerna casts a suspicious look.
"Nothing." Dryden grins, "Go back to your residence now. I still have something to discuss with his highness."
The inclining sunrays pave on the padauk scribal desk that is carved into the shape of botan at the four corners. The agate dragon inshou is waiting patiently for its master to imprint the consent. It chuckles lightly- Since the day when Master chose the seal, he was getting closer and closer to its symbolic connotation. Master is as bloody as agate, as bold as a dragon. A perfect match.
Van picks up the writing brush soaked with thick black ink. Meticulously he pours his surging thoughts onto the blank paper. The sturdy frame of writing implies many years of vigorous military training. He abruptly halts at the last sentence. Should he mention her? He locks his eyebrows.
"Have you made the decision yet, Van Sama? It is so odd that Schizar proposed to supervise the Kanza refugee camp. He must be up to something. If you do not advise Heka earlier, I am afraid of occurring crisis."
"I have my own plan about the refugee camp. Surely I understand your intention. I'll take it into consideration." Van puts down the writing brush, sliding his fingers across his unruly sable hair.
"Then, I guessed it all wrong." Dryden smirks wickedly, "You are worrying about someone else!"
Van raises his solemnly threatening eyes. Even without a word, the warning glare promptly predicts the outburst of a tempest.
"All right. All right. Please don't cast this kind of death glare on me. I know how you replied Dilandau last time. Jokes only." Dryden randomly sweeps a chair, settling down across the desk.
"Did you go to izakaya with Dilandau again?" Van stands up and takes one of the war strategy books off the bookshelf.
"Nothing special, indeed. We were merely drinking. You know how he craves sake. Fanelia's mitsusake is irresistible."
"I was planning to invite him to stay a little longer. But he said he couldn't miss the annual bushi senshuu in Zaibach."
"I can tell that he was avoiding Schizar." Displeasure swiftly crosses Dryden's wily eyes.
"Hm, interesting. Why are you pointing at Allen every moment today? Where has all your shrewdness gone?" Van flips over one page, heedlessly asking.
"You know too well that I am always against him. It's you who don't face the problem. Say... Why haven't you invited any court lady to kari enkai next week? If you don't move quickly enough, all of them will be surrounding at Schizar's side... as usual." Dryden picks up the invitation on the desk, staring at the blank title calling.
"It's Allen's celebration of a successful conquest anyway. Naturally those women will cluster around him." Van impatiently replies.
"Oh, come on, Van! Can't you just relax a bit? If you are willing to pay half of Schizar's smile, you will be the most charming bachelor in Fanelia. When Folken Sama was still alive, you were not what you are now." Dryden laughs mockingly.
"Never mention my brother's name with such ease!" Van roughly throws the book on the desk. His original mahogany eyes darken into blackness. "And never question my living habit. Being born of the royal blood is not offered as a choice. If ani san could make a choice, he would never..." Van chokes on the past memory.
Damn it! Dryden curses inwardly. Kami knows what has gotten into his own head. Allen Schizar's proposal and Millerna's interrogation somehow brought angst into his troubled heart, and he spilled his anxiety on Van. And Van is in his typical tyrant's mood now-well, that's for sure. The death of Folken Sama is haunting Van Sama through his teenage years. Dryden recognizes it as one of the reasons that lead to Van's deterioration. Closing his eyes, he can picture the dusk of one bitter winter day with such clarity. The bloody sunset cruelly poured onto Folken's shaking body. Katana had unmistakably impaled through his palpitating heart, a heart so full with brotherly love. So close to death, yet Folken was able to burn his flaring orbs into Van's mind. "Van..." His pale fingers trembling, and using up the last bit of energy, Folken pushed Van into Dryden's chest. "Please protect him..."
"Thump!" The purely innocent snow was soaked with Folken's steamy life fluid, and the stain was unstoppable, diffusing further and further. That was the first time for a twelve-year-old Van to encounter the battlefield. However, it was the last time for Folken Sama. At that fateful night, Van Sama locked himself in the tent, without candle light or sobbing. Dryden, who was five years older, on the other hand silently guarded his new master outside, keeping the promise for Folken Sama. The long winter night was unbearably freezing, but Dryden didn't light up a bonfire. Instead he embraced the penetrating yet fresh north wind in order to chill his boiling blood in the arteries. He couldn't sleep. How could he? He always admitted that he had a dark side, but that night he undoubtedly lurked into a deeper shadow, because only he had noticed the true factor leading Folken Sama's death...
