Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne, its characters, the story, etc. I wish I did, but that's a whole different thing altogether. This is a fanfic purely made out of fun and not for profit.

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The ship traveled for three days and in those three days those who were with her were surprised to see Eries walking about the ship, seeming to enjoy herself fully with the travel. They had expected her to be locked in her room until the journey was over, but she was proving them wrong. The princesses of Asturia had always loved the sea, and it came naturally to them, as it was among the common folk of Asturia. She spoke often with the sailors and to the captain especially, and they were all enchanted with the little princess, who already spoke with authority, but with such grace and charm more than they expected. And so the three days passed, until they reached shore. From afar Eries had already seen the host that Fanelia had sent, to escort her to their kingdom. There were four gleaming Melefs, and a group of large animals that Eries had never seen before in her life.

When they had docked, it was the Minister of Asturia, who was given the duty to accompany her until they met the escort to Fanelia, who came down to speak with the leader of the host. Eries watched on from the ship, and saw that the leader was old, but was still strong, and of a proud countenance. He had a huge scar over his face, and many others beside that. A great sword was strapped on his back, and he did not seem to be labouring under it. The Minister seemed so small and pathetic standing in front of this obviously great warrior.

"You are the escort for the Princess Eries, I would presume." The Minister said nervously, but with a marked disdain for what for he saw. For there were great animals that apparently seemed to be the mode of transportation for the princess and they looked…unusual. They were as big as elephants, with coarse black hair covering their entire bodies. But of course it only made them look more charming.

"Well met, Minister Revin. My name is Balgus, and I am the swordsmaster of Fanelia and my men and I will be the ones to escort the princess back to the castle." And in saying so Balgus drew out another sword, and pulled it a little out of its sheath to show the golden emblem upon the blade, the emblem of the kingdom of Fanelia. "This is the king's sword, which he bade me to take as proof of my words."

"Will the princess be safe on—on those creatures?" the Minister sputtered, paying little attention to Balgus' words. Balgus smiled and replied: "I would trust no other animal with my life, Minister. There is no need for alarm, for they are good creatures, and well tamed."

The Minister was about to protest but at this moment Eries stepped down from the ship. At her appearance the four Melefs drew out their swords and held it upright, as a mark of respect for a princess of Asturia and Balgus bowed deeply.

Eries looked on the Minister and gave him a slight nod. "I thank you for your service, Minister Revin. I will be able to take care of things from this point on."

The Minister protested, saying, "But there is still the matter of your…ehm…mode of transportation. I still do not think it is safe…"

With this Eries smiled wryly. "I think we have little choice in this matter, Minister. Unless you wish for us to go to the heart of Fanelia in the palms of guymelefs, or force the ship to sail on land, we must go with what is given to us." To this the Minister said no more, but bowed and excused himself, eager to go back to what he deemed the more civilized Asturia. But Balgus was pleased with the princess, for one so young to be already so full of authority and power.

She turned to Balgus, and bade him to raise his face. She smiled at him and said: "You are the swordsmaster Balgus, are you not?" he was surprised at this and more so when she bowed to him as if he were of royal blood. "I have heard many of your great deeds, and am deeply honored to meet you."

Balgus recovered himself in time to say, "And I, you, your Royal Highness." He was expecting the princess to be haughty and self-centered and he was very much amazed when he saw she was not. "You are not ill-pleased with the host the king has sent you?" he ventured to ask.

Eries laughed and shook her head. "The Minister is not pleased, but I am not the Minister. Indeed I am already looking forward to the journey."

"Then we must make haste then." Balgus said, and signaled for the men carrying the princess' packages to go faster.

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The wooded forests of Fanelia, according to the olden tales, was held sacred by the people who dwelled there, as it was a gift from the Draconians before they vanished into legend. They say that the ancestors of the people of Fanelia had the blood of warriors (which run in their veins still), and aided the Draconians to victory in a great war, when Gaea was still young.  As a token of their gratitude, and a reminder of their enduring friendship, the Draconians gave this wandering race their own beloved gardens and the guymelef Escaflowne, to guard the kingdom of Fanelia as long as it stood.

