Rescue

Disclaimer: I own nothing of "The Vision of Escaflowne. Otherwise, Folken and Eries would somehow be together.

Note: Today is my 22nd birthday.

And my strange way of celebrating is by posting the first chapters of two stories I've had planned for quite some time now. I'm taking this opportunity to start these stories while I still have the time to write them.

This is a continuation of "No Such Luck" though you don't really need to read that story to understand this one. All you need to know is that this is set in Freid, five years before the events of the series. Eries is visiting her sister while Folken is on an official visit as a representative of Zaibach.

I'm not good at writing action sequences and such so this chapter probably plays out more dramatically in my head but I hope you still get an idea of what is going on. It's all a weird result of my crazy imagination but I hope it's as interesting to you as it was to me. This will be the longest chapter o the story, I can tell you that much.

Reviews and feedback will be most appreciated. Enjoy the story.

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A scream pierced through the air, sending a greater chill into the night.

The entire household of the Duke of Freid was in an uproar. Servants and guests ran screaming from their chambers and torches were lit to guide them out of the palace. Orders were being shouted from every corner as the Duke and his soldiers struggled to maintain order and ensure security.

The Strategos of Zaibach had stepped out of his quarters immediately, wondering at the disturbance, feeling both irritated and apprehensive. He had hoped that his official visit to Freid would be routine and uneventful. Apparently, Fate had not been willing to grant him the luxury. He sensed the danger though he could not immediately identify its source. And though his first instinct was to flee, like the others had done, a voice inside him urged him to discover what had caused such a tumult in the middle of the night.

But though he tried to question some of the servants running his way, they were too frightened and desperate to leave to be able to give him a coherent answer. A guard had appeared to escort him to a safe place.

"What exactly is going on here?" the Strategos asked the nervous man, "are we under attack? What has happened?"

"We haven't been given any details of the situation, sir," the guard replied frantically, "all my orders are to escort you to a safe waiting area until the situation is resolved. The Duke doesn't want to put any of his guests in danger."

Folken nodded, seeing that there wasn't anything else he could ask of the terrified stranger. Reason told him to follow the guard and wait patiently for everything to be settled. But a nagging instinct told him to investigate the matter on his own. Why he needed to get involved was not clear to him but he could not resist doing so.

"Sir, we must hurry," the guard urged nervously.

"I want to be of service to the Duke," Folken replied, "take me to him."

"But, sir, my orders specifically stated," the guard began to argue.

"If you won't take me to him, I'll find him myself," Folken interrupted in an authoritative tone.

The poor guard saw that it was pointless to disagree and so reluctantly pointed Folken to the general direction that the Duke had taken. As soon as Folken walked there, the guard scurried away fretfully, no doubt afraid of a reprimand from his superior. Folken did not blame him and proceeded alone.

Something terrible must have happened for people to react this way, Folken thought. Without even knowing the cause of the trouble, all of the people in the palace were stricken with fear. And were he a man of weaker constitution, Folken would have faltered as well.

The fear was thick in the air, almost palpable, and he felt an unearthly chill. But the greater the danger, the more Folken wanted to be rid of it. He didn't know why he was being so impulsive but he simply could not help but go on in the darkness.

After a few minutes, he bumped into the Duchess of Freid who was anxiously clutching her infant son and accompanied by a group of frightened maidservants. Her eyes were wide with fear and tears were streaming down her face. The child sensed his mother's anxiety so he was wailing loudly and the mother struggled to calm him down.

"Lady Marlene," Folken addressed her politely, "are you all right? What's going on?"

She looked at him as if in a daze and it took a few more moments before she could speak. She recognized him as one of the foreign ambassadors but she was too rattled to remember his name.

"A monster," she said tearfully, "it came out of nowhere….tried to attack my child…"

Folken listened patiently, trying to piece the puzzle together from the scraps of information Duchess Marlene managed to give him. Even with the young prince safely in his mother's arms, Folken knew that the danger had not yet passed.

"But my sister," Marlene continued, her eyes growing wide in panic, "Eries…she jumped in and distracted it…sacrificed herself…oh, it's horrible, horrible…it's got her…"

At this the miserable duchess could not help but break into tears, quickly comforted by her handmaidens. There was not much she could say afterwards, so overcome was she with emotion.

At the mention of Princess Eries, Folken grew more alert and more concerned. He was determined to help even though he had only just met the young princess earlier that week. There was no time to process his feelings or emotions. He quickly asked where the monster had taken its victim.

"Please," Duchess Marlene cried out after him, "please save my sister."

