Thank you so much for your reviews. They make my day. I feel like going home and writing a thousand chapters. Anyway,
hope you like the story. I have so many ideas for the next chapters, but you'll have to wait to know about them. Thanks to
the ones that review every chapter, I love you guys!
Disclaimers" I obviously don't own Escaflowne. The idea of the story is mine, though, and you can't take that from me
jajajaj.
Ok, let's get to the story…
The pain of loving you
Destiny's path
Whoever said life was easy never loved. Whoever said life was a dream never cared about anyone.
-anonymous
"And why can't we kill him?" Allen asked him.
"Because he is Van Fanel, king of Fanelia, and the last draconian in Gaea, and because without him, this war is already Dornkirk's."
Everyone in the room went quite, and all eyes were instantly directed to Van. Hitomi took some steps away from Van. In her eyes,
confusion could be seen as clearly as water.
A lot of things were happening in a very short time. She felt like exploiting, and she was sure everyone in the room was feeling just like
her. Still, what Boris had to say was sure to be important. He had always been a very respectful advisor in Asturia. Even when the
magical and unmagical parts had been fighting, Boris had been someone important in Asturia. He had a very talented gift, and a kingdom
like Asturia couldn't afford to throw it away. Boris had what some called a curse and others a gift. He could see the future. His
predictions had never been wrong. Asturia had learned to listen to him after Fanelia's destruction. The results for not listening to him had
been way too high. Now, his opinion was something Allen always looked for. Today, though, Allen didn't feel like listening to anyone. He
had a feeling that, if he let Van survive, something would be taken away from him. Something he loved dearly. Still, if what Boris said was
true then… it couldn't be. The Dragon simply could not be Van Fanel, heir to the throne of a dead kingdom, and he could not be
draconian. They had extinguished a long, long time ago. It was impossible, improbable, and sounded like a fairy tale. Even in a place like
Gaea, that was just too much.
"Nothing is too much for Gaea. Don't underestimate it." Boris told him. Allen just glared at him. His mind was a mess. He couldn't
decide on what to do with the new information. He didn't know what to say. Dryden solved the problem for him.
"We can't kill him" he said, sounding unhappy about it "It just wouldn't be right, but we can't let him go without a punishment, and his
loyalties are with Zaibach"
"No, they are not" Van said. It was the first time he spoke since they had told him the truth. His voice was barely a whisper, and it was in
a low tone. "I thought Zaibach had been the only one that helped me. Dornkirk was the only one that lent me a hand after… He tricked
me, and he will pay for it."
"I need prove that he is Van Fanel" Allen said "As for the draconian part, they don't exist anymore. I don't see how you could be one"
Allen's and Van's eyes met. Sparks flew between the two of them. Van didn't hate Allen anymore, well, not that much. He didn't want
to kill him, but he certainly would be happier if he didn't exist. Allen just wanted Van to disappear. Still, in the position Van was, he felt
like he at least had to prove one of the two things he was claiming to be. He decided that proving that he was Van Fanel was simpler.
"Ask the soldiers to bring you my sword" he told Allen "Look at it closely. There's a dragon engraved on the handle. It's the Fanelian
symbol." Allen did as suggested. The soldiers brought the sword, and everyone in the room saw the dragon.
"You could have stolen it" Allen said simply. Van got the urged to punch him.
"He didn't" Hitomi said. She glanced at Van quickly before looking at Allen. "The sword is his. You know this, Allen. He is Van Fanel"
Allen looked at her for what seemed like an eternity.
"Fine, but you are still a mercenary. King or no king, you have to be punished"
"I know" Van said "I did a lot of horrible things, and I'm sorry for all the innocent people I killed"
"A sorry isn't enough" Millerna told him coldly "For years, you have caused fear all around Gaea. A sorry won't do it."
"I…" Van didn't know what else to say. He already knew that a sorry wasn't enough, but what else could he do? He closed his eyes.
The feeling of guilt was returning. All those years he had been tricked were very fresh in his mind. Memories of all he had done kept
coming back to his mind. How could he have let all the hatred take the better of him? Still, even after knowing all he had done was
wrong, after knowing he had spilled innocent blood, it had made him feel good. A part of his soul had felt better with every death, and as
much as he wanted to, he didn't feel sorry about that. Even know, he felt the desire to kill. It was in his instincts. It was all he knew. He
just couldn't erase years of killing. He still felt the need to avenge his family. The only thing that had changed was the direction of his
hatred. Now, he hated Zaibach. He wanted to kill everyone that belonged to that kingdom. He wanted to make Dilandu and Dornkirk
suffer. He wanted to kill them. He was still full of hatred and pain and now guilt. Van felt like screaming till his lungs couldn't take it
anymore. Damn it! He was more lost than before he arrived at Asturia. Everything he had believed in had been a lie. His whole world had
been a lie. All he had done had been wrong. In all his life, Van could not remember a moment when he had felt more lost and alone. Now
he truly did believe that happiness was something that had not been made for him. He had not been born to have dreams or hopes. Van
closed his eyes. He would never find peace.
