Hello Again my lovely readers. I love you all. Anyway. The poll about Toma.

Death – 2

Affair and banishment – 4

Kidnapped- 1

In Love with a peasant before she came to Fanelia-1

There ya go. I think everyone is going for Affair and banishment… But death sounds good and I think that I have a few readers that would want to kill me if I decided to just banish her. So we will see and if /or when she does die… Her memory will live on in infamy.

Ps. Thank you Gemini Wings, pyromaniac-schizophrenic, Storm-Maker, mysisterisasquijum, Pure hope, and lastly but not lastly KriegHerr . You all helped with the poll. And yes the poll is still up for those who care to tell me more about who they think she should die.

Chapter 6

When morning came, I woke up slowly. I knew the reason I didn't get up immediately was because I was waiting for the normal depression to descend on once again like a flock of angry birds, and for last night to be a dream.

But finally I forced myself to open my eyes and saw a bird sitting on a ledge. It turned its head on its side as if questioning while I was still in bed while it was looking for food. I only smiled at it and then tried to move only to realize there was a living blanket lying over my hips.

I looked down to see Merle and then realized that I was home and so I lay back down and closed my eyes content to drift in that half sleep half wakefulness that was like a second home to me.

But alas, as soon as I was truly comfortable then someone came barging into my room and by the rustle of skirts I was betting it was some noble lady here to give me problems about sleeping in the servant's quarters.

I hate being just stood over me while I sleep so I opened my eyes and managed to sit up before having to rearrange Merle so she would quit the adorable mewling she was doing in her sleep. In fronts of my though, I was Toma. Her light blue gown showed how pale and ethereal she normally looked while also exaggerating her extremely pregnant self. I stared at her, my face polite while I was quietly fuming.

If Van knew that she was in here without knocking and well before any normal person would be awake, I am sure he would be upset. But it's not like I would tell him. The fighting of nobles is too much to be placed on his shoulders, and I know he hates to play daddy to all these adults.

"And how may I help you, Milady Toma?" My voice was odd even to my ears. I knew adding in her title would make her upset; only because I was reminding her she had a title while I didn't.

"What are you doing in here? I mean, Lady Hitomi, you should be in your bed, not sprawled out in the servant's quarters. It is unbecoming for a lady." Her voice was deceptively polite as if she was only trying to help.

"I'm sorry Milady, but while my bandages were being changed I seemed to have fallen quite asleep. Yesterday was a very tiring today and I have a feeling tonight will not be much better." Especially when dealing with you. I thought unkindly as I stood carefully making sure Merle stayed on her bed, then moved out of the room and into mine.

The walls seemed to have shrunk from last night so the cavernous room turned into a cozy room. I moved behind a paper wall that was obviously so I could get dressed in private. When I was back there, I saw a dressmaker's dummy and it had a beautiful gown placed on it. On the shoulder there was a piece of paper pinned to it so I took it off and read in an elegant script.

Hitomi-

The seamstresses hate me for this, since I had them working on it all night. If I am right your still asleep even though I do not see you in your bed. I know it was wrong of me to just sneak into your room but I wished it to be a surprise. Please wear it, since I know the color will suit you to a tee. By the way Hitomi… Welcome Home.

Allen Schezar

Knight of Asturia

Ps. Celena says hello as well, but she writing is still a little shaky. We look forward to seeing you.

When I finished the note I felt a small smile on my face. It was just like him to do something nice and do it in such away that I couldn't get angry at him about it. But before I could hide the note, Toma came behind the paper wall and saw it, snatching it away. Quickly her eyes glanced over the paper and then she looked at me with a glint in her eyes that made me so sick I was afraid to ask.

"So not only are you after my Van, you're after Sir Allen as well…. Hmmm well I will have to tell Van and he can send you to Allen in a coffin. Like you deserve you little man stealer." Her voice was so full of venom I expected to see it dribbling down her chin, but she turned and walked out quickly her sharp heels making loud clacking sounds until Merle finally woke up loudly complaining that she was away and you could stop torturing the floors. I laughed softly and turned to her.

"You okay Merle? I mean I wouldn't want your sleep interrupted But I need to get into this dress, and get to breakfast I am starving." I heard Merle walk up behind me by the bell that she had taken to wearing around her right ankle; it's soft twinkling not the least bit annoying.

