Title: The Dragon, The Slayer and The Attendant

Author: Shinigami Soldier

Rating: PG-13 to M

Pairings: None yet,but willcome later.The general idea is put in the summary anyway so you should have an idea of what's coming anyway.

Warnings: Possibly some adult themes, Violence though hopefully not too much blood and gore and maybe some OOC characters

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Escaflowne or anything else to do with the series and movie.

Author Notes:

Oh my god, I'm so sorry guys, I really really really didn't mean to take this long in typing up the next chapter. But things have been so busy, it's been insane. School, the commonwealth games and homework over the holidays. Family…you know all that dreary stuff.

So umm…yeah my apologies everyone!

/blah/ This is mind speak. This is what Van uses. The rest is just normal (speech marks, etc.)

/blah/ This is mind speak as well but I'm using this as how Dilandau communicates with Van. Makes things a bit easier.

Pairings will come later as none are really established as of this moment, but the general idea is put in the summary anyway so you should have an idea of what's coming. Hope anyone who reads this enjoys it.

(x) (O) (x)

After that night, Hitomi didn't see Van for quite a while, and if she did, it was glimpses or when she couldn't talk to him because she, or him, was too busy. Like during the day, when people came to talk to her about their troubles, he came in to see Dilandau – who was supervising at the time, but she was in the middle of things, and couldn't stop to talk to him.

Not that he seemed to have any want to talk to her either. She hadn't even seen him throw a glance her way. Nothing. Nadda. She grouched for a while. She'd thought that there'd be a connection there. A seed of friendship or something of the like…but nothing!

How infuriating.

She didn't understand and through dinner that night she attempted to glare a hole through the table. "-ee the village?" Someone broke through her concentration and she jerked looking for whoever had been talking to her, "Pardon?" Drydan laughed, "I said, Are you ready to see the village?" "But I've been there! I come from there!" She protested. "No, this is a different one…We look after and bless many of the small towns and villages around us, and anyway, Van will be with you this time, since no one else who can be spared."

She perked up as an evil thought floated across her mind. He wouldn't be able to escape her this time.

(x) (O) (x)

'Ok, so far he's managed to avoid me.'

The silly dragon had so far ignored all her hails, unless she'd truly needing anything, instead preferring to fly above her, making as if she didn't exist. It wasn't a very good ego boost. More the opposite really and it was making her irritated. She was riding a horse, at the nice slow pace of a walk, while he flew in his dragon form, in circles. She hoped it was annoying him greatly.

They had been riding, or flying respectively, for almost two hours when she lost sight of the pearly white dragon as he stopped circling and flew ahead, leaving her behind. "VAN! Where are you?" she cried, suddenly fearful he'd left her all alone out here. /I'm up ahead. Keep riding on the path/ his calm tone infiltrated her head.

She urged the horse on quickly, eager to find him. And just as he'd promised, he was standing there, waiting for her, rubbing his shoulders gently and a light grimace on his face. Her horse stopped in front of him, nudging him suddenly, making him loose his balance and fall onto his behind. Hitomi laughed at his expression; a highly amusing mixture of annoyance, confusion and disbelief.

/I can't believe your horse just knocked me over…/ Hitomi giggled, before actually looking at him and sobering up. He hadn't changed from the last time she'd seen him up close. Too skinny and a few abrasions littering his skin. "Van…why don't you talk to me anymore?"

He stiffened and looked up at her, his face carefully blank but his eyes searching her face, guardedly. /Why do you think that, Prayer?/ he asked her, almost cautiously. "Well, whenever you see me, you leave the room or turn the nearest corner, you barely look at me anymore and you don't talk to me…at all! Did I do something wrong? Do you hate me now?" Hitomi suddenly, didn't want to the answer to those questions. What if he did hate her?

