Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ An Unexpected Ally ❯ Chapter 10 ( Chapter 10 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Alex watched her opponent carefully as the woman circled her, and gripped her sword tighter, trying to steady her breathing. For the longest time, neither one of them moved, and the tension was heightening to an unbearable point.

Finally, the woman ran out of patience and attacked her, instantly starting the fight.


Dilandau watched Alex fight his opponent, unable to look away from the fight as the both of them were only toying with each other; he knew what the were both capable of. *So why are they drawing this out? I know that Alex wants to get out of here badly.*

He watched Alex easily fend off the sword sweeping down at her. *Why aren't they trying to kill each other? Are they showing off?* He gripped his shoulder harder as a sharp pain ran through him. *How could that wretch injure me so badly?*


Alex grit her teeth, then forced her opponent backwards. The grin left the woman's face as she attacked again. Alex swung her sword up, then down when the woman's wrist came into range, but the woman turned her blade up and blocked it before Alex could cut off her wrist.

Cursing, Alex pulled back a few steps, brought her sword up, level with her shoulder, and thrusted the point at the woman's shoulder, then pulled it down at the last second, striking the woman's sword handle and knocking it out of her hand. Alex caught the sword with the blade of her own, then tossed it behind her. Pointing the sword at the woman's face, she grinned.

"You lose." Alex hissed, glaring for a moment, then shoving the woman back before turning to Dilandau. *That was too easy.* Alex couldn't help but think as she helped Dilandau up, throwing his arm over her shoulder and leading him out of the room.



Black Diamond came tearing down the hall, stopping by the two of them. Dilandau instantly got on, but Alex hesitated, looking around. After a moment, she turned and pulled a bow off a wall with weapons, grabbing some nearby weapons. She then got on Diamond.

Alex was on edge the entire time, watching the walls out of the corner of her eye. *Something is going to happen; I know it.* She looked up ahead at a creaking sound, and groaned as she saw the drawbridge closing. Kicking Diamond into a gallop, (and ignoring Dilandau as he instantly held tightly onto her waist) she placed an arrow on the bow and shot it into the dark. Dilandau was stunned to see a man fall to the floor.

Diamond reared back as the doors closed before the got there, and Alex put her arm through the bow, grabbed a ledge and swung up onto a platform above them. A few minutes later, 4 dead men fell off. Alex pulled out her sword and cut the rope to the drawbridge, causing it to fall open with a large crash. She instantly pulled off the bow and fired several arrows, killing many men who were aiming to kill them.

When the majority of them were dead, she jumped down into the saddle and they took off outside; Dilandau buried his head into her back as arrows flew at them.

Dilandau felt them slowing, and looked up, relieved to see they were in the forest. He was about to say something to Alex when she collapsed against him, giving him clear view of the arrow embedded in her heart.

Dilandau jerked awake and looked around. They were at a slow walk, and he saw Alex was fine. She turned around and grinned, surprising him. "Hey. I was wondering when you were going to wake up. Sleeping was the best thing for you to do." She turned back and Dilandau was stunned. *Was she just polite to me?* "And you better not have drooled on my shirt!" He grinned. *That sounds more like her.*

"So how did we get out of there arrow free?"

"We didn't." She pulled the horse to a stop and bent forward. Dilandau heard her let out a short gasp, then shook his head as she sat up with a bloody arrow in her leg.

"Can't we go anywhere without one of us getting hurt?"

"Oh, shut up, I saved your ass back there. Luckily, this wound isn't as severe as the others, so we can keep going." She turned around, holding the reins in the other hand. "Can you take over for a while?"

"What? But this horse hates me."

"I don't blame him. But I'm about to collapse from exhuastion, so I need you to direct him to the capital."

"Fine." He took the reins in one hand and leaned her back against him with the other. Dilandau signaled for Diamond to start walking again, and the horse pinned his ears back. Dilandau growled quietly, and the horse moved forward.

He heard Alex sigh, and looked down to see her asleep. *Why the bloody hell did I just let her fall asleep against me?* He was tempted to push her forward against Diamond's neck, but never did.



"Finally." He muttered, wrapping the reins around the horn of the saddle. For a few minutes, he just sat there, staring up at the capital of Zaibach. Alex shifted aginst him, snapping him back to reality. "Alex, wake up." She groaned and turned slightly, somehow wrapping her arms around his waist. A blush rose up on Dilandau's face. He managed to pry her off and shook her a little harder then needed.

"What?!" she snapped, sitting up. "What do you want?"

"I want you to get off me." He retorted, staring down at her.

"Where are we?"

"At the Zaibach capital, now get off me." He answered, trying hard to stay calm. She cursed him under her breath and jumped down, then grabbed hold of Diamond's neck to keep from falling as her injured leg buckled. ~Dilandau, help her out.~ *I should have known it was too much to ask for you to stay quiet a little longer.*

He turned to Alex, who ignored him and started to walk while holding onto Diamond's reins. "Where are you going?" He demanded as she started walking away from the capital.

"Anywhere but here. I've had enough fighting these last few days." She looked at him in a way that was daring him to stop her. Dilandau sighed.

"At least get that leg looked at." She stopped, comtemplating, then turned back to him.

"JUST to get my leg healed, then I'm leaving."

"Why do you have to be so stubborn?"

"Why do you have to be so insistant?" Dilandau couldn't help but grin at this comment.


Alex fell asleep in the healing room without realizing it, and Dilandau stood over her. *I give up. There is no way I'll ever convince her to join.* He sighed and tossed an object with a note on it onto her desk, thanking the Gods that Celena remained silent.


