In the Shadow of the Flames

Acknowledgements
The author wishes to thank the following people:

Unoriginality -- Not only did she introduce me to Escaflowne in an all-day marathon during Finals Week in Spring '03, but she also listened to the idea, let me bounce theories off of her, helped me with characterization, beta'd the fic, and was willing to accept the writing and the addition of it to Beauty of the Beast, her shrine to Celena Schezar as a birthday present. Love ya, UO!

Zanne Chaos: For helping me title this sucker. Zanne, you have a gift.

Anyone who had to put up with UO and myself talking about this thing, or about Escaflowne in general, especially UO's roommates, Uncreativity and Crisi. You guys have the patience of saints.

My first time in Palas since I was a small child and all I had seen of the city was glimpses of buildings as the carriage sped towards the palace. Now, I sat in a parlor with Princess Eries while my brother speaks of military maters with other knights and nobles.

"What would you like to do, Celena?" my babysitter asked, looking up from her needlework.

"If it pleases Milady, I would like to go outside and see the city," I answered formally. Brother had spent most of the trip here on the Crusade, reminding me to be on my best behavior while I was around the Princess, even making me give my word.

"Your brother left specific instructions that you were to remain here," Eries corrected gently. "Come here."

Obediently, if reluctantly, I walked across the soft carpet and sat near her. "Yes, Princess?"

"While you are here, you might as well learn something. Your... absence has left you woefully undereducated."

My absence... they would never mention what happened in the ten years between my abduction and my brother's discovery of me at the end of the war. It had to be his idea -- everyone else who even knew just followed his example.

Looking back, I could see it coming from the moment he found me on the battlefield. I kept a hold of his arm -- I was nauseous and dizzy and needed the support. I rested my head against him, trying to make the world around me stop spinning. He patted my hand. "Just a little further, Celena. Then you can lie down."

The crew had left the Crusade to meet my brother -- they must have seen the Zaibach armor I was wearing, yet they couldn't see my face from where they were standing. I heard Gaddes cry out a warning. "Boss, behind you."
"Stand down men," Brother commanded. "This is my sister."

"Your... sister?" If my brother had suddenly sprouted wings and declared himself a Draconian, I don't think Gaddes would have been more surprised.

"Show them, Celena." He gestured me forward. I took a shaky step out from behind him. I saw his men gathered around us, their hands on their swords, but their eyes on my face.

"Well, I'll be damned," Gaddes was the first to speak. "It is a girl. But what's she doing in Zaibach armor?"

"I'll explain later... do any of you slobs have any spare clothing on the Crusade... clean spare clothing... that we can cut down for her until we get her back? Or did Hitomi or the Princess leave anything there?" Brother looked around anxiously at each one in tern.

"We can put together something, Boss."

We walked slowly back to the Crusade, and Brother led me to an empty room and left me, promising repeatedly to be right back. By the time he'd return, a bundle of mismatched clothing under his arm, I was sure he had spoken to his men, told them something. None of them ever mention my return again, though I noticed them giving me funny looks for a while afterward, when they thought I wasn't looking.

Brother was the worst offender. He tried to pretend that I had just been gone on a trip to the seashore or something for the past ten years. If the topic of my past did somehow manage to come up in conversation, he would awkwardly change the subject. He was quite happy to pretend the last ten years were a bad dream that vanished upon waking. He never even bothered to ask what, if anything, I remembered, assuming I knew nothing.

I remember everything.

The sound of boots on the deck of the Vione, the smell of the cockpit of an Alseides unit, the faces of my Dragonslayers standing at attention. All as much a part of me as the memory of waking up today.

I should tell him. If it did nothing else, it would maybe stop him from treating me like a child who needed to be constantly attended. I've dropped hints, certainly, but he just doesn't want to believe his little sister Celena Schezar was the monstrous soldier Dilandau Albatou, his own eyes be damned.

I should tell him. I've even tried a few times to bring it up in conversation, but the comments die in my throat as I try to voice them. Perhaps I'm trying to protect him from the bare truth as much as he thinks he's protecting me from it.

