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Beneath Two Moons
1. Prologue
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By Jessica Lynn S. (escaflowne@opalwings.com)
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Spoilers: The entire Escaflowne series.
Warnings: Sensuality, shoujo-ai (romance between two female characters), and a bit of violence.
Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne or its characters. No profit is being made from my silly fanfiction hobby. ^_^ I do, however, own this fic and the original characters in contains. Please do not post this story anywhere without asking first.
Summary: Hitomi travels to Gaea for Van's 16th birthday, and in the midst of celebration she is confronted with an unexpected request. Fate hangs in the balance of what was intended only to be a fun and romantic evening.
Notes on the Revision: Over the course of writing "Beneath Two Moons" I feel as if I've grown considerably as a writer, which is absolutely wonderful. But as one grows as a writer, one continually sets higher standards for themselves. I got all these helpful reviews (thanks especially to Leah/starhealer for her willingness to rip me apart, hehe, but to everyone else as well, whether they supplied useful criticisms or just a lot of ego-stroking. ^_^) On top of the outside suggestions of what I could change, I also keep thinking of little things to add. Further notes on what's been changed can be found at the end of each chapter.
"I feel the danger
Seperation
I wanna take your invitation
Seperation, it's all around"
***
Hitomi Kanzaki stood in front of the full-length mirror on her bedroom closet door. Her expression was one of uncertainty. Though she had given up her tarot readings upon her return to Earth, she still found herself falling in to the role of counselor for many of her friends. Now the advice she gave was not based on the ability of unseen forces to shuffle a deck of cards in her hands, but rather upon genuine experience and intuition. Many wondered how a girl who had never known romance herself could give such helpful insight on the subject. Only her closest friends -Yukari and Amano - knew the truth. Only they knew of her love for Van. They had seen the two together during their only reunion since Hitomi's time on Gaea. Van had come to Hitomi in her time of need, when Yukari nearly lost her life in a particularly bad car accident. He had comforted her and reminded her of the wisdom which she had spoken many a time; that one's belief in a person brings forth a more favorable outcome.
Hitomi may have acquired a wisdom beyond her years, but the delicate art of dressing formally was a wisdom which she did not possess. When she wasn't in her school uniform, she lounged in her track clothes, or jeans and a t-shirt. She was the very comfortable and casual type of person, overly conscious of her sinewy figure. On this evening, however, occasion demanded that figure be draped in the rich velveteen fabric of a dark green dress. It was of a simple, yet elegant design which Hitomi rather liked and hoped would be acceptable for the affair she was about to attend. It had no sleeves, and its hem reached to just above her knees. The neckline was modest, revealing only the gentle curves of her shoulders. A silver snowflake necklace rested in the gap of her collarbone, suspended by a thin, glimmering chain. Tucked away beneath the fabric of the dress and resting against her heart was a single feather of Van's attached to a leather cord. She wistfully pressed her fingers to the tiny ripples its presence created in the fabric.
Her pale, honey-brown hair had grown just long enough for her to pull it back in to a two-inch ponytail. She studied herself with scrutiny, tucking a few strands which had fallen astray behind her ears before deciding that she looked all right. She slipped on a pair of black dress shoes and slung her duffel bag over her shoulder, fidgeting nervously with the strap as her eyes meandered across the room. They took on a dreamy glimmer as she thought back to her last encounter with the boy whom she loved.
The couple had spent a night sleeping in each other's arms and the next day they went to see Yukari in the city hospital. Yukari had been in better shape and her life was no longer in any imminent danger; much to their relief. Instead of returning immediately to Gaea as she feared that he would, Van spent the day with Hitomi. They went to the movies, the arcade and the ice cream parlor, conducted themselves much as a normal couple on Earth would.
Van had tendency to study any unfamiliar object intensively though, especially that which was mechanical. His gawking attracted the disapproving stairs and snide remarks of many a passerby, but Hitomi thought that it was incredibly cute. She had bought him a small, radio-remote controlled monster truck to take back to Gaea with him as a souvenir. Perhaps the fondest souvenir she herself had of that day was the memory of the first kiss they had shared. In that kiss was an infinite justice which made up for all the times during the fight for Gaea when they had overreacted or had been cold to each other, and for the hurt in Van's eyes when he had gone after Hitomi only to find her wrapped up in Allen's embrace.
