Bad Dreams

Written by angelwings1

Chapter 11
Three days had gone by without any considerable event. Once everyone had arrived, private meetings had been scheduled around the clock. It was strictly rulers only and because of the rough terms her and Van were on, she heard very little of what was going on inside. She honestly didn't mind being left out of the boring negotiations, but she wish she could see more of Lord Dornkirk. He was good at hiding himself, appearing only when necessary (like during meal hours). Finally being faced with the hopeful key to her confusion and learning nothing was frustrating beyond patience.

However, it was probably a good thing she hadn't faced the man. The illness was growing worse. Millernia had prescribed several medicines for her, but the tremble in her hands no longer was affected by the herbs and she was having nosebleeds two to three times a day. Sleep was impossible with the stabbing headaches she was enduring and if she didn't meditate every other hour she would be fighting another vision. She prayed that the treaty would be signed and the rulers would leave without delay.

Even with the constant spasms, three days of empty questions had turned the seer to her tarot cards. She had been nervous to touch her deck since they had scattered on the floor over a week ago, but she knew she had few options left to her. It didn't appear she would get her chance to speak with Dornkirk before tomorrow when the treaty would be sign so with a heavy heart she dragged the box out from under her bed.

She waited until the sun had disappeared for two candles before she dared to dig out her deck. She couldn't afford for anyone to interrupt her and see her special deck. It would be hard to explain it as a simple game. Taking the cards reluctantly, she shuffled the deck that had been her comfort for many years. Some seers used stones or tea leaves, but she preferred the colorful faces of her cards. Cards were easier for her to focus with, though she had tried tea leaves and stones in the temple during her training. To her, the cards were more accurate, having never failed her; however, the accuracy of fortune telling wasn't determined by the tool used, but by the seer.

Once the pattern was dealt, she leaned forward and frowned. "Eight of Wands… Magic… fairly powerful."

"The Devil… bondage? Maybe control?"

"The hanged man again…sacrifice."

"The Tower…misfortune.'

Her fingers brushed her chin thoughtfully as she set her green eyes on the final card, "The Luce? Courage?"

Hitomi shook her head, "This doesn't make sense. The first four connect, but this last card…I can't fit it in. The Devil represents Dornkirk and his control over Zaibach. The Eight of Wands emphasize his magical powers and the other two represent Fanelia pending downfall."

So, it was very off to have dealt the yellow and green dragon. Normally, it was paired with the tower, but the rest of the cards threw off the pattern. 'What will courage do to help? Everything is going to be destroyed and to fix it I'm supposed to have courage?'

Her hand began to shake as she held up the Luce so she hurried to place it back in the pattern. Pressing her hands firmly into her chest, she began to rub her hands together. There wasn't much to do when they shook. She rubbed them together not as a healing form, but as a form of comfort. With her health spiraling out of control, she growing frightened. She didn't know what to do. The sickness was connected to her heart, but there wasn't anything wrong.

Shaking her head and pushing back her thoughts for the time being, she returned to concentrating on her cards.

"Maybe the dragon represents the dragon of Fanelia's religion. It could be Escaflowne." She let out a loud groan and ran her shaky fingers through her hair, "Course, that doesn't help any. What would religion have to do with Dornkirk's intent to destroy Fanelia?"

She thought back to the book from the royal library, "Leon thought he was in a cult. Maybe it is for religious purposes he is taking down Fanelia."

Hitomi sat for several minutes tossing the ideas back and forth. This was the first time after her training that she couldn't properly read the cards. All it should take was a glance and she would know. When she looked at this hand, however, a haze covered her sixth sense. Wearily her chin dropped into her palm, 'It's because I'm sick. It's throwing me off.'

Perfect. Fanelia was about to be destroyed, she was the only one who had a chance of figuring out how to stop it, and she couldn't even perform a simple card reading. Closing her eyes, she reached out and pressed against the haze surrounding her. It was a warm thickness, wrapping around her head. It felt like the song the mysterious woman had sung, except it was blocking her instead of calling her.

