Escaflowne: Mirrors

Episode 21: Devotedness

The party on the Crusade reassembled on the bridge at the end of Yukari's shift. The Gaean sun was rising over the dry desert-like terrain to and painting the town of Godasim in pale colors. Amano stood by his girlfriend as they watched. "So that's it, huh?"

"Yes, that's it." Van answered.

"Its pretty like this." Yukari said. "It makes me feel a little homesick."

"It's not like it was." Gadess said. "The city was all but destroyed in the last war. Before you could nearly see a pattern in the streets at dawn, now it's lost a little bit of its magic."

"That's really romantic, Gadess." Yukari teased him, sounding weary. She put her head on Amano's arm. "It probably was magical."

Allen was still quiet. He hadn't spoken since meeting with Yukari earlier that night, and his silence seemed to dominate the room. In this lull it made everyone feel a little sadder and a little wearier. They waited a while as the city eased closer and closer, the palace gaining greater detail. Van noticed that much of the city was still under construction, especially on the southern side. Godasim itself was in varying degrees of disrepair, the reconstruction moving out from the palace in a ring. He remembered that he'd commanded for the opposite to take place in Fanelia and missed home. Gadess sat in the silence for as long as he could stand, he broke it with his good-humored tones and unfailing sense of duty. "So, Boss, we're here. What's the plan?"

Allen came out of his piteous state and quickly slid back into command mode, gathering his pooled knowledge of infiltration strategies to the front of his head. "We should land out of the way first."

"Out of the way where?" Yukari asked. "A lot of the trees have been burned down around the city, we'd have to park way out of the way."

"Then that is what we'll do." Allen resolved. He stepped forward to survey the landscape. "Take us around the outskirts southward and we'll set down on the other side of that ridge."

"Aye sir."

The Crusade moved along between the town and the southern branch of the Ventrag Mountains. It moved slowly to the spot the captain had indicated and touched down under the cover of the forested hill. From a top palace window, two maids watched with excited realization.

Escaflowne

It was time to wake the duke and serve him breakfast. Dhhiya moved miserably down the halls. She couldn't imagine how, but she had to kill her young master before the day was out. She turned the corner toward the royal chambers. There Safil waited. This grizzled man was Chid's chief royal advisor and now the heir to the throne. He was also the only other Factionary serving in the palace that wasn't a guard. Safil seemed torn, but not nearly as upset as she was. He leaned into her, whispering in her ear and pressing his fist into her stomach secretly. "I'm sorry you have to go through this my dear, but… take this." He dropped the contents of the fist into her hands and moved past as smoothly as if he'd only broadsided her on his way. She looked down and saw a vile corked at one end with a rubber stopper. She studied it a second then realized what it was and quickly hid it in her hands.

Poison. He'd given her poison.

Poison for Chid.

Moving down the hall again she felt a bubble of nausea move up from her stomach. The servers from the kitchen were waiting outside the bedchambers as always, as cheery and happy as any day of the week. The same two guards from the night before were back at their post and greeted her warmly. "Good morning, Miss Dhhiya! It's a nice day isn't it?"

"Yes, very nice." Dhhiya mumbled, her clenched fists behind her back.

One of the servers smiled sweetly. "Are you going to wake Duke Chid now? I do hope he slept well."

"Yes, I'm here to wake him." Dhhiya answered and moved into the room, shutting the gilded bronze doors behind her.

Chid was lying angelically in the folds of the white linens, looking very small in the massive pillows. Dhhiya reached out and touched his shoulder, his young breath moving it up and down. She was so sorry to wake him. This was to be his last morning. She closed her eyes and let her hand rest on him for a moment, then woke him.

"Lord Chid, its morning."

Chid yawned and rubbed her eye, then saw the face of the woman above him. "Dhhiya! Good Morning!"

She bit her lip and feigned a smile. "Good morning." Finding her lie incredibly hard to maintain, she turned her back to him and drew the curtains back. The guard was right; it was a nice day out.

"Wow!" Chid said, seeing the bright sunshine and blue sky beyond his window. He swung his feet out of bed. "Hey! Do you think Safil will let us eat lunch outside today! That would be so much fun! I had a dream about a picnic just now. Mother and Father were there, and you were there too. And we were on one of those hillsides you read about in books or tell stories about, you know, with the grass and the flowers and the butterflies and everything? And we were eating cake when Sir Allen came up and gave me a rabbit… okay, that part was kinda weird… but we all had cake together and it was like we were a real family! Mother and Father, Allen and Dhhiya, my big sister." He smiled at her. "Wouldn't it be great if you were my big sister? Then you wouldn't have to call me 'Lord Chid' and we could sit and talk all the time!"

Dhhiya felt her eyes begin to tear, a nasty sense of guilt and injustice making her feel green all over. She heard him hop up and skip across the room to change. She helped him into his formalwear and made for the door. "I should send in breakfast."

"Aren't you staying?" Chid sounded hurt.

Dhhiya bit harder on her lip. "Lord Chid…"

"Please stay and eat breakfast with me!" He begged. "I'll be lonely if you don't."

She didn't want to stay. She didn't want tot watch him die by her poison, but she didn't want him to die lonely and sad either. She loved her charge as if he actually was her little brother. Dhhiya opened the door and spoke to the aides. "Come in." Then, heavy hearted, stood aside and waited for the Duke to be served.

Chid watched the plates of breakfast float in with sunny eyes. "It all looks to good! Thank you!"

"What a gentleman!" The kitchen aides twittered.

"Sit down, Dhhiya, please!" Chid called. "There is plenty for you, too!" His personal assistant obeyed, trying hard not to seem too stiff and reserved. The Duke was just happy to see her join him and looked up to the two aids as they prepared to leave. "You can stay too."

"No no, Your Highness is too kind!"

"We have work to do, but please, enjoy your meal."

"I will! Thanks again!" Chid waved. He turned to Dhhiya. "Why don't kings treat their servants nicely? When I say 'thank you' it's like I'm the only one who's ever done it."

"Hmn," she answered, trying to open her mouth as little as possible, "yes Lord Chid."

He took a bite of cheesed toast. "Dhhiya, I liked having you for a sister in my dream. Can we pretend its real and you don't have to call me 'Lord' anymore, okay?"

Chid was making it worse and worse, if only through his sheer innocence. The Draconian turned her face away, searching for a distraction and finding the juice pitcher. "Would you like something to drink Lord-"

"Dhhiya!" He whined.

She swallowed hard. "-something to drink Chid?"

Chid smiled brightly. "Yes please Dhhiya!"

Dhhiya poured the red liquid into the basin with a shaking hand. The vile was pressed against her palm as she steadied the cup. She put the pitcher down and paused watching the juice swirl. She couldn't bring herself to do it, but if she didn't, Areolar would see it done, and there wouldn't be as much mercy on the end of her commander's sword. Dhhiya was sick. She hated to be the lesser of two evils, but what choice did she have? She had to kill him because she loved him. Stealthily she unstopped the vile and tipped the poison into the glass.

He took it ignorantly and looked inside. "Is it punch?"

