All right, are you all with me? Good. This chapter begins to introduce the plot. You may be thinking, What, you mean there is one? Well, yeah. It sure took long enough, I know, but I felt like I needed to introduce you to my new characters. I know, Escaflowne was not made by me(although it would have been great). Oh well, on to chapter nine!



Chapter 9-
Arising Suspicions

Hitomi sat, her legs folded under her, facing the pond inside the garden. Her reflection swayed gently with the ripples created by the wind, as she stared at herself. The garden was now in full bloom, and Hitomi often sat among the flowers. They reminded her of the ones that she arranged often in ikebana, only they were actually real.

Ikebana. She had never liked it, but she had joined a class in the previous year, hoping it would give her a soft and gentle touch. But who can I touch, in that gentle way I've recently learned? Hitomi held herself close; it was late summer, but she felt the chill of the coming autumn, especially when combined with the cool of nightfall.

It was a month, a month had passed by since the wedding. She was settled in Fanelia, with no desire to go back to Earth. The newlyweds gave her a special place in the manor, and she was grateful for it, but her body killed for activity, to be put to use. As a result, Hitomi spent most of her time away from the manor, helping the people of Fanelia with their chores. Merle was often with her, helping as well. Hitomi was up every day at dawn, leaving the manor to help. Today for example, she assisted the farmers in constructing the fence to keep the livestock inside. At first, they had objected; but after looking at her face, they agreed. Tomorrow she would help the women's group with their project; a giant quilt for the wall. It would keep her occupied for a few weeks at least. Hitomi didn't want any excuse to stay at the manor, disturbing Van and Faye. It was important that they had privacy, especially for the first few months.

Hitomi stood up, her thin green dress brushing against the nearby bush. The day was through. She was tired and she would turn in early. Smoothing out her dress, she walked inside, going down the hall to her room. She placed her hand on the knob, but stopped when she heard a shuffle behind her. Hitomi looked over, and saw Allen walking slowly over to her. Quickly, she turned the knob and went inside her room. Surely, he wouldn't follow into her own room, that would be an invasion of privacy and, being a knight, that was against his code of chivalry. She sat on her bed, looking out the window. Allen did follow her inside, and came up to her bed, stopping a far distance away. She didn't look at him, but she spoke anyway.

"Don't you have to be in Asturia now? I'm sure you can't neglect your duties any further." she said coolly. Then, turning to him, she continued, "I'm surprised you could even attend the wedding." His body looked weary; he must have been working hard as well. He had not left Fanelia even though the festivities were over long ago. Hitomi often saw him around. Was he spying on her?

Suddenly feeling annoyed, she stood up to leave, sighing in impatience. However, as she passed him, he grabbed hold of her wrist. Hitomi stopped. What was he doing? Slowly she turned around.

"Allen...!" she said in an even voice. He turned around as well.

"Hitomi..." he didn't seem to know what to say. However, Hitomi wanted to know.

"Well? Tell me! You're being rude!" she yelled at him. He turned all the way around and looked at her. Finally, standing it no longer, she started to beat his chest in frustration. "Stop! Stop hurting me! Stop..." she choked, giving him one final beat with her fists until she fell over, sobbing. Allen caught her, carrying her in his arms and placing her gently on her bed. She lay still, the tears in her eyes coming with no urging from herself. Allen stood over her, shaking his head.

"Hitomi, I hate seeing you like this." he said. Hitomi looked in his eyes, suddenly sitting up.

"Like what? You hate seeing me like what?" she challenged him. She hated being pitied. Allen stooped down, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"I just want to make it better." he said simply, searching her eyes for a response. "Why won't you let me make it better?" Hitomi held her hands to her chin, shaking her head. Allen hugged her, but she didn't hug him back.

"Hitomi, I love you so much." he whispered in her ear. "I never realized it before now, but I do." Hitomi let her eyes travel toward the floor, her eyelids half closed. "Won't you answer me?" he pleaded, drawing her away from him so he could see her face. She wouldn't look at him, keeping her eyes averted away. She felt like a rag doll in his arms, ready to fall apart any second.

"Please. Come to Asturia with me. There's nothing left for you here. I thought Van may have changed his mind about the marriage, but he didn't." He gripped her hands, though she still did not look at him. "You can't think about upsetting him anymore, Hitomi. If you ask me, he's the one who is upsetting you." Hitomi finally looked at him, but her eyes appeared glazed.

"But- Allen..." she said. "I can't leave them. I'm sorry." she apologized. "I refuse to go with you." Allen stood up silently.

"Are you sure, Hitomi? Don't you even care for your own happiness?" Hitomi stood up as well.

"I think you're the one who wants happiness, Allen. I'm sorry..." she paused, not sure how to say it, "...but I can't give you that." He nodded, forcing a smile to his lips. He walked to the door, glancing at her. Hitomi stared straight ahead.

