AN: Another Chapter for all you lovely people. Sorry it took me so long to update, but I kind of lost steam there for a while. Updates may be slow for a while, hopefully not this slow, but I will be updating. The story isn't done yet! So I really hope you enjoy this long and extremely overdue chapter. Again, sorry about the wait. Please don't kill me.
Disclaimer: I only own Arathnia, and the characters from there. I do not own Escaflowne, even though I wish I did.
* mark dream sequences.
- mark visions.
The Past, Future, and Somewhere in Between
Chapter 12 Sanctuary: Caladonna
Night had fallen over the sky, blanketing the Earth in the cold cover of darkness. Hours had passed by, and the small group had easily discovered a safe place to camp. A large vacant cave served as their shelter from the icy grip of the night air. They had managed to get a fire going, which helped warm the cold stone of the cave. It was large enough to house them with no difficulties, even with the horse Folken was dragging along with them. The entrance to the cave was slightly blocked by the remains of what seemed to be some kind of rock slide that had occurred recently. There was barely enough room for all of them to squeeze their was into the crevice. Fortunately, that also meant a lot of the creatures that stalked the forest at night were unable to reach them without them taking notice. This fact helped set Hitomi's mind at ease.
As usual, Hitomi found herself unable to sleep. She had tossed and turned restlessly unable to take comfort in their surroundings. Something seemed amiss, and she couldn't shut her mind off enough to allow her some refuge. The majority of their group had fallen victim to their slumber hours before. Folken had taken first watch, and had fallen asleep not too long after he settled down next to Tarnum. The child had shifted in his sleep and curled himself up next to his father, tucking his small thumb between his lips. Hitomi couldn't help but smile at the sight. It was very sweet. It was strange to see the soft side Folken tended to keep well hidden being drawn out in such a way. She turned to look at Yukari. Her best friend had been the first to fall asleep and was currently snoring away, her arms tucked under her head. She chose to sleep as close to the fire as she could without the possibility of overheating. Hitomi couldn't help but chuckle at this.
She sighed sitting up and stretching her tense back muscles. So much had happened in such a small amount of time that it was rather overwhelming. The new information plagued her every thought as she desperately tried to fit the pieces together along with her visions, but nothing made sense anymore. It all mashed together into a pile of rubble. Something had to change, something that would help her put those delicate pieces together. There was no sense in any of it. Then again, this was more complicated than she had originally though. Too many unknowns were present, too many things she had failed to predict. Tarnum being one of them. Her visions had been happening mostly in her dreams, which frustrated her. It made it that much harder to figure out information. It also didn't help that it wasn't always the future that she saw. Sometimes it was images of things that had already taken place. It was strange, and she was determined to figure out the meaning of it all. But what was she missing?
She looked over towards the entrance of the cave, her eyes falling upon the sulking figure of her love. Van was posed, leaning against the stone wall, his hand gripping his sword loosely. He stared out of the crevice of the entrance, the pale moonlight washing over his face, illuminating the sharpness of his features. It was strange that the sunlight could not penetrate the thick foliage, but the moonlight did not seem to have the same problem. It was rather intriguing. The young king sighed, and he ran a hand through his messy hair. He was just as frustrated as she was. Maybe about the same things. His curiosity probably matched her own more than either would let on. It was extremely obvious to her that he was deep in thought. About what, she wanted to know. That was one thing she was going to find out.
Hitomi pushed herself up onto her feet, and shuffled her way over to Van. Silently, she took a seat on the cold ground across from him. She tucked her hands in her lap to keep from fidgeting. "What's going on Van?" She asked tilting her head to the side slightly. It seemed like a very basic question, but how else could she expect to start a conversation with him. Sometimes subtlety is necessary in order to figure out the path of another person's thoughts.
"Nothing," Was Van's short reply his grip on his sword tightening slightly. Other than that, the young kind didn't move an inch. His eyes remained firmly in place peeking out of the crevice.
Hitomi tucked her hair behind her ears and let out another sigh. "Look Van, I know you a lot better than you think I do. I can tell something is bothering you," She stated reaching out and placing her hand over his even as it gripped his sword. "Just talk to me," She stated softly. When she received no reply she frowned. This was no going as well as she had hoped. "Please?"
Van turned to look at her and let out a sigh of his own. "Alright," He stated placing his sword down on the ground beside him. "You win." He his hands through his hair again, messing it up more than usual. "It's just so confusing. I hate Folken, but at the same time I can't hate him. All the things he's put me through and all the things he's kept from me, I can't help but feel that there is more to this story he is telling us. Something he doesn't want me knowing," He explained leaning forward, resting his arms on his knees.
She shrugged, "I don't know Van. I agree that something seems off, but I don't think it could be that bad. What could there be for him to hide?"