/No, of course not…you didn't do anything wrong. I just-…it's hard for me to open up to people and when I spilled so much to you I felt embarrassed, like you wouldn't respect me or you would think I was stupid or dirty…I- you're doing it again Hitomi. Do I have to spill my guts every time I talk to you?/ he demanded. She chuckled a little. "Van, I respect you because you could tell me all those things. If it would make you feel better, I'll tell you about my life, though it's no where near as interesting as yours!"

/Well you can tell me on the way, because we still have a while to go/ he said resolutely, picking himself off the ground, dusting his behind off, still trying to look dignified. /Shall we?/ he bowed mockingly, his lips twitching. "Of course, sire. Lead the way!"

He walked beside her, rolling his shoulders every now and then. "Do it hurt?" /Does what hurt?/ He asked, absently, shuffling again. "Changing shape, flying. Does it hurt?" /Not really, but my muscles often ache for a while after. Anyway, I thought we were going to talk about you!/ he hurriedly changed the subject, giving her an evil eye.

"Sure. Well I live…lived in the village Imack (1) with both my parents and a younger brother, Takashi(2). From what I know, my parents have always lived there and married young. I grew up fairly normally. My family wasn't the wealthiest or most prosperous in the town, but we got along with everyone and always had food on the table and there was usually some peace in the house, though my brother and I often got into trouble; like this one time…"

(x) Flashback (x)

"HEY THAT'S MY BALL!" Takashi screamed, as Hitomi ran laughing with said ball under her arm. "Oh yeah? I don't see your name on it, Kashi!" "So? Everyone knows it mine!" he gave chase, determined to get his bouncing ball back, so he could play with his friends.

They ran all over the village, in front of working tradesmen, wandering and gossiping women, in and around food stalls until Hitomi had no where left to run. Takashi jumped on her, pushing them both into the muddy road, wrestling for all he was worth for the prize. When the ball rolled out of the mess, they didn't even notice, still tussling on the ground with each other until one of them hit it hard enough that it ricocheted into one of the elder's house windows.

"Uh oh…"

(x) End Flashback (x)

"Of course, I got in heaps of trouble, being the oldest one, even though I was only six. We had to work at the elder's house for a week, doing house hold chores and basically, being her slave. It was horrible!"

She smiled when she saw Van's shoulder shaking with silent laughter. /So when did you meet Marlene and get caught up in all of this?/

"Well I was probably about eight when I first met her. She was there to meet with the priest of the town and to play with the children, chat to the adults. You know, socialise and grant wishes and stuff." /Like what you're going to be doing…/ "Yeah…anyway, it was about midday and we, as in the kids, had been let out into the street and we all rushed to go see her, since she didn't come all that often, so she was somewhat of a novelty. She talked to each of us individually. When she got around to me she gave me a strange look and I felt something probing my heart…it felt weird, and she looked at me strangely before giving me and hug and racing away.

Of course I was the most popular kid for the next couple of days. It was fun!"

/And…?/

"Well, about a week after that she returned to talk to my parents to get permission to start seeing and training me. So she came often, staying for a few days and I spent all my time with her, she grew to be like my bigger sister…and also one of my best friends."

Hitomi silenced herself for a bit, thinking what else she could possibly have to share. "Well…umm…my mother died when I was eleven, during the winter, because of a bad cold that went around. A few of the people in village died of it, mostly the young and old though. My mum was one of the unluckier ones…"

/Do you miss her?/ he asked, solemnly. "Yeah of course! She was my mum, after all. But I had Marlene to look to as I grew up and she taught me about all the things my mum missed out on," she gave a discreet cough there, making Van blush slightly. "And so…that's pretty much my life story. Not as interesting as yours eh?"

/No maybe not, but I liked it a lot better than my own. It sounded fun…/ he said wistfully. He wished silently that his own upbringing had been as boring and predictable as that. She had her family, she didn't have the curse of being bound to only one person for your whole life; which was eternity. She wasn't stared at, and revered or feared in turn my the normal people. Even though she could speak with the Wing Goddess, people would like her, talk to her.

