Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Under The Same Stars ❯ 1.4 Van Fanel ( Chapter 4 )

A/N: I give you the astounding fourth chapter, in which Celena and Millerna join forces to drive the Bank of Asturia into bankruptcy, are ultimately forced to enter the organised crime underworld to pay for their debts and curiosity kills the proverbial cat. The promised fire-breathing dragon won't be making an appearance, and thus Millerna lives to see another day and I get to use two more names from Full Metal Alchemist, yay! XD

Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves so far, and knowing that is one of the best things in writing! Thank you for all your critics and encouragements! Sorry if updates get more irregular from now on, but we're entering the part I haven't fully written yet and real life has taken an unfortunate turn for the worst...

Enjoy! Arrivederci!

 

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Part 1 : Innocence
Chapter IV : Van Fanel

 

A full week passed and before she knew it, Celena was unpacking her bags in the room assigned to her at the Castle in Palas, hoping she had enough time to ready herself before the reception to the Fanelians. She had no idea about at which time of the day they would arrive, all she did know was that it could be at any minute now. False fever alarms and over-protective brothers had managed to delay the trip to the Castle up to this very day. But life was smiling down on her, this stay here would do her good, and she had someone of whom she didn't know anything to thank for it - the Prince of Fanelia.

 

Her search for books on Fanelia among her brother's collection had come up with no results. All she could find were maps with an uninteresting variety of geographical information, but nothing on the culture itself. Now, she would have to resort to the next best thing: gossip with Millerna during her full two week's stay.

 

She hadn't seen the Princess yet, but guessed she'd be coming up her door any minute now, telling her how late she was and to hurry up. In fact, why not play a little game? She bet to herself that if it took more than ten minutes, Millerna wouldn't be coming at all. Positioning the clock on her nightstand so she could see the minutes passing from where she was, she continued preparing herself.

 

Knock knock

 

There. Seven and a half minutes, the Princess was getting slow! She abruptly opened the door with a bright smile and was only too embarrassed to find a young man there. “Yes?” She asked meekly, hoping her blush wasn't too noticeable.

 

“I have a message from princess Millerna, my lady Schezar.” His talk was a completely business-like one and Celena wasn't sure if he could altogether see her, despite the fact his eyes were turned her way. “She politely requests that you join her outside the Castle's main gates to go down to the city.” He bowed at the end and, after her acknowledgment, scurried down the hall to take care of whatever other businesses he had.

 

She walked back in and looked stupidly at her reflection in the full-length mirror hanging on the wall opposite of the bed. “That was rushed... And I thought I was late! Why does she want to go to town at this hour? I take back what I said, Millerna! You need to slow down”, she told her counterpart.

 

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Celena was not unfamiliar with the vast halls of the Asturian Castle. Being a close friend to the Princess, both had spend a great part of their childhood exploring every corridor and secondary passage.

 

The building itself had been constructed over one of the many channels that came from the sea and criss-crossed the city, but not all of that water was confined to the lower levels - the interior dock where the Royal Ships were harboured alongside the most important military vessels. A good portion of the waters actually made it to the other side of the Castle, conducted through special canalizations - fountains and small interior pools along the way included - or isolated corridors, where one could admire their crystal clarity. Celena thought that it had been a brilliant idea from the architects who'd designed the place, for it beautifully brought out the essence of the littoral country.

 

Two of such corridors could be found flanking the main staircase and that had always been one of Celena's favourite spots. She inevitably paused at the bottom to admire the streams, when a call from behind caught her attention.

 

“Celena!” Millerna was at the top of the stairs waving at her, with a young maid in toll carrying a rather large and heavy-looking box. “Oh, I'm so glad you could come! It's wonderful to see you again!”

 

“Same here, Millerna. But you didn't have to be so hasty, I'm staying for two weeks.” Millerna had put on some high heel shoes that were considerably slowing down her descent. Finally she made it to where Celena was and they were able to share a friendly hug. “Aren't you supposed to be waiting for the Prince of Fanelia to arrive right now?”

 

“No, that was earlier today, the reception just ended. And I'm not hasty, my friend! Since I have to go to town I thought I might as well go with my good friend Schezar, what's wrong with that?” That made them both giggle. Celena knew the Princess had something of a crush for her brother and the use of her last name had become a small recurrent joke between the two. Millerna would teasingly say that the main reason she was her friend was so that she could get closer to Allen, and Celena would reply that her reason was so he would get off her back.

 

“But shouldn't you be with them still? And what do you have to do in town?”

 

“I'll explain everything on the way, come on.” Celena just nodded and walked the remainder to the main entrance with Millerna and her handmaiden. There, they were joined by a guard who would be serving as escort to the Ladies and driver to their transport. Millerna quickly gave him the directions and they were on the move. “Oh, you'll never believe what happened! Do you remember Maes?”

