Someone asked me to post the chapters on the board and not just the 
url so here's chapter one of When Escaflowne Rescued Trilladen.When 
Escaflowne Rescued Trilladen

CHAPTER ONE

ALLEN'S DISCOVERY

         Allen was riding through the new territories of the outpost 
surrendered by the Zaibach Empire.  As the commander he was 
responsible for safety routes for pilgrims and refugees alike.  While 
on patrol he came across a young boy, probably a refugee by the looks 
of him.  He had to be about 12 years old.
        Allen dismounted and walked over to the collapsed boy.  He 
was obviously in need of all the basic necessities of life, sleep, 
food, a bath.  Allen vacillated between revulsion and concern for the 
boy who was pitiful indeed, but the stench!
	He wondered what could have happened to the boy's parents.  
He took off his surcoat and carefully wrapped the boy in it and 
lifted him up to his mount to begin the journey back to the outpost.  
He tried not to jostle him as he looked as if he had been through far 
too much.  Another motivating factor was that the more still he could 
make the ride, the less he smelled the boy.
	As he approached the gate to the outpost he barked an order.
	"Gaddes, bring me the healer!  We have a patient for him!"  
Allen commanded.  He carefully dismounted his stead and took the boy 
to the soldier's barracks as there was nowhere else to put him.
	"What have you found there?" he asked in.
	"This boy was lying face down in the mud.  He looks a bit 
like death warmed over. I can't imagine what he's been through.   
There wasn't any sign of his parents anywhere. He looks half starved. 
I don't know if the healer can do anything for him, but we've got to 
try."
	Gaddes left immediately to find the healer.  Allen covered 
the boy up with a warm wool blanket. The boy had jet black hair, like 
Van's.  He was grubby from head to toe.  His skin was brown and black 
and bruised blue on his right cheek.  He looked like the first born 
child of filth. A quiet moan escaped him.  He opened his eyes and 
startled Allen.  The boy tried to talk, but Allen shushed him.
	"Hush now, don't talk. It'll be all right. We're here to 
help. You must have been through something quite traumatic, but you 
are safe now."  Allen stayed with him until the doctor arrived.
	After a while the healer came to look over the boy. "He needs 
to rest and then he needs food. Other than that there's nothing I can 
do for him. He's young and he looks strong.  I think he'll be okay. 
It just takes time.  Who knows what he's been through."  The healer 
handed a small pouch to Allen.     "When he wakes up give him this."
	
	Allen opened the pouch and peeked inside. 
	"It's just dried herbs and dried meat, but it will help him 
get his strength back quicker." The healer got up to leave.   


