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Dilandau's arms were aching. But he ignored the pain. For the time being, he was tied to a chair, his arms bound tightly behind, legs tied to the chair. He had sat alone for several hours now, but he knew there was a guard right outside the door. The room he was in was dark, dank and depressing. It was a large storage room, though it seemed that it wasn't the room's original intent. There was metal shelves holding boxes all around, but a balcony came off one wall, showing outside.
The door opened, and several people walked in. The first was the youngest Asturian princess (he couldn't remember her name). She was flanked by a pink-haired cat girl, a girl with short, boyish honey-brown hair, (that bitch from the Mystic Moon, he realized,) Allen Shezar, and.Van Fanel. Hate boiled up within Dilandau. He had been in earlier, with a maid. The maid had brought him food, but Van refused to let her untie his hands to eat. So the only option left was for the maid to hand feed him, because Van sure as hell wasn't about to go near. Dilandau, of course, had refused to eat anything. When the maid kept persisting and he got annoyed, he had bitten her, causing her to jump back and splash wine all over Van. It was well worth the effort, Dilandau thought.
Allen approached Dilandau, followed by Van. He spoke quietly in Allen's ear.
"Are you sure about this?" Allen nodded firmly, arms crossed. Then looking determined, he stepped towards Dilandau.
"Celena.can you hear me?" He said softly, as if speaking to a frightened child. Dilandau burst out laughing. Allen looked ruffled. "I'll thank you for not laughing, Dilandau. My sister is trapped inside there somewhere."
"Afraid I'm the only one home, Allen Shezar. Did you really think that your wimpy little whore of a sister was a part of me? You're naïve as well as stupid. Celena is dead. She died when I was born." He said indifferently. Allen, who was normally composed, cool as a cucumber in any situation, could not contain his anger. He struck Dilandau, across the face, causing his head to snap to the side. Dilandau stayed like that for a moment, then slowly turned his head to face them once more, grinning acidly and eyes smoldering. Suddenly he took a fast breath and spat, causing a gob of saliva to land right below Allen's eye, some splattering into his hair, his biggest vanity. Allen looked stunned. "What you see is what you get." Dilandau said, again indifferently. Allen wiped the spit from his face pompously.
"Alright then. But don't think this is over." And with that, he spun around and left, everyone following.
--~---
Ava sat in the lower branches of a large tree, and waited. Instead of donning her regular, clunky armor, she wore a black cat suit and had her hair up in a tight plait. She was watching the servant's entrance, and after watching their patterns for a time, Ava guessed one would be coming out soon to dispose of some garbage. Sure enough, one came out. Ava slowly and quietly grabbed the straw-like tube attached to her belt and loaded it with a poisoned needle. She put the tube to her mouth and blew; the maid crumpled almost instantly. Ava jumped down and started towards her.
--~---
Dilandau was alone again in the semi-darkened room. After a time, the door opened, and two figures entered. It was a maid, as before, and Millerna, instead of Van. The two approached, Millerna in front, walking briskly. She turned away, complaining all the while about being there. The maid came forward and laid the food tray she was carrying near Dilandau's feet, and he resolved to kick it at her, but before he could do anything, the maid looked up and winked. To Dilandau's surprise, it was Ava, barely recognizable. She was wearing a head wrap and make-up to deceive her appearance. Then, before anything else could be exchanged between them, Ava turned and left the room.
--~-
Ava returned to the servant's quarters. To her surprise, and mild distaste, Van, Hitomi and the others were there, seated around the large table in the center of the room. Allen turned to her as she entered and asked her to prepare some tea. She shot him a dirty look that nobody saw, and set to work without a word.
When it was ready, she brought the tray to the table and set it by Allen. Without warning, he placed his hand firmly upon her ass, and whispered in her ear that he would like to employ her other services in his quarters later. The others didn't notice this, Van and Hitomi had disappeared, Millerna was still with Dilandau, and Merle was rummaging through the pantry, only her tail visible through the door. Ava tried hard to suppress the urge to vomit. She didn't want to look suspicious to Allen, so she just nodded dumbly. Clearly he had done this sort of thing before, and it was the response he was waiting for.
It was time to get Dilandau, Ava decided. She exited through the servant's doors to the courtyard, carrying a basket of linens. She doubled back to where she had attacked the maid earlier. She had stashed her sword in the corner, in a large tree. She retrieved it, and went around to another entrance. Without making herself seen, she made her way up to the top floor. Heading to a dark corner, Ava shed her maid outfit, the cat suit still underneath. Nobody would be around here; Allen and the others didn't want anyone to interfere with Dilandau. Ava turned the corner into the large foyer near Dilandau's room. But there was someone there.