He turned to nod at her curtly before following where the handmaidens pointed. He was led to a dark and winding corridor leading to the highest tower of the palace. The higher he climbed, the more urgently he moved, knowing that there was not a moment to waste.

After climbing a few moments, Folken came upon the figures of some of the Duke's guards strewn across the steps. He stopped to check their pulses and found out that they were alive but unconscious. Some sported head wounds from being tossed against the ancient stone walls of the castle.

Folken hurried even more, passing by many more unconscious guards on the steps. He frowned and wished fervently that he would not be too late. For by the looks of things, he might be the princess' only hope.

It was not long before Folken stumbled upon the Duke of Freid, lying in the same state as many of his men. The Strategos knelt to check the older man but he was still breathing. His sword was at his side, stained with the blood of whatever monster he had been up against.

Folken looked up the dark passageway and saw that he was very near the top of the tower. There was a door there that opened into a small balcony. By the trail of blood on the steps, Folken knew that there was no other place for the beast to go.

Carefully, he unsheathed his sword and discarded his long dark, cloak. It only hindered movement and he had no reason to be conscious about the sight of his mechanical arm. He wasn't quite sure what he was up against and he paused outside the door for a moment to think of a strategy.

He had had experience battling a deadly reptile before but that had not really worked out well for him. The memory of his failed succession ritual sent a shiver down his spine.

How much am I going to risk this time? he thought.

He wasn't even sure if the princess was still alive. Though the intervention of the Duke and his men might have delayed her death, it was still possible that the beast had already devoured her. He shuddered at the thought and felt an unexpected pang in his heart.

A loud shriek from outside confirmed the princess' survival and banished all doubts from his mind. Another horrible sound followed which was definitely not human.

As he opened the door, Folken was greeted with the gruesome sight of the beast. It was a huge black serpent with a spiked back and scales as thick as any good armor. The beast had not noticed Folken's arrival because it was shaking its hideous horned head.

"Young, royal blood," the beast hissed in almost human words, and Folken recognized it as a monster he only read about in myths.

This giant black serpent was known to attack palaces and castles as it only devoured the flesh of the youngest members of the royal family. There had been a horrible history of sacrificing the youngest members of the royal family to satiate this cursed being's hunger. But many brave knights had slain all creatures of this kind until it was believed to be extinct. No one had had heard or seen the beast for more than fifty years.

Apparently, there was still one of its kind, Folken thought. He remembered what the Duchess had said about Eries jumping in to save her nephew. There was no way that the creature would have been willing to trade its victim for another unless.

With wide eyes Folken realized that the creature had sensed then that Prince Chid was not truly a royal child. Which would have left Princess Eries as the youngest royal personage in the area.

Folken ceased his analysis and started looking for the serpent's weak spot. It would be pointless to try and hit the beast along its long body. One could easily be tossed aside by its powerful, spiked tail. And no ordinary sword would be able to penetrate its tough scales. For a moment Folken wished he carried the heirloom sword of the royal house of Fanelia but this was hardly the time for regret or nostalgia. He would try to distract the monster from its prey first, to buy the princess some time.

Before he could strike however, Folken saw that the repulsive creature had been injured by its own victim.

Princess Eries was held tightly in the snake's coils but she had managed to free one arm and grab a torch from somewhere. Then, she had burned one of the serpent's eyes in an attempt to subdue it. The beast threw its head in agony but retained its tight hold on the princess. It gave a sound like that which fills one's darkest nightmares and Folken and Eries cringed as they heard it.

"Let go of me!" Eries cried out, waving the torch in the best's face but the horrid creature expertly grabbed the torch with its fangs and flung it off the balcony and into the darkness below.

Eries gasped in horror and looked at the wide gaping, fanged mouth that was stretching before her.

"Get away from her, you filth!" Folken shouted, revealing his presence.

Eries turned to see who had come to rescue her and recognized one of the diplomats whom she had met earlier that week. She remembered his name.

"Lord Folken!" she cried out in surprise. He was the last person she expected to come to her aid.

The princess looked at him fearfully and gratefully. But she was not sure how he could succeed alone against the monster when so many others had already failed.

The serpent turned to swat him away, like it had done to so many of the other disturbances. But Folken dodged its tail easily and pointed his sword towards the head.

As the beast took a look at its new opponent, a greedy gleam came into its remaining eye.

"Another one," it said in its disturbingly human hiss, "not as young but from another ancient line of kings. Perhaps I can feast on you later."

"I don't think so," Folken replied with a frown, raising his sword and blocking the large tail from winding itself around him.

The monster was not dismayed and even raised his head as if to show its amusement at Folken's feeble attempt at defeating him. It was then that Folken saw the small fleshy area just below its head, which had already been pierced slightly by the Duke of Freid's sword. This was its weak spot.

