© February 2003

**IF YOU HAVEN'T READ EVERY CHAPTER BEFORE THIS ONE, DON'T READ THIS ONE!! Go back and read, then get to this one…..**

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Escaflowne. But I am very proud to say that this storyline is mine, and I'm very proud of it. Read on.

This chapter is dedicated to all my readers…the number of which seems to be decreasing rapidly-_-; Thanks to those of you that are still here!!!

All I need

By Youjibaracuda

~*~THIRTEEN~*~

It was half past midnight as Van walked among the cargo of the ship, hoping to find some much needed thinking space, the silence of the area soothing. He had tried to contact Hitomi, but she had blocked their link, which most likely meant that she was working on something extremely important or she was in deep sleep (which he thought to be the most likely, considering the hour).

The ship had been at sea for a while now, and he was grateful that he didn't feel as sick as he had before. He'd always been able to adapt rather quickly.

Van had been wandering the ship in search of Irishiko, since, for the first time in a long time, he felt the need to apologize for his behavior earlier.

He had thought about it all and he realized that she had done nothing but look out for his safety and he had treated her appallingly. But she wasn't anywhere to be found, though Van knew she was on the ship.

He stopped walking and fell on top of a pile of fabrics covered by a rough tarp. He idly lifted the corner of the cover to find that underneath was a smooth silken material. He smiled a little, remembering that Sezarina was partial to those types of fabrics, since she found them delicate and beautiful, and just what a queen should wear. She really was more cut out to be royalty than Van ever could be.

The thought of his wife, however, didn't bring Van any comfort. He sincerely hoped she was alright. He could imagine she was scared, quite possibly hurt. He didn't want to think about the horrors that could be inflicted upon her. He could almost see a tiny little cell in which she would be kept, her clothes dirty and disheveled. He knew she would pretend to be strong, but she would quietly cry herself to sleep. The sound he thought he heard of absolute despair broke his heart.

But he had heard it.

Van sat up realizing that he had heard crying. He quickly stood up and looked around for the source of the pitiful sound. He walked silently around the mounds of fabrics, and the crates of other cargo on the ship, as the crying got louder.

He finally rounded a fairly large crate and found a crouching figure in the dim torchlight. He looked to the figure he recognized as a woman immediately, as her long brown hair cascaded down her back.

It was Irishiko, he realized suddenly. She was missing her dark attire, her usual wine colored blouse had been replaced by a cream colored one that fell loosely around her form since her sashes were missing; a pair of light brown pants covered her legs as opposed to the darker ones she usually donned, though she was still wearing her boots. Her sword lay not to far away from her on the ground. Before Van knew it, he found himself admiring her physique, realizing that the woman was extremely attractive. But all his ideas of her strength and power were slowly being shot down by the awful sound of her cries. She was cradling her arms to her chest, lightly rocking herself back and forth in such a manner that she obviously did not notice his presence.

The crying of a woman had always bothered Van, but for some reason, Irishiko's crying made him despair and move to find a way to make her stop.

He tentatively reached a hand out for her, his fingers lightly touching her trembling back.

In a flash, he found himself with steel at his throat and staring into a pair of livid green eyes.

Irishiko breathed a sigh of relief and dropped her sword from Van's neck.
"Don't do that, Your Highness," she said in a raspy voice and a small sniffle, re-sheathing her sword before wiping here eyes, "If you keep sneaking around on people like that, you'll liable to discover something that could get you killed."

He said nothing, didn't move, but seemed to be paralyzed with his eyes wide. Irishiko looked at him strangely, wondering what was wrong with him, since he was just staring at her.

Van swallowed thickly and managed to gather his voice into a light whisper.

"Hitomi…?"

~*~

TBC…

Let me say one thing right now: It's not what you think.

Baracuda here. AGH!!! TOO SHORT!!!!! But pretty cool, ne? ^_~

I love writing cliffhangers.

Tootles.

--Youjibaracuda

"Inconceivable!"

---The Princess Bride