Chapter 19: Just a walk in the park
Hitomi brushed her sweaty hair out of her eyes, wondering how she had been convinced to partake in this expedition. After an interesting morning of watching Van settle disputes among the citizenry, she had been ready for a calm afternoon of reading or talking, or a simple tour of the city. But instead she found herself being dragged along a path in the woods by a way-too-energetic Merle, the result of Millerna's innocent request for a description of the new park. Merle had pounced on the request as a chance to drag everyone out of the castle and give them a first hand experience of one of Fanelia's newest source of pride.
"We're almost there!" Merle cheerfully informed her as they passed another statue marker. They had left Celena, Millerna and Dryden in the dust upon entering the park, and then had lost Allen, Van and Phiat and the obligatory guards at Escaflowne's monument. Merle had only given her a moment to marvel at the guymelef, then had pulled her away. Merle was determined to give her an exhaustive tour of the park and they were currently on their way to the center dome, a masterpiece that Merle had repeatedly assured her was worth the hike. They had passed many workers, most of whom Merle had greeted by name and telling Hitomi where they had come from and the hardship they had suffered.
Finally they reached the dome. Hitomi sighed in relief as she saw the white structure through the trees, but Merle didn't slow down her pace. She pulled Hitomi into the clearing, grinning at the astonished look on her face. The elegant beauty of the dome awed Hitomi, and she let Merle guide her around the outside. The white building stretched at least forty meters into the sky, a stark contrast to the soft brown and greens of the forest around them. It was solid marble with windows to light the inside all around the crown, high above their heads. There was a large archway for visitors to enter. Hitomi studied the side, her mouth in an astonished 'O' at the battle scenes carved around the exterior.
By the time they had finished circling the building, Allen, Celena and Millerna and Dryden had joined them. Celena looked a little uncomfortable in the park, an indirect reminder of the destruction her alter ego had wrought on Gaea. Hitomi gave her a supportive smile and Celena relaxed her tense shoulders, smiling a little in return.
They did not get a chance to talk as Merle quickly dragged Hitomi into the dome, leaving the others behind to admire the outside. "And this is the dome dedicated to peaceful reflection," she intoned solemnly, the smile on her face belying her serious tone. She circled in the center, her arms outstretched.
Hitomi walked slowly to the center, staring at the carvings on the ceiling. Hitomi half listened as Merle continued her narrative, describing the various artifacts and shrines that decorated the inside of the dome. There were elaborate swords and plaques adorning the walls, and graceful statues hidden in alcoves. But it was a chair on a pedestal in one alcove that caught Hitomi's attention. She stopped in front of it, puzzled by its familiarity, studying the design, the sun glinting off the polished wood. Merle came to stand beside her as the sun went behind a cloud and the inside of the dome was cast in a cool darkness. The alcove was cast into complete darkness and Hitomi gasped as she recognized the throne.
Distantly she could hear Merle beginning to describe how the chair was a replica one from a distant country, but her voice faded away as darkness seemed to rear up from around the chair. The sun came out from behind the cloud, but the darkness continued to grow. It began to move across the floor towards her, creeping like some obscene insect. Hitomi began backing away as the darkness formed tendrils that wound their way around her like claws. They crept in and around her skirts and slipped around her legs, leaving cold trails on her skin. She heard chilling laughter and could feel hate and torment that composed the vapor. The tentacles wrapped around her throat and she froze, unable to move. Panic set in as the entire room began to dim and all she could see was the horrible chair in front of her. Suddenly she couldn't breathe. It was like all the oxygen had been pulled out of the air. She could make out a malevolent figure upon the chair, taunting her with promises of death, mocking her struggles. Blackness seeped into her mind and she whimpered as she continued to gasp for air. Abruptly the floor crumbled beneath her and a guymelef emerged, its cannon raising to point menacingly at her. It fired and the images swirled away as the world went black.
Merle, hearing the whimper behind her, paused in her narration to look back at her friend. "Hitomi, what's wrong?" she asked, alarmed. Hitomi did not answer, her face pale
"Hitomi!" Merle screamed as Hitomi collapsed on the floor. Glancing up at the door she saw blond hair. "Allen," she wailed "Something's wrong!"
Allen heard Merle cry out and turned to see her hovering over a prone Hitomi. "Get Millerna!" he yelled at Celena as he dashed into the dome. He took one look at Hitomi and picked her up, carrying her out into the sunshine. "What happened?" he demanded.
