Beyond Aeaea
DISCLAIMER: The Vision of Escaflowne is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.
NOTE: Now, back to the regular timeline of the story. There's some development in the marriage so far, and some important choices to be made.
Though I do go into the immediate consequences of the departure from the island, there will be some new developments. Think of it as starting off from the prologue. I'm sorry if the timeline of this thing gets all muddled and weird. I was going for an "in-medias-res" effect and I hope it isn't too confusing. I know I'm not an epic writer but this is simply the way the story plays out in my head.
Hope you like how this is going so far and that you won't be bored by the rest of the story. It'= is going to be more eventful beyond this, I assure you. And forgive my feeble attempts to get inside their heads. There might be some cheesiness again, so sorry.
I must apologize in advance for what will be a slight delay in posting the next chapter. I am currently in the middle of a ridiculously busy academic week, with exams and papers due almost every day leaving me with very, very little time to write this story. The weekend was eaten up by various activities as well. But I've checked my "time table" and I think I can still make it so that I finish this by October 10. I will do whatever it takes to meet that self-imposed deadline. (Because it would be really, really cool to post something on 10-10-10, and I make it a point every year since 2008 to try and post something on unique dates).
So I hope you will all forgive me for any delay in posting the next chapter. And please continue to leave reviews and feedback on the chapters posted so far. I would like to have, if I may, some acknowledgment that people are still reading and are still interested in this crazy story of mine.
Thank you very much and sorry for yet another long and boring author's note. We move on to the rest of the story now.
Chapter Fifteen
After such a peculiar and intriguing encounter, it was difficult to resume one's normal life. So much had progressed in the unusual and inexplicable time frame of the island that it was hard to imagine how one ought to continue living in the same way.
Some of the guests ended up drastically changing their lives, and others tried to change in gradual doses. But for those whose enlightening experience had been dependent on meeting a particular person on the island, this was a bit more challenging to accomplish.
And however affected by meeting each other Folken and Eries had been, they had decided upon their return to their worlds, not to let the island change them. They had already reconciled themselves to the idea that there was very little chance of their seeing each other again, even if it pained them so.
But they staunchly refused to be miserable about it and decided to do everything they could to set aside the memories and feelings of that time, and to forget every weakness they had allowed themselves to indulge in.
It wasn't that much of a challenge for either of them. Folken, in particular, had had some experience in suppressing painful memories, and he decided to shove the island and the girl he had danced with to the furthest corner of his memory, to be obscured by the shadows. And they were both strangely thankful that they had not exchanged any names for this made any desire to search for the other less rational, and they were all for rationality.
Both, however, tried to investigate (in that efficient way of theirs) and research on any information about the mysterious island. Eries scoured the library of Asturia while Folken dug through the notes and archives of Zaibach, searching for some answers about the great mystery.
Of course, they spoke to no one about this project, for they were sensible enough to know that when one speaks of seemingly impossible things, most people were apt to think that one has gone mad.
But there was nothing they could find, no accounts (even vague ones), no records, not even folk tales or stories about an island that fit the description of Aeaea. After some time, Folken and Eries decided that the Sorceress' powers were greater than they had anticipated and that she had surely covered her tracks and gotten rid of any clue that might lead back to her or the existence of her wondrous island.
In the end, after much effort spent on the search for rational explanations, both just gave up and resigned themselves once more to the fact of life: that not everything has a rational explanation.
Ironically, it was when they had both fully accepted the mystery of the encounter and when they had both finally felt that they had moved on with the their lives that their paths crossed again. And after that "first" meeting in the Asturian court, Folken was determined that he would never let Eries go again.
And yet they had both still been wary of the other, as if incredulous that yet another peculiar meeting would take place. And knowing full well that this time, they would not be as free and uninhibited as they had been on Aeaea, that they were now also under the scrutiny of various external forces (who could very well separate them again), they had to be very careful. There were greater risks involved at present.