"All you had to do was ask Hitomi." Her voice was gruff with tiredness and annoyance since I think she figured I was the one to piss off Toma, but she waked her up.

"Merle… Do you think that I really belong here?" My voice sounded weak and scared to my own ears and yet I still asked and when she pulled the ties on the bodice tight enough to make me gasp, I heard her take a deep breathe.

"To have you here… I have seen Van happy. When it was just he and I he was kind and nice to me like always, but with you around he is happier and brighter. I think that it can't be only him and me. He needs someone he doesn't see as a sister to be his companion when I can't." Her voice held a hint of tears but also of an emotion I couldn't name. I knew she and Van meant the world to each other but I tried to die so I couldn't be without Van, Did that make me the bad person?

When she finished her tying and fastening and fussing I looked into the mirror and gasped softly, a hand coming to my neck where the pendant had been doubled so it was high up next to my collar bone.

The green of the gown was soft enough that my skin glowed. It still had a slight tan from all the time I had spent outside but not so much as it would fight the soft color. The neckline was square, with a little tie in the front so it stayed that way; the short sleeves barely covered my shoulders but enough so it accented my shoulders and long slim arms. The gown soon went into a bodice type of green material that was tight showing my slight figure and forcing my chest to rest on a kind of shelf, which the neckline also accented. The bodice type of thing ended just before my hips and went straight down in a skirt, the sheer green on the top layer softening to dark green of the under skirt. I almost laughed when I saw myself fin the mirror because I didn't look like me. I looked like a princess.

Merle stood off the side a little and grinned impishly. "Allen must still hold a flame to you if he will willing to spend that much on a dress without thought. Celena is still not well and yet he spends money on you…" Her voice trailed off and she smiled as if she knew the secret of the world and would refuse to tell you it until you paid the price.

"I am sure you are wrong Merle. It was just a coming home present. Which after I wear it like he asked I will pack it away and give it back to him saying the thought was nice but I can't except a gift from him since I have gotten him nothing." I said in a self important way as I brushed out my hair and with a little gel that was in a duffel bag I styled it so that it was light and airy but would refuse to frizz.

"You can't do that Hitomi. You coming back have made a lot of people more happy then simple earthy trinkets would ever." Merle said as she hugged me from behind as I doubled up my necklace to that the trinket sat just under my collar bone, the delicate chain near invisible on my skin.

"Well Toma seems to think that I am evil and at one time you told me to stay away from Van and now you are allowing it? I am very confused as to what I am supposed to do." My voice wounded deflated, tired.

"Toma also has been vying for the throne since she was old enough to realize that with Van she would be a queen." Merle said unkindly, but in truth I agreed with her. She was shrewd and cruel; the kind of Fanelia that would be around when she was king was one of poverty in the cities while she had huge parties in the palace. Sounds like another queen we know of doesn't it? (A/N: and for those of you are rusty on their history, Marie Antoinette was known to have large parties and spend large amounts of money while her people starved and had no money due to her parties.).

I stayed silent and just stared at my reflection in the mirror. "Time to leave Hitomi. You need to go and meet up with Van and Allen." I looked back at her with a smile and then placed a few bits of make up on then rushed out, my silk slippers whispering across the floor.

When I finally reached the throne room I felt like my chest was being squeezed. "At least now I know that running is not my thing anymore." I whispered to myself as I checked my appearance in a wrought iron mirror. As I concentrated on my own appearance, trying to erase the fatigue from my eyes and make sure that my make up didn't run, I didn't notice that another figure appeared behind me.

"You look as beautiful as ever." The rumbling voice from behind me said, making me nearly jump out of my skin. I turned around and came face to face with Allen.

"Allen-san…" my voice was quiet for some reason as if I couldn't make the volume jump to my normal tone.

"I see you wore the dress. It's beautiful." He took my hand and spun me out away from his body, his eyes concentrated on the way the dress moved. I heard it whisper across the floor and then smiled softly letting go of the light grip on his hand, and standing on my own as the dress settled around my feet.

"I thank you for the gift but really am I afraid to except it since I have nothing to give to you in return." My voice was soft; the laughter I was trying to hold made flavoring my voice.

