Disclaimer: Escaflowne-not mine, Juniper-all Sasha's
(A/N)- Wow, chapter four. grin I never thought I would make it this far. Thanks to those of you who review, thanks to those who don't. I'm happy either way! And the usual… character's thoughts
4. Discoveries
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Juniper's eyelids fluttered open, revealing orbs of an aqua blue-green color. She stretched as far as her muscles would allow and lounged in her bed for a few moments. The sun would rise in a little over a half hour yet the little birds sang as sweetly as they would all day.
Brr… Why am I so cold? I remember now, that strange man has my quilt. Juniper shivered and curled into a ball. Better go make sure he's still alive. Juniper got out of bed and went to check on him. He was still sleeping peacefully and hopefully he would wake sometime today.
She returned to her room and changed into a simple outfit of a pale blue cotton skirt that barely touched the floor and a light lavender peasant shirt. Juniper brushed her soft brown hair away from her face. Then she braided it and was happy to see it reach her shoulder blade when she tossed it behind her.
Humming quietly, Juniper returned to the main room of her home. She had a lot of work to do today. But today felt different. It felt like no matter what she planned to do later, this stranger's awakening would interrupt everything. Juniper had her back to the living room portion of the small room. She was making her usual breakfast of fruit and a sweet cinnamon roll.
Juniper was slicing up a cantaloupe-like melon when she heard the stranger shift restlessly in his sleep. She walked over to the sofa and found him fidgeting, yet still deeply asleep. He appeared to be embedded in a terrible nightmare and a light sheen of sweat covered his face. Juniper went back to her small table and wrung most of the water out of a washcloth.
She pulled her rickety stool up to the sofa and began dabbing his face with the cool cloth. He seemed to calm down as she did this. Hopefully this nightmare has passed for good. I wonder what it was about. Juniper gently rubbed his cheek with the corner of the cloth and was amazed to see a tiny crack between his eyelids.
She dropped the cloth entirely when he opened them completely. His eyes were the strangest color. They appeared to be…a deep dark red with a few golden-brown flecks. Juniper was brought out of her trance-like state by his sudden movements. He tightened his grip on her wrist and asked one simple question.
"Who are you and where am I?"
His voice was calm and level, yet Juniper was still speechless. Where had she seen that haunting eye color before?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Allen sprinted to a small grove of trees where a few horses were tied. He selected a strong looking mare who appeared fresh and ready to run.
"Take me to her!"
The soldier nodded and galloped off with Allen in close pursuit. The pair slowed as they approached a rocky valley unfit for horses. Allen and his companion dismounted and peered over the edge of the ledge they were standing on. Another man pulled himself up to the shelf Allen was standing on.
"She's this way Milord."
Without a second thought, Allen followed him over boulders and steadily down the valley. They came to a halt near the bottom.
"The Lady is just around that outcrop of limestone Sir. I don't believe anyone has spoken with her just yet."
"Thank you. Now go and send someone to fetch Millerna. Heaven knows how bad Hitomi is."
"Yes Sir."
The soldier saluted Allen and took off back up the hill. Allen turned his attention back to the task at hand. He darted over a small stream running through the valley and around the mass of rock and there she was. Hitomi. A sigh of relief rattled all the way through his chest but suddenly got caught in his throat. Her breath was shallow and she had a gash on her shoulder. Allen fell to the ground and put her head in his lap in a vain effort to make her comfortable.
"Hitomi? Can you hear me? Hitomi?!" An edge of panic showed in his voice. Allen's forehead crinkled in apprehension. What if she's too far gone? What if I can't save her?
"Allen…" Hitomi's voice was weak, barely above a whisper.
"Yes my love?"
"You came… for me…" Gratitude radiated from Hitomi's eyes. Allen smiled at her. A faint smile pulled at the corners of Hitomi's mouth and his name crossed her lips. This time, it was inaudible.
"I'm so sorry it took so long, but as we were searching for you Zaibach attacked and we lost Van and don't fret, we'll find him, but help is on the way. You are going to be all right." Allen did his best to try and reassure her. Hitomi barely acknowledged it with a tiny nod before she sank back in his arms in a dead faint.
