Thanks for all the reviews. Whoa, haven't said that in a while but I'm always grateful for feedback, even if I don't say so. So keep 'em comin'.

As you can probably tell from the title, this isn't a very happy chapter. Just warning you.

Anyway, enjoy as best you can.

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"Nice of you to join us in the real world." Millerna's worry partially subsided as Van's vision unclouded. She smiled weakly at him. "That must have been quite a daydream. You really spaced out for a second there. We were worried."

"Yeah, sorry about that." Van rubbed the back of his head, disheveling his groomed ebony tresses. His brow furrowed. "I don't really know what just happened."

"Well are you alright now? Because I could really use some help...w-with Al-len." Millerna's voice wavered as she looked down at the man in her lap. He was in bad shape and the young queen wasn't sure if he was going to pull through, regardless of him getting the best medical attention. When she and Van had pulled him from his guymelef he was barely breathing, barely conscious. Now he was more awake but still having trouble breathing and his chest was hemorrhaging tremendously.

Allen had managed to obstruct the blood flow slightly by rapping a make- shift bandage around his chest but it was now soaked in the warm red liquid flowing from his wounds. Millerna wasn't sure how the blond man was still alive, let alone conscious, from the pain that had been inflicted upon him, but she was determined to do everything she could for him.

Van noticed a single tear roll down Millerna's cheek before she quickly wiped it away. She really did love Allen and Van could tell it was breaking her heart to see him suffer. Hell, it was breaking his heart too. There was simply no way that Allen could have been the one who had attacked him earlier in Scherazade. Van didn't know who else it could have been, but he was not prepared to accept the fact that his old friend had turned on him. It was impossible, and it didn't make sense. Nothing about the whole day was making any sense.

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"Aagh!!" Dilandau threw his hands up as he let out a frustrated cry. He was still aggravated and so he turned his attention to the cell wall, punching it hard.

"Ow...Fuck!" He recoiled his fist and shook it, willing the feeling to return to his bruised and battered knuckles.

Hitomi had been watching Dilandau rant for the past five minutes. She had no idea what was going on or who the former dragon slayer was talking about. He kept referring to someone as HE: 'Why does HE do this to me? I get so close and then HE stops me. HE gives me something and just when I start to enjoy myself...HE takes it away.' Hitomi was very confused and desperately wanted answers to the questions that were eating at her. Like, 'Who is HE?' 'How did Dilandau get here?' and more importantly, 'Where is here?'

The blond girl was jostled from her thoughts when she realized Dilandau's concentration was now fixed on her. He had stopped pacing and was slumped on the stone floor, his elbows resting on his knees. His intense red eyes were locked on hers and his mouth formed a scowl.

"And then HE gives me you," Hitomi felt like the albino's fiery gaze would burn right through her, "But I can't enjoy taking my revenge on you because I'm so afraid HE'll stop me."

Hitomi had had enough. It was time to ask who HE was.

"Um...Dilandau?"

"What?" He looked tiredly at the girl.

"Who are you talking about? Who is HE?"

"Who is HE?" Dilandau huffed, looking at the cell door. "I'm wondering that myself." He glanced back to Hitomi. "He gave me a name but I'm sure it's just an alias. He won't tell me who he really is, and I can't guess."

"What name did he give you?"

"Velannaf." Malice seeped from every pore as Dilandau spoke the name of his new master.

Hitomi's eyes widened in absolute shock: Velannaf was the man that had just come to visit her. Van had just come to see her. Van was Velannaf. But why would Van promise Dilandau that he could have his revenge on himself. Something was not right.

"Dilandau?"

"Hm?" Dilandau mumbled, his head leaning on his arms.

"Where are we?"

"Gaea." He stated the obvious.

"No, where in Gaea?"

"A dungeon."

Hitomi was beginning to get annoyed with Dilandau's evasive answers. She walked up to him and much to her surprise, and Dilandau's, she slammed him to the wall, pinning his shoulders against the cold stone.

"Who's dungeon?"

The albino was so shocked by the sudden aggressive nature coming from the girl that he could not work his tongue to answer. She shook him when he would not reply.

"Who's dungeon are we in, and don't tell me it belongs to 'someone'."

"Van." Dilandau managed to spit out the name.

"What?"

The white haired boy wriggled out of Hitomi's grasp and stood up.

"This dungeon belongs to Van. It is the Fanelian Palace dungeon." Dilandau smirked, the shock and anger now replaced with amusement. "Velannaf's hiding you right under Van's nose and the pathetic excuse for a king has no idea. He'd never think to look for you in his own dungeon."

Hitomi was dumbfounded as she knelt on the floor. Staring off into space, she tried to put everything together but things were making even less sense now then they had before. How could Van be hiding her in his dungeon and not know that she was there if he had just come to see her? It was all giving her a headache.

"What's wrong? Praying that Van will come and save you?" Dilandau had noticed the girl in deep thought.

"He won't save me." Hitomi said downcast.

"Oh?" Dilandau raised and eyebrow. He was intrigued. "And why is that?"

"Because...he already said goodbye." Hitomi's eyes sparkled with tears as she raised her head to face Dilandau.

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"Van." Millerna spoke with more power than she felt in her heart. "Go get help while I change Allen's bandages. I want to quell the bleeding before we move him."

Van nodded his head, accepting the order the young queen gave him. He turned on his heels and ran towards the garden entrance to the palace.

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"I wouldn't waste my energy Van."

The young king halted in his tracks. He searched for the source of the voice that had just addressed him so informally. A man in a dark cloak stepped out of the shadows, blocking Van's path to the entrance.

"Get out of my way, whoever you are!" Van waved his hand at the dark figure. "Allen needs help."

The shadow turned his hooded head to Allen and Millerna.

"Yes, he does. But any attempt to save him would just be a waste of time and energy. It's too late for the gallant knight I'm afraid."

Van frowned. "What are you talking about?" His eyes traced back to his friends; they with disbelief. "What? No..."

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Millerna gently brushed unruly strands of hair from the blond knight's bruising face. "You're going to be alright." She whispered softly, reaching for the bandage on his chest. She stopped when his hand weakly grasped hers. She stared into hazy blue eyes. Allen painfully raised his hand to caress the young queen's cheek. Millerna leaned into his palm, holding his hand close.

"Allen." She said, tears brimming in her eyes. "Allen, please let me help you."

"I-it's too late-"

"No!" Millerna cried, tears pouring uncontrollably. "No, it can't be too late. Don't say that. You're strong. Just hold on a little longer. Everything will be fine...just hold on..." She sobbed.

"Millerna." Allen said in the most commanding but soft tone he could muster at the moment. "Millerna look at me."

The young queen stopped crying long enough to stare deeply into Allen's eyes.

"Millerna, I love you." He traced his fingers across her rosy lips. "I needed to tell you that before...before-"

Allen howled and arched his back as an intense wave of pain coursed through his body. Millerna held the blond knight close, hoping to comfort him but his cries only lasted for mere moments before a calm overtook his body. Millerna pulled away, peering into Allen's visionless blue orbs. A new storm of sadness poured, and her hands trembled as she closed Allen's eyes. She placed a delicate kiss on the blond knight's forehead.

"I love you too Allen. I always have, and I always will."

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Well now. That was a lovely bit of sap. If you were expecting anything more tear jerking, it ain't gonna happen. I don't really do that whole lovey-dovey stuff so this is the best you guys'll get from me.

This is the second chapter I've written with the intention of letting you all in on Velannaf's final plan. But yet again I have disappointed you.

I'm sorry...but not really. Mwa ha ha

It will be in the next chapter...hopefully.