CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
She looked out at the grey cold sky and watched as the first few snow flakes started to come down and smiled. The leaves had fallen off of their trees and it was the first snow fall of a season. Her smile quickly turned in to a frown as the thought of war came in to her mind at the end of this quiet season. Her baby to would come soon to which made her even sadder since it would only be the first few months of war. Her husband would be off in battle while she was somewhere away from the battle having their child. What made her feel worse was the fact that she could still remember the vision of Van having his wings ripped out, it made her want to throw up every time she seen it. The idea frightened her and she cried every time she thought about it when she was alone. She was crying now as she clung to a pillow and used it to drown her noises. She hated being emotional like this, she really did, but she just couldn't help it! She felt useless and Van wouldn't let her help him with anything, she hadn't had any visions lately besides that last one so she couldn't be of any use. Was this how Vari felt when she was pregnant? Was she treated as a useless person? No, most likely not, Vari wasn't queen at the time of war, after a war, but not before. A few more months and war would be upon Fanelia, this would be Gaea's Second World War, or something close to it. She sighed.
She felt a faint blush fall on her face as she felt her child kicking once again, it seemed to like to do that a lot. It would normally be Christmas time soon on Earth and she wondered if she should get Van something, then again, she didn't know what to get Van since he already had just about everything there was. Well not everything, but she still couldn't think of what to get him. Not like it would matter anyway since she couldn't get out of the palace still! She picked up her jacket and a pad of paper that she had near by her and put her jacket on and walked outside of the balcony. She could always draw him a piece of their country, it was kind of stupid, but it was better then nothing she guessed and she knew how much he loved Fanelia so she figured why not. That and she hoped that it would take her mind off of the war. She had also taken a few drawing and painting classes once she had got back to the Mystic Moon since she had more time after she given up track. Yukari was furious at her but she just wasn't in to it any more. She went back inside for a moment to grab a pair of gloves and walked back out and shut the door to their room behind her. She hoped that Van would like this.
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'He won't get her.' Van thought as he watched his army practice as the first snows started to fall. 'What a selfish reason to start war.' But then again, he knew that wasn't Saiya's only reason why to start a war with their countries. Saiya had stated that he wanted revenge, and that he wanted Hitomi because of that stupid device that controls fate. Van was the one who now wore the pendant so why was it Hitomi that he wanted? Or maybe he didn't know that Hitomi had given him the pendant before she left back to the Mystic Moon the first time. Whatever the case was Saiya and Zaibach had declared war and that he wasn't going to take the chance. Saiya wanted revenge and Van wasn't going to let him have it. Saiya had also somehow brought Dilandu out of Celena and Allen had told him that Celena was still with him, though she seemed somewhat different with out her violent half with in her. According to Allen Celena seemed more peaceful then ever and didn't seem to have a mean back bone in her body, well besides the fact when it came that he annoyed her. He had made arrangements with rung that Hitomi and Merle could stay with their family and tribe until the end of the war, Rung had also promised that he would have someone there to deliver their cub when it came time.
He at least wouldn't have to worry about Hitomi or their child when it came time for Hitomi to give birth. He knew that he shouldn't but he did still worry. She was after all his wife and he wanted to be there to name their child but that would have to wait. Hitomi would have to bear being alone for the first few months of mother hood, or at least he hoped that it would only be just a few months, he did not want the war to end up like it had the last time and lasted more then a year.
"Van-sama, I brought you something hot." Merle said as she suddenly appeared next to him. "What?" Van asked.
"I brought you something hot to drink." Merle replied.
"Thanks Merle, It's not that cold yet, but thanks anyway." Van said as he took the cup from his friend. "I'm surprised that they let you through."
"I told them that I would burn them with your tea if they didn't let me through." Merle admitted proudly. "They know I would to." She smiled as Van laughed. "How's training going?"
"Some of the newer soldiers are having trouble adjusting." Van said sighing as he took a sip. "It's harder to train in colder temperatures but you are more of at an advantage since the enemy usually never attacks during the winter so during war the winter is your friend."
"You're strange Van-Sama." Merle said sighing. "I'll never understand you when you talk like that." She said and Van just gave her a fake smile and he looked back at his people.
"How's Hitomi." He asked not having had seen her all day or not really all that much with in the past few days besides as he had gone to bed and she had ended up falling asleep.
"Hitomi is Hitomi." Merle said.
