Hitomi stared at Van, somewhat in shock, but she was also happy. 'Me, Van's wife?' She asked herself. 'Van's… wife?'
"You don't have to answer me right now, Hitomi." Van said calmly. "Take all of the time that you need."
Footsteps could be heard approaching them at that moment which caught both of their attention. "They where looking for you your highness." Allan suddenly said.
"I said for everyone to leave us alone." Van told Allan, his voice was sharp and dangerous. "I know that Princess Millerna would most likely tell them that for me."
"Do not assume such things from my princess King Van." Allen replied. "You should have told them that yourself."
'There's that same strange atmosphere again.' Hitomi thought as she watched Van with draw his sword, the sword of the Fanallian king. "Van…"
"You are to act like a guest in this country Allan Schazar." Van said. "And as long as you are…" Before Van could finish his sentence Hitomi grabbed hold of Van's arm. "The answer is yes Van." She knew that she should have answered earlier but she just couldn't believe that he had finally asked. "The answer is yes." She repeated and she could feel his tense arm loosen a great amount and he looked back at her, the weapon eventually dropping out of his hand and on to the wooden floor..
"Hitomi…" All that he had managed to say was his lover's name. "I'm glad."
"I've… been waiting for you to…" Before Hitomi could finish her sentence, she could feel Van's arms once again wrap around her.
"Thank you, Hitomi." Van whispered softly, seemingly to have forgotten that Allan was still standing there.
"I see that you have made your choice Hitomi Kanzaki." Allan said somewhat sadly. "Be happy with your choice, I can see that I have lost once again." With this Allan left the two alone.
"I guess like we should be getting back to everyone." Hitomi said happily still being held by Van.
"Yes." Van replied. "I was rather rude to leave my own guests wasn't I?"
"I'm sure that everyone will understand." Hitomi answered and felt him let go of her to pick up the weapon that he had dropped. "Let's go, Hitomi." He blushed as Hitomi wrapped her arm in his which made him stop suddenly. "I thought I forgot something." Van said which made Hitomi look at him with her green eyes.
"What is it Van?" Hitomi asked and blinked curiously at her future husband.
"I… I forgot to get you a ring." Van said rather embarrassed. "Sorry."
"That's not important." Hitomi replied happily. "I know how you feel and that's all that matters." She had to smile at a certain thought that she happen to have. "Hey Van?"
"Yes my queen?" Van asked which made Hitomi blush. "I'm not your queen yet." Hitomi reminded him. "Anyways isn't it strange that your family happens to have a tendency to marry someone who's suppose to be cursed?"
"What's that suppose to mean?" Van asked not knowing what Hitomi was saying completely but had an idea to it.
"Your father married your mother, a Dragonion, the cursed people according to most of the people here on Gaea and then I'm from the Mystic Moon." Hitomi said smiling. "Also suppose to be a cursed place."
Van had to smile as well, knowing now what Hitomi was saying. "I guess your right, but my mother wasn't cursed and neither are you. No one or nothing is going to stop me from marrying you." Van promised. "I've waited too long."
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The next day, no one but Allan, and Merle where told about the wedding. Van of course would be telling his advisers and people that where suppose to know, but Van wanted to keep it a secret until he had announced it to the kingdom. However, the fact that Van and Hitomi where in a relationship was going to be rather difficult since most people had seen him hug her at the ball and that they had seen Van and Hitomi so closely after they had came out of the dinning room. Hitomi sighed as she walked down the halls of the palace and got strange glances from the maids who had obviously heard what had happened since rumors usually went flying around the palace through the servants. 'It's going to be strange, going to be Van's wife. I wonder what Van's mother would say about us marring. Would she be happy with all of this?' Hitomi sighed again at the thought. She was happy beyond anything that Van had asked her but she was still sort of sad as well. Something told her that someone back on the Mystic Moon would want to see her getting married, someone who would really want to be there. 'Mother…' She suddenly thought and stopped walking momentarily. 'I wonder what my own mother would say.' Hitomi thought as she tried to picture the woman who was her mother but couldn't come up with anything. 'Do I have a father or any siblings still alive back on there? A family or friends? I can't remember even though if I had them, they would want to be here.' Something started to hurt inside. She couldn't figure out why, but she wanted to start crying suddenly. 'Mom, dad, even the brat.' Hitomi thought to herself and then gasped. She turned back to the two men who where ordered to trail her. "Do you know where King Van is?" She asked quickly and the two men only stared at her.
"He's in a meeting Lady Hitomi." The taller, blonde man replied, who really did remind her of Allan a bit, expect with out the blue eyes and long hair. "Is something wrong?"
"No, it's nothing." Hitomi replied. "Do you two always have to follow me around? There really isn't much danger in the palace." Hitomi asked, not meaning to sound rude.
"Yes, it's the king's orders." Eur replied.
"I was afraid that you would say that." Hitomi replied and ignored the headache that was beginning to start. 'Whose the brat?' Hitomi asked herself as she continued to walk again. 'And who is it that made me forget about my past and why? Why is it that they want me to forget about the Mystic Moon.' It was beginning to drive her crazy, why she couldn't remember. She wanted to, but she couldn't. "DAMN!" She accidentally shouted out loud and could feel eyes in the hall stare at her. With out saying anything she ran towards the direction of Merle's room, which was closest, and nearly ran in to Merle who was opening her door.
