Hey guys! Sorry again about the delay. Thanks for the lovely comments they really mean a lotJ I'm so happy to see that you are enjoying it_ I'll try to get at least one chapter a day or every second day up from now on! Sorry!

Van writhed and wriggled. Blood seeped out from his bandages as he thrashed his body around the bed in an attempt to ease the pain.

Merel stood by him sobbing. 'Stop Lord Van!' She turned desperately to Allen who was trying hold down his legs and calm him down. 'I…is Lord Van going to die?'

'No Merel!' snapped Hitomi as she rushed in with fresh bandages and a wet cloth. She swiftly wrapped the bandages around his leg and neck and dabbed his head with the cloth but the blood continued to pour through them. Hitomi groaned. 'Allen what will we do?'

Allen grunted under the strain of holding Van's body down. 'These wounds are severe. I…I don't know not even his doctor could help him.' Advisors stood behind with Celena and commented on their Kings state, Celena just stared sadly.

'He is loosing a lot of blood.' observed one.

'He may not make it.' commented another.

Tristan closed his eyes and prayed.

'Who will be our King when he is gone?'

'Will you be quite?' shouted Hitomi. 'He will not die!'

The advisors nodded apologetically. Hitomi turned to Allen, he was staring at Van his face vacant, hopeless. 'Did you see this in your vision Hitomi?'

Hitomi shook her head and continued to dab his neck. 'I…I just saw him collapsing. I didn't expect this.'

Merel stared as her companion grimaced and roared in pain. She stared as blobs of blood continued to seep through his bandages. She shivered as she realised that soon he would not have much left. After some time her eyes widened and she turned quickly to Hitomi.

'Hitomi! Lord Van had these wounds before, remember?'

Hitomi froze over Van's body as the images flashed through her mind.

'Remember!' pleaded Merel. 'How did we heal him then?'

Hitomi's eyes widened and she begun to laugh. 'That's it Merel! Oh you're a genius!' she placed the cloth on his forehead and dashed out the door. 'Take care of him! I'll be back in a sec!'

'Hitomi!' Allen yelled after her.

Merel blinked and then turned to Van. She took the cloth and gently rubbed it along his forehead. 'Don't worry Allen. Hitomi is going to make him better.'

Allen glanced at Celena and she shrugged her shoulders. He then turned quickly to Van who had almost knocked him to the ground with a strong kick from his foot.

Hitomi quickly sprinted toward the yard. Some guards had helped to move Escaflowne by the palace door after the fight. When she emerged from the palace she was covered with the rays of a soft twilight. The rain had stopped and little droplets hung from the leaves and statues in the palace yard. Escaflowne knelt to her left. It's armour shimmered as droplets trickled down from its helmet and landed onto its solid legs. There was a dent on its left leg and as she turned to its back she noticed a slit on its neck. As Hitomi searched for the switch that Dryden had used she couldn't help thinking that she was forgetting something.

'Ah! There it is!'

She quickly flipped the switch. The resulting green rays sent her onto the ground. A thundering roar rang throughout the sky and soon the Ispano mother ship came into view. The leader had reached Hitomi just as she had risen to her feet.

'Is there another problem he asked?'

Hitomi nodded. She could feel the tears beginning to gather in her eyes. 'You have to fix Escaflowne and save Van please?'

He nodded and summoned the rest of his clan. Each one darted around the guymelef scanning every detail.

As the leader approached Hitomi and stretched out his hand she sighed. Now she knew what she had forgotten.

'10 million.' he said casually.

'What?' shouted Hitomi. 'But that's crazy! There aren't even that many wounds on Escaflowne!'

He nodded. 'I agree but the wounds are … unusual.'

Hitomi paused. 'Unusual?'

'We have never seen this type of wound before. It is almost as though it was made by a new type of weapon or spiritually. We need to work heavily on repairing it.'

Hitomi sighed painfully. 'B…But we don't have that kind of money.' The tears pearled out over the corners of her eyes and trickled down her face.

'You cannot pay? We will leave.'

The clan strolled off.

'Please?' begged Hitomi. 'Please? He's going to die!'

The clan paused.

'I…I'll pay you back somehow just please help him?'

The clan glanced at one another.

'Ok, 5 million.'