And indeed passing through the deep forests Eries felt the different atmosphere almost immediately, speaking of ancientry and some sort of enchantment well beyond her own knowledge. Hardly anyone lived outside the walled city of Fanelia, and those were mostly beast-men, allies and friends of the kingdom. They lived in harmony with nature, and served as guards for the borders. Nothing escaped their vigilant watchfulness, and Eries knew she had many escorts, but did not see them all.

When they finally passed the woods, they made their way towards the city, which Eries could see glimmering from afar, nestled at the foot of the mountain, indeed part of the mountain itself, as its was hewn out of its rock.  They approached it, and her anticipation, excitement and nervousness grew and grew until…

 "The Princess Eries of the kingdom of Asturia!" she heard Balgus cry.

A great cheer was raised upon their entrance of the city, and Eries saw that the people of Fanelia had already gathered to the streets to welcome her. Flowers covered the street and even more flowers were being thrown up to her. Lanterns hanging on strings lighted up her path towards the castle, and children running by threw her candies and pastries, and she caught them cleverly and thanked them with a smile. Balgus walked up front, and many people cheered him also. Eries, who was taught by Marlene on how to act towards the crowd, smiled radiantly from where she sat, and waved. And many of those afterward approved of the Princess Eries, saying that she was a good match to Prince Folken, and although Balgus said nothing regarding this after, he agreed with it, but only partly, because Balgus did not believe in the arranged marriages of royal houses.

When they reached the castle, she saw that a woman was standing at the courtyard, waiting to welcome them. She was dressed elegantly but simply, and had long black hair that flowed past her waist. Her face was very beautiful and serene, her eyes two deep pools that read into people's minds and their hearts. In this way Eries first set eyes upon the Queen Varie, said to be one of the Draconians, feared by many, but loved by her people. Balgus then walked up to her and kneeled in front of her, and she bade him to rise, and she looked at Eries.

Eries was then dismounted and set before the queen. She bowed low, acknowledging her with a formal "Your Majesty."

Queen Varie did not say anything for a while, and Eries did not move from her position. At length she finally said, "Princess Eries, I welcome you." With this Eries finally looked up and the queen smiled cheerfully. "You must be hungry after your journey. Would you like something to eat?" Eries was so surprised (*) with this that all she could manage was to nod at her question. She was even more so when Varie took her by the hand and led her in the castle, and served her food herself, all the while asking her questions about her journey and her family. Eries answered as best as she could, for she could still not get over the shock that the queen of Fanelia was here serving her like a maid. But it didn't seem to be bothering Varie, and for the first time Eries knew how it was like to be learning a way of life very different from her own.

After the meal Varie took her again by the hand and led her to her to the doors leading to her chambers in the castle. She smiled kindly at her again, and told her to get some rest and they would speak again in the morning, and that in time she would meet the King Gau. Eries thanked her for her kindness and Varie embraced her as if Eries were her own child, and took leave.

When Eries entered her chambers, she saw that all her things were already arranged and she took time in seeing to it that all were properly placed. After this she went to the windows and looked outside, and saw the wide forests that her sister had told her about.  And then she was suddenly seized for the yearning to see a familiar face again, and she remembered that she would not for an entire year, unless they visited her. She then lowered her face against the windowpane, but she did not cry, but felt very lonely. Then a breeze wafted in and touched her face, and played with the tendrils of her hair.

"I've never seen that color of hair before." A voice suddenly called out, startling her. And at the very next moment, a head popped out from outside her window, hanging upside-down. Eries blinked and the young boy hopped down from where he was clinging, and stood at the ledge outside her window, smiling widely.

"Your hair. I've never seen that color of hair before." He repeated, pointing at Eries, his lilac eyes filled with a bright interest. "Silver and gold at the same time."

"Well, what about it?" Eries asked, thinking it was very strange thing to say and thought that he was mocking her. "I couldn't do anything about it. I was born with this hair!"

