Hello

Hello! Here it is, chapter 7! Wow! Ok enough of that, here it is then.

Disclaimer: I don't own escaflowne

Two as One

Chapter 7 Masks

By. Lady Emerald

"What so you mean 'save your world'?" Allen said also getting angry with this guy.

"I will tell you tomorrow because it looks as though you have had a long and tiring journey." He said simply.

Van and Allen were going to question him farther, till they saw Hitomi shake her head and yawn. Adiris lead them down a long and very tall hallway. Hitomi kept bumping into Allen and Van because she was stuck in between them and was very tired. After about the third bump from Hitomi, Van, for the second time that night, bent down and scooped her up into his arms so he could carry her.

"Van, I can walk." Hitomi said sleepily.

"Ya right." He muttered under his breath.

"Hey, I heard that," she said.

He just laughed. Adiris finally stopped in front of a small door.

"I am sorry about this, but for tonight we only have one room available. Tomorrow I will get you all separate rooms." Adiris explained.

Van and Allen nodded in agreement. Hitomi was to tired to do any thing, but lay here head on Van's shoulder. Adiris looked like he could kill Van when he saw this, but refrained himself from doing so. He simply smile and walked away.

Once inside Van and Allen saw that there were three beds, which was good so no one had to sleep on the floor, in a chair, or…

"With Hitomi," Allen thought as he saw Van's disappointed look when he saw the beds.

Van tucked Hitomi in and went over and sat with Allen by the fire.

"Well, what do you think this guy wants?" Van asked looking into the flames.

"I have no idea, but I don't intend on trusting him just yet. You saw the way he looked at Hitomi. I didn't like it one bit." Allen replied.

"His eyes were off, like he had something else planned. We should keep an eye on Hitomi, just in case."

"Why? Don't you want her to get close?" Allen said mockingly, even though he knew it wasn't to be joked about.

Van just growled and looked over to Hitomi. She looked so peaceful and calm. He would protect her at all costs.

"Well, I'm turning in." Allen said. He took the bed closest to the door, then Hitomi, and then his bed.

He got up and started to walk toward his bed. He decided to take a short detour to Hitomi's bed. He sat down on the bed right next to her. She murmured something and rolled over to face him. Then she opened her eyes and looked up at him and smiled.

"Hello." She whispered.

"Hello." Van answered.

"What time is it? Is time to get up already?"

"No, just sleep. Sorry if I woke you."

"No, it is ok. So tell me about everything that has gone on since I left."

He nodded and lay next to her so she could lay her head on his chest.

"Well, after Merle and I got back to Fanelia we found that most of the people were back and ready to rebuild. So about a half a year ago, like I said we finished and had a big festival. I wish you could have been there."

"So do I" Hitomi thought.

"Then I got news that Celeana, Allen's sister, was ill. So we went and visited her. Allen to her to one of the former sorcerers and he took Dalandau out of her. SO now they both have their own bodies. We locked Dalandau up in Austria were he could get out. Lets see, what else. Oh yes! Merle is getting married."

"What! To who?"

"His name is Gelmer. He works in the village and is just like Merle in a lot of ways. He will make her happy."

"What ever happened to you?"

"She gave up on me long ago. We better get to sleep. It is already really late."

"No." she thought.

All she wanted was to stay like that forever, safe in his arms.

"Damn, don't say that Fanel! Just stay there don't move." He thought, but he did get up and go to his own bed.

"Good night," he whispered through the darkness.

"Night."

"Your majesty, why did you put them all in one room if you only want her?" Mardeen asked Adiris.

"To give them a false sense of security. She is the key to our whole mission, we don't want her little friends to take her away now do we?"

" No, Lord."

Hitomi woke up in a cold sweat. The sun was glaring in her eyes and she put her hand up to block it.

"What had just happened? One minute I was having a peaceful dream and then I saw that vision again. What is going on?" she thought.

"Good morning," came cheerful voice.

"Morning," she grumbled.

"You sure aren't a morning person are you?" Laughed Van.

Hitomi just sunk back into her pillows and pulled the sheet over her head.

"Time to get up, sleepy head." Van ordered.

When she didn't answered, he went over and tapped her. She moaned and turn over still under the covers. So he did the next best thing he could think of, since Allen wasn't in the room. He got up onto the bed and started to jump. Up, down, up, down.

"Stop." She cried from under the covers.

So he jumped off totally dumbfounded. Then he got an evil smile. He went over and pulled all the covers off. She was still the same dress as last night and she was curled into a ball. She still didn't move.

