Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ The Royals of Atlantis ❯ A Princess Revealed ( Chapter 1 )

Chapter One

A Princess Revealed

"Do not deny your heritage!" a male voice filled with such raw determination called out into the darkness.

"Stop following me, please!" came a sobbed reply, the sound of heels scraping on the pavement, followed by a cry echoing throughout the deserted alley. Usually no one would ever dare to venture into this street from the high risk of thieves, rapists and murderers lurking, but the young woman who ran desperately down the path had been given no alternative, as her unrelenting pursuer closed the distance on her. Her eyes searched desperately for another person, a car, anyone who could help her in her hour of need. Even with her years of training, her running skills seemed to help little as he closed the gap between them. It was as if he was upon wings and not one footstep was emitted from his feet as he pursued her. As strong arms suddenly enveloped her she lashed out as the unknown man hauled her to the ground. She cried out again for help only to be stifled by a hand being placed across her mouth.

"Please be quiet and listen to me," he whispered his cobalt blue eyes piercing her own verdant ones; in defeat the young woman nodded in agreement. "Believe me when I say that I would never want to harm you; I never intend to do so." He whispered the words with such passion that if the circumstances had been different she would have been indubitably moved.

For the first time since the fall she realised that her would be 'pursuer' had protected her from the fall. Her body lay on top of his in a very suggestive position, and although his hold on her was strong, it caused her no pain. Perhaps, she though, he was being truthful, for if he had been lying then why take the brunt of the fall. It was he who was most likely injured from the landing, not she. He pressed her to him and his hands slackened around her allowing them to slide slowly down her body to rest on her waist.

"I have come to return you to your homeland, Princess. " He spoke regally.

"Homeland, Princess; what do you mean?" The woman whimpered still unsure if this man was any real threat to her.

"My family have waited for you ever since the prophecy was foretold. Since that time I have been waiting patiently for the day when you would show yourself. It was upon your excursions on Gaea, which alerted me to your presence and allowed me to locate you. Since then I have kept a watchful eye on you till I believed it was time to show myself. Now is that time." He paused and a small smile donned his striking face. "I have come to return you to your rightful place, as a Queen of Gaea."

"Queen?" she gasped. If this person was positive that she would be Queen then could that mean that the King might be… "Van?" Jovial laughter passed the peculiar mans parted lips at her hopeful words.

"Oh no, not to Fanel. Although he possesses something which should be returned to you." He allowed the grip on the girl's waist to slacken even more. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Muska Romska Pour La Ule Lapusha. I am the ruler of the Lapushian Kingdom. Your future Kingdom, Princess." The girl simply stared at the man in utter confusion.

"What do you mean?" She stuttered. "I think you must be mistaken."

"There is no mistake!" he replied. "In truth I know more about your true self than you do. When I was born it was declared that the prophecy, which was told at the beginning of Gaea, was to be fulfilled by myself and the remaining female descendent of my heritage. This was to occur during her 17th year of life. We are to reunite the first two Royal families of Atlantis. It is our destiny; one which I am glad to accept!"

"What?" She gasped, her brow creased in concern and confusion. He shook his head lightly, causing his blond bangs to fall in front of his mysterious eyes.

"I'll try to explain. In the reassesses of the past, before Gaea was created, three royal families ruled Atlantis. They were all connected together by their Draconian bloodline. When the destruction of Atlantis occurred our families separated. My family came to Gaea and created my Kingdom while your family journeyed to the mystic moon, where they intermingled into the simple lives of the world's inhabitants. Over time they forgot their ancestral history, there fore cutting themselves off from the rest of their ancestral connections." He stood, pulling the young woman to him in a protective embrace and his fingers gently rubbed her back in a soothing, calming action. "The proof that you are of the Seraphi family and the one destined to be my Queen and soul mate, is that the pendant which you once possessed can only be used by those of Atlantian blood. Its true power can only be possessed by one of royalty. The only exception was when your grandmother was transported to Gaea. Leon Shezar's wish was only granted because of its underlining connection to one of royalty. It was necessary for the wish to be made so that in the future this prophecy could be fulfilled. All events before this time have been governed towards this day."

"What of the third family?" she whispered quietly. She desperately wanted to move away from this man, Mushka, but she found that his touch seemed to paralyse her, rooting her to the very ground.

"It was said that they had destroyed along with our homeland and it remained that way till the last living member of the third family arrived on Gaea. She was of the Cúmlar family and she journeyed to Fanelia to fulfil her part in another told prophecy, which was connected to this one. You see all prophecies are linked together some way or another. She was destined to continue the line of her family, which was fulfilled when she bore two sons, Folken Lacure de Fanel and Van Slanzar de Fanel. You, Van and myself are the three legitimate heirs to Atlantis. Although your mother and brother are also of Atlantian origin it you who fits the criteria for the union of the Seraphi and Lapushian Kingdom. It is you whom I have come to claim!"

"You speak as if I am an object," she muttered bitterly, "What am I to you really. What purpose will I have as your Queen? As your equal, I doubt it. Or would I be a possession? Who are you to dictate to me what my future will be? I govern my own future, Mushka."

"You speak as if it is not a honour to be giving this chance. You will be Queen of a prosperous and great country." Mushka pulled her away from him and gazed at her with compassionate eyes. "I can understand how you feel about this, but this goes far beyond what we want. This union has been arranged long before we were born and who are we to defy it. I must admit I believe that this union will be far from un-pleasurable." The woman tore her eyes away from his, looked to the floor as she attempted to pulled further away from him. It helped little, as his instant response was to pull her against him again; he clearly wasn't giving up this easily!

"I won't go with you!" she stated plainly. "We make our own destinies and I refuse to accept this one."

"And why is that?" he asked his voice showing only the slightest hint of bitterness from her refusal to concur with his wishes. "What causes you to disregard this opportunity?"

"My heart belongs to another, I could never betray him!" She stood proud in front of him her face never wavering as she said this.

"Fanel?" Mushka scoffed and his once calm expression changed to one of light annoyance. "The boy may be skilled but he is no match for me. Your future is to stay by my side and bear my children, not Fanel's. His family lineage is no where near as strong and pure as mine." Mushka firmly griped her delicate arm, tightening its hold with every second and his anger growing as the girl cried out to the one person she knew would hear her.

"Van!"