Date. 09.18.2001
Time. 10.04 am
Music. Overcome by Live
Chapter 14
Copyright. I don't own the Vision of Escaflowne nor any of its characters. I do own all the characters that I created, so if you want to borrow them, just ask. And don't sue me because I am a poor art student!
Author's Notes. I first of all want to say how much sympathy and hope I sent out to all the family and friends who lost someone they love so dear in the attacks on the WTC and the Pentagon. I am going to college in Georgia right now, and there are many people here who have lost someone close to there heart. It's scary to imagine how could someone do this to innocent souls. I haven't lost a friend personally, but I have lost my sense of security. I no longer feel safe to go on an airplane anymore. I just hope that somehow we will get through this without the use of war. War does not get you anywhere. It just ends even more lives. The song that I've been listening to is the one that's played continuously on VH1. It's beautiful.
In other news, I'm sorry its taken so long to get this next chapter out. Like I said, I just moved to Georgia for school and I have been so busy. College is fun, my friends! Plus, I've kinda been at a writer's block (those really suck) but I think I've passed it now. This chapter is really short but I had to find a good stopping point. So, as I've said before, production of future chapters for RF is going to be slow, but I am not stopping like some people do. I hate it when someone has a really good fic, but they don't write! Please write! Finish! Okay, here's chapter 14.
The Vision of Escaflowne. Rota Fortunae
Chapter 14. Ode to a Nightingale
* * *
Hitomi lay in her comfortable down bed in a restless sleep, unaware of her love standing in the doorway, watching over her. As the guard directed her to one of the palace's many guestrooms, he awoke a handmaiden to help her settle in. She didn't need anyone to help her; she could have been fine on her own. However, in this world, it was rude to reject someone's hospitality, so she reluctantly accepted. The elderly woman gave her a soft nightgown to wear and helped bathe her.
And now she retreated to her bed, still a little perturbed at Van for sending her there. She wanted to attend the meeting with Allen and Palos, but he sent her away.
He's only doing it for you, her mind's voice told her. That's what people do for others they care for.
Still…
Although she had slept on Escaflowne for a few hours, she didn't feel relaxed. Perhaps this drain of her energy was preparing her body for the power. She hoped that this rest would revitalize her for the upcoming episode, but unfortunately, Fate had something else in store for her…
* * *
She stood an island beach, a few rocks protruding out of the sand. She didn't know how she knew it was an island, but the land felt familiar to her, as if she belonged there or something.
She closed her eyes and inhaled the sweet tropical air. Naoko did some traveling during their summer break one year to the Hawaiian Islands, bringing Hitomi souvenirs of sand and sea shells. Her roommate described the island's smell like the sensation of it could only be achieved on the actual land.
Turning around in a circle, she gazed up the side of a mountain, sparsely populated with growth. A thin film of black smoke escaped from the peak. A fire? she thought nervously. No, a volcano.
A loud eruption deafened her as the volcano's mouth exploded with molten lava. The ground shuttered beneath her feet, her balance unstable. She landed sharply on a half-buried boulder and winced in pain. She looked up the side of the great mountain, seeing the lava oozing down the rocky terrain. It reached the edge of the vegetation, burning immediately upon touch.
Where to go? Where to go? her heart cried as it pounded within her chest. To the ocean? No, the water will become scalding. There's nowhere left to go.
She eyed a cluster of higher rocks across the beach and quickly sprinted across the sand. Smoldering smoke caused her lungs to burn and her eyes to sting. She coughed as she scaled higher, hoping to elude Death for a few more moments as the magma entered the ocean.
As the red lava inched closer to the shore, the heat intensified tremendously. It touched a wavelet and hissed loudly as it converted to steam.
Her heart beat harder as the liquid rock rose higher towards where she stood. She could feel the heat melting the bottom of her running shoes.
Van, she thought. I'm so sorry to leave you. I love you…
"Hitomi!" she heard a voice cry her name from above. She looked up to see a winged person descending towards her, the shape only outlined by the dark smoke.
"Van?" she whispered hoarsely.
But no, it was yet another Draconian, and as she recognized the soaring figure in surprise.
"Take my hand, Hitomi," Varie's voice seemed unusually calm, even in this current situation. Hitomi's hand instinctively rose and grasped Van's mother's outstretched one. Varie took a few strong upward beats and lifted her off the rock. She pulled her up to her side and held tightly, flying strongly away from the danger.
* * *
"Thank you, Varie," Hitomi managed to force out of her damaged throat. She graciously accepted the water she gave her in a handmade pot. The coolness of the liquid chilled the raw flesh inside. She leaned back against the wall and stared at Varie, whom had retracted her wings.
"My pleasure," the former Queen of Fanelia bowed slightly. Hitomi managed to pull herself up from the ground as she finished her water. She shaded her eyes from the blazing sun and surveyed her surroundings. A few buildings, tumbled to the ground in ruins and overcome with vines. They stood at the edge of a courtyard, barren except for a water fountain in the middle. That's where she probably got the water, she assumed.
"Gaea is not able to aid you before the Day of Revelation ," Varie continued. "She has let me help you instead."
Hitomi understood with a nod and adjusted her eyes to the brightness. Day of Revelation? That's what its called?
Suddenly, the epiphany dawned on her. "Wait a minute, are we in Atlantis?" she asked.
Varie nodded. "My homeland," she said. "…and yours."
Hitomi held her head. "What happened back there?" she referred to the eruption at the island.
Varie's dark mahogany eyes grew sad. "That was the destruction from the Power of Atlantis," she said grimly. "It will occur if you are not able to achieve your destiny."
