Date. 10.02.2001
Time. 1.17 am
Music. None at the moment, but my roomie and I were listening to Phantom of the Opera earlier.
Chapter 15
Copyright. I do not own the Vision of Escaflowne nor any of its characters… yadda, yadda, yadda…
Author's Notes. Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out but I've had SO many projects to do that I have absolutely no time. So I write some parts when I'm bored or I don't want to work (that happens frequently). Anyhoo, instead of going to a convention, my friend and I watched the entire series in one weekend. It could have been done in one day, but I was falling asleep (due to lack of no sleep). I brushed up on things I had forgotten ^^
PS. I want to thank River Dolphin and JoJo on a personal note. Thanks for responding about the airplane deal. I'm sure I'll be fine. It just makes me so angry… grrr…
And on with the show!
The Vision of Escaflowne. Rota Fortunae
Chapter 15. Any Way the Wind Blows
* * *
A middle-aged woman sat alone in a darkened room, rocking slowly in her chair by the window. Her weary eyes remained closed, but she listened intently to the rain drops hitting the window pane.
She shivered at the chill; storms always began to brew just before the winter season. Drawing her soft blanket closer to her chin, she opened her eyes and looked up into the darkening gray sky. Something was out there, she knew it. Something she couldn't see nor touch, but she could believe in.
She sighed and drew her silvering hair behind her slender shoulders, tying it into a bun and a-fixed it with hair sticks.
She grew tired of this world, tired of all the greed and hate she saw on the streets as she walked to work. Not that she had any desire to work anymore, but her son was dependent on her. And so was her daughter…
Bringing her tea cup to her lips, she subconsciously sipped the ice cold liquid, not noticing the difference. It had been sitting beside her, ever since her son brought it out to her that morning. Hours later, she still drank from it
A bright flash appeared before her eyes, one that did not exist in the real world, only in her subconscious. She shaded her eyes from the unearthly light, focusing on its source. The gleam dulled, allowing her to see the object.
A simple, rose-colored stone necklace.
At last, she knew of what was to come. She never truly understood of the visions she received. Perhaps, she wasn't as strong.
"She's coming home," she whispered to herself, slightly smiling.
* * *
"How the hell did you do that?" Dryden whispered harshly as Hitomi quickly shut the chamber door with a soft click. Merle and Celena stood behind, their faces full of relief.
She smiled upon sight of them. How she missed her friends on Gaea, she thought. Although she once thought Merle was annoying and Dryden was rather crude, she enjoyed their company.
I guess I'll be enjoying them indefinitely now, she added.
"I just told her what she needed to hear," she said simply. "She needed to understand that it was for the both of them, not just her."
"But we've been saying that *all* night long!" Merle cried.
"Maybe it's because Hitomi has that way with people," Dryden said thoughtfully. The other women looked at him curiously.
"Well, she was like that the last time she was here," he tried to defend his answer. "She has an amount of influence."
Celena eyed him, narrowing her brows and staring hard. "What's that supposed to mean?" she inquired.
Dryden returned the gaze coolly, peeking over the metal rims of his round glasses. "It means, whatever the hell you want it to mean."
"What's *that* supposed to mean?!"
"C'mon, Hitomi. Let's go," Merle grabbed Hitomi's hand. "They can do that for hours. Besides, you need something to wear."
Hitomi, suddenly aware that she was still in her robe and nightgown, blushed a crimson pink. "I don't have anything with me," she said. "My shirt has a big hole in it from when…" She stopped.
The cat-girl caught her mistake. "When… what?" she asked.
"Nothing. Never mind."
"No, you can't stop in the middle of a sentence like that," she pushed. "What happened?"
"When… I was held captive on the floating fortress, the guard handled me wrong and… ripped it," Hitomi lied. She couldn't tell her what really happened. Maybe after the Day of Revelation, she and Van will explain everything.
That is, if they're still alive.
However, Merle believed her and the fur along her spine raised. "That bastard!" she hissed.
"It's okay, Merle. It's all done. I'm back."
Her friend calmed down immediately and stopped in the hall, giving her a soulful stare. "For good?" she asked quietly.
"Huh?"
"Are you staying here for good?" she repeated louder.
Hitomi slowly nodded.
"Then that means… he asked you to stay with him?"
Hitomi nodded once more.
"I see…" A round tear slowly rolled down the side of her face, wetting her fur.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
Merle quickly wiped away the tear. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "I mean, I'm happy for him. He's finally found the one person he has always wanted to be with."
She grabbed Hitomi's hand again and barged into one of the Queen's quarters. "Let's get you a dress from Millerna's closet," she said brightly.
"Do you think she'll mind?"
"Nah. Besides, it's not like she'll be able to fit in any of them soon."
Hitomi let out a small laugh. This is how life should be, she thought. Just being with friends.
* * *
Walking silently throughout the Asturian royal courtyards, Van watched his people take care of their daily business. Women hung laundry on lines, laughing and talking cheerfully with one another. Children ran about, playing games of chase that he remembered playing with his brother during his childhood.
He winced at that thought. He had a memory the day before Folken disappeared into the forest to slay the dragon.
---As Merle sunned herself in the woods behind the palace, content with herself, Folken and he played "dragon and warrior." His older brother crawled on hands and knees, snarling at Van, while he would chase him around with a wooden stick. He finally caught him and jumped onto Folken's back, laughing.
"Are you scared about tomorrow?" he had asked with that innocence of being a child in his voice.
Folken lay on the ground, staring blankly ahead. "A little," he replied. "But it's okay, Van. It's okay to be scared. Just be glad that you don't have to do it."
