From:   [email protected]
Date: Tue Dec 19, 2000 6:15am
Subject: A Silver Feather Ch.3


~Here's chapter three! I'm not to sure about the duel scene. It may 
seem a little improbable, but I tried to write it as best I could. 
Anyway, read it and tell me what you think.
Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Escaflowne and it's 
characters etc.
A Silver Feather Carried on the Winds of Fate
By: Penybright
Chapter Three
	Maureyn nodded and drew her sword. Allen did likewise.
	"You will do the honor of judging this, won't you, Van?" 
Allen said coolly.
	"Maureyn please don't do this!" Van pleaded.
	"I have to. I have to prove to you that I'm not just some 
idiot from nowhere."
	"If you're set on doing this, then here, take your pendant. 
For luck," Van said, holding it out to her. Maureyn took the pendant 
from Van gratefully, and placed it around her neck.
	"Shall we begin now?" Allen said calmly. Van sighed and 
nodded his consent.
	"You may begin," Van said, stepping back.
	"Now, let us see just how well you were trained in the art of 
swordplay, princess," Allen smiled playfully.
	"Yes, let us see," Maureyn replied with a grim smile. The two 
locked swords with a thunderous crash, then broke apart. Allen lunged 
at Maureyn, and she ducked under the blow and came up behind him. 
Allen spun to face her, just catching her blow.
	"Not bad," he said offhandedly as he tried to disarm her. 
Maureyn caught his second thrust, throwing it off. Allen quickly 
countered, almost catching Maureyn off-guard. Maureyn grimaced and 
renewed her concentration. Allen was not an opponent to be taken 
lightly. Van watched with apprehension as the two fought in front of 
the lake. Maureyn and Allen parried back and forth, creating a deadly 
display a fluid movement. 
	Maureyn had been fighting defensively, but now she switched 
to attack, and suddenly she rushed Allen. Allen caught the blow, and 
Maureyn's sword flew out of her hand in a glittering whirlwind. 
Before Allen could react, Maureyn sprang backwards and did a flip, 
landing an arms' length from her sword. She quickly snatched it up 
just in time to counter Allen's charge. 
	"So," she smirked, "what do you think of my skills now?" 
	Allen smiled his charming smile and responded grimly.
	"This match is not yet over."
	"I think that you'll learn fairly quickly, that I don't give 
up so easily!" Maureyn said, breaking off and cart wheeling 
backwards. The two circled each other, waiting for the opportune time 
to strike. They rushed each other, clashing together with a wrenching 
screech. Maureyn slammed her sword down on Allen's causing him to 
gasp in shock. A grim smile replaced his shocked expression as he 
rushed Maureyn again. Maureyn caught the thrust, the sword hilts 
slamming together with jarring force. The two of them quickly broke 
off only to lock swords again. Allen threw Maureyn off-balance and 
struck. Maureyn let out a hiss of pain as Allen's sword made contact 
with her arm, slicing into the skin. Blood immediately began to ooze 
out of the gash and down her arm.
	"Do you cede?" Allen said, a note of triumph in his voice.
	"I told you, I don't give up easily!" Maureyn said through 
gritted teeth. "Let us continue this."
	"As you wish, Milady," responded Allen. Maureyn readied 
herself and gripped the hilt firmly with both hands.
	"Try your best," she breathed. "You'll have to if you want to 
beat me!" Maureyn leaped to her left as Allen turned with her. She 
immediately changed direction, throwing him off-guard. Allen quickly 
whipped around to meet her unexpected attack.
	"It appears that the princess has teeth," Allen chuckled.
	"The princess has claws, too," Maureyn responded with a 
vicious slash.
	"We shall see," Allen said noncommittally. The two went back 
and forth for several minutes more. They broke apart, Maureyn almost 
disarming Allen. They stood, taking a rest before going  at it again. 
