The Legend of Liocorna
Disclaimer: Don't own Escaflowne and will never own it *sniff*
Geessessss... I am soooooooo sorry for taking so long once again, but school really got to me and one of my friend bugged me to start another story although I don't want to post it yet. First I'll finish this one and the others posted, then the rest... And I have also discovered a "little mistake" i made in this story (hehehehe...) Remember Sheik? The Ghost in the Library from last time? Well I discovered that I had called him the first time he appeared (chapter 15 I think) Sherak ^^°... I hope I didn't confuse you to much... And I'll quite with the blabbering already so... ENNNNNJOOOOOOYYYYYYYY!!!
Chapter 17: Banned?
The air smelled weird in the hallway, something Van hadn't noticed the first time and he wandered for a brief moment how deep he had been stuck in that darkness for he could not remember, but pushed that thought quickly away. He rather concentrated on finding out what sort of smell it was his nose was picking up right now.
It seemed that the air inside was old and musty and yet it smelled of forest and ocean all the same. The scents mixed themselves together as one, and then changed from one to another randomly. Although it should have irritated the nose, the smells combined were soothing and Van took a deep breath as he walk along the hall. He was going the way back Hitomi had led them along to the library as he followed his heart, just like Sheik had told him.
After walking for a short distance Van heard the sound of an instrument playing a soft tune, the same Hitomi had always sung and hummed occasionally. He could not quite make out what sort of instrument it was, but it sounded somewhat like a flute of some kind. He followed the music farther down the hallway until he could see the huge entrance towards the great hall with the glass-dome and the altar on which lay the book that wrote by itself. He had already known that the hall was gigantic when he had looked around the first time, but as he was standing now in the entrance and saw everything at once, it looked even bigger then before. Thousand of people could have easily seated themselves on the floor without being in each other's way and yet would have left enough space for a gangway from the door to the altar.
And still there was the melody coming from somewhere inside this hall, the echo being thrown back from different directions until it sounded as if it was not from this world. Van just stood there for a few moments, listening enchanted to the melody. He tried to locate from where it exactly came, but as far as he looked around he could not find the source. He looked up to the glass-dome above him that was held up by some extra pillars far above and a thought struck him. He quickly took of his shirt and with a mental push drew out his wings from his back. He stretched them for a moment then lightly jumped into the air and flew up towards the dome and it's pillars. The sound of the instrument grew a little as he landed between two of the pillars.
The pillars were just high enough for him to stand without bumping his head somewhere. He kept his wings out as he heard the melody getting louder to his left and walked around the pillar.
He took a few steps and stood suddenly frozen to the spot as he saw her sitting there... Hitomi.
She wasn't wearing her outfit from before, only the headband remained of it. Instead she was now wearing some sort of white robes going down to her ankles. The robe had no sleeve and fitted her perfectly around her upper body down to her waist. Around her waist was a large belt made out of big oval hoops of gold, with an also golden plate at the front, which had silver lines running through it. The robe had on both sides a slit going from her ankle to her thighs, showing her slender and creamy white legs. She was bare footed and the only things she wore with the robe were two pair of long golden bracelets with the same silver lines as on the plate; one pair she had on her legs (going from just above her ankles to just below her knees) and the other pair on her lower arms (going from her wrists to just below her elbow).
She was sitting there, sitting there with her eyes closed, her hair loosely falling around her face and her back against one of the pillars. She was playing on a strange instrument he had never seen before. It was rather small, just right to fit into the palm of a human's hand and of oval shape and she was still playing that strange melody. So enchanting and mysterious was the song to his ears and so beautiful and pure the creature before him that he could do nothing but sit down beside her, listening and watching as she played the song over and over again.
He did not know how much time had passed when she stopped playing and bend her head forward until her hair hid her features from his sight. Van was a bit taken back by that little movement, but knew better not to be offended; after all, it had been him who had hurt her and had tried to push her out of his heart. Even if it had been the darkness inside of him that had caused him to do such a thing, it had been partly his fault for he should have noticed earlier, should have done something from preventing the darkness to crawl so deep inside his heart and mind.
There they both sat now, side by side and yet to Van it seemed that they were miles apart. She did not look up, did not say a word, just sat there with him in silence not moving. The air started to grow thick with the tension of no one speaking, but Van did not dare to say a word. He knew that she knew he was there, but he also knew that if he said something, anything right now, that everything would fall apart, everything he could have ever hoped for to bring him at least a little happiness.
