I finally updated, I hope that you're all happy. My disclaimer, well Just for those of you who are picky. THIS IS THE DISCLAIMER FOR NOW AND UNTIL THE END OF THE END OF THIS FIC! I DO NOT OWN ESCAFLOWNE GET IT! Anyways enjoy.
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CHAPTER THREE
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Today was the day that Van would have to choose his wife. She was out of the race, she already knew that. He wouldn't be able to choose her, she wasn't royalty. Not here and not on Earth so she had lost to Van. He had asked her to come but she had second thoughts about it, why would she go just to see the woman that Van chose over her? He said that he loved her but maybe he was playing with her heart. It wasn't a hard thing to do, first there was Amando-Sempai, then Allen-San, and now Van. How many times had she turned down decent guys just to wait for Van? She lost count one too many times. "Hitomi Fanel." She thought as she sat in the odd shaped tub and blushed at the thought. She shook the idea out of her head since it was only a hope. Once she was out, she looked at the only outfit that she brought with her, it was pathetic. Compared to most of the women that would be at the ball today she would be wearing this simple out fit. She sighed and shook her head. She dressed herself and ate the breakfast that the maid brought her. "Thank you." She said to the maid who curtsied quietly and stood behind me and fixed my hair as I ate or tried to.
"My lady, you are not eating." The woman said with a hint of worry in her voice. "I was told that you where asleep for at least two days when you woke up, you should eat something." She said. "His highness will be worried if he finds out that you didn't eat."
"I'm not that hungry right now." I lied. "I'm not always hungry right away after I wake up. I know it's strange but it's just how I've always been since I got use to not having time to eat in the morning any way. Don't worry I had a decent sized meal last night." I said hoping that she would not tell Van of my not eating.
"If you insist." The woman said with hesitation in her voice.
"Please don't report that I didn't eat to Van-Sama." I begged and she looked at me strangely. "I'll get something to eat a little later but you see back home I usually never have time to eat so I just got in the habit of skipping the morning meal." I said half lieing. I just usually ate on the run.
"Alright if you insist my lady." The woman said quietly.
"Why do you keep calling me "lady" anyway?" I asked curiously and she looked at me.
"May I speak freely?" She asked and I nodded. "Here on Gaea, you are well known, I am not sure if his highness did not tell you that or not, but in every country you have earned the title lady as well as wing goddess and the seer from the Mystic Moon. You, my lady, have changed history books that date back for hundreds and possibly thousands of years. Things have changed since the great war, and the great war ended because of you and the king." The young woman said.
"May I ask what your name is?" I asked curiously.
"Aya." Aya replied bowing.
"Thanks Aya." I said.
"Merle is waiting outside." Aya said suddenly. "She wanted to come in but I told her to wait outside until you dressed and ate."
"Merle, I haven't seen her in ages, thank's again Aya-San." I said and quickly got up and walked out the door to my bedroom. I was automatically glomped by a pink haired cat girl. "HITOMI!" Merle shouted nearly making me go deaf.
"Merle, it's been too long, five years too long!" I said and watched as she frowned.
"Only five years Hitomi?" Merle asked and I looked at her strangely. "It's been nearly six here, our new year is in two moons away." She said and I just stared at her.
"Van…Sama never said anything about it." I said. "He never corrected me last night."
"Last night?" Merle asked.
"I woke up and ran in to Van." I said lieing. "We, he made me eat dinner with him." I said.
Merle looked at me and shook her head. "You came back at the wrong time, Hitomi, or should I say Lady Hitomi?" Merle asked.
"I know, Van-Sama told me about it." I said sighing.
"Princess from at least fifteen countries and not to mention other ladies of the royal family." Merle said as they started to walk down the halls.
"Yes well I hope he chooses the right one." Hitomi said sighing and blushed as she remembered the kiss that he gave her so carelessly last night. "Why did he do that?" She asked as she suddenly stopped.
"Do what?" Merle asked and noticed the weird look on Hitomi's face.
"DAMN WHY THE HELL!" Hitomi shouted and ran off in any direction.