"I'm not sure, but I don't feel that I can trust him,"He replied honestly. "There are just too many unknowns. I don't want him to hurt me again."
She nodded in understanding, "I know."
"I don't even know where we are. I keep thinking that he may be leading us into some kind of trap. Handing me over to Queen Brahne or something like that. I don't know why, but that's where my mind keeps going. What if, you know what I mean," He explained quietly, his voice hoarse and raspy, probably due to the lack of sleep.
Hitomi placed her hand on top of his, "I don't think that he would do that. Why would he drag us so far away from our original course? Besides, General Avanon has been to this place and he doesn't seem to be worried. I think you need to have faith in some people."
Van scoffed, "Speak for yourself.
She sighed, "Look Van, being so suspicious of everything can't be good for you. You need to learn to trust people," She said tucking her hair behind her ears. "Not everyone is out to get you. Some just want to help, and my gut tells me to trust Folken," She explained watching him intently.
It was hard to gauge what he was feeling. He held that emotionless facade so well that you could barely see the cracks in the stone. However, it was his eyes that tended to give him away. The one thing he couldn't disguise. He was struggling with himself, tormented by the past events that had shaped his life. Shaped the man, the king, he was becoming. His eyes were so uncertain, lost. There was more to this than he was letting on, but she didn't feel the need to press him for answers yet. She was content with his silence. It proved to her that he had indeed heard what she had to say and took it into some consideration.
"You should go back to sleep," He stated turning his gaze back out the crevice, watching for some unknown danger to present itself.
She shook her head, "No, I would rather stay up with you," She replied honestly. "I haven't been sleeping well, hard time keeping my thoughts at bay," She confessed a small blush creeping over her cheeks.
He nodded and patted the stone floor next to him, "Come sit here then," He stated glancing at her before looking back out that crevice. It was as if he was daring something to come and attack them.
She stood taking the few steps towards him before settling down on the ground beside him. She couldn't help but lean against him, resting her head on his shoulder. He shifted slightly in order to get more comfortable. She could feel that he was tense. For what reason she wasn't entirely sure, but she knew it definitely was not her presence that caused this. But she decided not to dwell too much on it. Sitting in the silence, it didn't take long for her to drift off to sleep.
Hitomi was jostled awake in the early hours of the morning by the sound of hushed voices conversing very close to where she slept. She opened her eyes, squinting when they were assaulted by the thick stream of sunlight that poured in through the crevice. There was a dull ache in her back from where she had been sleeping on the hard stone floor. She was curled up on her side, her head resting on top of her bag with a cloak draped over her body. She couldn't recall moving it or retrieving these items. She smiled. She was sure Van had something to do with it. She stretched her cramped muscles as her eyes adjusted to the light. She pushed herself up into a sitting position letting the dark fabric pool in her lap. Her movement shook the sleep from her body. She was able to recognize the hushed voices as Van, Allen, Folken and General Avanon.
None of the men looked very happy. The four men seemed to be in a intense conversation about something that was very important. It peaked Hitomi's curiosity. She rose to her feel and shuffled over to them cautiously. She managed to creep closer without being seen or heard. She wanted to hear their conversation without them taking notice of her presence. It just made them downplay what was going on to shelter her from unpleasant things. It was frustrating and extremely annoying. Once she was in earshot, she crouched down behind a boulder making sure that she was compact enough that they were unable to see her.
"Look it was an accident," Van spat narrowing his eyes at Allen.
Allen scoffed, obviously not impressed by the young king. "You have to be more careful Van. You're lucky that no one was hurt," He scolded crossing his arms over his chest.
Van visibly winced at the tone of his voice, but quickly got over it. Following that, his faced morphed into a scowl. "Don't speak to me like I am a child," He spat turning around to leave the group separating himself from the conversation.
"I wouldn't have to if you stopped acting like one," was Allen's swift retort.
Van turned back to the knight, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword. "You want to take this outside," He seethed dangerously.
Allen took a step forward and grabbed a hold of his own sword. However, before he could make another move, Folken grabbed a hold of Allen's wrist. "Both of you calm down," He snapped glaring at his younger brother. "We shouldn't fight amongst ourselves," He stated firmly turning his gaze to Allen, daring him to disagree.
Allen snorted his hand falling down to his side. He didn't look pleased at Folken's interruption. "Folken's right," General Avanon agreed, "It makes us look weak."
Van nodded, "Start packing up, we should leave as soon as possible," He stated looking straight at the General. Wordlessly, the General left the group and wandered over to the rest of their party to speed up the packing process. Van then turned to his older brother. "How far are we from this place anyway?" He asked crossing his arms over his chest.
"If we leave soon, we should reach Caladonna by mid-afternoon," Folken replied coolly. "We probably shouldn't stay out in the forest for more than one night. Especially if something has taken an interest in our presence," He advised before turning and following the General's path.
