…I will not forget you Hitomi…you were and still are important to me. I think about you everyday and I feel I have lost my connection…where are you? I've tried as much as I could, but it seems that we have broken our bond. I want to see you again, no matter what the cost…
Chapter 1: A Revealed Past
A small gasp had escaped the King's mouth as he woke up drenched in sweat. The dream…it came back. Ever since she went back to the Mystic Moon eight years ago, I can't get rid of my feelings…why would I want to? It's the same thing happening to me over and over again. I'm running into the wood and then I see her, she's just standing there…waiting for me. Just as I reach her hand, she falls down…down. I have to save her, so as I spread my wings…I dive towards her to pick her up. Just as I get her, my wings just stop working and then it turns out she has disappeared and I'm falling in her place. Is this a sign, I can't think anymore and I don't know how to figure out my problems. I will always think about you Hitomi.
This morning, Van had a very important meeting with his advisors, he wasn't quite sure what it was about. Van had an hour before then, so he headed to his private garden to spar as he did in his free time. As he headed through the halls, which seemed to speak his footsteps, he heard the faint mumble of deep voices arguing. He slyly slipped beside the door to hear what the commotion was all about.
"You mustn't tell the King of the arrival of Princess Millerna!" Van noticed the voice to be of his head advisor, Fredain. "You know that this is not the most joyous occasion to be seeing the Princess," Fredain had raised his arms to make his point, as he often did when he was trying to get his point heard.
Van noticed the other person being spoken to was one of his only best friends, besides Merle, since after the big Gaean war against the Zaibach Empire. Van had met Fathorn in one of the villages that Dilandau had destroyed. Dilandau came through with Oreades, burning their homes. He even had the nerve to come into Fathorn's home and kill all his sisters and brothers. He was angered at the way Dilandau laughed after he had slaughtered Fathorn's family. Fathorn wasn't afraid of Dilandau, just wanting to find the bastard to get revenge upon his family. Van didn't have the courage to tell Fathorn that Serena was changed back from Dilandau, although they were completely different people. Fathorn had so much ambition in him that Van was afraid that he would kill Serena within meeting her. Fathorn had met Serena and they had become close enough to being friends.
"Van must know of all who come to visit. He is the one who makes the decisions around here, or have we got a new King!?" Fathorn has always loved to be sarcastic, especially with Fredain, seeing how he gets set off so easily.
"Well, this is not the King's decision to make. Haven't you seen how he's handled the last several meetings? He brushes it off as if it were a bothersome. All of these matters are very important and I don't know what will happen if he doesn't take this matter seriously." Van was thinking this was a time to leave as seeing the stress of his two top advisors, when he heard a skid of someone's footstep. He turned around quick enough to see Merle running away from her being discovered by Van. Van knew that Merle was a fast sprinter, but he had a shortcut to get to her.
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Oh shoot! I can't believe it! I'm one of the stealthiest people around and I just had to lean closer to my curiosity. Van knows that I heard every word of it and he's going to be angry about something we both have no idea what they were talking about.
Just as Merle turned the corner, Van leaped in front of her, catching her into his arms.
"Van-sama!" Merle nearly tripped while Van was holding onto her with his incredible strength. She was breathing hard as she looked up at him. To her surprise, he didn't look angry. Instead his soft eyes were shown upon her and she waited.
"Merle, what were you doing?" He said it in his soft textured voice as he let go and stood in front of her. His hair fell into his eyes as she searched for her voice.
"I...I... was curious as to what you were listening to. I just saw you standing there, intently listening to what sounded like an argument. Do you know what it was about?"
"I'm not quite sure, but it sounds as if Princess Millerna is coming to see me and my advisors on an important matter." He leaned against the wall looking up at the ceiling of the hall. "All I know is that they don't want me to be there."
"Why wouldn't they want you there? You're the King and you should know what's happening in the meetings held by your advisors."
"Apparently it has something to do with me not really caring about important matters. I do agree that I haven't really been focusing on the things going on in life. But I would like to know what's happening in my country." There was an awkward pause as Merle began speaking.
"It is because you can't stop thinking about her?"
"Huh?"
"You can't concentrate because you can't stop thinking about how much you miss Hitomi…right?" Van looked at her with sincerity and Merle noticed a very small tear droplet beginning to form, but he held it back. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I've been having a hard time accepting that I can't see her. I've lost my link with her and I can't get it back. I've tried so hard, it's as if she has forgotten." He turned to leave, but Merle walked after him.
"Van-sama, you can't lose faith in seeing her. You have to try hard to see where she is." Van stopped and looked at her, "I know, it's just that…it's getting harder and harder to keep this faith." Van left Merle standing there speechless.
Van decided to go out into the woods near his home, to clear his mind of all the stress he's been going through. Just as he always did, he strapped on his sword and headed out. He took some food in case he got hungry.
Van found a perfect little dip at the base of the most beautiful tree you have ever seen. He sat in solitude. I know you had to leave because you didn't belong here, but I miss you too much. Hitomi I want to see you… A column of light enveloped Van and he covered his eyes.