There were more kisses to follow; some gentle, some playful, some scintillating, and some just warm and loving and genuine. She and Van set out that day to fully discover and perfect the art of kissing, together, but in the evening he had to return to Fanelia and reclaim the torch of his royal duties. Unlike the time when they parted after the Great War, Hitomi actually shed some tears. Van had wiped them away tenderly with the promise that she would see him again soon, and she quickly composed herself enough to smile as the blue light took him back to his world.
A chill ran down Hitomi's spine, and she became uncomfortably aware of the cold air drifting in through her open window. Winter had come late, and even in April, it had not quite yet relinquished its hold on the city. Goosebumps blossomed across the bare skin of her arms and she rubbed them briskly with her hands to warm herself. She dared not close the window, but wisely retrieved a thick shawl from her closet. She wasn't sure how the weather would be where she was going. Her mind and heart were aflutter with the delicate and taunting wings of anticipation, which reached their peak when a reflection of blue light bounced off her mirror, illuminating the room.
She turned to the window to see Van. Earlier that day he had asked her what she would be wearing through the link between them, and he had definitely taken measures to coordinate. The king of Fanelia was regally adorned in a dark-green satin tunic with golden trim and a pair of black pants of the same fabric. He climbed nimbly through the window and made a swooping bow to her.
She closed the distance between them in less than a second. "Happy Birthday, Van!" she exclaimed, joyfully throwing her arms around him and snuggling against his shoulder.
"Thank you, Hitomi." he answered, taking her by the shoulders and holding her at arm's length away so that he could size her up. A wry smile played on his lips. "You look absolutely stunning tonight." The rosy hue of self-conscious embarrassment surfaced momentarily upon her cheeks. He stepped towards her and tilted her chin, giving her a short, sweet kiss of greeting then gently pulled his lips away. "Are you ready to go?" he asked with a smile. Hitomi nodded and wrapped her arms tightly around his torso once again. He always smelled the same, she observed as she breathed in the fresh and earthy perfume of his hair. In an instant, the blue light had returned, whisking them away to Gaea. It dropped them discourteously in some bushes.
"There really should be a better way to control that." Van muttered in mild irritation. He struggled to his feet and helped Hitomi to hers. "Your dress is covered in leaves." he observed. She brushed and picked them off as thoroughly as she could.
"Turn around." Van directed her. She obeyed and found herself blushing again as he brushed a few leaves she had missed from her backside. She turned back around and met his eyes. He was blushing too. He quickly averted his eyes by looking up to the stars to get his bearings. There was a definite glow on the Eastern horizon.
"It seems the blue pillar was merciful to us, after all." he said. "We are not far from the castle." He took off his tunic and the white undershirt beneath it, folding them carefully as not to wrinkle them. "Hold these, will you Hitomi?" he asked. With that, he revealed his wings. He scooped her in his arms and together, they flew off in the direction of the glow.
They had a soft landing on the unfinished rooftop of the Fanelian castle. His boots barely made a sound as they hit the gravelly surface, but the sound was enough to attract the attention of an enthusiastic young cat-girl who had been waiting for them. "I saw the blue light, Van-sama!" Merle said with glee, running to Van and giving him the hug which was ritual between them, whether they had been separated for a month or for half a moment. She then pounced on Hitomi, practically knocking her off-balance. Hitomi hadn't expected such a blatant display of affection. Merle licked Hitomi's face with her coarse, bristly feline tongue, a well-meaning gesture which mildly irritated her skin.
"I missed you too, Merle." Hitomi said. "But if you keep that up you are going to give me a rash!"
"Hmmph!" said Merle, folding her arms and narrowing her eyes.
"Hey, nothing personal." assured Hitomi. "It's just that cat saliva is an allergen."
That prompted Merle to speak again. "Strange girls from the Mystic Moon are an allergen." she stated, matter-of-factly.