Van shot a glare at Allen before turned around to head back to the entrance to the small cave where Hitomi had been sleeping. However, she was no longer where he had left her. He sighed picking his cloak up off of the cold stone floor. He shook the dirt off of it before folding it over his arm.
"What's going on Van?" Hitomi asked letting her presence be known. She stood from her crouched position behind the boulder. She brushed the dirt off of herself, looking at him expectantly.
Van simply sighed picking her bag up off the floor. Without hesitation, he handed it to her. "Here."
She nodded taking it, "Thanks," She said shouldering the bag, used to it's weight.
Silence passed between the two teens for a moment before Van decided to speak, "I fell asleep while I was on guard duty last night," He stated coldly. His lips pulled back into a thin line showing the displeasure of his actions clearly on his face. He looked down at the ground, kicking some of the dirt at his feet.
"Oh," She replied following his gaze to the floor. She was surprised to see that there we small reptilian footprints in the dirt. They weren't very prominent, but if you look hard enough, you could make out the edges of them. Whatever had intruded on the cave hadn't been very big, or heavy. Hitomi's eyebrows knitted together in thought. "Looks like we had a little visitor last night," She remarked kneeling down next to the prints.
Van nodded, "I know," He responded flatly. Obviously he was not impressed or amused by this fact. "That's why everyone is so on edge."
"Oh," She found herself repeating. She forced herself back to her feet, brushing the dirt from her knees, "Is anything missing?" She asked tucking her hair behind her ears. It would not be good if their things had been taken.
He shook his head, "Nothing of importance," He began running a hand through his unruly black locks. "Just Yukari's shoulder bag. The little satchel," He added to be more specific. He watched as their comrades gathered their gear, preparing for their departure.
"Her purse?" She asked raising her eyebrow in curiosity.
He nodded stiffly, "I believe that is what she called it," He replied leaning back against the stone wall crossing his arms over his chest. "She was not very happy about it."
Hitomi couldn't help but chuckle at the mental recreation of the red-heads reaction. "No I bet she wasn't. She probably pitched a fit," She added stifling a laugh.
"Pitch a fit?" Van asked giving her a strange look.
She cleared her throat quickly composing herself. "It means to be upset, I guess," She explained coming up with no other terms that could explain it.
He nodded, but she could tell that he didn't quite understand. "I suppose it makes sense," He agreed walking over towards the rest of their party.
Within minutes, everyone had gathered their things. Folken packed quite a bit of their gear on the back of the horse, which he had managed to squeeze through the crevice the night before. This took a lot of the burden off of some of their men. He also sat Tarnum a top the white steed. The child seemed content to play with the soft hair of it's mane. Hitomi was amused by how oblivious he seemed to the grown-ups around him. She had yet to speak with Yukari, but the red head seemed more subdued than usual. Hitomi just left her be. If she wanted to talk, she would come to Hitomi on her own.
Folken was the first to leave the cave, pulling the horse behind him. It easily slipped out of the crevice making way for the others to follow. Once again, they were on their way.
The sun was high in the sky, breaking through the rapidly thinning trees and beating down on the group of travelers pushing on through the foliage of the forest. The moist heat remained trapped between the canopies, making it smolder and the sweat drip from their brows. The air ahead shimmered as the heat reflected the drying moisture from the ground that had formed over night.
Yukari cried out in surprise as she tripped over a protruding tree root and falling to the ground with a dull thud. She cursed slamming her fist down on the dirt covered ground. "That is it!" She yelled throwing her hands up in the air in defeat. "I have had enough of walking through this bullshit!" She screeched looking up at the tree tops above them.
Their group stopped, turning to look at the exasperated red head. Hitomi sighed walking back to her friend. She held her hand out for the other girl to take, "Come on Yukari, you can't give up now," She stated trying to reason with her.
Yukari simply shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest, "No. I am not taking another step!" She argued defiantly. "I am sick and tired of walking. I am convinced that we are walking to a place that doesn't exist and that we are going to die in this retarded ass sauna!" She complained adamantly.
Van rolled his eyes, "This is getting ridiculous," He spat walking over to the two girls. When he reached then, he squatted down in front of Yukari, "Get up!" He hissed through clenched teeth. "You're acting like a child and I do not have the patience to deal with you. We are all suffering from the heat and the exhaustion of this journey, but you don't see us giving up."
Yukari snorted and turned away from him, "Yeah right."
Van sighed pinching the bridge of his nose and rising to his feet, "How much farther Folken?"
His brother raised his sword and swiftly cut through the curtain of leaves that blocked their view. Just beyond that curtain of leaves was a clearing. Within this clearing was a worn dirt path that led even further into the forest. On either side of the clearing, were other paths that had been cleared through the foliage. It was easy to see that someone traveled those routes, and quite frequently.