"Master Folken!" Palos shouted. "Your father wants to see you!"
He sighed as he stood up, Van sliding off his back. He tussled his brother's wild black hair and smiled. "You stay here," he said. "I'll be back soon."
With that, he ran in the direction of the palace.
Van relaxed, and walked over to where his cat-friend slept. He lowered himself onto the ground, lying on his back and staring out at the blue sky. A few birds entered his line of sight, chirping happily as they flapped their wings and disappeared into the trees.
He wished he could join them. He had often dreamed of letting his wings go and soaring. But his mother said don't let anyone see them until the time was right.
"Are you worried about your brother?" Merle opened an eye and peered at him. For someone who was only three rotations old, she was quite inquisitive and aware of others' feelings.
"No," he lied. "I know he can do it. I know he'll slay the dragon and come back to us."---
But he didn't slay the dragon. And he didn't return to Fanelia. Van spent ten rotations by himself, alone and distant from others.
He shook his head of the thought and continued with his journey.
As he walked along the smooth stone path, he recognized a few of the people he chatted with the night that they celebrated Fanelia's restoration. A man, a young father, he remembered. He had a daughter, born a few weeks before the festival. He sat with a woman whose arm was bandaged with a bloody cloth. She stared at the bundle in her husband's arms and cooed at it. That must be the child, he thought.
A child… He had hoped to have children one day. Once all this madness over, perhaps he should think about it with Hitomi.
He grabbed a fresh cloth from a basket and pursued towards the family.
"You're going to want to change that bandage, ma'am," he said as he knelt to the ground. "It's not healthy to keep that on a wound for a long time."
"My… my Lord!" she stammered, lowering her eyes to the ground. The young man followed her as well.
"Please," he lifted up a hand. "We're not in Fanelia anymore. There are no needs for titles her. Just Van, please. And your names are?"
The woman lifted her face, revealing wide blue eyes. "I am Ava, this is my husband, Raoule." She pointed to the bundle of blankets in the man's arms. "And that's our daughter, Keona."
"Keona?" Van asked as he peered into the mass. "What a beautiful name. What does it mean?"
"It's an old name that comes from my family's homeland," Raoule spoke. "It means 'God's gracious gift.'"
The child within his arms stirred and gave a soft yawn. Van smiled at her. "It fits perfectly," he said as he continued to untie the wrapping around her arm, trying carefully to be gentle with it.
"How did this happen?" he asked.
"When… they… attacked the palace…" Ava said sadly. "Our home is right by the outer palace wall. A part of it fell down, crushing the building next to us. Our roof caved in and a beam hit my arm."
"I'm sorry that it happened to you," Van replied, still staring at the work. He wrapped the cleaner bandage around the cut. "I'm sorry that it happened to all of you. Her fight was with me, not Fanelia. I'm glad you got out."
"As are we, My… Van… Sir…" she stumbled, somewhat embarrassed. "I don't believe that there weren't many casualties in the city. Just within the palace walls."
"Yes…" his voice trailed off, remembering that Kyia's father had died under a giant stone pillar. She is my responsibility now, he thought grimly. All of Fanelia, they're all my responsibility.
He finished off with a knot. "There…" he said. "Make sure you clean that and change it every few hours or so."
"Thank you… Van" Ava said, slightly bowing and showing respect towards him.
He nodded his head and walked away, continuing his inspection with the others.
"No wonder everyone likes you as their king," a masculine voice said from behind.
Van did not have to turn around to see who it was. He recognized the voice. "What do you want, Allen?" he said, annoyance in his voice.
"Come with me somewhere more… private," the Knight said. "I need to tell you something important."
"Didn't you say what you wanted to last night?" Van replied. "You made your point already."
"You didn't let me finish," Allen said. "Furthermore, I thought about it over the night."
"And?"
His long blonde hair caught a passing breeze as he tossed it over his shoulder. "I just want what is best for Hitomi," he said finally. "I never realized that there was someone else for her."
Van remained silent, processing the words that he just spoke.
"Whenever I was with her, my heart felt at ease. I thought it was love. Maybe I was just looking for Celena inside of her." He stopped. "But when I see you two together, I'm overwhelmed with jealousy. I was afraid to lose her. Perhaps it's my older brother instincts acting out for her. I realize now that you… fit… like we would never have.
"I'm not losing her. I never had her to begin with. Somewhere, down deep inside, I knew that I wasn't the only one that she had feelings for. I just… tried to ignore it. So please accept my apology for my comment last night." He bowed and remained staring at the stone pathway.
"Um… sure, Allen," Van muttered, shocked at this behavior. Usually, Allen would not have cared if another girl slipped through his fingers. There were others out there, waiting for him to choose.
Allen stood upright and extended his hand. Van grasped it and shook in acceptance.
"So what are we going to do about Zaibach?" the Knight asked.
"We?" Van eyed him suspiciously.
"Of course," he replied. "We are doing this for Hitomi, correct?"
"Yes…"
"So I'm in," he interrupted. "What are you going to need?"
Van looked at the overhead sun, glaring brightly above him. "We'll need the Crusade probably," he said. "And some of Asturia's military. For protection. I don't know if when Ashira attacked Fanelia, the Zaibach troops were at full force."
"Zaibach has had seven years to build up their army in secret, right? It took Asturia at least three times that amount for theirs." Allen paused. "And I'm sure Dryden can spare some men for an escort," he continued, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "And you know my men would do what ever I told them to do."
