"LEARNING TO LOVE"

-Prologue part 2

Emerald eyes shown beneath a dark and worn cloak.  They looked around at the landscape around them.  There wasn't a soul in sight.  The streets that were usually filled with children's laughter and with people bustling about, going on with their own lives was now empty and bare.  It looked forlorn and cold. 

Hitomi Kanzaki rode upon a black horse.  She had been riding this same horse for a week now.  The reason she was riding was that the Lady Varie had made a last request of her on her deathbed, and the emerald-eyed girl was determined to fulfill the past queen's wishes, even if it meant that she would be unhappy.  Four years ago, the great woman, Queen Varie, had come into Hitomi's life and somehow implanted herself in the young girls heart forever.

Flashback

Hitomi was sitting on her favorite rock enjoying the sunrise for the first time in a long time.  She loved how the colors always seemed to brighten her day.  That's when she heard the hoof beats behind her on the secret path.  No one knew of that path except she and her brother.  She knew that her brother wouldn't be up yet, so she went to investigate.  She hid herself in the trees.  That way she would have a good look at the passers, but they couldn't see her.  When the travelers passed by her hiding place, Hitomi got a good look at them.  One of the riders was a woman.  She had long flowing hair that reached down to her knees.  She had beautiful brown eyes.  She sat upon a white horse as if she were born to ride.  She had on a beautiful black dress that was covered by a brown cloak.  Hitomi felt a great power coming from the woman.  Beside the woman was a tall man that looked about a half a head taller than the brown-eyed woman.  He rode a brown horse that had a nipped ear.  He wore armor and had a sword tied onto his hip.  He had a stone face, but when Hitomi looked into his gray eyes, she saw loyalty, trust, and gentleness.  Hitomi watched the two with interest.  Something propelled her to want to meet the mysterious people.  As if the woman had read her mind, she stopped her horse and turned to look around the lined path.

"Milady," the man asked, his hand going to his hip, "what is it?"

"We have company, Balgus," the woman said calmly.  She continued looking around some more until her eyes landed on the spot where Hitomi lay watching.  Varie smiled.  "Come out, child," she said gently, "we will not hurt you."

Unconsciously, Hitomi jumped from the tree that Hitomi was stationed in.  She was wearing tan breeches and a loose green shirt, so when she landed, she barely made a sound.  Her fixed up hair didn't move.  She walked over to Varie and bowed.

Varie's smile widened, "Dear child," she said humorously, "I am the one that should be bowing to you.  You are going to be a great leader."

Hitomi looked up with a start.  How did this woman know that would come to pass?  Was she a fortuneteller of some sort?  Hitomi knew that couldn't be possible.  Fortunetellers, Draconians, and unfortunately seers were feared and labeled as outcasts.  She remembered that the man had called her 'milady.'  Therefore, Hitomi had no business talking to this woman.  If this woman found out what Hitomi was, then she would run into the nearest town screaming her head off.  The next thing you knew, people would be scouring the woods looking for Hitomi's village in order to burn it to the ground.

The woman chuckled.  Hitomi looked at her as if she had lost her mind.

"I know who you are, Hitomi Iris Kanzaki, Princess of Ronise, keeper of sight," the woman said as if it were of no matter to her.  "And I am not going to run into the nearest town proclaiming that there are demons chasing after me."

Hitomi gasped.  Surely this woman must know some magic; she could read Hitomi's mind.

The woman chuckled.  "You did not have to voice a thing.  You were sending out broad signals."

The woman got off her horse and came next to Hitomi.  Hitomi couldn't look her in the eye.  The woman gently captured her chin with her forefinger and guided Hitomi's face until she was looking straight into the strange woman's eyes.

The woman's face sobered as she looked into Hitomi's eyes and saw a childhood of discrimination and hatefulness directed toward her.  She said, "I know what it is like to be an outcast among people as well."

Hitomi couldn't understand how a woman like this with such grace and beauty could be considered an outcast.

The woman continued, "My name is Varie."  She pointed to the man still on his horse.  "This is Balgus, my most trusted man."  The man nodded his head to Hitomi and smiled.

"My name is-" Hitomi began but stopped herself.  She smiled.  "Well, you already know my name."

"That I do," the woman named Varie said, also smiling.

"Forgive me My Lady," Hitomi said, "but how do you know my name?"

Varie sobered.  She touched Hitomi's cheek.  "My child, you are special.  Your destiny is one that will save many lives."

"What are you talking about?" Hitomi asked in a hushed whisper.  She was frightened by the sadness in the kind woman's voice.

Varie raised her hand and touched Hitomi's forehead.  As she did, Hitomi was thrown into a vision.

