Le Jeune Guilavene

Chapter 17

Van awoke early the second day of his recuperation. The sun rising in the east had struck his eyes and he grimaced at the initial discomfort. He squirmed about briefly to get a feel for his surroundings without opening his eyes. Briefly, because the movement sent a shooting pain in his side. When he tried to reach over to examine his wound, he found his arms restrained with thick leather straps. He opened his eyes and groaned.
The wounded youth was naked, his abdomen wrapped thoroughly in bandaged, as well as his hands which were still blistered and raw from handling the over heated Escaflowne. A pale blue blanket was resting over his lower proportions for modesty’s sake, but his arms and chest remained bare. A pair of leather and fervem padded buckles encircled each of his wrists and held them to the narrow bed.
Upon brief inspection of his room, he concluded he was in a sort of hospital or clinic. There were a series of empty beds on either side of him, lining the walls and facing the East. The sun was rising in front of Van, and he watched it through the closed glass windows, taking in the bright pinks and golds in silent appreciatioTurnTurning his dark eyes upward, he could make out a sort of domed roof with murals painted upon it.
The young hunter felt as if it were all strangely familiar. So like that night after his first encounter with the Strategos. Fate, his mother had once said, runs in a circular pattern. It constantly repeats itself until a person learns their lesson and breaks the cycle. Whatever lesson Van thought he was suppose to have learned he did not know, but he really hoped it did not involve getting stabbed again.
“Ah, you’re awake. I’m so glad!”
The wounded boy turned quickly to his left, and found pretty young woman dressed in white medical robes and short brown hair. She smiled cheerfully at him and came to stand next to him.
“I was worried that you weren’t going to wake up. The doctors were afraid the weapon that wounded you was poisoned, and they’re not equipped to deal demon poisons. But you’re good, so all’s well. Will you please follow my finger?” she chattered pleasantly.
Awkwardly, Van did as she requested and followed her finger with his eyes. She performed several other small tests, including tapping him in the knee with some strange instrument. He wondered if his leg was supposed to kick automatically like that. His nurse did not seem bothered by it, and continued rambling on and on.
For a woman who walked about so silently, she certainly made a lot of noise with her mouth.
“Okay, I’m done. I’ve got to go report you’re awake now. I should warn you to expect company. There are a lot of people really anxious to meet you,” she informed him, before scuttling off as quickly as she had come.
The patient watched her go, a little confused about what just had happened and likely not to receive any answers. Alone again, he took a moment to think about last night and his time spent with Folken.
They had said nothing after Van’s apology. Instead, they stood in silence and looked out over the forest to the glowing demon city in the distance. The mortal still did not know the city’s name, much to his disappointment. They watched the moons slowly cross the sky, Folken standing close enough to touch him, but respectfully refraining. It had not been a night of seduction, but of contemplation and mourning.
As the sky had begun to fade with the approach of dawn, the boy had begun to feel sleepy. He had fallen he was certain and he believed Folken had caught him, but he had slipped into consciousness before he could be certain.
The sound of a heavy door opening caught his attention, and he turned his head to the left again to see several people walking towards. S. Some he recognized; like Allen, Dryden, and Gaddes, but the others were a mystery to him. He thought one of them was Queen Eries, as she looked very much like Chid, but he was not certain. There was an enormous scarred man amongst them, someone he was positive he had never seen before. After all, he would remember someone like that. Also amongst them appeared to some scribes, likely her majesty’s record keepers.
Van found himself suddenly surrounded on all sides by them. They each stared down at him intently, studying and dissecting him with their eyes. The young man felt extremely uncomfortable to say the least.
“Are you done gawking?” he snapped.
The scribes jumped in alarm, but the others remained unperturbed. The Queen actually smiled slightly at his remark.
“So we meet at last, Sir Guilavene,’ Eries said, ‘I wish it had been under better circumstances.”
“Yes, well, until recently all other circumstances involved imminent death so I consider this a ‘better circumstance‘,” Van replied bitterly, sending a dark look towards Allen.
The tall blonde looked distinctly uncomfortable, under the boy’s scrutiny. Gaddes did not look much better, and he was not even being glared at.
Dryden smiled smugly to himself.
“We wish to clear this situation up once and for all,” the queen continued.
The patient looked at her, not exactly glaring, but clearly not pleased.
“You wish to clear this all up now? What happened to before? You know, like before you set a bounty on my head and chased me around city like an animal,” he said.
At this, Allen looked annoyed.
“If you were innocent and had not run away with that demonic sword, than I’m sure this could have been cleared up before it got started. Why would you take something like that in the first place?!” the prince demanded.
“I needed it!”
“For what?”
“What do you think? What are swords normally used for?” Van said sarcastically.
“Stop it, both of you!’ Queen Eries snapped, ‘You are acting like children.”