"Good," Van said absentmindedly. He tried to focus on the task on hand, but his thoughts trailed back to Hitomi. Where was she right now? Was she resting? Or still with Millerna? He wanted to reach out and find her, but he retreated with Allen to Dryden's study.
* * *
"Damn, Allen, your sister is a serious player of staring games," Dryden rubbed his eyes, leaning over his massive desk. "She eyeballed me for probably a good forty minutes or so and…"
"Yeah, um… she's really immature that way," Allen interrupted. "We are here for some more… pressing matters."
"Ah, yes. The Zaibach empire." He fell into his chair and gestured for Van and Allen to take a seat in the worn wooden ones. "Do you need aide in repairing Fanelia, Van?"
"No, Fanelia's economy was quite strong before the attack," he replied. "We'll manage. But there is something else, though."
Dryden lifted a brow. "Oh?"
Van stiffened. "I want an armed escort for Hitomi," he said. "We're leaving tomorrow and won't be back for a couple days."
"Really?" the King of Asturia pondered aloud. "And where might you be going with soldiers from our military?"
"I can't say. It's an important mission that she must complete. But I know that the Zaibach empire will be where we are going and I can't protect her from all of them."
Dryden folded his hands upon the counter of the desk and glanced at Allen. "Do you know anything about this?" he asked.
"I know of what he has told me," he replied. "I'm sure that there are things that he has left out for the safety of Hitomi. The less people that know, the less likely chance that it will increase her endangerment."
"I will say that it is to the utmost importance that Hitomi achieves for what we are set out to get," Van rose to his feet. "If she doesn't, than this world will never see peace and tranquility again."
Dryden looked at him and chuckled softly. "Everything seems to radiate around that girl," he murmured. "And everyone as well."
He stood from his chair. "I trust you, Van. Asturia and Fanelia are allies and must help each other out. I will send an armed escort with you for wherever you go, no questions asked."
"Thank you, Dryden," Van bowed humbly. "I appreciate what you have done for us."
"It seems to me that we all have a mutual friend between us," he lifted his hand to disregard it. "I hope that Hitomi will succeed in this mission of hers."
So do I, Van thought. So do I…
* * *
"Um, Hitomi?" Merle asked softly.
"Hm?" she replied as they walked down the corridors of the Asturian palace, the late afternoon sun pouring in through the windows and lighting the floor with an orange tone. The dress she "borrowed" from Millerna was the simplest one she could find… a pale blue dress with hints of silver throughout. Merle had to help tie the corset around her torso tightly. How could people wear those things? She could barely breathe. She felt the urge to just take it off.
"Do you think you could do a favor to me?" the cat-girl stopped in the hallway.
"Sure… what do you want?"
"Well, its not for me… its for Ky."
"Ky?"
"Yeah." Merle looked up with misty eyes. "She needs to break out of this… this… reverie that she's in. I mean, I understand… her father died. But she needs to move on with her life."
"What do you want me to do?" Hitomi asked.
"You're so good to talking to people… maybe you can help her too."
She remained silent for a moment, pondering on her request. "Okay," she said finally. "I'll try."
Merle bowed. "Thanks," she said, smiling.
They headed in the direction where Merle and Kyia roomed together. The cat-girl slowly pushed the wooden door open, careful not to make it creak.
"Kyia? Are you here?" she asked into the darkness.
No answer.
Merle motioned for Hitomi to follow her into the dark room. As her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit quarters, she stepped around platters and trays of uneaten food.
Kyia lay on top of the large bed, a single blanket placed upon her. Her wide eyes, blank and expressionless, stared straight ahead at the wall. Her messy hair fell into the face, but she took no notice.
Hitomi drew a chair up next to her and sat down once more, taking the girl's hand as she did so. "Kyia?" she said quietly.
She made no movement.
Hitomi continued. "Kyia, I am truly sorry about your father. That night was a senseless act of violence. No lives should have ended."
Kyia's empty eyes suddenly shifted and looked at her with some interest.
"My father died of a heart attack a few years ago. It was a devastating point in my life for me and my family. I was in school at the time and it was really hard for me to go home and visit my mother to take care of her. I felt so… lost. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. I finally figured that I needed to talk to someone. So I went to a psychologist."
Kyia opened her mouth. "Psychologist?" she whispered hoarsely, her tongue pronouncing the foreign word.
Hitomi noticed Merle smiling out the corner of her eye. "It's a person who studies other people's mind and analyzes their problems," she said. "He told me that the best thing for me to get through these hard times is that I should talk to other people and take small steps to get back to my life.
"You can't stay here in this bed forever, Kyia. I know it's hard, but you need to go on with yours as well. Its not easy… but you have to have faith in yourself and be strong. I'm sure your father would want you to also."
Kyia sat up. "What should I do?" she asked.
"First of all, I think you should get up out of bed, take a nice long warm bath, and come down and eat with us for dinner."
The frail girl wrapped her arms around herself. "I don't know…" she said.
"Merle will stay with you the whole time," she said in a comforting tone. "You won't be alone."
Kyia looked out the window wistfully. Finally, she nodded and removed the blanket.
"There's a good girl," Merle said. She mouthed a "thank you" to Hitomi and helped her into the bathroom.
Hitomi sighed. Maybe I should have gone into counseling, she thought.
She moved over to the window that Kyia peered out of moments before. Below her was the courtyard where all the escapees of Fanelia settled, waiting for their order to return to their country.
She spotted Van among the crowds of people. He stood, talking to some men and listening as well. His face was serious and grave. A few of the men seemed to be angry, their gestures filled with a temper. Finally, with a retreating wave of hand, they left him and walked away, leaving their young King looking after them. His arms crossed in front of his chest, he walked over to a water fountain and sat down.
