Chapter 5
Mina awoke two hours later to a smiling and beautiful blonde woman. Mina was automatically reminded of a picture of her mother when she was young... Who was she? This stranger could be her sister!
"Well hello there!" The woman said kindly. "I'm glad to see you're finally awake. I was afraid you might have had a concussion, but it was just a nasty bump."
She sounds like Amy, Mina thought. She tried to sit up but the blonde gently pushed her back down.
"Oh no you don't." She said reprovingly. "You just lie back and rest. Your cousin is just outside with Van. I'll get her in a minute. Are you feeling all right?" She asked.
"I'm fine." Mina said shortly.
Where exactly was she? And who was this girl bossing her around? She looked around and her mouth dropped open. This wasn't a hospital.
The walls were painted a deep navy blue and were lined with gold trim. The four-poster bed she was lying in was incredibly soft with velvet curtains the same shade as the walls. She glanced at the woman who was watching her with curiosity in her sky-blue eyes.
"W-Where am I?" Mina finally choked out.
The woman looked at her with some surprise. "Hitomi didn't tell you?" She asked.
Mina shook her head slowly. "All I remember is a bright pillar of light..." She trailed off.
The young woman suddenly looked quite alarmed and rose to her feet. She began to head towards the door.
"Wait!" Mina called. The woman stopped and turned, her white-blonde waves swinging gently. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to get Hitomi. It would be better coming from her." She said nervously.
"What would be better coming from her? Where the hell am I and just who the hell are you?" Mina demanded angrily.
The woman suddenly looked annoyed, as if Mina's tone was completely out of line, then her features softened and became sympathetic.
"My name is Milerna Sara Aston, Queen of Astoria." Mina's mouth dropped. Milerna smiled gently. "I don't suppose that means anything to you, but you must know you are not on Earth any longer." She opened the door and looked behind her once more. "Hitomi will explain everything."
And then she was gone... Mina barely noticed.
********************************************************************
Milerna came into the hall and found Hitomi, Van, Allen, and Dryden waiting outside for her. She smiled at her soon-to-be husband and he returned it, his warm brown eyes twinkling. It had been unnerving when Hitomi and Van had burst into the banquet hall, with Allen in tow, carrying a beautiful stranger. Hitomi had looked worried, Van happy, and Allen looked amazed at the unconscious girl in his arms.
Milerna had been overjoyed at Hitomi's return, but her instincts as a healer had kicked in at the sight of the girl. She had immediately pulled them aside and to her surprise, Dryden had been right behind her.
"Get her to a room." She had ordered Allen and he had nodded grimly.
She stopped a servant and demanded warm towels and tea. Her orders were quick and decisive and Hitomi had smiled at her with relief. Milerna had to smile back.
"It's nice to have you back, Hitomi." She had said, and then enveloped the girl in a warm hug that was returned fiercely.
Now the same girl was staring at her with worried eyes.
"How is she?" Hitomi asked.
"She is fine, recovering remarkably well actually. Her bruise is nearly gone now... I've never seen anything quite like it..." She trailed off, puzzled. "She is, however, quite bewildered. It would appear she does not know where she is. She seems frightened, Hitomi. I think you owe her an explanation." Milerna said seriously, though not unkindly.
Hitomi looked down. "She wasn't supposed to be there." She said quietly. Van took her hand.
"I beg your pardon?" Milerna asked.
"I said she wasn't supposed to be there." Hitomi's voice came out strong, and bitter.
"How exactly did she get here?" Dryden finally spoke.
"She followed me into the light." She answered dully. "I had a dream, a nightmare about Van. He was being torn from me, across a dimension. There was a doorway and it was getting smaller and smaller. I couldn't stop it." She said softly. She looked up and tears were in her eyes.
"Oh Hitomi..." Milerna breathed.
