Chapter 10 An Afternoon outing

Phiat paused in the doorway, regarding his king and friend. They had become friends soon after Phiat's arrival four years ago, the friendship first evolving from a common skill with the sword and the closeness of their ages, Phiat being only three years older than Van. Phiat shook his head, marveling at how fast Van had matured in those four years. But the change over the past two days had been even more dramatic. Van never mentioned Hitomi before her arrival, although Phiat had certainly heard the stories about the woman from the Mystic Moon. Merle had even been oddly silent on the subject. But now Phiat could understand why the topic was so sensitive to his friend. Phiat was seeing a completely different side of his King.
Van was sitting at the desk in the darkened meeting room, his head in his hands. The room had just emptied of people, the disagreements regarding the trading agreements finally being settled and the meeting adjourned. Van lifted his head and, spotting his friend in the doorway, motioned for him to come in.
"Phiat, I would like you to prepare a small group of guards to attend the ride this afternoon. I don't like taking my guests out in such an exposed area, and I want defenses available in case they are needed. The girls are set on it and I don't want to disappoint them."
Phiat grinned at the word them. "You mean, you don't want to disappoint the Lady Hitomi."
Van stared at him. "Am I that obvious?" he asked.
"Only to those who know you," Phiat answered. "I would like to go with you, if that is all right."
Van nodded his assent. He wanted his friend to get to know the woman he loved.


Hitomi sat in the chair, exhausted from a morning of being dragged all over the marketplace. Celena and Merle were chattering happily next to her over their lunch, both pleased with their purchases, while Eri sorted through all the fabrics to begin the process of turning them into dresses. In addition to buying the cloth, the girls had dragged Hitomi to the royal dressmaker for measurements and then to a shoemaker. Her whole body ached, from her shoulder, from the morning of walking through the busy marketplace and because she was still sore from running. She was watching the door, waiting for Van's arrival when suddenly she noticed the silence in the room. She turned to find Celena and Merle watching her with a knowing expression on their faces. She blushed as she realized they knew exactly whom she was waiting for.
"You've still got it bad," Merle said to her, "Oh, Van, you are so handsome and wonderful and perfect." She made smooching noises and batted her eyelashes.
Celena laughed into her drink while Hitomi's face flamed red and she sunk down in her chair. Merle continued her onslaught until Hitomi thought her face couldn't get any hotter. Van, Allen and Phiat walked through the door at that point.
At their entrance Celena inhaled some of her drink while laughing and began to choke. By the time her coughing fit had stopped, Hitomi's face had returned to its normal colors and Merle was innocently standing at the door, ready to go. The men looked at each other, sensing they had missed something. Van shrugged and helped Hitomi to her feet, following Merle out the door. Eri waved good bye to them from among the fabrics as they left.

Hitomi smiled at Van walking at her side and tentatively took his hand, letting it swing between them. Van looked at their hands and at her face with an expression of disbelief, then with delight. Merle looked back at them with a knowing smirk and both their faces burned, but neither let go.
To distract the others from his red face, Van said, "We are going to take horses instead of the carriage. I think it will be a smoother ride, and easier on your shoulder." Hitomi looked a little apprehensive at the thought of riding, but he assured her that the horses were well trained and she would be perfectly fine. When they reached the stables, Hitomi noticed already mounted guards. She raised a questioning eyebrow to Van, who shrugged and said "Just a precaution."
The festive group left the castle and rode out of the city, waving to the cheering citizens. Van and Phiat flanked Hitomi on either side. She amiably discussed her world as compared to Gaea with Phiat, while Van listen attentively. Eventually all the conversation among the group evolved into a question and answer session with Hitomi, who gallantly tried to answer all their questions about her life on Earth. After an hour of riding and bombarding Hitomi with questions, they reached the outskirts of the forest and the farmlands.
A few minutes after reaching the farmlands, Van, with a few worried looks at Hitomi's face, called a break. Hitomi sighed in relief. Her throat was getting dry from talking and her shoulder was beginning to throb, despite the horse's smooth gait. She gladly dismounted into Van's arms and accepted a drink from Celena, who was setting up a light picnic. She turned and surveyed the surrounding land, saying "Fanelia is really beautiful, Van. You have done a wonderful job rebuilding. You must be really proud."
Van ducked his head at the compliment, while Merle beamed proudly. "Lord Van has worked really hard to rebuild Fanelia," Merle said, hugging Van and licking his cheek before bounding off to explore the area. Hitomi giggled at Van's embarrassed expression and sat with him on the blanket that had been spread. She closed her eyes, enjoying the warm sunshine on her face. Feeling Van's gaze on her face, she opened her eyes and smiled at him. Van blushed at being caught staring again.
"You really have done an amazing job," she said softly to him. "Fanelia is almost exactly as I remember it."
Van looked down the road back towards the city. "It was all I could think about, for a while. I wanted to have my home back. And it gave me purpose, so I wouldn't miss..." He stopped, not meeting her eyes.
Hitomi's heart quickened. That was the closest he had come to verbally admitting how he felt about her. His actions showed it, but she wanted to hear it. But his shell was still intact and it would take time to crack it.
"Van, where is Escaflowne?" she asked, changing the subject. Van looked up with a startled expression.
"Where we left it, of course." he answered.
"Don't be so cryptic, Van." admonished Celena, hearing the question and its answer. Turning to Hitomi, she explained, "Van has made a wonderful monument. Escaflowne and Folken's tomb are now at the center of a large park, a tribute to forever remind the world of what it cost for the peace we now have. There is a huge dome in the center of the park in which to give thanks for the peace. People come from all over Gaea to see it and leave flowers and offerings. And those who suffered in the war, who have nowhere else to go, are welcome to work there and live in the village nearby."
Allen added, "He postponed work on the castle until it was finished. That is why the castle is only half built while the rest of the town is almost finished. It really is quite amazing."
Hitomi listened in wonder. Van had accomplished so much in five years that suddenly she felt her life had been wasted. She looked at Van, who was fidgeting, uncomfortable with all the praise.
"Something is going on over there" Merle suddenly called. She had climbed the tree underneath which they were resting, and was pointing towards the forest. Van, relieved to have everyone's attention off of him, climbed halfway up the tree and looked in the direction she was pointing. He frowned as they watched men and women purposely walking through the fields in a pattern.
"They look like they lost something," He said to Merle. He jumped down and dispatched a guard to learn what was happening. The guard quickly returned with one of the men.
After bowing to the king, the man explained that a child, a four-year-old girl named Felia, was missing from a local farm, and that he and the others neighbors were helping to look for her.
To Van's surprise and pride, Hitomi immediately stood.
"We will help," she said. "Van, why don't we go to the farmhouse of the family and see if there is anything we can do? Then you can send out the guards and help in the search."
Van looked at everyone and saw approval in their faces. The group hastily packed their stuff and set out for the farmhouse, which was nearby on a side road.
Outside the house, they could see women preparing drinks for people coming in to rest from the search. Some women and children were comforting one woman, clearly the mother of the lost child. Van stopped the group before the woman, who looked up in shock at the sight of her king. She struggled to her feet and was about to curtsy when Van stopped her. "We heard about your trouble," he said gently. "And are here to offer our help." The woman burst into fresh tears, offering them garbled thanks through her sobs. Celena dismounted and went to comfort the woman while Merle rounded up the children and led them away to occupy them with games.
Van began to divide his men into search parties. He stopped in surprise when Hitomi stood in front of him. "I want to go," she said. Van shook his head and she frowned. "I can help!" She insisted. "Hitomi," he said quietly, "I don't want you in a vulnerable position. I would like you to stay here in the safety of the house."
A look of exasperation crossed Hitomi's face. "Van," she said, beginning to argue with him.
"I said No," Van said firmly. Hitomi watched in shock as he turned away from her and mounted his horse. Without a backward glance he rode out of the yard. Phiat turned to give her a sympathetic shrug and followed the king. Hitomi closed her eyes in frustration, opening them to see Allen leave with his group. She knew she could find the little girl. She could almost see her, nestled in the tress.
Hitomi started, realizing that she could see the little girl. She began to walk in the direction her senses told her the child was in. It took her the opposite way that Van had gone, the shortest route into the surrounding forest.

