Author's Note: Hey! It's been so long, I don't know who is still reading this. Ok, important note about this chapter. It's a transition for the major turning point chapter to follow, so please bear with me. I tried to make this the turning point chapter, but the more I worked on it, the more I knew it wasn't time yet. I hadn't prepared the characters enough for it. Anyway, another important note about this chapter: A section of it has been removed because it was too long with no real significant value to the story, but it has been posted as a one-shot. Dilandau/Van fans might want to check it out ;). Ok, enough from me. Have fun, I hope you like it. If you don't, it's ok. It's not one of my favorite chapters either lol, but feel free to let me know.
Chapter 23
"Lord Dilandau, I just think you should come back... right now." Shesta was trying very hard to keep his voice calm and level; there was no need to alert Lord Dilandau as to how angry Shesta was with him at that moment.
Shesta gritted his teeth at the feathery laugh drifting through the speakers of his Silver. "Relax, Shesta. We were on our way back when you called. We should be arriving within the hour. I'll be free to talk to you then."
The connection was severed, private line blocked, and Shesta growled loudly, turning off his com.
That little shit.
When Shesta hadn't been able to find Lord Dilandau in his quarters, with Folken, or with any of the others, Shesta had gone to the practice hall to find many of their students rehearsing new sword techniques and footwork. Needless to say, he'd been impressed with their dedication to be the best soldiers Astoria had seen, until he discovered what had inspired their more than honorable work ethics.
Lord Dilandau had come in and given private lessons to the handful of troops he found in there, and later, more boys had come after hearing the news. Then Lord Dilandau decided it was time to teach his best students piloting skills and proceeded to nab 5 cadets and take them to the hangar. They'd taken off in the Blues hours before Shesta could put a stop to it.
Dammit, he knew they should have instated a tail on Lord Dilandau. Ever since...
Ever since Lord Dilandau had informed them that the miracle transfusion hadn't worked like they all thought it had and that Folken and Marie were starting all over again, things had changed. Lord Dilandau didn't like to talk about anything serious that didn't have to do with battle. Either they played or they worked.
"Did you talk to him?" Gatty was on Shesta the second he climbed out of his Silver. Shesta rolled his eyes, running a hand through his hair as he nodded.
"They'll be back in an hour, he says."
Gatty sighed in frustration, massaging his temples. "This is getting out of hand. How are we supposed to keep an eye on him, if he keeps slipping away. It's almost like he's trying to avoid us."
Maybe he was trying to avoid them just as he was avoiding the issue at hand, that he was... in danger.
"It's not good for him. Piloting puts too much stress on the body. If he wanted to teach the cadets to fly, he should have let me know. I could have arranged something and taken them out myself, or at least gone with him. What if something happens? Idiot..."
Gatty was going to make himself sick. He was trying to take on too much and spreading himself too thin.
Everyone was dealing with... what could happen in different ways. Miguel and Viole had disappeared with Lord Dilandau a few nights that week, returning with pockets full of coins and candy. Guimel and Dallet were learning to sail, a project that Shesta had no clue as to its origins, and had asked Lord Dilandau to draw the blueprints for the boat they planned to build in the near future. Shesta coddled him and readily admitted to it, and Gatty was trying to do Lord Dilandau's work so that he didn't have to.
"Did he even say where exactly they were?" Gatty moved to sit on the foot of Shesta's Alseid. "How far from the castle did they actually go, anyway? Maybe we could go out to meet them."
Shesta shook his head. "He didn't say."
"Meaning, he's probably out past one of the borders," Gatty grumbled, rubbing his face with his knuckles. "Hey, did you try the tracking dev..."
"He's done something to it," Shesta sighed. "Jammed the frequency or something. I assume he knows how to fix it back, if something should happen."
"Idiot," Gatty groaned. "What are we gonna do with him? I swear... you know what, Shesta?"
Shesta looked at Gatty, shrinking away at the odd gleam in his eyes. "Wh...what?"
"We should snitch. We should tell Folken that Lord Dilandau's sneaking off, and he'll put a stop to it, I bet."
"Are you crazy? Lord Dilandau would kill us," Shesta smacked Gatty over the head, none too lightly.
"It's better than killing himself," Gatty uttered in a low voice, sighing deeply and bowing his head.
Shesta stared, feeling an unwanted shift in the topic of conversation coming on. "Gods, Shesta... Do you think about– you know– it?"
"Think about what it?"
Shesta's response was sharp and Gatty's head snapped up in shock and perhaps a little hurt. "You know what I'm talking about Shes."
Shesta groaned, shutting his eyes and bringing a hand to his temple. "Gatty, you came in here to find Lord Dilandau. He's not here. He'll be back soon. I'll send someone to let you know..."
"Shesta," Gatty cut him off and Shesta barely suppressed a growl. Gatty had a horrible tendency to want to discuss things that made others uncomfortable without a thought in the world that maybe they didn't want to talk about it. "I didn't just come in here to find, Lord Dilandau. In fact, I kinda knew I wouldn't find him. I came in here, because Viole told me you were here."
"And why would you want to find me?" Shesta asked, irritation growing. Gods, why was Gatty's presence making him so angry? Everything seemed to aggravate him as of late. He'd nearly thrown a tantrum over cold porridge that morning, but had managed to contain himself before actually expressing his discontent.
"Shesta, I'm worried about you," Gatty said softly. "And I think..."
"You're worried?– About me? Why?" Shesta chuckled, a sound hard on even his ears.
Why can't I relax? It's only Gatty.
Shesta felt a hand on his arm. "Lets talk, Shes. Just you and me. The same thing that's bothering you is bothering all of us, but you keep it all inside until you explode and start..."
"Yelling at people like I'm insane?" Shesta finished for Gatty, spreading his arms then letting them drop to his sides, slapping his thighs with a loud "pop." Yeah, so? Maybe that was how Shesta liked to deal with stress. Who the hell did Gatty think he was to be able to criticize anyone else?
"Why should I talk to you, Gatty? Who do you think you are, huh?"
"Your friend, Shesta, a friend that you're scaring. You're not the only one that's..." Gatty broke off, looking at his knees. "Look, I... I need to talk too, and you're my best friend, so I want to tell you how I feel. I have to tell someone, Shes; I can't just keep quiet. If you don't want to talk then maybe you could just listen to me, ok? Will you?"
Shesta's brows drew together in confusion. All Gatty wanted was someone to listen to him? He wasn't going to press Shesta anymore?
"Shes, can I?" Gatty didn't raise his eyes.
"Yeah, sure Gatty. I'm listening."
But I don't want to hear.
"I'm scared," Gatty's voice was incredibly soft, like a purr. "I don't want Lord Dilandau to...to die, Shesta, and I don't know what I'll do if he does. I'm not ready. If there was something I could do, anything I could give to keep him here, to protect him– forever– I'd do it. I'd give it up. I... feel the same way about you and the others too. You're all I have now. After the war, I figured we'd all stick together, you know? Travel, do stuff as a team. We'd get married as a group, live in the same town and be neighbors– silly crap like that. Together we're invincible... yet here I am, sitting in a dark hangar with you, talking about things we can't do anything about. We're helpless, Shesta. The best soldiers in the damn world, and we are completely and utterly helpless."
Gatty's voice rose and cracked as he spoke and at the end, Shesta could hear tears... but he wouldn't look at Gatty to confirm it. He stared at his boots, lips trembling.
"Shes, what else do we know how to do, but be soldiers under Lord Dilandau? What's next for us, when he's gone?"
Gatty was saying too many things that Shesta tried to tune out during the day. Those were things he thought about alone in bed, in the dark, where no one could hear him weep.
I cry in the dark.
"Say something, Shesta. Let me know you were really listening to me," Gatty pleaded brokenly. He made no move to touch Shesta.
Shesta's only reply was a hitching breath and a vigorous shake of his head.
"Please?"
There's too much light in here.