Folken surveyed the scene before nodding, "I'd say another half-hour. I found the path," He stated tugging the reins of his horse and surging forward through the opening in the leaves.
Hitomi let out a sigh of relief, "See Yukari, only another half-hour. You can do it!" She encouraged a smile stretching across her features.
Yukari shook her head again, "No! I said I wasn't taking another step, and I meant it!"
"Well we can't leave you alone in the middle of the forest!" Hitomi cried growing increasingly agitated by her best friend.
"Oh enough of this childishness!" Merle yelled reeling around to glare at the red head. Her tail puffed up, signaling her level of annoyance. "Get up before I make you!" She hissed narrowing her eyes at the other girl.
Without warning, Van wrapped his arm around Yukari's waist, hoisting her up into his well muscled arms. With cried of protest, he slung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He grunted from the added weight before following his brother's example. Yukari cried out in outrage, beating her fists against his back, "Let me down you asshole!" She screeched unrelenting in her assault.
"If you want, I can take her mi'lord," General Avanon spoke up as he fell into step beside his king.
Van shook his head, "No," was his short and irritated reply. He just wanted this journey to be over and done with. The sooner they reached their destination, the sooner that desire would come to fruition.
After a few minutes of walking, Yukari began to tire and her efforts to escape ceased completely. She sighed in annoyance, a displeased look on her face. Hitomi couldn't help but chuckle as she followed behind the two other teenagers. Her friend was no impressed with being 'manhandled' and forced along on the remainder of the quest. Their trek continued on as if the disruption had never occurred. However, It was easy to tell that their group was growing more and more weary as time stretched on. Who knows how much longer the rest of their party would endure the scorching heat before pulling similar antics.
They walked for what seemed like hours before coming to a sudden halt at another curtain of leaves. As they had walked, the trees surrounding them had thicken providing a bit more protection from the sun and the temperature had cooled off a few degrees much to everyone's relief. Unlike the other curtains of leaves they had come across in the past, this one was several layers thick. It was as if it had been put there on purpose. Folken stopped in front of it, making no effort to move the foliage from blocking their path.
He turned to them, "I think we should rest here for a bit before venturing further," He suggested sensing everyone's exhaustion. He was used to walking through the scorching heat of the Arathnian days. However, his comrades were not. "It's still a bit of a walk from here."
Van sighed in annoyance, "No, we have waited long enough. We are going to keep moving," He ordered.
"Stop being such a brat Van," Allen spoke up. "You don't need to throw your weight around every time something doesn't go your way," He added leaning back against one of the tree trunks that sheltered the pathway.
Van sighed dropping Yukari down onto her feet. The red head let out a sigh of relief as she came in contact with the ground. "Must I do everything myself," He hissed gripped the hilt of his sword, quickly pulling it from his sheath.
"No Van," Folken snapped as the young king raised his sword to cut through the curtain of leaves that blocked their path.
Van groaned in frustration, dropping the hand holding the sword down to his side, "What now Folken?" He seethed, glaring at his older brother.
Folken cupped his ear with his hand, "Listen."
Silence gripped the air as their group strained to hear. To their surprise, the sound of rushing water reached their ears. It sounded a fair distance away, but it was enough to prove that they were close to something. Van stepped back eying his brother with suspicion. Without any encouragement, Folken peeled back the rather thick leaves and revealing to them a magnificent sight.
The leaves had been sheltering this place from view. It was a lush valley surrounded by the protection for mountains on all three sides. To the west flowed a river which entered the land from over the mountains. The beautiful waterfall was what their ears had picked up before Folken had parted the curtain. Trees, grass, and other brush covered the ground. To the east it was more rocky, and mountainous. The trees peppering the mountains were larger in this area. The mountain stretched out, hanging over the valley beneath. Near the edge of this cliff, a top the mountain, was a large rounded building. It looked just like the homes in Arathnia, but much larger and whiter. A large golden spiral curled upwards towards the sky from the midpoint of the roof. A large stone staircase lead the way up to the building. It was partially hidden by the rocks and boulders of the mountains. A stone path lead the way to some smaller buildings along the rocks in the valley. The stone path lead from this small cluster to that large staircase. It reminded Hitomi so much of Arathnia itself that it was rather eery.
"Here we are," Folken stated helping his son off of the horse and pulling the animal along as he walked through the trees.
The other members of their party looked at one another before reluctantly stepping forward as well. They all seemed to be astounded by the beauty of this hidden oasis. Some wondered if it could just be a mirage and that it would disappear as they moved closer. However, it was most definitely real. There were people wandering about, most dressed in either dark blue, or white robes. Among these strange figures, children ran around happily, playing amongst the stone and wide open fields. Was this some kind of hidden village? What was the purpose of this place? Were some of the thoughts drifting through the minds of the group.