"Typically one does not go licking things that they are allergic to." pointed out Van, who had taken his clothing from Hitomi and put it back on over the course of the short conversation. Merle did not grace his words with an acknowledgment. "I'm sorry about the mess," the young king continued, "not all the rooms are finished yet here."
"Hitomi, come with me." Merle purred softly, "I want you to see my dress for the evening." Hitomi looked to Van, questioningly.
"Go on." said Van, "Catch up on things. I have to make sure that everything is ready for the banquet." He smiled warmly. Merle took Hitomi's arm and lead her off running down a hallway, barely giving her the time to look over her shoulder to bid Van a temporary farewell. Hitomi saw what Van meant about the unfinished rooms. Some walls were still only skeletal frames, others were just wooden boards that had yet to be sanded or varnished. The castle had been partially rebuilt to serve as a storehouse for building materials and a cafeteria-slash-shelter for the homeless, but Van had still prioritized the homes of his citizens over his own. Thanks to his tireless efforts, the majority of residences in the kingdom were nearing completion in a remarkably short amount of time.
When they entered Merle's room, the cat-girl produced a heap of smooth lavender fabric from her wardrobe. Without warning, she stripped off her usual yellow-orange dress right in front of Hitomi. Hitomi turned her head, glancing toward the ground. Merle had no shame.
"Okay, it's safe to look now!" the little cat commanded. "Not that the sight of me naked would have made you blind or anything... Do you like it?" The dress was roughly the same length as Hitomi's, but its neckline plunged deeply, revealing painfully little cleavage. It had obviously been designed for someone with a more mature figure, a fact which Hitomi was quick to point out
"Hey, don't get cocky with me." growled Merle, "I'll have you know that I am a woman now!"
Hitomi dared not ask what Merle meant by that remark, but given the cat-girl's inherent lack of tact, she had a vague idea. The thought of Merle on a premenstrual mood swing caused her to shudder, and she hoped she would never have to see such a sight.
"Well, at the least, we need to adjust those straps." Hitomi persisted in a motherly tone. Merle grudgingly complied. Hitomi raised the neckline a few inches, making Merle look more respectable and a bit less silly.
"Come on, let's go!" said Merle impatiently. "This is going to be so exciting!"
"Hold on just one second." said Hitomi, rooting through a small jewelry box.
"Oh, but I hate wearing fancy jewelry." whined Merle in protest. "It looks pretty enough, bug it snags on things"
"Well," said Hitomi, "if you want to brag about how grown-up you are, then you have to look the part." Merle huffed in frustration. Maybe Hitomi had more style sense than she had realized. Merle was quick to cease her protests when Hitomi produced a large bag of gourmet jelly beans from her duffel and presented them to her. "Candy, from the Mystic Moon." she smiled.
The airship Crusade had docked just outside of the castle. Van, Hitomi and Merle ran to greet their guests. Allen was the first to step out. He took Princess Eries' hand, and helped her down off of the ship. They were followed by the crew. Allen bowed formally to his hosts. He respectfully kissed the back of Hitomi's hand. "Hitomi, it's been a long time. I trust you have been well."
She was afraid to look in to his eyes for fear of the hurt she might see; the hurt of rejection. But when his blue irises rose to meet her green, she saw no sadness. The Caeli Knight looked more at peace with the world than he had in a long time.
The ritual of bows and greetings was repeated with Eries, who appeared regal and unreadable as always. Hitomi knew that Allen had come because he was Van's friend, and it wouldn't have surprised her if he had accompanied Millernia to Fanelia. Why the second princess had come instead was beyond her. Her contact with Eries had been limited to only a few words when she had seen her around the palace in Asturia. Van knew Eries a little better from council meetings during the war, but not by much.
"Van, my sister sends her regards." Eries said. "Unfortunately she could not attend. Her royal duties have kept her otherwise occupied."
"This is understandable." said Van. "She has a big task on her hands, as the future ruler of such a great country."
"I must admit that her new devotion to her royal duties has astounded and impressed me." said Eries, thoughtfully. "She has really grown up in such a short time. I guess that is the result of war." Van nodded in understanding.
"My sister will not be in attendance either." said Allen regretfully. "She had really wanted to come, but she caught cold. I left her in Asturia, under Millernia's care. Celena will be bitter with me for a week or so, but it is in her best interest. She needs to rest. She had so wanted to see you all."
