Hello there. Port-Call Post! Siting in a USO in NYC to edit and post this. Go on, lets skip the formalities and jump right into it.

Chapter 3- New Normal

Days turned into a week, then two. Everything settled into a routine, and the small motley company came together. Because the need for information trumped that of speed in this case, we would be traveling by foot mostly. There was a small mercenary leviship available, but it was only used to hop us across the sea and Chatal Mountains, cutting our travel time from months to weeks. Flying the whole way wasn't quite the level of stealth we needed to figure out Zaibach's motive without alerting them to Asturia's movement.

The yorkels were used to move supplies and reserved for forward scouts and messengers back to the main army camp. In total there was less than twenty of us which kept the pretense of a party of normal travelers, mercenaries maybe, but not a military unit. Van could have ridden due to his station, but the boy preferred to travel without notice. As it turned out he'd made his way to Austuria with a group of merchants that passed through Fanelia, from Daedalus in the north, before making their way to the tournament.

Anyone from his country would have recognized him, as Allen had. The blond knight as it turns out volunteered to command this mission. He'd been to the small country before. Back then it was as escort to the Princesses on a royal visit when he first joined the Elite Guard, now it was to return Van home and report Zaibach's movements.

I was lucky to have the young king keeping me close. After a short time, the rest of the party accepted my presence, and the job he'd given me kept me both occupied and unnoticed. I wove seamlessly into everything staying near the boy my age, but with the freedom to move through the group without arising unwanted attention. Mostly I ran small tasks for him to keep me busy. My real responsibility we kept between just the two of us.

Whenever I had a vision, I'd tell him. From there the wild-haired boy would sort through the information and relay it to Allen; as though he'd remembered things from his first trek, or noticed an issue as we traveled now. Mostly it was things like a bridge near the Castello fort in total disrepair that would have collapsed under our party. A river which had flooded and was dangerous from a recent rain. Or as we drew closer to Fanelia's boarder an increasing number of Zaibach scouts that we were able to avoid.

The accuracy of this information started to gather whispers of unnatural powers. When Allen heard these mutterings, he put a swift end to them. Saying that Van was only observant, and they should take notice and follow his example. Though how much of this he really believed was hard to tell. I on the other hand had gained the nickname of being the king's shadow. If only they knew he actually had one, but only I could see it.

Part of me had hoped that just being here would help negate the negative energy following the boy around, but it hadn't changed anything. Except maybe how much I wanted our mission to succeed. Van may always be a mystery to me, but I felt comfortable around him. I had finally begun to understand his silence not as moodiness, but awkwardness. Sure, he could voice his opinion without problem when the occasion called for it, though more often then not he kept apart from the others, allowing the knight leadership despite the obvious gap in rank.

When we first started this journey, he'd accused me of only helping him to get a reward. Once the shock wore off and my hand stopped stinging, I'd told him to think twice before accusing the one person with nothing to gain.

In a way I hadn't been fully honest. There wasn't anything physical that I wanted from him. Truthfully, he'd already given me the only thing I'd ever wanted, freedom to be myself without fear.

Despite my original hesitation to be at the personal beck and call of the young king, I found the tasks fit right within my capabilities. Mostly it was about ensuring he had what was needed from food and supplies to messages. If he'd ridden a yorkle for travel; taking care of the tack would have been one of my jobs, but mostly I managed his belongings, which weren't excessive. The hardest task I had was making sure he ate, as he tended to wake up before the rest of the camp and disappear as soon as we stopped for the evening.

It was my responsibility to keep track of the guy I may never be entirely used to calling King. To me he seemed like any other boy my age, well mostly. The royalty in Asturia dressed the part and held themselves with an almost regal air, Van was just Van. Talking as plainly as he dressed. Those times he'd separate himself from the rest of the company I would find him practicing alone. Working through the motions of various forms, some I recognized and others I didn't.

The loss to Allen might still weigh heavily on his narrow shoulders, or the reality of returning home to a country under enemy control. One day we'd had a rather rough trek through the foothills, where the terrain was covered in small rocks that tended to slip and slide from under foot. By the time we stopped to set up camp the entire party was ready to collapse.