"The only gift I would ever except for this dress, is to see you in it and happy. It has been to long Hitomi. Too long." He smiled at me and opened his arms, so I rushed into his arms and hugged him tightly, doing my best not to get any make up on his nice dress clothes.

"Did you hear about Van and Toma?" He looked at me with worried eyes, eyes that reminded me so much of Amano, which my heart ache.

"I heard that they are married… and that I have lost Van forever." My voice was wistful and I stepped back so I was out of his arms knowing that if comfort was that close I would start crying for what seemed like the hundredth time since I came here.

"Well they are married with a condition. If Toma can birth a baby that is Van's, then she will be queen. But IF the child is not his then he will dismiss her from the country and she will never return under pain of imprisonment." Allen said his voice serious.

Well that was serious I thought to myself and smirked. "So, I haven't lost Van… But What if the baby is Van's and the people don't want an Asturian Queen?"

"Then she will still loose the kingdom, but Van will settle her into Asturia with a comfortable house, and she will not disgrace her family by having to support her. Though Van will only support her if his chosen queen will agree. You know, he doesn't want any rift between him and his queen." He looked around the room as he spoke his voice quiet and made it look as if they were talking about the weather.

"Ah I see. Well Allen, where is Celena? I would never think she would leave your side." I spoke softly and I wanted to giggle at the blush that spread across his cheeks as he looked behind me. I followed his gaze and saw Celena surrounded by a crowd of suitors. So the blush was not one of embarrassment, but of anger.

With a smile I walked over to them and smiled sweetly. "I am going to take my friend now. Her brother is very worried over her." Each one stared at me like they had never seen me before, which they hadn't, but it still stunned me for a moment, then I rushed Celena away.

After reaching her brother, I left them and headed head long into the crowds of people. About half way through the crowd though someone grabbed me, but they grabbed my wrist so I swung around tears starting from the pain that lanced up my arms. When I was Chid I was glad I had placed opera gloves on that went up to my upper arm.

"Chid-sama, it's a pleasure to see you." I said softly and kneeled to be at his height. He was about chest height now, and obviously had grown. His face was still soft, but had gained enough age that he didn't look like a baby any more.

"Hitomi… Welcome home…" He mumbled when he spoke and avoided my eyes, so I held a hand out and smiled.

"How 'bout we go out on the terrace, and catch up." Even though my voice was jovial I could feel the panic start to edge up my throat.

Chid must have heard it because he looked up at me and smiled like he used to, and nodded, walking to the terrace with me. Still holding my hand of course. When we got there we walked over to a pair of chairs around a table, each iron table and chair painted a cheerful white.

"Hitomi, when did you get back to Gaea?" His voice cracked a few times but made me smile. He was growing up and I missed it. Chid had always been someone I could look up to even though he was only a child.

"I kind of dropped in last night or the night before." I said a faint blush of embarrassment burn over my cheeks. Chid looked at me with a fascination that, when I was here before I seemed to have missed. It didn't help that all I cared about was sorting my feelings between Allen and Van. We both sat there, in the blazing sun and relaxed, not really needing to talk since we understood each other better then anyone else.

As I sat there and soaked up sun, I heard Chid shift a little so I opened one eye and looked over at him slightly, a small smile on my face.

"Hitomi… Now that I am a Duke, and all of Fred is rebuilt to its former glory… I was hoping that you would be willing to become my wife. I know that now you are a resident of Fanelia, and most likely will have to ask Van-sama… but I was just wondering…" His voice trailed off and all I could do was smile slightly to myself. I would bet my life people where pushing him to get married and the first person he could think of was the I. Well since I had sat down and actually listened when he had a problem, I guess I was a safe choice.

"Chid-sama… You may want to go with someone your own age. Now I thank you for the offer, but I have my eyes on someone else, and I think that I will see how that goes." I tried to keep my voice light and cheerful, but when I saw the disappointment in his eyes I knew that I didn't try hard enough. This was going to a long day I could tell that from now.

"That's okay Hitomi." He said, with a huge fake smile plastered to his face. "I should get back to the party before my guards come looking for me." And with that he wandered off and I sighed softly. Closing my eyes I tried to soak up more sun and forget that I would probably be hearing it from Toma for scaring off someone who was important to the kingdom, not that she knew him for that long.