~···*···~
V. Chickweed
~ Rendezvous
Her navy-blue eyes narrowed with a smile as they observed the delicate wisteria branches in a vase, softly dangling over a short folded piece of paper that was under her sister's favourite diadem. She could guess what the note said in Millerna's handwriting, and Eries smiled widely, sighing as she sat by the window and watched the view below; winter's echoes were already filling the air, dissolving the last autumn threads little by little. Some of the trees in the yard had already shed their leafs, covering the ground with a carpet of fire colours that warmed her heart.
Autumn was her favourite season, the crisp air of the night caressing her skin as she opened the window and stared outside; a smile found its way to her lips when she portrayed her sister and her cousin in those precise instants. It was the right time, the moment they'd been all planning for a whole week.
Through flowers, notes and small hints given at the flower girl, her sister had finally put together all the pieces of the puzzle that had been her rendezvous, finding a very specific message. A semi-plucked flower with eight petals: eight o'clock. A short poem extract from a play: the playhouse. A whispered 'tomorrow' to the flower girl had pointed out the date, perfectly chosen to provide her younger sister with the perfect excuse.
"There is a new opera playing tonight, father," had declared Millerna that same morning, after preparing her speech lines the night before with her sister and cousin. "The singers are very good, and the composer is brilliant."
"Enough, dear," had chuckled Grava Aston with a smile. "You know I have nothing against your visits to the opera, as long as someone I trust goes with you, but you know Eries can't come, she has a flute concert, haven't you, darling?" he had asked at her, and the navy-blue-eyed woman had nodded, giving her cousin an expressive side-glance.
Marlene had immediately waved her hand delicately. "I've been told it's a very good opera, I would be delighted to go with Millerna to see it," she had said with a sweet smile. Grava had curled his moustache reflexively for a few moments, during which the three women had held their breath and crossed all fingers, praying all the gods for him to agree.
"… Mr. Schezar didn't say he would come, right?" he had mused out loud, and Millerna had hurried to deny it with a fervent gesture of her head, making the pale blond curls dangle around her shoulders. "Well then, I don't see why I should forbid you such a formative activity, my dears," he had finally smiled. "What time must we tell Mr. Fanel to be ready to accompany you to the opera theatre?"
"Oh, Eries told me she would be back by half past eight, so I thought that, to arrive to the play in time, we might go this afternoon to pay a visit to Miss Erica Swann, who is also going to the opera tonight," Millerna had cautiously exposed. "We would just need Mr. Fanel to pick us up at eleven o'clock."
And his father had obediently swallowed the bait that they had laid for him, so that no one would ever suspect that her sister was in a common playhouse with Dryden, watching an old legend on the stage called "Sora", with Marlene acting as an escort for Millerna –just in case-.
And so the horse boy was to pick them up at the playhouse at eleven to drive both women back to Aston Manor, and no one would ever guess what had happened that night.
A delicious aroma reached her nostrils, and she sniffed it contently. Pumpkin cream, she smiled; she was glad that they had one of the best chefs in the whole city. Though terribly eccentric, Mr. Mole was a real genius in the kitchen, being able to create the most tasty and sophisticated dishes one could imagine. He had been with them for more than twenty years, and although he had once had a name, no one in the house could remember it, so that they called him just Mr. Mole, or Moleman, given his uncanny resemblance to the animal of the same name.
Marlene will kill Millerna for making her miss this, she chuckled, leaving her flute's case on the table. Right then, the sound of a galloping horse out in the gardens made her head turn sharply to the window, and she nearly ran outside to see who was coming.
Could have something happened to her sister or her cousin? Nay, she scolded herself for being so childish, they are with Dryden, and, come on, what could happen to them? It must be someone else...
She had changed into a more informal attire to be at home, not expecting any visits that evening, so she blindly put on a gown that was on the couch and crept out of her chambers, heading for the staircase to see who the newcomer was.
The voice of the butler drifted through the corridor as the door creaked when it opened.
"Oh, g'd'evening, Mr. Schezar, we weren't expecting you tonight," said the man politely, and Eries panicked.
By all the gods, not him, not now!, she thought frantically, nearly stumbling with a crease on the soft carpet that covered the wooden floor. Couldn't he just be ill, or stay at his place for tonight?
