Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Following Jupiter ❯ Desert Rose ( Chapter 10 )

Chapter 8

Desert Rose

I dream of rain

I dream of gardens in the desert sand

I wake in pain

I dream of love as time runs through my hand

I dream of fire

those dreams that tie to a horse that will never tire

And near the flames

the shadows play in the shape of the man's desire

This desert rose

Whose shadow bears the secret promise

This desert flower

No sweet perfume that would torture you more than this

And now she turns

this way she moves in the logic of all my dreams

this fire burns

I realize that nothing's, as it seems

*****

Leaunna stayed in her room staring, unblinking; at the ceiling for hours thinking about what they had said and wondered if it was even true. If all her life she's lived as someone else daughter, that she's never even known who her real mother OR father was. It wasn't like it really mattered much they were probably both dead anyway, and her fake-mother that had raised her died as well, and Larry, he wasn't even close to a father figure, but it didn't matter he wasn't alive anyway.

She looked down at her arm and wondered if Dilandau was just toying with her and his slayer was really all right, maybe he just wanted her blood so he could do something to kill or hurt someone with.

She rolled off her bed and rubbed her eyes, she didn't remember the last time she'd slept. She walked over to the door and it slid open. She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to remember where Dilandau had taken her the night before.

She walked down the hall looking at all the doors. `The all look the same' she muttered. `How am I supposed to find ANYTHING?'

She figured she check the next few doors since this is about how far she'd remember walking. She opened the first room to be looking at a practice room and then she went to the next door, which appeared to a bathroom of some sort and then finally she went to the next one. Inside this room was a bed and a table.

`It looks just like a cell' she thought. She walked over to the table where there was a piece of paper. Leaunna looked around to see if anyone was coming and then picked it up.

"Dilandau,

I realize that you have indeed come back to Gaea, yet I do not know what plans you have for the future. Hopefully, however, they do not concern Fanelia, Freid, Palas or Asturia.

It has also come to my attention that besides all Zaibach solders you have girl with you, someone from the Phantom Moon. We know, also, what she is; as-such, that come as no surprise to you that she is dangerous. So for the safety Gaea, you will annihilate her.

King Chid"

Leaunna dropped the sheet, mortified. Dilandau had intended to kill all this time. That she was just the side dish of his fancies. She figured he was only `joking around' so to speak when he said he was going to kill her before.

`Sneaky bastards, aren't they' Dilandau said wryly. Leaunna spun. Out of breath she managed to say, `How long have you been standing there?'

He gave her a wicked smile, `Long enough'

`Are you going to kill me like the letter says?'

`Maybe, maybe not. What are you doing here?'

Leaunna was at a loss of words. What was she doing there? `I was looking for……… that guy. I wanted to see what else I could do to help' her voice was meek and frail.

`There's nothing more you can do, if he dies; he dies, if he lives; he lives. I'm not quite god, but so close it scares me' Leaunna laughed sarcastically at him.

`Get out' he ordered.

`What?' Leaunna asked, a little taken back.

`I said, get out. I don't want you in here; in fact you weren't supposed to be in here. You should have left when you saw that it was different.'

`Oh shut up! Don't tell me that it's different, cause it's identical, the only reason I didn't mistake it for mine is because there was a letter on the desk. I don't know about here but random letters popping up on peoples desks isn't a common thing!'

`Well if you could read then maybe you would have seen the plaque on the door titled "Capitan"' He shouted back at her.

`Yeah? Well, you have stupid hair!' she blurted.

Dilandau sputtered, `So do you! Demon', he shouted, not wanted to be defeated.

`I'd rather be demon than half male half female. Say, since we're on the topic, are all the parts in working order?' she jeered.

`Why don't you come and find out?' Leaunna's mouth hung open she was again at a loss of words.

`Now, like I said. Get. Out'

Leaunna started to walk out, completely stunned. She couldn't believe that Dilandau would even think about saying something like that to her, to a girl! She walked back to her own room and sat down on her bed

`How did Chid find out about me? I always thought that he was so nice, so innocent. The way that Hitomi described him but it seems that Hitomi didn't really tell the truth at all. She was lying the whole time, but that doesn't matter because the damage that she caused is over and done with. Even the damage should have been permanent.' She thought. `I'm hungry.' She sat up and rested her elbows on her knees and looked around.

`I think I will go and eat something if there is even something to eat. They must have something to eat; I'll just go find something I guess. They must eat once and a while.' She got up off her bed and then walked out of her room again and walked around using her senses to find food.

She wondered around until she came to a familiar dent in the door. She winced when she saw it. Memories flooded her mind as she went to open it of the nights before. Of what she did when she was nothing like herself, so primitive. She brushed it away and then opened the door.

In the room were two guys. One was sleeping and the other one was polishing his sword. He looked up. A very blank expression on his face he said, `Yes? May I help you?' He was almost nervous when he said it.

`Food?' she said, more as a question than a statement. `I am really hungry, please. If you don't……… mind' she asked shyly. He looked at her, blue eyes captivating her own. He threw down his sword on the bed and stood up never taking his eyes off her, and then he said, `Come with me' he said. Leaunna looked towards the floor and replied, `Okay' just as shyly before.

