Author's Note: If you haven't realized it, yet this story is a combination of the TV series, the movie, and my never-quiet-creativity. I'll remind everyone I do not own Escaflowne (series or movie).

Bad Dreams

By angelwings1

Chapter 8

As the morning sun peeked out over the trees, Hitomi numbly became aware that she had slept less than half a candle. She glanced bitterly at the burnt out wick on her desk. All night she had tossed and turned in her sleep, unable to find the peace she so desperately wanted. Her fingers raked mindlessly though her tangled hair as she began to guess how much longer she had before she was called on. There were still a few hours. Not enough time to get any decent sleep. She pulled her legs up into her seat and cracked her stiff back. Even if she tried she wouldn't sleep. Her mind was too busy.

There was a constant need in her soul to pick apart all the events from the past month. Unfortunately, she wasn't getting any farther with her thoughts than she had yesterday. It was a torturous circle; when she would cross out one thought in defeat her mind would whirl with another. She welcomed some form of distraction, but there would be no opportunity when she was forced to keep to her room. Only the servants were up at this unreasonably hour and she knew none would be willing to aid her in any form.

Groaning, she dropped her head backwards and began counting the bricks in the ceiling. Irritably, she could only get to thirteen before her thoughts would jump and bulge. Baring her teeth in weary frustration, Hitomi began to wonder if she were to slam a brick against her skull would it shut up her inner voice.

She wasn't getting any where as she struggled to see the big picture of the puzzle. Maybe it was a bit much to assume, even for a seer, but she believed ever since her arrival in Fanelia a series of events had been falling into place. She just couldn't quite grasp what.

A weak sigh exhaled through her nostrils and leaned forward to pinch the arch of her nose. She needed to focus her mind or she wouldn't make it through breakfast. A treacherous idea interrupted her and she recounted how long it would be before the nobles woke. She had two hours at the minimum.

Without a moment's hesitation she lurched from her chair and stiffly crossed the room to her hidden robes beneath the bed. She personally didn't see the point of hiding her things, but Merle had insisted, exclaiming that some nobles could be a nosy bunch and she couldn't risk being discovered.

Hitomi stalled as she went to twist the last bit of cloth into place. Her heart beat guilty as she realized she was being selfish. There was only a slim chance she would be seen, but there still was a risk. Biting down on her tongue, the seer tugged violently on the loop and finished the tying the knot. She would be back long before anyone woke. Besides, she needed to regain calmness in her soul.

Slowly cracking open her door, the seer peeked at the shadowy hall. Guards lined the way and they gave her a sleepy glance, but otherwise, the hall was completely void of foreign soldiers and royal guests. Grinning brightly, the seer ducked into the hall and padded barefoot towards her destination. Taking an alternative route to avoid the guestrooms' wing, it took a few extra minutes to get to the door, but once she did she barreled out of the exit and into the morning.

Stumbling to a stop, she checked the windows for any early risers. Seeing no one, the seer shot off down the stone path, passing the mass of flowers. The dew clung to her feet, slipping in between her toe and causing her to slide along the path. The garden dragged further away as the tree line approached. The last bit of the castle's edifice, the stone fences, fell away and suddenly she was in the middle of the gigantic back yard of wild grass. It was tempting to roll in it like she had when she was little, but she didn't enjoy the idea of getting her clothes soaked.

Nostrils flaring, Hitomi inhaled the fresh scent of fields and harvest as she stretched her soul across the yard. As expected, the peace of the morning was mingling into her blood, relaxing her body for the first time in hours. Her hands whipped out as she spun happily. She absolutely loved the fields.

A flash of white stopped her spinning as her eyes connected with the vision of a ten year old boy. Hitomi blinked rapidly trying to dispel the image of the laughing child dressed in the white kimono and hakama of the temple. He laughed loudly at her and her mind barely registered the sound of the mystical echo trailing his voice.

"Mamoru," she whispered. He laughed again and flew into a run. Without thinking, the seer raced after him. He glanced over his shoulder and teased her with his bright brown eyes as she called to him, fingers stretching out for his shirt.

His hair tousled as he snapped his gaze back to the front and he surged forward, stretching the distance between them. Hitomi growled as she pushed her legs to go faster. The air whistled past her ears, combing through her hair. She couldn't think beyond the gentle thrumming of her heart. "Mamoru!"