Merle, tears streaming down her face, shook her head. "I don't know. We were just looking around the dome."
Celena returned at a run as Merle left, dragging Millerna with her and Dryden at their heels. Allen placed Hitomi on the ground while Millerna frantically loosened her bodice and checked her heart rate. She lifted Hitomi's her eyelids, sighing in relief at the pupil's normal response to light. "What happened?" she asked as she checked her over for any signs of trauma.
"She's having a vision," Allen responded briefly. Millerna looked up at him. "How often does she pass out from them? How long does she stay out? She never fainted from the visions when she had them around me. Well, except when she died. " Celena gasped in horror, but Millerna flashed her a comforting look. "She's not dying now, just unconscious."
Allen shook his head. "I don't know. Sometimes she wakes up immediately; sometimes it is hours. When Dormkirk held us captive in Zaibach it took a long time, but most of the time she recovered in only a few minutes."
Merle brushed Hitomi's hair back. "We should get Lord Van."
Allen and Millerna exchanged worried glances as suddenly Hitomi groaned. "No," she said. "Keep him away from the dome. Tell Phiat to keep him away from the dome."
Merle nodded and dashed off to locate Phiat. He was standing in the shade of Escaflowne with Van. She ran to Phiat and whispered Hitomi's plea to him. Nodding gravely he motioned for guards to surround him and the king. Van looked around in alarm. "What is going on?" he demanded, noticing Merle's teary face. "What happened?" Fear assaulted him "Where is Hitomi?"
Merle flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist and preventing him from moving. "She is waking up." she stuttered through her sobs. "She said to keep you away. I was scared, Lord Van."
Van tried unsuccessfully to extricate himself from her arms and pass the guards. Phiat grabbed his arm firmly, shaking his head.
"Phiat, let me go!" He ordered, then pleaded. Phiat stood firm with a grim look on his face.
"No. The Lady Hitomi said for you to stay away and I intend to obey her every word." Phiat replied resolutely. Van looked at him in shock, then redoubled his struggles in vain.
Hitomi became aware of the grass crinkling under her body and the sunlight warming her face. It was such a contrast to the coldness of her visions that she shuddered. She sat up with help from Allen and shook her head, trying to clear it from the cobwebs that distorted her thoughts.
"What happened?" Celena asked, shaken. She knew Hitomi had visions, but had always thought they would be like benign daydreams. Not potentially fatal black-outs.
Hitomi looked back at the dome, seeing the now harmless chair in the darkness inside. "I don't know. I've seen the throne before." She looked up at Allen, "When the archer in the garden attacked, I saw it when I touched him. The man on it, he was horrible - he wanted death."
Allen looked around suspiciously. "Who did?"
"I don't know. I couldn't see his face. He just sat on the throne and mocked me." Anger was replacing her fear. "He had a guymelef!"
Allen's eyes widened. "I think we should talk to Van." He stood and lifted Hitomi in his arm. Hitomi gasped, then said indignantly "Allen, I can walk!"
"Stop struggling, " He grunted, walking swiftly down the path Merle had taken. She quit trying to escape. "You just like to pretend your carrying around damsels in distress!" she accused him dryly. He just smiled as they broke into the clearing where Escaflowne rested.
Phiat saw them coming and relaxed his guard. Van's eyes widened at Hitomi being carried by Allen and broke through the guards to run to them.
"Hitomi!" he gasped.
She lifted her head from Allen's shoulder and looked at him. "I'm OK, really!" she said struggling to be set on her feet. Allen stood her up gently. She swayed slightly before being pulled into a fierce hug by Van. He crushed her to him, then pulled back to look into her eyes. His hands on her shoulders, he shook her. "Don't you ever do that again! What were you thinking, telling them to keep me away?"
She jerked back angrily. "I was thinking that you should have listened to me in the first place about me leaving and I was not going to let you be killed!"
In the shocked hush that followed Merle squeaked. "You're leaving, Hitomi?"
An uncomfortable silence fell over the group as Hitomi and Van glared at each other. It was broken by a shrouded figure bowing to the king
"Your majesty, I thought the Lady would like some water."
Van broke off his staring contest with Hitomi and graciously took the offered cup.
"Thank you," he said stiffly to the man as he passed it to Hitomi. She took it, nodding in thanks. The others relaxed minutely, relieve to have a distraction.
Celena looked at the man curiously. His voice resonated in her mind "Have we met?" she asked him as he, still bowing, backed away.
