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Van had forced Hitomi to rest for nearly a week after her fever went away. She had scared him more than he was willing to admit and he wanted to be able to keep a closer eye on her.
Keeping her close also made him feel safer.
All he'd beem able to think about lately was his brother's sudden reappearance. The fact that he was with the people that had been doing horrible thinsg didn't bother him so much as the fact that Folken had been so close for the past month or so and hadn't shown himself to Van at all.
The Fanelian King was confused and a little hurt.
Hitomi had told him that his brother was alive but so long as Folken wasn't in Fanelia, he might as well have been dead in Van's mind.
His entire childhood had revolved around his big brother. Folken and their mother had taught Van how to fly and Folken had been Van's first weapons instructor. Folken had been the one to read to Van at night and tell him stories of all the great kings that had come before them during the day when they had free time away from tutors and books.
Folken had been Van's idol.
Van had wanted to be as tall as Folken, as fast as Folken and as quietly brilliant as Folken.
What little boy doesn't dream about being just like their big brother?
The only thing Van never wanted was to become King. That had been Folken's destiny. Folken was the one who had to take all the extra lessons and attend all the fancy dinners.
Van never wanted that.
But when Folken never came back Van thought his brother would rather the world thought him dead than to come back and be made King. Folken had never said anything against his future role as King but what else could explain why he hadn't return?
And that's where the hurt came into the picture.
Folken was alive and appeared to be very well.
And yet he didn't even say hello to his baby brother when they came face to face just a week ago.
"The Law states that the first born is to be crowned King or Queen." Van said when he felt Hitomi walk into his bedroom.
"And what do the Laws say about the first born taking up with the enemy and ignoring his homeland?" Hitomi asked as she walked over to where Van stood by the window and wrapped her arms around his waist, her cheek resting against his back.
"It says I must declare him a traitor." the words closed up Van's throat untill he felt sure he was going to die from the restriction.
"Speak to him first." Hitomi said gently. Her voice freed Van from his own fear and he could breathe again, "Tell him what will happen if he does not return to Fanelia."
"How do you know he will speak with me at all?" Van asked with a frown, "He didn't seem too eager to the other day."
"You surprised him." Hitomi laid one hand flat on Van's stomack as she slid around to stand in front of him, "And he will come if I call."
"You are certain?" her eyes were so clear and so deep. He just hoped to drown in them and be able to forget the world for awhile.
"Yes." Hitomi nodded, "Zaibach wants me on their side. One way or another they will try to get to me but not yet. For now they are hoping that I will come to them. So he will come. He has no choice."
Van nodded slowly, caught between being afraid of Hitomi being too near those that would take her from him and the need to see his brother.
"I will be safe as long as you are with me." Hitomi said, bringing her hand up to his cheek and making him look down at her instead of over her head and out the window, "And I will not leave your side."
On tip toes she kissed his nose and cheeks before kissing his lips.
Hitomi was knew what she was talking about. She was the one who stood back and looked at the big picture before acting. He trusted her with his life.
Van kissed her, running his fingers through her hair as she slid her hands under his shirt and over his lower back.
This was much better than worrying about his brother and his own pain from being ignored by someone who he had loved so much while growing up.
This was now and this was what he needed.
"Stay with me." Van whispered as he moved to kiss her neck.
"Always." Hitomi sighed. His breath against her skin was making her thoughts slower and more distant.
"I don't want to be alone." he moved her towards the bed and she fell back when they reached it, pulling him down with her.
"You won't be." Hitomi promised, pulling him in for another kiss.
Van loved Hitomi's lips. Ever since their first kiss he wanted more of them. So soft and sweet.
Using his elbows to brace himself, Van hovered over Hitomi. She smiled at him and even giggled a bit when he raised and eyebrow at her.
"I don't know about you, but laughing isn't what I feel like doing right now." he said, making her laugh harder.
"And what do you want to do?" she asked with one of those smiles that made him want to kiss her senseless.
"Kiss you untill you can't remember how to stand." he grinned at last, liking his answer.
Laughing she tried to kiss him but only got his chin since he was leaning on his elbows.
"Well then, kiss me." she said and was about to laugh again when he stole her breath with a kiss.
Van moved more onto the bed, forcing Hitomi to move as well even as he refused to stop kissing her. He almost had to stop though when her legs touched his while she scooted back a few more inches. His breath caught and his body froze.
