Hey! This is my disclaimer! I only own characters and places that are the product of my imagination. Everything else belongs to someone whose bank account isn't as empty. There, that was my disclaimer… now on with the story…


"You know…" Merle tried to find the right words "I thought I would be jealous if I wasn't the first lord Van sees after the hunt but I'm not. You seem like a good catch; usually a girl would giggle stupidly when he would say even one single word to her but you don't. You act normally." Merle paused to catch her breath before adding "I'm sure you will be truly happy together when you marry."

It took Hitomi several moments to process what she heard. Once everything clicked in place her emerald-green eyes widened and she turned back to Van. The young prince stopped in his track looked at her shocked face.

"Marry?!"

"Uh… you see…" Van didn't know how to explain her about the ancient law so he sent Merle a pleading look, one the cat-girl right away noticed and recognized. So to help her adoptive brother she grabbed Hitomi's hand and dragged her away.

"But Merle, I'm not here to-"

"To marry?" the neko asked "That's good I suppose, cause that means you aren't one of the crown grabbers."

"What are the crown grabbers?" Hitomi never heard about such a thing.

"When you stood down on the square… do you remember all the girls in fancy dressed, loaded with jewelry, looking all high and mighty?"

"Of course I remember. It seems a bit absurd to wear such heavy outfits on such a lovely and warm day, don't you agree?" Hitomi asked.

Merle grinned widely "I know you were different from the moment I saw you."

"Well that's nice. Could you please explain now why I suppose to marry Van?"

A servant that was walking towards the kitchen stopped in his track and turned after two of them; or rather after Hitomi. He was certain he heard her what she asked correctly. The girl was to marry their monarch. He snapped out of his thoughts and ran as fast as he could in his original direction. The staff would like to hear about this.

Merle opened the doors of a chamber and gently pushed Hitomi inside. She knew better then to be mean or rough towards the future queen.

"It's the law Hitomi, it has been so for centuries now. Lord Van's father found a wife in the same way and his father before him and his father before him. The first female the throne heir sees after slaying a dragon is to become his wife." Merle hoped her explanation was good enough to calm Hitomi down. The last thing she wanted to do is ruin everything by saying the completely wrong thing. Lord Van would never forgive her that.

"I understand that and I respect tradition but wouldn't it be better if the king would chose for himself? I mean; Van doesn't even know me and we suppose to her married."

The neko had a problem answering that question so she asked "Where are you from Hitomi?"

"Um… from quite far away." Hitomi looked away from Merle.

Merle raised an eyebrow but didn't asked more questions. It was obvious the green-eyed girl arrived from far away from Fanelia, otherwise she would have know about the 'first one' law. Yes, she was curious to know exactly where Hitomi was from but since she was meant to stay in Fanelia as the new queen Merle figured she'd get her opportunity to find out.

"That law may connect two complete strangers like you and lord Van and like lord Van's parents but in the same time prevents the fights for power. You see, there is always some dumb spoiled princess on a hunt for a throne and kings who are only interested in making more and more profit by marrying their daughters off to other kingdoms. And so-"

"They can't." Hitomi ended Merle's sentence "It also makes it easier for the king, right? He can't get caught in between two or more potential wives and forced to pick one and anger the others."

"Correct!" Merle exclaimed "Now that all this is clear we should get to business."

"What do you mean?" Hitomi asked "What business?"

"Oh, you need some new dresses for the court and a special one for lord Van's coronation tomorrow and also one for the wedding." Merle said and walked to the door and opened them revealing three women that already waited in the hallway "Hitomi, this are the seamstresses that would do the fittings. I hope you didn't planed anything for the next, oh… four, maybe five hours."


"You don't attack fiercely enough." Balgus said calmly after Van's sword landed on the floor several feet away from where they were fighting.

"And I already thought I would win this time." Van said frowning as he moved to pick up his sword.

The older samurai nodded "For a moment you were close to disarm me but-"

"I got distracted." Van was angry, with himself more then on his sword master.

"Distracted?" Balgus asked "There is no one here but us lord Van. What could possibly distract you?"

Van mumbled an answer but he was much too quiet, so when Balgus repeated his question the young prince sighed and said "Hitomi."

"Are you not pleased with the one the fate choose for you?"