Van Fanel. He stood in the center, holding his still-sheathed sword, watching her through his lazy chestnut eyes, waiting. Ava was taken aback, but didn't show it.
"How did you know?" she asked simply, stepping into the grand marble entrance, also gripping her still-sheathed sword.
"Hitomi saw who you were," he said. "When you came in the kitchen. She could see you in Zaibach. She knew right away what you were here for." He said calmly. Ava lifted an eyebrow.
"I should think it's rather obvious why I'm here, Fanel. You have taken something that doesn't belong to you."
Van looked at her dangerously. "You're wrong. Dilandau was stolen from Allen, long ago, as Celena, and turned into that.monster." He said, emotion filling his voice. Rage flared up in Ava. She drew her sword with lightning speed, and attacked Van. He met her assault with his own sword, and deflected her oncoming blows.
"Dilandau doesn't belong to anyone, especially you. He is not Celena, they are not the same person. Celena died long ago, and Dilandau isn't who you think." She shouted between strikes. She was a fair sword fighter, and Van defended her attacks without much ease. She had even managed to get in a few good gashes and cuts. But Van was also a very good swordsman, equally matched, one way or another. The two fought on for a while, no one gaining much ground over the other. Van pushed her back with his sword against hers, and they broke apart, panting. Ava looked at him with her eyes full of malice. "Step aside, Van Fanel. This doesn't concern you. I am simply retrieving who was abducted from us."
"Then your quarrel is with me. If you want him, you have to go through me." Ava grinned back at him maliciously, lowering her sword slightly.
"If that's what you want," she lunged at him with unanticipated speed, catching Van off guard. She kicked him hard in the chest, winding him. Then she crashed the hilt of her sword down on his head. Can's vision clouded and swirled, then grew black. Ava had knocked him unconscious, and he was now sprawled on the floor. She ran straight for Dilandau's room, but just as she started off, she heard shouting. Allen and the others had entered, at the far end of the very long corridor. "shitshitshit" she muttered, and threw herself inside the closest room. Once inside, she grabbed a couple of mops that were conveniently lying nearby, and shoved them through the door handles. She busted out onto the balcony, and looked at the balconies on either side. Dilandau's room was to the left more, so with a huge leap, she barley made it to the neighboring balcony. She peered through the glass doors frantically. Allen and Company were sure to be close.
Dilandau was still alone. She could see his face. He was slouched over, and had a lazy, half asleep look on his face. She tried the doors, but they were locked. The fingers of her gloves, luckily, were diamond-ended, and Ava cut a hole by the handle and opened it from the inside. Dilandau snapped to attention, and looked at her. He looked quite happy that she was there. They could both hear increasing shouting outside the door.
"Get me outta here!" He said frantically
"I'm working on it." She said, slicing through his bonds. Dilandau sprang to his feet, just as Allen and Co., along with royal guards, crashed through the doors. Dilandau and Ava raced over to the balcony, and Ava ripped the flare gun off her belt and shot it straight into the air, causing red sparks to cascade directly above them, high in the air. To Allen and the others, it looked like they were cornered, and they started forward.
Ava took the needle shooter and launched one into the nearest guard, making him fall, tripping a few others along the way. The others stopped, not wanting to get shot either. Allen felt the color drain from his face, when he saw Ava clearly.
"The maid.?" he stammered. Ava winked at him with mock seduction. "Looks like I won't make it to your quarters, like you wanted. But at least now we all know the rumors are true." Allen, flushed with embarrassment, charged. Ava grabbed Dilandau's hand, and jumped from the towering balcony.
They Plummeted. Ava's stomach was in her throat, as she clung to Dilandau's hand rigidly. Quite swiftly, she saw silvery tentacles start to entwine around them, tightening around their bodies gently, pressing them together. They had stopped falling. Ava looked down. They were maybe 12 feet from the ground. She glanced at the cockpit of the 'melef, where Chesta grinned down at them.
"About bloody time," Ava grinned. And with that, Chesta shot forward, towards the Vione. Ava squirmed a bit in Chesta's grip. The way he had caught them, they were smooshed together almost face to face. Ava was suddenly very aware of the close proximity of Dilandau. She could feel his breath on her neck, and caught the faint aroma of red wine and her skin tingled wherever it was pressed against his. She wasn't sure where to put her eyes, so she just looked to the side, watching where they were headed. It was going to be a long ride home.
