AN: Your wish is my command. ^___^ Sort of. ^_____~
Disclaimer: See chapter 1
Escaflowne: All you need is Love, Isn't it?
Chapter 27
At the Great Arena
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As the royal vassal entered the preparation chamber where Van was readying himself, he announced, "Lord Van, the Lady Hitomi requests an audience."
Turning to face the man, the young king nodded. "Of course, send her in." He face set in deep, serious concentration.
Hitomi walked in as the vassal bowed and walked out.
"Van, There is something I wanted to tell you…" She started before he cut her off.
"You had a vision, didn't you?" He buttoned down his vest. "You saw me lose to Allen." He stared at his hands as they worked the buttons. "Don't worry Hitomi. I won't lose. It wouldn't be the first time you visions failed to come true." Finished with vest, he looked up at her with a smile. "I will beat Allen Schezar and be granted the unofficial title of finest swordsman in all of Gaea."
Hitomi took a deep breath and walked up to him. Steeling her courage for what she wanted to say, she exhaled and smiled. "Of this, I am sure." Clutching her hands over her heart she continued. "In my world, back in the day of knights and chivalry, it was customary for a lady whose heart belonged to a warrior, to bestow on that knight a symbol of her favor. A small token to remind him as he went off to war that he had someone to return to. Later, during times of peace, a lady might grant a similar favor to her love before a tournament as a symbol of her love and devotion, and as a reminder to him of what he was truly fighting for. Not for personal glory but for the honor of his true love."
She extended her hands toward him, revealing the delicate handkerchief. "Lord Van, would you do me the honor of wearing this, a symbol of my favor to you? Will you fight not for your own glory but to preserve my honor?" Her eyes stared deeply into his, as if searching out his very soul.
Van's heart began to race. Her words of what a woman's favor symbolized stirred his soul. Though no one else in the arena would know the significance of this simple gesture, they would. Slowly, he drew his sword and speared it into the ground, then bowing down on one knee before her, his hands on the cross guard he spoke. "Lady Hitomi, on my honor as a king and as a swordsman, I will use all my strength and skill to defend your honor."
Hitomi stepped closer and tied the handkerchief to the ring at the end of his sword. "I am depending upon you My King." She replied as she stepped back and curtsied. With nothing more to say, she turned and left.
Van rose to watch her leave. No more words were needed so none were said. As she walked past the curtain that covered the doorway, he looked down at the symbol of her favor toward him and his spirit soared as a deathly serious expression etched itself upon his features. "With all my skill and strength, I shall defend your honor Hitomi. I swear it."
**********
The crowd continued to laugh and cheer as the circus performers continued to entertain. Prince Chid, who sat with some of his cousins in the royal seating area, some younger some older than him, was enjoying himself thoroughly. It was a rare opportunity for the boy ruler to be able to enjoy himself as a child. And he was taking full advantage of this opportunity.
Hitomi returned after a prolonged absence. Taking her seat she turned to the queen. "I'm sorry for my absence Your Majesty." Choosing to keep the reason for her sudden departure a secret.
"Is everything alright?" The queen asked.
The teen paused for a moment then smiled, "Yes, yes I believe it is."
**********
In his preparation chamber, Van went through a series of maneuvers with his blade both to sharpen his concentration and to get comfortable in the clothes he was wearing. His outfit for the tournament was similar to what Allen normally wore as a Knight of Heaven but in dark earthy tones and without the long overcoat. Never before, not even during the war, was he more focused on his objective as he was at this moment in time.
So focused was the young king that he failed to hear his escort call him three times. Finally, the escort yelled loudly, "My Lord! It is time!"
Van turned abruptly and stared at the man. The escort gasped and took a quick step back as three drops of cold sweat rolled from his forehead on down his face. In a shaky voice he asked. "A… are you re-ready My Lord?"
Van straightened his posture and sheathed his sword. "Yes, lets go." He replied as he walked past his escort and out of the room.
As he approached the oversized entryway to the combat field he saw Allen approaching from the opposite hallway. While his expression remained unchanged, he extended his hand in friendship to his former companion in battle. "Good luck Allen. I hope this will prove to be a good match."
"As do I Van. Good luck." Allen smiled at his friend as they shock hands.
As the circus performers exited the field from a different entryway, Allen and Van stood in the shadows of the opening, just out of sight of the crowd as they waited for the match official to take the field and introduce them. As they waited, the Knight glanced over at the young King and noticed the handkerchief tied to the end of his sword.
"Van, if you don't mind me asking. What is that?" He pointed to the delicate fabric.
"A favor from the woman I love." He answered while still looking straight ahead.
"A favor?" The Knight's brow wrinkled in confusion.
"Today I fight for the honor of Hitomi Kanzaki. And not you nor the very founders of Atlantis will defeat me this day." The king proclaimed.
Hearing Van's words shocked the Knight somewhat but he quickly smiled and nodded. 'Perhaps this will be a good match after all.'
The match official, Sir Stanley Tannir, regarded as the most noble and righteous of the twelve Knights of Heaven, took the field and gestured for the crowd to quiet down. Then he proceeded to introduce the competitors.
"Your Majesty, rulers of Gaea, honored guests, ladies and gentleman, in this very special match, we have the great honor of presenting two of the heroes of the Coalition War here today to entertain us with their brilliant swordsmanship. From the kingdom of Fanelia, the proud and noble King Van Salanzar de Fanel."
The young King walked out onto the field of combat to the warm enthusiastic applause of the crowd and one particularly loud and vocal catgirl.
After the applause died down and Hitomi forcibly made Merle sit down, Sir Stanley continue.
"And representing the kingdom of Asturia, the brave and noble Knight of Heaven, Sir Allen Schezar."
As the young Knight walked onto the field the crowd erupted in thunderous applause and cheers, except for the same catgirl who hissed and booed, until she noticed all the eyes of the mostly Asturian contingent in the royal seating area staring at her. At which point she did the best she could to hide behind Hitomi's arm.
Once both warriors had taken their positions, Sir Stanley walked up to King Van and placed a white orchid in the buttonhole of his lapel. He bowed respectfully and said, "Good luck Your Majesty."
Then he walked over to Sir Allen and did the same with another while orchid. "Good luck Sir Allen." He bowed. Completing this task he stepped a safe distance from the two fighters.
The two man turned toward the royal box and bowed then turned to face each other and drew their swords, saluting each other by raising their swords up to face level with the blade pointed straight up in the air.
"Let the match commence." Sir Stanley yelled.
And the two friends took attack postures.
'You can do it Van. I know you can. I believe in you.' Hitomi told herself as she looked on with a mixture of excitement and anxiety.
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AN: Sorry to end it like this but the fight is going to be long and will be in chapter in itself. So I thought I'd post this and get the fight out in the next day or two. I hope I made the use of the handkerchief and the story behind it plausible. I've seen that kind of thing in lots of old movies so I hope it makes sense to you all. By the way, just incase some of you were thinking the reason Hitomi smiled when she returned to the royal box after seeing Van was because she had a vision of the coming battle so she knew he wouldn't be humiliated. She didn't. At no time in this chapter does she have a vision of the match, it's just her faith in Van and the intensity she saw in his eyes that convinced her that he would do well.
Again, sorry about being evil. It was not my intention to include so many cliffhangers in this story but in order to post every few days, I need to keep these chapters short. Sorry. L
Thank you all for your reviews and comments. You really keep me going. J
A. Amishi
PS: Just 9 more days till ACEN'03!!! ^__^