Ever so slowly he reached up with his right hand and gently tried to push back the curtain of silky hair around her face. He was stopped by one of her hands coming up to hold his tightly. He softly stroked the back of her hand with his thumb as his left arm wrapped itself around her waist and drew her to him. She let go of his hand and held him tightly around his waist with both her arms, head lying on is chest as he wrapped his other arm around her petit frame. His wings wrapped around them both, shutting them away from the rest of the world. It was the just two of them and no one else at that moment. Van tighten his grip around her every so lightly as he began to feel little droplets on his bare chest and Hitomi's soft shaking as more and more tears welled up in her eyes. He rubbed her back in a soothing gesture as she sobbed and let all her pent up tears from the previous hours out.
After a while her sobs started to cease and Van heard her whisper hoarsely: "I thought I lost you. I was so relieved when I at least managed to get you out of the darkness for a short moment, but I couldn't get it out of you. I tried so hard, but... but..."
"Shhhhhhhhh... It's okay now. Don't cry. At least that is over now. Gods, I'm so sorry that I did that to you. I didn't want to hurt you, I..."
"I know. You don't have to be sorry. I know what happened. And when I felt you beside me and felt the warmth of your hand, it felt so right again and my heart told me that everything was okay again, but I was still scared... I didn't know what to say at first."
"Hey, didn't I tell you not to cry? Everything is fine now. Will work it out together somehow."
He pushed his thumb under chin and tilted her face up so he could look in her yes. He saw her astonishment of also seeing tears in his eyes and running down his cheeks, showing her how glad he was that finally everything was okay again. He leaned forward gently kissing the tears away, before giving her a soft kiss on the lips. She hesitated for a moment before returning it, pressing her body closer to his, the metal of her arm-bracelets cool against his back.
They broke the kiss after a while and Van noticed the heavy bags under Hitomi's eyes from exhaustion. She noticed the gaze with which he was examining her and gave a very weak smile:
"I couldn't fall asleep. That's why I was sitting up here playing the ocarina."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be."
"But I am. You did so much for the others and me and we didn't once bother to ask how you feel. Come on, if you tell me were you chamber is, I'll carry you there so you can finally get some rest."
"But..."
"Uh-uh... No complaining now. You're probably so out of energy that you can hardly walk. Besides I need at least something with which I can make it up to you a little."
She gave a small sigh of defeat and let her body collapse against his. He could distinctly hear her muttering something like "totally thick-headed" and "will never change" against his chest, making him chuckle. He carefully picked her up in his arms and flew them down to the floor again.
Once there he followed Hitomi's order of directions as she led him through different doors leading to different areas of the temple with even more hallways and doors. He hadn't imagined how big the temple really was and was currently wandering how someone could hide something so big from the rest of the world, even if it was underwater when Hitomi told him they were there.
Another door opened and Van stepped into a chamber that was at least as big as his in Fanelia. The stones where the same strange grey like the rest of the temple, but here shone candles of a bright orange and yellow and snow white carpets (or something similar) with red and blue stitching on the walls gave the room a cosier character then the rest they had walked through. Bear rugs covered the whole floor except for the area where a small closet stood and, of course where the bed was. It seemed to be out of light beige, almost white wood, polished well and silken sheets lay upon them. There was one big window providing light and another, rather normal looking, door led to the bathing area. Although there where only a few candles lit it was warm and comfortable in the room.
Van gently lay Hitomi down on the bed. After seeing her pleading look Van also crept under the covers and drew her towards him. She snuggled deep into the crook of his neck and let out a small sigh Van feeling her lips curve into a loving smile. He soon heard her deep and regular breathing indicating that she had fallen asleep. He kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes, also drifting to sleep.
When Van awoke from his dreamless sleep a few hours later and slowly opened his eyes he noticed the plate with food that had been placed on a small table beside the bed immediately. Just by seeing the food he realised how hungry he was. His stomach gave a loud rumble of protest which caused small giggles to erupt beside Van. He smiled and turned his head in the direction of the quiet noise.
"Since when have you been awake?"
"I only woke up a few minutes before you did." Hitomi answered with a small smile. She sighed as she snuggled to the warmth of his body. " Sheik must have brought the food. The others will also have gotten the same to eat, so we don't have to worry about that And if I heard right, you as hungry as I am."
Van reached over to the tablet. "What do you want?"
"Just give me something to eat before my stomach gets angry at you."
Van just smiled devilishly and handed Hitomi a piscus. She wrinkled her nose in confusion and then in discuss, remembering the (very) sour taste and her liking towards it while Van began to laugh. It just looked to ridiculous when she gave the piscus a look as if she wanted to strangle it (if you can do that to such a thing *lol*).
