Chapter 14: Shattered Hope

Wide aquamarine blue eyes bore into piercing golden pair of gems, the corners wrinkling as a droplet of aqua trickled down copper coloured cheek. Stifling a sob, Ardine wiped the wetness away with the back of her hand, managing to stain her face with blackish residue. A smile tugged on her lips, radiating both sheer relief and exhaustion.

It was her dear twin brother. He was there, for her. He would never abandon her alone, as he promised a long time ago back in the days of their imprisonment, in the days of the Great Gaean War. He loved her, and she was certain he knew nothing of her assassination order. Once she told him about that, he would turn his back on their father and rescue her, fleeing together from the king's wrath, never again looking back to their past.

She stepped forward hesitantly, her arms extended before her, reaching out for her dear brother. She motioned him to come to her, so that she could see his face clearly, and revel in the memory of the handsome features so gentle and tender as the golden orbs gazing back fondly at her. But she halted in mid gesture when she saw nothing but coldness in the depths of those glittering golden wells. Frowning, she lowered her hands to her sides, uncertainty radiating from her sky blue eyes. A crease deepened between her forehead as she cocked her head to one side and searched into her sibling's golden eyes for her reflection. She hoped for at least a tiny trace of her in him, but in the end, she found nothing, none of her, none of the trace of the brotherly love she had longed and waited so much.

Silently she closed her eyes, trying to read behind the barriers of his thoughts, but a shock was all that she received for probing her brother's realm of mind. Her eyes flying open, she uttered a sharp gasp, her hands touching her throbbing temples as she attempted to chase away the horrible monster of the undefined emotion that had assaulted her mind. Never before she experienced this when she tried to contact Parnall mentally. He shut her out of his mind completely.

Bravely she squared her shoulders and glared at her twin brother, anger and confusion and stung pride fiercely radiating from her stance, " 'Tis a disappointment the fire of hell wouldn't engulf its very own daughter, Parnall! You disregard the fact that I was conceived, born, and raised in the hell of war, just like you!" She stifled a gasp at the sight of her brother's cruel smile. Her eyes softened as her pleading voice echoed against the walls of the castle, "Please, Parnall. Please, return to your old self, please. I could never bear seeing you like this…what is the matter with you?"

"'Tis none of your damn concern, Dear Twin Sister." Parnall snarled menacingly, baring his fang as he took a step forward, his hands ready at the hilts of his twin scimitars. "But I do have a gift for you, and a message." He went on, nodding at the direction of one of his retainers. A man quickly reacted to his order and jumped down his Guymelef with a black box in hand. His face was pale as he knelt beside the prince and raised the box so the prince could intercept it easily, his hands trembling in obvious fear and distress.

Parnall took the black wooden box from the waiting hands of the soldier, and smirked in disgust when he witnessed the man's obvious relief. For a second he stared at the box in his hands. Smiling ever so slightly, he flung the object forcefully on the ground, before his twin sister's eyes. His face was split in a satisfied smirk as he heard the box clattered and scattered into millions of wooden splinters on the alabaster granite floor, revealing the surprise. His smirk widened into a grin, and his eyes shone like a predator eyeing his prey as he heard the collective gasps and snarls of anger around him.

Gasping in horror, Ardine rushed to kneel near the objects, her shaking hands hovers above them. She urged herself to touch the objects but found herself didn't have the heart to do so much to her disgust. Seething in rage, she raised her eyes and confronted Parnall eye-to-eye, icy blue fire blazing defiantly from behind long eyelashes. She barely sensed Gaudi's presence beside her, his long sword drawn across her body for her protection. Her eyes were only for Parnall and Parnall alone, and she was aware of nothing but her own hell of wrath.

Parnall laughed inwardly as he noted the reactions of the people around him one by one. His men, as usual, cowered in fear at his exhibition of disciplinary punishment. But then again, he expected that attitude from them. He had threatened to kill everyone dared to retaliate against his every command, officers or mere soldiers. He only needed obedient officers and subordinates in his army. He never cared for some wimps who could only disrupt his plan, and he certainly never wished for an obstacle that could jeopardise his every ambition. And that certain obstacle was Ardine.

