No. Escaflowne not mine. Allen Schezar not
mine.
But, Lady Gabriella and other Asturian guards are mine.
~*~*~*~
~*~ Allen Schezar ~*~
We moved on,
eventually…
Asturia, Fanelia, and Freid, they prospered… My knighthood brothers kept
happy families… My disbanded Crusade returned home to settle with ones of
their own…
And as for me and mine…
~*~*~*~
Celena is expecting her third grandchild this Summer…
I am sorry, sister. I shall not be there to greet him or her…
Tonight shall be the night of my 70th birthday… And I know my time has come…
I have journeyed far, first to Pallas to seek Mother's grave, then here, to Mama's[1]…
~*~*~*~
I kneel by your memorial, kept immaculate by the soldiers guarding the borders of 3 kingdoms. Your sons (and grandson) – Dryden, Van, Chid – have taken pains to issue special orders on this. I laugh softly. Oh Lady Gabriella, if only you knew…
I pour a chalice of vino, Asturia's best. I sip at the rim, letting the bittersweet liquor warm my tongue, then I push it to you. It's been 45 years since your last drink, Lady Gabriella… Take it – I don't want it anymore…
I'm tired, Lady Gabriella… The wine must affect me more in my old age. Maybe I'll lean against you, Lady Gabriella, just like old times… I'll close my eyes, take a short nap, then talk to you some when I wake up…
~*~*~*~
-:-Allen…-:-
~~Hmm…?~~
-:-Allen, wake up…-:-
My eyes snap open. ~~Marlene…?~~ I marvel, her youthful countenance shining down on my like the ethereal sun. She smiles, -:-Come, Allen – your mother's waiting…-:-
Yes… I see her… Mother. Father. Duke Mahad. Brother Daniel. Sir Jacquis…
::Impudent… effeminate… child…::
I whirl, a shadow leaning against a sheltering tree. Even when I'm so far away, I know it's you – the zealous firelight in your eyes, that ardent smirk, that overconfident posture… I smile. Reaching out to you, I call your name, ~~Lady Gabriella…~~
You wrap your arms around me, your warmth curling against my chest, ::Took you long enough, *brat*…::
And I know – I am home…
~*~*~*~
Aoi Akiko rambles:
I have been led to believe that in Escaflowne, a moon = a day,
and a color = a month. If I am wrong, then whack me over the
head. If not, then... try not to get confused as you read the ficlet...
[1] Allen referring to 'Mother'
and 'Mama'
To make things simple, I made Allen call his natural mother (Encia)
'Mother', and second mother (Lady Gabriella) 'Mama', so that readers would
not be confused...
~*~*~*~
Misc author notes:
[a] Throughout the ficlet, I've made certain reference to the ranks in the
palace. Just to clear the air...
The highest authority would be the King, and then the Council, that act as
his advisors. I chose the number 12, because... um... King Arthur had 12,
right...? Something like that...
Below the Council come the Knights and Royal Guard. The highest honor
within Knights would be the title 'Knight of Caeli' (Escaflowne canon),
and the highest in Royal Guard would be Captaincy. I would like to think
that in the series, the Knights would be those dressed in (Allen's)
*poofy* sleeved shirts and cobalt-blue vests, and the Royal Guards would
be those with the feathered hats (coming after Princess Millerna as Allen
took off in the Crusade, leaving Pallas).
[b] Parts of this story is canon
to Escaflowne, like Allen having sword skills before he entered Pallas,
meeting and falling in love with Marlene, the events during the Destiny
Wars, and how he regained Celena. However, most of the ficlet is mine...
I'm sorry if I screwed up at parts, but... well... (do I have to say this
again...?)(Merle: *sharpens claws* SAY IT!!) I am new to Escaflowne, so
things may not be as they seem...
Favorite characters to play with : (Asturia) Allen Crusade Schezar, (Fanelia)
Folken Lancour de Fanel, (others) Gaddes... does this guy have a
surname...? ~_~;;
[c] Did you know, I made Lady
Gabriella cuss and swear, but she name-calls each insult only once...?
Doubtless, I used 'brat' a lot, but other than that, nothing was
repeated...
Sorry, I just couldn't resist putting this in... ^_^
[d] Some people have asked me for
age references... O-kay...
Lady Gabriella is 11 years older compared to Allen. Allen is 7 years older
compared to Van, Merle, Hitomi, Millerna, and Celena. I think that covers
most of it...
Chapter 1 : Allen ran away from
home at 11. Met Balgus at ~12. Introduced to Lady Gabriella at ~14.
Chapter 2 : Earned Caeli title at 15. First tavern visit at 16.
