Well, here's the nest part for everyone to enjoy! I'm pretty much pissed
off at the school computers because every time I save something to them,
they screw up. So, from now on, if you'd like to see something in html
format, please visit my website www.angelfire.com /anime5/nekura-mikazuki.
This part promises lots of shock value (as best as I can think of. maybe
some people won't be shocked).
Thank you for all of your support! And now, here's part five!
Part Five: Now at War
------------------------------------------------------
Hitomi walked down the steel hallways of Zaibach's castle, with two guards in tow. It was her first day as Dilandau's fiancée. He was taking this very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that she was going to train under him to learn the art of sword fighting, as well as take lessons on how to be a proper woman and wife on Gaea. Much to her own surprise, Dilandau seemed to have planned out their entire lives from that point on. He was shockingly passionate and loving, making several attempts to make her smile and cheer up on the journey to Zaibach. Even after just one night she found herself abolishing all doubts that she did not love this man.
"Where is my lord?" she asked in soft-spoken tones.
One of the guards cleared his throat before responding.
"He is in a meeting with the emperor."
"Oh," she sighed. "Will they be done soon, you think? I would like to see him soon."
She spoke as if in a trance. Her tones were bland and she sounded bored. Her steps were even and paced; her posture correct and head held high. She was engaged to one of the four generals of Zaibach's new Demon Army, and she had to appear worthy of the title. The outspoken Hitomi was going to have to bite her tongue. She was no longer on the Phantom Moon; she would strictly follow the rules of this Gaean nation. Her job was to make Dilandau happy, and to one day stand by his side.
"He will come to you when the emperor has finished speaking with him," the other guard, the one on her right, replied coldly.
"I figured as much."
She stopped abruptly, as did the two guards. There was a sharp pain in her heart. She moved to hold the ache and soothe the pain but she could not reach it. She collapsed to the ground, whimpering and shaking in pain. The two guards watched her, motionless, as a wave of darkness overcame her and she found herself lost in it.
"It must be as they predicted," the second guard mumbled.
"Yes," said the other. "She is not reacting very well to it."
"No, not at all," Dilandau sighed as he approached. "Take her to my room and tend to her. When she wakes, find me."
-- * --
Van sighed heavily as Merle reported her discoveries within Hitomi's room.
"No Hitomi, no struggle. My guess is that she left of her own free will," she explained with a confused smile. "There also weren't any foreign scents, so no one was in there with her."
He heard Allen sigh behind him and Yuaro step forward. As if that was not enough, there were rumors that Zaibach had rebuilt itself and was possibly going to attack Fanelia. He had wanted to find Hitomi before a war broke out and she ended up a tool on one of the sides.
"She mentioned Dilandau," Selena said softly. "Is it possible that Dilandau came for her or that she ran away to Zaibach? It's... well, she said that he told her about the engagement last time, so what if he wanted to keep them apart – Lord Van and Lady Hitomi – then once Lord Van got too close to her again, he might have come to 'collect' her."
"I served under Dilandau when I was one of Zaibach's soldiers."
"You what?" Van gasped, staring wide-eyed at Yuaro.
"I served under him, sort of. I was a lower rank and one of the soldiers residing on the Vione. Not a Dragon Slayer, though," Yuaro explained. "I know he can be... strong willed... and he was kind of obsessed with Hitomi Every time he spoke of her he mentioned killing her, but there was something in his eyes that hinted otherwise."
"So you're saying that more than likely he found a way to exist outside of Selena's body?" Millerna, who had been quite quiet up until that moment, suggested.
"And he came for what he wanted," Yuaro sighed.
Van nodded slowly. He already did not approve of Yuaro, and the whole part about him working for Zaibach previously did not help his opinion, but he seemed to be the only one who actually understood the situation.
"I want you to return to Fanelia with us," Van ordered. "You're going to help me – us get Hitomi back."
Merle nodded and smiled, clasping onto Allen's arm; Allen gave Van a disapproving scowl, then looked away; Millerna clasped her hands together in front of her and smiled at them.
