Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Secrets ❯ Compromise ( Chapter 6 )

Secrets

Chapter Six

Compromise

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AN: Hello, thank you! Thank you all for the reviews and encouragement. It really helped. I'm so tired but I came home, got on my computer and typed this one out. I wrote the last piece on scrap paper in Spanish class. I hope you think it's as good as I tried to make it.

-> I don't know what they call a year on Gaea but I did find out some of the "moons" which are days I guess. I've decided to call a year a "moon cycle" and a month a "colour". I'm sorry if it doesn't fit.

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"Celena, try to see the reason here. It's not that I don't trust what you're saying, I just have past personal experience that leads me to believe otherwise."

Nothing.

"Oh, come on, Celena! The man is a wanted and supposedly dead criminal mastermind. What do you think I should think? I mean it! I know that you trust him and I can't say much to dissuade you-"

"You can say nothing to dissuade me."

"So I cannot dissuade you from your thinking but humour me! Given the benefit of the doubt, he's still wanted in four countries on the main continent. He's wanted in Zaibach for treason now, in Freid, dead or alive, and right here in Asturia to stand trail. Most of the people in Fanelia want to see him hanged as dragon feed from his ears even though Van knows the truth.

"Can't you see what I'm trying to say? It's unsafe for him to be allowed back out into the world. People will eat him alive and I don't blame them. He did maniacal things in his time and I, personally, wouldn't put it past him again. He's done it before and you know it."

Allen paused to catch his breath at that moment and looked almost helplessly at the stubborn face of his seventeen-year-old sister. She wasn't backing down. They had been going on about Dilandau for the past half hour and still they hadn't reached a decision. Sometimes he wondered which of the two teenagers sitting in his study had more fight in them, Dilandau or Celena?

The study itself was the best place to carry out such a conversation since it was on the ground floor of the manor and they were assured that bits and pieces of conversation didn't waft upwards. An open wall led out into a beautiful walled flower garden that was tended to by Celena herself. A small path led to a little fountain in the centre where birds normally could be found hopping about and singing.

The walls were soundproofed plain wood done long before either of the existing Schezars had taken breaths. Allen's forefathers (or mothers) had beautiful taste in art and the walls were lined with expensive and exquisite works of art from all over the main continent. His desk was near the wall opposite the garden so that he had a full view of everything going on within and could see anyone trying to peep through the door (they'd be looking right at him).

The ground was tiled in black marble since carpeting would have been a waste. The chandelier hanging in the centre of the room was practically shaped. His glass locked bookshelves were covered in books from generations before in mint condition, his desktop and papers from only recently were another case.

He was right now standing behind his desk and glaring down at his sister as she sat in a comfortable chair on the other side of his desk looking obstinate. Dilandau was leaning against the left wall that led out into garden silently staring at the fountain and the birds. Strange, he hadn't said anything even though he was being spoken of so. It was as though he was waiting for something to happen when the two stopped speaking.

"Allen, have you heard a word I've said? You don't seem to comprehend the fact the Dilandau will not, I repeat, WILL NOT, lay a finger on anyone of consequence in his past but to shake their hand. He has promised me, he has SWORN that he will not and I, for one, believe him," Celena said vigorously after some amount of thought. Her voice betrayed only a hint of her exasperation at her brother's obvious imperviousness. She sounded ready to keep at it for another hour if needed and she hadn't had breakfast yet!

"You are the only one who believes him," Allen stated flatly, he knew that he was getting nowhere.

"And isn't that enough? I'm the only one who has had contact with him over the past two years! Shouldn't I know what I'm talking about? Can't we at least reach a compromise?" she asked finally giving into the fact that they were both hardheaded mules and would never back down. Dilandau turned to face the conversation with this statement, curious as to what Celena had up her sleeve. He stood resting his weight on his right foot, arms crossed on his chest, expression only mildly curious, eyebrows slightly raised.

Allen looked at Dilandau for a brief moment before turning back to Celena. Oh Gods, NO! Not that expression! There were only two people on Gaea who could use that I'm-a-little-girl-all-alone-and-scared-with-no-one-on-my-side-and-I'm-going -to-cry face with such potency. Allen's battleship always sunk against that type of ammunition no matter how hard he tried to stand his ground.

The strange thing was that Celena was here pulling that face on him but he found his mind lingering on thoughts of his second conqueror. Princess Millerna Sara Aston, soon to be queen of Asturia. They hadn't seen each other in almost an entire moon cycle except for special occasions in which she was always taken up with some courtier or the other (the last time was six colours ago in Green at her seventeenth birthday festival). He always seemed to get swept up by somebody/something or the other which always seemed to be on the king's orders. It was almost as thought the old goat was doing everything in his power to keep them apart. To make matters worse, he was succeeding.

But not now, there were other bigger and more pressing maters at hand. This was neither the time nor the place to brood on those thoughts. He had Celena to worry about at the moment.

Loosening the grip he had on his quill, he asked, "What kind of compromise?" The frown he had been wearing as a stand off fell and made way for the exasperated look that settled on his young face. His shoulders slackened and he slouched. Celena looked nothing less than smug.

"Very well. I thank you, Allen," Celena said quietly almost an hour later wherein much debating and dirty fighting (mainly the use of multiple deadly facial expressions and blackmail) had been done.

Dilandau looked on with a completely feeling less expression. His eyes seemed glazed over; he was looking at them with the expression he wore when he became mesmerised with something, namely fire.

This was going to be interesting.

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AN: What's the compromise? Did they reach a compromise? I'll tell you in the next chapter.

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