... ~*~ ... Wanting to Forget, Wishing to Remember ... ~*~ ...

~By: Lauren~

-Chapter 6-



"The Tear Shaped Necklace"

Van smiled to himself. He was in his study, which was a secluded room filled with a variety of books. In the center was a round wooden table with a few oak chairs and to the left of the table, between shelves of books, was a tiny fireplace. It as built into the wall and was lined with a pale silver colored kind of rock and when the light hit the rocks from the right angle, they seemed to glimmer with thousands of tiny lights. Maybe things weren't going so bad. He and Hitomi had laughed their heads off the day before. Maybe she didn't think he was such a 'freak' after all. He giggled joyfully to himself, and if anybody else had been in the room they would have thought the king had lost his mind.

Suddenly, a tiny creaking noise caused Van to jump. He spun around in his chair to find a shy face peeking in the door at him. "Come in." His face softened as Hitomi pulled open the door fully and stepped into the light. She was wearing tan pants that seemed a lot like his except a bit more feminine and they were cut at her ankles. She had on low cut dark brown boots and a light green shirt that complimented her eyes. The shirt was short sleeved and was tied at the top with white string. Over that she had a beige cloak but the hood was draped off her head. He took in a sharp breath. Even now, with the light of the fire making her face glow, she was breath taking.

"Um...I just want to say...." Hitomi stuttered. "Not like it really matters...but I'm going out with Allen to view the city. That's ok, right?"

Van felt his heart sink. The blonde playboy had slithered to HIS Hitomi and asked her to accompany him on a view of the city. Of course she had accepted, and as if she would have gone with Van the king any ways. "Have fun." The raven-haired boy muttered to Hitomi. All the joy he had been feeling was now utterly and completely gone.

"Ok...I'll see you later Van." Hitomi said as she turned back towards the door.

"I wish I could tell you how I feel about you...right now..." Van thought to himself as he watched her retreating form.

"Hitomi...?" He unconsciously whispered her name.

"What?" Hitomi glanced back as she froze in the doorway.

"Oh...it's nothing. Sorry." Van couldn't do it. He knew he couldn't get use to this kind of life because it would end one day. She would have to go back and it would end, just like last time. So why get used to it? But all of his feelings were blocked. He didn't have the courage to voice them. He wished with all his heart that he could have said those words. Simple words. He wasn't even sure that she would respond to them. I love you. Van sighed as he stood up, pushing in his chair. He couldn't concentrate on his studying now. As he left the room, he could see her slowly dawdling figure stumble down the hallway. Maybe she was stalling because she didn't want to go with Allen. Van hoped that this was true. As he watched her leave, her eyes seemed to become so melancholy. He thought to himself, "Will you smile, only once for me? Will you cry? Tell me that you love me too? Will you confess and leave my heart lonely or alive? Just tell me...tell me..."

But then Hitomi disappeared around the corner and the king was left alone in the darkened hallway.

~*~

"What's that?!" Hitomi leaned out of the moving carriage she was sitting in as she pointed at a scaly looking being.

Allen chuckled. She was acting so innocent, like a five-year-old. It was hard to believe what Van had told him had happened to her. She obviously acted as if nothing was wrong but then again- she HAD lost her memory. And Hitomi had always been one to hide her true feelings.

"Can we stop here? I want to look in the market place!!" Hitomi bounced in her seat, smiling at Allen with hope.

"Sure." Allen smiled as he motioned the diver to stop. Hitomi hopped out of the now open door and waited patiently for Allen. After he joined her side, the two commenced to wander the bustling streets. Hitomi loved it there. This place was moving with so much life, so many people just living their lives out day by day. Everything seemed so simple and in place. Hitomi wanted to be like that.

"These are really good." Hitomi commented while chewing on a new kind of sandwich that Allen had bought her. "Thank you."

"No problem my dear." Allen brushed back a strand of his yellow hair, gazing at Hitomi fondly.

Hitomi blushed under his eyes. She fidgeted uncomfortably. Yes, she liked this Allen knight but for some reason whenever she was around him she felt nervous. As if she had to be uptight and the way he kept watching her made her feel kind of creepy. She diverted her attention from his staring eyes to look at a vendor they were passing by. It was filled with neatly crafted fine jewelry. "Wow...that's beautiful." Hitomi poked at a golden chain that was adorned with three heart-shaped sapphire jewels. Her eyes scanned the groups of rings and bracelets before her they fell upon a particular piece of art. It had a thin golden chain and a red-pink tear shaped gem on the end. "My grandmother gave me a necklace JUST like that! Except it has a silver chain!" Hitomi gasped at the dazzling piece of work as she held back her fingers. She wanted to pick the necklace up except the storeowner seemed to be eyeing them suspiciously.

"Yes, I do remember you wearing that." Allen remarked before catching himself. But it was already too late. He had brought up the time she had forgotten.

"I had it when I was here before? That's really strange because about two years ago I lost it. I have no idea where it went. I had had it with me and then it just seemed to vanish and I never was able to find it. I looked everywhere!" Hitomi looked at Allen with a shocked expression. Maybe now she could gather some answers from him. From somebody at least.

"Of course you wouldn't find it because you gave it to Van before you left Gaea. And you wouldn't remember doing that because you're missing your memories." Allen crossed his arms, giving her a 'matter-of-fact' look. "Excuse me." Allen looked up at the man who stood behind the vendor. "I'd like to buy this necklace." He held up the tear-shaped jewelry.

"Sure." The man took the money from Allen and handed them the necklace.

"But that must have been expensive!" Hitomi shook her head. "I can't accept it." But Allen was already hooking the chain behind her neck.

