A Wish of Snow

Chapter Six: "Frozen"

Summary: Sometimes the snow brings bitterness and cold; sometimes it brings love and warmth. For Hitomi, it brings both. Van/Hitomi Romance

Author's Notes: Sorry for the wait! Honestly, I just had to get back into this story and remember everything that I had in mind for this chapter. Also, Id like to apologize in advance, there's a lot of Thamos in this chapter… I hope you like it and continue to read and review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne.

He paled. "Is she okay sir?"

"That is exactly why we must hurry. I saw her land safely, but it is a blizzard out there and she had nothing more than a blanket. I want to make sure she returns to the fortress safe and sound." He bellowed.

"Yes sir!" Gregor saluted again. "I will take Rawn and go immediately."

Thamos was growing impatient. "No, Gregor. I will help you with this matter directly."

"Sir?"

"There is no time for this nonsense!" panic ebbed its way into his voice and he swallowed hard to regain control. "Let's go before she freezes to death!"

vvvvvvvvvv

Hitomi could feel it now. The bitter cold was biting into her skin and lungs, telling her to give up. Her body was giving out; she'd been inactive for several days now and her clothes weren't incredibly warm. If only she could reach that man. She stopped. "His name- What was his name?" Snow matted into her eyelashes and froze. The name was gone; the vision had ceased. "Great. Now I'm alone in the snow again. Why does this stuff always happen to me?" She wondered aloud. "Remember, remember-" repeating the words didn't help. "That man, he was supposed to save me. I think-" Hitomi winced in pain as something hard and sharp tore into her leg.

She tripped and rolled in the snow, leaving a faint trail of red in the pristine white. "Ouch! Stupid rock." She hissed. Rolling onto her side, Hitomi curled up and pressed on the new cut with her palm. "This was a great plan, Hitomi. Leap off of some stupid balcony and run like an idiot. I can't even see where I'm going anymore." She sniffed. "I don't even know where I'm going." Tears tried to escape, but they were frozen inside. "Please- Please, whoever you are, help me?" Closing her eyes, Hitomi drifted to sleep.

vvvvvvvvvv

The two men pushed their way through the raging storm. Hitomi's footprints were rapidly disappearing in the blizzard conditions and soon it wouldn't be safe for them either. Gregor looked down at his feet; they were half-buried in the snow. Then, he noticed something red and followed the winding line to a large snowdrift. Cautiously, Gregor began to dig. A brown, woolen blanket peaked out from under the layer of white. "There you are. Over here!"

"I'll be right there." Called Thamos.

"We'd better hurry, the last time she was nearly frozen." Gregor huffed. "On top of that, it looks like the girl's torn up her foot pretty bad. Up we go then." He lifted Hitomi's shivering body onto his broad shoulders. "Not long now and you'll be safe and warm again. I don't know what happened to you, but I'll make sure you stay safe."

They brought Hitomi inside and carefully tucked her into bed. "Please, Gregor, fetch some hot food and a basin with warm water for the Lady."

"Yes sir. Shall I have Amelie attend to her?"

"No. I'll do it." Thamos replied quickly.

"Sir?"

He turned, eyes distant, emotions sealed. "Please, do not question me, I wish to stay with her personally."

"Yes sir." Gregor hurried to the door and disappeared into the hall.

Once they were alone, Thamos moved to Hitomi's bed and sat down near her. "Why can't you forget?" he asked, stroking her forehead gently. "What makes you remember?"

There was silence, then softly, Hitomi whimpered.

vvvvvvvvvv

Warm arms pressed gently against Hitomi's clammy skin. They were so gentle, soft, and almost unreal. Gingerly, she felt them trace over her face and arms. Hitomi shifted slightly. Drowsy and unwilling to break from the warmth she felt, she drifted deeper into sleep. An image appeared in her mind almost instantly.

She could now see what was going on. Someone was sitting with her, caressing her, holding her. Heat welled up in Hitomi's cheeks. Who was this stranger? "Who- who are you?" she started softly.

The figure remained silent.

Biting her lip, she risked a glance. A gray mass stared back at her. "A shadow?" She stood up and backed away. "Who are you? And why were you touching me?" Myriads of possibilities passed through her mind. What if this man, she could only assume it was a man, was trying to take advantage of her? What if it was Allen? Or-

"Are you the angel? The one from my dream? Please, tell me!"

Thamos hesitated. Hitomi was calling for Van in her dream again. This girl was truly amazing. The necklace would have wiped any normal person's memory clean by now. Yet, she was hanging on. Amazing. He'd have to probe a little. "Hitomi-"

The voice echoed all around her. "Who's there? Is it you? Hello?"

