Sakura Shinguji-Albatou: Thanks for pointing out the bit about Jajuka.
Don't know why I assumed he was a lord. Now that you mention it, I remember
that he was beat up pretty badly in one of his flashbacks for trying to
defend Celena. Seems he was more of a servant as less of a lord. Maybe he
received the title for being so patient with Celena/Dilly-sama? ;) 'Course
if that's the case, then Folken has reached Emperor status by now. ;) And
yeah, I love the light bantering between F/D. Thanks again!
[Aboard the Vione]
Dilandau's knuckles were white. "Those bastards! How could they do that to me?" Blood trickled from his hands.
"Please, Lord Dilandau," replied Jajuka, as he tried to get Albatou to relax.
The boy's eyes were alit with contempt. He rose up from his chair. "Morgreth said the order came from Dornkirk. Is that true, Folken?" he demanded.
Folken looked at him, trying to sort through his own thoughts on the matter. He chose his words carefully. "I know what you're thinking, Dilandau, and it is not a wise choice. Do you think Dornkirk will just let you into the capital?"
Dilandau laughed. "He should already know that I'm going to pay him a visit, that is if his little toy is working properly."
"Precisely," replied Folken. "He will be expecting you, which is why you cannot go...just yet."
Both Jajuka and Dilandau looked at Strategos with bewilderment.
"What do you mean 'just yet'?" asked Albatou.
Folken regarded the boy. He stood and placed his left hand on Dilandau's shoulder. "Dilandau," he said, softly. "I'm asking you to trust me, Dilandau. I need to think about this very carefully."
Dilandau blinked. "You mean that genius brain of yours hasn't figured something out already?"
"Where you are involved, Dilandau, there is rarely enough time to breathe, much less think," replied Folken, dryly.
"I'm that good, am I?" quipped Dilandau. "Very well, Folken. Just don't take too long to think. Otherwise a certain sorcerer may have a nasty accident, and I can guarantee you that it won't stop there."
"No," replied Folken, firmly. "You must not underestimate Morgreth. He is still a dangerous man. Promise me you will leave him alone."
"Don't tell me you're afraid of him?" mocked Albatou.
Folken smiled coldly. "Afraid of him? No. However, I know what he is capable of. Morgreth didn't rise through the ranks of Zaibach's sorcerers on sheer intelligence alone."
Dilandau sighed. "All right. I'll leave him alone."
"One last thing," replied Folken as Dilandau proceeded to leave. "You are to stay with Jajuka at all times."
"I'm perfectly capable of defending myself!" retorted Albatou.
"Indeed you are, Lord Dilandau," replied Jajuka, as he rose to join the boy. "What Lord Folken is saying is that there may be people onboard the Vione who pretend to be loyal to him, but are, in fact, extremely loyal to Emperor Dornkirk. Lord Folken is...risking a great deal on your behalf."
The boy turned around and regarded Folken with respect. Then a smile spread across his lips. "You mean it's going to get lively around here, Jajuka? It's about time. I've been bored to tears lately."
Jajuka and Folken exchanged glances.
"Come on, Jajuka," replied Dilandau. "We have some thinking of our own to do as well." The two headed out of Folken's quarters. The boy paused before he exited. "Asami jaruto, Folken."
Folken blinked, for the boy had wished him good luck in Fanelian.
Albatou smiled. "See? I'm full of surprises, too," he said as he left.
"Asami jaruto, Dilandau," Folken replied.
* * *
Folken sat down and breathed slowly. Everything that he believed in was falling apart. Seeing what Dornkirk had done to Dilandau shook him to his core. Did the emperor's plans for the future include respect for all life, or were they all inanimate pawns to be moved around without a second thought? For years, he had kept such thoughts at bay, for they were dangerous thoughts for a man in his position. But now...now he couldn't afford to. All those deaths...his own country...Dilandau...where would it stop?
He noticed the candlelight reflecting on his mechanical arm. "Is this what Dornkirk's future will look like?" he asked, as he flexed his fingers. Cold, manipulative, precision? Suppose that had been Van instead of Dilandau? Folken felt his blood burn. Would he not raze Zaibach to the ground if such a thing had happened to his own brother?
But Folken knew that he had played a part in destroying many lives, all in the name of an ideal future. His eyes burned with tears. A future that had little regard for life, including Van's. He bristled as he remembered Dornkirk's recent communiqué with him:
"If you cannot capture the Dragon, then you must destroy it at once."
Would he kill his own brother in the name of that future? No. He would die protecting Van, even though his brother hated him. He would never allow Dornkirk or anyone else to destroy that gentle spirit of his...a spirit that he, himself, had wounded.
"Lord Folken," interrupted a voice over an intercom.
"Yes, Arashi?"
