Disclaimer: I do not own escaflowne! *Sob* but if I did I'd be rich! Hahaha, well the plot belongs to me and so does tero so I do own something!! Yeah!
Authors notes: I wanna thank Sovereign Mariemeia, your critisisom helps a lot, And To all the people who review my story. I Believe I Can Write again! Hooray! TO My Best friend Christine! Thankies!! Hahahah Oh and Van is so mine you can't have him, stick with the horse guy! Umm…That's all oh but I wanna thank my brain for giving me the wonderful idea!!! Oh and I need at least 9 more reviews continue this. So tell me it sucked tell me it was good and to guyan0/katie-chan guyan0 I'm am going to put that idea about Van and folken in here. To One Of Grace I put merle in too! Hehehe But sorry Hitomi still is in this one.. Otherwise Sovereign Mariemeia would pound my head in! So here is the 4th chapter READ ON AND REVIEW!!
Chapter 4 Fragments Of The Heart A Goodbye
It was dark, very dark, as Van opened his eyes, his vision blurry.
As his vision cleared Van turned his head to see, that he was once again in the forest, trees all around him. The words his father said to him remained fresh in his mind, just who was this girl that he spoke of and what did she have to do with him? but one thing remained clear, he had to continue his search for his brother, for Folken. Van noticed that he was moving, on the back of his stallion, Night. Van saw that he was covered in heavy blankets, just how long was he out of it? Suddenly unaware of his surroundings the prince of fanelia, became frightened.
Van sat upright in his saddle.
"B-balgus?!" Van said loudly, in a trembling voice.
Night stopped moving, and Van saw the familiar face of his guardian Balgus, his face worried as he said in a stern, worried voice.
"My lord, Are you alright?!"
The prince sighed in relief his fears fading away. "Yes...."
"Highness, you gave me a scare! Your mother would have my head if something happened to you." Balgus said as he visually relaxed
Van mocked balgus, mouthing to what he was saying (typical behavior for a five year old boy) Knowing exactly what his guardian was going to say. Van received the same lecture at least twice a day.
Balgus shook a finger in Van's face, the young prince was to reckless and needed to be disciplined as Balgus saw it.
"My lord, Don't mock me what I say is for your own good! how do you expect to become a King if you don't-"
"Where are we?" Van interrupted, bored with the lecture that seemed to be going no where.
balgus took a deep breath to continue on with his lecture when he suddenly forgot what he was going to say. He growled in frustration, knowing that the boy had won this battle, he wondered if the prince would ever listen to him.
"We are less than a mile away from fanelia, highness now if your well enough we can go at faster rate, as he jumped onto his horse. Giving his horse a gentle slap, they were once again off.
***
The sun rose as they neared the castle of fanelia. The townspeople gathered around the market place to welcome back their prince.
"Hooray for prince Van!" one villager yelled
The joyful murmurs of the people rang clear in the young prince's ears.
Trumpets sounded as they entered the gates, letting the whole country know that their prince was back.
"God bless the queen mother!" one of the court men yelled.
"Van!" Varie called to her son, joyful that Balgus had brought him back safe and sound. Her face lit up as she saw her darling child smile, but her face saddened when she saw that her eldest son was not there.
"Mama!" Van called as he nearly fell jumping off the stallion, he ran and hugged her dress.
"Did you behave?" she asked giving her son a look, knowing that Van loved to try the knights patience. Van nodded hiding behind his mother.
"My lady." Balgus bowed, as he kissed his queens hand.
"Balgus," Varie smiled at the knight. 'I hope that he didn't bother you to much."
Van peaked from behind his mother's dress, clenching the material in his hand.
"Nuh Uh, I behaved mama , honestly.." Van stopped dead in his tracks as he heard a familiar squeal from a girl
"Lord Van!!" Merle squealed with delight.
"Oh no!" Van said trying to hide under the many layers of his mother's large dress.
"Darling, just what are you doing under there?" the queen asked slightly lifting her dress to see her son frantically pull it back down, to cover himself.
"Shhhhh!" Van replied. "Don't let her find me mama! PLEASE!"
The cat girl made her way to the royal family, her pink curls bouncing as she skipped toward where her prince would be.
"My lady, where is lord Van?"
"Merle dear Van is taking a nap." Varie said.
Merle's big blue eyes started to fill with tears. She couldn't understand why Lord Van would be tired when she was around. After all she was the best cat girl there was. Much better than those violent knights that her hero was so interested in.
Suddenly unable to breathe under the itchy fabric of the dress, Van couldn't take it anymore, Van quickly crawled out from under the dress. Gasping for air, he heard Merle screech his name as she dived to squeeze him until his little eyes bulged out. Van let out a yell as he ran as quick as he could, not far behind he was followed by a skipping three year old Merle.