"Don't be angry." The boy said, his smile faltering a little. He took a strand and played it with his fingers. "It's very pretty. By your hair and voice alone I know that you're the princess from Asturia." He released the lock of hair and bowed deeply. "I am honored to make your acquaintance."

"In Asturia, we are not acquaintance until the parties involved have been properly introduced, hopefully by name." Eries replied, amused with the boy despite herself. She reached out her hand. "My name is Eries. Won't you come in? I'm a little afraid you'll take a drop in that ledge, and it is quite uncomfortable talking like this."

The boy shook her hand and did not kiss it, as she expected him to do. At her invitation, however, he seemed doubtful. "I don't know. I was told that men should not enter young ladies' chambers."

"Well—that is not a problem." Eries shrugged. "I am not a lady. I am just a little girl."

The boy laughed. "And you are right." And with an easy leap he flew past the windowsill and landed on the carpeted floor. He turned to Eries and she applauded lightly, impressed with his feat and dismounted from her chair by the window. He looked around the room for a while before speaking again.

"If you are Princess Eries of Asturia, then you are the intended of Prince Folken, are you not?"

Eries slightly winced at the reminder of why she was in Fanelia in the first place. She remembered Marlene's words and for a moment she did not trust herself to speak.

"How do you like Fanelia so far?" the boy asked, gesturing outside the window. "I have only heard that you like forests and nature and I was wondering if it were true."

Eries smiled and nodded. "Yes, it is true. The sight of the woods pleases me greatly."

The boy's eyes brightened when she said those words. "Then I will take you around." He offered. "I've always run about these woods and know them well. I'll go whenever you want to go."

"You are very kind." Eries replied in turn. "But I do not know if I will be so free to do such." In Asturia she was never really allowed in the real woods, only in the gardens that were part of the woods bordered upon.

"The woods of Fanelia are safe, and the Prince Folken will make sure that you are safe."

"I see that you are the speaker of the Prince Folken or some sort. Please be sure to send him my thanks. On whose authority do you speak with such words?" she said lightly, believing that the boy was merely jesting, one way or another, and masking it with such solemn words.

"Of my own." Then he suddenly grew serious and bent before her, a hand over his heart. "For I am the Prince Folken."  Then he glanced up, smiling mischievously as Eries went white with surprise at his revelation. "Please forgive me for meeting you in such a manner. I was curious about you, that is all." Eries was about to speak, but he stopped it with one hand. "Don't apologize. I hold you in no fault. It is I who must apologize, for barging in this manner."

Then Eries smiled, and the restraints imposed on them by formality fell away, and she went towards him and put her hands on his shoulders.  "I would have rather met you in this way than any other. There is no need for apologies, for either of us. Friends do not need to in a situation such as this, do they?"

He smiled and nodded his head. "I guess they don't." and with this the seed of their friendship was planted, and it endured until the end of their lives. Folken then leapt lightly on to windowsill and waved at Eries. "I will see you again tomorrow, Eries, my friend."

"Tomorrow, Folken." She said, smiling, happy to find a friend at last. And so he left.

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But after he had left loneliness crashed into her being again, even more intense than before. She walked over to the dresser, where a mirror hung and reflected herself, a pale girl who looked scared. She took a comb and began to run it through her hair, and remembered what that strange prince said—

I've never seen that color of hair before.

"Yes, everything about this place is different from my world." She whispered to herself, leaning against the dresser. She clutched the necklace her sister has given to her. She wondered what Marlene would say if she heard how the queen treated her on the first day. Would she laugh? In all ways the eldest princess was bred well and knew all the social graces practiced in Asturia by heart, and always Eries strove to be like her. But always, her father would be praising Marlene more than she…

Eries did not want to admit it to herself then, but of all the people of Asturia it was her father she would miss the least. The king of Asturia was a sociable, conniving man, and in all ways used his daughters for his own interests. Marlene showed good-natured tolerance towards him, and in the social gatherings the palace had she was always the kind and gracious princess. But Eries was very different from her sister, and often shirked from crowds, and was more interested in books and in silence, and it very much puzzled the king. She was always polite, but never charming, even in the earliest days of her youth. The king then never understood nor appreciated her, especially after when her mother died, and this had always bewildered Eries, and one of her greatest sadness.

