Chapter Four
"Ready my horse!" Van bellowed as he ran to the stables. His horse was brought out to him and he mounted it and galloped away, following the remaining imprints the carriage left behind in the mud. It was a race against time. With each falling raindrop, his chances of catching up with them faded as the rain slowly erased the tracks. Suddenly, he jumped off his steed and spread out his wings, deciding that an airborne chase would be more appropriate. He looked down, disgorged to discover that he couldn't make out the tracks any more. He closed his eyes. This was a long shot but what choice did he have?
"Hitomi, tell me where you are. Let me find you!" he mentally asked Hitomi.
~*~
The pendant around Hitomi's neck began to glow and levitate. She looked at it in disbelief.
"Van! He's coming!" she said excitedly in her mind.
"Van! Please come, please find me!" she pleaded mentally.
~*~
Then, Hitomi's image flashed in his mind, bound and gaged. He felt something tug at his heart and picked up his speed and flew off towards Hitomi.
"Got ya." he exclaimed with a smile.
"Hitomi, I'm coming."
~*~
Back at the castle, an uncomfortable silence fell upon the group. Merle felt horrible. She may never see Hitomi again and the last time they were together, they were fighting. "Hitomi, you have to come back safely! You and Van have to be ok." she begged silently as tears formed in her eyes. Yukari walked over and placed a comforting hand on the cat girl's shoulder. She gazed out at the rain that pelted the castle and closed her eyes and prayed for her friend's safety. Allan looked at Yukari and his heart went out to her. Millerna held a forlorn look on her face.
"Let's get out of here." Millerna suggested. The group agreed. Staying in the room would keep their spirits down. They filed out, one by one, and made their way to the dining room and had the chef prepare a light snack for them.
Meanwhile:
Hitomi was slowly losing hope that she would be saved. It had been a while since she had envisioned Van coming to rescue her. She suspected that they would soon arrive to their destination soon as they were gone for hours. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the tears that threatened to spill out. Suddenly, she felt the carriage jerk and come to a screeching halt. She heard the restless noises of horses and cursing. She looked around for an escape rout and her eyes fell upon a small, white feather. Was she dreaming? Had Van made it? Then, everything fell silent. She heard someone pulling at the handle.
"Please, please be Van." she begged as the door clicked open. When she saw Van's familiar figure standing in the door, she looked up at him with wide, happy eyes. He quicky went to work to untie the gag and ropes. When she was finally freed, she flung her arms around the man she loved. After a brief moment, Van released her.
"Come on!" he urged. He held Hitomi in his arms and took flight. Hitomi felt like she was in heaven. Van looked down at her and smiled as he pointed to a city off in the distance.
"We'll soon be back in Fanalia" he stated.
Hitomi never wanted this moment to end, not yet, but she wanted to get back to her friends and get a good night's rest. By now the sun had fully set. The velvet sky was illuminated by millions of tiny stars that sparkled next to Van's snow white wings. Then, her vision from the night before flashed before her eyes. She pondered the meaning of her vision for the rest of the way. She never knew for sure what it meant but she knew it wasn't good.
When their feet touched down on the wet grass, she felt Van's grip around her waist loosen. She whirled around to look at him and gasped. He was going to pass out. She caught him and shook him. When he never revived, she sang out for Millerna. They group came running. Merle pounced on Hitomi and gave her friend a tight hug, followed by Yukari. Then all eyes fell upon Van. Millerna rushed over and did a quick look over him.
"He'll be fine, no need to worry." She said relieved. "He is just over tired. Can someone help me return King Van to his bed chambers?" she called. The two guards volunteered and rushed to make themselves useful.
In his bedroom, Millerna finished bandaging his cuts and pulled the covers over him. Hitomi lookd at his with sad eyes. "I want to stay with him!" Hitomi decided as she gazed at his battered body. The comment caught the group by surprise.
"Ok." Millerna said after a few moments and smiled.
"Of you need me, I'll be in my room." she said and ushered everyone out to leave the couple alone. As merle passed she glared at her.
"You watch over him." she warned, "and don't try anything!" Then her face softened and gave her friend one last hug. "It is so good to have you back safe." she said and walked off. Hitomi was confused at the girl's display of affection but kept quiet. She then turned her attention to Van who now slept soundly. She smiled and kissed him lightly on the cheek. She took a moment to take in his sleeping figure.
