I have made some changes in the plot and added this chapter. Because of that the next one will be perhaps a bit shorter, but I'll do my best. I just didn't wanted to practically end things and not explaining why and some other little details important for the next chapter.
It was awkward to Van watch as his people accept Hitomi as one of them while they acted very cold and held back around Marissa. The princess ignored it and acted like that was completely normal. And in a way it was. People were always acting politely around royalty, but in this case the politeness was not far away from abhor.
And that mood only enhanced among the people as the year progressed and the day of the royal wedding came closer.
The palace was only months away from being completely restored, as was most of the city when a levi-ship from Ezgardia arrived unannounced. Van wasn't at least surprised though. He had expected the king to come personally and put pressure on him.
King Mason Ezgar was a tall man with very strict face expression. He had a beard like most of the Gaean rulers had and was dressed in finest clothing a king can afford. Unfortunately he had arrived in summer so that style of dressing was unpractical.
"Welcome to Fanelia king Ezgar." Van greeting him warmly as he walked in the throne room followed by his second wife and daughter who greeted him on the landing docks.
"It is good to be here." He answered politely and right away got to business "I am sure you know why I'm here."
"Yes." Van said back calmly "But perhaps you should rest from the trip first before we talk about such an important matter."
The older ruler seemed pleased with those words and followed the servant to the chambers that were prepared for them. When he leaf the chamber Van stumbled back in the throne and took a deep breath. He was facing a hard several days.
First preview of that was during dinner on the same day.
Young queen Sylliana was only five years older then her stepdaughter and looked like Marissas older sister. Some thought it was scandalous for the king to marry someone so much younger then he is while the others greeted that decision. Those were usually other kings. Van simply ignored it.
The meal was rather quite until young queen remembered something she meant to ask her future son-in-law "Do all servants in your palace ignore direct orders or just that one girl?"
Van looked at her confused "What girl?" he asked although a part of his mind was screaming an answer.
"That scrawny little thing with boyish hair." Sylliana said and Marissa covered her mouth with her hand to hide the wide grin.
Van sighed "She isn't a maid in this palace but a guest."
"Guests leave Van." Marissa suddenly interrupted what ever her stepmother wanted to say "She's been here for a year now."
"And she is welcome to stay another year if she wants." Van said turning his attention to his fiancé.
Sylliana nodded and smiled wickedly "Ah, she is your mistress then."
Years of training prevented Van from snapping on her after those words. Instead he looked at her and seriously said "Hitomi is no ones mistress."
"She must be very close to you if you defend her like that." The woman just didn't know when to let go.
"I am defending her because she deserves it. Hitomi was next to me during the whole war and deserves respect for everything she has done."
Sylliana just lifted a brow and continued to eat. And if Van believed in just a second things can't get any worse he will soon realize just how wrong he was.
Next morning the maid walked into Van's chamber to make the bed, as early as every day, but the difference this time was Van was still in his chamber. The older woman stepped back shocked by the kings presence and bowed "Forgive me my lord, I did not expect you to still be here."
"It's alright Sina, I was just leaving. I don't want to keep you from doing what you need to do." Van muttered and made the maid smile.
"It is alright lord Van." The old woman smiled fondly. She knew her king since he was a toddler and was since then in charge of his chambers. She watched as he reached for the doorknob before suddenly asking "My lord, why is young lady Hitomi leaving the palace?"
Van turned to her and blinked "She's what?!"
Sina then realized the king knew nothing about it "Well… the maid that is in charge for that wing told me just minutes ago lady Hitomi was packing. She didn't want to ask her why, but is curious. And frankly so are others that heard about it."
Van was silent for a moment before nodding to the woman "Thank you for telling me about it. I'll go to see her right away."
But Van didn't get far. He just turned behind the corner when a female voice called his name. Turning around he saw Marissa and her stepmother going his way. He waited politely for them even though he wanted to run all the way to Hitomi's room and see what's going on.
"Van, we wanted to talk to you about the ceremony. I heard it's quite boring and wanted to suggest-" Van cut her off before Marissa managed to say what ever she wanted.
"The Fanelian wedding ceremony has been the same for centuries and will not change just because you want it. Plus, the wedding won't be held until the kingdom is rebuild." He said in a single breath and caused a look of shock on the faces of two females "And now if you excuse me I have something I need to do."
