Ep 10. The Blue-Eyed Prince

The Vision of Escaflowne follows the story of a high school girl named Hitomi Kanzaki who finds herself transported to a mystical world known as Gaea. In season 1 episode 10, titled "The Blue-Eyed Prince," Hitomi and the others find themselves in a new town, and Van encounters a young woman who is looking for the Blue-Eyed Prince.

The episode starts with Hitomi and the others arriving in a new town, and they soon come across a young woman who is searching for the Blue-Eyed Prince. She explains that her village is being attacked by a dragon, and the only person who can save them is the Blue-Eyed Prince. She heard that he lives in this town, and she's on a mission to find him.

Meanwhile, Van is off on his own, and he runs into a gang of thieves. They try to take his armor and sell it, but Van quickly dispatches them. He then meets a young girl named Merle, who becomes his new companion. Merle is a member of a cat-like humanoid race, and she quickly becomes attached to Van.

As the group continues through the town, they end up at an auction house. Van sees a suit of armor that he believes belonged to the Blue-Eyed Prince, and he bids on it. However, another bidder outbids him, and Van is left empty-handed. The other bidder turns out to be the very same young woman who was searching for the Blue-Eyed Prince.

She introduces herself as Princess Millerna, and she explains that she needs the armor to save her village. She also reveals that she is engaged to the brother of the current king, who is also the Blue-Eyed Prince. Millerna offers to hire Van and the others to help her defeat the dragon, and they agree.

The group travels to Millerna's kingdom, where they discover that the king is cruel and the people are suffering. They learn that the Blue-Eyed Prince is not interested in ruling and has gone into hiding. Van and the others decide to help Millerna save her village and convince the Blue-Eyed Prince to return and take his rightful place as king.

Overall, "The Blue-Eyed Prince" is an exciting episode that introduces new characters and plotlines while still advancing the overall story. The episode includes plenty of action and adventure, as well as some intriguing political intrigue. It also sets up some important future events while still offering a satisfying standalone story.