CHAPTER SEVEN : CHAOS ENSUES :
Allen lifted a gloved hand, in which held a finely manicured hand, signaling the four other men over beside him as they each scattered affront the castle behind the various trees near the front.
Empty….
Narrowing his eyes he slipped his right hand securely over the handle of his sword, the only visible part of the weapon as the rest remained in its proper placement in the black sheath, strapped to his waist.
The other soldiers remained silent, four pairs of eyes tightly screwed to the entrance. A light rain had begun as they waited, soaking and causing their clothing beneath their armor to stick to their skins.
Wisps of his long blonde hair fell over his earlobe, shielding his left eye which he simply ignored the minor problem as he looked on with his visible right eye. He bent slowly toward the ground, kneeling till his knees buckled outward. Removing his hand from the blade he placed his hand firmly atop the dampened soil, keeping himself steady as he assumed a more hidden placement near the ground.
Eyes slant with calculative motions, he swayed his left hand back and forth in the air beside his ear, signaling the others closer.
The suited men obeyed and crouched low as they each moved from their positions and shuffled behind him, besetting the blonde as they clutched their weapons in preparedness.
" Damn," He cursed, lips pursing slightly as he heard shouts from within the castle, muffled by the amount of footsteps trampling inside.
As if detecting the others confusion he turned his head slightly to the right to exchange glimpses with the four other men.
" We've been spotted," He began, before turning completely and pointing to each man.
" You two head around the north portion of the castle," The men nodded and stood slightly as they made their way around several bushes before quickly running to the side of the northern wall.
" You both will head through the back, near the eastern wall there," He pointed cautiously to the left side of the building.
" And you?" One asked before they retreated.
" I'm going head on, it's important I be the one to find Van,"
Watching them leave he whirled back around, before carefully standing.
Dilandau trotted up the steps, his sword clanking loudly as it smacked against his armored side with each stride up.
Opening the door he gave one last glance to Hitomi, standing with an angered expression in a cell near Van's.
Placing his index finger affront his lips he made a silent " Shh," sound, accompanied by a wide grin.
" I trusted you!!" She shouted, pounding her fists against the rusted black bars. The door slammed, signaling his leave.
Falling to her knees with her hands still firmly looped around the bars, she cast her head down .
" This isn't fair………"
" Hi-Hitomi?"
Whipping her head to the side quickly to the cell beside hers, she peered up at the window that allowed her to see inside it, which was currently blocked by Van's head.
His eyes looks dull, expression bland and pale while his hair was slightly wet, rivets of his bangs hanging over his forehead.
" Van I'm so sorry!" She sputtered, standing quickly and running up before going on her tip-toes so she could see his face better. Clutching the bars she propped herself slightly up as he had backed away from the small rectangular window.
"Van?" Head down he remained silent. Biting her lower lip she looked at him desperately.
" Please don't ignore me! I-I only did it because………." A bright blush stained her cheeks as her eyes lowered with shame and embarrassment.
" I care about you…"
" He's manipulating you! Can't you see that!?" He demanded furiously, looking up sharply at her with scrunched features. His anger fed off her silence and absent response. Eyes wavering with a new motion of betrayal he turned his back to her, walking to the wall and slumping against it. Resting his forehead on the cool surface, he breathed in a husky sigh, shutting his eyes as his body drew still.
Hitomi chewed her lower lip as she watched him retreat.
" Van…." It came out in a whisper that she herself heard as her quickened heartbeat drummed over his name.
" Your only making things worse," He began in a husky low whisper. The seriousness of his voice caught her off guard, recalling to the former days when she had met him. Stubborn and arrogant. So like him.
Giving her an askew look, he talked in a monotone voice that betrayed the emotions that hid in the depths of his heart.
" He's using you as bait,"
" Van pl--"
He interrupted her automatically. " You can't change him…..or help him,"
He whirled about suddenly, eyes alive with a fire as his teeth were bared in an aggressive grit.
" You can't save that bastard! He'll never change!"
" I know that…….."
" Then why bother Hitomi? Why?" He had resumed his position on the wall, palms firmly against it as he pushed his face near the bars that blocked him from touching and feeling her soft skin.
He searched her features closely, struggling to see the emotions that were blocked by the façade.
" I pity him Van…….." She stated in a low whisper. " He's human just like us! He's no different and you know that! He can change! He just needs---"
" He's just like us!?" He sputtered angrily, fists tightly clenched. " He'll never be like us Hitomi! He's a monster! He kills innocent people! How does that make him human!?"
His tone was demanding.
" I don't know…..that's just how I feel…."
" Don't be a fo---"
Dalet and Chesta walked down the stairs Dilandau had recently been on, their arrival silencing Van and stopping him from continuing his sentence. Dalet in turn, swerved suspicious eyes at the pair as they had suddenly become silent. Chesta moved diffidently behind the slightly taller man, as though seeking coverage from Hitomi's wandering eyes.
She turned wide green eyes to the fair haired dragon slayer, pleading him through her eyes with cryptic messages that implied he somehow find a way to get her and Van free. Dalet blocked her pursuit, as thought detecting her sudden influence on the meeker slayer and trotted affront her dungeon.
" It's about time, Dilandau put you in your rightful place," He murmured, arms crossed as his brown, shoulder length hair framed his slightly chisel features.
His blue eyes vaguely studied her before he swaggered with a known dominance affront Van, standing sideways to the bars that restrained him inside the cell.
" As for you……" He began in a taunting tone.
" What the hell are you two doing down here!? Having a damn party!?"
The two slayers whirled around at the voice, raised to a shrieking pitch. Dilandau stood near the entrance, eyes flicking with fury as he glared at the two men in what appeared to be disapproval.
" I don't have time for you two to be talking to these idiots at a time like this!" Teeth bared he exchanged a ferocious look to each man. Chesta shivered under the cold stare before quickly trotting up the stairs with a clank of armor.
" C-coming Dilandau Sir!"
Dalet gave an askew look to Van that clearly imposed a threat. With that, he left with a slam of the door as Dilandau walked affront them.
Allen crept with stealth around the walls of the castle. For once he was glad he wasn't the type to wear armor much. Too loud.
On the other hand the raining wasn't calming any, and as he wasn't near a canopy of some sort, his hair and clothing was becoming drenched. Strings of his hair plastered to the sides of his face he continued to glide his body across the firm walls, back firm against it.
Steadily gripping his sword he grew still near the edge of a wall. The tramples of horses and soldiers feet signaled him that they we're nearing. Looking about frantically he spotted a scatter of chipped wood planks that belonged to old, out used carriages. Without second thought he skidded forward and dived under the boards.
" Which way?" A masculine voice questioned.
" I think he went through the forest General!" Another shouted in the distance, before the gallops of horses resumed with the loud war-like cries of men as they rode on their stallions past the stack of planks and into the forest.
So far it seemed luck was on his side. Peering out cautiously he drew on his knees, ignoring the mud that stuck to his pants before he stood in a standing position.
Now…….time to find Van…….
AN: Alas I have yet again left it at a lame spot!! I was out of ideas again but I had to update for all my reviewers. I could tell some of you were getting annoyed and irritated for my late update and I'm VERY sorry. lol. As you can tell this chapter is rushed and that's why its short. Also I'm only allowed to get on my computer on weekends, which is another reason as to why I can't update more quickly. And so you all know, Allen has no idea Hitomi is being held captive too. I might explain more on that in the next chapter. Thanks again!
So Please continue reading, and remember!
READ AND REVIEW. MAKE IT A RITUAL! :P