Catching the King's Eye
Disclaimer: Vision of Escaflowne doesn't belong to me.
Fei-fei chan I'm sorry for taking so long! It's been tough in school and considering I'm in my senior year, I have to prepare my papers for entering universities. Gomen! I know I'm going at a snail's pace here, but bear with me. Don't worry, I will not abandon this story, I just have to tone down in updating until I find time.
Previously on Catching the King's Eye:
Before Van was completely dragged away, he spared a glance at Hitomi, and what he saw shocked him. He saw in Hitomi's emerald eyes anger, but most of all, grief, all directed at him. Van suddenly felt miserable and he found that he couldn't stand the sight of Hitomi looking sad. 'What is this I'm feeling?' He couldn't ponder on that thought for too long because he was already in the presence of his advisors, but he couldn't get Hitomi out of his mind. 'What is going on with me?' Even the sight of Susanna couldn't calm Van's raging feelings.
Chapter 3: No Longer Blindfolded
Van paced around his room, walking back and forth with his eyes closed in deep concentration. His mind was clouded with thoughts of a certain emerald-eyed lady, 'What's happening to me? I like Susanna...' His thoughts were interrupted when he heard lots of women chattering outside the palace, he opened his eyes and looked out the window.
The women were waiting outside the castle, waiting for their respective carriages to take them home. Van sneaked a glance at them and wondered how they could talk so much and managed a smile despite his inner turmoil, 'Women...' His peripheral vision caught a woman with sandy blond hair and almost immediately, Van swerved his head to take on Hitomi's full sight.
All at once, Van felt as if his troubles floated away just at the sight of Hitomi. His mouth opened up to a grin, making Van look like a raving lunatic. But as sudden as the happiness came, it left him, 'Wait a minute! Why am I acting like this? I like Susanna...I like Susanna...'He continued saying that to himself, almost like a mantra. It was as if he said it to convince himself of liking Susanna. Van closed his eyes once more and repeated to himself, 'I like Susanna...I like Susanna...'
His eyes suddenly opened, as if it was a traitor, not wanting to heed Van's incessant mantra. His eyes strayed again to Hitomi and all of a sudden his mantra went with the wind, 'I like Susanna...I like Susanna...I like...I...Hitomi...Hitomi.' Van heaved a sigh, a sigh that didn't signify weariness but that of something else. He seemed to have noticed it too and he berated himself, starting with his mantra once more.
'I like Susanna...I like Susanna...Don't I?' Van threw his arms up in frustration and paced around his room again, all the more confused than when he started pacing that morning.
* * *
Hitomi was sitting patiently on her bed, waiting for the servants to come and take her bags so that she can finally go home. Her mind relieved what had happened yesterday and how she met the King but it all went to waste, the King found his match. He found his match in someone prettier than her, has more curves than her, she can go on and on about the characteristics of that woman.
"Stop this, Hitomi! You're only making things worse," Hitomi told herself.
She decided to think of other things other than Van and Susanna. She focused her mind, instead, on going home. 'I can't wait to get home and see my friends and my family.' She sighed happily and thought of what she would do once she got home, she would go see her best friend, Yukari and tell her the wonderful things that happened to her in the palace. 'Oh, how I'd love to see Yukari and her fiancé, Amano. They look so good together!' Hitomi gushed at the thought of the couple and wished she could find a love for herself, too. 'I'm going to tell Yukari of the things that happened to me here, I'm sure she'll be so interested. I'll tell her about the palace, the gardens, the beautiful scenery, and King Van...'
Hitomi blushed just at the thought of his name. She was practically glowing just thinking of him. 'I said I wasn't going to think of him, but here I am blushing like a tomato thinking of him. I'm not going to think of him, I am not! I'm not going to think of his beautiful eyes, his unruly hair which made him look more handsome, and his...aahh! There I go again, but I can't help it!'
Hitomi almost jumped out of her skin when there was a knock on the door and a voice from the other side asked, "Lady Hitomi, may I come in to fetch your luggage?"
She managed to catch her breath from the fright she got and managed to let out an audible, "Yes, you may enter."
Hitomi watched as the servants brought out her things, and then she finally stood up from the bed and went out to front of the palace to wait for her ride home.