Dhhiya pressed her lips and nodded quickly, her nerves tingling as she studied the glass. After he died she'd have to carry his body up to the mountains without being seen, then find the now abandoned Master's Safehouse and seal him inside. And she would have to take something back as proof. Every step of her impending journey made her feel more disgusting. The glass moved toward his lips.

It felt like her eyes were sweating. She stared inch-by-inch as he tilted the glass, the liquid death sliding further toward his mouth. The seconds of his life ticking away. A little further and it'd be over. A centimeter. A millimeter.

He'd be dead.

"NO!"

With a burst of divine justice, panic and fury Dhhiya leapt forward and smacked the glass out of his hand. It flew across the room spilling juice like a fountain through the air until it smacked upon a seat cushion and rolled off to the floor. Chid was dazed and confuses as he looked at her, the whites of her deep Mahogany eyes growing wider with adrenaline and her body braced across the table in front of him. "D-Dhhiya? What?"

She was panting hard, her mind just then catching up. She realized then the gravity of what she had done. " Please, stay here Lord Chid." She threw herself up to her feet and to the door. "Stay here and don't leave!"

"Dhhiya!"

"Trust me please, Chid!" She called, her hand on the door. "You're in danger! The drink was poisoned. I can't explain it all right now, but I'm going to save you, I promise! Just don't speak to anyone and don't leave here. I'll be back as soon as I can."

She slipped out the door and braced her back against it, her heart beating fast. She'd gotten past killing Chid, now it was going to take even more strength and courage to keep him alive. She'd have to find a way to get him out of the palace and away from Areolar, but how would she do it without anyone catching them? She'd completely forgotten about the two guards standing on either side of her.

"Miss Dhhiya? Is everything alright?"

She jumped and looked quickly to him. He was a Friedan soldier, loyal only to Chid and completely unaware of the Faction. A thought passed across her mind. Perhaps she didn't have to do this alone. "Tell me quickly, soldiers, if you had the choice to follow Chid and be in exile or stay here under a new ruler which would you choose?"

The second guard seemed distressed. "Did something happen to Chid?"

"Answer my question please." She said.

"Well," the first thought, "Chid has only been Duke for six months, but I've watched him grow up. I feel like he could be my nephew or something. I can't imagine serving anyone else."

"Yeah, I thought I'd be guarding Lord Chid for the rest of my career." The second agreed. "I guess I'd follow him anywhere."

The first nodded. "I'd go into exile with Lord Chid if it meant that I could keep him safe."

Dhhiya sighed. "Thank you both. I have a mission for you." She said. They leaned in. She paused to add weight to their assignment. "Don't let him leave this room."

"Is that the mission?" The second asked.

"I know it doesn't seem like much but it's very important." Dhhiya assured. "Make sure he stays inside, and let no one in, not even the royal advisor."

"What's going on?" The first asked, getting worried.

"Just do as I say alright." She pressed.

At that moment one of the kitchen aids came up with a plate of sugared fruit. "Hello everyone, I've brought Lord Chid some sweets to finish breakfast with."

The guards came to attention. "You cannot enter!"

"Wha-?" The middle-aged woman cocked her head. "I cannot enter? But I'm just bringing Lord Chid a treat."

Dhhiya sighed and was reminded who Chid's true family was. The staff that served him had adopted him in a way and was devoted to both his welfare and his happiness. She pulled the kitchen aid into the huddle. "Tell me the truth, if you had the choice of serving the Duke and leaving the country or staying here under another Master which would you choose?"

"I'd serve Chid." The aid reported. "He's such a good child. He reminds me of my nephews out in the country."

"We've told you we'd follow him anywhere." The guards reiterated. "Are you saying Chid's going to have to leave?"

Dhhiya nodded. "I need to get him out of here. He's in danger, but no one in the palace can know about what we're doing. You see…" she lowered her voice, "there's a mutiny starting here. I've got to get Chid safely into hiding before something terrible happens."

"We'll help you if we can." The others assured her. "Do you have a plan?"

Dhhiya furrowed her brow and bit a finger. She hadn't had time to prepare for this. A minute ago she was the mutiny they were now plotting to avoid. If only she'd had some foreknowledge, or a diversion, or a strategic mind.

At that moment a pair of maids dashed up the hall in an excited frenzy. They beelined for the kitchen aide, their eyes aglow. "Yahmi! Yahmi!" The woman turned and the maids caught sight of Dhhiya. They screeched to a halt and bowed quickly. "Oh my gosh! Excuse us Miss Dhhiya! We're sorry!"

Yahmi glanced back to the Draconian who nodded. The kitchen aid signaled for the girls to stop their bowing. "What is it, girls?"

In an instant they were back to their flittering. "Yahmi! Amin and I were upstairs cleaning when guess what we saw?"

Amin didn't give Yahmi time to guess. "We saw a ship land and it looked like Sir Allen's ship from before! You remember when Sir Allen visited? I'm nearly sure it was his ship!"

Dhhiya felt a sudden ray of hope descend on her. "Sir Allen?"

"Yeah!" Amin nodded quickly. "Sir Allen was so dreamy! Hulu and I have been watching for him all this time! Right Lu?"

Hulu clapped her hands and squealed inaudibly high

Dhhiya pressed for more information. "Where did it land?"

"North of here." Amin replied. "We could see it from the library window!"

"Until it dipped below the trees." Hulu agreed. "But it's probably still there! Boy I hope we're right and its Sir Allen's ship! I tried my best to ingrain the image on my brain the last time he was here so I'd be sure when he came back!"

Dhhiya shushed them and became serious once again. "Thank you girls, please don't tell anyone else."

"We came to tell Yahmi first." Hulu said.

"That's good." Dhhiya sighed. "Stay quiet about it for now. Don't tell anyone, not even your closest friends. We don't want the Zaibachians to find out about it."

"Oh okay." Amin agreed. "This must be important."

"It is, girls." Yahmi assured them. "No go back to your cleaning. Can't let anyone think anything's amiss."

"You're right, thank you Yahmi." The girls bowed to her and then to Dhhiya. "Excuse us miss." The maids dashed back up the hall.

"I've got to go." Dhhiya told her accomplices. "I'll return as soon as I can with a plan. Please do your best while I'm gone." With that she dashed down the hall and toward the exit.

escaflowne

Without a definite plan of attack, the group decided that step 1 of the Fried campaign would be to send out a reconnaissance team. Allen insisted he be part of it. Yukari did too, but she was exhausted from being up all night. Her sleep had been thwarted by an emotionally charged meeting with the knight, a similarly heavy reconciliation with her boyfriend and then her turn on the bridge. She sent Amano on the mission while she took a nap. The two doubles walked as casually as possible, observing what they could and trying to blend in. Allen had his hair pulled back and was dressed in shirtsleeves and his black leather pants. Amano had similarly left his blazer and tie behind and marched on in half a school uniform. He found himself a few paces behind his double as they skirted the edge of a ruined part of town. "Do you think its smart to just walk in?"

