Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ On a Wing and a Prayer ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

07/16/2003: Sorry it's taken me so long to update everyone. I could never seem to get this chapter to go the way I wanted. It took me three or four trys to get it like this. Plus, I started a new full-time summer job two months ago and it's kept me busy.

The song that I use in this chapter is called "In a Silent Night" and it's from Gundam Seed. Enjoy!!

Chapter 5

Katia couldn't breath. It was as if someone had just kicked her in the stomach and sucked the remaining air from the clearing. Her ears were ringing and her brain felt muddled, unable to comprehend what she had just heard. She sat on the ground, completely stunned, and just stared blankly at the woman in front of her.

Varie's eyes held a mixture of sadness, apprehension, and hope as she held Katia's stare; her smile never wavering.

After what felt like an eternity, Katia seemed to remember how to use her voice; though she still could not bring herself to look away from Varie.

"I'm sorry. I think I misheard you."

Varie's smile grew as she shook her head. "No my child, you heard me correctly." She said as she reached out her hand and gently caressed Katia's cheek again. "You are my daughter, just as Van is my son."

<What…how…NO!!! This isn't possible!!!> A dominant portion of Katia's mind screamed. However, a small voice in the back of her mind began to speak up as well. <It feels right! You know it does!! It makes sense!!!> Katia griped her head in her hands and nearly screamed as the two portions of her mind continued their conflict. She felt as if her head would split in two if it continued much longer.

Varie sat and watched Katia try to sort through her feelings, but her maternal instincts soon took over as she wrapped her arms gently around Katia's now shaking frame. Katia stiffened for a moment, but soon began to relax in Varie's arms.

"My sweet little daughter," Varie whispered as she stroked Katia's soft hair. Katia's eyes suddenly flew open and she gently, but firmly pushed Varie away. The dominant part of her mind had won the battle.

"I'm sorry Milady," Katia said in a soft, almost regretful voice as she got to her feet. "You have mistaken me for someone else. I'm…"

"Katia Tsukino," Varie said as she too got to her feet. "I know exactly who you are." There was an undeniable sadness in her eyes, and Katia's heart ached for her. But she knew that she wasn't the person Varie thought she was. She couldn't be.

"Then you know that I can't be your daughter." Katia whispered as she turned to leave the clearing. She forced herself not to look into Varie's eyes. An almost overpowering urge to hug the woman was starting to consume her.

She hadn't gotten more than two steps when Varie suddenly appeared in front of her again. Katia shouted in surprise and jumped back, once again catching the hem of her dress underfoot. There was an audible thud as she landed flat on her back.

<This is why I hate long dresses!!> Katia mentally shouted as she slowly pulled herself back into a sitting position, wincing in pain as her bruised back protested the movement. But her long years of martial arts training (and a rather unsympathetic Sensei) had forced her to adapt to and ignore the screaming of her muscles.

Varie knelt down next to her and gently pushed her hair away from her face. "If you are not my daughter," she said as she looked into Katia's eyes. "Why is it that you have Draconian wings?"

Katia's face paled and her eyes widened. "How do you know about my…" but the sound of snapping twigs alerted her that they would soon be joined by someone else, and Katia was almost certain she knew who that someone was.

"Van…" she whispered as he stepped into the clearing. He had a dreamy smile on his face and didn't seem to notice her at first, but the site of Escaflowne's open cockpit quickly brought him crashing out of his daydream.

"Escaflowne!" he shouted as he rushed forward to inspect the Guymelefe. Katia's eyes filled with tears as she watched him circle the Melefe. A million thoughts were running through her head, but only one of them seemed hugely important.

<Could this man really be my brother?>

She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't even notice that Van had seen her.

"Katia?!" Her head snapped up at the sound of his voice. His eyes no longer held that happy, dreamy expression. All that met her was suspicion, shock, and anger.

"Van, I can explain." She said as she got unsteadily to her feet. He began to advance towards her, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Katia's eyes flicked from his face, to the sword, and back again.

"What did you do to Escaflowne? How did you find this place?" Van asked in a low voice.

"I…I don't know how I found this place. I just…wanted to find someplace private and this is where I ended up." There was a definite note of panic in her voice and she began to back away from him in fear.

"Do not lie to me," he said as he drew his sword and continued to advance on her. "You are a spy. What country do you serve?"