I sat diligently and watched Eries sew, her face knotted in concentration. It wasn't like the palace needed her doing this -- even with the reconstruction after the war, they could still afford the best seamstresses in Asturia. It seemed to me that she did it mainly to stave off the monotony of her days -- what else could she do? At least the Queen was doing something useful -- after the old King's death and her husband's departure, she was forced to take on stewardship of the kingdom. Eries had nothing to do except read and make these little useless decorative nothings.

I shifted restlessly in my seat. Eries looked up. "Do you need to use the toilet?" Unsure of what to say, I nodded. With any luck, I could at least manage a few minutes to myself.

Queen Millerna was the shortest person at the meeting, not to mention the only woman. Even with those two strikes against her, she tried her best to project a commanding image to the knights and nobles present.

It would have been better if that idiot Dryden hadn't left, Allen Schezar thought. Even if he's only a merchant, he would be a better choice to lead this meeting than the Queen. He looked around at the people assembled, trying to discern the purpose of the meeting. He could place a few of the nobles' faces from his time at court -- if he remembered correctly, they had estates near the Zaibach border. The knights appeared to be the leaders of border outpost garrisons as well.

But Zaibach's been quiet recently... they're too busy rebuilding and setting up a new government to be a threat to anyone. And why am I here? My post is near Fanelia. A cold sweat began to form at the back of Allen's neck. It couldn't be -- she's just a little girl... she doesn't have anything to do with Zaibach anymore.

"So, what is to be done?" one of the nobles asked. "I've just finished repairing damage from the last war -- not to mention the higher taxes spent on reconstruction of the capital. I will not have some person in a guymelef who thinks he's the next Adelphos Gein running around setting fire to the countryside."

Allen stiffened involuntarily. "Prin... Er, Your Majesty... what is he talking about?"

Queen Millerna nodded in his direction. "Perhaps we should explain the situation more fully to those who haven't had the luxury of a full briefing... with Lord Alaric's permission, of course."
The noble shifted uncomfortably in his seat, aware of the queen's reprimand. "Of course," he managed to choke out.

The Queen nodded. "Very well, then. Sir Dahlgren, will you explain to those assembled, the situation as we see it."

"Certainly, Your Majesty." A young man, no older than Allen himself, stood up and moved to the foot of the table, standing across form where the queen was sitting. "Well, er... Gentlemen... and Your Majesty, of course... About three days ago, the village of Silverford was razed and burned to the ground.

Survivors report it to be the work of a single guymelef unit. By the time my men and myself arrived on the scene, the trail was cold -- the unit took to the river and we were unable to track it. However, we did find this." He produced something wrapped in an oilskin, opening it to reveal a charred twig from his pocket. Several droplets of a silvery substance coated the end. "Liquid metal. Only Zaibach's military used that, in their Crima Claws."

The table erupted into a clamor as everyone tried to speak at once. "That's impossible! Zaibach was disarmed! I was..."

"...telling you, we're all going to be murdered in our beds! Your Majesty, I..."

"...Your Majesty..."

"...Your Majesty--"

"Everyone, quiet!" Queen Millerna banged her hands on the table for emphasis. "Sir Dahlgren, you may be seated. Now, it strikes me that there are three possible explanations." She started numbering them off. "One -- we've encountered a force loyal to Zaibach that has not surrendered yet." She waved a hand, stifling the comments of the assembled men. "Two, we have a rogue force on our hands, who happen to have access to Zaibach weaponry. Three, and most disturbingly, one of our allies from the Destiny War is using captured Zaibach technology to attack us."

"So?" Lord Alaric spoke again. "I don't care if it's monsters from the Mystic Moon! As long as my property is at risk..."

"It won't be. I will be doubling the guard on our northern border. Furthermore, I will be sending a message to Fanelia, asking them to keep watch for our raider as well."

"But Your Majesty, what if...?" Sir Dahlgren was cut off by the queen.

"Fanelia is too weak to consider attacking us. I am certain that they are not responsible -- it would be suicide." The look Queen Millerna gave was enough to stifle any voicing of opinions, at least openly. "Now, I must ask you all to be ready for the added influx of troops. Knights, you may need to clear a little more space in your outpost's barracks for the additional men you'll be getting. Nobles and mayors, you should be ready to render any help needed by our soldiers.