"Any luck Balgus?" Varie asked.
"No my lady, none, I didn't have the heart to tell the prince."
Varie nodded, as she bit her trembling bottom lip. Knowing all to well of the terrible possibilities that could have happened to her son. It was times like this that Varie wished with all her heart that her husband were alive. The days were long and hard without her love, one thing kept her going though, her sons. Deep within her heart she knew that Folken was alive, and no matter how hard it was she would fight the pain that dwelled in the deepest corner of her hear, and she would survive for Van and for Folken.
***
Folken's eyes opened, a bright light blinding him as he did. Where he was he didn't know. He sat upright, a sharp pain jolting in his arm. As he looked down at his once decapitated arm his eyes widened in horror. His arm, now replaced by a metal one. To Folken, this new arm represented his failure to slay the dragon. tossing the cover off his body, Folken attempted to get up, only to have the pain of his body drag him back onto the bed. Blinding lights were every where now.
"Where are you going?" A voice echoed throughout the room.
Folken gasped loudly, not knowing from who or what the voice came from. Folken quickly scanned the room looking for the person who the voice belonged to.
"Who's there? Show yourself if you're not afraid!" Folken said taunting the mysterious voice.
A large shadow stepped into the light revealing a man in some sort of a guymelef. He was an old man, he wore his hair long with a beard and mustache. Folken couldn't believe his eyes, the man looked over 100, the machine that he rode in must have been keeping him alive.
"Don't be alarmed, I am no foe, t'was I who saved you from bleeding to death, t'was I who gave you that new arm that you bear."
"You?" Folken asked, eyes narrowing. "You should have left me there to die! it would have been better than to be out casted by my country! I can't go back now, I'm nothing, a failure!" Folken suddenly stopped talking, thinking of his little brother van. A memory flashed in Folken's head.
"No matter what Folken, I'm always gonna look up to you. One day, I'm gonna be big like you , just as strong and brave too. I'll await the day you return Brother."
Folken gasped as he was brought back to reality by the voice of that old man.
"If you're country will not accept you, then you can stay here with me. Stay here so you may help me discover the means of destiny."
"I-I can't I have duties, my people, my brother and my mother, I promised that I would look after then. I can't abandon them now."
"But I saved your life, without me you have died, you owe me boy. All I ask is that you help me discover the means of destiny, Help me to make a new world where peace is possible." the old man said.
"Peace?" Folken asked.
"Yes, a world with no war. Wouldn't you like that?"
Folken remained silent for minutes, thinking of Gaea's future he finally answered the mans question.
"I'll stay but just until you find what you're looking for."
"Good, Now tell me your name."
***
Van slept soundly in his bed, his tiny mouth open as he breathed silently. His mother stepped into the room. Sitting on the edge of the bed she reached out her arm and gently touched her sleeping son's head, brushing his midnight, black, strands of hair out of his face.
"Poor darling," she whispered. "You have to suffer, so much." Varie knew what it was she had to do, not knowing if her older son was alive, she would have to go out and find him herself. She had to bring back Folken, so they could all be whole again. She leaned and softly kissed her son on his forehead. As she got up to leave she whispered to him. "Good bye Van, I'll return before you wake, with your brother." Little did Van know, he would never hear that good bye , never again would never see her mother's loving face again.
***
"Lord Van!" Merle called. "Lord vaaannn!!" The three year old playfully pawed at the prince's nose. Van took a swing at her paw, missed and continued to sleep. Merle once again pawed at his nose, this time accidentally scratching him.
"Ahhh!" Van yelled as he was woken. Holding his nose in his hands, he yelled again. "Merle! Don't ever do that again!" he said trying to shove her off the bed.
"Oh Lord Van, I'm so sorry!!" she sobbed "I'll never do it again!" She threw he arms around the prince, squeezing him.
"Stop Merle!" Van yelled his voice muffled. "You're Killing me!"
Van was escorted by his care takers into his study. Dressed in fancy clothes by those nosy handmaidens, Van scratched frantically at the fabric. As his tutor got further into his lesson, Van fought to stay awake.
"Prince Van, can you tell me where the country of Asturia lies?" his tutor asked
Van shrugged his shoulders.
The crooked nose of his tutor flared. "Highness, its obvious that you haven't been keeping up with your studies."
One of the knights stepped into the room to discuss an important matter with the tutor, giving Van a chance to escape.
Van threw the material of the clothes on the floor changing into his usual clothes. Van looked around the palace for his mother, hoping that she would be in the gardens, Van strolled outside.
