KriegHerr- I already thought of that but thanks you. It makes my skin crawl as well.
Me: Well here we are again, in the 5th chapter. Thanks to everyone that has reviewed. This is the most read story I have ever had and the most reviews I have ever gotten. I bow to all of you in homage. Next thing on the agenda, looks at paper I hope to tell you all that Toma… Will be here for at least another chapter. Now I have no idea what to do with her so if you have suggestions, feel free to say them in reviews or email me since I will be keeping tabs on it. Now I have one suggestion that Toma was having an affair… Um that could get her killed so……… it up to ya'll.
What to do with Toma?
Killed? 1 vote
Chapter 5
Disclaimer: I no own so you no sue.
As I sat in the clearing, trying to catch my breath, I felt like Escaflowne was standing over me, protecting me with its body like it had so often in the past. I looked up at him and then settled close to his feet, the chill from the air slowly working its way under the long gown I had on. It was of a thick material but I was used to winter in Tokyo, and this was just plain cold. As I sat there and thought about what had happened to me, I felt a presence behind me and when I turned I saw Van's face, half hidden in shadow. I screamed, naturally, and fell away from him, the cold grass making me push myself into a standing position.
"Did I scare you?" He asked with amusement riding his face, a smile just under all that adulthood.
"No, not at all Van? Of course you did. You should know better then to scare a poor woman like that! I just returned from death and you are trying to return me to there?" My voice was high pitched and made my ears hurt. I knew this was a dream, or at least my version of my heaven, so I was going to treat it as such. Van stared at me in disbelief and then stepped closer to me.
"Hitomi-" Before he was able to say more I felt a overwhelming urge to stop him from saying what he might say so I launched myself at him and claimed his lips with mine. It was short and sweet, his lips warm against mine. When I pulled back though, I felt like I was going to cry, long and hard. He was warm and real… and that meant that I wasn't dreaming. He really was here with me and I was really on Gaea.
"Van… I'm home Van, I'm really here…" My voice sounded soft with wonder and I stepped away from him. But before I could get far I felt my knees start to give out and realized that I was going to fall. "Van!" I yelled softly before he was there and holding me. "Th-thank you Van…" My voice was soft and the look in his eyes made me smile.
"Hitomi… Why did you leave me?" His voice was soft and he held me close to his body as if afraid to let me go for fear of me leaving again.
"You were to be king and I refuse to let you worry more over me then your people. They mean the world to you." My voice was soft and I felt a faint whisper of the old grief, from the last time I had been here, slowly unfurl within me until it made my breath catch in my throat.
"But Hitomi, please…I have been miserable without you and I will never forgive myself for letting you leave the first time. I won't let you leave me again." His voice was soft and hard with determination. It made me look up at him; his eyes were large and dark in the rising shadows. I was speechless as I stared at him, his eyes seeming to swallow me whole.
"Van… I won't leave ever again. Please… don't worry. You are going to have family soon and I am only an old friend. Why did you want to meet me out here anyway?" My voice was soft and I knew I was denying my feeling for him but I would never want to ruin his family. Van closed his eyes and laid a head against mine, his forehead warm against mine.
"Hitomi, I never told you this… But I love you… I have always loved you from the day that I met you." The seriousness in his voice made wonder if he hadn't been dying to say that for years now. I mean I knew that I had loved him to begin with but what if I was wrong to think that it was unrequited love? An image flashed before my eyes of when I had kissed Allen, thanks to Folken and his stupid machine, and the look of sheer painful anguish that took forever to fade from his eyes. I hugged him closer and then closed my eyes and wrapped the sheer scent of roses and angel wings around me, promising silently to the world, that I would die before I was ever sent back to the mystic moon. AS we stood there embraced I closed my eyes and felt the light from the moon and the mystic moon shine down on us like a spot light, any other time I would have felt like it was a spot light to make me feel guilty for being this intimate with a man that was no longer mine… But now it felt like the gods were welcoming me home by giving my Van back. "Hitomi… I have something that belongs to you; you may want it back now." Van had a contented smile on his face and I almost wept to see it there. When I left the first time I saw how upset he was, and also how hard he was trying not to let his feeling stop me. But now he was open to me, he wasn't bothering to hide his war torn soul that even now was still dealing with seeing death all around him.
"And what is that Van?" I asked and stepped back a little hoping that I could stand without his needing to help. But as my balance settled out I was able to stand with only a hand in his.
"This." He pulled my pendent out of his shirt and then also pulled my duffel bag out from behind the shadows. Just having the pendent in my hands sent a thrill through my skin. It was mine again and I would never let what happened to me happen again. When he dropped the duffel bag at my feet I blinked then smiled and opened it seeing all the things that I had packed when I was planning on leaving.
"I wondered what happened to this bag. I mean I got back to Earth and it was no where to be seen." My voice pull of wonder as I gingerly looked through it.
"Well when the light was all gone, I began to sit and talk with Escaflowne, hoping that would help to clear my head before my coronation. After a few moments though I saw something come falling from the sky and there was your bag. It just fell at my feet, chased by the sound of my mother's voice saying, "For you my son, as a promise that this is not the end." I was actually extremely surprised but I hugged the bag anyway. At first I hid it in Escaflowne, but when I became king I took with me to the rebuilt castle and hid it in my room." He paused for a moment and then took the pendent from me, placing it around my neck, his fingers lingering on the skin there before continuing, sitting himself down on the damp grass as if he didn't care about his fancy clothes. I never noticed it before, but even in causal wear they made him dress like he was about to go to a party. I would have to change that. After a few moments I sat down too and he continued. "Merle found it soon after that, then she and I began to talk and we were trying to find some way to go get you… Then you dropped right into my conference room, right in the middle of a chivalry conference."