"I know, Jenkins, I know," his baritone voice send chills up her spine, the last confirmation she needed to confirm that Allen Schezar was really there, just about to ruin their perfect plan. She didn't even want to think of the implications of the outcome of it all if it went wrong.
The pale blonde heard how the butler guided the newcomer into her father's tea room, where she knew Grava was always to be found at that time of the evening, sipping his jasmine tea with parsimony as he read the newspaper.
Think, Eries, think, she ordered herself to stay calm. Let's find out what brings dear Mr. Schezar here… maybe he just wants a scoop of sugar, she thought humourlessly, as she put on a calm and collected mask on her face and glided down the stairs, the hem of her gown waving elegantly around her feet. She needed to know what was happening in the tea room, and quickly.
"Miss Eries, may I help you?"
The voice of the young maid startled her so badly that she gasped, flinching at the unexpected sound. Her sharp mind immediately thought of the small music room next to her father's private one, and smiled at the young girl dressed in black and white.
"Yes, you may help me. I have decided I want to practice a little bit in the Music Room. Go and fetch my flute if you please," she ordered, at what the young maid bowed her head and hurried upstairs to do as told.
Making sure no one else was around, Eries scrambled away into the room and closed the cherry doors, dashing to the small door that connected that room with her father's. The murmur of the men's voices was muffled, but if she concentrated hard, she could make out the words.
She snorted at what she heard. Politics? And I've run and worried myself so much over politics?, she angrily thought, though immensely relieved to find out that her sister was safe.
Just after she'd voiced that thought in her mind, she cursed herself for doing so, as the question she'd been dreading floated through the wooden door to her ears.
"I didn't see any of your daughters, nor your niece this evening, sir," said Allen's voice.
"Well, Eries is upstairs, she might have not heard you coming," Grava explained. Hah, as if, snorted the navy-blue eyed girl as her father went on. "My niece and Millerna have gone to the opera tonight, you know how much she likes it…"
"Perhaps I could go and join them? I heard that it was 'Asgard, the gift of the Gods' tonight, maybe I could go there to watch the second part after the intermission," the sky-blue-eyed man suggested, and Eries fell her heart sink. She crossed her fingers in vain, wishing her father to say that it was better if he didn't, but of course such a miracle didn't happen.
"Why, sure thing, my dear boy. I presume the intermission will be in half an hour or so, and in the meantime we could talk a little longer," the eagerness in her father's voice told Eries how much Grava sometimes missed the presence of a man in the house, and she felt slightly guilty.
Because yes, Eries had been very close to marriage a year ago, but she had escaped from it telling his father that if he tried to wed her without her permission, she would go into a cloister. He loved her dearly as the eldest of her daughters, and had agreed with her to let her remain single living at home with them; since then, he had devoted himself to finding the perfect husband for Millerna, not knowing that the girl had been faster at choosing the man to love.
Bless father for his love for politics, she fervently thanked whatever god had performed the little miracle of giving her some time to act. Without thinking it twice, she practically ran to the kitchens, bumping into the maid carrying her flute to the Music Room, who gaped at her mistress, trying to understand what was going on, and what she was now to do with the silver instrument.
Right, I need the horse boy, Eries thought instantly, refusing the temptation of stopping to taste the pumpkin soup and yelling an excuse to all the house staff she found on her way, saying that she'd lost something terribly important and that she was going to check if it was in the carriage.
She knew very well that her sister's honour lay in her arms now.
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"Hitomi, you asked me if you could help me… right?" he sighed, raising his head from the hoof of the chestnut stallion tied to the gate, standing out of its box while the two people around worked on him. He got up and leaned onto the horse, placing his arms on its back and casting an ironic glance to the girl hidden behind the stallion's neck. She gave him a sheepish smile.
"Aye, I did," she agreed.
"And, you said you would follow each and every single one of my orders, didn't you?"
The green-eyed girl looked puzzled. "A-aye…"
"Then could you explain why are you plaiting the horse's mane when I told you to brush his tail?!" he groaned, burying his face in the soft dark brown coat of fur he was leaning onto.
The flower girl scratched the back
of her head, her innocent expression slightly apologetic. "But it looks
cute on him…" she protested feebly, and Van just moaned again, something
that sounded pretty much like 'girls!'. She chuckled, placing her
fresh hand on his head and giving him comforting little pats.
"Ohh just sit down and watch, at least you won't disturb me while I work," he grumbled, resuming what he'd been doing while she obediently walked to the hay bed and sat down, rubbing her hands to warm them.