"That's not what I meant Merle." Van sort of snapped back.
"Sorry, she's been crying a lot." Merle said sadly. "I don't know if it's from her being so emotional or if its from the war or both but she's really in bad shape. She tries to act happy when there are people around but I can tell that she's faking. Sometimes I'll stand on the balcony and can just hear her cry."
Van looked down at the ground which had a light coating of soft white snow on it. He didn't know how to respond to that since he knew that it was mostly the war that was most likely making Hitomi cry. Hitomi had been stronger then she was now during the first war, but then again she was also younger and not pregnant and not his wife. It was at that time to when she was usually hanging all over Allen which pissed the living crap out of him and she had been more clueless to what was actually going around them. None of them knew what was going on, he didn't show that he didn't know of course since as a king, you should never show your fears, and admit to others that you don't know since others look up to you for support.
"Maybe I should go visit her." Van finally said as he looked up from the ground and glanced back at the palace.
"Maybe Van-Sama?" Merle asked in a sharp tone of voice. "You should!" She said with her voice raised higher.
"Alright, alright, I will when I get the chance." Van promised. "Now go back inside or go do something, you're not supposed to be here." Van said lightly, not really meant to be an order as much as it sounded.
"Yes Van-Sama, just as long as you keep your promise."
"I will, I will, go!" Van promised. "Now get out of here!"
"Yes Van-Sama!" Merle said and left.
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"Queen Hitomi!" Merle said as she knocked on the apartment door to Van's and Hitomi's sitting room. "Queen Hitomi." She repeated. "Is her highness still in there?" Merle asked the guard.
"Yes, she has not left since she went back in there for a few hours now." The man answered.
Merle opened the door anyway and walked inside. Hitomi was not in the room and she wasn't in any of the other rooms either. The guard had said she had not left and knowing Hitomi she probably hadn't since there wasn't really anything for her to do. Merle had more freedom then Hitomi and was not restricted to her quarters since well Van hadn't ordered her to go there so she usually did random things during the day. Merle shook her head and wondered where Hitomi could be. She walked back in to the bedroom and looked out the balcony window. "Baka!" She muttered as she then opened the door and Hitomi looked at her surprised.
"Merle." Hitomi said almost silently.
"Hitomi you baka I've been looking all over for you!" Merle said. "What are you doing out here anyway? It's cold."
"Nothing." Hitomi lied as she tried to cover up the beginning of her drawing. "I just like the snow that's all, and since I can't actually leave the palace, I'm not really leaving the palace since I'm still on the balcony which is attached to my room."
Merle sighed. "What a baka girl." Merle said and shook her head.
"Well excuse me!" Hitomi snapped as she stood up and managed to keep the pad of paper kept underneath her jacket and held it there as she walked inside. Once inside she quickly put it in a drawer and watched as Merle walked in moments later. "What did you come here for anyway? To call me a baka?" Hitomi asked.
"No I thought that you might like some company." Merle snapped. "I guess like you don't."
"Sorry Merle." Hitomi apologized. "I haven't been myself lately, sorry."
"Lately? For a while now Hitomi." Merle said.
"What do you mean by that?"
"You've been shutting yourself away in your room that's what I mean." Merle snapped.
"Well I mean geeze what else is there to do for a fat cow whose trapped with in her own home!" Hitomi snapped.
"THAT'S BECAUSE VAN-SAMA IS WORRIED ABOUT YOU!"
Hitomi clenched her teeth together and felt like slapping Merle. "YEAH WELL JUST BECAUSE I'M PREGNANT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I'M WEAK!"
"Weak? Is that why you've been shutting yourself away in your…"
"Shut up Merle, thanks for the visit but I think you better leave now." Hitomi said as she tried to calm herself down. "If you're here just to fight I don't want to hear it. I'm not in the mood right now. It's bad enough that I had to take shit from the advisers this morning I'm not taking any from you to!" Hitomi said as she glared at Merle with angry green eyes. "I am not shutting myself away in my room. Has it occurred to you that I may be doing something that I don't want anyone to know about? Oh wait that's right, I'm speaking to the girl who can't keep a secret."
Merle just looked at Hitomi in surprise. "Something for Van-Sama I suppose?"
"No myself stupid yes of course Van-Sama and I have actually taken up another activity as well thank you very much. Hinata has been teaching me how to sow."