The next thing he knew was Hitomi pouncing upon him. She started to tickle him making him only laugh more, but he soon turned the tables upon her, as he flipped them both around, she under him and he on top of her. He tickled her back with a vengeance until she had tears in her eyes from all the laughter.
This went on for some time, the food lying forgotten beside the bed.
When they finally stopped, both lying totally out of breath side by side on the huge bed their stomachs gave a loud protest right at the same time and of they were again, laughing their heads of.
Hitomi tried to catch her breath:
"Uff... That must have been the most longest and energy wasting laugh I ever had. Except maybe for the time when Yukari "tried" for the first time to ask Amano out on a date. Phew."
"I bet it's a must hear story. But right now, I think I should finally eat something. Or do you want me to starve?"
"I think you're already thin enough for my taste *wink*."
"One more sentence like that you wisecrack and you'll suddenly find yourself in a bathtub full of freezing water.."
They finally made it to eat, not talking, just enjoying each others company and glad that they could satisfy the needs of their stomachs. Their stomachs commanded a rather large amount of attention, considering that they hadn't really eaten for nearly a day. By the end of their "candlelight-dinner" the food-tray hadn't even the slightest crumb on it, not to mention that the food would have normally been enough for four people...*lol*
Quite suddenly, a low rumble was heard as the temple ever s slightly shook in it's foundations which Van was completely sure had been build for all eternity. He sat up a little startled and looked around confused, wondering if the darkness had found them.
He felt a small soft, gentle hand touch his on the bed and he turned his head to be faced by his beloved soothing smile as she squeezed his hand:
"No need to worry. The rumbling only indicated that the temple will resurface in about half an hour. I guess, the "Ancient" needs some fresh air again."
Hitomi had to giggle hysterically at sight of Van's absolute confused and speechless face. He wrinkled his nose in utter confusion.
"What the heck is the "Ancient"???"
"You'll find out when we resurface. Then I'll show you why this temple hasn't been found yet by anyone living on Gaia and why no one will probably find it. And I must say that I literally fell on my butt when I saw him for the first time and I still don't know, how I even managed the first time to get into the temple. I think it was Sheik and the nine High Ones who brought me here then. At that time the temple wasn't so far away from the shore, only about a 100 miles into the sea, near a secluded are of a dessert country, where the ocean is held back by tall mountains. I was atop one of them, when I saw the temple for the first time. The next thing I knew, was the soft voice o my mother calling me, before everything went black before my eyes. When I woke up again, I found myself in this bed with Sheik standing beside me."
Her eyes had a far away look as she recalled those memories and her gaze strayed to the window as she spoke softly.
"That has been nearly two years now. It took me eight weeks before I could find it, my Visions of the temple and the voice of my mother guiding me. With it, I also found finally the answers to my questions of who and what I was, and why I had come herein the first place. And as soon as I had made it here, my training started for without it the power can't be controlled, it may even go out of control, causing much greater harm then what I did at that attack at the lake. The High Ones forbid me to leave the temple grounds, for they wanted to make sure that I could fully control my powers."
She sneered. "They told me that I should not, go, that it was to dangerous for me to go back, that I would easily be hunted down and captured immediately by the enemy, who could not find me while in the temple and could not enter because of the sacred and blessed ground of our goddess."
Hitomi exhaled deeply as she rested her head on Van's shoulder, cuddling closer to him for comfort. He gladly gave it to her, his arms wrapping around her and let them both drop back onto the bed as he listened to her intently.
"But I soon started to feel that something wasn't right, about half a year after I left Fanelia. At first it was just a slight feeling and I mistook it stress, for the training wasn't very pleasant an most times rather hard as I had to learn many things. But with time it grew more and more until I couldn't ignore it anymore in anyway. That dreaded feeling of forbidding, the feeling of something being terribly wrong. Finally, after about a year since my departure I asked Sheik if he knew something. He didn't want to tell, saying that it should not interest me at the moment and that I would learn sooner or later. I got even more desperate after asking him for three weeks on end and he must have seen the distress in my eyes for he began bits and pieces of the things happening outside. He started with what you would probably as rather harmless things in the face of an approaching war, such as that Basram had some problems concerning the royal family and that two other countries on the other side of Gaia, far away from Fanelia and Asturia were at war and such things. But the more I questioned and begged him to tell me more, for the feeling was still present and growing even more, he reluctantly began to tell me about that enemy that was on the move, how war raged in several countries all around Gaia and it always came to that one enemy. Sheik didn't want to tell me who it was or, as he told me once, didn't want to give a name to this enemy, for it had none and should not get one, for it shouldn't even exist. I didn't understand that and some of it I still don't understand but it doesn't matter now. Anyway, even if Sheik didn't give me the full information on what was happening and where it was happening it soon didn't matter to much for everything that he told me came the visions of it in full detail. I saw how the Royal family of Hearim and other countries were murdered and doppelganger took their places, taking control over everything. I saw how the nameless enemy defeated one country after the next, how no one seemed to be able to stop it. "
Tears start to trickle down the side of her face as she lifts her eyes up to meet his. They were full of raw emotion, full of sadness, hurt, grieve and... love.