Allen was making hasty progress toward the palace, his eyes set like a man with a mission. "If we stay along the burned out parts there shouldn't be a problem."

Amano watched the charred husks of trees go by. This was once a green land surrounded by forests, but the battle for Fortuna Temple and the Power Spot had reduced the city and the woods to rubble. Most of the city had been rebuilt, but much of it was still under construction. The reassembled Palace stood tall over the shell of its country. He sighed and looked to Allen's waterfall-like golden hair. He'd been thinking a lot over night and learning a lot about himself and his relationships. With Yukari's help he felt as if he'd gotten over a great obstacle. Allen was no longer a threat, and Amano felt the need to level with him for a change. "Hey, Allen."

"What?"

"Well, It's kinda hard for me to admit this, but … when I charged in on you and Yukari last night, I gotta admit I was jealous."

"Hmph." Allen snuffed. Yukari had hurt him too last night, but it was no more than he had deserved. He blamed himself for the whole event.

Amano continued. "I didn't think you were really going to steal her from me. I just got defensive. You understand."

Allen made no reply. He had feelings for Yukari, but ghosts from the past and his connection to Amano were probably to blame for that.

Amano picked up the pace. "I just wanted to tell you, while we were away from everyone else. I know I've been really edgy around you since we got here, and I'm sorry, but I just want you to know that before we came here I really took a liking to you."

Allen turned over his shoulder. "What?"

"I mean w hen I as first connected to you at Yukari's house. I had one of those 'sense-of-divine-justice' impulses and decided I was going to help you with your problems no matter the cost. It's a lot like the bond Suru and Celena have, or Daiji and Dryden too… they liked each other instantly. I'm sorry to say I really failed you in that respect. I know it's too much to expect us to be buddy-buddy all of a sudden, but I would like to try and get right what I've done to our friendship. My overprotective tirade last night was nothing but my own pride getting in my way. So, I want to say I'm sorry, I guess, and that I hope we can be a little nicer to each other from now on. At least try not to exchange spiteful glances like we usually do."

"Amano – I –" Allen's pace slacked to hitch in time with his double's, "I don't know what to say."

"If you don't want to. I mean if you cant forgive me just like that, I'll understand." Amano said, pointedly. "I understand more than you think. That might have been another reason why I as afraid of you."

"You were afraid of me?"

"And jealous."

"Jealous of me?" Allen frowned. "Why in Gaea would you be jealous of ME?"

Amano turned a startled glance to him. "Look at you! You're a knight for one, you can fight like nobody's business and apparently women can't keep their hands off you! There's plenty to be jealous of."

Allen hung his head. "There's much more to be glad you don't have. Sometimes I spend hours sitting alone wondering what went wrong to bring me to what I am."

Amano was speechless. "Well, uh, maybe that's your problem? Sitting alone isn't going to help you work it out."

"Who do I have to talk to?" Allen grumbled. "Gadess has heard my pity before. I've talked to him, but he's my first mate and bearing my soul can only go so far."

"Well, you've got twice the people now to pick from." Amano noted. "You've got me and Yukari. If you talk to Yukari I wont get mad. I already know you won't steal her."

Allen paused. He felt overwhelmingly guilty all of a sudden. "I did try to steal her…" Amano narrowed his eyes, "last night when I thought that the two of you were ending. I asked her if she would consider me… because she is Marlene, and I love Marlene." He turned his eyes on his 17-year-old counterpart. "But she said 'no'." The knight studied him a little more intently. "She said she loved you." He broke eye contact and hung his head. "Which makes me sad, but now that I consider it, I think I prefer it that way. Seeing that Yukari is so devoted to you, it makes me hope that Marlene would have been so devoted to me if things had worked out differently."

Amano smiled a little. "You aren't such a bad guy, you know." The broke out of the tree line and faced a devastated patch of scorched earth. The dead plane stretched open for fifty yards between them and the palace grounds. Amano stuck his hands in his pockets. "So much for cover. What do we do now? Sprint for it?"

"We'll be more obvious then." Allen resolved. "The landscape's changed from the map I remember."

Amano noticed something moving on the horizon, a figure running. He jabbed his double. "What's that?"

"It looks like a soldier!" The two of them threw their hands to the hilts of their swords in natural, synchronized movements. The person approached as Allen ran though primary attacks and plotted defensive maneuvers in his head. Amano took the same time to study the shape as it grew nearer.

"Wait, is that a woman?"

Dhhiya completed the dash and fell to her knees, out of breath on the ground. She looked up to the two of them, wind-stung tears in her eyes. "Do you men know where I can find Sir Allen Schezar?"

Allen let his guard down as he noticed Dhhiya's glittery mahogany eyes. "I am Allen Schezar." Amano shot him a glance. Dhhiya was beyond relief and bowed her nose to the ground.

"Sir Allen! Please! I beg you! I need your help desperately!" She looked up at them, panting. "The Duke is in danger and I fear only you can help save him!"

escaflowne

Torsion lay in a darkened room at the back of a model Deidlan house. The stiff woven curtains were pulled shut above her bed and allowed little more than dashes of light over her face. She slept in the same exhaustion that had taken her in the woods. Just outside her shut door, her traveling companions sat at a table while the lady of the house fixed a bowl of small eggs for breakfast.

"Thank you again, Mother, for accommodating us." Prestress said from his chair.

His mother, a full-blooded impala woman, turned her elongated face and golden eyes over to Prestress and Vector. "I'm happy to do it! I never get to see you."

"We won't be a bother." Vector assured, looking very large in the quaint little room. Although he did not show it outwardly, he found his brooding, philosophical friend's homely mother very amusing. "As soon as Torsion is better we will need to hurry on our way."

Prestress nodded. "Trapan is already ahead of us. We will have to make haste to reach Asgard before him."

"Well, you're welcome as long as it takes." She laughed, youthfully tossing her curly blonde hair. "I know I don't have much but whatever I have is open to you!"

"You are too kind." Vector nodded a bow to her.

Just then a knock came at the rickety kitchen door. Without invitation, a man entered. He had dark hair, green eyes, a mustache and a big smile. "Caesium?"

Prestress's mother wiped her hands and turned cheerily to him. She was surprised by her son, who leapt up on reflex to stand protectively between them. The stranger started and backed away, his hand still holding the door. Vector noticed a spark lit in Prestress's gold eyes that were more fiery than usual. Caesium didn't like the confrontational air at all and shoved past Prestress to stand in between them.

"Prestress! Calm down." She looked to the man at the door. "Gaye, this is my son, you remember me telling you about him?" Gaye sighed and nodded, his smile back. Prestress gained a little more ferocity in his stare. Caesium put a hand on his arm. "Prestress, this is Gayeanye. He's my fiancé."

Prestress went from livid with fury to stunned speechless. "Fiancé!"

His mother smiled broadly and nodded quickly. "I'm getting married! Isn't that terrific?"

"Congratulations." Vector said obligingly.

Prestress narrowed his eyes, looked more worried than happy. "When did this happen?"

