Things at work got better for a bit then much, much worse, but I'm working through it. Some days I am Van when the twins attack in the mystic valley. Acts because he knows he has to but gets paralyzed by fear and loss of confidence. Thank you everyone for your concerns, well-wishes, and awesome reviews. I'm really glad you all seem to have enjoyed the last chapter. Like the first two chapters there is a good bit pf overlap. This time we can see what is going on in Van's head.

This chapter has been edited and Re-posted. It actually sat in my inbox for a month while I went through the work stuff and got stuck on the end of chapter 11. I have a little secret, I used to check every edit my betas would send me, but over the years working with people I trust and that are much better at grammar than me… well now I don't I've actually gotten in the habit of checking for comments, fix that section, and then accept all other corrections. Only then do I add my comments. Once I post then I reread the whole story on the website, as if I'm reading it for the first time with the rest of you. Very rarely do I need to make any edits after that. It's nice to have such awesome help. The chapters are so much better because of it, and so I hope you don't mind too much. I just couldn't wait to post this. Enjoy!

Broken Promises

Chapter 10- Decisions

Van

Even in the past when I was in mortal danger, I didn't really think I would die. I've feared the darkness, but I never worried that it had come for me, until now. I thought I was going to die and surrendered to the end of my fate. My last thoughts were only of Hitomi.

Then she was there suddenly, calling my name like during the war. The complications holding us apart dissolved in that shining moment. The discarded knife spun across the floor in a silver arc and right into my hand. Knocking my attacker's downward thrust wide, I swiped high. His skin split, not a kill shot, unfortunately. It is enough that he quickly retreated from me, but now his attention was on a new target, one without any fighting skills or defensive ability: Hitomi.

I don't need to think; the action is instinctual. Striking out like a venomous serpent, I sink the blade deep into the soft tissue of his calf. He screams, jerking back just as another joins the fray. Wren slams the bleeding man against the wall, clawed fingers twisting his wrist until Desmon drops his remaining knife.

"Thank you, Wren," I say to him, grateful the male Neko has control of the situation. Wren and the samurai that followed in his wake leave with Desmon. I hoped to remain here alone, licking my wounds, but Hitomi lingers too. I couldn't look at her, not after she saw me being so weak and pathetic. The first person I'd want to protect is the last that should ever see me at my worst.

"I thought you were going to die." The soft voice behind me makes my heart pound in a way that losing a fight never did.

My words come out fast at first, me trying to be nonchalant about the danger I had faced. "Don't worry. I am hard to kill." Keeping my eyes on the city outside the window, the second thought was spoken more hesitantly. "I thought you were gone."

"I'm hard to run off." Her quick retort is sharp, but I don't think it's close to what I deserve. "You should know though, right?"

"Hitomi," I say her name, not sure I can explain or even keep up the flimsy mask that I have built.

"No! You don't think I'll give you another chance to chase me away." With a fierceness I've always admired in her, Hitomi grabs my arm. It is an attempt to make me face her, but I jerk away from the sudden pain as her grip lands on the deep slice along my forearm.

"It's nothing," I grunt, trying to deflect her concern. It fails. She moves directly in front of me, forcing my eyes on her troubled face.

The heat has left her voice, but it's still stubborn and sure, the girl I've always loved. "It's fine if you want to be a jerk. I'll leave, and you never have to feel guilty or anything, because I am not your problem anymore. That is after you let me do what I have to."

I want to argue, but I swallow down the words along with the emotion welling up. Tender, light touches investigate the rips in my ruined shirt. Most of the damage from the fight is minor with a few exceptions, the two deeper cuts and the blow to my ego. It takes all my remaining will power not to reach out and embrace her. If I did that now, I'd never be able to let the poor girl go again. I choose not to look at her even as she orders me to wait right here. Something inside screams for me to flee before I sink any deeper, but as always, I ignore that voice.

I'm alone, cuts stinging, mind reeling. Hitomi came back for me. She came to save me when I gave her no reason to want to. I've done my best to keep her at arms' length, to make her run in the opposite direction, but everything failed. I should have known it would. One of the only predictable things about the strange girl is the lack of just that. I'll never be able to prepare for how she'll react to any given thing.