Vision

It started out that Hitomi was standing in a completely white room.  Her hair, which was usually put up, was now flowing down her back.  She was dressed in a white dress that matched the room and flowed to the floor.  Her fingernails were even white.  Hitomi looked at her surroundings.  Where was she?  Then, directly in front of her, appeared a red rose.  She looked at it, as if she had never seen it before.  Slowly, she made her way to the rose and gently picked it up.  When she did, she pricked her finger on a thorn.  She dropped the rose and clutched the wounded finger close to her chest.  A strong wind began to blow.  As the rose fell the ground, the wind blew even harder.  The rose petals were blow apart and the rose disappeared completely.  Then the whole room turned red, as did Hitomi's wardrobe.  Then the scenery changed.  Hitomi was in a circle and she was surrounded by fire.  Then the fire parted and a black figure came through and walked up to Hitomi.  As he got to her he placed his hand and touched Hitomi's forehead as Varie had done.  When the man took his hand away, he disappeared and the fire consumed her.  Hitomi screamed.

End Vision

As Hitomi screamed, Varie let her hand fall to her side once again.  Hitomi fell to the ground.  Balgus got off his horse and walked over to where Hitomi was on the ground and picked her up.  Varie got back on her horse and Balgus followed suit with Hitomi still in his arms.  They took Hitomi to the rock that she had been sitting on only moments before.  Balgus and Varie got off their horses and Balgus laid Hitomi on the surface gently.  Varie kneeled down beside where Hitomi lay and whispered for only her ears to hear.

"My child, when the time comes for my eternal sleep, I ask only one thing from you.  I ask that you grant my last request and save our world from the terrors of darkness.  Please do not let angels cry.  Remember my words."

Varie got up and saddled her horse once more.  Hitomi's eyes weren't open, but she heard every word that was spoken to her.  And remember them she would.

As the two riders emerged from the forest, Balgus asked, "Is it finished, Milady?"

"Not yet, Balgus," Varie replied quietly, "but it will be.  It will be."

End Flashback

Now Hitomi was traveling to the far end of a quiet city to grant the woman's last request.  Hitomi clutched the letter in her hand.  Balgus had arrived four days ago to her village and had given her the letter from Lady Varie.  He told her that the woman was no longer living.  Hitomi had cried.  She didn't know why.  She just did.  That's when she had read the letter.  It involved her last request of Hitomi.  Apparently, she had asked Balgus to write it before she died.  She wanted Hitomi to marry her son.  Hitomi had agreed.

The little riding party of two reached the castle.  It began to rain.  Hitomi was ushered inside.  When she got there, some ladies took Hitomi to a room to get dressed.  The wedding was to take place immediately.  Hitomi noticed that one of the ladies was a cat-girl.  Hitomi kept silent the whole time that they were bustling about.

When the ladies were finished with her, Hitomi was dressed in a simple white dress that covered her feet.  Her hair was in a bun at the top of her head and a veil covered her face.  Hitomi was quickly taken to the throne room where a little ceremony was to take place.  When they got there, Hitomi was then taken to a man with black hair who was wearing a white suit as well that had the crest of Fanelia across the chest.  He was standing in front of a little old man.  Balgus was standing beside him.  The man with black hair tried to smile at Hitomi when he took her hand and they turned toward the bishop, who was beginning the service.

When it came time to say the 'I do's,' both Hitomi and the King let it come out in whispers.  Their voices wouldn't get any louder.  They slipped the rings on one another's fingers.  When the service ended, and it came time to kiss the bride, Van didn't know what to do.  So he lifted the veil and was met by green eyes.  He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead.  Then he stood up and brought Hitomi with him. 

The few people that had attended the service came to the couple to pay them their respects.  The cat-girl Hitomi had noticed earlier went over to the King and hugged him tightly.  He hugged her back just as much.  Then the cat-girl came over to Hitomi and hugged her as well.  When she pulled back, she smiled at Hitomi and said, "We'll talk sometime soon."  Hitomi managed a halfway smile in return. 

Then Balgus went over to Van and shook his hand.  Next, he went to Hitomi.  Hitomi hugged him tightly.  When they pulled back, Balgus said to her, "It will be all right."  She only nodded her head.

When everyone had done something similar to that, Van then led Hitomi to a room.  When he opened the door, Hitomi froze.  There was only one bed.  She bit her lip.  Van followed her line of sight and understood why she had gotten stiff.  He put a hand on her shoulder.  She turned to him.

"I have a separate room," he told her.

Hitomi only managed to nod her head mutely.  Van didn't know what else to do, so he quietly bowed and left the room.  Hitomi just stared at the door for a moment before she went to lie down in her new bed.  She was instantly asleep.  And that's how the maids found her in the morning.