"You've been gone for five years, Prestress." Caesium said, "Gaye and I have been seeing each other for almost eighteen months!" He grabbed onto her fiancé's arm. "He proposed to me three weeks ago! It was on a Monday night and the moons were rising over the trees. The sky was pink and the clouds looked like spun sugar hanging in the sky. We were on his ship looking down at Skortsky from above! It was so romantic!"

Gayeanye laughed at her. "You memorized the whole night didn't you?"

She squeezed his arm. Prestress thought he heard her squeal like a child. "It was the single happiest night I've had in twenty years!"

With a grin he kissed her on the forehead. She bent it forward to give him a better reach. Prestress was still suspicious. "Ship?"

"I'm a trader." Gayeanye replied. "My partner and I run shipments across the Ventrags."

Prestress leveled his eyes on Caesium. "Mother, may I speak to you?"

The woman gave Gayeanye an apologetic look then followed her son into another room. Prestress was taller than she was, and held her thin shoulders in his hands as he spoke. "Mother? What are you doing?"

"Nothing." She replied, clueless as to why her son was being so uptight. "Nothing wrong."

"He's a human." Prestress told her, his tone heavy with disapproval.

"So?" She asked. "There are plenty of mixed-race couples nowadays. More and more all the time. Gaye's best friend is marries to a beast woman! If he loves me, I don't see a problem with us getting married."

"You couldn't have found someone from your own tribe?"

Caesium frowned at him. "The tribe is still in Zaibach and you know I can't go back! Prestress! I can't believe I'm hearing you say these things.

"But Mother…" Prestress persisted. "You have been hurt by non-beast people before…"

She realized what was driving him. She threw her hands up to his face, the features there greatly affected by his father's blood. He had a shortened nose, a squarer jaw, and only a little of the fine golden fur found in her race. "Prestress, son, its true that what happened to me changed my life a lot. And I admit, I might have regretted it and wished it had never happened when I was alone and rejected by my friends and family, but I never regretted you." She locked eyes with him and recognizing something he could only have gotten from her. "I love you."

"I was never meant to be." He replied, bowing his head. "I am a living crime."

"You're my son." She said firmly. "And no matter how you came about I wouldn't change that. My love for you doesn't change either, no matter how hard you might try. You were my only joy here in Deidlas, living in exile. You gave me the strength to make a life for myself! I'm so proud of the man you've become."

She was the only one in Gaea who could move him to tears, and the gold flecks of his eyes glistened as she held his face. "I love you as well, Mother. More than myself. I've seen what you've gone through because of me. I don't want to see you get hurt again."

She smiled at him. "Don't worry about me, Prestress. I've found someone true who makes me happy."

"Are you certain?" He pressed. "Positively?"

She nodded. "I had you when I was 16 years old. That took a lot of my youth away, but Gaye, he makes me feel young again! When he and I ware together it's like all that pain and rejection you are so determined to protect me from never happened at all! So you see… I love him and I'm going to marry him."

Prestress pressed his lips in a little pit of a smile. She gave him a kiss on the cheek before heading back into the kitchen. Her path took her straight to Gayeanye's embrace. He looked down at her. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, all fine." She said. "I felt like hugging you."

"How sweet." He teased. "And your son isn't going to disown you?" Prestress came into the room, having brought himself back under control. Vector gave him a glance. Letting Caesium go, Gayeanye presented his hand. "I'm glad there're no hard feelings! I hope the two of use can be friends!"

Prestress looked again to Vector before taking the extended hand. "I do not promise friendship, but as long as you give me no reason to dislike you, you shall have no reason to dislike me."

Gayeanye was an optimistic soul and completely ignored the undertones in the beast man's well-balanced sentence. He gave the hand a good hard shake. "Great! I'm glad we're alright. And I'm glad to finally meet you! I've heard a lot."

Prestress narrowed his eyes a little as Gayeanye turned to his bride-to-be. "Well, Cae, I guess we'll put off our plans. You look like you're busy."

"Plans?" Vector asked.

Caesium smiled. "Oh, nothing too special, don't worry."

"We were going to spent some time together before I left." Gayeanye explained. "I'll be gone in a couple days shipping to Asturia, but that's okay, we'll do something tomorrow, okay?"

Caesium nodded. "Okay." She gave him a kiss and opened the door. "Come back for dinner, alright?"

"You got it." He replied. "Love you!"

"Love you!" With a wave she bid farewell and returned to her half-cooked breakfast. "Oh, I'm sorry about that you two! I'll have this done in a moment!"

Escaflowne

The rest of the crew was very surprised when Allen and Amano returned with a stranger. Yukari, Van and Gadess pressed in tightly around Dhhiya, each forming their own conclusions about her origins and intentions. Amano stepped forward to clarify. "Guys, this is Dhhiya, she needs our help."

"Our help?" Van was a little outraged.

Yukari seemed more accepting. "Help with what?"

"I don't mean to impose." Dhhiya said. "You all have traveled with Sir Allen, so you must be noble, compassionate people…"

"No need to butter us up, Miss." Gadess interrupted, musing. "Just tell us your problem."

"The Duke is in danger." She replied. "He loves Sir Allen very much. I hoped that your party could help save his life."

"If the Duke is in any danger, I won't rest until we've freed him from it." Allen announced importantly.

Dhhiya turned her sparkling mahogany eyes up to him. "Truly? That's fantastic!" She flushed red and turned quickly away. "I mean, Thank You." She snapped back to business. "We need to work fast. The Palace is full of mutinous Zaibachian soldiers. They want Chid killed, and expect it done by sundown today. I have to find a way to get him out of there and hidden without suspicion. I know what has to be done, but I'm ashamed to say I can't think of a plan. I feel very lost."

"Plans are something we can pull off about 75 of the time." Amano said, shaking his head. "We'll do our best though."

The others nodded and Dhhiya took a deep breath. She explained to them the layout of the palace, the locations of the guards, the state of her interior contacts and possible routes. She tried to be as brief as possible, speaking mostly to Allen, and summing it all up with a fit of flustered begging that painted her in desperation. Allen assured her that everything would be all right.

When she was finished Van put a hand to his chin. "Well, at least it'll be easier than Zaibach. We have someone on the inside this time."

"Can you trust the staff?" Yukari asked. "You're certain they'll drop everything and follow Chid?"

"I'm sure." Dhhiya replied.

"Have you thought of where you're going to hide yet?" Amano asked.

Dhhiya nodded. "There's only one place I can think of… Fortuna Temple in the mountains."

Allen nodded. "We've been there before."

"We'll have to be in disguise again." Yukari announced. "Do we still have all those Zaibachian uniforms?"

Gadess shook his head. "No, that was the other ship."

"Oh right."

Amano kept thinking. "What about a diversion?"

"I don't think so." Van said. "Dhhiya's Chid's royal attendant. If she's with him the two of them should be able to walk out of the palace without a problem."

Yukari snapped her fingers. "Good point, Van! Great thinking!"

Amano smiled. "We don't even need a plan at all! This is going to be a cinch!"

Allen had his eye on Dhhiya, who had become glum and almost guilty. He touched her shoulder. "Dhhiya, what's wrong? Is there something deeper you're not telling us?"

