There is still a bond between Van and Hitomi, but will it help or will it hurt

There is still a bond between Van and Hitomi, but will it help or will it hurt. Princess Terrial hears more than she should, including Van's feelings for Hitomi. Her true loyalties come out. And Van tells why he has never brought Hitomi back to Gaea. Please read and review Fanilia

The Crusade has been traveling east across Fanilia and the lands of the wilds nearing the Bosram boarder. Two more days and they meet up with the convoy from Zieback. Allen and Amano have been spending a lot of time with sword instruction. Amano is turning out to be an intense student and a quick learner.

Dryden has all but locked himself in the room he converted for his research. Mr. Mole visits him at various times.

Millerna and Yukari have become friends and are joined at times by Merle when she can get away from her "companion" duties with the Empress. Everyone has something to do or someone to be with, except Van. He spends a lot of his time thinking and sitting in the guymelth bay on Escaflowne. Van is in the bay, having awakened from another dream this night.

Van: "Folken, I have had another dream, does this mean I am getting closer to the dragon?

He thinks back on the dream. It was filled with dragons, on the land and in the air, all coming to join the green dragon. Fire filled the sky and spread across the land. Mountains burst forth with fire and smoke. The land and the air were on fire. Van is abruptly brought back from his thoughts as the pendant begins to glow, the green glow he experienced a few days ago. The glowing grows brighter, and then flashes in bright white light. Van grips his arm in pain and slumps forward unconscious.

A short time later Allen and Amano enter the guymelth bay. Allen is talking about the history of the giant fight machines.

Allen: "The guymelths are as old as Gaea; Escaflowne is one of the oldest, made by the Ispano clan with knowledge from the Atlantecians.

Allen is still talking about the history of the guymelths and doesn't notice Amano staring at Escaflowne.

Amano: "Is that Van on Escaflowne? Hey something's not right, Allen look."

The two rush to Escaflowne and Van. Van is slumped over sitting on the giant's knee. Allen and Amano struggle to get him down.

Allen: "Quick, go get Millerna, and have her bring her bag. She's a healer."

Amano runs from the bay, as Allen examines his friend. There is a deep slash across his upper arm. How could this happen?

Van is still unconscious, He has been moved to the crew sleeping quarters and Millerna is tending to his arm.

Millerna: "It's a strange wound, it won't close. Where did you find him?"

Allen: "In the guymelth bay on Escaflowne."

Millerna: "Did you check Escaflowne?"

Allen: "No, but I should have, I'll go do it now."

Amano: "Check the armor, do you think he was cut that deep on the armor?"

They are heading back thru the hall to the bay as they speak.

Allen: "No. Its Escaflowne, I told you that the Ispano clan made it. The Ispano guymelths are cursed. Van bonded with Escaflowne and when the armor is damaged so is Van. The armor can even kill its pilot if the damage is severe enough. Hitomi unknowingly used her power to allow him to bond, and now Escaflowne's pain is his pain.

They enter the bay to examine the guymelths arm. It is damaged, but the damage is also strange, as if from the inside. Both Van and Escaflowne have damage not of their own.

Allen heads strait for the communications tube.

Allen: "Gadis, get a repair grew to the guymelth bay at once. Escaflowne is damaged; I want it repaired within the hour.

Gadis is on the bridge of the ship alone at this time at night. He jumps at the sudden sound of his commander's voice over the tube.

Gadis: "Yes sir!"

He then opens a second tube calling to the crew the orders. The men don't have to be told twice, crew men rush to the bay to begin. They all know the importance of damage to that guymelth.

When Allen and Amano return to Millerna with the news, Yukari has already arrived. She was concerned when Amano was gone so long. Being in this strange land has begun to get to her, as has the fact that Hitomi has yet to be found.

Allen: "You were right, but the damage to Escaflowne is also strange. I have a repair crew working on it now.

Yukari: "He's so still, what if he dies, we might never find Hitomi or our way back home."

She lays her head on Amano's shoulder, and he holds her.

