[And here we are with the next chapter. Thank you to everyone who reviewed
for the last one. Again, I'm sorry it took me so long. And again with the
reminder that I have deleted the old chapters 6-8 and these are new
chapters. Some things may seem like they are the same but that is just how
it is, so deal with it. Keh. Sorry. Just have fun and read the story.]
Chapter 7: Aren't Picnics Supposed to be Outside?
May the best man win?
I am utterly confused. I don't know whether I should be outraged or grateful. Perhaps I should settle for indignant relief. Yeah . . . that sounds about right. Indignant for treating Hitomi like an object to fight for (although . . . I'm not going to back down) and relieved that he didn't press me any further on the issue.
He's my friend I think. Even though we disagree on so many things. I can admit to myself that I can be too hasty in my decisions and that people can get hurt because of them. He almost reminds me of my brother . . . and *that* brings up painful memories. My brother is dead. He betrayed Fanelia; I'll have nothing to do with him.
But as difficult as it is for me to admit, Allen is my friend, even though 'this' has happened. He has saved me repeatedly in battle and even rescued me from my bastard of a brother. And now we are friendly rivals. I'm glad he is here but I wish he were gone all in one breath.
"Van?"
Hitomi's voice jerks me out of my reverie. It filters hesitantly through the door.
"Van, Allen told me you were awake, can I come in?"
Why would Allen tell her that? Does he *want* me to win? "Hai, come on in, Hitomi."
And for what seems to be the thousandth time today, the door slides open. Hitomi, dressed in simple but flattering Freidian garments enters the room, closing the door behind her. She's frowning at me . . .?
"Van Fanel! You aren't supposed to be sitting up yet! Surely you know better! Your wound could re-open and then you could get sick and then where would we be?"
Taken aback, I can only stare at her in amazement. She's pretty when she's angry.
"Van?"
Now she is looking at me strangely a light blush gracing her cheeks. Uh-oh, I should . . . uh . . . say something . . . yeah . . . say something . . .
"I'm fine. I had to sit up when Allen came to talk to me. It's weird lying down and talking to people who are sitting. You worry to much."
Oops. That was great, Van. Way to win her affection . . . I've lost before the battle has even begun. Maybe Allen was hoping I would screw it up.
Hitomi's eyes narrow . . . here we go . . .
"Fine are you? You were nearly impaled on a metal spike, you were asleep for hours and you needed surgery, and you are trying to tell me you are fine?! I certainly hope that all kings aren't as stubborn as you. Now lie back down." Her eyes are flashing but I can see a hint of mischief in their green depths. She enjoys lecturing me?
I hold up my hands in a gesture of complacency. "Alright, Hitomi. I'm lying down. I don't want to be the cause of your worry." I carefully ease myself back down to a supine position. So embarrassing . . .
Hitomi smiles brilliantly before coming to sit next to my head. "Thank you, Van." She reaches to ruffle my wild hair. Maybe I haven't lost yet . . .
But still . . . a question nags at me. Why would Allen tell Hitomi I was awake? I'd better find out . . . nice and subtle now, Van. Tread carefully.
"Who told you I was awake again?" Oh that's real subtle. . . .
Shut up.
Hitomi removes her hand from my hair . . . dang it.
"Allen did. Well . . . not really. I saw him coming down the hall from your room and I asked him if you were up. He seemed rather put out when I declined going to breakfast with him." Her eyes flash again. "It's a good thing I did though since you were sitting up when you weren't supposed to be! Besides, now we can have a little picnic breakfast here in your room."
Van: 1, Allen: 0. I allow myself a smug inward smirk.
Picnic?
"Don't picnics usually require an outdoor location?" I raise an eyebrow at her amusedly.
Hitomi sniffs haughtily. "Technically, yes. But you aren't recovered enough yet to move outside, I asked a servant to bring us breakfast. She should be here soon . . ."
"Miss?" Another muffled voice from behind the door announces the arrival of the servant. Hitomi smiles brightly.
"And here she is now . . . come in Silvana."
My eyebrows rise slightly. She took the time to learn the name of the servant. I've never know anyone but me to bother . . .
"Thank you, Silvana. No, we won't be needing anything else." Hitomi smiles at the serving girl before showing her out the door. I can't help but smile.
As Hitomi brings the basket over, I scratch my chin speculatively. " You know, Hitomi, it doesn't count as a picnic unless we are outside. Since you seem dead set against letting me get up and go out, I think you owe me a true picnic."
Yes, Van, go! Be suave and confident. Be the man that Allen is . . . without the womanizing problem.
Hitomi smiles again cheerfully. " Of course, Van. But not for a while. You need to rest. Now, let's eat." She proceeds to take food out of the basket and set plates and glasses and silverware upon a small blanket. I'm *still* lying down.
"Uh, Hitomi . . . don't you think it might be a bit difficult for me to eat while lying down? I'm liable to choke on the food." I grin impishly at her. I haven't smiled this much in a long time.
She frowns, piqued. "Well, I suppose you will have to sit up again. I'm sorry, Van, I didn't think about that when I made you lie down."
"Don't worry about it."
I strain again to lift myself to my former sitting position. I'm concentrating too much to see her move to my side to assist me. I only realize where she's gone when I feel her cool hands on my shoulders. It's embarrassing but I relax into her hands and allow her to push me up the rest of the way. I'm in more pain than I'd care to admit to anyone, and my muscles are already groaning in protest to my earlier movements. If this were anyone other than Hitomi I would have pushed myself up no matter what. But she understands that everyone can be weak sometimes. And as much as I dislike being weak in front of anyone, it's as if she knows me better than anyone else, and I've only just met her. Maybe I should believe in fate. It's been such a short amount of time since I've met her but I can't picture my life without her in it. If only I had the courage to tell *her* that . . .
