Summary: Alliances are called into question as Dilandau's past rushes up to meet him head-on...
---
It seemed an eternity that Dilandau stared, dumbstruck, at Kara, still hidden by the shadows so she couldn't see him.
She was humming lightly, sitting casually in the stone windowseat, her laser-blue eyes cast upward to the sky. There was something in her expression Dilandau couldn't place. Was it longing? Disappointment?
"I hate this place," she muttered to herself, running her slender ivory fingers back through her long, thick vermilion hair, scowling as they caught against a knot in the back. She pulled the small rat's nest around her shoulder and started to untangle it with both hands. "Just my damned luck that I should be stranded here," she continued, almost too low to be heard by Dilandau, "Things were better before."
Finally, Dilandau felt a swell of courage, and he walked out from the hallway, and rather briskly called out, "Kara. Kara Mistral..."
The red-haired beauty leapt to her feet, smoothly drawing the sword from the sheathe hung lightly around her waist. For a moment, she simply stood there, sword aimed at the impossible figure in her vision. Her eyes were wide, in shock and a touch of fear.
"You can't be here," she said, gripping her blade tighter, "No. You're dead. You've been dead for three years."
"It's difficult to explain," he replied, taking a couple of steps towards her, "But I'm not dead. I was, but I'm not any longer." He stopped a few paces away from her; he knew she wouldn't strike him, yet he didn't want to take any chances. She had never taken well to mental stress...
"Prove it," Kara snapped, eyes narrowing dangerously, "Prove that you are who you seem to be."
Dilandau chuckled and showed a grin at her reaction, shaking his head slightly. "You're as stubborn as you ever were, Kara. How would you have me prove my existence? Strip you naked and take you right here in the hallway?"
This made her lower her blade and caused her expression to ease. Her voice softened, she spoke again, "Dilandau...it's really you, isn't it..."
"I'm as real as you are, love."
The blade was dropped to the ground, and she rushed to him, throwing her arms around his shoulders in such a forceful embrace, he stumbled back a couple of steps. After a moment, he returned the hold, turning his face into her hair and taking a deep breath. Her scent was so familiar to him; he had come to know it well...
As they wordlessly held each other, their time from almost four years prior came back to them, every small detail, every moment...
--
They had met, and to say that they got along in the least would be a grievous lie. He hated her, and she hated him alike - they were each other's equals and opposites. He, a brutal and vengeful commander; she, a cunning and very subtle warrior.
Perhaps it was because she was the only soldier who had ever challenged him that he despised her, yet he couldn't deny his fascination.
Though, as any two people on the same side of a battle would, they eventually managed to see beyond their differences at least enough to tolerate each other. They in fact had a lot in common - she was an orphan, and he had no parents that he could remember. They both looked upon the Dragonslayers as brothers, though Dilandau was far more reluctant to admit it. They both quite enjoyed vino.
That last part actually had a good deal to do with their relationship being pushed from friendship to being lovers.
It was an odd love, not one that would be found in a fairy story. It consisted primarily of heat, primal lust, and a fair amount of sex-related injuries. Despite this, however, their bond became as strong as any romantic couple's.
It was the arrival of the girl from the Mystic Moon that began their downturn.
Their relationship had remained strong, but the war was beginning to test that strength. More and more, Dilandau and the Dragonslayers were pulled out of ranks to fight, while Kara and the other soldiers were left behind on the Vione.
When the Dragonslayers had been killed, and Dilandau became increasingly reclusive, Kara swore vengeance upon the one who had done it, the White Dragon, Van Slanzar de Fanel of Fanelia.
It wasn't much later that Dilandau seemed to simply disappear. It marked the end of the war, the end of Zaibach.
Kara had searched all over for Dilandau but found nothing. Eventually, as terribly as it hurt her, she resigned herself to the apparent fact that he had died.
She roamed for a long while after this, and became a rogue. Every so often she considered a trek to Fanelia, to assassinate the king for his crimes against Zaibach and her own heart...but she found herself back in Catori, the capital city of Lassenia...her hometown. Seeing no real reason to be stealthy, she thieved openly in the marketplaces; only luck kept her from being caught. It was as though she was mocking Fate itself, daring it to strike her down if it so desired.
Luck only lasted for so long, however. When she attempted to steal a sword from one of the many small shops in the main marketplace, she was caught and linked to the other thefts that she had committed. She was taken before the Queen Arianna and her daughter, the Princess Saria, for judgment.
Arianna had immediately suggested a prison sentence, but Saria had intervened, as she often did when it came to her mother's suggestions.
"She's strong. We can keep her here as a worker...she'll work off her debts," the raven-haired princess told her mother, who reluctantly agreed.