He glanced at his right, and he could see the Queen of Fanelia snuggling deeper into the king's embrace, horror and disbelief clearly written all over her face. It was clear she seldom witnessed this kind of brutality before. The rumour told him that the newly established Queen was not of this world, and that in her world, war was simply almost nonexistent. The king himself looked as if he was ready to roast ten of his men with his blazing eyes. Parnall laughed softly as he noticed the king circled a protective arm around the queen's smaller frame. Van, on the other hand, tightened his hold when he caught the prince leering at them.

Diverting his eyes back at his sister, he let out a cold small smile as he saw a man, his left eye patched, kneeling protectively beside Ardine with an impressive five-feet sword stretched out before them. He displayed no emotion, but fire burnt within the blue of his eyes as the man gazed at Parnall with an aura of disdain and disgust.

Yes, that's right, Parnall thought inwardly as he relaxed his stance and glanced back nonchalantly at the golden haired man before him, let the fire burn and the world falls with it.

Let the smell of death rises in the air.   

"Do you comprehend the message, Sister-mine?" A mocking voice echoed deep.

Raising her eyes to meet Parnall's golden ones, Ardine choked down the urge to cry. She nearly vomited at the sight before her eyes, and she had to remind herself several times to maintain her dignity as a crown princess. It would do her nothing to reveal her inner turmoil to her enemy. Yes, Parnall had been her dear twin brother, but she realised the moment she saw the glint behind those usually kind and gentle eyes that he had become her sworn vendetta. She would not cry before Parnall. Shocked she might be, but she would reveal nothing more.

The air around her was crackling with tension, along with the fire burning the walls. She didn't have to see that people were waiting for her reaction. She could almost sense Parnall's retainers quietly boring pitying look into her back quietly. She resented the sympathy that the traitors had given her, but she could do nothing about it. At the moment she was beneath Parnall's thumb. She shall die if Parnall wished so, and she shall live if Parnall decided not to kill her yet.

Quietly she braved herself to touch one of the objects. Wrapping her thin fingers around the cold surface, she traced every line, every contour, making sure that she memorise the shape of it. Her expression never wavered, and her blue eyes froze, capturing the moment with all her heart. One by one the information registered in her mind.

Father was murdered.

Mother, too.

And Parnall did it to them.

He led a coup d'état, and he wanted to kill her as well. 

She smiled a little as she gazed softly at object on her lap. How dare him to present their own parents' heads to her! But then again, she had known Parnall for all her life. A strategist genius, he was. And he suspected she would die from insanity when she was presented with the sight of their parents' heads. He wanted to kill her, but first he wanted to torture her and destroy her inwardly.

But why?

She didn't want to know why, though. And she had known her own decision before she received the answer.

She heard Parnall's laughter rumbled in his chest and sensed Gaudi's arm tensed around her. Ignoring the drying blood staining her fingers, she gathered her mother's on her lap as well and gazed up into Gaudi's eyes. The man shuddered inwardly for a moment, for he saw not anger and despair in her eyes, but a vacant and almost peaceful look.

"I'm ready." She whispered almost enchantingly, a dark blue mist forming in her eyes. Gaudi dropped his lower jaw. Not even a tear. What was she thinking of?

Parnall watched the exchange lazily from where he was; a mocking sound escaped his lips. He snapped his fingers, and soon his retainers gathered around him, waiting for his orders. Glancing at the Fanelian royal pair and Gaudi, he commanded, "Guard them. Kill them if necessary, and tell the Magis not to let Fanelian soldiers found their way. Tell them to form an invisible shield," A brief salutation echoed in the roasting hall, and soon Van and Hitomi found themselves to be surrounded by five robust Ispanian soldiers, all swords directed at their neck.

Seething in anger, Van attempted to fend their attack, but found himself too weak to fight back. Finally he resolved in restraining himself and protecting his wife, his eyes widened in horror as his mind speculated on what would happen next.

Gaudi was more concerned with protecting his charge, and he would do anything to stay as close to her as possible. Grinding his teeth together, he tightened his hold in his sword, waiting for a void moment to attack back. Now he was unable to do anything, and he could only watch the event unfold. He could only pray Ardine would not commit anything stupid.