Even I was sore, having used muscles I hadn't known I owned. Walking miles every day was a far cry from the stagnant life of a Lord's daughter. My time before was spent more indoors than out and that amount increased as my abilities grew in strength. Riding was one of the very few things I'd still done to remain active, and that was just around the estate.

That evening I struggled to raise the tent, one of my responsibilities which gave me more hassle some days than others. I'd barely gotten the posts set when Van flung his trunk open, lifting out an unstrung bow and quiver of plain arrows.

"What are you doing?" I asked lapsing into the comfortable speech that was only used when the two of us where alone together, like using his first name without title.

"Going to practice." He responded shortly and without preamble left the tent. Curious I found myself following in his wake into the thin scrubby trees just past the edge of the camp.

"Aren't you tired?" The question came out breathy from the slight upward path we were taking.

"Sure, I am," Van responded quickly, without pause in his smooth stride. "But an enemy isn't going to give you a break if you're tired."

He had a point there. Shortly after that we stopped and he turned in a circle checking the area, with a nod to himself more than me Van set down the full quiver and started to string his bow. I watched as the tight muscles in his bare arms strained with the task.

Those deep eyes met mine with a question I couldn't quite read, but I still found myself blushing slightly from being caught studying him.

"I'll be here for a while. You can go back." He stated evenly and without comment to my flushed cheeks.

Turning to go I found myself hesitating. As the first arrow was nocked, I asked, "Can I stay and watch?"

He eased the string back into a released position without firing and looked at me. "I guess," After a short pause he added "In that case can you mark that tree for me?" His words were followed with a piece of chalk tossed through the air.

I just barely caught it and was surprised to find the short white rock still warm from being kept in his pocket. Following his directing I drew a cross mark on the smooth bark of one of the larger trees and scrambled back towards where he stood.

He drew back again, tension tight along his shoulders, sighting down the arrow shaft. With a slight pause in his breathing the arrow was released, cutting sharply through the air. With a thwack the head impacted the tree trunk just to one side of the center mark. Again, and again he fired, not rushed, but at a steady pace that made my arms hurt just looking at it.

When he'd run though the quiver, I jogged to the tree pulling the arrows without being asked. As I handed them back Van took all but one from me.

"Would you like to try?" The thoughtful question made me pause.

Nice upper-class girls in Austuria don't learn archery, but then again, they also wouldn't chop off their hair and run off to join the army. The fascination I had with the skill was still there from the day of the tournament and watching Van now made me almost itch to see what it felt like.

"Can I?" Maybe I expected him to retract the offer, but instead the bow was held out for me to take. The smooth wood weapon felt warm to the touch, as though some of Van's bottomless energy was stored there.

Slightly nervous I tried to mirror the position he'd been in and lifted the bow into position. The motions Van did seem so smooth, but with me they were awkward and slow. Before I could even get the string back all the way, which was a struggle on its own, a hand on my arm stopped me.

"You need to widen your stance," He instructed smoothly. "Turn your hips so that you form a straight line pointed at your target."

I tried to follow his instruction, and as I pulled on the taunt string he moved behind me, adjusting my arm holding the fletched end level with my shoulder, and lowering the other down a fraction. The muscles in my arms and shoulders strained with the weight of the bow. It was made for someone far stronger than me.

The presence at my back was calm, though I could feel a tension in the air brewing in the small space between us. "Take a small breath, hold it and release." His words by my ear blew a tingling warmth for only a second, but it almost made me let the arrow go right then.

Trying to calm down I followed his instruction, taking in a shallow breath and holding it for a second to sight down the length of the shaft. The arrow flew quick and hit just to the right of the mark, in an area already full of divots from his earlier attempts.

"Not bad," Van said, and I looked at him excitement filling my chest. "Really good for a first try." The complement was nice and not at all expected.

"Can I try again?" I almost begged glad to find something that I honestly found interesting.

He gave a small surprised laugh that I liked almost as much as my first taste of archery.

"Best not to," Van held his hand out for the bow which I returned reluctantly. "It is made for my pull strength, and I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself." He explained smoothly.

I watched him run through the number of arrows one more time before we headed back to camp for dinner. This time I tried to take note of every little detail. The way his fingers held the arrow. How those lean arms angled right before firing. Even the smallest change in stance. Storing the knowledge away for the next opportunity I would have to try again.

