Disclaimer: Gatty wadoka da? Chesta wadoka da? Guimel wadoka da? Dalet wadoka da? Viole wadoka da? Shinda? SHINDA?! Don't ask… I don't own Escaflowne, its characters, any flashback sequences for the series, or "Halfway Around the World" by ATeens.
A/N: Well, here's chapter 2! Review and I shall be a happy person!
Here are my comments to the people who reviewed. Thanks a lot!
Coolchick1500- I'm glad you like the idea! So far, I've only seen one or two other F/H fics… I'm sure there are more that I just haven't seen, but it's kind of pathetic compared to the 1,000 or so V/H and the numerous D/H…
Enfant de haine- I am glad that you are a happy Icelander! I am a somewhat-happy Illinoisan. (That's a weird word…)
Kiya- Well, here's more for you to read! Thanks for reviewing!
Harmony- I agree with you on the whole D/H thing. I just don't think that they make a good couple. It's extremely questionable if my match with Dilandau is good, but note that it's probably the first time ever that the two characters have been paired… I have only seen one good D/H that I can remember, and that's Untamed Angel, which is a really good fic… Will Hitomi stay with Folken? Well, you'll have to read and find out. I'm not telling…
Emerald Mist- I assure you that a romance will blossom between Folken and Hitomi, you'll just have to wait a while. This fic is 15 chapters long, so give it awhile. I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far! Keep reading it and I'll keep writing it!
Crimsonfire- I like your suggestion. This is the first time that I actually have a long fic written out on paper before typing it and it's kind of nice to just sit back and wait for the reviews. Sorry I left you with a cruel cliffhanger. I hate those, but don't worry, there aren't that many chapters that end like that in this fic. Most of them end with the characters being deep in thought, sleeping, or confused or someone dying… (As people who read my fics should know by now, I seem to kill off at least half of the main characters before the fic ends… I'm sorry to say that this fic is no different.) I'm glad you like it. Nice reviewers like you keep me wanting to write these things… Anyway, I'll email you to let you know after I post this. It's 1:40 AM and I want to go to bed…
Tears of the Heart
Baby
I will soon be leaving, So remember in your heart, Halfway
around the world, Baby when the miles are
growing, So
remember in your heart, Halfway around
the world, If I could you know that I would
find a way,
And I know that you are feeling down…
But every week I'll send a letter,
To let you know my love
will never change…
I promise you I'll always feel the same…
Baby when we are apart,
There
is no need for crying,
'Cause even if I am…
That won't stop me from loving you…
Halfway
around the world,
Still be feeling the way I do,
Now I wanna
hold you baby,
'Cause I'm gonna miss you like crazy,
Even if
I'm halfway around the world!
You and I will still be growing strong…
No matter
what your friends are saying,
Don't give up on what you're waiting
for…
'Cause one day I'll be knocking on your door…
Baby when we are apart,
There is no
need for crying,
'Cause even if I am…
That won't stop me from loving you…
Halfway around
the world,
Still be feeling the way I do…
Now I wanna hold
you baby,
'Cause I'm gonna miss you like crazy…
Even if I'm
halfway around the world…
To stay for good, but I must go now…
I wanna hold
you baby,
I'm gonna miss you like crazy even if I'm…
–"Halfway Around the World" by ATeens
Chapter 2: Awakening to a Nightmare
The girls landed roughly on the cold stone floor, practically being knocked unconscious by the fall.
"H-Hitomi… What's going on?" Yukari whimpered, pressing her hand against her bloodied forehead.
"I really don't know…" Hitomi whispered, trying to stop the bleeding on her arm by applying pressure with her jacket, only succeeding in staining it. She looked around carefully, examining the futuristic machinery, noting that the medieval aura still lingered.
"It's… Zaibach… I'm back…" She looked around in awe.
"Zaibach? Hitomi, what are you talking about?" Yukari moaned in confusion, still rubbing her head.
"Oh Yukari! I get to see him again!" She exclaimed, hugging her best friend. Then, reality struck.
"Oh no… We're in Zaibach. They hate me. They want me dead… We're in grave danger…" She desperately looked around for a means of escape.
"Lady Hitomi…" A man emerged from the shadows. In a long, dark robe, Hitomi knew he had to be a Zaibach sorcerer. Hitomi shivered, her eyes widening in terror.
She bravely stepped forward, shielding Yukari behind her.
"Who are you? Why are we here? What do you want with us?"
"I am Makai, a Zaibach sorcerer. You were brought here using the destiny prognostication engine, which Lord Folken rescued from the Vione…"
"Where is Folken? I thought that he was helping the allies…"
"A clever ploy to gain their trust, then strike. We killed them all…"
"F-Folken is a traitor?" Hitomi stuttered in disbelief.
"Yes, and a good one at that…"
"V-Van?" Hitomi whimpered, afraid to know the truth about her beloved king.
"Oh, Van Fanel, King of Fanelia? He was the only one to survive. Damn him…" The sorcerer scowled at the mention of the raven-haired boy's name.
"They're all dead…?" Hitomi whispered, trying to blot out the images of her shrieking comrades as they painfully died. The fact that Van was alive kept her alive, but the fact that she'd never see her Gaean friends was more than she could bear.
"Yes and it's too late to do anything about it. But don't you want to know why you are here?" The sorcerer seemed impatient with her mourning and Yukari seemed dazed.
"Yes…" Hitomi muttered in consent, still filled with grief for her lost comrades.
