***Author's Note***

***Author's Note***

Thanks for the reviews and yea...thanks. And don't forget to review at the end!

Disclaimer: Look at previous ones.

Dedication: " " (I am getting lazy)

Parents' Wish

Chapter 7: Van's Reaction

By: ME jus1digigirl *Maura*

Kaira slowly made her way to the throne, expecting a speech to come from her parents' mouths. Upon reaching the throne room's doors, a pair of guards opened them for her to enter. As they bowed at her, she entered. Her mother and father were sitting side by side in gold thrones, each with a unique design carved in. Her own throne stood by her mother, empty, the plush red cushion seat visible.

Her parents noticed her arrival and her father stood up. He motioned to the guards and servants standing around. "Leave us be and wait outside this room till the meeting with my daughter is over and I give you the command to return." Everyone bustled out, leaving the royal family of three alone.

Now King Hippoly turned to his daughter and gave her a small, somewhat kind smile, which was only returned by a serious one. "Come my daughter. Why so glum?"

Kaira walked up to her father and bowed to him. Straightening herself she answered defiantly, "I wish to know the exact reason for this forced marriage."

Now her father's smile faltered. "Kaira," he said in his best fatherly tone, "from what your mother has told me, you burst out in front of her and interrupted her this afternoon. Now, you will know the exact reason when the time comes but now, do as your parents wish and behave! You will marry King Van. I hear he is very noble, brave, and courteous not to mention that he's considered handsome by all the ladies. Many would die to be his wife and queen. He will make a good husband and alliance."

Kaira's eyes went wide with fury, her plan of avoiding an argument gone. "So that's it! You and mother want to sell me off as a prize in exchange for an alliance with Fanelia!"

Queen Hippoly did not speak and let her husband to the talking. "You will not speak to the King and Queen this way!" he shouted.

Kaira's tears began again. The hard, determined, young woman disappeared at the sight of her father's anger. "You are also my mother and father!" She turned on her heels to leave the room. "I will go to Fanelia but trust me, you cannot make me marry a man I do not love!"

She prepared to exit when her mother finally spoke. "Do not try and escape Fanelia, dear Kaira. We have placed a spell around you to prevent you from leaving its grounds. If you attempt to leave, we shall sense it and the spell will be bound around you tighter so do not try. And the spell can only be lifted if I wish for it and I will not choose to lift it until the day of the wedding."

Kaira hung her head and flew out the door, reminding her of what had happened earlier that evening. This time however, she ran outside to the waiting carriage.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Are they done yet?" Hitomi asked clasping her hands together tightly and pacing up and down the corridors in front of Van's bedroom.

"Hitomi, sit down before you make a hole in the floor!" Merle exclaimed. She was sitting beside Yukari on a bench outside of Van's room. Amano and Jair were inside with the doctors to tell them exactly how the king had injured himself.

Hitomi sighed. "I know but I'm so worried about-" she was cut off by another voice.

"Merle! Merle!" It was Torak again, running towards her.

Merle stood up exasperatedly. "I told you not to bother me Torak! What is it now?"

Torak gasped, trying to catch his breath. "I-I got news that His Highness has just arrived from the Mystic Moon!"

Merle looked at him. "You got that right! Remember Lady Hitomi?" She pointed behind Torak where Hitomi stood watching.

Torak turned around and his eyes widened as he kissed her hand. "La-lady Hitom-mi! What a surprise! What a surprise." And indeed, he sounded very surprised for he suspected the feelings the king had towards this girl and did not want to know what would happen when he told King Van about the engagement.

"And," Merle continued. "Meet her friend, Lady Yukari." Torak turned to Yukari and kissed her hand making her blush.

"Merle," Torak turned back towards her. "Did the king bring back anyone else from the Mystic Moon!?" He was worried because two people from the accursed place would mean twice the bad luck and more people would mean more bad luck. He was hoping Van hadn't brought anyone else, as he and the rest of the council members sill believed the ancient legends.

Merle nodded. "Yes in fact he did. Sir Amano. He's in with the king now along with Jair and the doctors."

Torak's eyes went wider and he paled. "The d-doctor? What has happened?"

"Yup." She pointed a finger towards the door. "You can speak to him in there. But you'd better hurry. He's arranged for a grand feast later on this evening so he'll need to get ready."

Torak nodded and knocked on the door. A doctor opened it and he stepped in. Moments later after the door had shut, the three girls heard a roar, which was unmistakably Van's.

"WHAT!?"

"I wonder what that idiot Torak said now," Merle said, eyes narrowed.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Torak shrank back at the king's rage, who was now sitting up, ignoring the protesting doctors and glaring at Torak.

"Torak, exactly how long did you know about this engagement plan?" Van said through his teeth, speaking each word slowly and deliberately.

"Since...since it was done. Fifteen years ago," Torak said, eyes down.

Van didn't trust himself to open his mouth. He had managed to control his anger over the years but now, just after bringing Hitomi back and getting hurt, he was getting news of his fiancée, whom he didn't know, coming before the night was over.

Closing his eyes and trying to calm down, he thought of all the ways an engagement could be broken between kingdoms. Currently, he couldn't think of any since he had never been in a situation like this before.

Deciding that this matter would be better to discuss without the doctors as an audience, he dismissed them. "Go down to the Great Hall and wait there. I will personally give you each your payment in healing the king. Go now and not a word of what you have heard so far."

They bowed as the left, closing the door behind them.

