From:   [email protected]
Date: Tue Jan 2, 2001 12:04pm
Subject: A Silver Feather Ch. 6


~Um, this is chapter six. Chapter five was a little shorter than 
usual, so I got this chapter out pretty quick. Please, please, 
please! I really need some responses!

Disclaimer: Escaflowne isn't mine.

A Silver Feather Carried on the Winds of Fate
By: Penybright
Chapter Six
Maureyn began to pace nervously, muttering to herself in agitation. 
She was dressed in a fine gown of blue satin. The neck was trimmed 
with a collar of woven, powder-blue ribbons. Her hair had
been pulled up into an intricate twist, decorated with the same blue 
ribbon. 
	"What am I going to do? What am I supposed to do? I can't do 
this! I'm going to make a complete fool of myself. I just know it! I 
was never meant to be a princess. This isn't right..." Maureyn 
ranted. Maureyn was not what you would consider to be a "people 
person". If it were up to her, she would remain locked in her room 
for the rest of her life, content to live in peaceful silence.
	"I'm glad to see that you can't wait to see your people," Van 
teased.
	"Oh sure. Pick on the poor nervous-wreck!" Maureyn shot back.
	"Calm down! You'll be fine."
	"That's easy for you to say. You were born into royalty, 
remember? I was raised as a commoner!"
	"Then you should relate to the people well."
	"Ohhhhh! Why do I even bother to try?" Maureyn groaned.
	"It's time," Van said turning to go. Maureyn instantly froze.
	"I-I... can't."
	"Yes you can," Van said forcefully, grabbing her wrist and 
yanking her along behind him.
	"Van please! Let go! Van?"
	"I'm not letting you get out of this. You have to learn how 
to deal with crowds sooner or later."
	"How about later," Maureyn whimpered.
	"What happened to that confidant warrior who challenged 
Allen?" Van said stopping. "I'm almost ashamed to have you as a 
sister." 
	Maureyn gasped and looked up. He was telling the truth. The 
dead truth.
	"Very well," she replied curtly. "Let's go." Maureyn began to 
walk gracefully forward. Van smiled inwardly. Maureyn cocked her 
eyebrow questioningly and Van began to lead her to the cobbled 
square. Maureyn took his offered arm and Van escorted his newly found 
sister out to be introduced to his people. No, their people. 
	There were multitudes of people surrounding them. Maureyn 
took a shaky breath, and smiled nervously. Van let go of her arm and 
stepped back.
	"People of Fanelia, may I present to you, your new princess, 
the Lady Maureyn!" There was a pause of silence, then a roar of 
approval. Maureyn blanched slightly, then began to relax. Van watched 
in amusement as people came up to Maureyn to introduce themselves. It 
appeared that the reluctant princess was going to be all right. Van's 
expression darkened as he thought of Serena's message. That message 
could only have come from one person: Dilandau. But how? He pushed 
the dark thoughts from his mind. This was supposed to be a joyous 
day. Van sighed thinking of the long night ahead. After this, there 
would be the coronation ceremony and a banquet in honor of Maureyn. 
The prospect of war would have to pushed aside till later. But 
still.....when was it coming? Fanalia had finally been restored, and 
Van had finally found a flesh and blood family member. Someone he 
could trust. Or so he hopped. Maureyn glanced at Van out of the 
corner of her eye, and saw him brooding silently.
	'I know how you feel brother. War is the last thing for which 
I wish. If only there were a way for it to be avoided, for the 
suffering to never come...'
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
	It was later that evening, and the banquet had begun. There 
were people from everywhere. All had come to meet the new princess of 
Fanelia. Maureyn was, to say the least, a bit agitated. After all 
they had all come to see her. Maureyn was introduced to so many 
people her head began to spin. She dearly hoped she wasn't supposed 
to remember them all. 
	As the evening wore on, things began to die down. Maureyn was 
pretty much left in peace as the dancing began. She allowed herself 
to be content sitting at the table watching. Her eyes roamed the 
room, and stopped on an older couple. Maureyn gasped when she saw 
them, and tears threatened to overcome her. The couple reminded her 
of her parents.
	'No, they're not my real parents,' she reprimanded herself 