Merle just looked at Hitomi in shock. "You really have changed. Can I see it, if you don't mind, the surprise for Van-Sama? I promise I won't tell."
"It's not done yet you can see it when it's done." Hitomi sighed as she finally gave in.
"Alright, alright." Merle said. "I won't tell."
"You better not or I'll kill you. It's kind of his Christmas present."
"His what?" Merle asked confused.
"It's a holiday that some people in my old country use to celebrate back on the Mystic Moon. It's suppose to well it's a long story so let's just call it a gift. Van's been busy lately and well I think that he'll like it, or at least I hope that he does." Hitomi said blushing. "It's nothing fancy or expensive like I'm sure that he's use to getting. I'm not exactly allowed to leave the palace so I had to do what I can get my hands on with out suspicion."
"Let me see!" Merle whined.
"When it's done, I promise you can see it when Van sees it." Hitomi said smiling. "I haven't seen him lately and well at least oh well." Hitomi said not wanting to finish that. "I try to stay awake to see him but I can't seem to, he must get off really late."
"I heard that the cook had to force Van-Sama to take some time off and eat." Merle said. "The head cook is something else."
"Yes, but I'm glad that she is though." Hitomi thought smiling. "Other wise our Van would be very thin." Merle laughed as she imagined Van being skinny as a stick.
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Van walked in to his and Hitomi's quarters and couldn't find her there. He walked outside of their rooms. "Did the queen leave?" Van asked Setsuna who had now taken post.
"No your highness, she did not."
"She seems to be able to disappear." Van said to Setsuna and quickly ran back in to their room at the thought of her disappearing back to the Mystic Moon again. "HITOMI!" Van shouted not caring that the door was still open and that the people outside could hear.
Hitomi opened the door that led to the balcony and stared at her husband. "Van!" Hitomi said happily. She couldn't help but blush as she stared at him, why was it that after more then six months of marriage that he still was able to make her blush?
He walked quickly up to Hitomi and hugged her. "Thank the gods, I thought I lost you again." Van said as he pulled Hitomi close, or at least as close as he could.
"Van, what are you talking about? I told you that I wasn't going to go anywhere remember? I'm here." Hitomi said and hugged him back. 'He's warm.' Hitomi thought as she felt him against her. "I've tried to stay awake at night to see you but I fell asleep." Hitomi said suddenly being rather embarrassed by it.
"That's alright." Van said. "I haven't been getting home until late and I mean late." Van said.
"You must be tired." Hitomi said. "Maybe you should rest while you have time?"
"No, I want to spend my free time with you, I told you that already and especially since these days I don't have much of it."
"But Van, you're tired and exhausted, you shouldn't push yourself." Hitomi said and was silenced by a kiss, he always seemed to like to do that to her when they started to argue and she hated it because it always worked. When Van broke the kiss she rested her head on his chest.
"No, I want to spend these few hours before bed with you." Van said. "Have you eaten yet?" Van asked.
"No." Hitomi replied and could feel Van suddenly start to take off her coat. "Well would you like to join me for the evening meal then?" Van asked.
"Of course!" Hitomi said happily. "You shouldn't have to ask." She watched as Van took off his coat and held out his arm. Hitomi happily took it and the two walked down the halls together not caring what people thought of them. She couldn't help but glance at Van's face every once in a while as they walked since she hasn't been able to be with him like this in a while. He was so busy and he still made time for her.
"Is something wrong?" Van asked Hitomi as he blushed at the constant glances.
"Umm, nothing, I'm just happy that's all." Hitomi said as she walked next to him. "Just don't push yourself too hard for me."
"Don't worry I won't. But then again if I did get sick you would have to take care of me." Van said somewhat jokingly.
"Don't get happy about that!" Hitomi snapped in between her teeth and watched as Van smiled.
"It was a joke, don't worry." Van said as he had to grin.
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Dinner went well for the two of them, Van wanted to get a room to themselves but Hitomi didn't really care, she told Van that where they where was fine since she didn't care as long as he was there. They ate, talked, and laughed not caring that they didn't have the room to themselves. After the meal, Van walked Hitomi back to the room to get their coats and then he actually walked outside. This was the first time she had been outside in months! Hitomi stuck out her tongue to catch one of the falling snow flakes and caught it. She blushed as Van laughed at her and then threw a snow ball at her. "VAN! That was a dirty joke!" Hitomi shouted as it smacked her in the face. She frowned at him.
