A/n this is my first ever fanfic so please take the patience to read this and review. Thank you! Enjoy.
Love and Deception
Summary: a tale of unrequited love and betrayal, where individuals must decide what to put first. Their duty or love? Twisted plot with slight fantasy. And also a lot of Folken in this story for once.
Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne or any of its characters.
Dilandau gazed across the immense round table. All around him Ziabach generals sat focused on hanging on Folken's every word. He crossed his arms, his patience with Ziabach meetings dwindling, as he contemplated raising to his feet and leaving. However, a quick stern glare from Folken told him to be still as if he could read his thoughts.
The albino relaxed back into his chair, muttering curses under his breath. Bored with Folken's monotonous talk of Ziabach tactics on attacking Fanelia, Dilandau's stare fell upon Folken's personal guard who stood close nearby. Dilandau never could understand why Folken ever decided to have a personal guard. The only reason he could think of was that Folken was just lonely and he needed company. But his personal guard, Wolf, never seemed to suffice as social company as he never spoke to anyone.
His name was completely appropriate for the way he looked and his way of fighting. Wolf always wore a mask, disguising any emotions that he may have had, much to Dilandau's annoyance. The thought of torturing him would never mount to any pleasure for Dilandau, as he would never be able to see the pain stained across his face. The mask itself though, only showed intimidation and struck into the weak hearted. The mask was shaped in to the face of a wolf in the deepest shade of black. However, beneath the dark exterior of the wolf mask pierced two deep, light blue eyes. The armour was very much similar to that of Dilandau's Dragonslayers apart from it was black with a dark cloth attached loosely to the shoulders. Dilandau tried to interrogate the silent wolf's appearance further, but Wolf's attention centered on him causing the albino to avert his eyes sharply.
The next time Dilandau looked up again at Wolf, he no longer looked at the albino but rather upwards to what seemed the balcony above. Dilandau followed his gaze but saw nothing but an empty wooden balcony. Shrugging off the emotionless Wolf's fascination with the balcony, Dilandau attempted to listen to Folken's calm voice drifting towards the other generals.
Suddenly, splitting Folken's voice into silence, an arrow cascaded towards the metal-armed man who sat unaware of the closing danger. Dilandau's undeniably high soldiering skills allowed him to hear the whiz of the arrow and to grab the hilt of his sword to hopefully intercept it, but he was too late. The wolf masked man no longer stood at Folken's side. He had already pounced on to the table as if wolf-like agility had possessed him and pulled his great sword out. With one swift blow, the arrow shattered in to a thousand pieces. Dilandau could only look on in amazement and burning jealously. Wolf didn't just stop there however. With what seemed with ease, he swung his sword into its sheath and leapt from the tabletop to the balcony. With the same swiftness, he grabbed the balcony rail with his noticeably claw-like gloves and swung over the banister, landing and chasing after the failed assassin.
As if nothing had happened, Folken turned to the stunned generals and continued. None of them however seemed to take anything in as they tried desperately to grasp what had just happened. Dilandau stood up; something was burning in him and it was driving him mad. 'If you'll excuse me,' Dilandau said, ignoring Folken's stare and making his way out of the room.
Opening the doors to the outside, Dilandau walked out, his mind a blur. He always knew that Wolf was good, but not that good. Dilandau had always assumed that he was better than Wolf, well naturally of course. But Wolf possessed a power that worried the albino. A power that could push him out of the ranks of Ziabach if Wolf ever wanted to.
Turning a street corner Dilandau managed to catch a glance of the wolf-man down an alley. Moving closer and stealthily, Dilandau watched as Wolf swung his sword down in a concluding sweep forcing a seemingly boneless body to the floor. He had never seen Wolf fight or take any action as a matter of fact, but Dilandau assumed that as part of his disguise. Forcing his attention from the blood splattered body back to Wolf, Dilandau realised Wolf was watching him with his penetrating blue eyes. Dilandau stood unfazed by his constant glare, he always did. They had never spoken to each other, but Dilandau knew that Wolf hated him; for what, he didn't know.
'So, who is, or should I say was he?' Dilandau asked impatiently, assuming immediate authority over the armoured wolf.
'A Fanelian spy who felt lucky enough to take a shot at Lord Folken, a present form Lord Van,' Wolf answered in annoyance, his voice made harsh by the mask.
'Really? Well, shame it missed Folken I suppose,' Dilandau replied, a sarcastic smile spreading across his face.
Dilandau seemed to skip a breath as he thought he could feel the stab that came from the deep blue eyes of the wolf. Taking advantage of having a conversation with Wolf, the albino thought he would delve deeper into those eyes for some answers.
'Why do you wear that mask? Actually, why do you wear all the wolf-like armour that goes with it? You are a man after all,' Dilandau asked, his burning blood red eyes reflecting the disgust in his voice.
'Maybe you should stop assuming Lord Dilandau. Looks are deceiving, that is why,' Wolf replied, his voice reflecting a smile.
'Has Folken even seen you without your mask on? He is your master after all. And please don't say that 'Wolf' is your real name,' Dilandau asked in detestation to the wolf man's presence.
With the same agility as Wolf held before, he leapt at the albino's throat, throwing him against the wall. Dilandau's eyes became blood shot as he was immediately suffocated, the clawed gloves threatening to crawl beneath his pale skin.
'What I do is none of your business Dilandau,' Wolf hissed behind his mask.
Dilandau thrashed about in desperation, his tactical thinking had shied to fear for the first time in his life. Reaching up to the clawed gloves, Dilandau pulled the hands from his throat and finally drove the opposing body to the other side of the alley. Rubbing his neck quickly and gasping for breath, he watched Wolf hit the wall on the opposite of the alley hard enough to allow a smirk of satisfaction glimmer across the albino's face.
Regaining his composure, Wolf ignored the smiling red eyed boy and walked towards the entrance of the alleyway before pausing.
'Wolf isn't my real name, and indeed nor am I a wolf,' he muttered. Turning to face Dilandau, the wolf eyes softened, 'but nor are you a man Dilandau.'
'What do you mean?' Dilandau shouted back in haste, his mind confused by the impossibility of Wolf's last statement. But he received no reply. The great cloak of the armoured wolf man spun around, sweeping the path behind as he left the albino in the alley, alone with only the great full moon for company.
A/n I know it was short but it was a quick introduction and a taster. This has potential to be a Folken x someone as well as dilly romance. Wolf will be explained in the next couple of chapters and he is kinda cool don't you think?
Please review as well, otherwise I will have to assume this is to your distaste and discontinue.
Lil eiko