"I'm sorry, Van... I guess it's just that I'm excited for Dryden and Millerna… I'll come with you to fetch them," she declared with that –oh-so-well-known now to Van- sparkle of enthusiasm that, if translated into words, meant 'I don't care what you say because I'm gonna do exactly what I want to'. And he was quite sure he was unable to deny her anything. Anyway, that didn't stop him from trying.
"No way, 'Tomi, it'll be really late and then you'll have to go back on your own," he shivered unconsciously at the thought of what could happen to her at night. Anybody could just follow her, now that she didn't look like a beggar as much as before… he growled in rage when he pondered what dangers awaited her outside, alone in the darkness. But she laughed, shaking her head.
"Oh, Van, don't be childish, I've lived in the streets since I was six!" she chuckled. "And for many years I didn't go back home until two or three in the morning, nothing will happen today," Hitomi said happily.
He bit back the words that burnt his lips, resisting the impulse to embrace her and drown himself in her sweet flower scent, and covered his burgundy gaze with his cap, more grateful than ever to have something that let him hide his eyes, where all raw emotions and feelings showed as clearly as in a mirror. "All right, princess, I'll ride you back home if you want to come, is that okay?" he offered with a lop-sided grin. "We'll have to get the cart ready…" he started, only to stop her with a hurried gesture. "NO! Don't move, Hitomi," he warned her with wide and mockingly frightened eyes. "God only knows what you might do if you lay your golden hands on a carriage…"
"Why, you-!" she started protesting between chuckles when the door of the stables burst open, startling both of them and some horses, that nickered nervously.
Standing by the door was Eries, dressed in a silk gown and a pair of slippers full of mud, her hair disheveled and her cheeks rosy from the cold wind that blew outside. She was panting from the effort, and she looked at them as a starved man would eye a roasted chicken.
"Miss Eries, what-?" started Van, blinking in mild disbelief, but he was interrupted by her.
"We need to go and get Millerna out of The Escaflowne, now!" she exclaimed. Hitomi jerked up, worry all painted across her flushed face.
"Why so?" she inquired, fear slowly invading her. "She's with Dryden now…"
Eries scoffed impatiently, tapping with her foot on the ground. "Allen's here, and he's going to the opera in half an hour to join Millerna and Marlene… only that they're not there," she hissed. "We need them to be there in time, or if not everything will be discovered."
Taking charge of the situation, Van made some quick mental sums and scowled. "No way we'll have time… unless…" he turned to Hitomi with a serious glance. "I need you to untie the knot of the rope when the man comes to get the stallion, so that we get him to waste time trying to catch him," he explained, while he walked to the saddle and pulled out the stirrups, lengthening them. The flower girl stomped her foot on the ground angrily.
"No way I'm staying behind, Van Fanel, I've been the one who started all this and you won't kick me out so easily!" she declared irately, in such a way that the auburn-eyed boy stared at her, surprised by her sudden outburst of temper… who would've guessed that under all the sweetness and smiles she could also roar when she wanted to?
Eries harrumphed hastily. "Very well, come the two of you but don't waste any more time. Please get the cart ready while I dress properly and tell Father that we're going to retrieve something I forgot at the Noisette's house after the concert," she instructed them, and after saying those words she pivoted on her heels and ran back to Aston Manor, leaving both youngsters pretty befuddled.
Five minutes later, the navy-blue-eyed girl was standing again in the middle of the stables, Van sitting on the driver's place with Hitomi next to him, and the cart ready to set off. With an approving nod, Eries jumped into the carriage and the dark-haired boy clicked his lips, sending the two stallions harnessed to the cart into a trot.
Hitomi clutched Van's arm tightly as they flew out of Aston Manor, crossing the gates and heading for the small playhouse, The Escaflowne, where Millerna had gone with Dryden. The soft breeze turned into a howling hurricane in her ears as the horse boy led the cart with expert hands along the streets, now turning left, then right, again right and then straight for a while, then left…
She could feel Van's strain in the quiet tremor of his lean form, as the cord of a violin that had been stretched to the limit; his chiseled jaw was clenched, and she held onto him for dear life, telling herself that if all carriage trips were like that one she definitely couldn't understand the nobles: she'd rather go on foot that undergo a ride like that again.