"He has information that is very valuable for us." Boris said "You are forgetting that he did not come here to destroy a town. He came
here for Hitomi. Zaibach wants her for something. I can not see what Dornkirk wants with her, but I know it's important." Everyone
looked at Van again. He was getting tired of been the center of attention.
"Dornkirk wanted her" he looked at Hitomi "because he wants her to help him find the Heart of the Dragon. I was to kidnap her and
bring her to him."
"The Heart of the Dragon, but that is only a tale for the little kids. It is not true." Millerna said.
"It does exist. A long time ago, when Gaea was about to be destroyed, someone called for the Heart of the Dragon. No one knows who
saved Gaea or how. It's the greatest mystery of all times. The only thing I know for sure is that it was divided in two. I do not know why.
One part went to the draconians in Atlantis. The other one was given to a very powerful been, but I don't know what or who it was.
History was changed into legend, and then into a story so that the Heart would be safe." Boris told them. "If Dornkirk knows about its
existence, then we have to get to Atlantis before them."
"Nothing you are saying makes sense." Allen suddenly yelled. He had lost his temper "You are here, discussing stories, when we should
be planning an attack to Zaibach. I can't believe in lost cities with extinguished races and magical objects. We are at war. We have no
time to lose"
"This is no waste of time. I believe them" Hitomi told him. She looked at him defiantly. Allen went quite.
"I can't." Dryden said simply.
Van looked at all their faces. He had a feeling that what Boris said was important. He knew what he said was true. He was a draconian,
so if that was possible, Atlantis and the Heart of the Dragon could exist. He owed this people something. He had, after all, been
destroying their kingdoms for the last six years. He owed them. He had no option but to help them win this war. They didn't even imagine
the power Dornkirk had. They had not even seen half of it.
"I know you don't trust me, and I don't expect you to ever do, but you have to believe what Boris says. Zaibach has a very strong army.
Its military is impeccable. You have no change against them. Still, Dornkirk knows he can't win against all Gaea. He needs something.
Hitomi Kansaki is the key to his victory. She has something he wants. If he gets it, then all is lost"
"I can't just believe in this" Allen said.
"Allen Schezar, you are the one person besides Dornkirk that I do not wish to be in debt. For all I've done, I am. Because of this, I'll
give you prove. If you cannot believe in what you hear, believe in what you see." Time seemed to stop as Van concentrated. His face
went into a frown. Suddenly, his shirt ripped into little pieces. A curtain of feathers blurred everyone's vision. When the feathers were
gone, Van stood in the middle of the room. His wings were wide open, as white as snow. Allen gasped. Millerna starred at them
dreamily. Dryden looked like he didn't know what to do. Hitomi went wide open. In all her life, she had never seen something that
looked so pure and was so dark. He looked like an angel, but she knew that he wasn't one. He was the Dragon, a mercenary disguised
as an angel, and for that, Hitomi feared and resented him. It didn't matter that he had suffered so much. He had caused the same pain to
others. Hitomi would never forgive him for that.
"Fine, I believe you, now what?" Allen asked. He looked annoyed.
"He has to find Atlantis and the Heart of the Dragon before Dornkirk does. He is the only one that can do it, but he will need help. It is a
dangerous path, and it's full of traps and obstacles. I can't think of anyone more fit to follow him than Hitomi" Boris told them.
"What? There's no way I'll allow that. If she goes, I go. And since I can't go because I have a war to lead, she stays. Find someone
else." Allen yelled at all of them. He crossed his arms against his chest and held his head high. He looked like a spoiled kid rather than a
king.
"There's no one else" Millerna told him as she grabbed his hand. "Allen, she is the only one that can do it. She is a seer, remember? And
Dornkirk believes she knows something, so she has to do" Allen felt like never talking to Millerna again.
"I know nothing. I don't even know what the Heart of the Dragon is. I…" Boris interrupted her.
"You are the queen of Kansaki, and one of the most talented seers. You are probably the only one that can lead Van Fanel to Atlantis.
