Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ A Country's Hope ❯ Saercarian Blood ( Chapter 9 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

"Are you nuts?! You can't be Prince Van..." Karyn regarded Eiko with a look of distaste.

"But...why not?" Eiko tilted her head curiously.

"First of all...you're a girl! A girl can't pretend to be a guy!"

"And just why not! No one else is being Van...so I have every right!"

"Not in a dress! Boys don't wear dresses!"

"They could!"

"Ew! No way! That's just plain weird!"

"So I'll get some pants!"

The other children in the group glanced back and forth while the argument commenced. A glare was shared between the two, and Jarnuth stepped in the path to break it. Both Eiko and Karyn blinked at this action, and moved their attention to the brown-haired boy. He looked to Eiko first, and then back at his constant heckler-who narrowed his eyes back at him.

"Look...I don't see why Eiko couldn't play as Van. We don't have anyone who does, and it's not like he gets into any of the rough stuff...he's our age after all!" Jarnuth defended.

Eiko smiled mockingly back at Karyn, and he just scowled at her. Then, he shook his head quickly, and stormed up to Jarnuth, "I don't like it. And I won't play if she does. And then you won't have a King Goau which you need...so ha! Goau is more important than Van any day!"

The raven-haired girl laced her fingers behind her back, and rocked back on her heels, "...depends on who you ask."

"Shut up!"

"What? It's just my opinion..."

"I said...shut UP!"

Viole blinked and then shook his head toward Eiko, silently urging her not to antagonize Karyn any longer. She lifted her gaze toward Briassa's brother, and then sighed with a soft nod. Though, she was having fun making the other boy lose his temper. She would have never known how fun it was to taunt and tease, unless she met Karyn Nabyl. Asantay shook his head, and then moved over to Karyn, slapping him upside the back of his head once again. His eyes went toward Eiko afterward.

"When he gets annoying...you just gotta do that," He smirked, and hopped back, just in time to avoid the swing of a hand that came his way.

"Anyway...I think that the only way Eiko should be able to play as Van is if she proves her worth to us..." Karyn lit up with an idea, and spared a devilish grin in the sable-haired girl's direction.

Eiko appeared unfazed by it, and she let a brow slink upward, "Prove my worth...? What do you want me to do? Go out and slay a dragon to become king?"

The comment received a few snickers from the other four, and the boy snarled, "No! Because I know a weakling like you couldn't do it!"

Sorien shook her head with a huff, "Just get to the point, Karyn."

"Yeah!" Jarnuth backed her up.

"Yeah...yeah...I'm getting there, alright! Geeze..." He shook his head, and then leveled that gaze on Eiko. "Well...since you're gonna need clothing for the part...pants...a shirt... I think you should sneak into the castle and steal a pair of Van's. That way...you'll prove to us...that you're serious about being him in our game..."

"What?!" Jarnuth stared at him in disbelief. "You can't be serious!"

"I'm dead serious."

"But that's crazy!" Viole stepped up and blinked. "Eiko can't sneak into the palace...it's dangerous!"

"She'd probably get in a whole lot of trouble if she was caught, too..." Asantay folded his arms over his chest, nodding a couple times.

"And grounded for the rest of her life..." Sorien cringed, thinking about what her parents would do if they caught her after something like that.

Karyn shrugged indifferently, "So...that's just the risk she'll have to take. And because I came up with the game in the first place...I have the say...so--"

"Fine...I'll do it," Eiko furrowed a brow, and then blinked at the astonished looks she received for that statement.

"But...Eiko..." Jarnuth began in protest.

"Don't worry about me. I'll go in there and get those clothes...you can count on that...in fact! I'll head in there right now if you want..." Pride had grasped a hold of the young girl, and she marched forward confidently.

"Er...good...luck, Eiko. You're gonna need it," Viole sighed.

Jarnuth growled, and pushed Karyn forcefully; so much so that he knocked him on the ground, "And if she gets caught...it's your fault!"


