A/N: Got some plot-development with Hitomi's grandfather.
Jossi-31 - Uh, no; I said that it's been 13 years. In the movie Van and Hitomi are a couple of years older than they are in the TV series. There will be no ganging up on Hitomi on the Pairbonding. As I already said, it has to be her choice.
Missing White Wings 15 - Yeah, I figured that Hitomi wouldn't be in denial forever since she's older and more mature now.
Einion stood in the doorway, watching as his wife, Enfys, struggled with the tremendous amount of pain she was in. It should have taken her only a few days to heal, but after two weeks she was as badly injured as she had been upon receiving them. These injuries were courtesy of the axe 'Takehiko' had been using, but 'Takehiko' was the son of Art, his sovreign... Who would disembowel him if he tried to go after 'Takehiko'. However... They were supposed to kill his daughter - what was her name? Hitomi? - so if Einion's killing strike happened to miss a little because she had moved at the last second, causing her to die slowly... And if she, perhaps, got away before he could speed her death along... He could hardly be blamed, right? Well, that would just be 'reaping what you sow' considering the state Enfys was in. It was only fair.
"Einion..." Enfys called weakly.
He was at her side in an instant. Taking her uninjured hand in his own he held it up to his cheek and assured her that he was right there with her. She smiled in relief.
"Will you kill him for me?" She asked quietly.
"I can't; his highness would kill me."
Enfys looked like she was about to start crying so he rushed to reassure her.
"But don't worry! I'll make his daughter suffer instead. It's fair, right?"
"Oh, Einion! I don't know what I'd do without you!" She said with genuine love for him.
In response he nuzzled her hand and vowed vengence once again.
In his study Art sat in a low-backed, wooden chair watching the entire scene play out through the large, dark, jewel and precious-metal-framed mirror in front of him. He had been waiting for something like this; it would validate what he was going to do later when he was questioned.
"One and two." He said to himself.
"Dear?" The voice came from the doorway and he turned his head slightly - without taking his eyes off of the mirror - to acknowledge that he had heard her.
A moment late a pair of fine-boned, dark hands rested on his shoulders, then slid down his chest invitingly. He took one of those hands into his own, anchoring himself to them. If not for her his spirit, his soul and his heart would have become a tundra a long time ago. She was his sun, his oasis, his source of strength, his anchor, his salvation in the midst of a centuries-long situation that would have destroyed all the good in him a long time ago. She was his wife, the mother of all his children and her name was Aifric. She was the daughter of Scota who had captured his heart one day when he had met her in a field while out on a hunt. When her parents had refused to allow her to marry him he had wiped everyone's memory of her and they had simply walked out the front gates. They were married and he had bound her life to his, so that she would age at the same rate as him (unless he died; then she would be released to age at the rate of a Human). Neither had looked back since the day they had walked away from her family.
"What are you doing?" She asked in her ever-throaty voice.
He loved the sound of her talking.
"Making note of what I need to get rid of for the 'clean up'."
"So it's almost over?"
"Almost. This is the most critical time; if I drop my guard for even an instant... We'll lose a granddaughter we never got to meet."
"...Art, what have you done?" Aifric asked quietly in his ear.
"They didn't leave me any choice; I've exhausted all other options."
"Art, no excuses; what have you done?"
He didn't want her to know, but they had promised a long time ago no secrets between them. So, unable to look her in the eye he told her. Her eyes wide she came around to crouch in front of him and asked faintly, "How could you? She's our grandchild!"
He lurched forward, his face pleading.
"If I don't get rid of the people like Einion and his wife than Art will eventually have to deal with them. They are gaining dangerous amounts of power in the last few decades - I have to get rid of them before they cause irreversible damage!"
He slumped, sitting back and feeling defeated. Aifric knew that he was right, but she couldn't help but feel horrified.
"I promise," He said quietly, his eyes coming up to meet her's and hardening, "That they will never touch her, harm her, or have any influence on her life."
Aifric studied his face, knowing that expression very well. He would die to keep that promise if he had to. Most people knew that he was a very ruthless king, they just didn't realize the full extent of what that meant. She just hoped that it didn't come down to a choice between his life and their granddaughter's.
A/N: So, now you've all met Takehiko's mother. You didn't really learn much about what she's like, but I have a feeling that Aifric will be writing herself into the plot a few more times. So, thoughts? Pretty please review!