Katia's eyes widened and she felt frozen in her place at the sight of his drawn sword. <Oh my God!> "No! I'm not a spy! I told you…"

"How did you know about Escaflowne if you are not a spy? Only a Gaean would know about this Guymelefe." Katia's tried to respond, but her voice failed her. She simply closed her eyes and waited for the blow Van was bound to deliver.

"VAN! THAT IS ENOUGH!!" a voice shouted. Varie suddenly appeared in front of Katia again, her wings spread and her arms outstretched in an attempt to shield Katia. "Do not EVER threaten your sister!"

Van's eyes widened and his face paled as the sword fell soundlessly to the ground at his feet. "M…mother?!"

Katia's eyes snapped open and her stomach gave a lurch. <So it's true,> she thought as she looked between Van and Varie. <This woman really is Van's mother, and OH MY GOD! SHE HAS WINGS TOO!!> Katia's eyes widened to the size to saucers and her breath caught in her throat at the sight of Varie's wings. It was all becoming too much for her.

Varie lowered her arms as she continued staring at her son. "Yes Van, it's me." Van's eyes filled with tears as he sank to his knees in front of her.

"Oh mother…I've missed you so much!" Van whispered as he stared at her in awe.

Varie smiled down at him before turning to face Katia. "Are you alright daughter?"

Katia was shaking from head to toe and breathing heavily, but she nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm okay."

Varie turned back to Van, who had a rather confused expression on his face as he looked between Katia and Varie, but before he could say anything, Varie spoke again.

"It is time that you two learned the whole truth. It has been kept from you for far too long." She looked sternly at her two children. "Open your wings, both of you, and touch my hands."

Van looked at Katia in shock. "Mother? Are you saying…" but Varie interrupted him.

"Please Van, I haven't much time. Just please do as I say." It was very rare that Varie was stern with him, so he knew immediately not to question her again. He simply got to his feet, removed his shirt, and closed his eyes.

Katia watched in amazement as a pair of pure white wings, identical to her own, sprouted from his back. The last shred of doubt her mind had been hopefully clinging to had vaporized. <Oh my God! I can't believe this! Everything she said…it's all true. Not only is Van her son, but they BOTH have wings like mine.> her whole body felt numb as she stared dumbfounded between Van and Varie.

Varie looked at Katia with pleading eyes. "Please Katia, there isn't much time."

"But I…I don't know how. I don't know how to open my wings." Varie simply smiled at her.

"Just picture them in your mind and push out with your back." Katia looked at her oddly, but as everything else Varie had told her was true, she simply nodded her head and closed her eyes, concentrating as hard as she could on her wings. Sweat began to appear on her forehead as she focused her concentration on her wings. After a few minutes of palpable silence, there was a sound of ripping fabric as two white, glowing wings appeared from her back for the second time that day.

Katia fell to her knees panting from the effort as sweat dripped down her face. <At least this time it didn't hurt.> she thought as she pushed herself back to her feet, attempting to survey the damage her wings had done to Millerna's dress. Amazingly enough, the dress was still intact. There were only two holes in the back where the wings had appeared. She smiled in grim satisfaction and made her way over to Van and Varie.

Van stood and stared in shock at the site of Katia's wings. <I don't believe it! She's a Draconian!> But all his thoughts came to a halt as his mother held her hands out to both him and Katia. Van took it without a moments hesitation, but Katia looked worried and hesitant.

<Well, what have I got to lose?> she thought with a slight shrug of her shoulders. She extended her hand and took a firm hold of Varie. A feeling of warm, peaceful contentment instantly enveloped her and the clearing around them began to fade away.

Katia could faintly hear the distant echo's of a mysterious and beautiful song. She closed her eyes and let the words of the song flow over her. In this quiet night, I'm waiting for you During that time, your smile has faded away Now that a little time has passed, Fond memories start to resurface.

"A double birth will bring about the ruin of Gaea!" she heard someone shout. Her eyes snapped open, attempting to locate the person. She saw Van pale and franticly scan their surroundings, but the voice seemed to be coming from no where and everywhere at once. Only Varie remained calm, though her eyes had become unending pools of sadness.

"It's bad enough that the King married a Draconian woman against our judgment! Prince Folken was necessary to secure the future of Fanelia, but that demon is bearing another child; TWO if the prophesy is to be believed. She is bringing all of Gaea to the brink of war!" another voice shouted.