* * *


Eiko paused before the castle gate, and drew in a breath. Why did she have to go and agree to this? She had no idea how the castle looked, or where the guards were. She was hardly dressed to go snooping around an area. A wave of dread crept over her, and she stepped forward, brushing her hand along the gate. Teeth caught her bottom lip, and she grimaced, letting it go immediately. It was quite tender from biting it the other day on that horse. And on that horse, in front of herself, there was Van. She got to be so close to him, but she said nothing. She should have...she should have talked to him! But, those thoughts disappeared and her hand dropped against her side. A sudden voice cut through her sharply, causing a pounding fear to creep it's way into every inch of her body.

"Hey, little girl...what are you doing by the castle?"

"...uh...I...um..." She whipped around, and flattened her back against the bamboo bars defensively. Her gaze landed on the armor clad soldier, and her body tightened even more. She was going to get caught wasn't she? She hadn't even got in and she was going to get caught! Damn her luck.

"Oh...I bet I know. You wanted to see the castle huh? A big place like that...all the children want to see it. Well...there's no problem with you standing and watching...and it's not like someone as small and adorable as you can be a little thief hm?" The guard winked toward her. "I'll let you to your castle watching. Make sure this place is safe for me, okay? I gotta patrol the castle grounds."

Eiko blinked, and her jaw dropped. Her gaze lowered to her shoes and she nodded silently. The man chuckled and then disappeared around the side of the castle. A breath was released from the girl...one that she had been holding the entire time he was there. Perhaps she was afraid that if she made one wrong move-even the normal respiration, her entire goal would have been given away and she would be caught. She turned around slowly, and pressed her palm against the gate once again. How could she get inside? Arms extended high, and attempted to grasp a hold of anything-just so that she could climb up. But, this effort proved in vain as the surface was entirely smooth. There wouldn't have been one possible way to crawl up it by hand.

The young girl grumbled, and just huffed. What could she do! Sadly, there wasn't anything she could think of, and as much as it stung her pride to return, she didn't seem to have much of a choice. She would have to return to the other children. Eiko glared as she thought about Karyn's gloating smile, and his boasting to everyone else about how he was right. Angrily, she leaned back against that fence, refusing to give him that satisfaction just yet. Though, as soon as she did so, she heard a creak and felt the wall behind her disappear. Flailing her arms desperately, she fell back on her posterior and blinked ahead of herself in surprise. Her attention snapped over her shoulder, and her eyes widened. Those lips curved brightly. She had made it in! And she quickly scrambled up to her feet, ducking behind a bush that lay near the open gate. There was no way that she was going to take her chance in getting thrown out again, not after she stumbled in by luck.

Eiko glanced over toward that open fence, and pinched her lips together. If that one guard returned to find it open, he might get suspicious and go looking for her. She couldn't have that, and so she reached her hand through openings in the branches and gave the door a push. Her effort only got it to close about halfway, and she frowned. That just wouldn't do; Eiko was still small enough to have snuck in that much, and the man would have easily guessed. She was about to go out of her hiding place and get it the rest of the way, when voices rose up close-by. A slight gasp caught in her throat and she crouched down. Huddling as low as humanly possible, she still felt as though there were a huge sign that pointed out her whereabouts. Lids shut tight, shielding her view with a mask of black. If only she could retreat to that darkness, where no one could find her...then she would have been safe.

"Did you hear about the girls and that river the other day?" One voice questioned.

"No...what happened?" The other answered.

Eiko's lids cracked open, and within her view she saw two men. They were dressed in the similar armor that the other one wore. But, their physical appearances were much different. The man who started the conversation was much taller than the other. His skin was a dark brown, and his hair was a tad darker. A matching mustache and beard framed his mouth, but that was really all she could tell from her distance. As for the other guard, he was quite scrawny looking. His light hair was raggedly cut, and he was much paler in comparison to the first.

"Well...apparently they fell in. Balgus and Prince Folken fished them out...and they were okay. But I bet if they were in there any longer, they wouldn't be..."

"I bet you're right, Thorton..."