"Within reason, of course," Lord Alaric added.

"Within reason," she amended. She rose, indicating the meeting was over. As Allen turned to follow the other men out the door, Queen Millerna pulled him aside.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" he asked.

"I've been spending night and day reading all the books on politics and tactics in Father's library, but this is the first time I had to speak to people who actually knew if I was getting it wrong. How do you think I did?" No longer the stately queen, she was acting much more like the young princess she used to be.

"Excellent, Your Majesty."

"You were probably wondering why you were present," Millerna paused to collect some stray papers she had left on the table.

"It had crossed my mind," Allen nodded, wondering when she would get to the point.

"Well, as far as those with knowledge of Zaibach tactics go, you are one of our more experienced knights. I'll need you..."

"To determine who this raider really is," Allen finished.

"Exactly. I'm having you take the Crusade and patrol the Zaibach border. The outposts are instructed to send up a signal fire if another attack is reported. With luck, we can catch the raider in action."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Allen turned to go, his mind already making a list of preparations needed to be made before they launched. We'll need to stock the galley for a long trip, and check the sails and levistones -- I better send word to Gaddes to start immediately...

"Oh, Allen? One more thing," Millerna stopped him at the door. "How certain are you that Dilandau Albatou is dead?"

All of the dread that had been hovering over Allen's head suddenly collapsed into a stone in his stomach. "I... er...what?" he stammered.

"How certain are you of his death? You were the one who reported it. His guymelef was found, but no body was ever located. I've been trying to confirm the whereabouts of all the higher-ups in the Zaibach military to calm the nobles, and this one had been a thorn in my side."
"I'm certain. Dilandau Albatou is dead," Allen said firmly.

"How do you know?"

"I know," Allen crossed his arms, "Your Majesty," he added as an afterthought.

"Sir Schezar, you saw how the nobles are taking this. People are afraid, and people like Lord Alaric are gaining favor. If the nobles knew we couldn't confirm Dilandau's death..."

"I understand, Your Majesty." He didn't want to tell her... one more person was one more chance the secret would get out. They would never understand his sister wasn't that monster anymore. She'd be killed or taken from him. Still... for someone like Lord Alaric to start poking around... Better Millerna than them. He glanced around. Everyone else was long gone. He reached for the doorknob and closed the door, just to be sure. "Your Majesty... Millerna... You know that my sister went missing ten years ago. The Zaibach military took her... I'm not entirely sure what they did to her, but it involved the Fate Alteration techniques Emperor Dornkirk was experimenting with.."

Millerna considered this. "During the end of the war, you were asking Folken about Dilandau -- what he knew about him. Folken mentioned the sorcerers of Zaibach... and experimenting on children. Then you said something about your sister... something you didn't finish. I thought the mention of missing children just reminded you of her at he time." She paused. "Allen, do you mean to tell me that your sister is Dilandau Albatou?"
Allen nodded. "As the war progressed, whatever they did to her started to... to wear off. She hasn't been Dilandau since the war's end. Believe me, if I thought she was a threat to anyone, I would have..."

"Of course you would have," Millerna turned away from him, her hands clasped behind her back. "First Prince Chid, now Celena. Why am I always the last to know your family's little skeletons in the closet? Are they any other Schezar family secrets I should know about? Was your father really Emperor Dornkirk? Was Hitomi your second cousin?" She turned to face him, her hands on her hips.

"That's not funny, Your Majesty," Allen said, his hand on the doorknob. "May I go? I have preparations..."

"Yes, yes," Millerna waved a hand in his direction. "Get out of here."

Allen pushed the door open. Celena was standing in front of the door. If she was surprised to be caught by her brother, she didn't show it.

"I was looking for the lavatory," she explained calmly. "Princess Eries's directions were unclear. Hello, Your Majesty."

"You can take care of that when we get home. We're leaving now," Allen told her. He bowed to the Queen. "Good day, Your Majesty." As Allen took his sister's hand, leading her out, he couldn't help wondering, how much did she overhear?