Devil's Whisper

Two can play in this game

mystic mizu

When he returned to the base camp, he went directly to his room to rest. But before he could sit on his bed, there's a knock on the door. He sighed, he's too tired to listen to the strategies of his council. Before he could even say "come in", the door opened.

"My king." An old man, nearly his sixties with grey hair came in.

"Lionel." He addressed him. Lionel is his most trusted Royal Adviser, he planned all the strategies, and he asked him for the enhancement of his plan. He has been there since the throne was passed to him. He's like a Father to him.

"Great victory my king, I'm sure that tomorrow, we will be able to bring down the walls of Moria." Van unbuckled his sword and laid it on his bed. He sat next to it, Lionel on the other hand, roamed around the room as he speaks.

"About the girl" Van shrugged.

"What about her?" this time, he eyed him as he walks around the room.

"The girl seemed to know more than piloting a melef. She is very talented, very talented indeed. We could gain some useful information out of her." he looked directly at Van.

"She said it herself, she's a pilot and nothing more." He kept his word that he won't tell anyone about their conversation last night. But Van can see in Lionel's eyes that he knows something.

"But you believed that she is more than a mere pilot."

"Have ever you seen a woman commanding a battalion of strong men? I don't think so Lionel." He closed his eyes.

"All I'm trying to say is that we can achieve our victory in a faster way if we get the information about their military prowess through her. She has the talent, she knows something, and maybe we could also have some hint about Folken and Varie." His eyes widened when he heard the name of his brother and mother.

"Fanelia is way too far from Moria Lionel. It's impossible." He closed his eyes, stood and headed for the door.

"I heard that Moria has some eccentric artifact-" Van halted. "-Including Dornkirk's intensified Luck, which of course we could use for the search of your family." He turned the door knob and opened the door.

"We could use the girl of course." Lionel reminded him.

"I have accepted my brother and mother's death, give it a rest Lionel." He closed the door.

Lionel glared at the door. He used to listen to him, never doubted any advice he gave him. He stood and left the room.

"Well, well, I can sense rebellion in the air Lionel, whatever happened to your father-like image to him?" Riyu, a scarred man, nearly fifties with bald head. He grinned at him as he leans his back at the wall.

"Whatever that girl is feeding in his mind is influencing him too much. If only Tai and Rick are still around, they could help me convince him."

"They died eight years ago, if only we had killed the little brat, at least their death are worth it."

"We completed the task, at least Balgus and the boy is dead, that girl has no chance in surviving in the wild, I'm sure she has been eaten by wild animals." He was about to walk away when Riyu warned him. "I have doubts on that Lionel, I have the strangest feelings that that girl is somewhere." Lionel looked at him astern. "Don't be ridiculous." He left him alone in the hall way.

He was surprised with himself when he slammed the door on his royal adviser, it wasn't really like him. Since the day mother's disappearance, Lionel was there, teaching him how to rule, every movement that needs to be done, he was like a father to him, he trusts everything he says. But somehow, it felt so wrong, to use Hitomi, to hurt her just to gain information. He shook his head, he can feel his heart beating so fast, why is he so into her? He was surprised when he realized that he's headed down to her cell. Somehow, he wanted to see her, he wanted to talk to her. he was about to take another step but another thought came to his mind. She's probably annoyed with him now, after trying to convince her about help him destroy her own homeland, it was really stupid, and he knows it. 'Maybe an apology, that's a good excuse to see her' he told himself. As he took a few more steps loser, he heard voices coming form her chamber. He can barely understand them, but he can recognize her voice. He listened intently.

"I owe everything to Allen, I will never betray him." Her voice softly echoed.

"I will get that information. I'll help him, no matter what." He shuddered when he heard it. He lost his balance and nearly tripped off. He got hold of the armor that was placed near to him, it fell on the floor and made a loud noise.

"Someone's coming." Hitomi told Gaddes. He stood up.

"I'll come back later."

"Go."

She waited, and listened for anything, or anyone. After a few seconds, she saw a shadow of a man, drawing closer and closer to where she is. She got up and seated at the corner of her cell. She was astonished to see Van. Her heart was beating fast, did he hear Gaddes? She tried to act serene, but she can't help but worry about him. If they find out that he's here, they will torture him, or kill him. She merely looked at Van, he's doing the same. He looked away and spoke "I wanted to apologize about my rudeness, I-" it wasn't easy to admit that he was wrong.