Thamos concentrated on the shimmering blue of her necklace. "Yes, it's me."

"It is you!" Tears welled silently in her eyes. He'd come back to her, the man from her dream; the man she loved! The shadow shifted and took on a very familiar shape. "I've missed you." She smiled.

She smiles for him? Thamos nearly lost his composure. The shadow wavered.

"Hello?"

"I haven't got a lot of time, Hitomi." The shadow said quietly.

"But, you came back to me- Please, who are you? I remember- I remember being with you, being happy. Please! I can't remember- but I want to! How can I find you?"

So she was forgetting. "I can't be with you anymore, Hitomi."

Hitomi's eyes fell, the happy tears suddenly sad. "You can't? Why?"

"Please, Hitomi. I have to go now." The shadow wavered.

"But, I don't understand?" She sobbed. "Please! At least tell me your name!"

Thamos hesitated. He could tell her his name. Then she might-

Hitomi started to cry. "I came to this world for you. I came here because I wanted to see you again. You can't be gone! You just can't!"

The shadow danced, fading and solidifying wearily with Thamos waning concentration. "What happened? Are you still there? Please!" Hitomi screamed. "Answer me!" Her eyes shot open and she reeled forward, her whole body shaking.

Thamos tumbled backward onto the floor with a thud. "Hitomi?" He managed.

"You!" She started to twist and her breath caught in her throat. "It- it's you-" she finished, brokenly.

"I'm sorry."

Befuddled, Hitomi ruffled her hair. "What?"

"I'm sorry that I scared you. Are you okay?"

She tried to steady her breathing. "I was having another nightmare, but I-" She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I think I'm okay now."

"Good. You really frightened me, you know?" Thamos said gently. "I mean, I thought that we'd lost you to the storm." He finally stood up from his awkward crouch on the floor and dusted his backside free of dust. "I really meant it when I said we had a lot of bad weather."

"I know." Hitomi started. "It's just. I don't know." Clutching her head, she whispered. "Something in my head, it just hurt all of a sudden and-"

"Are you ill? We have doctors on staff. One could take a look-"

She smiled a little. "Thank you. But I'll be all right. It's passed now."

Time for the questions. Thamos cleared his throat. "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

Hitomi blinked. Ignoring the foreboding feeling, she nodded.

"In your sleep, you were calling out for someone. A friend maybe?"

She pulled her knees in towards her chest. "No. More than a friend. Someone I loved."

"I suppose I should expect that from someone so radiant." He tried to hide his glee as Hitomi blushed lightly. "So who is this lucky man?"

Turning away, she said, "Well, that's just it. I can't remember his name."

"You can't?" Thamos was surprised at how sincere that had sounded.

"Listen, I think I know where you're going with this." Hitomi frowned. "I'm not stupid."

"I never said-"

"And it's not that I don't like you, you seem to be a really nice guy." She continued, ignoring his protests for speech. "It's just. Call me crazy, but I made a promise to this guy. I can only remember that much, but the rest will come to me, I know it!"

"A promise?"

She nodded brightly. "A promise, never to forget one another, even when we're old."

Thamos stood quietly and moved for the door.

"Are you upset?"

"No. Actually, I admire that kind of promise." He thought for a moment before continuing, "And I will make a promise to you. As soon as the weather clears and you're ready, I will gladly let you go and look for this mystery man."

"Thamos-" She breathed, shocked.

"Now, I think what you could use now is some rest and dry clothes. I'll send Amelie to tend to you right away." Swiftly, he strolled from the room and shut the door with a soft click.

vvvvvvvvvv

He ran into Gregor in the hall. "Do you think you could have gotten a larger basin?" Thamos asked sarcastically.

"Well, I looked-" Gregor huffed under the weight of the bathtub-sized basin. "But I couldn't find any others."

Glancing around the man's bulk, Thamos noted that half of the contents were trailed on the floor from the main bath hall. What a mess. Usually Gregor was a very reliable soldier. Then he quietly remembered why the men had been banned from the fortresses' kitchen. "Never mind. Just bring it in, I'll be right back."

"Yes sir."

The door squeaked as it moved.

Hitomi had moved back under the covers, but, seeing the giant tub squeezing through her doorway, she pulled her head under as well.

"Here you go, Miss." Gregor grinned. "Miss?" He eyed the lump under the blanket.

"Oh! It's just you, Gregor." Hitomi's frizzed hair peaked out from the woolen blanket.

"Better watch, those blankets will get ya."

