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Hitomi pushed and spun away when a hand roughly grabbed her from her bed.
"What have you done!" a voice hissed out and Hitomi realized that she had been asleep next to Naoki in the Sazau Temple's back rooms. She only been back for 2 days.
"I didn't do anything." Hitomi grumbled, rubbing her arm where Nicolle, one of the Priestesses had grabbed her, "I told yo there was someone I had to see."
"Then why is the Fanelian army searching Parthos for a green eyed girl who lives in a temple!" Nicolle sounded scared not angry.
"If they were looking for me then why are they looking in Parthos?" Hitomi stretched and looked around the room. It was still dark out and Naoki was sleeping right through this little drama. Hitomi could just see her sister's blonde curls in the moon light.
"Because you are more clever than they thought. Now, Hitomi you need to tell if what you did was bad because I need to know but if it wasn't bad I need to think of a way to protect you in case they look our way." Nicolle reached out and smoothed Hitomi's short hair, "Your father sent you here so you'd be safe. If any of his neighbors had realized you were a Seer your entire family would have been in danger."
"Then why did he send Naoki away aswell?" Hitomi growled. Even after being sent to live at the Temple Hitomi was ok and wasn't even that mad at her family. She understood the danger of having a Seer around but when Naoki was also sent to live there at the age of 3 Hitomi lost her temper for the first time in her life. Naoki, while nearly Hitomi's twin in looks, had dark blue eyes- not green. She wasn't a threat to the family's reputation. There wasn't a Seer bone in the little girl's body and yet she was sent away to live with a bunch of older women in an ancient temple. Naoki didn't even have any friends to play with in Khomel. The temple was so old that few even remembered that the God had once been known as Sazau, hence the Sazau Temple.
"He never told me." Nicolle starightened up and brushed off her robes, "Now, Hitomi have you done something bad?"
"No." Hitomi saw Naoki shift under the blankets, "I didn't do anything bad."
Hitomi almost added, "Not realy." because all she could think of was how she had snuck out of the palace and lied to Van about where she was going. She knew that she did it all to get back to Naoki and since no one was harmed by her leaving she could honestly say she did nothing wrong.
Naoki sat up and started crying, finding Hitomi no longer next to her.
"It's ok, Kiki." Hitomi turned away from the priestess and went over to pick up her sister, "I'm right here. I didn't leave. I always tell you when I'm leaving, right?"
The little girl nodded.
"And I would never leave without telling you. I promise."
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Van paced his rooms. He was angry and very annoyed at himself.
Folken had hounded Van once the girl was found to be gone. Some how Folken had gotten a hunch that Van had talked to the girl before she ran away from the palace.
Van wasn't all that sure that this "hunch" wasn't named Merle. The pink haired Neko had been racked with worry, knowing that Van had been hurt but the moment she learned he'd been saved by a girl she became deffensive. Learning that Tomi had been brought back to the palace had the feline stalking the halls hoping to catch the girl trying to get near Van.
Van wouldn't have said anything to Folken at all if his brother hadn't said that he was worried for the girl, saying that she'd been injured and her just leaving could make those injuries worse. Folken said he was worried she would die out on the road. Van had no choice but to cave. He told Folken where Tomi was headed and that she said something about a temple.
If only Van had known that Folken would search for her with an entire army. When Van watched all those men march out of Fanelia his stomack sank and his temper rose.
That wasn't a search party sent out to look for an injured little girl. That was an army looking for an escaped prisoner!
Vari said she couldn't have stopped Folken even if she tried because there was something Folken was hoping to find, other than the green eyed little girl.
Van didn't totaly understand that. All he knew was that his brother had lied to him and that he had betrayed the girl who jumped into a freezing river to save him.
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Hitomi crept carefully up the stairs, Naoki on her back. She had planned on only being gone for a day but she couldn't leave Naoki behind, not with Soldiers slowly moving towards Khomel and the Sazau Temple. Nicolle had been the one who suggested Hitomi go on a day trip. The priestess had even packed a bag full of food, saying that if it was possible that a second day away from the Temple might be a good idea too.
Looking around and seeing no one in sight Hitomi made her way to the front doors and stepped inside as if she owned the place.
"I thought I'd be seeing you again." came a very amused voice and Hitomi spun to see Vari standing at the foot of a very large stair case, "And who's this?" Vari asked, looking at Naoki, who hid her face in her sister's hair.
"My sister. She's the reason I couldn't stay here." Hitomi purposely left out Naoki's name.
"You know my son is looking for you." it wasn't a question.
