Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Piece of Her Wings ~Untouched~ ❯ Call My Name ( Chapter 1 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

By: sadamex

Konnichiwa! Sadame-neechan here again! I would like to apologize for the late updates, my isp bailed out on me, plus my aged HDD has finally met its maker on the last possible second before I could upload the next two chapters, making me miss my deadlines (my apologies, two faithful readers). Isn't that annoying? Anyway, thank you so much for your support. I really appreciate it! Please hang in there and bear with me!

Sadame-chan 090504

Chapter One:

Call My Name

Millerna and Marlene stared intently at the aged clock that was hanging on their dining room wall. Their eyes followed the slow movement of the hands along their numbered path. Nobody in the entire village made a sound, it seemed, so the only thing that could be heard is the soft ticking of the clock. The entire place where they lived was like a ghostly ruin where not a soul dwells; not even the trees made the faintest sound, even the ocean and the sky seem to be holding their breath. The eerie silence that hung upon them was so thick that it was almost tangible.

But all that changed at the stroke of midnight. The dark stillness of the starless sky was quite suddenly filled to bursting with colorful wild sparks from the villagers' fireworks. The silence has been broken by a myriad of sounds as countless cheers, noises, and voices containing greetings, hopes, wishes, and prayers filled the cool night air. A moment ago, the whole village stood still and silent as it awaited the signal for the new beginning, but now it is different. Now, there is a joyous celebration to behold.

Millerna happily turned to embrace her sandy-haired sister. "Happy New Year, Marlene!" she greeted her warmly.

"Happy New Year, Millerna!" she answered as she returned her sister's embrace. They stayed like that for quite a while, clinging to each other, and then she grew reflective for a moment. "It's been another year..." she thought.

It has been nearly four years since the day she woke up and found herself lying in a strange room, on a bed that wasn't hers, and staring at a gentle face she didn't know. That was her farthest memory. She couldn't remember anything before she had woken up. She didn't even remember how she got badly wounded and with most of her bones broken.

But the owner of the face was a kind and gentle man. He nursed her slowly back to her health, changing the leaves that healed her wounds, checking the wood that supported her broken arms and legs. He even cooked for her and mended his clothes so they could fit her limp little body. He kept talking to her, keeping her company, asking her questions like what her name was and where she came from. But she couldn't reply. She couldn't remember anything before, not even her own name.

Marlene thought fondly of the man who saved her life. During those long, interminable months when she suffered badly from the pain of her injuries, when the agonizing pain made her howl and writhe in his bed, he would stay with her all night, sitting beside her, giving her as much comfort as he could. He was such a kind, gentle, dear person, and the truth of it was, she grew quite close to him during her recovery.

And then, when she was strong enough to sit up, he introduced her to Millerna, a neighbor of his. He told her that now that she could sit up and was strong enough to be lifted, he sought it proper to look her in for a new home with a female companion. Because even though he enjoyed her company, and he wouldn't mind at all if she stayed there, he just doesn't see it as proper that they stay all alone under one roof.

And that was how Millerna entered her life. Tall, blond and vivacious, she was such a warm, nurturing person, and she accepted and treated her like she was family. She was even the one who kept having conversations with her when she was too shy and awkward to talk to her. Millerna was the one who kept breaking the ice and the temporary wall between them.

"Tell me, dear," Marlene could remember her ask one day. "What's your name?"

She just looked at her sadly and honestly said, "I don't know. I don't remember anything."

Millerna embraced her fondly. "Then we'll just have to make-do," she said cheeringly. "Let's see," her face creased in thought. "What would be a perfect name for you?"

Millerna grew silent for a while, smiling a bit sadly. Then she suddenly embraced her and softly said, "I know, we'll call you Marlene," she said, now looking straight at her eyes. "Marlene... like my sister who died long ago."

Marlene. That was the name that she had adopted since then, and that was the beginning of her new life with Millerna. The villagers were very kind, and they all made her feel welcome there. The elders taught her how to work in the fields and with the animals, the younger people helped her get accustomed with everyone, and Millerna and her savior gently guided her into her new life.