"But I've already said that I will do it," Hitomi contradicted. "I told Gaea that…"
"But there's uncertainty in your heart again," Varie interrupted smoothly. "You are wondering if you are doing the right thing in leaving your life on Earth behind."
Hitomi stared hard at her, growing a bit angry. "Well, wouldn't you?" she cried. "I'm leaving my family and friends and… my world behind. All for the sake of Gaea!"
"It's not for Gaea's sake, Hitomi," Varie replied. "It's for the sake of my son, for Merle, for Allen, for Celena, for each person living in this world. And for your own."
Hitomi remained silent, staring out at the fallen ruins.
"Do you remember when you came here for the first time?" Varie continued. "When I told my son about not reawakening the Power of Atlantis yet?"
The girl nodded.
"I knew at that point that your purpose here on Gaea was not coincidental," the Queen said. "I knew that my son's fate was entwined with your own. Your uncertainty back then almost killed him, but you grew strong and defeated it."
Hitomi was still quiet, but apparently listened to her words.
"Have you ever heard the phrase: De corde exeunt cogitationes malae?" she continued.
Hitomi shook her head.
"You should, it's a phrase from Earth. Latin, to be precise. It means 'Evil thoughts spring forth from the heart.' I am telling you this because your heart is no longer in the place it once was. You no longer trust yourself, flinging it aside as if it were something meaningless.
"What I'm trying to say, child, is that the will of your heart is your strength and your weakness. You have to be confident in yourself and you'll grow strong. You were strong once, but it seems to me that it has faded away over time."
"What do you mean?" the younger girl asked.
"You were so positive when you first came to our world," she pointed out. "You wanted to do everything on your own. You didn't want anyone else to be in pain." She paused for a moment. "But when you returned to your own world, something inside of you changed. It was almost as if you have given up."
Hitomi looked to the ground. "You have been watching me?"
Varie smiled. "It's my job to look out for you, Hitomi." She walked closer to the girl and embraced her. "What happened?"
Hitomi wiped away a tear. "I don't know what it was," she said softly. "Ever since I went home, it didn't seem like home to me anymore. I didn't feel as if I belonged there. I didn't belong anywhere. I went to college and I had to decide on a career. I took a bunch of classes, but none of them fit me."
"You felt as though there was something more out there for you, correct?" she asked.
She nodded with a reply.
"Gaea has sent me to you for protection," Varie continued. "Until the Power of Atlantis is contained."
Hitomi looked up at her. "Do you know exactly how it happens?" she asked, a hint of concern and fear in her voice. "I mean, how do I get it?"
"I'm not sure. I know of the temple on the island, but no one has gone there in centuries."
Hitomi sighed and returned to the ground once more, this time, with Varie joining her. "Do you think it will hurt me?" she asked softly.
"There are many things that even Gaea does not understand, little one," she replied. "The Power of Atlantis is the foundation of people's hopes and dreams. I believe that although it may not be painful to receive, the sensation will be exhilarating."
Hitomi watched a small beetle slowly climb up her left leg. Its iridescent shell turned from black to the deepest blue green hue as it walked. Its back split down the middle and a pair of wings appeared, flapping rapidly as the beetle flew away from the two.
"So, is it going to be inside of me or something?" she asked, still staring at the disappearing insect. "I mean, will I change physically?"
"You already are changing, in preparation in receiving it," Varie said. "But it will be more of an awareness rather than the power occupying space within you. It will still be everywhere, like it is now. It will be more… contained."
Hitomi still stared out where the beetle had flown away, the only inhabitant of this mythical plane of existence, her voice silent.
"There's something else troubling you, though, isn't there?" Varie inquired softly.
The younger girl glanced from the side. "Am I truly doing the right thing? In staying here on Gaea?" she asked.
A chuckle escaped from Varie's throat. "Something tells me that you're not talking about the Power of Atlantis anymore."
Hitomi shook her head. "Van asked me to marry him and I said yes without thinking," she muttered. "I was so caught up in the moment that my head was empty of all thought. All I could think about was him, how much I've always loved him, even the first time I came to Gaea."
"My son has been known from time to time to do things without thinking as well," the Queen said, smiling. "But he means well. And if he asked you to spend the rest of your life with him, I'm sure that all he can think about is you, too."
Hitomi nodded. She remained silent for awhile, simply listening to the birds singing in the trees. "Is this a vision or just a dream?" she asked.
Varie gently took her hand and looked straight into her eyes. "This was just merely a visitation," she said warmly. "I like you, Hitomi. You have a good spirit. Please take care of my son."
"I will."
* * *
Hitomi felt the sun warming her body lightly, seeing its brightness through her eyelids. Am I back on that island? she thought.
Her olive eyes opened a crack, barely enough to recognize the outlines of the finely carved furniture in her room. Sunlight poured in through the many windows, casting strange designs in a faint pink hue on the floor.
Sunrise, she thought. Another day closer…
She yawned and sat up in bed, only just realizing that she did not occupy this room alone. By her side once more slept Van, lying uncomfortably across an oversized chair, his bare feet dangling off the side. Hitomi had never seen his feet before; he had always worn those old leather boots of his.
But she dared not to wake him. He had had less sleep than she in the past few days since she arrived on Gaea. He needs as much rest as I do.
She took off the lightweight cream blanket covering the massive comforter on her bed. That wasn't there last night, she thought, puzzled. Could have Van placed it on top of me while I slept?
She rolled out of the large bed and covered him with the blanket. His unruly black fell over his eyes, but she knew he slept soundly. She gave him a quick kiss on his forehead and walked out onto the balcony.
