Love can Change You 2
A/N: I don't own Escaflowne or any of its characters.
Chapter 2: The Proposal.
Hitomi woke up to a splitting headache. She moaned in annoyance and rolled over, burying her face in the pillow and pulling the blankets up around her. She tried to fall asleep again but it was no use. She had spoiled the moment and decided that she'd go running to help wake herself up. Maybe she could get Van to join her.
Then it hit her. Van.rapists.voice.love.
In a flash she remembered everything that had happened last night, and sat up in alarm. This wasn't her bed!
With growing alarm, Hitomi studied the room she was in. It was large, but plain in a comfy sort of way. Along one wall were the bed and a dresser, which she guessed contained clothes. Another wall contained the biggest bookshelf she'd ever seen. A door in the remaining corner led into what was probably the main room. Curious, Hitomi walked through the door, noticing as she did that she was in the same clothes as last night. The other room contained what she thought. A desk, shelves, a chest of some sort, a coat rack, a table, and two chairs.
But what surprised Hitomi about the room, was the chemistry set. Peculiar solutions bubbled and steamed in beakers, letting off strange odours as they did.
Hitomi suddenly wanted out of there. She turned and ran to another door. When she got there however, the handle wouldn't turn.
"Locked." She said allowed. "So I'm a prisoner of whoever took me."
"Never a prisoner Hitomi". Hitomi knew that voice. She whirled and stared straight into the dark eyes of Folken Fanel.
Van's brother smiled. "Think rather a guest. This is my room after all, and while you're aboard the Vione I want you to think of yourself as my guest."
Suddenly Hitomi understood. "You!" she gasped. "That voice in the alley! It was you!"
Folken nodded and walked over to a chair. "Won't you sit down? We have much to talk about."
Numbly Hitomi complied. Her mind was awhirl with thoughts, questions, and emotions. As Folken made them some tea, Hitomi struggled to regain some order to her mind. When Folken poured her a glass she'd finally decided on a question to ask. "Why did you save me back there? It's not like we're on the same side or anything."
Folken sipped his tea before answering. "To be honest, I ran across you by chance. I was returning from a meeting with King Aston and heard voices. When I had a look, you didn't seem to need any help." Folken smiled and for some reason Hitomi found herself blushing.
Another thought occurred to her. "Then why did you take me here? You knew that I was your enemy."
"I'm not exactly welcome in the palace right now. And leaving you alone in the alley of a dangerous town was not something I could bring myself to do."
"So what now?"
Folken stirred a lump of sugar into his drink. "Now we talk as if we weren't on opposite sides."
For the next hour or so, Hitomi and Folken talked. Meaningless things mostly. And while they talked, Hitomi regained a sense of reality she'd lost in past few months. Her tension faded, and she relaxed. Her inner voice told her she shouldn't, that he was the enemy but she hushed it up.
"So tell me," Folken said, "How did you get yourself in such a predicament, when you had two skilled fighters willing to protect you?"
It took a moment for Hitomi to remember the incident last night. And when she did she felt a clinch somewhere in her chest. She sighed. 'I got to tell someone and, god help me, Folken seems to be the right one to talk to.'
"Well.it's like this." Hitomi told her story. How she had told Van her secret. Why she was alone in the city at sunset. Even the empty feeling that now permeated her entire being. When she finished, she sighed and drank the last of her tea.
"Well," she said, "It's not like I can go back. What would there be to go back to? I just don't know what I'll do now."
Folken was silent for a full two minutes while he digested and mulled over this news. Of course his spies had told him of a fight between Van and Hitomi, but he hadn't been expecting something of this magnitude. He surreptitiously eyed Hitomi and saw how suddenly depressed she was. He knew how she felt, believe it or not. He'd told no one THAT story, not even Dornkirk. But what to do about it?
Suddenly, he remembered her fight with the rapist and an idea came to him unbidden. It was a dangerous idea, one that was likely to enrage several of Zaibach's leaders, maybe even Dornkirk himself. But if he could convince the emperor of the solidarity of his plan, then it could help Zaibach, Hitomi, and assuage his own conscience at the same time. But how to spring it on her?
Hitomi meanwhile had pulled herself out of her self-pity. 'Alright. The time for this regret crap is over Hitomi.' Her mind said. 'There was nothing you could do. He doesn't love you so just move on.' That was good advice and she took it. At this point, she became aware of Folken scrutinising her. "Is something wrong Folken?" She asked.
