Author's Note: Has it been two months? I am so sorry! I've been so busy, and lazy, and yeah... Well, I am now a college graduate with a BA in psychology and will be going back to school again in the Spring for a second Bachelors in English. (Yeah, I'm pretty much going to be in school forever, because after that I plan to get a Master of Fine Arts). Here is the new chapter, and I hope everyone likes it as much as you've liked previous chapters. I'm really trying to push this story along; it is so hard to keep it moving. I end up having so much fun playing with the characters I forget that there's supposed to be a plot.
This chapter follows the series closely in some respects, so if it jumps around a bit too much, just consult episode 14 ( I think it's 14) because I didn't feel it was important to do a play by play documentation of events we already know transpired. I just cut to the important stuff.
Now I gotta warn you that I'm not too sure about this chapter, so you'll have to tell me if it's alright.
Reviewer responses are at the end as usual. Thank you so much for all reading the story, and I really hope you like this.
Oh, one last warning: this is kinda lengthy, so if you don't have a lot of time, you might want to save this for later.
Chapter 16
General Adelphos had just given the order for all units to mobilize. Folken sat on his throne in the virtually empty main control room, wondering when Dilandau would arrive. He knew the boy would return to the Vione after what had transpired. Dilandau would wait a few hours after Adelphos' initial orders to avoid the chance of running into stragglers, of course, so he wouldn't be there any time soon.
How was Dilandau? He had lost 9 soldiers and it had been days since he'd had so much as a medical checkup. To say Folken was worried would have been an understatement. He was half-afraid Dilandau wouldn't show up that day, letting him know just how badly off the captain was. The captain...
The ex-captain.
No one had accused Folken of helping Dilandau and his men get away or of encouraging the retaliation, but he was sure plenty of people had wanted to. He had been so certain he was going to be receiving a court-marshal that he'd packed a bag; he was finished in Zaibach. But he wasn't. He'd been left at his post, overseeing all of Zaibach's affairs like a major scandal hadn't happened on his floating fortress. The bodies of the two sorcerers and their bodyguards had been taken away by special military personnel, and Folken had heard nothing about it since. He didn't even know if new sorcerers had been appointed yet-- if there were to be any new appointments at all. Now that Zaibach was about to gain the power seat, Folken didn't really see anymore need for sorcerers. Dornkirk would surely lose interest in Fate Alterations and such, after he'd learned the secret of Atlantis.
Folken only hoped they would set any remaining specimens free, namely Celena. That would be a nice present to give to Dilandau when he returned, but sadly to say he still couldn't gain access to her or her files. Instead, Folken would present to Dilandau and his remaining Slayers a different gift. He rose slowly from his throne, straightening his robes reflexively. He'd completed the upgrades to the Oreades and Alseides models, and seven new shiny guymelefs sat in the hangar awaiting their new masters.
He only hoped they appreciated them.
He was betraying his country for a second time by not warning anyone that he knew Dilandau would board the Vione and by giving him new weapons that he knew the boy might use to destroy Zaibach's mission. The mission was so important; how could Folken let it be jeopardized for the sake of one boy's well being? He hadn't done as much for his own brother... or had he? He had let Van escape...
True, he was still out to recapture his brother, but deep down something told him that Van was never going to be successfully taken into the custody of Zaibach again. He'd given away their only chance to possess the dragon, and he was unleashing one of the greatest threats Zaibach could face upon them– Dragonslayers scorned.
He walked down the metal staircase where two soldiers sat dutifully watching blue screens for updates from the men out on the ground. Without the Dragonslayers, Folken had no special forces to direct and keep tabs on. They had originally planned to have the Dragonslayers infiltrate the power seat of Freid. Dilandau would have ensured them a victory and he was sure Adelphos mourned the loss of Dilandau in that context. Who did they have that was skilled enough to take on the heart of Freid?
Adelphos had appointed a new group to the task, headed by a person Folken had never heard of before. Valeska, he believed it was. The captain was a last minute appointment that Folken hadn't been pleased about. He didn't like being surprised, and he certainly didn't feel an amateur captain was suited for such a delicate task. He also didn't like the fact that Adelphos had chosen to guide this new captain himself, instead of letting Folken do it, and what was worse, the Emperor approved it! Something odd was going on and more secrets were being passed behind his back.
Perhaps someone had accused him of treason, and both Adelphos and the Emperor were just waiting for him to do something else-- like help the Dragonslayers-- so they would have actual proof in which to convict him.
The more he thought about it, the more probable the idea became. The Emperor didn't summon him as much as he used to. Folken frowned; it was very possible that he was falling out of Zaibach's favor. He would have shrugged, if he were younger.
"Alert me of any major happenings," Folken said to the soldiers who stood to salute him.
"Yes sir."
He left the room without a backward glance. He shouldn't be leaving his station. As Strategos of Zaibach, he should be at the helm of his ship, watching over every move made and guiding the hands of the military, but as Folken, he was needed elsewhere. He had to make sure everything was ready for Dilandau's arrival. The boy wouldn't be able to linger and Folken had to make sure he got in and out as quickly as possible.
You're lucky I like you, Dilandau. Gods know why... but I do.
Valeska sat in her new Alseid unit, tapping her long fingers against the console and wondering once again how Adelphos had talked her into leading a team to Freid and also into taking on the task of capturing the Emperor's dumb dragon. She had refused this mission vehemently; she hadn't wanted it at the time. But then Adelphos had tempted her with all of the wonderful things she would get to do. She had gotten to fight and kill. She was in an Alseid! She had men ready to jump off cliffs to their doom because she commanded them to do so.