"And the whole time I was here, I couldn't stop thinking of you, Van. Every time I closed my eyes before I went to sleep, I saw your face, your smile and your eyes full of want and need just like I felt inside. And then one day, about two and a half months back, I just couldn't stand it anymore! I couldn't stand just watching as everything I knew and held dear collapsed around me! I ran from the temple as soon as it resurfaced once again."
Tears still streamed down her face, but she suddenly lowered her eyes avoiding his and she only managed to continue in a hoarse whisper.
"At first I wandered aimlessly around, going from country to country, looking, trying to find any hint to that enemy a way to stop it. I wanted to go to Fanelia wanted to see you finally again after all those months, but I feared what I would see. I feared not only seeing Fanelia again in ruins, but mostly you in the arms of another, married, happy maybe even with a child on the way.
So I wandered on and on, not knowing where to go, who to turn to. And soon I noticed something following me pursuing me, trying to catch m at every cost. I started feeling this presence even in my dreams, which were mostly visions of different places on Gaia at that time. After a couple of fights I managed to block it out, away from me so it could not fully comprehend anymore where I was going and what I was doing. And with each day I tried to escape that dreaded presence, I came closer to Fanelia without even noticing until I stood a it's borders. As soon as I entered the wood the feeling left me, for it was somehow not able to enter after me. It must have been the dragons keeping it away from me."
She smiled almost sadly.
"You could even say protecting me for they some were always near by, just behind the trees I went by, but keeping their distance. I stayed there for at least a week or two to calm down a bit again and rest and it was then that I got a vision about the attack on Fanelia and of you in Escaflowne..."
Van gently shushed her with his lips before kissing each single tear away. He knew the rest of her voyage and she didn't need to go through more pain by going on with what they both knew. He drew Hitomi close to him so that her head was just under his chin.
Although she had gone through so much pain and horror with all those fears hidden deep inside her she was still with him, had still come back to him and all he ever wanted for her was to protect her now more than ever. Sure, she could look after herself from being harmed physical... but emotional?
Van held Hitomi tightly in his embrace for the next few minutes, gently stroking her hair with the tips of his finger. No word was uttered in this comfortable quite, the flame of the candle flickering in an age old dance only the spirits of fire understood.
In the end, Hitomi sighed and rose from her current position besides Van to sit on the edge of the bed.
"We better go see the others and then go outside as soon as we resurface. I would like to show you the garden, it is very beautiful."
"Nothing can be compared to your ethereal beauty, beloved." Van sad with that oh so loving smile he gave only her, also sitting up while she returned the smile with a slight blush (Tsk, Tsk, Van, your getting wayyyyy to mushy... *lol* Sorry, had to write this *g*). He took her left hand in his and was startled to feel rough material on her hand. He looked down to find a bandage around it before he looked up again into her eyes still so full of sadness. She slowly took away her hand from his and with her other shaky one, pulled of the bandage.
Hitomi showed him the back of her hand. On it was a strange symbol looking like two eight's lapped over each other, almost looking like some kind of flower (Hope, everyone can imagine that...).
Van took her hand in his again.
"What does it mean, Hitomi?" He asked in hushed tone. She was looking in the opposite direction of him, biting on her other hands nails, something she did only rarely.
"It's nothing. The meaning doesn't even matter for it would have ended like this one way or the other. As if I would ever let myself be caged inside these walls again."
"What do you mean? Please tell me Hitomi, for what is this symbol on your hand?"
He cupped her chin gently and directed her gaze tom him again. He could see new tears forming in her eyes but this time they did not spill as she gave him the answer.
"It's the sign of banishment from the clan."
Chapter end.
