Chapter 3: Dangerous Times.
AN: An extra long chappie for all as I got my results and they where a whole lot better than I expected and needless to say I am a very happy camper lol. Also I want to say thanks for all the reviews, that was my best reviewed chapter ever and I saw them just before I went out to get my results so it cheered me up a lot thanxs guys, (especially Illicit Water Dragon and silver sea star for the good luck :) ) OK ppl, here's your well-earned new chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own nothing, nada, happy now?
Hitomi laughed softly as a small girl, no old than about five or six, ran behind her and grabbed hold of her left leg in an attempt to hide from a slightly older boy running after her. The boy came to an abrupt stop when he saw Hitomi and shouted at them in the hyperactive voice children always seem to speak with.
''Never fear fair maiden!'' He called to Hitomi, his light blue eyes dancing with amusement, ''I, Prince Van, will save you from this evil dragon!''
The younger girl let go of Hitomi's leg and bounced in front of her, facing the boy. Raising her small hands she curled her fingers and made a growling sound before turning back to Hitomi and half roaring, half giggling at her.
Hitomi, who's own eyes where now alight with a playful sparkle, raised her hands to her mouth and gasped. ''Oh no! How will I ever escape the clutches of this evil dragon?'' She called out in fake desperation.
The young boy ran forward, wielding a small wooden sword and charged at the little girl. Raising his voice in a battle cry he pushed the sword under the girls arm and let go. The girl in return roared in horror looking down at the sword and walked around in circles for a while in anguish, before accepting defeat and falling to the ground, eyes closed and a smile on her face.
Hitomi couldn't help but giggle when the small boy grabbed her left hand and pulled her away from the horrific scene. When they were a few steps away he bowed as Hitomi thanked him for saving her. ''Oh, how ever can I repay you?'' She asked as the young girl got up from the ground, carrying the sword.
''It was nothing.'' The boy replied modestly, rubbing the back of his neck.
''I wanna be prince Van now!'' the girl shouted in their direction.
''You can't be prince Van! You're a girl!'' the boy called back smugly.
''Well you can't be prince Van!'' The girl called, green eyes suddenly alive with mischief.
''Why not?''
''Because, '' the younger child drew out the word, stepping back a few paces, ''I've got your sword!'' She called, before taking of at a run.
''Hay, no fair, Saya give me back my sword!'' The boy cried, giving chase.
Hitomi laughed again as the two ran off through the market, knocking over small boxes of fruit and bread as they went, angry vender's shouting after them. Looking forward again Hitomi started walking, on the look out for anything to help her get to Fanelia's capital alive.
The sun shone down on the small town of Iona, it's rays dancing along the cobbled streets and highlighting the banner's signalling shops and taverns. The air was warm and light in the sky as white clouds moved along, carrying whatever threat of a storm there had been the day Hitomi arrived. Sales men and women shouted about their wares in load voices as children played and laughed in the streets.
All in all it was a fine day. It was hard to believe that so much pain and suffering lingered outside the walls in the surrounding forests. Hitomi put all thoughts aside as she saw a familiar mess of raven hair turn a corner into a near by street.
'Good morning my hunter.' She mentally greeted the young man who had been following her the night before.
Moving around the traffic she gave distant chase. For a moment she thought about leaving it alone, after all she had lost him on the way to the inn. The fact that she didn't have her sword with her also played a part in her indecision. Hitomi shook her head slightly, clearing her head. It was dark when he had been following her, he could have never got a close look at her face, the fact that she wasn't wearing her cloak would also make her more difficult to recognise.
Quickly she made a decision, and proceeded to follow the man at a save distance.
~~~~~
Van, moved through the bustling streets with an annoyed look on his tanned features. He just couldn't understand it. How could he have lost her like that, it was a deserted street for creator's sake. He wasn't worried about the meeting with Dilandau, his 'superior.' No, Dilandau couldn't do anything to him and he knew it, but it was the principle. One girl, him and a deserted street. It was almost impossible to believe that he could have been so careless.
He sighed, his pace slowing with his change in mood. He didn't understand why Dilandau wanted her followed anyway. 'Probably just liked the look of her.' Van thought bitterly.