[Please review on your way out! Thanks for reading!]
Chapter 7: Aren't Picnics Supposed to be Outside?
May the best man win?
I am utterly confused. I don't know whether I should be outraged or grateful. Perhaps I should settle for indignant relief. Yeah . . . that sounds about right. Indignant for treating Hitomi like an object to fight for (although . . . I'm not going to back down) and relieved that he didn't press me any further on the issue.
He's my friend I think. Even though we disagree on so many things. I can admit to myself that I can be too hasty in my decisions and that people can get hurt because of them. He almost reminds me of my brother . . . and *that* brings up painful memories. My brother is dead. He betrayed Fanelia; I'll have nothing to do with him.
But as difficult as it is for me to admit, Allen is my friend, even though 'this' has happened. He has saved me repeatedly in battle and even rescued me from my bastard of a brother. And now we are friendly rivals. I'm glad he is here but I wish he were gone all in one breath.
"Van?"
Hitomi's voice jerks me out of my reverie. It filters hesitantly through the door.
"Van, Allen told me you were awake, can I come in?"
Why would Allen tell her that? Does he *want* me to win? "Hai, come on in, Hitomi."
And for what seems to be the thousandth time today, the door slides open. Hitomi, dressed in simple but flattering Freidian garments enters the room, closing the door behind her. She's frowning at me . . .?
"Van Fanel! You aren't supposed to be sitting up yet! Surely you know better! Your wound could re-open and then you could get sick and then where would we be?"
Taken aback, I can only stare at her in amazement. She's pretty when she's angry.
"Van?"
Now she is looking at me strangely a light blush gracing her cheeks. Uh-oh, I should . . . uh . . . say something . . . yeah . . . say something . . .
"I'm fine. I had to sit up when Allen came to talk to me. It's weird lying down and talking to people who are sitting. You worry to much."
Oops. That was great, Van. Way to win her affection . . . I've lost before the battle has even begun. Maybe Allen was hoping I would screw it up.
Hitomi's eyes narrow . . . here we go . . .
"Fine are you? You were nearly impaled on a metal spike, you were asleep for hours and you needed surgery, and you are trying to tell me you are fine?! I certainly hope that all kings aren't as stubborn as you. Now lie back down." Her eyes are flashing but I can see a hint of mischief in their green depths. She enjoys lecturing me?
I hold up my hands in a gesture of complacency. "Alright, Hitomi. I'm lying down. I don't want to be the cause of your worry." I carefully ease myself back down to a supine position. So embarrassing . . .
Hitomi smiles brilliantly before coming to sit next to my head. "Thank you, Van." She reaches to ruffle my wild hair. Maybe I haven't lost yet . . .
But still . . . a question nags at me. Why would Allen tell Hitomi I was awake? I'd better find out . . . nice and subtle now, Van. Tread carefully.
"Who told you I was awake again?" Oh that's real subtle. . . .
Shut up.
Hitomi removes her hand from my hair . . . dang it.
"Allen did. Well . . . not really. I saw him coming down the hall from your room and I asked him if you were up. He seemed rather put out when I declined going to breakfast with him." Her eyes flash again. "It's a good thing I did though since you were sitting up when you weren't supposed to be! Besides, now we can have a little picnic breakfast here in your room."
Van: 1, Allen: 0. I allow myself a smug inward smirk.
Picnic?
"Don't picnics usually require an outdoor location?" I raise an eyebrow at her amusedly.
Hitomi sniffs haughtily. "Technically, yes. But you aren't recovered enough yet to move outside, I asked a servant to bring us breakfast. She should be here soon . . ."
"Miss?" Another muffled voice from behind the door announces the arrival of the servant. Hitomi smiles brightly.
"And here she is now . . . come in Silvana."
My eyebrows rise slightly. She took the time to learn the name of the servant. I've never know anyone but me to bother . . .
"Thank you, Silvana. No, we won't be needing anything else." Hitomi smiles at the serving girl before showing her out the door. I can't help but smile.
As Hitomi brings the basket over, I scratch my chin speculatively. " You know, Hitomi, it doesn't count as a picnic unless we are outside. Since you seem dead set against letting me get up and go out, I think you owe me a true picnic."
Yes, Van, go! Be suave and confident. Be the man that Allen is . . . without the womanizing problem.
Hitomi smiles again cheerfully. " Of course, Van. But not for a while. You need to rest. Now, let's eat." She proceeds to take food out of the basket and set plates and glasses and silverware upon a small blanket. I'm *still* lying down.
"Uh, Hitomi . . . don't you think it might be a bit difficult for me to eat while lying down? I'm liable to choke on the food." I grin impishly at her. I haven't smiled this much in a long time.
She frowns, piqued. "Well, I suppose you will have to sit up again. I'm sorry, Van, I didn't think about that when I made you lie down."
"Don't worry about it."
I strain again to lift myself to my former sitting position. I'm concentrating too much to see her move to my side to assist me. I only realize where she's gone when I feel her cool hands on my shoulders. It's embarrassing but I relax into her hands and allow her to push me up the rest of the way. I'm in more pain than I'd care to admit to anyone, and my muscles are already groaning in protest to my earlier movements. If this were anyone other than Hitomi I would have pushed myself up no matter what. But she understands that everyone can be weak sometimes. And as much as I dislike being weak in front of anyone, it's as if she knows me better than anyone else, and I've only just met her. Maybe I should believe in fate. It's been such a short amount of time since I've met her but I can't picture my life without her in it. If only I had the courage to tell *her* that . . .
[Please review on your way out! Thanks for reading!]