No more to say here, only: review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review,... review!!! You get my meaning? *lol*
Disclaimer: Don't own Escaflowne and will never own it *sniff*
Geessessss... I am soooooooo sorry for taking so long once again, but school really got to me and one of my friend bugged me to start another story although I don't want to post it yet. First I'll finish this one and the others posted, then the rest... And I have also discovered a "little mistake" i made in this story (hehehehe...) Remember Sheik? The Ghost in the Library from last time? Well I discovered that I had called him the first time he appeared (chapter 15 I think) Sherak ^^°... I hope I didn't confuse you to much... And I'll quite with the blabbering already so... ENNNNNJOOOOOOYYYYYYYY!!!
Chapter 17: Banned?
The air smelled weird in the hallway, something Van hadn't noticed the first time and he wandered for a brief moment how deep he had been stuck in that darkness for he could not remember, but pushed that thought quickly away. He rather concentrated on finding out what sort of smell it was his nose was picking up right now.
It seemed that the air inside was old and musty and yet it smelled of forest and ocean all the same. The scents mixed themselves together as one, and then changed from one to another randomly. Although it should have irritated the nose, the smells combined were soothing and Van took a deep breath as he walk along the hall. He was going the way back Hitomi had led them along to the library as he followed his heart, just like Sheik had told him.
After walking for a short distance Van heard the sound of an instrument playing a soft tune, the same Hitomi had always sung and hummed occasionally. He could not quite make out what sort of instrument it was, but it sounded somewhat like a flute of some kind. He followed the music farther down the hallway until he could see the huge entrance towards the great hall with the glass-dome and the altar on which lay the book that wrote by itself. He had already known that the hall was gigantic when he had looked around the first time, but as he was standing now in the entrance and saw everything at once, it looked even bigger then before. Thousand of people could have easily seated themselves on the floor without being in each other's way and yet would have left enough space for a gangway from the door to the altar.
And still there was the melody coming from somewhere inside this hall, the echo being thrown back from different directions until it sounded as if it was not from this world. Van just stood there for a few moments, listening enchanted to the melody. He tried to locate from where it exactly came, but as far as he looked around he could not find the source. He looked up to the glass-dome above him that was held up by some extra pillars far above and a thought struck him. He quickly took of his shirt and with a mental push drew out his wings from his back. He stretched them for a moment then lightly jumped into the air and flew up towards the dome and it's pillars. The sound of the instrument grew a little as he landed between two of the pillars.
The pillars were just high enough for him to stand without bumping his head somewhere. He kept his wings out as he heard the melody getting louder to his left and walked around the pillar.
He took a few steps and stood suddenly frozen to the spot as he saw her sitting there... Hitomi.
She wasn't wearing her outfit from before, only the headband remained of it. Instead she was now wearing some sort of white robes going down to her ankles. The robe had no sleeve and fitted her perfectly around her upper body down to her waist. Around her waist was a large belt made out of big oval hoops of gold, with an also golden plate at the front, which had silver lines running through it. The robe had on both sides a slit going from her ankle to her thighs, showing her slender and creamy white legs. She was bare footed and the only things she wore with the robe were two pair of long golden bracelets with the same silver lines as on the plate; one pair she had on her legs (going from just above her ankles to just below her knees) and the other pair on her lower arms (going from her wrists to just below her elbow).
She was sitting there, sitting there with her eyes closed, her hair loosely falling around her face and her back against one of the pillars. She was playing on a strange instrument he had never seen before. It was rather small, just right to fit into the palm of a human's hand and of oval shape and she was still playing that strange melody. So enchanting and mysterious was the song to his ears and so beautiful and pure the creature before him that he could do nothing but sit down beside her, listening and watching as she played the song over and over again.
He did not know how much time had passed when she stopped playing and bend her head forward until her hair hid her features from his sight. Van was a bit taken back by that little movement, but knew better not to be offended; after all, it had been him who had hurt her and had tried to push her out of his heart. Even if it had been the darkness inside of him that had caused him to do such a thing, it had been partly his fault for he should have noticed earlier, should have done something from preventing the darkness to crawl so deep inside his heart and mind.
There they both sat now, side by side and yet to Van it seemed that they were miles apart. She did not look up, did not say a word, just sat there with him in silence not moving. The air started to grow thick with the tension of no one speaking, but Van did not dare to say a word. He knew that she knew he was there, but he also knew that if he said something, anything right now, that everything would fall apart, everything he could have ever hoped for to bring him at least a little happiness.
