Disclaimer: See previous chapters.
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Episode #12
Pernicious Perniticon
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Yukari sat in silence in her room. She had found Hitomi's disappearance very strange and yet, her heart had been prepared for it, somehow. She had seen Hitomi fly into the sky, held by some sort of winged creature. She had been the one to tell Millerna and the others who were not at the battlefield that Hitomi was missing, and how, and to which direction the creature had flown.
By Millerna and Dryden's orders, there was to be no search party until morning. But Yukari's poor, troubled heart seemed to be able to wait.
"Oh, Hitomi," Yukari whispered. "I can't look for you. I'm afraid of what I might find out about you, about myself... I think... I want is to go home. Back to Amano. You have already found your place, but I have not. I thought I had... but, Gaea isn't the place I thought it was... not with war... Please, forgive me!"
* * * * *
"Damn it!" Van cursed. "I can't even make a crack!"
Van had been banging nonstop at the glass surrounding Hitomi's body. Allen, too, had helped Van smack the glass, but it did no good. The glass held stronger with each blow.
Van turned away and was about to let out a whimper when a voice made both Allen and Van turn in surprise.
"Come now, I can't stand to see a grown man cry."
"Who the hell are you?!" Van demanded.
"You know me as the one who took your precious Hitomi."
"You!" Van screamed. "You made her afraid, and started another damned war, after all this time!"
"Yes, boy-king, this is, indeed, a damned war," the man replied. "Let me introduce myself. I am Perniticon, prince of this place."
Van and Allen echoed the word together. "Perniticon?"
"Yes," said Perniticon. "It means 'Child of Evil'." Perniticon looked at their confused faces. "Why, whatever is the matter, King Fanel? Knight Schezar? Does it not suit me?"
The prince formed from the shadows. He was dressed in black robes. His black eyes gleamed with venom that froze knight and king in place! His jet black hair hung around his pale white face — a face twisted with evil.
Van and Allen tried to move, but they were stuck in place. Perniticon, Prince of Darkness, approached the raven-haired king. "One would think a king to be older than this. Certainly you are no man — a child, at best, has been pedestaled to lead Fanelia!" He turned to Allen, "And no better are you, knight. I come for blood, to feed my armies, and the Light sends me children and moronic imbeciles?!" He hit Allen, and the knight went flying across the room.
Perniticon turned his head to the shadows. "You are not worth my time. Versis! Kill them!"
A man stepped from the shadows, his hand held a shimmering sword of metal; his eyes, a determination never seen before in the eyes of a mortal. He bowed his head to his prince, then turned to face Van. He leapt up and came down on Van with such power, it bowled Van over. He held the sword to Van's throat. However, the knock had freed Fanelia's king from Perniticon's spell: he could move, and never did it feel sweeter!
At that moment, a half-recovered Allen launched himself at the man, Versis.
Versis turned and blocked the attack. With one swift move, he had both king and knight under his sword's blade!
Versis Tri looked in their eyes, and was frightened by what he saw. He saw the love in the pools of colour. Love buried under the surface layer of hatred. Love? What was love? He had never had love... his father was too busy disciplining him... his mother died giving birth... Even his commander, Dalvus, had never loved him — not even as his soldier... A key difference between Dilandau Albatou and Dalvus: Dilandau had loved his Dragonslayers... to the end.
Versis suddenly dropped his sword behind him, and let out a whimper as he fell to his knees. He looked as if he were brain-dead. His eyes were glazed with insanity as he whimpered. "What are you doing, Versis!" Perniticon yelled with anger.
"What is happening to him?" Van asked Allen.
Versis stopped whimpering and stayed deathly still. He looked up at Van after a moment. "You love her, don't you...," he said, looking over at the glass case.
"Yes," Van replied.
"I do, too," Versis said calmly. "I could never kill anyone she cared about. For hours uncounted I have watched her lying here... just lying. You are very lucky, Fanelia. She is a goddess..."
Van gasped. Someone else loved Hitomi?! But he knew this would affect his relationship with her deeply. "Oh..."
"No. Please, don't tell her," Versis pleaded. "I don't want her to know. She belongs to you..." Versis looked back at his prince.
"You!" The prince hissed, fury blazing his already wicked eyes!