To say he and Dilandau didn't get on would have been a slight understatement. In private, Van disagreed with almost every decision Dilandau made. He constantly had to remind the commander that they were here to save the kingdom, not destroy it.
Turning into yet another back alley, Van reached his destination. Opening an old wooden door he headed up a flight of stairs that creaked with each step he took. 'Why Dilandau likes these old, run down places is beyond me.' Van thought as he reached the top.
Turning to his left, he opened another door and walked into Dilandau's room.
''Well good morning, my good prince.'' Dilandau greeted, voice dripping with sarcasm.
''Go to hell Dilandau.'' Van retorted, pulling a chair up to Dilandau's desk and taking a seat. ''Why are we still here?'' He continued, getting straight to the point.
''Because I haven't ordered us to leave yet.'' Dilandau replied calmly, eyeing Van with his garnet depths.
Van shivered slightly under the gaze, but forced his brain to work as he spoke again. ''I want to know why we are still here and why I had to spend most of my evening following a little town girl.''
Dilandau moved away from the window frame that he had been resting against as Van came in, sitting at the other side of the desk he propped his legs up on the small table and crossed them at the ankles before answering. ''You didn't think there was anything strange about the girl?'' He asked, pulling a lock of his silver hair and wrapping it around his finger.
''She carried a strange looking sword,'' Van mused, staring into the dark brown desk, ''but that was about it.'' He finished.
Dilandau smirked at him but said nothing for a time. After a few minutes of silence, during which Van couldn't help but squirm slightly, Dilandau spoke again. ''We haven't left yet because we still haven't got two swords back from the blacksmiths in the centre of the town. Once we have them we'll be moving west towards Lenelle.''
''Fine.'' Van agreed, standing up and walking out of the room.
Dilandau watched him leave with a smirk on his face, ''The hunter becomes the hunted.'' He muttered to himself upon hearing his pray jump from her hiding place on his balcony and back down to the back alley below. He reached the open window to his left just in time to see her run around the corner, still following Van. ''Well played little girl, well played.''
AN: An extra long chappie for all as I got my results and they where a whole lot better than I expected and needless to say I am a very happy camper lol. Also I want to say thanks for all the reviews, that was my best reviewed chapter ever and I saw them just before I went out to get my results so it cheered me up a lot thanxs guys, (especially Illicit Water Dragon and silver sea star for the good luck :) ) OK ppl, here's your well-earned new chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own nothing, nada, happy now?
Hitomi laughed softly as a small girl, no old than about five or six, ran behind her and grabbed hold of her left leg in an attempt to hide from a slightly older boy running after her. The boy came to an abrupt stop when he saw Hitomi and shouted at them in the hyperactive voice children always seem to speak with.
''Never fear fair maiden!'' He called to Hitomi, his light blue eyes dancing with amusement, ''I, Prince Van, will save you from this evil dragon!''
The younger girl let go of Hitomi's leg and bounced in front of her, facing the boy. Raising her small hands she curled her fingers and made a growling sound before turning back to Hitomi and half roaring, half giggling at her.
Hitomi, who's own eyes where now alight with a playful sparkle, raised her hands to her mouth and gasped. ''Oh no! How will I ever escape the clutches of this evil dragon?'' She called out in fake desperation.
The young boy ran forward, wielding a small wooden sword and charged at the little girl. Raising his voice in a battle cry he pushed the sword under the girls arm and let go. The girl in return roared in horror looking down at the sword and walked around in circles for a while in anguish, before accepting defeat and falling to the ground, eyes closed and a smile on her face.
Hitomi couldn't help but giggle when the small boy grabbed her left hand and pulled her away from the horrific scene. When they were a few steps away he bowed as Hitomi thanked him for saving her. ''Oh, how ever can I repay you?'' She asked as the young girl got up from the ground, carrying the sword.
''It was nothing.'' The boy replied modestly, rubbing the back of his neck.
''I wanna be prince Van now!'' the girl shouted in their direction.
''You can't be prince Van! You're a girl!'' the boy called back smugly.