"Gees, what do I have to do to get her up? Dump water on her? Hey, that isn't a bad idea, Fanel." Van thought to himself.

He walked over and picked up the quarter full pitcher of water, walked back over to Hitomi and dumped it on her. Instant reaction. She sat up with a start and climbed out of the wet bed totally soaked.

" What the hell do you think you are doing, Van Fanel!" She demanded.

"Getting you out of bed, you wouldn't get up so I…" he started. He knew that he was in for it now.

"So you dumped a pail of water on me! Why I ado…"

" What the hell went on in here? It looks like a battle zone. What happened to you, Hitomi, you are all wet." Allen asked very confused.

Hitomi and the bed were wet, Van looked like he had just murdered somebody, and Hitomi looked as though she could murdered Van.

"I tried to get her up and…'

" Oh god, Van, say you didn't do what I think you did." Allen pleased.

"He dumped a pitcher of water on me!" Hitomi yelled.

"Van, why did you do that? I have to talk to you about this. Um, Hitomi why don't you go change before we go down to breakfast. Van we are going to talk."

Hitomi pick up a dress that was lying on the chair near her and read the note attached to it as she walked.

Dear Princess Hitomi,

 Here is a dress that you might find useful during your stay. You will be getting a new one every day if you wish.

                                                                   King Adiris

"How sweet!" she thought as she put it down and went over to take a bath.

"Now Van, please explain to me why on Geae you dumped water on a sleepy FEMALE?" Allen asked.

"She won't get up."

"You don't do that. I did it to Celeana one and just about ripped off my head. I learned that they have to get up at their own speed."

"Oh, ok. I think Merle told me once never to wake her up."

"Good idea. Ah there you." Allen said as he saw Hitomi come out of the bathroom.

She spun around to show off the dress she was wearing.

"Isn't it beautiful." She said.

They nodded, Van had on that funny face like when he first saw her in a dress with Melerna. It was a dark green color, went to the floor, sleeveless, with no belt today. It showed all her curves and other bodily figures that Van liked to stare at.

"Are you guys ready?" she asked.

Again they nodded and made their way to the dinning room, where Adiris was waiting. He stood up and stared at Hitomi as she entered with her arm hooked with Van's.

"Good morning, Lady. Hope you had a good sleep and like the dress." Adiris said taking Hitomi from Van who was red in the face, but fallowed.

"I love it thank you." She said as he pulled out the seat for her, next to him.

Van sat next to her and Allen next to him.

"You said today you would explain why we are here," Allen said between mouthfuls.

"Yes, Yes I did. You are here because my world needs your help." He was talking like Hitomi and him were the only people in the room.

"Me? Why?"

He pointed up, so she looked up. The ceiling was glass so it could be seen through. Through it she could three moons in the sky! She gasped and she heard Van and Allen gasp as well.

"What? Where are we exactly?" Van asked

"You are in my country of Fantsia, on the planet of Alkin, which is also known to the Princess as Jupiter."

"But if that is the Earth and Geae, how are we so close?" Hitomi asked.

"Because Alkin is closer that you think." He smiled at her.

"Why do you keep calling me Princess and… Lady?" Hitomi asked now aware of what the man in the Dream World and the man on the road had called her.

"Because on Geae and Alkin you are known as a princess. Did you not no of this?"

"No," she said coolly and looked at Van and Allen.

"We…um… kinda said that you were a princess from the Mystic Moon." Van said looking at the floor.

"Anyway," Adiris said interrupting them," I have called you here because there is a tyrant on Alkin who is trying to take it over. You, Princess, are the Savior of Alkin. So I kindly ask you to help save my world."

"I will help you." She said sweetly.

He looked up at from his bowed position.

"His eyes!" she thought. "They are just like the man's eyes in the Dream World. I wonder if they are the same person? If he is then I don't want to be anywhere near him."

He stood up and walked towards her. He stopped in front of her and bent down as if he was going to kiss her. Van to a step forward red with jealousy and anger.

Hitomi stepped back too and looked Adiris straight in the eyes.

"For I wear a mask, a thousand masks, masks that I'm afraid to take off, and none of them is me." She said.

She remembered it from a book of wise sayings and she knew and he knew that it fit him. Van and Allen, though, were totally confused.

"All is fair in love and war." He replied.

END OF CHPATER

Well? He is so mysterious isn't he? Does he want Hitomi to help him or does he want her for something else. Stay toned for the next chapter. Tt4n.