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Dilandau's arms were aching. But he ignored the pain. For the time being, he was tied to a chair, his arms bound tightly behind, legs tied to the chair. He had sat alone for several hours now, but he knew there was a guard right outside the door. The room he was in was dark, dank and depressing. It was a large storage room, though it seemed that it wasn't the room's original intent. There was metal shelves holding boxes all around, but a balcony came off one wall, showing outside.
The door opened, and several people walked in. The first was the youngest Asturian princess (he couldn't remember her name). She was flanked by a pink-haired cat girl, a girl with short, boyish honey-brown hair, (that bitch from the Mystic Moon, he realized,) Allen Shezar, and.Van Fanel. Hate boiled up within Dilandau. He had been in earlier, with a maid. The maid had brought him food, but Van refused to let her untie his hands to eat. So the only option left was for the maid to hand feed him, because Van sure as hell wasn't about to go near. Dilandau, of course, had refused to eat anything. When the maid kept persisting and he got annoyed, he had bitten her, causing her to jump back and splash wine all over Van. It was well worth the effort, Dilandau thought.
Allen approached Dilandau, followed by Van. He spoke quietly in Allen's ear.
"Are you sure about this?" Allen nodded firmly, arms crossed. Then looking determined, he stepped towards Dilandau.
"Celena.can you hear me?" He said softly, as if speaking to a frightened child. Dilandau burst out laughing. Allen looked ruffled. "I'll thank you for not laughing, Dilandau. My sister is trapped inside there somewhere."
"Afraid I'm the only one home, Allen Shezar. Did you really think that your wimpy little whore of a sister was a part of me? You're naïve as well as stupid. Celena is dead. She died when I was born." He said indifferently. Allen, who was normally composed, cool as a cucumber in any situation, could not contain his anger. He struck Dilandau, across the face, causing his head to snap to the side. Dilandau stayed like that for a moment, then slowly turned his head to face them once more, grinning acidly and eyes smoldering. Suddenly he took a fast breath and spat, causing a gob of saliva to land right below Allen's eye, some splattering into his hair, his biggest vanity. Allen looked stunned. "What you see is what you get." Dilandau said, again indifferently. Allen wiped the spit from his face pompously.
"Alright then. But don't think this is over." And with that, he spun around and left, everyone following.
--~---
Ava sat in the lower branches of a large tree, and waited. Instead of donning her regular, clunky armor, she wore a black cat suit and had her hair up in a tight plait. She was watching the servant's entrance, and after watching their patterns for a time, Ava guessed one would be coming out soon to dispose of some garbage. Sure enough, one came out. Ava slowly and quietly grabbed the straw-like tube attached to her belt and loaded it with a poisoned needle. She put the tube to her mouth and blew; the maid crumpled almost instantly. Ava jumped down and started towards her.
--~---
Dilandau was alone again in the semi-darkened room. After a time, the door opened, and two figures entered. It was a maid, as before, and Millerna, instead of Van. The two approached, Millerna in front, walking briskly. She turned away, complaining all the while about being there. The maid came forward and laid the food tray she was carrying near Dilandau's feet, and he resolved to kick it at her, but before he could do anything, the maid looked up and winked. To Dilandau's surprise, it was Ava, barely recognizable. She was wearing a head wrap and make-up to deceive her appearance. Then, before anything else could be exchanged between them, Ava turned and left the room.
--~-
Ava returned to the servant's quarters. To her surprise, and mild distaste, Van, Hitomi and the others were there, seated around the large table in the center of the room. Allen turned to her as she entered and asked her to prepare some tea. She shot him a dirty look that nobody saw, and set to work without a word.
When it was ready, she brought the tray to the table and set it by Allen. Without warning, he placed his hand firmly upon her ass, and whispered in her ear that he would like to employ her other services in his quarters later. The others didn't notice this, Van and Hitomi had disappeared, Millerna was still with Dilandau, and Merle was rummaging through the pantry, only her tail visible through the door. Ava tried hard to suppress the urge to vomit. She didn't want to look suspicious to Allen, so she just nodded dumbly. Clearly he had done this sort of thing before, and it was the response he was waiting for.
It was time to get Dilandau, Ava decided. She exited through the servant's doors to the courtyard, carrying a basket of linens. She doubled back to where she had attacked the maid earlier. She had stashed her sword in the corner, in a large tree. She retrieved it, and went around to another entrance. Without making herself seen, she made her way up to the top floor. Heading to a dark corner, Ava shed her maid outfit, the cat suit still underneath. Nobody would be around here; Allen and the others didn't want anyone to interfere with Dilandau. Ava turned the corner into the large foyer near Dilandau's room. But there was someone there.