This was much different than kissing on a couch or in a hall. On the couch they sat so close that her legs were usualy over his but they had never realy moved against his own. And in an empty hall they were too concerned with listening for people as they kissed to actualy try anything else.
Hitomi broke the kiss to look up at him, "You alright?" she asked, face pink and eyes bright.
Van nodded and placed his knee between hers. If it made him react that way how would she react?
At once Hitomi flushed a darker shade of pink and she just laid there waiting to see what he was going to do.
Placing all of his weight on one arm, Van brought his hand up to Hitomi's face and brushed her hair aside, "I love you." he whispered, dying to kiss her already. His face was close to hers that he could hear her breathing.
"I love you too." her fingers were lightly tracing circles of his biceps. He was sure she didn't even realize she was doing it but it was driving him crazy.
Less than an inch away from her lips with his hand now sliding along her waist, someone knocked on the door.
"You have got to be kidding me." Van brought his head down quickly, resting his forehead against Hitomi's.
The knock came again.
"Are you going to answer that?" Hitomi asked quietly incase Van was planning to ignore whoever it was.
"I should." he gave her a meaninful look and added, "But I am in no state to speak with anyone." her eyes grew large and her face very pink as she smiled.
"Would you like me to get the door?" she asked, she could feel the heat in her face.
Van nodded and stood quickly when the knock came again, his back to Hitomi as he moved to sit by the fire.
Hitomi straightened her clothes and answered the door once Van opened a book that seemed to have been waiting for him in the chair.
If Doen was surprised that Hitomi was in Van's rooms he didn't show it, "Lord Folken has come and wishes to speak with the both of you."
Hitomi turned to see Van frowning down at the book.
They hadn't even had a chance to discuss what it was they would say to the older Prince.
"We'll be there in a moment. Have him wait in the library." Van said evenly and Doen left very quickly.
"I guess we don't have to call for him after all."
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Van stood and watched as his brother walked over to him.
It was deffinitely his brother. There was no denying that. No one could ever mimic the way Folken stood or even leaned against something. His whole body posture screamed 'royalty'.
"You are courting the Seer!" Folken growled when he was just a foot away from the two.
"And that angers you, why?" Hitomi snapped.
"Because Zaibach will not stand for it." Folken seemed shaken and rather angry.
"Zaibach has no say in who in I court." Van took Hitomi's hand and held it up to show his brother the ring he had given her months ago, "With this she has no equal. She stands higher than any noble and even most royalty, including you, dear brother. She only answers to the King who has given her this ring. Zaibach can say what it will but I am breaking no laws where as they seem to have broken quite a few."
"This gets in the way of the Master's plans." Folken said it as though they should be scared of the words.
"Your Master will just have to live with it." Hitomi said, stepping closer to Van's side.
"But you two together will be a hurdle. He will not let you stand in his way." Folken reached forward to take Hitomi's arm, "You have to come with me before this gets out of hand."
As soon as his fingers closed around Hitomi's lower arm he snatched his hand back as though he had been burned.
"I am not going anywhere." Hitomi said quietly and evenly, making the older man take a step back, "Nor will I let you or anyone else bully me into anything."
Folken pulled off the glove of his right hand and showed her the metal hand and arm he had earned that day the Dragon nearly killed him, "That trick won't work on this."
"Thanks for the warning." Hitomi said mockingly as Folken reached for her again.
He couldn't get close enough to grab her. His hand just kept moving off to the side, missing her skin by inches.
"Time for you to leave." Van said, stepping in front of Hitomi, "Tell your Master that Fanelian will not be ruled by just anyone. His opinions and plans have no power here."
Folken was looking past Van to Hitomi as he turned for the door.
"And tomorrow you will be delcared a traitor and you will not be welcome in Fanelia without my express invitation." Van said, keeping himslef between the woman he loved and his brother.
He had all his questions answered with just this small talk.
He may have missed Folken and been hurt by his indiffernce but he would always choose Hitomi over his brother.
Hitomi refused to take orders from others. She refused to be anything other than what she was.
On the other hand, his brother was changed. This was no longer the Folken he'd known. Folken had always been brave and honest and very polite to Ladies and yet there he stood sounding distressed about his Master's ill feeeling towards Van and Hitomi when the old Folken would have been offering them protection and praise for their happiness. Van had never seen Floken unnerved about anything. And then Folken had tried to forcefully make Hitomi leave with him. That shocked Van more than Hitomi's method for not being touched.