"Catch me!" he cried, changing directions and irritably slipping past her fingers. Hitomi frowned as she turned to follow. She was sure he had been close enough to grab. In the back corner of her mind, she knew the little brother she was foolishly chasing was merely a vision drawn out of her lack of sleep. Normally, she could force back such mind tricks, but she couldn't find the strength to push it back. More so, she didn't want to let go of him yet.

"You know I'll catch you sooner or later," she yelled happily, unknown tears trailing down her cheeks. There wouldn't be another chance to do this. That part of her life was over no matter how much she wanted to cling to it. This was all she had.

'Just a little longer. Let me have a few more minutes.'

"Gotcha!" she exclaimed leaping the last few feet separating them. His little eyes sparkled with mischief as her arms slowly circled around his midriff. Hitomi gasped when she discovered her mistake and fell right through her brother. Tumbling through the wet grass, the seer's heart broke in two as she was faced with the empty field.

'You can't change it now. This is what you chose.'

Hitomi hastily sat up in the grass, looking across the field blanketed in an orange glow. Her heart squeezed and she quickly brushed away her tears. Falling into a familiar stance, the seer hunched over and lifted onto her toes and fingertips. One of her feet slid forward and bent her knee. Her muscles twitched anxiously as she took in a deep breathe of air and eyed an unseen path. In one fluid spurt of energy, the seer lurched forward.

Left.

Right.

Left.

Right.

Her mind quickly ebbed away as she focused solely on the rhythm of her legs. There was nothing, but her and the grass beneath her feet. Every time she ran like this, fueling all of her energy into reaching an intangible destination, thoughts drained from her head. Sweat would pour from her brow and her chest would crack with the strain she pressed on her body.

Left.

Right.

Left.

Her soul could hear the voice of world. It whispered to her with each stretch of her muscles. The seer heard the animals stretching in the dawn and the gentle call of the flowers shaking off the dew. With the grass crunching loudly in her ears, the seer leaned back her head and stretched out her arms.

Right.

Left.

If she closed her eyes, she could believe she was flying with the wings of her ancestors. The ground disappeared beneath her and she was soaring away from everything. She could almost feel the clouds and the air sweeping beneath her wings. She could touch the four corners of the world, while also being free of their prison. Her wings pushed her higher and she rocketed towards the heavens, where the peace she longed to find for her mind laid.

Right. Flutter.

Left. Flutter.

It was so close. She just had to push a little longer than she would reach the pinnacle.

Right. Flutter.

Left. Flutter.

Can you love me for what I am?

Then she was crashing back to earth in painful tangle and knocked all sense of up and down out of her head. She scowled irritably as she felt the dew seep through the back of her robe. For the first time, she realized the morning was too cold for her, especially to be out in her traditional robes that exposed much of her skin to the biting wind. She lifted quickly from the damp earth and wrapped her arms around her trembling body.

The vivid of his eyes the night before shined in her mind.

What do I do now?

She didn't have the slightest clue. She had been rattling her brain most of the night and she was still as far away from the answer as she was last night. Not to mention, she was now shaken by the vision of her brother and Van's voice piercing through her deepest meditation. A shaky hand covered her eyes. 'Tell me what to do.'

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Van sat rigidly in the darkness of his room, ignoring the sun trying to invade his privacy by sneaking through the crack of his dark curtains. He had been lucky to get a few hours of sleep before his routinely wake up before the sun. Normally, he would visit the temple at this hour, but he wasn't ready to see the seer again. Not yet at least.

Clenching his armrest, he went over the late night event with painful remembrance. He should have never said that to her. What had possessed him to say something like that?

Maybe he had grown an attachment to the seer, and had also reached a protective level with her, but that didn't spell out love. At the most, he could refer to the emotion as platonic, resembling his relationship with Merle and Millerina. His heart loudly disagreed with the idea, but he angrily stomp on the insistent voice.

The young king leaned and forced his muscles to unwind as he forced his mind to focus on the Zaibach problem. His muscles instantly retightened as Dilandau came to mind. He would have to order a few special soldiers, possibly Balgus, to watch the captain and his men. He would also need to watch the mail, and if he felt daring he would break the seals of ever letter sent by the foreign men. As a final measure, he would send spies to check out Zaibach's activities.

Next, he would have to gather his advisor in a secret meeting and discuss cutting Zaibach off from the treaty. There would have to be military strategies written up. Diplomatic assurance would also have to be established with the other countries, to insure the stability of the treaty. Fanelia's relationship to the treaty would appear rocky and might give the impression that his country was ready to jump ship at a moment's notice. That was hardly a desirable situation to stand on.