Merle folded back her ears, which had been previously perked. "Celena-chan is not here?" she frowned. She muttered something quick and apologetic to excuse herself, then scampered off on all fours in to the castle.
"You mentioned that Merle and Celena had become friends." Hitomi said to Van.
"Yes. I feel sorry for Merle. She will probably brood for the rest of the evening instead of enjoying herself." answered Van with a frustrated sigh.
"It is a pity, but I can send Celena to visit when she is well, if his majesty Van permits." said Allen.
"She is welcome here any time." said Van. "Merle's happiness is my own; due not only to the fact that she is like my sister, but also that she is rather vocal when she is unhappy."
Allen smirked. "Celena is the same way."
"Well, preparations for the evening are in place." said Van. "Shall we dine?"
"That would be most delightful." said Eries, hooking her arm in to Allen's. Van followed suite, taking Hitomi's arm. Together, they led their Asturian guests to the castle's rustic-yet-charming dinning hall. It was one of the few rooms that had been completely finished and furnished, due to the important function it played in receiving those who came to offer their support in the rebuilding. The room's table was low to the floor, surrounded in soft red cushions for the guests to sit on. Hitomi found it to be reminiscent of traditional Japan, though her own family's furniture was a bit more modern. Van took a seat, cross-legged at the end of the table and motioned for Hitomi to sit beside him. The dark wooden walls were illuminated by the soft amber glow of candlelight.
Aside from Allen, Eries and crew, there were only a small handful of foreigners at the banquet. Despite everything that had happened, Fanelia was still a fairly private country. Two representatives from Freid were there, baring a gift from Chid. The rest of the company was comprised mostly of members of the Fanelian royal council and palace staff. Those in attendance numbered to less than thirty-five in total.
Dryden Fassa had been one of the first to sign on to Fanelia's new council after the Great War. He had proven to be a valuable ally, securing badly-needed food and construction materials from other countries while slowly rebuilding his fleet on a modest salary. But he had made it very clear that his position was not a permanent one. It was but a pit stop on his journey to make an honorable life for himself and truly win Millernia's love. Van would miss him greatly when he left. The quirky but resourceful man had become one of his trusted friends. When the guests were seated and the vino was poured, Dryden was the first to raise a glass in honor of the young king's sixteenth birthday, and to the great accomplishments which Van had made in the rebuilding of his country.
Hitomi's eyes lit up at the sight of the familiar, sweet-smelling alcoholic liquid, but she felt Van gently drive his elbow in to her side. "Only one glass." he whispered, catching her eyes. "I have things to discuss with you this evening and I would prefer for you to be conscious." He chuckled slightly in recollection of Hitomi's drunken episode in Asturia. Hitomi sighed and gave Van an obligatory nod. She had already proven that once she was under the influence of alcohol, she did not know when to stop. Drunkenness would badly hinder any attempt at a serious conversation.
It was then that Dryden urged Van to say a few words to his guests.
"Well, umm..." Van stammered; not having previously rehearsed any sort of speech. Every eye at the table was focused squarely upon him. He composed himself quickly. "I would like to thank everyone for coming." he said. "I would like to thank everyone here for your continuing efforts to rebuild Fanelia; may we all continue to work diligently to return it to its former glory. Most of all, though, I would like to thank Hitomi. Without her, there would probably be no world left in which to rebuild Fanelia." He beamed at Hitomi as the guests broke in to a round of applause. Hitomi turned bright red with embarrassment and sank in to her seat.
"I would also like to take a moment to remember the life of Folken Fanel, the man who gave his life for Gaea." said Van, bowing his head. Hitomi reached out and placed her hand protectively over his as they sat in silence, until Van broke the somber atmosphere by announcing, "Well, let's eat!"
As far as royal banquets go, Van's was far from the definition of formal. Aside from perhaps the overly-refined Allen and Eries - who Dryden studied with a pleased expression - the guests gorged themselves on their meat and dove in to the vino as if there was no tomorrow. "And here I was worried I wouldn't be fancy enough..." said Hitomi to herself, poking at the strange bird in front of her with a fork. It looked as if it had been barely cooked, and she wondered briefly if it would eat her first.