But before he could strike, Folken had to dodge another swing of the huge beast's deadly tail, and he nearly lost his balance near the edge of the balcony. The monster made a sound like a diabolical cackle. Eries' eyes widened in fear and worry.

"Get away from here at once!" she cried out to him desperately, "you cannot defeat this monster by yourself! Please, save yourself! There is no hope for me now! Go!"

Folken looked at her incredulously.

"How can you still think of others when your own life is in jeopardy?" he thought in shock and admiration.

Her disregard for her own life made him all the more determined to save it.

"This monster will die here, at my hands!" Folken declared valiantly as he quickly undid the clasps of his shirt. Eries stared at him in disbelief, and shook her head sadly as she squirmed in the serpent's grasp.

The serpent frowned menacingly at him.

"Fool," it hissed contemptuously, "I know that look, that idiotic reckless heroic look! Don't think you will succeed, human! You are nothing!"

Folken did not bother to answer but instead revealed his large white wings and took flight, evading all the serpent's blows. In moments, Folken was hovering in front of the serpent's face, pointing his sword at its vulnerable throat, daring it to strike him.

"Let her go, NOW," Folken threatened darkly, meeting the creature's fractured gaze with his own.

But to his surprise, the serpent only seemed to laugh at him, baring its fangs.

"I know exactly who you are, Draconian half-breed," it mocked, its eerie voice speaking only to Folken's mind for its mouth did not move at all and Eries did not seem to hear anything.

"You failed to slay the dragon then," it continued derisively, "you cannot slay me now."

The mention of this painful memory momentarily paralyzed Folken and he was unable to move. This was the serpent's deadliest power, more fatal than any venomous bite it could give.

As the beast surveyed its triumph smugly, it decided to aim one last dart.

"You are still weak and cowardly," the serpent whispered, "you cannot save her."

At this the monster sunk its fangs into one of Eries' arms and she cried out in pain. But this was the serpent's deadly mistake.

For at the sound of the princess' voice, Folken snapped out of his trance and plunged his sword without hesitation into the beast's flesh.

Folken kept his sword in place as disgusting dark blood spurted and as the creature's body began to writhe in agony. It released Eries from its fanged mouth began to hiss and flail. Folken pushed his blade as deep as he could to make sure that the beast was dead. It relinquished its tight grip on the princess and she was able to breathe easily.

After struggling for several minutes, the giant serpent made a few more convulsions before collapsing and sliding from the balcony of the tower, its great weight speeding up its descent. Unfortunately, the monster was still loosely coiled around Eries and so it dragged her down with it.

Eries screamed as she stretched her hand out. Folken reached for it but missed it by a few inches as the princess joined her slain captor in its dangerous drop.

Folken cursed himself for being so negligent and immediately plunged in after her, his wings opening up behind him.

The princess closed her eyes as she fell, quickly resigning herself to her imminent death. Hope had been momentarily restored when Lord Folken had defeated the monster but it had not lasted long. She tried to banish any regret she felt. She had known she was walking to her death the moment she had sacrificed herself for her nephew. This was how her life was meant to end, short though it was.

But her morbid thoughts were interrupted when she felt herself being caught by two strong arms. She opened her eyes and blinked incredulously before smiling in comprehension. Of course, she had almost forgotten. Lord Folken had wings.

And he was now looking down at her with the warmth and kindness she had not imagined him capable of after seeing him so cold and formal during the state meetings. She seemed to be seeing completely different person and she was pleased with the view.

"Forgive me for my carelessness," he told her in earnest.

She shook her head and smiled at him gratefully.

"Are you all right?" he asked in concern.

"Yes," she replied, "thanks to you."

He gave a sigh of relief and returned her smile.

They landed in a deserted area somewhere behind the Duke's castle. The serpent's carcass was not too far away but the rest of the Duke's household was still in another side of the building. It was quiet and peaceful where they were.

Folken let her down gently, and as Eries got back on her feet, she winced sharply, clutching her arm. Folken steadied her and looked at her in concern, his eyes growing wide as he noticed the bite marks on her upper arm.

The princess was too weak to stand and knelt down, still in pain. Folken knelt beside her and racked his brain for a quick solution. They were too far away to call for help and the poison was no doubt already entering her system. If she moved, she might facilitate its spread.

"Listen to me, princess," he told her as he brandished his sword, "we need to remove as much poison from your body as possible. Forgive me but I need to open your wound a bit."

She looked fearfully from the sword to the reassuring face of the man beside her before nodding.

"I understand," she said calmly.

