Draconian Chronicles:
Part Three Wings of the Heart
Hitomi slowly opened her eyes and saw a small bonfire. She felt her back was wrapped in bandages, and felt the throbbing pain. She tried to sit up, but couldn't quiet move. She gritted her teeth against the effort, but the pain got to be too much to handle. She gave a little shriek in pain.
"You shouldn't try to move." A voice said.
Hitomi looked to her left and saw Van sitting next to the fire. He looked worriedly at her. He got up and came over to her. He brought her a plate of food and placed it next to her. She tried again to get up, but ended up having to get help from Van. "Thank you." She said. She reached down and started to eat the food.
She glanced at Van and found he was deeply troubled about something. "What's the matter?" She asked.
"I'm sorry." He whispered.
Hitomi frowned. "About what?"
"Your…injuries." He said.
Hitomi glanced at her bandages and wondered. "What happened? The last thing I remember is being in the Cave of Rebirth and finding the Rhinestone of Life." She looked at Van. "What happened in there?" She asked.
Van looked into Hitomi's eyes, and quickly looked away. "When you found the stone…and touch it…it…" He stopped.
Hitomi placed a reassuring hand on Van's arm and smiled. He looked up and gave a weak smile in return. "It's okay. Whatever happened in there, I won't blame you." She said.
Van took a deep breath and tried to find the right words. How do I tell her? That she'll be seen as a demon by society? That no one will look at her for her inner beauty and assume she's a killer? At least I had my mom to help me.
"When you touched the stone, I came in and scared you. You dropped the stone and it cracked into two perfectly equal halves. You cried out in pain and I tried to stop it, but it had already started." Van felt a tear fall down his cheek. "You had already started to transform."
Hitomi gasped. "Tran…transform?" What was he talking about?
"The stone somehow turned you into a…into a…" Van stopped again. I can't do it! I can't tell her! But I have to!
He looked at her straight in the eye. "Hitomi, you're a draconian now."
"What!?" She exclaimed. "How did that happen?! I don't understand!"
Van held her by her shoulders and tried to calm her down. "It was the stone! It had a curse on it! I…I tried to get to you, but I was too late." He let her go and stared at the ground.
Hitomi and Van shared a long silence, before either dared to speak. "How do you know?" She asked.
Van seemed to point behind her. "Your hair. It grew. The only other people who have hair like that are draconians. My mother had hair like that."
Hitomi frowned and looked behind her. She gasped. Flowing down her back was indeed hair. Her hair. It was fuller and longer than she had ever seen it. Then she remembered all those scenes she'd seen of the past draconians, and they did indeed have long hair. Every single one of them.
Then Hitomi realized something. "The bandages…?"
Van nodded. "After the stone cracked, one piece went into my body, causing my wings to emerge, then the other piece caused your to…"
Hitomi felt hot tears roll down her face. Why did this happen? What have I done wrong?
Van grabbed her into a hug, and Hitomi cried into his shoulder. "Don't worry." He assured her. "We'll get through this together. I promise."
Hitomi dried to sleep in Van's arms that night. Merle watched from the dragon in pity. It's all my fault she's crying like that. I'll find a way to help you, Hitomi. I'll find a way.
The shadow that had spied on the two earlier, was entering a dark layer. He approached a dark figure on a stone throne and bowed his respects. "What news do you have of my brother?" The figure asked.
The shadow trembled in fear. "The lady witch has transformed into the demon of legend. She is now draconian. Your brother seems to feel a strong sense of protection for her, your worshipfulness." It reported.
"How did she do it? Black magic?" The figure questioned.
The shadow shook its head. "No sir. She touched the Rhinestone of Life, in the Cave of Rebirth. It broke in half as she dropped it. One half went into your brother. The other into her, causing her transformation." It explained.
The figure stroked his chin in thought. Could she be the one? It would appear so. And could little brother have fallen in love with her? The figure smiled and stood up. It stepped into a ray of light, revealing Folken. "Send a dozen guymelifs to their location and bring back the lady witch!" He commanded. "I want her alive!"
The shadow nodded and took off to carry out Folken's wishes.
Hitomi awoke to the sound of a sword slashing. She slowly got up and saw her bandages had been changed. She suddenly got flashbacks of that night. The stone, the pain, the wings. It all came back to her in a flash, causing her shut her eyes against the visions.
She heard Merle come up behind her and come around to sit beside her. Hitomi looked up at the cat girl and saw a pain in her eyes.