He would have to watch how the meeting's second session would play out today. If he was luckily, Dilandau would make a mistake. He could use the help of making a decision.

Lifting from his seat, the king sauntered over and ripped back the curtains. His eyes squinted against the sudden brightness and he drifted over to the edge of the balcony. Leaning down his palms, he observed his back yard. It wasn't hard to spot the woman he was desperate to avoid sitting in the middle of the field. His heart quickened in apprehension as he noticed her tattoos were exposed to his eyes. How could she risk someone seeing them?

The young king quickly scolded himself when he remembered the hour. There was hardly any chance of her being seen, and she knew that. Hitomi was too smart to do something so foolish. His eyes softened considerable on the seer as he watched her lift from her sitting position in the grass. A scowl replaced the smile on his face as the seer hunched over the ground.

'What is she—'

Then she was barreling through the field as if an army of guymelefs was on her heels. Her arms whipped out into the air and her head leaned back as if she was offering her body to the sky. Van wouldn't have been able to force his eyes away if his life depended on it. She reminded him of his childhood when he would run around trying to fly. Those were such fond memories, the time before everything special in his life collapsed.

His hands tightened on the rail as he saw disappeared into the grass. He was ready to bolt from his spot to check on her, but her head popped up after a short minute and he decided against it. He still wasn't ready.

She dropped her arms on her knees and she was staring out at the sunrise when he recognized her shoulders shaking. His stomach dropped. She was crying again.

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"The first competitors shall be Voris from Freid and Jorgus from Bosrom."

Hitomi anxiously leaned forward in her seat, watching the monstrous doors down below, "What are the rules again, Merle?"

The she-cat grinned at the seer's enthusiasm, "It's real easy, Hitomi. Basically, you have to knock out the guymelef's energist."

The seer scowled slightly, never taking her eyes off the arena's empty ring. "I thought there was a way to loose without having the energist broken."

"Oh yes," Millerina jumped in from the other side of the seer. "Unlike the battlefield, matches don't allow opponents to break armory. Dents are allowed, but if the metal is broken than the opponent is disqualified."

"Also if no one is able to break their opponent's energist in the decided time it's considered that both fighters lose," Merle stated loudly as she gave the princess a steady glare for interrupting her. Millerina playfully stuck her tongue out at the cat.

"Sounds exciting," Hitomi whispered, pulling her jacket tighter against the cold breeze. She finally was going to see the guymelefs in action. Maybe there weren't colorful banners and flags like in the annual tournaments Merle explained, but it was getting her blood to pound.

All the delegates were seated in the main box of the arena waiting for the competition to begin. The friendly tournament was meant to relax the delegates before the second session began. It was decided to be a private tournament so the extra bleachers were left empty and lonely except for the scattered soldiers on duty. Hitomi thought it was stupid to pit the countries against each other, but she was thrilled to be able to see the guymelefs. She had squealed with delight when Van had come to her that morning.

Her eyes darted unconsciously to the king standing behind the group of plush chairs. At present, he was speaking adamantly with the knight of Calie. She could barely hear them, but sounded if they were discussing fighting tactics.

"Have you never seen a tournament, Hitomi?" Millerina asked, studying her again for the millionth time that day.

Merle stiffened, and before she could warn the seer, Hitomi innocently replied without taking her eyes off the arena, "No."

The princess's eyebrow lifted delicately and she glance over at the cat's nervous expression, "Really?"

Hitomi's heart stopped when she heard the stress the princess place on the word. Shakily, she smiled to the princess. "What?"

Millerina smirked as she carefully leaned forward. Merle knew what would happen next and she hastily checked to make sure no one else was listening. Chin in her gloved hand, the princess remarked softly, "I find it very strange that a woman from Thor, a country of monumental tournaments, had failed to ever see one."

The blood drained from the seer's face and she felt Merle's warm hand pressing against her back to silently signal she was with her. Hitomi's mouth opened and closed as she fought from some excuse, but all she could blurt out was a stupid, "I-I'm sorry. What?"

"Who are you, Hitomi?" Millerina asked sharply, narrowing her eyes dangerously. "Is that even your name?"

Hitomi glanced at Merle desperately, but all the cat did was bite down on her lip. The seer sighed feebly, "My name is Hitomi."