To their surprise, Tarnum rushed ahead of the group. A jovial smile spread across the young boy's face as he ran down the path and through the grass towards the other children and the stone staircase. The child seemed very familiar with the terrain and seemed to glide across the ground. He ran up the hills to the stone steps. He looked back briefly before catching his father's eyes before scaling the steps with little or no difficulty. He rushed up to a cloaked woman. Unlike the other adults in this area, her robes were white but were stained with red triangles at the seems. It appeared to be some kind of tribal design. The woman knelt down enveloping the small child into a hug. The happiness radiating from him was slightly infectious. They followed Folken as he followed his son's path up the stone staircase, although not with such a great speed.
"You should never wander off on your own," The woman lectured Tarnum as they drew closer. "The world is not the safest place. Do you understand young one?" She asked resting her hand on his shoulder.
Tarnum nodded before looking down at the ground in shame, "I'm sorry," He mumbles, a frown creeping onto his face.
As they approached, the woman stood, clasping her hands in front of her. A friendly smile appeared on the her face, "Folken," She stated warmly. Her voice was deep with such clarity to it, but somehow, it seemed to fit. It was a contrast to the soft and gentile was she had been speaking with Tarnum. She walked slowly forward in order to meet them. She came to a stop directly in front of Folken. She placed her hands on his face, and to their surprise, he seemed to relax at her touch. "How are you my child?" She asked sliding her hands down his face and resting them upon his shoulders.
"I am fairly well Freya," He replied as the same soft smile appeared on his face at the words. However, that smile did not reach his eyes.
She frowned at this. Her eyebrows knitted together as she inspected his face. Her expression reflected one of such seriousness and concern. "Such sadness inside you," She stated softly brushing some of the stray hairs from his eyes, "It so unlike you."
He pulled away from her touch, "I do not wish to speak of such things now," He explained looking around at his companions before turning back to her, "Especially not publicly."
She nodded knowing, "I expect to hear about it later," She stated firmly before turning away from him and back to the group that had gathered around her. "Who do we have here?" She asked her hands falling down to her sides in a less formal stance.
General Avanon was the first to react. He stepped forward, kneeling down on the ground before her. He gently took her hand in his much larger one. "Mendelev Avanon, first general of Fanelia, at your service m'lady," He introduced himself placing a gentle kiss on the back of her hand.
She smiled pulling her hand from his, "Yes, I believe that we have met before," She replied with a nod, "You may not remember, I looked much different then," She stated smoothly.
He gestured back to Van, "And this is my king..."
"Van Slanzar de Fanel, king of Fanelia," She finished for him, turning her head as if to gaze in his direction.
"How did you know my name?" Van asked resting his hand on the hilt of his sword. She did not reply to his question. This annoyed Van. 'What did she have to hide?' Van eyed the woman suspiciously, "Lower your hood," He nearly hissed, his eyes narrowing at the hooded woman.
Folken glared at his brother taking a step towards him, "How dare you..." He began, but the woman cut him off.
She held her arm out in front of his chest, instantly silencing the former knight. "It is alright Folken," She stated gripping the fabric of her hood with both of her hands. "Anything for the dragon king," She added with a slight bow.
The woman carefully lowered her hood. What lied beneath the fabric was not what Hitomi had pictured. She was much older than she had originally anticipated. The lines in her face adding nothing but character to her already warm and friendly visage. Her long hair was pulled back into a elegant braid, with flowers and leaves intertwined with the thin strands. The bright shade of white held traces of silver which shone under the brightness of the sun. Her skin was rather pale giving her a kind of supernatural quality. The most peculiar thing about her was the thin piece of ivory cloth that was secured over her eyes, blocking her ability to see. However, the way she moved, and the gestures she made were done with such clarity that it made it hard to believe that she could not see. The sheer fluidity of her movements made it almost impossible to believe. It was definitely strange. Tribal markings adorned her arms, stopping at the base of her neck. The blueish green markings stood very visible against her alabaster skin. It was unclear if the designs were permanent or not, but either way, they were rather intriguing to look at.
Another woman suddenly appeared at her side. Where she had come from, it was unclear, but she stood still as a statue faithfully at the older woman's side. She was bald, all except for the long ponytail at the top of her head. The dress she wore was thing and swayed with the small breeze. It hung of her thin frame making her seem much thinner than she actually was. Her eyes were cold and calculating as she stared at their party suspiciously. It was obvious that she did not want them there. Her arms were crossed over her chest. Similar tribal markings circled around her neck and down onto her chest and arms. It was easy to say that they most likely covered her upper body. You could see the container or some kind of weapon hanging on her side. What kind of weapon was the question. It was too small to be a sword, but too large to be a dagger. It was a complete mystery.
Yukari wrinkled her nose at the sight of the two woman. She leaned towards Hitomi, "What is with the cloth on her face?" She asked quietly.
"How should I know!" She whispered harshly in return.