''Well you can't be prince Van!'' The girl called, green eyes suddenly alive with mischief.
''Why not?''
''Because, '' the younger child drew out the word, stepping back a few paces, ''I've got your sword!'' She called, before taking of at a run.
''Hay, no fair, Saya give me back my sword!'' The boy cried, giving chase.
Hitomi laughed again as the two ran off through the market, knocking over small boxes of fruit and bread as they went, angry vender's shouting after them. Looking forward again Hitomi started walking, on the look out for anything to help her get to Fanelia's capital alive.
The sun shone down on the small town of Iona, it's rays dancing along the cobbled streets and highlighting the banner's signalling shops and taverns. The air was warm and light in the sky as white clouds moved along, carrying whatever threat of a storm there had been the day Hitomi arrived. Sales men and women shouted about their wares in load voices as children played and laughed in the streets.
All in all it was a fine day. It was hard to believe that so much pain and suffering lingered outside the walls in the surrounding forests. Hitomi put all thoughts aside as she saw a familiar mess of raven hair turn a corner into a near by street.
'Good morning my hunter.' She mentally greeted the young man who had been following her the night before.
Moving around the traffic she gave distant chase. For a moment she thought about leaving it alone, after all she had lost him on the way to the inn. The fact that she didn't have her sword with her also played a part in her indecision. Hitomi shook her head slightly, clearing her head. It was dark when he had been following her, he could have never got a close look at her face, the fact that she wasn't wearing her cloak would also make her more difficult to recognise.
Quickly she made a decision, and proceeded to follow the man at a save distance.
~~~~~
Van, moved through the bustling streets with an annoyed look on his tanned features. He just couldn't understand it. How could he have lost her like that, it was a deserted street for creator's sake. He wasn't worried about the meeting with Dilandau, his 'superior.' No, Dilandau couldn't do anything to him and he knew it, but it was the principle. One girl, him and a deserted street. It was almost impossible to believe that he could have been so careless.
He sighed, his pace slowing with his change in mood. He didn't understand why Dilandau wanted her followed anyway. 'Probably just liked the look of her.' Van thought bitterly.
To say he and Dilandau didn't get on would have been a slight understatement. In private, Van disagreed with almost every decision Dilandau made. He constantly had to remind the commander that they were here to save the kingdom, not destroy it.
Turning into yet another back alley, Van reached his destination. Opening an old wooden door he headed up a flight of stairs that creaked with each step he took. 'Why Dilandau likes these old, run down places is beyond me.' Van thought as he reached the top.
Turning to his left, he opened another door and walked into Dilandau's room.
''Well good morning, my good prince.'' Dilandau greeted, voice dripping with sarcasm.
''Go to hell Dilandau.'' Van retorted, pulling a chair up to Dilandau's desk and taking a seat. ''Why are we still here?'' He continued, getting straight to the point.
''Because I haven't ordered us to leave yet.'' Dilandau replied calmly, eyeing Van with his garnet depths.
Van shivered slightly under the gaze, but forced his brain to work as he spoke again. ''I want to know why we are still here and why I had to spend most of my evening following a little town girl.''
Dilandau moved away from the window frame that he had been resting against as Van came in, sitting at the other side of the desk he propped his legs up on the small table and crossed them at the ankles before answering. ''You didn't think there was anything strange about the girl?'' He asked, pulling a lock of his silver hair and wrapping it around his finger.
''She carried a strange looking sword,'' Van mused, staring into the dark brown desk, ''but that was about it.'' He finished.
Dilandau smirked at him but said nothing for a time. After a few minutes of silence, during which Van couldn't help but squirm slightly, Dilandau spoke again. ''We haven't left yet because we still haven't got two swords back from the blacksmiths in the centre of the town. Once we have them we'll be moving west towards Lenelle.''
''Fine.'' Van agreed, standing up and walking out of the room.
Dilandau watched him leave with a smirk on his face, ''The hunter becomes the hunted.'' He muttered to himself upon hearing his pray jump from her hiding place on his balcony and back down to the back alley below. He reached the open window to his left just in time to see her run around the corner, still following Van. ''Well played little girl, well played.''