Millerina anxiously grabbed her hand as she pressed, "Well who are you exactly? You have to be someone special to keep Van from telling me."

"Well, I—"

"That's right!" Merle exclaimed, interrupting the seer and nearly catching the attention of everyone in the balcony. "Van didn't want to say anything because the arrangements haven't been finalized."

Millerina and Hitomi both looked to the cat, perplexed. A grin Hitomi could only describe as devilish took over the cat as Merle leaned over with her tail snapping back and forth.

"He didn't want to say anything," she began sweetly, "because of the ruckus it might cause in the meeting."

"What didn't he want to say?" the princess asked eagerly. Hitomi swallowed nervously as she sat between the two women.

Merle sighed dramatically, "You see, Hitomi isn't of noble birth."

"Oh my," Millernia's eyes twinkled. Their heads leaned closer together, the bubble surrounding them squeezing smaller. "But why keep it a secret. Who cares if she's common?"

The look in her face immediately told the cat she had a good idea, and even though it was wrong she was more than happy to let it cover the truth. Sharing a secret glance with the seer, Merle told Hitomi to keep calm.

"You see Hitomi is Van's fiancé."

Millerina squealed with excitement and Hitomi wished she was suddenly buried beneath a mountain of dirt. Several heads turned towards the women, but immediately returned their previous focus, marking up the explosion of enthusiasm to women's simple pleasures (like pretty colors or hairstyles). The princess latched onto the seer with scary energy, making Hitomi sink further into her seat.

"Oh, I'm so happy for you," Millerina whispered passionately, her blue eyes sparkling with the hint of tears. "I've waited so long for my dear Van to find someone."

"Well, I—" Hitomi stumbled.

"For a while I was beginning to wonder if he would ever think to take a wife," Millerina was beginning to ramble, loosing all sight of the seer's paleness or the cat's triumphant expression. "I brought over some of my favorite ladies hoping he would gain interest, but he never appeared to care. I was beginning to loose hope of playing matchmaker! And to think he was in love this whole time!"

"Well, I—"

"When did he first begin to court you?"

"Well, he—"

"No, no! Tell me first when you met!"

Hitomi whirled helplessly to the cat, not sure what to do. Luckily, Merle was ready to jump in with a full story and did so with the ease Hitomi presently lacked. "They met over two years ago on one of his to Thor. She was working in the duke's castle as a handmaiden and had crossed path with Van-sama. In short, he began to make regular trips to Thor, saying it was for diplomatic reasons, but I think it was to catch a glimpse of Hitomi."

"Really?" Millerina looked to the seer for her response.

Hitomi didn't even have a chance to answer as her cat-friend interrupted loudly, "Of course! Why else invite her to visit Fanelia?"

"Oh my goddess!" the princess's hand flew over her perfectly rosy lips. "He did that?"

Merle nodded violently, waving her hands in emphasis, "I don't need about it until I caught hold of a messenger leaving the castle with the pendant she's wearing now."

Millerina didn't notice the seer flinched as she grabbed the smooth stone in her fingertips. Her crucial eye for jewelry narrowed. "Quite an odd necklace. Very fine and a bit simple, but beautiful. I've never seen this type of style."

"I think it's from the north," Hitomi replied timidly, pulling out of her hold. Her hand clutched the necklace protectively. She doubted that Millerina didn't mean to hold the pendant so taunt, but she frightened she might break the chain.

"They got engaged a month ago," Merle deviously murmured to steal the surprise off Millernia's face.

"How did he propose?" the princess hissed, clenching her hands together.

"The doors are opening!"

Hitomi frantically pushed out between the women and excitedly gripped the rail, happy to escape the princess's questions. Her wide eyes dropped to the bottom doors as the shadows began to shift within the tunnels. Two guymelefs soon exited the opposing entrances the bright sun washing over them and glinting against the metal shoulders. They were in a word: glorious.

The guymelef marching in from the right was a dull purple with an orange loin cloth spilling down from its waist. In its right shoulder glowed the fatal target, the rosy energist. It was a bit of an odd color combination, but the melef hardly appeared to be the object of ridiculous snips with the giant sword in its grip and broad shoulders. The plume soldier's opponent was very different. The Bosrom melef was short and bulky with vibrant sea grass paint and pinkish orbs in both its shoulders.

Hitomi scowled, "Merle, why does the green one have two energists?"