~3 hours later~

Alex woke up, holding her forhead with a groan and wincing as she moved her leg. *I fell asleep? Damn, I wonder where Diamond is.* She got up, then sat back down as a light pain shot through her leg. It was then she noticed the black scabbard on her desk. Snatching the note off it, she leaned back against the wall and read the signature, then the note itself


Alex

I've realized that it's been a waste of my time trying to convince you to join. Please, no smart remarks at this. I leave the final decision on whether or not you want to join with a small token
of my gratitude for getting me back to Zaibach. Diamond is in the stable just beside the hanger. As
for that little encounter with Cain and his "friends".........thanks for your help.

Dilandau Albatou (If you show this to anyone, I'll kill you. I mean it.)

Alex swallowed hard, read the note over again, then grabbed the sword and pulled it out of the scabbard. *Oh, wow.* The sword was made out of a metal she couldn't identify, but was the color of silver. The hilt had a dragon carved around it, and the crest of Arzaz was on it. She closed her eyes to hold back the tears. *What do I do?*



~3 days later~

Dilandau pulled his sword out of the dead man's chest and wiped it off. Feeling the wind of another sword, he turned and shoved his own sword forward, killing a man attacking him from behind. "This is too easy." Hearing a laugh, he turned and faced the one man he loathed most.

"I knew we'd meet eventually, Albatou."

"Cut the pleasentries, Cain. Let's fight."


~Outside the capital of Zaibach~

Alex glanced behind her, pulling Diamond to a stop.

"Diamond, what do you think? Should I join? We don't have a home now, and even though that's his fault, he has helped us alot, and is probably the only one willing to take us in." Diamond turned his head and looked at her, sighing.

She laughed. "You don't like Dilandau, but I bet you liked the way they treated you at the stable, huh?" The horse tossed his head up and down. She turned and looked in the direction she heard a fight starting. "If we do join, there's a good chance we'll be killed." Diamond literally shuddered after she said that.

~~~~~~~

Dilandau sunk his sword deep into Cain's shoulder, but didn't grin like usual. Instead, he pulled it out and backed up, watching him. Cain touched his shoulder, then looked up at Dilandau.

"Bravo, very good move." Cain grinned. "Unfortunately, that won't help you!!!!" He attacked Dilandau before he finished speaking. Dilandau blocked the first attack, but the second one drove into his leg, pinning him to the ground. He looked up as Cain pulled a second off his back, and swung at Dilandau's sword.

It connected easily, sending Dilandau's sword spiraling towards his trashed guymelef. *Looks like Alex won't save my ass this time. I can't believe I just said that.* "You've been a formidable opponet, Dilandau, and your head will make for a nice trophy!" Dilandau watched the blade swing down, then thanked the Lords when a familiar cry rang out.

Miguel practically plowed into Cain, knocking him back several steps. The brown haired youth pulled the sword out of Dilandau's leg and handed it to him, his eyes never leaving Cain.

Cain wiped the blood off his chin, his patience gone. "You want to fight for your commander, then you'll die for him!!!" Cain let out a fierce cry, then ran at Miguel, slammed his sword into Miguel's own weapon and snapped the blade in his hand.

A moment later, Miguel collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath as blood poured freely from his side. He looked up at Dilandau, who was petrified now, and mouthed the words 'good luck' before falling onto the ground face first. Dilandau stared down at his best slayer's corpse, then up at his killer.

Cain glared at him. "You train your slayers well." He kicked Miguel's body out of the way and faced Dilandau. "Where did we leave off?" *This is it. This is where I die.* Dilandau thought to himself, preparing for the final blow as Cain lifted his sword. Dilandau never looked away from Cain, but was stunned as his murderer was pushed back by a dark form. When all the movement stopped, he could have cried for all his joy of seeing Alex standing in front of him.

"Why am I always saving your ass?!!" For once he didn't respond. He just blacked out.



6 hours later, Dilandau regained conciousness in his own room.

"What the hell?" He muttered, looking up at the celing. "What happened?"

"Well, I see you're your usual demanding self." A voice rang out, which had him smirk. He sat up and looked over at Alex, who was sitting on a chair beside his bed, her sword in her lap. He grinned when he saw it was the one he gave her.

"Alex, the fight with Cain-"

"Is over. I didn't kill him, but he won't be bothering us for a while." Dilandau knew better then to question further. He could detect a bandage on his leg.

"Ah, shit. Once again, one of us is injured." She laughed.

"Don't we have all the luck. Do you want anything?"

"Yeah, I want to get out of bed and get into the bathroom. I have dried blood all over me." Alex burst out laughing, causing a searing glare from Dilandau. She got up and helped him out of bed, and it was then he noticed what she was wearing. "You have a Dragon Slayer's uniform on." She nodded.

"Yeah." He looked up at her, studying her face.

"You've joined." He whispered, not able to breathe. She grinned.

"Well, I figured it be alot easier to save your ass if I'm at your side." Dilandau swallowed hard. *I can't believe it. She actually joined.* Dilandau couldn't hold it in any longer; he grabbed her chin, turned her face to his and caught her mouth in a strong kiss. He didn't care how hard she slapped him. He'd fallen in love with her. But she didn't hit him. Instead, she pulled him closer, surprising him. When they pulled away, Dilandau grinned.

"I think I've fallen in love with you Alex."

"God help me." She teased. "Come on, you go wash up, and I'll get you something to eat." Dilandau watched her leave. ~It's about damn time!~ Dilandau laughed. *Celena, remind me to listen to you more often.* Sighing, he walked into the bathroom and shut the door.