"It's good." said Van softly in a moment between his conversations with the other guests, "You should try it." She took his word for it, and to her surprise, it was rather good. It reminded her of the night in the forest when he had cooked for her after the dramatic rescue from Meiden Fassa's geckos.
That night so many months ago had been one of the first times Van had really opened up to her, and she had accepted his honesty as a gift. Then, her eyes had still been filled with stars bearing the imprint of "Schezar." The true definition of the closeness she felt to Van had evaded her. Yet she felt deeply for the sullen and gentle boy. She had hoped with all of her heart that some day he would see Fanelia rebuilt and prospering. She suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of pride for her love. Since her first departure from Gaea, she had won a few track meets and passed all her tests. Van had rebuilt a decently-sized portion of his country.
The festivities of the evening were even more informal than the dinner. The guests assembled at the edge of the forest outside the castle. Torches were lit, more vino was served, and a band of wolf men pounded out primal beats on their drums creating an enchantingly medieval atmosphere.
Van leaned back against the thick trunk of a tree. Hitomi had persuaded Merle to give up her brooding momentarily for a dance. Now he was content to watch from a distance as the two leading ladies of his life tore up the ground, moving wildly as if their dance was one to plead for the mercy of the gods. It would have been convincing, had they done it straight-faced, but Hitomi threw back her head in a fury of giggles. Perhaps she was simply in a festive spirit, or perhaps that one glass of vino was enough to set her tipsy. Van assumed the later when she fell flat on her rear. By then, Merle was laughing too.
Allen and Eries waltzed gracefully past them in typical Asturian style; which - paired with the music that was playing - was the most bizarre sight Van had ever seen. Hitomi and Merle passed each other off to one member of the Crusade crew after another, but the princess and knight danced only with each other. Van silently wondered what was afoot with them; normally he wasn't the most astute when it came to the emotions of others, but Millernia had been quite vocal about her love for Allen during the war. Dryden walked up beside Van then, looking at the pair from Asturia.
"Competition...resigned." he observed with a soft, dry laugh. "I should like to go back to my country and see Millernia again soon. I miss her." Van stared off in to nothing, in to blackness.
"Why such a serious face?" asked Dryden
"You know why." answered Van flatly. "You know what it is that I intend to ask of Hitomi."
"I know, I know." said Dryden. "But why not go have a few dances with the young lady first, and have fun while there is still fun to be had? Leave seriousness for later. You're growing up fast, Van. Things will never be this innocent again."
Van looked as if he was not paying attention to the wisdom of Dryden's words.
"Fine." announced Dryden. "If you will not dance with Hitomi, than you shall dance with me instead."
"Dryden!" Van barked out in protest, but served only to draw attention to himself as the bigger man lifted him off of his feet and effortlessly swayed him to the music. The young king struggled helplessly against being spun like a ballerina, provoking much laughter from his loyal subjects. Hitomi was fast to come to his rescue. Van looked very much like a disgruntled feline, brushing himself off as if he'd been contaminated by Dryden-germs. But within a moment he was smiling in Hitomi's arms.
"There, was that so tough?" asked Dryden with a smirk, than wandered off to converse with the representatives from Freid. Van and Hitomi danced a few rounds before they slipped away from the party and to the castle's garden.
"I had wanted to show you what I've done here." said Van. The landscaping and replanting of the garden was one thing he hadn't put off, as its beauty brought joy and hope to the people. It looked ethereal now; bathed in the soft glow of the moons and stars. In its center was a large and distinguished fountain, spouting glimmering liquid silver cascades of water which ran down in to a surrounding pool. The pool was the shape of a crescent moon and it was filled with fish. They were covered in glistening mirror-scales not unlike ceremonial armor.
Perched atop the fountain was what appeared to be - at first glance - Folken Fanel. Hitomi wondered for a moment if perhaps he had returned from the dead. He stood tall and regal with his eyes facing skyward and his wings extended behind him. As she stared on in disbelief, the realization came about that he was made of bronze; a mere illusion created by beautiful craftsmanship and given wing by the magic of the night. Newly-planted flowers were just beginning to bud, daring not to open their petals to the world so soon. But the weather of Fanelia, she noted, was rather warm and pleasant compared to her home Earth.