I hear muted voices just outside the door; it's Hitomi and another woman, who I can only guess is either Merle or Eva. Part of me hopes that they will take over for Hitomi, and I can escape this tension-filled moment without my heart bleeding out everywhere. On the other hand, I wish they would just leave us alone. That feeling is much stronger.

Trying to distract myself, I remove my shirt, which has been reduced to rags, and blot the drying blood on my arm and chest. That's when Hitomi returns, a distracted look on her pretty face but supplies in her arms.

That look changes to one of determination when she sees my actions. Setting the tray on the edge of my desk, Hitomi grabs the blood-soaked fabric from my hands with a little more force than necessary. Then without another word, she begins to work diligently. She cleans the wound on my chest with firm but not uncomfortable motions. The proximity brings her too close, short silky hair distractingly brushing my chin with each movement. My heart pounds faster, and I fear she will hear the loud thumping.

I chance a look down at her face and find a blush dusting her features, rosy like the mountains at sunrise. Even the burning alcohol on my open wounds can't detract from this intense moment. Her bright eyes dart to the edge of my desk, and the color on her cheeks deepens slightly. It brings back the memory of her legs wrapped around me, and the sweet taste of every electrified kiss we shared. If it weren't for my insensitive words, would we have stopped? Could I have taken her on top of the same desk where I signed the marriage contract with Cesserio, voiding the promises I made to Eva?

Could Allen have been right about everything? Probably so. Wishing to forget her was a useless endeavor, and the way I've been acting makes me unworthy of her affection. I should have trusted her more. I should have given the green-eyed girl a chance to choose me. Like a fool, I pushed her away to keep her from possessing more of my heart. I should have known better; there was only ever room in my heart for Hitomi.

Time has changed us both, but she is only more beautiful and compassionate if anything. What does she see when she looks at me? What do I want her to think and feel about me?

The bandage around my chest is secured. I breathe in the light, almost floral scent of her. She starts to clean the deeper cut on my arm, her fingers firm, and I find myself relaxing despite the discomfort. We both know this wound is worse than the other and will require stiches to pull the skin back together. Her slender hands shake lightly while threading the needle, but she doesn't hesitate.

The sharp metal bites into my flesh, the muscles in my arm spasm, but I hold still for her. I let my eyes memorize everything about Hitomi, as if it's the last time. As if this moment could last forever. Just now, nothing separates us, or at least I can pretend. Before I know it, this bandage is wrapped neatly too; she did a good job. Somehow, I expect the girl to jerk away now that her job is done, but those slender fingers linger warmly on my arm as if she also doesn't want this moment to end.

"There. All done." When she does release me, her hands continue to hover awkwardly for a few long moments. "It's not the best, but I hope-"

Without even realizing it, my uninjured hand comes up, brushing the soft skin of her cheek. "I thought I'd never see you again." The tenderness in my voice is only second to the squeezing inside my chest, tight and tenuous at the same time. "This feels like a dream, and I don't want to wake up."

"Please, Van, I can't." Her full lip trembles. This, like the dreams, is a world separate and made only for us.

Then I'm speaking my deepest wish, "If this is a dream, then we can say and do things without fear or reservations." Ever so slightly, she leans forward, drawn into me, and my mouth is on hers. For a moment, I swear she will pull back, her will stronger than mine. Instead, Hitomi's soft lips part, inviting me to deepen the kiss. We breathe each other.

She's magnetic and I can only let myself fall, be pulled into her orbit. Her hands are in my hair, pulling me closer. Sinking into each other, the laces of her dress give way easily, and I slide the fabric from her slender shoulders. I've liked seeing her in clothing from this world, integrating herself into the life she chose this time, but I need to expose her skin, be closer to her. The heat building between us is all-consuming, unlike anything I've ever felt before.

No words pass between us as I lay her down on the combined pile of our clothes. Everywhere our skin connects just makes sparks fly through my veins. Trailing kisses down her slender neck to the firm softness of her delicious breasts, I pull one taunt nipple into my mouth and then the other. The soft gasps coaxed from her excite me further. Impossibly ready, I almost fear hurting Hitomi as I enter her in my enthusiasm. It wasn't an issue as she was as eager as me, making me moan her name.