"Wait a minute," she mumbled, cocking her head to the side. "I…hear…"

Win dain a lotica
En vai tu ri
Si lo ta
Fin dein a loluca
En dragu a sei lain
Vi fa-ru les shutai am
En riga-lint

Win chent a lotica
En vai tu ri
Si lo ta
Fin dein a loluca
Si katigura neuver
Floreria for chesti
Si entina

It was as soft as a buzzing mosquito and just as irritating. She tried to swat it away, but it was relentless in its pursuit. Jumping to her feet, she stumbled across the room, unknowingly scattering her cards.

"Cursed song!" she hissed as she grabbed the edge of her desk. She had escaped it for a few hours, but now it was louder than ever. Surprisingly, this time instead of stabbing pain in her temple, there was a hot sensation of coaxing fingers in her scalp. The painful pressure she had endured for a week began to deliciously unwind. Moans of approval fell from her lips.

La la la la la la la la la...
Fontina blu cent
De cravi esca letisimo
La la la la la la la la la...
De quantian
La finde reve

Her eyes fluttered open and the room blurred. Wetting her lips, the seer squinted on the dancing shapes. There wasn't a need to fight for consciousness like before. She didn't feel the sinking blackness creeping over her. No, she was in the clouds, rising higher with each second. She could almost feel the weight of the winds on her back.

Her hand reached out through the blending colors and the sensations in her head strengthen, dribbling down through the back of her neck. Slowly her body began to transform into a rushing wind, weightless and formless. The words rushed pass her and she began to think of the song as more of a breeze. She wanted to sail away with it and expand out into the sky.

She was beginning to relish the mental massage when she caught the faint feel of metal beneath her fingertips. Hitomi jerked backwards, tearing her hand away from her doorknob. Lines became straight once more and she became painfully aware of her tired body. Blinking rapidly, she was surprised to find herself staring at her closed door. The pressure from earlier swept irritably back into place and her hand instinctively rose to her temple. She glared angrily at the silver knob. She was torn between relief for being woken from the spell and fury for having the wonderful feeling taken away.

She rolled her eyes at the simple, but effective spell. "If he wanted to call on me, he could have just sent his captain."

Van was exhausted. Joints screaming and mind limp, the king's body was ready to shut down where he stood, but he refused to turn into the welcoming bed several stories above his head. His honor demanded he speak to her. His hurt pride and guilt had kept him from her for three days.

It had been the worst three days he had experienced in a long time. They had lucked out that she was no longer necessary inside the meeting hall, but every hour he was inside battling the rulers' demands, he had wanted to grab her hand under the table. He guessed he had been relying on her too much this last months and was having trouble standing alone again. He had been able to ignore the constricting strain on his chest up until a few hours earlier when he had mistakenly seen her face in the reflection of a window. She was haunting his every thought.

He knew he had been a fool to avoid her the last few days. It was his fault she was angry, not hers. The problem was he couldn't find the will to step forward. If he apologized he would have to explain why he had said it, which would lead to his true intentions. Whenever he considered speaking with her the swell of doubt would course through him.

Her possible rejection would destroy him. It was not an exaggerated assumption to believe. For two months, he had barely been able to stand against the pressure of status and after she had entered his life, his strength had returned. If she left because her job was completed, he irrationally thought he could press forward being ignorant of what her feelings were to him, but if she confessed she loved him platonically, then he would crumple.

'Van-sama, you have to tell her.'

'I can't.'

'Even if you don't tell her, she's going to leave. She said so.'

He cringed at the thought. That would be a horrible day. 'I can't, Merle.'

'What if she loved you?' His heart wavered each time the sentence repeated through his mind. He had never considered the possibility. It had been subconscious glimmer of hope, but he didn't dare to hang onto the weak thread.

Unfortunately, when Merle had pressed with the question, he was immediately swamped with images of him and her smiling. She was running through the surf as they visited the ocean. He was surprising her with a bouquet. She was standing in a snow covered field. They were sitting on the roof, sharing a blanket as they watched the stars twinkle. She was dressed in royal garments—a pearl white wedding dress. They were leaning towards one another about to share a kiss.