"HITOMI! WAIT YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR WAY!" Merle shouted but I didn't care. Tonight Van would become engaged, I would loose, that was that. I didn't have a chance with him. "But he kissed me!" My thoughts shouted enraged. I realized that I had somehow made my way to the garden, the only place that I remembered clearly from the last time I was here since it was the only place that was actually completely built, or almost completely. The castle was still being worked on when I was here last and this was the only thing I remembered clearly. "Folken-san's grave." I said as I walked over by it and saw some fresh flowers on it. "Folken-San, it's Hitomi, do you remember me?" I asked the man that I once feared and then had made my friend. "I've finally come back to Gaea, back to Van, but it seems as if I came back at the wrong time." I said with a sigh. "As you most likely know, Van is going to choose his wife today." I said sadly as I picked at a flower a white rose, the one already on the grave was red. "Make sure he picks the right one alright?" I asked Folken. "I know that it's selfish of me to ask you that but I am sure you know how I felt back then and still do so if you're still watching over him, please make sure that you make the right choice, Folken-San."
I remembered this man very little but we had become friends, if only just slightly. This was the man who had betrayed Fanelia, had helped in the destruction of his homeland, had betrayed his brother, the man who loved Van still as many years as he had been apart. This was the man who had become my friend, and a hero of Gaea. I then felt a strange presence and the world around me seemed to disappear and I reappeared on another. A meadow by a sea. I had been here before, just once when I realized my true feelings for Van.
"Hitomi Kanzaki." A familiar voice said to me and I spun around and gasped to see the white hair now white winged angel. "Folken-San!" I said only half shocked to see him.
"I still remember you, that strange girl from the Mystic Moon who had stolen my brother's heart." Folken said with out hesitation. "Believe in him, Hitomi." Folken said.
"So you heard me?" I asked blushing.
"Of course, you where talking to me, where you not?" Folken asked. "Trust in Van, he needs that trust."
"I must have sounded selfish." I said embarrassedly to Van's older brother.
"I wouldn't exactly say selfish." Folken said. "Go back to him now Hitomi Kanzaki, Wing Goddess, Seer from the Mystic Moon, the Lady who saved Gaea." Folken added. "He needs you know. You can watch him from there as I do from here."
"Yes Folken-San, you're right." I said. "It was good to see you again." I said to the man who appeared to smile as the world around me seemed to disappear once again. Warm hands where placed on my shoulders and I didn't need to turn around. "Allen-San, what are you doing?" I asked the blonde hair man and finally turned around.
"How did you know it was me, Hitomi?" My first crush on this world asked.
"What are you doing here?" I asked raising an eye brow.
"Celena was one of the ladies to represent Asturia." Allen explained. "I am her escort." He frowned. "Not that I approve of it of course but I have no choice. Millerna tried to order Celena not to go but Celena disobeid the order. She has a…" Allen coughed. "Thing for Van. I guess like Dilandau's obsession with him never died…." Allen said meaning only for half of that to be humorous.
"I see." Hitomi said as she tried to hide her disappointment.
"I heard from Merle that you where here and that you ran off so I decided to come to find you. I wanted to come visit you when I first heard that you came but Van refused to let me. He said that you where sleeping." Allen said as if not believing it.
"I was, for two days straight." I replied. "Yes I knew it was you because I could sense you coming Allen-San." I said as I tried to keep my emotions from showing. "How have you been?"
I found out that Allen had remained a Knight of the Heavens in Asturia and that the history books all around Gaea had been rewritten because of me and Van. I was sort of shocked to how Allen said that I was mentioned greatly in the history books as the Messiah of Gaea. I had to laugh at that and that Allen had told me that Van tried to get that to change but the people writing the texts wouldn't budge. "Messiah of Gaea." I said laughing. "That's great. All I did was cause trouble for both you and Van and whine a lot. You two did most of the fighting along with the rest of the soldiers."
"Yes well but that's how they interpreted it." Allen said sighing as he ran his hand through his long blonde hair. Why had this man been the one that I had fallen in love with all of those years ago? I didn't know. I couldn't figure it out either. "Millerna is still single." Allen said suddenly.
"Excuse me?" I said not having had heard that right.
"Millerna, Hime Millerna," Allen said correcting himself. "Has not been able to choose between Dryden and myself." He said sadly. "I told her that she should go to Dryden, I'm too old for her." Allen said.
"Your not too old." I replied. "Not exactly young either but not too old." I said and Allen had to smile.