"Just like a child." she concluded. "So peaceful and content." She caressed his face with the back of her hand before walking over to a chair that stood against the far wall. She curled up in it as best she could and pulled a blanket up around her chin. She stole one more glance at Van and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
~*~
Van awoke late the next morning to the sound of birds chirping and groggily opened his eyes. He held his hand to his head and groaned.
"Do your head still hurt?" Hitomi asked.
At the sound of her voice, he smiled. 'Are you ok?" he asked. Hitomi nodded and walked over to his bedside. He gazed into her green eyes and placed a hand on her left cheek.
"As long as your ok, than nothing else matters." He told her. She shook her head in disbelief.
"I must be the luckiest girl." she said. "How about something to eat?" she asked.
"Sounds great." he said and tried to get up.
"You stay." she said warmly. "I'll get your breakfast." she said and got up.
"Sorry if I am any trouble." he apologized.
"No trouble at all." she said and disappeared out into the hall.
~*~
Allan and Yukari sat at a table in the dining room with Millerna. Hitomi got a sinking feeling when she saw them. Both girls were looking at Allan lovingly. She turned to make her way to the kitchen when she heard Yukari calling out to her. She turned to see her friend bounding up to her.
"So..........It Van all right?" Yukari asked.
"Yah, I was just getting him some breakfast." Hitomi said. Yukari gently elbowed her suggestively.
"Did you...you know...last night?"
Hitomi's face turned a bright red and looked at her friend. "N..NO!" she protested but Yukari wouldn't believe.
Allan and Millerna watched the display. "What are they talking about?" Millerna wondered and looked up at Allan.
"I don't know." he replied and took her hand in his. Millerna leaned onto his shoulder and sighed.
"Yukari is a nice girl isn't she? A bit high strung but nice." Millerna commented.
'Yes, my lady, she is a nice girl." he replied and kissed Millerna on the cheek. Millerna blushed and kept quiet as she watched Yukari continue to tease Hitomi.
"Ready my horse!" Van bellowed as he ran to the stables. His horse was brought out to him and he mounted it and galloped away, following the remaining imprints the carriage left behind in the mud. It was a race against time. With each falling raindrop, his chances of catching up with them faded as the rain slowly erased the tracks. Suddenly, he jumped off his steed and spread out his wings, deciding that an airborne chase would be more appropriate. He looked down, disgorged to discover that he couldn't make out the tracks any more. He closed his eyes. This was a long shot but what choice did he have?
"Hitomi, tell me where you are. Let me find you!" he mentally asked Hitomi.
~*~
The pendant around Hitomi's neck began to glow and levitate. She looked at it in disbelief.
"Van! He's coming!" she said excitedly in her mind.
"Van! Please come, please find me!" she pleaded mentally.
~*~
Then, Hitomi's image flashed in his mind, bound and gaged. He felt something tug at his heart and picked up his speed and flew off towards Hitomi.
"Got ya." he exclaimed with a smile.
"Hitomi, I'm coming."
~*~
Back at the castle, an uncomfortable silence fell upon the group. Merle felt horrible. She may never see Hitomi again and the last time they were together, they were fighting. "Hitomi, you have to come back safely! You and Van have to be ok." she begged silently as tears formed in her eyes. Yukari walked over and placed a comforting hand on the cat girl's shoulder. She gazed out at the rain that pelted the castle and closed her eyes and prayed for her friend's safety. Allan looked at Yukari and his heart went out to her. Millerna held a forlorn look on her face.
"Let's get out of here." Millerna suggested. The group agreed. Staying in the room would keep their spirits down. They filed out, one by one, and made their way to the dining room and had the chef prepare a light snack for them.
Meanwhile:
Hitomi was slowly losing hope that she would be saved. It had been a while since she had envisioned Van coming to rescue her. She suspected that they would soon arrive to their destination soon as they were gone for hours. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the tears that threatened to spill out. Suddenly, she felt the carriage jerk and come to a screeching halt. She heard the restless noises of horses and cursing. She looked around for an escape rout and her eyes fell upon a small, white feather. Was she dreaming? Had Van made it? Then, everything fell silent. She heard someone pulling at the handle.