"Maybe you could help teach the armies some of Zaibach's old strategies. They might've stuck with many of them 'cause the capital received so much damage!" Selena exclaimed, latching herself to his arm. "So let's get going back! He could show everyone how to prepare!"
Selena smiled proudly though everyone, including Van's royal guards and even Yuaro, were staring at her as if she was crazy. With vague memories, she envisioned Yuaro as a chivalrous knight, just like her brother was. Beyond that, in her mind, she could not place a good enough reason as to why he would wait an entire year to give Hitomi to Dilandau. An entire year had gone by; only once they had shown up had Hitomi vanished once again. She had no doubt in her mind that Yuaro could be trusted.
"I *haven't* had any problems with Dilandau surfacing, or even attempting to, for a while now. I think maybe he does exist in another body now," said Selena. "Hitomi said that he spoke to her before, right?"
"Well, yeah," Van agreed hesitantly.
"Then, my lord, we need all the help we can get. To save Hitomi's life. I *know* we can trust him."
"I will see what I can do, too."
Millerna stepped forward, "and I will, as well. I'll try to convince my father. He's a stubborn old man, but he's wise and in no way stupid. If Zaibach really has regained its military strength then all of Gaea is in danger. That includes Asturia."
Van smiled half-heartedly then turned to his guards.
"We're heading back now." He then faced Yuaro. "You're coming as well."
Yuaro nodded at the already known statement.
"I'm going to Fanelia as well," Selena declared, defiantly glaring at her brother. "And that's final."
-- * --
Hitomi woke slowly from her deep slumber, feeling a warm hand brushing through her hair. The owner of the hand was gentle, soft, if not loving in the manner of which they stroked her cheek. It almost reminded her of waking to a dream, or perhaps dead and in Heaven, but a dull pain in the back of her head nulled those thoughts. The bed under her body and the pillow under her head, were soft, just like clouds.
Even though she was groggy – her sight blurred and head a mess – she could faintly make out the voice humming to her. It belonged to Dilandau. Her future husband was sweetly watching over her.
She had never known Dilandau had anything close to a sweet side.
"Hitomi?"
She groaned; half because she was too tired to be moving and she was attempting to sit up, and half because of the sharp headache slicing through her brain. Dilandau's concern felt strange, coming from him, as he gently took hold of her shoulders to steady her. She did not throw away the possibility that she was completely delusional.
"Di-Dilandau?" she sighed, leaning forward to rest her head on his shoulder. "MY lord, I'm sorry. I don't know what happened."
"Just take it easy, my sweet," he cooed, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Your body is not responding well to the remaining Power of Atlantis that stays in this area."
"P-Power of Atlantis?" She raised her head to gaze up at him. She remembered all the trouble Emperor Dornkirk had gone through to have it under his own control. "There is still some of it left in Zaibach?"
She could clearly recall, two years prior, the power responding to her emotions, bending to her will. From that it had been released upon Gaea, and from there on, where it rested was beyond her. Was it possible that it returned to its new home in Zaibach, as Dilandau was telling her, or would it have gone back to the temple in Fortona? Perhaps, even, it had simply made a home all over Gaea. But if that were the case, how could she have survived living in Azae? Whatever the case may have been, it felt as though it were slowly killing her.
"I have been debating to tell you..." he began, looking at her thoughtfully.
"What is it?" Curiosity sparked in her eyes. "My lord?"
"I have a present for you – or at least I will, love,' he said excitedly. "We are at war with Fanelia. I know you were hurt by him, so I'll leave *his* fate, and his country up to you."
Though in the back of her mind something about this registered as wrong, she could not help but be moved by his offer.
"Oh, my lord, that's so sweet of you."
He, if actually possible, grinned as if pleased, "heh, I thought you might be, Hitomi. Once you're a good enough sword fighter, we'll attack."
-----------------------------------------------
Gack... there we go! Part five is FINALLY completed. And it only took me an hour to type in (let's see... at least six more to go... o.o) Well, I hope that was enjoyed by my beloved readers. By next week I'll have some more up. Thanks for reading (and reviewing, if you did). Please do not stop reading because of the current pairing. Trust me, there's going to be *a lot* more to the story than what you've read so far.