This was what she wanted, and her earlier decision to avoid the mission was foolish. She needed experience. Her men needed to see her in action, in a real battle situation. Anyone can do well in simulated training sequences.
Valeska knew that she was the best and now everyone else knew it too. She had done that bastard Albatou's job and had done it better than he ever could!
They wouldn't call her the captain that filled in for Dilandau Albatou; they'd call her the captain that usurped him.
Bye-bye, Dilly-boy.
"Lord Valeska, there's no sign of the dragon."
She almost growled at the interruption.
No sign of the dragon. Good. If Valeska had been asked what she thought of the Emperor's dragon catching obsession, she probably would have been court-marshaled. In her opinion, it was the stupidest thing she'd ever heard of. They were in the middle of a beautiful grand massacre; who gave a flying shit about a white dragon? The only thing that interested her about it, was the fact that Albatou had caught and lost it in barely the span of two days and then couldn't get his hands on it again since then. As much as Valeska would like to believe Albatou was a loser, she knew that was not the case. Why was this dragon so hard to contain?
She chewed her bottom lip and blew a wayward strand of hair from her eyes. The dragon was nowhere in sight... and... she frowned deeply, surveying the damage she and her team had just done to the heart of Freid. The Freidian soldiers hadn't put up nearly enough resistance .
Something just didn't feel right, and as much as she wanted to barge into the last temple and start the slaughter anew...
"Gorgons are preparing to move onto the castle grounds," Lyle's voice crackled over her speakers.
"No..." She halted her team. Narrowing her eyes, she released her hold on the controls of her Alseid. "Gorgons will hold position right here."
If Freid wanted to play, they would have to come out into the open and do it.
There were no protests to her strange orders. Her precious Gorgons wouldn't dare question her, if they knew what was good for them.
She snickered. Training her men had been fun. She'd quickly weeded out all of the ones who weren't worthy to stand with her. Her methods were a bit.... unconventional... to others, but very effective in the short frame of time she had been given to prepare for battle. She and her squadron were to be given brand new Alseides, and she couldn't have anyone incompetent bearing the seal of a Gorgon on the field to embarrass her while she was trying to establish a name for herself.
Gorgon...what kind of a team name was Gorgon? She'd looked it up and learned it was the name of a band of hideously ugly sisters in a foreign mythology that could turn men to stone when they gazed upon them. Considering the special capabilities the Alseides possessed, she found she didn't mind the name as much as she initially had.
She chuckled as she fingered the switch that enabled her guymelef to spit out a mass cloud of liquid adhesive that caused enemies to freeze in their tracks and be immobilized while she smashed through them.
She loved the yielding shrieks of crunching metal.
"Um, Lord Valeska, if you don't mind my asking, what are we waiting..."
As Valeska was about to shoot a Crima Claw out at the fool who dared to ask questions, the castle before them seemed to implode and sink into the ground. Valeska was momentarily distracted as she watched the debris and fire erupt around the building.
She had known something was up!
They had destroyed their own castle rather than surrender to the enemy.
It was a great move by Freid, but she was having a hard time getting over how many men the country had lost by making it.
"Good play Freid," Valeska whispered; then not forgetting previous business, she shot a Crima Claw at the questioning soldier. Unmoved by the scream of pain and surprised gasps of her troops, she moved into ground zero to examine the damage Freid had done to itself.
Van stood in the hatch of Escaflowne, leaning against the cool metal. He was imagining himself becoming one with the white mecha. He wanted its movements to be his own, so that he could fight harder and faster than ever before with less synapses between his reflexes and the Escaflowne's. He envisioned every joint of the Escaflowne in his mind, his pulse merging with that of the Escaflowne's.
He was slowly losing himself, burying his mind beneath layers of white steel, when... "Van?"
He jumped a bit, almost toppling backward which wouldn't have been pretty. He turned to see Hitomi down at the foot of the Escaflowne, staring up at him. What did she want now? He peered around her, relieved at least, to see that Merle hadn't followed her in. He loved Merle dearly, but she could be a real pain in the ass at times.
He slowly made his way down the stairs, grabbing onto the rail as he was hit by a sudden dizzy spell.
"You don't look so good," Hitomi commented as she studied him. Van thought about rolling his eyes, but decided against it. The girl was moody enough as it was, he didn't want to do anything he thought might upset her.
He sat on the last step, resting his hands on his knees. He felt like he'd just released his wings and tried to fly up a cliff with Hitomi in his arms.
He thought about that, flying up a cliff with Hitomi... Damn that girl had been heavy. She didn't look like she weighed that much, but by the gods... He would have dropped her that night he'd flown down to save her from plunging to her doom, if he hadn't been on such an adrenaline rush.
Van wished he was on an adrenaline rush then. He felt like he could fall over right there and sleep for days. He was completely drained and that just wouldn't do; he had to be ready to fight in a little while. If merging with Escaflowne took this much energy every time, it probably wasn't a very good idea to do it. Too late for this battle though. "What were you doing just then?" Hitomi's green eyes bore into his and he fought not to look away, though her face blurred.
"Just....trying to do that thing you taught me," Van said off- handedly. He looked down at his scuffed, black boots. If he concentrated on one color at a time, his vision didn't swim quite so much. Just how long had he been with Escaflowne anyway?
