*Chapter XII, Surprises*
"So Merle, what has happened that is so important?"
Oh great, what do I say
to him now? That the king is off on another planet, courting some woman? Ya
right…
"Ummm…Master Van has disappeared, well sort of… but he wanted to leave. It's really difficult to explain…" she said, wondering if she should tell Lavi about Hitomi.
"Ok, that was a bit obscure… but don't worry I
think I more or less understand." He said emphasizing the 'less'. What is this
cat talking about? I don't want to embarrass her, because I like her, but I
still wouldn't mind knowing what on Gaia she was talking about.
"To put it bluntly, he's gone to see the Lady Hitomi. You have heard of her right?… the savior of Gaia?"
"Don't worry I know who the Lady is, but doesn't she live on the Mystic Mo- Oh… Oh! He went there? To see... her? Why? Is Gaia in trouble again? What's wrong? Is…."
"Lavi!!! Stop it!" She said taking a hold of his shoulders. "Calm down. He's there because he wants to bring her back to live with us, or so I think. They really like each other and they want to be around each other, and…" She tuned around and started to cry. She still liked Master Van, but she couldn't admit it yet, she thought that she was over him. She silently sobbed. "I have to go now…"
"No Merle, please wait…what's wrong? Let me help. Please."
"I…I can't say. Please I don't want to talk about this anymore."
"Ok, Shhhh. Don't worry we don't have to talked about that. So Merle, are you being courted by anyone?" He went red, as red as a tom could go. After he asked that question, he regretted asking her that instantly.
"No."
"Oh."
"So…"
"Ummm…"
"I think that I should get back to work before anything else happened. If you want, you can stay around the castle until dinner, than eat with me?"
"Actually I have some work that I should do in shop, but I could come back later for dinner."
"Ok" Merle said with a cheerful smile.
~*~*~*~
As their feet touched the ground the light faded away.
"Hitomi? We're here. We made it." Van said as he held her tightly.
"Ya, finally…home."
Van didn't move for a while. He knew that Hitomi would need time to adjust to calling Gaia her home.
"I think that we should start heading toward Fanelia." She said after being held for a while.
"Are you sure that your ready?"
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." She said with a fake smile.
"Hitomi…I'm so sorry." He said. He pulled her closer to himself, trying to comfort her.
"Please Van, don't be sorry or I'll start to think that you'll regret me coming."
"NEVER!! Hitomi never. I would never think that. Ever. I'm sorry that I'm totally in love you. I'm sorry that I fell in love with the most beautiful woman from two worlds." He said resting his head on hers, looking up at the moons.
"Thank you."
"Are you ready?" he asked as his wings grew from his back.
"How far are we from Fanelia?"
"I think that we're about 150 miles from Fanelia, that is according to the stars."
"That far!?!?!? You can't fly that!"
"Yes I can. And I will!" Van said, a bit mad, because she thought that he couldn't do it, or that he is too weak to make it.
"I don't think that you too weak. I never have. I just don't think that you should strain yourself just for me. I won't have it. You'll get sick from exhaustion. Forget it!"
"Hitomi, sorry, I got mad, I just thought that you thought…"
"I know what you thought, and you were wrong."
"I really don't mind carrying you. I actually enjoy it. Anyway it's the fastest way back, which I know of. Besides, I've become a lot stronger, especially my wings. Also…"
"I have an idea." Hitomi interrupted.
Van face brightened, "What?"
"My wings." Hitomi said cheerfully.
"What?" Van asked, clearly startled. "Your wings? You've never used them before and it might hurt." Van said not happy with the idea. He didn't want Hitomi to be in pain.
"I can deal with a little pain, anyways I might need them later, so I think that I should practice."
"Hitomi I really don't think that's a good idea." Van said grabbing Hitomi by the shoulder and lightly shaking her.
"To bad!! I want to!"
"Hitomi No!"
"You can't stop me." Hitomi said backing away from him. She had wiggled out of his grasp. "I care too much about you to have you stressing your body because of me!" she said, still moving back, father away from him.
Van started to walk forward towards Hitomi, "Hitomi please think about this…"
He was to late. She let her wings loose, and with a cry, she fell to her knee's. 'Sorry' she mouthed to him.
"Hitomi!" Van shouted as he ran to her. "Why?"
"Because I need you to be healthy. I need to do this for myself." As Van reached out to her, she swatted his hand away. "I have to do this Van, please don't help."
Hitomi rose to her feet and spread her wings out full. Van looked at her and thought about the description that she once gave him about an angel. As he looked upon her in amazement he took off his shirt and spread his wings as well.
He walked over to her and looked deep into her forest eyes. "I love you with all my heart and soul. You are my purpose in life, please let me help."
"Not this time Van. I can do it. Tell me what to do, please."
"Fine, but your no going to fly for very long, I don't want you to hurt yourself, but I will teach you. We'll do half and half. Do you agree to that?" Van asked, trying to compromise with her.
"Deal."
"Good, I'll seal it with a kiss." He walked over to her, put his arms around her waist and wrapped his wings around her. As he lowered his head down to her, he felt her wings also wrap around him. It was a pleasant feeling to have, hold and love someone like you. As they broke apart, she smiled at him,
"Thank you for everything. I love you."
~*~*~*~
"Allen...why is it that you are very protective of me?" Prince Chid asked, taking Allen out of his trance like state, while riding his horse.
"Prince Chid, I'm sorry I don't think I understand. What do you mean? I know that I have to protect my prince at all costs." Allen looked at Chid inquisitively.
"I think that you are frightened for me. I mean maybe more than somebody really should, more like a father, and I was just wondering why?"