"She's blind," Folken stated in annoyance. He was unimpressed with the two younger girls. They looked up at him curiously before turning their attention back to the blind woman in front of them.
"I demand that you answer my question," Van stated still glaring at the woman.
"You do not speak to Lady Freya That way!" The nearly bald woman spoke up suddenly. In an instant, she pulled her weapon from it's sheath on her side. It was a metal rod. She spun around, her hair swinging as she extended the rod and held the end of it at Van's throat, "I will not tolerate insolent behavior," She seethed glaring at the young king.
"Raven!" Freya barked turning her head towards the younger woman. "You do not treat our guests that way," She snapped disapprovingly. "Disrespect is not tolerated."
The girl named Raven looked down in shame, pulling her staff away and hit a button shrinking it back to it's original size. "I apologize for my outburst your greatness," She stated with a small bow. She stepped backwards, not lifting her eyes from the ground. It was strange how subdued she became almost instantly, that such a small woman had such influence over someone.
Freya nodded in thanks before turning back to Van, "I was a good and loyal friend of Balgus, and also, your father Goau," She explained clasping her hands back in front of her. "I used to be a highly revered warrior. A general of Arathnia, one of the first women to ever accomplish such a feat. I trained with Balgus. He was my confidante," She continued, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"You were a warrior?" Van raising an eyebrow.
Freya nodded, "When I could see," She added before turning to General Avanon. "I was one of the warriors that brought you to this place," She stated gesturing to the wonder surrounding them. "It was thanks to me and my ties to my birth place that allowed you to live. Your kind nature also helped."
General Avanon's eyes widened as this new information sunk in. "Wow," was all he could muster.
Freya then turned her gaze back to Folken, "When Folken was brought to me, I knew who he was immediately," She began resting her hand on his shoulder. "It was impossible for him to hide his Draconian ancestry from me," She stated bluntly, her head turning in Van's direction.
Van shivered knowing that, that statement was intended for him. "Who are you?" He asked suspicion still evident in his stance and his wine colored eyes.
"I am Freya Orunitia, High Preistess of Caladonna," She stated so loudly and so clearly that it rang out and echoed amongst the cliffs of the canyon below them. "And this is my domain," She concluded much quieter gesturing outwards with her arms.
Merle's ears perked up curiously, "High Priestess?" She repeated sniffing the air curiously still unsure of the woman before them. It was Van's skepticism that seemed to set her on edge as well. She was always very in tune with the king's emotions. She always had been.
"Yes," A strange female voice piped up from the steps behind them.
Their group turned to see another young woman walking up the stone staircase. She was very beautiful, and much younger than the High Priestess that stood before them. She didn't look much older than Hitomi herself. The girl's hair well to her shoulders in luscious golden curls that framed her heart shaped face. Her eyes were a dark shade of violet that seemed to pierce through you as if she could see right into your soul. There was also a certain childlike liveliness within them that made her seem very friendly. Unlike the other woman, her skin bore no tribal markings on her arms or chest. Instead, she only had one small tattoo marring her slightly tanned skin. There was a small faded crescent moon carved into her forehead slightly above her eyebrows. The lines were very lightly coloured, but still very visible. She carried a large woven basket balanced on her left hip. The basket was filled with pristine white fabrics. Not a single mark seemed to mar the piles of fabric. They were perfect.
Merle hissed at the girl's sudden appearance, her fur sticking up. The cat girl's ears flattened as she glared at her. The other girl didn't seemed to react to this outward display of hostility. "Who are you?" Merle asked her nose wrinkling up.
A smile graced Freya's lips as she gestured to the younger Caladonian, "This is Salia," She began as the blonde came to stand next to her. She ran her fingers through the younger girl's hair before resting it on her shoulder. "She is a Priestess, the next in line for my position should I perish. She is also my daughter," She explained fondly, the happiness and pride evident in her tone.
Salia nodded her head in their direction, greeting them all at once, "Hello," She said with a small bow, a sign of respect.
"Nice to meet you," Hitomi greeted with a bow of her own.
It was then that Freya's attention was drawn to Hitomi. She seemed to stare at her intensely before she raised her hand and pointing her bony finger at the younger girl, "You," She stated, her eyebrows furrowing in thought.
Salia turned her her mother, her expression confused, "What's wrong mother?" She asked before turning her gaze to the girl from the Mystic moon.
"You are Hitomi Kanzaki," She stated taking a step towards her. "The seeress from the Mystic moon," She continued reaching her hand out to Hitomi.
Hitomi couldn't help but nod, "Yes ma'am."
Freya took another step forward, "Take my hand child," She invited, that warm and gentle smiling curling the corners of her lips.
"Don't do it!" Yukari cried jumping forward slightly.
Folken turned to glare at the girl, "She will not harm her, so remain silent," He hissed in warning before turning back to the women in front of him. "She sees something within her that has peeked her interest."