Extending one muscular arm, Parnall's eyes softened a little bit as he smiled and gestured Ardine to approach him, "Come, Sister-mine. Your fate awaits." But the warmth in the gesture soon dissipated when Ardine presented no reaction. Then, with a cold voice, he repeated his command again, "'Twill be quick and clean, sister dear. Come here to your darling brother."

Gaudi opened his mouth in protest as he saw the princess rose to her feet, but clamped his mouth when Ardine once again presented him the sinfully peaceful expression, her eyes vacant as they met Gaudi's ocean blue ones. His own eyes widened, he lost his voice and his ability to move when he caught something behind her empty face. She was alive inside, with contempt, with vengeance, with pure hatred. However, she was also destroyed completely, and her pride was the only virtue shining through. She had decided something, and she never wished for him to interfere. She was doing what she believed to be right.

And then, at the frantic moment, Gaudi realised Ardine's message. She was too deeply wounded to take revenge on her own twin brother and chose to die in his hand instead. And she would die bravely and with honour, like a crown princess should. She would not cry or squeal like a peasant woman, but instead, she would face everything with the courage of a warrior.

Grimly Gaudi lowered his sword, silently accepting Ardine's wish. He had no right to interfere with the conflict between the Ispanian siblings. It could also be marked as a breach of political border between kingdoms and Gaudi never wished to darken the already shadowed fate of Fanelia. So he merely sat there, and watched, his ocean blue eyes never once missed Ardine's every gesture.

Without words, Ardine approached Parnall with calm; her eyes never strayed from his. In him, she saw her reflection. It was ironic. She remembered how many times they had looked in the mirror with fascination as children, and announced to each other with pride that the other had indeed possessed the most beautiful features in the world. And now those beautiful features before her looked back at her with nothing but hatred, as if she had committed some inexcusable sins against him.

Smiling serenely, Ardine started to bare herself from the accessories on her body, starting from her delicately carved headpiece. As soon as the headpiece met the floor with a clang, she unravelled her braid with her fingers, carefully smoothing the long strands, a curtain of raven tresses falling on her back. Soon her rings and bracelets joined the headpiece on the ground. She closed her eyes in dreadful anticipation as she undid the clasp of her jewelled necklace slowly.

Tightening her fingers around the material, she slowly lowered herself on one bended knee and put the necklace gently by her side, smiling softly as she glanced up at her brother and said, almost tenderly, "I don't need all of these. The world of the dead would never admit a soul with the weight of the world." With those words said, she unclasped her cloak and laid it before her. Gathering her raven hair in one hand, she bared the back of her neck, slender and long. Sweat glistened on her skin; the heat scorched her face, but she didn't care. It wouldn't be long but moments before she could say her farewell to the world.

"I don't need a blindfold. Just let me die in honour, a soldier's quick execution."

Parnall, his eyes glinted, gave his sister a look of pure amusement before answering her request, for once the look in his face softened, "Your last wish is my command, sister dear." He never would acknowledge the reality, but he was proud to have Ardine as his twin sister. A pure blooded Ispanian she was. So brave, so courageous. Never she feared anything, even death.

And then, as he swung his long sword high in the air, Ardine raised her eyes a little, level them with Gaudi's frozen form. For once she smiled in gratitude for all the deeds he had done for her in the past. Ardine fully comprehended that her existence in Fanelia bothered him to no end, and he hated her for that reason alone.

It was ironic, though.

In the last moments of her life, she finally realised that…things did not have to happen the way they were.

They didn't have to hate each other…

Her smile widened as she sensed Parnall's sword slashing down the air, the cold and sharp breeze was refreshing on the bare skin of her neck.

The last thing she was aware of was Gaudi's voice calling out for her name.

Celena stood there, alone, her eyes devoid of all emotions and feelings as she watched her brother savagely ramming his foil again and again into the body of his enemies. Beside him, the Duke Chid Zar Dal of Freid stood back to back with His Majesty King Dryden, both had their long swords drawn. Queen Millerna stood within the reach of King Dryden, her features pale, and a small dagger in her hand. The King and the Queen of Fanelia were nowhere to be seen; only their guards were there, their shoulders and arms tensed, their eyes roaming the area for possible escape.

