Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Asturia: Love and Duty ❯ ch13 ( Chapter 13 )

Please note that all text between *'s are
flashbacks. There's quite a few little flashbacks in this chapter and one large
one. After this, there will be only one more minor flashback in this fiction. Many apologies if you don't exactly like this format, but I guess we follow the style of the anime which had them all over the place.



Eries was numb. She lost track of time.

She stirred at last when the incessant sound of someone knocking urgently
finally pierced through her daze. It was a handmaid sent by her father. He had
dispatched her to find out the cause of Eries' absence at dinner. Without
opening the door, Eries apologized, saying she felt unwell. She dismissed the
handmaid with instructions to notify the other servants and guards on duty that
she did not wish to be disturbed for the remainder of the night.

[Soundtrack one, track 16, deja blue]

Alone again, Eries hugged herself, leaning against the wall. Slowly, her mind
began to digest the enormity of what had just happened earlier.

*"... by leaving Asturia, I'm keeping you from making a huge mistake. And I hope
I'm also giving you another chance."*

Another chance.

It seemed unreal.

In the days following the betrothal, every fiber of Eries' intuition had
screamed against the match. However, she had squelched out those visceral
warnings. Resigning herself to her fate, she had convinced herself that what
she was doing was not only the best thing for herself and Asturia, but also the
best thing for Dryden as well. She had not seen any possible way out of the
marriage short of one of them meeting an untimely demise.

But she had not counted on the extent of Dryden's outrageous nature. "Perhaps I
should have," she scolded herself. After all, he traded away in the blink of an
eye the fleet that took him five years to amass for the life of the stranger in
order to impress an indifferent fiancee. Despite everything, she almost chuckled out loud at the memory.

She had really misjudged this one.

So now what?

*"But think about it before you make your next move. HARD. "*

It was difficult enough for her to grasp the notion that things were not going
according to plan, let alone try to figure out of what she was going to do with
this "chance" Dryden had given her.

Eries growled out loud in frustration. After all this time of fretting and
having the subject of her Prince Consort on the forefront of her mind, she had
had enough. She didn't want to deal with it. She could NOT to deal with it.
Pushing her somewhat disheveled hair out of her face, she stomped over to her
desk. Eries needed a distraction and Asturia's affairs might just do the trick.

The first thing that caught her eye was that she had mail. Personal mail.
Eries had all of her correspondences not of an administrative nature delivered
to her suite instead of her study. Sitting in the mail basket were two letters.

Without bothering to see who the sender was, she broke the seal of the first
letter and began reading. In spidery script on the royal letterhead of
Egzardia, she read:

"My Dear Princess Eries,

Your foreign cabinet will be receiving a more formal letter from me on behalf of
my cousin Ambrose. However, I wanted to send my personal congratulations to you
as well. It is my deep felt hope that you remembered those words I spoke to you
in Fanelia, and that your engagement is not only for your kingdom, but yourself
as well. May you be blessed with the wedded bliss that my Sabine and I enjoyed
for 30 wonderful years. You deserve it more than you realize.

Warmest wishes,

Count Reynauld"

*"It is not always necessary to sacrifice your best interests for the sake of
your country. It is possible to make a decision in your interest that will not
adversely impact your country. After all, look at Van and Hitomi..."*

The night of Van and Hitomi's wedding and the Count's advice came back to her
more clearly than she would have liked. The memory evoked a peculiar kind of
restlessness within her. This was not helping. This was not what she needed
right now.

More cautious now, she peered at the seal and sender of the next letter.
Fanelia. Merle.

Eries drew in her breath sharply. Hitomi--

She quickly opened the letter to find out if it was good news or bad.

To her relief, she read:

"Eries-hime,

IT'S A GIRL!!! I'm not to send the announcements out just yet. Not until
Van-sama's advisers feel for sure that things will be OK. But _I_know that
things are going to be just fine, and I just had to let you know because I know
you've been worried about us.

Hitomi had the baby two days ago. It was two weeks too early, if not more,
according to the healers. The birthing was really awful. I was so scared for
her. But, it's all over now. Van-sama's so relieved. Hitomi's tired but she's
not as sick anymore. Not like she was when she was pregnant. So, she's
actually feeling a little better. The baby is very small, but she isn't having
any trouble at all. She looks just like Van-sama! And she is absolutely
adorable!

Her name is Minsun Sora de Fanel. In old Fanelian, Minsun translates to
"blessing to the people." And she will be a blessing because she's Van-sama and
Hitomi's daughter.

I'm sorry to end this letter so abruptly, but there's a lot to do. Hitomi will
probably try to write to you herself soon.

Respectfully yours,

Merle"

The letter was dated a week and a half ago.


Relief and joy swept over Eries. Hitomi was out of danger now. And she and Van
were now parents.

Minsun... hard to believe she was finally here. She had to agree with Merle;
with parents like Hitomi and Van, she doubted Minsun could be anything BUT a
blessing to Fanelia.

Eries sighed wistfully. Van was a lucky man indeed.

