Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne, nothing more to say.

Forgotten by Destiny

By Ryoko Porter

Part Seventeen

Van had been home for a little over two weeks when he brought the 'naming' situation up with Hitomi. It was late one evening, and they lay naked and entangled in their bed. They had just finished making love, and both were certain of each other's affectionate love. And Van felt safe to bring up such a potentially delicate subject.

'Do you think that I should name Namir?' he said softly and as non-threatening as he could. Hitomi turned in his arms and looked at him for a moment, trying to decide on why he was asking her.

'Why do you ask me?' she asked. She was genuinely surprised that he'd bothered to ask. She'd supposed that he'd have suddenly done it before he'd ask.

'Because you are my wife and the woman I love,' Van answered truthfully, but evadingly.

'There must be more of a reason, why wouldn't you name her?'

'She's a product of an affair I had with another woman,' Van offered.

'That was before I returned, I cannot blame you for getting on with your life when you thought I wouldn't return,' she said understandingly. 'Besides, even if I was angry for loving Merle, that shouldn't mean that you'd not love your child.'

'If I name her, I'm publicly accepting her as an heir to the thrown,' he said even more quietly, but matter-of-fact.

'Before Loretta,' Hitomi observed.

'Yes,' he confirmed. 'I could change the laws though.'

Hitomi sat up, and pulled one of the sheets around her. She stood and walked over to the window that she found she could see a bit of the shed/home through the heavy tree foliage. She considered the problem with great intensity, leaving Van only to guess what she was thinking.

It was nearly an hour before Hitomi spoke again. Van had watched her staring out the window the entire time, waiting for her answer. She finally turned to him and smiled an apologetic smile.

'I don't want you to do it,' she said sadly. 'I'm afraid, even if you changed the law; they would still give the thrown to her. I'm not of this world Van, and people don't trust me or Loretta for it.' Van sadly had to agree. 'I have to look out for my own daughter and myself before I help hers. I'm so sorry.'

'I know you are, and I understand. It's you first,' Van comforted. He then opened his protecting arms to her, which she crawled into. They lay together, both worried for the future.

End Part 17.