Author's Ramblings: This chapter is dedicated to Beeky, daisy31, Hikari, anata no tomodachi, Kya77, Inda, and Lady Laran. Thank you for reviewing! ^-^
Disclaimer: Me no own.
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Chapter Six: An Interrupted Marketplace
-In the Fanelian Marketplace, the Next Day-
"So you're saying you want me to find a stone exactly like that one and make a ring?" the fat man behind the jewelry counter asked. Again.
Van had to restrain himself from choking the man. Again. "Yes. The stone in the pendant. Find one that looks like it, and make a ring." Is that so incredibly difficult, you daft prick? I had no idea such a low IQ was possible. I'll have to work on the education system here in Fanelia…
Allen and Dryden, who came with Van for moral support on this vitally important quest, snickered in the background. They could see Van's frustration, and the jeweler was not making any attempts to cool the hotheaded King.
"Sorry, your majesty, but I've never…what the…?" The jeweler's speech muddled into nothing. His dull blue eyes fixated on something behind Van, Allen, and Dryden.
Van recognized that fixation. The oh-my…-SHIT! fixation. Please, please don't let Hitomi's vision come true…
He turned around slowly. Allen and Dryden followed his movements.
And they saw red.
-Meanwhile, Inside the Castle-
"Did he really propose to you? Are you really engaged?" asked an attentive Chid, accompanied by Nadya. "Allen was telling us something about 'protecting Fanelia's Queen', and that's you, right?"
Hitomi giggled and blushed from Chid's barrage of questions. "Yes, he really proposed to me. Yes, we are really engaged. And yes, that's right." She smiled.
"WOW!" Nadya exclaimed.
"When are you two gonna get married?" Chid asked.
"Well, we don't have a definite date, but it is going to be after this whole mess with Caledonia is straightened out," Hitomi answered. "Which will hopefully be soon," she added, her eyes glazing with love.
Chid noticed her dreamy look, and couldn't resist to remark, "Can't wait for the honeymoon, can you?"
Hitomi turned several shades of red. Nadya stared at Chid, shaking her head with mirth. However, the mood of the room quickly changed once Aaron ran in the room, panting from running so fast. "Your majesties…attack…evacuate…Crusade…now!"
"What?" asked a befuddled Hitomi.
Aaron only looked at her, and suddenly she knew. She walked to the window.
And she saw red.
-Back in the Marketplace-
All talking ceased. Silence ensued over the marketplace, waiting to see if the newly rebuilt Fanelia would once again be burnt to the ground. Van laid his hand on the grip of his sword, ready to pull it out at a moment's notice.
Calis stood in front of her guymelef, her long red braid blowing in the breeze. She walked forward and sneered. "Greetings, King Van Fanel. I suppose you're thinking back to that mysterious quaking that occurred a few days ago. Just to spare you from asking, I'll go ahead and tell you that that was caused by my trusty guymelef Blade. But that's not why I'm here."
Van walked forward, drawing his sword from its hilt. The crest of Fanelia shone in the sun. He paused in his walk, looking straight at Calis. "If you so much as look at her, I will kill you myself!"
Calis laughed. "You think you can kill me? You are sadly mistaken, Dragon Boy! I will certainly get your beloved Seer,and claim my rightful position as queen of Fanelia!"
The battle commenced.
Calis charged at Van, and he answered her steel with his. He saw an open spot to the right, and lunged. She blocked, and laughed again. "You are pitiful!" she shouted. She dashed to the left, and managed to cut a slightly deep gash in Van's right arm. He grunted in pain.
-Right Outside the Crusade (which is hidden in a barn near the castle)-
"Please, Hitomi! Board quickly and we can get away to safety! Van, Allen, and Dryden know how to defend themselves!" Millerna tried to coax Hitomi onto the Crusade one more time.
"No!" Hitomi refused. "I will not leave Van!"
Then she felt it. A searing pain in her right arm. She gasped as she saw the blood trickling down. How…? Van! He's hurt!
"Hitomi?" Millerna asked.
Hitomi only screamed in pain, as another cut appeared on her left shoulder. Another appeared on her left thigh, going straight through to the other side. She almost fell down, but knew she couldn't. Her instincts were telling her to go to Van. And she ran off, cuts still appearing with every step she took. She winced in pain, blood dripping all over her, but knew she had to keep going. She could see him, just a little bit further….
"Do you honestly think you're in any condition to keep fighting, Dragon Boy?" Calis asked, her voice cackling with that shrill laughter.
Van staggered forward. He had cuts everywhere, and was covered in blood. He hadn't so much as bruised Calis. He hoped Allen and Dryden could help him out soon, but they were busy fighting off the red-haired guards of Caledonia—which were automatically dubbed as 'Calis's Groupies'.
But he wouldn't give up. Not yet. "I will never let you get her!" he cried out.
Calis's laugh grew louder. "Oh, Dragon Boy! Your stupidity amazes me!"
Van glared at her. "What are you talking about?"
"Look, you insolent fool! Look behind you! At your precious Hitomi! See how you have underestimated your affections!"
Hitomi? What have they done to Hitomi?! Van thought as he slowly turned around.
And he saw her.
"Hitomi?" he questioned, uncertain that the bloody creature he was faced with could possibly be her.
"Van!" she cried out.
And then he knew. She feels it…she feels my pain…
And then his worst nightmare came true. Her green eyes rolled back, and she collapsed to the ground. "Hitomi!!!!!" he yelled, tears beginning to fall from his eyes. He ran to her, but was prevented from reaching her by one of Calis's Groupies.
Calis looked on with growing laughter. "Looks like the Queen of Fanelia has fallen before she could actually rise! Tell that to your psychic pansies."
Van turned around in the guard's grip. "How could you?" he asked, his tears stinging the cuts on his face.
"Because I can, Dragon Boy. Because I can! Come on, boys. The show's over for today."
And with that, Calis and her groupies that hadn't been slain by Allen, Dryden, or any of the Fanelian guards, left.
Van immediately rushed to Hitomi. He felt her wrists for a pulse.
There wasn't one.
"HITOMI!!!!!" he cried out in agony. He hugged her lifeless body to him, sobbing. He picked her up, and, not caring anymore whether anyone saw him, let out his wings. He flew up into the air, hoping that the Crusade wouldn't have left yet.
And he left behind a startled Allen and Dryden in a rain of…
Bloody feathers.
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My antagonistic creations perturb even me. Let me know how you felt about this chapter!