The cat-girl shrugged, "Some melefs are designed to support two. I think Van mentioned once that heavier melefs need the extra energy to fuel the armor, but it also done in hope of making lighter melefs faster."

"Hmm," she mumbled, fingers playing over her chapped lips.

Millerina shifted into a comfortable position into her seat and sighed loudly, "Stupid men and their toys. I've never found any joy in watching these."

"Really?" Hitomi was astonished as she watched the guymelefs reach the center of the ring and cross their swords. "I would have thought it would be thrilling to see."

"It depends on the fighters," Merle agreed with a tired air, "If the opponents are equal in skill than it might get good, but when its one sided it only takes a few short strokes before the game is over."

"So what do you think about this round, ladies?" one of the delegates, a stout man with a round belly, asked.

Millerina waved her hand heartlessly, offering little comment. Tail swaying back and forth in boredom, Merle called a draw, not wanting to join the moneyless gamble the other men were joking about. Hitomi, instead, carefully studied the two opponents and blinked several times.

"Voris will win," she replied conclusively.

The man known as Isham laughed lightly at her choice asking why she chose and an advisor over a general. Hitomi glanced at Isham through the corner of eye before shrugging, "Just a guess."

A gong vibrated loudly in the air and the crowd quieted as the fight started. Like Merle suggested, however, the fight ended rather quickly for the seer. Voris delivered a fluid arrangement of strokes knocking Jorgus back several steps before giving him a chance to delivery any form of attack. The general proved to be a decent adversary, parrying with passionate fervor, yet, the monk surprised the audience and got in Jorgus' close space. Pushing his adversary's sword violently away and throwing him off balance, Voris took the opportunity to knock the general behind the knees and threw him on his back. Then it was a short matter of pushing his sword through one of the Bosrom guymelef's glass plates.

"Voris wins!" Van announced loudly to the group. Merle rose slightly in her seat as Hitomi smiled victory. The thunderous applause carried to fighters below and together they exited their melefs and bowed.

Isham slapped his hand down on the seer's shoulder and jarred her. "Nice job, little lady. You have an eye for this."

'You have no idea,' she thought inwardly, blinking back the vision. "Who will be fighting next?"

"Drake from Korris and Li from Rukon."

Cranks were already dragging Jorgus' guymelef from the arena as the two new melefs appeared. The guymelef from Korris was stark white and carrying two energists in its right shoulder. Its lengthy limbs gave a nimble appearance, contrasting heavily against the hefty battle ax in its hands. The seer guessed the extra energist was to help lift the huge weapon. Rukon's yellow guymelef was similar to Bosrom bulky giant except there were thick spikes lining his shoulders and arms. His choice of weapon was a lance with the handle place between two lengthy blades.

Hitomi shrugged at the quick transition, deciding men were impatient.

"Tell us, Lady Hitomi, since you chose so well last time which warrior you will pick this time?" another noble asked, joining Isham behind her chair.

The seer bit her lip. It wouldn't be good to choose the winner again. To some it would be a gambler's guess, but after a while she might gain attention that she was trying to avoid. She casually crossed her legs, trying to mirror the princess's lack of interest.

"I don't know," she replied airily, "Maybe a draw—"

The next vision shook her head as she blinked back the image of the ax breaking the Rukon's lance at the center of the handle. Foolishly, the seer turned to the cat, "What happens if a weapon is broken?"

Merle shook her head, "I don't know. Van-sama?"

Hearing her, the king excused himself from the knight and walked over, "Yes, Merle?"

"What happens when a weapon is broken?"

"If an opponent breaks it, than it's considered means for disqualification." The women's scowls forced the king to continue. "The point of this type of tournament is to see who could defeat their enemy with the least amount of damage. It's to prove skill and keep from ruining expensive equipment."

Van's eyes returned to the arena, waiting for the fighters to cross weapons. "In other tournaments there aren't such strict rules, but today we hardly want people to get angry over destroyed melefs."

Carefully he leaned down to the seer's ear, his warm breath wafting over her cheek, "We hardly need certain people's pride bent anymore than their about to be."

Hitomi giggled, covering up her heated cheeks with a careful hand. Merle and Millerina shared a knowing look.

"I personally find the rules to be unrealistic," a male voice replied haughtily.

Van straightened with a scowl marring his hansom features, "Why do you say that Dilandau?"

