Chapter 5: False Hopes

Hitomi and Van stared at each other for what seemed like hours, neither of them trying to break their locked gazes. Finally, after much contemplation Van stood up and started walking toward the door.

"I think I'll leave you alone now. You should rest. I'll call on Merle to look after you while you're asleep just in case you'll have nightmares again," he said though if truth be told he hated to leave her side. But his instincts told him that all these were just too much for her to handle.

"Wait, I - I - I still have questions to ask you..." Hitomi persisted. She wanted answers to clear her mind, she had to have answers. Everything was like whirling inside her mind.

Van looked back. "We'll talk again tomorrow, I promise. But first, you need to rest." With that he opened the door and left.

'Darn! Why did he have to leave me hanging like this? And why am I having this kind of feeling about him like he was someone.....someone.....' Hitomi was angry, but much to herself.

'You're attracted to him Hitomi, admit it!' her subconscious mind teased her.

'Am I? THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE! I don't know him.....and yet.....yet I.....Darn this feeling! All these were just getting way out of hand.' Hitomi closed her eyes, put her thumb and index finger in her temples, and massaged them in a circular manner like she always did when she's trying to calm and soothe her nerves.

After a few minutes of relaxing, she opened her eyes and for the first time looked around at her surroundings. Her eyes widened in shock and great awe at the sparkling magnificence of the green room she was in. It was so wide and opulent like the ones she had read in magazines fitted only for high royalty. The walls and large window panes were covered with emerald green silk and drifted gracefully from the bed's canopy, shimmering golden red cords and tassels held it in place. A fireplace was at the far end of the room made of a wondrous green marble, adorned on top with a somewhat kind of a dragon crest she cannot fully determine. Glass doors on the left side led to a wide balcony. Near the bed was a curved sofa upholstered again in emerald green watered silk. The bed itself was so smooth and soft with linens and covers of fine fabric.

"What is he? Some kind of a king?" she wondered to herself.

Hitomi had no idea how right she was.

"Merle, open the door. Merle," Van called out to the catgirl as he reached her room. He knocked a few times until a still sleepy form of Merle emerged from the door. Her pink hair was disheveled and her eyes were barely seen from her heavy lids.

But despite not being in her best form, the makings of a fine young woman could be seen in her. She had grown beautifully in her own right. As a young lady, she was being trained and thought of all the proper behaviour and courtesy she ought to learn and practice. Even so, she had managed to show her stubbornness every once in awhile by escaping those tedious and boring classes she had.

"What is it Lord Van?" she asked drowsily.

"I want you to accompany Hitomi in my bedchambers while she tries to have some badly needed rest."

Merle looked at him like he had gone crazy and waved her hand in front of his face. "L-o-r-d V-a-n-, tell me you're just dreaming. Or is this some kind of a joke? Goodness its still dawn. I still want to sleep," she whined.

"Merle! Is that the proper way to address your king's request?" Van couldn't help the smile that formed in his lips. Obviously, Merle wasn't about to believe him.

"Oh mother! I know you love Hitomi more than your own life. Who in the whole of Gaea doesn't know? Its public knowledge! As you go out of your way to turn down every chance of betrothal possibilities you had for that matter. And I also know you've been waiting for her return for like ages. But please Lord Van, I'm not in the mood to pander to your whim right now. I need some sleep, is that too much to ask? I'm still a growing cat, err—girl, whatever! You know!" she protested with pouted lips.

"Merle I'm deeply touched by your long narrative speech, really I am. But sorry to disappoint you, I'm not dreaming. Nor am I joking. Hitomi has returned. And she's in my bedroom right now," he stated matter-of-factly.

As she heard the seriousness and certainty in his voice, Merle's eyes shot wide open, and all threads of her sleepiness vanished. "What??? Is that true? Hitomi's really here?" she asked, doubt still mirrored in her face.

"Yes," he answered firmly.

"Hitomi! I can't wait to see her!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Merle started to race on all fours toward Van's part of the castle. Her focus was to meet again her friend as soon as possible.

"Merle, wait! There's something---" Van tried to tell her about Hitomi's present situation and give her a warning but she was gone before he could have the chance.

"Guess she'll have to find out for herself then," he said nonchalantly and then started his way to his study to have himself a good night sleep.

'Tomorrow's going to be a better day,' he hoped, a smile not leaving his lips.

"Hitomi! Hitomi!," Merle called out before even entering Van's room. She was so excited that Hitomi had finally come back to Gaea, to them, to Van after so many years.

'At long last I'd see both of them happy with each other. They'd suffered too much being separated for years. Now is the time for them to start their lives together and live happily ever after. I'm glad. I'm just glad,' Merle thought to herself.

