Chapter 8 : Heartache and Resolution

It is less than a night away before the wedding.

Gaudi sat on the edge of his chamber's window, his eyes staring emptily toward Gaea's twin moons; his brows creased in deep contemplation. The corners of his lips were curled up lopsidedly as his thought turned to one particular woman, a young princess to be precise. The princess was quite intriguing, to say the least. He had known quite a number of women himself, being a ladies-man in his wild, younger years, but he had to admit that Ardine managed to distract his poor mind in the last few days. There were some vivid gleams in Ardine's eyes that were somewhat captivating his soul, that he saw whenever he made her angry.

It could be the aura of exotic mystery that surrounded her, whenever she was talking or moving around in her natural grace; he mused inwardly. However, after thinking about it for awhile, he shook his head weakly and twitched his lips in ironic bemusement.

No.

That reason alone would not be sufficient to answer his earlier question. He needed something more…something that was able to actually force him to turn around and regard the girl for the second time, or even took pity on her! For Gods' sakes, she was merely a child probably ten years his junior, and he disliked her for her disdainful nature.

It was her eyes probably. They were filled with both raging and melancholic vengeance, and wounded pride that couldn't be restored by merely a statement of apology. And there, as he stood in front of her that day, in her great chamber, he was awed by her bleak and forlorn expression, his initial intention forgotten. He had firstly initiated to check on her out of courtesy and mere concern as she, no matter how appalling the situation had been with her presence, was still one of the most respected guests in the castle, thus it was also his duty as a member of Fanelian court to see to her comfort, at least physically, if not mentally.

However, her slumped shoulders and the loneliness that was clearly shown had caused him to play his role unconsciously further, much to his own chagrin. It was unlikely that he was doing it because of her beauty alone, because he knew, he always knew by heart, that beauty could kill, and he learnt it from his early age through the mythical love tale of his own parents. Therefore, it must be something else that brought him to his current state of mind. Something had definitely triggered an area within him that he himself never dared to explore, to venture about. He had yet to find out what it was; he told himself inwardly, smiling ironically as he thought so; and hoped that it wouldn't come with a price.

He had to confess that he had been a little bit too deliberate in his action on that day, but he couldn't refrain from doing it. The situation that urged him to act that way; he observed calmly; was somehow similar to the one when the princess stumbled upon him in the garden. No. It wasn't the situation. It was the stirring emotions within him, something that he was unable to fathom. It lingered in his heart like a snake, forcing him to take an action in order to redeem it. At first, he had thought that it was sympathy, yet he fully comprehended that it wasn't one. And it wasn't love either.

It must be a quality in her person that made him take liberty to take care of her. 

And the deliberation has revealed the angry kitten in her, he chuckled softly in amusement; his eyes gleamed in undeniable desire as he recalled the flash of fury in her eyes, revealing the best of her sparkling crystal-clear blue eyes.

Pain.

Jealousy.

That was what Ardine experienced as she strolled along the corridor, wandering aimlessly in the middle of the night. She had been restless all day, and her brain had refused to cooperate with her when she retired for the night. She thought about the matters happened around her constantly, even when she was reluctant. In reality, she could order sleeping potion to be brought to her chamber, but she was very adamant about standing her ground when it came to her problems.

Her problems.

She couldn't cease thinking about her encounter with Gaudi only two days ago. He had befallen in front of her chamber, asking if everything was going all right for her. Of course, she had answered that she was fine, but deep down she was awful. Aside from being disgraced all over, she also experienced this nagging feeling of nausea, deep in the bottom of her stomach.

Gaudi had known better than to believe her answer, she recalled. He had ordered the guards to leave them alone in her chamber, closed the door behind him and stared at her intently as he was doing it. She was unable to express her annoyance at his deliberate action, having suddenly lost her ability to speak. She merely edged further into the room as he walked toward her; his features were a mask of confidence.

He halted right before her and gazed deep into her eyes for a few seconds that she felt like eternity before actually smiled down at her and announced, "No, you're not all right."

