DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own any of the Escaflowne Characters. I just write this for fun like so many other people.

Alright, here's the 3rd chapter. Enjoy.

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~~~**~~~ 3. Garden visions ~~~**~~~

Dawn was approaching when Van was finally able to make his way towards his room. It had been a long night, and with Hitomi's sudden appearance, it had stirred up a lot of questions that needed to be answered. He had a lot of them himself, but he had no answers for them...

But the thing that seemed to bothered him the most was that Lana just brushed it all off like it didn't trouble her in the least. It also bothered him that he hadn't felt anything but surprise when Hitomi had showed up.

Van reached for the pendant that was safely tucked underneath his shirt. He took it out and held it in his hand and looked at it like it would be able to answer all his questions and erase his doubts. He stopped walking and leaned his back against a nearby wall sliding down it until he was sitting on the cool floor, not letting his eyes of the pendant as he did so.

*Why now? Why now of all times?* He let out a frustrated sigh and let the pendant go letting it fall back to rest against his chest. He drew his legs up so that he could rest his aching head against his knees.

"What am I supposed to do?"

The question was barely audible so if anyone was nearby they would have just heard it as a mumble, but there was no one nearby, so no one noticed when the young king dosed of where he sat on the floor.

~~**~~

There were two images in front of him, one of Hitomi and the other one of Princess Lana. They were both facing away from him at the moment. Then they turned, moving in the exact same way like they were the mirror image of the other. Then they reached out their hands towards him, speaking his name.

The only thing that wasn't the same about them was the expression on their faces. Lana looked genuinely happy, while Hitomi had a sad and kind of pained look on her face.

He didn't know witch one to reach out to so he just stood there, his arms at his sides and his hands clenched into fists. He had to make a choice.

Suddenly the pendant started to glow, it was such a blinding bright light he almost couldn't look down at it, but he did, and a look of confusion was painted across his face. Then the chain floated up over his head to come to hang in front of him in midair. It started to swing right then left, like it was trying to decide witch girl he should to choose.

Then it chattered right in between the two images with an ear deafening sound that seemed to vibrate through his whole being.

~~**~~

Van sat up with a jolt, his breathing coming out in short puffs. He stared at the floor in front of him and placed a trembling hand against his forehead for a moment before he hook his head lightly, his eye's wide in disbelief.

"What was that?" He took the pendant in one of his hands, just to make sure it was still whole. His face was set in confusion as he got up of the floor.

*It must have been a dream. My mind is just cluttered with questions.... It's understandable.. to have odd dreams....* The young king thought as he started to slowly walk towards his room once more. By the light outside he hadn't dozed for long. Once he got to his room he just stood in front of the door for several minutes, lost in thought, but when he heard the distant footfalls heading his way he finally opened the door and headed inside, his mind now buzzing with several more questions then earlier.

~~**~~

Hitomi didn't sleep well during the night, she was afraid that she would have more visions if she fell asleep so she kept tossing and turning and just dozed a few minutes here and there.

When the light of the morning sun drifted trough her window she stirred and groggily opened her eyes just to shut them tightly against the invasive brightness and draping an arm over them to farther keep the light from invading her morning sensitive optic nerves.

After a while there was a knock on her door making her sit up and brushed her hair away from her face letting out a tired sigh and was forced to squint her eyes open, and attempted to quickly adjust her eyes to the bright room. It was a bit difficult though.

"Coming." She called to whoever it was on the other side of the door and got out of the bed and dug out her jeans from her bag and quickly slipped them on. She then straightened out the shirt that she had slept in before made her way over to the door and opened it.

"...Princess Lana?" Hitomi said, surprise clearly evident in her voice. The red haired Princess, clad in a ocean green sundress, was smiling brightly at the surprised girl.

"Good morning Hitomi. I just wanted to ask you if you would like to join me for breakfast." Hitomi was a bit taken aback by the cheeriness in Lana radiated, and a bit confused at the invitation, but nodded slowly.

"Sure, just let me get dressed and stuch..." She said a bit hesitantly. She wasn't sure she wanted to spend the morning with Van's fiancé.

The princess, however just smiled brightly at her. "Of course take your time, I'll wait."

Hitomi smiled back before she closed the door to go and freshen up and get dressed more properly.

When she was done she took a quick look in a mirror and frowned slightly at her sleep mushed hair but just combed her fingers trough it a few times so that it settled somewhat then went to meet Lana.

The princess in question was leaning against a wall but quickly straightened up when Hitomi emerged from the room.

"Well I'm ready to go now." Hitomi closed the door behind her before she looked over at the princess, there was something odd about her but she couldn't put her finger on what.

"Well then, we should get going to the garden, it's so wonderful this time of day." Lana said with a soft smile as she led the way. And after that silence fell between them, and for Hitomi it was an awfully uncomfortable silence.

Hitomi looked around for Van or Allen but didn't see either of them as they walked through the castle. She let out a small sigh and then felt the princess eyes on her. She glanced over at the princess who gave her a concerned look.

"Are you alright Hitomi?"

Hitomi felt a little taken aback by the concerned in her voice, but she quickly shrugged it of before she gave the princess a reassuring smile and waved a hand to dismiss the matter.

"I'm fine Princess Lana. Just a little tired."

"I didn't wake you up to early did I?" Hitomi looked at her wristwatch and it was past 9. Not disturbingly early but she had already been more or less awake because of the sun anyway.

"No, it's all right. Don't worry about it."

They arrived at the garden a little while later and sat down at a table that had been set up for them. Hitomi wasn't that hungry but didn't want to offend the princess so she took some tea and sipped it slowly.

"Sugar?" The princess suddenly asked as she motioned to the tray. Hitomi looked over at Lana and shook her head.

"No thanks, this is just fine." She thought she saw something resembling irritation flash over the princess face but she ignored it. It wasn't impolite to decline sugar...

On one of the balconies Allen was keeping an eye on the two girls eating breakfast down in the garden with a slight frown on his face as he did so.

~~~**~~~

That's it for the third chapter, I know it's a little shorter... but I hope ya enjoyed it anyway.

Darkie Hime