"I won't work for you," Kara had declared with a sneer, "You forget that I was a soldier of the elite Zaibach Empire...I'd rather take a jail cell, thanks."
Saria had glared sharply at Kara with that comment, with almost a hint of pleading to just take the lighter punishment. Arianna had also become cross, speaking again with more authority, "You'll do exactly as you're told, or you'll be exiled, and I'll see to it that no other country will take you in."
After a long moment of deliberation, she finally agreed to work in the castle, but only as a guard - not a servant. Thus began her long, tedious process to pay her debts to the city.
--
"This can't be real," Kara still repeated, pressing her face into Dilandau's neck as if to confirm he was actually there, "I must be dreaming."
"It's no dream," Dilandau replied with a slight grin, "And I'm more than willing to prove it."
She pulled back slightly, a devious grin spreading on her lips before she gave a mock-exasperated sigh and pushed him away, before brushing past him and walking down the hall a short way before coming to a heavy wooden door on the left side. She opened it slightly as she called over her shoulder, "Well, all right, come on then." That grin had returned as she cast a sultry look over her shoulder and adding, "But afterwards, you have some explaining to do."
And there in that tiny room in the grand palace of Lassenia; unbeknownst to the rest of the castle(except to a couple of the servants who had unfortunately passed by), the city, the country, or the rest of the world; Dilandau Albatou and Kara Mistral were reunited and became one once again.
--
In the banquet hall, the effects of the vino had finally worn off, and the group got down to business.
"Here's the deal," Saria said, looking at Van and Hitomi, "You're both Draconian...so if we were somehow able to reach Atlantis, you'd probably be able to tap into its power to help us get rid of this demon Aquaria, right? It's obvious that our weapons will be useless against her..."
"It can't be that easy," Hitomi replied, shaking her head slightly, "I don't know the first thing about any of this...even if we did get into Atlantis, which I can't figure out how we would, how would we harness its power?"
"Well, Hitomi," Van said, looking to her, "You've always had odd powers that the rest of us don't have. Who knows what you're actually capable of?"
She didn't say any more, and Allen immediately noted the expression on her face was one of frustration and of a deeper melancholy. He spoke up before any more questions could be asked of her, "It's grown late...and we've traveled far. Perhaps we should rest for the night, and speak of this in lighter hours..." At this, Hitomi gave him an appreciative look.
Saria glanced out one of the large windows in the room and nodded slightly. "You're right," she said, standing from her seat, "It's been a long day for all of us, I'm sure. Van, Hitomi, Allen, rooms have been prepared for you. One of my servants will show you the way."
She motioned to a young man at the doorway, who bowed slightly and beckoned the trio to him. "This way, if you please."
The servant led them down one of the grander hallways, and indicated three rooms, one to the right, and two to the left. "These are our finest guest quarters - if you require anything, please don't hesitate to call on one of us."
--
Hitomi sat on the edge of the bed in the large, beautifully decorated room, but she found she couldn't make herself comfortable. For some reason, this night of all nights, she felt utterly alone.
Slipping a silver robe that had been hanging up beside the bed over her plain, long white nightshirt, she blew out the candle on the nightstand, and quietly opened the door to the room. She glanced about the hallway to make sure no one was around, quickly walked to the door of Allen's room, and knocked lightly.
When there was no response, she knocked just a little harder, and was relieved to hear motion from inside before the door was opened, revealing Allen wearing a robe similar to the one that had been provided to her.
"Hitomi?" he asked, concern apparent in his voice as he took a step aside to let her in, "Come inside...is everything all right?"
She walked into the room and he quietly closed the door behind her, before coming to her and placing his hands gently on her shoulders. Before she said a word, she turned to face him and closed the distance between them, looping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his chest. He returned the embrace, softly stroking her hair with one hand while the other came about her shoulders and held her close.
"I just...felt alone in there," she whispered, "I didn't...I don't want to be alone tonight."
"You can stay here if you wish," he offered gently, smiling lightly down at her.
She returned the small smile and nodded slightly. "I'd like that..."
Without much more than that, they both crawled into the bed, which was more than large enough to accommodate them. She turned on her side with her back facing him, and he curled up against her from behind, wrapping his arm loosely about her waist and resting his face gently in the crook between her neck and shoulder. For a moment, the thought of how perfectly they fit together like this passed through both of their minds, before they succumbed to sleep, in the warm glow of the candlelight.
---
Author's Notes: I know I'm going to get majorly flamed for the Dilandau/Kara relationship XD But with all the fics out there pairing him with his own Dragonslayers(which I don't necessarily mind XD), I thought it'd be nice to have him in a -het- relationship for once. XD For those who absolutely despise the thought - don't worry! I won't be focusing on it -too- much. ;;
---
It seemed an eternity that Dilandau stared, dumbstruck, at Kara, still hidden by the shadows so she couldn't see him.