Hitomi concentrated and gave him a mental nudge. He sat up and looked around, then seeing her standing in the window. His face eased and there was a peaceful look about him. He gave her a weary smile.
I love you, she mouthed.
i love you too… he replied in her mind.
something wrong?
no, i just want to get out of here for the moment…
let's go then…
where?
anywhere…
hmmm… i've got the perfect place… come down here…
Hitomi nodded and walked out of the room, pulling up her skirts and running down the hall. She stumbled over her feet in the awkward formal shoes and almost ran into some Elders from the Asturian Council.
"Sorry!" she cried, laughing as she continued along her way, in doing so, removing the shoes and running bare foot. She shoved the massive wooden doors open and caught her breath, scanning the yard for her love. He was nowhere in sight.
Where could he have gone in a few minutes? she asked herself. He told me to come down and…
The clipping of horse hooves against the cobblestones caught her attention. She turned and spotted a flash of red clothing as the beast and rider hurried towards her.
"C'mon!" Van stretched out his arm as he slowed a bit. "I stole the horse from the guard. We gotta go!"
Hitomi grasped his hand and swung around the horse's back, Van lifting her as she did so. She landed firmly right behind Van and her slender arms instinctively wrapped around his stomach. Her long dress flowed around the stallion's body, covering most of his chestnut coat.
"Yah!" he shouted as he kicked the beast in the ribs a few times. It reared, neighing loudly, then galloped out of the courtyard. Hitomi could hear the faint shouts of the horseless guards as they entered the city market, leaving them behind in dust.
Fortunately, the marketplace was empty as the remaining merchants packed up their remaining cargo for the end of the day. As they raced through the bare streets, hooves striking stones, Hitomi dug her face into Van's upper back, inhaling his scent. The field… she thought. No matter where we are, it always goes back to the field.
* * *
The stallion slowly came to a stop at a small turnout, a cliff facing the valley behind the mountain range surrounding Palas. Van helped dismount Hitomi, then swung his leg over and landed next to her.
"Celena showed me this place when I visited Asturia last," he said, gesturing to the scenery.
"This place is so peaceful…" she murmured.
A tiny waterfall trickled down the face of the cliff, landing into a small emerald pool. Lush grass covered the ground, which the horse set to work on eating. The area felt secluded from the world they lived in, an escape from reality. Van grabbed a few blankets tied to the saddle and laid it across an open area. He lowered himself gradually to the earth and motioned for Hitomi to join him. She kneeled and fell into his open arms.
"What's wrong?" she asked as his arms held her securely.
"Hmm?"
"You said that you couldn't be back there for another moment. Did something happen?"
He shook his head. "A few people were somewhat angry about the attack on Fanelia. They thought that there should have been some more security." His voice had hints of irritation in it. "I gave those men a few days off! They work the entire year without a single day's leave of absence. How can I be fair to everyone?"
He sighed. "Sorry, I shouldn't be taking this out on you. I just wanted to get away from everything. And I wanted to be with you alone. We don't know if…" He hesitated.
"Go on, say it," she said. "We don't know if this will be the last time we're together."
He traced the edge of her jaw line with his thumb. "I just want to be with you," he whispered into her soft hair.
"So do I."
Their eyes were drawn to the sun's last rays of light touching the land. As the sky changed from light pink to a tint of lavender, the first stars appeared in the twilight. Hitomi's eyes shifted from the stars to the glowing orbs of the Earth and moon hanging above them. She could barely make out the North American continent, hidden below the clouds.
"Today, I helped out a family that was wounded during the attack," Van said, breaking the silence. "The father had an infant daughter in his arms. For that moment, I wanted to be him, holding my child, protecting her from all the dangers of the world. It was then that I realized how much I wanted… one."
"Really?" Hitomi said, kissing his hand that had been stroking her. "I've never heard you speak of children."
"I've never spoken of getting married, either," he said. "Maybe its you that brings it out of me."
She smiled and eased out his arms, rotating around so that she could see the serious look on his face.
"I love you more than life itself," he said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "It drives me mad when I'm not around you. I don't know what I would do if you weren't with me."
"I feel the same," she replied, brushing his hair out his face as well. "I can't think of being anywhere else but here with you at this moment. I wish this could last forever." A single tear seeped down her cheek.
He leaned in and kiss it away, inching his way to her mouth. She returned the kiss passionately, growing stronger and bolder with each one. She could feel his fingers slowly untying her corset along her back, fiddling with the loops. She didn't care. She wanted this to happen.
She pulled off his shirt and threw it to the side, never breaking the continuing kiss that they shared. His warm skin felt so good against her fingertips. She grabbed one of the extra blankets and wrapped it around the both of them. He finished loosening her dress and she was able to slip out of it quickly.
They took no heed of the horse grazing nearby, nor of the water trickling down the side of the cliff. All they could see was each other, how perfect this fraction of their lifespan was. The sky deepened to a midnight blue, the twinkling stars smiling upon the two lovers as they lived in the moment.
* * *
Eep! I told myself I would never write a sex scene. But it fit the storyline. So I tried to keep it as non-sex scene as possible.
Two points of interest. "Keona" is Hawaiian for "God's gracious gift." And in the previous chapter(s), "Tutu" is Hawaiian for "grandmother." My great-grandma was called Tutu because my grandma lived in Hawaii for a long time. I had to work it in.
Another point. Try to remember the time of day that the "last scene" took place. It will be referred to in a future chapter and has significance. Ok, thank you. I'll be here all week ((I won't, but it's fun to say ^^ ).