His stomach grumbled at him angrily, and he realized he must have missed a meal or two. That was probably why Hitomi had come hunting for him. She could be so concerned about his well-being at times, unless she was swooning over Allen.
He tried to make himself sneer at the name, but couldn't. Allen Schezar was becoming less and less of an annoyance as the days in each others' company passed. He was getting used to the pretty boy and his rowdy, yet entertaining companions. Sometimes he even appreciated their company.
It was better than being alone with his thoughts.
Van's mind kept replaying the sacrifices that the loyal men of Freid had made for their monarch and for his friends. They had let themselves be killed so that Van, Allen, Hitomi, Merle, and the royal family could escape. Damn Zaibach. Another country was going to lie in ruins for their impossibly ridiculous cause.
'Bring an end to fighting by fighting...'
Van was about to snort, but remembered that someone else was in the room with him.
He raised his eyes a bit, graduating to two colors at once by staring at his black pants and the tail end of his red shirt. His eyes crossed for a brief second before clearing. Slowly, Van rested his gaze back upon Hitomi.
"Look, I'm sorry about what happened before. About when I tried to make you do that reading for me earlier. I realize that I've been depending on you too much to do things like that for me, and it was time I started to do some things for myself. I... I'm trying to synchronize my thoughts and movements with the Escaflowne. I want my movements to be its and vice versa. Can you imagine how fast I could move if it worked?"
Hitomi blinked at him for a moment.
Why had he said all that? He really didn't feel he owed her an apology for anything and she certainly didn't need an explanation as to what he was doing; it didn't affect her. So he'd asked her to do a reading for him and she'd had a mini-nervous breakdown.
So she'd had a couple of bad visions in the past? Hitomi was the only girl that pulled her own weight in their motley crew, and now she was saying she didn't want to anymore.
"It's ok, Van," She said after a pause. "About the vision thing, I mean. I was a little hysterical, and I'm kind of embarrassed about that now. Pretty pathetic, huh?"
It was Van's turn to blink. In girl language, just what did that mean? Was she saying that it was ok for him to ask her to do readings for him again?
"Just how exactly are you going about this...synching with the Escaflowne, Van? I don't recall ever showing you how to do a thing like that. I don't think I even know how to do something like that." Hitomi took a step closer to him.
Van sighed. Of course she would leave the previous conversation up in the air without telling him if she would bite his head off or not for asking her to pull out her cards.
Women.
Maybe that was why he liked...
Good gods... He had almost thought...
He sighed to himself. It was time to admit that maybe he did like men. Though he was only attracted to one, it didn't mean that he couldn't be attracted to others. Maybe... maybe he could talk to Allen about it.
The man was older and wiser....well older, definitely. Meaning he had more experience, and Van desperately needed to talk to someone.
"Van?'
Oh right. Hitomi had asked a question.
"Um, remember that dowsing thing you showed me?" Van scratched the back of his head and grimaced. Touching of the head was not such a good idea right now. "Well you showed me how to concentrate my energy to see the unseen... so I figure if I concentrate hard enough I can move the Escaflowne with my thoughts."
It sounded really good in my head.
Hitomi stared at him as if he'd stripped naked and asked her to join him in dance.
Yeah...
Well, it was mighty uncomfortable to sit and be stared at, so Van decided it was time to get up. He rose shakily to his feet, locking his knees to stay upright. After a second or two, he was confident he could walk out of there without doing something embarrassing, like falling on his face.
"I'll see you later."
Stiff legged, he walked out of the room, leaving Hitomi to stare after him, probably thinking: Men.
Well, what would she prefer instead, women?
Hah!
Should the little Prince of Freid ever be told that he was the son of Allen Schezar? Allen couldn't quite put the thought out of mind as he thrust himself into battle.
Battle? No.
This was an all out war. It seemed like every soldier in the Zaibach army had knocked on the door of Freid that morning. For every man Allen knocked down, it seemed three more rose in his place.
A long lock of damp blond hair flopped across forehead and clung in a diagonal across the bridge of his nose and left cheekbone as he had to whip around to parry the down swing of a guymelef from behind. If there was ever an incentive for him to get a hair cut, that was it! There was no time to sweep a hand across his face and clear the hair, so he had to endure the slimy itch.
Allen grunted in frustration as he saw another ally go down...and yet another strand of hair gave his face a sloppy kiss and decided to keep the other company.
After cutting down a few more soldiers, he spared a hand in which to pull back his hair, and in that moment he noticed the purple Zaibach guymelef. He glowered at the pilot's skill. He was superb and brutal in his furious attacks. Many broken guymelefs laid at his feet, spewing their life's blood.
Allen shuddered, looked like Dilandau had gotten a new guymelef. He watched the purple giant spit out a steady stream of milky liquid, drenching a Freidian guymelef before it. The ally guymelef froze in place and was punched straight through the stomach by the purple giant's metal fist.
Allen grimaced then gasped in horror when he saw Dilandau's next target.
Duke Freid.
Dilandau wasted no time in charging the Duke and attacking with no reserve. Allen had to run to place himself between the liquid metal sword of the purple guymelef and the Duke's damaged guymelef.
"I'll settle this! Stand clear, Duke Freid!"
Allen didn't move until he heard sounds of the Duke's mecha retreating.
"My, my, my... what a gallant gesture, soldier," a voice purred teasingly from the opposing guymelef.
That... wasn't Dilandau.
