Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne and the characters in it.

Chapter 3: A past revealed

Two girls dressed in drab brown clothing shuffled up to Cevena and took her hands. "Come with us, miss." they commanded softly. Cevena followed them docilely, with one last backward glance at the two boys. They were busy shutting down their big robots, they did not glance at her.

Cevena once again kept silent as she followed the two servants down dark hallways. She had learned long ago that it was far better to keep your mouth shut in unfamiliar, or dangerous situations. They came to a stop at a large double door, gilded and intricately carved. One of the servants knocked softly and called out "Lord Folken, the girl is here."

An answer came almost immediately, the same voice Cevena had heard in the forest. "Come in." The two servants bowed and left, leaving her alone in front of the huge doors. Cevena wondered if she had the strength to open them. She grasped the handles and pushed with all her might, the doors gave way far easier than she had imagined. She stumbled in, barely regaining her balanced, and far from graceful. Blood rushed into her cheeks, so she stared at her feet to hide it. The man called Folken spoke, his voice smooth, calming and deep. "Welcome to Gaia, you are welcome here whoever you may be, but I am curious as to why you come. Would you be so kind as to enlighten me?" Cevena had not been expecting such courtesy from the man, she felt awkward and small before him.

She found her voice though, "My name is Cevena Jade Fanel." She managed. "Should I be telling him my full name?" She wondered, "too late to take it back now." Folken was silent, Cevena dared to raise her head to look at him fully. He had a black cloak around him, teal green-blue hair and a tear-drop under his eye. His eyes were dark brown, no, she looked closer, they were reddish, and at the moment full of surprise, curiosity and.apprehension. His reddish eyes locked onto hers. "Ah.green eyes. I can see the resemblance now." His voice came very soft. Cevena felt confused. "Resemblance." She repeated dumbly. Folken seemed to be remembering something, his expression was one of respect and even a little fondness. He looked down at her again. "Did your mother, Hitomi, send you here? Or was it your father?" Cevena started. "H-how did you know my mother's name? Who are you? Do you know my mother? Or my father?" She paused.then gathered her composure. "Have I been here before?"

Folken gazed calmly back at her, his face serious. "I see they never told you." was all he said. "I wonder if you were sent here to defeat us once again.the pattern seems to repeat itself." Cevena just stared at his cryptic murmurings, the awkwardness was back and she began to shift from foot to foot.

Folken noticed her impatience and smiled. "Are you tired? Hungry? I feel worried that you might be overwhelmed if I tell the whole story today. yet this feels too important to wait." Cevena wasn't tired in the least, adrenaline was pumping through her veins and her heart was straining to know what Folken could tell her of her parent's past. "NO.no.! I'm not tired at all, please Lord Folken, tell me." "Please, Folken, is fine." He said serenely as ever. He lead her over to a fire place, with comfy looking couches arranged in a circle. They sat down. Folken sighed, his eyes troubled, "Where should I begin, there is so much that you do not know.I hardly know where to begin!" Cevena just sat quietly, ears straining to catch every word from Folken's lips.

He took a deep breath, and began. "Your mother came here before you, about 2 years ago.but she was the same age as you are now. I think that time passes strangely between Earth and Gaia.no one knows exactly how she arrived.but it is said that a great pillar of light was seen when she first came." "She arrived in a time of conflict and war in Gaia.in fact, she arrived just as the old kingdom of Fanalia was destroyed by a huge and powerful empire called "Zaibach". Although Zaibach was powerful then, all that is left is what you see here. This castle we are in was once a huge flying fortress called the "Vione".

The goal of Zaibach was just to create a Gaia where there was no pain and suffering, the perfect world. They tampered with fate and would have won, were it not for a few special groups of rebels. The king of Fanalia, gone into hiding, a powerful knight of Asturia, named Allen Shezar and princess and prince from Pallas..and of course, your mother Hitomi. I was young then, and." he paused. "I was on the side of Zaibach, along with a great many number of other scientists and sorcerors, I was the Strategos, and I believed quite strongly in the cause. I..I allowed Fanalia to be burnt down, because Zaibach wanted a piece of ancient espanol armour, "Escaflowne". It was one of the last, and Zaibach would not be able to win without it.

Escaflowne escaped with its king however." Folken continued on and on, late into the night. Cevena could barely catch her breath, her eyes felt expanded to the max, she could only gape. Her parents had never told her any of this, how could they? Three great shocks came to her however, the first, when she found out that her father, Van Fanel, was a King, that although this had only happened 2 years ago in Gaia, on Earth, almost 20 years had passed.

She listened closely all through the explanation of the dragon hunt, the final outcome, what her father had done to those young dragon slayers, what had become of their leader. She was completely enraptured by it all and her heart ached for the young commander. Although he had been very evil indeed, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him and wondered where he was now. She also couldn't imagine HER father doing all these things. The third shock came at the very end. Folken had finally ended the tale, after Hitomi left, Van ruled Fanalia for a while but than decided to follow her to Earth. He set Allen Shezar and as the new ruler and Allen in turn left Gaddes, his second in command as his place in Asturia.

Zaibach had not been idle either the past two years, they were once again, rebuilding their forces, but this time their goal was simply set up a new country, where all people could live freely, those who were not accepted elsewhere. A kind of, misfits haven. Folken was very vague on what exactly they were up to, and Cevena felt there was something more but she asked something that had been bugging her. "Lo.Folken, you did not really explain what happened to the first ruler of Zaibach.was he killed?" Folken smiled. "You don't miss much, yes, he was killed, in fact, I killed him myself.." Cevena was shocked, she couldn't imagine this gentle, calm man killing anyone. Folken kind of shivered. "It is not something I would like to do again, I nay near did not survive the experience.I took a wound deep in my stomach and I believe that I would have bled to death but somehow, some sorcerers found my broken body.I believe they said my heart had stopped beating and they used some form of electrolysis to jolt me so that my heart would start up again.." Cevena was even more horrified. Folken chuckled. "I may not be as strong as I used to be, but what matters is that I survived." He winked. Cevena laughed.

It was then that his eyes became serious, and he asked tentively. "Did your father ever tell you that he had a brother?" Cevena frowned. "I think he mentioned it, but he died when my dad was young.why do you ask.?" It dawned on her. "You're my UNCLE?" She winced at her brashness. Folken was unperturbed, amused even. "I am, is that so horrible to contemplate?" Cevena felt once again, her cheeks grow warm, but this time she did not duck her head. She beamed, eyes bright. "I never thought that my parents could have a past so exciting!! I thought I was boring and absolutely plain! Now in one day, I find out my dad is a King, I am not all..Earthien..? Is that even a word?! And my uncle is a strategos! Awesome is the tip of the iceberg!!"