 

Celena had to think for a minute before images of Millerna's last birthday came to mind. Maes had been a gift, she couldn't remember of whom, and he'd been a sweet-looking blue kitten, too shy and too sleepy to even unfurl his fluffy tail from around himself when he was picked up. Needless to say, the Princess had adored the little animal instantly. By now, though, he should have already grown into adulthood.

 

“The Fanelians arrived ahead of schedule this morning and I was still asleep when their ships came in sight of the port. A maid had to come and wake me, otherwise I wouldn't have made it to greet them! So, I took out all my clothes for the day and put them on the bed without thinking. When I came back just minutes ago from the reception, what do I find? Sir Maes, the cat, laying down comfortably atop what used to be my dress for tonight's dinner! He shredded it, all of it, and now I have to take it to the seamstress in town... I hope she can fix it in time. I swear that cat must have swallowed an energist before he came here!”

 

Celena had listened through the not-so-fantastic tale and found it almost impossible not to laugh. She knew her friend too well. “Millerna Sara Aston, admit this instant that that is just a lame excuse to get yourself a new dress! I'm sure you could have managed to find something else to wear in that modest three mile long closet of yours!”

 

“I wouldn't call it lame... Besides, I'm being selfless. This way we can spend time together and you can get a dress for yourself too! Trust me, you'll want one!” Celena's good mood didn't falter but she did raise a suspicious eyebrow.

 

“Oh is that so?” Millerna just nodded with an all-knowing smile gracing her features. “And why, might I ask? I'm not exactly like you when it comes to men...”

 

“Side-effects of already living with the most beautiful man on Gaea, that's my diagnosis.” She sighed and side-glanced Celena in mock contempt and the other mirrored her actions. “But you should have seen them! All lean and muscular and...”

 

Celena's face could have gotten green for all Millerna cared, now that she'd started divagating nothing would stop her. She zoned out of the one-sided conversation with a smile to let Millerna wear herself out. She loved her friend, but this obsession of hers with men was something she'd never understand and in all honesty, she wished with all her strength she'd never end up like that. Of course she wanted to find her `prince charming', but she certainly didn't look for him in every handsome face she found. So, Celena focused on the houses passing outside the window and the people wandering by, until either they got to the seamstress or Millerna realised no one was listening anymore.

 

Predictably, the trip ended before Millerna's speech and the Princess' talk turned to other matters when they entered the small shop. Celena always had to keep reminding herself whenever she went to that place that, despite the modest looks, that house probably held the monopoly over Palas' clothes-making business. Every lady she knew had at least one dress made there, and a minimum of three if they wanted to be seen as equals by the other aristocrats. Same thing went for men, though in a smaller scale.

 

A girl was coming their way to receive the two, but a plump woman with round rosy cheeks and wearing one of the house's exquisite dresses intercepted her and came instead. Special honours to special clients, Celena thought to herself, recognising the woman as being the owner. “Princess Millerna, your presence here honours our little establishment! How may I be of service to you?”

 

“Thank you, Madam Rockbell. I have a dress that needs some desperate attention. I'm afraid my pet cat had a little too much fun with it. Do you think you could have it ready by the end of the afternoon?” The handmaiden carrying the box stepped forward, but the head-seamstress didn't bother to look it over and just ordered one of her employees to take it to the back.

 

“For you, my Princess, anything.” She bowed her head. Celena found herself once again thinking, this time on just how much of that respect came from her friend's title and how much came from her background history on the shop.

 

“And my friend lady Celena would also require a new gown for this night.” Before she could react to what Millerna had said, the woman had nodded and left to get her samples.

 

“Millerna, I do not need a new gown!” She turned to the Princess to weakly protest.

 

“Oh, hush Celena. Just be giddy and superficial for once, all right? Let's have some fun!” Millerna had hooked her right arm in hers and taken her to a seat in Madam Rockbell's desk, smiling like crazy. “Besides, you'll need the dress to impress those handsome Fanelians I told you about... you should have seen them!”

 

“Well, I already heard your detailed account of them, thank you very much.”

 

“No, you didn't. And I know because you didn't stop me. Most unusual, I might add... don't tell me you've found a- Oh look!” Celena really wanted to answer that one, but then she was viciously overwhelmed with a sea of models and examples and different patterns and accessories for the dress. She started reluctantly saying that she didn't like any of that, but then the good ones started showing and she was slowly hypnotised into becoming as giddy and superficial as Millerna on a good talk about men. Not that she would ever compare it so, though.

 

The hours passed quickly and by the time the sun started to come down, Celena and Millerna were happily chatting back in their carriage about everything and anything, with a box for Maes to never touch and another with a receipt of a second gown they'd ordered and the first dress for Celena to wear at dinner that night. Not many would be attending it, since the real festivities only began the following day and most of the nobles had houses of their own in the city.