She had only gritted her teeth in exasperation as she felt his words go straight to her heart. He was right. She had not been well. Ardine could only curl her fists beside her body and hiss, "You don't know anything about me. I am well, when I say so,"

"However, I can tell that something's bothering you. That's clearly shown in your face." His eyes narrowed, he advanced further and put his palm deliberately on Ardine's forehead, feeling for rising temperature, then announced, "No, you're not sick at all."

"How dare you!" Ardine slashed her hand through the air to slap his hand away, her face reddened in anger. She had had enough. His exhibition of disrespect was really hurting her pride to the point that she wanted to cry out her anguish and tear his handsome features into shreds. Unfortunately, he was quicker than she expected and managed to catch her wrist first before she had a chance to lay a hand on him. Ardine could say nothing, merely gasped in shock over his boldness; there was fear in her eyes for a moment.

"Princess," he mouthed the word softly, warm breath tickling the skin surrounding her left ear, "It's been a warm day. I think you should enjoy it and..." Ardine had held her breath when he let go of her hand only to brush the back of his gloved hand against her smooth white cheek, fearing for her own well-being at the moment. She had never been alone with a man before, let alone being in such a close contact with one. Their nearness made her heart skip a beat or two, her breasts falling up and down with every breath that she caught.

For a moment, Ardine thought that Gaudi would cross the border of their status even further and kiss her, but he didn't. He retreated with a smirk after he swept one silky strand of black hair from her eyes; his eyes held hers captive, even if only for a moment. The depth of his eyes ensnared her, causing her go limp with every second passing.

As if his earlier behaviour had never begun, she remembered him retreating back to his cold mask before giving her a curt nod and a cordial gesture of salutation, before finally telling her once again, "You're a princess. You have the dignity and the self-control. You know what to do."

You know what to do.

She knew what to do.

Leaning on the wall for support, Ardine caught her breath and found herself reflecting on his words once again. Know what to do? She didn't even know herself anymore. She was confused, very confused. Should she go back to her father, tainted and disgraced, or confront the King of Fanelia, claiming her rightly position as his Queen with her cunning mind? Like fool she was. She would avoid war at all costs, since she had known from her past experience how terrible a war could be, even as a pampered little princess. She had hated war with all her heart. On the other hand, her pride was suffering more and more, seeing her dreams of being the wife of the man she most adored ripped from her from day to day.

"What should I do?" she whispered to the darkness, her tears flowing freely.

Then her eyes caught something. There, through a crack of a door, she saw Hitomi's regal wedding gown. It was pure white, innocently clean and delicate. Unconsciously she walked into the room, unguarded for there was no suspicion of someone would ever take the wedding gown away. Standing with majestically in front of the figure that held the gown upright, Ardine fingered the lace daintily, her face altered from melancholy to fury. Grasping the lace tightly in her fingers, she jerked her hand down, tearing the lace apart with only a single tug, the beads embellished on the gown plummeting, glittering, like a cold rainy night. Her sapphire eyes glazing in hell's madness, she started to unleash her wrath on the cool, harmless cloth.

And tomorrow, she grinned in satisfaction, the wedding would no more than an announcement. No more grand wedding. At least that was the least she could do to avenge her aching heart, for she could do nothing to prevent the moment to dawn upon her.

Hitomi woke with a start; sweat was dripping down her chin as she hugged herself close and rocked her body back and fro as she was huddled beneath her blanket. Tears threatened to spill from the corner of her eyes as she felt fear engulfing her, making her heart almost burst with each pressure.

A dream.

A vivid dream.

She was having a premonition.

She was going to be wedded tomorrow, yet she was aware of the nagging feelings that she recognized very well as a sign of bad omen. Had her ability to cast the future returned to her? She asked none of the ability, but she seemed to accept one with every night she spent here in Fanelia. She had never told Van about her glimpses of visions that kept haunting her every night, which only get more and more vivid, more real. Was it because she and Van were never meant to be? No, no! She shook her head in denial, her palms covering her face in anguish.