Leanly muscular legs wrap around my hips, moving with my thrusts. Craving more contact, I reposition her, feet upon my shoulders, hips angled sharper. This position is more intense, but if I move just right, deeper, swifter, I can reach a better spot. Her hands reach for me, gripping my wrists as her back arches instinctually. I know she's close, and a short time later Hitomi moans my name. That is all it takes to finish me off. All my will power is required to remove myself, despite the practice I've had with this particular maneuver.

I lay down, molding myself to her side as our hearts begin to resume their normal pace. With each passing second, her brow wrinkles more in a way that I can tell means trouble. I know it is something far more complicated than the risk of pulling out.

Everything in me wants to forget the rest of the world, but it won't be that easy. Already the guilt is churning inside this beautiful woman, which I find incredibly sexy even as she pulls away from me.

"What is wrong?" I ask, though I know the answer already, propping up on my unhurt arm to look at her face better. I can see the wheels in her mind spinning, large eyes darting towards the door of my study. Even I know this isn't the safest place to lounge around naked. Though someone could easily walk in and see us, the danger doesn't bother me the way it apparently does Hitomi.

"What are you going to do about this?" She pulls away, starting to look for the clothing we were lying on.

I know what she is asking, but for a few more precious seconds, I want to pretend our problems only extend to the immediate ones. "The assassin?" My question makes her frown deepen at the memory and encourages her temper to flare.

It's a shame I can't avoid this conversation any longer. "No, your wife. You know, Eva, the person you've just cheated on?" Her tone tells me the heavy guilt is beginning to press down, and I know there isn't any time left. Hitomi has a right to know, despite the rough path ahead of us, that I've chosen her. The thought makes my heart and tone light.

"Don't worry about it." That came out a bit more flippant than is safe at this time, but I refuse to repeat my past mistakes. I won't let miscommunication drive us apart. It's time to come clean, to do what I have to calm her down. My fingers pause on her full, kissable lips. "Please, can we not repeat the past?"

Something she sees in my eyes causes the anger to turn into confused interest. "What do you mean?"

"We can show our affection, but the moment one of us opens our mouths we just hurt each other." Even before I added farther complications to our possible life together, we didn't have the best track record with communication. We come from different backgrounds and upbringings, so its reasonable that not everything can be easy to understand between us. Our future will take work, and I, for one, am willing to see it through. The best way to do that is to tell the truth from beginning to end.

"I plan on dissolving the marriage as soon as possible." Her bright eyes widen with a surprised gasp, but I continue on uninterrupted. "I should have done it as soon as you came back, but I felt you'd be better without me. I also owed Eva a debt. You understand what it feels like to be torn between what your heart wants and what is expected of you."

She nods understandingly, and I see hope begin to grow. It brings more questions. "Can you even do that? I thought marriage was forever, especially between royalty. Won't it cause problems between your countries?"

Hitomi tries getting dressed once more, and I'm a bit surprised she doesn't shove me off her dress. It's almost endearing the way her mind works so openly.

"Normally, that would be true." How should I explain it? I guess just go for it and clear up anything I need to as we talk. "In some rare cases, annulment is the best. This would be one of those times."

"Like Millearna and Dryden?" she asked, recalling the rocky start to our friends' own marriage. "I guess annulment is better than divorce, right?"

This is where it gets tricky. "Dryden left, but it wasn't legally over." For the first time, I think this conversation should take place clothed and sitting next to each other. "Even with the attack on Palas, their marriage contract was completed."

I remember Hitomi's incredulity at Millearna's arranged marriage during the war. Its not a normal part of her life, so the details are still unfamiliar. "What does that mean?"

Here is the moment of truth. I should have told her so many times, but as a man, it's more than a little humbling to admit impotence. "Their marriage was consummated. Mine was not." Before I wanted her to believe there was more to my relationship with Eva to keep distance between us. Now I pray she can trust the truth in this.

With open astonishment, Hitomi blurted out, "You haven't had sex?"