Dhhiya hung her head, ashamed. "Well… I…" They all could hear the change in her voice and began to second-guess her. She hated the feel of their eyes on her. "I was supposed to –" She looked briefly to Allen's blue eyes and flinched. She didn't want to tell him she'd nearly killed someone they both loved. "I'm a member of the mutiny."

"You're what?" Van cried. He stepped up to crowd her and she moved back. He was no taller than she, but his brown eyes were intimidating, making her feeling helpless and small.

"That's how I found out about the plot… the Faction wants-"

"Faction?" Allen's voice was piercing. "You mean THE Faction? The Draconian Faction?"

She jumped and drew back. "How do you know about it?"

"We've been fighting it for weeks now." Yukari told her. "If the Faction's here its worse than we thought."

"Should we even tolerate a Factionary on board our ship?" Van asked, his eyes shooting to Allen. "She could be a spy."

"I seriously doubt that." Amano said. "Cool down, Van."

"Dhhiya," Allen tried to sound more comforting but his thoughts strongly on his son, "start again, this time be honest. We need to know everything."

She let go, the fear and guilt escaping as trembling sobs as she spoke. "The Faction has been in control of Fried for a long time. This was where everything started. The Master took advantage of Chid's youth and inexperience and installed me and another Draconian as chief officials in the Duke's court. We've been helping to manipulate his decisions ever since, but it was peaceful! I promise you, we didn't do anything to hurt him! But when Areolar and the Zaibachian Detachment arrived he demanded that I kill Chid and told me I had to do it and move his body to the Temple by sundown tonight or he'd do it himself!" She clasped her hands over her mouth. The other's eyes widened.

Yukari pressed in. "You were going to kill him?"

Dhhiya nodded and spoke from behind her hands, her words running together in a stream of adrenaline. "I didn't want to do it. I begged him not to make me but he insisted because I was the closest one to him. I even tried but I couldn't go through with it. Chid's so sweet and he called me his sister and then - I'm the only one with any loyalty to the Duke now. I'm his last chance before that awful man drives a sword through him! You have to help me get him out! I couldn't live with myself if Chid died and it was my fault! Please?"

Allen took her shoulders again and her eyes relaxed. "It's okay, Dhhiya, we know you don't want to hurt Chid. You're doing what your conscience tells you is right, and don't worry. We'll get the Duke out without the Master ever knowing we were there."

Van's steam had run out and tried to approach the maneuver again from a logical angle. "Is the Master here now?"

"No, the Master left for Asgard three days ago." Dhhiya said, wiping her eyes. "He left his Safehouse in the Mountains, moving by airship to the North. He wants to open the City of Atlantis."

"Where's the Safehouse?" Allen asked.

She was surprised they didn't know. "Fortuna Temple."

Amano shrugged. "That figures."

Allen frowned. "That means he has the Power Spot, too."

Van added to his thought. "Using the ruins of Atlantis to resurrect the world of the Draconians." He growled. "I'll never forgive him for using my blood like this."

Dhhiya shrank down again. Allen changed the subject. "The way I see it, the only way to stay undetected is to feign Chid's death and move him to Fortuna Temple as the Zaibachian general directed."

"So we close Chid and his renegade staff up in the Temple." Yukari summed up. "And they'll be safe there?"

"I hope so." Dhhiya said. "I'll stay with him. Perhaps I can keep the Faction away."

"Won't they miss you?" Van asked, skeptically.

Dhhiya's brow knitted. "I- I'll think of something. I can't stay with the Faction. I don't want to live in a world where we kill of innocent, loving children because they don't have wings."

"I'll take that as a resignation." Amano said, good humored. "Lets get down to business!"

"First we need to 'kill' Chid." Yukari said. "Then get him out of the palace."

"We should let the Draconian guards know what we're doing." Allen said. "If we can drop the right hints, news will get to the general."

"There's a door around the back being guarded by Draconians." Dhhiya offered. "Its near where Areolar's ship is docked. They aren't supposed to let normal humans in."

Amano looked to the King. "I guess that means you, Van."

"They've seen me before." Van answered. "Anyone in the palace who encountered us six months ago will recognize my face. We weren't trying to keep a low profile back then."

"Wait Wait Wait!" Yukari cried. "I've got inspiration! Van! Would you say you're about Dilandau's size?"

"I guess," he answered, "but if you think I'm sharing with that monster you must be crazy."

"Oh come, on," Yukari bated, "its not like he's got leprosy or something. Dilandau's wearing a Zaibachian uniform right now. We can put you in it and do something with your hair and voila! Instant Winged Guard."

"That's a good plan." Allen said. "When you and Dhhiya bring Chid out bring him to the Crusade and we'll move him to the mountains."

Yukari nodded. "Okay then, lets go negotiate Dilandau out of his uniform."

Escaflowne

Daiji meandered back up to the bridge where Dryden was playing figurehead. The merchant was very very bored, but brightened when he saw his double approach.

Daiji put his hands in his pockets. "Couldn't find your room. I thought my connection would give me a clue… but no dice."

"You probably mistook it for every other room." Dryden replied. "It's cluttered beyond all reason and stacked with books. The actual bed part is a separate room."

"Hmn," Daiji thought a minute, "now that you put it that way, I may have found it after all."

"Why were you looking anyway?" Dryden asked.

"Just curious." Daiji replied. "Wanted to see how my other self lived… drink in a bit of the culture. You understand."

He did indeed. "As far as my life goes it's pretty much as you see it. I live day to day with my head in a book, running the trade routes, writing…"

"Oh yeah, your book." Daiji recalled. "How's that going?"

"It just is at this point." Dryden said. I see it kind of as banter across time with Atlantian researchers of the past. I offer my own ideas on some of the more controversial subjects and document what I've learned about the ancients recently by hanging out with Hitomi and Van. Stuff like that."

Daiji was clueless. "Give me an example."

Dryden shook his head, laughing at himself. "If you get me started I can talk forever, but in short I guess my basic discrepancy is the whole fate thing. The Draconians believe in an unset fate. Sure fate may be a guiding force in people's lives, but it can be bent into whatever shape you want it if you wish on their technology. To me it seems a lot more logical if fate were more like what you'd probably consider destiny. It's an inevitable goal we're all heading for. Draconian technology can change the direction of the paths we take and put detours in fate's road, but in the end destiny has the potential to sort itself out. Sometimes it take a little creativity on its own part, but we'll all reach our ultimate goal in the end." Dryden noticed Daiji studying him closely and tried to shrug it off. "That's my take on the subject anyway."

"You've thought a lot about this."

He seemed to loose some of his cheer. "There's little to do but think out here. When I got tired of measuring myself up to Millerna's standards I'd distract myself with writing. I don't know if it'll ever get published. I don't care so much now."

"You don't care?" Daiji cried. "I can't believe that."

"What's the point? All my peers are long dead." Dryden said. "At the very most the book would have been a chance for Millerna to run across my name again and remember I was coming back for her." He let out a deep sigh, reminding Daiji of the illness living in his double's head.