"Please, please be Van." she begged as the door clicked open. When she saw Van's familiar figure standing in the door, she looked up at him with wide, happy eyes. He quicky went to work to untie the gag and ropes. When she was finally freed, she flung her arms around the man she loved. After a brief moment, Van released her.
"Come on!" he urged. He held Hitomi in his arms and took flight. Hitomi felt like she was in heaven. Van looked down at her and smiled as he pointed to a city off in the distance.
"We'll soon be back in Fanalia" he stated.
Hitomi never wanted this moment to end, not yet, but she wanted to get back to her friends and get a good night's rest. By now the sun had fully set. The velvet sky was illuminated by millions of tiny stars that sparkled next to Van's snow white wings. Then, her vision from the night before flashed before her eyes. She pondered the meaning of her vision for the rest of the way. She never knew for sure what it meant but she knew it wasn't good.
When their feet touched down on the wet grass, she felt Van's grip around her waist loosen. She whirled around to look at him and gasped. He was going to pass out. She caught him and shook him. When he never revived, she sang out for Millerna. They group came running. Merle pounced on Hitomi and gave her friend a tight hug, followed by Yukari. Then all eyes fell upon Van. Millerna rushed over and did a quick look over him.
"He'll be fine, no need to worry." She said relieved. "He is just over tired. Can someone help me return King Van to his bed chambers?" she called. The two guards volunteered and rushed to make themselves useful.
In his bedroom, Millerna finished bandaging his cuts and pulled the covers over him. Hitomi lookd at his with sad eyes. "I want to stay with him!" Hitomi decided as she gazed at his battered body. The comment caught the group by surprise.
"Ok." Millerna said after a few moments and smiled.
"Of you need me, I'll be in my room." she said and ushered everyone out to leave the couple alone. As merle passed she glared at her.
"You watch over him." she warned, "and don't try anything!" Then her face softened and gave her friend one last hug. "It is so good to have you back safe." she said and walked off. Hitomi was confused at the girl's display of affection but kept quiet. She then turned her attention to Van who now slept soundly. She smiled and kissed him lightly on the cheek. She took a moment to take in his sleeping figure.
"Just like a child." she concluded. "So peaceful and content." She caressed his face with the back of her hand before walking over to a chair that stood against the far wall. She curled up in it as best she could and pulled a blanket up around her chin. She stole one more glance at Van and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
~*~
Van awoke late the next morning to the sound of birds chirping and groggily opened his eyes. He held his hand to his head and groaned.
"Do your head still hurt?" Hitomi asked.
At the sound of her voice, he smiled. 'Are you ok?" he asked. Hitomi nodded and walked over to his bedside. He gazed into her green eyes and placed a hand on her left cheek.
"As long as your ok, than nothing else matters." He told her. She shook her head in disbelief.
"I must be the luckiest girl." she said. "How about something to eat?" she asked.
"Sounds great." he said and tried to get up.
"You stay." she said warmly. "I'll get your breakfast." she said and got up.
"Sorry if I am any trouble." he apologized.
"No trouble at all." she said and disappeared out into the hall.
~*~
Allan and Yukari sat at a table in the dining room with Millerna. Hitomi got a sinking feeling when she saw them. Both girls were looking at Allan lovingly. She turned to make her way to the kitchen when she heard Yukari calling out to her. She turned to see her friend bounding up to her.
"So..........It Van all right?" Yukari asked.
"Yah, I was just getting him some breakfast." Hitomi said. Yukari gently elbowed her suggestively.
"Did you...you know...last night?"
Hitomi's face turned a bright red and looked at her friend. "N..NO!" she protested but Yukari wouldn't believe.
Allan and Millerna watched the display. "What are they talking about?" Millerna wondered and looked up at Allan.
"I don't know." he replied and took her hand in his. Millerna leaned onto his shoulder and sighed.
"Yukari is a nice girl isn't she? A bit high strung but nice." Millerna commented.
'Yes, my lady, she is a nice girl." he replied and kissed Millerna on the cheek. Millerna blushed and kept quiet as she watched Yukari continue to tease Hitomi.