"No, not with Eva." Moving past the embarrassment, I thought of the way my body and soul resonated only with her. The deep, heat-filled connection made the rest come out. I just want to kiss her over and over forever. "There's been no one except you for years. Truthfully, the women before were just substitutes, poor ones at that, because they could never be you."

The electricity is back, and though I had her not long ago, I'm ready again. Heat burns like a tidal wave, washing over us both. Her hands gripped my shoulders, and I let her push me backwards onto the floor. This time she moved over me, straddling my growing excitement. Even if I wanted to ask her what she was planning, the mouth connecting with mine prevents any of that. My hands grasp her hips, fingers digging into the supple flesh.

Those eyes that see so much watch me with heat and love. Groaning as we connect again, I move into her as if it's the most natural thing in the world. As if we were made for each other, fitting together, completing each other. This is what we were always meant for, to learn and grow in every way. I wish Hitomi had been the only woman I ever slept with, because nothing and no one else matters. I love her. I love her so much.

Her hands move mine to her full breasts to support them as she rocks over me, like my very own goddess. I can't help the sounds coming from me. I've never been loud, not even in the throws of passion, but now it's different. I move as if the only thing that matters is the feel of her, the way our bodies react. The feelings building to impossible heights.

Then I'm moaning her name, and any thought beyond this moment no longer exists. Hitomi collapses on top of me spent and still twitching. I don't know if I've ever been this happy in my life. She tries to lay next to me, and I pull her close. I savor the skin contact, even sticking together and sweating as we are. Tenderly, I kiss her damp hair, never wanting this moment to end. I know I keep thinking that, but it doesn't make it any less true.

I know that she is thinking; she's trying to figure out what will happen when we leave this little bubble of happiness. I caress her cheek. She looks into my eyes and whispers the three most beautiful words I've ever heard, "I love you."

The smile that breaks across my face has to look goofy, but I don't care. "Hitomi, will you marry me?"

Her own smile dims a fraction, but she doesn't pull away. "No, I can't." Before I can react negatively, which would be normal for me, Hitomi speaks again with love and honesty. "We aren't in the position to promise anything. I do want that more than anything, but I won't even think about forever until after this all gets cleared up. So, I should leave. When you are free to love me, not in dreams or behind closed doors, find me. I'll be waiting for you, Van." I have to respect what she is saying, because I trust her and know this is the right answer despite what I want to hear.

That was yesterday. She was right about that choice and that I wouldn't like her leaving me again. Going to Asturia with Allen isn't forever, but it gives us a chance we might not have otherwise. In all honesty, I've never done this before, courting someone. Even if the marriage to Eva were annulled today, it would still take time. The world needs a chance to understand. I love Hitomi and letting her go now is what is best for her, for us. It's the only way to move forward.

The next time I ask, I know the answer will be yes. Until then, I have to give her the opportunity to find her own place here. The Crusade leaves in a very short time, but I won't be sending her off directly. Last night we walked through the city together. I wore a cloak to give a sliver of normality to our relationship. We held hands and took our time talking about the city's changes and future. Not ours per say. We won't be making any promises until the time is right.

When I returned to the palace ,it seemed like visiting a strange land, not my own home. The air even felt different. Though it was late, I knew I couldn't sleep, not next to the wrong woman. In a place as large as this, I could spend the night in any number of empty rooms. I found myself back at my own. I enter silently, almost afraid of what I would say to Eva, but I was safe. She was already in bed, curled on her side, asleep. I should feel guilty for what happened between Hitomi and me, but I don't. I grab a blanket and head towards the sitting room without another thought.

Now a solid knock sounds at my study door, but that person doesn't wait for me to respond, as if it is just a formality. Eva enters, strangely hesitant for her. Does she know what happened in this room yesterday? Does it bother her even though she was the one pushing me forward?

"Do you have a moment?" she asks, toying with something in her hands that looks like a thick sheaf of parchment.

"Of course. Is something wrong?" I set down what I had been half-heartedly working on to give her my full attention.

"Only if you are letting Hitomi go, like an idiot." Her flippant remark sounds like something Merle would say, and I almost smile. Before I can respond, she tosses the papers on my desk and spins on her heel. She leaves just as suddenly as she came.