Van Fanel. He stood in the center, holding his still-sheathed sword, watching her through his lazy chestnut eyes, waiting. Ava was taken aback, but didn't show it.
"How did you know?" she asked simply, stepping into the grand marble entrance, also gripping her still-sheathed sword.
"Hitomi saw who you were," he said. "When you came in the kitchen. She could see you in Zaibach. She knew right away what you were here for." He said calmly. Ava lifted an eyebrow.
"I should think it's rather obvious why I'm here, Fanel. You have taken something that doesn't belong to you."
Van looked at her dangerously. "You're wrong. Dilandau was stolen from Allen, long ago, as Celena, and turned into that.monster." He said, emotion filling his voice. Rage flared up in Ava. She drew her sword with lightning speed, and attacked Van. He met her assault with his own sword, and deflected her oncoming blows.
"Dilandau doesn't belong to anyone, especially you. He is not Celena, they are not the same person. Celena died long ago, and Dilandau isn't who you think." She shouted between strikes. She was a fair sword fighter, and Van defended her attacks without much ease. She had even managed to get in a few good gashes and cuts. But Van was also a very good swordsman, equally matched, one way or another. The two fought on for a while, no one gaining much ground over the other. Van pushed her back with his sword against hers, and they broke apart, panting. Ava looked at him with her eyes full of malice. "Step aside, Van Fanel. This doesn't concern you. I am simply retrieving who was abducted from us."
"Then your quarrel is with me. If you want him, you have to go through me." Ava grinned back at him maliciously, lowering her sword slightly.
"If that's what you want," she lunged at him with unanticipated speed, catching Van off guard. She kicked him hard in the chest, winding him. Then she crashed the hilt of her sword down on his head. Can's vision clouded and swirled, then grew black. Ava had knocked him unconscious, and he was now sprawled on the floor. She ran straight for Dilandau's room, but just as she started off, she heard shouting. Allen and the others had entered, at the far end of the very long corridor. "shitshitshit" she muttered, and threw herself inside the closest room. Once inside, she grabbed a couple of mops that were conveniently lying nearby, and shoved them through the door handles. She busted out onto the balcony, and looked at the balconies on either side. Dilandau's room was to the left more, so with a huge leap, she barley made it to the neighboring balcony. She peered through the glass doors frantically. Allen and Company were sure to be close.
Dilandau was still alone. She could see his face. He was slouched over, and had a lazy, half asleep look on his face. She tried the doors, but they were locked. The fingers of her gloves, luckily, were diamond-ended, and Ava cut a hole by the handle and opened it from the inside. Dilandau snapped to attention, and looked at her. He looked quite happy that she was there. They could both hear increasing shouting outside the door.
"Get me outta here!" He said frantically
"I'm working on it." She said, slicing through his bonds. Dilandau sprang to his feet, just as Allen and Co., along with royal guards, crashed through the doors. Dilandau and Ava raced over to the balcony, and Ava ripped the flare gun off her belt and shot it straight into the air, causing red sparks to cascade directly above them, high in the air. To Allen and the others, it looked like they were cornered, and they started forward.
Ava took the needle shooter and launched one into the nearest guard, making him fall, tripping a few others along the way. The others stopped, not wanting to get shot either. Allen felt the color drain from his face, when he saw Ava clearly.
"The maid.?" he stammered. Ava winked at him with mock seduction. "Looks like I won't make it to your quarters, like you wanted. But at least now we all know the rumors are true." Allen, flushed with embarrassment, charged. Ava grabbed Dilandau's hand, and jumped from the towering balcony.
They Plummeted. Ava's stomach was in her throat, as she clung to Dilandau's hand rigidly. Quite swiftly, she saw silvery tentacles start to entwine around them, tightening around their bodies gently, pressing them together. They had stopped falling. Ava looked down. They were maybe 12 feet from the ground. She glanced at the cockpit of the 'melef, where Chesta grinned down at them.
"About bloody time," Ava grinned. And with that, Chesta shot forward, towards the Vione. Ava squirmed a bit in Chesta's grip. The way he had caught them, they were smooshed together almost face to face. Ava was suddenly very aware of the close proximity of Dilandau. She could feel his breath on her neck, and caught the faint aroma of red wine and her skin tingled wherever it was pressed against his. She wasn't sure where to put her eyes, so she just looked to the side, watching where they were headed. It was going to be a long ride home.