"Perniticon, I will not kill them," Versis said firmly. "You lied to me! Everything you told me was a lie! You promised that if I joined you, I would be loved! But all this war has created is bloodshed and hate! I will be a part of it no longer! My hands are stained enough with blood and sin!"
Versis retrieved his weapon from beside him and turned to face the glass case. He lifted the sword to shatter the case and—!
Another sword rammed right through Versis as he was about to strike! He let out a cry and turned his head to see Dalvus behind him, pulling his sword from Versis's body. Versis let everything go and slammed the sword down onto the glass with a ear-splitting smash!
Versis looked at Van and Allen. "Get her out now!"
Van ran and picked Hitomi up in his arms. He hurried to the door, and Allen followed closely, making sure nothing touched the two.
They ran down long, black halls to a corner. Two guards jumped a them from the side.
Allen jabbed one of them hard with his elbow, and punched the other full in the face, sprawling them on the floor, unconscious. Three of those occurrences happened on the way up the halls. Each time Allen came to Van's rescue.
Once, Van kicked a demon to the floor, smashing its face in.
They saw light just ahead. It grew closer. They were so close! So close! In a moment, they leapt out into the light. The light blinded them as they felt themselves hit cold ground. And then all was still.
* * * * *
Versis looked at Dalvus. His commander, hah! What a cruel joke! He felt very tired. Every limb ached with desire. Not for healing, though. He leapt at Dalvus with a bloodthirsty screech, and split his commander in two from the waist!
Blood splattered all over him. He heard a scream, probably Dalvus's. A hard grip snagged him from the floor. Then, he remembered: Perniticon! It was Perniticon!
He saw a blurry image of white stripes ending in points just below huge, piercing black eyes. The blackness between the stripes — teeth — widened. Then, he felt extreme pain! He screamed, then... nothing.
* * * * *
Van opened his eyes. He saw Allen sitting beside him in the grass in front of a fire. "Mmm... Where are we?"
"In the forest. Just about a few feet away from that huge, black stone," Allen replied.
Van looked beside him and saw that Hitomi was nowhere to be seen. He jumped up in alarm. "Where is—!"
"She's sleeping over there," Allen answered. "She looked so squashed under your heavy body, so I moved her." Allen smiled playfully. Van returned it.
Van walked over to Hitomi, lying in the grass. He gently moved a stray strip of hair from her closed eyes. Versis was right. She was a goddess.
"Van?" Van felt a hand on his shoulder. "We can't stay here long or those demons might break through our bar job."
"What? We barred the stone?" Van replied.
"Yes. The second we were out I got a thick tree branch and jammed the doorway. Remember?" Allen said.
"Yes," Van replied.
Van picked up Hitomi again. "She's getting heavier. How are we supposed to get back to Astoria? By foot?"
Allen slapped Van's back playfully. "Well, do you see a coach?"
Van smiled again. Allen could be very annoying and very playful at the same time. It was very confusing! But it would be pleasant having an optimistic person along on the journey back to Astoria.
A few hours of walking passed, and they stopped at a merchant cart. High upon it, was a merchant proud and determined. They strode over to him through the bushes.
Allen looked up at the driver. He was a short man with ruddy-brown hair and bright-hazel eyes. His belt held a dagger of silver clasped in a sheath of gold decorated with clinking ornaments. He wore grey clothes and black boots.
"Be off with Yee!" he commanded angrily. "Or I'll feed yee to o' dragon!"
"That's no way to speak to us!" Van yelled.
"Van!" Allen intervened. "Don't lose your temper." Allen's gaze turned to the merchant. "Could you please give us a ride to Astoria?"
"No! Go find your o' way back!" The merchant replied.
"Listen!" Van gritted through his teeth. "We have a lady who needs a place to sleep!"
The merchant looked at the sleeping Hitomi. "Hmm... I tell yee what. I'll give yee a ride to Astoria, but the girl stays 'ere with me."
Van and Allen replied together. "No!"
"Then, get out o' my way!" the merchant replied.
Van was just about to put Hitomi down and box the merchant right off his cart when Allen spoke again. "Perhaps you do not know who we are. This man is Van Fanel, King of Fanelia. I am Allen Schezar, a Knight of Kaeli. The lady is Hitomi Kanzaki, of the Mystic Moon, the girl who saved Gaea. You surely must have heard of us."
"O' my goodness!" the merchant shrieked. "Please, forgive me! I dunner know! Please, lords, I'll be glad t' take yee to o' Palas!"