Her room had a phenomenal view of the ocean, now changing from the sun's pink reflection to its normal aquamarine tinge. Life stirred in the streets below her, giving her recollections of her past times in Asturia: walking in the bazaar with Van, Merle, and Millerna, Dryden and Millerna's royal wedding, kissing Allen on the bridge…
She shook her head, trying to escape from the last memory. She loved Allen, but only as a friend. Was she kidding herself, in chasing after him with a schoolgirl's crush? As she thought back on the day, she felt the sensation one more time, this time realizing that it felt more like kissing her brother rather than a lover.
Two more days…
A sudden chill of the wind blew, wrapping around her body and pressing her transparent nightgown to her skin. She held her arms to her breast instinctively, closing her eyes and listening to the soft howl of the vector.
She reflected on to the words of wisdom she received from Varie. Had she truly lost her heart? Was it making her weaker? She had noticed before that she was no longer the same person she was in high school. She just thought that it was a part of growing up and entering college and her adult life. But had she lost the confidence she once held so tightly?
I have to be confident in my actions, she thought. For Van's sake. And my own.
She looked down at her at watch. 12:47, but she didn't know if it was in the morning or late at night anymore. She lost track of time of her home world while on Gaea. What day was it now? November fourth or fifth? Was it a Tuesday or a Thursday? She'd gone to the costume party on a Friday night, October 31st. She knew that much but everything else remained a blur.
Besides, Van had said that months and days go by different names here. She'll have to learn and convert to them.
But there will be a lot of things that she'll have to learn. Such as remembering the lack of technology that she was used to. She won't need her cell phone anymore. Or will she? She got a page from Amano last time that somehow passed through the magical shroud and reached her.
but it will be worth it… won't it? her mind's voice asked. being with your true love?
yes, it will.
She didn't have to turn around; she could sense his essence without looking. A strong hand touched her shoulder lightly and gave her a reassuring squeeze of encouragement.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up," she said softly, raising her hand and placing it on top of his.
"Why didn't you tell me you were this worried?" Van asked.
"I didn't want you to be concerned about me," Hitomi muttered.
He wrapped the blanket she placed on him around the both of them and held her, staring out over the ocean. "I'm going to worry about you anyway, love," he whispered into her hair. "Always."
She pivoted inside the blanket and hugged him, placing her head on his warm chest, breathing in his scent. The field, she thought. The smell of a field touched by a warm breeze. Is that what all Draconians smell like? Is this what the sky smells like after you've flown so high in the clouds?
"I guess I'm just scared," she said. "I don't know what will happen afterwards. There's all this pressure and…"
"Don't worry about it," he interrupted. "Just do what you have been doing. Live in the moment." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and embraced tighter.
"LORD VAAAAAAAAN!!!"
Van did not have time to push Hitomi to the side for safety before Merle pounced him. Normally, she would hug him tightly, but this time, she managed to knock both him and Hitomi to the ground. He could barely hear his love's giggling underneath him while the young cat-woman screamed at him on top.
"What the hell took so long?! Why didn't you wake me up?! What have you two been up to?! What happened to Zaibach?! What?! ANSWER ME!!!"
"It's good to see you, too, Merle," he replied.
"Van Fanel, if you do this to me one more time, Gods help me, I will scratch your face like no other!!!" she eased off of him, glaring angrily.
Van rolled over and helped Hitomi to her feet. "Merle, it's so good to see you," she said, hugging her friend. "What's been happening here?"
"Not much, except the fact that we've been worried sick for everyone," Merle said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "The soldiers that left the country during the leave of absence you gave them found out about the attack and came to Asturia last night. The people that we managed to evacuate from Fanelia are sleeping in the palace ballroom. Some have their own private rooms like me and Kyia…"
"How is she?" Van asked, breaking her information stream.
Merle sighed. "She seems to be doing better," she said. "She got up and ate the food I brought for her yesterday. But she hasn't spoken a word to anyone."
Van remained silent, averting his stare back to the ocean. His face gave away that he was in deep thought. About what, I wonder? Hitomi thought. She didn't want to tap into his mind and ask.
"Where's everyone else?" she asked aloud to Merle.
"Unfortunately, Millerna has been sent to stay in bed because of her pregnancy," she said. "The Healer said that she has to remain there until she delivers the child. Dryden and Celena are with her."
"Take me to her," Hitomi said, quickly. She glanced at Van for a moment, then entered the room once more, grabbing a robe as she followed Merle.
Van remained on the balcony, watching her leave with his childhood playmate. Forget the future, he thought. Live in the moment.
* * *
"Gods, this is so boring," Ashira muttered under her breath. She sat in her chair at an angle, her muddy boots hung over the side of the armrest. She held one dagger in her mouth, her tongue grazing the razor sharp blade, and another one in her left hand.
Across the room stood a row of ten slaves, each one weary of the previous day's work load and frightened of the little "game" she played. Each person had a fruit sitting on the top of their head, a target for the knife blade. Some of their fellow workmates lay crumpled on the floor with a dagger matching the ones Ashira held sticking out of their bodies.
"Let's see how good I am with my left hand AND my eyes closed!" she cried gleefully. A few of the people let out a whimper of fear as she brought her hand back, then launched it forward.
"Damn!" she cursed as the blade entered the wooden wall in between a young woman and an elderly man. "I'm going to have to work on my aim, I guess."
"Ashira," she could hear Sehkmet growl from the doorway. "Enough of that."
She replied to his command by sticking out her tongue. The older general gave her an annoyed look and beckoned her to follow him. She sighed loudly as the slaves released expressions of happiness.
"After I leave," she whispered to one of her men as she left the room. "Kill 'em all."
"Yes ma'am," he said.
