City of Intrigue (Van's POV)
As the sight of Asturia came slowly into view, I sighed. Hitomi was with Allen. I suppose that I deserved that though, after how I treated her when I found out that I was rescued from the Zaibach floating fortress with her help. I didn't even thank her yet, come to think of it. I'll have to do something about that, sooner or later. While we were unloading our supplies, a girl on horseback came riding up to us, calling out to Allen. Laughing, she pulled up as Allen came forward.
" Princess Mellerna." Somehow I think that they're more than friends. Mellerna said something to Allen about her father wanting to see him, and he took off, after she lent him her horse. Turning to us, she smiled again.
" You there, girl, get Allen's things and take them to the palace." Turning around, I saw that she was talking to Hitomi, and Hitomi didn't look very happy about it. In order to cut off a flow of protests that I saw about to come from Hitomi, I cut her off.
" She's not a handmaiden. She's with me." STUPID! I mentally slapped my forehead. Why did I say she was with me! Merle jumped forward angrily.
" No she's not! She's with Allen!" Mellerna looked deeply hurt at that.
" With Allen…" I glanced back again at Hitomi, who was just standing there, looking extremely confused, duffel bag over her shoulder. Mellerna turned to Hitomi.
" Where are you from? I haven't seen clothes like yours before." Uh-oh. Hitomi stepped forward, holding up her hand.
" Well, I suppose that people from the My-mmm," gritting her teeth, she groaned as Merle forcefully stepped on her foot, saying something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like "moron". Mellerna hummed quietly, and we headed to the palace.
After a brief struggle with Mellerna over what Hitomi was to wear, Mellerna finally convinced Hitomi that she would stick out more if she wore her uniform or whatever it was, and let her borrow a dress. Walking out of the room, Hitomi muttered loudly that she was doing this under extreme duress. Bored out of my skull, I leaned on my elbow against a wooden table. Merle sighed and had her head in her arms. After a couple minutes, Mellerna spoke up into the shadows.
" Well well, what do we have here?" I looked up, uninterested, as I heard shy footsteps enter the room. Lowering my head, I quickly did a double take as I stood up, both of my hands on the table, staring at the most beautiful thing in the world. Hitomi walked into the light, Mellerna's dress fitting perfectly. The pink and white dress accented her waist and hips perfectly, matching her golden hair and deep green eyes. Her now famous pendant hung outside the dress, matching the dress. Merle lifted her head.
" Almost pretty enough to be a handmai…" My hand on her head squishing her into the table cut her off, and I realized that my jaw was hanging open slightly. Hitomi and Mellerna had very brief squabble over Hitomi's other clothes. Soon however, we were headed down to the market to meet Allen at the harbor.
At the marketplace, Hitomi and Merle lagged behind, looking at every stall they came across.
" Hurry up you two," I called out to them behind me, then faced forward again. Nothing prepared me for what I saw on the bridge. Zaibach soldiers! They were standing there, joking around. Suddenly, something made them snap to attention. A figure in a black walked across the bridge, and I felt my blood surge through my veins. Brother. Without a word to anyone, I rushed off. He won't get away this time. He has too much to answer for. As I got to the bridge, I stopped him by calling out,
" Brother!" Folken turned to face me.
" Van." Folken started in on a long speech about me joining Zaibach. All I heard was a ringing in my ears, and my eyes were blazing. How could he betray his country like that? It was his fault that Mother was dead, and now he wants me to join him? He spread his arms, and a flock of birds flew across the bridge, obscuring my vision. All of a sudden, I heard a rapid patter of feet, and a familiar voice rang out across the water.
" VAN! Watch out!" I snapped my head up and saw a metal claw headed straight for me. There was no time to move, and I could only watch as Death came closer. All of a sudden a blur of something pink and white hit me, and Hitomi and I careened to the side, the Crima claw just missing us and puncturing the wooden bridge. I stared at Hitomi. She was breathing heavily, apparently having run to warn me in time. I…have to…remember…to…thank her for…her eyes are so green…stop that!
" You saved my life." I stated bluntly, looking at Hitomi. She blushed slightly.
" Well yeah, I saw that you were in trouble, and I…" She got cut off by Merle running up.
" Hitomi, there you are! Where's Lord Van?" I stood up, brushing myself off. Turning angrily, I stared at Folken.
" Is this what Zaibach does? Do they distract them and then kill them when they're not looking?" My hand rested on the hilt of my sword.
" I didn't plan that. Think about what I said Van. I'll be waiting." A carriage pulled up to Folken and he got in, riding off towards the floating fortress. A single thought went through my mind.
" Brother."
AN: Thanks to the 4 people who reviewed my first story, The Day The Angel Flew (Van's POV) and I'm sorry for not including Dillandu, but he wasn't in that episode. Gomen nasai! ~ bows low ~ Anyway, I hope to come out with more episodes from either Van or Hitomi's POV, depending on what I feel like and how high I am on sugar, hehehe. =^-^=
Disclaimer: Sorry I didn't put this in my last story, I used up my review for it. Who cares anyways? If I WAS making money off of this, I wouldn't need to go to school….~ wishes very hard that this was true ~ So, own none, claim none, sue none, thanks a bunch!
Embyr