Merle had long since outgrown the childish infatuation she had with Van. Been able to realize that all she really wanted from him and all that he could give to her were just brotherly love and affection. True, she'd been jealous of Hitomi before and tried to make her life miserable but all those were under the bridge now.

She had seen how each passing day Van longed for Hitomi to return. And she had known how deep and far beyond his feelings for her were which he tried to hide even before Hitomi had left to the Mystic Moon. All because he was afraid of being hurt again, of losing everybody he loved.

'I just hope everything will turn out alright for them both. They deserved to be happy,' she silently prayed.

As she swung open the door, she immediately leaped over Hitomi and licked her face enthusiastically. Thus, she failed to notice Hitomi's shocked reaction to her warm welcome.

"Hold it! What are you doing? Excuse me, but I don't seem to know who you are," Hitomi tried to break free from Merle's tight grip, using all her remaining energy. When she was able to do that, what she saw startled her. In front of her was a teenage girl with pink fur, big ears popped in her head and a long tail!

"Are you a cat or something? 'Coz you really look like one," she asked, examining Merle from head to foot. The girl was pretty alright with those large pink eyes, small nose and wide lips. She's also quite tall having long arms and legs. But she had pink fur too that covered most of her body which looked really odd. Not to mention that tail! 'Was it genuine?' she wondered.

"Oh come on Hitomi! Really, you aren't so sweet!" Merle ignored Hitomi's face frowned with puzzlement.

"Ouch!! Watch it lady! That hurts!" Merle cried as Hitomi secretly pinched her tail.

"Oh, it's real....." subtle amazement rang in Hitomi's tone.

"What do you think, huh? Ok, you got me. If you want to know what I feel about your long-awaited return, I'll tell you--- I'M HAPPY, goodness, isn't it obvious? So happy I could die tomorrow, but hopefully not. I still want to see my children and my children's children," Merle continued on.

But Hitomi's still face and eyes staring blankly at her told her something's not right.

"Oh no! Don't tell me you've gone crazy or something. Poor Lord Van,"Merle's voice filled with panic and concern.

"I'm not crazy! I'm just..... I've lost my memory that's all!"

'She reminds me of my annoying little brother. I think they would make a good pair,' she thought, as her brother's image crossed her mind.

"That's stupid! How could you be so dumb to lose your memory anyway?"

"Wha- what did you just say?" Wild annoyance started to build up in Hitomi's face. Her blood began to boil.

"And what's with the dress? It's not that it isn't pretty. Actually it is. It suits you. But aren't you a little overdressed? I remember when you first showed here in Gaea, you also did wear strange clothing but not that kind of fancy and extravagant," Merle wasn't bothered a bit by Hitomi's rising temper.

But she was surprised when Hitomi suddenly lost her composure. "I almost forgot! Today's my wedding day....."'But isn't this what I really wanted? To escape and run away from my wedding? But my family and Kenji.....'

It was Merle's turn to get puzzled. "What wedding? What are you talking about Hitomi?"

Hitomi didn't seem to hear Merle's questions. All that's occupying her mind right now was her unfinished wedding. What had become of it after she'd gone to this place and her family and Kenji, they're probably worried and searching for her.

"You must help me! I need to go home!" Hitomi said, clutching Merle's arm.

The urgency and plea in Hitomi's words made Merle want to run and get Van as soon as possible. 'Something's definitely wrong.'

Abandoning her first idea, Merle stayed calm and tried not to rush things without full understanding of what was happening.

"Hitomi, I'm going to help you, you can count on that. But first things first, you've got to tell me what was this losing-your-memory and wedding thing all about. Everything from the beginning, agreed?" Merle demanded.

" Agreed," Hitomi compromised.

"Alright. That's settled then."

"Wait. Your name....."

"My name?"

"You haven't told me your name yet. I'm not in the habit of telling anyone about my life without knowing who they are personally or otherwise," Hitomi said with conviction.

"Oh boy, we sure do have a problem here. I don't believe this. Anyways, I'm Merle, got it?"

Hitomi nodded. "I'm no dumb miss. So you're Merle. And by the looks of it you already know who I am so no need for introductions. " She said snobbishly.

Merle smiled her usual sugar-filled smile while her eyes were in slits. "You know what? I really love it when your temper gets the better of you."

'Guess I'll just have to trust her then,' Hitomi told herself.

"Mistress, when will Hitomi be put to that test?"

"Very soon Erisha. Thus, she needs to remember everything. Time is not on our side....."

A/n: Great! Yet another chapter completed! Told u guys I'll have this chappie posted soon enough. I really enjoyed writing this one, though not so much of mushiness in this chapter. Hope u'll like this too minna! Good? Not good? Review pls!!! (-)

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne