Disclaimer: I don't own anything of or from Escaflowne....I just write....in some peoples words....wonderful fics...or remarkable fics...*winks and grins* Thanx for all the compliments...
Dedication: To all who read this and like it....This is also dedicated to my school buddy....Taemyr...for helping me out with it and telling me to go on and not give up....


~*~Chapter 2~*~

~*~Back to the unknown~*~


" Lord Van!! ", a voice screeched into his right ear as he continued to doze under the tree. Van's eyes snapped open and he sat up.
He looked around and almost bumped noses with Merle. He looked at her and frowned as he wiped the sleep from his eyes, " What! ", he snapped.

She sat back on her hunches and giggled. Even for a twenty-three year old cat-girl, she still was the same immature thirteen year old at heart. She looked at him with michevious blue eyes, " You wouldn't wake up when I called you the first two times. ", she informed him.

Van ran a hand over his face, " Oh....sorry I snapped. I just haven't slept well in the past few days. ".

Merle frowned, " Try the last few months....".

He nodded absentmindedly, " You wanted something Merle? ".

She shook her head, her long pink hair swung from side to side, " No...just to see if you were still alive or not. That's all...".

' Alive? why wouldn't I be...? '

" Alive? ", he echoed his thought.

" Yeah. You know? That's how Victor and Leo found Tida and Aeria...", she stopped as soon as she saw Van turn his head to the side, trying to hide the pain in his eyes. " I'm sorry Lord Van...I-I..."

He cut in shaking his head as he stood up and brushed himself off, " No, it's alright Merle. It really is, I've got to move on with my life. I can't keep living in the past....".

Her blue eye widened and she nodded, " Okay Lord Van. Um...did you hear? ".

" Hear what? ".

" Allen Schezar and Millerna are coming to pay us a little visit...."

Van's face plaed slightly, " What? When? Why? ".

Merle swallowed, " Later on today. And I don't know why...it says in the message though. I thought that it was probably personal so I didn't bother to open it up and look at it. ".

" Really? ".

She nodded and reached into the back pocket of her gown. She pulled out a crumpled piece of folded paper. She handed it to Van and he uncrumpled it with shaky fingers. His eyes went over the words almost a thousand times before he finally understood what the message actually meant.

' Van, Millerna wants to see you. So we're going to be joining you for a night or two. I'm
terribly sorry that this is so brief and short noticed, but she insists that she sees you. I
believe that she needs to know for herself that you're alright.... '

Allen Crusade Schezar.......

Van groaned loudly and shoved the piece the paper into his own back pocket. He looked at Merle's face and smiled lightly, " They just want to see how I'm doing. That's all Merle....you'd better go prepare two guestrooms for them if they're on their way here now...".

She nodded and quickly scurried away. Van frowned and sighed, " What's going to happen now? How am I going to deal with them....I can't face Allen...not now. It's too soon. ".

He slowly made his way towards the castle. He found Keldorn surrounded by a whole group of advisors. Van cleared his throat and they all turned to look at him. Keldorn frowned, " Sire? What is it? ".

Van shrugged as he let his wondering gaze sweep over the group, " What's going on here? ".

Keldorn swallowed visibly and then looked around nervously. His wandering eyes turned back to Van and he bit his lip, " Ahh...we're discussing....the new, uh...", his voice cut off as he lowered his gaze to the ground in shame.

" The new what? ", the King demanded.

An unknown advisor with red-gold hair stepped forward. He cleared his throat, " The new Queen of Fanelia Sire....".

Van's face paled to a deathly white and he clenched and unclenched his hands into fists at his side, as he began to shake noticeably with rage. He glared at the advisor and exploded harshly, " On who's decision?!! ".

The advisor didn't even flinch but instead he moved aside, allowing a young woman of twenty to step up. Her long blonde hair crowned the top of her head and came down in ringettes around her face and ears. her Emerald eyes never left Van's face as she bowed slightly before him.

Her voice came out warm but distant, " Greetings King of Fanelia...I am called Gabriella Longarce, princess of Alexandros. My father has sent me here against my own will and now your advisors are discussing a marriage that I don't even plan on attending. ", she shot them a dirty look over her shoulder and continued. " But I am truely sorry about this mess, and I'm very sorry to hear about your daughter and fiancé...".

Van's breathing slowly died down to a calm caress as his eyes took in her beauty. He nodded, " Then I apologize for my outburst...".

She nodded, " It's alright. I was the same way at first, but when I came to Fanelia, I calmed down. This truely is a beautiful and wonderous country to live in....".

A smile broke out on his face and he held out his arm. Gabriella stepped forward and accepted his arm. They left the room full of advisors in silence. Her long green, low-cut gown rustled along the ground as Van led her around the castle, giving her a full tour. She looked at everything with a kind of fascination in her eyes that he had never seen since Hitomi had been here.

He cleared his throat and led her down a dim hall, " There...is where you'll be spending you time I believe...."

She nodded, " Yes it is. How'd you know? ".

He grinned and shrugged, " It's where all royalty rests when they're visiting Fanelia. ", he informed her.

" Really? How interesting...", she whispered.

Her eyes caught sight of the pink pendant around his neck and she cocked her head to the side, examining it. Van frowned
lightly, " What's the matter? ".

She pointed a long finger at the pendant. He looked down and a faint smile touched his face, " Oh this? Its this what has caught your eye? ".

She nodded, " What is it? ".

" It's a pendant. A friend from long ago gave it to me. I promised her that I would never take it off and that I'd never forget her either. ".

She lifted a light eyebrow, " Have you? ".

He shook his head, " Not at all...", he blushed. " She's all I ever think about. When I'm awake or asleep....".

" What was her name? ".

" H-hitomi Kanzaki....", he swallowed heavily.

She gasped, " You mean....the goddess from the Mystic Moon? ".

He chuckled and thought with a nod of the head, ' goddess is probably the right name for her...', " Yes...I believe that is her. I take it you've heard of her? ".

She nodded, " Of course! Who hasn't heard of the mysterious girl from the Mystic Moon? I've heard so many countless tales about your adventures with her. What was she like? Do tell....".

He nodded, " Come. We'll sit down on the bench down the hall..."

She nodded and followed him. She sat down quickly with her hands clasped neatly in her lap. She looked at Van and he chuckled, " Alright...hang on...".

He cleared his throat, " Okay...Hitomi Kanzaki was like no other girl that I had ever met in my life. She was very special to me...and to Allen Schezar. She had very short light brown hair, and beautiful sea-green eyes that always carried a michevious twinkle to them. She...she had a very special and useful power that she helped me somewhat developpe. She helped us defeat Zaibach and she fought alongside with me and Allen during the great war with Zaibach as well. She had the power of an outlooker....".

Gabriella frowned and quirked an eyebrow, " An outlooker? What's that? ".

" Someone who can see the future...has visions. She sees things that no one else can, not even me. Though...she had help from this pendant. The day she left me, she gave it to me and I promised her that I'd never let her go...".

Gabriella smiled sweetly, " How romantic! ", she exclaimed. "Has she ever come back since then? ".

Van sadly shook his head, " No...I have not heard one word from her since she left ten years ago....".

" Oh...I'm sorry. "

Van shook his head," You have no need to be...."

" How old was she when you first met her? ".

Van smiled at the memory, " She was the same age as me...fifteen. She was quite nice and always concerned about other people, then herself. Though she was very stubborn at times...".

" Really? ".

Van nodded, " Yep....".

" Sire! There you are...", an eager voice called out.

Keldorn rushed forward, " Allen and Millerna Schezar have just arrived...".

Van groaned, " Alright. Tell them that I'll be right with them...".

Keldorn bowed deeply before scurrying from the hall, leaving Van and Gabriella alone once again. He turned and looked ather, " excuse me...but I must be going now. ".

She nodded smiling, " I know. "

He smiled and gently took her hand in his. His lips brushed across the top of her hand and she blushed noticeably. She stood up quickly and walked over to her bedroom door. She gave a little wave before she disappeared into her bedroom. Van let out a breath and he hurried down the hall to the main hallway. He spotted Allen with his back to him and a smile came to his face.

" Allen! ", he cried.

***

Allen quickly spun aruond to face him. He looked the same as he did when he had first met him...the man of every women's dreams with his long silky blonde hair, his piercing, inviting blue eyes, and his muscular body. He walked over to Van and grabbed him in a hug.

Van chuckled and patted him on the back, " How ya been Allen? ".

