Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ By the Hand of Destiny: Book One; The Journey to Destiny ❯ Chapter Seven: Destiny ( Chapter 7 )

Lord Folken has discovered several aspects to Destiny's abilities. Will he ever willingly let such a woman get away from him? What of Demitri, how has life aboard the Vione affected him and his feelings for Destiny. And Kuja, he has now had a small taste of Destiny's ability, will he want more?

The arrival of a Zaibach sorcerer signals the arrival of danger, not only for Destiny, but for Dilandau and Hell as well. Folken must arrange a demonstration of Destiny's abilities for the Sorcerer, only enough to satisfy the man, not enough to show her true strength. A banquet is arranged for a lecture on military tactics, but also as a stage to demonstrate Destiny's abilities. Her task," To make Dilandau uncomfortable." But seating Hell across from the leader of the Dragon Slayers was the easy part…

Chapter Seven: Destiny

Written by Fanilia

Folken had stopped his visits for a couple of days as he was occupied with the scheduled arrival of a Zaibach sorcerer. It was also a good sign that my journey hadn't been noticed by him. The first day alone I spent sleeping, trying to regain my strength on my own since I had decided not to tell Demitri that I had done such a dangerous thing. I knew from past experience that I couldn't continue to use my abilities without both the strength I needed and the release I required for the build-up of the emotions that threatened to burst from my mind. It had happened once before, as Demitri had reminded me back in the glen. That seemed so long ago, but in truth, it had been just a matter of days, not the weeks, no months, that it felt like.

The second day I felt better, so I spent my time exploring with my mind, since Folken had given up drugging the food, it wasn't hard to do and even though I knew it was again starting to drain me, I needed to know more about my surroundings. Folken was watching I knew, but I hadn't made for much of a show since I never entirely left my body in my explorations. I checked out the minds of the guards at my door, sometimes they would be regular guards, but at times there would be Dragon Slayers posted there the minds of those men were much more disciplined. Even Hell had been posted there, much to my surprise; she must be gaining respect among her comrades. I wanted very much to talk to the woman, not because of the mission given to me by the Old Ones, but just to talk to another female. I had even made an attempt, but the Slayers orders were the same as the guards, to guard not to have personal contact with the 'guest'. I did use Hell's closeness to get a better look into the assassins mind. The woman's attachment for the bloodthirsty leader of the Dragon Slayers was growing, as was Hell's internal conflict concerning her assignment to kill him. I smiled, there was a heart buried there deep in the woman and it was breaking the layers of ice that held it trapped. But how I was going to get those two together without either one ending up killing the other, I still hadn't a clue. An opportunity would come up and then I would know what needed to be done.

Today Demitri was allowed to visit, and I was both apprehensive and happy to see him. I reluctantly told him what Folken had learned, mostly from the mistakes I hadn't realized I had made. I kept my voice low, but then I wasn't saying anything that Folken didn't already know. I did though leave out the reason why Folken had chosen the emotions he had, I felt bad enough with out letting Demitri know that Folken had used him against me. And I found I was embarrassed when I told him about the Slayer Kuja. I also didn't tell him of the journey I made to the forest, he already suspected that I had been using my abilities too often, and I didn't want him to feel the need to give me the release my emotions needed, the idea of being watched by Folken, while I mated again with Demitri was too much for me to handle right now. Besides, I had started to regain my strength and balance on my own.

I was also glad to find out that Demitri hadn't been treated badly at all, in fact Folken had loaned him several volumes on magic from his personal library.

"No, I didn't tell him about my skills in magic, he knew, I did have an enchantment around our camp, and he broke it to capture us."

"You don't seem very upset about that, why."

"It takes a lot of ability to break an enchantment, and mine are very good. I'm learning a lot here, but I'm sorry it's at your expense, Destiny."

I understood it seemed that I wasn't the only one to let things slip; Lord Folken had been gaining information from Demitri also. He had even gotten Demitri to talk of his obsession with the Mystic Valley. Most of the people of Gaea didn't believe of its existence, and during a conversation with Lord Folken, Demitri had told him of his dreams and the winged woman while trying to make a point. "He became very interested at that point, Destiny and asked, no demanded that I describe her to him."