"- I didn't know that you were this patriot and martyr that will risk everything for your king. Surely it was unexpected because of you're a girl and you obviously don't want to get hurt. So I just concluded that you will concede that easily-"

"Is this your first apology?" she cut his sentence. He wasn't making any sense. She wasn't really sure if he's really apologizing. It's as if he was just, insulting her. He was surprised when she talked, her tone doesn't seem mad at all. Somehow, he was relieved. "I'm not really used to this kinds of things." He admitted.

"I'm sure it was really hard for you." She closed her eyes and smiled. He opened her cell, she was surprised.

"How about another dinner in my room, just to make it up with you." She pushed herself up and stared at him.

On their way out, she looked astern, then she saw Gaddes looking at her, he grinned at her. She didn't respond on it.

When they reached his room, the table wasn't set, there was no food, but the wine is at the corner table of the room. Not so long after they entered there was a knock on the door, it was Lionel. "Forgive for my rudeness your highness, but may I have a word with you." Van glared at him, he knows exactly what he has to say. She looked at Hitomi, she nodded, telling him that it's okay. When he closed the door behind him Lionel spoke softly.

"This is your chance to get the information." Van glared at him.

"Enough, she doesn't know a thing." Lionel looked at him straight-faced.

"Well then we'll have to force her to say it."

"If you touch her-"

"You must know that we're not only doing this for our victory, but for your mother and brother. There is a slightest chance that they are still alive, and if we have their intensified luck, we'll be able to find them." Van looked away. "Besides-" he continued.

"Do you really think that she's really interested in you?" he shrugged in hearing this statement. "I'm sure that there is another reason why she takes every opportunity to be with you." He reconciled what he heard in her cell.

"Leave us alone Lionel." He entered the room and closed the door. Lionel smiled, satisfied with his work.

When he entered the room, he saw her standing at the window where you can see the gates of Moria. It was dark, but the moonlight is enough to see her figure. "You miss home?" he broke the silence.

"Of course, who wouldn't miss home?" She answered coldly. Lionel's voice kept on ringing in his mind, he knows her plan. Two can play in this game, she doesn't really care for him, why should he?

"So, any boyfriend back home?" it felt so stupid to ask such an awkward question. He can't even look at her, it felt so uncomfortable, knowing that she's eyeing him. "None." She said. She wanted to laugh at him, she can see how tense he is.

"I wouldn't ask you, knowing that you make love with women and forget them the next day." A small smile appeared on his face. "I guess because something feel so empty," she stared at him, she took a deep breath. She wouldn't want to feel any sympathy for him, if she does, she'll completely have doubts about hurting him.

"So you try to find it in every woman?" He chuckled. "Not really," he answered. He sat on his bed and stared at her.

"Why do you keep on inviting me in here?" she couldn't help, she just kept wondering why he does.

"What do you mean?" again, he reconciled the moment he heard her plan.

"I could be just deceiving you just to get some information- to destroy you." She was surprised to say this, so was he. He smiled. "Are you?" he asked her. He stood up and approached her.

"Are you really that heartless to lie to someone who showed you who he really is?" he looked deep into his eyes. At the same time he felt guilty about saying these things to her. Lionel's plan still runs in his mind. And he can't help to think it was a good idea.

"You don't know," she whispered "what I went through." He looked at her.

'It's not easy to trust everyone." She continued.

"That's if, you're not willing to." she stared at him. At this moment, he knows, he made up his mind. He can't do it to her. For the very first time, he's not following Lionel's advice. He stepped forward, her heart was beating fast. She stepped backward, she bumped to the wall behind her. He laid his hand on the wall on her left, she's cornered. He leaned his head slowly to hers, slowly claiming her lips. And when he did, he grabbed her shoulders, and slide down his right hand to her waist and pulled her body to his.

It felt so wrong, she didn't see this coming too soon. Her insides are filling with guilt. She can't believe she's actually having a passionate kiss with her enemy. He finally let go of her lips.

"You-" he muttered as he looked deep into her eyes. "You should go back to your cell." Without saying another word, she left his room, as she walks away from him, he smiled.

Tears fell down on her face.

AN: I hope you enjoyed it. In this chapter, it shows that it wasn't Van who ordered for Balgus and his family's execution. It was actually Lionel (OC). Also at this point, Van is starting to fall for Hitomi, on the other hand, Hitomi is starting to hate herself. Find out what happens next! Thank you for those who keep on reading! Happy holidays everyone:)