Hitomi smirked and pulled at her hair, managing only to put the fuzzy lumps behind her ears instead of in front. "Thank you."

"Not a problem. How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Okay now. I could use some clean clothes I think."

"Not a problem, you'll find that closed there," Gregor gestured behind him, "full of dresses and coats. I'm sure you'll find something you like."

The door swung open again.

"Gregor. I've brought Amelie." Thamos said coolly.

He stood at attention. "Yes milord. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No, I think Amelie can handle things here. We should return to the training area, I was supposed to run an inspection today."

"Very good, sir." They turned to leave.

"And we'll have to get the crew to mop up the hallway."

"Sorry, sir."

Amelie waved cheerily as she watched the men depart. Once the door closed, she grinned widely at Hitomi. "So what did you get yourself into this time? You know, if I had Lord Thamos all to myself whenever I wanted, I'd-"

A knock at the door jolted Amelie from the bedside. "Who- who is it?"

"Amelie?"

"Yes, Lord Thamos!" Her eyes widened in anticipation.

He continued from behind the closed door. "Don't forget about dinner. I'm counting on you."

"Yes! I will! Don't you worry one bit!" Merrily, Amelie strode back to Hitomi's side. As though possessed, she fussed over Hitomi until her foot was neatly bandaged, hands and feet were propped on pillows, and hair was brushed so it shone.

Hitomi flopped back onto the pillow, a bit dazed. This girl was crazier than- than that girl with the- the cat girl-

Who was she?

vvvvvvvvvv

"Can't this ship go any faster?"

"We're pushing at full steam, Miss Merle!" A tall brunette soldier yelled. "The snow is holding us back."

"I don't care, if we don't get to Zaibach soon, we'll be spotted. Make it go faster!"

The soldier just glared. After three minutes solid, he gave up and went below deck.

Merle 'hmphed' in triumph.

A shadow lurched behind her and she frizzed. "Pushing the soldiers around again, Merle?" A chill ran down her spine, and not from the cold air.

"Dryden! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Sorry, sorry. You've just been so intent on the mission; I wanted to get you to relax." The lithe man pulled a blanket out from under his fur-lined blue coat. "It'll keep you warm. Here."

"I can't relax. Dryden-" Merle sighed and slumped onto the floor. "I'm worried about Lord Van."

"But surely he's okay back at the castle. We are going to meet the threat, not him." He pushed the blanket towards her again.

"Don't you see? That's just the problem." Said Merle. She waved her paw, "Because Lord Van isn't here, he's worried about us, not to mention Hitomi."

"Wait, Hitomi's involved in all of this?"

Merle sullenly nodded. She really hadn't meant to tell Dryden about that part yet.

"Are you certain?" He prodded.

Merle frowned. "Yes. Lord Van saw her on Gaea."

"Where?"

"A vision-thingy, y'know, like Hitomi always gets."

He considered the knowledge thoroughly. "This changes everything!"

"Shhhh!" Merle hissed. "It doesn't change a thing as far as these men are concerned. It is my mission to rescue Hitomi. No one else's."

Dryden crossed his arms. "You can't possibly take this on by yourself, you know."

"I have to. I promised." She rocked to her feet and started pacing. "If I don't find her-"

"That Van." He cut in. "He's so stubborn. Just let me guess- If you don't find her soon, he's going to come after her himself. Correct me if I'm wrong."

"Lousy scholar." Merle mumbled.

"And good hearing, I might add."

"Sheesh. Nosy too."

He cleared his throat. "Now, before you go insulting me, think for a minute. I am a scholar as you put it; I can help you. Now, once it comes to the actual fighting and so forth, well, I'm not much of a warrior-"

"That's an understatement."

Eyeing Merle warily, he continued. "If Zaibach has Hitomi, they are no doubt intending to use her for the power of Atlantis that she wields. Otherwise, they'd have no use for her." Dryden glanced at Merle; she turned her head attentively. "Okay- So. We need to find a way to lock on to her power 'signature' if you will, and locate her."

"Like scrying? Hitomi was teaching Van." She suggested.

"Exactly."

"Oh, well then-" Merle turned away. "Maybe you could make yourself useful after all."

Dryden pushed his glasses back up to the crest of his nose. "You never change, Merle." He chuckled lightly. "So, how long has our gracious, patient, and coolheaded King given us to find her?"

Reluctantly, she murmured. "He didn't say."

"Oh? Then I'd give us about three days before he follows."

"But we've already been traveling for two whole days! It'll take us another day just to get within walking distance. Surely he wouldn't-" Merle frowned and grit her teeth. "He would."