"I can't cry."
"What?"
"I can't cry," Shesta reiterated more firmly, his voice echoing from walls. "Not now. You need a new best friend, Gatty, because... I can't do this. I don't want to listen to you or answer your questions." He mussed his hair. "I was fine on my own, just go away Gatty. I'll call you when Lord Dilandau arrives."
Remember how mad you were about Lord Dilandau sneaking off earlier... bring those feelings back. Forget Gatty.
"Make me leave, Shesta."
Gatty's voice was hard, and Shesta blinked at him. Gatty's wet stare was level and serious. He wasn't moving.
"I'm not going to fight you, Gatty," Shesta whispered and that was the only way Gatty was going to be moved... Shesta realized. Was he shaking? Gods, he was shaking. "Leave, Gatty! Please, just get out! You're making me... and I can't let..."
"What, Shesta? I'm making you what, and what can't you do?– besides cry?" Gatty asked easily. "Look, Shesta," Gatty began, his body twitched as if he wanted to stand, but he remained sitting. Good. If Gatty touched Shesta, he was going to bite him.
"I'm going to admit something. I'm first in command, and when Lord Dilandau is down or away, the others look to me and I look to you, ok? I need you."
Shesta snorted . What else was new? "And I'm standing behind you, Gatty. You don't have to do anything hard without me."
"Except go through this," Gatty said. "Shesta, we're in this together and I feel like I'm grieving alone."
Grieving? Over what? Lord Dilandau wasn't... "He's not dead yet, Gatty! You're all acting like he's... How can you... Oh shit..."
Not dead yet...
He'd voiced it.
Dead.
He covered his face.
"Go away, Gatty."
"And what, come back after your nervous breakdown?"
"I'm not going to have a nervous breakdown... Dammit, Gatty!" Shesta rubbed at his burning eyes. "Fine! Lord Dilandau's going to die! Folken and Marie can't get anything right and we never should have come here and joined this stupid war cause! Our revenge was complete; we should have moved on; taken care of him ourselves. But no, no we placed our hope in Folken and he failed, and now Lord Dilandau's given himself this new life's mission and won't rest until he's won this war or dies trying, and he will die, Gatty."
Shesta paced around Gatty, pulling at his hair. "And when he dies, I don't know what will happen. Maybe...maybe we'll stick together, maybe the ones of us with homes will return to them, who knows? I don't want to think about it, Gatty! When I think about it... I..." He stopped pacing, bringing the knuckle of one of his hands to his mouth and biting down, diverting his focus on a different pain.
Slowly, he turned to look at his comrade. Gatty still sat in the same place, watching Shesta carefully, his face a mask of quiet concern. He said nothing at all.
Shesta moved toward him, sinking to his knees before him and staring. "Is that what you wanted to hear, Gatty? Did you need me to tell you that I'm as lost as you are? – that I'm on edge? Did you want to see me cry?"
Gatty shook his head, reaching out to take Shesta's shoulders. "No, Shesta."
"Don't give me crap about you wanting to make sure I was ok..."
"It's not crap. You need this, I need it... Viole, Miguel, Dallet and Guimel need it."
"And are you going to go to each one of them and push until they break, Gatty?" Shesta questioned. "Can you do that?"
"If it's what it takes, I'll try it, but... I'd like your help," Gatty said. "We need to organize a meeting, a gathering for all of us. We need to talk about this, the future, everything. Lord Dilandau has come to some sort of strange acceptance of his condition and... we haven't yet. Talking to you just now made me feel better, lighter. Like I just shared my burden, and you... you can't tell me that after all that screaming you don't feel a little better."
Shesta frowned; he did feel better, but he didn't have to admit that to Gatty. Smug bastard's head was swollen enough.
"I just... we need to talk Shesta. I know there are things Lord Dilandau hasn't told us and he probably has a lot of stuff he wants to tell us. If he knows that we're ready to listen, maybe he'll stop running from us. He may feel that he has to hide things from us to protect us. You know how he is. He doesn't want to hurt us, can't face us or risk bringing our fears to surface, so he's keeping to himself. I don't want him to..."
"Get like me?" Shesta asked wryly, and Gatty chuckled lightly.
"Precisely."
Shesta shook his head, fighting a reflexive smile at Gatty's return to good humor. How did they always manage to come back to this state? The castle could cave in and one or the other would inevitably find something to giggle about.
Shesta sighed, getting himself off the floor and sitting beside Gatty. "We make a fine couple."
"Because we're both nutty as fruitcakes?" Gatty retorted, risking an arm around Shesta's shoulders. Shesta didn't shrug the heavy limb and leaned in to Gatty's warmth, feeling the tremors that rocked his frame upsetting Gatty's as well.
"Because we're both clueless, but try to be team leader anyway," Shesta corrected softly. "I'll help you with the group session. Is Lord Dilandau to be invited?"
Gatty nodded, resting his head on top of Shesta's when Shesta laid his on Gatty's shoulder. "Mmhm. He's the one to talk to us. I mean, who knows better than him how to deal, and letting go will probably help him more than any of us. It'll be a great relief to him o get everything off his chest in a controlled environment."
"Meaning Guimel will not be providing alcohol," Shesta said.
"No alcohol," Gatty agreed.
They waited for Lord Dilandau's return together, discussing possible layouts for the meeting and just what they might say to Lord Dilandau when he finally made his appearance.
The roar of Seven Alseides approaching grabbed their attention and the wind of their landing stirred their hair.
Lord Dilandau was the first pilot to exit his melef, climbing down the body of his Oreades, giddy and soaked with sweat. He beamed at Shesta and Gatty, calling to the cadets to lock down the Blues and dismount, before walking over to them.
Shesta stared at the bounce in his captain's step and vibrance in his eyes as he stopped before them, stance wide with his hands on his hips. "Told you I'd be back in an hour."
Shesta wanted to smack him, hug him, and scream at him at the same time. He wanted to shake him until he saw sense.
Do you want to know what Gatty and I have been talking about for the past hour while we waited for you?
"You haven't been waiting for me, have you?" Lord Dilandau asked, frowning down at them suddenly.
Shesta bit the inside of his cheek to hold his fiery retort in check,. He and Gatty had decided not to use inflammatory words toward Lord Dilandau. Shesta felt Gatty go rigid and he shivered as Gatty's warmth withdrew from him and the other boy rose from his sitting position. "You left without a word to any of us, Lord Dilandau. We didn't know where you were."
Lord Dilandau regarded Gatty a moment and shot a brief glance back down at Shesta. His frown deepened momentarily, before pulling taunt and turning up into a sardonic half smirk. "I only went a few miles outside of Palas' border, gentlemen. Not far enough to be outside the range of Folken's stupid binoculars."
Folken had known where Lord Dilandau was?
"And while I appreciate your concern, I can take care of myself," Lord Dilandau finished, folding his arms over his chest, eyes hard.
"No one's forgotten that you can, sir, but maybe I would have liked to go. We could have taken more cadets out if there had been two capable pilots..."
"I didn't want to take more cadets out. I was just fooling around, Gatty. We don't have adequate time to train guymelef pilots. I just wanted to see how they'd handle," Lord Dilandau said flatly, tapping an impatient toe. "Is this going to become an argument?"
Shesta flushed, rising to stand beside Gatty. "Only if you make it one. Lord Dilandau, Gatty and I have been talking and..."
"Oh really? Talking about what pray tell?"
Nervous cadets gave weak smiles as they tiptoed out of the hangar, not wanting to be caught in an altercation between superiors.
"We need to have a meeting, all of us," Gatty said after the last cadet disappeared, slamming the door to the room closed on accident as indicated by the tiny yelp he gave.
A pale brow rose as Lord Dilandau studied Gatty.
"We... need to discuss some things, serious things." Gatty's voice was faltering as it had earlier when it was just he and Shesta.