But a few days into their marriage, both Folken and Eries knew that all that they had endured and all that they would have to face were completely feasible and tolerable. After all, they had been through worse before, and for a lot less as well.
To be reminded of this, they had only to glance at the other.
"You're worth it," they would think silently, smiling with contentment at how things had turned out for them.
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"Welcome back, Lord Folken," one of the soldiers greeted the Strategos respectfully, as the latter alighted from his ship.
Folken gave a curt nod of acknowledgment and looked about him at the cold, dark, metal walls of the flying fortress. For all its formidable appearance, the Vione was home. And he was glad to be back.
He had been sent on more and more missions by Emperor Dornkirk lately and his departures from the Vione had been more frequent. Naturally, he did not question his superior's orders, but Folken was feeling more and more exhausted by every errand. But the time was drawing near for the great plan to be executed. Already the pieces were falling into place for the Emperor's grand vision of the future to be realized.
As he pondered on all the recent developments, Folken was filled with both a great excitement and also a heavy sense of dread. He had been involved in fixing all the details and doing all the necessary calculations, and yet so much still seemed uncertain.
Folken shook his head. It would not do to burden his mind further with such doubts. There was too much work to be done.
And since opportunities to rest were growing scarcer, he did not intend to spoil this one. He did not know how long it would be before he was given another important assignment. But he knew that it would not be long.
He was sorely tempted to go straight to his personal quarters, and to greet the person waiting for him there, but duty restrained him. And he knew that his wife would never approve of him neglecting his responsibilities.
So he reluctantly did some rounds in the flying fortress, making sure that everything was functioning properly and that everyone was doing what they should. It didn't take long. The Vione was a well-oiled machine and rarely needed any major adjustments. This came as a relief to Folken.
At length, he was finally able to proceed to his personal quarters, and he did so very eagerly. Before entering, however, he realized that he had arrived ahead of schedule but very late in the night. She would not be expecting him, and she was probably already asleep.
With a sigh, he made sure to enter the room as quietly as he could.
As it turned out, she was not yet asleep, but already in bed, wringing her hands in uncharacteristic anxiety.
Seeing her thus, a figure bathed in moonlight, Folken could not resist staring.
The moment she saw him, her eyes lit up and she immediately got out of bed and ran to him.
"Welcome home, my love," she greeted him with a smile, affectionately taking his hands in hers.
"I'm glad to be back," he said, raising one of her hands to his lips. She nodded though she was looking at him with an unfamiliar expression.
"I trust your trip was both productive and pleasant," she said.
"As far as it could be, yes," he replied with a small sigh, "I won't bore you with the details. I wasn't that interested anyway. Very tedious, really."
She looked at him in concern and put a hand on his shoulder.
"You look so tired," she said gently, "you must rest."
He nodded and made no argument. He was well aware that though her tone may seem mild, she was being perfectly authoritative.
As he prepared to go to bed as well, they began to catch up with each other. Their conversation was light because they weren't really that concerned with the content. It was enough for them to spend that little time together.
"Anything interesting happen here while I was gone?" Folken asked.
"Where do I begin?" Eries replied with a soft laugh, "you know perfectly well that certain inhabitants of the Vione are completely incapable of being boring."
"I see," Folken said with a smile, "Dilandau's been causing trouble again, hasn't he?"
"Nothing serious, don't worry," Eries answered with a laugh, "no one was severely injured. Although several Alseides prototypes were fairly damaged. As expected, he refuses to take responsibility for any of these, and he blames the faulty craftsmanship."
Folken shook his head in both frustration and amusement.
"Why am I not even surprised?" he commented wryly. Eries laughed softly at this.
The continued to exchange such pleasantries but Folken noticed that there was something off about her manner that night. Very few people would be able to see through the façade of composure and gravity that Eries so often employed. But Folken knew her enough to see that she was severely apprehensive and agitated about.
