Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ When Escaflowne Rescued Trilladen ❯ The Day Before Departure ( Chapter 15 )

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CHAPTER FIFTEEN:

The Day Before Departure

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Van and Merle boarded the floating fortress from the transit carrier. The loading dock had been dramatically altered. Whereas before the whole deck looked much like a military outfit with observation units and sentries strategically positioned. Now there was no sign of the dock being anything more than an over burdened loading dock of a dilapidated old cargo vessel hauling food goods and furniture, odds and ends.

The place even sported a crusty old barter man, eye patch and all. The walls that were once clean were covered in a film of grime that bespoke neglect by years. Bits of the wall that separated the dock from the corridor of lift shafts to either points of the ship had gaping holes in them. Grubby disheveled workers lazed about as if tired from a hard day of loading and stocking the cargo into the holding cells for each of the goods brought in.

And then there was Van looking very majestic. His clothing was not ostentatious, actually very understated for a king. But they were tailored fit. Adorning his left hip was a sheathed sword, only the hilt of it revealing the royal crest of Fanelia. He strode in purposefully, not waiting for Merle. He was always unconscious of Merle until she seemed to need him most. She walked at her own pace, not yet prepared to face Folken again.

One of the workers eased back against the large crates tipped back his work-helmet and grinned wickedly. He was exceptionally tall and one arm was completely covered and the other exposed to show a hard bulging muscled canvas for a tattoo that even from a distance could be discerned as a shapely woman with red hair. The handsomely scruffy fellow had a stubble face that needed shaving. He had a patch over one eye, and unruly jet-black hair that had one small streak of gray rising up in a cavalier fashion. Not even Merle recognized him.

"Brother, dear brother! Come at last to greet the prodigal son! How good it is to see you!" The worker revealed himself to be none other than Folken, himself-mischievous, not at all serious or brooding as before.

Merle was taken aback by his demeanor. Is he Folken or a pirate? And that patch has got to go. She sauntered up to him with a skeptical look on her face. He's actually leering at me?

Van wasn't speechless, but close. "Folken, I..."

"Well, you did tell me to look the part, along with the ship." Folken grinned from ear to ear. "Do you have any idea how refreshing it is to be away from performing the duties of state- day to day doldrums, to say the least. Am I not the pirate at hand, and here's my Barter Man, Darius, and..." he wrapped his arm around the waist smiling down at her, "complete with a comely wench!" Then he winked.

Merle tried to stifle a giggle, knowing how serious things had developed with Celena being kidnapped, but seeing her Folken in such a jovial state was a rare sweetness to be savored. She decided to play along with him, Van's disapproval be damned. She looked up and batted her eyes at him as he looked down at her with relish.

Van's expression darkened. He stepped up to the two and took Merle's free hand to separate them. Merle obediently stepped away, though reluctantly. "I'm sorry, Folken, but this is no time for joking around. I know you haven't heard yet, but the last passenger vessel brought bad tidings."

Folken straightened up at that and removed his hat and patch and looked Van square in the eyes. "What news?

"Celena has been kidnapped. A griffin took off with her last week, back to Trilladen, no doubt. Allen's not himself, but very distraught. There can be only one reason this Mugwa high priest would want her." Van ended grimly.

"Dilandau." Folken intoned as if numb.

"Yes, and Allen vows blood from Mugwa." Van informed.

"But as a knight..." Folken started.

"It doesn't matter to him. He's changed. His bride has done that, I think. The Princess Edwina of Trilladen wears his family signet ring, and he's claimed her!" Van emphasized.

"Well, well!" Folken raised his eyebrows. "It's hard to picture him settled with just one woman. She posed no objections? She is a crown Princess, after all, and he a lowly knight of the order! His missions will take him where he is needed most in the kingdom. He actually had the audacity to just claim her as in the days of old? That hasn't been done since...I don't know! I know it didn't happen in our grandfather's reign!" He said.

