A/N: Uhhhh it's only been what.. 2 ½ years.. That's no time at all I swear! Please forgive me! I'm not sure if I ever addressed this, but I despise Allen. OH I know they're a no go. AND quite honestly for the past 4 years I've been bent out of shape about how come Hitomi kissed Allen instead of Van. Yannow that part where she gives Van this flying hug onto Escaflowne, Hello perfect kiss time, But whatever… I've got to let it go sometime before I die. :P

Hitomi woke up in the softest bed she had ever been in. She lay for a few minutes with her eyes closed and rolled herself up in the covers breathing in the fresh morning air. She heard the door open and saw Van coming in with breakfast on a tray. She sat up and tipped her head to the side. She just loved watching him, especially when he was being as gentle as bringing her breakfast in bed. She had never seen this Van before. He had been so hurt. When someone has suffered for so long and had no way to vent but anger, they tend to get a bad reputation. Love can do funny things to people, it can make they seem completely different, and with the way things had been working out for Fanelia, Van hardly had a reason to be angry, except for Allen of course. Since the return of his sister, Allen seemed to go slightly crazy. Sure, ok a bit more than slightly, but he was so well liked and seen as a hero that most people over looked it. In fact, the general public did not know of his intense training and obsession with women. Everyone in the hierarchy looked the other way.

But for a change, there was no one to disrupt Van and Hitomi's morning. They sat in bed with their legs crossed looking at each other. Hitomi was trying to memorize the lines on Van's face. The way he frowned when he thought hard, the way he couldn't help but smile when she did. It's something powerful to have someone so completely in love with you, but like a double edged sword your heart falls with it. Hitomi valued every second they spent together because as King, Van was busy all the time. There were so many decisions to make and problems to solve. Hitomi didn't begrudge that Van had to work so often. It was his destiny to be King. He had worked so hard and shed blood and sweat for these people, his people. It made her feel so childish when she wanted Van to spend time with her and he couldn't. She knew it hurt him too, torn between responsibility and love.

For the first couple of weeks in Fanelia, Hitomi spent it exploring the city and surrounding country side with Merle. It was so beautiful around her, who couldn't help but fall in love with it? This time was peaceful and quiet and Hitomi almost forgot about the horrible vision she had had. Allen had left early the following morning and hadn't been heard from since. Hitomi never mentioned it to Van, she saw no reason to worry him or cause trouble in this peaceful time.

Hitomi was doing her daily run around the palace and gardens. There was no reason to not stay in shape. Just because she was now treated like a princess and didn't have school work or chores, didn't mean she didn't love running. It was such an easy way to forget and let go. Hitomi would start out at an easy pace. Her thoughts still racing about everything but as she picked up speed and entered the garden, she lost track of her thoughts. It was like she was lost in her own world, almost lost to the things around her. She could feel her heart pounding and her feet hitting the gravel of the walk way. It was like flying. The world would drop from beneath her and she would lose herself in the automatic feeling of running. Once she hit that point where she wanted to stop, that's when it felt the best, to keep pushing and keep going until she made her full circuit of the palace.

On this unfortunate day, there happened to be a big, happy rock in the way of Hitomi's flying. What it was doing there, no one would know, but in her own world Hitomi failed to see it and tripped. In her mind it was like slow motion. The toe of her sneaker caught on the rock, she looked down to see it and saw the ground approaching very rapidly. She put her hands out to brace herself and closed her eyes… But it never came. She never hit the ground. Slowly Hitomi peeked out from under her lashes and found herself looking up at Allen. It had been weeks since he left and she was shocked to see him. Almost glad because he happened to be there to save her, but then she remembered that horrible dream and struggled out of his grip.

"Hitomi, Are you alright?" Allen's face in a deep frown. He had caught this wonderful creature just as she had tripped on that quite unfortunate rock.

Flustered, Hitomi stuttered, "Yes, yes I'm FINE, let me go!" Hitomi struggled wildly out of his grip. 'I've got to get out of here, I've got to go before something bad happens to me' She thought furiously. There was no one in the garden at all, no one to hear her scream.

Allen lost his hold on her and almost dropped her. "Hitomi, what is wrong? I just caught you when you were falling. I was out here enjoying the new flowers and saw you running."

Hitomi backed away from him thinking 'Ya, right like I believe that!' But to as not give herself away, Hitomi stumbled while trying to think of a plan of escape "I, uh, I'm late. I've got to go meet Van. Bye Allen thanks…" And with that she turned on her heel and sped in the other direction.

Allen stared after her, "My, she has gotten stranger."

Later that night Hitomi had that dream again. She sat straight up in her bed and scanned the darkness. There was no one there, even though the hiss of the snake still echoed in her mind. Hitomi grabbed a robe and slipped out her door. She snuck down the hallway whispering to herself "Please be ok Van, Please be ok." She half thought he would be because he had been alright the last time. When Hitomi reached Van's door, it was open. She began to panic.

Hitomi pushed open the door and the light from the hallway caught a glint above Van's bed. Hitomi couldn't hold it in any longer she screamed, "VAN, NO!"

There was the sound of a sword being drawn and a slash.

Hitomi started sobbing. She thought for certain for Van it had been too late. But then she saw a figure next to his bed drop on its knees. A match was struck and the candle next to the bed was lit. Already, maids and other guests of the palace had been disturbed and there was a group of people now standing in the door way. Many of the maids shrieked at the sight of the blood on the floor and bed. Hitomi saw Van between her watered eyes, he was ok. He had been waiting for just the right moment to draw his sword as soon as he heard his door open. When Hitomi had screamed, it distracted the man by his bed for that split second he needed. Van ordered a doctor and to have the prisoner tied up tightly. Van had not struck a fatal blow but only a deep wound. With some stitches he would be alright. Van pulled back the hood of the figure on the floor and the golden hair that came out was certainly Allen's. No one was truly surprised because of his crazy behavior lately but it still put everyone's nerves on edge. Why would Allen do this?

A/N OK OK I've got an idea where I want the story to go now! That's a good sign. I realize now over the past 2 years, my writing style has changed so completely… I'm sorry about that but I'm trying my best to replicate how the rest of the story was written.