She had stood there for a whole fifteen minutes by then, racking her brain for a way to approach her brother without jeopardising the safety of the sleepy child in her arms. The fire raging, she had to blink her drying eyes, devoid of the natural liquid she usually took for granted. How she wished some miracle would happen and rain would pour down, ending all madness the fire caused. Luckily she had found quite a decent rag that used to be a curtain and wrapped the material around the child and herself, so they could at least avoid being scorched by the fire.

And it was by luck as well that she found her brother. Allen Schezar were battling his way out of the West Wing where the royal bedchamber was located, a big gash marring his fine brow. A savage snarl almost made the young woman gasp in shock, for she seldom saw her brother in battle. However, as she watched him battling his enemies from behind the safety of a wall, her eyes glittered with longing and recognition, and yet self-directed rage embarked in her mind as she viewed the scene before her eyes.

Somehow, somewhere, in the deepest corner of her mind, she knew a man. A man so handsome it hurt to see him in his eyes, so breathtakingly beautiful and graceful that everyone would bow in respect to him, whether men or women. Silver blonde hair glittered in the air; his lean body wore the red blood armour with the crest of Zaibach Nation engraved in its metallic surface. It was a dim memory, back from the days when the Zaibachan captured and kept her prisoner. She used to try all her might to relive those memories, but after some time she decided all those memories were better untouched. It was a territory forbidden for her mind to enter.

This war brought back those feelings and memories to her. It became clearer and clearer as the seconds ticked by, more and more familiar things emerging in her mind. This feeling of war! She had experienced it before, she had known it, and it was somehow lurking in the back of her mind, waiting for her to release it from its prison. It was both disgusting and exhilarating, but she knew the truth. It had been there for as long as she could not remember, hissing and coiling like the devil of a snake.

Shuddering against a tall pillar, Celena tightened her hold around the lithe body of the boy she had found during her journey in search of her brother, trying to draw energy out of the innocence present in the sleeping form in her arms. She realised it would be dangerous for both of them to just emerge from behind the wall and call Allen. It would be dangerous for him as well. It would burden him. He would have to protect both of them, with the addition of their king and queen.

She was not afraid, however. She would just stay there in her hiding place, waiting until everything passed. She would be as quite as a mouse, so noone would ever find her. If the enemies did find her, though, she had prepared a very nice surprise for them. She had picked up an unused dagger and hid it below the frock of her gown. She planned to quietly ram the dagger into the body of her assailant should someone dare to touch her. Of course, noone would never expect a lady with a small frame and innocent face could ever think of something like that, couldn't she?

She was indeed afraid of herself; despite the brave front she insisted herself necessary in the kind of situation. Something in her, a part of her that was she and yet was not her was forcing its way out. The second she sensed its presence she decided that whatever it was, the thing should never see daylights. She shall bury it deep within her unconscious mind. For now, however, she had to stay alert and escape the place unscathed if possible.

The sound of shoes crunching against the alabaster floor sent the alarms in her head off as she jerked her chin upwards, one of her hand reaching for the hidden dagger in the pocket of her frock. Cold sweat broke despite the unbearable heat, and her eyes dilated as she attempted to take in as much of her surroundings as possible. She didn't want to alarm her brother, and yet she was also aware of the possible encounter of her with this unseen man. From the corner of her eyes, she could see her brother ferociously battling for his dear life and for the life of the people around him. She didn't have the heart to interrupt her brother's concentration and get him killed in the stead of her own. She fully comprehended the fact that a slight disruption could mean her brother's life.

So she set the child down behind her and squared her shoulders as she stood facing the cloaked figure before her. Never forgetting the power of her beauty, she smiled sweetly, her innocent aura radiating as she looked back into the figure of the stranger, one hand still hidden behind her frock. Quietly she stepped forward, a small and mysterious smile playing on her lips.

Strange. The man was alone. She had expected a group of Ispanian soldiers, but she never expected this: a quite man with a black coat and cool demeanour. It almost seemed to her as if the man would do no harm to her. At her own assumption, she couldn't help doubling her guard. She would never dare to trust what her eyes could see for the moment.