 

“What are they like, the Fanelian people?” Celena asked out of the blue.

 

“I told you before! Handsome, tall, dark-skinned...” Millerna was about to enter her dreamy-mode again, but a laugh from her friend anchored her back down to the real world.

 

“Not that, silly. I mean... how are they?” She asked again, accenting some words. She knew the wording of the question wasn't all that different, but Millerna would understand.

 

“Well, they all seemed very nice and serious, I think. The Prince, especially, he was a sombre one. A bit on the arrogant side, perhaps, but charming all the same! Then there was this other man. He was kind too, but old enough to be our grandfather and had a nasty scar across one eye!”

 

“Millerna! I don't care what they're like individually! I mean in a more general sense, what do you know about them and their culture, for instance? I heard there was something about dragons somewhere?”

 

“Oh, that.” She was almost disappointed. Obviously, her other line of thought was much more interesting in her opinion. “Well, yes. They have all these myths and legends including dragons, you should sit one of them down to tell you some at dinner!” One warning glance from Celena was enough to set her back on track. “I've heard that in order to become King, there is some sort of rite including a dragon that the Prince must perform in the time he comes of age.”

 

Celena nodded. That was interesting, but somewhat scary. “Weren't you in Fanelia some years back, Millerna?”

 

“Yes... and their city is beautiful. It's in a valley, surrounded by lush forests where land dragons wander on one side and steep mountains loom overhead on the other. I met the Prince and his older brother then. They were both very nice and welcoming, but there were some rumours recently that something happened to the older one when he went to perform the rite. I'm not sure whether it's true or not, but only the younger is here now, if that means anything.”

 

“That's awful! Do you think this rite could be something dangerous? Land dragons are such vicious creatures!” Celena gasped.

 

“For all I know, it might very well be something dangerous. Fanelia is known to have some of the finest warriors and samurai in Gaea. It makes sense that the rite should be something worthy to fit in with that tradition.”

 

“Jichia! I hope nothing bad happened to that Prince! Just to think...” Celena shuddered and Millerna made a face to indicate she agreed with her friend.

 

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The hours kept rolling by and the time for the introduction to the Fanelians came soon after. Celena was giving herself a final check on the mirror when Allen came to pick her up. Concluding that her hair hadn't suddenly started a revolution without her knowing it, she answered the door and walked with her brother to the banquet hall bellow. Allen was in a rather cheerful mood, he'd been busy during the afternoon too and had some plans for the night.

 

Celena was wearing the gown she and Millerna had gotten at Madam Rockbell's that afternoon and a handmaiden had arranged her hair, pulling half of it up but leaving some curls loose so they could grace her bared, white shoulders. The dress itself was simple actually, formed by two parts and complimented with a pair of white high gloves that went just above the elbow. The top was sleeveless and a faded jade in coulour that brought out her eyes. The neckline was low and wide, but not excessively so, and a V-shaped ending did little to conceal her harmonious figure. The bottom part was a white skirt that reached her feet, plain but, given the set, stylish nonetheless.

 

“How was your day, sister?” He asked awkwardly. Celena knew him well enough to be able to tell that there was something he wanted to say to her and this was just the warm up. Still, she responded as gently as she would if she hadn't understood that.

 

“It was fine. I went to town with Millerna and got this dress for myself.” She gave a small spin to show it off. Allen had a somewhat patient smile on his face and she decided to give him a hand in dropping it. “How about you, onii-sama?”

 

“I was busy myself. First, I talked to the Royal Guards about your little misfortune and they promised to send a unit even today to search the woods for those scoundrels who harmed you. It will only be a matter of time until they're found.”

 

“That's wonderful! Now I won't have to worry about any more travellers going through the same I did.” She shook her head enthusiastically. However, she knew those were not the most important news Allen had for her. “What else did you do?”

 

“Well, I found an old friend among the Fanelians and we talked. I met some of the nobles too.” Allen was starting to look at her more excitedly now. He surely thought that this time he'd find someone suitable for his sister among all the available candidates, it was just a matter of introducing her to the various families throughout the days of the festivities. “You'll have to be at your best, Celena! This could be it!”

 

The last thing she wanted to do was disappoint her brother, but his happiness would likely mean the opposite for her and that was quite a dilemma that put her in a very ungrateful position. She decided that when the time came, it came, and she would know what to do then. Clinging to the hope that whoever ended up as her husband was someone she could love, the two entered the banquet hall and found that all the important people were already gathered there.