After a moment, she started to reflect on her dream. Removing her hands from her face to rake her soft sandy hair, her face was hardened with determination as she tried to recall whatever happened in her dream, willed herself to think.

A face.

A man's face.

There was a hint of familiarity and an air of grace by the way he moved and walked that made her shiver in anticipation. Such a handsome man. However, she also sensed something amiss that kept gnawing her heart, making her mind restless with worry. Who was that man? Why did she felt such a threat coming from his very aura? She couldn't see his face, and yet she recognized him.

And then...all the buildings, on fire.

Did it mean war?

Hitomi shuddered as she contemplated on the idea of having her wedding cancelled. Tomorrow was the day. Her happiness was only a day away, and yet she felt that it was not permissible yet for her to enjoy happiness. Her destiny had directed her to another direction that she certainly would hate to go.

"No!" she whispered to the room as she jabbed the innocent pillow on her lap, letting her frustration to take control of her, "I will marry him! I must!"

If not...

"I will die..." Hitomi whispered for the last time, a tear rolled down her cheek as it glinted the reflection of the moon.

There were murmurs of anxiety as Hitomi stood silently in front of the shredded cloth that used to be her wedding gown until a few hours ago, dangerous stillness claiming her entire body. Shock. She was in shock, and she felt numb to her bones. She knew who was the one that did that to the poor wedding gown, but she chose to be silent at the moment. Words meant nothing anymore as what had been done was done already. All she did was inspect the remaining of the gown closely as she lost hope more and more, knowing that it was impossible to mend the gown in mere hours. She heard the silent whispers of her ladies in waiting as she grasped a piece of white cloth in her trembling hand, her brows knitted closely as she scrutinized the piece with eerie calm.

She had to be ready in a few hours, and yet she had nothing to wear. Damn Ardine. Damn her for her sentiments. She had respected the princess' decision to avoid her and Van, but not this one, definitely. However, she could say nothing. The gown wouldn't be back anew even if she attempted to claw her eyes out.

"L-lady Hitomi..." someone called her tentatively from behind, her tone full of genuine concerns. Hitomi whipped her head back only to meet several worried eyes, and found that Merle was one of them, garbed in an elegant peach coloured gown that was tailored especially for the occasion. Her blue eyes filled with dread as she knelt down beside her friend, holding her close; her mouth was set into a grim line.

"Lady Hitomi...we can't do a thing to this...this..." Merle didn't have the heart to continue her words, merely gesturing toward the cloth, then continued carefully, "Then we have to tell His Majesty that we have to cancel the wedding."

Everyone in the room was very afraid of Hitomi's reaction, for they knew how much their king and his lady had hoped for the wedding to come true in the end. Staring at Hitomi's back wordlessly, everyone thought that she was crying over her bad fortune. Sighing profoundly, they started to leave the room one by one when suddenly Hitomi's voice rang clear in the air, bringing their feet into a halt, "No,"

"My lady?" One of them stepped forward, silently questioning Hitomi's mental stability at the moment. Could she be so overwhelmed by the incident that she couldn't see clearly that there was no way the wedding could proceed? Without a wedding gown? That would be shameful and horrendous of a moment, especially with her status as the future queen of Fanelia. And to think that she would be crowned as well at the same day...

Hitomi got to her feet; her stature was dangerously calm. There was no resignation sensed from her, but merely stronger determination. Her voice was low as she gave her first order as the future queen of Fanelia. Before, she was always asking for assistance politely, but at the moment, with all the commotion, she was forced to give orders.

"Bring all kinds of fabrics and fresh flowers, here. Now!" Hitomi barked her command, sending some maids scurrying away to retrieve Hitomi's ordered objects. Then, she turned to Merle, her greenish blue eyes glinting, a brave smile plastered on her face, "Merle, we have a lot of redesigning to do." Next, she turned around to face her ladies-in-waiting and announced her intentions, "We'll have to do it quickly, but don't worry, because what I have in mind doesn't involve sewing. However, we will need a few clips here and there. It will be out of Fanelia's traditional wedding gown design, but for the pressing moment, I think we have no choice." She stopped for awhile and inhaled deeply before she looked around the room and said, "We are forced to use Phantom Moon traditional wedding gown a la Hitomi Kanzaki."