"You will keep it." Allen commanded her, smirking lightly. "It looks wonderful on you. Just like the other one did."

"Oh." Hitomi squeaked as they wandered away from the vendor, mostly being pushed along by the flow of people. "Thank you." She ran her fingers over the smooth, cool gem. It almost felt as if there were power in the gem itself. Letting her mind wander back to before Allen had brought the necklace, she asked him, "What exactly did I do when I was here...?" Hitomi pushed the question. "Why was I brought here back then?"

Allen sighed. He thought that the poor girl could at least be given some kind of answer to her questions. He knew if they kept hiding the truth from her, she'd grow angry with them. "You were chosen to come to Gaea so that you could save our world. We were at war and many horrible things were happening. You saved everyone." Allen pushed past a group of people.

Hitomi's jaw went slack as she stopped in the middle of the street before Allen dragged her to the side. "You've got to be kidding me?! ME?! Hitomi? Save an ENTIRE WORLD?! Not in this lifetime, that's for sure. I guess you really are crazy." Hitomi stated. She began to briskly walk back to where they had left the carriage hours ago.

"If you want proof of what I said, go ask Van to see your grandmother's necklace. He still wears it to this day." Allen followed after Hitomi quickly. Great. Now she thought he had lost his marbles too.

"Fine! Maybe I WILL go ask him!" Hitomi rudely jumped into the carriage and then was followed in by Allen. Soon the two of them were back inside the castle.

~*~

"King Van, how are you this fine day?" The old man from before stood at the end of a long table. Van was back in the meeting room that he had to visit every single day.

"As good as I'll ever be. And you, Sir Griffin?" Van cracked his knuckles tiredly.

"Good, good. I have wonderful news!" The man, also known as Griffin, grinned. He had Van trapped now. Even if the king tried to wiggle his way out of this one, he would only fail.

"And what would that be?" Van was afraid to hear what Griffin had to say. He knew it had to be something bad. But luck seemed to be on his side today as the large door was flung open. A red faced and annoyed looking Hitomi sprinted into the room, ignoring the gawking old man. She ran over to Van, grabbing him up by his shirt.

"Do you have a pink tear shaped gem on a chain? One that was my grandmothers?!" Hitomi was beginning to grow furious. How could they have hidden something like this from her? She had saved their world! And they had never told her that! If it was true, that is, and if she saw the necklace, it would only confirm it as the truth. She was afraid of it being the truth yet it would then explain a lot.

Van looked at Allen who stood at the back of the room. The knight could only shrug with an innocent look. It seemed all his companions wanted to get him in trouble with Hitomi some way or another. Van didn't know what to do except for to answer Hitomi honestly. Hesitantly, he pulled out the necklace that was tucked under his shirt.

Hitomi stood there in shock, fingering the gem that was still around Van's neck. It was true; it was her grandmother's necklace. Her necklace. The one she had 'lost.' Hitomi let out a puff of breath. So it WAS true. She HAD been to this world before. She HAD given her necklace to this...Van person. Why? This was so confusing.

"EXCUSE ME!!" Griffin cleared his throat loudly before he yelled at the two men and the strange woman. "I believe you have just interrupted the king's conversation with me."

They all ignored him.

"If you have my necklace....then that means it's all true. It's all true..." Hitomi stepped back in shock, her eyes seeming to glaze over with a distant look. "I'm the one who forgot. I forgot it all....I let everyone I knew down because I forgot...and here I was yelling at them all and calling them crazy...I'm the crazy one..."

An eerie silence filled the room.

"King Van, I present to you the high noble woman of Asturia..." Griffin broke the silence as he nearly bellowed the words. "The Lady Azumi."

A woman stepped into the room shyly. She ignored Hitomi and gave Allen a flirty look before her attention turned to the king. She was very thin, giving her a delicate appearance. But Hitomi had to admit that the woman had all the curves in all the right places. She had milky skin, deep blue eyes and bundles of sunshine yellow hair were twisted into braids and buns on her head. The woman wore a pale pink silk dress that billowed out at her hips because of wire hoops in the dress. It was cut low and was lined with lace on every free end it seemed. Around her throat she wore a single dark pink ribbon tied in a bow. From it dangled a very large and expensive looking ruby. She wore white gloves that covered her hands and went up to her elbow while a gold and ruby encrusted bracelet circled her wrists. The Lady Azumi was beautiful. She was like a rare rose, standing out among all the wild flowers.

"Welcome to Fanelia my Lady." Van bowed politely before he turned to Griffin. He tried to whisper, "And what is she doing here?"

Griffin smirked and said loudly, "Why...she is your fiancée, of course."

Van's eyes widened and he felt his mouth drop open.

Azumi blushed.

Griffin kept on grinning like a maniac.

Allen attempted to keep his eyes from wandered all over Azumi but he was failing miserably. He had been given a new object of desire for the time being.

Hitomi turned from the room, sprinting out of the doorway before a word could even escape from Van's mouth. She tried to dodge a surprised-looking Merle but failed as the glass Merle was carrying smashed into the floor. The cat girl also ended up flat on the floor.

But Hitomi didn't stop running. Her feet carried her down the hallway, past her bedroom, and down more hallways until she finally found the entrance to the gardens. There, she collapsed into the grass and tried to fight against the hot tears.

If she didn't even like this Van person...then...why did her heart hurt her so much...?

~*~

Lauren: Alas, I continued the trend yet again. Merle dropped her glass! I just had to do that! So what did everybody think of the new chapter? Thanks for all the great reviews! Remember, the more reviews I get the more inspiration I gain and the more I want to write the story! Thank you and I hope you all enjoyed the new chapter!