Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ When Escaflowne Rescued Trilladen ❯ Prologue

"Your highness, your father bids you come to him." Asago interrupted the young royal's music lesson in the Auditorium. Prince Edward immediately rose from his seat and followed the king's personal page. He was surprised when Asago did not lead him to court for an audience with his father. Rather he was being taken to the royal gardens.

Asago opened the gate for his prince and closed it as soon as the boy was safely within the walls that enclosed the royal garden, for no one not of the royal family was permitted to enter this private sanctuary of the house of Atlantis.

Ignoring the fragrance and pure beauty of the magnolias in bloom, Prince Edward went straight away to the shrine of his forefathers knowing his father would be there. Striding quickly through the stone path that was awash on either side with a riot of color from exotic blooms and butterflies, the boy came to the foot of a stairway path which lead up to the inner sanctum of the personal intimate history of his family.

Both of his parents were there. His mother was kneeling by her liege and love, tears silently streaming down the same intense deep purple eyes that Prince Edward has. They looked up at their approaching child with pride mingled with fear and sadness. King Han rose to his feet and warmly embraced his son. Not letting him go, but holding him close the beautiful gentle Queen Natalia stood up and put her arms around the both of them, weeping softly.

The good king softly whispered to his family. "It is time for you to leave Trilladen. One of our priests loyal to us and the old ways sought us out, risking his life and his honor. He has something he must explain to you, my child." The king's voice choked on those lasts words, his heart heavy with the weight of his fear and grief.

From the corner of the shrine a young man dressed as an acolyte priest of the order of ascension timidly approached the family he was devoted enough to die for. His thin face was somber with the seriousness of his message. Not able to meet anyone's eyes out of intense regret and respect for the private hell they dwelled in he retold his grave news to the young royal so lovingly embraced by the King and Queen.

"Mugwa is preparing to use the time portal and the Prognosticator to go to the Mystic Moon. He knows of the whereabouts of a true female descendant of the royal house of Atlantis. He must travel back several decades to assure himself of her virginity, so it will take him at least one complete rotation of the sun in seasons. We don't much time. Someone must warn the outer realms of Gaea of his true intent and quickly."

Looking directly at the young Prince for the first time he stated purposefully, "Someone must be transported from our island beyond the vast waters of violence to the shores of the Zaibach Empire. It is tremendously dangerous at this point. I am not certain of it, but I suspect that Mugwa knows when any member of the royal family exercises their right to travel throughout Gaea using the energyst pendant and might even be capable of controlling the power that springs from it. If this is so, there is no time to spare. One of you will have to transport immediately before Mugwa learns of my betrayal and prevents the escape of any of you from leaving to warn the outer realms." The young priest paused and as if what he had to say next truly pained him.

"I am sorry, your highness, but considering your unique circumstances, I feel it is best that you be the one to transport!"

Queen Natalia cried out beseeching the King, "No it is too dangerous! There is no way for one so young to be prepared for the barbaric ways of the outer realms. There is nothing but warfare and bloodshed beyond the safe seclusion of our island. You cannot mean to send my only child!" She wailed into the king's chest grasping him tightly by his waist shirt.

The king groaned in anguish and held his ladylove. Tears of fury washed his cheeks and baptized her head with grief. At long last he was able to speak. "I have no choice. If either you or i go, Mugwa will be alerted immediately that we intend to intervene. A young royal with limited duties will not be missed for at least a fortnight. It's not just our island that hangs in the balance, but all of Gaea and the Mystic Moon. And there is our cherished secret about our child that must not be discovered while Mugwa is still breathing."

The Queen's fiery spirit erupted in a flash of hope and determination. She lifted the delicate platinum chain that her energyst pendant hung from and placed it around her beloved child's neck. Looking her offspring squarely in the eyes she performed the age old tradition that was handed down to her. She spoke the sacred words of the rights of freedom.

"As is my right as the royal daughter of Atlantis, I bequeath to you my power of freedom to extend your life force beyond the shores of our paradise. Be, therefore, the guardian of freedom for all our peoples, both the righteous and the wicked. Uphold and defend the principles of free agency. Lead the scholarly to wisdom, the simple to faith, the proud to the fire, the strong to the test, and the meek to the kingdom of Heaven, having informed all that the choice to return to the old ways and receive Heaven's blessing is theirs alone!" The Queen's chest rose high and fell low taking in the air of sorrow and devotion.

The queen's trembling right hand took hold of the magenta colored stone resting on her child's chest and her left hand took hold of both of Prince Edward's hands. "To transport beyond our shores you must say the words I will teach you as you hold the pendant in your left hand. Do not say these words lightly. Do not allow others to know them. Speak them with pure intent of heart as if saying a prayer of thanks for your lineage."

Prince Edward gulped in anxiety. The young priest stepped away from the family. The king walked over to the shrine of his ancestors and retrieved the ancient family Katana from the wall hold with the Family's royal crest insignia below it. The young priest shook his head in protest.

"I could not defile your sword with my blood, sire. I have brought other means to dispose of myself." The young priest removed a small vial from within his priestly attire and began to open it.

The king stopped him and spoke. "After the service you have done for my family, I would be honored to lend you this ancient family weapon. Sad is this day that we need it after so many centuries of peace. Please, the choice is yours, I know, but it would comfort my aggrieved spirit to know that you escaped Mugwa's brutality by means of something I have provided for you. That poison will be painful once swallowed, and your death will not come as swiftly." The king's eyes were alight with compassion as his heart fought with itself over this necessity.

The young priest swallowed and confessed in a raspy voice, "I do not have the courage to take my own life, and I dread the thought of staying in this world and confronting the inevitable. Please sire, if you would sully this sacred relic with my blood by your own hands, my soul would be free and my peace would be assured ." The young priest began to cry silent tears. He lowered himself to his knees and bent his head low. The queen and her child stepped away, crying along with the valiant young man who had chosen freely to give his life for revealing the ambitions of the high-priest of the holy temple.

The king, unused to the weight of this perfect lethal weapon, nervously grasped the hilt with both hands. He was shaking from the thought of what he must do. He could do no less for the sweet soul of this young priest. The king spoke, "This feels so foreign to me. I've never held it before. I am afraid I'll make a mistake." His heart caught in his throat and he could scarcely breath. Barely being able to whisper he implored the devoted youth, "Look upon me for a time. I must study your face with mine eyes and trace its features in my mind lest I forget what of pure love looks like."

The king lowered the sword as he gathered his courage. The young priest looked into his king's eyes. Both shed tears and said silent prayers begging for forgiveness for himself and the other. The king waited until tears no longer formed in his eyes. A calm assurance came over him as he felt a surge of brotherly love for the young priest.

"I would know the name of the brave young priest who sacrifices his life with only the hope in his heart that his deed might save many." The king whispered.

"I am Jahim of the house of Yorh. My father was the high priest of the temple during your father's reign. I am honored to have served you and our people. My spirit will go to heaven and I will sing songs of love for you for your family for what you do for me this day." Jahim solemnly replied.

The king stepped forward quickly and embraced Jahim with his free arm and shed tears on Jahim's shoulder. "From this day forward, I will remember you and your father with my every prayer!"