He rambled on almost to himself. "He's got balls as big as church bells. That was a right given to his order centuries ago. That was done to keep the honor of knights who had been away from home too long during The Quest and had perchanced upon a woman whom they wanted to marry. Is the union even going to be recognized? What do the monks say?"

Van looked positively obstinate and annoyed. "Allen is going to recognize it as I do. His old ways are gone for good if he knows what's good for him. He just took the Princess of Trilladen as his own. Definitely a breach of good judgment, but that has to remain water under the bridge. If a simple official ceremony cements it, then fine. She's no longer a virgin, as he publicly stated, and I can't wait to wipe the slate clean to be rid of any sticky situations brewing from it."

"So this is the true reason for the unexpected pleasure of your company. I've been a month here, at your behest, refurbishing a mighty war vessel into broken-down tug ship, waiting for you. I've seen Merle at least a dozen times, a wondrous delight-to be sure- but still official and completely impersonal as you've requested-chaperones and all. All the while I would hope the next time she visited you would be escorting her. Now that the situation is dire, I do see you, my dear brother. I suppose it can't be helped. Welcome abroad! As the captain of this bulky, over encumbered cargo vessel, I hope your pilgrimage is pleasant." Folken bowed to his sibling and his old mask reappeared.

Van faltered. "I'm sorry, Folken. But the people still feel the sting of the hurt from the Great War. I must be sensitive to their needs. No real restitution was ever executed, save to those slain in battle and the death of Dornkirk. That has been their only consolation, after so many families were torn apart, homes burned." Van looked down and shook his head with regret.

Folken remained very still and spoke softly. "I know that I can never atone for my sins. I was young and week, Van: wounded by a dragon I was to kill only to become less of a man, much less a king. I suppose it would have been better if Dornkirk had never found me and saved my life. I would not have owed him such a steep debt, or been so easily swayed to his way of thinking, but I thought I had been given a second chance."

Folken sighed, feeling old again. "It's ironic, really. I have such a vague recollection of those last days before the end. It's as if I wasn't really there, yet I was a key player. I knew in the end that I was wrong, and I remember trying to help you, but then it all goes blank. I don't really know why I'm alive to even speak of it. So many questions in my mind, not answered."

Folken shook his head, looking confused and troubled, and then he sharply looked up as if almost grasping something. "I feel as if my being here is fulfilling some destiny, and instead of being a key player, I'm a pawn. Does any of this make sense?"

Van shrugged. "I don't know. I thought you were dead. I know I saw you die. And when word came that you were safely deposited onto Zaibach's throne, filling Dornkirk's place, I was elated. But I couldn't figure out how. At any rate, I'm glad you are here. I need your help and you came and that's all that matters. As for atoning for sins, I have a few of my own to ponder." Van embraced Folken, they hugging fiercely as brothers do in reconciliation.

Merle stepped closer to what was her real family. Folken and Van both held an arm out to her and the circle was complete, yet Merle leaned into Folken, her cheek resting on his chest, her eyes closed as if relieved to be in out of the rain. Merle opened her eyes to see Folken's metal arm limp by his side and her heart ached.

"So then we're off to the Vast Waters of Violence." Van broke the spell and they released each other.

"Well actually over the whole storm. According to our calculations, Trilladen resides in the eye of the storm. Zaibach's shores remain calm, but as you drift further out to sea, the waves grow and the winds howl like demon wolves. No one's gone past that on sea, only Dornkirk and the head of Schezar all those years ago. But our engineers assure us that we can hover high enough in this fortress to forego the pleasure of a pitch and toss sea voyage." Folken explained.

"You must leave immediately. You will be taking the princess herself part of the way, and as well as our best of the Samurai, which now totals about three hundred men. Allen and I, along with a General Shinyo and hand picked warriors will be sailing off in the Crusade for its speed. We have two important stops to make: Ispania, and Asturia. From there we will rendezvous with you in Zaibach's capital. I'm sure you have some cleaning up to do after being away from your ruling tasks for so long." Van said.