As she followed Sehkmet to a secure location, she fingered the pendant necklace surrounding her neck. What a pretty stone, she thought, admiring its beauty. She had never been big on jewelry, but this one captured her in a way.
He opened the door to a conference room and nodded for her to enter. She walked in cautiously, knowing that she should never truly trust anyone, not even the people of her own army. Any soldier could turn on her at any moment. She plopped down into a chair, dangling her feet on the side just as before.
"One of our scouts just returned," he said finally, breaking the silence. "He reports from his post at Asturia's capital, Palas."
"Oh?" she said, not really caring what the old geezer said. "Unusual activity?"
"The Dragon has returned."
Ashira bolted from her seat. "What?!" she cried. "We blew up that stupid waterfall where he hid inside! How…"
"That's not all," he interrupted her. "He also saw the girl from the Mystic Moon with him."
"WHAT?!"
Sehkmet remain quiet while she let her rage run its course.
"How the hell is that possible?! I killed her! I saw it happen! The arrow went through! It was a perfect hit! I watched her die! That bastard picked her up and flew away, her lifeless in his arms!"
"Isn't this a good thing, though?" he asked softly.
She glared at him. "How is this a good thing?" she snapped.
"The Oracle, before you killed him, said that in order to achieve the Power of Atlantis, you need her and the pendant," he pointed out.
How could she be so stupid and forgetful? Of course, she needed that bitch from the cursed sister planet. She was the key to the whole thing.
"Load the leviships and the floating fortress," she said slowly. "We're going to Asturia."
* * *
"This is so not fair! I'm not due for at least another color! I feel fine! Dryden, why are you letting him do this to me?! This is YOUR fault! You're the one that did this to me! I hate you! I hate you all!"
As Merle and Hitomi walked down to the one of the Queen's resting quarters, they could both hear Millerna's voice echo throughout the hallway.
"She doesn't seem at all happy," Merle whispered to the other girl.
"What makes you think that?" Hitomi replied sarcastically.
The cat-girl took a deep breath and push the heavy door open. "Guess who I found?" she said in a sing-song voice.
"Hitomi!" she heard her friend cry. She lay in a large bed, blankets covering her bulging belly. Her head was propped up by a multitude of finely decorated pillows. Her face was a little red, due to all the screaming Hitomi imagined.
"Hello," she said softly, walking to her side. Dryden moved out of the way while Celena sat on the other side. "What happened?"
"All that adventure in Fanelia wasn't good for her nor the baby," Celena said. "As soon as the Crusade landed, she began clutching her belly in pain. The Healer told her that she had to stay in bed until the pain went away. Then, this morning, he told her she had stay here until she delivers the child."
"I'm perfectly fine," Millerna muttered. "It was just indigestion. I'm not used to that Fanelian food."
"Fanelian food is not spicy!" Merle said forcefully.
Millerna crossed her arms and pouted. "This is MY country! How am I to rule if I'm stuck in this room for a color?!"
"Love, I'm sure I can do an alright job in that amount of time," Dryden said. "I mean, I know how to run a country."
"No, you know how to trade," his wife shouted. "Trading and ruling aren't the same thing!"
As she griped at the people surrounding her, Hitomi walked up and drew a chair to her bed.
"Millerna, Dryden will do a fine job in your absence," she said softly. "You've been working so hard, you need a break. Ruling a country is hard, you shouldn't take everything upon yourself."
"But…"
Hitomi held her clammy hand. "You know the Healer wouldn't send you to bed unless you were endangering your baby's life," she said. "You don't want to do anything to your unborn child, do you?"
The Queen remained quiet in deep thought, the first time this morning. "I guess you're right, Hitomi," she finally said. "Whatever is good for my baby is good for me."
"Exactly," Hitomi agreed.
Celena gave her a tired smile. She must have stayed up with Millerna, Hitomi thought. They all look tired. Dryden removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"All right, love," he said. "We're going to let you sleep now." He exited the quarters, Celena and Merle following closely. Hitomi stood to leave, but Millerna did not let go of her hand.
"Hitomi, I have a favor to ask of you," she said, her face serious.
"Anything, just ask it," she said, confused and uncertain of what she wanted to ask.
She took a deep breath. "Can you use your gift and tell me if my child is male or female?"
Hitomi let out a laugh. "I thought you were going to ask me to deliver it or something like that," she said. "That's it?"
Millerna nodded.
She held onto the Queen's hand and placed her other hand on top of her swollen stomach. "I'm a little out of practice," she said. "I gave up the Tarot cards once I returned to Earth, I mean, the Mystic Moon."
She shook her head. "I never really believed those cards," she said. "But I believe in what you tell me because you're the one making it happen."
Hitomi closed her eyes. Even Millerna knew that I had the power, she thought. Everyone knew but me.
She concentrated on the child. She could feel the tiny legs kick against the fleshy wall as she pressed down gently.
In a flash, she could see the child growing up before her mind's eye. Hair, dark like Dryden's, but with wisps of blond scattered throughout. The eyes, a dark violet just like the mother. The child would grow up to be a fine King.
"It's a boy," she said finally.
A look of relief left Millerna's face. "I hoped it would be one," she said happily, a tear rolling down her cheek. "But don't tell Dryden. I want him to be surprised."
Hitomi nodded and left the room, leaving the young Queen to her solitude of sleep.
to be continued…
* * *
This chapter's title comes from the title of a poem by John Keats that I read my senior year. I swear to my toenails that its about the Escaflowne movie. Well, to me, it does. Maybe I'm just stretching. I mean, there's a line towards the end saying something like "Was it a vision, or a waking dream?" Eeeeeeee!!! Hopefully, I'll get the chapters rolling again, but that's when I'll have a lot of free time. Until then, fare thee well!