The man had an almost elegant aura, if not for the low self-profile he radiated from the way he hunched his shoulders. He had the most peculiar demeanour. In a way, he was a dignified man, and yet he acted as if he was a servant on a mission. There was some defeated aura coming from the man, cold and expressionless, as if he had been forced to repress his desire and feelings all his life. Like a slave. But on the other hand, there was also certain vigour around him, filling him with life and…the feeling of freedom!

Celena narrowed her eyes. Twice she met strange men that day. One with an aura so strong it seeped out of his guymelef, and that she was certain the first man she met was a noble. The second one behaved as if he was a slave, and yet her sense told him that the man before her was a free man.

Her lips parted, and her voice came out hoarse as she spoke directly to the figure, feeling the need of the man for a permission to talk, "Speak of your business, good stranger," and then, with a twist of irony, she mocked him ever so subtle, "or should I say my dear enemy?"

The stranger stared solemnly at her as he came out to the flickering light of the fire, pulling his hood away to reveal his features. Celena gasped; her knees buckled. They were the bluest and the deepest set of eyes she had ever seen, so blue and so deep they defied the beauty of the ocean. Hint of warmth twinkled in those eyes, and the look said that he had known her for ages, and yet he restrained himself.

"Lady Celena," the man whispered hoarsely, his voice trembling a little. "Do you recognise me?"

Shaking her head frantically, she could feel a surge of panic swarming in her head for the first time since the war had started a few hours ago. Gulping some air, Celena fell a step backward, her icy blue eyes widened as she took in the whole picture before her.

There stood a young man, no, a cat-man to be precise. His tail curled lazily around one leg as he inspected her calmly, his features unmoving as he waited for her to say more. He was the face she had seen in her dreams before, only she knew that he was not the same person. The person she sometimes saw in her dreams was a boy barely fifteen year old, and yet all her senses told her that the person in front of her was the boy. His features were unmistakable, although older; same straight, regal nose, beautiful eyes, although not magenta in colour, and silky white skin, powdery. The cat-man had to be the most beautiful person on Gaea, then, for he resembled the boy in her dreams so much.

As if the cat-man was able to read her thoughts, he bowed in front of her and talked to her in his gentlest voice, flowing and soothing, "As much as I want to say the lie, my lady, I am not him, and it is best for you to forget him for once and for all. I am not Dilandau Albatou. I may be part of him once, and I regret it so, but I never regret being a part of you."

"What…what do you mean?" Celena asked in raspy voice, her throat was suddenly dry, very dry.

"The past won't matter anymore, lady. 'Tis buried well and forever. What matters is now." Quietly he whispered only audible for her ears.

"A mystery…" Celena whispered back, intrigued by the wells of blue staring into her own, "that is not important anymore. But 'tis haunting me, now or ever."

"'Twill be gone in due time, my lady, 'twill be gone." The cat-man told her solemnly, still on his bended knee.

Carefully Celena approached and kneeled in front of him, her features softened as she traced a line along the cat-man's right cheek and smiled as she said, "He had a hideous scar here; of course, he wasn't you. I do remember it clearly although I never remember where I ever saw him myself."

Celena sighed at the lack of response she received and got up to her feet. "But of course, I shall never remember him." She added. She looked at him with a look of agreement, "too dangerous."

The cat-man didn't utter another word, but he slipped his hand inside his cloak and pulled out a shiny object, handing it over to Celena.

"What is it?" Celena inquired as she laid her hand on the metal surface, her eyes widened as she recognised the object in her hand. It was a dagger with a dragon coiled around the handle, the jewels in its eyes sparkling madness. Something very unsettling radiated from the blade. Apparently the blade had drawn blood countless times.

"A message from my master," the cat-man hesitated a bit before he finally informed her hastily, hopping to his feet with such a speed that he startled her, "'Remember'."

"But I advised you not to." He added sternly, for a moment his eyes sparkling with fire, "I am certain you know the reason well within yourself."

Celena didn't say a word. She merely stared deep into the blue ocean of his eyes, buried herself in the beauty of the familiar features of the cat-man.

"You're always such a perceptive little girl, my lady. I'm sure you're still the way you used to be."