~But it wasn't all luck. Remember? ~

`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`/`

The gathering of dignitaries for Van and Hitomi's wedding had provided guests
with the prime opportunity to meet with other heads of state to discuss matters
other than the wedding at hand.
In one case, what had started off as a conversation between Duke Sid and his
aunt wound up becoming an international meeting concerning security. The
morning before the wedding, Sid was breakfasting with Millerna in the Great
Hall. During the meal, he asked her if she had come across any villages that
were having trouble with raiders or bandits. A couple of outlying Freidan
villages had been attacked, presumably by bands of ex-Zaibach soldiers. Sid
wanted to know whether or not it was an isolated phenomenon. Their subsequent
dialogue caught the ears of others nearby. within a matter of minutes, a small
crowd had gathered around them. Each soon realized that what was considered a
localized problem in their home country was more widespread. As the din of the
Great Hall was distracting, they decided it would be best to hold a
meeting elsewhere. They set a meeting time for later that day in order to give
everyone a chance to inform other potentially interested parties.

Midafternoon, the meeting convened at a partially completed parlor. The
attendees comprised 15 individuals, representing six countries, including Sid,
Millerna, Eries, and, to everyone's astonishment, King Van himself. Van had
gotten wind of their discussion and, despite the fact that he was to be wed the
next day, joined in on the meeting. When Sid asked the question that was on
everyone's mind, Van had simply shrugged and replied that wedding details would
take care of themselves. Eries had translated that into: Merle and Hitomi had
everything under control, and he was just getting in the way.

Maybe it was odd to be discussing such things on the eve of the union of the
couple that brought peace to Gaia. Then again, perhaps not. Peace is a fragile
thing. Indeed, there was peace between nations, but that did not necessarily
translate into the complete absence of unrest or belligerence. Even small
sparks can blaze into firestorms. Everyone at that table knew that it would
take a combined effort to keep them from heading down the path they had traveled
so recently.

Perhaps it was a new determination to work towards the betterment of Gaia.
Perhaps it was the memories of the recent war. Perhaps it was the impending
wedding celebration. Perhaps it was Lord Van's presence. Whatever it was,
there was a marked air of openness and cooperation among the varied
representatives.

A participant, one of the new grass-roots leaders heading the fledgling Zaibach
government, confirmed most of their suspicions regarding the origins of the
bandits. The Zaibach military had been demoralized by their losses and the
condition to which their empire had been reduced. A number of former soldiers
had found their new lives in the now devastated empire beneath them. Impatient
and disdainful of the tedious process of rebuilding, they had chosen instead to
live on the fringes of society and make banditry a profession. Their military
training made them that more dangerous. For Zaibach, these renegades were just
another one of many challenges facing the struggling country. But, as the rest
of the participants shared their stories, it became clear that these former
soldiers had expanded beyond Zaibach.

Although a good deal of information was shared, it was not sufficient to draw a
clear plan of action. The attacks and sightings had been too sporadic, and the
renegades too elusive. The only resolution that could be reached was to keep
the channels of communication open as they continued to grapple with the issue.

[Soundtrack one, track 12, Eyes]

After the meeting, almost everyone hurried over to the Great Hall where the
evening meal was already being served. However, Eries lingered in Van's
company. They had kept in contact since Van left Asturia. Mainly through
various administrative correspondences, but they had exchanged occasional
personal ones as well. However, this was the first-time Eries had seen him
since they parted ways in Palas. She wasn't about to pass up a chance to relay
her well wishes for his marriage before the whirlwind of wedding activities made
it impossible. Besides, at the moment, she wasn't in the mood for sidling up to
General Hinshaw and trying to convince him what an excellent wife she would make
him.

The parlor had an adjoining balcony overlooking the main courtyard. It was
pulsing with activity as throngs of servants, soldiers, and nobles scurried
about making various preparations. The two royals observed the busy scene from
above as they enjoyed a rare moment of respite.

"I really have to hand it to you. What you did took guts."

"Mmm?"

"Making Hitomi your queen. I had a pretty good guess at what your advisers'
reaction would be. But from what Merle's told me and Millerna, "difficult"
wouldn't nearly describe half of it. I'd say it was as notable an
accomplishment as the actual wedding tomorrow."

"Ah." Van smiled. That had once been a rare thing to see. But it was becoming
more and more commonplace as the wedding day drew near. Eries hoped that it
would be a continuing trend. "With Hitomi by my side, I feel like I could take
on anything. I guess it's a family trait."

Van leaned against the balcony railing. "I don't know if you know this, but my
parents' union was opposed by Father's advisers as well. Vargas told me as much
when I was growing up. The advisers feared that the presence of a Draconian
would bring a curse upon the land. But Father knew. Mother would never do
anything to jeopardize Fanelia. He loved her enough to put a great deal at risk
to marry her. And in the end, she proved him right. All the years she lived in
Fanelia, she was nothing less than a model mother, wife, and queen. And she
always tried to downplay the fact that she was a Draconian."