"Now," Van turned to Jair and Amano who were still in the room. "You may each have a seat on those chairs." They sat, not speaking.

Van now faced Torak. He realized it really wasn't the old man's fault. Afterall, he was only doing what his parents had requested. "You are the oldest and wisest of the council. I know you were present at my parent's marriage and at my birth and you are here with me now in my ruling time. I ask you, is there any known way to break this engagement without insulting the Kingdom of Hippolyta or starting a war?"

Torak seemed to be thinking for a while and then shook his head sadly. "I am sorry You Highness but I do not know. I also do not know the reason for the betrothal. However, I do know that the Princess Kaira shall be arriving soon and that King and Queen Hippoly, her parents, will be visiting Fanelia in a week for the expected wedding ceremony. I advise that the feast you have planned be in honor of the princess." Torak took a deep breath and did not dare to look up at Van who was clenching and unclenching his hands.

Finally, he spoke. "Very well. You, Torak, may inform everyone of the reason for the feast. Have the dining hall set for six extra guests which includes the princess."

"Who may the others be my lordship?" Torak asked making his way towards the door.

"Lady Hitomi, Lady Yukari, Lady Merle, and Lords Amano and Jair." Van replied in an obvious tone. "And Torak, you are not to tell anyone of this engagement. As far as anyone is concerned, she is just another candidate as queen. Nothing more. We will work on a plan to break this engagement later on but for now, do as I say and not a word!" Van said forcefully.

Torak nodded and exited the room, hurrying down the hall in a fluster.

Hitomi, Merle, and Yukari watched him practically run out of the room and wondered what had happened in there. They had seen the doctors leave and when questioned, all they would talk about was the king's state of health, nothing more.

Curiously, Merle slowly poked her head into the room. "Lord Van? Can we come in or are you going to leave us out here to die in suspense?"

Van's face relaxed as her remembered his friends. "Come in."

Merle bounded in, followed by a relieved Hitomi and a tentative Yukari.

Hitomi immediately walked to Van's side. "How're you feeling? The doctors told us your wings are fine and I can see that as well." Van had retracted his wings earlier. "Does your wrist hurt much?"

Van lifted up a bandaged hand. "Not much but this helps."

Hitomi smiled. "I'm glad."

Van smiled back and stared into her eyes. Hitomi stared back, her insides positively melting. For a moment, the two seemed to forget the other four people in the room until Merle began giggling. Blushing, they looked away from each other and Van gave an annoyed glare at his friend.

"Sorry. Umm...I got a tickly feeling in my stomach. Must be this dress!" Merle said between giggles.

Hitomi just smiled and shook her head. Turning back to Van, she inquired, "So Van, what was all that about with Torak? What happened?"

Van suddenly felt very ill. How to tell Hitomi that after bringing her back, he was expected to marry someone else? Well, he supposed he could tell her what he had asked Torak to tell everyone but he didn't want to lie to her nor did he want to hurt her feelings.

"Umm...it was nothing really," Van said hastily.

Hitomi raised an eyebrow and looked at Amano and Jair who were suddenly interested with the view from the window. Turning back to Van, she said, "Yelling your head off is nothing? Come on Van! You can tell me!" Hitomi smiled. "I wouldn't tell and neither would Yukari or Merle. Right?"

Yukari and Merle, though curious, didn't want a part of promising something they might not be able to keep, joined Amano and Jair at the window. Hitomi sighed and rolled her eyes. So much for their help.

"Well, you can tell me anyway."

Van sighed. "Oh fine. There's going to be a...a princess coming as a candidate as queen. That's all," Van said blushing not wanting to look up at Hitomi.

Hitomi just stared at him and simply stated one word. "Oh."

Merle, who had obviously overheard, didn't want Hitomi to think that Van actually considered these snotty princesses as brides. "But Lord Van just treats them as guests so there's nothing to worry about!" She said walking over to the bed.

Hitomi smiled gently. "Who's worried?"

Van sighed in relief. "Well, since you're obviously not, would you all care to join me as my guests this evening at the feast?"

The others had too, come over. "We'd love to uh...King Van." Amano said politely.

Van waved a hand. "Please don't. I hereby declare that those in my presence now, do not need to name me with formality." He grinned up at them.

"Alright Van." Yukari said speaking for the first time and smiling at Hitomi.

"Merle, please ask the maids to prepare six guest bedrooms in this hallway." Merle nodded and walked off.

"Your High-" Jair stopped at Van's grin. "I mean, Van, I am not a guest to Fanelia! My house is in the village. I only come to the castle to do my daily work."

"Well, tonight, you are my guest since you seem to be a close friend of Merle's." Jair grinned and bowed.

"Thank you m'lord...Van." Jair grinned.

~*~ What will happen when Kaira arrives? And will the feast turn out to be a good one? Will Torak manage to keep his promise not to tell? What will Hitomi's reaction be if and when she finds out the truth? ~*~

***Author's Note***

Gak! ::smacks head:: Sorry, sorry! I know! There's no V/H fluff in this part either! I'm sorry! I didn't know how to add it in with about four other people standing around! But I will soo try to put in more fluff in later chapters like I said before. I mean, Kaira hasn't even arrived yet! Normally, I write a lot but it seems that these chapters are shorter than expected. I'm getting the feeling that this is going to turn out to be a verrryy long series! Hope you don't mind. Please review and tell me what ya think! And remember, suggestions and ideas are most helpful!

*Maura*

P.S. How old is Prince Cheid (sp?) in the series? If you know, please tell me in the review. Thanks.