While we ate, I kept feeling Van's eyes on me. That night the strange boy told me to turn in early, insisting that he wanted to sit around the campfire for a little bit longer. Normally I might have stayed out with him; listening to the crew tell stories and enjoying the silent company of the raven-haired boy. I was tired though from the rough trek and expected the next day to be more of the same. So, I turned in, falling asleep in a dark tent by myself.

When I woke in the morning Van was already up for the day which was normal but laying across the foot of my cot was something entirely new. A bow made of light wood with a shorter length than the one Van used. Full of excitement I dressed quickly and grabbed the weapon, noting the greenness to it that told of the recentness to its construction.

I left the camp knowing where I would find him. True to form Van was already up the rocky slope, and halfway through a quiver of arrows. Before I could rethink my action, I'd already done it. My arms wrapping around his slim body and pulling the startled boy into a sudden embrace. After a second the hand not holding his own bow came up to pat me almost awkwardly on the shoulder until I released him.

"So, you like it then," Van said with a slightly lopsided smile quirking up his full lips.

"I love it," I responded grinning back.

"Good," He looked away, and for a second I thought he might be blushing, but it was gone before I could really tell. "You should find that one more to your liking."

We spent the remainder of the morning practicing together, and though my arms were weak from overuse by the time we packed up camp I was glowing with joy. This was the first time I found something I was good at that I didn't have to hide. In the back of my mind I knew that the intention was to shoot enemies, which I never planned on doing, but still it was something that made me happy.

Some evenings before bed we'd fletch more arrows together. Though mine started out messy, but they like my shooting improved quickly. Soon I was included more by the camp, because I wasn't just a page, now I could be useful as an archer in a bind. It was nice to have common ground with these men, who I honestly liked. It was strange that I could be more myself with people that didn't actually know the real me.

I lay on my narrow wood framed cot on the opposite side of the tent from where Van was, he'd hung a sheet between our spaces as though I wasn't sleeping near a boy not part of my family. He'd always been considerate of giving me a chance to change or clean up without interference. I was probably one of the only people in this camp with that luxury.

Unable to sleep I stared up at the darkened fabric that counted as a roof; and thought about which Hitomi was the real me. The girl who lived in fear of what people would think if they knew the truth, and the one that hid her identity but felt freedom instead of shame. Every day I missed my family, and wished they knew that I was safe and happy. Still I knew it was for the best I never left a note or idea of where I'd gone. They wouldn't have let me do this. It was too dangerous. Sure, I had an ally but what if others found out, how far would he go to protect my secret?

"Van, are you awake," I spoke quietly into the darkness.

I heard him shift, rolling over to face the fabric separation that portioned off the space. After a minute of further silence, I started to think that the movement had been while he still rested, then his voice came a soft reply.

"Did you see something?" I kind of wish I had, though I'd seen things to help on our journey nothing was really that important. I knew he was disappointed I couldn't tell him anything about his people inside the seized city.

"No," I hesitated before continuing. "I couldn't sleep and thought you might be the same." We'd crossed into his lands earlier that morning, and there had been a heated disagreement between him and Allen on seeking help from the Wolf tribe in the northern forest.

"Yeah," He agreed without elaborating, which wasn't odd for him.

"I don't know much about Fanelia, what is it like?" I asked, when I tried to imagine the small country nothing came, like I was being shielded by the land itself.

"It's not something as easy to describe like the lay of the land," He trailed off seemingly deep in thought.

Without knowing why, I reached out and pulled the sheet aside a little. Maybe I just wanted to see his face as he talked, but there was something more to it than that. Van lay on his side facing me with one arm propping his head up, the long line of his lean body draped loosely under a thin blanket. I already knew he slept wearing pants but not a shirt, but it was something else to see the smooth chest and deceptively narrow shoulders. Somehow, I know he'll grow into a handsome man, athletic and broad-shouldered. Still the boy he was now was quite attractive and I had been trying not to notice.

"To the west lay land where the dragons roam." I had to blink away the thoughts of him and focus back on the words he said. "Thick forests to the north were the tribes live. Mountains to the north, south and east. Rolling field connecting everything."