"I thought I was taking all of you at once. Now the plans change? What reasons are there for this?" Folken was all business.

"If Mugwa turns Celena back into Dilandau, then I assume all of his traits will resurface, including…"

"...his lust for blood." Folken finished. "Believe me when I tell you I did not realize the extent of Dornkirk's treachery.

Merle sensed how heavy Folken's heart was and hugged him again. He absentmindedly put his arms around her as he continued to talk shop with Van. Van took note of it, but said nothing. He would talk to Folken after he had dismissed Merle. Saying goodbye to the women wasn't going to be easy for any of them.

"We haven't much time left, and there is still so much to do. We leave in the morning in the Crusade, you at noon. But for now, I need one other favor of you, Folken."

Still holding Merle completely unconscious of the comfortable intimacy they displayed, Folken responded. "You know you can ask anything of me. What is it?"

Van couldn't stand it any longer. Pointedly removing Merle from Van's loose embrace, he asked, "Will you stand at my side as my best man. I'm going to marry Hitomi, she's pregnant, and afraid. I'll also need your help wrestling her from Helliese who has made it her personal mission in life to keep me from her."

You're getting married! You're going to be a father, and I an uncle! You've been busy! And Helliese is here in Fanelia again! I haven't seen her since before I left for..." and he stopped. Old wounds never heal, it seems.

Merle was glaring at Van for pulling her away from her Folken and she made no bones about it. "I will be where I like, when I like, with whomever I like, and I like Folken!" Giving Van a dirty look she tried to resume their embrace, but Folken stopped her.

Smiling at her with hooded eyes he said, "You must not make Van jealous. After all, he's used to being your favorite all these years. Although I think that's changed, you must humor him. He's used to ignoring you, not the other way around, dear love."

Never taking her eyes off of him, she took hold of his hand and held his palm to her cheek. "Things change, don't they?"

"Not too quickly, I'm afraid." He gently chided her. "But hopefully you will miss me a little."

At that Merle's old attitude reared its spunky head. "I don't plan on missing you at all. By the way, that tattoo looks an awful lot like me-curves and all." Like the cat that swallowed the cream she grinned an evil squinty-eyed smug grin and turned around and stalked away.

Before she was gone, Van barked at her. "Where do you think you are going?"

"Back to the surface where I belong with all good docile females, obedient and boring to a fault. Toodles."

Folken chuckled, utterly enchanted with her. "She has turned into an amazing young woman, Van. I'd watch her if I were you."

"Yes, apparently from you." Van stated flatly, fighting a fowl mood.

"Her time was bound to come. But don't worry, I hold no illusions to my worthiness. I feel more comfortable dressed as a pirate, actually." Folken commented scratching his chin.

"Just don't act like one." Van warned.

"She always was like a sister to you, wasn't she. Do not concern yourself with her. I would have to find grace again before I let her in, and that I don't know that I will ever do. For now, my wings are still black and heaven only knows if that will ever change."

Folken fell somber.

"I don't think that matters to her, so I will rely upon you to keep her at bay. Now come be my best man."

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Hitomi sat on her bed and patiently answered Helliese's questions. She felt as if she were being interrogated. She still felt unhappy that Van learned of the baby the way he did.

"When was the first day of your last cycle? When did you start to feel sick to your stomach? How many times have you and Van been together and why have you kept it from him, my child."

"Exactly four weeks ago, just about from the start, only once-like it's any of your business, and I have my reasons." Hitomi held her ground.

"Only once, and you get knocked up!? Got to hand it to him, just like his father. So what will you call her?"

"How can you know if it's a girl or a boy?" Hitomi asked in wonder.

"Oh my child," Helliese chuckled. "You'd be surprised what this old ugly hag knows. I've been live too long."

"I want to name her after my best friend Yukari, but I haven't told her yet." Hitomi said.

"You haven't been telling much about anything, my child. Why have you kept this from Van when he is your obvious protector in this violent world? What are you afraid of?"

"Mugwa."

Helliese nodded in understanding. "Then you must have the gift of sight."