Van and Allen jumped up on the cart after placing Hitomi on the most comfortable furs. Then, Van whispered quietly to Allen. "This merchant needs to learn to speak, properly."
Allen nodded his head and smiled.
* * * * *
It was a long and relatively calm journey back. When the sun was setting, the two young, men saw the lights of Astoria flicker behind a hill just ahead. Van looked at Hitomi. She would have loved to see the lights. But right now she needed rest, not sight-seeing.
His mind turned to Fanelia. He remembered how pretty the lights were there, too. How bright the stars shown over the mountains to the north. His heart did not deny missing them greatly, but he knew he could show no emotion with his kingship. It would be "unacceptable" for a king to cry. It was stupid! He knew well that Hitomi was the only one who would accept his grief — perhaps Millerna and Celena would understand, too...
About twenty minutes later, they were standing alone at the front gates of the palace. Van held Hitomi in his arms (as usual), while Allen stood by, feeling useless. The gates opened and Queen Millerna, King Dryden, and their other friends welcomed them with open arms.
"Thank Gogiecha!" Millerna sighed. "You're all safe!" (A/N: Gogiecha, the Astorian Sea Dragon/God. Pronounced: Jo-Jee-cha)
"It's Hitomi...," Allen began. "She needs sleep."
"Soldiers!" Dryden commanded. "Take Hitomi Kanzaki to her room. Be gentle."
Two soldiers walked over and picked Hitomi up carefully from Van's arms. They walked away with her, into the castle.
"Well," Millerna said, smiling, "you must be hungry."
Van and Allen were so preoccupied with Hitomi's well-being, they'd forgotten their hunger. Both looked at each other, then at Millerna. "Yes."
"Then we should have a decent meal prepared for our honourable guests," Millerna said, bowing, then walking away. "I shall organize it."
Van looked at his shoes. 'Honourable, hah! I have no honour now! I left my country burning! I should have stayed and gone with it! That would have made me honourable! Not running away! Balgus would never had—!'
"Van," he heard a voice say.
"Huh," Van replied. He saw Dryden standing in front of him sympathetically.
"Oh, Van," Dryden sighed. "Stop blaming yourself."
"Huh! How did you know?" Van replied.
"The look on your face is very clear. I used it when I left Millerna during the end of the Great War. I felt like I had let her down. That's why I left. It seemed that I wasn't doing anything, but I was: letting her expectations of a husband down."
"You...," Van's face turned to a sad scowl.
"It wasn't your fault, Van. And, even though your kingdom, for the present, is gone, you are still king. To be honest, you don't have to be born of royal blood to be a king. Being a king comes from the heart. It's having a passion for your country, and wanting what's best for the people. You can be a king when you're a poor peasant."
Van looked at Dryden, confused. "How so, Dryden? Peasants have nothing, while kings have everything they want."
Dryden smirked. "Oh really? Have you gotten everything you want? Have I? No. If anything, the peasants are the lucky ones. They have something to strive for. Our problem is that we don't.
"Because we have everything we could possibly want at our command, we don't have anything to work for, so it makes us vulnerable targets. Leaving us to crave something new: battle. Something we cannot control. But with our new thrill of war, we also lose those people who supported us throughout the years. We become the victims of our own foolishness. And eventually, we die with our people because of our selfishness. Remember this, Van. A king is nothing without his people."
Van grimaced. "So, I'm nothing."
"No!" Dryden replied, holding back laughter. "You still have your people. They are still alive. As long as one, just one survives, you are still his/her king."
Van bowed his head and smiled calmly. "Thank you, Dryden." Fanelia's king turned and walked away towards the dining hall.
* * * * *
Hitomi opened her eyes and saw Yukari leaning over her bed. It seemed as though Yukari were in her own little world, oblivious to all around her.
"Yukari?" Hitomi asked, poking Yukari's sleeve.
"Mmm...," Yukari responded, looking lazily down at Hitomi. "Oh! Hitomi. Sorry, I didn't mean to drowse off."
"It's ok," Hitomi said.
"Hitomi?" Yukari asked. "I... want to go back. Back to Earth, I mean. Back to Amano. Please, tell me how. I don't belong here... you do. Please, tell me."
Hitomi looked at Yukari. For weeks now, she had been preparing for the day Yukari would ask her this. "You love Amano. You belong with him. I don't know how to send you back though. But I promise you, I will do everything I can... to find a way."