The scarey thing about it all was that Van hadn't been able to move to defend Hitomi. He had been so shocked by Folken's change of character that he hadn't even been able to react when Folken reached for the Seer. For Hitomi.
And the metal arm had made his stomack twist unpleasantly.
Van followed his brother all the way to the doors and stood there as the older man marched out and over to his horse.
Folken didn't even look back at them as he rode off.
Van turned around to see that many of the servants and guards had come to see if it was truely the older Prince. Most of then looked as though they had seen a ghost and others looked confused.
A gentle hand on his arm led him to the stairs and up to his room. He barely felt like he was moving. It was like walking in a dream. Nothing felt real and yet everything was too vivid to be fake.
Van looked at Hitomi as she helped him to lay back on his bed. When she pulled a blanket over him he stared up at the ceiling.
He felt like he should be more upset over just cutting all ties with his brother but all he felt was relief that he had been able to do it in the first place.
"I feel like it didn't even happen." he said, feeling Hitomi climb onto the bed next to him.
"It may take awhile to feel more real." Hitomi laid down next to him and placed her head on his shoulder, "I felt that way about seeing my parents again. It took awhile for it to be real to me that that had all happened and that I hadn't just dreamed it up."
Hitomi moved like she was going to sit up and Van grabbed her.
"Please don't leave." he was almost begging.
"I wasn't going to." she said gently, "I was just moving closer. Is that ok?"
"Yes." Van relaxed his grip on Hitomi's arms and let her slide closer before wrapping his arms around her, making sure she wasn't going to leave.
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Van didn't think he'd even be able to fall asleep. The reality of the danger that more than likely wasn't far from his front steps had settled in his thoughts. Hitomi was in danger becasue she loved him and he was putting her in danger because he was in love with her. Zaibach wanted her and they didn't want Hitomi to be with Van.
Van didn't even want to think about how Zaibach may go about getting Hitomi to work with them.
He woke to Hitomi rolling over in her sleep.
The moon was nearly full and he could see nearly the entire room perfectly. He could see Hitomi perfectly.
He didn't remember her getting up at all but she was indeed dressed in a nightshirt which meant he was probably asleep long before she was. His boots and socks had been taken off aswell as his belt. He was sad that he had slept through that part.
For some reason it made him very happy to see that it looked to be one of his own nightshirts that she was wearing.
He felt almost silly realizing that after the evening they had had all it took to lift his spirits was to see Hitomi asleep next to him.
Moving slowly so he wouldn't wake her Van slid close to her and placed his lips on her ear. A kiss so gentle, he would have been surprised if she felt it all, was placed on her ear and then another on her jawline.
"Thank you for staying." he whispered against her cheek.
She stretched, eyes closed, and Van smiled as she made a noise in the back of her throat.
"You're welcome." she said groggily, reaching for him.
"Is that my shirt?" he asked, feeling her snuggle closer.
"Mmm hmm." she still hadn't opened her eyes.
"Good." he kissed her hair and tried not think too hard on the fact that a nightshirt meant she had changed in his room.
"I had a dream about Folken." she mumbled into his neck.
"Yea?"
"Yup. He was standing in front of a big metal orb. He was talking to it. Some one else was there too." she frowned in the moonlight and opened her eyes at last, "They didn't know I was there."
"Why would they?" Van asked.
"Cause they were looking for me." she looked Van in the eye, "The orb was suppose to find me but it failed."
"Did they mention me at all?" Van rubbed Hitomi's back as she leaned on him.
"Yea. They called you the Dragon. They couldn't find you either." Hitomi laid her head on Van's chest to think.
He could feel her breathing as he ran his hand in a circle over and over again on her back.
"Zaibach has something that can show them what they want to see." she said slowly, "That must be how Folken knew you and I were together."
"And now it's not working." Van said as Hitomi looked at him again.
"Not on us at least." she shrugged and moved up onto the pillow next to Van.
"I say that's a good thing." Van smiled at her.
"Me too."
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A/N: Ok, hope you all liked it. I'm wicked tired and pretty much frozen. The wind is so bad here and it's been snowing off and on.
Please review. Feel free to send me any suggestions you might have. I love hearing from you all.