Ever since the incident with Gatti, she always thought that the Dragon Slayers hated her, which, of course, was probably true. That, however, didn't interfere too much with her hunger.

`So,' she said after about two minutes of walking downwards. `Who was the one that I hurt the other night?'

`Gatti' he replied grimly. Leaunna nodded.

`Oh, and what is your name?' she asked quietly.

`Miguel' he answered.

`Cool' he looked at her strangely. `A saying they say on the Ear- Phantom Moon'

`Who's "they"' He asked.

`Oh everybody on the Mystic Moon. You know, the whole world mainly' she shrugged and he nodded.

`Well this is the place where we eat, I hope you can make something for your self because I'm not really a good cook, so find something to eat and don't get lost on the way back' He said and left with a quick turn.

The room was dark and quiet. She opened the door and peered in.

`There were eight slayers in that room' she thought aloud, `Now where are the other six? One is hurt, so where are the other five then?' she shrugged it off and carried her business in finding food. She looked around and the only thing that she could find was some spices, flavoring, herbs, sauces, bread and wine. She remembered a couple days ago that's what she had, and she figured that it wasn't really that bad so she decided to have it again.

She sat at a table eating miserable. All she really wanted for some time was to go out side feel the sun on her face, something that she hadn't felt for some time. She wondered what Dilandau really wanted with her and if he was just toying with her like a caged animal, and when he gets bored he'll just kill and dispose of her. Out of all the possible outcomes that was the most plausible, from her eyes anyway.

*****

She couldn't help but get lost when she walked back and she knew that it had to be past midnight or even two in the morning. She heard a small cry coming from the room beside her. She stopped in mid-stride and listened more carefully. When she found out where it was coming from she pressed her ears against the door. She could her the faint whisper of someone's name.

`Jajuka' Leaunna's face distorted with confusion. `Jajuka?' she thought as she slowly peered in the room. It seems that Dilandau must have heard her, since he was sitting up in the small, uncomfortable looking bed.

`Oh!' she gasped, covering her mouth. `I just heard something in here and I thought that someone was in trouble or something like that, you know I'm really sorry, Dilandau'

`What did you hear?' He asked when she was about to leave.

`A name.' She answered back, not sure if that was the right answer to give.

`Let me guess, Jajuka?'

`Yes' she whispered and walked in some, letting the door slid shut behind her.

`Who was he?'

`Didn't that stupid girl from the Phantom moon write about him? I would have imagined that she would have'

`No, she didn't. I would have remembered reading something about him since I've read the book five times or so'

`Some person Celena knew, I didn't know him'

`Are you lying?' she toyed.

`No' she smiled at his answered.

`Yes you are. I can see it in your eyes'

`You can't even see my eyes.'

`You'd be surprised what I can see' she said and Dilandau looked at her funny which made her giggle.

`Are you drunk?' He questioned. Leaunna stopped instantly and put on a serious face.

`No. Are you?'

`Have you had anything to drink you seem a little light headed'

`Are you worried about me?'

`No,' he said quickly, `I just have serious training in the morning with my slayers, have to check on one that nearly died and have to keep an eye on you, so that's how it is, I'm not worried about you'

`Well why not?' she shouted furiously at him. He stared at her in bewilderment.

`Excuse me?' he stood up, he was wearing his "Leather Pants", nothing else and started to walk over to her in a quick pace. He grabbed her shoulders and guided her towards the wall beside the door.

`If you think for ONE minute that I'm a kind-hearted, warm-blooded man who isn't afraid to disembowel you right here on the spot then you must have read something wrong in your little fantasy book girl, because I am NOT playing around when I have work to do'

`Yeah, well kill me th- thachew!' he let her go immediately and looked at her. She sneezed again, and then again.

`Oh' she said, sniffing in. `excuse me. I'm mostly allergic to flowers and chocolate but I don't see how these things can be in here.'

`Flowers? Roses'

`Yeah, I do smell roses, why do you smell like roses?'

`Because I have roses, over there' he pointed to three roses on the table that looked half-dead, but still with there tangy-sweet smell.

`Ha ha balderdash, honestly, some man like you loves- achew- roses? What a kick in the pants!'

`What exactly are you talking about hmmm?'

`Boys aren't supposed to like flowers, girls are. And boys, are supposed to give the flowers to the girls.'

`Is that a fact?'

`Yepers!' she sang. `Well, I'll let you get back to your "beauty Sleep" darling' she said sarcastically.

`Are you implying something?'

`Me? Little old me? Implying something? Like what?'

`I don't know, maybe that I'm gay or something'

`You look chipper to me!' she said mockingly. `But then again, homosexuality is nothing to joke about it, unless, you are and you are completely comfortable with it that is'

`Can you get out?'

`Hmmm? No' she retorted. He looked at her with disbelief.

`What?'

`You heard me'

`You're a little low in the world be making statements like that are you not?'

`No, aren't you a little full of yourself? Really Dilandau, I feel like sleeping in here tonight, and you know what, I think I will. Also, I don't think you need these roses' she walked away from him to his bedside table where she found the note earlier. She picked a rose and turned around and she went flying to the floor.

