Disclaimer: if I owned Escaflowne…Juniper would be a real character, not just an OC

(A/N)- I'm back…again…not to be confused with the last time. Remember, I haven't seen very much Escaflowne, I've only seen a few episodes and read enough fics to be able to write this halfway decently. Please correct me if I'm obviously wrong. Pailay pointed out a plot hole…this fic happens after the series. Hitomi came back, had a fight with van about something really trivial, and left again. Assume no pairings from before worked out…basically that's it.

Character thoughts *emphasis* flashbacks will be noted ~*~*~*~ change of location

Previously on Juniper Bushes: while out looking for Hitomi, Allen and Van run into Dilandau who sets the Crusade on fire. They find her, but wait! Dilandau already has her, poisons her, dumps her to fight with Van. Van is thrown overboard and he lands neatly in Juniper's juniper bushes. Dilly is kicked off the crusade and they land to save Hitomi. But there's a nasty poison so they send for Millerna. Van wakes up, finds out where he is, and passes out again. Merle and Millerna go to meet Allen's messenger….and we left off with Allen in the gully with Hitomi. Not sound familiar? Go back and read it again, you know you want to!_!

Chapter 8-Merle/Millerna then Van/Juniper

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Millerna walked into the castle and was met by Merle.

"C'mon Princess! We're talking to that guy now, let's go!"

Merle clamped onto her wrist and pulled her down the hall at a rapid pace. Obviously, too fast for Millerna's taste.

"Merle! Quit it! Let go!"

Merle kept going. No matter how much Millerna squirmed, tugged, or twisted, Merle's grip was like iron. Abruptly Merle cut to the left and continued down that passage. Merle squealed and stopped, causing Millerna to smash into her, nearly knocking the pair over.

Merle giggled, "It's this door silly!"

Millerna fussed with her clothes. Glaring at Merle, Millerna then turned her attention to the guard at the door. He was stifling his laughter quite well.

"Right through here, Princess Millerna and Lady Merle." Merle made a face as she passed.

Millerna entered the room. To her surprise, it turned out to be one of the castle's smaller libraries. A few aged, but very comfortable chairs were the only furniture besides the walls filled with shelves and books.

Merle had already made herself quite comfortable on one of the chairs opposite the only other person in the room. He was a soldier and no doubt one of Allen's. Millerna went and sat down by Merle.

"Good day Princess Millerna and Lady Merle." The man smiled, he'd heard stories about these two. "My name is Fredric and as you probably know I'm Allen's messenger."

Millerna nodded and cut right to the chase. "What message does he send?"

"Allen wishes for you to join him. I believe your medical skills are required."

"Is some one really hurt bad? Don't you have a doctor with you? Is it Lord Van?" Merle was frantic. "Is it? Is he hurt? Sick?"

Fredric waited the rant out. He had enough sense not to interrupt.

Merle continued with no obvious intake of breath. "What happened to Allen? Why didn't he come himself? Why aren't they back yet? Where's Lord Van?!"

Finally Millerna realized the messenger had stopped speaking and she promptly hushed Merle. Merle crossed her arms and glared, but didn't say anything.

"Please, we are just concerned for our friends." Millerna looked towards Fredric, waiting and hoping it wasn't Allen.

"As am I," he said. "The answer to your questions is yes, someone is critically injured. I really don't know the specifics of the injury. We do have a doctor of sorts, but he is not trained to handle anything like this. No, it is not Sir Allen or Lord Van. I do have more to tell you later though."

"Who is it? Who is so near death Allen would send for me rather than any of the others?" Millerna's question was implied as modest because all in the room knew that Allen was now only interested in the fastest aide.

"I believe it is the girl by the name of Hitomi." Fredric paused to read their expressions. Neither was particularly happy to hear this. Millerna was almost seething and Merle just looked annoyed.

Frederic decided to continue. "We had finally found her when the Dragon Slayers captured her and started a fight. Dilandau poisoned her then set fire to the Crusade." He paused, not really wanting to be the one to break the news. "Van disappeared during the conflict and we still don't know his location."

Millerna's eyes burned. Allen wants me to help save Hitomi? Even though he knows how much I hate her. I can barely *tolerate* her in pleasant company…especially after she stole him away… The fire left her eyes and the gloom settled in. I've got to go anyway. Allen would not have anything to do with me if I didn't try. He might hate me if she dies! Millerna struggled to regain her composure, but Merle didn't even try.

Merle was in shock. "He's missing? Lord Van is missing?! You lost him!!? How on Gaea do you lose the King of Fanelia?!!!?" Frederic drew back. Merle was just about to slip into psycho kitty mode.

"It was during the fight, with the Slayers," Fredric said quickly. "He was fighting Dilandau and an explosion knocked him off the ship."

"Is there anything else you have to tell us?" Millerna wanted so badly just to relieve some frustration on poor Fredric, but she knew enough to never kill the messenger.

"No, other than that it's approximately a four hour ride due south. You will run into a few of our men when you get close." Frederic visibly relaxed a bit, still entirely too tense. His mission here was almost finished.

"Thank you, Fredric. You've helped considerably." Millerna regained her diplomatic composure. It would serve no purpose to vent her anger now. "Feel free to enjoy your stay here and make yourself comfortable for as long as you remain here."