"About kari enkai, I have just made the decision." Van's voice interrupts Dryden's thoughts. He passes the invitation across the desk.
"Then, let me see, who is the lucky..." Dryden instantly comes back, focusing his sight onto the title, "Why? Why did you choose her? But how will Heka react to this?"
"I have my reason to convince his majesty." Van stubbornly affixes his personal inshou onto the paper.
One hour later, Dryden finds himself holding a surprising invitation towards the west side of the Prince Residency. He can't help smirking-Van Sama is such a perfect politician. It looks like that the interference for the jade sword is just a beginning. Demo, slow down... What if it is really a dangerous signal for a certain relationship to develop? Ah, no matter what... he, Dryden, will have some time alone with Millerna, if her master is Van Sama's company at the hunting party...
Japanese Words Studying Session II (If there are any other words that you don't know, go back to the first session!!! HeHe! ^______^)
Gomen: Sorry
Arigatou: Thanks
Botan: Peony
Inshou: Seal
Izakaya: Pub
Mitsusake: Honey rice wine
Bushi senshuu: A competition to select warriors.
Enkai: Party
Kari: Hunting
Demo: but
Chapter Five Deadly Past, Unchained Future
"So, General Schizar has been back." Millerna sighs, heaving the words quietly.
"Oh... Er... Yes." Dryden reluctantly replies.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier? You promised that you would inform me as soon as you heard his arrival."
"Gomen. I just obtained the news from Merle Hime moments ago." Dryden nervously touches his forehead, showing off a grin.
"Oh, please! I didn't blame it on you! In fact, you are the only one who ever cares about me besides Van Sama and Merle Hime." Millerna pouts her rosy lips and flashes an innocent look.
"Arigatou. It's not easy to get praise from the most beautiful girl in all Fanelia, you know."
Blushing lightly, Millerna mumbles: "There are so many more beautiful and graceful ladies around him. It's hard for me to get close to him... I am really nobody. I have never been to any carnival or celebration... Tell me, Dryden, are these girls really dressed in gold?"
Upon seeing her wondering eyes, Dryden feels himself on fire. Kami Sama! Jealousy is gnawing him, consuming him whenever Millerna mentions Allen Schizar. He is so eager to stop the conversation, but as soon as he brushes across that pair of amethyst, he cannot help himself. "None of them can be as special as you. You always have total confidence of yourself. Why do you start to doubt about it?"
"General Schizar's flawlessness forces me to suspect myself. I often think, what kind of girl does he like?" Millerna bits her bottom lip, her eyes downcasting.
"Anata wa... Do you like him so much?" Deep down in Dryden's eyes pain is flickering, but he replaces it quickly with his normal cynicism.
"Maybe... I ... got to go now. Hitomi has gone for quite a long time." Millerna's face is flushed in red hues, totally embarrassed.
"Hitomi?"
"Yes. She asked me to call her by name. Oh, Dryden, she really is a humble person. Sometimes I think, it must be of great agony for someone who is prisoned in an enemy country. I just hope that Van Sama can treat her better." Thinking back about the situation when Hitomi just woke up a month ago, Millerna pitifully shakes her head.
"Actually his highness has already changed his attitude tremendously."
"What do you mean?" Millerna casts a suspicious look.
"Nothing." Dryden grins, "Go back to your residence now. I still have something to discuss with his highness."
The inclining sunrays pave on the padauk scribal desk that is carved into the shape of botan at the four corners. The agate dragon inshou is waiting patiently for its master to imprint the consent. It chuckles lightly- Since the day when Master chose the seal, he was getting closer and closer to its symbolic connotation. Master is as bloody as agate, as bold as a dragon. A perfect match.
Van picks up the writing brush soaked with thick black ink. Meticulously he pours his surging thoughts onto the blank paper. The sturdy frame of writing implies many years of vigorous military training. He abruptly halts at the last sentence. Should he mention her? He locks his eyebrows.
"Have you made the decision yet, Van Sama? It is so odd that Schizar proposed to supervise the Kanza refugee camp. He must be up to something. If you do not advise Heka earlier, I am afraid of occurring crisis."