"Watch where you're running Hitomi." The cat girl said as she was nearly knocked over.
"Sorry, I just wanted to talk." Hitomi said half lying and half meaning it. She did want to talk but she also wanted to get out of the viewing eyes of the palace's servants.
Merle stared at Hitomi for a moment and then nodded. "Sure, come on in, but those two have to stay outside."
"OK." Hitomi replied and followed Merle in and closed the door behind her.
"Have a seat and what did you want to talk about?" Merle asked.
"Well, last night…." Hitomi began and started to explain to Merle about what happened.
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"You're marrying the witch from the Mystic Moon? I won't accept this!" A man with dark brown hair and brown eyes shouted at Van as Van and a few other men stood in the room.
"Gariad, I don't care if you accept my engagement or not." Van said coldly. "It's my decision and I want to marry Hitomi Kanzaki."
"The people will not accept this my lord." Another voice spoke out, this time it was a tall younger man with black hair. "We can not accept this marriage."
"I don't give a damn to what you think. You and the people, I'm marrying her and no one is stopping me." Van said sharply. "Do you or do you not remember my mother Gariad?" Van asked, calming down a bit as he stood up. "She was also looked down upon by the people."
"That is a lie my lord." Gariad protested but Van wouldn't stand for it. "I can hear perfectly well Gariad." Van corrected the older man. "I heard what they talked about her whenever I was growing up as a boy. She was a Dragonian, the race of the winged people, the cursed people. The way that they talked about my mother when no harm had came to them when she was alive. She however proved them wrong."
"I will not let you go through with this!" Gariad said once again. "You will not marry the Lady Hitomi."
"If you try anything to stop the wedding or even hurt her Gariad, I will personally come after you." Van promised. "That tries to go after anyone who tries to hurt Lady Hitomi. She is royalty so you have no need to worry about that Gariad. She is a lady from the Mystic Moon, and has had that title since she first visited us."
"Congratulations your highness." A third man finally said as Van headed toward the door. "Thank you, Sai. You are dismissed everyone." The young king said and then walked out of the room, leaving the three men alone.
'They don't know what their talking about. Van thought angrily as he walked down the palace halls, getting bows from the people as he walked by them or smiles from those who where too busy working to bow. 'Damn them, their making this more difficult then I thought. Father, is this how you felt when you married mother?' His hands tightened with out noticing it completely. 'I will take care of her, no matter what. No one can stop me, not even the one who is behind Hitomi's missing memories.'
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Merle stared at Hitomi in disbelief as she finished speaking. "I always sort of figured that he would do that." Merle said somewhat sadly. "I thought that he would choose you as his bride Hitomi."
"We haven't talked about the wedding yet Merle, but I figured that your so close to Van, and that I don't really have any friends here on Gaea besides you and Millerna, but she's too busy for such a stupid thing, but would you like to be my brides maid?" Hitomi asked.
"Really?" Merle asked excitedly. "You're not fooling around with me now are you?"
"No, I'm sure Van would think that it was fine." Hitomi said smiling. "You are his child hood friend after all."
"Sure, I love to." Merle said happily. "Have you thought about the dresses yet?" Merle asked excitedly.
"This is the first thing I thought about actually." Hitomi admitted. "But, there's something else that I want to talk to you about."
"Your memories right?" Merle asked as if reading Hitomi's mind.
"How did you know?"
"I figured it would be something like that after Van had proposed." Replied Merle. "Family is important to when you're going to get married and you can't remember yours."
"Yeah, but its strange, earlier when I was just walking down the hall coming here I suddenly thought about my mother and father, and someone I seemed to call Brat a lot." Hitomi said sadly.
"I don't know have you talked to Lord Van yet?" Merle asked.
"He was busy so I haven't been able to."
"I don't know what to tell you. How about this, we go to the city and go shopping? Or at least poke around." Merle suggested trying to change the subject.
"We haven't told anybody yet Merle, Allan over heard Van last night and you where the first that I told. I think Van might have told the people who he was suppose to about it, his advisers I think."
"Well we can just go shopping then." Merle said sighing. "It'll be fun and should get your mind off of things."
"I don't have anything else better to do." Hitomi agreed. "Let's go."
When they got to the city, everyone was busy as usual, but the city wasn't crowded. "This is nothing like it was back home." Hitomi suddenly said and looked to Merle who just looked at her. "I keep seeming to do that." Hitomi explained. "I don't know why but ever since last night I keep doing things like that I don't know why."
"Maybe some of your memories are coming back?" Merle asked.
"Maybe… I don't know." Hitomi admitted. "It's all really strange and confusing whenever I try to think about it and nothing's really happened." Hitomi said quietly to her friend. "So I don't know what's going on, I don't know what the person or thing that is behind this wants from me and everyone else who is related."
"Good afternoon Lady Hitomi." A woman who owned one of the shops that Hitomi usually went in to greeted her as they walked by.