Lord Dilandau unfolded his arms, running slender fingers through soggy silver tresses. The expression in his eyes was strange and his mouth was a tight line. "What sort of things, Gatty?"
"L...Lord Dilandau, you know exactly what I'm talking about," Gatty said softly, looking to Shesta for support.
"Lord Dilandau, it's time to talk about the future. We've been avoiding it, putting it off, but even you can't anymore. Your actions as of late tell us that we... may not have much time left," Shesta said pointedly. Carefully, he reached out to take his arm.
Gods, that arm was so thin.
"There are things we need to know about you and what you want from us now. It's obvious you don't want soldiers anymore, but you're not letting us be friends either when you run away from us."
Shesta held fast when he felt Lord Dilandau trying to free himself. "The others are around. We can get everyone together and grab some snacks, and then we..."
Lord Dilandau wretched his arm free with a rough tug and smacked Shesta hard across the face, the resounding crack distracting all of them for a moment. Shesta stared at Lord Dilandau, bringing a hand to his reddened face and blinking as fresh tears came to his eyes...
At the look on Lord Dilandau's face.
He looked...
"Lord Dilandau...?"
"Stop looking at me like that!" His voice was unlike Shesta had ever heard it before. He sounded tortured.
"We... we didn't mean... If you don't feel comfortable..." Shesta couldn't even begin to express his emotions, his reaction to Lord Dilandau's utter devastation.
That was what it was, devastation.
He was betrayed. His soldiers– his friends– were admitting defeat...
Before he'd even conceded himself.
Oh no... We read wrong; we read him all wrong.
"Oh gods, Lord Dilandau. I'm so sorry," Shesta reached out again. "I didn't think..."
Lord Dilandau was shaking his head, covering his face with his hands and for one horrible moment Shesta thought he was crying. He turned to Gatty who looked as horrified as Shesta felt. Gatty saw it too...
"Lord Dilandau, why don't we go to my room? We can play cards or something and... forget about this. We'll forget we ever said anything. How about that, huh?"
Gatty was desperate, Shesta was hopeful, and Lord Dilandau pulled his hands from his face. It was dry and smooth, no tears, but his eyes were hollow.
He took a slow breath. "Do what you want with your time. Have a meeting if you like. I'm going to take a shower."
Shesta and Gatty watched as he turned to leave, his stride quick.
Should they stop him?
Pale fingers stretched toward the door handle, but before pulling it open, the silver head turned and Lord Dilandau gave them a soft, sad smile... a hint of it showing in his eyes. "I'm sorry for worrying you."
He didn't bother closing the door, knowing that Shesta and Gatty wouldn't remain long after his departure.
"What the hell did we just do?" Gatty asked Shesta, blue eyes fearful.
Shesta was sure his own eyes reflected Gatty's emotion. "I didn't know he was afraid."
"Shit."
Shit was right.
"Shesta?"
"Hmm?" What a mess.
"Thanks for..."
"Getting it together to back you up?" Shesta supplied.
Gatty nodded, giving him a half smile and patting his shoulder. "Yeah and helping me clean this up. Gods, we screwed up big."
You got that one right.
"Joy," Shesta murmured. "Gatty, have I ever told you what a pleasure it is to work with you?"
"No."
"Good."
"Van, he's given you the perfect opportunity to ask him out," Allen said gently. The blond knight was so patient with the backward teenager, and Van was grateful for it. There was just so much he didn't know, and he had been sure Allen would laugh at him.
"But... would it be a date? I don't think it should be. Isn't it too soon? He... doesn't have a clue about me or how I feel. I don't want to scare him." And I don't want to scare me. Gods, what if I did say it was a date and he accepted? How would I conduct myself?
"What are you thinking, Van?"
Van almost scowled at Allen. They both sat on his bed, Allen neatly near the edge and Van in a messy sprawl, rumpling the comforter with his boots. "Um... well, I was just thinking about it being a date, a real date. Allen, I haven't spent enough time with you to know how to act yet! I'll screw it all up and Dilandau will think I'm a jerk, and then his men will cut me to pieces and throw my parts in the sea to destroy the evidence!"
Van fell back on his back, his head hitting a pillow with a soft thud. Hopeless... he was so completely hopeless. Even the great Allen Schezar couldn't save him.
He growled at the chuckling from Allen.
"I'm glad you find me so amusing, Allen. Is that why you're really helping me? You want a good laugh?"
Allen quieted and Van propped himself up on an elbow to stare at him. The knight's fair face was full of apology.
"Van, I'm not making fun of you when I laugh at you. It's just... It makes me remember how young you are, and it makes me wonder if I was ever your age."
Van frowned. "What do you mean?"
Allen blinked, glancing at Van thoughtfully before grimacing at Van's boots on the bed in disdain. "I really wish you'd take your boots off. You're getting the bed dirty."
Van snorted and rolled his eyes. "It's my bed, Allen. Maybe I like it dirty."
Allen made a face and sighed deeply, shaking his head. "No, I don't think I was ever as young as you."
Van sat up, fluffing a pillow to put behind his back. "How so?"
"I never really got to be a real teenager. When I was 15, I had a family to look after, a fragile mother and a... a brat of a little sister. I didn't start thinking about the things plaguing you now until I was a bit older and more mature. It's hard to be as confused as you are at 20, Van."
"So you're saying wait until I'm twenty to ask Dilandau out?" Van asked. "I can do that, but I don't think he'd wait that long, Allen. He'll ask me before then."
"So, you feel he's attracted to you?" Allen pressed and Van scratched his head, taking a breath.
"I don't know. I don't think so. I don't... I can't... read him. He still thinks I like Miguel, and Shesta and Gatty think I do too. They're trying to set me up and everything's a big mess. I probably should set them straight, but they've been so nice to me since they started thinking that..."
"And you want to use it to your advantage?" Allen deduced, rubbing his chin in a very Dilandau-like manner. "I see your line of reason, Van, but deception is never the answer to anything. Have you actually told them that you have a 'crush' on this Miguel?"
Van shook his head. He'd never said it in words, but he'd been given every opportunity under the sun to deny the accusations. "But I guess what I've done is just as good as saying that I do. Oh gods, Allen. Do you think they'll be angry with me for lying to them?"
Miguel had to know what his friends thought by now, especially after the outing and the...ugh...kiss. When would he tell them, and was it possible for Van to clear the air before Miguel blew his cover?
"Have you spoken to Miguel after... your night on the town?" Allen asked, recapturing Van's wandering attention again. "How has his behavior been towards you lately?"
Van shrugged. "No, I haven't talked to Miguel, but he's been... cool." No pranks, no glares, no evil body language. Viole was pretty much leaving him alone too, but he didn't know to what he could attribute the change in attitude. All of the Slayers were a bit different now, distracted even, and Van couldn't finger the source of it.
"I don't know how to read him though. He's as tricky as Dilandau. Remember when I told you he had a problem with me pursuing Dilandau?"
Allen nodded, brushing imaginary lint from his garments.
"It turns out, not only is he protective of Dilandau, but...he doesn't like the fact that I'm a boy. He says he won't judge me for feeling this way, but he thinks I'm going to pervert Dilandau into liking males or something." Van rested the back of his head on the headboard of his bed. He closed his eyes momentarily, only half opening them again at Allen's silence.
The knight looked slightly troubled. Tilting his head to one side, Allen spoke, "Well, that's not impossible to do, but for some reason I don't see Dilandau as impressionable. If he likes you, it'll be for his own reasons. But, Miguel has touched on an important point. Has Dilandau done anything that might lead you to believe he'd favor... a male companion?"
Van almost choked. "Like what?"
Allen stared at him in disbelief for a moment. "Like what? Van..." He blinked and pressed a hand against a temple, before sighing. "Look, Van. Forget Dilandau, maybe you're not ready for this."
"That's why you're here, Allen; you're going to make me ready," Van grabbed for the wrist that rested in Allen's lap. "Now, how would I tell if Dilandau was attracted to males? Are the...signs...different than what a male would show a female?"