"I have my own plan about the refugee camp. Surely I understand your intention. I'll take it into consideration." Van puts down the writing brush, sliding his fingers across his unruly sable hair.
"Then, I guessed it all wrong." Dryden smirks wickedly, "You are worrying about someone else!"
Van raises his solemnly threatening eyes. Even without a word, the warning glare promptly predicts the outburst of a tempest.
"All right. All right. Please don't cast this kind of death glare on me. I know how you replied Dilandau last time. Jokes only." Dryden randomly sweeps a chair, settling down across the desk.
"Did you go to izakaya with Dilandau again?" Van stands up and takes one of the war strategy books off the bookshelf.
"Nothing special, indeed. We were merely drinking. You know how he craves sake. Fanelia's mitsusake is irresistible."
"I was planning to invite him to stay a little longer. But he said he couldn't miss the annual bushi senshuu in Zaibach."
"I can tell that he was avoiding Schizar." Displeasure swiftly crosses Dryden's wily eyes.
"Hm, interesting. Why are you pointing at Allen every moment today? Where has all your shrewdness gone?" Van flips over one page, heedlessly asking.
"You know too well that I am always against him. It's you who don't face the problem. Say... Why haven't you invited any court lady to kari enkai next week? If you don't move quickly enough, all of them will be surrounding at Schizar's side... as usual." Dryden picks up the invitation on the desk, staring at the blank title calling.
"It's Allen's celebration of a successful conquest anyway. Naturally those women will cluster around him." Van impatiently replies.
"Oh, come on, Van! Can't you just relax a bit? If you are willing to pay half of Schizar's smile, you will be the most charming bachelor in Fanelia. When Folken Sama was still alive, you were not what you are now." Dryden laughs mockingly.
"Never mention my brother's name with such ease!" Van roughly throws the book on the desk. His original mahogany eyes darken into blackness. "And never question my living habit. Being born of the royal blood is not offered as a choice. If ani san could make a choice, he would never..." Van chokes on the past memory.
Damn it! Dryden curses inwardly. Kami knows what has gotten into his own head. Allen Schizar's proposal and Millerna's interrogation somehow brought angst into his troubled heart, and he spilled his anxiety on Van. And Van is in his typical tyrant's mood now-well, that's for sure. The death of Folken Sama is haunting Van Sama through his teenage years. Dryden recognizes it as one of the reasons that lead to Van's deterioration. Closing his eyes, he can picture the dusk of one bitter winter day with such clarity. The bloody sunset cruelly poured onto Folken's shaking body. Katana had unmistakably impaled through his palpitating heart, a heart so full with brotherly love. So close to death, yet Folken was able to burn his flaring orbs into Van's mind. "Van..." His pale fingers trembling, and using up the last bit of energy, Folken pushed Van into Dryden's chest. "Please protect him..."
"Thump!" The purely innocent snow was soaked with Folken's steamy life fluid, and the stain was unstoppable, diffusing further and further. That was the first time for a twelve-year-old Van to encounter the battlefield. However, it was the last time for Folken Sama. At that fateful night, Van Sama locked himself in the tent, without candle light or sobbing. Dryden, who was five years older, on the other hand silently guarded his new master outside, keeping the promise for Folken Sama. The long winter night was unbearably freezing, but Dryden didn't light up a bonfire. Instead he embraced the penetrating yet fresh north wind in order to chill his boiling blood in the arteries. He couldn't sleep. How could he? He always admitted that he had a dark side, but that night he undoubtedly lurked into a deeper shadow, because only he had noticed the true factor leading Folken Sama's death...
"About kari enkai, I have just made the decision." Van's voice interrupts Dryden's thoughts. He passes the invitation across the desk.
"Then, let me see, who is the lucky..." Dryden instantly comes back, focusing his sight onto the title, "Why? Why did you choose her? But how will Heka react to this?"
"I have my reason to convince his majesty." Van stubbornly affixes his personal inshou onto the paper.
One hour later, Dryden finds himself holding a surprising invitation towards the west side of the Prince Residency. He can't help smirking-Van Sama is such a perfect politician. It looks like that the interference for the jade sword is just a beginning. Demo, slow down... What if it is really a dangerous signal for a certain relationship to develop? Ah, no matter what... he, Dryden, will have some time alone with Millerna, if her master is Van Sama's company at the hunting party...