"Oh arrigato, Hitomi!" Yukari replied, wrapping her arms around Hitomi's neck.
Hitomi held her friend, secretly dreading the permanent separation Yukari was asking for. She didn't want to lose her friend, but she would not keep her here when her heart was somewhere else. She also knew that she would recover... in time, and she would always remember Yukari in her heart.
Yukari looked at Hitomi inquisitively. "Isn't that pendant your grandmother gave you what brought you back and forth to Gaea?"
"Yes," Hitomi replied. Hitomi then realized what Yukari was thinking. "No, Yukari! If I use my pendant to wish you back to Earth, terrible things will happen. Believe me, I know. We'll find another way."
"Oh, all right," Yukari griped. "You promise?"
"I promise," Hitomi replied, smiling.
Yukari smiled back, then turned and left the room.
Hitomi stood up. She had no idea of how much time she had missed and she had forgotten to ask. She knew that she was fit for another day, though.
She went to her wardrobe again. This time, red was the colour of the day. It was unusual because she didn't usually like red. It was as though her hand was magnetized to the red dress. She lifted it to determine the quality and heard a tiny swoop! She knelt down and looked round for the thing that dropped. Her hand touched parchment and she then lifted a tiny letter off the floor. It had been concealed in the collar of the dress. She broke the wax seal and read the message:
"Dear Hitomi,
I wish to say that your awakening from your unconscious state was extremely delightful news. Also, Perniticon — the prince — is searching high and low for you. He will not stop until he finds you. He shan't eat or sleep, even bathe until you are found and returned to him.
Fortune's wheel is turning against you and now I fear for you more then ever. I beseech you, find a hiding place in the castle, "disappear" from Palas.
Perniticon will leave Astoria to seek you else where, if he has good rumours that say you are no longer there. Get a trusted friend of yours to tell that you are gone when he is drunk in some bar or another and "accidentally" tells everyone the secret.
Once Perniticon is gone from Astoria, he will be more vulnerable and that is when Astoria and the Alliance should make their strike against him. Please, take my advice.
Your Friend,
Scython
TO BE CONTINUED...
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Episode #12
Pernicious Perniticon
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Yukari sat in silence in her room. She had found Hitomi's disappearance very strange and yet, her heart had been prepared for it, somehow. She had seen Hitomi fly into the sky, held by some sort of winged creature. She had been the one to tell Millerna and the others who were not at the battlefield that Hitomi was missing, and how, and to which direction the creature had flown.
By Millerna and Dryden's orders, there was to be no search party until morning. But Yukari's poor, troubled heart seemed to be able to wait.
"Oh, Hitomi," Yukari whispered. "I can't look for you. I'm afraid of what I might find out about you, about myself... I think... I want is to go home. Back to Amano. You have already found your place, but I have not. I thought I had... but, Gaea isn't the place I thought it was... not with war... Please, forgive me!"
* * * * *
"Damn it!" Van cursed. "I can't even make a crack!"
Van had been banging nonstop at the glass surrounding Hitomi's body. Allen, too, had helped Van smack the glass, but it did no good. The glass held stronger with each blow.
Van turned away and was about to let out a whimper when a voice made both Allen and Van turn in surprise.
"Come now, I can't stand to see a grown man cry."
"Who the hell are you?!" Van demanded.
"You know me as the one who took your precious Hitomi."
"You!" Van screamed. "You made her afraid, and started another damned war, after all this time!"
"Yes, boy-king, this is, indeed, a damned war," the man replied. "Let me introduce myself. I am Perniticon, prince of this place."
Van and Allen echoed the word together. "Perniticon?"
"Yes," said Perniticon. "It means 'Child of Evil'." Perniticon looked at their confused faces. "Why, whatever is the matter, King Fanel? Knight Schezar? Does it not suit me?"
The prince formed from the shadows. He was dressed in black robes. His black eyes gleamed with venom that froze knight and king in place! His jet black hair hung around his pale white face — a face twisted with evil.
Van and Allen tried to move, but they were stuck in place. Perniticon, Prince of Darkness, approached the raven-haired king. "One would think a king to be older than this. Certainly you are no man — a child, at best, has been pedestaled to lead Fanelia!" He turned to Allen, "And no better are you, knight. I come for blood, to feed my armies, and the Light sends me children and moronic imbeciles?!" He hit Allen, and the knight went flying across the room.