"Perhaps." he said. "I was a traveler to many places before the war. But I do not recall ever seeing someone of your beauty before." Celena looked surprised at his boldness as Allen stepped between them.
Thank you for the water." He said formally, his tone indicating the man should leave. The man bowed again and left.
"Noun covers himself because of an accident he was in during the war. He was an architect and was instrumental in the dome's design" Merle explained at Celena's inquiring look. "He tends to the areas around the dome now."
They all turned back to Hitomi, who was suddenly fed up with everything. She was tired of being confused, tired of Van's stubbornness, and especially tired of oppressing thought of impending death.
Hitomi, do you want to tell us what is going on?" Allen asked, crossing his arms.
Hitomi looked over at him, then looked in turn at each of her friends before opening her mouth. Without looking at Van again, she told them.
"I am going to leave. I think the attacks are because of me. The last thing I wanted to do here is cause more violence." She looked down at the glass in her hand, noticing a bug slowly drowning in the clear water. She bent and poured it out on the grass, watching as the insect crawled to the tip of a blade of grass and dry its wings. "I don't want anyone to die again."
"But you'll come back?" asked Celena anxiously. "When the attackers are discovered and stopped, you'll come back?" Hitomi didn't answer her, looking at Van. His fists were clenched and he was staring up at Escaflowne as if the inanimate machine could give him a solution.
"I don't know," she said slowly. She turned and began to walk away from the stunned group towards the castle. With a glance back at Van Merle left his side to catch up with Hitomi. She slipped her hand into Hitomi's, silently offering her sympathy. Celena quickly followed to walk at Hitomi's other side. The rest of the group followed the three friends in silence, the sunny day suddenly marred by a sense of gloom.
Van was the last to follow, remaining to stare at Escaflowne with dry burning eyes. A grip on his shoulder startled him out of his reverie. He turned to look at Phiat.
"She must love you a lot to sacrifice so much." Phiat said quietly. Van stared at him for a moment, considering his words, then nodded awkwardly. Phiat smiled and released his shoulder. They turned and followed the others.
Veris cursed in the shadow of Escaflowne. So she was leaving? Plans would have to be stepped up a notch, then. Action would have to be taken soon.
Hitomi brushed her sweaty hair out of her eyes, wondering how she had been convinced to partake in this expedition. After an interesting morning of watching Van settle disputes among the citizenry, she had been ready for a calm afternoon of reading or talking, or a simple tour of the city. But instead she found herself being dragged along a path in the woods by a way-too-energetic Merle, the result of Millerna's innocent request for a description of the new park. Merle had pounced on the request as a chance to drag everyone out of the castle and give them a first hand experience of one of Fanelia's newest source of pride.
"We're almost there!" Merle cheerfully informed her as they passed another statue marker. They had left Celena, Millerna and Dryden in the dust upon entering the park, and then had lost Allen, Van and Phiat and the obligatory guards at Escaflowne's monument. Merle had only given her a moment to marvel at the guymelef, then had pulled her away. Merle was determined to give her an exhaustive tour of the park and they were currently on their way to the center dome, a masterpiece that Merle had repeatedly assured her was worth the hike. They had passed many workers, most of whom Merle had greeted by name and telling Hitomi where they had come from and the hardship they had suffered.
Finally they reached the dome. Hitomi sighed in relief as she saw the white structure through the trees, but Merle didn't slow down her pace. She pulled Hitomi into the clearing, grinning at the astonished look on her face. The elegant beauty of the dome awed Hitomi, and she let Merle guide her around the outside. The white building stretched at least forty meters into the sky, a stark contrast to the soft brown and greens of the forest around them. It was solid marble with windows to light the inside all around the crown, high above their heads. There was a large archway for visitors to enter. Hitomi studied the side, her mouth in an astonished 'O' at the battle scenes carved around the exterior.
By the time they had finished circling the building, Allen, Celena and Millerna and Dryden had joined them. Celena looked a little uncomfortable in the park, an indirect reminder of the destruction her alter ego had wrought on Gaea. Hitomi gave her a supportive smile and Celena relaxed her tense shoulders, smiling a little in return.
They did not get a chance to talk as Merle quickly dragged Hitomi into the dome, leaving the others behind to admire the outside. "And this is the dome dedicated to peaceful reflection," she intoned solemnly, the smile on her face belying her serious tone. She circled in the center, her arms outstretched.