"Well what happened?"

"By that time I had realized that I had said too much, but it was too late not to finish, besides, it's just a dream after all. Isn't it Destiny?" Demitri replied to me as I was sitting there by him. "When I told him, I could swear he turned pale, and then he left. But the strangest thing was that I thought I heard him say something as he was leaving, I don't think he even realized that he spoke out loud."

"What did he say?" I asked when Demitri didn't continue.

"I'm not positive, but I could have sworn he said Mother."

As if a silent queue had come from the Old Ones themselves, there was a knock on the door, followed by Lord Folken entering. He wasn't alone, accompanying him was a small darkly robed man. I used my ability to quickly assess the stranger as the two approached, then chided myself for being so stupid. Lord Folken had known I would do that to the man, I could tell by the look I received from him. The man was all dark, bitter flavours, evil to the bone. I almost shrank in response as the two drew closer to where I was seated by the now open window with Demitri.

"Lord Omadon has come to meet the guest of Emperor Dornkirk." Lord Folken said as the small man approached to take my hand.

"She is exquisite, no wonder it took you so long to file your report, Lord Folken, I would find it hard to share this one if I had her:" Omadon replied as he still held onto my hand despite my attempts to pull it back. I already knew he wanted me from the brief contact I had had with his mind, but not as a woman, he wanted to dissect me for want of a better word. He also wanted Dilandau for the same reasons, which made me fear him even more.

"There will be a dinner tomorrow night in honour of our guest and to brief the Dragon Slayers on military tactics, things you wouldn't understand, but I would like you to accompany me all the same. These things tend to get long winded and it would be nice to have a little distraction." Lord Folken looked directly at me as he spoke, the hidden meaning evident in his eyes. I knew that I would be providing the distraction and that Folken hadn't been referring to just my company. I wondered briefly what he was up to, but the two were leaving and I was relieved to have the small evil man out as quickly as possible.

Lord Folken turned once more as he exited the door. "Demitri I left a volume in your chamber, I think you will find it quite interesting."

"Thank you, Lord Folken." Demitri replied as the door closed.

I looked over at Demitri curiously, had that been respect I had heard in his voice?

"Don't look at me that way, Destiny, I have learned more since I've been here than I did in the entire five years I spent at Temple, and don't you try looking in on my mind."

I was shocked, where had the last of that come from, "What, I've never gone in your mind with out your consent, and would you keep it down, you know they are watching me." I whispered angrily and hurt; what was wrong with him?

"I'm sorry Destiny, it's just that I've been starting to wonder, Zaibach is a great power here in Gaea, we could be a part of it, you and I, we…" Demitri trailed off at the expression on my face.

"They would use my abilities to their own ends."

"The Old Ones use you to there own ends and I don't see them protecting you, look where we're at now. Did the Old Ones try to stop it, if it weren't for Lord Folken, you know as well as I do, some sorcerer like the one that just left would have put an end to you instead of trying to understand you the way he has." Demitri stood; his voice had risen almost to a shout, he was clearly angry for some reason, reaching out to grab me. He pulled me up and into his embrace, the look in his violet eyes stormy and possessive. I could see that he was going to kiss me, and that he expected more to come after the kiss.

One thought ran through my head 'He's mad at me because of the experience I had with that Slayer Kuja.' I pulled away shaking my head slowly, "No, Demitri, not now, I can't."

Taking no notice of what I was saying to him, Demitri closed the small space between us to kiss me. I stood there and allowed him the kiss, but I didn't respond in the way he wanted me to. He finally broke off and looked into my eyes for a moment before stepping away with a sigh. "I'm sorry, maybe I should leave now, it's just that I want you safe, Destiny, you mean a lot to me. Here I could learn enough magic that one day I could keep you really safe, not like in the glen when I thought we were safe."