"Mama!" Van called, strange his mother would usually be in the gardens having her morning tea, but today Van couldn't find her. Van decided to look for Balgus instead knowing that if his mother wasn't there then Balgus would stay in her leave.
"Balgus!" The prince called.
"He's not here, highness." A young scout said to him.
"Where is he?" Van asked
"He's gone to look for your mother."
Van's eyes widened. "Why what happened?!" Worry shown in Van's dark eyes. Why would his mother leave?
The scout smiled at the boy. "Try not to worry lord, I'm sure that your mother is fine, and General Balgus will return with her before you know it."
Van nodded. He knew that Tero knew what he was talking about, even if the older soldiers said that he was far to young to understand anything.
"Hey, Van aren't you supposed to be in lessons right now?"
"Yes.." Van said scratching the back of his neck. "Its so boring though so I'll stay will you!' Van said hopeful that Tero woulden't send him back.
"Well, okay you can help me polish the swords!"
Queen Varie had traveled through the forests farther than she had ever hoped to. It became obvious that with no protection of her own, that she would be in grave danger. Dragons roamed this land.
"Folken!" She called.
This was the area her son had traveled to, she hoped that maybe she could find some clue that he was still alive. Varie looked at the ground, her eyes widened with horror as she saw the blood stained grass. Something was not right here.. she heard snarls and roars in the distance slowly getting closer.. there was a strange noise behind her. Ragged breathing down her neck. She knew now that she would die, and that she would never see her beloved sons again.
Somewhere far away from Fanelia, somewhere through space, on a entirly different planet there was a girl.
The little girl put her ear to her mother's extended stomach.
"Is the baby in there mommy?" She asked putting her hands on her mother's stomach to try and find where the baby was.
The girl's mother chuckled.
"Yes darling, your new brother or sister is in there."
"How much longer until I'm a big sister?" she asked full of questions.
"About a week or two honey." She smiled and stroaked her five year old daughter's shoulder leanth hair. "Here, give me your hand" the girl placed her small hand in her mother's. As she placed her tiny hand upon her stomach, she felt a little kick. She gasped excitedly. The girl smiled and hugged her mother tightly.
"Just a little bit longer, right dear?" A new voice asked.
"Grandma!" the little girl squeeled as she jumped off the sofa and into her grandmother's arms.
"Mom" the girls mother said as she tried to get up.
"Hello!" the old woman replied. Hugging the little girl in her arms.
The girl pulled away gently and skipped over to her mother.
"Guess what Grandma! I'm gonna be a big sister."
"Oh that's wonderful, dear." She said as she gazed into the dark green eyes of her granddaughter.
The old women went over to her own daughter. "Well look at You!" she replied happily. She gazed down at her daughters stomach, looking at it carefully. The old woman closed her eyes.
"Judging by how far along you are and the way that your carrying, I do believe that it's going to be a boy."
The woman smiled and placed her hand on her stomach. "He's always wanted a son to carry on the family name." She told her mother
The old woman nodded.
"Oh and I have something for you honey…" she turned to her grandchild. Reaching to the neckalace she wore around her neck, she unclasped it. Taking the child hands gently, she placed the pendant in her hands.
"Oooh thank you grandma!" She said hugging her grandmother once more, before skipping away.
"She has the gift, dear."
The woman looked at her mother. "She's been having dreams, mom. Terrible dreams,I'm worried."
"Don't worry, the pendant that I gave her will help with her gifts. Now you sit down and take it easy, alright, I'll go make you some tea."
The green eyed girl played with the pendant in her hand swinging it back and forth. With each swing she counted as high as she could, to ten, the pendant never slowed down. The girl placed it around her neck before going to sleep. Her mother entered the room and shut off the light.
"Sweet dreams Hitomi" she said softly to her daughter.
A boy, a small boy around her age sat crying. Crying at a large monument, it looked like a grave. He had dark balck hair, and wore a red shirt. As he looked up Hitomi felt almost as she could gaze into those pair of reddish brownish eyes.
A Women lay dead on the ground of the forest.
A Boy, a boy blue hair, strange metal arm, sat talking with an old man. The old man frightened little Htiomi.
That boy, that little boy with the dark hair, he looked so lonely Hitomi wished that there were something that she could do for him, if she could only go to him for comfort, she felt that he and her could be friends. But why was he crying? Did it have something to do with the woman or the young man? And who was that old man, the one who had frightened her, Hitomi didn't know.
The nightmare dissapeared and Hitomi drifted to a more peaceful dream.
To be continued….
Authors Notes: To readers I still need some help with this should I make them older now or should I continue with the same age then make them older. Damn you brain! I know where I'm going with this but not about the ages so ideas would be nice!! REVIEW!!!! See ya soon… Oh and I'm Break so I'll be updateing soon!