Van drew out a sharp hiss when he felt her warm form leaning onto him, looking for his support. The sweet little creature at his side, to whom he was losing his heart, was shivering violently, the thin jacket she'd grabbed last minute from the nail on the wall of the tack room barely protecting her pale skin from the coldness of the night.
Her honey-gold tresses, until the
moment gathered in a loose bun to keep her bangs out of her eyes, were
now swaying madly in the wind that whipped their faces, and he had to restrain
himself so as not to crush her to his body to protect her right there,
fearing that maybe the wind might pluck his beautiful little iris' petals.
This is going nowhere, he told himself, tightening his grip on the reigns until his knuckles turned white; he forced himself to concentrate on the route to get to the playhouse. He exhaled in relief when he saw the lights of the theatre growing closer and closer until he brought the cart to a halt in front of the old building.
Hitomi gasped from the sudden stop, and when she raised her head -buried in Van's shoulder until then- to watch the theatre, a wide smile of recognition spread across her flushed face. "Hey, I know this place! Yukari and me used to sneak in and watch the plays," she grinned, her eyes softening at the memory.
Eries got out of the carriage in a split second, and was already running to the playhouse when the flower girl caught up with her and stopped her, grabbing her wrist. "Miss Eries, I know this place very well, I can go and find Miss Millerna much faster than you," she plainly said. The pale blond was silent for a second and then smiled at her, trust shining in her eyes.
"All right, Hitomi, go then. I'll stay outside with Van," she said softly; the green-eyed girl beamed at her and dashed away into the building.
~···*···~
The presence holding her hand seemed… nearly unreal to her. It had been so long since the last time they'd actually gotten to touch…
On the stage in front of them, a beautiful woman with elfish ears and waves of long snowy hair that reached down her waist was singing to the hero of the story, a man with blue eyes and soft sandy blond hair; Millerna was enraptured by the love story unfolding before them. The sighs and quiet sniffs of the maids sitting next to them made her smile, wondering what it would be like, to live depending on those popular kind of plays to keep your mind our of the daily worries, while as she could go to the most expensive theatres and operas whenever she wanted.
"I've missed you every single day and night of the days we've been apart," Dryden's voice was just a whisper in her ears, and she smiled when she noticed that they were the exact words the man on stage had said at the same time.
She turned to face him; the darkness of the playhouse, added to the lights that illuminated the stage, created a magic atmosphere that stole her breath and left her staring into his deep dark green orbs, inches away from his handsome face in shadows. Gods, she had so missed being with him…
She'd missed spending the long evenings by his side, talking for hours and hours about anything. She had missed his sharp ironic comments, the way his rich voice reached to the core of her soul, the way he smiled at her as if she was the most beautiful woman in the world. How time seemed to stop when she was with him, how he could make all her worries go away, forget them at his side, even if the only touch they were allowed to have was nothing more than a gentle caress. It didn't matter, as long as they were together and could share their dreams, never tiring of each other. Life seemed so much more beautiful with him…
"You have sure seen this before, eh?" she asked in a husky whisper, grinning at him. Her soon-to-be-fiancé did not exist for her right now; this was a piece of heaven they had snatched from Time's hands, turning back the sand clock and going back to the days when the two of them had visited all the playhouses in Arzas by Dryden's expert hand. He had showed her the real world, the one that was out the golden gates of her house. At his side, she'd experienced the thrill of the secrecy, Eries or Marlene ever their faithful companions to provide Millerna an excuse to sneak out of Aston Manor.
Dryden shrugged with an cocky grin on his lips. "The last time I did, the actor playing hero tripped over a box on the stage and nearly fell off on the audience," he said. "The funny thing is that it happened while he was saying the line of 'May the wrath of the gods fall upon me'…"
Millerna burst into tiny giggles, that stopped at once as the man's hand reached up to her face and his fingertips gently brushed her warm skin; her amethyst orbs widened, and she stared at him, perfectly aware that she was loosing herself in the bottomless depths of his dark-forest eyes. Her body tensed in expectation at his soft touch, his hand tracing her jaw line, then descending in pilgrimage to her parted lips; he lingered there for a while, his fingers wanting to pay tribute to them with sweet caresses.
Oblivious to what was happening around them, Dryden brought his hand up again, marveling at the smooth skin that looked like porcelain glowing in the darkness of the place. His fingers slowly reached her nape, and he leaned closer, cupping her blushing face with his other hand.