She couldn't be thankful enough for her blond savior. To Marlene, he was the ultimate definition of a man. He was everything she ever needed and wanted. He was everything she had ever hoped for.

"Happy new year, Millerna, Marlene," said a musical voice from their doorstep. "May I come in?"

The visitor had long, flowing blond hair and soft, sparkling blue eyes. He had fair complexion, and glowing beautiful skin. He speaks very urbanely; his gestures were polished and well mannered. His tall, slimly muscular body could as well serve as a model for a statue, and he was absolutely, perfectly gorgeous.

It was Marlene's handsome savior, the one who makes her heart flutter.

"Allen," Marlene blushed. She quickly turned around so he wouldn't see. His presence had always made her clumsy, so she prudently avoids unexpected and sudden conversations with him, lest she makes a fool of herself, or die with embarrassment. But if anything else, she thought that he was even more handsome than he was when she saw him this morning.

Marlene was like that sometimes.

"Come in, Allen, you're no stranger to ask permission first, you know." Millerna gently scolded. "Oh, and happy New Year to you, too." She quickly added.

Allen laughed as he came inside. It was an honest, musical laugh, and Marlene noted that he had perfect white teeth. "I brought some fruit," he said.

Marlene teased him a bit. "Fruits, Allen?"

"Well... I cooked some stew for supper, but I don't think you two ladies would like it."

"Why not?" Millerna asked.

"Because I don't like it myself." He answered.

It was Millerna and Marlene's turn to laugh. "Come on, Allen, join us for dinner. Marlene made the stew, and I'm sure we'd all like it."

It was really a pleasant evening to start the coming year. They had a bountiful harvest last year, and so they had quite a spread on the table. There was stew, freshly baked biscuits, steamed vegetables and corn dripping with butter, creamy potatoes, a leafy herbed salad, and a large roast duck that Millerna had prepared the whole day. They ate slowly, enjoying the food and talking about matters of the fieldwork and the animals that Marlene cared for. Allen complemented Marlene on her cooking, and she liked that. He also spooned three bowls of the heavy stew that she cooked, and she also liked that.

"Oh..." Allen said, groaning. "I think I ate too much."

"You'll work it off when the planting starts," Marlene said as she helped Millerna clear the dishes.

"I should live away from you two," he said, standing up with some difficulty. "Or I'll get fat."

"That's not true, Allen." Millerna disagreed while she washed the dishes. "Marlene eats all the time, but she never gets fat."

"Millerna!" Marlene gasped, her cheeks burning red. "I most certainly do not!" Allen was laughing gaily.

"Oh? You should see yourself eat, then. It's gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp, then breathe," she turned around and held up four fingers. "That's four gulps to one breath! Imagine that!"

Marlene was blushing furiously by now. "That's not true!" she was embarrassed that Allen had to hear Millerna tease her.

"And no chewing too! That's amazing!" Allen joined in.

"Allen!" Marlene pouted. Millerna and Allen laughed even harder.

"Come on, you two. Let's sit outside and watch the fireworks. I'll get the fruits Allen brought. I've chilled them, and we could have them for dessert." Millerna said, wiping her hands on her apron.

"I knew I should've lived far away from you two," Allen murmured.

They sat outside under the blazing night sky, enjoying the colorful display and the cool, gentle sea breeze. They ate chilled fruit while talking idly, stopping now and then to look at the wonderful colors the fireworks painted on the midnight sky. Marlene secretly gazed at Allen's beautiful face, and swore to herself that he looked even more dashing at night.

Millerna gazed at the night sky. "I do hope it'll be a bountiful year ahead," she softly said.

Allen smiled as he looked at the last remaining fireworks in the sky. The noises were gradually fading now, and before long, the whole world was enveloped in silence once again.

Allen turned his face to Marlene. "It's another year for you, too, Marlene." He said softly. "Can you remember anything now?"

Marlene was touched that he cared. She thought about the year that has passed. She had a lot of memories that year. They were memories that she wished to keep forever.

Unlike the memories of her past that evaded her still.