"Allen Schezar is about to land. Shall we send him to your quarters?"
"No, Arashi. I will meet him. Have him dock in landing bay three."
"Yes, sir."
Folken breathed in deeply again to clear his mind. He rose slowly and exited his quarters.
To Be Continued
[Aboard the Vione]
Dilandau's knuckles were white. "Those bastards! How could they do that to me?" Blood trickled from his hands.
"Please, Lord Dilandau," replied Jajuka, as he tried to get Albatou to relax.
The boy's eyes were alit with contempt. He rose up from his chair. "Morgreth said the order came from Dornkirk. Is that true, Folken?" he demanded.
Folken looked at him, trying to sort through his own thoughts on the matter. He chose his words carefully. "I know what you're thinking, Dilandau, and it is not a wise choice. Do you think Dornkirk will just let you into the capital?"
Dilandau laughed. "He should already know that I'm going to pay him a visit, that is if his little toy is working properly."
"Precisely," replied Folken. "He will be expecting you, which is why you cannot go...just yet."
Both Jajuka and Dilandau looked at Strategos with bewilderment.
"What do you mean 'just yet'?" asked Albatou.
Folken regarded the boy. He stood and placed his left hand on Dilandau's shoulder. "Dilandau," he said, softly. "I'm asking you to trust me, Dilandau. I need to think about this very carefully."
Dilandau blinked. "You mean that genius brain of yours hasn't figured something out already?"
"Where you are involved, Dilandau, there is rarely enough time to breathe, much less think," replied Folken, dryly.
"I'm that good, am I?" quipped Dilandau. "Very well, Folken. Just don't take too long to think. Otherwise a certain sorcerer may have a nasty accident, and I can guarantee you that it won't stop there."
"No," replied Folken, firmly. "You must not underestimate Morgreth. He is still a dangerous man. Promise me you will leave him alone."
"Don't tell me you're afraid of him?" mocked Albatou.
Folken smiled coldly. "Afraid of him? No. However, I know what he is capable of. Morgreth didn't rise through the ranks of Zaibach's sorcerers on sheer intelligence alone."
Dilandau sighed. "All right. I'll leave him alone."
"One last thing," replied Folken as Dilandau proceeded to leave. "You are to stay with Jajuka at all times."
"I'm perfectly capable of defending myself!" retorted Albatou.
"Indeed you are, Lord Dilandau," replied Jajuka, as he rose to join the boy. "What Lord Folken is saying is that there may be people onboard the Vione who pretend to be loyal to him, but are, in fact, extremely loyal to Emperor Dornkirk. Lord Folken is...risking a great deal on your behalf."
The boy turned around and regarded Folken with respect. Then a smile spread across his lips. "You mean it's going to get lively around here, Jajuka? It's about time. I've been bored to tears lately."
Jajuka and Folken exchanged glances.
"Come on, Jajuka," replied Dilandau. "We have some thinking of our own to do as well." The two headed out of Folken's quarters. The boy paused before he exited. "Asami jaruto, Folken."
Folken blinked, for the boy had wished him good luck in Fanelian.
Albatou smiled. "See? I'm full of surprises, too," he said as he left.
"Asami jaruto, Dilandau," Folken replied.
* * *
Folken sat down and breathed slowly. Everything that he believed in was falling apart. Seeing what Dornkirk had done to Dilandau shook him to his core. Did the emperor's plans for the future include respect for all life, or were they all inanimate pawns to be moved around without a second thought? For years, he had kept such thoughts at bay, for they were dangerous thoughts for a man in his position. But now...now he couldn't afford to. All those deaths...his own country...Dilandau...where would it stop?
He noticed the candlelight reflecting on his mechanical arm. "Is this what Dornkirk's future will look like?" he asked, as he flexed his fingers. Cold, manipulative, precision? Suppose that had been Van instead of Dilandau? Folken felt his blood burn. Would he not raze Zaibach to the ground if such a thing had happened to his own brother?
But Folken knew that he had played a part in destroying many lives, all in the name of an ideal future. His eyes burned with tears. A future that had little regard for life, including Van's. He bristled as he remembered Dornkirk's recent communiqué with him:
"If you cannot capture the Dragon, then you must destroy it at once."
Would he kill his own brother in the name of that future? No. He would die protecting Van, even though his brother hated him. He would never allow Dornkirk or anyone else to destroy that gentle spirit of his...a spirit that he, himself, had wounded.
"Lord Folken," interrupted a voice over an intercom.
"Yes, Arashi?"
"Allen Schezar is about to land. Shall we send him to your quarters?"
"No, Arashi. I will meet him. Have him dock in landing bay three."
"Yes, sir."
Folken breathed in deeply again to clear his mind. He rose slowly and exited his quarters.
To Be Continued