Perniticon turned his head to the shadows. "You are not worth my time. Versis! Kill them!"
A man stepped from the shadows, his hand held a shimmering sword of metal; his eyes, a determination never seen before in the eyes of a mortal. He bowed his head to his prince, then turned to face Van. He leapt up and came down on Van with such power, it bowled Van over. He held the sword to Van's throat. However, the knock had freed Fanelia's king from Perniticon's spell: he could move, and never did it feel sweeter!
At that moment, a half-recovered Allen launched himself at the man, Versis.
Versis turned and blocked the attack. With one swift move, he had both king and knight under his sword's blade!
Versis Tri looked in their eyes, and was frightened by what he saw. He saw the love in the pools of colour. Love buried under the surface layer of hatred. Love? What was love? He had never had love... his father was too busy disciplining him... his mother died giving birth... Even his commander, Dalvus, had never loved him — not even as his soldier... A key difference between Dilandau Albatou and Dalvus: Dilandau had loved his Dragonslayers... to the end.
Versis suddenly dropped his sword behind him, and let out a whimper as he fell to his knees. He looked as if he were brain-dead. His eyes were glazed with insanity as he whimpered. "What are you doing, Versis!" Perniticon yelled with anger.
"What is happening to him?" Van asked Allen.
Versis stopped whimpering and stayed deathly still. He looked up at Van after a moment. "You love her, don't you...," he said, looking over at the glass case.
"Yes," Van replied.
"I do, too," Versis said calmly. "I could never kill anyone she cared about. For hours uncounted I have watched her lying here... just lying. You are very lucky, Fanelia. She is a goddess..."
Van gasped. Someone else loved Hitomi?! But he knew this would affect his relationship with her deeply. "Oh..."
"No. Please, don't tell her," Versis pleaded. "I don't want her to know. She belongs to you..." Versis looked back at his prince.
"You!" The prince hissed, fury blazing his already wicked eyes!
"Perniticon, I will not kill them," Versis said firmly. "You lied to me! Everything you told me was a lie! You promised that if I joined you, I would be loved! But all this war has created is bloodshed and hate! I will be a part of it no longer! My hands are stained enough with blood and sin!"
Versis retrieved his weapon from beside him and turned to face the glass case. He lifted the sword to shatter the case and—!
Another sword rammed right through Versis as he was about to strike! He let out a cry and turned his head to see Dalvus behind him, pulling his sword from Versis's body. Versis let everything go and slammed the sword down onto the glass with a ear-splitting smash!
Versis looked at Van and Allen. "Get her out now!"
Van ran and picked Hitomi up in his arms. He hurried to the door, and Allen followed closely, making sure nothing touched the two.
They ran down long, black halls to a corner. Two guards jumped a them from the side.
Allen jabbed one of them hard with his elbow, and punched the other full in the face, sprawling them on the floor, unconscious. Three of those occurrences happened on the way up the halls. Each time Allen came to Van's rescue.
Once, Van kicked a demon to the floor, smashing its face in.
They saw light just ahead. It grew closer. They were so close! So close! In a moment, they leapt out into the light. The light blinded them as they felt themselves hit cold ground. And then all was still.
* * * * *
Versis looked at Dalvus. His commander, hah! What a cruel joke! He felt very tired. Every limb ached with desire. Not for healing, though. He leapt at Dalvus with a bloodthirsty screech, and split his commander in two from the waist!
Blood splattered all over him. He heard a scream, probably Dalvus's. A hard grip snagged him from the floor. Then, he remembered: Perniticon! It was Perniticon!
He saw a blurry image of white stripes ending in points just below huge, piercing black eyes. The blackness between the stripes — teeth — widened. Then, he felt extreme pain! He screamed, then... nothing.
* * * * *
Van opened his eyes. He saw Allen sitting beside him in the grass in front of a fire. "Mmm... Where are we?"
"In the forest. Just about a few feet away from that huge, black stone," Allen replied.
Van looked beside him and saw that Hitomi was nowhere to be seen. He jumped up in alarm. "Where is—!"
"She's sleeping over there," Allen answered. "She looked so squashed under your heavy body, so I moved her." Allen smiled playfully. Van returned it.