Allen pulled away. He looked at his friend and shrugged, " I'm doing alright. But I believe that the question should be directed at you....huh? ".

Van opened his mouth to respond but a small voice spoke up, " Daddy? Who's that? ".

A smile broke out on Allen's face as he went and picked his daughter up, letting her sit in his hip comfortably. He looked at her and planted a kiss on the tip of her nose, " He's a very good friend of daddy's...and he's a king...".

Her violet eyes widened and she turned to look at Van, " A king? Like you daddy? ".

Allen and Van both chuckled. Allen nodded, " Yes baby, just like daddy. You want to say hello? ".

Marianne blushed a deep crimson but she nodded. Allen gently setted her on the ground. He bent down and fixed her gown. She turned and walked up to Van with uncertain steps. When she was standing in front of him, he crouched down, " Why hello little one. What's your name? ".

She giggled and looked back at her father who gave her a nod of encouragement. She turned back and curtsied with expertise,
" Why hello. My name is Marianne Lynn Schezar. Who might you be? ".

Van smiled and bowed his head, " I'm called Van Slanzar de Fanel, King of Fanelia....how do you do Marianne? ".

She giggled again and shrugged as she reached down and twisted a piece of her gown around her little finger, " I'm alwight....you? ".

" Oh...I'm doing just fine. Thank you, have you met Merle? ".

" Who's that? ".

" That's my very best friend and adopted sister. ".

" Oh...where is she? ".

" She'll be coming, don't worry. You'll be able to meet her...sooner or later. ", he assured her gently.

She nodded. She then turned around and hurried over to Allen. She clamped her arms around one of his long legs and turned her face away from him. He chuckled and stood back up.

He looked at Allen and sighed, " Where's Millerna? ".

" Right here....", a soft voice called out from behind Allen.

She stepped up and looked at him with concern in her violet eyes. He grinned and stepped up to her. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her gently. She looked at him frowning slightly as she pulled away from him, " What's wrong? ".

He shook his head, " Oh nothing. Just happy that you guys actually decided to come and pay a lonely King a visit, that's all ", he said with a shrug of the shoulders.

Millerna nodded, " How you been holding out? ".

He shrugged again and he could feel Allen's eyes searching his face. " I've been better....well no. I've never felt so alone in my entire life. ", he admitted. " First my father died, then Folken disappeared. Then my mother left me as well.
Merle's all I got....but she has some new mate, so she really isn't around anymore. ".

Millerna gave him a sympathetic nod as she eyes the pendant, " I see you still have it. I guess her departure was the hardest on you, huh? ".

He swallowed heavily and nodded, " Y-yea...besides for T-Tida's.....".

He blinked back the tears that threatened to spill. Allen cleared his throat, " Um...Millerna love, why don't you take Marianne to the room? I think I'll stay here and catch up on some...business with Van. Alright? ".

Millerna looked at him and nodded, " Alright. Come on sweetie, let's go unpack alright? ".

Marianne looked up at her mother and unclamped her arms from her father's legs. She gently grabbed a hold of Millerna's forefinger and left the hallway with her. Allen turned to look at Van, " So? Have you really been alright? ".

" In what way? Emotionally or physically? ".

" Both....I mean you look sick. "

Van quirked an eyebrow, " Really? That bad huh? "

Allen nodded, " Mm-hmm! Go look in a mirror and you'll see for yourself....".

Van snorted. He turned and left Allen standing alone in the hallway. Allen growled under his breath and followed, shouting after him, " Running away won't help Van! You should know that by now. I know what you're going through and feeling...."

Van stopped dead. He spun around and glared icily at Allen, then retorted, " Do you really Allen? The one who has a perfect family actually knows and understands what I'm going through AND feeling? ", he snorted in disgust. " I highly doubt that! ".

Allen knitted his brows together, " You shouldn't. I honestly do Van....just let me and Millerna help you. Just talk to us, that's all we ask you to do? ".

" Why? "

" Because it'll help! ".

" No it won't! ", he snapped. " you don't know what it feels like to have your entire family taken from you. One by one.....the ones you truely love, taken from you! I've had that happen to me so many times in the past twenty-five years of my life Allen! I hurt inside! I don't know what to do anymore.....", he shouted in a pained voice as tears brimmed his eyes.

