Merle looked around the castle for one of the royal

advisers.

"Where are those old goats when you need them?" she mumered

to herself. Merls burst into the councel room yelling.

"I want the full report on Van's jorney. I also want to

know if he left me any messages." When the older wise men

told her what she needed to know, Merls was off again

yelling for the servents to perpare a small airship and for

someone to find Millerna.

"I need the princess, she just came through a weekago. Find

her!! I'm sure there will be wounded." As she ran up to her

room to get some extar clothes for herself and Hitomi, she

ran into a brick wall. No, not brick, just a hard chest.

Merle steped back and looked up at Jakco.

"I don't really have time to play games with you. If you

want to come with me, fine. But otherwise, stay out of my

way." Jakco had no time to talk as Merle was already off

running again.


~~~~~@ @~~~~~


Chid sat holding Keiko on his lap as the airship circled

once, then twice. Chid looked sown at thee carnage that had

once been his favorite getaway. Only 30 women survived, 17

of them wonded moraly. They where abourd Allen's airship.

The solders had stayed behind to bury the dead. What irony,

that the very place that kept him form going insane was now

going to be a grave yard to women who had fought for his

peace. He looked over at Van who set beside him. HItomi sat

in his lap and Van had his arms and his wings wraped around

her. Chid smiled slightly. He had never seen Van's wings

much and the way he had them wraped around Hitomi's

sleeping form was endearing. Keiko stired in her sleep and

Chid feared she would have another nightmare, but she just

turned her head and sighed. Chid's heart melted. He already

loved this little girl like his own. Her moher, although

she suffered from a head wound, was going to be okay.

A women with blood on her apron came in.

"I need the Lady Hitomi!" her voice was ergent but Van

glared at her anyway. His grip tightened around Hitomi as

she stired.

Hitomi awoke to someone calling her name and arms tighting

around her.

"What?" she asked sleeply. The woman spoke to Hitomi,

ignoring Van completly.

"It's Miyaka, she's dying and wanted to speak her last

words to you."

Hitomi stugled to get out of Van's lap, but she jsut didn't

have the strenghth. Van lefted her up and tucked his wings

close to his body, the tip still trailed the ground behind

him. Van followed the woman to a room set up to hold the

wonded. He set Hitomi down beside a bed that held a young

girl. To Van's suprise she looked no older than Chid.

"Lady Hitomi." the girl choked out.

"Shhh, Miya, Don't speak." Hitomi reached out to smooth the

girls hair. IT's bright blue hue seemed to have faded in

color.

"I have to tell you--" she had a fit of coughing, small

flecks of blood appearing at her lips.

"I have to tell you that I believe now." Miya griped

Hitomi's hand as another spasm came. More blood driped out

of her mouth. At the end of the coughing she said somthing

else. Hitomi had to bend downd low to hear her.

"Tell Ren...she was the best....fri-friend...I...had..." It

was as if she used her last strengh to utter those words.

Hitomi felt her spirit leave and she layed Miya's hands

softly over her chest.

"I will my friend, I will."


~~~~~@ @~~~~~


In the days that followed, preperations were made for Freid

to give protection to what was left of the Freedom

Fighters. In just two battles their numbers had gone from

70 to 29, sixeen of wich were mortaly wounded.Lady Asago

was numbered among the sixteen. Millerna said that it was

just a matter of time before she died frim the wound in her

back. Van offten felt like an outsider as Hitomi single

mindly took care of Asago. Van didn't know that Asago would

help his cause more than any other person could have....



@~~~~~ ~~~~~@


"Hitomi, you need to stop wasting your time. I know I don't

have long. You need to be with Van now."

"But my lady I-"

"No, my time has come, but I'm not at the door yet. I will

live to see you married." Asago coughed. IT was geting

harder to breath.

"Promise me you'll marry Van...soon."

Hitomi looked at Asago but before she could reply Ren came

in with Chid.


"Get some rest Lady Hitomi, we've come to watch over her

for a while."

As Hitomi walked out of the room she stumbled into someone.

Looking up quickly she was about to say she was sorry, when

she saw that it was Merle. Hitomi had heard that she was

hear, but the palace was a big place, and she hadn't met

her as of yet.

"MERLE!!" she said as she wraped her arms around her old

friend.

"HITOMI" Merle squeled as she retuned the hug. At Merle's

returned embrace somthing broke inside of Hitomi. Tears she

had held inside came pouring out. Van, who had been walking

with Merls watched as Hitomi's shoulders began to shake. He

gentely took her from Merle and held her close.

Hitomi didn't have to wonder who was holding her. Her heart

knew it was Van. Hitomi felt him left her up in his strong

arms, and she neseled her head in the hollow of his neck

trying to get ahold of her emotions. Try as she might,

though, she couldn't stop crying.

Van walked outside with Hitomi in his arms. He set her down

for a minute to take off his shirt. Then he took flight,

carring her away from the palace. Seeking a place where

they both could live out side of their choas called life.

Where they could live in pease for a moment. Van felt

Hitomi relax in sleep as he flew higher and higher.



A.N This was a short one and kinda leaves ya' hanging. Van's wings sure got a lot of fic time. They could probably get "Best Secondary Char." in this chapter. Oh well, every body loves them, so I guess it didn't hurt any.