And as she winked, the ladies in the room almost couldn't believe their eyes. There was a glint of humour in them. Even Merle was forced to grin in admiration of her dear friend's courage.

The king of Fanelia sat gracefully, yet with discomfort on his throne as he admitted the guests that he had chosen to honour his wedding. On the right side of the throne, sitting on the some of the best seats provided for guests of honour, including the leaders of Gaea's strongest kingdoms, were the parties from Asturia and Freid. King Dryden of Asturia had expressed what an honour it was to be invited to the grand wedding. He had told the younger king that Millerna had overjoyed when she heard about Hitomi's return to Gaea and especially about the wedding, and insisted on answering the invitation as quickly as the time permit. Even Allen Schezar, the golden haired knight, was attending the wedding with his sister, Celena Schezar, although with sombre mood. Sometimes Van wondered what had gone through his mind at the moment.

He smiled genuinely as he met Millerna's eyes, and chuckled in mild amusement as the young queen mouthed quietly, "Good luck." The young queen hadn't changed even the slightest bit, for she was still the usual happy young woman who had struggled with him to recover the peace in Gaea. She was even more glowing than the last time he met her, probably because of the essence of her marriage to Dryden. She seemed so happy when he witnessed her announcing her vow to love her king forever, after a failed attempt during the war. That time, of course, she had done it with all her consciousness of her own feelings toward Dryden, unlike the first time, when she was forced to do it, she hadn't realized her love for the other yet.

The party had just arrived in Fanelia Castle that morning, and was immediately shown to their rooms for brief rest before the ceremony, so Hitomi hadn't met them yet, due to the busy morning of preparation that must have exhausted her by now. He had received a report that everything was going fine from one of Hitomi's attendants, but he was also notified that there was going to be a little delay. Not that he minded the delay. It just left him too much time to think things that could possibly go wrong, which didn't help his nervousness at all.

He couldn't help but ponder the fact that Hitomi's and his marriage could cause turmoil in the relatively unsecured state of peace in Gaea. His message of refusal to marry Princess Ardine of Ispano must have reached the hand of the king of Ispano at this very moment, and it all depended on the old king's wisdom whether the war would erupt or not. He had never wished for a second war in Gaea, but his determination to marry Hitomi and make her his queen had seemingly cut all the senses off him, and he went on as he initially planned. Besides, it wasn't entirely his fault; he couldn't help but add childishly, though inwardly.

"Your Majesty," he could hear an old, tired voice calling him and snapped his head up and focused his mind back from his reverie, facing Gardia, whose hard features were hardened even more since the day he learnt about his stubborn resolution to marry Hitomi, "The bride is ready. She is waiting behind the door with her party. I will go behind the door shortly to represent her to you, Your Majesty."

Van smiled in gratitude over the remark. Despite Gardia's early protestation, he finally learned to accept his decision with all its consequences, though he knew that inside, Gardia was still hoping for the impossible. The old advisor even went further by offering his services to be Hitomi's guardian in the stead of her parents, as delivering the bride to the arms of her future husband was required in Fanelian wedding tradition. However, he often caught the older man deep in contemplation, which sometimes made him uneasy to some extent. There was a strange knowing glint every time he looked into the other's eyes, as if condemning his marriage plan into failure.

Calmly he skimmed the vast hall and noted several familiar figures present among his vast majority of guests, who murmur impatiently while waiting for the appearance of the bride. Gaudi was there, among the people that were honoured to stand as the witnesses of their marriage, including Duke Chid of Freid and King Dryden of Asturia. He chuckled softly as he remembered their wild adventure during the Great Gaean War. They were such loyal friends, back then. Then he noted another unexpected presence. Princess Ardine. She was sitting somewhere among the guests with some of her ladies-in-waiting, her features were haughtily beautiful. She wore her finest gown and jewellery, and hid her puffy crying eyes with make-up, but she was precariously calm at the prospect of observing the union that Van was sure she loathed with all her heart.