"...yeah. Hey! What happened to the gate?"

"I don't know..."

Thorton ran up to it, followed by the shorter companion. Eiko felt a chill run down her spine as they came closer, and she inched backward slowly. A sudden pain raced around her body, dancing about tauntingly as though daring her to make a noise. The girl lifted her hand, and chomped down on her thumb to prevent from crying out. Wide-spheres regarded the two with fright as they inspected the open door. It swung slightly, creaking on it's hinges. It, also, seemed to whisper Eiko's hiding place, and tried to direct them to it with it's constant swing. Everything wanted to give her presence away, which made the girl fight to become invisible, as impossible as that would have been.

"...I bet I know what's going on..." Thorton began, narrowing his eyes.

"Really?" The other stared at him, waiting for the explanation.

"Yeah...it's probably those damn stray dogs that keep somehow getting in. We really need to get that door fixed..."

"You're right. We should go tell them now..."

"Let's go..."

As swift as the two had arrived, the disappeared even quicker. Teary-eyed, Eiko pulled the thumb from her mouth and yanked her arm back to inspect it. Apparently she had gotten jabbed by a low-hanging branch. She winced, and rubbed at the irritated skin soothingly. Afterward, the five-year-old poked her head out, sweeping her gaze around. Staying there hesitantly, she brought in a deep breath and stood up. Various leaves and twigs dropped from the silky strands and landed in a pile on the ground. Eiko slowly untangled herself from that bush, tugging her skirt free from the thorns that clawed desperately at it. Perhaps they were trying to hold her back, and warn her not to enter...but she couldn't listen. She had to prove Karyn wrong!

At first, Eiko dreaded the exposure of being out from behind the plant, but once she was free, she spotted her golden ticket to entering the castle. There was a rather, overgrown tree which had some low branches that were ideal for climbing. It was pretty close to one of the castle's windows as well, so if she could get up there, then she could get inside very easily. Glassy spheres swept the scene for any sign of life, and they came up empty handed. In this scenario... that was a good thing, and Eiko slid one foot back. That was used to push herself off, and she made a dash for the trunk. The girl probably would have collided with it if her skidding didn't stop halt when it did. She tilted her head, and peered around the other side. It was still clear, which was a great relief. Her eyes darted to the lowest branch, and she hopped up, gripping a hold of that. Dangling there for a moment, she kicked her feet up onto the bark, and began to 'walk' along it, keeping her hands tight on that outstretched arm which protruded from a thick body. She linked her heels around the limb, and made certain they were firmly there before she pulled one hand back. Quickly, digits grasped it at another angle, and she began to pull herself upright.

Successfully, Eiko stood on the bough and looked toward that window. She had to ascend a bit more, but that would be much more effortless than scaling the first branch. She transcended to the proper limb, almost nimbly. It wasn't too difficult once she got the hang of it. She remained close to the trunk, letting her hand rest on it for purposes of balance mainly. This was what made her heart begin to pound deep within her chest. She felt the pulsating rise all the way into her ears, and she gulped...inching forward with a wobbly step. This branchlet was quite narrow, and the thought of dropping from that far up allowed familiar feelings of dread to coarse through her veins, but she swallowed them back. Brows twitched together in determination as she outstretched her arms, bringing one foot in front of the other. Her counterpoise wavered a couple times while she slowly made her way to the edge, but she fought for emotional strength. If she broke down from fright, then she would have surely fallen.

Eiko did make it to the end, and felt a great deal of relief. Though, that relief mixed with worry. This was the part where the branch was most narrow. Her eyes lifted to the window before her; the opening to that castle. Easing forward, very carefully, she leaned her weight in front of herself and reached out to grasp that sill. The bough creaked a tad, and luckily Eiko caught the ledge, before the thin branch tip snapped under her weight. She held her body there for a slight moment, and then pulled herself up. Her elbow looped around the inside securely, and she brought herself smoothly inside. Collapsing against the wall, she panted for air. She hadn't realized how difficult (or frightening) these tasks were, until she was safely in the palace.