Ever so slowly he reached up with his right hand and gently tried to push back the curtain of silky hair around her face. He was stopped by one of her hands coming up to hold his tightly. He softly stroked the back of her hand with his thumb as his left arm wrapped itself around her waist and drew her to him. She let go of his hand and held him tightly around his waist with both her arms, head lying on is chest as he wrapped his other arm around her petit frame. His wings wrapped around them both, shutting them away from the rest of the world. It was the just two of them and no one else at that moment. Van tighten his grip around her every so lightly as he began to feel little droplets on his bare chest and Hitomi's soft shaking as more and more tears welled up in her eyes. He rubbed her back in a soothing gesture as she sobbed and let all her pent up tears from the previous hours out.
After a while her sobs started to cease and Van heard her whisper hoarsely: "I thought I lost you. I was so relieved when I at least managed to get you out of the darkness for a short moment, but I couldn't get it out of you. I tried so hard, but... but..."
"Shhhhhhhhh... It's okay now. Don't cry. At least that is over now. Gods, I'm so sorry that I did that to you. I didn't want to hurt you, I..."
"I know. You don't have to be sorry. I know what happened. And when I felt you beside me and felt the warmth of your hand, it felt so right again and my heart told me that everything was okay again, but I was still scared... I didn't know what to say at first."
"Hey, didn't I tell you not to cry? Everything is fine now. Will work it out together somehow."
He pushed his thumb under chin and tilted her face up so he could look in her yes. He saw her astonishment of also seeing tears in his eyes and running down his cheeks, showing her how glad he was that finally everything was okay again. He leaned forward gently kissing the tears away, before giving her a soft kiss on the lips. She hesitated for a moment before returning it, pressing her body closer to his, the metal of her arm-bracelets cool against his back.
They broke the kiss after a while and Van noticed the heavy bags under Hitomi's eyes from exhaustion. She noticed the gaze with which he was examining her and gave a very weak smile:
"I couldn't fall asleep. That's why I was sitting up here playing the ocarina."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be."
"But I am. You did so much for the others and me and we didn't once bother to ask how you feel. Come on, if you tell me were you chamber is, I'll carry you there so you can finally get some rest."
"But..."
"Uh-uh... No complaining now. You're probably so out of energy that you can hardly walk. Besides I need at least something with which I can make it up to you a little."
She gave a small sigh of defeat and let her body collapse against his. He could distinctly hear her muttering something like "totally thick-headed" and "will never change" against his chest, making him chuckle. He carefully picked her up in his arms and flew them down to the floor again.
Once there he followed Hitomi's order of directions as she led him through different doors leading to different areas of the temple with even more hallways and doors. He hadn't imagined how big the temple really was and was currently wandering how someone could hide something so big from the rest of the world, even if it was underwater when Hitomi told him they were there.
Another door opened and Van stepped into a chamber that was at least as big as his in Fanelia. The stones where the same strange grey like the rest of the temple, but here shone candles of a bright orange and yellow and snow white carpets (or something similar) with red and blue stitching on the walls gave the room a cosier character then the rest they had walked through. Bear rugs covered the whole floor except for the area where a small closet stood and, of course where the bed was. It seemed to be out of light beige, almost white wood, polished well and silken sheets lay upon them. There was one big window providing light and another, rather normal looking, door led to the bathing area. Although there where only a few candles lit it was warm and comfortable in the room.
Van gently lay Hitomi down on the bed. After seeing her pleading look Van also crept under the covers and drew her towards him. She snuggled deep into the crook of his neck and let out a small sigh Van feeling her lips curve into a loving smile. He soon heard her deep and regular breathing indicating that she had fallen asleep. He kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes, also drifting to sleep.
When Van awoke from his dreamless sleep a few hours later and slowly opened his eyes he noticed the plate with food that had been placed on a small table beside the bed immediately. Just by seeing the food he realised how hungry he was. His stomach gave a loud rumble of protest which caused small giggles to erupt beside Van. He smiled and turned his head in the direction of the quiet noise.
"Since when have you been awake?"
"I only woke up a few minutes before you did." Hitomi answered with a small smile. She sighed as she snuggled to the warmth of his body. " Sheik must have brought the food. The others will also have gotten the same to eat, so we don't have to worry about that And if I heard right, you as hungry as I am."
Van reached over to the tablet. "What do you want?"
"Just give me something to eat before my stomach gets angry at you."
Van just smiled devilishly and handed Hitomi a piscus. She wrinkled her nose in confusion and then in discuss, remembering the (very) sour taste and her liking towards it while Van began to laugh. It just looked to ridiculous when she gave the piscus a look as if she wanted to strangle it (if you can do that to such a thing *lol*).
