Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne nor Magic knights Rayearth (both in the series and the OVA)

Zodia1281: this chapter will have the one thing that you would want and something that you won't expect.

Chapter 5: Palus and knights

The royal palace, Cephiro

Princess Emeraude sat at her throne looking a little worried. She hoped that the Winged Goddess is okay and that the Three Magic Knights were safe. There were other uncertainties as well but those weren't important at those two. Eagle walked into the room. He knew his sister had these problems but said nothing, because of the fact that she didn't want him to know.

"Emeraude, Fario and the others came as you commanded." These words came with sorrow but with strength.

"Let them in." Emeraude's voice was horse and she had a hard time talking.

The three people walked into the throne room. Fario was the one with green hair and red eyes, the one next to him was Lantis; he had black hair, like his brother who is dead, and blue eyes. The third person was Ascot, the one with light brown hair that went over his eyes so you couldn't see them, he use to look like a 10-year-old, but he some how grew up when he was revive. Emeraude seemed to be glad to see all three of them. She stood up.

"I summoned you here for an important reason, Gaia is being attack by a great evil and is wanting our support." Her green eyes harden.

Fario leaned against one of the pillars that held up the castle, "Is the Black Dragon Clan behind this?"

"No, it's someone from that accursed clan." Eagle answered.

"Who is he/she then?" Ascot blurred out and got elbowed in the side by Fario.

"Does 'Prince' Françoise ring a bell?" Eagle sneered at the word 'Prince'.

Both Fario and Ascot froze. That did ring a bell; he was that noble's son that tried to kill Princess Emeraude 7 years ago. He was banished from Cephiro for that and was never heard of again; well not until now. The only person out of the three that didn't seem to react was Lantis. He was quite the whole entire time. When Françoise was mention his muscles in his arms tightened. Both he and Françoise had a score to settle, they never got along with each other and never will.

Lantis finally spoke up, "Where is he now?"

Everyone looked at the one knight, of course, they all forgotten that fact that Françoise was the one who kill his and Zagato's parents. Ever since then, Lantis has wanting revenge for their death. Now since Zagato is dead, killed because he loved Emeraude, there was no stopping him.

Emeraude looked at Lantis, he look almost like his brother who she loved dearly, at least he was able to love someone that will be able to return that love, "He's in the tundra West of Fanalia."

"So you're saying that we three have to go to Gaia to help out?" Fario picked himself up from the pillar.

"There would be another citizen of Cephiro that would be accompanying you." Eagle smirked at the reaction when they find out who was coming.

"Who's coming?" Ascot asked and was elbowed again in the side by Fario, "WHY DO YOU ALWAYS ELBOW ME, FARIO?"

"I was trying to teach you some manners." Fario said with a smirk.

Ascot scowled, "Sounds more like 'I just want to bug you' then 'I'm teaching you manners'." He muttered.

Eagle shook his head at the two, "Gardina shall be accompanying you."

At this both Fario and Ascot shot Eagle with both a shock and an angered look, "GARDINA?"

"Is she coming after us or with us?" Lantis wasn't phrased by the fact that the illusionist and enchantress was coming with them, he knew something that the other two didn't.

"I also almost forgot, Mokona will be coming with you as well." Eagle's voice showed some of his amusement as he was trying to hide it.

"You mean that we're taking BOTH Gardina AND that Fur Ball!" Fario said with disbelief.

"Yes, and they would be coming with you not after you." Eagle smirked wider when he heard the groan from the Palu and the rouge knight.

"Tonight we would be leaving, right?" Lantis' tone was serious and stern.

Eagle lost his amusement and became serious again, "Yes, all of you would be leaving tonight."

"You are dismissed." Emeraude said as the three was departing, she looked at Lantis, "Lantis . . ."

"Yes, Princess?"

"There is something else I want to tell you."

Lantis walked back in front of the throne.

"Hikaru needs your help, she's going through a very hard time and is going to be harder. I have Dilandau helping too, but I think she needs you more."

"Is it about the curse?"

"Somewhat, but not all. It's also about of Françoise."

"What is he going to do with Hikaru!" this was first time that Eagle heard Lantis sound worried.

"I think his up to something that is forbidden in both Gaia and Cephiro. I think he's trying to combine his powers with his ancestor, which is the god of ice and chaos."

Lantis sapphire blue eyes flared with anger. Eagle shivered, good thing that he was on their side. It would be a bad idea to get in his way when he was ticked off which was fairly rarely. Lantis barely lost his temper and was always calm when under pressure; the only other time he had lost it was when he was fighting Françoise the day before he was banished.

"I'll make sure that he would not be able to get near Hikaru, or the Wing Goddess, I promise on my word, Princess." His tone showed his rage.

He turned and left, cape billowing behind him. Once he got out of the throne room, Fario and Ascot had to back off for they was not getting in his way. They didn't want to be part of Lantis' wrath. When he's this way, you don't want to be in the way of his fury. He had time to cool down before nightfall and went straight to the portal room.