Time. 1.17 am
Music. None at the moment, but my roomie and I were listening to Phantom of the Opera earlier.
Chapter 15
Copyright. I do not own the Vision of Escaflowne nor any of its characters… yadda, yadda, yadda…
Author's Notes. Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out but I've had SO many projects to do that I have absolutely no time. So I write some parts when I'm bored or I don't want to work (that happens frequently). Anyhoo, instead of going to a convention, my friend and I watched the entire series in one weekend. It could have been done in one day, but I was falling asleep (due to lack of no sleep). I brushed up on things I had forgotten ^^
PS. I want to thank River Dolphin and JoJo on a personal note. Thanks for responding about the airplane deal. I'm sure I'll be fine. It just makes me so angry… grrr…
And on with the show!
The Vision of Escaflowne. Rota Fortunae
Chapter 15. Any Way the Wind Blows
* * *
A middle-aged woman sat alone in a darkened room, rocking slowly in her chair by the window. Her weary eyes remained closed, but she listened intently to the rain drops hitting the window pane.
She shivered at the chill; storms always began to brew just before the winter season. Drawing her soft blanket closer to her chin, she opened her eyes and looked up into the darkening gray sky. Something was out there, she knew it. Something she couldn't see nor touch, but she could believe in.
She sighed and drew her silvering hair behind her slender shoulders, tying it into a bun and a-fixed it with hair sticks.
She grew tired of this world, tired of all the greed and hate she saw on the streets as she walked to work. Not that she had any desire to work anymore, but her son was dependent on her. And so was her daughter…
Bringing her tea cup to her lips, she subconsciously sipped the ice cold liquid, not noticing the difference. It had been sitting beside her, ever since her son brought it out to her that morning. Hours later, she still drank from it
A bright flash appeared before her eyes, one that did not exist in the real world, only in her subconscious. She shaded her eyes from the unearthly light, focusing on its source. The gleam dulled, allowing her to see the object.
A simple, rose-colored stone necklace.
At last, she knew of what was to come. She never truly understood of the visions she received. Perhaps, she wasn't as strong.
"She's coming home," she whispered to herself, slightly smiling.
* * *
"How the hell did you do that?" Dryden whispered harshly as Hitomi quickly shut the chamber door with a soft click. Merle and Celena stood behind, their faces full of relief.
She smiled upon sight of them. How she missed her friends on Gaea, she thought. Although she once thought Merle was annoying and Dryden was rather crude, she enjoyed their company.
I guess I'll be enjoying them indefinitely now, she added.
"I just told her what she needed to hear," she said simply. "She needed to understand that it was for the both of them, not just her."
"But we've been saying that *all* night long!" Merle cried.
"Maybe it's because Hitomi has that way with people," Dryden said thoughtfully. The other women looked at him curiously.
"Well, she was like that the last time she was here," he tried to defend his answer. "She has an amount of influence."
Celena eyed him, narrowing her brows and staring hard. "What's that supposed to mean?" she inquired.
Dryden returned the gaze coolly, peeking over the metal rims of his round glasses. "It means, whatever the hell you want it to mean."
"What's *that* supposed to mean?!"
"C'mon, Hitomi. Let's go," Merle grabbed Hitomi's hand. "They can do that for hours. Besides, you need something to wear."
Hitomi, suddenly aware that she was still in her robe and nightgown, blushed a crimson pink. "I don't have anything with me," she said. "My shirt has a big hole in it from when…" She stopped.
The cat-girl caught her mistake. "When… what?" she asked.
"Nothing. Never mind."
"No, you can't stop in the middle of a sentence like that," she pushed. "What happened?"
"When… I was held captive on the floating fortress, the guard handled me wrong and… ripped it," Hitomi lied. She couldn't tell her what really happened. Maybe after the Day of Revelation, she and Van will explain everything.
That is, if they're still alive.
However, Merle believed her and the fur along her spine raised. "That bastard!" she hissed.
"It's okay, Merle. It's all done. I'm back."
Her friend calmed down immediately and stopped in the hall, giving her a soulful stare. "For good?" she asked quietly.
"Huh?"
"Are you staying here for good?" she repeated louder.
Hitomi slowly nodded.
"Then that means… he asked you to stay with him?"
Hitomi nodded once more.
"I see…" A round tear slowly rolled down the side of her face, wetting her fur.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
Merle quickly wiped away the tear. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "I mean, I'm happy for him. He's finally found the one person he has always wanted to be with."
She grabbed Hitomi's hand again and barged into one of the Queen's quarters. "Let's get you a dress from Millerna's closet," she said brightly.
"Do you think she'll mind?"
"Nah. Besides, it's not like she'll be able to fit in any of them soon."
Hitomi let out a small laugh. This is how life should be, she thought. Just being with friends.
* * *
Walking silently throughout the Asturian royal courtyards, Van watched his people take care of their daily business. Women hung laundry on lines, laughing and talking cheerfully with one another. Children ran about, playing games of chase that he remembered playing with his brother during his childhood.
He winced at that thought. He had a memory the day before Folken disappeared into the forest to slay the dragon.
---As Merle sunned herself in the woods behind the palace, content with herself, Folken and he played "dragon and warrior." His older brother crawled on hands and knees, snarling at Van, while he would chase him around with a wooden stick. He finally caught him and jumped onto Folken's back, laughing.
"Are you scared about tomorrow?" he had asked with that innocence of being a child in his voice.
Folken lay on the ground, staring blankly ahead. "A little," he replied. "But it's okay, Van. It's okay to be scared. Just be glad that you don't have to do it."