(A/N)- Yay! Wow… Van wakes up and Allen finds Hitomi! I never knew how much I like writing lil bitty cliff hangers at the end of each section. C'mon now, make me happy and review! Thanks! Sasha
(A/N)- Wow, chapter four. grin I never thought I would make it this far. Thanks to those of you who review, thanks to those who don't. I'm happy either way! And the usual… character's thoughts
4. Discoveries
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Juniper's eyelids fluttered open, revealing orbs of an aqua blue-green color. She stretched as far as her muscles would allow and lounged in her bed for a few moments. The sun would rise in a little over a half hour yet the little birds sang as sweetly as they would all day.
Brr… Why am I so cold? I remember now, that strange man has my quilt. Juniper shivered and curled into a ball. Better go make sure he's still alive. Juniper got out of bed and went to check on him. He was still sleeping peacefully and hopefully he would wake sometime today.
She returned to her room and changed into a simple outfit of a pale blue cotton skirt that barely touched the floor and a light lavender peasant shirt. Juniper brushed her soft brown hair away from her face. Then she braided it and was happy to see it reach her shoulder blade when she tossed it behind her.
Humming quietly, Juniper returned to the main room of her home. She had a lot of work to do today. But today felt different. It felt like no matter what she planned to do later, this stranger's awakening would interrupt everything. Juniper had her back to the living room portion of the small room. She was making her usual breakfast of fruit and a sweet cinnamon roll.
Juniper was slicing up a cantaloupe-like melon when she heard the stranger shift restlessly in his sleep. She walked over to the sofa and found him fidgeting, yet still deeply asleep. He appeared to be embedded in a terrible nightmare and a light sheen of sweat covered his face. Juniper went back to her small table and wrung most of the water out of a washcloth.
She pulled her rickety stool up to the sofa and began dabbing his face with the cool cloth. He seemed to calm down as she did this. Hopefully this nightmare has passed for good. I wonder what it was about. Juniper gently rubbed his cheek with the corner of the cloth and was amazed to see a tiny crack between his eyelids.
She dropped the cloth entirely when he opened them completely. His eyes were the strangest color. They appeared to be…a deep dark red with a few golden-brown flecks. Juniper was brought out of her trance-like state by his sudden movements. He tightened his grip on her wrist and asked one simple question.
"Who are you and where am I?"
His voice was calm and level, yet Juniper was still speechless. Where had she seen that haunting eye color before?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Allen sprinted to a small grove of trees where a few horses were tied. He selected a strong looking mare who appeared fresh and ready to run.
"Take me to her!"
The soldier nodded and galloped off with Allen in close pursuit. The pair slowed as they approached a rocky valley unfit for horses. Allen and his companion dismounted and peered over the edge of the ledge they were standing on. Another man pulled himself up to the shelf Allen was standing on.
"She's this way Milord."
Without a second thought, Allen followed him over boulders and steadily down the valley. They came to a halt near the bottom.
"The Lady is just around that outcrop of limestone Sir. I don't believe anyone has spoken with her just yet."
"Thank you. Now go and send someone to fetch Millerna. Heaven knows how bad Hitomi is."
"Yes Sir."
The soldier saluted Allen and took off back up the hill. Allen turned his attention back to the task at hand. He darted over a small stream running through the valley and around the mass of rock and there she was. Hitomi. A sigh of relief rattled all the way through his chest but suddenly got caught in his throat. Her breath was shallow and she had a gash on her shoulder. Allen fell to the ground and put her head in his lap in a vain effort to make her comfortable.
"Hitomi? Can you hear me? Hitomi?!" An edge of panic showed in his voice. Allen's forehead crinkled in apprehension. What if she's too far gone? What if I can't save her?
"Allen…" Hitomi's voice was weak, barely above a whisper.
"Yes my love?"
"You came… for me…" Gratitude radiated from Hitomi's eyes. Allen smiled at her. A faint smile pulled at the corners of Hitomi's mouth and his name crossed her lips. This time, it was inaudible.
"I'm so sorry it took so long, but as we were searching for you Zaibach attacked and we lost Van and don't fret, we'll find him, but help is on the way. You are going to be all right." Allen did his best to try and reassure her. Hitomi barely acknowledged it with a tiny nod before she sank back in his arms in a dead faint.
(A/N)- Yay! Wow… Van wakes up and Allen finds Hitomi! I never knew how much I like writing lil bitty cliff hangers at the end of each section. C'mon now, make me happy and review! Thanks! Sasha