"Hitomi. Please cheer up." he said, and he left her. When the door shut, she sat down on her bed, putting her hand to her face. Allen had just offered her something invaluable, and she turned him down. Any other woman would think she was crazy, but Hitomi just didn't want that. In spite of Van's marriage, Hitomi still wanted to stay near, to know what was going on with him. But she never let him know that; it was too embarrassing to think of herself as Van's keeper.

Slowly, she made her way to the balcony and leaned her arms on the railing. The wind ruffled her hair around her face and she sank into deep thought.

. . .

She leapt over stars and skirted around space as she made her way from him. He chased after her, but he knew that he would never be able to keep up. Van saw her; Hitomi was running from him. He called after her, but as in most dreams, his calling seemed to fall upon the deaf ears of the one he was shouting to. Finally she vanished into thin air, leaving him in darkness. He was alone...

Van sat up in bed, gasping for breath. He gripped the blankets of his bed, squeezing them hard. Sweat ran down his face, matting his hair to the back of his neck. He looked to his right, hoping he had not woken Faye. She continued to sleep peacefully, so quietly he got out of bed and approached the window. What had his dream been about? Hitomi wouldn't leave so suddenly like that. After a few minutes of standing there, he saw a figure leave the manor, so silent that he wouldn't have noticed if it had not been dawn. Hitomi was leaving for the town. For the last month, she had been doing that. She was rarely at the manor anymore, and she only came back for meals and to sleep. He felt slightly annoyed at her behaviour. She was never around, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of loneliness. But no one would understand it; he had just been married, so he had his wife to turn to for that.

No, it wasn't as easy as that. Quietly, Van slipped on his clothes, but before he could leave, he heard a voice.

"Van? Where are you going?" Faye asked, still half asleep. He turned to her, keeping his voice soft. "Just downstairs." He left the room. He walked downstairs, determined not to let Hitomi get away from him this time. So set was he in his plan, that he didn't realize whom he had bumped into on his way down to Fanelia's marketplace. His own father-in-law, King Gendas!

"Excuse me, your Majesty!" he said awkwardly. The older man chuckled heartily, slapping him hard on the back. It took his whole sense of balance to stay standing up.

"No matter, Van! What causes you to rise at this hour?" he asked. Van looked down. "Oh, to visit a friend." he said to the floor. Gendas leaned over and smiled.

"Well, have you done it yet?" Van stared at him as if he had lost his mind.

"Done what?" he asked in complete ignorance. Gendas laughed again, crossing his arms.

"Have you made love to my daughter? Come, don't be so modest, man!" Van grinned helplessly back, managing a nervous laugh. "Uh, well you see, sir-" he began.

"You haven't." he finished for him. Van nodded, still wearing his sheepish grin. The older man stood there, undisturbed by his answer.

"Well, you'd better hurry up. You don't have forever, you know." he said, with a less humourous air. Van stared after him as he turned and left. He couldn't believe that Gendas had not left yet. Did he not trust Van with his daughter? That can't be it, he thought. He did ask me if I had done 'it'. So he's not being overprotective. Then what is it? Van tried not to think about it as he left his manor, looking for Hitomi.

. . .

Gendas strode down the hall, digging into his shirt pocket. He glanced at the piece of parchment he pulled out, and smiled. He loved the smell of freshly dried ink, especially when it had dried on a legal document such as the one he held now. He scanned it quickly a couple of times, and chuckled to himself.

"Thank you, Van Fanel. Your signature is my ticket to unlimited riches." he thought as he placed the document back in its place. He approached his daughter's room, glad that Van had left at this precise moment. Faye was the key to these riches, and only she could get close enough to the King of Fanelia to obtain them.

Not bothering to keep quiet even at that hour, Gendas burst into his daughter's room. Faye sat up in surprise, bringing the blankets over her chest. She blushed to the roots when she saw it was her father.

"Father, you surprised me." she sighed, her eyes closed. "I forgot you were still here. I thought you would have gone back to Genduta long ago..." Gendas approached his daughter, his hand on the single weapon on his belt where his weapons usually were hanged from.

"Daughter, we are related by blood. You would obey me out of love, would you not?" he asked, as he leaned closer to her, his face inches from hers. She nodded, although nervousness began to fill her features. Slyly, he revealed his dagger that was hanging from his belt to his daughter, as she stared at it, her eyes wide.

"Father, what-" she started, her voice dry. He gazed at her cunningly as he began to explain.

. . .

He continued out into Fanelia, trying to remember which direction Hitomi had gone in. That was one thing she never told him; where she would be all day. He had to convince her that she was missed, that her company was needed.

Hitomi was nowhere in town. Van tried to find her, but was unsuccessful. Finally in frustration, he departed back to his manor, hoping she had decided to stay there for the day. It was late morning when he arrived back, going down to the kitchen. He apologized to the cook for not being there for breakfast, and ate a light meal that morning. Afterward, he decided he would spend the day with his wife. He had been ignoring her lately. It was true that they had hardly been apart since their marriage, but often Van did not feel with her in spirit. He promised that he would spend this quality time with her and stop moping around.