Millerna stood up and was quickly followed by first Merle, then Fredric. Fredric bowed as Merle and Millerna left the room. Merle ran off to plot and Millerna hurried to start packing her medical supplies. No doubt someone had already started packing the other necessities. It was going to be a long day.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Van awoke to the shrill shriek of a bolt of lightning slicing through the air. The thunder rattled the small hut and it felt as if the house would fall. He tested his ribs again. It appeared whatever Juniper had given him had worked its wonders. His ribs were a little sore but bearable.

Van sat up and looked around. Juniper kept a cozy house, albeit a little messy. The walls were a pale gray and bunches of dried flowers were suspended everywhere. They gave her home the scent of a field of wildflowers, mostly because that's what they were.

He slowly stood up and watched the lightning play games with his shadow. Van saw it bounce around erratically, but quickly grew tired of watching the flickering light. The lightning was almost constant enough to light the small room rather well. Another shadow appeared on the floor. Van looked up and saw Juniper standing there watching him. In an instant of blackness her amused look was replaced by a serious and concerned expression.

"You shouldn't be up and moving yet."

She spoke with an edge in her voice but flinched slightly as another peal of thunder shook her home. They were silent, trying to stare the other down in a clash of will power. A few tense seconds passed and felt like hours before Van finally made up his mind. He looked away, out the window.

Juniper caught the hint she should speak again. But weariness was creeping over her. Juniper was tired emotionally and physically. These unusual past few days had been trying and he owed her enough to speak first. She would not make the first move. Van realized he had to manipulate the pieces, so he chose to apologize.

"Juniper. I apologize. It's not my place to judge you and you have helped so much in my time of need."

Juniper's expression went from tired to indignant in mere seconds. Van had given her a formal apology that she was not used to hearing and thought was mocking.

"You're right. You have no place to judge me and you should thank me for helping to heal your wounds. I don't care if you believe me or not, it doesn't matter. Once you leave I shall promptly forget about you." Juniper said evenly, perhaps even a bit snidely.

Van smiled, confusing Juniper even more. Why is the fool smiling? I just insulted him!

Van kept smiling. A low roll of thunder cascaded past the house. It's almost eerie, he thought, Juniper's almost as stubborn as…Hitomi. Abruptly Van quit smiling.

Juniper also frowned. "What's wrong, is it your ribs?"

He shook his head. "No, you reminded me of someone…very dear to my heart. But that doesn't matter, she clearly made up her mind."

Juniper was puzzled again. Was this a good or bad thing? The amount of light in Juniper's tiny home faded quickly as the storm dissipated. Van wobbled a bit as he heard Juniper moving around in the dark.

All of a sudden, there was light before his eyes. Van blinked rapidly as his eyes adjusted. Juniper had lit a candle and was laughing at his expression. Once Van's eyes had focused, he glared at Juniper. Her now aqua eyes sparkled with amusement. She had not laughed like this for quite awhile.


"Something amusing you?"

"Nothing…you just look so…kingly…standing there all blinking…and confused." A mental sigh of relief, Juniper had almost called King Van Fanel of Fanelia cute…

Van shrugged and went to sit down. Juniper left the candle on the small table in the room and disappeared back into her room. The candle softly illuminated the entire place, throwing shadows of the wildflowers all over.

Moments later she reappeared dressed in different clothing, but still almost exactly as the first time morning. Today Juniper wore a similar skirt, this one was a dark blue and her peasant shirt was a pale pink. Her hair was once again neatly braided and still reached the bottom of her shoulder blades. Van suddenly realized that she had come out to check on him before and had been dressed in clothes for sleeping. He mentally rebuked himself for not being decent enough to keep the conversation short.

"How do your ribs feel this early in the morning?"

Van jumped at the noise of her voice. Juniper had practically sneaked up on him.

"Much better," he said, quickly recovering his composure. "I've broken ribs before and they never healed this fast. What did you do?"

"First of all, you did not break your ribs, they were merely bruised," she stated plainly. And secondly, let's just say it's a family secret." Juniper took a moment to glance out the window at the light spill into the world before she continued. "It is almost morning, do you feel like getting up and helping or resting another day away?"

Van debated it mentally for a brief minute before he grinned. "I'll get up…I guess." He faked a disappointed smile and continued. "What do you want me to help with?"

"Well, until it gets lighter out, we're stuck here. No use hunting for plants in the pitch black. You could start now, if you really wanted to."

"Start…now? But it's too dark, you said so yourself!"

Juniper grinned, having caught Van in his own game. "Not in here it's not."

"Fine fine. What should I look for first?"

"Find me…the freshest red clovers in here."

Van nodded as he stepped closer to the flowers and started analyzing the plants. Juniper decided to take a seat and fix a hole she had discovered in one of her older skirts. After a good ten minutes of carefully analyzing each and every bunch of flowers, Van stopped looking and went to sit by Juniper who was still working on the skirt.

"It's not here is it?"

As soon as she met his eyes, he knew he was right. "No, it isn't," she admitted with a sly smile. "But I do need to get more and a few others." She glanced out a window. "Good, that took enough time for the sun to rise enough to see properly!" Van nodded as she rose from the sofa. Juniper went back into her room to put the skirt away and retrieve her twin daggers and cloak.

"This is your last chance to stay here and rest…." She trailed off, unsure if he still felt up to moving around so much.

"I'm coming, wouldn't want to waste that flower identification training."

Juniper and Van left her house, shutting the door behind them.

~*~*~*~*~

(A/N) Wowza, another 5 pages by my count and spacing. We got to check on almost everyone except for Allen and Hitomi…but their time will come. Now it is your time…to review of course! More reviews=more posted chapters. Because I *do* have more written, just not typed or posted. So review! Make me want to post more often!

Sasha