The next thing he knew was Hitomi pouncing upon him. She started to tickle him making him only laugh more, but he soon turned the tables upon her, as he flipped them both around, she under him and he on top of her. He tickled her back with a vengeance until she had tears in her eyes from all the laughter.
This went on for some time, the food lying forgotten beside the bed.
When they finally stopped, both lying totally out of breath side by side on the huge bed their stomachs gave a loud protest right at the same time and of they were again, laughing their heads of.
Hitomi tried to catch her breath:
"Uff... That must have been the most longest and energy wasting laugh I ever had. Except maybe for the time when Yukari "tried" for the first time to ask Amano out on a date. Phew."
"I bet it's a must hear story. But right now, I think I should finally eat something. Or do you want me to starve?"
"I think you're already thin enough for my taste *wink*."
"One more sentence like that you wisecrack and you'll suddenly find yourself in a bathtub full of freezing water.."
They finally made it to eat, not talking, just enjoying each others company and glad that they could satisfy the needs of their stomachs. Their stomachs commanded a rather large amount of attention, considering that they hadn't really eaten for nearly a day. By the end of their "candlelight-dinner" the food-tray hadn't even the slightest crumb on it, not to mention that the food would have normally been enough for four people...*lol*
Quite suddenly, a low rumble was heard as the temple ever s slightly shook in it's foundations which Van was completely sure had been build for all eternity. He sat up a little startled and looked around confused, wondering if the darkness had found them.
He felt a small soft, gentle hand touch his on the bed and he turned his head to be faced by his beloved soothing smile as she squeezed his hand:
"No need to worry. The rumbling only indicated that the temple will resurface in about half an hour. I guess, the "Ancient" needs some fresh air again."
Hitomi had to giggle hysterically at sight of Van's absolute confused and speechless face. He wrinkled his nose in utter confusion.
"What the heck is the "Ancient"???"
"You'll find out when we resurface. Then I'll show you why this temple hasn't been found yet by anyone living on Gaia and why no one will probably find it. And I must say that I literally fell on my butt when I saw him for the first time and I still don't know, how I even managed the first time to get into the temple. I think it was Sheik and the nine High Ones who brought me here then. At that time the temple wasn't so far away from the shore, only about a 100 miles into the sea, near a secluded are of a dessert country, where the ocean is held back by tall mountains. I was atop one of them, when I saw the temple for the first time. The next thing I knew, was the soft voice o my mother calling me, before everything went black before my eyes. When I woke up again, I found myself in this bed with Sheik standing beside me."
Her eyes had a far away look as she recalled those memories and her gaze strayed to the window as she spoke softly.
"That has been nearly two years now. It took me eight weeks before I could find it, my Visions of the temple and the voice of my mother guiding me. With it, I also found finally the answers to my questions of who and what I was, and why I had come herein the first place. And as soon as I had made it here, my training started for without it the power can't be controlled, it may even go out of control, causing much greater harm then what I did at that attack at the lake. The High Ones forbid me to leave the temple grounds, for they wanted to make sure that I could fully control my powers."
She sneered. "They told me that I should not, go, that it was to dangerous for me to go back, that I would easily be hunted down and captured immediately by the enemy, who could not find me while in the temple and could not enter because of the sacred and blessed ground of our goddess."
Hitomi exhaled deeply as she rested her head on Van's shoulder, cuddling closer to him for comfort. He gladly gave it to her, his arms wrapping around her and let them both drop back onto the bed as he listened to her intently.
"But I soon started to feel that something wasn't right, about half a year after I left Fanelia. At first it was just a slight feeling and I mistook it stress, for the training wasn't very pleasant an most times rather hard as I had to learn many things. But with time it grew more and more until I couldn't ignore it anymore in anyway. That dreaded feeling of forbidding, the feeling of something being terribly wrong. Finally, after about a year since my departure I asked Sheik if he knew something. He didn't want to tell, saying that it should not interest me at the moment and that I would learn sooner or later. I got even more desperate after asking him for three weeks on end and he must have seen the distress in my eyes for he began bits and pieces of the things happening outside. He started with what you would probably as rather harmless things in the face of an approaching war, such as that Basram had some problems concerning the royal family and that two other countries on the other side of Gaia, far away from Fanelia and Asturia were at war and such things. But the more I questioned and begged him to tell me more, for the feeling was still present and growing even more, he reluctantly began to tell me about that enemy that was on the move, how war raged in several countries all around Gaia and it always came to that one enemy. Sheik didn't want to tell me who it was or, as he told me once, didn't want to give a name to this enemy, for it had none and should not get one, for it shouldn't even exist. I didn't understand that and some of it I still don't understand but it doesn't matter now. Anyway, even if Sheik didn't give me the full information on what was happening and where it was happening it soon didn't matter to much for everything that he told me came the visions of it in full detail. I saw how the Royal family of Hearim and other countries were murdered and doppelganger took their places, taking control over everything. I saw how the nameless enemy defeated one country after the next, how no one seemed to be able to stop it. "
Tears start to trickle down the side of her face as she lifts her eyes up to meet his. They were full of raw emotion, full of sadness, hurt, grieve and... love.