"It's beautiful." Hitomi said in a voice which was breathy and laden with awe.
"You like it, then?" Van smiled proudly and she nodded the affirmative. "Let's sit down."
He led her to a stone bench. There, he took her face in his hands and carefully pressed his lips to hers. Their mouths interlocked and tongues entwined with all the elegance of a well-rehearsed dance. He tasted uncharacteristically sweet; vaguely like the pastries he'd eaten for dessert. She felt the muscles in her body relax and go limp until his arms were the only thing supporting her frame. He pulled away and she looked up at him with starry eyes.
"I brought you something, Van." she said. She reached in to her duffel and produced a small sculpture of a traditional Japanese-style dragon. It was made of plaster and coated with a dark cherry-wood lacquer which matched Van's eyes. It's body was long and serpent-like, curling in a majestic spiral. He took it in his hands, studying the craftsmanship. He thanked Hitomi with profound sincerity, then set it down on the bench beside him. Then he rose to his feet.
"There is something I'd like to ask you, Hitomi." he said, looking at her with purpose in his eyes. She had not been prepared for what he was about to do, and her jaw dropped when he dropped to one knee and produced a large, sparkling ring from his pocket. The metal could have been platinum, and in the center, two polished pieces of energist stone overlapped like the Earth and its moon.
"Hitomi, will you stay in Gaea and rule Fanelia by my side as my wife?" Van asked.
The cold snare of reality wrapped around Hitomi's throat and jolted her from her dreamy contentment. Romantic as it was, Van was proposing marriage. Not only marriage, but he was proposing that Hitomi leave behind the world which she called home again, this time for good. It was not a decision to be taken as lightly as he presented it. It was a decision she was not old enough or ready to make.
A wave of anxiety beat hard against her mind, washing through her entire body. Her current situation with Van had pleased her just fine. Though they did not see each other often, the emotions and connections between them were strong. She did not understand why Van was so quick to ask for such a life-altering commitment. Finally, she managed to part her lips to stammer, "But I'm not even finished with high school!"
Van looked as if he was about to throw up. "Are you saying no?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.
"No, I am saying that I don't know. I am not ready to be married." Hitomi said, her voice fragile and breaking. "I am only sixteen."
"So your feelings have changed so soon?" Van asked accusatorily. He silently recalled the day Hitomi returned to the Mystic Moon and how she had told him that she would like to see the new Fanelia by his side. He cast his eyes downward. "I know it is a lot of me to ask for you to leave your world behind. But as Fanelia's king, my people will expect me to take a queen and produce a heir. They have already begun to talk about it." His voice was cold with an edge of anger which cut Hitomi to the core.
She shivered. She had been foolish to never think of such a thing before. She had believed- quite naively - that her romance could continue exactly as it had across the distance forever. She loved Van, that was without question, but she also loved her family and friends on Earth. The situation was do or die. If she would not accept his proposal and leave her world, Van would have to leave their love behind instead. He would have to marry someone else to fulfill his duties to his country. Everything they once had would be only a memory, as vague and intangible as a dream. She would wake every morning thinking of the chance she had passed up, her only chance of a future with the boy she truly loved. She balled her fists in anger at being thrown in to the position of having to make such a choice. She felt her heart wrench hard, caught in a great constricting sadness. Breathing was suddenly very difficult. Tears came to the corners of her eyes, but lingered frozen, refusing to fall.
"Shh." he brought his finger to her lips. "You don't need to say anything." He was the first to shed tears. A thin trickle seeped down the side of his face, leaving a forked trail from his eye. Hitomi reached out a hand and stroked his cheek, tenderly wiping it away. He got up from his position and returned to his former one, sitting beside her.
