Bittersweet Celebration

The next day, there was an Earth-style barbecue held (Hitomi's idea), partly in an effort to raise morale among the Fanel clan. Van was there, his brother Folken, Folken's wife Eriya, and her sister Naria. Hitomi was there, of course, and Allen, Celena, and Allen's new love interest Alena had arrived from Asturia. The minute Allen got there, Van challenged him to a 'practice' fight. Allen agreed, and they faced off. Hitomi, Celena and Alena watched as the chivalrous knight and the angry king went toe-to-toe.

 They began, and Allen could not keep up with the young king. He was coming in fast and furious, and Allen was just fast but not as furious.

"Van! Stop! I can't do this any longer!"

"What's the matter, pretty boy?"

"Now you sound like Dilandau!"

"You shut your mouth!" Van screamed, and he kicked Allen in his side.

"Stop it, Van, or―!"

Van knocked Allen's sword out of his hand. Allen threw a hard punch in the hysterical king's stomach. Van dropped to his hands and knees and coughed.
"Van, what on Gaea is wrong with you?! You attacked me as if you hated me with a passion!"

"Shut up and fight!"

"No! Not until you tell me what is going on! Don't make me beat you badly, because you know kings aren't expected to swordfight!"

"Damn it all—!"

"What's going on?"

"Merle is dead! Nobody told you?!"

"And killing me will make you feel better? Have you become insane?"

"If only I had told her…!"

"Told her what?"

"But Hitomi…!"

Hitomi paid attention as soon as her name was mentioned.

"Van?"

"Hitomi, I really didn't want you to know this, but…"

"What, Van?"

"I secretly loved Merle, but I was too scared to admit it. I wanted to save my love for you if you ever came back. Now I know that Merle loved me so much. She'd give her life for me. And now I have to live the rest of my life without the best friend I ever had since childhood. I'm not sure if even I could live without her."

"No, Van! You can't kill yourself! Your people need you! I need you!"

Allen offered Van his hand and helped him up.
"Sorry about the whole trying-to-kill-you thing," Van said. "I haven't been myself since—"

"I know. You don't have to apologize. It's okay."

Allen hugged the king and turned to the three young women.

"You never saw that, you got that?"

Alena shrugged.

They returned to the party, and they had just started serving what tasted like chicken. It was good, though. Everyone was drinking a wine made from oranges, except for Eriya. She wanted her baby to be healthy. As usual, Hitomi got drunk a little too early in the day. She kept saying how much she loved Van, and she even began dancing on the tables. Van dragged Hitomi off to bed, and came back. Alena came up to Van and requested to speak with him.

"What's on your mind, Lady Garodrou?"

"I had a vision last night. He was an old enemy of yours. He had white hair, and a scar on his cheek—"

"Dilandau!"

"You know him?"

"He held a grudge with me in the War of Fate. He still does."

"What will you do?"
"There's only one thing to do. Face him like a man."

"You can't do that! You'll die! Let me fight him!"

"What can you do?"

"I can do plenty. I am the most powerful psychic that is a Gaean on this planet. Plus I have been trained in the ways of the Terra."

"What's that?"

"It incorporates the power of the elements with weaponry. My Psyche Blade is to elemental swords that Escaflowne is to guymelefs."

"Are you that good?"

"I can kill a person by cutting into their very psyche. I can also use it as a surgical tool. I can remove things that are harmful to a person's psyche."

"I'm just finding it hard to understand that a woman like you could be as good as you say."

"I'm about this close to abandoning the cause and letting Dilandau kill you."

"Listen to her, Van. She's telling the truth about Dilandau."

Van looked over where the voice came from and found a young brown-haired woman standing there.

"Hitomi?! I thought you were drunk!"

"I was," the young woman said. "But for some reason I didn't feel as loopy all of a sudden."

"So what Alena is telling me is true?"

"It might be. Remember, I can't predict the future that well."

"What can I do?"

"You must stay out of sight. Dilandau doesn't know where you are unless he gets word of where you are."

"What about the burial service?"
"That's inevitable. But you must not make any public moves. This way Dilandau has to look for you, and that means he will fall into my trap."

"How will we know when he's coming?"
"We don't."

"This is too much, Hitomi," the young king said, turning to his bride-to-be.

"We'll get through this. Don't worry so much."