Heart racing, Van blinked awake as his cheeks flushed. He had to find her and tell her everything. He couldn't push it out of his mind anymore. He could no accept living on without ever knowing. If she rejected him, then at least he would die without regret of watching her walk out of his life.

He stepped around a corner and almost as if she had heard his inner voice, she stood in the hallway. Her back was to him, but her robe was unmistakable. The young king's face burst into a smile. He had nearly opened his mouth to call her name when the seer had unexpectedly stopped to knock on a bedroom door. The king froze, curious to see who she was seeking at such a late hour. Shock shot through him when a Zaibach soldier stepped out. Hitomi didn't even appear surprised when the figure stated dryly, "He's been expecting you."

Hitomi nodded and waited for the soldier to offer her entrance before walking in. The room was dimly lit with a dozen candles scattered throughout the large chamber. There were at least three guards hiding in the shadows of the bedroom pass the large sitting room she had entered. When the lock clicked behind her, she became aware of the danger she was placing herself in.

There was a huge amount of dark magic festering in the room. She could see it slithering across the floor, fat and rubbery. There were hundreds of strands intertwining and forming a live blanket that filled every corner. Each figure in the room was covered with the magic. To her eyes, the blackness was like worms, rolling over themselves and latching firmly onto the occupants in the chamber. The magic was swelling like leeches, eating off each of their life force. When she glanced at her feet, she saw the magic shivering inches away from her toes. Every so often it would try to reach out, but would cringe when it brushed with her aura.

Lifting her head, she found the person she was desperate to meet. Dressed in a rich forest green robe with a dark blanket sprawled over his lap, Dornkirk waited on the loveseat in the nest of the black magic. His white beard made him look ghostly in the candlelight, adding to his building devilish persona. Dark eyes locked on her and she shifted under its gaze. One of the cloaked figures she had seen days ago was kneeling at his side while Dilandau was at attention by the armrest. The captain smirked at her, but she ignored it.

Hitomi took a short breath to inspect the rest of the darkness and realized the other four cloaked beings were close to the walls, nearly invisible with their dark apparel. They were like sentinels, dark and intimidating. To her, they were worse than the seven soldiers guarding the room. She could only guess what purpose the unknown attendants served to the emperor.

"I didn't believe you could shake off a summoning." Hitomi returned her attention back to the loveseat, hearing the Zaibach leader's scratchy voice for the first time since his arrival. The emperor's face was passive as he studied her, even his eyebrows didn't offer any emotion to read.

Hitomi did her best to mirror the man, "A summoning is a simple spell. A random taste or touch can break it. I'm not use to smooth metal so my door handle woke me."

"It takes a high level Mystic to recognize the spell."

"I see Dilandau has told you about me." The captain's smirk tightened at her pointed glare.

"Yes, he was sent to gain information on you, but I already knew a great deal before the first day you two met."

A soldier shifted and her eyes darted warily, "You were spying on me before."

She meant it as a statement, but the emperor took it as a question. "I've kept an eye on you."

"I'm not going to join you."

"I figured you would say that."

"Then I think this conversation is over," she stated dryly. Spinning on her heel, she made for the door and the black magic hastily fell backwards. Part of her was screaming to turn around and demand a thousand answers from the man, but she needed to play her cards carefully. The man wasn't going to hand over answers. Luckily, he took her bluff and a soldier stepped forward to block her exit. "Well, I think you don't understand the situation."

His words made the back of her neck tingle. She glanced over her shoulder at the emperor, "Explain it to me."

His mustache lifted in a smile, "You have no idea what's going on, do you?"

The seer slowly turned. She frowned when saw the merriment in the emperor's dark eyes. "Should I?"

The emperor chuckled softly, "I thought that was why you were here, but perhaps I gave you too much credit."

"But I'm important enough to send a captain after me," she snapped.

"Hardly," his voice lowered, "I sent him for this treaty. His second objective was to keep an eye on you."

"You ordered for my capture!"

The emperor glared stonily at the man in red armor. "Captain Dilandau stepped out of his authority. I had no intentions of endangering you."

"Well, I feel danger free right now," she commented as she gave a pointed look towards the soldiers and sentinels.