The captain's smirk didn't waver at the king's obvious hostility. In fact, it seemed to egg him on. Resting his elbow on the handle of his sword, Dilandau stepped into the growing circle surrounding the girls. "In battle, its either kill or be kill. These rules to protect the guymelef are childish."

"Wouldn't unnecessary violence be considered as foolish," Millerina commented stonily, her blue eyes conveying the lack of favor she had for the solider.

"Then this tournament is waste," Dilandau replied sharply, frowning at her. The princess rapidly turned her head away, hiding the inappropriate way she rolled her eyes.

"That's for sure," she grumbled softly.

The gong rang again and the guymelefs barreled against one another. The ax swept low, inches above the ground, and flung up a cloud of dirt. The spectators hurried to their feet as the fighters became lost in the haze. Metal chimed to the top of the empty bleachers and every so often the audience caught a momentary glint of the sun dancing off the armory. Abruptly there was a dead silence and the dust began to disperse.

"Oh my gosh," Isham exclaimed, "It appears Drake is considered disqualified. He broke Li's lance."

Eyes tapered to the seer and she felt a desperate need to swallow. She coughed lightly and noticed the stiffness in Merle's shoulders. Warmth crept along her side and Hitomi looked up to see Dilandau leaning against her chair.

"Amazing, lady Hitomi," he said with unnecessary loudness, drawing the attention of the entire balcony. "Didn't you just ask about the rules regarding weapon breaking?"

"She did indeed," Isham answered for her, making the seer wince. "You are a very perceptive spectator, milady."

"I actually thought it would be a draw," she insisted hastily, hands twitching in the lap of her white dress. 'Crap! Crap! Crap! Crap!'

"Dilandau don't you need to go down to prepare," Van suddenly inquired, shaking off the suspicious looks the seer was getting. The captain leveled a blank stare at the king, unable to offer a proper glare with the people around them, and gave a slight nod.

"You are most attentive to detail, my lord," he replied coolly as he passed the Fanelia ruler. Hitomi exhaled in relief of the soldier's absence and dropped boneless into the cushion. Maybe she should make up an excuse and escape the rest of the tournament. She pouted, really hating the idea of leaving her first chance to watch the guymelefs. Well, it wouldn't hurt to watch as long as she kept her mouth shut.

"Next up shall be Allen of Austuria and Dilandau of Zaibach."

"This fight shall prove to be interesting," Isham exclaimed to the seer, "Allen is a Knight of Calie. Only twelve men at a time earn that title in Austuria, and Dilandau is one of the top fighters from Zaibach. There's a chance this match might risk breaking the time limit."

Hitomi's insides tightened as they waited for the guymelefs to appear. Something about the idea appearing brought a swell of fear into her chest. She hardly wanted to witness the skill of a man who had threatened her and all of Fanelia. Her mind could easily imagine the fire expanding from the man's body consuming the entire arena with flames.

Hitomi blinked rapidly trying to wake up out of the torturous heat that sweltered on her flesh. Sweat began to bead across her forehead and she rapidly fanned her hand.

"Um, are you feeling alright, Hitomi?" Merle whispered in her ear.

The seer's licked her chapped lips, "I'll be alright."

"You're hands are shaking," the cat whimpered. Hitomi hastily hid her hands in the folds of her dress and shook her head to her friend. It would pass.

But then Millerina noticed her feverish behavior, "You alright."

"Oh, it's nothing," Hitomi replied weakly.

The princess frowned, not convinced. "You're eyes are dilated and your sweating. Maybe you should take off the jacket."

"No, no!" the seer exclaimed lightly, "I'm actually feeling a bit chilly."

"Hot and cold flashes are usually signs of a fever," the princess insisted with the firm tone of a true doctor. "You need to rest."

Hitomi scrambled to appear healthy, "But I—"

"They're coming out!"

The seer immediately escaped the princess and looked down at the arena floor. The first melef to appear was impressive to say the least. His armory was mainly an icy silver kissed with gold trim, making him appear like a winter morning. A rich blue cape spilt over one shoulder giving the guymelef the perfect touch to resemble the knight. As she thought it would, it carried a double edged sword, the weapon of knights.

After fully studying the giant, her eyes darted to Dilandau. She squeaked quietly as she saw the vicious red and clawed hands. Her heart had nearly stopped completely. It was the monster from her vision. It was the red giant that had fought against the dragon castle!

His claw hand lifted slightly and sliver water streamed out. When the liquid connected with the air it speedily hardened and formed a wicked blade protruded from mangled fingers.