After an hour of pushing branches out of her face and stumbling over roots, Hitomi paused by a large tree that looked familiar. She brushed her sweaty hair away from her eyes and peered around the roots of the tree. There nestled among them was a sobbing little girl. Hitomi walked in front of the little girl and crouched down. The girl looked up with a gasp and strained back against the tree in fear. Hitomi smiled at her and said tenderly, "I am guessing you are Felia, you are lost, and you really want to go home."
With the soft words the girl threw herself at Hitomi, sobbing out how she had followed the bunny and now it was gone and she wanted her mummy. Hitomi hugged her close, comforting the child, calming the sobs that racked her little body. When the storm of tears had passed, Hitomi stood, helping the little girl up as she did. "Can you walk?" she asked Felia. The little girl nodded shyly, sniffling, and they started back in the direction Hitomi knew the house to be.

Van was hot and tired when he and his men rode back in to the yard. They had searched for two hours without success and night was nearly upon them. He looked around the yard, spotting Merle playing tag with the children and Celena helping with the drinks. He frowned, looking around for Hitomi.
"Merle," he called out. "Where is Hitomi?" Merle looked up in surprise. "I thought she went with you!" she responded.
Apprehension sent shivers up his spine. He quickly dismounted, searching the grounds for a few moments for Hitomi's pink dress. Phiat came to his side, saying quietly "She isn't in the house."
Van walked to Celena, asking urgently, "Have you seen Hitomi?"
"No, she responded in confusion. "She wanted to go with you. I thought she did."
Van wheeled around and strode back to his horse. About to mount, he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Let's wait until Allen's group returns. Maybe she went with them." Phiat said. Van paused, then nodded. Phiat walked with him into the house, Celena and Merle following closely.
Van paced through the kitchen of the room for twenty minutes, trying to control his fear. Merle watched him, wanting to help in some way. Finally, the sound of horses arriving reached their ears and Allen strode through the door, disappointment etched on his features from the failure to find the child. He stopped at the sight of their faces looking at him expectantly.
Van asked impatiently, "Is Hitomi with you?" Allen shook his head in puzzlement. "I thought she stayed here!" Van pushed passed him to get to the door when Merle stopped him, her ears twitching.
"What do you hear?" he asked, alarmed.
"Singing."
The group rushed out the door to see Hitomi emerge from the fields; the little girl perched on her hip with her arms around Hitomi's neck. She was quietly singing a lullaby to the girl, who was sleeping, her face streaked with tears and dirt.
The mother brushed passed the group, running to meet Hitomi. Hitomi let her take the girl from her, smiling into the eyes that were brimming with thankful tears. Her arms and legs felt like rubber after the long trek back and her shoulder was on fire. The little girl had only been able to walk a third of the way back and Hitomi had carried her the rest. Her vision was becoming hazy, and she felt like she was looking through a tunnel. Turning to her friends, she focused on Van's face, only able to see his furious eyes.
"I told you I could help." she said, matter of fact, before passing out.