Hitomi got up off the bed, walked over to her night stand and opened the top drawer. She picked up a deck of cards from within and walked back to the bed. "These are tarrot cards. At school I used to use them to tell my friends fortune. I stopped though because it got a little scary. Things were actually turning out the way the cards foretold and I just didn't want to know. I wasn't sure if I was actually telling the future or fulfilling some self-prophecy in my own mind. Either way, we aren't suppose to know the future."

"Try it now and tell me what you see."

Hitomi laid the cards down in their proper sequence. First came the death card. Hitomi's face changed to fear immediately. Still she continued. The next card that was revealed was the dragon-the green one.

"Never mind, I don't remember how to do this." She tossed the cards onto the floor.

"You mustn't be afraid, child. These things will come true, but you have a gift. Use it to protect your child and tell Yukari that you intend for her to be your baby's namesake. Yukari Fannel. Sounds good."

Just then the door flew open and Yukari stormed in. "STUPID, STUPID, STUPID! You'd think that since he knows he's leaving tomorrow he'd actually, finally spend some time with his girlfriend-okay friend who's a girl!" She threw herself into the chair next to Helliese and asked no one in particular, "Are they all this dumb?"

Helliese laughed out loud, "Miserably so!"

"Hasn't Amano spent any time with you yet? We've been here a month!"

"No he's too busy training to be a war hero in a world not his own to impress the girl of his dreams who doesn't give a damn about any of this-well, except that it could put you in danger. Personally, I'm ready to return to Earth." She shook her head forlornly.

Just then the door flew open again. This time it was Folken, followed by Van and Gaddes who stopped dead in his tracks feeling like he intruded on girl talk. Folken bounded like a happy youth and scooped Helliese into his arms.

"When I heard you were back I couldn't wait to give you a big hug! Helliese, you look as beautiful as ever!" Then he planted a kiss on her cheek. "Van I refuse to allow you to marry this woman. She's mine, of course! Has been since I was in diapers!"

Helliese giggled like a schoolgirl. She always did have a soft spot for Folken. Then like the healer she was she started feeling his arm. She was drawn to the difference of it instantly. "What is this contraption?" She hissed in disapproval.

"Never could hide anything from you, could I. It's my new arm. It's ugly, so just don't have a look at it."

"Don't think to tell me what I can or cannot look at when it comes to you, my boy. I've been intimately acquainted with your naked butt since it was stinking with shit. Now take off that shirt before I rip it off! And put me down." She ordered.

"Alas, it is my fate always to have the ladies wish to see me undressed! Damn it's good to be back. I can even stomach the scowls I'm getting right and left!" With that he nonchalantly tore his shirt off his torso.

His black wings unfurled and his metal arm appendage mated in an ugly fashion with the flesh that started at his shoulder. In the bright light of Hitomi's bedroom, everyone got a good glimpse of the machine like qualities of Folken's metal arm. The room was silent and Helliese formed unshed tears.

"Well, what do you think? Am I not repulsive?" He asked Helliese with a small twinkle in his eye.

Composing herself she quickly replied, "Quite!" and then laughed a bawdy laugh.

"I was hoping you would think so." He winked at her.

During this whole scene Hitomi remained quiet. She kept her eyes on the spectacle Folken presented to her, anything to avoid Van's eyes. But Van had slowly moved closer to her not about to be put off any longer. When she looked at him it was over. She saw all of his pain, pain that she had caused. And she saw his jaw set firmly, as if he had made a decision and couldn't be moved from it.

"Get dressed, something formal. We're getting married." He ordered. Then he turned around and walked over to Gaddes who hadn't stopped staring at Yukari. "Get Allen, I want him here. Yukari, go get Amano." Turning back to Hitomi he said, "You have exactly one hour to find something appropriate to wear. Folken is guarding the door so you can't get out, so don't try. You have no where you can go anyway. If you're not dressed in that amount of time I am going to dress you myself. You are carrying my child; he will have my name. If anything happens to me, Fanelia still has a future."