Yukari: "Why are they so concerned about the armor, Its Van that is hurt."

Amano: "Allen told me that the two are connected, they bonded. So when the armor is damaged, so is Van."

Merle and Empress Terrial both burst into the room, running to Van's side.

Merle: "What happened to Lord Van?"

Millerna: "We don't know Escaflowne is damaged too."

Terrial: "Escaflowne, I didn't know he brought that war machine with him."

Merle looks directly at Millerna to silence any further information she might let slip.

Merle: "He brought it to protect you, Empress, incase the dragon returns."

Van moves, he is starting to regain conciseness. He struggles to sit.

Van: "Hitomi! She's hurt. We have to find her, now!"

Allen: "No Van, it was Escaflowne, what happened, we didn't hear anything.

Van: "Its not me, It was Hitomi, I felt it I can still feel it in my heart. We must be getting close."

Terrial stands and silently leaves the room. She has heard enough. She will make sure this Hitomi is found, If she can't have Van, then he won't have his Hitomi eigher. She must get word to the Three.

Merle: "Terrial is gone. She heard to much, I don't trust her."

Allen: "Go keep an eye on her, we will have to be more careful, I don't trust her either, she could be more dangerous than she looks."

Merle: "But I don't want to leave Lord Van, can't someone else keep an eye on her for a while."

Van: "I'm Ok, please Merle, Allen's right she needs to be watched."

Merle leaves, she will do what needs to be done, but if anything happens to Lord Van, there will be hell to pay, and the Empress will find out just how upset a cat can get.

Allen: "Why are you so sure it's Hitomi?"

Van: "I was alone, thinking and the pendant began to glow, that strange green color again. There was a flash and I felt the pain, her pain. I could almost see her face and then she was gone.

He reaches up to hold his arm. Takes a deep breath, then continues.

Van: "I haven't said anything about this till now, but in the three years since Hitomi left, I have used her pendant to watch. I have been waiting for the right time to ask her to return to Gaea. But the longer we have been apart, the harder it has become to see her. She will be leaving school very soon and I'd planned to bring her back, to ask her to stay with me here. Three years ago we were both to young. I had a kingdom to rebuild, and Hitomi needed her family to heal after what Zieback and Dornkirk had done to her. She had been used by not only them, but by all of us. I wanted her to come back, because she loved me as a woman loves a man."

Dryden has entered the room while Van was speaking. He walks over to his wife and takes her hand.

Dryden: "Van's right about the pendant, the power of Atlantice is Hitomi's power. The pendant is a part of her. It may very well lead us to her. And also to the dragon, I believe it follows her, follows the destiny of Atlantice.

Millerna: "Have you discovered more about the prophecy?"

Dryden: "Yes, I believe I have. I've been studying some of the older texts to help in deciphering it. They are part of Gaea's history now. One in particular I believe has to do with the War of Perfect Fortune. Hitomi is the holder of Destiny. She controls the power of Atlantice. That we already knew. You Van, are the descendent of the people of Atlantice. The blood of Atlantice, together the two of you the destiny and the blood, saved an entire world with your love.

But the world is in danger again, and I think it will take both you and Hitomi to save it. We need to find her even more than we need to find the dragon."

Van: "And soon before anything else can hurt her."

Dryden: "Van, There's more, the three dark lords in the prophecy, I believe they may be

Zieback Sorceress. If they are behind this, they knew if the light of balance was destroyed the dragon would come. They could also have brought Hitomi here before you could and are trying to keep you apart.

The light of balance may be an energist. I found references to dragonmere in the text also, but I've just started researching it.'

Allen: "Dragonmere only exist in tails told to young children at bedtime. They aren't real.

Dryden: "What about the stories about people from the Mystic Moon. I've heard those as a child too. All tales have some basis in fact."

Van: "We know the light of balance has been destroyed and that the dragons shadow has become. We need to know what the tainted lands are. As soon as we meet up with the convoy from Zieback and the Empress is away, we will find Hitomi.