"Hitomi, I'm sorry." he said, gently taking her hand. He raked his fingertips gingerly along the lines of her palm, tracing across her fingers to their tips. "I'm sorry I asked this so suddenly and spoke so angrily. It is just that I love you. I am finally happy with my life, for the first time in years. But I feel the happiest and most radiant when I am by your side. Despite what my kingdom wants, I would wait for you forever. You can go back to the Mystic Moon, and I do not care if it takes a day or a lifetime for you to return to me, but you are the only queen I would ever have. If nothing else, please accept this ring as a promise of that." He looked at her with pleading eyes.
"I will accept it." said Hitomi. She allowed him to gently slide the ring on to her finger. It was a perfect fit. "I can't promise anything, but some day I would very much like to live here in Fanelia with you. It just depends...I guess it depends on how strong I can be." She wrapped her arm around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder. For the longest time they watched the fountain without words, simply holding each other. The final tremors of the quake which had shaken their hearts slowly faded away in to the night.
In those moments, Dryden's words made sense to Van and they echoed softly in his mind. You're growing up fast, Van. Things will never be this innocent again.
Later that evening, Van and Hitomi returned to the celebration. The guests had thought nothing of their absence, figuring they had merely slipped away for some time alone with each other. Well, there had been one particularly astute guest who noticed the heaviness in Hitomi's eyes. When Hitomi slipped away from the crowd for a drink of water, Eries walked up behind her.
"You look troubled." Eries stated. Her voice was aloof yet concerned in one, if such a thing was possible. Hitomi didn't know how to respond, but the princess was a mature and intelligent woman. Perhaps she would be able to offer some advice, or at the very least condolence.
"Van proposed to me tonight." Hitomi answered in a quivering voice.
"I see you accepted." said Eries, taking note of the ring on Hitomi's finger. She lifted Hitomi's hand to inspect it. "Hmm, that's really unique." she said, releasing the hand from her gentle grip.
"Well, it's really that simple..." said Hitomi with a frown. "I am not ready to leave my world for good. Van said that he would wait for me forever, but it would seem unfair of me to expect that of him. It would seem unfair to leave him waiting for me while I make up my mind, but he won't have it any other way."
Eries rested her hand upon Hitomi's shoulder and looked in to the girl's anxious eyes. The princess's dark blue eyes had a wisdom and knowingness to them which made the younger girl shiver. It was almost if Eries was looking straight in to her soul. She held her gaze unwaveringly as she spoke.
"Hitomi, it may seem unfair, but it is actually the fairest thing in the world. Would it be fair if he insisted upon marriage now, and left you to wonder for your whole life what you left behind, how things could have been different had you declined?"
"I suppose not." answered Hitomi thoughtfully.
"If one devotes themselves completely and wholly to their own personal growth, then they are better-suited to commit to love when the time comes." said Eries. "This, I know from experience." She smiled a private smile and glanced to Allen, who was now actually attempting to make conversation with Dryden. Hitomi caught the flash of affection in her eyes when she looked at the Caeli knight, and suddenly understood why Allen looked so uncharacteristically serene. "Sometimes it takes years, but it all falls in to place eventually."
Hitomi carried Eries' wisdom with her when she returned to the Mystic Moon.
AN: I know there is some debate about Van's birthday - whether it is in April or December. I chose April for this fic simply because it was a better fit with the timeline I had in mind.
A lot of reviewers suggested that I vary my tenses in this chapter a little more. Looking back over it, I can see why they said that. I tried to fix that and make it flow a little better, though a lot of this chapter is musing on the past. I hope it works out.
Another small change here was that I grew a realistic concept of time. In the original version of the prologue, Fanelia had been completely reconstructed in one year. How likely is that? I can be a ditz sometimes.
This fic has a prequel, "It's All To Make Us Shine" - located at http://www.opalwings.com/escaflowne/shine.html - which gives a basic overview of the situation between Hitomi, her post-Gaea life on Earth and her ongoing relationship with Van. "Shine" also has a one-shot companion entitled "Fire and Feline", about the birth of the friendship between Merle and Celena. This fic can be understood without reading either of them, but if you want some background to my personal vision of Escaflowne, they are worth checking out.
Song Quote: From "This Side of Me" by Savage Garden. I have peppered the revised chapters with song quotes where I feel they were fitting.
Site Plug: http://www.opalwings.com/escaflowne