"I'm only dangerous if you cross me," he replied huskily.

She leveled a cold look on the elderly man. He might be too weak to walk, but she could sense the power flowing through his veins. To challenge him was beyond foolish; it was suicidal. Even his soldiers didn't add up to the threat he was. "I won't let you destroy this kingdom."

"You will stay out of my way," he whispered.

She slowly shook her head, "I have nothing to loose, sir. You might think I do, but I've given up everything to be here. I'm not going to waste it by yielding."

"And why are you here?"

"That is none of your business."

He croaked a tired laugh, "You'll lose if you fight me."

Hitomi scowled, "You're afraid I'll tell? Is that it?" The emperor didn't answer causing her fists to curl at her side in growing frustration. He was her only chance and he wasn't giving her any information. "Why did you attack my valley?"

"I was looking for someone," he answered lightly.

"Who?" she snapped.

The emperor sighed, "I believe this conversation has taken a turn away from my desired goals."

"Don't change the subject," she nearly yelled. "I know you intend to ruin this kingdom and possibly many others with this treaty."

His eyes narrowed, "How would I do that?"

Her teeth began to gnash together. He appeared serious, but he had to be playing with her. Her fingers wrapped into her robe to keep her temper in check. "I won't let you hurt this kingdom."

Almost instantly the wave of dark magic that surrounded the room began to thrum. Hitomi flinched as the black mass began to squeal with a thousand tiny pitches. Voices began to chant in a language she didn't recognize and her jade eyes widened in shock as the emperor slowly rose from his seat. As he gained his full height, a less than menacing five and half feet, the stone walls bent like rubber. Vases and candlesticks began to shake and soon the ceiling was ready to collapse.

Instinctively, Hitomi tried to think of a counter spell, but before she could begin to recite the first phrases, the dark magic quietly settled and the room stilled. Dornkirk's eyes were a doorway of brimstone. The space around her fell out of existence as she watched him take a, surprisingly, firm step forward. Just as quickly as he had created a strike of fear in the seer, the cloaked figure that had been at his knees, leapt up and a slim hand gentle grabbed his forearm.

"My lord, you mustn't strain yourself," a bell like voice murmured.

The ruler didn't glance towards his attendant as he stonily growled, "Step back, Sora."

Hitomi watched warily as the hand slowly curled off his arm and she was left to face him. A thousand voices screamed at her to run away from this man who could bend a room. Only the greatest mages from the valley had been known to perform such feats.

"I won't run away," she whispered, looking straight into his eyes of darkness, "You can't scare me."

Another step forward and he left only a few feet between them. "I think you're terrified."

The next morning, Millernia was helping her pull on her elaborate gown for the pending ceremony. There were so many folds and strings, Hitomi thought she would never be finished in time, but she was too distracted with her thoughts to hurry the princess. In less than a half hour, the rulers would publicly sign the treaty and join over a dozen countries together in binding unity. Someway Dornkirk was going to exploit the treaty. She had to find the loophole before he was allowed to sign.

"Is there a reason why you and Van have been so cold lately?"

Hitomi started, "What?"

Millernia exhaled softly, "Well, you each have been avoiding the other. Plus, Merle is really down lately. What did I miss?"

"It doesn't matter," the seer mumbled, studying her reflection. She wondered if she should trying growing out her hair. The haircut was symbolic in the temple as a sign of servitude, but being away from home, the gesture looked empty to her eyes. Besides when she left the castle, she wouldn't have anyone to cut her hair. She probably butcher it.

"I think it does matter," the princess grumbled. "This is the first time I've seen Van notice a woman and now you both won't even dare a stupid hello."

Millernia jerked hard on the dress' back laces and the seer yelped in surprise, "Hey!"

"Talk!" the blonde woman snapped. Stepping back from her finished work and placing a pair of fists on her hips.

Turning away, Hitomi's shoulders slumped, "Its better this way, Millernia."

Warm hands gripped her shoulders and slowly turned the seer around. Millernia stared sorrowfully into the seer's sad eyes. "I don't believe that."

Hitomi bowed her head, "When I leave, it will be easier for him to let go."