Just what I need: another woman angry at me. Hopefully, right now she's the only one, but I can never be quite sure. With a sigh, I open up the bundle and almost drop it after the first line. It's the annulment papers I want more than anything. I can't quite believe it's real. Once the shock wears off, I read the whole stack. Then I start from the beginning and read it all over again.

The most amazing thing is that it's dated the day after the wedding. She must have spoken to her father before he traveled back to Cesserio. These things take time. Though Eva already signed the document, it's only legal when I do too. Of course, there is the stipulation that she still has to be a maiden for this to be binding. That's the reason why when I almost slept with Eva she was scared. It wasn't that she was afraid of me taking her by force, but that I would ruin all her hard work. If we had been together even once, the marriage would be forever.

"What does or doesn't happen in here should stay between us, but until you are ready to give up on Hitomi for good, it can't go any farther."

Now I know exactly what she meant. These last two weeks have been the time she promised. They were the chance for me to figure out what I really wanted. All the while these papers could have come at any time, or the king could have denied the request. Which is why she never told me. Rather, she pushed me towards Hitomi. It would have been wrong for her to get my hopes up, right?

Without a second thought, I sign the papers, adding my official seal. I'll have my advisors go over every word, but as I have no issue giving back the dowry I never needed or wanted. None of this the stipulations in the document are an issue for me.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything. I need to talk to Eva, thank her. I don't find her in the castle, instead Merle intercepts me in the hallway near my room.

"Lord Van, she's gone," my sister states simply. I know that's just the preemptive strike. "You've done pretty well to run off just about every woman that cares for you other than me."

"Merle," I start, but she cuts me off quickly,her tone incredulous.

"You can't tell me that you didn't sleep with Hitomi." Blunt as always, she cuts straight to the point. "Lord Van, it's easy to say that your marriage was for show, to draw out the conspiracy following my friend. You're the one that approached her, and as much as you both say it wasn't real, I'm not convinced. In my mind, you cheated, and that more than anything disappoints me."

I don't know how to respond. Merle's never spoken to me like this. It reminds me of how even as a teen she realized I loved Hitomi before anyone else, when she wished herself home and left me behind. This is so much worse, the disappointment and disapproval.

"Can't you feel the slightest bit guilty?" Her striped tail swishes quickly in agitation. I love my sister, her faith and love have kept me going through some terrible times. The loss of them hurt awfully, but it also clears a path for my true feelings to pour through.

"No, I don't." The quick response rocks her back in surprise as if I hit her. "Everyone tells me to choose and I have. Now you're not happy with my decision. Merle, I'm sorry, but I don't really care. I tried to live without Hitomi in my future, and I realized, even though I could move forward without her, I didn't want to. We've probably gone about this all wrong. Still, we arrived at the same place. I love her, and when the time is right, she will be waiting. I've spent years watching other people get their happy endings. It's my turn, and I, for one, am not just going to wait around for it to happen on its own."

I expect the fight to escalate, but she wraps her lean arms around me in a warm embrace. "I'm happy for you, Lord Van."

Once the surprise fades, I rest my hand on her vibrant hair. This is the girl that always had my best interests at heart, even if it caused her thin frame to stand between me and two enemy melif units. When Hitomi left, Merle was my constant. She got married, and I expected that she would leave too. Instead, she chose to make her home inside the walls built by my hands and will. After the dream, the one that changed everything, my sister began watching me closer, yet pulling away at the same time.

It took me so long to sort out my hurt and confused feelings. This could have ended far worse. Eva didn't love me, but she could have been hurt beyond repair if we had been more than just friends. Merle might have forgiven me if I broke the princess's heart, then again it might not have been as easy on Hitomi. After everything the tall woman has done for me, I can't just let her sail away without another word.

I sigh, not sure how she'll react at my next request. "Merle, do you know when Eva's transport leaves? I owe it to her not to leave things like this."

The Neko woman pulls away, reminding me that she isn't a little girl anymore. "Well, I might have lied." A mischievous smile is clear on her striped face. "She hasn't left exactly. Eva might be mad that you let Hitomi get away, again, but no one packs that fast. Well, not someone that's been here longer than a fortnight."