Hitomi burst into tears and knelt to the ground. 'W… we don't have that much money, he has put so much into repairing his kingdom th…that he has nothing left. Please?' she sniffed, 'Please help him?'

'Well it is good that we arrived then isn't it?'

Hitomi gasped as the familiar voice continued. 'We will pay for the repairs please just do what you can to help Van.'

The leader bowed and the clan quickly turned to their ship for supplies.

'Oh Hitomi. Please dry your tears it will be ok.' Milerna's scarlet dress brushed against her knees. Hitomi glanced upward and saw Milerna's gentle, unchanged face smiling softly down at her. She attempted to lean over and give her a handkerchief but she seemed awkward. 'Dryden.' she moaned. Dryden turned swiftly, 'Oh sorry ma'am.' he smirked and handed it to Hitomi.

'Th…thank you both so much.' Sobbed Hitomi as she dried her eyes. 'It's so good to see you.'

Milerna smiled and stroked Hitomi's hair. It's good to see you too Hitomi, come on lets go inside.'

Hitomi nodded and they headed into the palace.

Van continued to roar and wriggle but it was not as intense as before. The Ispano clan had almost completed their work. Every now and then their leader would give an unusual glance in Hitomi's direction as she strolled desperately around the room as Van's wounds healed.

'Work is done!' shouted the clan.

Before Hitomi could dash over to Van a member of the clan pulled her outside. The leader had just finished arranging business with Dryden. He bowed and Dryden walked inside.

'They have big news for you little lady.'

Hitomi turned in confusion to their leader.

'Tell the king to be careful miss. These wounds were most unusual. They are almost ghost like, a supernatural infliction. While the physical wounds have been healed there is still a strange aura from it. Escaflowne is the same but something lurks within. And now we must go.'

Hitomi thanked them for their work and as the ship floated off she stared at Escaflowne. It was the exact same, 'What does he mean?' she thought. As she continued to stare screams echoed in her ears, images of shadows and figures swarming the forests flashed before her. She quickly covered her ears. 'No…' she whispered.

'Ma'am?'

A pale hand waved frantically in front of her face. Hitomi jumped and took her hands down from her ears. 'I…I'm sorry I…' she stopped. A massive crowd had gathered around the palace entrance.

'Please ma'am, where is our king? We need help the supply was almost destroyed by the evil shadows. We have nothing left, what do we do?'

Hitomi gasped and scanned the villagers, each face looked desperate and broken. 'I…I…' she began.

'Stay calm.' interrupted Van.

Hitomi turned. He was fine, not a single scratch was left on his body. He wore a long, grey tunic with a gold band tied around his waist and he stood proudly in front of his people.

'Form lines. We will bring out fresh food and water. Workers have already been assigned to repair the damage. Do not worry! I won't let your homes fall into ruin. I will protect Fanelia!'

The woman smiled and the crowd cheered. Several guards dashed passed Hitomi with crates of food in their hands.

Hitomi sighed and turned to Van, he turned to her his eyes shimmering with sadness.

Hitomi frowned and slapped him gently on the cheek.

Van patted his head. 'I guess I deserved that.' he murmured.

She stepped forward and pointed at him. 'Don't be so reckless in the future Van Fanel! You know how vulnerable you are when you use Escaflowne!'

Van nodded and slumped his body like a sulking child.

Hitomi smiled and wiped a tear from her eye. 'But I'm glad you're ok.' she said as she wrapped her arms around him. He smirked and stroked her hair.

Milerna smiled. 'I am very happy for them both. They deserve to be happy together.

'Indeed they do.' added Dryden.

Milerna turned to him and pecked his cheek. 'Now why don't we go and have something to eat?'

'You and your hormones. You're eating like a pig with the last eight months.' observed Dryden cheekily.

'I am not!' she protested. 'I just like a little food now and then.'

Dryden grinned and they followed Merel into the castle.

Allen stared as Milerna walked passed him with a glowing grin on her face. His fingers twitched and he slumped his head.

The advisors watched sternly as the people crowded around the crates of food. Tristan's eyes were full of anger as he stared at Hitomi and Van laughing together as they walked into the palace.

He grunted and turned back into the palace, he motioned to the others to follow. Each of them strolled slowly, their hands clasped stiffly together and their expressions stern. They were afraid, afraid of what had occurred and afraid of what would occur if this girl from the mystic moon continued to fraternise with their king.