"Let go?" Millernia was stunned. "Don't you realize he doesn't want to let go?"

"My time is finished here, princess," Hitomi interjected softly. "I might be able to stay for a few more weeks, but my job is complete. Van might want me to stay, but his people and advisors would rather I disappear."

"Like those people matter," the princess growled. Her gloved hands hastily cradled the seer's face and turn her teary eyes up to her blue ones. "Do you love him?"

The seer felt a heart become exposed at the question. Hitomi's face crumbled, "I…I just…"

"Listen to me, Hitomi," Millernia commanded harshly, "In royalty, we don't have many opportunities to love someone. When it comes around, you don't let it slip away. I can't let you leave when you offer exactly what Van needs."

Tears broke through the damn she had carefully constructed over her heart and Hitomi began to sob, "I'm so sorry, Millernia. I wish…I wish things could be different."

"Hitomi—"

The door abruptly slammed open and both ladies looked up in surprise at the people spilling into the bedroom. Having been outside the door as their guard, Allen was among the first to enter and hurried to the women's side. Millernia glared angrily at the intrusive individuals, "What is going on here!"

The air was alive with cheering, horns blaring, and the colorful snowfall of confetti. The very stone beneath them was shaking with the building energy. Over a hundred guards, wearing their special apparel of royal colors for the occasion, lined the castle wall. Fanelian flags spilled down the white walls of stone, but on the balcony a flag from each country hung.

On that high balcony, Van hid behind the red curtain, sneaking a peek of the yard through the crack of the heavy material. The sight reminded him of Fanelia First Anniversary after his family had passed. He could remember the prayers and shouts so perfectly when he stepped out onto the monstrous balcony. He had been so young then and the display had been almost frightening to the fifteen year old. The weight of the kingdom had never felt so heavy in the entire year he had ruled. The magnitude of his position had only become reality when he had proclaimed Fanelia's anniversary and seen the lives placed in his care. Who wouldn't become ill from the stress?

"Lord Van?"

Van pulled away his hand, allowing the curtain to slip back into place, and faced his general, "Yes, Balgus?"

"The guards are in position and all of the rulers are present," he replied in his rough voice, "A few of the nobles aren't accounted for, but the people outside are growing restless. I think it would be wise to proceed."

The king glanced past the gigantic man and scanned the mulling figures. He noticed the room was very tight for so many people and could barely mark the first row of individuals. His eyes automatically fell on the pink head of his sister. The small cat-woman shook her head when their faces met. Looking back up at his general, the king asked, "Who's missing?"

"Lady Hitomi, Princess Millernia, and Sir Allen specifically," he replied softly, "There a few others missing, but the three—"

"Would never miss this," Van completed just as softly. 'She or Millernia wouldn't be foolish and be late. They're women, but I don't believe they would be late for this.'

The young king thought back to last night when she had entered Emperor Dornkirk's chambers. It didn't make sense to why she would go to the man at such a late hour. He feared the nibbling thought in the back of his mind: Was she in league with Zaibach?

The king and general stared at one another, a silent message of concern passing between them. Van took another tentative glance at the royals and subconsciously marked the attentive stare he was receiving from the Zaibach ruler. "Send someone to retrieve them and we will begin. Maybe they were hoping to miss the boring introduction."

The general chuckled hollowly. Millernia had been known to pull the stunt before, but the polite seer would never dare the chance of being rude by appearing late. Nodding, the samurai stepped away to converse with one of the guards nearby while Merle hurried forward.

"Van, I'm worried," the girl mumbled. "This isn't like Hitomi. You don't think she's still mad, do you?"

He shook his head and glanced at the Zaibach ruler. He was still watching him. Van bent his head closer, "Even if she was mad, she would show up."

Merle agreed, checking the group behind them. There was a few pair of eyes glancing curiously towards them. Everything seemed as it should be, but her cat instincts were on edge. Something was out of place.

"I don't like this, Van-sama," she muttered.

"Me, too," he replied, before stepping towards the group. Raising his hands, the king gave a brilliant smile, "My lords and ladies, if there are no objections we shall start the ceremony."

