Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Shadow War ❯ Shadow War 6 ( Chapter 6 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
Duran was quite pleased with himself. Aristae found the stables enthralling, giving him a chance to talk about something she would actually pay attention to. “That’s Eluna,” he said as he watched Aristae reach out to touch the horse’s muzzle. Duran didn’t know all the horses’ names, but Eluna was Millerna’s mount and quite distinctive. The mare was white, with dark spots around her eyes and on her rump, matching her bushy mane and tail of similar color.
Aristae looked down the double row of stables, smiling widely. “They’re beautiful.” she breathed.
Duran chuckled. “Have you no such beasts on Earth?”
Aristae shook her head. “No, there are horses kind of like these. But they are more delicate in the legs and neck, more refined.” The black gelding stabled beside Eluna lifted his lips in a wide horsey grin. “But I think these horses are smarter.” The big black nodded his head quickly, as if he understood. Eluna watched on with mild interest.
“I think he likes you.” Duran admitted, petting the large, dark muzzle affectionately.
“What’s his name.”
“I don’t know. He’s only been here a short while. Taken from Zaibach as reparation for war damages to Asturia.”
“Is he really that valuable? I mean, to repay an entire war.” she asked in awe. “Of course not. He came with hundreds of other horses, livestock, and gold seized from the capital. He is probably not very valuable at all.”
“I see.” Aristae murmured, scratching behind the dark one’s ears. She could hear one of his hooves striking the ground softly in time to her scratches. “You’re just like a dog.” she told him.
Duran laughed with her and began to lead further into the barn. There were so many other barns to go through; this only being the third. However, when Allen Schezar stepped into the barn through the open double doors, Duran knew that the castle tour was over.
“Sir!” he exclaimed, saluting sharply.
Allen nodded and motioned for Duran to leave. He did so without another word, leaving Aristae without explanation. Allen walked up quietly behind her, watching her fawn over her new found friend. “Do you like him?” he said gently, putting out his hand for the horse to smell.
Aristae withdrew, only glancing up at the tall blonde man who had replaced Duran. “He seems to be nice.”
“My name is Allen Schezar, Heavenly Knight of Asturia,” Allen began, “Protector of the realm and pilot of. . .” her attention was already back on the horse, cooing to it sweetly. “. . .and you’re not interested in any of it,” he finished quickly. ::Very different::
“I’m Aristae Tares and I’m from San Diego.”
“San Diego? Is that your country?”
“No, city. The country is The United States of America” She looked him straight in the eye. “On Earth.” she added for good measure.
He thought a few seconds, trying to place this ‘United States’ with the geography Hitomi had described to him one evening. It was next to useless. “Is that near Japan?”
::Japan? Where did THAT come from?:: “No, Japan is on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. Very far from where I live.”
“Ah,” He should have known better. “I see.”
“Why do you ask?”
“I knew someone from Japan,” he admitted. “She fell to Gaea like an angel, and flew back without a word to me.”
“I guess I’m not the first to visit from Earth.” she said, a little disappointed. She liked the idea of ‘going where no earthling had gone before’.
“We call it the Mystic Moon, here on Gaea.” he mentioned. Every time she said ‘Earth’ he pictured some alien planet instead of the large orb which hung low in the Gaean sky. Aristae felt like telling him it was a bonafide planet and not a moon, but bit her tongue in an effort at exercising the rusty manners she kept under wraps most of the time. Allen was older than she by several years and deserved respect, theoretically of course. “Sounds so exotic,” she said at last.
“It’s supposed to be cursed,” he said sternly.
“It isn’t cursed! I happen to live there!!” she growled between clenched teeth. ::So much for manners::
“I know. It’s superstition. Hitomi proved to me that her home had no curse.”
“Hitomi? Was that the other Ear- Mystic Moon girl?”
“Yes,” he breathed, wishing that Aristae had been her, returning. ::Enough, Schezar. Talk of something else.:: “My sister is ill,” he said without thinking, immediately shocked at his words.
“Sorry to hear that.” Aristae said easily. Allen was losing her attention to the horse again.
“She thinks you can help her,” he ventured, scanning her face for a reaction.
Without turning, Aristae’s eyes passed from the horse to Allen’s face, locking with his eyes. “Why does she think that?”
“When you fell to Gaea you landed at her feet,” he explained. “She thinks you’re her savior or something.”
::New news on me:: She smiled nervously. “I don’t know what I could do. I’m not a doctor.”
“She doesn’t need that kind of healing,” he said quickly. “We already tried it.”
“Then what kind of healing does she need?” ::I don’t like where this is heading:: she thought tensely.
“It’s kind of a long story.” he confessed, glancing at the horse. “Do you know how to ride?”
“Yes, I’ve been riding since I was seven,” she said. “My parents thought it would keep me out of trouble.”
“Did it?” he queried.
“Hardly,” she laughed. “My horse and I were partners in crime.”
Allen lifted a delicate blonde eyebrow at that, but did not comment. “I’ll have the grooms saddle up two horses and I can show you around Palas,” he offered. “It will also give me time to tell you of my sister’s condition.”
“I would like that very much,” she said warmly, taking the arm he offered.


“I bet you wonder how I came to be inside Selena’s head, hm?” Zongi whispered, feeling his companions discomfort. Dilandau’s stomach churned sourly as he listened, threatening to make him sick. “It’s a good question,” he said, amused.
Dilandau stood in stony silence, arms stiffly crossed as he fought to keep his head held level. For some reason it wished to bow to his chest, leaving him to look at the ground. Keeping it up was a hard won battle, yielding a neck ache.
A frown etched its way across Zongi’s lips. He felt like Dilandau wasn’t giving his full attention. “You let me in.”
Dilandau narrowed his eyes menacingly, still and quiet as a alabaster statue. Zongi noticed the meager amount of color drain from his face. ::White as a ghost:: he thought, smiling inwardly. ::How fitting::
“That night, when you- or should I say Selena, fled the castle, I watched you run. I followed, and when you spoke to her, distracted her further into the fever of your thoughts, I entered.”
“That’s not my fault then,” Dilandau said pointedly. “I didn’t invite you.”
“You left the door open, I just took the step.”
“I hope that step is your last!” Dilandau snarled. “You may have walked in, but only your blood will trickle out!”
Zongi bared his teeth in mock aggression, egging Dilandau’s wrath forward. Then he let a peal of laughter spill, followed loudly with howls of the sound. ::Dilandau, you don’t realize the peril of your straits. No matter, I will teach you . . .::