"I'm so sorry about this," he told her again nervously.

"It's all right," she assured him, "I'll be fine."

Folken nodded and determined to cut her as quickly as he could, he slashed her arm in one fluid motion, creating a small, clean cut across the two bite marks. Eries gasped at the stab of pain and closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Folken said again, seeming more in pain than the princess.

"Don't worry," she whispered softly, "it's not that bad."

"Do you think you can reach your wound?," Folken said in concern, "You will need to suck out the venom."

"I'll try," Eries replied as she struggled to reach her wound.

Folken then noticed the alarmingly awkward position the cut was placed along her arm. It was almost on her back shoulder. And try as she did, Eries could not reach it. But they could not delay extracting the poison and there was still no one in sight.

Immediately, a solution occurred to Folken but the notion would be embarrassing and uncomfortable for them both. But another glance at the princess' suffering face told him that they had no other choice.

"You must forgive me, princess," he told her apologetically, his pale face coloring with embarrassment, "I know that it is highly improper…forgive me… but given the circumstances…your life is at risk…and…you must forgive me…"

Eries knew at once what he was referring to and blushed as well. Had the situation been less grave, she would have been amused by his embarrassment. But she knew that he was genuinely concerned for her life. Now was not the time for squeamishness or stiff social graces.

"I don't mind," she replied nervously, closing her eyes and looking away from him, "do what you must."

He looked at her incredulously, still uneasy about what he needed to do. Although he knew the situation was dire, he was frozen to the spot.

"I trust you," she said in a calmer, reassuring tone, and this time she looked at him and he understood her completely.

Folken nodded gravely, before gently steadying her with both his hands and then pressing his mouth to her cut and sucking out the venom. He did it as gently as he could, alternating between extracting the poison and spitting it out on the ground. He mouth was filled with the bitterness of the venom and the metallic taste of her blood. He did his best not to look at her as he did all this, and she had her eyes closed as well.

When Folken was sure that he had drawn out most of the poison, he quickly tore a piece of his garments and dressed the wound as best as he could. Then, he turned away from the princess, spat out the remaining blood in his mouth and cleaned himself up.

They said nothing for a few minutes, both still embarrassed about what had just transpired. And they were thankful that no one else had been around to witness such a scandalous act.

But Eries knew well enough that he had done that only to save her life again, a habit he seemed to have picked up that night. She was more than grateful for all that he had done and she was not sure how she would express how much she owed him.

As she turned to face Folken, she saw that he had retracted his white wings and was putting his upper garment back on. He noticed her watching and gave her a small smile. But the gravity in his eyes told her that she was to keep this part of his identity secret. She nodded in complete comprehension.

He stood up and extended a hand to help her. She raised hers to take his hand but she paused to look at the metal fingers that were before her. There was no fear or repulsion in her glance, only curiosity.

But Folken withdrew his mechanical arm at once, feeling suddenly self-conscious.

"Forgive me," he muttered, shyly extending his other arm.

Eries shook her head and took his metal hand in hers, letting their fingers intertwine. Folken stared at her incredulously but she merely smiled at him.

"I can never fear the hand that saved me," she said firmly. He gave her a grateful look.

"How can I ever thank you for all that you've done?" she asked him earnestly.

"There's no need for that, princess," he replied gravely, "You owe me nothing."

"Only my life," she answered obstinately, looking him in the eyes.

"Then cherish it," he told her, returning her gaze and taking her other hand in his gently, "that is recompense enough for me. I would not have you put in danger again."

Eries nodded solemnly, her eyes shining with gratitude.

Folken was surprised at his own words and the complete unraveling of the cold exterior he had worked so hard to create ever since he started working for Zaibach.

What have you done to me? He thought as he took another questioning glance at the princess. She returned his gaze without saying a word.

Their dreamlike trance was shattered as they heard voices from some part of the castle. They released their hands immediately as they snapped back to reality. Folken shook his head and tried to shake off whatever had come over him.

This ought not to be sustained or pursued, he convinced himself. This was not part of the Emperor's plans.

People were shouting Princess Eries' name and torches were lit, showing dancing shadows fast approaching them.

"They must be so worried about you," Folken said in his former cold, formal tone, "let us return to them."

He offered his arm to her and she took it sadly. Although she didn't know how to explain it, the princess sensed a drastic change had come over her rescuer. He was still by her side but she could already feel that there was a great distance between them and that he was no longer the man who had smiled back at her only moments before. He had closed himself to her.

"Yes," Eries agreed with a wistful sigh, leaning slightly on him for support, the fatigue of the whole ordeal starting to sink in, "it's been a long night."