"Well, I'd better get to studying, I guess."

"Yeah." She finally snagged the blanket from his grasp and pulled it tight around her.

Smiling, Dryden slipped down below deck, leaving Merle alone with her thoughts. She would have liked to say, 'Van's not that stupid' or 'He trusts me' or even 'He knows his responsibilities,' but none of those things were true when it came to Hitomi. "He'd jump off of a thousand cliffs into pits of hungry dragons if he thought it would make her happy." She sighed. "Damn that girl. She's just- She's a good person and she means so much to Lord Van too." Spinning to face the chilling wind, Merle put her hands on her hips and continued in hushed tones, "Just you wait Hitomi, once I rescue you, you're gonna get the lecture of your life!"

vvvvvvvvvv

Thamos leaned heavily against his full-length mirror. "No matter how strong the spell is, Hitomi remembers. Her mind refuses to let go." He leaned back. "She really does have the power of the Atlantians. No matter." Reaching into his pocket, something soft met his touch. Smiling, Thamos held the feather out in front of him. "I have the very thing that will make her love me just as strongly as she cared for that Draconian."

He chuckled quietly, "Not that I should need this spell. The pendant should have been enough to alleviate her visions and memories. I thought that she'd fall for me like all of the others. Stupid books, no help with women at all. If I had more time though-" He grimaced. The sorcerers wouldn't give him more time. They were barely tolerating his plan to use Hitomi in conjunction with the fate alteration machine. "Relax. With this, I won't need much time at all."

Slowly, he shut his eyes and, concentrating on the pristine feather, murmured a few deep words. The reflection in the mirror began to change. Thamos' smooth black hair twisted into long spiky points, his pale skin dimmed, and body writhed. He opened his eyes. "Not bad. Ah, yes, the voice." Thamos focused and tried again. "Ah. Much better." Van Fanel's crimson eyes stared back at him. "A perfect copy." He stared; and the red became flecked with blue. "Not quite, it would appear." The glamour faded and Thamos glanced stubbornly at his own image. "In a day or two, I'll be able to sustain the spell and Hitomi will fall into my arms without question." With a smug grin he sat at his cluttered desk. "By the time the magic fades, she will really love me and willingly use her strong mind to help me create a new Atlantis."

Thamos lifted a mug from the desk and held it to his lips. His face puckered. "This tea is bitter."

vvvvvvvvvv

"A cat girl?" Amelie shifted uncomfortably.

"Yes, I remember that I had this crazy cat girl friend." Hitomi mused. "She was always getting in the way and annoying me in every way she could find-"

"Doesn't sound like a friend to me."

Hitomi giggled. "I guess not. But she really looked up to me I think."

Amelie stared blankly. Honestly, this girl was no fun. Instead of talking about the important things, like Lord Thamos, she was busy telling her piecemeal life story. Time to move the conversation back from boringville. "So, the dressmaker said she'd be finished in a few days."

"And then she stole my candy bar- Hmm?"

"A few days, for the dresses, remember?"

Recognition bubbled in Hitomi's mind. "Oh! That fast, really?"

"Well, it's not exactly like they're swamped with work all of the time. Not a lot of women here."

"I remember this gaudy pink gown that I had to wear once. They got rid of my old clothes and I had to borrow it." She smiled. "It was awful, but Millerna swore it was beautiful. I'm sure on her it was."

Amelie drifted back into a daydream about Thamos.

"I remember her name. Why can't I remember his name? It just doesn't make sense." She put her head in her hands and tried to find focus. Who was the angel in her dreams. Certainly, he was someone from her past. Someone close to Millerna, Allen, and the cat girl-"

"Are you okay? You don't look so well." Amelie's pressed the back of her hand against Hitomi's forehead.

"I'm-" She wobbled and failed her attempt to stand. White dots flooded her vision. "I think I've been through too much today. I'd like to get some sleep."

"Oh, well then, I'll just go." Amelie helped Hitomi to the lie down. "But you ring that bell if you need me, okay?" She slipped through the door. "Oh! I almost forgot. I'll be back in a few hours to escort you to dinner! Bye!"

The room fell silent and dark. Her stomach grumbled. "I guess I'm a little hungry. I wonder if I'll get to eat in the kitchens again." Hitomi stared at the ceiling before closing her eyes. Soon, she was in a deep, and for once, dreamless, sleep.

vvvvvvvvvv

A/N: Hope you liked it! Next time look forward to some more Van! Poor guy, Hitomi's forgetting him! What of her memories? Keep reading and reviewing. Thanks!