"I was afraid the doorway symbolized the pillar of light and I'd never see Van again." The tears finally fell and Van looked at her with concern. "So I ran out of the house the moment I woke up. Mina was there for a visit and tried to stop me. I hit her." Hitomi said, and blushed. "I hit her as hard as I could and I guess she came to. I don't know how she caught up with me, I was in full sprint the whole way and I got a head start, but she somehow did. She was trying to help me. She was afraid for me." Her voice broke and she began to sob. Van pulled her close.
"Then what happened?" Dryden asked expectantly. Milerna shot him a look that simply told him to shut up.
"I tried to stop her. I tried to call out, but she just ran into the light before I could. She was completely unafraid... and it brought her with me. I don't know how to get her home." She tried to quiet herself and Milerna gazed at her sadly.
"Do you think we can get her home?" She asked.
Hitomi raised her eyes and shrugged her shoulders despairingly. "I don't know, Milerna. I think my dream was telling me something. I think the door is closed. From the feeling in my dream... it was so insistent, I believed I had only one more chance to come back. I don't know if she can get home."
Allen had been silent for the entire duration of the conversation, but he stepped forward now. "You have to tell her." He said simply. "Tell her everything that has happened here and why you came back. She deserves to know." He smiled at her gently. "But give her hope. I give you my word of honor as a Knight of Astoria that I will try to get her back safely."
Hitomi smiled back and remembered Balgus, Van and Allen's sword master and loyal Knight of Phanalia. He had said almost the same thing to her before he had died. She had made it home, but Balgus had been killed too soon to fulfill his promise. She shivered and Van held her closer. She stood to her feet and took Van's hand again.
"All right." She said, drying her eyes. "Let's go."
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Mina looked up from over her teacup as people began to enter the room. Good, she thought, maybe now I can get some answers.
Hitomi came in first, looking very nervous. She was followed closely by a handsome, dark-haired young man with soft, yet magnetic chocolate-brown eyes. Mina blinked. They were holding hands and he seemed to loom over her, protecting her... She knew that stance. She had witnessed it before in Endymion and Serenity. The presence of love was just as strong in Hitomi and the young man as it was in the Earth Prince and Moon Princess.
The next person to enter was the young woman that had taken care of her, the queen... Mina felt an embarrassed blush rise into her cheeks, remembering the way she had spoken to her. A tall, handsome man with long brown hair and deep brown eyes followed closely behind. Glasses were perched on his nose and his smile was filled with interest.
The final person to enter the room was a tall, blonde man who could only be described as gorgeous. His long hair gleamed in the dim light and his cornflower blue eyed fixed onto Mina's. A small smile twitched at his lips as Mina quite obviously took in his masculine beauty. His shoulders were broad and his hips slim. His limbs were long, muscular, and very graceful. There was a chivalrous air about him, and she instinctively knew he was kind and fair gentleman to the core... A man very used to getting what he wanted. He was beautiful.
And he probably has a woman to match, she thought wryly. She had never seen such a handsome man! His eyes were locked onto hers and he smiled at her gently. She realized how she must look with her mouth hanging open and she managed to smile back. She tore her eyes from his and focused on Hitomi with much difficulty. She suddenly remembered she wasn't where she was supposed to be and her smile vanished.
"Hi, Mina." Hitomi said.
"Hitomi, where am I? What happened?" Mina demanded, deciding to skip the formalities.
Mina wasn't afraid, not yet anyway. She had been off of Earth before, but this place was new. As a Sailor Scout she had visited planets inhabited by strange creatures, but the room appeared to be filled with normal human beings. This place was obviously different from home- the medieval-era clothing style was a perfect example- but there was still a certain familiarity about it.
"Mina, to fully explain this situation, I will have to start at the beginning." Hitomi said. Mina nodded a sat up straighter. Milerna motioned everyone towards the armchairs located around the room. Hitomi chose to sit on the edge of the bed. She lowered her head and sighed softly.
"Ready when you are." Mina said, watching her expectantly.