Katia's breath caught in her throat and her brow creased as she strained to catch every word the men were saying. <Draconian? Isn't that what Varie called my wings? And who's this Folken?> her eyes widened as yet another realization hit her. <Another brother? No way!>

"But how do you know that the Queen is the Draconian that the prophesy speaks about?" asked a new fear filled voice. "She seems to love Fanelia, and indeed Gaea. I do not believe she would ever intentionally endanger King Gaou or the citizens."

"ARE YOU MAD ARRAGORN?! HER MERE EXISTANCE ENDAGERS US ALL!!" the second man shouted.

"HOW MANY OF THOSE RETCHED DEMONS COULD THERE POSSIBLY BE?! OF COURSE SHE IS THE ONE!" the first man added angrily.

At the place where stars fall, I'm always wishing for your laughter. Even though we're apart now We can meet again, right?

The men's voices faded, once again giving precedence to the mysterious song, but Katia was to angry at what she had just heard to notice, and Van seemed to be feeling the same way.

"They were talking about you, weren't they mother?" Van asked in a dark, threatening voice. Katia looked at Varie, positive she already knew the answer, yet unsure how she knew.

Varie's eyes glistened with unshed tears as she surveyed her children. A moment passed before she slowly nodded her head. "Yes Van, they were."

Katia saw Van clench and unclench his fists and heard him grinding his teeth in anger. She could feel her own anger rising to its threshold point at how those men had spoken of Varie, but she did not understand what they had meant about this prophesy. Were they speaking of her and Van?

As if in answer to her unspoken question, the scene around the three of them changed yet again. They were now standing in the most beautiful bedroom Katia had ever seen.

Van recognized it almost instantly, though it had been more than 5 years since he'd last stepped inside it. <My parent's bedchamber,> he thought remorsefully as he looked around. But there was something different about the room since the last time he had been in it. There were at least fifty people crowded into it, and all of them had the same worried expression on their faces.

The shrill cry of a baby rang suddenly through the room. Katia moved forward and tried to get a closer look, not realizing what she was seeing.

"It's a son, Your Majesty." said a frail looking woman from the foot of the large canopy bed. Katia's eyes widened considerably as she recognized the woman on the bed as Varie. She inhaled sharply and turned quickly to look back at where she had left Van and Varie standing. The Varie that accompanied them was still standing next to her son.

<What in the…> she looked back at the Varie on the bed, trying to figure out what she was seeing. <A…memory? Is that what this is?> She looked at some of the people standing around the room and noticed that all of their faces seemed much more relaxed than they had a moment ago. She turned her attention back to Varie and the new born baby. One of the blankets slipped down to reveal his face.

<Black hair and…OH MY GOD!> she stumbled back unsteadily, shock and disbelief etched on her face. <It can't be! I…I'm watching the day Van and I were born?!> She teetered unsteadily and began to fall backwards, but strong arms suddenly gripped her shoulders and held her in place. She looked back and saw Van, his face holding the same disbelieving expression as her own.

Both turned their attention back to the scene in front of them in time to see the younger Varie hold her arms out to the healer.

"My sweet…" but before she could even finish her sentence, she dropped her arms and threw her head back, letting out a scream of utter agony. Katia saw many of the faces in the room pale and begin to shake. Loud banging began to echo throughout the room as someone hammered against the door.

"VARIE!!" a man's voice shouted on the other side of the door. He seemed to be trying to break it down in his desperate attempt to reach the agonizing Queen.

"No your Majesty!" a panicked voice filtered in. Katia had a vision of a young page trying to restrain the frantic monarch. "You must let the healers do their job!"

The king threw the page aside and continued to hammer and kick the door. Castle guards rushed forward to help.

"LET GO OF ME! I MUST SEE MY WIFE!! VARIE!!!"

The vision disappeared and Katia was once again back in the royal bed chamber.

"Father…" Van chocked tearfully. Katia looked back at him, wondering if he too had seen what she had.

<Van looks just like his father,> Katia mused as tears silently slid down her own cheeks. She looked back at Varie. <I guess…OUR father is more accurate.> She bit back a sob and struggled out of Van's tight grasp, moving closer to the canopy bed.

The older Varie came up beside her. "He would have loved you Katia." Katia looked over at her and saw the tears pooling down her cheeks as well. "He had no idea that you even existed," There was a hint of cold bitterness in her voice. "He was never told; and I, like everyone else in this room, was forbidden to tell him OR your eldest brother."