Sighing profoundly, Celena tightened her fingers around the dagger and asked him softly, "Who are you, dear stranger? Why is concerned about me so?"

The cat-man merely smiled as he donned his hood. He lifted his paw, and for a moment Celena thought he was going to touch her, but again he limited his movement and drew himself back into his shell. His face hardened, he retreated back, leaving Celena alone in confusion. Only the scream of her brother brought her back to reality.

Allen Schezar groaned in pain as the blade of his enemy slashed through the fine material of his military uniform, but he was quick enough to fight back and lung his foil into the Ispanian soldier's stomach. He wished he would have Schezarade with him to stop the rampaging Ispanian guymelefs, but he could barely keep himself and everybody else in his party alive. And there was the addition of his missing sister. He knew his sister would know how to act in this kind of situation, but that didn't stop him from worrying.

Especially when there was a possibility when old memories would emerge and… engulf her mind again. Allen was not a stupid man. He knew how much similar situation could influence one's ability to remember something, and that included his sister. He would have embarked from his position in search of his sister long ago if it were not for his duty for his King and Queen and for a certain wheezing young duke beside him. He had to admit time had presented him with a stronger Chid Zar, but the boy was still far too young and inexperienced with real combat like this.

The boy, although agile, was not strong and muscular enough to evade most of the attacks of the older and more seasoned Ispanian soldiers. His defence deteriorated in no time, and the boy only survived thanks to his agility and to the assistance of his illegitimate father.  As much as Allen wanted to keep his true identity from Chid, he still loved and cherished his son a whole lot.

Another slash wounded him, and he almost fell to his knees if it were not for his king's support. "Keep fighting, Allen." He hissed in his ears, "I know there are too many enemies, but we couldn't submit to them just like that." Allen merely nodded at his king's remark, his foil clanking loudly as it came to contact with a glinting scimitar above his head. Cold sweat broke on his forehead; he ignored the throbbing on his left shoulders as he connected his fist with his enemy's face, the force bruising both the face and his knuckles. But he was careless. In his exhaustion as a result of his lost of blood, he disregarded the enemy behind his back. He barely uttered a sound when he finally noticed the sharp blade aiming for his side. And he barely recognised his own scream afterwards.

Celena gasped and ran without thinking to her brother as she witnessed the scimitar driven into Allen's body, screaming out his name in anguish as she threw her own body before him as a shield. Her eyes glittering in anger, she pointed her newly acquired dagger at the Ispanian soldier, for a moment her eyes flashed in cold anger that even the most hardened soldier would recoil in apprehension. Her startling appearance put the battle on hold for a good few seconds.

All eyes were on her, but she never paid them attention. Her desire to kill was greater than her desire to restrain her hectic mind back in order. She was blinded by her own anger and confusion, and much to her shame, she had submitted to those two feelings that she had avoided all along and reacted badly to the shock of what had happened around her, but who wouldn't be frantic when they saw their siblings at the tip of someone else's sword?

But then the strangest things happened. One by one the enemy dispersed, avoiding her like a plague. Her eyebrows burrowed deep, she relaxed her stance as the last of the soldiers was gone, leaving her and the others baffled at their sudden departure. Then it all became clear to her. She was not certain what happened, but she was sure they were avoiding her because of the dagger in her hand. Somehow the dagger held a precious value for the Ispanian, and she had noticed a flash of fear and recognition the moment the Ispanian soldiers set their eyes on it.

She chase the thoughts away as she helped her brother up slowly, relief gradually dawning on her features. Smiling, she murmured thanks as her king and queen helped her to steady Allen, their eyes full of concerns. Her brother would be fine, but the wounds would proved to be some problems if they were left unattended. Queen Millerna, a natural medic that she was, quickly examined everybody's wounds as they retreated to their temporary shelter of the relatively safe spot behind the wall that Celena had found before. Reminded of the child's presence, Celena quickly dispatched to check on the boy and sighed in relief when she found him sound asleep.

"Celena, you're here!" her brother murmured as he tangled his fingers in her tousled sandy blonde tresses, a relieved smile spreading across his full lips. "I almost thought I would never see you again!"