Allen freed his wrist, scowling lightly at Van and shaking his head. "Not really, and if you've observed his behavior..."
"That's the problem! I don't get anything from his behavior. He doesn't pay any more attention to men than he does to women. It's like Miguel said that night; Dilandau doesn't think that way. He doesn't know. He's– new– to it all. As clueless as me without knowing it, because– he just... I don't know."
Allen's blue eyes widened at the information and his lips thinned. "So... what you're saying is that you would be Dilandau's first... interest... as well?– if we could get him to notice you?"
"Um...well, yeah." Van scratched is head, studying Allen's darkening expression nervously. "Allen?"
"Van..." Allen licked his lips as he seemed to ponder how he might proceed. "You may very well be chasing after a person that will never return your feelings. Not only are you telling me you don't know his preferences, but that he's not even to the point in his life where he's even considering... outside affection."
Van's stomach folded in half at Allen's words.
"Van, you're setting yourself up for a fall. You're going to get hurt," Allen continued on softly as Van suffered.
No, no... Allen was his hope and now the man was telling him that he had none...
"You enjoy your friendship with, Dilandau, right, and you'd like to keep it? Something like this, something that might not amount to anything, could destroy that. You'd lose everything..."
Everything?– But he had nothing to lose. He couldn't just be Dilandau's friend. Van knew that now. It wasn't enough, and maybe... maybe...
"It's better to try than to never know. If it's all a bust and he decides he doesn't want my company anymore then it's fine, because I wouldn't be able to stand being around him. Distance would be best. Allen, we can't be friends."
Van wrung his hands together to mimic the actions of his insides. Allen had to support him. The knight had come here to stand behind him and now he was moving... Allen, you said you'd help me!
Van stared hard at the man who looked back at him stonily. Gods... I never should have said anything to him. I should have known he wouldn't understand...
The stone cracked suddenly, a smile sneaking across Allen's features. He was smiling?
"Very good, Van."
Huh? Van was sure his eyes were larger than fists and his mouth scraped the comforter.
"I had to see how serious you were about this," Allen said gently, patting Van's shoulder as Van struggled to regain his composure. "You're stepping into a very controversial affair, Van. Same sex relationships do not receive warm receptions anywhere, especially between officials, nobles, and royalty. They're dirty little secrets. We all know it happens, but it's all pillow talk. Van, are you willing to throw yourself into that scandal?"
Van nodded. "I don't care what people say about me..."
"Do you care what people say about Dilandau? Do you think he'd care?" Allen demanded.
Van shook his head. "I care what they say about him... but... but I'll protect him, if he comes into this with me. And if he doesn't, I'll still protect him. I'll set everyone straight and let everything fall on me. I'll go down alone."
Van grimaced as Allen's strong fingers squeezed his shoulders too hard. "Good. Then we can truly get started, Van."
Van gulped and nodded. Now they were getting started? He'd spent days conversing with the knight. All of that was only a test to see how serious he was? Gah! Just how much time did Allen think he had before Dilandau actually gave him a heart attack?
"Allen! I could kill you!" Van shouted, punching a pillow instead of the chuckling blond man.
"Van, I had to be sure I was doing the right thing. I don't want you to get into anything that you can't handle," Allen said gently. "I had to get to know Dilandau a little more, through you."
"But Allen, I don't know him!" Van moaned, flopping onto his back. "I want to know him!"
Allen gave an odd smirk. "You know more than you think you do, Van. You're very observant, you know? If Dilandau walked into the room right now, just from the information you've given me, I know at one point he would go to your window and just stare out of it, forgetting you're here for a few moments. I know he prefers silk over cotton; that he's a vegetarian, that he doesn't care for dirty jokes, and that he doesn't smoke. I know he takes longer in the bathroom than he should and uses all the hot water without apology. His favorite fruit is strawberry, favorite color is red, favorite scent is..."
Van gasped, opening and closing his mouth. Good gods; he did know those things. Had he learned all of that just from watching, being near and listening?
Probably so.
"Van, you could write a fan book on Dilandau," Allen said wryly. "You know everything a boy should before he asks a girl out on the first date. The second is date is when you should know more."
Van's brow lifted. What was Allen saying?
"Van, if Dilandau was a girl, I'd tell you to ask him out... now," Allen said, "but since he's not... and you don't know how he'll react, I say... ask him on an outing, just you and him. Use the opening you gave yourself, take him to that clothing store and from there plan your evening."
My evening...
Van's mouth went dry. Yeah, he could ask...but gods... "What would we talk about when we got there? How do I entertain him afterwards? What..."
"Van," Allen shushed him. "If you really like him that much, what to say will come to you naturally, and if he likes you half as much as you want him to, he'll provide you with material."
But... Geez, Allen made it sound so easy, but easy was Allen Schezar not Van Slanzar de Fanel! This is my lesson!
Am I ever glad I'm not paying this guy!
"Allen! I need more guidance than that! You have to teach me small talk, banter, something to do if I get all stupid and tongue tied! Allen, stop laughing!"
Allen didn't even try to smother his "Ha, Ha's" at Van's expense. "Van... you're being ridiculous. Sometimes you just have to put yourself out on a limb. You don't want to come off as rehearsed. Just be yourself, and if he's not charmed by it, then take it a 'he's not impressed by you.'"
"And if he's not impressed by me?"
"You decide if you want to give it another go, or give up. Van, there are lots of people you're going to like, many people you're going to attempt relationships with, and only a select few you're actually going to succeed with. Part of growing up is falling on your face... quite a few times," Allen said with a chuckle, his expression soft and eyes light.
Van blinked. Well, Van was certainly always falling on his face in front of Dilandau. "Have you fallen on your face before, Allen?"
"Oh, dozens of times, let me assure you," Allen said offhandedly, face turning briefly bitter. "I still do."
Still? Van frowned, trying to recall a time Allen had made a fool of himself. The knight was always perfectly groomed and composed around everyone. He always knew what to say and rarely ever lost his cool– Unless Dryden was around, then he... Dryden! Dryden and Princess Millerna!
Van giggled and Allen rolled his eyes.
"So you really do have a thing for the Princess," Van commented, wiping his eyes.
Allen merely snorted. "She's only a girl."
"So's Hitomi, and you're with her," Van pointed out.
Allen's pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes a bit in thought. After a while he sighed. "I don't really know why."
Van jerked, staring at Allen. "What?"
"Hitomi," Allen said with another sigh. "I don't know what pushed me to kiss her. My feelings for her now don't match the ones I held for her that day on the bridge. The day I thought I'd made you hate me, but I was wrong about that, wasn't I? You..." Allen studied Van for a second, "...liked Dilandau then, didn't you? You've liked him since we rescued you from Zaibach. That's where it started?"
Van nodded, still letting Allen's revelation sink in. So, Allen wasn't in love with Hitomi. Van recalled when he used to be jealous of Allen because it was obvious Hitomi liked him.
I'm such a dope.
"I should have guessed," Allen said with a smirk. "What was it then? Was it that last fight? Were you attracted to his swordsmanship? Or was it..."
Van growled, cutting Allen off in frustration. "Stop it; it was none of that! It... had nothing to do with fighting."
Allen raised a blond brow. "Oh? Dilandau did things other than fight back then?"
Van glared, but slowly lost his aggravation at Allen's teasing smile. "He slept."
Allen didn't say a word.
"And when he sleeps, he looks like a god," Van whispered. "I couldn't kill him that day, Allen. I had the chance to slit his throat for Fanelia, but for the love of the gods– a god– I couldn't kill him."
Van lowered his head, letting dark hair obscure his eyes as he listened to Allen's soft breathing and the sounds of bed skirts rustling as the knight shifted. The bed gave a slight groan as Allen stood, straightening his long jacket and dusting his sleeves.
"Had enough of me?" Van asked, still not raising his head.