- Nekura
Thank you for all of your support! And now, here's part five!
Part Five: Now at War
------------------------------------------------------
Hitomi walked down the steel hallways of Zaibach's castle, with two guards in tow. It was her first day as Dilandau's fiancée. He was taking this very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that she was going to train under him to learn the art of sword fighting, as well as take lessons on how to be a proper woman and wife on Gaea. Much to her own surprise, Dilandau seemed to have planned out their entire lives from that point on. He was shockingly passionate and loving, making several attempts to make her smile and cheer up on the journey to Zaibach. Even after just one night she found herself abolishing all doubts that she did not love this man.
"Where is my lord?" she asked in soft-spoken tones.
One of the guards cleared his throat before responding.
"He is in a meeting with the emperor."
"Oh," she sighed. "Will they be done soon, you think? I would like to see him soon."
She spoke as if in a trance. Her tones were bland and she sounded bored. Her steps were even and paced; her posture correct and head held high. She was engaged to one of the four generals of Zaibach's new Demon Army, and she had to appear worthy of the title. The outspoken Hitomi was going to have to bite her tongue. She was no longer on the Phantom Moon; she would strictly follow the rules of this Gaean nation. Her job was to make Dilandau happy, and to one day stand by his side.
"He will come to you when the emperor has finished speaking with him," the other guard, the one on her right, replied coldly.
"I figured as much."
She stopped abruptly, as did the two guards. There was a sharp pain in her heart. She moved to hold the ache and soothe the pain but she could not reach it. She collapsed to the ground, whimpering and shaking in pain. The two guards watched her, motionless, as a wave of darkness overcame her and she found herself lost in it.
"It must be as they predicted," the second guard mumbled.
"Yes," said the other. "She is not reacting very well to it."
"No, not at all," Dilandau sighed as he approached. "Take her to my room and tend to her. When she wakes, find me."
-- * --
Van sighed heavily as Merle reported her discoveries within Hitomi's room.
"No Hitomi, no struggle. My guess is that she left of her own free will," she explained with a confused smile. "There also weren't any foreign scents, so no one was in there with her."
He heard Allen sigh behind him and Yuaro step forward. As if that was not enough, there were rumors that Zaibach had rebuilt itself and was possibly going to attack Fanelia. He had wanted to find Hitomi before a war broke out and she ended up a tool on one of the sides.
"She mentioned Dilandau," Selena said softly. "Is it possible that Dilandau came for her or that she ran away to Zaibach? It's... well, she said that he told her about the engagement last time, so what if he wanted to keep them apart – Lord Van and Lady Hitomi – then once Lord Van got too close to her again, he might have come to 'collect' her."
"I served under Dilandau when I was one of Zaibach's soldiers."
"You what?" Van gasped, staring wide-eyed at Yuaro.
"I served under him, sort of. I was a lower rank and one of the soldiers residing on the Vione. Not a Dragon Slayer, though," Yuaro explained. "I know he can be... strong willed... and he was kind of obsessed with Hitomi Every time he spoke of her he mentioned killing her, but there was something in his eyes that hinted otherwise."
"So you're saying that more than likely he found a way to exist outside of Selena's body?" Millerna, who had been quite quiet up until that moment, suggested.
"And he came for what he wanted," Yuaro sighed.
Van nodded slowly. He already did not approve of Yuaro, and the whole part about him working for Zaibach previously did not help his opinion, but he seemed to be the only one who actually understood the situation.
"I want you to return to Fanelia with us," Van ordered. "You're going to help me – us get Hitomi back."
Merle nodded and smiled, clasping onto Allen's arm; Allen gave Van a disapproving scowl, then looked away; Millerna clasped her hands together in front of her and smiled at them.
"Maybe you could help teach the armies some of Zaibach's old strategies. They might've stuck with many of them 'cause the capital received so much damage!" Selena exclaimed, latching herself to his arm. "So let's get going back! He could show everyone how to prepare!"