"Master Folken!" Palos shouted. "Your father wants to see you!"
He sighed as he stood up, Van sliding off his back. He tussled his brother's wild black hair and smiled. "You stay here," he said. "I'll be back soon."
With that, he ran in the direction of the palace.
Van relaxed, and walked over to where his cat-friend slept. He lowered himself onto the ground, lying on his back and staring out at the blue sky. A few birds entered his line of sight, chirping happily as they flapped their wings and disappeared into the trees.
He wished he could join them. He had often dreamed of letting his wings go and soaring. But his mother said don't let anyone see them until the time was right.
"Are you worried about your brother?" Merle opened an eye and peered at him. For someone who was only three rotations old, she was quite inquisitive and aware of others' feelings.
"No," he lied. "I know he can do it. I know he'll slay the dragon and come back to us."---
But he didn't slay the dragon. And he didn't return to Fanelia. Van spent ten rotations by himself, alone and distant from others.
He shook his head of the thought and continued with his journey.
As he walked along the smooth stone path, he recognized a few of the people he chatted with the night that they celebrated Fanelia's restoration. A man, a young father, he remembered. He had a daughter, born a few weeks before the festival. He sat with a woman whose arm was bandaged with a bloody cloth. She stared at the bundle in her husband's arms and cooed at it. That must be the child, he thought.
A child… He had hoped to have children one day. Once all this madness over, perhaps he should think about it with Hitomi.
He grabbed a fresh cloth from a basket and pursued towards the family.
"You're going to want to change that bandage, ma'am," he said as he knelt to the ground. "It's not healthy to keep that on a wound for a long time."
"My… my Lord!" she stammered, lowering her eyes to the ground. The young man followed her as well.
"Please," he lifted up a hand. "We're not in Fanelia anymore. There are no needs for titles her. Just Van, please. And your names are?"
The woman lifted her face, revealing wide blue eyes. "I am Ava, this is my husband, Raoule." She pointed to the bundle of blankets in the man's arms. "And that's our daughter, Keona."
"Keona?" Van asked as he peered into the mass. "What a beautiful name. What does it mean?"
"It's an old name that comes from my family's homeland," Raoule spoke. "It means 'God's gracious gift.'"
The child within his arms stirred and gave a soft yawn. Van smiled at her. "It fits perfectly," he said as he continued to untie the wrapping around her arm, trying carefully to be gentle with it.
"How did this happen?" he asked.
"When… they… attacked the palace…" Ava said sadly. "Our home is right by the outer palace wall. A part of it fell down, crushing the building next to us. Our roof caved in and a beam hit my arm."
"I'm sorry that it happened to you," Van replied, still staring at the work. He wrapped the cleaner bandage around the cut. "I'm sorry that it happened to all of you. Her fight was with me, not Fanelia. I'm glad you got out."
"As are we, My… Van… Sir…" she stumbled, somewhat embarrassed. "I don't believe that there weren't many casualties in the city. Just within the palace walls."
"Yes…" his voice trailed off, remembering that Kyia's father had died under a giant stone pillar. She is my responsibility now, he thought grimly. All of Fanelia, they're all my responsibility.
He finished off with a knot. "There…" he said. "Make sure you clean that and change it every few hours or so."
"Thank you… Van" Ava said, slightly bowing and showing respect towards him.
He nodded his head and walked away, continuing his inspection with the others.
"No wonder everyone likes you as their king," a masculine voice said from behind.
Van did not have to turn around to see who it was. He recognized the voice. "What do you want, Allen?" he said, annoyance in his voice.
"Come with me somewhere more… private," the Knight said. "I need to tell you something important."
"Didn't you say what you wanted to last night?" Van replied. "You made your point already."
"You didn't let me finish," Allen said. "Furthermore, I thought about it over the night."
"And?"
His long blonde hair caught a passing breeze as he tossed it over his shoulder. "I just want what is best for Hitomi," he said finally. "I never realized that there was someone else for her."
Van remained silent, processing the words that he just spoke.
"Whenever I was with her, my heart felt at ease. I thought it was love. Maybe I was just looking for Celena inside of her." He stopped. "But when I see you two together, I'm overwhelmed with jealousy. I was afraid to lose her. Perhaps it's my older brother instincts acting out for her. I realize now that you… fit… like we would never have.
"I'm not losing her. I never had her to begin with. Somewhere, down deep inside, I knew that I wasn't the only one that she had feelings for. I just… tried to ignore it. So please accept my apology for my comment last night." He bowed and remained staring at the stone pathway.
"Um… sure, Allen," Van muttered, shocked at this behavior. Usually, Allen would not have cared if another girl slipped through his fingers. There were others out there, waiting for him to choose.
Allen stood upright and extended his hand. Van grasped it and shook in acceptance.
"So what are we going to do about Zaibach?" the Knight asked.
"We?" Van eyed him suspiciously.
"Of course," he replied. "We are doing this for Hitomi, correct?"
"Yes…"
"So I'm in," he interrupted. "What are you going to need?"
Van looked at the overhead sun, glaring brightly above him. "We'll need the Crusade probably," he said. "And some of Asturia's military. For protection. I don't know if when Ashira attacked Fanelia, the Zaibach troops were at full force."
"Zaibach has had seven years to build up their army in secret, right? It took Asturia at least three times that amount for theirs." Allen paused. "And I'm sure Dryden can spare some men for an escort," he continued, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "And you know my men would do what ever I told them to do."
"Good," Van said absentmindedly. He tried to focus on the task on hand, but his thoughts trailed back to Hitomi. Where was she right now? Was she resting? Or still with Millerna? He wanted to reach out and find her, but he retreated with Allen to Dryden's study.
