Disclaimer I don't own Escaflowne or any of it's characters

Chapter7: Lost and Found

Anthony followed Allen and Van to the stables the crew of the Crusade following him. Van jumped and let out a yell. He reached up and gripped the pendant that hung around his neck and tore it off throwing it to the ground.

"Van what happened, are you all right?"

"IT burned me, the pendant it burned me!"

"What!" Allen gasped. Everyone looked down at the pendant that lay in the dirt before them. It was emitting a soft glow till it began to grow brighter and an image of a young girl burst forth from it her hand outstretched towards them.

"Hitomi!"

The images eyes looked weak and pale her expression pained and forlorn

"A...A...Anthony help...Help me" with the words spoken the hologram of Hitomi vanished leaving the pendant with a dull shine.

"Oh God Hitomi!" Anthony had the group's attention. Van knelt down and gathered the pendant in his hand. He looked up his chestnut eyes gazing at the man before him, surprise, and anguish written on his face

"The girl, your friend, is Hitomi Kanzaki?" He breathed. Anthony starred at the young king at the other eyes upon him

"Y...Yes she is" Merle bounded forward gripping his collar

"Hitomi's here, she's on Gaea?"

"I'm sorry I...I don't understand your excitement" Allen stepped forward placing a hand on Anthony's shoulder

"If this is true she needs help we can explain things much later" Anthony looked Allen in the eye then darted forward in a dead sprint towards the horses followed closely by a group of men who now had a new derive behind they're mission, the rescue of they're friend.

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The sun was beginning to set slowly making the forest dark and eerie. Van trotted his steed ahead of the search party and tugged on his reigns bringing his horse to a stop. With a motion of his hand the others came to a halt behind him. He lifted his hands to his neck and removed the pendant placing it dangling in his outstretched hand. Van closed his eyes and began to concentrate hard on a thought of Hitomi her beautiful face the way he remembered it.

"What are you doing?"'' Anthony whispered

"He's looking for her" Anthony looked over at Allen who was next to him

"What do you mean?" Allen smiled

"Van can use the pendant's powers to pinpoint Hitomi's location" Anthony stayed silent and looked back at the raven haired king still curious to know how Hitomi came into acquaintance with these people and they're world. The pendant began to glow dim and slightly sway back and forth till pointing straight out.

"That way!" Van shouted pointing his finger towards the direction indicated. Everyone gave a swift kick to they're horses sending them galloping deeper into the now blackened forest.

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Hitomi pushed herself off the support of the tree and tried to stand upon her unstable legs her hand gripped her blood stained chest as she began to loose her balance again. She stumbled backwards and gasped when her foot hit nothing but air she fell and hit the side of the hill, mud clasping to her as she tumbled. She rolled uncontrollably crashing through the branches and slamming against rocks as she fell until coming to an abrupt stop at the bottom. Hitomi was left starring up at a clearing in the trees where she could see Gaea's two moons.

"G...G...Gaea" she barely choked. She could hear shouts echoing in the night's cool breezes, and the ground tremored with the steady beat of horse's galloping near making fear envelop her. The loud hoof beats grew closer by the second till stopping bringing silence to the night.

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"I think I see her!" Anthony exclaimed dismounting off his horse

"Hitomi!" He breathed dropping to his knees beside the barely visible form. All fear Hitomi had was released at the sound of the voice. She began to say his name but her lips wouldn't move. She felt like the weight of the world was upon of her, She could see Anthony's distressed face looking down at her then look up and shout to an unknown. Other faces came into view, faces that were familiar, ones she knew. Everyone was speaking to her pleading for her to an answer but they're words were mumbled she couldn't understand them. Her world was spinning and her vision blurring.

"Hitomi can you hear me?" Anthony's eyes widened as his hand came into contact with a warm substance that quickly began to cover it

"Oh God she's bleeding, she's been stabbed!"

"Anthony step back let me see her" Allen ordered placing his hands on the wound

"We have to get her to a heeler; she's, she's dying" Van began to slide his arms under the girl he had loved for so long.

"I'll carry her. Allen please lead the way" Van whispered. Allen nodded and motioned for the others to mount up and head out, while they were complying he helped Van on his horse and position Hitomi on his lap. A loud wale sounded through the forest.

"What was that?" Merle breathed. Rustling sounded on the hill catching everyone's attention. Anthony stumbled when something collided with his legs

"What the heck!!" he cursed. Anthony knelt down touching the heap before him

"What is it Anthony?" His fingers ran across the familiar rough fur, and tears weld up in his eyes.

"Vision" he whispered lifting the dog into his arms.

"Anthony?" He looked up towards the others

"It's nothing let's go" he announced placing the dog on his horse then mounting himself. Allen kicked his steed and started back the way they had came. Leading the others home. Van held Hitomi tightly to him and let a tear run down his tanned skin. Listening to Hitomi's breathing was painful; it was raspy and forced. She had finally come back but was he to loose her so soon in such a horrific way.

"Hitomi hold on please" he whispered in her ear. Van felt her skin turn to ice; he placed a hand on her forehead and quickly pulled it away

"She's on fire" he breathed.

"Van?"

"Allen we're loosing her" Allen flinched at the reply, then urged his horse to move faster.

"Gaddes"

"Yes sir"

"Ride on ahead we can't move our horses fast enough not with Hitomi, not in her condition. Ride as fast as you can and alert the healers. Have them prepare for our arrival"

"I'll move like the wind commander, you can count on me"

"I know I can Gaddes" Gaddes smiled and kicked his horse pushing it into a swift run leaving the others behind in his dust. The minutes rolled by slowly after that Allen continued to check on Hitomi's condition, as did Anthony.

They could now see the castle gates as the closed in on they're destination. Several men stood waiting, torches in their hand hands. Amongst them stood Gaddes who spotted the group and called out to them

"Commander the healers are ready and awaiting!" Van glanced down at Hitomi, even in the dim light of the moons you could see how pale she looked. He turned her slightly in his arms the moved his horse to race the past few yards. Anthony followed as everyone else broke into a sprint. The men left they're tired steeds with the guards at the front gates. Van was almost running as he tried to reach Millerna quickly. He didn't get very far before Hitomi was removed from his arms in an attempt to relieve him. Anthony had started to follow the group but, watched as the scene seemed to look so chaotic, people running everywhere shouting orders. Anthony shook his head he couldn't help Hitomi by running around like a headless chicken adding to the disaster. He diverted his steps back to the steed given to him, and pulled the pile of fur into his arms. Vision whimpered as her former master carried her to the stables. Where he could help the battered animal.

AN: yeah I'm done with chapter7. You peoplez thought I was going to make this a Anthony/ Hitomi fic didn't ya, Don't lie I read the reviews. Never I say, never Van belongs with Hitomi so don't ya'll panic:)

oh and pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase review (Smiles)

Dragon Heart