People just seemed to think he was something to be used and thrown away in turn, like an animal or an object that didn't have feelings, didn't bleed like they did. "So, tell me more about the whole bonding and shape changing stuff…please, Van?" Hitomi looked down at him, her eyes large and puppy-dog like. If he said no, he'd surely feel bad for the next hour or two and end up telling her anyway.

/Well, I can only be bonded to one person at a time…I don't really know much about it. It's magic thing… I think. Anyway it can only be done with a human to a Draconian, since half the bond is tied with the life force of the Draconian and a little bit taken from the human. That's how Dilandau is able to live forever, along with me. I don't know if it can be broken and done again…but I'd think to break it, it would have to be done with death, from either Dilandau or myself. Though if I was the one to die, Dilandau would be dead a few hours later, since it is my immortality which is sustaining his long life./

"Fascinating…and kinda horrible. Do you know who came up with it all?" He shook his head. There were no historic books or tales about the first Draconian or how they were created or how the bond came to be… oh there were plenty of legends about deeds and the bloody deaths or human and Draconian alike.

"So…how about off the depressing stuff and we'll play a few games or something?" /Like what?/ he asked, sceptical that anything around here could be interesting. "Well there's I Spy…or singing songs like Nine hundred and Ninety-nine Bottles of Beer on the Wall…" she suggested. /That is the most obnoxious song known to Gaea, if you sing that…No, we'll play I Spy I think…how bad could it be?/

(x) (O) (x)

By the time they got to the village a five or six hours later, he knew how bad it could be. He'd never play travelling games with Hitomi again if they were all this bad…/This is obnoxious too, can we stop?/ "Sure, we're he-"

"Who are you talking to Miss?" the guard at the entrance to village asked. "To Van…" she replied, as if it was obvious. "He hasn't said a word Miss…How can you?" he said, quite clearly thinking she was insane. /Hitomi, you forget that only you can hear me at the moment…/ "Well um…can we go in please?" she asked, knowing that he would most likely say no. No village liked insane people in their midst.

She heard Van sigh mental and a large ripping sound, startling her. She was confronted with the sight of Van's shirt ripped at the back, large white wings, with flecks of blood on the end feathers, protruding from his back and his face lined with pain and gasps slightly.

The guard's eyes widened. "Mis-mistress Hitomi?" She turned to face him and nodded. "OH! Welcome! There is a room for you in the in…and I guess they can find somewhere for…it to sleep, as well." Hitomi kicked her horse on and Van followed behind, walking slowly.

"Van, come up here…" she called him, but he kept walking behind the horse. "Do…Do you always get that kind of treatment?"

/Always/

TBC

(1) I couldn't think of anything!

(2) Does her brother actually have a name in the series?

Ok so I elaborated on a few more things and gave Hitomi a vague past recall. I figured it was only fair since Van had had everything put out into the open in the last chapter. Anyway, it might be a bit rushed or something since I'm doing this at 1:30 in the morning on the last day of my holidays.

So you guys will have to tell me what you think, and all reviews are welcome once again! (although no flames would be nice, I'll take them too if must be…I can roast marshmallows on them or something). So umm…again sorry about the long wait and I'm afraid to say the next chapter might not be up for even longer…so you'll have to bare with me. I'm a sparodic writer.

So I hope you enjoyed it, and now onto reviews!

Thank you to Macky, Inda and tigger093061 for your reviews and I hope you like this next instalment!

Random – thanks heaps for your help, your last review was quite inspiring on getting this last chapter up. Gave me a few on the spot ideas, so anymore help your willing to throw my way, I'll take wink. So yeah, Van and Dildandau are really old X.x

dangerous emerald – Van talks in the /blah/ stuff because a) it's noticeable so people won't miss it and b) because he can't speak normally. I hope this helps!

So until next time, and can't wait to read your reviews guys!

M.E.