Time. 10.04 am
Music. Overcome by Live
Chapter 14
Copyright. I don't own the Vision of Escaflowne nor any of its characters. I do own all the characters that I created, so if you want to borrow them, just ask. And don't sue me because I am a poor art student!
Author's Notes. I first of all want to say how much sympathy and hope I sent out to all the family and friends who lost someone they love so dear in the attacks on the WTC and the Pentagon. I am going to college in Georgia right now, and there are many people here who have lost someone close to there heart. It's scary to imagine how could someone do this to innocent souls. I haven't lost a friend personally, but I have lost my sense of security. I no longer feel safe to go on an airplane anymore. I just hope that somehow we will get through this without the use of war. War does not get you anywhere. It just ends even more lives. The song that I've been listening to is the one that's played continuously on VH1. It's beautiful.
In other news, I'm sorry its taken so long to get this next chapter out. Like I said, I just moved to Georgia for school and I have been so busy. College is fun, my friends! Plus, I've kinda been at a writer's block (those really suck) but I think I've passed it now. This chapter is really short but I had to find a good stopping point. So, as I've said before, production of future chapters for RF is going to be slow, but I am not stopping like some people do. I hate it when someone has a really good fic, but they don't write! Please write! Finish! Okay, here's chapter 14.
The Vision of Escaflowne. Rota Fortunae
Chapter 14. Ode to a Nightingale
* * *
Hitomi lay in her comfortable down bed in a restless sleep, unaware of her love standing in the doorway, watching over her. As the guard directed her to one of the palace's many guestrooms, he awoke a handmaiden to help her settle in. She didn't need anyone to help her; she could have been fine on her own. However, in this world, it was rude to reject someone's hospitality, so she reluctantly accepted. The elderly woman gave her a soft nightgown to wear and helped bathe her.
And now she retreated to her bed, still a little perturbed at Van for sending her there. She wanted to attend the meeting with Allen and Palos, but he sent her away.
He's only doing it for you, her mind's voice told her. That's what people do for others they care for.
Still…
Although she had slept on Escaflowne for a few hours, she didn't feel relaxed. Perhaps this drain of her energy was preparing her body for the power. She hoped that this rest would revitalize her for the upcoming episode, but unfortunately, Fate had something else in store for her…
* * *
She stood an island beach, a few rocks protruding out of the sand. She didn't know how she knew it was an island, but the land felt familiar to her, as if she belonged there or something.
She closed her eyes and inhaled the sweet tropical air. Naoko did some traveling during their summer break one year to the Hawaiian Islands, bringing Hitomi souvenirs of sand and sea shells. Her roommate described the island's smell like the sensation of it could only be achieved on the actual land.
Turning around in a circle, she gazed up the side of a mountain, sparsely populated with growth. A thin film of black smoke escaped from the peak. A fire? she thought nervously. No, a volcano.
A loud eruption deafened her as the volcano's mouth exploded with molten lava. The ground shuttered beneath her feet, her balance unstable. She landed sharply on a half-buried boulder and winced in pain. She looked up the side of the great mountain, seeing the lava oozing down the rocky terrain. It reached the edge of the vegetation, burning immediately upon touch.
Where to go? Where to go? her heart cried as it pounded within her chest. To the ocean? No, the water will become scalding. There's nowhere left to go.
She eyed a cluster of higher rocks across the beach and quickly sprinted across the sand. Smoldering smoke caused her lungs to burn and her eyes to sting. She coughed as she scaled higher, hoping to elude Death for a few more moments as the magma entered the ocean.
As the red lava inched closer to the shore, the heat intensified tremendously. It touched a wavelet and hissed loudly as it converted to steam.
Her heart beat harder as the liquid rock rose higher towards where she stood. She could feel the heat melting the bottom of her running shoes.
Van, she thought. I'm so sorry to leave you. I love you…
"Hitomi!" she heard a voice cry her name from above. She looked up to see a winged person descending towards her, the shape only outlined by the dark smoke.
"Van?" she whispered hoarsely.
But no, it was yet another Draconian, and as she recognized the soaring figure in surprise.
"Take my hand, Hitomi," Varie's voice seemed unusually calm, even in this current situation. Hitomi's hand instinctively rose and grasped Van's mother's outstretched one. Varie took a few strong upward beats and lifted her off the rock. She pulled her up to her side and held tightly, flying strongly away from the danger.
* * *
"Thank you, Varie," Hitomi managed to force out of her damaged throat. She graciously accepted the water she gave her in a handmade pot. The coolness of the liquid chilled the raw flesh inside. She leaned back against the wall and stared at Varie, whom had retracted her wings.
"My pleasure," the former Queen of Fanelia bowed slightly. Hitomi managed to pull herself up from the ground as she finished her water. She shaded her eyes from the blazing sun and surveyed her surroundings. A few buildings, tumbled to the ground in ruins and overcome with vines. They stood at the edge of a courtyard, barren except for a water fountain in the middle. That's where she probably got the water, she assumed.
"Gaea is not able to aid you before the Day of Revelation ," Varie continued. "She has let me help you instead."
Hitomi understood with a nod and adjusted her eyes to the brightness. Day of Revelation? That's what its called?
Suddenly, the epiphany dawned on her. "Wait a minute, are we in Atlantis?" she asked.
Varie nodded. "My homeland," she said. "…and yours."
Hitomi held her head. "What happened back there?" she referred to the eruption at the island.
Varie's dark mahogany eyes grew sad. "That was the destruction from the Power of Atlantis," she said grimly. "It will occur if you are not able to achieve your destiny."