 

A long table was set with porcelain and crystal, at the head of which sat the opulent king Aston. On his left hand were the princesses Eries and Millerna and further on two seats were vacant, indicating where the Schezar siblings were supposed to be. Some more nobles occupied the rest of the chairs, but they weren't the ones to next catch Celena's eye, for across that row were the guests' seats. She could now see exactly what Millerna had meant when she'd talked about the Fanelians, and she couldn't help to agree with her, to some extent.

 

A brief introduction of the foreigners and small exchange of pleasantries later, and Celena was able to identify the most important persons of that group. All had an air of being warriors, but four stood out. Three bulky men sat next to the `leader'. They were the main samurai of Fanelia, the generals who were in front of the army. She had only heard about one before, he was the most imposing one too, Balgus. Her brother knew him for some reason.

 

And then, sitting on king Aston's immediate right, was prince Van Slanzar de Fanel. He had short black hair that covered his forehead and rebelliously reached his maroon eyes. Those eyes would catch Celena's many times throughout the evening. At first, they would hold no more than curiosity, but as time progressed they'd steadily evolved, going from a look Celena knew too well from previous encounters Allen had set up to an almost intimidating fixed stare.

 

Dinner itself was mild but too long for her liking, filled with conversations that quickly fluttered past her as those maroon depths drew her gaze to them more and more often. Even as the Prince talked to someone else, his eyes would insistently turn her way, piercing, and the feeling that the rest of the room dissolved and the back of her head suddenly turned very heavy let Celena know exactly when it was one of those times. An eerie sense of foreboding was invading her, she had a feeling that that look would bring nothing but trouble for her in the future.

 

When the servants finally cleared the table, everyone left for another room, stomachs satiated and ready to continue with the pleasant discussions through the rest of the night. She was about to tell her brother that she wasn't feeling all too well, when the very object of her discomfort chose to walk up to her. Allen must have seen it, but didn't care or didn't notice how she felt as usual, for he discreetly left her side.

 

“My lady... I see you are alone, would you care to join me on a walk outside?” Prince Van of Fanelia was holding out his arm to her and Celena couldn't help to give an expertly concealed bitter smile. Do they really enjoy themselves that much phrasing orders as invitations that women cannot refuse?

 

“Of course, prince Van.” She hooked her arm in his after a curtsy, but didn't dare to gaze into his eyes. The look inhabiting them had haunted her too much already during the meal. He left her side, and a gust of fresh wind suddenly blew through her hair as the doors were opened and they stepped outside a balcony. It was nice feeling the air around her, but Asturian nights were chilly and Celena covered herself as best as she could while following him.

 

“Lady Celena Schezar, if I recall correctly? You are Sir Allen Schezar's sister, right?” Van said once he'd shut the door behind them again. They were now alone and no one would come out to disturb them. A strange panic came upon her, but it was one she could manoeuvre herself around. Everything within her was telling her to not let the talk go further.

 

“Yes, m- my Prince.” She stuttered, not exactly faking, but rather purposefully accenting the cold she was feeling. Her dress may be pretty - too pretty perhaps - but it was not made to endure the temperatures of Asturia at night. She hoped he would realise that and take her back inside.

 

“Please, call me Van... Here”, he said with a thoughtful smile while placing his coat over her shoulders. It was warm, so now her excuse was gone. Millerna, now would be a good time for you to come outside and drool over this one Fanelian! “I couldn't help noticing you earlier at the table... I thought I'd come and apologise for those times you found me staring at you. It wasn't very delicate of me.”

 

She lowered her head as she assured him, suddenly feeling some shyness over the reasonless panic. He had a kind voice and seemed to be very considerate, she had to admit. But at the same time Celena couldn't help wondering if the little encounter had anything to do with her brother's afternoon doings and the ill feeling that had assailed her during dinner returned.

 

“I met your brother before and I've heard many stories about him and your father, but no rumours of your beauty had ever reached my lands.” Celena was startled, there was no more kindness coming from Van, just a strange seriousness that she couldn't really understand.

 

Ringing alarms went off immediately in her head. Say something! Say something! “How did you meet my brother...?” How she wished that little question could have come out with a bit more determination, like she hadn't been the least affected by what he'd said of her.

 

She forced herself to look back at the Prince's maroon eyes, hoping to find something different from before, but he had been observing her too and the instant their gazes locked, the same foreboding surged dangerously through Celena's veins. There was nothing wrong with the Fanelian, but... it was definitely not right either.

 

Then a flash of Elric Edissi's face appeared replaced his and she gasped in fright, averting her eyes and murmuring some apologies and general nonsense, not entirely sure whether they were directed at him or herself. She abruptly covered her mouth, turned her back to the Prince and ran away from the balcony, passing right through her brother and several other people. She didn't even think of stopping to bid her farewells,she sprinted straight to her room.

 

What just happened...?, Celena asked herself, laying fully clothed on her bed.