"Konnichiwa Shino-san. How are you?" Hitomi asked the woman.
"I'm good, business isn't too busy today though." Ms. Shino replied. "Konnichiwa Merle, I haven't seen either one of you around in a while." She suddenly smiled and said. "Did you hear? You would be the one to know Merle since you're the king's childhood friend and all, but I was wondering if it was true that King Van was actually engaged?"
"What?" Merle asked, playing like she didn't know.
"Yes, an official came around and announced it today. He said that the king would introduce his bride to his people at the end of the week. I wonder what she's like, don't you Lady Hitomi? Perhaps its you?" Ms. Shino asked and looked to Hitomi who started to laugh.
"I don't think so or I would have been asked already. Ms. Shino." Hitomi lied, and laughed. "We're just friends, nothing more and nothing less." Hitomi hated to lie to the woman, but she didn't think that Van would want her to be letting people know yet since if he had planned to wait until the end of the week, they would have to wait until then. "I didn't know about that. I'm surprised that his highness would suddenly do such a thing and not even tell Merle here." Hitomi said, trying her best not to smile. "I'll have to ask him about that the next time I see him."
"I see, I'm sorry that its not you since the two of you would make such a lovely couple if you don't mind me saying so myself, milady." Ms. Shido said sadly. "Have a good day."
'DAMN THAT WAS CLOSE!' Hitomi yelled silently in her head as she and Merle finally waked away from Ms. Shino and further down the street. "I wonder who his bride to be is." Hitomi said to Merle jokingly.
"Yes, its strange for King Van not to tell me such things." Merle added, playing along with Hitomi's lie. 'Typical Lord Van.' Merle thought. 'Keeping things to himself until he wants people to know.' She decided to walk ahead since she didn't like the normal pace to which Hitomi was walking. "I'm going to go ahead a bit if you don't mind Hitomi." Merle said and watched as Hitomi nodded. "Sure." The brown head replied. "Just not too far, we don't want to get separated you know."
"I know my way around by now, it's you who we have to worry about. Don't worry, I won't be too far, just a little bit faster, I can't stand walking at normal pace for some odd reason today." Merle told Hitomi.
"Alright." Hitomi said smiling knowing what Merle had said was true, but then again, all she would have to do was ask one of her body guards, but that would be embarrassing now that she thought about it. "Hey Merle, wait up!" She called out to the cat girl who was some distance ahead now and started to pick up her speed to catch up to her. She knew that she could easily do it if she ran, but she would end up running in to someone if she did. Suddenly, something told her to look behind her and so she stopped and hastily turned around. 'Danger…' A voice told her as she scanned behind the two guards who just stared at her. 'Danger, danger, danger…." It repeated and a white light flashed in front of her eyes as she saw an arrow dangerously flying toward Merle. She could then see it, she spotted the arrow. "MERLE GET DOWN!" She shouted to the cat girl who turned around to look at Hitomi. "DAMN IT TRUST ME AND GET DOWN!" Hitomi called and ignored the two guards as they with drew their swords. "MERLE!"
Merle wasn't doing as she did, which was beginning to aggravate Hitomi and with out thinking, she quickly threw herself in front of Merle as the arrow came, taking the arrow herself. Pain started to swell in her lower back as she felt it go through her body. She could barely hear the frantic cry of Merle's voice calling out to her as she caught Hitomi as Hitomi could start to feel her body fall towards the ground. "I thought that you trusted my judgement by now, Merle." Hitomi joked around with the cat girl as it started to get hard to see.
"Why, why did you do that?" Merle shouted at Hitomi. "Why, you should have let it hit me for being so stupid for not listening."
"Just tell Van that I told you to tell him not to blame you for this. Besides, Princess Millerna's here…. He has nothing to worry about right?" Hitomi asked half joking and half meaning it. "For some odd reason, this pain feels somewhat familiar." Hitomi told Merle who just held her.
"Hitomi, come on, keep your eyes open, Hitomi!" Merle cried.
Hitomi couldn't keep them open any more, she was suddenly very tired and just wanted to sleep. "Tell Van that everything will be alright." Hitomi reassured Merle as she closed her eyes and let the darkness take her.
"HITOMI!" Merle screamed and then looked at the two guards. "We need to get her back to the palace!" Merle snapped. "Someone needs to go ahead to the palace to tell the king that his guest the Lady Hitomi Kanzaki has been injured. We also need to let Princess Millerna be notified if she's still here." Merle started ordering people. "She should be at the palace if she's still in Fanallia.
"Princess Millerna's in the city with Dryden Merle." One of the people in the surrounding crowd. "I just seen her at a shop sometime earlier."
"Go get her and bring her here. Tell her that the Lady Hitomi Kanzaki has been injured badly." Merle ordered.
"Yes." And with that the person was gone.
"Someone go tell King Van." Merle shouted at the crowd and seen Ms. Shido suddenly start to run towards the palace. "Hang in there Hitomi."
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Yes once again another cliffy. I hope that things aren't completely confusing and such, but everything will be explained in time I promise even if it means having to go re-write chapters. I'll let you know if I do re-write chapters. Also thank you for continuing to read my story even though its so confusing.