Seguir and Yosu wandered up, seeming to have run out of things to do. Yosu sounded very much like Van. "Yow long?"

"Another twelve hours sir," Llave answered brightly. "We'll arrive at Fa Xian by noon tomorrow."

"I didn't realize how late it was." Daiji said, staring out the window. "Do you think Allen and everyone are in Fried yet?"

He was asking Dryden but Seguir answered. "They've probably been there since this morning."

"Do you think they'll come back with Chid." Yosu asked.

Daiji scoffed. "Why no? We've got enough people hanging around already."

Yosu changed the subject. "Where is everyone anyway?"

"They're somewhere playing a game." Daiji answered. "'Ai invited me but I couldn't remember where it was, and I got the feeling it was meant to be 'girl time' and I'd just ruin the mood."

"Girl time, huh?" Yosu asked with a disapproving droop.

"What's wrong?" Daiji asked. "Hoping to get in some quality time with Hitomi before her beau gets back?"

Yosu turned his brown eyes out the window. "Never mind."

The card game had petered out and now the real girl time was starting. Hitomi watched her hands rest on the table. "I hope Van is alright."

"I'm sure he is." Millerna said.

"Of course he is!" Merle cried. "He's Lord Van! He's Unstoppable!"

Koneko took a more obvious angle. "Plus my brother hasn't croaked yet."

"Do you think their mission is dangerous?" Jiai asked.

"It's going to be as dangerous as they choose to make it." Millerna resolved.

"Pshaw…" Koneko spat, "then consider it hazardous as long as Allen's calling the shots. He looked out for blood."

"Its hazardous if only because the Dilandaus are along." Merle agreed.

Suru piped up in defense. "They aren't really that bad." She drug Leptilepitos off the table and into her lap. "They just try to have fun."

"I hope Amano and Yukari come back alright." Jiai said. "I'm more afraid for them. They don't know what's going on."

"At least they're together." Hitomi sighed.

Jiai rubbed her arm. "I'm sorry, Hitomi, I shouldn't have said anything. It must be awful to be separated again."

Hitomi nodded a little bit but tried to perk up. "He promised he'd take care of himself. He won't do anything too dangerous. He's coming back to me!"

Escaflowne

"I'm embarrassed and demasculated." Dilandau growled. He'd been forced to change into another pair of Celena's shorts and one of Allen's extra shirts. The white top was a little big for him but at least it didn't have puffy sleeves.

Allen glared at him. "You're one to talk about 'demasculation'."

Dilandau sneered at him, making a fist. "Jut what do you mean by that?"

Amano sidestepped the issue and knocked on the door to Celena's room behind him. "Hey, Van? You done in there?"

"One second!" He came out of the room in the dark blue-violet uniform. He was far from pleased. "Satisfied?"

"That's perfect!" Yukari cried in triumph. "I knew you were the same size!" Van rolled his eyes. The girl stepped up. "Now I do something fancy with your hair."

"Fancy?"

"Oh, I've got bobby pins don't worry." She poked him in the ribs and he jumped. "Don't get too scared, I just want to keep it from going all over the place."

"Fine." Van consented. He looked to Dhhiya. "Outline this for me again?"

"We'll go in the south entrance. You'll have to present your wings as an ID, then we'll head for the Duke's chambers. I told the guards to keep everyone out of the room until I got back so it should be safe inside. We'll get Chid back out through the same door and hide him in the Temple."

"It'll be that easy?" Allen asked.

Dhhiya nodded. "If we don't have any problems."

Amano grinned. "Its about time we had an easy quest."

Allen shook his head. "There's no such thing as an easy quest."

"I'll have to stay behind." Dhhiya reported. "I was told to bring proof to Areolar."

"How are you going to do that without a body?" Allen asked.

"He's a king right." Hakai recalled, his hands crossed behind his head. "Steal his hat."

"That's not a bad idea." Dhhiya nodded to him. "Thanks."

It was midday and the two Draconians found themselves inside the palace grounds. The Crusade had inched its way closer to the palace, trying its best to stay hidden among the burned forest. Dhhiya turned to Van just as the doorway was in sight, two Zaibachian Winged Guards at attention. "Okay, I guess you would have been assigned to me, so I should lead. Release your wings when I do. After that we shouldn't have any trouble." He nodded and followed a few steps behind her. She approached the guards and nodded a bow. Van noticed that her acting abilities left something to be desired. "Goodday!"

"Good day." The guards answered.

"This is…" she paused. She'd begun introductions on reflex, realizing now that Van didn't have an alias "…the guard who was assigned to help me with that thing…"

"Thing miss?" One guard asked.

She whispered. "You know, that job. The one job."

"Oh right." He said. "But you're still going to have to give the password."

Dhhiya relaxed her shoulders, her heart racing in her chest. A pair of strikingly white wings rose from her tanned skin. Van was held captive in the same sort of awe he'd felt when Seguir released his wings. It dawned on him how few Draconians he'd actually met. He snapped out of it quickly and let his wings out through the slits in the back of the uniform. The two of them revealed their feathers just long enough to confirm their identities then hid them away again in their hearts. The guards nodded and let them inside.

The new palace had been built to ward of the dusty air blowing in from the desert to the south. When the trees were alive, the dry lands were kept at bay, but without their protection the encroaching desert seemed to seep into the cracks. The halls were wooden with heavy curtains or shutters dressing the windows. There was a perimeter hallway the surrounded the building. Arching interior corridors led the way to the actual chambers; the Throne room, the dining courts, and the Duke's quarters among others. Dhhiya led the king into the interior until they found the door where the two loyal guards were standing valiantly, their knuckles white on their spears. They seemed greatly relieved when they saw her approach. Van got the impression they were exhaling for the first time since she'd left.

"Sir! We've done as you said!"

"No one's gone in! Not a soul!"

"Good." Dhhiya nodded. "This is Van, he's going to help us." They took her word for it, stepped aside and let them into the room. Chid had resigned himself to a ball on the bed, his knees hugged tight to his chest. A portrait of anxious fear, he stared fixedly at the door. Sight of his assistant sprung him back to life. "What happened? Where did you go?"

"It's going to be all right now, Chid." Dhhiya assured him in a rushed but comforting tone. "I've brought someone to help you out of here."

"Who is it?" Chid asked, wary.

"Van Slanzar de Fanel." Van answered, stepping forward. "We've met before."

Chid paused a minute, trying to remember. "Fanelia! King of Fanelia! You came with Allen!" His blue eyes seemed to gain maturity. "But what are you doing here now?"

"Allen's here too." Van answered. "We're rescuing you."

"Sir Allen is here!" Chid became seven again and dashed over. Dhhiya couldn't help but smile at his delight.

She kneeled down to his level. "We're going to make it look like you're dead then hide in the mountains where you'll be safe."

Even with this news the situation didn't seem so bad anymore. "You're coming with me Dhhiya? And Sir Allen too?"

"Yes." She nodded. "I'll keep you safe, Chid, I promise."

"Okay, so what do I do now?"

Van looked to Dhhiya. "How were you supposed to have killed him?"