I waited till Demitri had left the room with one of the guards stationed at my door, then went to the bed, flung myself on it, and cried. I was hurt both by the way Demitri had talked to me and by the fact he had expected me to mate and link with him just because he had wanted it, because he was jealous of what the Slayer had felt with me. I had been afraid of the emotions I would have found in him during the link. Zaibach, no Lord Folken was changing Demitri and I was afraid I was loosing my friend and companion; that he would become a stranger, wanting to use me like the rest.

I fell into a fitful sleep as the confusion swirled through my mind. I must have slept through the night and into the next afternoon still needing the rest, but not really getting any.

"Wake, little one."

I could hear the soft low voice calling me back from the tormented dreams I was drowning in. Dark sensual dreams containing the emotions I had been forced to experience the last few days. In my dreams I reached for the voice calling me, pulling the owner close to me. By the spirits I needed release, to share myself in the way I had denied Demitri. I sighed and in my dream state pulled the voice even closer. I linked instinctively, but as the emotions of longing and passion began to invade the mind of the other my dream state was shattered. Folken.

My eyes flew open. I found myself back in the bed of my chamber with Lord Folken, he was almost completely on top of me, not of his own making, but because I had my arms wrapped tightly around him. He was smiling at me, a smile that said he had indeed received and understood the emotions I was feeling. The link was still there between us and I was confused and embarrassed. I quickly commanded him to leave as I withdrew from his mind.

Folken stood as my arms relaxed and released their hold on the tall man. Without a word he turned and headed for the door. He had his hand on the knob, about to leave when he stopped, and slowly turned back to return to the bed where I now sat. As he approached he pulled a small orb from his cloak passing his hand over it and touching it in two places. "I want this conversation to be between the two of us only." He said as he replaced the orb back into his cloak. "That wasn't my emotions you influenced just now, that was a direct command, to leave, had you understood what you had done, I don't think I would have even realized that it wasn't my own idea. This is new for you, isn't it Destiny?"

I couldn't speak, I felt as if I had indeed done some terrible wrong, influencing emotions already there, or sharing emotions through a link was one thing, but to command another was taking away free will, and it was wrong.

"It will never happen again." I whispered as a lone tear slid down my cheek. "Why have you come?"

"This conversation isn't over, Destiny, later we will talk about this again, but I did have a reason for coming. I had almost forgotten all about it when you welcomed me here so warmly." Folken smiled, as my cheeks flamed red. "Tonight I would like to see a demonstration of your influence, something subtle, no fireworks, just a little diversion to make a dull evening more interesting."

"Tonight?" I asked confused, wasn't the dinner tomorrow? He paused for a moment before he continued.

"Destiny, you slept the reminder of yesterday and much of today away. Does using your abilities always drain you so?"

"Yes." Was the simple, murmured reply I gave him, "But you didn't come here to talk about that, and I am fine now. What is it that you want me to do?"

"Make Dilandau uncomfortable."

"Lord Dilandau?"

"Yes, he's been rather annoying lately, and besides he always acts like he could care less at these functions."

"All the Dragon Slayers will be there then?" I asked as a spark of an idea came to my mind; yes the way had shown itself and at the strangest of times.

"Yes they will all be there. I see something spinning around in that pretty little head of yours already," He paused, "Well."

"Seat the female Slayer across from him. I believe her name is Hell, do that and I will provide the entertainment you want."

I sat in the banquet room next to Lord Folken again wearing one of the Dragon styled dresses Lord Folken had provided for the evening. This one was black and purple with red piping, a complement to Folken's attire. I also wore my hair drawn up loosely knotted on top of my head and a pair of earrings, purple teardrops that hung from my ears. The outfit was not only to mark me as off limits to any man there, but also to give the impression to that evil sorcerer that Folken had control over me, in a way to protect me from him.

I spent most of the evening avoiding any conversation with Lord Omadon as I pushed the food around my plate. It wasn't that I had to avoid most of the foods served to avoid the emotions linked with them; it was just that the bland food really was bad. Some military man had been giving a lecture on tactics, one that seemed to have been going on, and on. He had lost the attention of most of the Slayers there, and when Lord Dilandau pushed his chair back from the table slightly to stretch his legs and then returned to the rigid upright position he had maintained through out the meal, I knew the time was right for me to begin.