"And the whole time I was here, I couldn't stop thinking of you, Van. Every time I closed my eyes before I went to sleep, I saw your face, your smile and your eyes full of want and need just like I felt inside. And then one day, about two and a half months back, I just couldn't stand it anymore! I couldn't stand just watching as everything I knew and held dear collapsed around me! I ran from the temple as soon as it resurfaced once again."
Tears still streamed down her face, but she suddenly lowered her eyes avoiding his and she only managed to continue in a hoarse whisper.
"At first I wandered aimlessly around, going from country to country, looking, trying to find any hint to that enemy a way to stop it. I wanted to go to Fanelia wanted to see you finally again after all those months, but I feared what I would see. I feared not only seeing Fanelia again in ruins, but mostly you in the arms of another, married, happy maybe even with a child on the way.
So I wandered on and on, not knowing where to go, who to turn to. And soon I noticed something following me pursuing me, trying to catch m at every cost. I started feeling this presence even in my dreams, which were mostly visions of different places on Gaia at that time. After a couple of fights I managed to block it out, away from me so it could not fully comprehend anymore where I was going and what I was doing. And with each day I tried to escape that dreaded presence, I came closer to Fanelia without even noticing until I stood a it's borders. As soon as I entered the wood the feeling left me, for it was somehow not able to enter after me. It must have been the dragons keeping it away from me."
She smiled almost sadly.
"You could even say protecting me for they some were always near by, just behind the trees I went by, but keeping their distance. I stayed there for at least a week or two to calm down a bit again and rest and it was then that I got a vision about the attack on Fanelia and of you in Escaflowne..."
Van gently shushed her with his lips before kissing each single tear away. He knew the rest of her voyage and she didn't need to go through more pain by going on with what they both knew. He drew Hitomi close to him so that her head was just under his chin.
Although she had gone through so much pain and horror with all those fears hidden deep inside her she was still with him, had still come back to him and all he ever wanted for her was to protect her now more than ever. Sure, she could look after herself from being harmed physical... but emotional?
Van held Hitomi tightly in his embrace for the next few minutes, gently stroking her hair with the tips of his finger. No word was uttered in this comfortable quite, the flame of the candle flickering in an age old dance only the spirits of fire understood.
In the end, Hitomi sighed and rose from her current position besides Van to sit on the edge of the bed.
"We better go see the others and then go outside as soon as we resurface. I would like to show you the garden, it is very beautiful."
"Nothing can be compared to your ethereal beauty, beloved." Van sad with that oh so loving smile he gave only her, also sitting up while she returned the smile with a slight blush (Tsk, Tsk, Van, your getting wayyyyy to mushy... *lol* Sorry, had to write this *g*). He took her left hand in his and was startled to feel rough material on her hand. He looked down to find a bandage around it before he looked up again into her eyes still so full of sadness. She slowly took away her hand from his and with her other shaky one, pulled of the bandage.
Hitomi showed him the back of her hand. On it was a strange symbol looking like two eight's lapped over each other, almost looking like some kind of flower (Hope, everyone can imagine that...).
Van took her hand in his again.
"What does it mean, Hitomi?" He asked in hushed tone. She was looking in the opposite direction of him, biting on her other hands nails, something she did only rarely.
"It's nothing. The meaning doesn't even matter for it would have ended like this one way or the other. As if I would ever let myself be caged inside these walls again."
"What do you mean? Please tell me Hitomi, for what is this symbol on your hand?"
He cupped her chin gently and directed her gaze tom him again. He could see new tears forming in her eyes but this time they did not spill as she gave him the answer.
"It's the sign of banishment from the clan."
Chapter end.
No more to say here, only: review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review, review,... review!!! You get my meaning? *lol*