"Millerna…" he managed to whisper hoarsely, sending chills up her spine that inflamed her veins, and he drew closer, his lips mere inches away from hers. The first kiss of true love.
"Miss Millerna!! Dryden!!" a frantic hiss that came from behind their seats broke the spell, and they separated brusquely, recognizing the owner of that voice as Hitomi.
Between the loose wooden planks that were the floor of the stands where they were seated, they saw a brilliant pair of green eyes that gleamed in the shadows.
"Hitomi! What's wrong, what are you doing here?!" asked the chocolate-brown haired man with a worried scowl, taking Millerna's hand in his and squeezing it. The flower girl bit her lip nervously, knocking softly on the wooden planks that were under Marlene's feet to get her attention.
"We must leave this very instant, sir, and bring you all to the opera. Mr. Schezar will be there for the second part of the performance," she explained in an anxious whisper. Dryden let out a curse between gritted teeth, as he signaled Marlene to get ready to go and stood up abruptly; Millerna followed him, putting on her cloak, and her cousin did as well.
"Didn't anybody tell him of something called 'right timing'?" muttered the young merchant as they made their way through the crown, murmuring 'sorrys' and 'excuse mes' to get to the entrance.
Hitomi was waiting for them there, her clothes covered in dust and her hair a mess, but they had no time to lose. In a matter of minutes they were outside by the carriage, sketching a quick plan of what to do; as Marlene, Eries and Millerna, who was still slightly flushed -and starting to be annoyed with Allen for spoiling what would've been her first kiss-, jumped into the carriage, Dryden got on his horse, Oberon, and Hitomi climbed right next to Van.
"Next stop: the Royal Opera House of Arzas," the auburn-eyed boy announced in a murmur as he cracked his whip, forcing the horses to break into a controlled canter.
Luckily for them, the opera house wasn't far away from The Escaflowne, so it was only a few minutes until they could see the old building, with its stone garlands of flowers adorning the windowsills and the doors' lintels.
But Fate, maybe thinking that luck had smiled too many times on the lovers that night, decided to give wings to Allen's horse, so that the gentleman arrived sooner than them to the Opera house for a matter of seconds; when Van turned round the last corner, he brought the cart to a sudden halt, the flower girl nearly falling off the driver's seat if it hadn't been for his arm, locked securely around her waist.
"Oh, gods, no…" she breathed as she saw the blond gentleman elegantly getting off the horse as we was greeted by the man outside the opera, who beckoned him in with a sign and a polite smile. "What are we going to do now?"
Dryden's horse cavorted on the paved street, and the three blond heads of the Astons peeked out of the carriage, asking nervously why they had stopped. At the sight of Allen, Millerna gasped.
"We're doomed," she murmured in a defeated tone, burying her face in her hands; Dryden frowned in deep worry, and even though he wanted to say something to ease Millerna's own anxiety, his mouth was as dry as a desert.
"Don't stop, Van, just drive to the entrance, elegantly, don't rush, and adopt a calmed expression, as if nothing was wrong," calmly ordered Marlene, taking her cousin's hand in hers and giving her a reassuring smile. The dark-haired boy stared at her for a moment, and then nodded, clicking his tongue to urge the horses to move forward.
Eries stared wide-eyed at her cousin, whose eyes shone like embers in the darkness of the carriage. "What are you planning on saying, Marlene? Have you got an excuse?"
The beautiful blonde gave her a serene smile. "We don't need an excuse right now, not until we meet Allen… I'll have made up something by then, maybe that we were nearly robbed, or that Miss Swann invited us to have supper and we lost track of the time it was," she shrugged. "There are many things we can say, and they'll believe them as long as we do not look as though we'd done something wrong."
She turned to Millerna and took her hands. "Okay, Milly, be calm and, whatever you do up there with Mr. Schezar, be sure you never betray yourself acting as a guilty person," Marlene instructed her. "I'll back you up."
The cart stopped in front of the heavy chestnut doors; Eries placed her hand on the doorknob and pushed it open with an encouraging smile. "You can do it, it'll work."
Hitomi saw the two nobles -one quite shaky, the other perfectly collected and bearing a bright smile on her lips- walk into the marble halls; then the doors closed after them, and the elegant world of aristocracy was once again out of her reach. Maybe my prince is now in there…, she thought, nibbling on her lower lip reflexively; for his part, Van merely drove the cart to the street where Dryden was waiting for them, a resigned grimace covering his handsome features.