Her eyes twinkling mischievously, she helped Allen lay down carefully on the floor before she smiled and responded to his remark, "I am still denied the satisfaction to witness you walking along the aisle to your married life, Brother Dear…how could I be so cruel to myself and make myself so disappointed with unfulfilled longing?"

Allen tried to grin, but a grimace appeared on his fine features instead. Smiling indulgently, he caressed his sister's hair gently and replied softly, "And I, sister mine, am not going to be denied the pleasure of seeing you safely married to one of the eligible bachelors available around."

Duke Chid Zar Freid laughed heartily at Allen's comment while the king and the queen only smiled and shook their heads in amusement. Celena's cheeks burnt in embarrassment, however. She quickly hid her shame by replying tartly, though she still remembered to mind her decorum in the presence of the Asturian royal family, "If only you find them worthy in your eyes, brother."

Grinning widely, the young Duke Chid decided to humour the situation and participate in the exchange, "I will volunteer. Surely your brother will measure me worthy as a duke, will he not?"

Lifting one of her eyebrows in mock surprise, she looked at the younger man with gentle eyes as she smiled tenderly and shrugged slowly. Beside her, she could feel her brother flinched ever so slightly. There were a lot of things better left unsaid. Duke of Freid must never know of his true origin at all cost. It would jeopardise his current position, and it was the very last thing Allen and her wished for the boy. She was aware the power of her beauty had also reached the heart of the Freid sovereign, and Chid, being as flamboyant as his natural father used to when they were of the same age, enjoyed courting her immensely, an older lady or not.

"As honoured as I am, Your Grace, that might be a quite impossible proposal. Besides, now is barely the time to discuss this matter."

Chid merely lifted one of his eyebrows in imitation of Celena's earlier gesture in response and went about his business to clean the blood on the blade of his sword. His features radiated no resentment, only amusement. It seemed Celena's gentle refusal was posing a challenge for the young ruler. Allen and Millerna, however, seemed troubled with the little exchange between Chid and Celena. They looked into each other's eyes darkly with understanding, and then dismissing the incident by discussing the next step they had to do with Dryden.

But Celena couldn't help her mind wandering to other places as she attended to her brother's wounds. She wondered about the beautiful cat-man she had met incidentally and the reason why he gave the dagger to her and told her to 'remember'.

And she wondered about one more thing. Who was the real she? Why was she so worthy that she received the apparently priceless dagger? A name, a very particular name haunted her mind, echoing in the deepest void of her brain.

Dilandau Albatou.

She felt she had known him for eternity.    

Dear readers,

I know it has been a long time (waaaayyy too long) since I have posted up chapter 13, but the time has been hard on me in these few months, so please forgive me for neglecting you guys for some time. I'm graduating in no time, and I've already started hunting for jobs, but I still have soooo much details and problems to think about. I do know where my Escaflowne continuation going, though, so you don't have to worry about this fic being finished abruptly.

I'm sorry for un-replied emails, but I'm very busy. Do forgive me. I hope that everything in this note can answer your questions. I do want to reply to all of your emails, but most of the time I haven't got the chance.

There isn't much about Van-Hitomi here, but this chapter is a present for Dilandau-Celena fans. I'm trying to cover a wide range of characters in my story, and that includes Celena Schezar and Dilandau Albatou. I also take this chance to elaborate a little bit on the character of Duke Chid Dal of Freid. I genuinely think that Chid as a teenager will present to be an interesting supporting character. A new character appears here, although his appearance is not that of a first time. He did appear way back in a past chapter, although his appearance wasn't distinguished clearly. That's not to say his identity is very clear here, but at least I start building his characterisation here.

Some readers ask me about Merle. All I can say is that she has to 'disappear' for the time being. In this book one, she's not a too important character, but I do have a big plan for her in book two. I know it's slow, but a good moment of appearance makes a good impact as well. Her appearance would seem like forced and the story becomes rushed if I make her appear now. She had no reason to appear in the war. Her appearance would only make things more complicated and implausible. I couldn't explain her appearance and disappearance at the same time.

About Merle's love interest, keep guessing! *Wink*

Yours truly,

Louise Tjandrasjahan

30 November 2000
21: 35 Western Australia time

E-mail me?