"If by 'something you need to do' you mean getting that Hitomi to stay in the palace you might as well stay here." queen Sylliana said "Oh, and the wedding will be held in two weeks. The invitations have already been send and some of the responses already arrived."
Van stood frozen by the arrogance of the Ezgardian queen. He didn't say a word but simply walked away as planed. He only hoped he wasn't too late and will be able to talk to Hitomi before she leaves the palace.
The luck was with him, probably the first time that day. Hitomi just opened the door when he lifted his hand to knock. Emerald eyes grew wide at the sight of the young king before she lowered her head and stepped back to the chamber. Van walked in and closed the door.
"I know why you came and I can tell you right now it's useless. I made up my mind already." She said calmly not daring to look at Van. If she did she would see how sad her words left him.
"If you already made your decision to return on the Mystic Moon will you at least tell me why?"
Hitomi shook her head and answered "I'm not going back on Earth. I have made a choice to stay on Gaea a year ago." Van looked at her confused but before he managed to say anything she continued "I'm simply leaving the palace. I'll be living in the city."
"Where in the city?" Van asked concerned for her safety. But when Hitomi remained silent Van grew angry "You will not be living in some inn! I won't allow that! You deserve more!"
Hitomi looked up at him, her anger matching his "But you will allow your betrothed patronizing me, behaving like I was… like I was… Is that what I deserve?"
Van was speechless. Marissa had gone really too far this time; she knew that with her parents here Van wouldn't say anything that might 'upset' her. But this won't remain just like that. Looking at Hitomi seriously he ordered "Don't move from this spot!" before he left the room. On his way to the chambers where the Ezgardian royal family was he came across of Folken who heard about the wedding in two weeks. Van didn't say anything about that but told his brother to prevent Hitomi from leaving.
Van didn't even bother to knock before stepping in the guest room. As he thought Marissa was there, standing in the middle of the room in a white dress. Upon seeing him she become hysteric "Van! It's bad luck to see the wedding dress before the wedding day! Leave now!"
But the young king ignored her screams and turned his attention to the father of the future bride "I don't know who of you persuaded Hitomi to leave the palace or how. But I can tell you that if she makes one step out of the palace ground I will cancel this farce of the wedding." He was dead serious but that didn't mean the older kind didn't dare to oppose him.
"You can't. Your father agreed-" but the king didn't managed to finish that thought.
"My father had no right to do that after he himself went against his advisers and married my mother."
Queen Sylliana frowned "You should show some respect to your own father."
"And you should show respect to the ruler in whose country you are." He said back "And arranging a wedding and setting a date months too soon and behind my back is completely opposite of it."
None of them muttered a word until Van left the room to talk to Hitomi once more. Then they started to talk how insulting his words were. Something Van couldn't care less about at the moment.
As he hoped Folken really kept Hitomi from leaving, or rather Naria and Eriya. When he walked in the room he saw Hitomi sitting on a chair stiffly with two leopard-women standing on each side with their claws glistering on the morning sun.
"That's not what I had in mind when I said you should prevent her from leaving." He raised an eyebrow on the sight.
Folken chuckled "She's still here, isn't she?"
Van just shook his head and watch as three people left the room leaving him alone with the girl still sitting on the chair. Hitomi's expression changed from annoyance to something Van couldn't really identify.
He walked to the vanity table and lifted the box that was on it. He recognized it right away "This belongs to you." He said sadly and lifted the lid. The beautiful green stone right away caught the light and glistered in the same color as Hitomi's eyes.
But Hitomi remained silent. What should she say? I don't want it? She wanted the beautiful necklace Van gave her for her sixteenth Birthday although she treasured the mere feather he gave her for the fifteenth more.
Van kneeled down on the floor in front of her and laced the box on her lap. Hitomi looked into his eyes and saw just how sad he was. But just as she opened her mouth a knock on the door interrupted her.
It was one of the maids "Your majesty, the advisers are gathered in the meeting room."
Van was really irritated by now "Tell them the meeting is postponed to afternoon." His voice left no space for discussion, not that a maid would ever talk back anyway. Turning his attention back to the girl in front of him Van saw the tears that gathered in her eyes.
"Hitomi…" he whispered sadly.
"Two weeks." She mumbled "I'll stay for another two weeks, but after the wedding… I can't stay here anymore… I can't… I won't… You will be with her then and…"
Van closed his eyes and took a deep breath "Two weeks." He repeated.