Hello everyone. Not much up except it's now PG-13
I would like to thank escachick (think I spelled it wrong) once again for being the only person to review all chapters. Now I just have to wait and see if Magicman does it.
Chapter 8
Fights and more Fights
He sped at Yasu so fast that Yasu never had a chance. Van punched him straight on his nose causing Yasu to loose his balance and fall down. Yasu decided he was going to take me with him. I fell on my arm. I felt something pop. I screamed outright it hurt so much. Van tried to help me up, and would have since Yasu had let go of my wrist, but Yasu grabbed my hurt arm.
I honestly don't think he meant to do it, but he did. The last thing I remember before I passed out was Van's anger at Yasu.
*~*~
I woke up in my bed. No, not mine. Mine was more fluffy and soft. I fell asleep again before I could think about it more.
When I woke up again, everyone was there: Merle, Amano, Yukari, and …Van. I snuggled further under the sheets because of their gazes.
Van blushed lightly. "So you like my bed, do you?" He asked. I rocketed out of the bed. I looked down at my feet, blushing like crazy. I looked up and tried to move my hands to straighten my rumpled clothes. I could move my left hand but it hurt when I moved my right. I glanced down at it.
The fight came back to me in a rush. "Van, how bad did you hurt Yasu?" I asked.
"Answer his question and he'll answer yours," Amano said. I glared daggers at him.
I sighed. "Fine. Your bed was very comfortable. Now answer my question." (A/n: pushy, aren't we)
"I didn't expect you to answer that," Van said. "I didn't hurt him that bad thought." I honestly didn't know whether to be happy or sad. "The light picked us up as soon as you fainted. I think I did manage to knock him out."
"How long have I been asleep?" I asked.
"Not long; just long enough for us to catch him up," Yukari said pointing her finger in Van's direction. Van nodded in agreement.
"How did you know Van would win?" Amano asked. Van shot him a heated glare.
"I just did. I mean, I've seen him fight plenty of times. The only reason he would win would be if Yasu had a gun." Van smiled at me. "Besides, he's fine and we're in Fanelia. I'm no stupid Amano!" I shouted throwing a gigantic pillow at him.
*~*~
Van had decided that even though we all had a bad feeling about the whole situation, we would not prepare for war. When they got here they would make the first move, not us. He did send messengers to other kingdoms, warning them of what could happen, but making sure they got not to do anything.
Amano, Yukari, and I all got settled into our old rooms. When I got to my room I noticed that all the handmaidens, except the older ones, seemed to dislike me. (a/n: let's find out why)
Late in the afternoon, I was going down the halls and passed Van going the other direction and decided to ask Van about the situation with the handmaidens. "Van, why don't the hand maidens like me very much?" I asked even though he was still walking in the other direction.
Van stopped walking. He turned around and walked back towards me. He had a puzzled expression on his face. "What do you mean?"
"Forget it," I told him. It wasn't that big of a deal.
He grabbed the wrist of my un-sprained arm. His grip didn't hurt like Yasu's did. "No, I want to know what you mean," Van said
"Well, the last time I was here, they were really nice to me, but this time they're being cold," I explained.
Van walked even closer to me. So close I started to feel a little uncomfortable, if I could really feel that around him. "Did you ever think of how many of the handmaidens want to get to know me?" He asked.
I blushed. I should have thought of that and put two and two together. When I was in Asturia the first time, I was mistaken for a handmaiden that traveled with Allen and Van and that brought a lot of controversy with it.
"What does that have to do with me?" I asked, playing innocent.
(A/N:SAP)
Van caught onto what I was doing. He brought his head down and leveled it with mine. "Maybe they are jealous with you since you have gotten that pleasure," He said smirking. Before I could react, his lips were over my own. To say the least, Van is a good kisser. Way better than Allen. (A/n: that just goes to prove you can be a lady's man and still be cursed with bad kissing)
He broke the kiss with a smile. "I am terribly sorry my dear lady, but I must get to dinner." I looked out the wind. He was right; dinner would start any time now.
