"Ask your brother sometime," Van told Celena. He looked at William. "Asturia's former king and Dryden's father had some sort of deal going on between them to basically steal Escaflowne out from under me and sell it, and it came with putting me in Escaflowne up against some rather thuggish mercenaries in a sparring ring, on the heels of Zaibach razing Fanelia to the ground and our so-called ally of Asturia siding up with Zaibach at the king's decision. I think I have a lot of solid reasons for thinking they were both a couple of backstabbing bastards who are better off dead."