At the same moment, Van snapped his head up as he heard the sound of fanfare that indicated the arrival of the bride and her attendants. His jaw almost hit the ground as he finally had a chance to take a good look at her.

She looked absolutely stunning...in an unorthodox way.

Far in the corner where Princess Ardine and her party were seated, the princess' eyes widened as she saw the presence of her now-archenemy. Even she had to congratulate the calmness and intellect that Hitomi had displayed by resolving the problems that she had deliberately caused the night before. And far down in her heart, she couldn't help but dawn upon a stinging realization.

She looked charming and graceful, peaceful and innocent, traits that suited well he image of a queen. She is the Queen of Fanelia.

"Gods...Allen, Hitomi is absolutely beautiful, isn't she?" Millerna was craning her neck in an attempt to have a gook look at the bride's whole outfit, and ended up standing like everybody else. Actually she had planned to talk to the young woman first, before the wedding, but the fact that their party had just arrived that day, on the final preparation of the wedding, had prevented her from talking to the other woman. She had missed the days they spent in the Great War, no matter how sad it was. She always considered Hitomi to be one of her best friends, and her smile had always brought higher spirits to her. She realized how much Hitomi and Van loved each other, even as adolescents, and wept silently upon learning that Hitomi had been leaving Gaea, leaving her Van. That was why she felt such joy at the fact that they were able to finally seal their union with a vow.

Allen Schezar, who had become one of her most trusted generals since the end of the war, merely nodded pensively as he answered, "Yes, my queen. She is, indeed." Even Celena was not in her usual mood. She didn't know why, but the younger woman had been restless since they crossed Fanelia's border. Could it be that she still retained a little of Dilandau's memory?

Millerna brushed all the trace of worries from her mind and followed the bride's movement as her attendants helped her with her long, silky train. What kind of fashion was that? She had never seen one in Gaea. Even Van was captivated by the look; Millerna giggled as she noticed the young king's mouth formed a nice letter-o. Then she noticed that all of Van's witnesses, saving her king husband and Van's infamous cousin, Gaudi, stared with open admiration, although there was also a trace of puzzlement in their eyes.

There, in front of Van's throne, Hitomi stood tall with soft fabrics bounded delicately around her slim body to replace the wedding gown that was now only history. Some parts of the fabric were arranged loosely to cover one of her shoulders, the cloth flowing down to the ground, closing the view of her arm. Another part of the fabric was gathered closely behind, at her waist, forming a big flower before the rest was let loose to form a long train. The visible seams were covered by fresh and pastel coloured flowers, bringing out Hitomi's fresh beauty. She wore nothing to decorate her hair save for little white flowers that were fixed to her loose, glowing hair.

Her attire looked too austere for a future bride of a king, but strength lay beneath the simplicity. Unlike any other brides Millerna had ever encountered, including her own sister, Marlene, Hitomi's attire had brought out the best in her, had focused on more of her natural beauty. It was her that people saw, not the gown. True that Hitomi was not a sparkling beauty herself, compared to other women, but she was not overweight with accessories, unlike some brides she happened to know.

Hitomi gave a secret loving smile toward her future husband before she finally knelt down deeply, as she had practiced many times before, only more solemnly. Van, his chest heaving up and down with overwhelming love and pride, positioned himself in front of Hitomi before finally drawing his jewelled sword and cutting a piece of his hair, as the royal priest beside him instructed him to do. His eyes never left ones of Hitomi's as he uttered his vow, his tone low and husky as he brushed her hair pass her shoulder deliberately, "By Gods of Gaea, with this matrimony, we are bound into one as we are fated to love each other, united by nature and inseparable by death."

Then he tied it around Hitomi's ring finger before finally slipping on a plain golden band, never at once his smile wavering.