Hitomi watched as the women gathered outside, talking amongst themselves. Everyone was happy to finally go home, but at the same time, they were sad not to have been chosen by the King, 'Well, add me up to that list,' thought Hitomi to herself. She would have continued sulking if someone hadn't gone up and talk to her.
She talked animatedly with the girl in front of her, laughing at the stories the girl had. 'This is what I miss, someone to talk to. Well, I'm going to be seeing Yukari in a while.' And with that thought, Hitomi burst into a wide smile, one that lighted up her whole face and making her look all the more beautiful.
All of a sudden, she felt someone's eyes on her. She looked up and saw the King looking down at them from his quarters. Hitomi quickly looked away, embarrassed to have even looked at him. Although she felt his eyes bearing on her back, she refused to glance at him. She felt as if the King's stare was on and off, one minute it was there and then gone the next. Hitomi speculated the idea but thought it impossible, 'It's not as if he's opening and closing his eyes...nope, that's not it at all.'
Finally, Hitomi's carriage arrived and she got up the courage to sneak a glance at the king but found out that he disappeared. She couldn't hide the disappointment in her eyes and was rooted to the spot until the footmen grabbed her attention, "Lady Hitomi?" Hitomi looked at him and managing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, she got on the carriage and they sped on home.
* * *
"Brother? Where are you? It's time to leave already!" Celena called out. It was time for them to leave, where was her brother? Celena's calm face was marred with a hint of impatience, where was that brother of hers?
Celena strode of to the garden and spotted someone with long, blond hair standing beneath a tree and she ran up to him, smiling. "There you are, Allen. It's time for us to leave; the carriage is ready to take us to Fanelia."
Allen looked at his sister and smiled, "Alright, I'll be right there."
TBC
Next on Catching the King's Eye: Allen's coming to Fanelia! What will happen when he gets there? And what of Hitomi and Van? Stay tuned for the next chapter to find out!
Author's Note: I'm really sorry I can't reply to those who reviewed because I have school tomorrow. I promise next time, I'll reply. ^_^ Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I do hope that you give me some suggestions on what will happen next. I'm looking forward to your ideas and suggestions! Oh, I want to give a special thanks to all those who reviewed because if not for your persistence, I wouldn't have updated now. ^_^
Disclaimer: Vision of Escaflowne doesn't belong to me.
Fei-fei chan I'm sorry for taking so long! It's been tough in school and considering I'm in my senior year, I have to prepare my papers for entering universities. Gomen! I know I'm going at a snail's pace here, but bear with me. Don't worry, I will not abandon this story, I just have to tone down in updating until I find time.
Previously on Catching the King's Eye:
Before Van was completely dragged away, he spared a glance at Hitomi, and what he saw shocked him. He saw in Hitomi's emerald eyes anger, but most of all, grief, all directed at him. Van suddenly felt miserable and he found that he couldn't stand the sight of Hitomi looking sad. 'What is this I'm feeling?' He couldn't ponder on that thought for too long because he was already in the presence of his advisors, but he couldn't get Hitomi out of his mind. 'What is going on with me?' Even the sight of Susanna couldn't calm Van's raging feelings.
Chapter 3: No Longer Blindfolded
Van paced around his room, walking back and forth with his eyes closed in deep concentration. His mind was clouded with thoughts of a certain emerald-eyed lady, 'What's happening to me? I like Susanna...' His thoughts were interrupted when he heard lots of women chattering outside the palace, he opened his eyes and looked out the window.
The women were waiting outside the castle, waiting for their respective carriages to take them home. Van sneaked a glance at them and wondered how they could talk so much and managed a smile despite his inner turmoil, 'Women...' His peripheral vision caught a woman with sandy blond hair and almost immediately, Van swerved his head to take on Hitomi's full sight.
All at once, Van felt as if his troubles floated away just at the sight of Hitomi. His mouth opened up to a grin, making Van look like a raving lunatic. But as sudden as the happiness came, it left him, 'Wait a minute! Why am I acting like this? I like Susanna...I like Susanna...'He continued saying that to himself, almost like a mantra. It was as if he said it to convince himself of liking Susanna. Van closed his eyes once more and repeated to himself, 'I like Susanna...I like Susanna...'