"Actually, I don't think I could have found a better queen for Fanelia, and that makes me believe it wasn't coincidence that I met her. I mean… what was she doing in the forest in a middle of night? It doesn't make sense." It was one of the rare moments when Van didn't hide how frustrated he was.

"Have you considered asking her?" Balgus asked "It would be the best thing to do after all. Much better then making assumptions."

"Merle came to talk to me once the seamstresses began the fitting to inform me not to ask because Hitomi isn't exactly eager to answer the question about her life before she saved me in that forest."

"She saved you?" it was the first time Van saw his sword master shocked.

"Yes. If she hadn't warned me the dragon would have pierced me with his tail." Van explained "I owe her my life."

"A-ha. And what else did Merle say?"

"That she never met anyone as calm as Hitomi in her entire life." Van smiled slightly "Hopefully her calmness would cross over on Merle. At least a bit."


Van was waiting patiently in the private dining room that was a part of the royal sweet. He was eating in this room often as a child although he didn't remember much of it. His father made sure there was a private meal at least once a week for only the royal family and Van decided to continue that.

He mentioned that to Balgus and the older man agreed instantly. He said it was also a good opportunity to get to know his soon-to-be-wife. It would be rather hard for them to talk with everyone around.

Several minutes later the doors opened and the young girl walked inside.

"I apologize for being late. Merle made me change several times before she was pleased with the way I looked." Hitomi said blushing. She was slightly uncomfortable under Van's gaze; never before did a man looked at her in a way he did at the moment.

"It's alright, I understand. That's just how Merle is." Van said looking away "I hope you are hungry."

"I am." Hitomi answered shortly and sat opposite of Van.

The silence in the small dining room was frustrating. They were suppose to get to know each other and not sit stiff like two stone statues like the ones that were in the palace garden.

Hitomi was looking either in her plate or around the room but not for a second did she looked towards the young man that was sitting and observing her with interest.

As a child Van showed absolutely no interest in girls, just as any other boy, but even when he grew up that hadn't changed; the girls were still something Van considered as necessary evil. But he was more then wiling to change that opinion for the green-eyed beauty that was sitting opposite of him.

"Could you tell me where we are right now? Merle told me the supper isn't in the main dining room so which dining room is this?" Hitomi asked making Van snap out of his thoughts and lock eyes with her.

Van nodded "This isn't the main dining room, that is correct. Usually I eat there with my advisers and leading samurais but since this is your first day here I thought some privacy could help us to talk and learn some things about each other."

Hitomi chuckled "Well, we did a lousy job then. I don't know anything more about you then I did before I came in this room."

Her words made Van chuckle as well "It's because… you see I have this problem… with talking about… life… my life…"

"Oh, I understand. Well, could you at least show me this place where we are? I mean… I saw there are more doors leading from the sitting room."

"Oh, of course. This is actually the royal sweet. There are more chambers, all linked together, that belonged to my parents." Van was glad he could talk about a less delicate subject with her. A subject that wasn't his life.

"Van, when is the wedding?" Hitomi asked suddenly surprising him.

But before Van managed to answer the doors behind Hitomi opened and Merle peeked in. She grinned widely before speaking "Hitomi, the seamstresses need you for the final fitting."

"I thought there wouldn't be another fitting till tomorrow." Although the voice was calm the green eyes revealed the slight annoyance. She was tired and all she wanted to do is sleep, not go through several more hours of standing strait.

Merle shook her head "Not possible. Your schedule for tomorrow is-"

"I have a schedule?"

"Yes, being a queen is more then just wearing gowns and looking pretty. You will have obligations towards the kingdom and the people." The neko was serious "And I have a feeling you are just the right person for all that."

"I will do my best." Hitomi smiled "Alright, let's go back to my chamber. I don't want to keep the seamstresses waiting. But I still don't understand why it can not be postponed until tomorrow."

"Because those dresses are for tomorrow." Van said making Hitomi turn back towards him "Tomorrow at noon is my coronation and you will need a dress for that occasion and then another one for the wedding."

"Yes, I know the coronation is tomorrow." Hitomi said, Merle did told her that much "But you didn't answered my question as to when the wedding is."

"Also tomorrow… at midnight."