I closed my eyes and just let the images that accompanied his words play there on the inside of my dark eyelids. "The capitol lay in a valley on one side with cliffs nestled against the other three. It's more than a place though. The way freshly turned earth smells can't be described. Nor can the feel of excitement on the air."

I saw a narrow pass lined with tall cliff walls, and a river shining below, a shimmering snake cutting through rock over countless years. It was like walking through the center of a mountain, it seemed to be split straight down as though the crack was never meant to be there and still go on forever. Cresting a hill, the world opens up into a city nestled between rolling grasses and shear rock walls, like a priceless pearl in the center of a large oyster. A huge fortified wall runs from one side to another separating the city from the green expanse before it. The houses and shops build upwards towards a huge palace crowned with ancient trees cushioning it from the rocky walls. Tall and white with roofs of varying height the color of a cloudless sky.

Gasping my eyes shot open and I must have propelled myself into a sitting position. I heard Van move swiftly through the dark space between us, rustling as the curtain was pushed roughly aside.

"What is it?" He asked face suddenly close to mine, too close.

The soaring feeling of taking in the full view like from upon great wings still had my heart thumping wildly.

"I saw it," I panted as though I'd run all the way back from the Valley City. "Fanelia, with it's blue roofed palace and painted training grounds. The houses climbing from the main wall across to each cliffside."

His hand reached out for me, but froze as if afraid touching me would break the spell. "Can you see it as it is now or how it was in the past?" I hear the quaver of hope in the normally smooth voice. He needs news of his people more than a drowning man burns for air.

I close my eyes and try to pull on the thread connecting me to the city, but the more I grasp for it the faster it unravels. Not wanting to let him down I keep trying. Brows furrowed, hands going to the pendent around my neck I never removed. The pink stone felt warm against my fingers.

There wasn't a blueish tinge that told me that it was the past, but it was also daytime, not a memory or current time. Future maybe, but not far off possibly the next day even.

"Talk to me," I demanded desperation in my voice. "Tell me about the city."

"The streets are paved in sandstone," He grasped for information randomly, but it doesn't have the wistful emotional quality of his earlier speech. Desperate I reached for him, my fingers brushing the smooth skin, I felt his shoulder tense under the light touch. Eyes still squeezed tightly shut I moved my hand down until my palm pressed over the steady thudding of his heart. Where the blood of Fanelia flowed with each strong beat.

Images flashed, fragmented and disjointed. Again, I saw the large metal trimmed wooden gates, but this time I could see they were closed. The long outer wall shows bricks in places where the pale plaster has cracked away by years and weather. Wooden windmills turn lazily in the slow breeze, but that's not the only thing moving with the air currents, large banners of white trimmed with a boarder of black are hung from the fortified wall. A gold, black and red crest that reminds me of an evil eye or some unreadable symbol; the symbol of the Zaibach Empire.

With a sharp intake of air, I opened my eyes slowly this time, slightly dizzy. Van's face was so close, yet I didn't have the strength to pull away. Weak and sick from forcing the vision. I drooped forward, my hand still on his bare chest, as if I could pull the strength there into my body. Those arms stronger then they look wrapped around me, pressing the front of my body to his in an unusually intimate embrace.

My head rested on his shoulder and the heat radiating could have been Van's natural warmth, or it might have been burning from my own hot cheeks. I didn't have the strength to pull away, and a part of me, a dangerous little voice, didn't want to.

"You feel ice cold," He murmured, and I just barely noticed I was shivering.

I tried to speak, to tell him what I saw, but my mouth felt dry and tongue impossibly thick. Unable to protest I felt him shift, pulling my weight into his arms fully, legs dangling uselessly in the air as Van stood. In a few long strides he was back on his side of the tent, and as he laid me on one edge of his slightly wider cot I knew what he was about to do.

Silently the thoughtful boy retrieved my blankets and climbed onto the narrow space next to me. It was a snug fit, and I could feel the long line of his leanly muscular body against mine. Suddenly mortified I realized I didn't wear a vest to sleep and my chest was pressed into his, soft against hard. This was highly inappropriate, but somehow, I didn't want to be anywhere else.

"Just sleep," Van murmured softly into my short hair.