Hitomi walked slowly to the center, staring at the carvings on the ceiling. Hitomi half listened as Merle continued her narrative, describing the various artifacts and shrines that decorated the inside of the dome. There were elaborate swords and plaques adorning the walls, and graceful statues hidden in alcoves. But it was a chair on a pedestal in one alcove that caught Hitomi's attention. She stopped in front of it, puzzled by its familiarity, studying the design, the sun glinting off the polished wood. Merle came to stand beside her as the sun went behind a cloud and the inside of the dome was cast in a cool darkness. The alcove was cast into complete darkness and Hitomi gasped as she recognized the throne.
Distantly she could hear Merle beginning to describe how the chair was a replica one from a distant country, but her voice faded away as darkness seemed to rear up from around the chair. The sun came out from behind the cloud, but the darkness continued to grow. It began to move across the floor towards her, creeping like some obscene insect. Hitomi began backing away as the darkness formed tendrils that wound their way around her like claws. They crept in and around her skirts and slipped around her legs, leaving cold trails on her skin. She heard chilling laughter and could feel hate and torment that composed the vapor. The tentacles wrapped around her throat and she froze, unable to move. Panic set in as the entire room began to dim and all she could see was the horrible chair in front of her. Suddenly she couldn't breathe. It was like all the oxygen had been pulled out of the air. She could make out a malevolent figure upon the chair, taunting her with promises of death, mocking her struggles. Blackness seeped into her mind and she whimpered as she continued to gasp for air. Abruptly the floor crumbled beneath her and a guymelef emerged, its cannon raising to point menacingly at her. It fired and the images swirled away as the world went black.
Merle, hearing the whimper behind her, paused in her narration to look back at her friend. "Hitomi, what's wrong?" she asked, alarmed. Hitomi did not answer, her face pale
"Hitomi!" Merle screamed as Hitomi collapsed on the floor. Glancing up at the door she saw blond hair. "Allen," she wailed "Something's wrong!"
Allen heard Merle cry out and turned to see her hovering over a prone Hitomi. "Get Millerna!" he yelled at Celena as he dashed into the dome. He took one look at Hitomi and picked her up, carrying her out into the sunshine. "What happened?" he demanded.
Merle, tears streaming down her face, shook her head. "I don't know. We were just looking around the dome."
Celena returned at a run as Merle left, dragging Millerna with her and Dryden at their heels. Allen placed Hitomi on the ground while Millerna frantically loosened her bodice and checked her heart rate. She lifted Hitomi's her eyelids, sighing in relief at the pupil's normal response to light. "What happened?" she asked as she checked her over for any signs of trauma.
"She's having a vision," Allen responded briefly. Millerna looked up at him. "How often does she pass out from them? How long does she stay out? She never fainted from the visions when she had them around me. Well, except when she died. " Celena gasped in horror, but Millerna flashed her a comforting look. "She's not dying now, just unconscious."
Allen shook his head. "I don't know. Sometimes she wakes up immediately; sometimes it is hours. When Dormkirk held us captive in Zaibach it took a long time, but most of the time she recovered in only a few minutes."
Merle brushed Hitomi's hair back. "We should get Lord Van."
Allen and Millerna exchanged worried glances as suddenly Hitomi groaned. "No," she said. "Keep him away from the dome. Tell Phiat to keep him away from the dome."
Merle nodded and dashed off to locate Phiat. He was standing in the shade of Escaflowne with Van. She ran to Phiat and whispered Hitomi's plea to him. Nodding gravely he motioned for guards to surround him and the king. Van looked around in alarm. "What is going on?" he demanded, noticing Merle's teary face. "What happened?" Fear assaulted him "Where is Hitomi?"
Merle flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist and preventing him from moving. "She is waking up." she stuttered through her sobs. "She said to keep you away. I was scared, Lord Van."
Van tried unsuccessfully to extricate himself from her arms and pass the guards. Phiat grabbed his arm firmly, shaking his head.
"Phiat, let me go!" He ordered, then pleaded. Phiat stood firm with a grim look on his face.
"No. The Lady Hitomi said for you to stay away and I intend to obey her every word." Phiat replied resolutely. Van looked at him in shock, then redoubled his struggles in vain.
Hitomi became aware of the grass crinkling under her body and the sunlight warming her face. It was such a contrast to the coldness of her visions that she shuddered. She sat up with help from Allen and shook her head, trying to clear it from the cobwebs that distorted her thoughts.