Mina awoke two hours later to a smiling and beautiful blonde woman. Mina was automatically reminded of a picture of her mother when she was young... Who was she? This stranger could be her sister!
"Well hello there!" The woman said kindly. "I'm glad to see you're finally awake. I was afraid you might have had a concussion, but it was just a nasty bump."
She sounds like Amy, Mina thought. She tried to sit up but the blonde gently pushed her back down.
"Oh no you don't." She said reprovingly. "You just lie back and rest. Your cousin is just outside with Van. I'll get her in a minute. Are you feeling all right?" She asked.
"I'm fine." Mina said shortly.
Where exactly was she? And who was this girl bossing her around? She looked around and her mouth dropped open. This wasn't a hospital.
The walls were painted a deep navy blue and were lined with gold trim. The four-poster bed she was lying in was incredibly soft with velvet curtains the same shade as the walls. She glanced at the woman who was watching her with curiosity in her sky-blue eyes.
"W-Where am I?" Mina finally choked out.
The woman looked at her with some surprise. "Hitomi didn't tell you?" She asked.
Mina shook her head slowly. "All I remember is a bright pillar of light..." She trailed off.
The young woman suddenly looked quite alarmed and rose to her feet. She began to head towards the door.
"Wait!" Mina called. The woman stopped and turned, her white-blonde waves swinging gently. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to get Hitomi. It would be better coming from her." She said nervously.
"What would be better coming from her? Where the hell am I and just who the hell are you?" Mina demanded angrily.
The woman suddenly looked annoyed, as if Mina's tone was completely out of line, then her features softened and became sympathetic.
"My name is Milerna Sara Aston, Queen of Astoria." Mina's mouth dropped. Milerna smiled gently. "I don't suppose that means anything to you, but you must know you are not on Earth any longer." She opened the door and looked behind her once more. "Hitomi will explain everything."
And then she was gone... Mina barely noticed.
********************************************************************
Milerna came into the hall and found Hitomi, Van, Allen, and Dryden waiting outside for her. She smiled at her soon-to-be husband and he returned it, his warm brown eyes twinkling. It had been unnerving when Hitomi and Van had burst into the banquet hall, with Allen in tow, carrying a beautiful stranger. Hitomi had looked worried, Van happy, and Allen looked amazed at the unconscious girl in his arms.
Milerna had been overjoyed at Hitomi's return, but her instincts as a healer had kicked in at the sight of the girl. She had immediately pulled them aside and to her surprise, Dryden had been right behind her.
"Get her to a room." She had ordered Allen and he had nodded grimly.
She stopped a servant and demanded warm towels and tea. Her orders were quick and decisive and Hitomi had smiled at her with relief. Milerna had to smile back.
"It's nice to have you back, Hitomi." She had said, and then enveloped the girl in a warm hug that was returned fiercely.
Now the same girl was staring at her with worried eyes.
"How is she?" Hitomi asked.
"She is fine, recovering remarkably well actually. Her bruise is nearly gone now... I've never seen anything quite like it..." She trailed off, puzzled. "She is, however, quite bewildered. It would appear she does not know where she is. She seems frightened, Hitomi. I think you owe her an explanation." Milerna said seriously, though not unkindly.
Hitomi looked down. "She wasn't supposed to be there." She said quietly. Van took her hand.
"I beg your pardon?" Milerna asked.
"I said she wasn't supposed to be there." Hitomi's voice came out strong, and bitter.
"How exactly did she get here?" Dryden finally spoke.
"She followed me into the light." She answered dully. "I had a dream, a nightmare about Van. He was being torn from me, across a dimension. There was a doorway and it was getting smaller and smaller. I couldn't stop it." She said softly. She looked up and tears were in her eyes.
"Oh Hitomi..." Milerna breathed.