When I heard this I broke down laughing and felt like I would never stop. Soon Van joined in and we both lay in the damp grass and laughed. I laughed because I just dropping in and bleeding every where was fun but I was also relieved. I thought I would never laugh never joke, never be happy ever again and here I am. I am laughing with Van and actually a little surprised that they were planning to come and get me from the Mystic moon. Soon my laughs came in broken bits, since I was breathless from laughing to hard. Tears rolled down my cheeks and still I laughed. But surprisingly enough, Van laid there in the grass with a small smile on his face as if he was just content to hear me laugh.
"Van… Why are you married to Toma?" I prayed that his answer was something I could deal with but in truth I knew that it would still break my heart to hear anything about the woman who seemed to hate me.
Van looked over at me then lifted his hand lazily and pushed pieces of hair from my forehead, his hand coming to rest on the ground, just an inch from my shoulder. "I married her with a stipulation. When I was told she was betrothed from when I was a child I felt I should have to rebel against it. But since Fanelia was still being rebuilt, Toma's family was willing to have her here and we would marry in the spring. Well spring came and before we got married we had a pact made. This marriage is null and void if my people will not accept this child. Meaning that if this child is not of Draconian blood then he will not inherit the throne. The thing is that I know Toma does not love me, anymore then I love her. But she wants more then anything to be a queen since she is the youngest sister of a big family and if she doesn't become queen she will be forever the baby." The scorn in his voice was strong but I could also see why she hated me so much. It was obvious that Van and I were close… But was it enough for her to want me dead?
"Van, do you think she would do anything for it?" I asked in a shaky voice.
"No I don't think she won't. I mean I know her and she is a wimp. Everyone in this castle is loyal to me since everyone is personally passed by me. Speaking of which, your rooms have been made up, Merle will be waiting on you since I know you wouldn't want strangers around you." His voice was soft and sleepy, and for a moment I wished that I would be the one laying next to him in his bed that night.
"Okay Van. But I think I should be getting back since it is going to be a long day tomorrow and my bandages need to be redone." I looked down to see blood seeping through them, the red color a vague fascination of mine that I just sat and poked at until Van grabbed my hand and pulled my attention to his face.
"Please don't. Celena does that some times. She strokes her cheek and looks just like Dilandau, but with beautiful golden hair instead of the cold silver hair. Allen is always with her and still she has moments where she acts like him." His voice was serious, his eyes worried and scared.
"I'm not Dilandau, I never will be. Let's head back okay?" I brightened up my voice so he would smile, which he did, and then he stood. I followed suit and then realized that it was a long trek back to the castle. Van must have realized that too since he turned his back to me and got on one knee.
"Get on Hitomi and I will carry you back. I saw how exhausted you were when you first arrived and I am young still. I can carry you." He smiled and grabbed my duffel bag putting it across his chest before I was able to get on. I clung to his back and buried my face into his shoulder in mock fear. He chuckled, the laugh rumbling loudly through out his chest, making my own rumble in response.
As we slowly made it back to the castle I felt a faint tendril of hope snake from my belly. Maybe this time I wouldn't have to worry about which one I would save. I would save those that meant the most to me. We managed to sneak past guards and when I finally reached my room I climbed off his back and took my bag back.
"Thank you Van. It is good to be home." My voice was small and I was surprised when he enveloped me in a hug.
"You're welcome Hitomi. I am glad that you returned. I would have waited forever." His voice was hot on my skin as he spoke those soft words, but soon I smiled and hugged him back before disappearing into my room and into the comforting darkness. I leaned on the door in the darkness and felt a faint sigh slip from my lips.
"Van… Merle… Allen… Millerna… You all are here with me now and I promise that I will never leave you again. I promise that tonight will be the first of many nights in Gaea." My voice was small and sounded like it was going to echo in the large room. When my voice slowly quieted I heard a door open, a slice of lamp light falling over the floor before a floating lamp walked through the room. The oval of light fell over me and Merle's face was revealed and she looked angry.
"Do you know it's well past time to have your bandages changed!" She growled loudly, worry placed over her face, her eyes scared. "Look you're already bleeding all over the place." When she said this I looked down and saw that my shirt had blood on it and I knew that if Van looked he would have blood on his fancy shirt. Merle watched me for a moment then grabbed me and dragged me by my upper arm into her small room that was connected to mine through a door way. A cheerful fire glowed in the grate and merle forced me to sit, the heat slowly edging into my skin and made me extremely tired. "This will only take a moment then I want you to sleep okay?" Her voice was soft and kind, but her eyes were also angry or annoyed.
"Thank you Merle. You didn't have to do this for me. But you did thanks."
"I didn't do this for you Hitomi, I did this for my Lord Van." But the smile on her face made me smile as well and I closed my eyes promising myself that I would only sleep for a few moments. As I slipped off to sleep the feeling of her bandaging my arms slowly faded until it was no more and I floated in unconsciousness, smiling to myself.
Well that's the end for that Chapter. Now when you all review if I could get some ideas about what to do with the evil Toma… I would be grateful.
Toma: I am not evil you little hussy.
Me: My readers think you are.
Toma: Well they are stupid peasants and I care not for them.
Well you heard it people… How what do I do with that! Please email me or review and give me some ideas.