* * *
"Damn, Allen, your sister is a serious player of staring games," Dryden rubbed his eyes, leaning over his massive desk. "She eyeballed me for probably a good forty minutes or so and…"
"Yeah, um… she's really immature that way," Allen interrupted. "We are here for some more… pressing matters."
"Ah, yes. The Zaibach empire." He fell into his chair and gestured for Van and Allen to take a seat in the worn wooden ones. "Do you need aide in repairing Fanelia, Van?"
"No, Fanelia's economy was quite strong before the attack," he replied. "We'll manage. But there is something else, though."
Dryden lifted a brow. "Oh?"
Van stiffened. "I want an armed escort for Hitomi," he said. "We're leaving tomorrow and won't be back for a couple days."
"Really?" the King of Asturia pondered aloud. "And where might you be going with soldiers from our military?"
"I can't say. It's an important mission that she must complete. But I know that the Zaibach empire will be where we are going and I can't protect her from all of them."
Dryden folded his hands upon the counter of the desk and glanced at Allen. "Do you know anything about this?" he asked.
"I know of what he has told me," he replied. "I'm sure that there are things that he has left out for the safety of Hitomi. The less people that know, the less likely chance that it will increase her endangerment."
"I will say that it is to the utmost importance that Hitomi achieves for what we are set out to get," Van rose to his feet. "If she doesn't, than this world will never see peace and tranquility again."
Dryden looked at him and chuckled softly. "Everything seems to radiate around that girl," he murmured. "And everyone as well."
He stood from his chair. "I trust you, Van. Asturia and Fanelia are allies and must help each other out. I will send an armed escort with you for wherever you go, no questions asked."
"Thank you, Dryden," Van bowed humbly. "I appreciate what you have done for us."
"It seems to me that we all have a mutual friend between us," he lifted his hand to disregard it. "I hope that Hitomi will succeed in this mission of hers."
So do I, Van thought. So do I…
* * *
"Um, Hitomi?" Merle asked softly.
"Hm?" she replied as they walked down the corridors of the Asturian palace, the late afternoon sun pouring in through the windows and lighting the floor with an orange tone. The dress she "borrowed" from Millerna was the simplest one she could find… a pale blue dress with hints of silver throughout. Merle had to help tie the corset around her torso tightly. How could people wear those things? She could barely breathe. She felt the urge to just take it off.
"Do you think you could do a favor to me?" the cat-girl stopped in the hallway.
"Sure… what do you want?"
"Well, its not for me… its for Ky."
"Ky?"
"Yeah." Merle looked up with misty eyes. "She needs to break out of this… this… reverie that she's in. I mean, I understand… her father died. But she needs to move on with her life."
"What do you want me to do?" Hitomi asked.
"You're so good to talking to people… maybe you can help her too."
She remained silent for a moment, pondering on her request. "Okay," she said finally. "I'll try."
Merle bowed. "Thanks," she said, smiling.
They headed in the direction where Merle and Kyia roomed together. The cat-girl slowly pushed the wooden door open, careful not to make it creak.
"Kyia? Are you here?" she asked into the darkness.
No answer.
Merle motioned for Hitomi to follow her into the dark room. As her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit quarters, she stepped around platters and trays of uneaten food.
Kyia lay on top of the large bed, a single blanket placed upon her. Her wide eyes, blank and expressionless, stared straight ahead at the wall. Her messy hair fell into the face, but she took no notice.
Hitomi drew a chair up next to her and sat down once more, taking the girl's hand as she did so. "Kyia?" she said quietly.
She made no movement.
Hitomi continued. "Kyia, I am truly sorry about your father. That night was a senseless act of violence. No lives should have ended."
Kyia's empty eyes suddenly shifted and looked at her with some interest.
"My father died of a heart attack a few years ago. It was a devastating point in my life for me and my family. I was in school at the time and it was really hard for me to go home and visit my mother to take care of her. I felt so… lost. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. I finally figured that I needed to talk to someone. So I went to a psychologist."
Kyia opened her mouth. "Psychologist?" she whispered hoarsely, her tongue pronouncing the foreign word.
Hitomi noticed Merle smiling out the corner of her eye. "It's a person who studies other people's mind and analyzes their problems," she said. "He told me that the best thing for me to get through these hard times is that I should talk to other people and take small steps to get back to my life.
"You can't stay here in this bed forever, Kyia. I know it's hard, but you need to go on with yours as well. Its not easy… but you have to have faith in yourself and be strong. I'm sure your father would want you to also."
Kyia sat up. "What should I do?" she asked.
"First of all, I think you should get up out of bed, take a nice long warm bath, and come down and eat with us for dinner."
The frail girl wrapped her arms around herself. "I don't know…" she said.
"Merle will stay with you the whole time," she said in a comforting tone. "You won't be alone."
Kyia looked out the window wistfully. Finally, she nodded and removed the blanket.
"There's a good girl," Merle said. She mouthed a "thank you" to Hitomi and helped her into the bathroom.
Hitomi sighed. Maybe I should have gone into counseling, she thought.
She moved over to the window that Kyia peered out of moments before. Below her was the courtyard where all the escapees of Fanelia settled, waiting for their order to return to their country.
She spotted Van among the crowds of people. He stood, talking to some men and listening as well. His face was serious and grave. A few of the men seemed to be angry, their gestures filled with a temper. Finally, with a retreating wave of hand, they left him and walked away, leaving their young King looking after them. His arms crossed in front of his chest, he walked over to a water fountain and sat down.