Unanimously, the group agreed with excited encouragement and energetic clapping. Together the rulers stepped forward and the curtains were pulled back. Instantly, there was a swell of voices from below on sight of the royals. The vivid colors, happy expressions, and cloudless blue sky blended into the background of a perfect day. Unfortunately, the joyous moment was lost on the Fanelian King as he took his spot at head of the rulers and center of the balcony.

A gloved hand rose to silence the massive sea of people. When the final voice had quieted, Van brought his hand back down and spoke loud enough that his voice carried to the very edge of the castle's defensive walls. The speech, which had been written by one of his advisors, was lengthy and stiff. He would have preferred to do a more impromptu speech, but his advisors were strict when it came to ceremonies and public appearances. They had to know what was going to happen so as to prepared themselves for any consequences. Rulers had been known to loose the faith of their people by faulty speeches so it was a mounting fear with his advisors when he had first began to appear as king in Fanelia. The years had taught him dictation and a small bit of charm, but most of the speeches were rehearsed down to the smallest detail. There was no exception with this one.

"…let us rejoice and thank the God of the Sky, Escaflowne, for this momentous and glorious occasion."

Cheering followed as the Fanelian king lifted a long sheet of parchment in the air. No one standing down in the courtyard could have been able to read the small penmanship, but there was no doubt that the king held the pending treaty. After being handed a quill, Van scrawled his name at the bottom and offered the document to the next figure, the Duke of Freid. Van stepped back and glanced towards the inner rooms at Merle standing with the rest of the royals. With low ears, she shook her head. Van continued to smile due to the spectators watching, but his stomach twisted. 'Something is very wrong.'

Once, the final signature was blotted on the parchment, Van graciously took the completed document and raised it high over his head. Another round of cheering burst through the air and the balcony clapped behind him.

Van's joyous expression quickly slipped from his face when he heard a cry and clashing sound of metal erupt from below the balcony. The citizens' cheers grew silent and in seconds, they began to back up. Van was shocked to see several Zaibach soldiers pushing the crowd back. Immediately, his head shot up towards his general behind him. Balgus was ready to call on his men, but the king shook his head. It was too few men to be a surprise attack.

Whirling back around, he leaned forward on the rail of balcony, the rest of the rulers doing the same. Once there was a clear circle in the courtyard, a clump of figures rushed into the center. Van's heart stopped completely at the sight.

"Lord Van, isn't that your cousin?"

Captain Dilandau was pulling, nearly dragging, the seer into the courtyard with Millernia, Allen, and a pair of Dragonslayers at his heel. Hitomi's face was streaked with tears and she fought desperately to escape the captain's grip though she knew her fate was sealed either way. Reaching the center of the courtyard, Dilandau whirled to face the balcony and threw the woman at his feet. Hitomi winced when she hit the stone, but didn't try to rise from her knees. Millernia tried to go to the battered woman, but several gray soldiers held her and Allen back.

The sight of her mistreatment brought a burning fury to the king. His eyes narrowed on her tattered dress and he guessed her porcelain skin underneath the dirty cloth was covered in bruises. If a fatal jump hadn't separated them, Van would have already reached the red captain.

"My Lords," the captain exclaimed, "I'm sorry to interrupt on such an important moment, but my duty and responsibility would not allow me to wait."

"Speak quickly, Captain Dilandau," King Aston thundered, "It is a dangerous thing to handle a member of the royal family."

Van already knew what the display meant. His eyes locked with the seer's and his heart broke to see her silent apology. Dilandau's red eyes were bright with triumphant as the crowd behind him began to point and whisper.

"I have found a snake in our midst, my lords," the captain yelled, jerking the woman closer to him. Hitomi eyes closed in defeat as she felt the jerk of his hand on the back of her dress. After a sickening rip, she felt the cold wind on her back and began to sob into her hands.

The royal gasped when they saw a pair of beautiful black wings drawn upon her pale back. Dilandau's lips turn into the smallest of smirks as he looked at the Fanelian king and delivered the sentence that would unleash all of Hell on the perfect day.

"I have found a Mystic!"