His eyes suddenly opened, as if it was a traitor, not wanting to heed Van's incessant mantra. His eyes strayed again to Hitomi and all of a sudden his mantra went with the wind, 'I like Susanna...I like Susanna...I like...I...Hitomi...Hitomi.' Van heaved a sigh, a sigh that didn't signify weariness but that of something else. He seemed to have noticed it too and he berated himself, starting with his mantra once more.
'I like Susanna...I like Susanna...Don't I?' Van threw his arms up in frustration and paced around his room again, all the more confused than when he started pacing that morning.
* * *
Hitomi was sitting patiently on her bed, waiting for the servants to come and take her bags so that she can finally go home. Her mind relieved what had happened yesterday and how she met the King but it all went to waste, the King found his match. He found his match in someone prettier than her, has more curves than her, she can go on and on about the characteristics of that woman.
"Stop this, Hitomi! You're only making things worse," Hitomi told herself.
She decided to think of other things other than Van and Susanna. She focused her mind, instead, on going home. 'I can't wait to get home and see my friends and my family.' She sighed happily and thought of what she would do once she got home, she would go see her best friend, Yukari and tell her the wonderful things that happened to her in the palace. 'Oh, how I'd love to see Yukari and her fiancé, Amano. They look so good together!' Hitomi gushed at the thought of the couple and wished she could find a love for herself, too. 'I'm going to tell Yukari of the things that happened to me here, I'm sure she'll be so interested. I'll tell her about the palace, the gardens, the beautiful scenery, and King Van...'
Hitomi blushed just at the thought of his name. She was practically glowing just thinking of him. 'I said I wasn't going to think of him, but here I am blushing like a tomato thinking of him. I'm not going to think of him, I am not! I'm not going to think of his beautiful eyes, his unruly hair which made him look more handsome, and his...aahh! There I go again, but I can't help it!'
Hitomi almost jumped out of her skin when there was a knock on the door and a voice from the other side asked, "Lady Hitomi, may I come in to fetch your luggage?"
She managed to catch her breath from the fright she got and managed to let out an audible, "Yes, you may enter."
Hitomi watched as the servants brought out her things, and then she finally stood up from the bed and went out to front of the palace to wait for her ride home.
Hitomi watched as the women gathered outside, talking amongst themselves. Everyone was happy to finally go home, but at the same time, they were sad not to have been chosen by the King, 'Well, add me up to that list,' thought Hitomi to herself. She would have continued sulking if someone hadn't gone up and talk to her.
She talked animatedly with the girl in front of her, laughing at the stories the girl had. 'This is what I miss, someone to talk to. Well, I'm going to be seeing Yukari in a while.' And with that thought, Hitomi burst into a wide smile, one that lighted up her whole face and making her look all the more beautiful.
All of a sudden, she felt someone's eyes on her. She looked up and saw the King looking down at them from his quarters. Hitomi quickly looked away, embarrassed to have even looked at him. Although she felt his eyes bearing on her back, she refused to glance at him. She felt as if the King's stare was on and off, one minute it was there and then gone the next. Hitomi speculated the idea but thought it impossible, 'It's not as if he's opening and closing his eyes...nope, that's not it at all.'
Finally, Hitomi's carriage arrived and she got up the courage to sneak a glance at the king but found out that he disappeared. She couldn't hide the disappointment in her eyes and was rooted to the spot until the footmen grabbed her attention, "Lady Hitomi?" Hitomi looked at him and managing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, she got on the carriage and they sped on home.
* * *
"Brother? Where are you? It's time to leave already!" Celena called out. It was time for them to leave, where was her brother? Celena's calm face was marred with a hint of impatience, where was that brother of hers?
Celena strode of to the garden and spotted someone with long, blond hair standing beneath a tree and she ran up to him, smiling. "There you are, Allen. It's time for us to leave; the carriage is ready to take us to Fanelia."
Allen looked at his sister and smiled, "Alright, I'll be right there."
TBC
Next on Catching the King's Eye: Allen's coming to Fanelia! What will happen when he gets there? And what of Hitomi and Van? Stay tuned for the next chapter to find out!
Author's Note: I'm really sorry I can't reply to those who reviewed because I have school tomorrow. I promise next time, I'll reply. ^_^ Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I do hope that you give me some suggestions on what will happen next. I'm looking forward to your ideas and suggestions! Oh, I want to give a special thanks to all those who reviewed because if not for your persistence, I wouldn't have updated now. ^_^