"But I've already said that I will do it," Hitomi contradicted. "I told Gaea that…"
"But there's uncertainty in your heart again," Varie interrupted smoothly. "You are wondering if you are doing the right thing in leaving your life on Earth behind."
Hitomi stared hard at her, growing a bit angry. "Well, wouldn't you?" she cried. "I'm leaving my family and friends and… my world behind. All for the sake of Gaea!"
"It's not for Gaea's sake, Hitomi," Varie replied. "It's for the sake of my son, for Merle, for Allen, for Celena, for each person living in this world. And for your own."
Hitomi remained silent, staring out at the fallen ruins.
"Do you remember when you came here for the first time?" Varie continued. "When I told my son about not reawakening the Power of Atlantis yet?"
The girl nodded.
"I knew at that point that your purpose here on Gaea was not coincidental," the Queen said. "I knew that my son's fate was entwined with your own. Your uncertainty back then almost killed him, but you grew strong and defeated it."
Hitomi was still quiet, but apparently listened to her words.
"Have you ever heard the phrase: De corde exeunt cogitationes malae?" she continued.
Hitomi shook her head.
"You should, it's a phrase from Earth. Latin, to be precise. It means 'Evil thoughts spring forth from the heart.' I am telling you this because your heart is no longer in the place it once was. You no longer trust yourself, flinging it aside as if it were something meaningless.
"What I'm trying to say, child, is that the will of your heart is your strength and your weakness. You have to be confident in yourself and you'll grow strong. You were strong once, but it seems to me that it has faded away over time."
"What do you mean?" the younger girl asked.
"You were so positive when you first came to our world," she pointed out. "You wanted to do everything on your own. You didn't want anyone else to be in pain." She paused for a moment. "But when you returned to your own world, something inside of you changed. It was almost as if you have given up."
Hitomi looked to the ground. "You have been watching me?"
Varie smiled. "It's my job to look out for you, Hitomi." She walked closer to the girl and embraced her. "What happened?"
Hitomi wiped away a tear. "I don't know what it was," she said softly. "Ever since I went home, it didn't seem like home to me anymore. I didn't feel as if I belonged there. I didn't belong anywhere. I went to college and I had to decide on a career. I took a bunch of classes, but none of them fit me."
"You felt as though there was something more out there for you, correct?" she asked.
She nodded with a reply.
"Gaea has sent me to you for protection," Varie continued. "Until the Power of Atlantis is contained."
Hitomi looked up at her. "Do you know exactly how it happens?" she asked, a hint of concern and fear in her voice. "I mean, how do I get it?"
"I'm not sure. I know of the temple on the island, but no one has gone there in centuries."
Hitomi sighed and returned to the ground once more, this time, with Varie joining her. "Do you think it will hurt me?" she asked softly.
"There are many things that even Gaea does not understand, little one," she replied. "The Power of Atlantis is the foundation of people's hopes and dreams. I believe that although it may not be painful to receive, the sensation will be exhilarating."
Hitomi watched a small beetle slowly climb up her left leg. Its iridescent shell turned from black to the deepest blue green hue as it walked. Its back split down the middle and a pair of wings appeared, flapping rapidly as the beetle flew away from the two.
"So, is it going to be inside of me or something?" she asked, still staring at the disappearing insect. "I mean, will I change physically?"
"You already are changing, in preparation in receiving it," Varie said. "But it will be more of an awareness rather than the power occupying space within you. It will still be everywhere, like it is now. It will be more… contained."
Hitomi still stared out where the beetle had flown away, the only inhabitant of this mythical plane of existence, her voice silent.
"There's something else troubling you, though, isn't there?" Varie inquired softly.
The younger girl glanced from the side. "Am I truly doing the right thing? In staying here on Gaea?" she asked.
A chuckle escaped from Varie's throat. "Something tells me that you're not talking about the Power of Atlantis anymore."
Hitomi shook her head. "Van asked me to marry him and I said yes without thinking," she muttered. "I was so caught up in the moment that my head was empty of all thought. All I could think about was him, how much I've always loved him, even the first time I came to Gaea."
"My son has been known from time to time to do things without thinking as well," the Queen said, smiling. "But he means well. And if he asked you to spend the rest of your life with him, I'm sure that all he can think about is you, too."
Hitomi nodded. She remained silent for awhile, simply listening to the birds singing in the trees. "Is this a vision or just a dream?" she asked.
Varie gently took her hand and looked straight into her eyes. "This was just merely a visitation," she said warmly. "I like you, Hitomi. You have a good spirit. Please take care of my son."
"I will."
* * *
Hitomi felt the sun warming her body lightly, seeing its brightness through her eyelids. Am I back on that island? she thought.
Her olive eyes opened a crack, barely enough to recognize the outlines of the finely carved furniture in her room. Sunlight poured in through the many windows, casting strange designs in a faint pink hue on the floor.
Sunrise, she thought. Another day closer…
She yawned and sat up in bed, only just realizing that she did not occupy this room alone. By her side once more slept Van, lying uncomfortably across an oversized chair, his bare feet dangling off the side. Hitomi had never seen his feet before; he had always worn those old leather boots of his.
But she dared not to wake him. He had had less sleep than she in the past few days since she arrived on Gaea. He needs as much rest as I do.
She took off the lightweight cream blanket covering the massive comforter on her bed. That wasn't there last night, she thought, puzzled. Could have Van placed it on top of me while I slept?
She rolled out of the large bed and covered him with the blanket. His unruly black fell over his eyes, but she knew he slept soundly. She gave him a quick kiss on his forehead and walked out onto the balcony.