dully. Maureyn's mind shifted back to that fateful evening almost two 
weeks gone.
	 Maureyn and her parents were standing outside, in front of 
their estate.
	"They're beautiful, aren't they," Maureyn sighed, indicating 
the stars.
	"Maureyn," her mother began. "Oh, I love you so much! Never 
doubt that!" she cried, hugging her daughter tightly. Maureyn was 
confused, and she began to grow worried.
	"Honey, there's something we have to tell you," her father 
stated. A feeling of cold dread formed in the pit of Maureyn's 
stomach.
	"We're not your real parents," her father whispered as her 
mother burst into tears.
	"But I... I don't understand," Maureyn stuttered. Everything 
began to spin, swimming around her vision.
	"We're so sorry." She heard her mother gasp out between sobs. 
Maureyn cried out in frustration as a blinding light encompassed 
her...
	"May I have this dance?"
	"Wha...?" Maureyn said surprised. She looked up to see who 
had interrupted her thoughts.
	"I said, may I have this dance?" A young man with laughing 
violet eyes and thick, black hair repeated patiently.
	"I... I guess," Maureyn responded, standing up.
	"Thank you," he said, taking her hand and leading her onto 
the dance floor.
	"Who are you?" Maureyn asked when she had finally recovered.
	"My name is Drake."
	"Oh..." 
	Drake smiled at Maureyn's obvious confusion.
	"I'm one of the nobles of the court," he explained.
	"I'm sorry," Maureyn apologized. "I've just had so many names 
said to me that..."
	"You feel like the world is spinning out of control?" Drake 
finished.
	"Something like that," Maureyn chuckled. Maureyn glanced 
around the room, surveying the couples. She noticed, with a smile, 
that just about everyone's' attention was directed towards one 
unsuspecting couple. Van had his arms wrapped tightly around Hitomi's 
slender waist, and Hitomi's arms were draped around Van's neck. 
Maureyn heard several people sigh when Hitomi rested her head on 
Van's shoulder. To Hitomi and Van it was like the rest of the world 
didn't exist. Maureyn giggled to herself and Drake looked at her 
questioningly.
	"What's so amusing?"
	"The fact that they don't even realize everyone is looking at 
them!"
	"You mean everyone that's not looking at us, right?"
	"What?!" squeaked Maureyn as she frantically surveyed the 
room. In fact, people were looking at Drake and her. Furthermore they 
were...smiling!? Maureyn's eyes grew wide, and she began to pull away 
from Drake. Much to her horror, and annoyance, Drake grasped her hand 
tighter and pulled her forcefully closer. Maureyn glared at him 
savagely as a blush creeped into her checks.
	"Why you!"
	"We wouldn't want to give them the wrong idea now, would we 
princess?" he teased.
	"Let me go!" Maureyn hissed.
	"Not until this dance is over. Besides, I don't think you 
want to make a scene."
	"I'll get you for this."
	"What are friends for?" Drake replied glibly.
	"Friends," Maureyn replied hesitantly.
	"Yes, I am your friend, am I not?" Drake asked, a pained 
expression crossing his face.
	"Yes, of course," Maureyn reassured him. "A very annoying 
friend," she added. Drake smiled and escorted Maureyn off the dance 
floor. Maureyn gratefully sat down, and was slightly amused when 
Drake took a seat next to her. Maureyn spent the rest of the evening 
in pleasant conversation with Drake. This fact did not go unnoticed 
by a certain King of Fanelia, Hitomi Kanzaki, and Merle (who was 
hiding at the time).
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
	As Maureyn headed back to her room that evening, she smiled 
to herself. She was rather proud. Maureyn had managed not to make a 
fool out of herself the entire evening. On top of that, she hadn't 
tripped once. Over the course of the week, Maureyn had become more 
accustomed to the cumbersome gowns she was forced to wear. On top of 
everything else, Maureyn also had a new friend. Albeit a slightly 
mischievous friend, but a friend none the less.
	 She was grateful the evening was over. Who knew sitting 
around, being polite, and looking pretty could be so taxing. Maureyn 
sighed, and opened the door to her room. She silently slipped into 
the room cloaked in shadows. Worn out, Maureyn trudged over to her 
bed ready to collapse into a well earned sleep. Out of the corner of 
her eye, she saw a shadowy figure approach her. The assassin lunged 
for her as Maureyn tripped on the hem of her skirt.