"Poison." She answered. "But… I kinda threw the cup across the room."

"Its okay." Chid answered. He dashed over and picked it up off the carpet. "It hit a cushion and didn't break."

"Thank you," Dhhiya took it from him, then leaned down by the table. "And look! Here's the vile Safil gave me."

"Great, we've got proof. Now how do we get him out?" Van asked.

Dhhiya tapped the glass together as she thought. "It'd be too obvious for you to carry him out like a body…"

"We have to let the Zaibachian troops know it's done." Van recalled. "What about a sack or something?"

Dhhiya's eyes caught the light of inspiration. "The bed sheets!" The two of them moved to the bed in the corner and stripped it, laying the cover out on the ground. The Freiden took Chid's hand. "Okay, Lord Chid, if you would please sit in the middle of this and we'll tie you up like a bag."

"Okay." Chid said, trusting them fully. "If you say so." He sat indian style in the center and his rescuers tied him off.

Dhhiya stepped back. "How's that look?"

"It's a sack." Van announced. "An expensive sack, but hopefully no ones looking that closely." He ran through the steps in his head. "Wait, we forgot something." He unwrapped the Chid bundle and stole the hat off his head. "Pardon me, Duke." He tossed the cap to Dhhiya who almost lost her other evidence to catch it. "I hate to use the ideas of a banshee, but short of a bloody shirt or his own head, that's as good as you'll get."

Chid's muffled voice wailed through the package. "What?"

Dhhiya patted what she guessed was the top of his head. "Don't worry about it. Just try to act dead."

Van gathered him up in his arms and got ready to go. Dhhiya stopped him. "Wait, I want to say something quick."

Van shifted weight. "Quick."

Dhhiya pulled open the bag to look in at her charge. "I'm sorry for all I've put you through, Lord Chid, but I know you'll be safe with Sir Allen. I've got to take care of some things but I'll come back to you as soon as I can. Just be brave okay?"

"I will." Chid said with a confident nod.

She knotted him off securely and held the door. "Take care."

The guards watched him trundle out with the bag. Dhhiya gave them final instruction before dashing off to the throne room. "Guards, please escort Van and the Duke to the back door… then come here to resume your posts."

"Yes sir!"

The three of them moved off down the halls. Chid tried his best to be very still, listening to the sound of Van's footfalls. They moved quickly through the palace until they reached the back door. The guards looked at the two Frieden escorts suspiciously and spoke to Van. "What is your business."

"I have… a bag of donations. The Duke wanted me to take them down to the orphans." He groaned on the inside at his lame excuse, but he figured if he were transparent enough the guards would get the hint. They did indeed and let him through. They braced the door on his personal guard though.

"He can go to the orphans by himself."

"Yes sirs. We'll just be going back to our post then…"

"Do that."

Putting the Zaibachian guards behind him, Van walked the path toward the Crusade, the Duke getting heavier with every step.

Dhhiya made a beeline for the throne room. Areolar and Safil had been there all day discussing the transfer of power. She had her evidence rapped in a blanked under her arm and took a moment to shift weight and rehearse her scene. She'd been inconsolable the night before, she had to match that performance today or look suspicious.

First step was to look the part. She entered the chamber with her head bowed and her feet dragging. Areolar looked up and spotted her. "Is it done?"

"It's done." She said, dramatically.

Safil took her at face value and nodded contentedly. Areolar took a step forward. "Where's that proof I wanted?"

"I have it." She said, she fell to her knees before him, denying him eye contact and extending the package upward like an offering. "It's all there. Ask no more of me!"

The Zaibachian stomped down and snatched the blanket from her. Safil craned his neck to look over his shoulder and smiled. "Ah! I see you used the poison!"

"How can you tell?" Areolar asked, disapproving of the bony old man's proximity.

Safil pointed with an overexcited twitch. "That vile, sir! I gave her tat full of poison!" He was so proud of himself that he proceeded to explain the rest of the package. "And that is a glass from the royal pattern! And this is the Duke's crown!"

Dhhiya peered through her fingers as she pretended to cower on the floor. Areolar was buying it. She bowed her head deeper to hide her relief. Her commander 'hmph'ed and bound the parcel back up. "At least someone around here can follow an order."

Safil cleared his throat. "Sir… If I may…"

"Didn't I tell you to shut up!" He stormed back to sit comfortably on the throne. "Now we've got some real work to do." He turned to Dhhiya. "Get off the floor and get over here. That's no position for a god."

It was time to engage step 2: uncontrollable sobbing. "No sir! No!"

"Get over here!" He growled.

She scrambled off her knees, imagining she'd gotten stabbed in the stomach and stumbling back and forth.

Areolar narrowed his eyes. "What's wrong with you? Suck it up. I need you to think of a way to frame the Duke's murder on something else." Dhhiya's knees sank together. "Start some gossip or something. The more people who hear the lie the more likely they are to believe it. That'll be your job now that you don't have a kid to assist."

Dhhiya, behind her farce, was truly appalled by how flippant he was. He's just killed a child! She pulled her performance from that. "No! I wont do any more! I killed him, isn't that enough?"

"Soldier!" Areolar shouted. "Get yourself under control!"

She sobbed loudly. "No more! What have I done?" With gusto she dashed from the room bawling with all her strength.

Areolar frowned after her. "Irritating woman."

Dhhiya dropped the tears and ran madly through the halls. She stopped outside the Duke's room where the guards were still standing at attention. They seemed relieved and excited when they saw her coming. "Miss Dhhiya! We've been waiting here all day! We turned the change of shift away hoping you'd show up! Everything went fine, that helper of yours is gone!"

"Shh!" She hushed. "You've done great, both of you." She scrounged for a step 3 to her plan. "I've got to find a way to get out of here. And I can't be followed, so it has to be a good cover-up."

"We want to come too." The guards said. "And the aids and maids will too! We don't want to serve and evil duke."

She received a blast of inspiration. "okay, I think I've got a plan. Tell me if you think this is going to work, okay? I'll fake my own suicide. I was more than distraught in there, they'd buy it. I'll write up a suicide note, and then have you two find it. That way I can leave and no one will look for me."

"Wow." The two of them were shocked. One leaned on his spear and shook his head. "That's drastic, Sir. Why can't you just resign?"

She let her eyes drift. "It's a little more complicated than that. But you and everyone you mentioned can resign when I'm gone. Say you're afraid because of all the deaths and leave the palace. That won't look suspicious. I hope. Come to my chambers at nightfall. I wont be there, but my note will. Bring Areolar and act scared. Then you can resign tomorrow morning and meet us up at Fortuna Temple."

They nodded a little warily. "Whatever you say, Miss Dhhiya."

"Good. I'm counting on you." She turned to leave, but remembered something else. "Make sure not to tell a soul that Chid and I are alive. It sounds like Areolar wants to spread rumors about murder. See if you can help the rumors along if you can. I'll see you soon. Good luck!" They watched her race again down the hall.

Chid was let gratefully out of the bag when they made it on board the Crusade. Yukari was overjoyed to see him. "He's so cute!" She tugged Amano's sleeve. "Lookit! So cute!"