"So you want to die for your monarch?" The sword was withdrawn as the soldier in the purple guymelef sized him up. "How... touching. Well, hope you fight better than your friends."
Allen brought his sword into an up-block to catch the powerful downward blow dealt to him.
"You're fast," the pilot teased.
Allen growled in response and struck out, causing the soldier to jump back. The soldier roared with laughter.
"Finally, a fight that will last more than a minute!" he crowed excitedly.
Perfect, another Dilandau. Where did Zaibach keep finding these crazy children?
He wondered if this one looked anything like Dilandau; he certainly fought like him. Allen found himself giving ground and taking a step back.
He'd been fighting longer than that other pilot had been alive; there was no way in hell he was going to be forced to take another step back!
"Getting tired, my dear?" the pilot cooed. "Want to rest... forever?"
"I'm not losing to you!"
"It speaks! I was beginning to wonder about you! Most of your friends cursed me to hell and back before I killed them. Are you going to flex your vocabulary on me too. Come on, teach me some new words!"
Ok, Dilandau hadn't been that annoying. He hadn't talked nearly as much, but he'd hit twice as hard. Allen blocked and attacked, struggling to make the kid give ground.
"This is great! What's your name soldier. I wanna be able to label the guy who kept me entertained for so long."
Allen narrowed his eyes. "Schezar, Allen Schezar." Maybe his name would throw the pilot for a curve.
"Schezar..." The pilot did take a step back then.
"What's the matter?" Allen taunted. "Scared of me?"
He forced the purple guymelef to step back again.
"Have you forgotten how to speak now?" Allen couldn't help but smirk. The pilot was right; this was entertaining. "What's your name?- since I've given you mine."
The pilot seemed to wake from his stupor then and Allen was almost gutted when the pilot thrust his sword forward, as it was he nearly toppled over.
That's what you get for being cocky, Allen, he scolded himself.
"Valeska... Lord Valeska. Although, there's no point in your knowing it now. I'm going to kill you and lie your lifeless corpse out for all to see, Allen Schezar."
Allen almost took another step back at the malice in the pilot's voice when he'd said his name. Had they met?
His momentary distraction was to the pilot's– Valeska's– advantage. Allen almost wanted to shut his eyes and raise his hands in surrender. The opposing sword was aimed at his heart.
The clash of steel meeting more steel made him open his eyes. Escaflowne was now standing in front of Scherazade, shielding it. He should have felt shamed at the need to be protected by Van like some... women... but alas, his bacon was saved. He hadn't wanted to die and Van owed him one. Actually Van owed him three, but who was counting?
"I'll take care of this Allen; you protect Duke Freid."
Duke Freid? Hadn't Allen told the man to get out of there? He whirled around and froze for the second time that day.
What in the hell was that fool doing?
He was standing in the middle of the battlefield with his hands
raised in the air like a... Dammit! In a flash, Allen was out of Scherazade and rushing across the field to save the already doomed Duke. Allen cried out as several arrows struck the Duke in vital areas, and arms wrapped around him to hold him from going to the Duke's side as he fell.
He fought the restraining grasp of one of the large Freidian soldiers and whirled around to glare at the man.
"Wait Allen," the man continued to constrain him.
"What are you doing? Duke Freid needs our help..."
"Our fight is over. It was Duke Freid's decision." The man bowed his head, letting Allen know he did not completely agree with the decision made. "Please understand."
Gods... Allen stared at the still body of the Duke, at the still bodies on the field, at the bleeding guymelefs...
He fell to his knees.
Zaibach had won.
"Can everybody hear me?" Dilandau asked over the new communications network Dallet, Gatty, and Guimel had fused together from the old guymelef parts in the nearby scrap yard.
"Yeah...loud and clear. Can you tone it down a bit, sir?" Viole complained back, and everyone chuckled lightly.
"I heard you just fine, Lord Dilandau," Gatty said, and Dilandau could practically see him rolling his eyes at Viole. "We're ready when you are."
Ready when I am?
I was ready yesterday.
He hadn't been able to sleep the night before he was so anxious. He, instead, chose to sit in Dallet's Alseid, which he would be piloting in Dallet's stead, and listen to Zaibach transmissions as the soldiers made their way to Freid.
He deduced that at least 3 fortresses were left open for attack as their soldiers were dispatched. It wasn't a very smart thing to do, but Zaibach had no enemies that could fly and be able to detect the locations of their fortresses when cloaked in invisibility.
Or so they thought.
The Vione had been easily tracked and Dilandau wanted to believe Folken had made it that way and was keeping the airship parked in the same place for Dilandau.
Folken.
Dilandau hadn't heard his voice over one transmission. It didn't really disturb him. Folken was never a man of many words, and he usually delegated the communication tasks to his underlings. But still, Dilandau had wanted to hear the man's voice at least once. He didn't know if...
What if...
Folken could have been accused of treason. Traitors were executed immediately. If Folken wasn't aboard the Vione, then to go there today would be walking into a trap. They were taking a big risk, and Dilandau had found himself pondering if it was all worth it while he sat alone in the dark, tapping his foot to the thud of his pulse in his ears.
He had six men that he knew were alive and well. Did he really want to take the chance of sacrificing their lives as well? Dilandau had considered going alone, but his Slayers wouldn't let him get far if he did. Wherever he went, they went.
He caressed the piloting stick with his index finger, the slickness of leather wrapped steel bringing him back into current awareness. It was time to go.