"It was too perfect to last long," he simply muttered with a sad sigh. He then turned to Eries, who had drawn the curtains of the carriage and was looking at him with pity in her navy-blue orbs. "I suppose you wouldn't come with me and watch the rest of the play, right?" he asked humourlessly. The pale blonde shook her head with a sad smile.
"I must go back home, or else father will start worrying," she explained. Dryden nodded, understanding, and then he turned to Hitomi, who was still holding Van's arm in an unconscious gesture.
"Do you want me to bring you home, beautiful?" he offered; right now he just didn't want to be alone, he wanted to forget that Millerna was going to be with Allen in that box for the rest of the night, when it should be him the one with her.
He had prepared it so carefully, the time, the place, the night when he would try to ask her to marry him. He had even had a ring prepared, a beautiful dragon-shaped golden ring with a blood-red ruby for an eye, that had belonged to his mother. He knew that it was rash and, very probably, also stupid, but he'd wanted to offer her the chance of choosing him, of really deciding if she wanted to live at his side. But plans could never go right…
"Actually, I had thought of taking her there myself," said the horse boy, and something in the youngster's voice made the merchant look at him, trying to work out what those maroon eyes held within: fierce protectiveness, an ardent gaze that defied time and space to challenge his will, his indomitable spirit.
He chuckled as the realization dawned on him, knowing that Hitomi was surely oblivious to his feelings. Who knew, maybe even the boy himself didn't fully understand them. "Oh, of course… then how about if I lend you my horse and you two ride to her house, while I drive the cart back to Aston Manor?" he suggested, finding some solace in helping Van.
The burgundy depths of the horse boy sparkled at his offer; terribly tempting, but if Dryden was as good at reading thoughts as he prided himself of being, the boy also wasn't sure if he could leave the cart in his care.
"Don't worry, I know how to drive these," he assured him with an easy grin. "A piece of cake, I tell you."
Some liar I am, he chuckled inwardly, but glad that his persuasive skills worked so well. After a small instant of hesitation, the raven-haired boy gave in and jumped off the driver's seat, walking to Oberon's side.
"Hey you two, I already told Van I could walk home on my own!" the green-eyed girl protested as Dryden dismounted his stallion, as black as midnight, and handed the horse boy the reigns. With a feline leap, the auburn-eyed man got on the stallion, and the merchant walked to where the flower girl was still sitting.
"Now, now, dear, you know there's nothing you can do against two stubborn men like us," grinned the chocolate-haired man, lifting her in his arms and tucking her on the saddle, in front of Van. "So, you two, ride carefully, don't run into old ladies or stray cats, and bring me back my horse in one piece," he recommended jokingly. "I'll be waiting at Aston Manor."
With a quick nod, the dark-haired
boy flashed him what it seemed as a grateful smile, and he then spurred
the horse into a light trot; a few seconds later, the two of them had faded
in the soft mist that flooded the streets of Arzas at night.
Hitomi smiled in the darkness as she felt his warm embrace, and she leaned onto him softly, resting the back of her head on his chest, feeling the quick rise and fall with every breath he took. The pounding of his heart hammered in his ribcage, a rhythm whose tempo changed with every movement she made; inhaling sharply, he brought the midnight black stallion to a relaxed walk, sick of the haste that had dictated all their actions since Eries' appearance in the stables that evening.
The streetlights projected awkward shadows in the alleys that opened to both sides of the streets, the night full of sounds and scents that many times were not perceivable at daylight. Not being able to see her in the poorly illuminated places they were crossing, Van felt the rest of his senses sharpening, responding to her presence; he ached to cradle her in his arms, to drown in her sweet scent and see himself in her leaf-green eyes, filled with love. For him.
"It was really close this time," she commented softly, bringing him back to reality. "We're a good team, aren't we?" she smiled; he tightened his grip in response, nearly crushing her against him.
"You found them really soon in that playhouse…" he said, trying to ignore the throbbing ache that he felt, so deep that it hurt him, having her like that, her soft curves so near, and yet as distant as ever…
"Well, aye, 'tis because I already told you, 'Kari and me used to play there when we were kids… turn left now, Van. It's on the riverbank next to Meifia Bridge," she explained.