A knock on her door pulled her out of her musings, and Eries quickly sat up straight, wondering who it was. "Enter."

A middle-aged woman opened the door and stepped inside, bowing low before the princess, and Eries acknowledged her with a slight nod. She saw by her clothing that she was a chambermaid, but when the woman straightened, she was surprised to see that it was one of the beast-men, by the markings on her face. The cap she wore hid her cat ears, and her long dress hid her tail, but Eries knew she was one of them.

"Good evening, your highness." The chambermaid said, noting Eries' slight surprise but was relieved to see that she was not displeased—those of the beast-men were quick to notice disgust and abhorrence of the ordinary men. "My name is Iliya, and I will be your chambermaid for the entire year of your stay. I was appointed by the queen to meet you and prepare you for dinner."

"Good evening, Iliya." Eries paused, not knowing what to do next. In Asturia, beast-men were tolerated, but not treated with much respect, and certainly she was not taught how to deal with them. But then she remembered that she was in Asturia no longer, and here, the rules did not apply. So she smiled and walked up to her, offering her hand. "My name is Eries. I am pleased to meet you."

An expression of awe passed through Iliya's face, and it was quickly replaced by one of reverence. She clasped Eries' hand warmly and pressed it to her heart, and after a few moments of silence she said, "But we must get you ready for dinner. King Gau has been away for some time, and the swordsmaster Balgus has come as well. The presence of your royal highness will make this evening one of especial magnificence."

Eries was flattered by Iliya's statement. "Then we must begin to prepare already. Help me choose a dress!" Iliya chuckled, and shook her head; much amused with Eries' excitement, and followed the little princess.

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The full moon shone brightly in the night sky, illuminating the great courtyard of the palace. Many-colored lanterns lit the place, and gleaming guymelefs stood as if on guard, positioned around the palace. Lords, ladies and members of the court strolled around in their best attire, and those who have newly arrived approached first the table of the royal family, a tent decorated handsomely prepared for them.

King Gau, who had been away inspecting the borders, had at last returned, and he was seated beside the smiling Queen Varie.  Folken was seated beside his mother, looking anxiously through the crowd, as if searching for someone. The younger prince Van, about two years of age was sitting on King Gau's lap, and was playing with his father, trying to reach up and tug his hair.

Suddenly Folken's eyes widened and he stood up. "He's here!" he cried excitedly. Even as he spoke, people made way for Fanelia's swordsmaster Balgus, reputedly the best swordsmaster in all the lands.  He was striding towards the king's table. Folken ran up to him, waving and smiling.

"Welcome back, Balgus!" he greeted, and Balgus turned to Folken and smiled, putting a hand on the younger's head and ruffling his hair affectionately.

"It's been a while, young prince." He replied. "And already you have grown up so much."

"Will you be staying this time, Balgus?" Folken asked eagerly, hoping that Balgus would say yes and take Folken under his tutelage. But before Balgus could answer, King Gau had already come up, and Folken had to make way for his father. The swordsmaster then knelt down in reverence in front of the king of Fanelia.

"Rise, swordsmaster." King Gau said solemnly, and Balgus obeyed. The two men, both renowned warriors and great friends, stared long and hard at each other. A hush fell among the onlookers.

"It has been many moons since we last met, my friend." The king finally said. Then his stern gaze softened. "But time, it seems, has changed you little."

"It is good to see you again, my lord king." Balgus answered, smiling at last, clasping a hand over King Gau's shoulder. Then he turned to Varie, who was standing nearby. "And you as well, my queen."

"Welcome home, Master Balgus." Varie said in her gentle voice, smiling serenely. "We are all pleased to see you once again." Then Van suddenly tottered up to Balgus, and hugged his leg, and Balgus laughed, and looked at the queen and king, who were smiling at their son's action.