Remember that Atlantis is a magical kingdom. Only very strong magical beans can enter it. Only you two can find it. If you don't go, then
we better surrender now." Boris explained.
"We can win over his forces" Dryden suggested.
"They will win" Boris said "It has already been predetermined"
"Then we have no choice?" Millerna asked. Her blue eyes looked sad. She went to her husband for comfort. She knew Allen was
probably feeling a lot of pain. If Hitomi went with the Dragon, she could die, and she didn't trust him. No one would know what would
happen to them. Just when Hitomi was about to open to Allen, this had to happen. In was not the best of times for a suicidal trip.
"It's the only choice if we want to stand a chance" Hitomi said. Her hair was hiding her eyes. "Allen, you have to stay and combat
Zaibach's military forces. Dryden and Millerna have to go back to their kingdom to defend it. Mine is safe for the moment. Amano is
protecting it, and I know you won't let anything happen to it" She smiled at Allen "I feel like I have to do this. Something in me tells me
it's the only way. Besides, they are right. My powers will be needed"
"I don't need anyone, especially not you." Van told her coldly.
"I don't care what you want. You have no choice. Maybe you don't care about peace, but I do. I will not let our fates be decided by a
mercenary" she responded in the same tone. She looked at him, and their eyes locked. Van pulled away fast.
"Whatever" he whispered.
"Then it's decided. Van and Hitomi will go find Atlantis, and the rest will fight Zaibach from here" Boris said with a smile on his face.
Maybe none of them knew it yet, but Boris had not told them everything he knew. There was something about Hitomi, a seer, and Van, a
draconian, that the rest did not see. He knew that they were the only ones that would be able to safe Gaea. The mystery was in how they
would do it. Boris was dying to know.
Hitomi was at her balcony. She looked at the great kingdom of Asturia. From where she was, she could see the market. People were
happy, going on with their normal lives. They had no worries. They still didn't know about the war and the difficult times they were about
to face. Hitomi fantasized with the idea of not telling them, but it wouldn't be fair for them. She could just hope they wouldn't feel as bad
as she did.
'Goddess of life, take care of them' she prayed silently 'Don't let anything happen to them'
She turned her eyes to the mountains and the blue sky. A bird flew and disappeared from her view as in went into a cloud. She wished
she could be that bird. She extended her arms and imagined how the wind would feel against her skin. She would fly as high and fast as
she could; she would never look back. She smiled. 'Silly me, humans do not fly'
'He does' a part of her mind told her
'He's not human; he's draconian' she argued
'He looks like a human. He has feelings like humans do'
'No, he doesn't. Look into his brown, enchanting… wait. Oh, you confuse me, ok, I confuse myself. The point is he doesn't feel'
'He does. He hurts.'
"Hitomi?"
Hitomi turned around fast and brought her arms down. A blush appeared on her face.
"I was just feeling the wind" She told Millerna "I've finished packing, and it's such a beautiful day" Millerna laughed. No wonder Allen
had fallen for this girl. She was just so innocent and hopeful.
"Its okay, no need to explain, I just wanted to have a talk with you. You know, woman to woman."
Millerna's face became serious, and Hitomi got closer to her.
"Do you love Allen?" The question took Hitomi for surprise, and she answered a little to quickly.
"No"
Millerna smiled kindly at her. "I…I didn't want to sound so…"
"No need to worry, I already knew. I just wanted to hear it from you" She got up and walked to the balcony, resting her body on it. She
turned her head to look at Hitomi.
"When I married Dryden, I was in love with Allen." Hitomi opened her eyes "He was everything I wanted, and he loved me too, but I
had a duty to my family, so I married Dryden. I was so unhappy I thought I would die. With time, though, I grew to love him, and now, I
wouldn't change him for anything. Still, I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I had run away with Allen. I look at the way he
sees you, and I can tell he loves you with all his heart, but you don't." Hitomi played nervously with her necklace. Millerna turned to
leave, but as she passed Hitomi, she stopped and put a hand on her shoulder. "The thing with Allen is that if you don't love him from the
beginning, you never will. What you see is what you get. You care about him, Hitomi, but care and love are very different things. Care
will never equal to love. My story turned out to have a happy ending. As much as I want you to be happy with Allen, I know you won't
be. You two will both end up hurt, and it's not fair for either of you."