I reached with my mind and into the mind of the woman, Hell. She was seated at the table directly across from Lord Dilandau, where I had asked Folken to have her. First I encouraged the boredom Hell already felt at the long lecture. Then I found a small knot of emotions that were wondering what it would feel like for Hell to touch the man across from her. Not in battle, but to feel the warmth of his skin. I encouraged those feelings and added some mischief to them. I was rewarded by the idea that formed almost instantly in the woman's mind. At that moment Hell and Dilandau made eye contact and sexual heat flared in Hell's mind. Dilandau raised an eyebrow in interest as a small smirk tugged at Hell's lips. I withdrew as I had the impression of Hell. She first unclipped and then slipped out of one of the boots she wore, her bare foot making contact with the man across from her.

Lord Folken smiled and nodded at me as he watched with interest the effect that the game between the new Slayer, Hell and her Commander, Lord Dilandau and the result it was having on the leader of the Slayers. Although Folken couldn't see what was going on under the table he had a very good idea. The game ended as suddenly as it had started with both Hell and Dilandau taking large swallows of the drinks before them. Hell looked around as if trying to determine if anyone had noticed. She seemed relieved, that was until her gaze fell first on Lord Folken with his smug smile and then on me. I simply smiled back at her and returned my attention to the food on my plate.

With the task completed I hoped that Lord Folken would leave me to finish my meal, then let me leave. I was still very wary of the sorcerer Omadon seated on Lord Folken's other side. But I also knew I had to know more about this man, the fact he wanted both me and Lord Dilandau disturbed me, making him dangerous. I entered his mind with mine, again repulsed at the bitter flavours there. To my surprise I found all of his attention was not on Dilandau or even me as I had expected it to be, but on Hell. He was furious that the woman was still alive; that Dilandau hadn't killed her, as he should of by now. He was sending for another to complete the assignment and he had to alert both his contacts in Zaibach and in Astoria to this turn of events.

A gentle nudge brought me back with a start, I had been in Omadon's mind a lot longer than I should have been, and long enough for Lord Folken to guess at what I had been doing, but not with whom.

"Destiny, you look fatigued, I will have you escorted back to your chamber now." Then turning to a Slayer seated several spaces away, he ordered, "Kuja, please escort the Lady Destiny to her chamber."

"Yes sir." The Slayer replied as he stood at attention and then came around to accompany me.

"Lord Folken, I would ask that Demitri please be allowed to visit me tonight, I had words with him yesterday and find that I won't be able to sleep properly till I have had a chance to make amends." I hoped that Lord Folken would take me at my word or perhaps he would remember the need I had been feeling earlier when I had accidentally linked with him. Let him think I need fulfilment I didn't care for I needed Demitri tonight, as a cover, with then new information I had gained from the mind of Omadon; I needed to risk going to Blade. I had done it alone the last time, but the possibility of getting caught was still sharp in my mind, so I didn't want to risk it again. There were questions that needed answered and some of those answers were in Asturia; Blade would have to go there right away.

"Yes I will see to it, I wouldn't want you waking up again as you did this day."

I got up and followed the Slayer Kuja out of the banquet room, hoping that my neck wasn't as red as my face was. As we walked silently to my chamber I could feel Kuja taking small sidelong glances in my direction. When we reached my chamber I turned to Kuja, "I am truly sorry for what was done to you the other day."

"Don't apologize, sweet lady, whatever it was, and I won't even try to understand it, it was beautiful and has been filling my dreams at night since. No one in this place will ever hurt you as long as I am around." The last part was almost a growl as he said it. He leaned in to me and lightly kissed my lips, an act very unbecoming an elite Dragon Slayer. He then gently pushed me into my chamber. He closed the door and took his position there to await my normal guard to return.

I leaned against the closed door and sighed.