Hitomi concentrated and gave him a mental nudge. He sat up and looked around, then seeing her standing in the window. His face eased and there was a peaceful look about him. He gave her a weary smile.
I love you, she mouthed.
i love you too… he replied in her mind.
something wrong?
no, i just want to get out of here for the moment…
let's go then…
where?
anywhere…
hmmm… i've got the perfect place… come down here…
Hitomi nodded and walked out of the room, pulling up her skirts and running down the hall. She stumbled over her feet in the awkward formal shoes and almost ran into some Elders from the Asturian Council.
"Sorry!" she cried, laughing as she continued along her way, in doing so, removing the shoes and running bare foot. She shoved the massive wooden doors open and caught her breath, scanning the yard for her love. He was nowhere in sight.
Where could he have gone in a few minutes? she asked herself. He told me to come down and…
The clipping of horse hooves against the cobblestones caught her attention. She turned and spotted a flash of red clothing as the beast and rider hurried towards her.
"C'mon!" Van stretched out his arm as he slowed a bit. "I stole the horse from the guard. We gotta go!"
Hitomi grasped his hand and swung around the horse's back, Van lifting her as she did so. She landed firmly right behind Van and her slender arms instinctively wrapped around his stomach. Her long dress flowed around the stallion's body, covering most of his chestnut coat.
"Yah!" he shouted as he kicked the beast in the ribs a few times. It reared, neighing loudly, then galloped out of the courtyard. Hitomi could hear the faint shouts of the horseless guards as they entered the city market, leaving them behind in dust.
Fortunately, the marketplace was empty as the remaining merchants packed up their remaining cargo for the end of the day. As they raced through the bare streets, hooves striking stones, Hitomi dug her face into Van's upper back, inhaling his scent. The field… she thought. No matter where we are, it always goes back to the field.
* * *
The stallion slowly came to a stop at a small turnout, a cliff facing the valley behind the mountain range surrounding Palas. Van helped dismount Hitomi, then swung his leg over and landed next to her.
"Celena showed me this place when I visited Asturia last," he said, gesturing to the scenery.
"This place is so peaceful…" she murmured.
A tiny waterfall trickled down the face of the cliff, landing into a small emerald pool. Lush grass covered the ground, which the horse set to work on eating. The area felt secluded from the world they lived in, an escape from reality. Van grabbed a few blankets tied to the saddle and laid it across an open area. He lowered himself gradually to the earth and motioned for Hitomi to join him. She kneeled and fell into his open arms.
"What's wrong?" she asked as his arms held her securely.
"Hmm?"
"You said that you couldn't be back there for another moment. Did something happen?"
He shook his head. "A few people were somewhat angry about the attack on Fanelia. They thought that there should have been some more security." His voice had hints of irritation in it. "I gave those men a few days off! They work the entire year without a single day's leave of absence. How can I be fair to everyone?"
He sighed. "Sorry, I shouldn't be taking this out on you. I just wanted to get away from everything. And I wanted to be with you alone. We don't know if…" He hesitated.
"Go on, say it," she said. "We don't know if this will be the last time we're together."
He traced the edge of her jaw line with his thumb. "I just want to be with you," he whispered into her soft hair.
"So do I."
Their eyes were drawn to the sun's last rays of light touching the land. As the sky changed from light pink to a tint of lavender, the first stars appeared in the twilight. Hitomi's eyes shifted from the stars to the glowing orbs of the Earth and moon hanging above them. She could barely make out the North American continent, hidden below the clouds.
"Today, I helped out a family that was wounded during the attack," Van said, breaking the silence. "The father had an infant daughter in his arms. For that moment, I wanted to be him, holding my child, protecting her from all the dangers of the world. It was then that I realized how much I wanted… one."
"Really?" Hitomi said, kissing his hand that had been stroking her. "I've never heard you speak of children."
"I've never spoken of getting married, either," he said. "Maybe its you that brings it out of me."
She smiled and eased out his arms, rotating around so that she could see the serious look on his face.
"I love you more than life itself," he said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "It drives me mad when I'm not around you. I don't know what I would do if you weren't with me."
"I feel the same," she replied, brushing his hair out his face as well. "I can't think of being anywhere else but here with you at this moment. I wish this could last forever." A single tear seeped down her cheek.
He leaned in and kiss it away, inching his way to her mouth. She returned the kiss passionately, growing stronger and bolder with each one. She could feel his fingers slowly untying her corset along her back, fiddling with the loops. She didn't care. She wanted this to happen.
She pulled off his shirt and threw it to the side, never breaking the continuing kiss that they shared. His warm skin felt so good against her fingertips. She grabbed one of the extra blankets and wrapped it around the both of them. He finished loosening her dress and she was able to slip out of it quickly.
They took no heed of the horse grazing nearby, nor of the water trickling down the side of the cliff. All they could see was each other, how perfect this fraction of their lifespan was. The sky deepened to a midnight blue, the twinkling stars smiling upon the two lovers as they lived in the moment.
* * *
Eep! I told myself I would never write a sex scene. But it fit the storyline. So I tried to keep it as non-sex scene as possible.
Two points of interest. "Keona" is Hawaiian for "God's gracious gift." And in the previous chapter(s), "Tutu" is Hawaiian for "grandmother." My great-grandma was called Tutu because my grandma lived in Hawaii for a long time. I had to work it in.
Another point. Try to remember the time of day that the "last scene" took place. It will be referred to in a future chapter and has significance. Ok, thank you. I'll be here all week ((I won't, but it's fun to say ^^ ).