"I'm sorry." She whispered.
Hitomi frowned. "Why?"
Merle looked down at the ground. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I only wanted you out of the way, so Van would love me. But I've now caused you pain and Van. He worried about you the whole time. Because he loves you."
Hitomi gasped. "Van loves me?" She asked.
Merle smiled. "Of course he does silly. But I want you to know, that I will try my very hardest to find a cure." She said.
Hitomi waved the thought away. "Don't. I don't mind."
Merle looked at her in shock. "But you're seen as a demon. A…"
"I don't care. At least now Van isn't alone. He knows someone else shares his pain." She said.
Merle nodded and walked off. Hitomi slowly sat up and followed the sound of the sword, to a near-by forest. There she saw Van practicing with his sword. She smiled and unknowingly started to daydream about her and Van. Her daydream abruptly ended when she felt pain in her back. She felt the wounds open once more and threaten to release the hidden gifts within.
She cried out in pain and fell to her knees. Van heard her and ran to her side. "Stop! Stop!" Van said. "Clear you mind of all thoughts! Don't think about anything!" Van begged her.
Hitomi concentrated and cleared her mind. She was surprised to find that as she did so, the pain in her back seized and the wounds closed them selves. She looked up through the tears on her face and started into brown eyes. "What…happened?"
Van helped her up and began walking her back to camp. "Your wings…are triggered by emotions, fear, hate…love." He explained. "Whatever you were thinking about almost caused your wings to emerge."
He sat Hitomi down and started walking away. "I'll go find some breakfast. Until then, try and relax. Afterwards, I'll teach you how to use your wings."
Hitomi nodded and waited quietly for Van to return. Merle came out of nowhere, like she always does, and handed Hitomi a pile of cloth. Hitomi took it and looked at her strangely. "What's this?" She asked.
Merle just looked away, and pretended to be annoyed. "Just open it."
Hitomi unfolded the cloth and found a beautiful dress. It was light blue, with daisies embroidered on it. Hitomi looked up in shock. "Where did you get this?"
Merle smiled and shrugged. "I snagged it in the last town." Hitomi raised an eyebrow skeptically. Merle glared. "Well if you want Lord Van, you're gonna have to wear something other than that!" Merle said pointing at what Hitomi was wearing. Hitomi looked down and saw that she was still wearing what Princess Millerna had given her. She blushed. "So! Go and changed already! While he's gone!" Merle said impatiently.
Hitomi nodded and went off to change.
Van slowly walked back to camp. When he got there, he only found Merle looked at something behind a tree. "Merle? What are you doing?"
Merle quickly turned around. "Uh, Lord Van? That was fast. I didn't know you were back."
Van frowned. "What are you hiding?" He stepped forward. Merle got nervous and did the first thing that came to her mind. She ran up to Van and hugged him, tackling him to the ground. "Merle! What are you doing!"
"Oh Lord Van! I missed you!" She exclaimed and tried to keep his eyes away from the tree.
Van got free of Merle grasped and stood up. "What is with you?" He asked and started towards the tree. Merle gasped nervously.
Van stopped at the sound of a voice. Hitomi came out from behind the tree. She had just finished dressing. "Merle, do you think Van will like it? I mean…" She stopped and saw Van standing right in front of her. Merle fell over anime style.
Hitomi blushed furiously at what had just happened.
Van on the other hand was speechless. He had never seen Hitomi so beautiful. He noticed he was staring and shook his head to clear all the thoughts that went through his mind just then. That brought a giggle from Merle. Van glared at her. Then he turned back to Hitomi and tried to find his voice.
"You…uh…look…uh…" He couldn't find the words to express such beauty. Merle gave him a good whack in the rear with her tail. "…BEAutiful." He managed. The first part emphasize by Merle's swift kick.
Hitomi blushed more. "Thank you."
Merle rolled her eyes. This is going nowhere. This might take longer than I thought. Merle saw Van had brought breakfast and snatched it from him. "Ooo! Thank you!" She said and she ran off with it.
Hitomi giggled, bringing a blush from Van. "Don't worry. She'll bring it back."
Van raised an eyebrow. "You two are friends now?"
Hitomi shrugged. "We reached a mutual understanding."
Van smiled and offered her his hand. "Care to sit down? I can start to tell you about your…uh…heritage?" He said. Hitomi nodded and took his hand and he sat her down next to the dwindled fire, from the night before.