"We were told by the royal council to bring the seeress from the Mystic Moon and her companion back to our capital. You and your friend are to be married to Lord Folken and Lord Dilandau tomorrow evening."
Flashback
"I've never seen clothes like yours before… Where are you from, little girl?" The crimson-eyed commander spotted Hitomi in the crowd of men and began to interrogate her. She shuddered uncontrollably. What would he do to her?
"So you noticed… I found her in the East and her name is Hitomi…" Allen answered for her suavely, kissing her cheek. "She's simply lovely, isn't she?"
"You live up to your reputation, Allen Schezar…" Dilandau spat with a disgusted look on his face.
"I just hope you put as much effort into our provisions…" The diabolical Adonis and his Dragonslayers filed out the door.
End of Flashback
"D-Dilandau?" She recoiled in horror and disbelief. No! Not him! Not that demon! God, no!
"Did someone say my name?" Dilandau sauntered into the room, hand on his hip where his finely polished sword hung from his leather belt, gleaming in the light
"Yes, Lord Dilandau. These are the girls for you and Lord Folken." The sorcerer hissed, grinning wickedly at the unfortunate girls. Folken walked in behind the pyromaniac, his expression unreadable.
"I still don't see the need for this. I don't have the need or the patience for a wife." Dilandau commented snidely.
"Why did you do this, Makai? The only use I have for Hitomi is as a bargaining tool with Van. Send the other girl home and let's be done with it." Folken commanded in that hauntingly cool voice of his.
"Wait just a minute!" Dilandau interrupted, walking over to Yukari and fingering a lock of her hair in appreciation. He stared into her eyes, enjoying the evident terror.
"That wench, Hitomi, is ruled out automatically. She's Allen's mistress. Oh wait, he's dead!" Dilandau seemed to get great enjoyment out of this fact. "Maybe she's the dragon's girl now. You can't really tell with the way she sluts around. However…" He smiled at the red-haired girl dangerously.
"How dare you insult Hitomi like that?! Why I oughta…" Yukari emitted pure rage from every fiber of her being.
"I like this one. She has got spirit. You can take the slut, Strategos." Dilandau traced a finger down Yukari's head wound and licked the blood from his glove, licking his lips. He grabbed her arm and began to pull her away as she hopelessly struggled against him.
"HITOMI!" Yukari cried desperately for her friend. Dilandau kicked her in the head with his boot, knocking her unconscious. She fell limp and he dragged her from the room as Hitomi wildly called out to her. She was restrained by Folken.
"How could you let him do that?! She has a fiancé! She has a life and a family! Whatever problems you have with me, Yukari has nothing to do with this!" Hitomi looked up at the two men appealingly, tears filling her eyes.
"Lord Folken, she's yours! The wedding is tomorrow night! Take her out of my sight!" The sorcerer scorned the girl's pathetic emotions. Emotions were for the weak.
Folken walked slowly down the hallway and Hitomi silently followed behind him. She didn't want to repeat Yukari's mistake.
"This will be your room. It used to be Naria and Eriya's dorm." Hitomi swore she could see a glimmer of a tear in his right eye, but she blinked and it disappeared. He turned to leave, but she stopped him.
"Folken… What happened to Van? Where is he?"
"As far as I know, he is in Fanelia, grieving for his losses. Merle died, you know…" Folken whispered, no regret evident in his voice.
"Merle too?" Hitomi whispered, not sure if she could take anymore of this.
Flashback
A catgirl jumped through Hitomi's window.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
She began to lick her hand and Hitomi stared.
"Well what?" Why was this pesky catgirl here?
"Just don't get too familiar with him." The catgirl leaped off of the sill and landed on the floor.
"What?"
"I'm saying, don't get too familiar with Prince Van. I don't want a foreigner like you getting too close to him!" Merle noticed her pendant and stared at it.
"Ooh…That's a pretty stone…" She noticed that Hitomi was holding her pendant and looked at it in wonder.
"I think I'll keep it!" She grabbed it smartly.
"HEY!" Hitomi exclaimed after her. Merle dashed out of the room with Hitomi following.
"GET BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE CAT BURGLAR! I'LL SHOW YOU NOT TO MESS WITH AN ATHLETE!"
End of Flashback
"How can you not even care?!" She demanded, her voice full of hatred. "She was just a child. She never did anything except love Van and take care of him. What danger was she to your cause? She died for Van, just like Naria and Eriya died for you! You sacrificed them! You took advantage of their love for you! They're dead Folken, and it's all because of you…" She pointed her finger at him accusingly.
"How can you know what they felt? You nothing about them." Folken whispered coldly, trying to hide his hurt with a mask of indifference.
"Because… Naria was my friend…" Hitomi replied sadly.
"Friend?" Folken asked, the word foreign on his tongue.
"There are no such things as 'friends', Hitomi. There are only enemies and allies. Friends are for fools."
"They believed in you… Right up till the end…"
"Believing in people is also for fools." Folken said coldly, storming away to his quarters.
"But Folken… I believed in you too…" Hitomi murmured softly, closing the door to her room, wondering what had happened to the boy she had once knew who tamed dragons and flew on black wings. Where was that gentle boy now? And most importantly, what was going on around here?
A/N: Review! Oh yes, and wish me luck, I get my braces removed today… Here's a preview of the next chapter…
Next Time On "Tears of the Heart":
"You mustn't be so hard on Lord Folken, Milady. Running an empire isn't easy you know."
"Folken is the Emperor of Zaibach?" Hitomi whispered in disbelief.