"How long have you lived there with your grandmother?" the auburn-eyed boy asked, hoping that perhaps talking to her would have a soothing effect on his already bruised feelings. Since when he hadn't been able to control the sudden rushes of raw emotion that threatened to overwhelm him whenever she was around?
"Quite some time… that's the place she chose to set her fortune-telling stand," Hitomi said with a shrug. "And, since we didn't have anywhere better to live, we moved in. Look, there it is!"
She pointed at a clearing next to the river Irini, a small group of old wooden huts standing in the middle of the place. "You see the one with a small red lantern at the door? That's home," she smiled fondly. "Grandma must've been waiting for me, she usually never lights that lantern… It was a gift from the gypsies, you know. She lived many years with them," she remarked seriously, and Van could imagine the expression on her face, her delicate features growing solemn as she revealed another small piece of her past and shared it with him. Every little memory was a treasure to keep, a precious pearl or gem that he cherished. Maybe some day, when he had enough pieces of the puzzle that was Hitomi's soul, crystal clear and mysterious at the same time, he might find the key to her heart.
"So, we shouldn't have her waiting," he smiled, brushing his cheek on her golden head, her tresses tangled because of the lightning trips to the playhouse and then to the opera.
Oberon's hoofs brushed the short grass on the muddied bank of the river as they drew nearer and nearer; if only this ride could last forever… that was all he asked, having her warmth near, knowing that she was safe and happy. Talk to her, hold her close to his heart until the end of times.
Well, the end of times didn't come, but the end of the ride instead. The horse stopped in front of the small hut, wood and mud combined to create the week structure that Van eyed wearily, afraid that it might fall down if he drew out too heavy a sigh.
Reluctant to let her go, he finally had to put her down, making the moment last as his hands got off her waist and slowly brushed her sides. Hitomi shivered under his touch, but when she turned around her eyes were full of trust. A friend's trust.
"All right, Van, I admit it: it wasn't so bad," she chuckled. "I could do with more rides back home like that," the green-eyed girl declared, and he took in a quick breath.
"Sure, princess, just tell me and I'll be there," he said in a low whisper. "Though I'd rather prefer them not preceded by crazy drives all around the city to get some pair of turtledoves to the opera," he added with a smirk, cocking his head to a side as his black bangs fell into his eyes, his cap tightly pulled down his head. She giggled.
"I completely agree with that," she nodded, giving her back to him and slowly walking to her door. "I'll see you t'morrow, then," Hitomi smiled at him, and after a final wave, she went into her house. From the outside, Van could hear her sweet voice greeting her grandmother, asking if she'd been worried about her, and then start explaining what had happened, omitting the part that involved Millerna and Dryden's romance.
He drew out a long sigh, closing his eyes. His left hand closed around a small object on his pants; it was a hairpin, one of the several ones the Millerna had given the flower girl as a gift. He knew that Hitomi kept those small pins zealously, and even though he knew he should knock on her door and give it back to her, he couldn't bring himself to.
Instead, his fingers curled around it, and he clutched it in his callous hand; ordering Oberon to start walking, he brought the hairpin to his heart and then slipped it into one of his pockets.
… Even if he couldn't have her, at least he would keep some part of her.
~ When she dances
She moves him to a smile
He sees everything
Near her shine
There's a grace in her ways
That he can't contain
He has not that grace
Oh, he has not that grace ~
~···*···~
~Tbc
snow blossoms: ^____^ o' course it's D/M!! No fic is complete without that paitin'!! *wink* I completely agree with ye, I feel they're made fer each other! Hehe, glad ye thought that fluff was okay, Van feels a lot but he doesn't allow himself te express it
Dreamboat Annie: Hey girl!!!! Happy New Year! ^____^ I must, must, must write ye an e-mail *kicks herself* but I find just no. time. Argh! LOL! I need that book ye gave Van, only that the other way round *giggles* "How te understand men" ^^U oh, if only... I'm askin' a Van as a present too >. hehe, no, when this is all posted I'll focus on me other stories, basically "From the Ashes of Angels" and Natsu ^^ lol! *shows toes te be stepped on* send a sugar lump te Annie, she's so beautiful!! (simply loved the photo *grins*)
dawnsama: oohh, trip te somewhere? Cool! *sniffs* lucky ye, I've been chained te me homework -_-U… hehe, aye, definitely, the Category o' love, even though he won't admit it so soon *grins impishly* lol! the rendezvous, ye already saw what was it fer ^_~ only that he didn't get te ask her… *shakes head* nothin' can go out well, ne? ^___^ thanks tons fer reviewin', hope ye had a wonderful new year start!!
