-Visitors
Van walked down the corridor of the west wing of the palace. He had a smile on his face. Today, he and Hitomi were to go on a picnic in the meadow. For the past month, Hitomi and Van had spent as much time as they could with each other, getting to know one another. Van learned that Hitomi was very good at political matters. Just last week she had solved a problem that he was having trouble with. He was amazed by her intelligence and understanding of diplomacy.
The night before last, when they met on the roof like they usually did every night, he had asked if she wanted to go out and explore the forest and meadows. She had eagerly agreed. So they had set it up for today. They had the chefs prepare a basket full of food so that they could spend the whole day in each other's company.
A breathless servant ran up to Van and bowed. "Milord," he said, straightening, "an airship has just arrived."
"Who is it?" Van asked.
"It appears to be the Crusade, Milord," the servant said.
Van sighed. He knew something would happen today. It's not that he didn't wish to see his friends again. Of, course he did, but he was looking forward to spending the day with Hitomi. He came to realize that every time he was away from her, it was like something was taken away from his heart. He couldn't describe it. He believed he was in love with her.
"All right," Van said to the servant in front of him, "I will receive them in the throne room."
"Yes, Your Highness," the servant said, and left.
Van followed suit. He only stopped to tell some maids to prepare some rooms for the new guests. As Van made his way to the huge oak doors that led to the throne room, some guards opened them for him and he went inside. There, standing in the middle of the room was King Allen, Queen Eries, Millerna, Dryden, their son Aston who was five years old, had his mothers hair and his father's eyes, and their daughter Christina who was two years old and had her father's hair and her mother's violet eyes, and Gaddis and Celena.
The children were the first to spot Van. Christina and Aston dropped their mother and father's hands and ran up to Van shouting his name. Van smiled and kneeled to the floor. Christina threw herself in his arms. Aston tackled him in the stomach. Van laughed as he was thrown to the floor.
After a moment, Millerna got the children off of Van. She tried to sound stern when she reprimanded them, but failed because she couldn't stop laughing. Van got up, and began to laugh himself. He noticed that everyone else was laughing as well. Van walked over to Millerna and gave her a hug. Then he walked over to where everyone else was standing and greeted them. He hugged Eries and Celena and shook Allen, Gaddis, and Dryden's hands.
"It's been a long time, Van," Millerna said.
"Yes, it has," Van agreed.
All of a sudden, the huge oak doors opened and the men and women heard a soft "Thank you."
Van watched as Hitomi made her way in the room. She had a basket in her hands. Hitomi looked at the people in the room and smiled. She walked up and stood beside Van. Van turned to her.
"Hitomi, these are the people that I was telling you about the other night. This is King Allen of Asturia and his wife Queen Eries."
Hitomi bowed. "How do you do?"
Allen bowed and kissed her hand. Eries bowed and smiled at her.
"This is Lady Celena and Sir Gaddis of Asturia," Van said.
Gaddis bowed and kissed her hand, as well, and Celena bowed and smiled.
"This is Dryden and Millerna," Van continued.
Dryden did the same thing as Allen and Gaddis had done, and Millerna did the same thing that Celena and Eries had done.
Van pointed to Aston and Christina, smiled, and said, "And these two little midgets are Aston and Christina."
"Hey!" Aston cried out in protest.
Hitomi smiled and kneeled on the ground. Christina, who was holding her mother's hand while hiding behind her skirt, dropped her Millerna's hand and walked up to Hitomi. Aston followed her. They inspected Hitomi. Finally, Aston said, "Are you an angel?"
Hitomi smiled. "No, I'm not an angel. Why do you ask?"
"You're pretty," Christina said in her childish voice.
Hitomi smiled again. "Thank you, Sweetheart, but you're just as pretty, and you are quiet handsome," Hitomi said directing the last comment to Aston.
Aston blushed and murmured a soft thank. Christina smiled and did the same.
Hitomi stood up and Van introduced her to the occupants of the room just as he had them to her.
He knew that it wasn't going to be easy. They were going to have a lot of questions. Van took a deep breath. "Everyone, this is Hitomi Kanzaki de Fanel, my wife."
There was a moment of silence. Then Millerna, Eries, and Celena walked up to Hitomi and gave her a hug.
"Welcome to the family," Millerna whispered in her ear when she hugged her.
"Thank you," Hitomi whispered back.