"Are you all right, Eries?" he asked her in grave concern, "you seem upset. What's the matter?"
Her eyes widened at being thus discovered but she could not lie to him. He could see that she was still mulling over what she was about to say so he gave her time. She looked anxiously at him to the ground and then from side to side. He waited patiently but grew more and more worried. He had never seen her in such a state before and he was not sure what could have caused it.
"There is something very important which I must tell you," she said, almost in a whisper, and not daring to look at him for some reason.
He grew even more concerned by hearing her speak in such a frail manner. He saw that her hands were trembling and he immediately took them both in his reassuringly.
"You can tell me anything," he told her, "why do you seem so afraid?"
"Because I'm both overjoyed and terrified," she answered gravely, "and I don't know how to balance everything out."
"What's the matter?" he asked her again, taking his real hand and gently raising her chin so that she was facing him. He saw that her eyes were shining and he did not know what to say. So he waited for her answer.
Deciding that she had delayed too long, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes before finally speaking.
"I'm pregnant," she said simply.
He stared at her in shock, and it was her turn to wait for his reaction. She wanted to know if he would be happy, if this even would somehow not change the way things were between them. She had been so happy so far, and was even happier when she learned the news.
And yet, she could not be sure of how he would take it. So she waited as he processed what he had just heard.
In the moments of silence that followed her declaration, a flurry of images and memories flashed before Folken unbidden. It was like the floodgates had been opened, and long tucked-away memories were surfacing into his consciousness.
He seemed to be in some kind of trance.
It was amazing what an effect two words could have on a person, what great impact one simple truth might make on one's life.
Eries was with child. His wife was pregnant. She was going to be a mother. And he was going to be a father.
For some reason, his brain seemed to be functioning at a maddeningly slow pace, as if the concept was completely new to him, almost as if he was being confronted with something totally alien.
All of a sudden, he was a child again, running through the halls of the castle of Fanelia. He remembered his father's booming voice, his mother's smile. When she had told him that he was to have a younger brother, he had not been sure what it would mean. But seeing how she glowed with absolute happiness, he had assumed that having a younger brother would be a wonderful thing indeed.
He remembered little Van running up to him, calling his name. He would catch the boy in his strong arms and swing him around.
His family. His life.
He remembered watching his father do things. He admired his father and hoped to be like him someday.
"You make me so proud, Folken," Goau would say.
"One day, you'll have a family of your own," his mother had told him long ago, "and I am sure that you will love them and protect them the way we have done for you and your brother."
"Yes, mother, I promise," he had answered.
"Don't promise me," Varie had replied with a laugh, "promise yourself. Because you know now what it means to be happy in life, keeping all those most precious to you away from harm. You will be happy, my son. I know it."
But nothing ever worked out according to one's plans. And yet, here he was, ten years after all that, ten years after being reborn and leaving behind a painful past. And before him was a chance at that happiness that his mother had always wished for him.
He had thought that he was beyond redemption, not deserving of that simple but sublime life. But Destiny had turned on him again. This time, however, to his favor.
"Folken, Folken, FOLKEN!"
The Strategos snapped out of his trance-like state and was faced by a very agitated, tearful Eries, shaking him violently.
"What happened?" she asked urgently, "are you angry? Is there something wrong?"
He stared at her speechlessly and she grew more worried.
He didn't want this to happen, she thought. This is what she had been afraid of. This had not been part of the plan, it had not been calculated. So much change would be required.
But she was more than willing to go through everything for this, for them, for the family that they would be building together. Now more than ever did she realize that, cliché though it sounded, she could not imagine spending the rest of her life with anyone else.
And it was no longer just because of that mysterious meeting on the island. They had gone through so much together already.
And now, this child, this other heartbeat from within her, a life they formed together. She was familiar with the concept, but the experience was something totally beyond any of her thoughts or expectations.