Hitomi burst into tears and fell against her pillow.

"You evil brat! Get out with you! She's frightened and been sick for a month, and all you can do is order her about like a common wench! I got stink pouches, you know! I'll throw them all at you at once and then give you warts!" Helliese shouted at him.

Van looked to Folken who scooped Helliese back into his arms and bellowed, "Everybody vacate m'lady's bedchamber. A grand seduction is in order! Van, make it quick. You still have to get married today."

"You put me down, you ungrateful dog! How dare you hoist me up like a sack of potatoes? I didn't change your shitty diapers to have you treat me like this. PUT ME DOWN! Oh, you're getting me mad now!" Helliese was pounding on Folken's chest and smacked his face, all the while kicking her feet.

Gaddes slammed the door behind him, to set out his task. They were alone for the first time since that morning after they had loved.

"Do you regret what we shared?" Van asked with pained emotion.

Hitomi, still crying on the pillow on her bed couldn't answer. Van couldn't stand to see her cry so he got in bed with her and held her while she cried. It was like this the last time they were alone. After that, she had moved in with Yukari and completely avoided Van for a whole month. He had over heard her talk with Yukari, and planned to ask her to be his queen, but she kept avoiding him, even at meals with the excuse that she wasn't feeling well. That got old after the first week. Then began to wonder, but now he knew. Whatever her feeling was in this matter, she was carrying his child and he loved her. She would marry him regardless. She simply had no choice, he was a king, after all, and the child his heir.

"Hitomi, please answer me." Van tried to be patient, but his heart was heavy.

Hitomi turned around, still crying, but answered him. "I'm afraid I'll lose you. I'm afraid I'll lose this baby. I don't want you to go, I need you here."

Van cradled her face in his hands and gently spoke, "If I stay, we all stand to lose. If I go, there's a chance...if not for us, then for our child. If you go with me, you and the baby would be in danger."

"No, Van, listen to me. I've had a vision. I have to go with you, we all have to stick together, all of us. It's the only way. If we become separated, then we will all fail, meaning that we will all die, including the baby, especially the baby. She's a girl, and my descendant."

"No, I won't let anything happen to her or you!" He hugged her fiercely. "I love you!"

"I love you!" She cried into his shoulder.

He pulled her away to look into her eyes. "Then you don't regret what we've shared? Please, I need you to be honest."

"I'm afraid and pregnant and our world is in danger, but in particular, our baby girl is in danger. I'm not a virgin, Edwina isn't either, but my newborn child will be, and it won't matter to Mugwa that she's a helpless infant. He'll take her from my womb. You cannot leave my side. You have to protect me. So to be honest with you, I wish we had waited. I wouldn't be pregnant." She stopped and leaned into him crying.

"I was so certain that if I brought you back here I could protect you. All I've managed to do is put both you and our baby in danger. I'm sorry." Van buried his head in her neck and wept quietly.

Not too long after that a soft knocking at the door signaled that it was time for them to wed. Neither was ready. Both felt the burden of the future resting on them, each in their own way, but equally taxing to their individual spirits that were about to become one union in the eyes of heaven and kingdom alike.

Hitomi's hands stroked his hair and she comforted him as well as she could for a frightened pregnant teenager about to become queen of a nation in grave peril. She whispered how she believed in him and he kissed her softly on the lips, as they lay in each other's arms. In private they would be afraid together, but once that door opened, they would be confident and in love, full of purpose and lead a world back into battle, or so they thought.

"I need to get dressed." She whispered.

"I'll help you. Wear that beautiful green dress that matches your eyes." He whispered back in between soft kisses.

"I don't want to move from your arms." She confessed.

He laughed softly and while they still were lying in bed he helped her out of the clothes she was in, besides, she wasn't wearing the green dress just yet. She has to get undressed before changing into her wedding gown. Kissing and caressing her as he slowly undressed her, they ignited a fire between them, oblivious to the slightly louder knock at the door.