When Millerna released her, then Eries came up to Hitomi and hugged her. "May you live long and love longer."
"So do I," Hitomi smiled.
When it was Celena's turn to hug Hitomi, she whispered, "May your children have your beauty and brains and Van's bronze."
Hitomi began to giggle. "Thank you, I think."
Celena laughed softly. "Just pray for it."
Hitomi giggled some more. Then Dryden, Allen, and Gaddis came up to Hitomi and kissed her hand once again.
"May you have a long life together," Dryden said to her and Van both. Allen and Gaddis agreed with him.
Christina tugged on Hitomi's skirt. Hitomi kneeled down and said, "Yes?"
Christina reached up and kissed Hitomi on the cheek. "I think that you are an angel," she said to her.
Before Hitomi could answer her, Aston came up to her and asked, "Are you and Van gonna have kids?"
Before Hitomi could answer him, Millerna cut in and said, "That's enough children."
"Yes, mother," they choused.
"You must be tired from your long journey," Van said to them. He motioned to some maids nearby. "Carol, show our guests to their rooms."
"Yes, Milord," Carol bowed, and then turned to the rest of the party. "Please, follow me," she said to them.
"Van," Millerna said before they left to follow the maid out, "if you aren't busy, why don't you and Hitomi meet us in the parlor and we can get to know one another."
The others agreed with her whole-heartedly.
Van looked at Hitomi. Hitomi nodded and smiled at him for asking if she wanted to. Most Kings wouldn't do that. Van turned back to their departing guests and said, "All right, we'll be there in half an hours time."
Millerna smiled. "Wonderful."
As soon as the seven people left the room, Van turned to Hitomi and said, "I'm sorry that we won't get to go on our picnic."
Hitomi smiled at him. "That's all right, Van. I'd rather get to know your friends. Besides, the forest and meadows will be there later." Hitomi held up the basket in her arms. "And so will this."
Van grinned. "If that's what I think is in that basket, I might just skip out on this little get-to-knowing party."
Hitomi laughed. "Maybe it is, maybe it isn't."
Van laughed as well.
In half an hour, Van and Hitomi were walking down the corridors to the parlor of the castle. As they walked, they let their fingers brush against one another's. When they got there, they found Merle hugging everyone. Van had told a maid to tell Merle that they were here. The maid said that Merle had rushed off to get to the parlor. As they got closer, Aston and Christina ran up to them and grabbed their hands, leading them to a seat. When they got settled down in their seats, Christina climbed in between them and Aston got settled down on the right side of Hitomi. Everyone else sat down and they began to talk.
((((()))))
Many hours later that night, Van and Hitomi were found on the roof of the castle over-looking Fanelia and in perfect view of the Mystic moon and its child. Van and Hitomi were holding hands and were silently listening to the wind blow. Van looked over at Hitomi. After a few moments, Hitomi felt Van's gaze on her and turned to look at him.
"What is it, Van?" she asked him.
"You're beautiful," Van said softly.
Hitomi looked to the ground and softly thanked him. Van captured her chin with his thumb and index finger. He pulled up her chin until she was looking at him. Their eyes locked. Slowly, Van lowered his head and captured Hitomi's lips with his own. Hitomi leaned into the kiss and wrapped her arms around Van's neck as Van put one hand on Hitomi's neck and the other hand on her waist. When the kiss ended and they pulled apart, they only stared into one another's eyes.
When rainbow streaks began to light up the sky, Van took Hitomi's hand in his own and led her back to her room. Before she went inside, Van gently brushed his lips against Hitomi's fingers. They smiled at one another and Hitomi went in her room and closed the door. Van ran his hand over the wood of her door, then began to make his way back to his own room.
A/N: Three things. Number one: I know that I didn't put this in the summary, but Dilandau was real during the Great War. He just wasn't Celena. Number two: I want to think everyone who reviewed my story. And I would like to apologize for taking so long with this chapter. I was having a bit of a brain freeze. Besides, (and this is really sad) a boy in my school died this week. I pray that his family will be all right. And I am sad because he was my friend. He had been sick for a long time. About a year and a half. So please pray for his family. Number three: I need some help. I guess you can tell that Van and Hitomi are falling in love, but I need some advice from you. So, when you review my story please answer the following question: Should I make it where Van and Hitomi get remarried, or just keep it that they are already married. I have ideas for both of the idea's so, please, tell me what you think it should be. Thanx!!
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