He felt Allen's long fingers in his hair. "No, not at all. I was thinking that we should find you something to wear. If you're going somewhere with Dilandau, you'll want to look your best. It is a custom to want your date to be the good-looking one in the relationship, but you don't want the scale to be so unbalanced people question your worthiness of accompaniment."
Van's head snapped up, staring at Allen in disbelief. "You're not serious?"
Allen's expression was grave and Van pressed a hand to his lips almost expecting a butterfly to escape. "You mean for me to ask him... tonight?"
"We don't know how long this peace will last, so yes, I mean for you to ask him tonight," Allen said simply. "Now, what material would you like to wear? We'll start there."
Van moaned, pulling a pillow over his face. What was it with beautiful people and being impatient? Nothing could ever wait for them.
Perhaps, being plain was a virtue for it brought patience with it.
There was a knock at the door and Van was more than happy to get away from Allen and open it. It was probably Merle... but then again, she wouldn't knock... He threw the door open without questioning his visitor's identity and tried not to gape.
Dilandau stood there as sublime as ever, soaked with sweat and heavy with an exhaustion that seemed to go beyond the physical.
Van blinked a split second, before pulling himself and closing the door. "What's wrong?" Something's happened. The hollows beneath Dilandau's eyes spoke volumes. "Are you ok?"
Dilandau stared at Van in faint surprise for a moment, ruby eyes going wide, before giving a shy smile. "Nothing. I'm fine, just wanted to know if I could use your shower."
Van frowned as Dilandau walked past him, looking toward his window and then to Allen, who stood facing him.
"Hello, Dilandau."
"Hi."
Van stared at the two, frowning at the way the sunlight hit them, setting their fair hair aglow and stressing the like manners in which they held themselves. Shaking himself from his paralysis, Van cautiously took Dilandau by the shoulders, ushering him toward the bathroom. "Allen and I were catching up; the shower's all yours. I... got new soap."
Dilandau shot Van an amused look, giving Allen a quick wave before disappearing into the bathroom and locking the door with a click.
Van leaned against the bathroom door, shutting his eyes against the sound of running bath water. He's taking a bath!
"He showers in here?" Allen asked.
Van nodded guiltily. Had he forgotten to tell Allen about that? As they spoke, Van was pulling open a drawer with some of Dilandau's clothes in it. He could feel the weight of Allen's eyes on his back and he turned slowly, holding a pair of black breeches and silky green top. "It's not what you think, Allen or else I would have told you."
Allen raised a brow.
"He uses my bathroom after practices to clean up so Folken won't be able to tell how much work he's been doing." Van laid Dilandau's clothes out on his bed and smoothed them out carefully. "It used to be maybe twice a week, but he comes in almost daily now. He started keeping a few things here to change into."
Allen closed the door to the closet, leaning on it elegantly with his arms folded over his chest. "Why doesn't he want Folken to know how much work he's doing? Folken called him here to work, didn't he?"
Van played with the small, black buttons of Dilandau's shirt. No one would say, and Van didn't dare to ask, but... "I think something's wrong with him. He looks... Well, you've seen how he looks, and Folken and his Slayers hover. They're really worried about him, Allen. I want to be worried too, but then Dilandau comes and erases my concern when he challenges me to duels and wipes the floor with my ass each time. No sick person could do that."
Van smiled, recalling the routine duels he had with Dilandau. He was getting better at countering Dilandau's attacks, but the other boy always seemed to have a hidden advantage. One day, Van would learn what it was. He liked it when Dilandau won. He loved seeing the exuberant grin he flashed at the moment of victory, but once, just once, Van wanted to take him down.
Damn manly pride.
"He has looked better," Allen commented, looking thoughtful. He opened the door to the closet again and walked inside, quietly inspecting Van's wardrobe, leaving Van to stare after him.
Allen had wanted to say something else, Van could tell.
"How are you going to ask him, Van?" Allen called out to him and Van cringed. What if Dilandau could hear them?
"Allen!" He hissed angrily.
"Then come to me, so we won't have to shout," Allen said smoothly, grabbing Van the moment he graced the closet's doorway. He tossed a silk button up shirt at him, pulling at the sleeves and matching the beige color against Van's skin. "That looks good on you, Van. I don't think you've worn that one yet."
Van shook his head negatively, folding the shirt over one arm. "And leather is always nice... if it's not too tight. Van, try these on."
Van blushed at the black pants Allen waved in his face, looking at Van as if he expected him to strip immediately in front of him. "Van, I've seen it all. Believe me when I say you don't interest me. I like softer things with more curves."
Van threw the shirt at Allen and snatched the pants from him. "Give me those, asshole." He stormed out of the closet, shutting the door on Allen and unfastening the wool pants he wore. He kicked off his boots and stepped out of the fabric as it pooled around his ankles.
Allen thinks he's so funny. Van really wasn't appreciating Allen's sudden sense of sadistic humor. Van grumbled to himself, so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't hear the knob turning on the bathroom door. "Hey Van, can I get... Oh..."
Van spun around instinctively, gasping at Dilandau who was staring at him, the corners of his mouth twitching up and down rapidly.
Pulling his long tunic down over his briefs and reaching for anything to cover his bare legs, Van apologized profusely as... Dilandau laughed at him.
"You've got the skinniest legs I've ever seen! I thought mine were bad!" Dilandau's weight was supported against the doorframe as he chortled.
Van wondered if his scalp had turned red too. "They're not that skinny!"
Dilandau laughed harder, staggering out of the bathroom and going to the clothes Van had laid out on the bed for him. Van turned this way and that, monitoring his movements while carefully holding his pants against bare skin. No way was Dilandau going to catch sight of his skinny legs ag... "Ah!"
Dilandau had grabbed his pants suddenly and yanked, leaving Van exposed. Van growled as Dilandau practically howled, waving his pants at him like a flag before letting them drop.
"Oh gods..." Dilandau panted, wiping his eyes and ignoring Van's humiliation. "I needed that..." Van swiftly picked his pants up off the floor and struggled back into them, only meeting Dilandau's eyes again when he was fully dressed.
He frowned. Dilandau's eyes still watered, but the mirth in them had faded. "Dilandau?"
"Hm?" Dilandau blinked, eyes clearing. He grinned at Van plastically. "Ah... thanks for picking something out for me. Silk and denim, huh? Interesting." Dilandau took the clothes from the bed and headed back into the bathroom. Before the door closed completely, he called, "Oh, by the way... Nice ass."
Once again, Van's cheeks flushed scarlet.
Nice ass. He said– "Allen?" Van reentered the closet to find Allen on his knees studying his boot collection. "Did you hear any of that?"
Allen looked up, the grin on his face answering Van's question. "Oh shut up... but did you hear him tell me...?"
"Nice behind?" Allen asked. Van ducked his head.
"Well, what do you think?"
Allen stood, holding the beige shirt and a pair of matching boots with buckles. "Those pants I gave you complete the perfect ensemble. Did you get a chance to try them on?"
"You still think I should ask? He just laughed at me and..."
"...and told me that he thinks you're fun," Allen concluded. "Dilandau looks like someone who needs to get out. When he finishes, you mention that you're going to get a new shirt and suddenly remembered that Dilandau had expressed an interest in doing the same thing."
Van's eyes lit up and he beamed. That was... "That's perfect!" He never would have come up with something so simple, but so suave on his own. "Allen, you're a genius!"
"I'll remember you said that," Allen said dryly, running a hand through his long hair. "Go ahead and change before he comes out, and act like you're ready to leave."
"But if I seem ready to go, he may think he'll hold me up and decline."
Allen shook his head. "No, he won't."
"What makes you think that? I know I would tell him to go on."
Allen frowned. "That's you, Van. Dilandau likes spontaneity. Anyone who's fought him knows that. You know that. It's why..."
"He always wins," Van finished. Damn, so that was his advantage, and this time Van was going to use it.