"I do not bite," Freya added with a small laugh. "Come now dear."
Hesitantly, Hitomi reached her hand out and placed it in Freya's well aged one. Suddenly, there was a bright flash of white light as their skin connected. In an instant, Freya's head snapped back and her body shook with an unknown energy that seemed to be filling her. Her mouth twisted, and a strange language ripped form her throat forming words that seemed to have no meaning. Hitomi gasped and wrenched her hand from the older woman's grasp. The shock was evident on the teenager's face. Salia rushed to her mother's side as the light dissipated and the High Priestess collapsed onto the stone ground beneath her feet. Her breath came out in heaving gasps as she fought to regain control of her body.
"Mother, are you alright?" She asked, supporting her mother's back and she quickly forced herself up into a sitting position.
Freya nodded patting Salia's hand in a comforting fashion, "I am alright dear. Thank you," She replied forcing herself up onto her shaky legs. She looked at Hitomi an amazed expression washing over her face, "Amazing," She stated to no one in particular.
Confusion washed over their party, and Hitomi eyed the High Priestess with curiosity, "What's amazing?"
"You have extraordinary power," She explained tucking some stray strands of hair behind her ears.
Hitomi's confusion was not satiated. However, before she could probe further, Raven's voice suddenly interrupted. "Jack!" She called out in happiness.
The group slowly turned towards the practically bald Priestess. At her feet, was the smallest dragon anyone had ever seen. He was a light shade of yellow. He stood about two feet tall, with a rat rat like body. He was long and lean with a long and stiff tail. His scales had nobs about his knees and elbows. His arms were small and clawed like that talons of a bird, and he stood on his hind legs. His neck was long and his eyes were a bright shade of orange. The long snout and large ears gave him this creepy cuteness that was hard to resist. The scales on the insides of his wings were stained pink which he hid as he hurriedly tucked the appendages into his sides. His jaws were clamped shut. His face resembled that of a baby alligator with the way his snout shut and slit pupils of his eyes. It was definitely a curious creature. His eyes were wide as he felt everyone's gaze turn to him. In a flash, he maneuvered himself so that he was sheltered behind Raven's leg. The squeak that echoed from his throat alerted the group to his frightened state.
Yukari's eyes widened as she noticed the small brown bag hanging from the creatures claws as it cowered away from them. She clenched her fists as her sides before storming towards the small creature, "You little rat!" She yelled, "That is mine!" She screeched diving between the woman's legs in an effort to grab the creature.
He squeaked avoiding her hands and running over towards Folken. He climbed up the former knight's leg and jumping onto the boulder just behind him. He looked rather smug, holding the purse up higher as if to taunt her.
Raven rolled her eyes crossing her arms over her chest, "Jack," She said her voice taking on a bit of a lower tone, "Give it back," She ordered as Yukari pushed herself back onto her knees.
The small dragon snorted before slinking off of the boulder. He did not look pleased. He cautiously crawled over to the red head. He eyed her suspiciously and sniffed the air before handing the small brown bag over to her. Yukari grabbed it, ripping it from the creature's hands. He yelped at the sudden movement and scurried up Raven's robes, settling comfortably on her shoulder. He was a little big to do so, but managed with little difficulty.
Yukari narrowed her eyes at him, "Thank you," She grumbled standing back up and clutching the purse tightly to her chest.
Hitomi couldn't help but chuckle at this, "So this was the little visitor that had found us last night," She spoke up stepping closer to Raven to get a better look at the tiny dragon.
"He is my scout," Raven stated taking a small step backwards. It was safe to say that she did not trust their presence as easily as her leader. "He told us you were coming. That is his job."
Salia shook her head, "Yes, but he is not supposed to steal things," She added not amused by the small creatures antics.
By this time, Freya was back on her feet, dusting off her robes. She smoothed down her hair making sure that the cloth around her eyes was still secure. "I suppose you are all tired. May I suggest heading to the dining hall so that you can fill those empty stomachs of yours," She suggested gesturing to a decently sized rectangular building sheltered by some of the trees near the round building.
Folken smiled, "Now that sounds like a good idea."
Over an hour had passed by while their group stuffed their faces like pigs as food was laid out in front of them by the many priestesses. The atmosphere was jovial and the laughter danced among their ranks. It was a relief to have such a smorgasbord laid our for them. It was better than the rations that they had been eating for the last week and half. The only reprieve they had, had was their brief stay in Arathnia. Unlike his comrades, Van ate very little. It wasn't that we wasn't hungry, but he was still skeptical and unsure of their placement in this land. He excused himself from the room once he had finished his meager portion. Something about this place wasn't quite right, and he couldn't put his finger on it. At times, he felt safe and protected, and other times he did not. It was enough to put him on edge. With this on his mind he wandered outside of the dining hall, leaving his friends to continue their feast without him. He had, had enough of watching them make fools of themselves.