The worst was over, and all the girl needed to do now was to find those clothes. She quietly moved along the hall, and searched for any door that could possibly lead to Van's room. It hadn't hit her until that very moment. She was doing all of this for Van-to defend his honor in a way. Karyn thought he wasn't as important as Goau, but Eiko would prove that he was better. He was better than any king! Not to mention, she got a bit giddy when she thought about seeing his room.

Most of the doors that had been passed were open, but they didn't appear to be anything that would suit Van. And besides, Eiko highly doubted she would find the clothing in the storage spaces or training area. She continued along, and as she did so, she heard some muffled voices from up the hall. They sounded a bit familiar, and she curiously moved closer to the partially opened room. She paused beside the entrance, and listened in. After a few moments into the conversation she recognized it as Folken and Van.

" 'And the young hero slew the rampaging dragon and became king of all Fanelia...' " Folken spoke.

Eiko rested her hand on the wall, and slowly peeked into the room...only slightly. She didn't want to be caught, however, she did want to see what was going on. Luckily, Folken and Van had their back to the doorway. The elder Prince sat with his legs tucked beneath himself, and a book of some sort was open across his knees. Van was kneeling beside him, staring at the page intently, but after that one was read, the young boy blinked up at his brother.

"But...why did he kill the dragon, brother...? That was really mean..."

Folken paused for a moment, considering this. He straightened his back, and then placed one hand on his knee, bending his elbow a tad, "You're right, Van...killing dragons is very mean...but, it's a king's destiny."

Van glanced up at Folken, and then crawled forward to get a better look at the pictures. Eiko watched on for a moment longer, though she knew she had to hurry up. That room was probably Van's...but there wasn't any way she could get in with both the prince's sitting there. She pondered for a moment, and let that gaze wander around the hall. But then, Eiko heard Folken say something about leaving Van be while he went to practice his sword training with Balgus. She winced, and became frantic in that search. Her gaze landed on a large, crate-like box, which was built into the wall.

Without any further thought, Eiko raced toward it and pulled the top open. She climbed onto the edge, and then dropped inside. The lid slammed over her, and left her in complete darkness. Not the type that she was used to. That vast shadow she had seen quite often lately was almost comforting in an eerie way. It took a hold of her, and cradled her protectively until she could break free. She wished this was that kind. This darkness was whole and frightening because Eiko knew she couldn't just fight her way out of it. It would cover her until she could get out of that box, and when she could do that was unknown for sure. She tried to listen in for footsteps, but the wall surrounding her was far too thick. Though, as far as actually sitting in the enclosed area...it was slightly comfortable. There was quite a bit of padding beneath her, and Eiko wondered for a moment what that was. Her hand brushed forward, and she picked up layers of cloth with this movement.

The young child blinked, and curiously raised her hand to lift open the top...just a crack in order for some light to slip in. It wasn't enough for anyone to notice in the hall, unless they were inspecting it very closely, which she doubted anyone would be. Straining to hold the weight up with one arm, her eyes roamed over the cloth, and a small gasp escaped her. She had hit the jackpot! Somehow or another, she found the laundry pile. If there was any place to find those clothes, it was definitely there. Eiko dug through, and hunted for that outfit. Her eyes lit up as she found a wrinkled red-shirt. She brought it closer and decided it had to be Van's. That was tucked under her arm, and she just needed to find the shorts. After that...she could get out of there.

Looking for those khaki's was a bit more difficult, but the little princess did prevail in the end, and she held onto those items protectively. Poking her head up, she peered into the hallway, and saw that it was clear. Eiko lifted the lid as much as she could with one hand, and she tossed the garments onto the floor. Her palms raised and forced the 'roof' open completely. Then, she crawled out of it...dropping to the ground. She gathered those clothes and made a dash for the exit, well, she would have, had she known exactly how she was going to escape.

