A/N: ... ive just realized this is like the 4th chapter from the end...n there will not be a sequle unless ppl really want one... so i guess this is a near farwell... 3 chappies to go.
Chapter 14 Zaibachs Guymelef.
Van wouldn't utter a word, not to anyone he just kept staring at the small, brown picture. He tried to come up with possibilities, but came up empty. He became angry at the thought. He had lost his brother, to find out that he lived in a country that had destroyed his own. His father he had watched die. His mother he saw leave on the quest to search for her lost son only never to return.
Never had he been told about this Princess of Fanelia, never had he been told that he had a sister, perhaps if he had been told a lie rather than nothing at all; he would not be feeling so much anger towards his deceased parents. Even Balgus, one of the few people he had trusted had lied to him. Balgus had talked to Kari, been helped by her. He had known where she lived, with Allen.
Did Allen ever have an inkling? Such things crossed Vans mind. He thought of barging his way through the door of Allen's chambers and demanding he told him everything. Though he knew he would get nothing out ofthe Knightif he went and pulled a stunt like that.
Millerna was still concerned about Asturia, she became ever more concerned at the fact no one else was, Allen was in his chambers, Dryden was reading through Marth's journal, and Merle and Hitomi were with Van trying to get him to talk. All Millerna could do was worry and listen to the crew members as they talked about 'the good old days' when they were in the bandits' gang with Allen and Kay- they insisted on calling Kari 'Kay' even though they new she was a princess.
"Kay was the best with a sword, she had often watched during The Boss's training sessions with Balgus." Ryden mentioned.
"I heard that she beat Balgus in a duel once." Kio joined the conversation; Gaddess had taken over the wheel.
"The Boss and Kay were the perfect pair." Pyle added. Then realizing he had said this in front of Millerna he apologised.
"You still call Allen 'boss' even though you don't work for him anymore?" She changed the subject.
"Well, he don't like that we call him 'boss' but it's hard to break the habit." Teo answered, then went back to sharpening his daggers.
Millerna soon got board talking to the crew and went to see how things were going with Van. She had to walk past Allen's room to reach Van's. As she walked past she heard the faint sound of his voice. She leaned closer to the door and heard that he was singing a song gently to himself, Millerna did not recognize the lyrics and thought it was a bar song, till she listened a little longer and found it was a tragic love melody.
She sighed, and lent against the door. Allen was lost to her now, she knew this yet it was hard to believe, she cared for Allen like all the Aston sisters had done. Eries had often told her to give up on him and perhaps now she was right.
Millerna's thoughts were broken when the door opened and she went flying backwards. Thankfully Allan managed to catch her.
"Princess Millerna what are doing leaning against my door?" Allen asked the, looking down at her in his arms. She stood and faced him.
"I was coming to see how you were feeling… and I heard you singing that song and well I was… I didn't want to bother you." Millerna felt the blood rushing to her cheeks and knew she was blushing, this made her slightly angry, to been seen blushing in front of Allen.
"Oh… well then that makes perfect sense." Millerna knew Allen was mocking her, yet he smiled that all too familiar smile that makes your heart stop, and walked down to the main section of the Crusade.
Allen never closed his door because Millerna was still stood partially in the room. She noticed the white flower that rested on the small table. It was like those Kari had placed on her families' grave, Millerna walked into the room and picked up the flower, it was like a lily, yet nothing she had seen before. Millerna smelled the white flower, it smelt sweet and calming.
"The Zandrion Lily." Millerna turned, Allen was stood in the door way.
"Oh I'm sorry I came in… I…" Allen laughed, and walked up to Millerna. She was not sure what ran through her mind as Allen drew closer but when he took the flower off her and placed it in a small blue vase, she seemed upset.
Allen picked up his sword and attached it to his belt. Millerna found this odd as she had also noticed it was rare for Allen to fight using a sword. Kari had given him a staff like hers (although his did not have the blade on the end like a Kwan-Dao), as he had suffered greatly for those lives he had killed. When Millerna had heard that Allen's mental health was at risk she demanded to know why; she had been told that all great samurai must face the spirits of those they had slain. Millerna believed this had been Kari's doing, placing these pictures in his head, using her powers as she knew that Allem had already faced the demons of his past killings.
"Is there something wrong?" Asked Allen noticing that she had drifted of into her own thoughts.
"Oh! Oh no… I'm fine." Millerna felt herself blushing again.
"Schezar…" Came a call from down the hall, "I think you better come and take a look at this." Allen and Millerna hurried to see what the matter was.
The horizon was on fire.
"What? No it can't be, not Asturia." Millerna was stood in shock-horror.
A crowd had gathered to witness the burning city.
The smoke was thick and was blown by the slight wind, the whole city was ablaze.
"We can't get too close to the city if we wish to keep in the air." Kio wasnow atthe wheel, trying not to get too close to the smoke filled air.
"I'll go out in Escaflowne, see if I can find any thing out." Van was stood at the door.
"Van! How are you feeling?" Allen was the one to ask.
"That doesn't matter right now. We need to find out how badly damaged the city is."
Everyone could tell that Allen was not happy with this arrangement; the crusade carried no other Guymelefs on board and Scherazade was still without major parts.
"I'm not sure Van you'll be going out there with no backup."
"I'll be fine." And with that Van made his way towards Escaflowne, Hitomi followed.
"Please Van, listen to Allen; it's dangerous to go out there without backup." Hitomi had taken hold of Vans arm.
"I'll be fine." Van smiled and ran towards the Guymelef hold. Hitomi followed.
Van was about to climb into Escaflowne when he stopped, turned back and kissed Hitomi. Van smiled again and Escaflowne took off. Hitomi could not help it but she fell to her knees and started crying.
"Hitomi…Hitomi what is it, what'swrong?" Merle had come to the hold.
"Oh Merle. I have the most horrible feeling about this."
Van flew the Escaflowne carefully, it was hard to see anything through the smoke so he had to get upwind (A/N: is that right?).As Van flew round he could see the amount of damage caused to the city. All was lost. Everything was in flames. And in the centre of the burning city, stood the culprit. A large black Guymelef of the same detailed exterior like Escaflowne. It had two large domes on its shoulders each containing an Energist. It seemed to only have a flamethrower for a weapon though Van knew not to trust his eyes.
This was the ancient Zaibach Guymelef crafted by the Ispano Clan.
Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne or anything to do with it. But i do own Kari n a few other ppl that turn up like poker n maria(the list is very long ish) so plz dont use them wiv out asking (y ne one would i have no idea)