Van walked over to Hitomi, lying in the grass. He gently moved a stray strip of hair from her closed eyes. Versis was right. She was a goddess.
"Van?" Van felt a hand on his shoulder. "We can't stay here long or those demons might break through our bar job."
"What? We barred the stone?" Van replied.
"Yes. The second we were out I got a thick tree branch and jammed the doorway. Remember?" Allen said.
"Yes," Van replied.
Van picked up Hitomi again. "She's getting heavier. How are we supposed to get back to Astoria? By foot?"
Allen slapped Van's back playfully. "Well, do you see a coach?"
Van smiled again. Allen could be very annoying and very playful at the same time. It was very confusing! But it would be pleasant having an optimistic person along on the journey back to Astoria.
A few hours of walking passed, and they stopped at a merchant cart. High upon it, was a merchant proud and determined. They strode over to him through the bushes.
Allen looked up at the driver. He was a short man with ruddy-brown hair and bright-hazel eyes. His belt held a dagger of silver clasped in a sheath of gold decorated with clinking ornaments. He wore grey clothes and black boots.
"Be off with Yee!" he commanded angrily. "Or I'll feed yee to o' dragon!"
"That's no way to speak to us!" Van yelled.
"Van!" Allen intervened. "Don't lose your temper." Allen's gaze turned to the merchant. "Could you please give us a ride to Astoria?"
"No! Go find your o' way back!" The merchant replied.
"Listen!" Van gritted through his teeth. "We have a lady who needs a place to sleep!"
The merchant looked at the sleeping Hitomi. "Hmm... I tell yee what. I'll give yee a ride to Astoria, but the girl stays 'ere with me."
Van and Allen replied together. "No!"
"Then, get out o' my way!" the merchant replied.
Van was just about to put Hitomi down and box the merchant right off his cart when Allen spoke again. "Perhaps you do not know who we are. This man is Van Fanel, King of Fanelia. I am Allen Schezar, a Knight of Kaeli. The lady is Hitomi Kanzaki, of the Mystic Moon, the girl who saved Gaea. You surely must have heard of us."
"O' my goodness!" the merchant shrieked. "Please, forgive me! I dunner know! Please, lords, I'll be glad t' take yee to o' Palas!"
Van and Allen jumped up on the cart after placing Hitomi on the most comfortable furs. Then, Van whispered quietly to Allen. "This merchant needs to learn to speak, properly."
Allen nodded his head and smiled.
* * * * *
It was a long and relatively calm journey back. When the sun was setting, the two young, men saw the lights of Astoria flicker behind a hill just ahead. Van looked at Hitomi. She would have loved to see the lights. But right now she needed rest, not sight-seeing.
His mind turned to Fanelia. He remembered how pretty the lights were there, too. How bright the stars shown over the mountains to the north. His heart did not deny missing them greatly, but he knew he could show no emotion with his kingship. It would be "unacceptable" for a king to cry. It was stupid! He knew well that Hitomi was the only one who would accept his grief — perhaps Millerna and Celena would understand, too...
About twenty minutes later, they were standing alone at the front gates of the palace. Van held Hitomi in his arms (as usual), while Allen stood by, feeling useless. The gates opened and Queen Millerna, King Dryden, and their other friends welcomed them with open arms.
"Thank Gogiecha!" Millerna sighed. "You're all safe!" (A/N: Gogiecha, the Astorian Sea Dragon/God. Pronounced: Jo-Jee-cha)
"It's Hitomi...," Allen began. "She needs sleep."
"Soldiers!" Dryden commanded. "Take Hitomi Kanzaki to her room. Be gentle."
Two soldiers walked over and picked Hitomi up carefully from Van's arms. They walked away with her, into the castle.
"Well," Millerna said, smiling, "you must be hungry."
Van and Allen were so preoccupied with Hitomi's well-being, they'd forgotten their hunger. Both looked at each other, then at Millerna. "Yes."
"Then we should have a decent meal prepared for our honourable guests," Millerna said, bowing, then walking away. "I shall organize it."
Van looked at his shoes. 'Honourable, hah! I have no honour now! I left my country burning! I should have stayed and gone with it! That would have made me honourable! Not running away! Balgus would never had—!'
"Van," he heard a voice say.
"Huh," Van replied. He saw Dryden standing in front of him sympathetically.
"Oh, Van," Dryden sighed. "Stop blaming yourself."
