Chapter 7: New friends
Hitomi abruptly stood from the bed, berating herself for being so pathetic and selfish. "He's a king. Of course he has other concerns" she scolded herself. "We haven't seen each other in five years and of course it's going to take a while to become accustomed to my sudden appearance."
She looked around her, for the first time taking in the details of the room she had been brought to. Besides the bed, table and chest of drawers, there was a desk at the wall opposite the balcony. The large room was plain but homey feeling. She walked over to the desk, and halfheartedly looked at the papers on top to distract herself from her thoughts. She was about to turn to the food on the tray when the edge of a worn paper under some documents caught her attention. She pulled it out and stared at the picture drawn there.
The image was a crayon drawing of her face. An image flashed in her mind of Van sitting at the desk and looking at the picture, tracing her features. Hitomi looked up and around the room, realizing for the first time she was in Van's room. She looked back down at the picture and happiness filled her heart. He does loves me, she thought. He has looked at this picture enough to make the edges worn. He is just as nervous as I am about meeting again. I just have to get through to him. She smiled again and gently slid the picture back under the other papers on the desk. He was always hard to get anything out of, she thought.
A soft knock on the door disturbed her thoughts. She called out for the person to enter, and a pale red headed girl looked around the door. She walked in and shut the door behind and bobbed a curtsy. The girl appeared to be about fourteen and was looking exceedingly nervous.
"I'm here to help you dress, my Lady." she whispered, keeping her eyes on the floor.
Hitomi stared at her for a second, then laughed out loud. Frightened, the girl backed against the door and looked up with wide eyes.
"What is your name?" asked Hitomi kindly.
"Eri" the girl whispered even more quietly, starting to shake.
"Well, Eri. First things first. I am Hitomi. You can call me that, since it is my name. Please don't call me my lady. It makes me look around for a duchess or something. Secondly, I have no idea how to put on this dress and bodice, especially with only one hand, so thank you for coming." Hitomi gave Eri her friendliest smile.
Eri gave a tentative smile in return and relaxed slightly. She had been worried and scared after the head mistress ordered her to help the foreign guest. She had heard the rumors that Hitomi was from the Mystic Moon and hadn't known what to expect. She certainly hadn't expected her to be an average girl who talked to her as an equal.
Hitomi smiled again at her, seeing that Eri was relaxing. She turned to the dress and wrinkled her nose. "Leave it to Merle to pick something out with lots of frills. I know I am going to trip in this."
Eri giggled and moved across the room to hold the orange dress up. "Um, it is pretty." She said delicately, trying not to laugh when she saw that the dress had more ribbons on it than a wedding carriage.
"That's one way to put it." muttered Hitomi. "Eri, is there any way we can find a simpler outfit for me? I'm getting the hint that my school uniform won't cut it in court."
Eri grinned. She was beginning to like Hitomi. She thought for a moment, then her eyes brightened. "I can see if the dresses Lady Celena has will fit you. She despises frills, too."
Hitomi smiled, puzzled. "Lady Celena? I don't know her, but the name is familiar."
Eri's eye opened wide. "Oh, she is a lady from Asturia and the sister of a knight of Caeli, Allen Schezar. She is visiting here with her brother, who is accompanying the new ambassador from Asturia. They are out touring the kingdom right now. She is very nice. Such a tragic past, with the kidnapping and all." Eri sighed. "She gave some of her extra dresses for the maids to wear. But they are very fine!" Eri added quickly, alarmed by Hitomi's strange reaction that she may have offended her by suggesting that she wear a maid's dress.
Hitomi stared into space for a moment. Celena, she thought. How utterly strange that she is welcome here of all places after what happened. But she is a completely different person than Dilandau and I shouldn't judge her based on what were really another person's actions. I'll have to talk to Merle. And Allen is here! Hitomi shook herself out of her thoughts to smile reassuringly at Eri. "That sounds fine. Can you get one? I'll go with you if you like. And can I take a bath? Running for hours doesn't do much for my appearance. Or my aching muscles."
Eri relaxed with the smile. She nodded and said, "Wait here. I'll be right back." She slipped from the room and dashed down the hall. Hitomi looked at the food on the bedside table and sat down to eat while she waited.
