Standard Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah....I do NOT own Escaflowne





The Serpent Chronicles



Prologue:





Hitomi returned home- to the Mystic Moon. Her family, friends and her life was there. She couldn´t think of her mother worrying about her. She had been away for so long, and even though she loved Van.........yes, she had finally realized that she really loved him, she had to go back.



When Hitomi returned, they were all happy, even her younger brother. Nobody, except her mother believed the stories about Gaea, well.....Amano and Yukari had seen her disappear, so they believed her, too. But in the end Hitomi told she had run off- it was the simpliest answer to her classmates´questions.



She dreamed about Van every night for the next three years, and after she graduated she decided to go back to Gaea. She knew her life there wouldn´t be easy- if she was with Van or not. She didn´t know about his feelings- they had stopped talking to each other shortly after his visit to the Mystic Moon.



Van had been thinking of her, too. His feelings never changed. To keep his mind off Hitomi, he had worked hard- to the benefit of Fanellia. The country boomed, the old trade- routes had been reestablished, there was peace.



Dryden and Millerna had stayed together, a little boy named Doran had just been born. Dryden was the king of Asturia now, and in his spare time he read and Millerna was in the hospital, helping the ill ones.



Cid had returned to his castle, and rebuilt it. Van and Cid became close friends, having the same burden on their shoulders. The older Cid got, the more he had noticed his difference to his "father", then he had found his mother´s dairy. He knew, Allen was his father.



Allen on his turn, was still a coeli- knight, but a independent one. He moved from one country to another, helping damsels in distress, stopping bandits. There were many knights now, who travelled Gaea.



Merle still was with Van. She was always around, keeping him busy. It was Merle who found Hitomi. Van was the happiest man on Gaea when he embraced, kissed Hitomi. Nothing had changed between them. Soon after her arrival they married. They really were happy and the people of Fanellia loved to see their king happy.



But fate interfered: One day Hitomi was running in the fields near the castle. It was her hobby to run. A poisonous serpent bit her into the ankle. First she got fever, then she lost consciousness. After two days Van was alone. She was burried next to Folken. They all attended the funeral. Sadness, desperation.....Hate....... crawled into Van´s heart.......and so he changed........that´s were the Serpent Chronicles start......



"I´m so sorry Van to leave you.... without a heir....... forgive me........."





Well, well........I know the beginning is quite sad....

Please, R&R

Cat´s Cradle