Quietly he opened the door, in case she may have gone back to sleep, or needed privacy or something. She sat on her bed, already dressed for the day. She did not see him, and Van could see a kind of fear in her eyes. Faye...? The poor girl, she was always so worried over something. Just yesterday, she had cried over a misplaced seam in a dress she was making for Merle. But, she was not crying. So what was wrong? Van opened the door wide.

"Faye? What's wrong?" he asked, a worried edge to his voice. Looking up, she turned her head away as if ashamed. Van approached her slowly, trying to figure out why she sat there so still.

"Did you lose something? What happened?" he asked, his voice rising, although he didn't mean for it to. Faye remained there, fingering her wedding ring.

"It's nothing, Van." she smiled, but the smile lacked her usual warmth. He gazed at her, studying her expression, but it didn't tell him anything. Suddenly, she sighed, letting her arms fall to her side. Looking toward him, Faye stood up and walked over to him.

"Van, I know it's early, but..." she looked at him, her gaze intense, "Let's do it now." Van's clueless look set in, which often happened when people didn't explain themselves clearly enough.

"Huh?" he said, as she sighed again. "Van..." she breathed as she reached for her blouse. Van watched in amazement as she undid the buttons of her blouse, quietly slipping it off and letting it fall to the floor.

Before she could go any further, Van put his hand on hers, shaking his head.

"Faye, don't..." he began. She stopped, her face indignant.

"Why not? Why? We may never be able to do it ever if we don't do it now." She grabbed her blouse off the floor and angrily put it back on. While she did, Van grabbed her shoulders.

"Not now, Faye. We do it tonight, okay?" She looked up at him, tears filling her eyes. Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around him and slowly leaned her head on his chest.

"Don't worry. I could wait for ever." she declared, as he rested his head on hers, feeling very tired all of a sudden. He didn't want to keep upsetting her this way; she was his wife, of course she expected that they would make love. Van remembered what Gendas said; they wouldn't have forever.

. . .

Hitomi spread the huge quilt over the floor, letting the air allow it to float down to the floor. She had just reached the women's gathering at one of the member's homes. It was a pretty multicoloured quilt. When Hitomi first arrived, all she could do was stroke it, appreciating the hard work put into it, and happy that she could put some part of herself into it.

She turned around, facing the rest of the women gathered there. Mrs. Flias resided over them, ready to begin work on the quilt; but she actually seemed more ready to talk about what the neighbours were up to. Mrs. Flias was an old gossip, quick to point out events that happened and change them to something scandalous. Hitomi sat down to work, taking her material, a piece from her old school uniform. It would certainly show that she was officially a citizen of Fanelia, and Gaea, now that she had sewed some part of her life on Earth to her life here.

Hitomi worked quietly, not taking part in the conversation that was being thrown around the room. Mrs. Flias was arguing with Mrs. Docia over whether or not two youths in Fanelia had eloped over the last week. Mrs. Docia was right against it since it was her son she was talking about. "Ah, but you can't defend him just because of that. Where has he gone then?" Mrs. Flias asked, with that usual sauciness she added to her every word. Mrs. Docia was at a loss for an answer.

"I don't know. He said he would be back, but- he wouldn't-" Mrs. Flias laughed heartily. "That just goes to show you... you don't know anyone, even your own flesh and blood, until they do something like this. Speaking of strange behaviour, there's some really nasty rumours going around about King Van." Hitomi's ears pricked up, like Merle's did when she caught sight of something small in the grass, although she kept her eyes down.

"I heard..." Mrs. Flias lowered her voice so all the women would lean over to hear, "that the King and his wife, although married a month, they won't even get close to each other." Hitomi looked up from her work; that couldn't be true! Another woman continued the conversation, "I've heard that royal marriages often didn't work out, but don't many kings make do with whom they marry? They must produce a legitimate heir to the throne. If you ask me, the King's still hung up on a former lover. Those two will never go through with it, I'm sure." she finished. The sound of someone dropping her needlework startled the women from their talk. Hitomi watched the sunlight from a nearby window dance across the quilt, refusing to look at the others around her.

"It's not true." she said in a low voice. "Those two love each other. More than all of you old ladies love your own husbands." They gasped, and one woman stood up and said in a huff, "How would you know? You've never been married, and who would love someone so sharp-tongued and rude as you?" Hitomi stood up as well, the part of the quilt on her lap spilling to the floor.

"I'm leaving." she replied, lifting her head and staring boldly back at them, before she made her exit. As she left, she heard them still talking, now about her, "That girl, I've heard she lives in the palace with them..." Hitomi tuned out their conversation and walked out into the street toward the manor. They're all just a bunch of old gossips, she thought bitterly as she opened the door to the main hall. The rest of the day would be immensely boring now that she had left early from the women's meeting. Oh well. Maybe she could spend the day with Merle. Upon making this decision, she left to look for the cat-girl.

. . .

He stood alone in his room, waiting for the day to end. As he watched the sun travelling its daily path through the sky, he thought about his daughter and son-in-law. He had offered them one more night together. Gendas held his wine glass to the window, toasting to their short-lived romance, a smile playing upon his lips.