"Yes, I noticed." Hitomi's frowned, "Is Van still here or is he leading the search?"
Vari tried to hide her surprised smile, "No, my dear. He is upstairs in the library as we speak. You may go up if you'd like."
"Thank you." Hitomi headed towards the stair but stopped when Vari placed a hand on hers houlder.
"Why don't you leave the little one with me. I promoise we'll be right here waiting for you to get back." Vari smiled gently at the curly top and Naoki reached for her before Hitomi could say 'no thank you.'
"I won't be long and then we must be gone." Hitomi said, trying to sound older than her 11 years.
"Of course." Vari smiled, holding Naoki close.
Hitomi checked every room she came across untill she found the right one.
Taking a deep breath she stormed in and roughly pinched the arm closest to her, "You ratted me out!" she shouted.
"Ouch!" Van spunn quickly, a hand over his bruising arm, "What are you doing here!"
"I figured it was safe seeing as your army is elsewhere looking for me! You ratted me out! I can't believe you!" Hitomi stomped her foot and crossed her arms, "Thats a rotten way to repay the person who waited 4 days for you to fall in the river just so I could be sure to pull you out in time!"
Van opened and closed his mouth a few times, looking very much like a hooked fish, "But he tricked me!" he finaly managed, "He told me you were hurt and would die on the road. I thought letting you die would have been a worse way to repay the girl who saved my life."
Hitomi just stared at him in disbelief, "So you didn't rat me out?"
"No. I told him because he said you were going to die." Van huffed, "And you said you'd come back someday and how could you if you were dead?"
"You wanted me to come back?" Hitomi asked, head tilted to the side. Most people, once they learned what she was, couldn't get away from her fast enough. It was like they thought having her around would bring them bad luck.
"Yes!" Van shouted, "I wanted you to come back because I thought you were different!" Van looked at her surprised eyes and realized what he'd just said, "I mean,..."
"But different is a bad thing to be." Hitomi said seriously.
"You're telling me." Van grumbled.
Both youths stood there for a moment looking at each other and then Hitomi smiled, "I don't live in Partos."
"I didn't think you did." Van smiled back, "But Folken doesn't know that."
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Van was happy that ihs mother had talked Tomi into staying for lunch. As much as he would've rather die a grusome death than admit it, he liked having her around.
Naoki sat happily with Vari as she poked and proded at the food before her.
"She doesn't like fish." Hitomi said around her mouthfull.
"I'm starting to see that." Vari nodded as Naoki used her fork to push the entire thing off her plate and onto the table.
"Naoki, you're suppose to say 'no thank you'. Pushing food off your plate is rude." Hitomi didn't realize she used her sister's full name. She'd been doing so good these past few hours only calling her Kiki.
"O frank ooooo." Naoki smiled at her sister before going onto to push the vegies away from her and onto the table.
"Sorry." Hitomi blushed, "I've been trying to work on her manners and words."
"How old is she?" Vari asked, holding up a berry for Naoki to inspect.
"Five in the summer." Hitomi nodded at Naoki, "She likes bread."
"And hw old are you?" Van asked, "I just turned 12 before new year."
"I'll be 12 in a few days." Hitomi said proudly.
"Well, Happy 12th year, Tomi." Vari laughed as Naoki snatched a roll from her hand.
"Say thank you." Hitomi instructed automaticly, so use to having to watch Naoki's every move around the older of the Priestesses.
"Frank oooo" Naoki said quickly and at a high pitch before stuffing her mouth.
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It was sad to have to leave Vari and Van. They'd had such a fun time there and had even stayed for dinner against Hitomi's better judgement.
"Why don't you stay the night?" Vari had asked, seeing Hitomi look out at the setting sun, "We have plenty of room."
"No, we realy must get back." this was a lie and Hitomi was sure she was fooling no one. There was no place close enough for them to reach before dark, "Thank you for the offer but we must go now."
Naoki stretched up when Hitomi bent down and soon the two were on their way.
Hitomi felt Naoki fall alseep on her back not long after they had gotten past the Fanelian gates. She wished she could be the one asleep on someone's back while they did all the walking.
She didn't even know where they were going to spend the night. Too close to the road and they woudl be easily seen and too far off the road and they could get lost.
Sighing Hitomi followed the sound of a nearby river. They would sleep by the river. This way they could follow it in the morning back to the road that would lead them to Khomel.
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A/N: Ok, this was kinda short but I just can't seem to get this all out at once. Believe me I've been trying for 2 days. Usualy all I have to do is sit down and suddenly I have an entire chapter written. I have so many ideas for this- they're all trying to come out at once so please be patient with me.