Folken hurriedly phrased his response. "Hitomi", he slowly began. "If you're looking for a way to start again here on Gaea, I think I could find you a position on the Vione."
Hitomi choked on the last of her tea when she heard that. "What?" She finally managed to gasp.
Folken stood and stepped closer, slapping her on the back. When her coughing fit was done, he spoke. "I know how someone in your position must feel. And I'm willing to help you start again."
Hitomi stared in astonishment. "The dragon affected you that much?" She asked softly. Folken looked down at his arm with a wry smile. "Yes. It did." He redirected his gaze the strange girl from another world. "Don't answer right now. Think about it, and tell me tomorrow night. I'll have a soldier direct you to some quarters of your own."
Hitomi faintly nodded. Folken pressed a button on his intercom. "Chesta. Come here please." They waited for only about five minutes before a short boy, Hitomi's age, with blonde hair in a bowl cut and black and blue armour entered the room.
"Yes Lord Folken?" He spoke quietly as if hoping to duck out of some sort of punishment.
"I want you to escort Hitomi around the Vione. Show her to one of the guest quarters. Make sure she comes to no harm."
"Yes Lord Folken". Chesta bowed and left the room, waiting outside for Hitomi. Folken turned to the girl and smiled. "Have a good time." Then he turned and went into the other room leaving Hitomi to her thoughts.
'He just asked me to join Zaibach.' A part of Hitomi's mind spoke.
'And why not?' Another said.
'Zaibach is evil. They've killed hundreds of people, just to control power.'
'It's not like Asturia was any picnic of peace and fairness. You saw the King sell out his own grandson.'
'But that's because he's afraid. Of Zaibach!'
'Why? Zaibach is Asturia's ally.'
'Who'd trust these murderers? They burned down Fanalia!'
'Why maybe Fanalia wronged them in some way.'
She heard an impatient shuffling outside and shushed the voices, resolving to think about this later. For now, she'd learn her way around.
A/N: Yeah, I know it's boring. I'm just trying to set up the plot. It'll get better later. Review please!
A/N: I don't own Escaflowne or any of its characters.
Chapter 2: The Proposal.
Hitomi woke up to a splitting headache. She moaned in annoyance and rolled over, burying her face in the pillow and pulling the blankets up around her. She tried to fall asleep again but it was no use. She had spoiled the moment and decided that she'd go running to help wake herself up. Maybe she could get Van to join her.
Then it hit her. Van.rapists.voice.love.
In a flash she remembered everything that had happened last night, and sat up in alarm. This wasn't her bed!
With growing alarm, Hitomi studied the room she was in. It was large, but plain in a comfy sort of way. Along one wall were the bed and a dresser, which she guessed contained clothes. Another wall contained the biggest bookshelf she'd ever seen. A door in the remaining corner led into what was probably the main room. Curious, Hitomi walked through the door, noticing as she did that she was in the same clothes as last night. The other room contained what she thought. A desk, shelves, a chest of some sort, a coat rack, a table, and two chairs.
But what surprised Hitomi about the room, was the chemistry set. Peculiar solutions bubbled and steamed in beakers, letting off strange odours as they did.
Hitomi suddenly wanted out of there. She turned and ran to another door. When she got there however, the handle wouldn't turn.
"Locked." She said allowed. "So I'm a prisoner of whoever took me."
"Never a prisoner Hitomi". Hitomi knew that voice. She whirled and stared straight into the dark eyes of Folken Fanel.
Van's brother smiled. "Think rather a guest. This is my room after all, and while you're aboard the Vione I want you to think of yourself as my guest."
Suddenly Hitomi understood. "You!" she gasped. "That voice in the alley! It was you!"
Folken nodded and walked over to a chair. "Won't you sit down? We have much to talk about."
Numbly Hitomi complied. Her mind was awhirl with thoughts, questions, and emotions. As Folken made them some tea, Hitomi struggled to regain some order to her mind. When Folken poured her a glass she'd finally decided on a question to ask. "Why did you save me back there? It's not like we're on the same side or anything."
Folken sipped his tea before answering. "To be honest, I ran across you by chance. I was returning from a meeting with King Aston and heard voices. When I had a look, you didn't seem to need any help." Folken smiled and for some reason Hitomi found herself blushing.
