Chapter 9: Morning again
The light coming in through the window woke Van. He kept his eyes closed for a minute, trying to figure out why he was so content and what was different about this morning. Suddenly his eyes snapped open and he looked carefully down at the girl in his arms. Bright green eyes smiled back up at him.
"Good Morning" Hitomi said softly. "Did you sleep well?"
Van nodded. "What about you?"
Hitomi nodded, then grinned at him. "You snore, "she said solemnly.
Van looked at her in shock. He snored? "Well, you talk in your sleep!" he retorted.
Hitomi sat up and frowned mischievously at him, her eyes still smiling. "You hog the covers."
Van looked around and saw that indeed most of the covers were on his side. He looked back at her and narrowed his eyes. "Well, you have terrible taste in nightgowns."
Hitomi looked down at herself and gasped. "Eri is going to kill me," she groaned. "This was her favorite dress of the ones Celena gave them. Not to mention how Celena is going to react." She hopped out of the bed and turned her back to him. "Help me out of this before I ruin it even more."
Van gaped at her. Hitomi said impatiently "I have petticoats on underneath. You have seen me in running shorts and a T-shirt for crying out loud!"
Van shook his head slowly. "This is different," he said.
"Fine," she said, "where is Merle's room?"
"Three doors down on the right," He said, puzzled.
Hitomi turned back to face him and studied his face for a moment. She gathered her courage and quickly kissed him on the cheek. Then she dashed to the door, poked her head out to make sure no one (besides the guards) was watching and disappeared. Van sat frozen in the middle of the bed with his hand to his cheek.
"Merle, wake up!" Hitomi said, throwing the curtains open. "You have to help me get out of this thing before Eri and Celena see it!"
Merle groaned and raised her head from the pillow to see an impatient Hitomi standing in a decidedly wrinkled gown. "Find someone else," she muttered, pulling the covers over her head. Hitomi whipped the blankets off the bed and Merle shrieked in dismay. "I can't. I don't want Eri and Celena to see the dress and Van is being squeamish."
Merle sat up at that. "Van has seen you this morning?"
Hitomi flushed and said, "Yes! Now, will you help me?" Merle appeared to consider it, then smirked and bounced out of the bed.
"Only if I get to pick today's dress!"
Hitomi groaned. This was definitely not going to be easy. "Fine."
Merle squealed and motioned for Hitomi to come to her. She quickly undid the laces and buttons and stared at the dress critically. "It is going to take a month of steam to get all the wrinkles out," she said, moving to the closet. After a moment's consideration, she pulled out a pale pink dress with yards of flounces and ribbons for Hitomi to change into.
There was a knock on the door and Merle hastily hung the blue dress in the closet and shut the door. She quickly buttoned Hitomi up and then called for the person to enter.
Eri's head peer around the corner. "Lady Hitomi? King Van said I might find you here. I have brought some hot drinks, if you would like some."
Hitomi smiled, feeling guilty but relieved that the blue dress was out of sight, responded "Eri, I told you not to call me Lady!"
Merle snickered behind her. "Yeah, she's definitely not a lady!" Merle opened her mouth to make another remark when a pillow hit her in the face. She stared in surprise at Hitomi, who was trying hard not to laugh, then narrowed her eyes and said, "Oh, you want to play dirty?" With that she pummeled Hitomi with the pillow. Hitomi shrieked in laughter and ran to hide behind Eri.
"Don't hit a girl with hot drinks!" Hitomi gasped.
Eri looked at Merle stalking up to her, then at the cowering Hitomi. Carefully she set the tray down on the table next to the door, grabbed a pillow from a chair, and prepared to defend Hitomi.
Merle's eyes widened and she playfully snarled "So, you're teaming up on me?" Merle charged. Eri valiantly defended herself while Hitomi ran around to the bed to get another pillow. Merle spun around to find herself surrounded. At that moment, Celena opened the door. "I heard noise..." she began saying when Merle leapt over to her, grabbed her hand and announced "She's on my team!"
Van dressed quickly and walked out to the hallway. He looked down towards Merle's room and saw Allen standing outside it, shaking his head in silent mirth, his blond hair making waves down his back. Van walked towards him, and heard what Allen was laughing at. Through the door came sounds of four girls shrieking with laughter amidst crashes and thumps.
"I think this is the most fun Celena has had since she returned to me." Allen said quietly to Van. Van looked at him, concerned. "How has she been?" he asked.
Allen sighed and looked at his hands. "The monks helped her a lot with dealing with the memories. There was a time when I didn't think she could handle being herself and knowing what Dilandau had done. She still has moments of depression, when I fear for her mind and her safety. But she always manages to pull out of it. I think Hitomi and Merle are good for her. They can teach her how to be a girl again, instead of just me trying to fumble through helping her."
Van clasped his shoulder. "You never fumble. She is doing so well all thanks to you. Don't worry, it will all turn out fine."
Allen gave him a funny smile. "Since when are you the optimist?"
Van grinned in response. At that moment the door to the room opened and Celena ran out, her arms covering her head. Allen caught her in his arms and she looked up into his face, breathless with laughter. "Save me" she squealed, ducking behind him. He looked into the room to see a maid chasing her, a pillow held over her head.
Eri skidded to a halt, the pillow dropping from her suddenly nerveless hand. She had been about to clobber the Lady Celena in front of the King and Sir Allen. In front of her KING! Her face pale, Eri dropped into a low curtsy. She felt Hitomi move next to her and Eri slowly straightened, casting an anxious face at Hitomi and then turning to stare at the floor.
"It's all right, Eri," Hitomi whispered. She put her arm around the younger girl's shoulder. Hitomi looked at Van, her eyes dancing. Van managed not to blush. "Van, is it all right if Eri stay with me today? I need to her help with things I can't do one handed."
Van nodded his assent while Merle muttered behind her, "And what things would that be?"
Hitomi turned to smile sweetly at her, "Beating the snot out of you, of course."
Celena laughed at Merle's expression and then took her brother's arm as he led her to the dining hall for breakfast. Merle dashed ahead of them, going to make sure the food and table was ready. Eri curtsied again as Van held out his arm for Hitomi to take. Hitomi stepped forward, trying not to trip on the ribbons streaming from her dress. She and Van smiled at each other as they walked slowly down the hall behind Allen and Celena.
Eri, alone in the room, suddenly grinned to herself at the thought of the expressions she was going to get from the other maids when she told them what had happened.
"How is your shoulder?" Van asked Hitomi as they walked. "Merle didn't hurt you, did she?"
"No," she chuckled. "It hurts the same after the fight as before. I'm kidding," she added, seeing his worried expression. "Don't worry about me."
Van smiled gently, "Can't help it."
Ahead of them, Celena was happily chattering at Allen, "And after breakfast we are going to the market to find cloth to make dresses for Hitomi and then we are going on a drive in the country, and then..."
Allen held up a hand to stop her stream of words. "And you are going to fit all this in today?"
Celena looked surprised. "Of course. Can you and King Van come?' She asked hopefully.
Allen looked at Van, who was shaking his head. "Maybe in the afternoon, but we still have to meet Phiat regarding the prisoner and then finish the trading agreements with Lord Giata."
Celena looked crestfallen, but perked up when Hitomi said, "They wouldn't want to come shopping with us anyway. Maybe we can all go out on the ride this afternoon."
Van nodded in agreement as they reached the dining hall.
The scarred man smiled at the scene his spies had described. The king and his little psychic mistress were nice and secure in their happy little world. He as letting them feel comfortable and then their guard would be down. There was going to be a rude awakening when his plans were fulfilled.