Katia's eyes widened. "So I…" but another shrill baby cry ripped through the room and stopped her question. She looked back at the canopy bed and saw the healer holding yet another black haired baby.

"Get it out of here before the King hears it!" a firm voice shouted over the screaming babe. Katia looked over by the window and saw a pale faced, middle aged man moving towards the bed, his eyes filled with loathing and fear.

The healer gently wrapped the second baby in a blanket and gave it to the man. As if sensing that this man was not very friendly, the baby had stopped crying. He looked down at it in disgust and turned to leave the room.

"Wait!" the younger Varie rasped out weakly. "I...I want…to see it." The man stopped and turned around slowly to face the Queen.

"You will not see it," he said in a low and dangerous voice. His eyes made no attempt to hide the hatred he held for Varie. "It will be destroyed, and NO ONE will breath a word of this to the King or young Prince Folken. Is that understood?"

Varie shrank back against the pillows and nodded shakily, clearly terrified of the man before her.

With a swish of his cloak he was gone, taking the third Fanel baby with him. The young Queen burst into tears as the healer handed her the baby boy. Varie clutched him tightly and continued to sob. Whether the boy sensed his mother's grief or realized that his twin was no longer there was unclear; but he too burst into tears.

The scene faded, yet again leaving the three Draconians to wallow in shock and disbelief From when has my smile faded this much Since it was shattered by one mistake Change only the precious things into light and Go beyond the sky with fortitude.

Katia felt cold. Her entire body was consumed by numbing cold, the likes of which she had never felt. She couldn't believe what she had just seen.

She sank slowly to her knees and blankly stared straight ahead as tears streamed steadily down her cheeks. She wasn't sure what to think or feel anymore. Anger, hatred, hurt, sadness, betrayal. Each felt right for so many reasons.

"Mother?" Van asked quietly as he walked past Katia and towards the vision of Varie. "That second baby…"

"Was your twin sister." Varie said as she looked away from the two young people before her.

Van stopped and looked at the sobbing form in astonishment. "Katia."

Katia's head snapped up, but her eyes were no longer blank. They now held an indescribable amount of anger. Van had never seen such eyes, even in the Destiny War.

"WHY?!" Katia shouted angrily at the now fading vision of her mother. "Why did they do this to me?! HOW COULD THEY DO THIS TO ME?!"

Varie turned and faced her two children. Deep sadness and grief evident in her eyes as the clearing and Escaflowne once again appeared around them.

"They were afraid of you Katia. You personified everything that the people of Gaea ever feared."

Katia slowly raised herself to her feet and closed her eyes. A shower of feathers erupted around her as she pulled her wings back into her back.

"They will have more to fear from me once I am through with them." There was a cold, harsh edge to her voice that caused both Varie and Van to pull away from her.

A large cloud moved and covered the twin moons, leaving the clearing in almost complete darkness. Katia turned and began to march away when Varie called her back.

"You must believe me Katia. If it would have been at all in my power, I would have found you."

Katia laughed harshly and turned to face the image, anger visible on every inch of her face. "It was in your power. You were the Queen of this country. You could have stopped them taking me, yet I didn't see you even attempt it."

Varie's face fell at the harshness of Katia's words, and Katia immediately regretted saying them.

Van looked at Katia in shock, unable to find the words to express his outrage at her statement. Instead he turned on his heel, gave one strong flap of his still outstretched wings, and disappeared.

The large cloud moved away and uncovered the moons; however, Varie had disappeared before their light could even reach the clearing, leaving Katia alone once again.

Katia balled up her fists and stared angrily up at them, cursing them and all of Gaea for having done this to her.

Just as she was about to leave the clearing, something near the base of Escaflowne caught the moonlight and sparkled brightly. Katia looked at it for a moment before moving towards it.

It looked to be a large pink hued diamond on a silver chain. <I…I saw this hanging on my mother's neck in that vision. What's it…>

As soon as her hand touched the stone, a flurry of images assailed her senses. Gaou's death, Folken's disappearance, Van's pleading for Varie not to be sad, and finally Varie's own death at the hands of a dragon. To the place where stars fall, I want my thoughts to reach you. I am always by your side Since I will embrace that coldness. Even though we're apart now, We will definitely be back together.

Katia fell back panting, the stone still clutched tightly in her hand.

<This…this…> she looked again at the stone. <I'm so sorry mother.>

In the quiet night

And with that thought in her mind, Katia Fanel curled up on the grass and cried as never before.