She was humming lightly, sitting casually in the stone windowseat, her laser-blue eyes cast upward to the sky. There was something in her expression Dilandau couldn't place. Was it longing? Disappointment?
"I hate this place," she muttered to herself, running her slender ivory fingers back through her long, thick vermilion hair, scowling as they caught against a knot in the back. She pulled the small rat's nest around her shoulder and started to untangle it with both hands. "Just my damned luck that I should be stranded here," she continued, almost too low to be heard by Dilandau, "Things were better before."
Finally, Dilandau felt a swell of courage, and he walked out from the hallway, and rather briskly called out, "Kara. Kara Mistral..."
The red-haired beauty leapt to her feet, smoothly drawing the sword from the sheathe hung lightly around her waist. For a moment, she simply stood there, sword aimed at the impossible figure in her vision. Her eyes were wide, in shock and a touch of fear.
"You can't be here," she said, gripping her blade tighter, "No. You're dead. You've been dead for three years."
"It's difficult to explain," he replied, taking a couple of steps towards her, "But I'm not dead. I was, but I'm not any longer." He stopped a few paces away from her; he knew she wouldn't strike him, yet he didn't want to take any chances. She had never taken well to mental stress...
"Prove it," Kara snapped, eyes narrowing dangerously, "Prove that you are who you seem to be."
Dilandau chuckled and showed a grin at her reaction, shaking his head slightly. "You're as stubborn as you ever were, Kara. How would you have me prove my existence? Strip you naked and take you right here in the hallway?"
This made her lower her blade and caused her expression to ease. Her voice softened, she spoke again, "Dilandau...it's really you, isn't it..."
"I'm as real as you are, love."
The blade was dropped to the ground, and she rushed to him, throwing her arms around his shoulders in such a forceful embrace, he stumbled back a couple of steps. After a moment, he returned the hold, turning his face into her hair and taking a deep breath. Her scent was so familiar to him; he had come to know it well...
As they wordlessly held each other, their time from almost four years prior came back to them, every small detail, every moment...
--
They had met, and to say that they got along in the least would be a grievous lie. He hated her, and she hated him alike - they were each other's equals and opposites. He, a brutal and vengeful commander; she, a cunning and very subtle warrior.
Perhaps it was because she was the only soldier who had ever challenged him that he despised her, yet he couldn't deny his fascination.
Though, as any two people on the same side of a battle would, they eventually managed to see beyond their differences at least enough to tolerate each other. They in fact had a lot in common - she was an orphan, and he had no parents that he could remember. They both looked upon the Dragonslayers as brothers, though Dilandau was far more reluctant to admit it. They both quite enjoyed vino.
That last part actually had a good deal to do with their relationship being pushed from friendship to being lovers.
It was an odd love, not one that would be found in a fairy story. It consisted primarily of heat, primal lust, and a fair amount of sex-related injuries. Despite this, however, their bond became as strong as any romantic couple's.
It was the arrival of the girl from the Mystic Moon that began their downturn.
Their relationship had remained strong, but the war was beginning to test that strength. More and more, Dilandau and the Dragonslayers were pulled out of ranks to fight, while Kara and the other soldiers were left behind on the Vione.
When the Dragonslayers had been killed, and Dilandau became increasingly reclusive, Kara swore vengeance upon the one who had done it, the White Dragon, Van Slanzar de Fanel of Fanelia.
It wasn't much later that Dilandau seemed to simply disappear. It marked the end of the war, the end of Zaibach.
Kara had searched all over for Dilandau but found nothing. Eventually, as terribly as it hurt her, she resigned herself to the apparent fact that he had died.
She roamed for a long while after this, and became a rogue. Every so often she considered a trek to Fanelia, to assassinate the king for his crimes against Zaibach and her own heart...but she found herself back in Catori, the capital city of Lassenia...her hometown. Seeing no real reason to be stealthy, she thieved openly in the marketplaces; only luck kept her from being caught. It was as though she was mocking Fate itself, daring it to strike her down if it so desired.
Luck only lasted for so long, however. When she attempted to steal a sword from one of the many small shops in the main marketplace, she was caught and linked to the other thefts that she had committed. She was taken before the Queen Arianna and her daughter, the Princess Saria, for judgment.
Arianna had immediately suggested a prison sentence, but Saria had intervened, as she often did when it came to her mother's suggestions.
"She's strong. We can keep her here as a worker...she'll work off her debts," the raven-haired princess told her mother, who reluctantly agreed.