The two swordsman immediately shut up, and turned their attention elsewhere, pointedly ignoring each other. The queen rolled her eyes and pulled Allen off to the side.
“Allen, I think you should wait outside,” she told him.
“What?”
“Listen, you and Guilavene obviously have some resentment issues going on and right now you are both just upsetting each other needlessly. I want you to wait outside for now. You can talk to him after we’re done,” the blonde woman stated, leaving no room for argument.
Allen stared at her earnestly for a moment, then angrily stalked off, slamming the door behind him. Van watched him go, feeling unsatisfied and a bit regretful.
And the interrogation began.
“Do you work for or are under the influence of the demon known as the Strategos?” the Queen began first.
“No,” the boy stated.
The sound of the scribes scratching on their parchment permeated the room.
“For what reason did you take the demon sword, Escaflowne,” asked Dryden.
“ I won it. It is mine.”
“You were going to sell it to Allen, before you knew there was a demon in it,” the merchant pointed out.
“So, I changed my mind,” the hunter said flippantly.
“Watch your tone, young man. You are still under suspicion of conspiring with demons, not to mention several other charges regarding the assault of city guards, theft, and running from the law,” the queen rebuked him sharply.
Van said nothing, but did not look particularly impressed. After what he had been put through by these people, he did not give a damn. The first opportunity he got, he was heading straight to Fried.
“What is your relationship regarding the Strategos?” she continued.
Ah, that was the real question wasn’t it? Unfortunately for them, not even Van knew the answer to that himself. A week ago he would have said hunter and prey, but now he was not so certain. There was no doubt that the hunter was being pursued, but at the same time he also knew he was being courted. Seduced and beguiled and all that nonsense.
“Well?” her majesty demanded.
Van looked back up to her, not realizing he had hesitated. He looked to the others. Dryden, with his gentle reassuring expression. Gaddes; obviously skeptical of anything he had to say. The scribes were more focused on their parchment than him. Finally, his eyes rested on the large man whose expression he could not read. They regarded each other silently for a moment, until the injured youth turned back to the queen.
“It is none of your business.”
Scratch scratch went the scribe’s pens. The beautiful woman’s expression turned from intent to cold instantly. She looked as if she wished they were alone so she could slap him for his disrespect.
Dryden quickly changed the subject matter.
“What were your intentions when you accompanied Prince Chid to the palace?” the merchant asked.
“I had no intentions. After protecting Merle from her attackers, the prince invited me to the palace. Still being incognito and in the midst of his guardsmen, I had no choice but to play my role and accompany him to the palace,” he explained.
That actually sounded reasonable to them. Even if it was a bit ironic.
“So why are you in Palas?” she asked, her voice a bit harsher than it had been previously.
“My family is dead. I came to this city in hopes of becoming a demon hunter like my father before me,” he said.
That brought a sharp bitter laugh to Van’s lips.
“Hn. Isn’t that a bit of an irony?” the youth said.
Scratch scratch went the scribes in agreement.
Another, slightly hysterical laugh came from the boy, but he stopped as it caused his side to hurt. Eries knew it was time to go.
“You are tired and your doctor has not seen you. I think we better go and let you rest,” she said.
Van said nothing, but looked blankly at the ceiling. Yes, he was tired. More tired than he could ever remember being. So let them go, he would not stop them. Hn, he was strapped to a bed, it was not like he could stop them.
A sudden fear hit him.
“Untie me.”
The party stopped as they were heading out to lookk hik him.
“Untie me,’ he repeated, ‘I’m not safe here.”
Queen Eries shook her head and smiled coldly.
“There are guards just outside the door. They will protect you, and should you need anything just call,” she assured him.
“I’ve met your guards, remember?!” he shouted back, nearing panic, ‘They’re idiots! Untie me!”
Her Majesty ignored him and continued on through the doors. The men, with the exception of the scribes, did not looked pleased with her decision or her lack of care for young man’s obvious distress. Even Gaddes looked reluctant to go.
“Your Highness,” Balgus said.
The woman turned to him, showing she was paying attention.
“Allow me to stay behind,” he requested.
“Why?” she asked.
“He should not be left alone, for one thing. And for another... I knew his father. I would like to know how he died.”
Eries was thoughtful for a moment, but then nodded.
“Do as you wish.”

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Allen was waiting anxiously in the hall, along with Van’s doctor, who was more than peeved at being kept from his patient. As soon as the Queen and her company stepped out of the clinic, the elderly man snatched up his black satchel and stalked passed them. Her Majesty took hold of his arm as he passed her.
“Doctor, make sure he is sedated. He has been rather.. rambunctious, and I fear he will hurt himself,” she said.
The healer did not believe her intentions honorable for a second and resented her meddling with his patient, but he nodded in agreement. As royal clinician, he did not have the right to question the queen’s judgment or orders.
