Author's Ramblings: First, I'd like to apologize for something in the last chapter—when I originally wrote this fanfic, I called what is now "Curanse" as "Caledonia." Only after I realized that that is an actual country (a fancy name for Scotland) did I change the name to Curanse. But I missed a few in the last chapter. ^-^¿ Hopefully I didn't miss any in this chapter.
Anyhoo, this chapter is dedicated to Beeky, daisy31, Hikari, anata no tomodachi, Kya77, Inda, Lady Laran, and Jemiul. Thank you! ^-^
Disclaimer: Me no own.
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Chapter Seven: Will Millerna Save the Day?
-Aboard the Crusade-
Van sat outside the room, his head in his hands; crying. He had managed to get Hitomi to the Crusade and entrusted her to the medical skill of Millerna. He had loaded Escaflowne into the cargo bay, dismayed that he might have to use it again. He had ordered an evacuation of Fanelia, telling the citizens to go anywhere that they knew they would be safe. He had announced that there were NO intentions whatsoever for Princess Calis to become queen of Fanelia, obviously because of the debacle in the marketplace. He had answered the questions of the people patiently, telling them that the Savior of Gaea—who would also become Queen of Fanelia—would surely be alright.
He wasn't so sure anymore.
"Don't worry, Van-sama. Hitomi will be okay. I know it," Merle comforted him as she sat beside him.
Van only weakly smiled. "Thanks, Merle."
She nodded as if to say 'you're welcome'. Then she asked, "Van-sama, can I ask you something?"
"Sure," Van answered.
"Did you…and Hitomi…you know?"
Van couldn't help but blush. "No. But," he said as his smile became a frown. "We promised that we would…after we…got married."
Merle hugged him out of sympathy. She held him as he began to cry again, pouring his feelings into the softness of her orange fur. "I should've known! I'm so stupid, Merle! Hitomi…is dying! It's all my fault!"
"No, Van-sama. It isn't your fault at all! It's that nasty Calis's fault! She is the one who did this to Hitomi!" Merle assured the crying king.
Suddenly the door of the makeshift emergency room opened. Millerna stepped out, her apron splattered with blood.
Hitomi's blood… Van thought. He feared the worst. She's dead, isn't she? Her life is over, before it really began… Hitomi! Please, please…I must be wrong!
Then Millerna spoke, and all who were in the hallway listened. Chid and Nadya halted their crying. Aaron, Allen, and Dryden discontinued their discussion of battle tactics and what to do if Hitomi really did die. Van and Merle simply looked up. "I don't know how…. She's lost a lot of blood, but she's alive."
That was all Van needed to hear. He ran, as fast as his injured body would allow, into the room. He closed the door behind him, and turned his gaze to the figure lying in the bed. Hitomi… She was covered in bandages, blood already seeping through some of them. Her hair was wet, as a result of Millerna having to wash the blood out of it. But she was alive. In pain, but alive. Somehow she managed to open her eyes. Van? "Van?" she managed to ask, in a hoarse whisper.
"It's me, Hitomi," he answered, rushing to the side of the bed.
She tried to lift her arm. She wanted to brush his tears away. But she was too weak; she had lost too much blood. "Van," she whispered.
He burst into tears. "I'm so sorry! It's my entire fault you're lying here like this! It's my fault that…that…that you're…."
"No!" she managed to exclaim. "No matter how much it may look like that, I won't! I won't leave you! I love you, Van… I…."
Van smiled a bit. "I love you too, Hitomi. I prayed that nothing like this would ever happen to you…."
She looked into his eyes. She managed to smile, and said, "As crazy as this is going to sound, this happening…was a good thing."
"What do you mean?! You are bleeding! You can hardly move! How can this be a good thing?"
"Calm down, Van," she said soothingly. Then she told him something she knew he would never expect to hear, "I…. Well, when I…died…in the marketplace, I was…transported somewhere. And I…I met three people there."
Van gave her a curious gaze.
"I met your family, Van," Hitomi explained. "I saw them. They talked to me. Your father told me that he was glad his son found such a wonderful woman to be Queen of Fanelia. Your mother told me that she was glad I returned to Gaea, and that she was happy we are going to get married." She smiled.
Van smiled too. "I'm not even gonna ask how. But…who was the third person?"
"Folken."
Van stiffened. If he…no, he wouldn't do that. He would never hurt her… So, why would he want to…to…talk to her? "What did he say?"
"He told me that he would never let any harm come to us, or to the people of Fanelia. He said that he would always watch over us; sort of like a 'guardian angel'. And then, he said 'Nothing is as strong as gentleness nor as gentle as strength'. I don't know what that means though," Hitomi answered. "And…he…he was the one who…."
"The one who what?" asked Van. His eyes were glistening with tears again, happy that his family had met his beloved Hitomi, but sad that he had almost lost her. My beautiful Hitomi…
"He brought me back, Van."
Van gasped. "He…brought you back?"
Hitomi nodded, and smiled.
Van gently lifted Hitomi, and hugged her lightly; being careful not to hurt her wounded body. His own wounds were healing rapidly, but Hitomi…well, she wasn't used to being hurt like this. Thank you, Folken… "I'm glad he did, Hitomi."
"Me too."
Van reluctantly removed Hitomi from his arms, and placed her on the bed again. "As much as I can't stand to leave you, you really should get some sleep."
"Okay," she agreed.
"If you need anything, anything at all…."
"Don't worry, love. I'll be fine," she reassured him.
He smiled. "I'll be right outside." And with that, he left the room. She smiled as well, and drifted off into peaceful slumber.
-In the Hallway Outside The Room (still on the Crusade)-
Van walked into a sea of expectant faces.
"How is she?" Chid managed to ask. Nadya, standing beside him as usual, shared his concerned look.
"Tired and weak," Van answered. "But alive," he added with a smile. He turned to a smiling Millerna. "Thank you, Millerna. If it weren't for you, she…she wouldn't have had a body to come back to."
"I'm just glad I could help," she replied, hugging Van lightly. She had long since rid herself of the apron smeared with Hitomi's blood. I don't know how you did it, Hitomi…but I'm glad you came back… she thought.
"I'm glad you could help too, darling," Dryden added as he stood by Millerna. "Lady Hitomi is a wonderful friend and even I, a cold-hearted flirtatious merchant, would be saddened if she died."
"But let's not think about that," added Allen, as he leaned against the wall.
Van smiled.
Merle, sensing the somewhat doom-and-gloom atmosphere of the hallway, attempted to lighten things up, "Well, I'm STARVING! Come on you guys, this depression is making me HUNGRY! Let's go get some dinner!"
The whole hallway roared with laughter.
Van leaned over, and whispered in her ear, "Thanks, Merle."
She smiled in response. "You're welcome, Van-sama."
The group headed for the main deck, where Allen commanded Gaddes to find somewhere to land. A forest was spotted, and the Crusade was gently but swiftly landed in a small opening among the trees. Merle's hunger was satiated, and soon everyone turned in for the night.
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Be kind, please rewind. Err, review…. Teehee. ;þ