Van didn't say anything but made another one and threw it at her.
"Van, you know that's not fair! You know that I can't bend over very well!" Hitomi shouted at her husband and playfully beat him up.
"Sorry my lady, I forgot you are usually so active and…" He was hit in the arm for real this time.
"You my king are being rude and are forgetting that this is half your fault!" Hitomi said as she placed a hand on her stomach.
Van was speechless. "Sorry my lady, I forgot my manners." Van apologized and kissed Hitomi's hand playfully.
"You are forgiven this once my king." Hitomi said as she accepted the apology and blushed as he kissed her gloved hand. "It's getting cold she said as she could feel the winter wind go up her skirt, she was glad that it didn't blow her skirt up.
"Yes, we should go back inside." Van said and felt Hitomi cling to his arm again.
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"Van you should really sleep now." Hitomi said as they entered their bedroom and could tell that Van was tired.
"But…" Van protested and was silenced once he felt two of Hitomi's fingers on his lips.
"No buts Van, the time you spent with me today was enough. Besides I… miss having you next to me when I fall asleep." Hitomi said now being a really bright red.
"Alright, if you insist, but is it true, have you been crying?" Van asked, his voice filled with concern.
"What? Who told you…" It was Van's turn to silence Hitomi now by interrupting her.
"Merle said that she's been hearing you crying a lot lately, I'm sorry." Van apologized bashfully not knowing what to say to that and not knowing why he brought it up. "I hope that you're not crying on the behalf of me having to go to war because I would hate it if that was the reason. And don't lie to me Hitomi; I hate it when you lie to me."
"Sometimes yes." Hitomi answered as she looked to the wooden floor. "Sometimes no."
"I'm sorry that I can't be here as much as I like to." Van apologized.
"There's no need for you to apologize Van, I know why you do it and I know that you have to do what you have to do." Hitomi said as she hugged Van.
"You haven't been getting any visions lately have you?" He suddenly asked.
"No, none at all."
"Good, I don't want you to have to worry about those so its good that you haven't been getting any. We should get to bed." Van said as he tried to change the subject.
"Yes Van." Hitomi said and blushed at the sudden thought. "Will you unzip me? I can't reach it any more and Hinata does it and you're here so…"
"Of course." Van said almost too suddenly and did as his wife asked.
"Thanks, excuse me." Hitomi said as she grabbed her nightgown and went in to the bathroom to change and came back out in her pajamas. She watched as Van went to go change and then walked over to the balcony doors and went to grab the project that she had been working on. She hid it back in the drawer with her tarot cards and got in to bed.
Van came out a few minutes later and crawled in next to her. Van wrapped his arm around his wife and blushed as Hitomi pressed his hand against her stomach. Why was it that she always seemed to like to do that? He wondered as he now felt their child kick.
"What do you name it?" Hitomi asked.
"I haven't thought of a name yet." Van admitted sadly.
Hitomi stared in to her husband's eyes. "We have to think of a name soon, maybe we could name it after one of your parents?" Hitomi asked and Van's eyes seem to light up.
"No, as much as I love them no." Van said. "Our child needs his or her own name."
"I would like to name it after your parents." Hitomi said. "It would be a nice way to honor them Van."
"I'll think about it."
"Well we have to decide on a name soon since you're going to go off to war in a few months." Hitomi said and ran her fingers through his hair.
"Yes, I will think of a name and tell it to you before that time. I promise." Van said smiling.
"Alright, I love you, good night." Hitomi said.
"But…"
"No buts mister, bed, now, you're tired and I shouldn't be keeping you up talking like this!" Hitomi said. "Go to sleep, I'm going to sleep to." Hitomi said as she stiffed a yawn.
"Yes ma'am." Van said as he finally gave in. "I love you, Hitomi Fanel, good night."
"Good night, Van." Hitomi said as Van then kissed her on the lips and then settled back in his place and fell asleep, his hand still rested where it was earlier, on her stomach.
Hitomi had to smile at him as she watched him sleep, he must have been tired since he had fallen asleep so quickly. She moved her head to his chest and left it there, wanting to be close. He seemed like he was really excited about becoming a father, or at least that's what she thought so that's why she put his hand there. She couldn't wait until their family grew. She smiled at the thought and soon fell asleep, in their dark comfortable room.