"The love they shared helped to make Father the ruler he was. He wanted the
rest of the kingdom to have to same happiness he did. His advisers could not
see beyond their superstition and their own fears when came to Mother. And it
was the same way with Hitomi."

"It's a fact that Hitomi is from the Mystic Moon. There's nothing that we can
do about that. But you know her as well as I. She's left the tarot cards and
dowsing behind. She even insisted that her pendant be hidden away after she
returned to Gaia. She loves Fanelia as much as I do and wants nothing more than
to help Fanelia and Gaia on a path to peace and happiness."

"That is the truth and I will stand by her no matter how unpopular it is. And I
firmly believe that this decision will make both her and me a blessing to
Fanelia."

;';';';';';';';';';

[Soundtrack one, track 15, White Dove]
No, it hadn't been all luck. It had been a tough road, bringing about Hitomi's
return and having her recognized as his consort.

~Allen is much like Hitomi in that respect, isn't he? ~

For the first time in months, Eries let her thoughts turn, freely and without
restraint, towards Allen.

It was true. Much like the stigma surrounding Hitomi's origins, Allen had his
own surrounding his family .It was true that he had a marred past. However,
there was nothing he could do or could have done about Leon Schezar's
eccentricities and lost family fortune. Just as there was nothing he could now
do about his own past mistakes, she thought, recalling Marlene and Sid. Yes,
Allen had made his mistakes, but he dealt with his past as honorably as he
could. And it was that past that made him the man he was now.

~Are you willing to fight for your happiness? Are you willing to fight for him,
the way Van fought for Hitomi? ~

Was it possible? It had been for Van and Hitomi. Eries remembered how
Ardently_ Annette, even without knowing the identity of Eries' heart's
desire, had tried to convince her that they could make a case for him as
consort.

*"I don't know who he is, but I know you. And I know you would never love
anyone who did not share your beliefs or was not a person of integrity.*

Annette was correct in her analysis. Although some of his actions just before
and during the Great War were controversial at the time, in retrospect it was
plain to see that he lived up to his title of Knight Caeli in every respect.

His loyalties and character were beyond question. Allen had all the traits that
Eries desired in a friend, partner--

--and husband.

Eries' perspective began to change from that of despondency to hope. With these
thoughts came a rush of long suppressed emotion, a heartrending ache and
longing. But with it also came the old insecurities...

There was a major difference, Eries reasoned. Hitomi and Van loved each other.
All of Gaia knew that well before Van presented her as his choice of queen.
"Allen doesn't feel that way about me," thought Eries sorrowfully.

~How do you know? ~

"Of course I know," argued Eries with herself. "I know because-because--"
Eries stopped short. It was true. She didn't know for certain. She had only
assumed...

Even if he had feelings for her, she never gave him a chance. She had made the
decision that it was an impossibility and distanced herself from him as soon as
she realized what she felt for him. The fact that he had been transferred so
suddenly only served to compound the situation.

Eries' mind raced back to the days before their separation. Was it possible
that Allen might, might just feel something for her? Something more than just
friendship?

Eries tortured herself, analyzing and reanalyzing their interactions, trying to
figure out if there was more to his words and actions than what she had just
taken at face value. Before long, she was ready to tear her hair out.

"Stop it! Stop this right now!" Eries willed herself to halt the train of
"what ifs" now crowding her brain. Frustrated, she shook her head, hands
pressed to her temples. This was completely useless. No matter how much a she
debated or racked her brain there was no way to resolve this short of
confronting Allen. But she didn't exactly have the option of waltzing up to him
considering he was essentially in the middle of nowhere.

Or maybe she did...

A sudden burst of inspiration struck Eries. Dryden! Of course! He was her
ticket. He was readying to depart tomorrow. Since he was already headed out of
the country it should be a small thing to ask him to detour through Fort
Castello. Eries trusted him and she knew that he was truly concerned about her.
He was only a few details short of knowing her entire situation anyway. And if
they were caught, well, they could say they simply needed some time together as
engaged couple. Besides, he did owe her some favors.

Before she realized what she was doing, she was in her wardrobe and pulling out
traveling clothes. She was halfway out of her royal garments when the cold
voice of propriety in her mind stopped her in mid-unbuttoning.

Wait! What do you think you are doing!? You can't just go running off like
this. What do you think you'll accomplish from this?

Eries stopped to consider this.

Was it worth it?

If she stayed, there would be no repercussions. But there would also be no
resolution. If she went... with Dryden's help, Eries' reputation could go
unscathed. And Eries would have Allen's answer. The worst thing Allen could say was no. Though that would leave Eries no better than she was, she would be no worse off... maybe. But if his answer was yes...

The only thing in her way was herself.

Eries closed her eyes and waited for her mind to quiet. She had listened
to her head for far too long. Instead, she turned inwardly . She stilled
herself, aware of nothing but the pulsing of her heart.

Several long minutes passed.

Eries opened her eyes. She smiled. She knew what to do.

[Music fadeout]