Summary: The new arrival has a proposal to offer to Allen and HitomiÉ
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Allen and Hitomi were still in their tender embrace when Elmine gently knocked on the door, and let herself in a bit timidly.
"I'm sorry," she apologized sheepishly, "But there's someone here to see you, and she's getting a little impatient..."
"To see us? Who is it?" Hitomi asked, curiously, though reluctant to leave Allen's comforting arms.
"My name is Saria," came another feminine voice as the door opened once more, revealing the raven-haired girl Elmine had welcomed into her home. She walked inside with a no-nonsense attitude, folding her arms across her chest as she stood at a stance a few paces away from Allen and Hitomi. For a moment she said nothing, then she looked directly at Hitomi and nodded a bit, her expression seeming one of controlled sympathy. "Are you all right?" she asked, a sculpted eyebrow arching slightly.
"Yes, I'm fine," Hitomi replied, a bit confused by the girl, "I'm sorry, Saria, but...do we know you?"
"Not directly," Saria said, but didn't give them the chance to ask if there was an indirect manner in which they knew each other as she continued, "You seemed to be in a pretty bad situation back there, in Palas. I didn't want to see you die on that stake..."
Hitomi and Allen shared a glance, then looked back to Saria in surprise. "You're the one who broke her bonds?" Allen asked, his intrigue apparent on his voice.
Saria nodded slightly, something almost like an amused smirk on her naturally ruby-tinted lips. "Yeah, that was me. Didn't think I was a girl, did you, Allen?"
Allen rose an eyebrow, now made slightly wary by the raven-haired girl before them. "How did you know my name?"
"Like I said," Saria spoke evenly, "We don't know each other directly. We have...a mutual acquaintance, let's say. It's through him that I know about you guys."
"Who?" Hitomi asked, more curious than wary of her, since Saria seemed to be a good person as far as she could tell.
"Van. It's kind of a long story that I'm not going to get into right now, but we've known each other since we were little kids. Anyhow, that's not the point," Saria continued, her voice seeming to take on an edge of determination, "Look, I saw what happened to you through the window, Hitomi. I know you're a Draconian...which is why you can't run from Aquaria. Together, you and Van can unlock the power of Atlantis, don't you understand?"
Both Allen and Hitomi seemed to flinch slightly from the term 'together', but Hitomi spoke up, "I don't even understand my own self right now...how can I possibly help?"
"That's why you have to come with me...I've sent word for Van to meet us in my hometown, Lassenia. You'll be safe there, I promise you...no one will try to hurt you. There, we can find out more about all this, and I'm sure Van can help you to understand yourself better. Please...if we do nothing, the world will fall to this demon menace. Will you come with me?" Saria pleaded, dark forest eyes imploring.
Hitomi and Allen exchanged a glance, and tried to read each other's expressions. They were both concerned, Hitomi slightly more so, it seemed...but Allen seemed to understand that this was something they needed to do. Without a word, he gently stroked her cheek, reassuring her that he would be there for her no matter what the cost. She nodded slightly, leaning into his touch, almost seeming to read his thoughts. After a moment, she turned back to Saria and spoke quietly, "Yes...we'll come with you."
~~
Not too much longer after, they were mounted on horseback, Saria on her own beautiful dark chocolate-shaded stallion. With a few parting words with Elmine and a couple of small packages for them to take along, they were off, riding swiftly towards the quickly dimming horizon.
"Allen..." Hitomi murmured in the beginning of a question, her arms around his waist tightening slightly.
"You're wondering if we can trust her, aren't you..." he spoke gently back, resting a hand on top of hers clasped around his waist. She nodded slightly against his back, and he gave a soft sigh. "I don't know what other option we have, Hitomi...it wouldn't have been long before the soldiers of Asturia found you there...Lassenia is a sovereign nation, and therefore Asturia has no power within its bounds...she was right about one thing, at least; you will be safe there."
"And what if Aquaria follows?" she asked, feeling her heart sink, "What if she follows me there and destroys everything?"
He gave a gentle squeeze to her hands, trying in some way to soothe her fears. "Hitomi...save these worries for a later time...just know that I'll protect you with every ounce of my strength. I'll never surrender you to her..."
Hitomi couldn't help but smile at his words, and she softly hugged him from her position behind him. Almost too quietly to be heard, she said, "I love you, Allen..."
"And I you, dearest Hitomi."