Another thought occurred to her. "Then why did you take me here? You knew that I was your enemy."
"I'm not exactly welcome in the palace right now. And leaving you alone in the alley of a dangerous town was not something I could bring myself to do."
"So what now?"
Folken stirred a lump of sugar into his drink. "Now we talk as if we weren't on opposite sides."
For the next hour or so, Hitomi and Folken talked. Meaningless things mostly. And while they talked, Hitomi regained a sense of reality she'd lost in past few months. Her tension faded, and she relaxed. Her inner voice told her she shouldn't, that he was the enemy but she hushed it up.
"So tell me," Folken said, "How did you get yourself in such a predicament, when you had two skilled fighters willing to protect you?"
It took a moment for Hitomi to remember the incident last night. And when she did she felt a clinch somewhere in her chest. She sighed. 'I got to tell someone and, god help me, Folken seems to be the right one to talk to.'
"Well.it's like this." Hitomi told her story. How she had told Van her secret. Why she was alone in the city at sunset. Even the empty feeling that now permeated her entire being. When she finished, she sighed and drank the last of her tea.
"Well," she said, "It's not like I can go back. What would there be to go back to? I just don't know what I'll do now."
Folken was silent for a full two minutes while he digested and mulled over this news. Of course his spies had told him of a fight between Van and Hitomi, but he hadn't been expecting something of this magnitude. He surreptitiously eyed Hitomi and saw how suddenly depressed she was. He knew how she felt, believe it or not. He'd told no one THAT story, not even Dornkirk. But what to do about it?
Suddenly, he remembered her fight with the rapist and an idea came to him unbidden. It was a dangerous idea, one that was likely to enrage several of Zaibach's leaders, maybe even Dornkirk himself. But if he could convince the emperor of the solidarity of his plan, then it could help Zaibach, Hitomi, and assuage his own conscience at the same time. But how to spring it on her?
Hitomi meanwhile had pulled herself out of her self-pity. 'Alright. The time for this regret crap is over Hitomi.' Her mind said. 'There was nothing you could do. He doesn't love you so just move on.' That was good advice and she took it. At this point, she became aware of Folken scrutinising her. "Is something wrong Folken?" She asked.
Folken hurriedly phrased his response. "Hitomi", he slowly began. "If you're looking for a way to start again here on Gaea, I think I could find you a position on the Vione."
Hitomi choked on the last of her tea when she heard that. "What?" She finally managed to gasp.
Folken stood and stepped closer, slapping her on the back. When her coughing fit was done, he spoke. "I know how someone in your position must feel. And I'm willing to help you start again."
Hitomi stared in astonishment. "The dragon affected you that much?" She asked softly. Folken looked down at his arm with a wry smile. "Yes. It did." He redirected his gaze the strange girl from another world. "Don't answer right now. Think about it, and tell me tomorrow night. I'll have a soldier direct you to some quarters of your own."
Hitomi faintly nodded. Folken pressed a button on his intercom. "Chesta. Come here please." They waited for only about five minutes before a short boy, Hitomi's age, with blonde hair in a bowl cut and black and blue armour entered the room.
"Yes Lord Folken?" He spoke quietly as if hoping to duck out of some sort of punishment.
"I want you to escort Hitomi around the Vione. Show her to one of the guest quarters. Make sure she comes to no harm."
"Yes Lord Folken". Chesta bowed and left the room, waiting outside for Hitomi. Folken turned to the girl and smiled. "Have a good time." Then he turned and went into the other room leaving Hitomi to her thoughts.
'He just asked me to join Zaibach.' A part of Hitomi's mind spoke.
'And why not?' Another said.
'Zaibach is evil. They've killed hundreds of people, just to control power.'
'It's not like Asturia was any picnic of peace and fairness. You saw the King sell out his own grandson.'
'But that's because he's afraid. Of Zaibach!'
'Why? Zaibach is Asturia's ally.'
'Who'd trust these murderers? They burned down Fanalia!'
'Why maybe Fanalia wronged them in some way.'
She heard an impatient shuffling outside and shushed the voices, resolving to think about this later. For now, she'd learn her way around.
A/N: Yeah, I know it's boring. I'm just trying to set up the plot. It'll get better later. Review please!