I leave her smug satisfaction and head for my quarters. Opening the door, I'm not disappointed. Wardrobe and drawers open, the woman in question moves around with determination. She looks up at my arrival, and the surprise turns rueful.

"Damn it, Van, you've gone after the wrong girl again." What startles me the most is the tinge of anger in her voice. Eva doesn't get mad. I've never seen her more than slightly annoyed in the past, not when Merle was insulted, when I shoved her soldier aside, or when I denied my own feelings to save face. It was strange, but somehow it eases the tension I hadn't realized was built up through my shoulders.

"Relax. I'll go after Hitomi once everything is cleared up, and you have done a wonderful thing for me already." She let out a deep breath, didn't start yelling at me either, so I continued. "I really appreciate the annulment, but I can't let you go without giving you something in return."

Now I held out my own paper for her. It wasn't nearly as thick or as legally binding as hers, but I had a feeling it would mean just as much. "Just tell me," she said, not wanting to touch my document, the evidence that Wren had reported first thing this morning.

My hand , and I don't need to read my general's cramped writing again to repeat them. "Desmon Lesieur had been a member of the Zaibach military who infiltrated the Cesserio infantry during the war. After his appointment to the royal guard, Princess Seren became suspicious. When she dug into his past, it quickly turned into her favor. So, he played her game. Seren or Regan would find out something about your suitors, and he'd blackmail them."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "You're saying my sisters wanted me to be alone and miserable?" I could see how this could all seem like a sick joke if it weren't coming from me. I wasn't exactly a known prankster.

"I might not be an expert, but from what I have gathered, Regan was doing it out of some misguided thought of protecting you. Seren, though, her motives had something to do with a secret you know. If she kept you alone, it would help her control it, control you." It can't be easy to hear that your own family had been behind everything. Then again, I felt similarly betrayed when I found out Folken had ordered the destruction of our homeland. At least her sisters hadn't killed anyone, just made life miserable for years.

"That's it?" The dress slid from her slack fingers as the shock set in. "I thought it was me. All this time, I thought I wasn't good enough, and now I find it was all some sick stunt to protect a dirty family secret. What did Seren think? That I would get married and suddenly start telling the world that my mother had an affair?" Her hand flies to her mouth in surprise and a bit of guilt.

Confusion twists my brows thoughtfully. "If she knows as well, then why would you need punished or controlled?"

She sat heavily at the edge of the bed. "Before my mother passed, she told me everything. Seren knows that it happened but not the rest." When I didn't respond, she continued, "The queen had three daughters, but the king only had two. My sisters suspect it, but only I know which of us is an imposter. I had to swear never to tell anyone."

The words hang in the air for a moment before sinking in. One little bit of truth could change the line of secession for an entire country. The conniving middle sister must think she's the one. If Eva remained single, even if the truth came out, the younger woman wouldn't be able to oust her. She was protecting herself and didn't care if it cost her little sister every chance at happiness.

"What I don't understand is why she would have Desmon go after you? The marriage should have been the end of it, right? They can't know it wasn't real, that we wouldn't last." She seems stunned and confused. I can't speak for the secret that's been hidden all these years, but I do know the answers to this.

"No, he did that all on his own." I set a hand on her shoulder. "Your sister's orders were business for him. This was personal." I won't tell her that the only reason he confessed was so he could be a prisoner in Fanelia and not a dead man in Cesserio. None of us have any delusions that Seren has other operatives to do her dirty work. Sending him back is a death sentence, although attempting to assassinate the king of Fanelia hasn't earned him any friends here either.

What bothers me is how over the years there was strong consideration to simply kill the third princess and avoid any chance of a scandal. It would only take one well-placed accident. It was Desmon's partner's unreturned feelings for my current wife that ultimately saved her. It reminded him of the one-sided love that he had, or possibly still has, for Folken. It was a surprise to find the man had those kinds of feelings for my deceased brother. It would have been more so if I hadn't been told about Hitomi's entire vision.