He prayed he wasn't making a mistake. He prayed there would be something left of his Slayers on the Vione to find. He prayed that Folken was alright and that he would... could... tell Dilandau what to do next.
If the Slayers left behind were dead, all dead... he repressed the devastating emotion that followed that thought. Control, he had to stay in control. He'd prepared for the possibility. He wouldn't fall apart in front of his men again. He didn't know how they would react in the face of tragedy, and if he had to be the tough one, he would be. He would not fall to pieces; he would not cry... But...
If they were dead, what then?
He'd exact revenge, but how?
The pounding in his ears was so loud that he could barely hear himself when he announced to Gatty, Shesta, Guimel, and Viole, "Prepare to launch."
Trap or not, dead or alive, here we come.
Folken was in the clinic with Marie, packing the last of the medical kit they had designed for Dilandau to take with him wherever he decided to go, when Pearce informed him that the Dragonslayers were within proximity of the Vione.
"You know your boy," Marie smirked. "All the way down to him figuring out a way to track down the Vione without being tracked himself." She zipped the small, brown leather bag. "I hope he appreciates all of the goodies you're giving him. He'll think it's his birthday or something."
"Or something," Folken said softly. "Thank you, Pearce." The soldier bowed his head and retreated from the room.
"You really need to get that man something special next holiday," Marie nodded after Pearce and Folken suppressed a grin.
He supposed he should. Pearce was certainly putting himself in a lot of danger by helping him. Folken didn't know what he had done to earn such loyalty from the man, but he was glad he had.
"I'm going to go out to meet Dilandau on the flight deck. Can you...?"
"Prepare things for a quick check up? Why certainly, my lord," Marie dimpled at him as he left the room.
He supposed he should get Marie something special next holiday as well. The woman really was something else. She'd been the first physician appointed aboard the Vione and the first person to actually try to make his acquaintance that he genuinely liked.
The flight deck was barren of guymelefs except the seven he'd made for Dilandau and his men. He'd finished seven, but he had originally designed sixteen.
He frowned, thinking about the young lives lost. He couldn't bring himself to be present when the bodies were being taken care of. He had made sure they were dealt with carefully and had someone contacting all of their families so that they could be shipped home for burial.
Dilandau would probably want to see them.
Solemnly he stood in the open hangar, not flinching as the cold wind whipped his dark cloak into his face. He heard the dull roar of Alseid engines approaching and watched calmly as five blue Alseides docked single file.
The hatches opened simultaneously and Gatty and Shesta were the first out, fencing in Dilandau as he climbed out third. Both blonds looked fierce and protective. Guimel and Viole slid out of their units next, placing themselves at Dilandau's back.
Dilandau was rolling his eyes and pushing through his personal guard. "It's only Folken."
Well, that made Folken feel special.
"Hello, Dilandau," Folken walked to meet the boy.
"Folken," Dilandau nodded at him calmly, though his eyes betrayed his agitation. He turned his head to stare at the shiny new Alseides. "They're...silver."
Nothing escaped that one, Folken thought to himself. "I figured you would want to be able to tell your Alseides from the enemy's. Do not worry; your Oreades has a red seal across its chest and on its wrists to distinguish it from the rest."
Dilandau whipped his head back to Folken, narrowing his eyes slightly, a confused frown on his lips. "Folken... You're still giving them to us?"
"I made them for you," Folken said with an elegant shrug. "Why shouldn't I give them to you?"
"Because you know what I'll use them to do," Dilandau said softly, his magenta eyes searching Folken's for the answer to a question he hadn't asked aloud.
"They're all dead."
Folken nodded, confirming Dilandau's statement.
Dilandau shut his eyes for a moment and let out a deep sigh. "Were they...?"
"They all died in battle; they didn't suffer. Their families are being notified, and their bodies will be delivered to them with the utmost care."
"Will they be decorated? They were Specials; they should have ribbons, badges of honor..."
Folken had anticipated as much and raised a hand to silence Dilandau. "It's all being taken care of, Dilandau. Now come; I'd like to keep this visit as short as possible, and there is much that needs to be done."
Dilandau blinked, looking at bit dazed at Folken taking total control of the situation and if Folken was not mistaken, maybe even a little... grateful?
Folken placed a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder, feeling the slight tremors running throughout his body. Pulling him a little closer and squeezing a bit when Dilandau leaned into him slightly, Folken began to walk.
"How are you feeling, Dilandau? Have there been any problems?"
Dilandau shook his head. "I don't think so."
Folken raised a brow. "You don't think so?"
"Folken, I feel like shit; I've felt like shit for weeks; just what kind of problems are you looking for me to tell you about?" Dilandau growled. "Everything hurts; I'm tired, and my freakin' Slayers are dead. Leave me alone about it."
All the while Dilandau growled and snarled, Folken noticed Dilandau didn't fight to remove himself from his casual embrace. "Marie is waiting for us in the clinic."
Folken turned his head to look at the 5 men walking behind them, "Go pack the things you will need for yourselves and your captain and come back to the flight deck."
The 5 boys behind him hesitated at his orders and didn't move until Dilandau said it was alright.
Walking down the corridor alone, Dilandau gazed up at him, his eyes glittering. "Folken, why are you helping me? If you let me go, I'm going to do everything in my power to ruin Zaibach and its mission, your mission. You should turn me in. Why did you risk everything for me? Why are you doing it again now?"