Maureyn began to sway as her vision became distorted. The scenery 
around her began to swirl and spin. She shakily steadied herself and 
shook her head to clear it. Allen went into stance again and prepared 
to attack. He rushed at Maureyn causing her to skip backwards a few 
steps. Maureyn realized that she was going to faint and, in a last 
ditch effort, threw all her remaining energy into countering Allen's 
strike. She meet his sword and thrust back violently. Allen cried out 
in alarm as his sword flew from his nerveless fingers, skittering 
across the ground. Maureyn's vision went black as the ground rushed 
up to meet her. 
	"Maureyn!" Van cried, running over to her. Allen reached her 
before Van and looked up at the king.
	"She's just lost a lot of blood. She should be fine. I have 
to admit, she was a good opponent."
	"What did you expect from the royal family of Fanelia?" Van 
smiled.
	"I should have known," Allen grimaced. "You Fanels are so 
stubborn."
	"I'll take that as a compliment... for now. Could you go and 
fetch someone to come get her?"
	"I'll do better than that, I'll carry her myself. It's the 
least I can do for such a spirited opponent."
	"I'm sure she'd appreciate it if she were conscious," Van 
grinned. The two men headed back to the palace with an unconscious 
princess.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
	Maureyn groggily awoke in the same bed she had that first 
day. 
	"I'm glad that you survived the sword fight so well," Van 
said jokingly.
	"What ever possessed you to try something like that?" Hitomi 
demanded. "You could have been killed!"
	"Please Hitomi, not so loud," Maureyn said, wincing. 
	"You deserve this for your foolishness!" she chided. Maureyn 
gave up on sitting , and flopped back down. Her head throbbed in time 
with her arm. Maureyn grimaced as she listened to Hitomi berating Van.
	"How could you let her do this? She's your own sister! Why 
didn't you stop her, Van?!"
	"Hitomi please! I didn't---"
	"No excuses! You shouldn't have let her fight Allen. You know 
how good he is!"
	"Yes, but she managed to disarm him," Van said, trying to 
defend himself.
	"Hitomi, stop blaming Van. It wasn't his fault. I chose to 
fight, and I take all the responsibility for what happened."
	"Maureyn, you don't have to---"
	"It was my fight Hitomi! I knew very well what could have 
happened! Could we please discuss this later? My head is pounding."
	"Very well, but we will discuss this later," Hitomi assured 
her. Maureyn nodded with a sigh.
	"As for you Van Fanel," Hitomi started as they left the room. 
The rest of what Hitomi said was cut off as the door shut behind her.
	'Poor Van,' Maureyn thought as her mouth quirked into a 
smile. 'Good luck brother! You're going to need it!'
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
	Maureyn stirred awake again, several hours later, when 
someone entered the room. The person padded over to her bedside, and 
stood there. Maureyn opened one eye to see Merle looking down at her 
curiously. When Merle realized Maureyn was awake, she jumped.
	"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you," she said, starting 
to slink off.
	"No wait!" Maureyn said hurriedly, stopping Merle in her 
tracks. Merle turned around and came back to the bedside, sitting 
down in the chair there.
	"Is it true?" She asked leaning forward.
	"Is what true?"
	"Did you really fight Allen?" 
	Maureyn grinned and lifted her right arm up painfully.
	"What do you think," Maureyn said indicating her bandaged arm.
	"I can't believe you were stupid enough to actually---" Merle 
stopped when Maureyn glared at her.
	"I had my reasons," Maureyn said defending herself.
	"Whatever. You're crazy!" Merle proclaimed, getting up. "I 
have to go now. I hope you get better soon. I think you're an 
interesting person. I'd like to learn more about you."
	"Thanks."
	"Yeah well, I gotta go. Bye!" Merle called as she walked 
swiftly out the door.
	"I really have to learn more about this place. Everything is 
so strange. I don't know if I can take anymore surprises like Merle," 
Maureyn mumbled to herself as she drifted back to sleep.