Eiko moved her foot forward, but then felt a bit of weight linger on it. Her gaze dropped, and a rosy hue came to her cheeks as she saw a single pair of undergarments had caught on the shoe. Embarrassed by this, she slid her foot out of the black covering, and used the other one to nudge it away from the underwear. She hopped over to the covering on one foot, and then put the shoe back on. There wasn't any way she would go back and pick that item up. So afterward, she took off in the opposite direction, pausing one last time beside Van's room to listen. Folken had obviously left, and there were a few noises of walking or opening of drawers which proved that Van was alone in there. Tempted as she was to stop in and speak with him, it would look strange for her to be smuggling his clothing and that would surely get her kicked out. Not to mention, the outfit would probably be taken back....and she just couldn't have that happen.

Confidence had indeed built up within the petite frame, but the cautiousness would not fade until she found her way to the outdoors. She nimbly ducked in tiny alcoves of the winding hall, allowing servants or guards to pass by. They disappeared around corners, and Eiko continued on her way. She didn't exactly have any idea as to where she was going, but judging by her good fortune thus far, she believed she was going to get out safely. And with her prized bundle in arm, she felt invincible.

Eiko couldn't wait to see everyone's face when she returned, especially Karyn's. He was probably sitting around, making bets that she would be caught or that she would never be able to bring back those clothes. Who knew that a simple shirt and pair of shorts could be so important to her life; her happiness. Van was going to get to live on in their game, and he would be the best too! Eiko would make sure that a Prince so deserving got his time to shine. But, she paused in her tracks as that thought caught her by surprise. Why did she care so much? She hardly knew anything about Van, and yet there she was, risking her life in the outdoors just to take some clothing of his. Daynus and Fanis...they would lock her away forever if they found out!

Eiko cringed and then moved at a brisk pace. They had better not find out. She hadn't even stopped to consider them before she set foot in this place...place? Why...it was more than that! It was the royal palace! She had snuck into the castle, past it's heavily guarded walls, and had been in the presence of Van and Folken once again. Not to mention, the king of all Fanelia -Goau- resided there...somewhere. She could have bumped into him on the next careless step. If she managed to make it out of there, boy did she have a story to tell! Not only to her friends, but to future children and the like.

The young girl stopped and shifted behind a large pillar. There was the main door, her easiest route to freedom. She watched it open up and a few soldiers enter the palace. They exchanged a few words, then walked off in separate directions. Eiko returned her gaze to that door and her brows twitched together. It may have been the most obvious way, but that also meant it was the most dangerous. Guards probably swarmed around that area, and Eiko couldn't lose now! She couldn't lose since she had gone so far...

But, at that moment, her head wasn't clear enough to think up another escape route. Thoughts poured in from random directions, pushing out old ones, and then being forced out themselves by the new. Ideas were becoming desperate and frantic. She wasn't enjoying the standstill behind that column either. It made her feel vulnerable to sight of others, and she feared she would be caught. Her lips pursed and then contorted to a frown. Voices struck up in the background, and Eiko shifted back a step.

Ugh! What am I going to do?! How can I get out of here?? I just want to get out! I just want to be outside the palace gate and on my way back to safety. I just wish I could disappear!

And no later than when that thought went across, was it somehow heard by someone 'up there.' Eiko blinked and gasped as a sudden flash of brightness pulled her into it's luminescent glow. Without even really having the time to react, she found herself deposited safely outside the closed gate, that bundle of clothing clutched tightly against her body. Had that...really happened? Or, did she imagine this entire thing. The young girl took a step back in disbelief, and then lost all ability to stand, plopping back on her behind. She couldn't help but feel someone was watching over her, and that they were keeping her safe. Maybe, it was the act of a 'guardian angel' stepping past the normal bounds of their protection. It had been known to happen before. Though, Eiko didn't know how right she was with this assumption. Garrus and Celia's spirits would always watch over her until the day she was meant to die. On that day, they would all be happily reunited. But, Eiko's sudden teleportation wasn't entirely due to Garrus's and Celia's protective barrier over her, but also because some 'powers' were beginning to blossom. The powers of the ancient Saercarians; the demon rivals of Atlantis's decendents-the Draconians.