Folken almost chuckled. "You came here knowing that I would help you, Dilandau. Why did you think that? Perhaps the answer to that question will answer your own."
Dilandau's brows furrowed. "But your mission?"
"Is not as important as it once was to me. I will strive to make it come to pass, but I will not have the ones I care about hurt in the process, not anymore."
Not you, not Van.
"Does that mean no more dragon hunting for you?"
"Yes."
Dilandau was quiet until they reached the clinic. "Folken?"
"Hm?"
"Thank you."
"For caring about you?"
"For taking care of my Dragonslayers."
"Oh."
"And for taking care of me."
Folken actually smiled then and remembered something Marie had said earlier. "I'm expecting something special from you next holiday."
Folken patted the boy on the back, chuckling lightly as he sputtered.
Viole frowned at Miguel's things, pondering over what his partner would want. Armor and sword were givens, but what clothing would he want? Miguel wasn't a clothes horse or anything, but he did take pride in what he wore. Hmm..
He probably wouldn't appreciate the "Village Idiot," shirt Viole had bought for him on their last leave. Come to think about it, Viole hadn't seen that shirt since he'd presented it to him. He selected a few silk shirts he had often seen Miguel wear and two pairs of dark cottony pants.
He didn't know if Miguel preferred certain undergarments better than others, so he just reached into the drawer and grabbed some at random.
Maybe he'd grabbed some with pink hearts.
One could only dream. That would be a freakin' riot.
He folded Miguel's items and tucked them inside the leather traveling pack with his own, then flopped back onto his bed with the bag resting on his chest to stare at the metal ceiling.
All dead.
Refina, Biore, Ryuuon, Tristan, Sergio, Andre, Brian, Kwami, and Kieran were gone... like Anwar.
Anwar had been a mean bastard, but he was still a teammate and Viole had been near devastated when he'd died. He had never been exposed to death before that. He knew he would eventually have to deal with it, being a soldier and all, but... Well, he guessed he'd never thought about comrade deaths before. Dying was for old people and people not associated with Viole.
It amazed and shocked him at the same time that he was dealing with nine more comrade deaths so well. Yeah, he'd prepared himself for it. He had known not all of his friends had survived the ordeal the day they had left, but finding out they were all dead...
Woa.
He couldn't fall apart, not after that spiel he'd given to Guimel and Dallet about the others only doing a job well done.
He shut his eyes on the hot, salty tears that wanted to escape. Were they tears of pain or tears of guilt? He couldn't decide.
They were of pain when he thought of the people he'd never be able to tease again; they were of guilt when he thought: Good thing I'm an Elite officer or I would have been left behind to die with them.
He was an awful person, and he should be damned to one of the nine hells Dallet had mentioned.
He was just about to let his tense muscles relax on the soft bed, when someone entered. "Viole?"
Viole pushed the bag from his chest so he could view Gatty standing in the doorway without sitting up. "Time to go?"
Gatty shook his head slowly. His head was slightly bowed and strands of unkempt blond hair fell into his red rimmed blue eyes. He'd been crying.
"Gatty?"
"Um... I thought you could help Shesta sort out the things Lord Dilandau might want. We've already got his armor and weapons ready, but he doesn't have many personal items. I just don't know what he would choose to take with him, and I..."
Viole stared. "You need a little time to yourself?"
Gatty covered his eyes with one hand and nodded. "Please?"
"Ok," Viole sat up with a grunt. He was getting old before his time. He slid past Gatty in the doorway, touching his shoulder lightly as he left.
Poor guy.
The door to Lord Dilandau's room was open and Shesta stood in front of Lord Dilandau's closet, rubbing his chin and fingering the clothing inside. He didn't turn his head at Viole's entrance. "He has so many clothes. No pictures, no childhood mementos, no trinkets, just clothes. No wonder why people think he's so vain. I bet he wouldn't even care what clothes I packed for him as long as they were warm. He's always so cold."
"Shesta?"
"He's got some things under his bed, Viole. Can you look through them and decide if he might like to keep any of it?" Shesta waved a hand, shooing Viole away from him.
Viole blinked. "Sure, Shes. I can do that."
"Thanks," Shesta murmured. He pulled down a blue jewel-toned shirt with long sleeves and tossed it behind him into an open satchel. "I never realized he was so small. You know... Lord Dilandau? I always thought... cause he's so strong... but then he wore all that armor all the time... I just never noticed he was so thin. I couldn't fit one leg into most of these pants, and the shirts, please!"
Shesta was rambling. Shesta never rambled. Everyone usually left that chore up to Viole.
Viole scrounged around under Lord Dilandau's bed, crawling under halfway and grabbing at the first thing that brushed against his fingers. It was a small box. Viole pulled it out and carefully used his short thumbnail to break the adhesive bond in the central crevice that sealed the box shut.
Shesta was still talking.
If it made Shesta feel better to talk, Viole was going to let him. Though Shesta's warbling was undoubtably the reason why Gatty had left. He probably hadn't been able to take it.
Viole blinked in surprise at what he found in the box. Three leather bound books greeted him cheerfully. He pulled them out, reading their worn covers. The Adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow, A Feudal Fairy Tale, and The Last Herald Mage? These were Lord Dilandau's books?
He flipped open The Adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow to find the pages well worn and dog-eared with many notations in the margins in Lord Dilandau's handwriting. Viole couldn't help but chuckle a bit, drawing Shesta's attention.