"Yes while Dryden will make a better husband for her then I." Allen said sadly. "I give up, five years, he deservers her for waiting that long. I'm just a play boy remember? I told Dryden to prepose while I was away." Allen said. "I told him that I gave up and that if she wishes to she can choose him."
"Allen-San, I'm sorry I'm the reason why…" I started to say but was stopped.
"No your not." Allen said. "It would have happened any way, the marriage was arranged." Allen said. "My duty is to protect the royal family and Asturia's people. Nothing more, nothing less."
"It seems as if we may both have lost." I blurted out and gasped and clasped my hands over my mouth.
"Don't you give up on Van, Hitomi." Allen said half scolding. "Your oni-chan won't let you." Allen said half teasing.
"Oni-Chan?" I asked curiously with a puzzled look.
"I know it's strange but it'll be an interesting sibling relationship don't you think?" Allen asked winking. "Sort of an adopted in to the family type thing. This way Van doesn't have any reason to feel jealous when you hang out with me." Allen said as he stood up. "Come on, let's go, this place is sort of depressing."
"I don't think so." I protested and Allen looked at me. "It's peaceful, even though Folken-San and the EscaFlowne are asleep here." I said. "It calms me."
"You are weird." Allen sighed and shook his head. "Two weird sisters, what have I gotten myself in to?"
"It's not like it's official you know? I never agreed to that!" Hitomi said nearly shouting.
"Just accept it and be quiet. After all we wouldn't want to make Van jealous would we?" Allen asked.
"I should hit you." I said but knew why he did it. This way we could hang out and I wouldn't make Van jealous. Or did that really matter any more? What if I did make him jealous? He was getting ENGAGED tonight. I sighed again as I followed Allen out of the garden.
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Hitomi sat in her room, which was one of Van's rooms. Allen had left go to meet up with Celena to make sure she wasn't killing Van yet by hanging all over him and Hitomi was left here alone. Folken had told her not to give up but how could she not? She was already out of the race. Why had she come here? She missed him so much but she was finally getting use to the way that life was. There was also someone on Earth who had been asking her to go out with him a countless number of times and the last time she was almost tempted to say yes. Was she fated to be left alone in this world, this world she had fallen in love with? She couldn't help but to feel sad. A knock on the door.
"Yes?" She asked through the door and watched it open, she was surprise to see Allen there again.
"Why aren't you dressed yet Hitomi?" Allen asked. "You're not going to the ball dressed like that are you?" Allen asked.
"I have nothing else to wear and I don't feel like going." Hitomi said. 'Come to the ball Hitomi.' Van had told her the night before. She had no choice but to go. "I'll have to go as I am." Hitomi said as she finally forced herself to stand up and walked over to where she had left her shoes.
"You aren't from around here so no one can say anything about how you look Hitomi." Allen said.
"I thought you where going to escort Celena to the ball." Hitomi said curiously.
"She knows her way there. I explained it to her and she said that I could come retrieve you." Allen said and watched as Hitomi's facial features change.
"I'm not some dog!" She snapped.
"Sorry about my sister." Allen said. "She gets very clingy to her men." Allen said with a frown. "She knew how we, well… that short time…"
"Yes I know." Hitomi said. "That is why it is so difficult to call someone who has kissed me oni-chan." Hitomi said and Allen just grinned.
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Allen was announced with Celena some time ahead of her and she waited until her name was called. "Lady Hitomi Kanzaki, Wing Goddess, Seer from the Mystic Moon, high priestess, Messiah of Gaea." The man said and the whole room seemed to have quieted down. She tried not to blush as she felt so many eyes on her as she walked in to the crowd and tried to make her way over to Merle. Hitomi tried not to sigh as she watched Van dance with the other girls. Princess and ladies of royalty. He looked so handsome in that outfit, gods, she wondered why life was so unfair!
"Hitomi, people are staring at you." Merle said. "Oh great Messiah." Merle said snickering.
"Oh my god, from where?" Hitomi asked as she tried not to look too suspicious to be looking for them.
"All around you Hitomi. They've been staring and whispering all night." Merle said.
I blushed. Was it because they heard about the Messiah part? Oh gods she wanted to faint! It was at that moment she felt Allen's presence as he made his way to her. He took Hitomi's hand and kissed it. "Lady Hitomi, may I have this dance?" Allen asked.