Hitomi abruptly stood from the bed, berating herself for being so pathetic and selfish. "He's a king. Of course he has other concerns" she scolded herself. "We haven't seen each other in five years and of course it's going to take a while to become accustomed to my sudden appearance."
She looked around her, for the first time taking in the details of the room she had been brought to. Besides the bed, table and chest of drawers, there was a desk at the wall opposite the balcony. The large room was plain but homey feeling. She walked over to the desk, and halfheartedly looked at the papers on top to distract herself from her thoughts. She was about to turn to the food on the tray when the edge of a worn paper under some documents caught her attention. She pulled it out and stared at the picture drawn there.
The image was a crayon drawing of her face. An image flashed in her mind of Van sitting at the desk and looking at the picture, tracing her features. Hitomi looked up and around the room, realizing for the first time she was in Van's room. She looked back down at the picture and happiness filled her heart. He does loves me, she thought. He has looked at this picture enough to make the edges worn. He is just as nervous as I am about meeting again. I just have to get through to him. She smiled again and gently slid the picture back under the other papers on the desk. He was always hard to get anything out of, she thought.
A soft knock on the door disturbed her thoughts. She called out for the person to enter, and a pale red headed girl looked around the door. She walked in and shut the door behind and bobbed a curtsy. The girl appeared to be about fourteen and was looking exceedingly nervous.
"I'm here to help you dress, my Lady." she whispered, keeping her eyes on the floor.
Hitomi stared at her for a second, then laughed out loud. Frightened, the girl backed against the door and looked up with wide eyes.
"What is your name?" asked Hitomi kindly.
"Eri" the girl whispered even more quietly, starting to shake.
"Well, Eri. First things first. I am Hitomi. You can call me that, since it is my name. Please don't call me my lady. It makes me look around for a duchess or something. Secondly, I have no idea how to put on this dress and bodice, especially with only one hand, so thank you for coming." Hitomi gave Eri her friendliest smile.
Eri gave a tentative smile in return and relaxed slightly. She had been worried and scared after the head mistress ordered her to help the foreign guest. She had heard the rumors that Hitomi was from the Mystic Moon and hadn't known what to expect. She certainly hadn't expected her to be an average girl who talked to her as an equal.
Hitomi smiled again at her, seeing that Eri was relaxing. She turned to the dress and wrinkled her nose. "Leave it to Merle to pick something out with lots of frills. I know I am going to trip in this."
Eri giggled and moved across the room to hold the orange dress up. "Um, it is pretty." She said delicately, trying not to laugh when she saw that the dress had more ribbons on it than a wedding carriage.
"That's one way to put it." muttered Hitomi. "Eri, is there any way we can find a simpler outfit for me? I'm getting the hint that my school uniform won't cut it in court."
Eri grinned. She was beginning to like Hitomi. She thought for a moment, then her eyes brightened. "I can see if the dresses Lady Celena has will fit you. She despises frills, too."
Hitomi smiled, puzzled. "Lady Celena? I don't know her, but the name is familiar."
Eri's eye opened wide. "Oh, she is a lady from Asturia and the sister of a knight of Caeli, Allen Schezar. She is visiting here with her brother, who is accompanying the new ambassador from Asturia. They are out touring the kingdom right now. She is very nice. Such a tragic past, with the kidnapping and all." Eri sighed. "She gave some of her extra dresses for the maids to wear. But they are very fine!" Eri added quickly, alarmed by Hitomi's strange reaction that she may have offended her by suggesting that she wear a maid's dress.
Hitomi stared into space for a moment. Celena, she thought. How utterly strange that she is welcome here of all places after what happened. But she is a completely different person than Dilandau and I shouldn't judge her based on what were really another person's actions. I'll have to talk to Merle. And Allen is here! Hitomi shook herself out of her thoughts to smile reassuringly at Eri. "That sounds fine. Can you get one? I'll go with you if you like. And can I take a bath? Running for hours doesn't do much for my appearance. Or my aching muscles."
Eri relaxed with the smile. She nodded and said, "Wait here. I'll be right back." She slipped from the room and dashed down the hall. Hitomi looked at the food on the bedside table and sat down to eat while she waited.