I felt my eyes sinking lower and lower, losing the fight to stay awake. The way my head rested on his shoulder, cradled protectively, along with the steady rhythm of his heart began to lull me into the land of dreams. Before I could pass into oblivion I tried to speak again, this time succeeding

"Fanelia, looks whole." I slur my words slightly, like the time I drank too much sweet vino at a dinner party. "No smoke or damage, just Zaibach banners and sealed gates."

I felt something tense in Van relax for the first time since he heard the news of enemy attack. In a way it looks like his people didn't put up a fight and that was awful, but if they were safe it meant all they might need to rise up would be a rallying point. He could do that, inspire his people to throw off their new oppressors.

It felt as though he whispered something into my hair that might just have been, "Thank you Hitomi."

Then I sank into dreams about a city surrounded by cliffs. A place where I've never been. The quality of everything felt so real, as though I was there walking on the stone paved streets, climbing the long expanse of steps upwards towards the training grounds and tall palace above the city center. Strangely no one was visible on any of the streets, and it gave an eerie atmosphere that I didn't like. It was just after sunrise the city should be waking for the day, but it was as still as the dead of night.

Loud boot steps marched down the empty area, echoing. I wanted to hide but all the doors and windows where shut tight. I was in the middle of the stairway upward with no place to go when the Armored Zaibach soldiers came into view. They didn't pause, not seeing me, as though I were a ghost. There in spirit only. Continuing past me I followed them up the rest of the way, feeling like an odd little duckling trailing behind these unwanted invaders.

When I reached the training grounds, I found several more companies of foot soldiers like the ones I'd followed. Beyond them was a battalion of blue armored Guymelefs, their long dark capes lined with purple. With one exception a blood red suit that stood sentinel in front of the others, a commander maybe.

The pilot chamber opened of the crimson suit and surprisingly a boy of similar age and build of Van descended. Other than initial similarities the two were complete opposites, shining silver hair and pale skin stood out almost as much as the blood red eyes glinting as they looked around Fanelia dismissively.

I was so focused on the fighter in the black and red uniform that the two columns of similarly dressed blue armored soldiers had disengaged their suits as well and stood ready for orders. These were not like the low-level privates that marched the streets, that much I could tell on sight.

"What this backwater little town has of value is lost on me." The albino leader sneered, thin lips twisting unpleasantly. "Strategos seems to think this show of force is necessary to get what we want. Whatever this Escaflowne is it better be worth it."

Trying soak as much information as possible to report back to Van I almost didn't notice the Palace doors open. Not until a neko a few years older than Mamoru launched herself at the red pilot from that direction.

Moving with trained skill the blue fighters reacted as a cohesive unit intercepting the pink haired girl easily.

Turning with a laugh the one with silver hair gave a flicking motion with one hand and instantly the other's stepped back releasing the cat-eared girl. Still they remained near enough to restrain her if she were to attack their leader again.

"What have I done to upset you little kitty?" He taunted, and her striped tail puffed out in anger. "We've come peacefully. All we expect is a little cooperation."

"You're a liar!" She shouted back, no fear for her own safety in those flashing blue eyes. "Lord Van isn't dead!"

I woke with the shrill sound of his laughter in my ears. Disoriented I realized I was on the wrong side of the tent in Van's bed not my own. Last night came back in a rush. My poor reaction to trying to force a vision and how the raven-haired boy had carried, held, and warmed me as I drifted off to sleep. The premonition hadn't been done with me though and the power of it controlled my dreams, showing what I wanted and so much more.

The one person I had to see right this second while all the information was fresh in my mind was missing though. He'd obviously slept next to me at least for a time but now all the blankets were tucked around me like a cocoon. Struggling out of the confines of the covers I shot out of the tent without thinking.

Finding Van was the most important thing right then, but where to look first? I closed my eyes, placing the image of the stubborn, thoughtful, confusing boy in the front of my mind. With a flash I turned towards the woods surrounding our small camp. It was just after sunrise and what I'd seen had been actively happening.

Into the trees I trudged, shoeless and still in my night clothes. The large shirt fell nearly to my knees and billowed around my movements. Following my internal sense of direction and the light sound of movement I found him. Wearing his normal tan and red outfit Van stood with his back facing me, his stance firm. With sweeping graceful movements he sliced through the air with the keen edge of a crested sword I'd never seen drawn before.