"But I don't know any of the dances!" Hitomi protested.
"Don't worry, they're easy to follow." Allen said and glanced over at Van. "I am sure that my dancing is much better then the partners his highness is getting." Allen whispered quietly and I almost laughed. "I do not step on people's feet."
"Alright." Hitomi finally agreed and she felt Merle shoot a death glare at her. "Don't worry Merle. I still…. You know…" Hitomi said in to the cat girl's ear and went with Allen.
"I'll use her as a scratching post if she betrays Van-Sama with him again!" Merle thought as she tried to control her temper.
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Allen was a good dancer, it was at that moment when she saw Celena dancing with her Van. She tried not to looser her tempter but that was difficult. Van was hers and hers alone. Then again, no he wasn't, not any more, not after tonight. She danced one round with Allen and then sat out the rest. There was no point in even trying to have fun, she didn't want to since she knew what the out come was. She knew that Van would choose a woman tonight, she was sure of that. She was beginning to wish, that five years ago, he had never allowed Van in to talking to her about going back. She wished that she had found out how she felt about Van before he had ever made that stupid promise.
"I will get you back to the Mystic Moon." Van had promised as they flew back to Fanelia to meet Folken on that day. "Or back to Allen..." How long had Van loved her? She denied him that love the entire time! She could have had months with Van, many happy months even though they where running away from just about anyone or anywhere. She wanted to go back in to the room that Van had let her stay in and cry, but Allen-San wouldn't let her. Or as Allen had now claimed, "Allen Oni-san." She had to smile at the thought. Allen being her older brother, it was so strange to even think about! Her eyes glanced at Van as she and Allen danced, he was with another woman yet again. His eyes seemed to have found hers and he gave her a weird look since he noticed who she was dancing with. Van didn't really have any right to give her that look but she couldn't help but being annoyed. She knew how he felt about Allen in the past but he should know by now that he had her heart.
"You catch on very quickly Lady Hitomi." Allen said as he noticed the two star-crossed lovers eyeing one another.
"You're a good teacher, Allen-san, this dance, I seem to know it some how. I don't know how but I just know it." I explained as I looked in to the Knight of the Heaven's blue eyes. "There arn't any dances like this back on the Mystic Moon." I said.
"Perhaps you're just a natural." Allen suggested.
"Perhaps, I don't know." I said and was relived when the dance was over. I started to head back to Merle but it so happened that she got to dance with Van before I did and I tried to ignore it. A young woman came over to me and I looked at her strangely as she started to studder as she tried to say something. "Yes?" I asked.
"Is is true Lady Hitomi?" The woman who I found out later was the Princess of Kyion asked.
"Is what true?" I asked and looked at her strangely.
"That you can... see things?" She asked.
"Gods... help me this is going to really be a long night!" I shouted in the back of mind and knew that everyone was tempted to as me questions such as this one. "Yes," I answered as politely as I could. "I can."
She gave me a strange look. "Is it true that all of the people from the Mystic Moon are cursed as well?" The princess asked and that's when I snapped. "Are all of the people on Gaea cursed Princess?" I asked and she gave me a startled look. "Just because there are rummors about something, rummors are usually just rummors." I said as I tried to keep my tempor at bay. "Excuse me Princess Maiya, but it is Lady Hitomi's turn here to dance." Van said and seemed to sense my tension.
"Yes, sorry your highness." Princess Maiya said and blushed fiercely. I tried to keep myself from rolling my eyes. "Gods she just likes him because he's a king!" The voices in my mind shouted at one another and I gracefully took Van's hand. "I'd be honored to dance, your highness." I said and noticed that my voice was a different tone with Van then it was with the princessI had to admit that Van was good looking and very handsome, but if this woman had found out what he was, she would want nothing of him, most people wouldn't. Like herself, Van's people whereconsidered cursed as well. "Thanks for saving me back there." I said as I moved close to him as heinstructed me on how the dance went knowing of my knowledge of howthingswhere here.
"Any time." Vansaid barely moving his lips."How was it that he was able to do that?"My thoughts wondered as I stared in to his crimson red-brown eyes. I didn't even feel ashamed that I was wearing only an outfit that was a normal typical day outfit on Earth, Van's eyes seemed to do strange things to me when I looked in them, aand that's all the reassurance that I needed.