"I won't work for you," Kara had declared with a sneer, "You forget that I was a soldier of the elite Zaibach Empire...I'd rather take a jail cell, thanks."
Saria had glared sharply at Kara with that comment, with almost a hint of pleading to just take the lighter punishment. Arianna had also become cross, speaking again with more authority, "You'll do exactly as you're told, or you'll be exiled, and I'll see to it that no other country will take you in."
After a long moment of deliberation, she finally agreed to work in the castle, but only as a guard - not a servant. Thus began her long, tedious process to pay her debts to the city.
--
"This can't be real," Kara still repeated, pressing her face into Dilandau's neck as if to confirm he was actually there, "I must be dreaming."
"It's no dream," Dilandau replied with a slight grin, "And I'm more than willing to prove it."
She pulled back slightly, a devious grin spreading on her lips before she gave a mock-exasperated sigh and pushed him away, before brushing past him and walking down the hall a short way before coming to a heavy wooden door on the left side. She opened it slightly as she called over her shoulder, "Well, all right, come on then." That grin had returned as she cast a sultry look over her shoulder and adding, "But afterwards, you have some explaining to do."
And there in that tiny room in the grand palace of Lassenia; unbeknownst to the rest of the castle(except to a couple of the servants who had unfortunately passed by), the city, the country, or the rest of the world; Dilandau Albatou and Kara Mistral were reunited and became one once again.
--
In the banquet hall, the effects of the vino had finally worn off, and the group got down to business.
"Here's the deal," Saria said, looking at Van and Hitomi, "You're both Draconian...so if we were somehow able to reach Atlantis, you'd probably be able to tap into its power to help us get rid of this demon Aquaria, right? It's obvious that our weapons will be useless against her..."
"It can't be that easy," Hitomi replied, shaking her head slightly, "I don't know the first thing about any of this...even if we did get into Atlantis, which I can't figure out how we would, how would we harness its power?"
"Well, Hitomi," Van said, looking to her, "You've always had odd powers that the rest of us don't have. Who knows what you're actually capable of?"
She didn't say any more, and Allen immediately noted the expression on her face was one of frustration and of a deeper melancholy. He spoke up before any more questions could be asked of her, "It's grown late...and we've traveled far. Perhaps we should rest for the night, and speak of this in lighter hours..." At this, Hitomi gave him an appreciative look.
Saria glanced out one of the large windows in the room and nodded slightly. "You're right," she said, standing from her seat, "It's been a long day for all of us, I'm sure. Van, Hitomi, Allen, rooms have been prepared for you. One of my servants will show you the way."
She motioned to a young man at the doorway, who bowed slightly and beckoned the trio to him. "This way, if you please."
The servant led them down one of the grander hallways, and indicated three rooms, one to the right, and two to the left. "These are our finest guest quarters - if you require anything, please don't hesitate to call on one of us."
--
Hitomi sat on the edge of the bed in the large, beautifully decorated room, but she found she couldn't make herself comfortable. For some reason, this night of all nights, she felt utterly alone.
Slipping a silver robe that had been hanging up beside the bed over her plain, long white nightshirt, she blew out the candle on the nightstand, and quietly opened the door to the room. She glanced about the hallway to make sure no one was around, quickly walked to the door of Allen's room, and knocked lightly.
When there was no response, she knocked just a little harder, and was relieved to hear motion from inside before the door was opened, revealing Allen wearing a robe similar to the one that had been provided to her.
"Hitomi?" he asked, concern apparent in his voice as he took a step aside to let her in, "Come inside...is everything all right?"
She walked into the room and he quietly closed the door behind her, before coming to her and placing his hands gently on her shoulders. Before she said a word, she turned to face him and closed the distance between them, looping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his chest. He returned the embrace, softly stroking her hair with one hand while the other came about her shoulders and held her close.
"I just...felt alone in there," she whispered, "I didn't...I don't want to be alone tonight."
"You can stay here if you wish," he offered gently, smiling lightly down at her.
She returned the small smile and nodded slightly. "I'd like that..."
Without much more than that, they both crawled into the bed, which was more than large enough to accommodate them. She turned on her side with her back facing him, and he curled up against her from behind, wrapping his arm loosely about her waist and resting his face gently in the crook between her neck and shoulder. For a moment, the thought of how perfectly they fit together like this passed through both of their minds, before they succumbed to sleep, in the warm glow of the candlelight.
---
Author's Notes: I know I'm going to get majorly flamed for the Dilandau/Kara relationship XD But with all the fics out there pairing him with his own Dragonslayers(which I don't necessarily mind XD), I thought it'd be nice to have him in a -het- relationship for once. XD For those who absolutely despise the thought - don't worry! I won't be focusing on it -too- much. ;;