"I was afraid the doorway symbolized the pillar of light and I'd never see Van again." The tears finally fell and Van looked at her with concern. "So I ran out of the house the moment I woke up. Mina was there for a visit and tried to stop me. I hit her." Hitomi said, and blushed. "I hit her as hard as I could and I guess she came to. I don't know how she caught up with me, I was in full sprint the whole way and I got a head start, but she somehow did. She was trying to help me. She was afraid for me." Her voice broke and she began to sob. Van pulled her close.
"Then what happened?" Dryden asked expectantly. Milerna shot him a look that simply told him to shut up.
"I tried to stop her. I tried to call out, but she just ran into the light before I could. She was completely unafraid... and it brought her with me. I don't know how to get her home." She tried to quiet herself and Milerna gazed at her sadly.
"Do you think we can get her home?" She asked.
Hitomi raised her eyes and shrugged her shoulders despairingly. "I don't know, Milerna. I think my dream was telling me something. I think the door is closed. From the feeling in my dream... it was so insistent, I believed I had only one more chance to come back. I don't know if she can get home."
Allen had been silent for the entire duration of the conversation, but he stepped forward now. "You have to tell her." He said simply. "Tell her everything that has happened here and why you came back. She deserves to know." He smiled at her gently. "But give her hope. I give you my word of honor as a Knight of Astoria that I will try to get her back safely."
Hitomi smiled back and remembered Balgus, Van and Allen's sword master and loyal Knight of Phanalia. He had said almost the same thing to her before he had died. She had made it home, but Balgus had been killed too soon to fulfill his promise. She shivered and Van held her closer. She stood to her feet and took Van's hand again.
"All right." She said, drying her eyes. "Let's go."
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Mina looked up from over her teacup as people began to enter the room. Good, she thought, maybe now I can get some answers.
Hitomi came in first, looking very nervous. She was followed closely by a handsome, dark-haired young man with soft, yet magnetic chocolate-brown eyes. Mina blinked. They were holding hands and he seemed to loom over her, protecting her... She knew that stance. She had witnessed it before in Endymion and Serenity. The presence of love was just as strong in Hitomi and the young man as it was in the Earth Prince and Moon Princess.
The next person to enter was the young woman that had taken care of her, the queen... Mina felt an embarrassed blush rise into her cheeks, remembering the way she had spoken to her. A tall, handsome man with long brown hair and deep brown eyes followed closely behind. Glasses were perched on his nose and his smile was filled with interest.
The final person to enter the room was a tall, blonde man who could only be described as gorgeous. His long hair gleamed in the dim light and his cornflower blue eyed fixed onto Mina's. A small smile twitched at his lips as Mina quite obviously took in his masculine beauty. His shoulders were broad and his hips slim. His limbs were long, muscular, and very graceful. There was a chivalrous air about him, and she instinctively knew he was kind and fair gentleman to the core... A man very used to getting what he wanted. He was beautiful.
And he probably has a woman to match, she thought wryly. She had never seen such a handsome man! His eyes were locked onto hers and he smiled at her gently. She realized how she must look with her mouth hanging open and she managed to smile back. She tore her eyes from his and focused on Hitomi with much difficulty. She suddenly remembered she wasn't where she was supposed to be and her smile vanished.
"Hi, Mina." Hitomi said.
"Hitomi, where am I? What happened?" Mina demanded, deciding to skip the formalities.
Mina wasn't afraid, not yet anyway. She had been off of Earth before, but this place was new. As a Sailor Scout she had visited planets inhabited by strange creatures, but the room appeared to be filled with normal human beings. This place was obviously different from home- the medieval-era clothing style was a perfect example- but there was still a certain familiarity about it.
"Mina, to fully explain this situation, I will have to start at the beginning." Hitomi said. Mina nodded a sat up straighter. Milerna motioned everyone towards the armchairs located around the room. Hitomi chose to sit on the edge of the bed. She lowered her head and sighed softly.
"Ready when you are." Mina said, watching her expectantly.