Her room had a phenomenal view of the ocean, now changing from the sun's pink reflection to its normal aquamarine tinge. Life stirred in the streets below her, giving her recollections of her past times in Asturia: walking in the bazaar with Van, Merle, and Millerna, Dryden and Millerna's royal wedding, kissing Allen on the bridge…
She shook her head, trying to escape from the last memory. She loved Allen, but only as a friend. Was she kidding herself, in chasing after him with a schoolgirl's crush? As she thought back on the day, she felt the sensation one more time, this time realizing that it felt more like kissing her brother rather than a lover.
Two more days…
A sudden chill of the wind blew, wrapping around her body and pressing her transparent nightgown to her skin. She held her arms to her breast instinctively, closing her eyes and listening to the soft howl of the vector.
She reflected on to the words of wisdom she received from Varie. Had she truly lost her heart? Was it making her weaker? She had noticed before that she was no longer the same person she was in high school. She just thought that it was a part of growing up and entering college and her adult life. But had she lost the confidence she once held so tightly?
I have to be confident in my actions, she thought. For Van's sake. And my own.
She looked down at her at watch. 12:47, but she didn't know if it was in the morning or late at night anymore. She lost track of time of her home world while on Gaea. What day was it now? November fourth or fifth? Was it a Tuesday or a Thursday? She'd gone to the costume party on a Friday night, October 31st. She knew that much but everything else remained a blur.
Besides, Van had said that months and days go by different names here. She'll have to learn and convert to them.
But there will be a lot of things that she'll have to learn. Such as remembering the lack of technology that she was used to. She won't need her cell phone anymore. Or will she? She got a page from Amano last time that somehow passed through the magical shroud and reached her.
but it will be worth it… won't it? her mind's voice asked. being with your true love?
yes, it will.
She didn't have to turn around; she could sense his essence without looking. A strong hand touched her shoulder lightly and gave her a reassuring squeeze of encouragement.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up," she said softly, raising her hand and placing it on top of his.
"Why didn't you tell me you were this worried?" Van asked.
"I didn't want you to be concerned about me," Hitomi muttered.
He wrapped the blanket she placed on him around the both of them and held her, staring out over the ocean. "I'm going to worry about you anyway, love," he whispered into her hair. "Always."
She pivoted inside the blanket and hugged him, placing her head on his warm chest, breathing in his scent. The field, she thought. The smell of a field touched by a warm breeze. Is that what all Draconians smell like? Is this what the sky smells like after you've flown so high in the clouds?
"I guess I'm just scared," she said. "I don't know what will happen afterwards. There's all this pressure and…"
"Don't worry about it," he interrupted. "Just do what you have been doing. Live in the moment." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and embraced tighter.
"LORD VAAAAAAAAN!!!"
Van did not have time to push Hitomi to the side for safety before Merle pounced him. Normally, she would hug him tightly, but this time, she managed to knock both him and Hitomi to the ground. He could barely hear his love's giggling underneath him while the young cat-woman screamed at him on top.
"What the hell took so long?! Why didn't you wake me up?! What have you two been up to?! What happened to Zaibach?! What?! ANSWER ME!!!"
"It's good to see you, too, Merle," he replied.
"Van Fanel, if you do this to me one more time, Gods help me, I will scratch your face like no other!!!" she eased off of him, glaring angrily.
Van rolled over and helped Hitomi to her feet. "Merle, it's so good to see you," she said, hugging her friend. "What's been happening here?"
"Not much, except the fact that we've been worried sick for everyone," Merle said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "The soldiers that left the country during the leave of absence you gave them found out about the attack and came to Asturia last night. The people that we managed to evacuate from Fanelia are sleeping in the palace ballroom. Some have their own private rooms like me and Kyia…"
"How is she?" Van asked, breaking her information stream.
Merle sighed. "She seems to be doing better," she said. "She got up and ate the food I brought for her yesterday. But she hasn't spoken a word to anyone."
Van remained silent, averting his stare back to the ocean. His face gave away that he was in deep thought. About what, I wonder? Hitomi thought. She didn't want to tap into his mind and ask.
"Where's everyone else?" she asked aloud to Merle.
"Unfortunately, Millerna has been sent to stay in bed because of her pregnancy," she said. "The Healer said that she has to remain there until she delivers the child. Dryden and Celena are with her."
"Take me to her," Hitomi said, quickly. She glanced at Van for a moment, then entered the room once more, grabbing a robe as she followed Merle.
Van remained on the balcony, watching her leave with his childhood playmate. Forget the future, he thought. Live in the moment.
* * *
"Gods, this is so boring," Ashira muttered under her breath. She sat in her chair at an angle, her muddy boots hung over the side of the armrest. She held one dagger in her mouth, her tongue grazing the razor sharp blade, and another one in her left hand.
Across the room stood a row of ten slaves, each one weary of the previous day's work load and frightened of the little "game" she played. Each person had a fruit sitting on the top of their head, a target for the knife blade. Some of their fellow workmates lay crumpled on the floor with a dagger matching the ones Ashira held sticking out of their bodies.
"Let's see how good I am with my left hand AND my eyes closed!" she cried gleefully. A few of the people let out a whimper of fear as she brought her hand back, then launched it forward.
"Damn!" she cursed as the blade entered the wooden wall in between a young woman and an elderly man. "I'm going to have to work on my aim, I guess."
"Ashira," she could hear Sehkmet growl from the doorway. "Enough of that."
She replied to his command by sticking out her tongue. The older general gave her an annoyed look and beckoned her to follow him. She sighed loudly as the slaves released expressions of happiness.
"After I leave," she whispered to one of her men as she left the room. "Kill 'em all."
"Yes ma'am," he said.
