Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

Escaflowne: All you need is Love, Isn't it?

Chapter 10

Aboard the merchant ship, The Lady Vari

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"So this is your flag ship?" Hitomi said with a smile, leaning up against the main mast.

Van smiled sheepishly and turned way quickly. "I know it must seem silly, naming a ship after my mother…"

"No." Hitomi stepped close to him and placed her hand upon his cheek to get his full attention. "I think it's nice. A man should always have great love and respect for his mother. No matter how important he may become."

Van placed his hand over hers and smiled down at her. "Thank you."

The girl from the Mystic Moon allowed herself to be lost in the moment briefly until she heard the light murmuring and quiet laughter of some of the ships crew. Quickly she turned around and walked to the front of the ship hiding the bright pink tone her face changed to. Glancing back over her shoulder for a moment she asked. "So when do we set sail for Asturia?"

The king looked back at the nosy crewmen and gave them a stern glare. The men immediately found work to attend to elsewhere. Then he walked over to where Hitomi was leaning up against to port side of the stern, looking out over the sea.

"We sail the day after tomorrow. If the winds are with us, we should arrive at the port of Palas within twelve days." He answered as he stood next to her looking out over the sea as well. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Hitomi looked up at him and smiled.

After hearing no reply, the young king turned to see her staring up at him with an angelic smile. "What?"

She shook her head and looked back out over the waters. "Nothing really. It's just, well before you never seemed to notice things like this. It seemed like the only thing you were interested in was fighting."

He smiled to himself. "I suppose that's true. But it wasn't as if I didn't have a good reason to be preoccupied. My kingdom had just been destroyed and I was in exile. Or don't you remember." He teased.

"Of course I remember." Hitomi gave him a playful scowl then became very serious. "Though I often wish I didn't."

Van placed his arm around her shoulders and held her close. "I know what you mean. We lost a quarter of our cities population that day. Some of them, people I knew since I was a small child. But that is why I'm determined to forge a new brighter future for my people and for all of Gaea, if I can."

Stealing a look up at his proud, determined looking face, she smiled, "Van?"

He shifted his gazed down to her. "Yes Hitomi?"

Her smile grew for a moment then she rested the side of her face against his chest. "Nothing." She answered closing her eyes and enjoying the combined sent of the sea air and Van's distinct aroma.

Gently he rested his cheek on the top of her head and closed his eyes as well. 'I could get used to this. Queen Hitomi Fanel of Fanelia. I like the sound of that.' He mused.

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AN: Can you believe Hitomi's only been in Gaea for a little over a day? Well, things are going to move along a little faster now. They better or I'll be writing this one visit, which is supposed to be about a month, over the next year and I have no plans on doing that. As I stated in the description, this fic will cover several visits by Hitomi to Gaea over the next three years. Eventually, she'll have to make a decision as to whether to stay and become Van's queen or return home forever. But I digress, that is still a long ways off. Hope you've liked these last two chapters. Hope to have more before the week is out.

A. Amishi

PS: 43 days till ACEN'03 ^___^