Chapter 3 : First mission with Crusade at 17. Met Princess Marlene and had
a relationship with her at 17/18.
Chapter 4 : Shipped to Fort Castelo at 19. Heard of Princess Marlene's
death at 20. Escaflowne series at 22.
Chapter 5 : Invited Lady Gabriella to the Schezar Estate at 25. Found out
Celena-and-Dilandau were one at 26. Loses Lady Gabriella at 31 (Lady
Gabriella, 42).
Chapter 6 : Allen's death at 70.
~*~*~*~
Reasons to writing this fic:
I like Allen. Very, very much. His character has always appealed to me.
Can you blame me...? (Actually, you might... I've noticed many, many
people out there do *not* like Allen... Poor, poor Allen... You've been
bashed one too many times...) Anyhow...!!
How *is* it that Allen pull himself to become such a confident young man
in the Escaflowne series, when he hides such a turbulent past. He was *11* when
he left home...! He was fending for himself (and Balgus) at *12*/*13*...!!
And then, *poof* he becomes a Caeli at 15... No mention of the turmoils in
between Balgus' departure and becoming a Caeli... Fast forward another 7
years, and he's prancing around expertly in Scheherazade, with a loyal
crew behind him...
So, I decided to play 'authoress' (you *are* an authoress, baka...)(be
quiet, you...!!), and come up with a past for Allen-kun...
Apologies if at times, I made Lady Gabriella a witch, and Allen a
weakling. But throughout the ficlet, I'm trying to portray that Allen
*does* acknowledge he is weak, and thus needs someone to support him, and
he finds that support in his teacher. And likewise, I'm making Lady
Gabriella partially independent, as she has been most her life, and
partially dependent, on Allen (I like the 'truest son' title... I thought
it was sweet...).
Favorite scenes :
Chapter 1 :
(i) Allen's introduction to Lady Gabriella,
"Oh please, don't tell me you're
giving me another hellish *BRAT* to take care of…!!"
(ii) Sir Jacquis calling Lady Gabriella, Gabby. "How many
TIMES have I told you NEVER to call me that *PREPOSTEROUSLY* CHILDISH name
EVER AGAIN?!?!"
(iii) Lady Gabriella dismissing her knights one by one, especially
Jean-Luc. ^_^
Chapter 2 :
(i) Lady Gabriella stepping away from Allen after his
apprenticeship approval.
(ii) Allen during the Scarlet Fever (*sniff* I made myself
cry...)
(iii) Lady Gabriella taking Allen to the tavern. "I never expected
it to be this—"
"Strong...?" "—*POTENT*…"
Chapter 3 :
(i) Lady Gabriella wanting to strangle Allen.
"How shall you like to die, *SCHEZAR*?!?!"
"Apologies, but I decline your kind offer..."
(ii) Lady Gabriella wanting to teach Allen how to dance, "The
things I do to help you impress the love of your life…"
(iii) Lady Gabriella's last gift, and Allen leaving. "Absentminded
*BRAT*… Say you'll come back to visit your old mentor once in a while…
Allen…"
Chapter 4 :
(i) Allen after reading Lady Gabriella's note,
"Miss you too,
Lady Gabriella…"
(ii) Allen begging Lady Gabriella not to die. Lady Gabriella
mumbling, "Hopeless… intolerable… spawn…"
(iii) Lady Gabriella angry with Allen,
"You stupid, *stupid* THING!! Gods,
*ALLEN* – do you REALIZE how *WORRIED* I have been for YOU?!?!"
(iv) Lady Gabriella dressing Allen's wounds in Freid, "Hold STILL, *SCHEZAR*…!!
It's hard enough I have to do this with *ONE* arm – I don't need you
FIDGETING on top of that as well…!!"
(v) The Crusade comforting Lady Gabriella
Chapter 5 :
(i) Allen's *proposal*,
"Celena and I have discussed this in
great detail… She is quite taken to you, as I am to you—" "Are you sure
you're not still *proposing* to me, Schezar…?" "—wha…? *NO*…!!" "Just
checking…"
(ii) Lady Gabriella's final blinding. "Oh, stop it… You're
crying, Allen…"
(iii) Allen blaming himself. Lady Gabriella getting angry, "… d*mned…
brainless… *twerp*… always… *blaming*… yourself…"
(iv) Lady Gabriella pushing away the others before her death, "No. I want Allen… Hold me…" "Of course, Mama…"
Chapter 6 :
(i) Allen meeting Lady Gabriella in heaven.
::Impudent… effeminate… child… Took you
long enough, *brat*…::
~Aoi Akiko