"I have a duty to my people, now more than before. If I want peace, I have to do this. Besides, with time, everything will turn out just
fine"
"Don't fool yourself. Well, what do I care? It's your choice in the end, and first we have to get through this war. Just think about what I
told you. You are a brave person, Hitomi, and Allen is very special to me. Neither of you deserve a life full of unhappiness."
Millerna left the room, leaving Hitomi more confused than ever before.
Van stood next to his black horse. He brought a small bag with him. It had nothing but the necessary: a pair of shirts knifes, and money.
He could hunt for food. He looked at Kansaki hugging Allen; it seemed to last forever.
"I'll miss you" he heard her say.
"I'll be waiting for you" Allen told her. Hitomi hugged Dryden and Millerna. She then went to her white horse. She climbed it, and Van
was about to when Allen grabbed his arm.
"You told me you owed me one for all you did to my people" he told him. Van looked at him with a blank expression. "I just want you to
take care of Hitomi" he finished "Swear to me" Van though about it. He had never protected anyone, and he wasn't sure he would be
able to, but he really had no choice. "Fine, I swear I'll protect her." Allen let go.
"You have to get out of Asturia and travel south till you arrive next to the temple of the Celts. From there, you will have to trust your
abilities and each other." Boris told them. 'Yeah right, like I could trust her abilities' Van thought.
"Be careful, Gaea depends on you"
Van turned his horse into the direction that they had been told. He looked at Kansaki and noticed that she looked at every direction. It
was clear she had no sense of orientation. Was she really supposed to help him find Atlantis? She didn't even know where south was.
"This way, just follow me." He growled at her. She looked at everyone and smiled. She waved good bye till they were out of sight. Van
looked at her from the corner of his eyes. He couldn't believe he was stuck with her, as if he didn't have enough problems. She suddenly
turned to look at him. He turned his head to look at her face, careful to avoid her eyes. She jerked her head away. It had been very fast,
but Van had seen the fear in her eyes. She was afraid of him. He remembered seen her on the balcony with her arms held high. She had
looked peaceful, but then she had gone inside. Now that he thought about it, he also remembered seen the anger in her eyes the first time
they met. What had changed? Was it that she now knew he was draconian? He let out a small growl. Hitomi kept her eyes in the front,
but she winced at the sound. The guy got to her nerves. It was not till hours later when Hitomi finally got the courage to talk to him.
"I…" what could she say? "We haven't been formally introduced" was the first thing that came to her mind. "I'm Hitomi Kansaki" she
held her hand for Van to shake it.
"I know that, and you know who I am. There's no point in doing this" he told her. She looked surprise at these words.
"It's the first thing one has to do to get to know someone" she said. Van stopped his horse and grabbed Hitomi by the hand. The move
was very sudden, and Hitomi almost fell from her horse. He saw the fear appear in her eyes the moment he touched her. He got angrier.
"I don't want to get to know you." He told her quietly so she would pay attention to every word he said. He made eye contact. Hitomi's
eyes were full of fear and anger. Van's eyes showed nothing; they were emotionless "I'm doing this because it helps my revenge. There's
no other reason. I don't give shit about you or peace or your kingdom, and I never will. You are just someone useful to me, a tool and
nothing more."
"You're hurting me"
Van let go of her arm. He broke the eye contact. Hitomi kept her head down, hiding her eyes, but Van saw a tear fall from her face. He
suddenly felt like trash. Now she didn't only fear him; she probably hated him too.
"I was going to give you the opportunity to prove to me that you were something more than just a mercenary. I've always believed in
giving second chances, but someone that has such cold eyes doesn't deserve it. You don't deserve my time.I thought you were human; I was wrong."
The words hit Van like cold water. She thought he was a monster, which was probably true, but for some reason, it bothered him.
'Stop thinking like this' he ordered himself. He wasn't going to let her pass through the barrier he had built around his heart. Whatever
she said or thought didn't matter to him. He was an emotionless person. He cared about no one. She was just a tool, and anyway, he
couldn't even stand her presence. Pain had been part of his whole life. He couldn't remember a time when he hadn't felt it. He was
always hurting because of his past. He couldn't get over the fact that he had lost his family and dreams inthe cruelest way. He could steel
feel that pain as clearly as the first time it had appeared, and he felt the pain for been tricked, for what he was, for what he'd done. He
wasn't going to let a good for nothing girl hurt him more. Mo matter what happened, he wouldn't let her weaken him. He would never
care about anyone, especially not her.
Yey! A new chapter. I'm doing all I can to update soon. They have already started their trip! Isn't that great? Ok, so now go
and review or I won't update for the next month. JAJAJAJAJAJAJA :p