Dreams and Visions: Chapter 18

By mercy_angel_09

Rating PG-13

Disclaimers: I don't own Escaflowne and I'm certainly not making any money off of this venture, so it'd be sort of pointless to sue me.  (Besides, I'm a poor college student; you'd lose more money than you'd gain.)  The creative geniuses behind EscaFlowne are Hajime Yatate and Shoji Kawamori, Sunrise, Bandai, and I'm sure a few other companies that I'm forgetting or have no idea about.

~*~

            Kaiden wandered through the halls hoping to find Hikari.  Instead he found Van, Hitomi, Merle, Allen, his parents, his sister, Gaddes and the crew of the Crusade, Celena, and then an assortment of servants.

            Sighing hopelessly, he turned to return to his room when he heard a floorboard squeak.  Following the origin of the sound, he found Hikari trudging along, as though her feet were made of lead. 

            "Hikari!" he called out.

            She turned and faced him, forcing herself to smile.  "Hullo Kaiden."

            "You look awful."

            "Chid's in love with me."

            "I know," Kaiden answered quietly.

            "But I don't love him."

            "You don't?"  Kaiden was suddenly confused.  "What do you mean that you're not in love with him?"

            "I'm not in love with him," Hikari answered.  "I'm . . . oh never mind."

            Kaiden put a finger under her chin and forced her to look at him.  Then he swiftly pressed his lips against hers.  No tongue, just a pure and innocent first kiss.  "I love you, Princess."

            Hikari blushed a vibrant red.  "Uh . . ."

            "I take that the moan meant you're in love with me?"

            "Assumptions lead to mistakes."

            "But I'm not mistaken."

            "Erm . . ."

            "Exactly.  Listen, you look awful and I think that you need to sleep.  So come on Princess, it's sleepy time."

            "You speak to me as though I'm five years old!"

            "Ah, but you know I'm right."

            "Shut up."

            "Make me."

            "Is that what you really want?"  Kaiden grinned at her.  "I'll take that as a yes."

            Kaiden continued to grin.

~*~

            He waited until he was sure that Hikari was fast asleep before he slipped out of her room.  He closed the door and made his way swiftly down the hall to the common room, where he picked up a book and sat in front of the fire, reading.

            "Cousin, have you seen Hikari?" Chid asked as he poked his head into the room.

            Kaiden looked up and nodded.  "She said she was tired so she went to bed early."

            "She's going to miss supper," Chid muttered disapprovingly.

            "Well, I couldn't convince her of that.  I think that all she needed was a little rest.  She may be awake in time for supper," Kaiden reasoned.  "Don't worry about her.  She can take care of herself you know."

            Chid nodded. "Of course, of course."  Then he turned around and left.

            Kaiden let out a sigh of relief.  Chid hadn't suspected the real reason why Hikari had gone to take a nap or how Kaiden knew that.  But when the cat was let out of the bag, there would be hell to pay.

            After a few hours it was suppertime, and the royal families of Fanelia, Fried, and Asturia and the Asturian ambassadors were seated around the table.  Kaiden had sat down next to Hikari while Chid had placed himself across from her.  The seating arrangement made Hikari extremely uncomfortable seeing as the man she loved sat next to her and the man who thought he loved her was sitting across from her.

            "Well, how was everyone's day?" Hitomi asked to start conversation.

            "Fine," everyone answered in a unanimous voice.

            Hitomi sighed.  "Okay, let's try this again.  Hikari, how was you day?"

            Hikari shrugged.  "It was fine."  Her parents stared at her.  "There's not much more to tell," she continued angrily.

            Van was about to say something but Hitomi silenced him.  "She's a teenager," she told him quietly.  "There will be days and things that she won't talk about.  Don't worry about her though.  It's just a phase."

            Van nodded.  "Right.  So, Chid, what did you do today?"

            Chid placed his eating utensils on his plate and folded his napkin in his lap.  "Hikari and I had our fencing match today."

            Dryden looked interested.  "Well, how did that go?"

            Allen looked extremely interested as well.  "Yes, you must tell us where you think that her abilities stand."

            "She's excellent.  But she needs to improve her defenses.  Had I been the enemy, I could have easily killed her.  Other than that, I'd say she'd even give Allen a run for his money," Chid answered.

            Van smiled.  "That's my girl."

            "And speaking of Hikari, I would like to ask for her hand."

            The room fell eerily silent, except for the clattering of Hikari's fork and knife hitting her plate.  All eyes were on Chid.

            "I would always take care of her," he continued, unfazed by the stillness of the room.  Then the sound of a chair being dragged along the floor broke the silence.

            "How dare you!" Hikari accused, standing to face down Chid.  "Speaking of me like I'm not in the room!  And as if I'm property!  I am no one's property and I'd rather kill myself than go through with an arranged marriage!"

            Chid didn't flinch.  He continued to stare at her long and hard.  "You seem to fail to see what I can provide you with," he answered evenly.

            "Chid," Van started, "when Hitomi and I were wed, we agreed that Hikari would have all of the same advantages that we were allowed.  Though the grace of the heavens we were allowed to marry each other, even though I'm sure that my advisors would have preferred an arranged marriage.  That's why we decided that Hikari would chose her husband."

            "But I'm sure-"

            "She doesn't return the affection, that much is obvious," Kaiden growled.  "Even a blind man could see that!"

            "Watch your tongue cousin," Chid answered, furrowing his brow.

            "No, I won't!" Kaiden answered hotly.  "She doesn't love you!  And here you are, trying to make her life miserable!  If you really love her, you wouldn't trap her in a loveless marriage!"

            Millerna had a look of smug satisfaction at her son's rant.  His true feelings were finally showing though.

            "Cousin, I don't know where you have the authority to say that to me, but-"

            "He's right," Hikari interrupted.  "I don't love you and you seem so insistent to trapping me into a loveless marriage."

            "Then tell me Hikari, tell me why you can't marry me," Chid replied.

            Hikari took a deep breath.  "Because I don't love you."

            "Then who do you love?" Chid demanded.  "Tell me who you love!"

            Hikari looked over at Kaiden but she couldn't speak.  But Chid seemed to understand.

            "Kaiden!  You're in love with Kaiden!  He's lazy and irresponsible and you're in love with him?  He'd never take care of you in the same way that I can!" Chid yelled.

            Hikari lost all of her bearings and collapsed into tears.  Chid dismissed himself from the table and stormed away angrily, leaving the rest of the dinner party in a stunned silence.  Kaiden joined Hikari on the floor, wrapping her up in his arms.

            "Don't worry about him," he said soothingly.  "He'll figure it out sooner of later."

            "But what if he doesn't?" Hikair asked.  "I'm scared."

            "I'm here for you," Kaiden replied, stroking her hair.  "I'm here."

~*~

OMG!  Chid found out and totally flew off the handle!  Well, I think that he needs a good talking to, and we all know who the best person is for that.  Merle!  Ha, ha, no.  Well, maybe.  Well obviously we have some major conflict here.  As they said in Ten Things I Hate About You:

"The shit hath hitteth the fan-eth."

And so it has, dear readers.  Standard after chapter notes apply: R&R, blah, blah, blah.

Mercy_Angel_09