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Author's Notes: Okay, I know, short chapter...and late at that. x.x;; I'll try to get something better up soon, I've just been so busy lately! Thanks! ^^;;
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Allen and Hitomi were still in their tender embrace when Elmine gently knocked on the door, and let herself in a bit timidly.
"I'm sorry," she apologized sheepishly, "But there's someone here to see you, and she's getting a little impatient..."
"To see us? Who is it?" Hitomi asked, curiously, though reluctant to leave Allen's comforting arms.
"My name is Saria," came another feminine voice as the door opened once more, revealing the raven-haired girl Elmine had welcomed into her home. She walked inside with a no-nonsense attitude, folding her arms across her chest as she stood at a stance a few paces away from Allen and Hitomi. For a moment she said nothing, then she looked directly at Hitomi and nodded a bit, her expression seeming one of controlled sympathy. "Are you all right?" she asked, a sculpted eyebrow arching slightly.
"Yes, I'm fine," Hitomi replied, a bit confused by the girl, "I'm sorry, Saria, but...do we know you?"
"Not directly," Saria said, but didn't give them the chance to ask if there was an indirect manner in which they knew each other as she continued, "You seemed to be in a pretty bad situation back there, in Palas. I didn't want to see you die on that stake..."
Hitomi and Allen shared a glance, then looked back to Saria in surprise. "You're the one who broke her bonds?" Allen asked, his intrigue apparent on his voice.
Saria nodded slightly, something almost like an amused smirk on her naturally ruby-tinted lips. "Yeah, that was me. Didn't think I was a girl, did you, Allen?"
Allen rose an eyebrow, now made slightly wary by the raven-haired girl before them. "How did you know my name?"
"Like I said," Saria spoke evenly, "We don't know each other directly. We have...a mutual acquaintance, let's say. It's through him that I know about you guys."
"Who?" Hitomi asked, more curious than wary of her, since Saria seemed to be a good person as far as she could tell.
"Van. It's kind of a long story that I'm not going to get into right now, but we've known each other since we were little kids. Anyhow, that's not the point," Saria continued, her voice seeming to take on an edge of determination, "Look, I saw what happened to you through the window, Hitomi. I know you're a Draconian...which is why you can't run from Aquaria. Together, you and Van can unlock the power of Atlantis, don't you understand?"
Both Allen and Hitomi seemed to flinch slightly from the term 'together', but Hitomi spoke up, "I don't even understand my own self right now...how can I possibly help?"
"That's why you have to come with me...I've sent word for Van to meet us in my hometown, Lassenia. You'll be safe there, I promise you...no one will try to hurt you. There, we can find out more about all this, and I'm sure Van can help you to understand yourself better. Please...if we do nothing, the world will fall to this demon menace. Will you come with me?" Saria pleaded, dark forest eyes imploring.
Hitomi and Allen exchanged a glance, and tried to read each other's expressions. They were both concerned, Hitomi slightly more so, it seemed...but Allen seemed to understand that this was something they needed to do. Without a word, he gently stroked her cheek, reassuring her that he would be there for her no matter what the cost. She nodded slightly, leaning into his touch, almost seeming to read his thoughts. After a moment, she turned back to Saria and spoke quietly, "Yes...we'll come with you."
~~
Not too much longer after, they were mounted on horseback, Saria on her own beautiful dark chocolate-shaded stallion. With a few parting words with Elmine and a couple of small packages for them to take along, they were off, riding swiftly towards the quickly dimming horizon.
"Allen..." Hitomi murmured in the beginning of a question, her arms around his waist tightening slightly.
"You're wondering if we can trust her, aren't you..." he spoke gently back, resting a hand on top of hers clasped around his waist. She nodded slightly against his back, and he gave a soft sigh. "I don't know what other option we have, Hitomi...it wouldn't have been long before the soldiers of Asturia found you there...Lassenia is a sovereign nation, and therefore Asturia has no power within its bounds...she was right about one thing, at least; you will be safe there."
"And what if Aquaria follows?" she asked, feeling her heart sink, "What if she follows me there and destroys everything?"
He gave a gentle squeeze to her hands, trying in some way to soothe her fears. "Hitomi...save these worries for a later time...just know that I'll protect you with every ounce of my strength. I'll never surrender you to her..."
Hitomi couldn't help but smile at his words, and she softly hugged him from her position behind him. Almost too quietly to be heard, she said, "I love you, Allen..."
"And I you, dearest Hitomi."
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Author's Notes: Okay, I know, short chapter...and late at that. x.x;; I'll try to get something better up soon, I've just been so busy lately! Thanks! ^^;;