Allen looked at the prince, taken aback. "I...Ah...Well I guess it might be because I respected Marlene, your mother, and you're her son, so I respect you as well. Your mother was my friend, as was your father." he quickly added the last part.
"Oh, well you know that you don't need to protect me, I know how to handle a sword, and I can take care of my self.'
"I never said you couldn't, but it is my duty as a knight to protect all the royalties. And I would like to think of you as a friend too." he said cautiously.
They rode is silence for a very long time. Finally Chid spoke up, "We will always be friends. How long till Fried do you think?"
"I think that we should be there fairly soon. Thank you, friend." Allen knew that sounded really bad, but he had to say it. To call his son his friend, he also knew that this couldn't last forever, somebody one day would tell him who his real father was. It scared him; he didn't know what would happened if found out from the wrong person at the wrong time. How would he react? He decided to let that question pass; there was nothing he could do.
~*~*~*~
Anana was watching the scenery as they drove
by. I
wonder what I could say to this man? Didn't he say that he was friends with the
King? What would I say to the King if this man decides to introduce me? What am I saying, why would this man, who I
don't even know, introduce me to the king of Fanelia, I mean the KING?
"Excuse me, Sir Gaddis, umm how long till Fanelia? Doran hasn't eaten in a fairly long time and I think that he might be hungry. I promised that I would take care of him..."
"Don't worry, miss there is some food in the back, we could stop if you want, so he could eat."
"No, sorry sir, we don't have to stop. We could wait till we get to Fanelia." She said afraid of being a burden.
"Please stop calling me sir, I'm not really one, I guess you could call me a rehabilitated soldier. I've seen the inside of many dungeons. I'm far from being a sir. Anyways the horses need a break, so I think we should stop anyways. Whoa!" he called out to the horses, and the horses stop at the side of the road.
Anana walked to the back of the carriage and saw Doran sleeping. She woke him up just to give him some bread and water, so the boy doesn't starve.
"Why have we stop, miss Anana?"
"The horses needed a break and the people needed food. We start again in a couple of minutes. Are you ok back here?"
"Yah, it's nice out of the sun and heat. Thank you for the food."
"You don't have to thank me."
"Momma always said that I should always say thank you to people when somebody gives me something."
"Then thank you for coming with me to Fanelia. Go back to sleep now. I'll wake you up when were in Fanelia."
"Ok..." he said as he was falling asleep.
"Miss Anana? Please hurry and sit up here with me." She was startled when Gaddis came back to the carriage.
"Ok"
"There's some people coming up, and I don't know if they mean us harm of not, so please stay up here with so that your safe. And play along, if I make up a story."
"Ok" she said frightened by what he was saying.
Some of the riders were coming towards them very quickly.
"Please stop" the guard in the front said. "What are you carrying?"
" I'm carrying things for the King of Fanelia. Now please let us by."
"What sort of things?" he asked ignoring Gaddis's questions. "Why are you going to Fanelia? What are your purposes there?"
"Are you a guard from Fanelia?"
"That is irrelevant. Now stop asking question and answer mine. Why are you going to Fanelia?"
"I plan to see the King and deliver the things that I have here for him."
"Not anymore." he said drawing his sword.
~*~*~*~
Millerna and Celena were sitting in the garden talking quietly to each other.
"He's done what?!?!" Millerna asked outraged.
"He's only tried a couple of times. He doesn't seem to get it through his head though. I don't know why he persists to set me up with a dim-witted men who cares and knows nothing about the world surrounding him. I want to travel the world, see what's out there and help those in need."
"I still can't believe that Allen, your own brother would do something like that, after all, your old enough to pick by your self. Don't let him get his way by setting you up with someone you don't like. Wait a minute, weren't you…and Van? What happened there?"
"Van broke off the engagement, but I don't really mind. I think Allen always knew that Van could never marry anyone else other than Hitomi. I've also known that, actually Van and I talked about it I gave him some clues on how to sweep a girl or woman off her feet. I just hope that he'll take my advice."
"You mean…that you have A King advice on a girl, while you're engaged to him? Oh that's just too good!!!" Millerna said while laughing so hard that she almost fell off the bench she was sitting on.
"You know, he's really sweet, but he just too shy and devoted to Hitomi I hope I get to meet her, from what I've heard she amazing, of course that was coming from the two men who liked her."
"So Van told you everything?"
"Yes, after a lot of pressure and pushing, he finally told me. When he and Hitomi marry, I hope that we'll stay the best of friends."
"Marry, are you sure she'll say yes.
"I'm not totally sure, but once I meet her I'll know."
"Celena? Celena! Where are you?" Merle shouted from afar.
"Merle stop shouting and come over here and talk don't shout!" Celena said.
"Celena I need your help…you see I'm having dinner with Lavi and I don't know what to do, please oh please help me!"
"Ok, ok, calm down! I'll help but what do you want me to help you with?"
"Um everything."
"Ok. Lets go to your room and pick out some stuff. Would you like to help Millerna?"
"I don't know…"
"Oh please oh please, I really like Lavi and well I like him." Merle asked desperately.
"I guess we could quickly get something going."
"Thank you! Oh thank you so much!"
~*~*~*~
Hello everyone, I know
that this is REALLY, REALLY long over due, please forgive me!! I've been so busy
with everything! Anyways tell me what you want, another chapter in this story,
or a first chapter in another story. Tell me in the review. Anyways thank you
very much for reading and reviewing, the people who have. I don't really
deserve everyone's kind reviews, but I'll keep them coming a bit faster now,
sorry! Oki, ps sorry this is so short!! Bye Now.