"Can I leave now, or do you need a pep talk?" Allen smirked at him and Van glared. The man was in rare form today.
"All right then," Allen said in passing. Walking to the door to see himself out, he turned. "Tell me how it went in the morning."
Van smiled. "Thanks Allen."
The door closed and Van got dressed, rehearsing the scenario Allen had given him in his head. He was analyzing his appearance in the long mirror, when Dilandau emerged, slightly flushed from the heat of his bath. "Who are you trying to impress?"
Van almost jumped; he gazed at Dilandau in the mirror. "No one," he said evenly. Listen to my voice! I sound so calm... But gods, I think I'm going to throw up.
Here I go...
"I'm going out to the marketplace to get some new shirts. I remember you saying something about wanting to see where I got that one shirt I lent you. You want to come with me? I could use company."
Oh my gods– that almost sounded normal, if you discount the small vocal inflection at the end.
Keep it together, Van. Keep...it...together. He watched Dilandau thinking it over in the mirror. The other boy ruffled his hair stylishly with his fingers, letting a few silver tendrils tumble into his eyes and studying his own reflection behind Van with a light frown.
His lips parted, and Van's stomach muscles clenched. Don't throw up... Don't throw up...
"Sure. Why not? I've got nothing better to do." Dilandau shrugged easily.
Suppressing a high pitched, "really," Van said, "Great. We can get something to eat afterwards too, if you want."
"New clothes and getting out of a boring palace dinners If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to seduce me."
Van's breath caught in his throat and he choked. Dilandau quirked a questioning brow at him and moved to open the door, peering around the corners cautiously.
"Hurry up, Van; lets go before someone comes to find me."
Marie sat slumped in her "thinking" chair, the lovely armchair they'd yet to return to Princess Millerna, with her hands pressed over her eyes. Folken stood at the lab table, rows of tiny vials filled with blood samples from servants and surprisingly curious nobles perched in front of him, mocking him silently.
None of them could be donors.
The blood of the nobles, including the Princesses and Dryden were poor matches, and the servant blood that did not clot and revolt against Dilandau's was too diseased to be considered.
If the blood was bad so was the marrow.
So much for the wide new range of donors they'd explored with such hope.
"If we were still in Zaibach, I'd consider engineering the blood and marrow," Marie mumbled. "But Dilandau's so delicate, too delicate. Fortune blood would probably kill him."
Folken gazed at her dully with a nod. Probably so. He swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to ignore the shallow hitch in Marie's breathing. The fiery red head doctor was not crying; she had not given up.
She couldn't. Not yet.
"We've overlooked something, I know..." Folken began, but Marie cut him off.
"We've looked over everything and more hundreds of times, Folken. There's nothing else. Dilandau needs bone marrow from a perfect matching donor. If he doesn't have that, he'll die."
Marie started at the sound of glass shattering against a wall. Folken held his real hand in the metal one, biting his lip on the hiss of pain that wanted to escape.
"Dammit, Folken." Marie's irritated voice was moving toward him. He felt a hand on his elbow, turning him and trying to take his injured hand. "If you're going to have tantrums with glass, use your metal appendage, you dolt!"
Folken let her lead him to the sterile white examining table, ignoring the bloody mess he'd made of the floor as their boots crunched over broken glass. Marie set his hand on the table, inspecting it while humming softly. "I won't really be able to tell until I pull the glass out, but you may need stitches, Folken."
Folken didn't reply and he remained where he was as Marie pulled up two stools for them to sit on and tinkered with the tools on the tray beside the table. She selected a pair of long silver tweezers and a bottle of antiseptic then folded a white towel in her lap. "Sit, Folken," Marie ordered gruffly. She took his hand again, surprising him by placing it in her own lap and turning toward him to do the work.
Steady fingers adjusted the position of his hand as they deftly wielded the tweezers to pluck at the glass slivers embedded in the side of his hand and in the palm. "You didn't insist I put on my glasses, Folken."
Folken raised his eyes to be met with a fall of golden russet hair. "You're close enough not to need them, and the slivers are large."
His voice was soft, toneless. The utter opposite of the turmoil that churned within him. He would never say there was nothing he could do; there was always something to be done.
But...
This time...
"Marie..." Folken whispered, trembling... He was trembling. Marie's face tilted up to him, green eyes dark with defeat and concern. "I've failed him."
"We," Marie stressed, "have done everything in our power to sustain him. We've bought him more time than he rightfully should have had. He knows that Folken... He's..."
"Don't say he's prepared himself for this; don't tell me he's grateful," Folken murmured, trying to take back his hand so he could turn away from her. His vision was blurring at an alarming rate, and he didn't want her to see him...
"Cry, Folken; it's ok," Marie said tenderly. She held his hand tightly enough to keep it in place, but gently enough not to cause more injury. Folken bowed his head. He wouldn't cry. Crying would crystalize his defeat.
It would be shaking hands with the victor.
"Marie, he's a child. He shouldn't have to be prepared or be grateful..."
"I know," Marie agreed. "But he's..."
"Lying," Folken interjected. "He's lying. Dilandau doesn't want to die. What kid is ready to die? He's counting on me, Marie, and... and..."
Something wet touched his cheek.
Oh no...
"It's ok, Folken," Marie encouraged the tears Folken fought to restrain to no avail. More salt water escaped his lashes.
Damn.
"Marie..."
It's over.
"...what do we tell him?"
He lost it then and he didn't flinch away at Marie's arms slipping around his back as he rested his face in her soft hair.
What do I tell him?
A lifetime seemed to pass, before Folken had cried himself dry. His head throbbed and his sinuses were clogged miserably. Marie was a bit reluctant to release him, patting his back before letting go.
Her face was probably as wet as his and her nose ran. Folken couldn't help but chuckle at her blowing her nose on the napkin she'd been using to catch his blood. She was such a lady.
Marie grinned weakly at him over the wadded towel. "What are you laughing about, snot face?"
Folken snorted painfully, making himself chuckle again and Marie shoved a clean towel at him. "We're a perfect mess, Strategos."
Folken sighed, cleaning his face. "Yes, we are."
There was tentative silence, before Marie cleared her throat. "Let me see your hand again, Folken."
"You're still holding it," Folken reminded her kindly.
"Oh." Marie let a dimple show briefly before loosening her grip on his hand and picking the tweezers back up. "Alright, I'm going after one the big ones; try to be still."
Folken held his body rigid, wincing at the pain of glass leaving his hand, tearing at the skin more upon exit. He shut his eyes at the burn of the antiseptic on the cuts. "I think you can get away with no stitches if I wrap this up tight enough, Folken."
Folken nodded, listening to the sound of Marie stretching a bandage and wrinkling his nose at the musty odor. She wrapped his hand quickly, securing the bandage with a adhesive.
"There you go."
Folken opened his eyes to study her work. Perfect.
Marie was right; she did wrap better than he did. He gazed at her again, finding her eyes on him. "Thank you."
Marie shrugged. "You should be more careful... and you've got a mess to clean up."
"Yes," Folken agreed. Neither of them moved.
"Folken..." Marie leaned forward. "I..."
The door opened and both of their heads snapped to see Pearce trying to turn on a heel and stalk back out of the room.
"Pearce?" Folken questioned.
"Ah..." Pearce froze, slowly whipping back around, his face full of apology. "I've interrupted something."
Had he? Folken gazed at Marie, who was busying herself with putting away the medical supplies she'd gotten out for Folken.
"Lord Dryden requests your presence in the King's conference room. Zaibach has destroyed Astoria's Eastern Border and is attacking the world powers on all sides. Aid is being requested from several countries that he's considering lending a few troops too, but his main concern is the Astorian ports that seem to be next on the hit list. "
"Lord Dryden disclosed all of that to you, Pearce?" Folken couldn't help but question the man.
Pearce cleared his throat, looking more uncomfortable than he had when he'd first entered the room. "He had me summoned, and I overhead it while I was awaiting his orders."