"I don't believe I have been introduced to this one." Balgus said, raising the toddler up his arms and throwing him up and catching him. "What is your name, pray tell?" but Van only chuckled and flailed his short arms.

"Van Slanzar de Fanel. Already he is promising to look very much like me." King Gau jested, to which Queen Varie only shook her head and laughed. "Balgus," Gau went on, "thank you for escorting Princess Eries on such short notice."

"Duty is never imposition, my lord." Balgus replied. "Indeed, I like the royalty from Asturia much, as you will discover why in a short while." He was about to comment on his feelings on the lofty royal family of Asturia but decided to keep it to himself instead. "Many say it is a prudent match."

At this Gau's face hardened and became serious again. "The matter of the marriage is not final yet." For the king had second thoughts regarding the arranged marriage, for he had been bound to it before. His intended, however, died before he met Varie, and since then it had weighed heavily on his mind. Perhaps it was guilt, for he had resolved to break his previous engagement when he had met Varie, and he was not aware of his intended's death. Before the offer came from Asturia, he had pondered long if it was necessary to put Folken through the same ordeal, taking away his freedom in choosing a wife. In reality, Gau had only agreed to the betrothal of Folken because of Asturia's tradition of the bride coming over to stay for a year. Since Folken was heir to the throne, he was burdened with great responsibility, and Gau doubted if Folken would be able to be able to develop a meaningful relationship with any woman in that time. He had placed great risk in accepting Eries, but it was still in his power to end the engagement, if Folken so wished. (**)

"Of course." Balgus wisely conceded, then his eyes lighted up. "Here comes the princess." and even as he spoke princess Eries came forward before the king and queen, and curtsied. She acknowledged Balgus' presence with a little smile, before turning her full attention to King Gau. In truth she was a little afraid of him, seeing him from afar, but Iliya encouraged her that he was a good and wise king, despite his stern demeanor.

"Welcome to Fanelia, Princess Eries." King Gau finally said, after studying her for a few moments. "We are highly honored by your presence here."

"As I am honored by yours." Eries responded correctly, bowing ever so slightly, as she has been taught in Asturia. But sincerity is something that is not so easily taught, and in many ways sincerity in occasions like these were falsehood; but there was genuine sincerity behind her formal answers, and the king saw it, and was pleased.  He smiled kindly at her, and with his smile all her fear of him vanished. Folken approached her, and bowed, and she curtsied in return, both trying hard not to laugh with all the formalities they had to go through.

The king raised his hand, and all went silent. "I see no further need to delay." He said. "Let the festivities begin!" and his statement was punctuated by a blast of music, confetti, dancing and fire flowers that suddenly bloomed in the night sky. King and queen shared a smile, Van giggled, and Folken took Eries' hand. During the course of the merriment he did not leave her side, and they thoroughly enjoyed each other's company, and even Gau himself could not help himself but make an observation that he shared with Varie.

"It looks like the seeds have been sown well." He said, watching as Folken introduced Eries to visitors, for seeing the two, one could not indeed do anything but hope.

"Yes." Varie replied, smiling sadly. "But it does not mean that all the trees will bear fruit."

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Author's Notes:

* I made Fanelia's royalty and their ways more relaxed than Asturia's, and the way Varie addressed Eries was different from what Eries expected. I based it on what I had observed with the series. We actually don't see Folken nor Van dressed like princes (except for the time when Van was crowned), and they freely mingled with the commoners.

** I've always wondered about the technicalities of marriage in Asturia. It seems to me that the princesses cannot back out from the arranged marriage, as we have seen with the case of Marlene. But as we have seen with the case of Dryden and Millerna, it is also possible for that marriage to be "nullified" (even if they were already married! Or unless he was on a "husband leave" which I doubt. After all, he gave back the ring.) So it kind of points out that it can be done, but only the groom can make this decision, and not the bride. Very unfair. Anyway, it works for Gau. -_-;

Argh. This chapter is so hard because of all the formalities and niceties and such. Why can't royalty just say hi, hello, how are you and get it over and done with. Anyway, whatever! Well…that's it for now.