Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne, nothing more to say.
Forgotten by Destiny
By Ryoko Porter
Part Sixteen
When Van returned home, a warm reception of his wife and two children greeted him. He was amazed, but Hitomi said that they'd become inseparable. He hugged and kissed them, happy to see all three. He then spent the day with them, again amazed at the sense of family he got. It didn't seem to matter what Namir was, she belonged here.
He wasn't surprised that Merle hadn't come to greet him, nor could he blame her. But she'd started to avoid him. Namir told him that she didn't want to be seen by him, though she didn't know why. He'd see her off in a distance at times, but she'd quickly disappear. It was getting quite aggravating, but he waited for her to come to him if she wanted.
Merle finally stopped hiding late one night, when Van couldn't sleep. He was walking through the gardens, trying to relax his restlessness. He came upon her standing a bit in the distance, on one of the small bridges over the pond. She seemed like a ghost, with the light of the moon highlighting her. And she didn't seem to notice as he came close to her.
'These gardens are very beautiful,' he was wrong, she did notice. 'I can't help but wonder if I'd have gotten them. If I had been your wife I mean,' her voice was soft, and seemed almost as if she was casting a spell. She then turned to face him, pulling out one of the white feathers from her hair. She played with it in her fingers for a moment, before she lifted it to tangle in his black hair. 'They haven't smelled like you for so long, but they helped me to remember.'
Van lifted his had to play with the one that was still tied in her hair, letting his fingers brush temple ever so slightly. He marveled at the softness of her hair that he'd long forgotten. Van let his hand cup the side of her face as he studied her appearance. She was so beautiful tonight, like some fallen angel. She turned her face and gently kissed his palm, looking slightly ashamed for her audacity.
'I love you Van-sama,' she said in a voice that was much like the one she'd used when she told him to follow Hitomi all those years ago. So full of conviction and heartbreak.
Van didn't say anything, but he took her chin and lifted it up so that he could reach her lips. Placing a sweet chaste kiss upon her petal lips, he lost all rational thought. Like he was under some sort of spell he continued to kiss her, focused entirely on the beautiful being that so freely offered herself to him.
He discovered every one of her scars that night. He caressed and kissed them, soothing the ache of their memories. He worshipped her, but they never had sex. This night was solely focused on comfort and the memories brought through touch.
He held her naked body in his arms and looked at their reflection in the pool. They fit so well together. It was like she was made for him. She fit across his chest perfectly, resting her head on his collar. Her eyes were closed in a pained bliss, happy to be with him, but sad also.
When the ripples from a fish disturbed the image, Van was startled to see that she'd disappeared when they cleared. There was no sign of anything they'd done, and he wondered if it'd been a fantasy. Or was some part of it real?
He didn't see the white feather fall from his hair into the pond.
End Part 16.