"What do you have there?" Shesta asked softly. He nudged the bag of clothes he was packing with his foot over to where Viole sat and took a seat himself to look over his shoulder. "Books?"
"Lord Dilandau's," Viole smiled gently. "He's read this one so many times you can practically see his fingerprints on the pages. Do you think these will fit in the bag?"
"I'm sure we can make room for them," Shesta whispered, taking the books from Viole and setting them beside the bag. He began pulling the clothes out and folding them neatly.
Viole stared at the his comrade for a moment, noting his dry eyes. He pouted to himself as he wormed his way back under the bed. Gatty had tears and Shesta didn't. It was strange, because Viole had always thought of Shesta as the sensitive one. But then... he only thought that because Shesta looked so innocent.
Perhaps Gatty was the sensitive one.
His hands rubbed against something thin and leathery. He grabbed and pulled, scooting himself back from underneath the bed.
"What's that?" Shesta asked.
Viole ran his hand over the soft fabric of the folder he'd pulled into his lap to remove the dust. It looked like a portfolio, but Viole couldn't be sure until he opened it. He carefully undid the crusty plastic snaps and flipped open the cover.
Both he and Shesta gaped at the drawings inside.
"What is this place?" Shesta asked as they gazed at a charcoal sketch of a small cabin shadowed by trees in a wintery countryside. The place looked so dark and cold it made Viole shiver.
"I don't know..." they flipped to the next drawing.
A baby deer sleeping in tall grass.
A dreary castle.
Pirates sword-fighting on a plank above a circle of sharks.
A woman suiting up for battle.
"I knew he was good, but not this good," Viole murmured and Shesta tore his eyes away from the drawing to question him.
"Lord Dilandau," Viole said simply. Then had an idea. "Hey Shes, do you think he'd want all those maps we redid? The ones we finished looked really good."
"What would he want with a bunch of maps of a country we hate?" Shesta asked vehemently. "He would burn them if he saw them."
Shesta closed the portfolio in Viole's lap. "I think we should pack his drawings. They're too good to be left here."
Viole sealed the folder back up and frowned at Shesta as he struggled to cram the books into Lord Dilandau's bag.
"Shes... it's ok. I'll do the rest, if you're through packing his clothes," Viole said, nudging Shesta gently with his knee.
Shesta jumped and stared wide eyed at Viole. "Viole... what are we gonna do? I thought... I hoped... Why couldn't just one of them be alive? We came all this way; I was so sure we'd be able to help at least one of them. We can't just leave it like this, Viole. We have to do something, but what can we do with only seven men? Nine of our men couldn't stand up to them. What the hell are we gonna do?"
Viole sighed, setting the portfolio aside and wrapping his arms around Shesta tightly as the blond's shoulders began to shake with quiet sobs.
"Gods... we helped train most of them. We didn't train them well enough. We didn't teach them everything they needed to know. Lord Dilandau trusted us... We screwed up..."
"Shesta, no one could have lived through that assault unless the soldiers wanted to give mercy, which they didn't. The soldiers aboard this ship hate us. They would use any excuse to be rid of us, Shes. It's not your fault; it's not any of our fault."
Gods, he was really breaking down. Dammit Gatty! You could
have warned me! "Shes, please it's ok. You're scaring me here."
"S...sorry," Shesta breathed, "I.... I thought I'd be ok.... I can't..."
Holy shit. He needed to get someone else, but he didn't want to leave Shesta alone either. Ok, so deal, Viole.
You're all alone, so deal.
He lowered his head into Shesta's hair, which was a little dry from washing it with the soap they had in the village, and rubbed his back. "Everything is going to be just fine. Lord Dilandau will figure everything out and decide what we're going to do. He won't let this go, and Lord Folken will help us."
Shesta was about to start hyperventilating.
"Shesta?"
Viole started at Lord Dilandau's voice. He turned his head to glimpse his captain entering the room with Gatty and Guimel in tow. Viole breathed a sigh of relief. Gatty sat himself down on the floor behind Shesta and wrapped his arms around both Shesta and Viole. Resting his head on Shesta's shoulder, he murmured "Sorry," to Viole.
Yeah, sure, Viole rolled his eyes, but it was unseen from the rough nest of Shesta's hair. Another body kneeled down beside him, Lord Dilandau was staring at the portfolio Viole had pushed off his lap so that Shesta could climb in.
He frowned at the look on Lord Dilandau's face as he opened it and thumbed through the drawings. What was he thinking about?
"Is he ok?" Guimel asked. He was leaning against a dresser, far away from his crying comrade, looking very uncomfortable.
"No idiot!" Gatty snapped. "Don't just stand there staring at us. Be useful; help Lord Dilandau with his things."
Instead of ruffling at Gatty's sharp tone, Guimel nodded and cautiously made his way toward them to kneel beside Lord Dilandau.
"Did you do these?"
Viole didn't hear a reply, but was certain Lord Dilandau had nodded affirmatively.
"We should take them-- if you want them. Are there any more?"
Were there? Viole would like to see them.
"The maps," Lord Dilandau said.
"Maps? You mean the ones you did when... Why would you want those? They're just outlines of... Zaibach territory...." Guimel spoke slowly as he seemed to realize something... amazing?
Viole stilled, wanting to hear just what Guimel thought he'd stumbled upon and Lord Dilandau's response to it. Shesta's sobs were quieting and he wasn't shaking quite so hard in Viole and Gatty's hold. Gatty raised his head slightly from Shesta's shoulder to peer at Guimel and Lord Dilandau.