She sighed. "No, Allen." She answered. "I still don't remember anything."

Allen smiled at her. "That's good." He said, patting her hand softly. "That means that you're staying with us a little bit longer."

Marlene blushed, and was glad that the darkness concealed it. Nearly everything Allen does made her very nervous, and it was quite obvious that she had feelings for him. She looked a bit sad, though. It has been four years now that she stayed together with Millerna and Allen. They live a quiet, simple life, surrounded by hardworking, helpful people, and she was honestly very happy and contented living here with them. She was always so thankful to be so blessed; she couldn't ask for anything more.

But there has always been something deep inside her that keeps telling her that there is something more. There is something that keeps intruding upon her thoughts and dreams, making her feel that her new, happy life is empty, that it is lacking something. She really couldn't explain it; it was something so trivial and haunting that even though it only exists at the back of her mind, it was a very powerful force nonetheless. It was a yearning for something. It is an unbearable longing, an overpowering urge of wanderlust that seems to be calling her name to come. She had always felt as if there is something or someone out there that she needed to search for, that she wanted to search for. She couldn't help it anymore; she believes that somewhere, far beyond the great blue ocean, behind the towering peaks of the majestic mountains, over the endless blue skies, there is something wondrous that awaits her, there is someone calling her to come and find it, to search for that person, calling to her soul, to the very core of her being, calling out her name over and over again.

But she didn't know her name...

"Allen, Marlene! Look!" Millerna suddenly said.

The two of them looked at the white smear at the sky Millerna was pointing to. "A shooting star!" she exclaimed.

"I know what I want," Millerna said, a dreamy, faraway look in her eyes. "I wish for a safe, prosperous year ahead."

Allen closed his eyes and clasped his hands together. "I wish that Millerna and Marlene won't get me fat."

Millerna gently slapped his arm, then smiled at her sister. "What do you want to wish for, Marlene?" she asked.

Marlene looked up at the sky, glanced away from the both of them, hiding the emotions swelling up in her eyes. "Marlene..." Millerna softly asked. "What's wrong, dear?"

She grew still for a moment. "I'm scared, Millerna." Marlene whispered. "I'm so happy living here with you, it makes me so afraid..." she paused apprehensively. "Afraid that one day, I'll have to pay for it... reminding me how fragile happiness really is..."

Millerna, her caring sister, gently gathered her hands in hers and smiled reassuringly to her. "Then you should wish for it. Wish for the happiness that you know you want."

"I don't know what I want," she murmured softly. "But I do know what to wish for..."

Allen and Millerna looked somewhat sadly at her, obviously knowing what she probably meant to say.

She turned and smiled broadly at them. "I wish that Millerna will eat more than I do, then she'll get fat."

Allen laughed. "You're crazy." Millerna blurted. "It's late. We'd better get to bed if we want to wake up before twilight."

As Allen waved them goodbye and Millerna came inside the house to close the windows, Marlene looked once more at the now obscure sky. The shooting star wasn't there anymore, but the wish she had in her heart was still there. I wish to find my memories, she thought. I want to know who I really am. I want to know myself... I want to find my secrets, the ones hidden from me by my memories. I want to know what is out there that keeps calling out my name... then I know that I'll truly be happy...

Millerna called to her to come inside and get some rest. Marlene took one last long look at the vast, endless sky, turned, sighed, and walked towards home. Soon, the small, flickering lights from the gas lamps faded and died, and the whole village was still once again, like a ghostly ruin where not a soul dwells.

Somewhere from beyond the great blue ocean, a salty sea breeze blew in and rustled the leaves of the palm trees, swirling around the dried leaves lying on the grass. Marlene's wish, a silent and encompassing prayer to the high heavens, rose slowly and soared upwards, meeting with a warm unknown wind bringing in a message, a summons of a distant and unearthly voice, beckoning, calling out her name.

Hitomi...

If only she had heard.

Tsuzuku

"I'm scared, Millerna. I'm so happy living here with you, it makes me so afraid... afraid that one day, I'll have to pay for it… reminding me how fragile happiness really is…"