To his surprise, Freya sat on one of the rocks overshadowing the valley below. She seemed deep in thought. Her unseeing gaze seemed locked on the darkening sky as if it held some kind of secret that she was trying to figure out. There was something peculiar about the High Priestess, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. She was just too familiar, like he had met her before. If he had, he would have remembered.
"Is there something I can help you with your majesty?" She asked not even bothering to turn her head as if she could see him. Her gaze remained transfixed on the rapidly darkening sky.
Van jumped slightly at the sudden sound of her voice. He hadn't expected her to notice his presence. He cleared his throat before he spoke, "No thank you," was his short and polite response.
A small chuckle slipped from her lips at this, "Tell me this young king, is it often that you lie to people?" She asked finally turning her head in his direction.
He was taken a back by her question. His eyebrows furrowed in suspicion and confusion. What was this strange woman talking about. "What do you mean?" He probed resting his hand on the hilt of his sword just in case. It was better to be cautious then completely ignore his instincts.
Freya slid off of the rock and stood her full height, "I sense your unease around me," She began clasping her hands together in front of her. "I can assure you that here, you will not be harmed," She continued taking a couple steps towards him. "Here, you are safe," She concluded stopping about two feet away from him.
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because in this land, I am ruler," She stated bluntly. "Queen Brahne has no power here," is how her explanation began. "Here is where we teach the Arathnian children. Caladonna is known as the holy land, and in the holy land it is a crime to spill the blood of another. War is something not permitted within this sanctuary. You need not fear. In Caladonna, the High Priestess is queen, not Brahne," She explained gesturing outwards towards the beautiful scenery that surrounded them. "This is the one place that she can never get her greedy little hands on."
Van looked around them still feeling unsure. Her words were comforting, but there was still a question of doubt within his mind. Queen Brahne had shown to be nothing but conniving, and he would put nothing passed her. "How can you be so sure?"
"Only a person who shares my bloodline can rule here. Caladonna has been ruled by my family since the beginning. My older sister passed the torch to me when she died fifteen years ago after I lost my sight, and I plan to pass it onto my daughter when I pass on. And she will pass it on to her oldest, and then that child will pass it on to their child," She continued, a small smile tugging at her lips. "If it is not this way, this place will cease to hold it protective magic that shelters us from the world out there," She explained pointing her boney finger up over the mountains. "I want you to feel safe here Van Fanel. I will to everything in my power to ensure your safety while you stay here," She concluded resting her hands on his shoulders. "You have my word."
He nodded as the uncertainty that plagued him began to dissolve. He sense the sincerity in her words and the strength of her conviction. There was no doubt in his mind that she was being anything but genuine. It was then that he could see the reason why Folken had brought them here. There was a overwhelming feeling of peace and calm that enveloped this place that he had previously been blind to. His suspicion had clouded his judgment. He reached up resting his hand on top of hers, "Thank you, Lady Freya," He stated a smile forming on his face.
She nodded removing her hands from his shoulders and resting them at her sides, "If blood is spilled in the holy land, Queen Brahne would have to answer to me and would be dealt the appropriate penalties. I do not permit such barbarism to be exposed to the children before they have a chance to live out their childhood. This is why they stay here, only going home when their parents see fit," She explained turning her head to look down at the little cottages spread out below the mountain, "Their innocence needs to be protected."
Van nodded in agreement, "That's the way it should be."
She turned her head back to him and smiled, "I am glad you feel the same. Now I must prepare your sleeping chambers. You should eat some more, you did not have enough dinner," She stated turning to head into the round building beside them.
He couldn't help but chuckle at this, "Yes ma'am."
"Hey none of that," She stated slightly offended. "Just call me Freya."
"Of course," he replied with a smirk, "Freya."
She smiled, "Glad to see you are loosening up," She said with a wink before disappearing behind the stone doors of the temple.
AN: Yay! I am done that. I had to actually re-write about half of this because I copied over it. How annoyed was I when I realized that? Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it, and got a better understanding of things. If you have any questions you can always ask me. I would be happy to answer as long as it has nothing to do with the plot. More Folken to be explained in the next chapter.
Next: Exposed: The Truth Pours Out
Response to Reviews:
Ashlie: Well, I am glad that I got you hooked. I apologize again for my lateness at posting this chapter. I really need to work on getting on some kind of updating schedule. Also, I am glad you enjoy how I portray Folken. I always thought his character fell kinda flat in the series.
C.A. Penny: Thank you for your kind words.
Aye-know-hah: Well, I hope there is more coming soon.
Again, sorry about the long gap between updates, but I so plan on finishing this story and now I have more determination than ever to work on this story. Thank you all for sticking with me. I swear you won't be disappointed.