"What is it?" Viole had to ask, when Guimel and Lord Dilandau didn't begin talking right away.
"Viole, those maps we worked so hard is the updated information of provinces and military compounds. We have detailed documents of every important complex in Zaibach," Lord Dilandau said, his voice full of quiet excitement.
Viole could have smacked himself. By the gods– he'd spent nights researching and drawing that stuff and had never realized just what he'd held in his hands.
"All those bases, all those weapons..."
"And with the new communications systems and the new Alseides..."
"We can destroy them from the inside," Shesta pushed Viole and Gatty away. "We can annihilate them, and they won't even know what hit them! We can hurt them back!"
Shesta's blue eyes shone with determination. He shakily wiped the tears from his eyes and ran both hands through his hair. "We're going to get them right? Tell me we're going to get them?"
All eyes turned to Lord Dilandau who sat with one pale hand on a drawing, stroking the tiny face of the sleeping lamb. The eyes that lifted to meet theirs were haunted but clear.
"I put the maps in the library. Viole, come with me to gather them."
Author's Note: So there it is. What's the verdict? Is it ok enough for me to move on, or would you like for me to work on it a bit more? Let me know. Please be kind and review! Now on to the important junk...
Reviewer Responses:
Pocketfirefairy: Lol! Sorry this story isn't finished! I know what a bummer it is to be reading a story you really like and to find out it's not done and that the author hasn't updated in months. You would think since I know the feeling, I would remedy that by updating more frequently, but alas, inspiration comes and goes lol. Thank you for reviewing. Yes, not many people write about the Dragonslayers, so it's fun to feature them because there's so much uncovered ground to tread on. It's easy to be original with em'. Well, I hope you liked this new chapter, and I will try to be more consistent with my updates in the future. Yes, I always say this...but I would like to keep my updates monthly at the least :). Take care! Inintentional Nightmare: :) Lol, no this is not a ficlet anymore. It's almost about to hit the 200 page mark. I'm happy you like all my characterizations of the Dilandau and his Slayers. Portraying characters is the best part of writing a story, and the Dilandau and the Dragonslayers are a lot of fun. Lol, and somebody finally wonders about poor Allen... All I can say is: I'm about to have a lot of fun with him to...muhahahha! Thanks for reviewing! Take care!
Kaitourei: Chuckles Miguel thanks me for not killing him too, though he wishes I had done away with Viole. Thank you for your kind review. I'm glad somebody likes Valeska lol, and her first meeting with Dilandau will be fun. :) Take care, and I hope to hear from you again!
Rita: For some reason when I look at Dallet, I always think: humble. I don't know if it's the hair or what, lol. I kind of just wanted to put him in the spotlight and I needed for his backgrounds to contrast greatly with what the other Slayers were used to. I'm happy you liked it though! Take care and thanks for reviewing!
Kou-Kagerou: Hello Miss Proof Reader. Quite through critiquing the whole story all over again, lol? Do you know how LONG this thing is? Geez! Well, I really hoped you liked this new chapter. Getting reviews from you always makes me nervous lol. I'm like: Oh no, what's she gonna say about this one, cause I gotta tell you... I don't know about this one. Well, I trust you to tell me what's wrong and what's right with it. Hope to hear from you soon! Take care and thank you for giving me your honest opinions!
Nikku: Love ya chic. Just had to say that before I begin, lol ;). He, he, he, Miguel and Viole's relationship is so fun to write. I'm always trying to come up with something new and disturbing for Viole to say to Miguel, so I can write Miguel's reaction, lol. Yes, Valeska is trouble... and she will pose a very big threat to Dilandau and his Slayers, but you'll just have to see how that plays out. Folken was in this chapter, and I hoped you liked his sections :) I'm trying to make him a more compassionate character, but I hope I'm not going over the top too much with him. Who is Valeska and will she kill Dilandau? Hmm... good questions. Big evil smile But you know I can't tell you the answers to those just yet, lol! You'll just have to see what happens yet again! Take care girlie, and thank you so much for reviewing just about every chapter of this story :).
Tenshiamanda: Well here's another long chapter for you, lol. I'm so freakin' long-winded. Hope you liked this one! Take care and thanks for reviewing!
Skippys Cat: You read everything in one sitting? Damn! How long did that take, lol? I don't even do that when I go back over the story to write new chapters! Do you know how long this thing is? I do, lol! Don't be ashamed for not leaving a review; I have a bad habit of doing that too. I'm glad you enjoy the interaction between Dilandau and his Slayers; they're my favorite parts to write. Well, I hope you enjoy this update. I'm not too sure about it. Sorry for taking so long with this update, and I hope you won't hold it against me lol. Thank you for reviewing and hope to hear from you again! Take care!
Macky: Hello, thank you for reviewing again! Um... Naria and Eriya will be making an appearance. Merle is in the story, but she's a minor character like Hitomi. Everything is kind of happening like it did in Escaflowne with all of the original characters, but I'm concentrating more on certain characters, so other people get reduced air time lol. (And there's also the minor fact that Merle and Hitomi get on my nerves lol. Please don't hold that against me, if you like them ;). "Will Celena be back in the story soon?" My answer to that is: She never left it ;). Take care!
Namida: Hello girlie! Calm down lol. Viole and Miguel are fun huh? Sorry they both weren't in this chapter, but there will be plenty of them in the next. Thanks for reviewing and sorry for taking so long! Take care!