"Eavesdropping, Pearce?" Marie hooted from the other side of the room as she slid the antiseptic back on its shelf. "I never thought I'd see the day!"
Pearce rolled his eyes. "I was not eavesdropping, I just happened to overhear..."
"Yeah, sure," Marie giggled. "We believe you, man. No need to get so defensive."
Folken shook his head at her, barely suppressing an amused smile. He rose from his chair, cradling his injured hand before releasing it. "He wants to see me now?"
Pearce frowned, glancing from Folken to Marie and Folken found himself peering back at the red head too.
She leaned on the wall beside the shelves of supplies and grinned at them both. "He wouldn't have sent Pearce to fetch you if he wanted to see you tomorrow, Folken dear. You'd better go."
Folken blinked and opened his mouth to speak. Did she want him to go?
"I can go and tell Lord Dryden that you're indisposed and to give you an hour. I'm sure he wouldn't mind..." Pearce began, but Marie interrupted him.
"No. Folken, this sounds serious. You had better see what he wants from you, so you can figure out what you can give him."
Folken shut his mouth.
"Don't worry," Marie gave him a quirk of a smile. "I'll throw a tarp over your mess so that it won't be disturbed... and it'll be here waiting for you when you get back."
Pearce made a face and rolled his eyes, giving up on understanding them completely, and Folken chuckled.
"I wouldn't have it any other way, Marie."
He followed Pearce out of the room, closing the door behind him and wondering if the glass disaster would be the only thing waiting for him when he returned.
Allen stared straight forward as General Alloju read off a long list of casualties and damages to the Eastern Border. His grip tightened on his water glass as he thought about the Zaibach ambush and the slaughter that had ensued. No one had seen it coming and the cities couldn't call for help until it was too late.
The bastards had successfully invaded Allen's homeland and would probably move to occupy the harbor near the capitol, according to Folken.
The ex-Zaibach Strategos sat straight and stiff in a high backed chair with Gatty at his left. Neither Van nor Dilandau were in attendance of the meeting, leading Allen to assume that all had gone well with Van's plans.
If only I had suggested the outing a day earlier, we need Dilandau's natural knack of saying something brilliant right about now.
A battle in the harbor would be extremely detrimental to the economy. The capitol couldn't take another blow like it had from the Luck Soldiers' attack. Somehow, they had to change the venue.
But how could Allen redirect a war?
"This is going to be Gaea's first Great War," Captain Belcour was saying, "and Astoria must come out as one of the victors. We'll all be famous!"
"This isn't about fame; it's about avoiding a blood bath and the death of a nation," Gatty snorted. "If Zaibach takes us here, Pala is gone and Astoria's seat of power, influence and affluence will crumble. With it's backbone broken, Astoria will fall, and the other countries that look up to this nation will go under as well."
Allen raised a brow. The kid was no Dilandau, but he certainly knew how to get to the point.
"We've got to lure them away, somehow."
"And what do you propose we do? Leave a trail of breadcrumbs and promise treasure at the end of the path?" Captain Belcour asked nastily. "The enemy will not be deterred."
"So then they have to be defeated before they can move any further inland," Folken said calmly. "If the first and second battalions along with Sir Allen and his men and the Escaflowne are dispatched, I believe the first wave of Zaibach troops can be subdued, sending a message of warning to the second wave and delaying another attack. In the meantime, every soldier and melef will need to be briefed and prepared for war. This is it, gentlemen. Lord Dryden, you will need to send word to the Allies; let them know the final battle is at hand."
Dryden was pale, but he nodded at Folken's orders much to Allen's surprise. Dryden taking orders?– Allen thought he'd never see the day.
"The first and second battalions, Sir Allen and Lord Van? That's it? Are you holding the Dragonslayers as a second wave to be sent out if we should fail?" General Alloju asked. "From what I've seen, maybe the Dragonslayers should be sent out first with Sir Allen and Lord Van. The Western Border skirmish was quite impressive."
Allen looked to Folken and Gatty, frowning at the cold expression on Folken's face. "The Dragonslayers will not be dispatched."
"But why not? They're some of our finest soldiers..."
"And they've served their purpose," Folken said firmly. "They will not take part in the final battle."
"And you agree with this, Mr. Gatty? Does your captain agree?" General Alloju pressed, glowering at Gatty, bony fingers folded over each other, trembling anxiously. "If we have any chance at driving those beasts back..."
Gatty's blue eyes glistened and he shot a pensive look at Folken, before speaking hesitantly. "Lord Folken, perhaps the Dragonslayers can wait in the wings... with Shesta and I at point."
Allen frowned. What was going on here? It seemed as if they were trying to usurp Dilandau from his position of leadership. They had showed no pretenses of discord, before this meeting. But could Gatty taking Dilandau's place in so many of the forums play any part in the actions being taken now?
"No," Folken said. "The Dragonslayers will remain here."
"Lord Dryden..." General Alloju begged.
Dryden leaned his chin onto his joined hands, gazing at Folken curiously. "You've made me promise not to question your decisions when it comes to your charges, and I'm a man of my word, Folken. Though, I must ask you to reconsider at least once."
"I will not."
"This isn't a game..." Belcour exploded.
"No, it's not," Folken agreed. "Astoria has many able bodies ready to participate and fully capable of obtaining an Astorian victory. You have no more need of the Dragonslayers now."
"I want to speak to Lord Dilandau," General Alloju folded his arms over his chest. "We'll see what he says."
"Lord Dilandau's opinion will make no difference. He will do as he's told."
Allen snorted at that. Dilandau doing what he was told? That was almost as funny as Dryden taking orders.
"Lord Dilandau's opinion will make all the difference. You don't command the Dragonslayers, he does. Mr. Gatty, if your captain were to give orders to mobilize right now, what would you do?"
Gatty straightened, gazing at Alloju. "I would alert the men to our new orders and we would prepare for departure."
Folken was not able to disguise the anger clearly showing on his features and Allen's eyes widen at the display of outward emotion from the normally stoic man.
"Well... That's it then." Dryden clapped his hands together, gazing at Folken warily and trying to smile confidently. He didn't quite pull it off much to Allen's enjoyment. Dryden had to be nervous. After all, he was expected to be king in this situation. "As soon as Lord Dilandau returns, we'll have his say, and soldiers will be dispatched at dawn accordingly."
There was a clamor as Folken rose from the table in a flurry of long robes and official documents and strode from the room, letting the door slam closed on his way out.
Gatty cleared his throat as the room stared in Folken's wake. "I'll bring word of Lord Dilandau's decision as soon as possible, Lord Dryden. May I be excused?"
Dryden blinked and tested another smile, this one a bit more dazzling and reaching his eyes. "Of course, in fact... meeting adjourned. Preparations for first light will need to begin immediately. Allen, I'll trust you to inform Lord Van of what he's expected."
Allen rolled his eyes. "But of course."
Allen filed out of the room behind Alloju and Belcour moaning about belated decisions and absent captains. Gatty walked closely behind him, catching his elbow as Allen turned down the hallway that would lead him down to the rooms in which his men took lodging.
"Sir Allen?"
"Yes?" Allen stopped walking and faced the blond teenager.
"Do you... know where Lord Van is tonight?" the boy looked worried.
About Van?
Allen narrowed his eyes. "Why are you asking me where Van is? Did you need him for something?"
"Actually," Gatty shifted his weight and sighed, ducking his head sheepishly. "Lord Dilandau's disappeared, and he's not with anyone we're familiar with, so I was hoping that..."
"...I could tell you that he's with Van?" Allen finished.
"Yes. Is he?" Gatty's eyes were hopeful as was his voice.
Allen sighed, reaching out and patting Gatty's shoulder much to his own, and Gatty's, astonishment. "Yes. They went to the market place. Van said something about buying a new shirt. They probably had dinner too."