Hitomi smiled as she inspected the ring calmly, then proceeded to do the same to Van. The priest's words were a blur in her ears, but she managed to repeat after what she had to say, "And I am yours, o husband, for I was created solely for your happiness, and you for mine, we will sail this ocean of life together, in a perfect little boat, home to our joining hearts," she finished the vow by adding her own version of Phantom Moon's wedding vow, the part that still lingered in her mind, for it marked her deeply in her heart, "I will love you not only in good times, but also in sick and sadness, when misfortune befallen upon us, forever, 'till death do us part." Several sighs could be heard coming from some of the guests, but Hitomi paid them no attention. Instead, she fixed Van with a stare of her own, her eyes shimmering with tears of sheer happiness, and it took every ounce of her control not to weep instantly in the middle of the ceremony.

Van then shifted to Hitomi's side, still kneeling beside her, waiting for the royal priest to finish off the ceremony. He sneaked a hand into Hitomi's as the chants of prayers began and squeezed it gently as the priest daubed holy oil across his and Hitomi's foreheads, blessing the eternity of their union.

Afterwards, Van rose to his feet as he proceeded to retrieve a beautifully decorated crown from one of his attendants as he carefully and solemnly put the crown on top of Hitomi's head, announcing proudly, "My wife and the Queen of Fanelia, Hitomi de Fanel."

Everyone in the great hall was quiet, as if waiting for something more to happen than merely a celebration as the continuation of the ceremony. Van smiled in secret as he helped his new queen up to her feet, his leather-gloved hands clutching Hitomi's bare ones possessively. He understood what his guests were waiting for. It was the famous event of a Fanelian wedding ceremony, which had become a tradition, indeed. It had never been on practice in another kingdoms, and he didn't know if there was such a tradition happening in Hitomi's Phantom Moon, but he intended to do it very much so. Gently he draped his lower arm on one of the sides of Hitomi's slender waist, drawing her near as he retrieved a goblet of wine from a squire near him and drank in one gulp, then bending down to share the taste of the wine with Hitomi through a kiss. Hitomi's eyes widened in surprise of experiencing such fashion, but she expected no less from him. Slowly and tantalisingly, she returned the kiss, closing her eyes as she savoured the sweetness of wine on Van's lips, suddenly light and dizzy.

A deafening cheer erupted as Hitomi broke up the kiss and looked up at her new husband, her eyes glazing with renewed tears and laughed jovially as Van scooped her up and whirled her into his strong arms, all formalities forgotten at the moment.

Gardia stole a wary glance toward his exultant and proud king and his new bride. They looked radiant, gazing into each other's eyes with apparent love and tenderness, the king being especially dote on her, Lady Hitomi Kanzaki, now Queen Hitomi de Fanel. Speaking about radiance, the queen looked exceptionally entrancing today, though he admitted silently that he did not approve the changes, and only accepting the decision without words after listening to the whole tale behind the wedding gown accident.

He knew that Hitomi would bring great changes into Fanelia with her ideas of women feminism and emancipation, and it was unmistakably clear from the beginning that she would play a greater role in political area, since the king would be likely to seek for her advice first before committing himself to a decision.

However, war was what he feared most. It would threaten not only Fanelia, but also Gaea as a whole. Future discomfiture would degrade Fanelia if the fact that its king failed to keep his 'promise' to Ispano was known, and Gardia was more than aware of what it could lead to.

He had never articulated even a word against his king after his refusal to listen to his advice regarding his marriage to Hitomi, but deep down, he had readied himself mentally if something happened in the future.

He had to save Fanelia. At least for himself.

Some actions had to be taken into consideration should the king failed to maintain peace among the neighbourhood kingdoms.

Here it is, fresh from the oven! Chapter 8 has finally finished, and I finally could draw a relief breath. My apologies for several grammar mistakes, if there is one, but promise I will see it again in a right time. What's your comment? Too fast paced? I know that left a lot uncovered about the wedding preparation, but I think it is unnecessary to write, and only bore you to tears, so I only write about the important events. Okay, enjoy and see ya in chapter 9!

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