"Huh! How did you know?" Van replied.
"The look on your face is very clear. I used it when I left Millerna during the end of the Great War. I felt like I had let her down. That's why I left. It seemed that I wasn't doing anything, but I was: letting her expectations of a husband down."
"You...," Van's face turned to a sad scowl.
"It wasn't your fault, Van. And, even though your kingdom, for the present, is gone, you are still king. To be honest, you don't have to be born of royal blood to be a king. Being a king comes from the heart. It's having a passion for your country, and wanting what's best for the people. You can be a king when you're a poor peasant."
Van looked at Dryden, confused. "How so, Dryden? Peasants have nothing, while kings have everything they want."
Dryden smirked. "Oh really? Have you gotten everything you want? Have I? No. If anything, the peasants are the lucky ones. They have something to strive for. Our problem is that we don't.
"Because we have everything we could possibly want at our command, we don't have anything to work for, so it makes us vulnerable targets. Leaving us to crave something new: battle. Something we cannot control. But with our new thrill of war, we also lose those people who supported us throughout the years. We become the victims of our own foolishness. And eventually, we die with our people because of our selfishness. Remember this, Van. A king is nothing without his people."
Van grimaced. "So, I'm nothing."
"No!" Dryden replied, holding back laughter. "You still have your people. They are still alive. As long as one, just one survives, you are still his/her king."
Van bowed his head and smiled calmly. "Thank you, Dryden." Fanelia's king turned and walked away towards the dining hall.
* * * * *
Hitomi opened her eyes and saw Yukari leaning over her bed. It seemed as though Yukari were in her own little world, oblivious to all around her.
"Yukari?" Hitomi asked, poking Yukari's sleeve.
"Mmm...," Yukari responded, looking lazily down at Hitomi. "Oh! Hitomi. Sorry, I didn't mean to drowse off."
"It's ok," Hitomi said.
"Hitomi?" Yukari asked. "I... want to go back. Back to Earth, I mean. Back to Amano. Please, tell me how. I don't belong here... you do. Please, tell me."
Hitomi looked at Yukari. For weeks now, she had been preparing for the day Yukari would ask her this. "You love Amano. You belong with him. I don't know how to send you back though. But I promise you, I will do everything I can... to find a way."
"Oh arrigato, Hitomi!" Yukari replied, wrapping her arms around Hitomi's neck.
Hitomi held her friend, secretly dreading the permanent separation Yukari was asking for. She didn't want to lose her friend, but she would not keep her here when her heart was somewhere else. She also knew that she would recover... in time, and she would always remember Yukari in her heart.
Yukari looked at Hitomi inquisitively. "Isn't that pendant your grandmother gave you what brought you back and forth to Gaea?"
"Yes," Hitomi replied. Hitomi then realized what Yukari was thinking. "No, Yukari! If I use my pendant to wish you back to Earth, terrible things will happen. Believe me, I know. We'll find another way."
"Oh, all right," Yukari griped. "You promise?"
"I promise," Hitomi replied, smiling.
Yukari smiled back, then turned and left the room.
Hitomi stood up. She had no idea of how much time she had missed and she had forgotten to ask. She knew that she was fit for another day, though.
She went to her wardrobe again. This time, red was the colour of the day. It was unusual because she didn't usually like red. It was as though her hand was magnetized to the red dress. She lifted it to determine the quality and heard a tiny swoop! She knelt down and looked round for the thing that dropped. Her hand touched parchment and she then lifted a tiny letter off the floor. It had been concealed in the collar of the dress. She broke the wax seal and read the message:
"Dear Hitomi,
I wish to say that your awakening from your unconscious state was extremely delightful news. Also, Perniticon — the prince — is searching high and low for you. He will not stop until he finds you. He shan't eat or sleep, even bathe until you are found and returned to him.
Fortune's wheel is turning against you and now I fear for you more then ever. I beseech you, find a hiding place in the castle, "disappear" from Palas.
Perniticon will leave Astoria to seek you else where, if he has good rumours that say you are no longer there. Get a trusted friend of yours to tell that you are gone when he is drunk in some bar or another and "accidentally" tells everyone the secret.
Once Perniticon is gone from Astoria, he will be more vulnerable and that is when Astoria and the Alliance should make their strike against him. Please, take my advice.
Your Friend,
Scython
TO BE CONTINUED...