There was life within her, and this was the fruit of what she had shared with him. It was miraculous, it was divine. She could find no way to describe it, the utter expression of her womanhood.
And yet he said nothing. Why was he silent still? Was he so seriously displeased? What would he tell her?
Or was he happy too? As happy as she was? Oh, how she wanted him to feel the same joy and exultation, and that great excitement at the possibilities of the future.
"Please, say something," she pleaded finally, "I know that this wasn't exactly part of the plan. I was surprised too when I learned. And yet, it isn't all that surprising too, considering us."
His expression was still unreadable and she felt that she just had to explain herself in some way.
"But I am so happy, Folken, you have no idea," she said fervently, "you have no idea how happy I feel to know that this happened because of us, because we chose to be together, and now, I feel like I've been given a precious gift. But I don't know if you feel the same way, and I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want to...and I don't know how you're going to take all this in but…"
She stopped as she felt Folken steady her and place his organic hand gently on the side of her face. He wiped her tears away and looked at her with unmistakable love. This time, she was speechless, holding her breath in anticipation, and yet somehow already knowing that there was nothing to be afraid of.
"Eries," he whispered tenderly, "dear, sweet Eries. This is wonderful news."
At this a smile spread across her face that seemed to illuminate her entire being. She heaved a sigh of great relief and suppressed a small sob of joy.
"I…" she stammered, "I wasn't sure what you would think. I'm so sorry."
"Forgive me for ever giving you that impression," he then said gravely, "you have no reason to doubt me in this matter. Although it is a bit unexpected, there is nothing that would make me happier."
"Oh, that is so good to know," she cried, suddenly burying her face into his chest, "I'm so glad."
He wrapped his arms around her tightly.
"Forgive me for making you worry," he whispered into her ear.
"There is nothing to forgive," she replied, "I was being foolish and nervous and confused. I wasn't even sure of myself for a moment. But now, all is well."
He held her closer and they both continued to revel in the news, in the future for them. Both were keenly aware that they were not the perfect material for parenthood, but they resolved to do their best.
At that moment, Folken felt the convergence of two realities. For one, all the plans and experiments he had done for Zaibach seemed petty and self-important now. He now had bigger priorities.
And yet, it was now that all the planning and preparation for the Emperor's vision also mattered most. Now, more than ever, did Folken want to build that ideal world, that future without war or pain. He would not let his child suffer the way he had suffered.
Eries likewise was forming a resolution. She knew that it would take a lot of work for them to raise a family. She would no longer concern herself so much with investigating what she was not directly involved in. And she would support her husband in whatever he chose to do. They would have to prop each other up somehow.
"Dear Eries," Folken told her, in one of the rare occasions when he let his emotions spill out, "I must thank you for this."
"What do you mean?" Eries asked in slight incredulity and amusement, "I am not the sole perpetrator of the circumstances, you know."
"After what happened ten years ago," he continued gravely, "I had given up all chances of having such a normal, happy life. I decided to drown myself in work and study to try and forget, to kill all hopes for such an impossible future. But you have made so much possible for me, for us. And you never cease to bring me the happiness that I thought was lost for me."
Eries looked at him lovingly as she listened to this declaration. It was so rare that he let his guard down so much, even with her, and she was grateful for this. She took his organic hand and made their fingers intersperse.
"I would be content enough," she replied, "if I was making you even just half as happy as I feel when I am with you. I had given up expectations as well, of having such a future, because I was bound by duty. And I had convinced myself that there were little chances of my living a normal life. But somehow, we have made this the closest to normal as possible. And I have no regrets, only more hope for our future."
She placed her other hand on his cheek and rested it there gently. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.
"I love you," he whispered, "I know I don't say this enough."
"I love you," she answered, "you don't always need to say it. You've always shown it."
He drew her closer and kissed her brow tenderly.
There was so much to look forward to now. Life had defied their expectations. But they welcomed the change, and were easily adaptable. Nothing would stop them from building their future together.