Sure, he tried to kill me, but in a way, both of his failed attempts brought me closer to Hitomi. Because of them, we cleared out all the miscommunications, hurt feelings, and problems we were holding on to. We were able to overcome all the things keeping us apart that were of our own making. Yet again I have to let the woman in-front of me go so we can both move forward.

I pull Eva to her feet. Though she is nearly as tall as I am, she still folds easily into the embrace. "You should marry Jace," I whisper into her braided hair, and she goes rigid in my arms. "He loves you, and you return those feelings. If you know something that scares your sister, that means you have power that could be used for your own benefit. If they want you out of the running for the next queen, marrying below your station would do that."

When I release her, the smile I'm given is as bright as a cloudless day. "Finding my own happiness would be the best revenge."

I can't help but grin in return. "It would be."

After that, I helped her pack and saw my friend off. The transport that brought our annulment papers is waiting to take her home. Though I'm sure the crew would like a day or two in the city, their orders were pretty set. I'm not quite sure how the King will feel about his daughter returning without a husband and one less guard. Regardless, it was all worth it to see something that would scandalized the pretentious sisters who had tortured her in secret.

Just before she would board the carriage that would take her to the waiting ship, I thought briefly of riding out with the Princess. In the end, I would've only gotten to the airfield in time to see the Crusade become a speck on the horizon. Hitomi and I had said our goodbyes last night. I don't know if I could just stand there as she left again. Thinking, I watch as Eva's bags were loaded and her lone guard stands stiffly, trying quite hard not to notice me there. I don't know what bothers the man more: that his former partner tried and failed to kill me, or that for the last two weeks I haven't actually been sleeping with the woman he loves.

Somewhere in his heart, he hated me, envied me, wished I wasn't the one considered good enough to marry his princess. I don't blame him. If it had been Hitomi with another man, one I couldn't fight, well, I wouldn't have been quite as calm. I take a few steps that bring myself to his side and speak low so this stays between us. "It was always you." Stormy gray eyes dart to me. "Eva loves you. The two of you can have a future, but this time you have to let her protect you."

"I don't know if I can." His voice was rough. I couldn't tell if it was from emotion, and I can't honestly remember if I ever heard him speak before. "They'll disown her and fire me. I won't be able to provide for her with anything. She thinks right now that love will be enough, but it never is. I can't take everything away from her."

"Gods, how could she love someone with so little faith in her?" For a moment, I don't know if I'm talking about him or me. Isn't this what Allen said to me before the wedding? "If you can't trust Eva now, then you don't deserve her."

Before I could say anything else, the woman in question is there. "Neither of you can say what I can or can't handle." She's still the girl from years ago who defeated foes with words as easily as with weapons. "I think for the first time I get to decide what makes me happy."

At this, she grabbed the front of the guard's uniform, pulling him forward a staggering step. Then my former wife kisses the red-haired man in front of me. His eyes widen with shock, but after a moment, he was reacting back with equal passion. It felt too personal to watch. As I turned away, I also had to cover my smug smile with one hand. My eyes found a red speck in the sky heading east, the Crusade taking Hitomi away from me.

Though I miss her already, I am still happy. She'll be there when I'm ready.

To be continued…

A/N- Well there was most of it. I've decided not to wrap it up here. We'll have a few more chapters, a chance that our pair never got in the series. The simple bits of life that get glossed over. You know all those stories where Hitomi comes back and magically they get their happy ending, well it's not always going to be sunshine and rainbows. Honestly, it's the strife that brings them closer together. When Hitomi was able to help Van it's when they could push through all the complications. Mind you they are mostly issues because the pair let them be.

So now you know that the blackmail and assassination attempts were committed by the same person but for different reasons. Van noted that the older princesses bullied and the belittled Eva, but even he could not have suspected to this degree. I had thought of having her tell Van who the non-princess is but decided that could wait. There was enough discussing of these things for one chapter. Out of the three guesses, 2/3rds might be wrong, maybe more maybe less. I've been pleasantly surprised by the support that you all have shown Eva. For a made up supporting character I tried to get her to be there to help without taking over, and I thought I did a good job. For the most part her part is over, but don't be sad you'll see the Princess again.