Finishing the form Van sheathed his sword and turned to face me. Somehow, he'd known I was there. Must have been the noise I made while tromping around like a wounded beast. He hadn't expected to see me standing in the woods wearing only an overlarge shirt. His deep mahogany eyes went wide as though I'd hit him, again.

Recovering from the shock he looked around checking to see that we were alone before rounding on me.

"Have you gone insane?" The question wasn't unfounded, so I didn't have an excuse. "Don't forget you are a girl and can't just go walking around half dressed."

"I haven't forgotten," I hissed back temper flaring in retaliation. "You must have just remembered, because otherwise you wouldn't have slept in the same bed as me last night."

His ears went scarlet and I could just hear him mumble, "I would never hold a boy like that, just you Hitomi."

Taken a back I realized he only called me by my real name when we didn't have to hide, which was normally only in the tent late at night when the rest of the camp slept. Every other time I was still Hiro. My heart began to race so fast I felt lightheaded. What did he mean by that? Did he have feelings other than budding friendship towards me? How could we continue to live together if things were changing between us?

Pushing that all aside I launched into the real reason I'd nearly run out of the tent to find him. Everything came spilling out. What it was like inside of the occupied city, and how the citizens were reacting to the control of Zaibach. How many soldiers I saw both patrolling the streets and formed up in the training yard. Explaining the elite pilots and their haughty leader I stumbled over the information my stomach twisting at the memory. His fists balled into tight fists when I recounted the pink haired neko girl's angry attack.

We now knew how Zaibach had taken over so easily. When Van disappeared, they spread a story that he was dead, using the confusion to take control of the small isolated country. They weren't after trade goods or dragon land after all, but something called Escaflowne.

When I got to that part of the story Van let out a humorless laugh. "Good thing I hid it before traveling to Asturia."

I could only blink at this unusual reaction. Until he elaborated.

"It's the ancient guardian of Fanelia." Still I didn't understand, so with a sigh Van gently took my arm and started leading me back towards the camp. "Escaflowne is a Guymelef only the king of Fanelia can use, and I did. Took it to leave the city with, because it has a flight mode. It was too easy to recognize so I hid it in a place only I know about."

All I could do was gape at this boy. He'd gone that far to attend the tournament. Taking a priceless armor and hiding it so no one would find out. As it happened the Zaibach Empire was willing to start a war over something that wasn't even there. Which was also why they were still occupying the country by force, hoping to discover where it was located.

"How do we tell Allen any of this? It's way beyond what we've been informing the party about." I asked in a hurried whisper, as Van finished checking to see if I could safely return to the tent without being seen.

His face was grim as he shoved me through the tent flap. "We can't."

I froze just inside the space that should have been empty; but wasn't. Outside the tent was safe, but the interior most certainly was not.

"Can't tell me what?" The gallant knight stood just inside the small space I normally shared with Van. His expression serious as he took in my unbecoming attire and the young king's hands still on my back. We are caught, there isn't any other way around this. "How about why I've just received word from Palas that Lord Kanzaki's daughter was abducted the night of the tournament. Now I find her standing in the middle of my camp half naked. What do you have to say for yourselves?" Anger simmered below his mask of calm.

I must have looked terrified and guilty, because my expression was mirrored on Van's face. Normally so tan he'd gone strangely pale. Being caught in a compromising position my not have exposed my secret or his, but my reputation was beyond ruined. I'd been reckless and now there was no way to come out of this without losing the freedom I've come to enjoy.

My heart sank like a stone. Even without precognitive abilities I knew what would happen next. So, why did the thought of being sent home hurt so much?

To be continued…

A/N- Well they aren't exactly stealthy. Took two weeks for Allen to find them out, but he had some suspicions. Hitomi did not leave a note. She missed her family and felt guilty that they might be worried, but she also was really enjoying her new life. This chapter was mostly about the interaction between her and Van. He started teaching her archery, and that was really fun to write. It helped her fit in more, though she doesn't quite understand the young king and his contradictions the draw is there, but they don't know it's more than friendship.

We see inside Fanelia for the first time. Dilandau and Merle made appearances. I hope you like it. Can't wait to see what you think.