Gatty breathed a sigh of relief and Allen almost chuckled. From the way Dilandau's troops clucked over him, one would think the boy was dying... Folken too.
Dilandau's appearance earlier in Van's room came to haunt him, and he recalled Van voicing the same thoughts he'd just had... and now Folken doesn't want him to fight.
"Is there something wrong with Lord Dilandau?" Allen asked, catching a retreating Gatty by his elbow that time.
Gatty stiffened, a muscle beside his mouth twitching. "Isn't that much obvious?" Allen blinked, opening his mouth to explore the topic further, but before he could form the words, Gatty was leaving.
"I'll see you at dawn, Schezar."
Brat.
Allen ran a hand through his hair and resumed his trek to round up his men. They had the Crusade to load, Scherazade to check over, and then there was the Escaflowne...
Dispatch at dawn.
Hm... Allen wondered if Van had it in him to stay out all night?
Author's Note: All right, so that's it. What's the verdict? Like it?-Hate it?-Don't care either way? Let me know. Please review! I love feedback :). Oh, the one-shot that follows is Van and Dilandau's "date." It doesn't have to be read to understand the next chapter, but it's a fun read :)
Reviewer Responses:
Lady Nightmare: Hello! Wow, you read it all in three days? You're good! I'm glad you liked it and thanks for dropping me a line. Take care!
Cyn, the leather winged demon: Hahaha, the most perfect thing you've ever read huh? Wonder if you still think that after this chapter. Gah, but it had to come out before I could do something more interesting. Hehehe, well... I've had a lot of concern from people about the V/D thing... I have a strange gravitation toward it, but I'm not a romance writer and I don't go for make-outs and lovey dovey stuff. The occasional flirt and pillow talk is the most you'll probably get from me. All the same, you might not want to read the one-shot that follows. Anyways, I am so glad you liked the story and Dilandau's comment about Martin Isaac. I thought I was the only one amused by it ;). Im glad you like that I'm weaving this story around the series. It's the whole point of writing it. I didn't like the way the series ended, it was rushed...and Dilandau turned into a woman... must...fix..it... Lol. Thanks for reviewing girl and take care. Hope you're still with me after this mess lol and hope to hear from you again!
Kou-Kageru: Hehehe, yeah Allen claims he doesn't believe in Zaibach's unnatural practices, but ever think the man may be afraid of needles? Lol! Sorry the thought just struck me and I had to say it. Yeah, I figure Gaddes would be the man Allen could open to and seriously value his opinion. Lol! Dilandau's epiphany of breakfast with Van would be hilarious. I've tucked it away for something a little later on ;). Hahaha, you'll get to see what Allen will do when he finds out his relationship to Dilandau in Chapter 24, and his reaction...lets just say, it's one of the reasons I'm writing the story lol. I so couldn't rush that... so if Chapter 23 is a let down... it's because events from chapter 24 were supposed to be here to spice it up, but..yeah. Dilandau's acceptance of his condition is questionable. Maybe he's so calm because he's in denial. I mean, Folken can work miracles, can't he? He wouldn't really let Dilandau die ;). So now you see what he does when faced with hard reality. Hmm.. The sorcerers making their subjects adverse to normal treatments is something I hadn't even thought about. Maybe so lol. Talk to you later chic. I know you'll send me hate if you hate it and love if you love it lol. I trust you! Take care!
Haruko: Lol Miguel's chat with Van will come in Chapter 24. Everything is coming in Chapter 24. I'm already nervous about Chapter 24 lol! Yes, Viole does have a serious side, but only people closest to him get to see it. And yes, Allen and Dilandau have a lot more in common than looks. I was being kinda subtle with their comparisons, but in the next chapter when Allen brings them to light... Eh, I'll shut up. Hmm.. Allen and giving Van advice. I see it as this way: sometimes people do things to help others that they wouldn't do themselves, and as long as it doesn't affect you directly, you kinda don't care. Hehehe, in other words, wait til it affects Allen directly. ;). We need bone marrow actually, but the process of extracting is rather painful. You still game? Lol! Thanks for reviewing girl and take care!
Strangedream: Allen is gaining a sense of humor, but the question is... do the other characters appreciate it? ;). I really don't want Allen to be the jerk no one likes in the story, so I'm trying to give him a little personality. Steal my fruit line and die... lol, kidding. Lol! Oh no, I'm predictable, you knew he would reject the blood. Actually, you probably just know I'm mean, so of course I couldn't let something good happen this early in the game ;). Glad you like the series parallel with Valeska and Jajuka. Though I've moved away from the basic Escaflowne plot, I have not left the settings of it, so you'll see more series events in chapters to come as I get into the Destiny War. Thanks for reviewing! Take care and I hope you had mercy on this chapter lol.
Pocketfirefairy: Lol. Poor Viole doesn't even get a chance with Heather before I have to get him away from her? You're mean chic, lol. Thanks for reviewing. Glad you got the Escaflowne DVD. Take care!
Omnipotent Pyro: Oh yeah, if Gatty told the old Dilandau he looked like a pansy heads would roll, lol! Yup, Dilandau's still as much of pyro as he was before, but he's been in places where setting things on fire would not make good impressions on the natives you want to house and feed you lol. Thanks for reviewing chic, and I hope this chapter was ok for you. Check out the one shot ;). Take care!
Macky: Thanks. Merle.. I keep thinking of ways to put her in, but I never really planned on making her a big part of the story. I'll see what I can do. Thanks for reviewing. Take care!
Jhaylin: Lol, you were expecting Miguel's reaction to be funny, I bet? Nah... Viole's reaction to something like that would have been funny; Miguel's too "woe as me," lol. Allen giving a blood sample– whatever for? Lol ;). Thanks for reviewing! Take care!
S.P. Vinter: I'm so glad you liked the previous chapter, and I hope you could sit through this one. It was a little dull, but I promise bigger and better things for the next chapter. Hehehe... Van is no Romeo, but he tries so hard. I do hope you check out the one-shot featuring Van and Dilandau's "date." ;) Haha, I tricked you! You thought I was honestly going to let the transfusion be a success? I'm too evil for that. Muhahaha! Wow you asked a lot of questions... If you e-mail me some, I'll answer a few ;). But all I can say now is a lot will be revealed in Chapter 24. I'll try not to takes months on it lol! Thanks for the great feedback. Take care!
Skippys Cat: Hey friend! So I finally got it up, and now I get to hear what you have to say about it. I kinda wanted you to read it before I posted, but then I'd miss out on a review. (I like looking at the number count lol). Now do you see what I mean about the chapter dragging and not being an attention getter? It's like an unending interlude gone wrong lol. Ok...on to comment on review, though I think I told you everything in e-mail. Hah, I love your comments on Allen being blasted by Dryden. Dryden's such a fun character, but he's hard to write. I've never quite been able to peg him. And Viole gets along with everyone... maybe even Allen, of Allen gave him half a chance. After all, Dilandau finds Viole amusing, and Allen will find that he and Dilandau have a lot in common. Haha...no Viole/Miguel, but there is a DillyVan. One-shot :). Hehehe, Dilandau's epiphany of his discussion with Van at breakfast... will use that ;). Yes Dilandau is going to tease Folken about Marie for the rest of his life ;). Lol! Maybe his revenge will have something to do with it too. ;). Hmm...Folken giving love advice. That would be funny. No offense to Folken, but he'd probably ask Van questions. Well, as I said, I'm anxious for your comments. Tell me it's not as bad as I think, or blast me to pieces, I don't mind. Either way Chapter 24 is the big chapter :). Thanks for your wonderful feedback. Love ya chic! Take care!
Squizles: Hahah, well thank you for the long review. I'm honored for it to be the longest you've ever written. Author's love long reviews ;). I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Miguel/Viole scenes are always fun or interesting or both for me. Guimel and Dallet are fun too, I can't wait to do their one shot :). Take care girl and thanks for reviewing.