sqeekers: *grins like crazy herself* a classic, wow, thanks so much!!! Heh, room fer more *shakes head* I hope te get the time indeed! 'nyway, thanks so much fer readin' an reviewin', yer reviews are also now a classic ^____^
fireangel621: *drowns an' faints* Cap'n Sparrow!! GYAH! *drools like mad* aye aye aye! I'm in LOVE with'im, seriously, got a major crush on a fiction chara -_-U hehe 'Kari does sound a lil bit like pirates, ne? Well I do meself ^____^ Must ask fer kohl next time I go shoppin' *grins* 'nyway, thanks so so much!! *blushes* I'm really flattered *smiles from ear te ear*
Starry Eyed Wonder: ... *kicks herself te stop smilin' like an idiot* ohh sis!!! *hugs like mad* must say, me charas told me they kinda like ye shakin' them, it's become sort o' tradition *bursts out laughin'* isn't he just a dream?? *drowns in pool o' drool* I sooo love him too! *weeps with ye* Hehe, these lyrics became the trampolin te Sarah Brightman's songs ^_~ like some "Only an Ocean Away" we certainly both do love... fairytale like! *shakes head completely wide-eyed* it's exaactly the same feelin' it gives me!! Aft all, it was concieved like one at the beginnin' ^^ an' omg, I'll become a recommended readin' in yer future family! *blushes like mad* blimey, I feel deeply honoured... I'll be put instead o' almighty Disney! (mind ye, I *grew* up with Disney, I had this thing with The Little Mermaid at 7, love at first sight I tell ye ^^U) hehe, it does make me dream *long dreamy sigh* Oh, me dad also needs some Miracle Grow, if ye find it plz tell *sheepish grin*... *faints* me story, given as a gift? *faints again... shh, call Van, need CPR XD* LOL!!!! *rolls ont the floor laughin' like mad* "the stuff ye read", huh?? Omg, a 12-year-old readin' "Kiss" *stiffles giggles* definitely one doesn't know the extent o' the damage it may cause... in yerself aft the mother finds out xD so definitely, let's set fer the safe version... ye'll tell me if ye liked it *bites nails* So, ye're gettin' full stuff ^____________^, hope ye like it *hugglez like mad*
SabineballZ: certainly love that sayin' *bursts out laughin'* an' it applies soo well te our dearest Van! ^^ hehe, aye aye, 'Tomi'll be into it soon as well, but she's also oblivious te Van's feelings... even though half the population o' Arzas noticed ^^UU thanks fer keep on reviewin' so much, an' Happy New Year too!!!
Anette: ^____^ Love Van too here!! Thanks fer all the kind comments, they really make me day! Happy New Year te ye too!! *grins widely*
Kanberry: *grins from ear te ear* well, here's more stuff te keep ye floatin' fer a while ^^ hope ye like it!
Avaris Sky: ^^ lol, soon enough?
I nearly missed yer review, I was just 'bout te post this one up... Thanks
a million hehe, certainly, D/M te boot *grins widely* an' Van is a total
cutie, even covered with straw ^____^
AN/ *grins like mad an' wipes
brow* it's been nearly a month since I started writin' all this, blimey,
time sure does fly by... Ere I'm sued, song lyrics are still Sarah Brightman's
^^ only that Van does 'ave that grace *hugs him like mad* but he thinks
he doesn't... Speakin' o' music, I wrote this listenin' te a song, "Addicted"
by Enrique Iglesias… love the music… *sighs an' hugs sis* an' finished
it at half past one in the mornin' *yawns* lucky me te 'ave a laptop
(on its last legs, aye, true, but 'tis a laptop after all *sweatdrops*)…
so that I can write in bed -_-U… so if ye find any typos or mistakes there
do tell, I might've missed some >.
Actually, the name o' the friend
who is only mentioned, Erica, comes from another plant, Erica Multiflora
U_U… well, it was 'bout time I wrote somethin' actually related te what
I'm studyin'!!
Well, plz do review an' tell
me what ye thought o' it all, I'll update the next chappie in other 3 days
^__^
Byedihoo, an' Happy New Year (yet again, in case ye'd skipped all the other ones *grins sheepishly*)
Ryuu ^.^