Selena smiled proudly though everyone, including Van's royal guards and even Yuaro, were staring at her as if she was crazy. With vague memories, she envisioned Yuaro as a chivalrous knight, just like her brother was. Beyond that, in her mind, she could not place a good enough reason as to why he would wait an entire year to give Hitomi to Dilandau. An entire year had gone by; only once they had shown up had Hitomi vanished once again. She had no doubt in her mind that Yuaro could be trusted.
"I *haven't* had any problems with Dilandau surfacing, or even attempting to, for a while now. I think maybe he does exist in another body now," said Selena. "Hitomi said that he spoke to her before, right?"
"Well, yeah," Van agreed hesitantly.
"Then, my lord, we need all the help we can get. To save Hitomi's life. I *know* we can trust him."
"I will see what I can do, too."
Millerna stepped forward, "and I will, as well. I'll try to convince my father. He's a stubborn old man, but he's wise and in no way stupid. If Zaibach really has regained its military strength then all of Gaea is in danger. That includes Asturia."
Van smiled half-heartedly then turned to his guards.
"We're heading back now." He then faced Yuaro. "You're coming as well."
Yuaro nodded at the already known statement.
"I'm going to Fanelia as well," Selena declared, defiantly glaring at her brother. "And that's final."
-- * --
Hitomi woke slowly from her deep slumber, feeling a warm hand brushing through her hair. The owner of the hand was gentle, soft, if not loving in the manner of which they stroked her cheek. It almost reminded her of waking to a dream, or perhaps dead and in Heaven, but a dull pain in the back of her head nulled those thoughts. The bed under her body and the pillow under her head, were soft, just like clouds.
Even though she was groggy – her sight blurred and head a mess – she could faintly make out the voice humming to her. It belonged to Dilandau. Her future husband was sweetly watching over her.
She had never known Dilandau had anything close to a sweet side.
"Hitomi?"
She groaned; half because she was too tired to be moving and she was attempting to sit up, and half because of the sharp headache slicing through her brain. Dilandau's concern felt strange, coming from him, as he gently took hold of her shoulders to steady her. She did not throw away the possibility that she was completely delusional.
"Di-Dilandau?" she sighed, leaning forward to rest her head on his shoulder. "MY lord, I'm sorry. I don't know what happened."
"Just take it easy, my sweet," he cooed, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Your body is not responding well to the remaining Power of Atlantis that stays in this area."
"P-Power of Atlantis?" She raised her head to gaze up at him. She remembered all the trouble Emperor Dornkirk had gone through to have it under his own control. "There is still some of it left in Zaibach?"
She could clearly recall, two years prior, the power responding to her emotions, bending to her will. From that it had been released upon Gaea, and from there on, where it rested was beyond her. Was it possible that it returned to its new home in Zaibach, as Dilandau was telling her, or would it have gone back to the temple in Fortona? Perhaps, even, it had simply made a home all over Gaea. But if that were the case, how could she have survived living in Azae? Whatever the case may have been, it felt as though it were slowly killing her.
"I have been debating to tell you..." he began, looking at her thoughtfully.
"What is it?" Curiosity sparked in her eyes. "My lord?"
"I have a present for you – or at least I will, love,' he said excitedly. "We are at war with Fanelia. I know you were hurt by him, so I'll leave *his* fate, and his country up to you."
Though in the back of her mind something about this registered as wrong, she could not help but be moved by his offer.
"Oh, my lord, that's so sweet of you."
He, if actually possible, grinned as if pleased, "heh, I thought you might be, Hitomi. Once you're a good enough sword fighter, we'll attack."
-----------------------------------------------
Gack... there we go! Part five is FINALLY completed. And it only took me an hour to type in (let's see... at least six more to go... o.o) Well, I hope that was enjoyed by my beloved readers. By next week I'll have some more up. Thanks for reading (and reviewing, if you did). Please do not stop reading because of the current pairing. Trust me, there's going to be *a lot* more to the story than what you've read so far.
- Nekura