"Like I said before, your wings are triggered by emotion. That's why whatever you were thinking about before, almost caused your wings to emerge." Van explained. "You have to learn to concentrate to call them out, or retract them."
Hitomi nodded. Van turned to her and suddenly got serious. "I know you know this, but I have to tell you anyway. My mother told me and I have taken the advice to heart." Van paused. "You must never show your wings to anyone. You may find them beautiful, but here they are the symbol of a demon. If you are spotted, you will be hunted down and killed. I could not live if that happened."
Hitomi blushed. Van is so protective and caring. She thought. Merle came back with breakfast and shared it with the other two. They ate in silence, and Merle got suspicious. "Van? Are you going to teach Hitomi how to fly?" She asked.
Van suddenly got nervous. "I don't know. If anyone saw us, we'd be in big trouble. We are running from Ziaboch and if we are found, they'll come after us." He stated. "But I should show her how to use them, in case of an emergency." Like if she falls and I'm not there to help her. Oh, Hitomi if anything ever happened to you, I'd never forgive myself.
Hitomi nodded. "I think it's a good idea to learn." She said.
Merle nodded. "Plus, there's no one for miles!" And I can have plenty of opportunities to get you two together. She thought evilly.
Hitomi, Van and Merle walked through the forest until they found a cliff from which to practice. Hitomi walked to the edge and looked down. She backed up and turned to Van. "Are you sure this is the best way to learn?" She asked.
Van nodded. "This is how I learned."
Merle snorted. "Yeah and almost went splat on the market floor."
Van glared at her. "I would've made it if the wind hadn't blown so hard."
Hitomi smiled remembering the vision she saw of Van trying out his wings. She was so nervous about this. Would she get it right? What happened if she fell? It was a long way down.
Van turned to Hitomi and seemed to read her thoughts. "Don't worry. I'll be here to help you if you fall." He stepped forward and took her hand. "I won't let anything happen to you."
Hitomi blushed, but nodded. She had already learned earlier how to call them out and slightly move them in the air. Van had made it an exercise to have her jump from a tree and glide down. She perfected it in the few hours she'd done it that morning.
Hitomi looked down the cliff again. But this was totally different. It's a much larger fall.
Van stepped up from behind her and whispered in her ear. "Concentrate. Feel your emotions and your wings will emerge." He stepped back again and watched in anticipation.
Hitomi closed her eyes and thought of Van. She felt heat rise in her back and a snap as the wings came out. She bit back the incredible pain that she felt. Every time she'd let them out, pain would run from her back to her feet and back up again.
Even with all of this practice, she still hadn't gotten used to it.
She moved them experimentally and stepped up to the cliff's edge. Feeling for the right time, she made ready to jump.
Just when she was ready to jump, a loud crash was heard from behind. She twirled around and saw three guymelifs approaching.
"Van!" Hitomi yelled and ran to his side.
"Hitomi get Merle and you out of here!" He yelled.
Hitomi retracted her wings and nodded. Merle ran off, followed by Hitomi. They ran back to camp and ran into seven more guymelifs. They tried to run away, but the giant warriors cut them off.
Just then, Van came out with Escaflowne and began to battle the enemy. Merle and Hitomi watched in horror as all ten guymelifs ganged up on him.
"Van! Be careful!" Hitomi yelled. Suddenly, she heard a crash from behind and turned around. Two more guymelfis were there, approaching the two defenseless girls.
"I can try and fly us out of here!" Hitomi suggested.
"Are you nuts! You can't show your wings to anyone! Do you want to be killed!?" Merle argued.
"We don't have a whole lot of options here!" Then, one of the guymelifs grabbed Hitomi and picked her up in the air. "Merle!" She yelled.
"Hitomi!" Merle screamed. She turned to Escaflowne. "Van! Hitomi!"
Merle didn't have to say anymore. Van finished with the guymelifs and ran over to the last two. One began to battle him, when the other made off with Hitomi. Van tried to beat it quickly, but this guy was good! Finally Van finished with it and turned to see that Hitomi was already gone.
He came out of Escaflowne and ran to the top. "No! Hitomi!!!" He screamed.
Merle ran up to him and tugged on his shirt. "They're headed towards Ziaboch head quarters!" She told him.
He nodded. "Brother. If you harm one hair on her head…" Van jumped back into Escaflowne and it transformed into a dragon. Merle jumped into the cockpit.
I'll find you Hitomi. On this I swear.