"What happened?" Celena asked, shaken. She knew Hitomi had visions, but had always thought they would be like benign daydreams. Not potentially fatal black-outs.
Hitomi looked back at the dome, seeing the now harmless chair in the darkness inside. "I don't know. I've seen the throne before." She looked up at Allen, "When the archer in the garden attacked, I saw it when I touched him. The man on it, he was horrible - he wanted death."
Allen looked around suspiciously. "Who did?"
"I don't know. I couldn't see his face. He just sat on the throne and mocked me." Anger was replacing her fear. "He had a guymelef!"
Allen's eyes widened. "I think we should talk to Van." He stood and lifted Hitomi in his arm. Hitomi gasped, then said indignantly "Allen, I can walk!"
"Stop struggling, " He grunted, walking swiftly down the path Merle had taken. She quit trying to escape. "You just like to pretend your carrying around damsels in distress!" she accused him dryly. He just smiled as they broke into the clearing where Escaflowne rested.
Phiat saw them coming and relaxed his guard. Van's eyes widened at Hitomi being carried by Allen and broke through the guards to run to them.
"Hitomi!" he gasped.
She lifted her head from Allen's shoulder and looked at him. "I'm OK, really!" she said struggling to be set on her feet. Allen stood her up gently. She swayed slightly before being pulled into a fierce hug by Van. He crushed her to him, then pulled back to look into her eyes. His hands on her shoulders, he shook her. "Don't you ever do that again! What were you thinking, telling them to keep me away?"
She jerked back angrily. "I was thinking that you should have listened to me in the first place about me leaving and I was not going to let you be killed!"
In the shocked hush that followed Merle squeaked. "You're leaving, Hitomi?"
An uncomfortable silence fell over the group as Hitomi and Van glared at each other. It was broken by a shrouded figure bowing to the king
"Your majesty, I thought the Lady would like some water."
Van broke off his staring contest with Hitomi and graciously took the offered cup.
"Thank you," he said stiffly to the man as he passed it to Hitomi. She took it, nodding in thanks. The others relaxed minutely, relieve to have a distraction.
Celena looked at the man curiously. His voice resonated in her mind "Have we met?" she asked him as he, still bowing, backed away.
"Perhaps." he said. "I was a traveler to many places before the war. But I do not recall ever seeing someone of your beauty before." Celena looked surprised at his boldness as Allen stepped between them.
Thank you for the water." He said formally, his tone indicating the man should leave. The man bowed again and left.
"Noun covers himself because of an accident he was in during the war. He was an architect and was instrumental in the dome's design" Merle explained at Celena's inquiring look. "He tends to the areas around the dome now."
They all turned back to Hitomi, who was suddenly fed up with everything. She was tired of being confused, tired of Van's stubbornness, and especially tired of oppressing thought of impending death.
Hitomi, do you want to tell us what is going on?" Allen asked, crossing his arms.
Hitomi looked over at him, then looked in turn at each of her friends before opening her mouth. Without looking at Van again, she told them.
"I am going to leave. I think the attacks are because of me. The last thing I wanted to do here is cause more violence." She looked down at the glass in her hand, noticing a bug slowly drowning in the clear water. She bent and poured it out on the grass, watching as the insect crawled to the tip of a blade of grass and dry its wings. "I don't want anyone to die again."
"But you'll come back?" asked Celena anxiously. "When the attackers are discovered and stopped, you'll come back?" Hitomi didn't answer her, looking at Van. His fists were clenched and he was staring up at Escaflowne as if the inanimate machine could give him a solution.
"I don't know," she said slowly. She turned and began to walk away from the stunned group towards the castle. With a glance back at Van Merle left his side to catch up with Hitomi. She slipped her hand into Hitomi's, silently offering her sympathy. Celena quickly followed to walk at Hitomi's other side. The rest of the group followed the three friends in silence, the sunny day suddenly marred by a sense of gloom.
Van was the last to follow, remaining to stare at Escaflowne with dry burning eyes. A grip on his shoulder startled him out of his reverie. He turned to look at Phiat.
"She must love you a lot to sacrifice so much." Phiat said quietly. Van stared at him for a moment, considering his words, then nodded awkwardly. Phiat smiled and released his shoulder. They turned and followed the others.
Veris cursed in the shadow of Escaflowne. So she was leaving? Plans would have to be stepped up a notch, then. Action would have to be taken soon.