“Are you certain that was necessary?” Dryden asked, when the man had gone.
She only spared him a cold glance and stalked off, her scribes following closely behind. The merchant watched her go suspiciously. Gaddes and Allen were already talking about what Guilavene had said and had not seen her rude behavior.
“What do you think, Merchant?” Gaddes asked, as the sword seller approached them.
He flashed them a charming smile.
“Like the young man said, it’s none of my business,” Dryden said.
Allen’s second in command rolled his eyes.
“You’ve been prattling on about how you think he’s innocent this entire time, and just as you might be proven right it suddenly is ‘none of your business‘?” Gaddes said.
“Is humility really an out-dated ideal?”
That made Allen smile.
“Where is Balgus? Is he still with the boy?” the Captain of the Royal Guard asked.
“He wanted to talk to Van about his father,” the second-in-command informed him.
“Indeed, so you might want to wait around a little longer, your highness. Lord Balgus is more likely to get interesting information than any of us,” the merchant said.
“True, he has no reason to be angry with him and will likely trust him more because he knew his father,” Allen surmised.
The two brunettes nodded in agreement.
“Very well. I shall wait a bit longer. Gaddes, you arecharcharge of the men until I come back. Alright?”
The soldier nodded and gave him a playful mock salute.
“Yes, sir,’ he said cheekily, before heading off to talk with the other soldiers.
When Gaddes had disappeared, Dryden turned his attention to Allen, who suddenly seemed to realize he was alone with a man who had kissed him not that long ago. The merchant smiled as he noticed the faint pink that spread across the prince’s cheeks, as the blonde tried his best not look at him
“Your Highness, I was wondering if I might have word with you in private?” Dryden requested, glancing at the sentries standing guard to the clinic.
“Ah.. Certainly,” Allen agreed reluctantly.
They walked down an empty hallway until they were positive they were out of sight. The prince watched his companion warily, cautious not to stand too close but not far enough away as to be suspicious. Dryden found his shyness rather cute.
“What did you want to talk to me about?”
“I wanted to know if you still think Van is in league with the Strategos,” the roguish man said.
Allen mentally sighed in relief.
“I honestly do not know. There is a connection between them, I am still convinced of that, but I don’t know what it is. Whatever it is, Guilavene obviously does not want us to know. He refused to answer when we asked him.”
“Yes, but Van has no reason to trust us. Quite the opposite in fact. Why should he answer any of our questions?” Dryden pointed out.
“True, but I can’t help but think there is something more to this then mistrust.”
“Or perhaps more to his mistrust than we think?”
“Maybe,” Allen said, suddenly thoughtful.
The prince was so distracted by his thoughts, he had not noticed that his dark haired companion had moved closer until the man grabbed him and pressed him into wall. Surprised, the swordsman stared blinking into Dryden’s dark brown eyes as the man moved almost close enough for their noses to touch.
“Tell me, your Highness, why are yo obo obsessed with this boy?” the merchant asked, his voice low and seductive.
Allen, who had been watching his lips attentively, had not understood a word he had said.
“What?”
“Why are you so caught up in Van’s story? Now that he is in custody of the Queen, why can’t you just declare the matter over and go on to other projects? What is the source of your fascination? This need to know him? You say you are merely suspicious of him, but I don’t think that is it.”
“I do not know what talking about,” Allen denied, easily pushing Dryden off him.
The dark haired man grabbed his arm as he did so and kissed his hand. The prince stood absolutely still, his gaze fixated on the man’s actions. His entire life, Allen had only ever been attracted to women, but had never found them particularly interesting. At least not in Palas. He had always been the pursuer in those few brief relations, acting the charming suitor as if it were a role in a play he knew by heart. However, standing alone with this haughty, infuriating, and endlessly charming man, he could never remember feeling so moved or appreciated.
Dryden continued his slow seduction, taking the unresisting hand of the prince and place it to his cheek. After a moment, he felt Allen move his hand. Not to pull away, but to touch and feel the face beneath his fingers.
“Is it because he evaded you for so long? Because he was the prey that would not be caught?” the merchant asked, kissing the prince’s finger tips as they passed over his lips.
The blonde man shook his head.
Dryden smiled and took hold of his roaming hand and jerked him forward. Allen found himself pressed to the other man’s body, secured there with the taller man’s power arm around his back and his other hand around his wrist. Heat, both from embarrassment and arousal, surged through Allen’s body, coloring his cheek a pink.
“Then are you secretly in love with him, like the demon prince?” Dryden purred into his ear.
The prince smiled at that and shook his head. Tentatively, he relaxed against the brunette and rested his head on his shoulder.
“Since I first saw him, I knew there was something special about him. I felt drawn to him. It’s not like love, gods know I have hated him more than loved him. It’s like... I don’t know how to explain it. Perhaps there are no words in the human language to describe it,” Allen told him.