It was the second time Dilandau had hit her and it felt just as painful. The rose landed somewhere beside her and Dilandau crushed it with his foot. Leaunna sat up again and held her cheek. `What did you do that for?'

`Lets just say I felt like it' Leaunna looked up and for the first time in a while she looked right into those cold, piercing, melancholy, magenta eyes and they stared back, unfazed.

Leaunna stood up and walked over to him. `Why do you push people around?' she asked calmly.

`Because I can' was his answer.

`Is that it?'

`………'

`Well, I'll take your silence as a yes, you are certainly right, I only push people around because I'm a stupid git, and I own no feelings what so ever and I don't love anyone and I never will because I am a HEARTLESS, CARELESS and UNLOVING person who shouldn't be-' Leaunna stopped in mid-sentence when Dilandau grabbed her throat.

`You don't know gist of it, of anything. You are nothing more than a stupid little girl with a heart, that will soon enough be engulfed by darkness that is taking over your body as we speak' he spat. Leaunna struggled a bit. `Now listen to me, you are going to go sit down over there and you are not going to move, if you do, I will gut you like a fish' Leaunna obediently but reluctantly walked over to the bed and sat down.

`Good girl' he said manically. `Now, someone has been here and has obviously heard something of our being around and I have no doubt that it was Van or one of his ridicules friends. Now, you wouldn't know anything about this would you?'

`Yeah, everyday' she answered back sarcastically.

`I don't feel like playing games with you, but if you want to play we can arrange it. How about you hide and if I find you I can cut your other fingers off. What's your problem anyway?'

`Oh goodie, hide and go Seek with a twist of anger management. My favorite' Leauuna's face distorted and she held her side in pain.

`What's wrong?'

`My side, it hurts, like something is stabbing me' Dilandau went to her side in an instant and pushed her down on the bed and pulled her shirt up half way.

`He- hey! What are you doing' she pulled her shirt back down.

`Well what do you expect me to do? Let me see'

`No! I'm fine'

`No you're not, now let. Me. See. It' He again yanked her shirt up, but this time way over her head. She made a fuss by screaming, kicking, pumping her arms up and down, and shouting. Well she threw a full-blown temper-tantrum. He held her arm down and her other one was caught under her other side when he had turned her over on her side.

`What the-' he said.

`What? What is it?'

`I don't know. There is something under your skin.' Dilandau said, still examining it. Her reached down and touched it.

`Ah' she screamed. `What did you do?' she was turning around, trying to see what he had done.

`I didn't do anything, it just came through your skin, and it almost looks like a horn or something'

`What? Ah, it hurts do something!'

`What am I supposed to do' he shouted in anger and frustration. `Stay here and try not to bleed on anything' he said and left.

`Now I'm bleeding?' she shouted after him. She stayed in that position for sometime before he came back.

`Are you okay?'

`Yes, peachy-fucking-keen, jellybean. I have something sticking out my side and you-'

`Okay, shut up. This might- actually this will hurt very much……… and I'll probably enjoy you screaming, but this has to be done' He touched the spick/horn thing coming out of her side, it was almost like cartilage, and it was full of blood. He went to the bottom of the spick and held the cold edge of the sword against it and in one swift movement cut it off. He muffled her screams with his hand.

After he was done he wrapped her waste in gauze and some other medical equipment.

`Why did you do that?' she asked.

`Do what?'

`I don't know, save my life?… what was it anyway?'

`I think it was part of yourself, demon you'

`You didn't answer my question' she said weakly.

`You didn't answer mine'

`Hmm? What question?'

`Earlier I asked you what your problem was, and you still haven't answered me why you were in here and being very disrespectful to me'

`Well, I- I was going to a- I don't know' she said finally staring at the floor. She felt the weight of another person on the bed beside her.

`Because I don't want you to die' he said.

`Hmm?' she looked at Dilandau who was sitting beside her crossed-armed and his gaze penetrating her own.

`The answer to your stupid question.' She didn't say a word. She just stared at him. He tried to read her face but couldn't. `You can leave now, I need to get some sleep'

Leaunna leaned over and grabbed his neck and brought her lips to his. She didn't care that he would most likely push her away or say something. She just wanted to show him her appreciation. She stopped when she felt a hand on her opposite side. Dilandau was staring at her and she was staring back. Those Magenta eyes that once had no feeling now had no mask to cover them. This time he was the one to move, he placed his other hand on her back and pushed her towards himself. He brought his hand that was on her waist and cupped her face. She looked at him, unsure if he was going to push her off the bed and tell her to get out again or if he was going to kiss her.

He did. He kissed her on the lips. She closed her eyes and when she did, she didn't see any sign of him closing his. She roamed her hands over his back until she reached his neck with both hands. He laid her down on the bed and stopped and looked at her.

`I love you' he said. Leaunna still hadn't said a word yet and she wasn't sure whether or not he was going to do anything but she was sure he wasn't. But somehow during that night they were fixed in an emotional union, which bonded them more then they could have imagined. (In other words they had sex.)