I looked back at him. "Would you be a willing gentlemen and escort a kind lady to dinner?" I asked, trying hard not to laugh at our childish antics.
"If it would please you, it would be my pleasure," Van said, bowing low to the grand.
"And to think, I thought Fanelia was a backward little country," I said.
Van glanced inquiringly at me. I was surprised he wasn't angry at me. He never let anyone called Fanelia a 'backward country.' Since he wasn't angry, I decide to answer his unspoken question. "You showed manners I wouldn't tie with you." I was about to say with Fanelia, but that would have been judging wrongfully.
"It doesn't usually, but I had to learn them for when dealing with other countries," Van said starting us on our way to the dining room.
I burst into laughter. I was laughing so hard I had an ache in my side and was leaning on Van while we were walking. He was looking quite vexed at my laughter. I started to get my laughter under control when we arrived at the dining room doors. Between huge gasps, I managed to say; "The whole time…I saw you with royalty…I never saw you use… your manners."
Van swung open the doors to the dining room. "Oh, shut up!" He yelled. Everyone looked up at him. He stormed away from me to sit at the head of the table. There was no place for me to sit other than at his left side. I followed him and sat down at my spot. When I sat down he was still scowling.
"Let's eat." was all he said.
*~*~
After dinner was done, I could count the number of words Van had said to me since we sat down. Zero. The gang noticed this since we always talked during dinner. Van got up and left the dining room without so much as even glancing at me. Merle, surprisingly, was the one who asked me what was wrong.
"I think it was because I laughed at him," I said.
"We've all laughed at him before," Amano said.
"I know, but I laughed at him and kinda made fun of Fanelia," I added.
"Well then, that's your problem," Merle said. "You know he's protective of Fanelia."
"I know1 he didn't get mad at me when I made fun of Fanelia, just him!" I practically shouted. In a fit I stormed off.
For once, I didn't care that I got angry. I stalked out of the palace, not caring who I ran into not he way . I walked blindly though all the palace gardens. I finally stopped when my anger subsided. I was in a garden I'd never seen before and I had explored the whole gardens last time when I came for vacation.
I started to get scared when I couldn't find my way out. It was getting darker every minute and I could see the stars already. I started to really panic when suddenly I ran into someone. With my nerves on end, I backed up quickly running into a tree. I couldn't see who it was and started to tremble.
"It's okay, It's only me," Van's voice said. He tried to settle me down by rubbing his hands along my arms tog et me warmer.
"I thought you were mad at me," I whispered.
"I was. Until I looked at it from your point of view. The only time I used my manners was in Freid." I nodded. "And the comment about Fanelia being a 'backward little country' hurt," he lowered his eyes, "especially coming from you."
"I meant it as a compliment," I whispered, regretting ever saying it. I turned my head so I wouldn't have to look him in the eye. Van put his hand on my chin and gently forced me to look at him.
"Don't be sorry. At first I took it that way too, but when you laughed at me… then it hurt," he said.
I felt it was the most apropiate thing to do. Just close my eyes and lift my face to kiss him. But I didn't.
Van did.
He kissed me fully on the lips. I gasped in surprise. Natural instinct kicked in and, I suppose, made Van deepen the kiss. He wrapped his arms around my waist pulling me closer as I put my hands around his neck. We broke the kiss panting. I wanted nothing more than to do it over and over. But like all things, it must come to an end.
"We should get back," Van said. "They'll be getting worried about us."
To Hell with them, I wanna stay here I thought. Outwardly I said, "Alright. But could you tell me where we are? I've never seen this garden before, I'm sure of it."
Van thought for a second before saying something. "It's the Royal Gardens. It's both part of the palace gardens and not. It's not public like them. It's the royal family's personal garden. Only who I say can get in." he explained.
"So how did I get in here, cause I'll bet when I got in here, you were still mad at me." He shrugged.
Van led me out of the Royal Gardens; it was like a maze. When we went in the castle we saw no one looking for us. Van led me to my room, said goodnight, turned around, and walked to his own room.