As she followed Sehkmet to a secure location, she fingered the pendant necklace surrounding her neck. What a pretty stone, she thought, admiring its beauty. She had never been big on jewelry, but this one captured her in a way.
He opened the door to a conference room and nodded for her to enter. She walked in cautiously, knowing that she should never truly trust anyone, not even the people of her own army. Any soldier could turn on her at any moment. She plopped down into a chair, dangling her feet on the side just as before.
"One of our scouts just returned," he said finally, breaking the silence. "He reports from his post at Asturia's capital, Palas."
"Oh?" she said, not really caring what the old geezer said. "Unusual activity?"
"The Dragon has returned."
Ashira bolted from her seat. "What?!" she cried. "We blew up that stupid waterfall where he hid inside! How…"
"That's not all," he interrupted her. "He also saw the girl from the Mystic Moon with him."
"WHAT?!"
Sehkmet remain quiet while she let her rage run its course.
"How the hell is that possible?! I killed her! I saw it happen! The arrow went through! It was a perfect hit! I watched her die! That bastard picked her up and flew away, her lifeless in his arms!"
"Isn't this a good thing, though?" he asked softly.
She glared at him. "How is this a good thing?" she snapped.
"The Oracle, before you killed him, said that in order to achieve the Power of Atlantis, you need her and the pendant," he pointed out.
How could she be so stupid and forgetful? Of course, she needed that bitch from the cursed sister planet. She was the key to the whole thing.
"Load the leviships and the floating fortress," she said slowly. "We're going to Asturia."
* * *
"This is so not fair! I'm not due for at least another color! I feel fine! Dryden, why are you letting him do this to me?! This is YOUR fault! You're the one that did this to me! I hate you! I hate you all!"
As Merle and Hitomi walked down to the one of the Queen's resting quarters, they could both hear Millerna's voice echo throughout the hallway.
"She doesn't seem at all happy," Merle whispered to the other girl.
"What makes you think that?" Hitomi replied sarcastically.
The cat-girl took a deep breath and push the heavy door open. "Guess who I found?" she said in a sing-song voice.
"Hitomi!" she heard her friend cry. She lay in a large bed, blankets covering her bulging belly. Her head was propped up by a multitude of finely decorated pillows. Her face was a little red, due to all the screaming Hitomi imagined.
"Hello," she said softly, walking to her side. Dryden moved out of the way while Celena sat on the other side. "What happened?"
"All that adventure in Fanelia wasn't good for her nor the baby," Celena said. "As soon as the Crusade landed, she began clutching her belly in pain. The Healer told her that she had to stay in bed until the pain went away. Then, this morning, he told her she had stay here until she delivers the child."
"I'm perfectly fine," Millerna muttered. "It was just indigestion. I'm not used to that Fanelian food."
"Fanelian food is not spicy!" Merle said forcefully.
Millerna crossed her arms and pouted. "This is MY country! How am I to rule if I'm stuck in this room for a color?!"
"Love, I'm sure I can do an alright job in that amount of time," Dryden said. "I mean, I know how to run a country."
"No, you know how to trade," his wife shouted. "Trading and ruling aren't the same thing!"
As she griped at the people surrounding her, Hitomi walked up and drew a chair to her bed.
"Millerna, Dryden will do a fine job in your absence," she said softly. "You've been working so hard, you need a break. Ruling a country is hard, you shouldn't take everything upon yourself."
"But…"
Hitomi held her clammy hand. "You know the Healer wouldn't send you to bed unless you were endangering your baby's life," she said. "You don't want to do anything to your unborn child, do you?"
The Queen remained quiet in deep thought, the first time this morning. "I guess you're right, Hitomi," she finally said. "Whatever is good for my baby is good for me."
"Exactly," Hitomi agreed.
Celena gave her a tired smile. She must have stayed up with Millerna, Hitomi thought. They all look tired. Dryden removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"All right, love," he said. "We're going to let you sleep now." He exited the quarters, Celena and Merle following closely. Hitomi stood to leave, but Millerna did not let go of her hand.
"Hitomi, I have a favor to ask of you," she said, her face serious.
"Anything, just ask it," she said, confused and uncertain of what she wanted to ask.
She took a deep breath. "Can you use your gift and tell me if my child is male or female?"
Hitomi let out a laugh. "I thought you were going to ask me to deliver it or something like that," she said. "That's it?"
Millerna nodded.
She held onto the Queen's hand and placed her other hand on top of her swollen stomach. "I'm a little out of practice," she said. "I gave up the Tarot cards once I returned to Earth, I mean, the Mystic Moon."
She shook her head. "I never really believed those cards," she said. "But I believe in what you tell me because you're the one making it happen."
Hitomi closed her eyes. Even Millerna knew that I had the power, she thought. Everyone knew but me.
She concentrated on the child. She could feel the tiny legs kick against the fleshy wall as she pressed down gently.
In a flash, she could see the child growing up before her mind's eye. Hair, dark like Dryden's, but with wisps of blond scattered throughout. The eyes, a dark violet just like the mother. The child would grow up to be a fine King.
"It's a boy," she said finally.
A look of relief left Millerna's face. "I hoped it would be one," she said happily, a tear rolling down her cheek. "But don't tell Dryden. I want him to be surprised."
Hitomi nodded and left the room, leaving the young Queen to her solitude of sleep.
to be continued…
* * *
This chapter's title comes from the title of a poem by John Keats that I read my senior year. I swear to my toenails that its about the Escaflowne movie. Well, to me, it does. Maybe I'm just stretching. I mean, there's a line towards the end saying something like "Was it a vision, or a waking dream?" Eeeeeeee!!! Hopefully, I'll get the chapters rolling again, but that's when I'll have a lot of free time. Until then, fare thee well!