Allen knelt down. "Duke Chid, are you alright?"

Chid's eyes were sparkling. "Sir Allen!"

It warmed his heart. Chid was sincerely happy to see him. "I'm glad you're alright."

Yukari nearly shoved Allen aside on her way down to her knees. "Chid! You don't know me, but I have to hug you!" She clamped her arms around the boy and squeezed tight. He was surprised but somehow delighted. Amano squatted and smiled at them.

Allen turned away from the little family group. "Van, how is Dhhiya?"

"She's fine." Van answered, re-ruffling his wild black hair. "She's taking care of the rest of the deal now. We're supposed to go on up to the Temple."

"Then off we go." Gadess grinned.

"Yes, get us in the air." Allen agreed. "I want to be hidden in the mountains before night."

Chid looked up, all smiles. "Are all of you staying with me?"

Yukari grinned down at him. "Yep! We came all the way here looking for you! We're not going to leave until you're safe and sound."

"Wow!" Chid cried. "I've never had so many friends!"

"No many enemies." Van said, seriously. Allen turned to him and he elaborated. "It seems like the country is there's. The place seethes with Factionaries and the humans there haven't a clue. I'm afraid we should probably consider Fried a lost cause. Even with people on the inside, the five of us alone can't reclaim it. We'd need an army."

"Let the Faction have Fried then." Allen said. "If Chid is safe then nothing else matters."

Van studied his friend closely. Allen sensed his probing eye, but shared no information. It wasn't fair to Chid if everyone knew his parentage but him. Instead, the knight changed the subject. "Perhaps we will find clues to the Master in the temple, considering he used it as a Safehouse."

"We should head up to our stations." Amano resolved. He looked down to Chid. "Have you ever ridden on the bridge of an airship before?"

"No! Not on the bridge!" Chid said, excited. "Do I get to?"

"You bet! Come on, let's go!"

Amano and Yukari took his hands and led him to the stairs. Allen loved and hated the way they'd become so close so quickly. He couldn't help but think that Marlene, Chid and himself would have made a happy family.

Dhhiya watched the dusk for signs of the Crusade, but Gadess had plotted a well-hidden path out of the city. She just had to rely on hope. Her left hand throbbed beneath a bloody bandage. He back ached too. She sat near the window on a carpet of bloody feathers.

In the past hour she'd penned a brilliant suicide note and become so absorbed in the fictional agony of her heart that she'd slashed her palm, smeared the floors, and ripped satin feathers from the folds of her wings. Now she was weak and sore. It had taken her this long to recover her strength. She took a deep breath. "This is it…" she surveyed her ruin as the breeze from the outside stirred it on the floor, "from here out, I'm dead." It was time to move. The guards would be coming any minute. Shaking a little, she threw her legs over the windowsill and dropped out, spreading her magically healed but painfully tender wings to cushion her fall. Once on the ground she stumbled off into the trees, quickly vanishing from sight.

The two loyal guards opened the door for Areolar, who stepped on feathers when he entered. The guards lied as best they could. "See this is what we found when we came in here!" One look at the room derailed their train of thought. They'd expected a note but this was unreal. So many bloody feathers.

Areolar wasn't quite as surprised. He looked over the sticky mess until he spotted the note on the bed. "This is it?"

"Y-Yes sir!" One said. "We didn't touch it, we came straight to you."

The second remembered what Dhhiya had said about being scared. He spoke. "We can't find the Duke anywhere, we didn't know who else to report to!" He pulled every acting muscle in his body. "Is it true the rumors we've heard about murder?"

Areolar ignored him and read the note over several times. The guilt of killing her beloved Duke was too great, it said. She did not deserve either life or dignity in death… she was a fallen god, it said. Goodbye to a world she held no place in. She would tear herself in two. He would never see her again unless her broken lifeless body washed up on some forsaken bank somewhere after she threw herself off a mountain.

This would be hard to gloss over. Two deaths since he arrived, and the blanket of calling cards laying at his feet betraying the Draconian occupation of the country. Yes, this could be very hard to gloss over.

Or it could be the best possible thing to have happened.

"The note says that the advisor has killed her master." Areolar announced. The guards gasped loudly. Areolar was far to pleased with himself to notice. "Unfortunately she has killed herself out of guilt. She was an unstable woman, and it is unfortunate that we cannot bring her to justice, but what's done is done. Safil will have to take the throne and tell the people of Fried of Dhhiya's crime."

"Yes sir."

"See that this mess is cleaned up." Areolar commanded, crumpling the note and strutting out. "These feathers are from a pillow or something she destroyed in her madness. I want them burned."

"Yes sir."

The commander followed his pride down the hall back to the throne room where he gloated mightily. A peculiar look was growing in his eyes as he thought aloud. "The Grim Reaper seems to have delivered everything I've ever wanted to me. It got me here. It got rid of people in the way. It has even presented me with the perfect solution to my problem. Death is a good friend. Very loyal, always trustworthy. I should rely on Death more often." He got up and paced the side of the room. A line of shields and spears were hung decoratively down the wall. Each shield bore the crest of an old Duke, and was obvious victims of fire damage. All except for the last one. The recently deceased Duke Chid shone brightly in the torchlight. Areolar walked toward it. "All these Dukes are dead. I don't have to worry about them. My new regime will never mind the old laws of the past. Those laws are dead. It seems like all bad things go away when they die."

The logic made too much sense. He turned jovially on his heel. "The Draconians abandoned a whole world when it no longer served them. Now that's efficient! A whole world gone, just because it wasn't worthy of the gods. The gods could do the same thing here. We're too good for Gaea. I could wipe out any town or race with just a snap of my fingers. Killing the Duke was relatively painless… well, excusing that Dhhiya woman, but she got what she deserved. She was too weak… not worthy of the bright new Gaea of the Draconians. Just like that Virial wasn't worthy…" He hunched his shoulders and began to pace. "Or that human Duke. Or all humans. Or beast people. Beast people are even worse than humans, they do not even resemble the gods. I don't understand why they even exist."

The lizard handmaiden entered with a pitcher of water for throne table. She went about her duty making as little sound as possible, instructed to be invisible and not disturb their guest. Areolar spotted her right off and she froze.

He eyes studied her, her inhuman head arching upward on a thick neck, her eyes large and brown, set wide in her scaled face. Spines ran down from the crest of her head to the tip of her long tail and every inch of skin was green. He weighed this creature on the measure of his mind. Nothing angelic about this monster. This being must have crept out of the dark places of Gaea while the gods were distracted. The garbage of creation. A flaw in a perfect world.

With one swift motion he tore a spear from the wall and javelined it through her. She staggered and fell back, her eyes pulling tightly into quivering brown spots, then blanking as she died on the floor. Areolar could feel a thrilling fire burn in his chest.

"Yes!" He shouted. "Yes! Death my old friend, we just became partners! It will be easy to take back Gaea, now! Once all the imperfection is gone, the Draconians will be masters over this planet and the world will be paradise again!"

To be continued…