Dryden’s smooth hands caressed his face gently, before taking his chin and lifting it. Dark eyes met blue.
“I hope you find what you are looking for.. Allen.”
“Standing in the open of a palace corridor, a rogue and a prince shared their second kiss.

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Meanwhile, Van laid perfectly still and stared up at the ceiling as his doctor methodically cleaned and dressed his wound. He accepted a glass of water, but otherwise made no move to help or hinder the man. He wished it was Millerna here, and not this old wizen stranger with his cold hands and impatient blue eyes.
Sitting in a chair beside the patient’s bed, Balgus waited patiently for the healer to finish. In the mean time, he studied the son of his former comrade. Yesterday, he had been a maelstrom of energy and movement, and the old demon hunter could easily see Gaou’s influence on the boy. However, as Van lay unmoving and calm, Balgus thought he resembled Varie more than his father. His jaw was less square than Gaou, his nose more delicate, and his eyes were rounder.
Finally, the healer gave his patient a little white pill, which the boy accepted without complaint, and left them alone with orders not to upset his ward. As soon the doctor closed the clinic door behind him, Van turned his head to the right and spat his pill out. Lord Balgus was actually somewhat
impressed by the distance it went.
The two hunters continued to study each other quietly, waiting for the other to break the silence. Finding no explanation for the stranger’s presence, Van turned his attention back to the ceiling and said nothing.
A small smile touched the large man’s scared lips, pushing up his graying mustache.
“Hmph, just like your father. Stubborn as bassatori,” the demon slayer said, in gruff amusement.
Van turned his head sharply towards the stranger, suspicious and curious at the same time.
“My name is Everette Balgus,” the man said.
Ah, the injured boy thought, so this is Lord Balgus. I should have known.
“Oh. I see,” was all he said.
“I knew your father back at the academy. One of the finest demon hunters ever produced. Probably would have been the top of his field if he had stuck with it,” the large man continued, now that he had his audience’s attention.
“Or he would be dead,” Van pointed out.
Balgus let out a short laugh.
“Yes, or that.”
“Where are my swords, Lord Balgus?” the boy asked abruptly.
“They are being held as evidence until this matter is cleared up,” Balgus explained.
Fate really does run a circular path.
A silence stretched out between them. The both of them were men of action, not conversationalist and it was a struggle to find something to say.
“My father spoke of you sometimesan fan finally said, ‘He said you were an honorable man and a good judge of character. So tme, me, Lord Balgus, when you look at me, what do you see?”
“Honestly? I am not sure. I do not believe you are dishonorable, but I think you have no path on which to walk and are fumbling blind and angry through this world,” the older man said.
“Fumbling through this world? Yes, I suppose that is true,” Van admitted, looking down at his shackled wrists.
He turned his dark brown eyes to Balgus’ gray ones and gave his the slightest of smiles.
“So tell me what it is you want to know. I doubt you have remained behind for mere idle chatter,” the dark child said.
“No, I have not. I simply came to ask how Gaou died.”
Van’s little smile disappeared completely and he dropped his gaze.
“Of that matter, I have nothing to say.”
“Does it have something to with the Strategos?” Balgus continued to question.
“I have nothing to say!” Van snapped.
The experienced demon hunter took his outburst as a ‘yes’ to his question. So the Strategos was involved somehow. The Demon Merchant was not notoriously violent or vicious, so if he was indeed responsible for the death of Gaou it likely had something to do with a broken ‘deal‘. This thought was extremely disturbing. Balgus had always known Gaou to be a bit thick headed, but he was not so foolish as to make dealings with the Zaguraha. However, it would explain many things, especially the connection between Van and the Strategos. The demon hunter voiced none of these theories, knowing it would only upset the injured young man further and achieve nothing.
They said nothing for a long while.
“Untie me,” Van repeated his request.
The large man shook his head.
“I cannot release you, but I promise that my men and I will protect you with our lives,” Lord Balgus said, already standing from his chair.
“I don’t want your lives! I want my freedom!”
But it was too late, the demon hunter was already leaving, and Van was alone once again.

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Van fidgeted uncomfortably in his bed. His left thigh had begun to itch a little before sunset, and by now it had developed into pure torture. He had tried rubbing it into the bed, but he could not position his leg properly for adequate relief. His nurse, Yukari, would likely have helped, but not even in his desperate state had reduced him to asking a girl to scratcm thm there.
The patient had considered falling asleep to forget about the irritation, but dismissed the thought. Despite Lord Balgus’ promise to protect him, which meant a great deal more than the Queen’s reassurance, he still could not risk being caught unaware by Folken or one of his minions.
A soft creak, barely perceptible, caught Van’s attention. He turned his eyes to the clinic doors, but they remained firmly shut. The injured youth frowned and turned his attention to his right.
And stared smack dab intpairpair of violet eyes.

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