	The next day came and the boy was still alive. 	He stirred 
and moaned weekly waking Allen up. "Well hello there!  You are still 
alive and hungry, I should imagine.  Unfortunately you have to take 
this,   doctor's orders.   I am supposed to mix this with water.  It 
will help you get your strength back. I can't promise you that it the 
will taste good."
	The boy spoke "Where am I? I was supposed to meet a merchant 
in Drisden, and from there join a caravan and go as far west as I 
could. "  
	Allen noted his strange accent. "You are at an Asturian 
outpost in the seized territory of Vren, once part of the Zaibach 
Empire. My name is Allen, I'm the commander here.  What's your name?"
	"I'm Prince Edward of Trilladen. I seek political asylum." 
The boy replied.
	 At this Allen's face showed sympathy, clearly the boy was 
insane.  For Trilladen was the mythical city of the old legends of 
Atlantis.   When he was very young his mother used to tell him 
stories about Trilladen, the city of the righteous who escaped the 
fate of Atlantis. 
	"Please, I must speak to your king!  It is so important! 
Mugwa plans to rule all of Gaea! A Great War is coming! Please you 
must believe me!  We all need to band together against him. " The boy 
became urgent and tried to sit up. 
	"Hush, it's all right.  Just eat this and relax.  You need to 
recuperate before saving all of Gaea, you know.  Just let your body 
heal.  You've obviously been through an ordeal. As soon as you are 
able we will talk and figure out what to do."  Allen soothed.
	Prince Edward tried to protest but was too week.  He let 
Allen administer to his needs meekly. 
	The sun rose and set four times before Prince Edward could 
get out bed.  By this time Allen was convinced that "Prince Edward" 
had lost his mind because of his ordeal.  Allen kept the boy away 
from the others to prevent them from getting spooked.   His past 
experience with his sister's illness taught him that people can't 
tolerate what they don't understand.  In all honesty though Allen 
himself didn't understand, but he was a compassionate man.
	  Prince Edward soon realized that he had to continue his 
journey. He wasn't getting anywhere with Allen.   That night as 
everyone slept Prince Edward made his escape.  He felt bad about 
leaving so abruptly. Allen had been so kind.  But Prince Edward's 
mission was clear to him, he had to get the warning out about Mugwa, 
the high priest of the temple. Mugwa's lust for power had turned him 
into a monster. 
	The next morning when Allen was informed of the boy's 
disappearance, he immediately set out to  find  him.  When Alan was a 
knight in training he learned many skills. Balgus had been his 
swordmaster. Neifae had taught him to track down his prey in the 
woods. And for now "Prince Edward" was his pray.  He felt responsible 
for the boy, but he was annoyed.  He only hoped that the boy was safe.
	 Allen headed west toward the kingdom of Fanelia.    He knew 
he would find the boy sooner or later, but many dangers lurked just 
beyond the valley of the mountain range.      There were dragons and 
hostile Zaibach refugees, mole men, and cat people, not to mention 
the unpredictable terrain. If Edward reached the end of the valley, 
he could get caught in the rising waters of the Moor of the 
Mountain.    Allen couldn't be certain that Edward would know to 
watch for the tide. At dusk of every night the locals from the valley 
knew to stay away from the base of the mountain or they would get 
sucked up and swallowed into the tide as the waters rose up from the 
ground to create the moor.  
 	The sun was high up in the sky when Allen let his stead slow 
down from a canter to a brisk trot. He searched the horizon and was 
rewarded with the sight of his quarry.  He spurred his stead into a 
gallop and trounced upon the boy within moments.  The odd thing was 
that Edward didn't seem perplexed.  He simply starred up into the 
knight's face expectantly, as if to say, "So you are finally going to 
join me."  Allen dismounted and grabbed the boy by his shoulders.
	"Do you know how lucky you are to still be breathing!  Gaea 
is a beautiful world, but also horrendously violent.  You could've 
been eaten alive by Wispy Moths pecking away at you-it's that time in 
the rotation, or drowned at the Moor of the Mountain at sunset!  I 
have too many worries without you adding unnecessary risks to your 
life.  As long as you are my responsibility, young man, you will obey 
me.  I am your elder and I won't tolerate this kind of license.  I 
run a tight outpost.  You will come back with me after I have rested 
and watered my stead, and you will be quiet.  I'm tired and hot!" 
Allen was almost shaking Edward and checked himself. He was just a 
boy, after all, and a demented one at that.
	And then the unexpected happened.  Edward fell into Allen and 
cried heart wrenching sobs.  This, of course, made Allen berate 
himself.  Though he felt strange about it, he put his arms around the 
boy to comfort him.  Allen began to murmur soothing words to the 
emotional Edward and checked himself.  This boy may have been through 
hell, but Allen was not accustomed to coddling young men.  He 
straightened himself up and pushed Edward away.
	"Here now, get a hold yourself! Young princes are supposed to 
be brave." Allen looked down at Edward as if to say, "Buck up!" 
	 For the first time Edward spoke to Allen. "As a knight are 
you not honor bound to answer the call of distress?"
	"I believe young man that I am doing just that!  You have 
placed yourself in danger and I am responding appropriately.  Do not 
think to remind me, a knight of Asturia, of my oaths and obligations. 
Now wipe away those girlish tears and we will speak no more of 
this!"  Allen gruffly stated.
	Just then the boy reached down into his waist shirt and 
pulled out a stone pendant.  Allen's head was reeling.  It looked 
exactly like Hitomi's! "Where did you get that?" Allen yelled.
	Ignoring Allen, the young prince cupped the stone in the palm 
of his left hand, closed his eyes and began to chant in an 
incomprehensible fashion. A brilliant beam of light reached down from 
the heavens and encapsulated them both as they were lifted up off the 
ground.  Suddenly, like a flash of lightening they were catapulted 
into the sky.  The beam arched and bowed downward and westward.  
Before Allen could think, he was tossed onto the ground like a sack 
of potatoes along side Edward.

	In the distance Van saw the beam of light span across the sky 
like a celestial rainbow. His heart leaped with joy as he imagined 
his beloved had at last returned. He always knew she would.  His 
heart kept a vigilant hope that never dimmed with each passing day.  
It only shone brighter as time wore on, because that meant to him 
that Hitomi's return was that much closer. Now he was going to meet 
his love and never let her go! His longing would stop and fulfillment 
at last would be theirs!  He ran out of the castle and into the 
stables, determined to meet up with her as quickly as possible.  
Barking orders to prepare his stead for him he barely stopped to 
mount up and ride like the wind to his Hitomi.