The world was quickly changing from dust and a giant ring to the castle and burning gardens. The roses were curling into themselves like a child as the blackness ate away at the rich redness. The giant reared, screeching a challenge to the pearl dragon.

Hitomi swallowed the scream bulging in her throat as Dilandau's guymelef leapt at Allen. Swords connected at the same time the vision of the dragon and the red giant wrestled. Teeth crashed down on an armored wrist and Allen toss Dilandau's sword aside.

Her fingers fisted in her hair as she struggled to painfully separate the two realities. They were blended over one another as they fought to keep to the surface of her mind. The more they struggled to overpowering her, the more tangled they got and the more disoriented she became.

She faintly realized her body was beginning to slip off the edge of her chair, but she couldn't get her limbs to move on command. The fight fueled into a frenzy and the knight somehow pushed the captain to the ground at the same moment the flames swelled.

She wanted to scream, to yell, to do something to stop everything.

As the knight went to break the captain's energist, a small door opened on the top Dilandau's guymelef and a torch shot out. The knight hastily stepped back as his guymelef was swallowed by red. His beautiful blue cape was eaten away in seconds. Voices began shouting and she heard some ask if fire was against the rules.

Hitomi gasped lightly as the dragon in the other reality howled in pain as the flames licked his naked belly. Her hand reached blindly for the rail as she felt her fall off the edge of her seat.

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"You're sure you're alright?"

Hitomi nodded dumbly, feeling the nausea begin to fade. "I just need to sleep."

Merle, Van, and Millerina didn't leave her side automatically and Hitomi angrily pushed past them. She was tired of everyone. The last few hours had been absolute torment, trying to refocus her mind and escape their questions.

After she had blacked out at the arena, Dilandau had been disqualified. The ruling had angered the captain greatly from what the seer had learned. It had been a hard call because no known guymelef had ever been equipped with a torch, but since Allen's guymelef did sustain damage (his ruined cape) the captain was considered the loser.

In the middle of the arguments, Millerina and Merle had gained everyone attention and proclaimed Hitomi unconscious. Several nobles thought her blackout could have been a result from her lack of watching guymelefs fight, but her friends knew otherwise. Luckily, Hitomi had awakened a short hour later, light headed, but free of visions. Millerina had ordered her to her room, but Hitomi had openly refused saying she needed to attend the meeting. A large fight had ensued. It had taken a lot of negotiations, but eventually Hitomi had sat through the meeting facing the endless looks and questions of concern.

A warm hand grabbed her elbow and she glanced wearily over her shoulder at the king. Van appeared torn as he stared into her eyes, "You sure you don't need a healer?"

Hitomi shook off his hand, missing the hurt in his eyes, "I want to go to bed."

The finality in her tone forced everyone to stay silent as she headed down the hall alone. The three nobles watched her sadly. Tears of exhaustion were already pouring when she had turned her back to them.

Van couldn't tear his eyes away until she vanished behind a corner. It seemed as if Hitomi condition was worsening. Visions had begun to regularly attack her since the representatives had arrived and he was beginning to wonder what had triggered the onslaught.

"Van, she has to see a healer," Millerina demanded. The king nodded, looking to his sister. She shrugged also unsure what was happening.

The princess frowned at the pair, "Aren't you worried about your fiancé?"

Van flinched and looked at the princess in shock. She smiled at his surprise, and giggled when he glared at Merle. Van raked his face wearily and sighed, "Milly, there are few things you don't know. This is sort of normal."

Her blue eyes darted to the cat and knew what had Merle had said early was a twisted version of some truth, "I'm missing something aren't I."

8888888

Hitomi closed her door and leaned the back of her head against the rough wood. The darkness of her room was slightly comforting. Exhaling, she pushed off the door and stepped towards her bed with the sole intent of dropping onto the plush mattress.

However, her exhaustion jumped into panicked awareness when she heard the slight scuff of a shoe against the stone floor. Her body went rigid and she waited for the sound to repeat itself. There was absolute silence.

Hitomi carefully searched the darkness for shapes, but after a fruitless minute decided it was better to run for her candle on her desk. She cursed inwardly as her shaky hands fought to light the match. Light broke through the room with great relief and Hitomi whirled with the candle in hand.

She shrieked loudly when she faced the dark eyes peering out of the holes in the black mask. The candles fell out of her hand as the figure grappled with her. The light snuffed out on the way down.