Allen swallowed and shouted back, " I damn well know what that feels like Van! Dammnit! It's happened to me too, all you've got to do is learn to cope with it and learn to accept the truth!! ".

" What truth? "

" That they're gone Van! "

" Allen...Hitomi was the one woman that I've ever loved. Even to this very day I still go on loving her, wanting her by my side as...Queen of Fanelia. But that won't happen. "

" How do you know? "

" Because she hasn't even given me a sign of her even exsisting anymore for the past ten years. "

Allen sighed. He ran a hand over his face, " Van...I know exactly how you feel! I lost my father to Zaibach and my sister, then it was my mother to a broken heart. You don't think that I don't know? I loved Hitomi too you know? But when she went back home, I lost her too..."

Van frowned, " You loved Hitomi? "

Allen nodded, " Yes...I did. That's why I asked her to marry me..."

Van raked a hand through his hair and shrugged, " Allen. I-I'm sorry that I snapped or was rude..."

Allen waved his apology away, " It's alright now. How do you feel now that you're unleashed all your anger on me? "

Van smiled briefly and shrugged, " I feel...a lot better then before. How about you? "

" Same. I feel as if an entire weight has just been lifted from my shoulders and chest. "

Van sighed, " I guess we'd better go grab something to eat..."

Allen nodded, " You're right. Millerna will be getting hungry around now...you did notice that she's expecting again..."

Van nodded and grinned, " Congrats! You're second one. What is it? "

Allen frowned, " From what I was told, it's a boy and she wants to name it Leon Micheal Schezar. "

" I see...interesting. Well, I'm hunrgy...so if you'll join me for something to eat, I'm sure we can continue chatting about my problems later on? "

Allen nodded. He followed Van down the hall that led to the dining hall in silence.

***

" Grandma! ", Tony cried in excitement and surprise.

Hitomi smiled lightly. Her mother crouched down and scooped Tony into her arms, giving him a kiss on the cheek, " How have you been? ", she asked him lightly.

He shrugged as he ran a hand through her shoulder length brown hair. It was beginning to gray around her forehead and ears, " I've been alwight. How's about you? ".

She smiled, " Same as you sweetie. How's mommy been doing? ", she asked as she turned to look at her daughter.

Hitomi shrugged, " I've been really tired these past few days. That's all...."

Her mother nodded, " Well? Shall we get going? The sun's about to go down soon, and I want to feed the ducks some bread...oh and Hitomi, nice dress. It really suits you..."

Hitomi frowned as she looked down at her selection in outerwear. It was another sundress, only black and short. The straps went aruond her neck, tied from the back. She wore a white two piece bikini underneath - just in case they'd be swimming at her mother's house later on. She looked down at her baby-blue painted toes and her frown deepened, " Mom? How have you been lately? "

Her mother looked at her, slightly confused, " I'm fine dear. Why do you ask? "

" I don't know....because I care? ", she pointed out.

" Oh well...I'm very glad to hear that dear. "

She nodded and began to walk across the field. Her mother followed in silence as she held Tony in her arms. Hitomi sighed lightly between pursed lips as she watched a couple throwing a neon pink frisbee back and forth. She closed her eyes and kept walking, allowing her instincts to take over. She opened her eyes and frowned. There was a large gust of wind followed by a loud whooshing sound as she was bathed in a bright light.

She looked at her mother and extended a hand, " Mom! Help me...", she cried.

Her mother outstretched a hand to Hitomi and it passed right through. Her mother began to back away, shaking her head with a look of fear in her warm brown eyes. She shouted back, " I-I can't I'm sorry! ".

Tony began to squirm in his grandmother's arms as Hitomi rose off the ground and floated in the air, " Mommie! Don't go, take me with you! Please....", his desperate and frightened little voice pleaded from somewhere. She didn't know where.

Hitomi's eyes closed against the harsh glare of the light and she heard a soft voice calling out to her. she shook her head and mumbled, " No, just let me stay a little longer...please...".

The light then completely surrounded her. She groaned and then felt herself drifting asleep. The light slid up from the ground and disappeared into the sky, taking Hitomi along for the ride. Tony's eyes widened and he cried out as he held his arms out to the sky.

" Mommie? Mommie!! ".

Tears streamed down his cheeks and he threw his arms around his grandmother's neck, and sobbed on her shoulder.