blackstarryday: Scott and I call each other 'love' so it ends up in the chapter without a second thought. It just sounds right. :)
QueenTatooine: I thought it wrong that Van be the last known Draconian. I'm happy to see that I have everyone thinking.
Vanlover5546: Here it is.
karina123: I've barely even heard of Final Fantasy, Scott use to play some of the games but other than that I've no idea what they're about. I'll take a look at your story but I don't know how big a help I'll be. :) My reviews are never painfull. I'm a nice person and it's really hard for me to be mean. I might make suggestions but I won't say 'you're a horrible writer!' or anything like that. :)
steves-girl: Cake is nice. Very nice. :)
Cev: Yes, the plot thickens. :)
maeko14: There's more pain to come but it will go away. I promise.
shadow Glider: I love your reviews. I was rather sad I didn't get one for 20 but this long one makes up for it. :) I've always loved the idea of HItomi being Draconian but I didn't want it to come in some stupid way. Varie didn't plan to hurt her- pain was just part of the package. Vagas sounds great but Scott might freak since he's already given me a big shiney promise ring with the plan to get married in 4 years when he's done with college. And it is a BIG ring. beams I love it. But yea, Vagas sounds like it'd be fun. ;) Just no weddings. lol. BTW I like how you called me darling- I call my friends hun and darlin all the time.
mysisterisasquijum: I sent Hitomi's mum home because I had no idea what to do with her. I didn't think having her and Dilandau in the same room again would turn out pleasent.
Candy Kisses Are Oh So Sweet: Thank you.
Ayr: I love babies and there is a plan for a baby just not for Hitomi (yet). :) :)
pure hope: I love your enthusiasm.
Inda: Yes, something is amiss.
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Van sat with his chin resting in his hands. He had slept very little and spent the rest of the night trying to ease whatever demon's there were plaguing his wife's sleep.
Hitomi had a few hours of being her normal self when suddenly Van awoke to her screaming in her sleep. She wouldn't, or couldn't wake fully from the horrors she was seeing and Van was stuck sitting at her side feeling helpless and lost.
Rosie sat on the bed next to Hitomi, dabbing her face with a cool rag. So far Rosie was the only one who knew how badly Hitomi was doing at the moment. Van knew better than to wake Merle with bad news. She would panic and cause the tension in the room to rise and Van knew he'd only end up snapping at her.
A moan slipped from Hitomi's throat and Van felt his heart breaking. She sounded like she was in a lot of pain.
"I don't know what else to do for her." Rosie whispered, her dark hair held back loosely. Rosie hadn't even changed out of her nightgown. Instead she had flown out of bed, into a pair of slippers and up the stairs to her Queen at Van's explanation of what was happening.
"I know." Van sighed, "I tried calming her by talking to her once I realized I couldn't wake her... her fever wasn't that bad and I didn't know who else to go to."
"You were right to come to me." Rosie smiled weakly, "Aside from the Palace Healer I am the only one who can reduce a fever in a few hours. The servants who can't afford a visit from a healer come to me."
Van nodded, "I know and I'm happy you have helped her. That fever spike scared me."
"I know." Rosie nodded, looking down at Hitomi's strained face, "It came so suddenly. I've never seen this happen to anyone."
"No one has ever become a Draconian who wasn't one already." Van sighed and looked at his wife, "I wish my mother had warned us before she did what she did."
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Selena leaned back in her chair and watched as the sun rose, "The air is thick. Something's happening."
"Good. I hope she's dying." Dilandau said from his bed.
"Well, that would certainly save your skin if she did." Selena saw her twin flinch, "You should have never let Varie near Hitomi. She was at the end of her strength- I could feel it. She would have been gone in a day or less."
"I've already apologized to you many times." Dilandau lay on top of his bed covers, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared at the ceiling, "How was I to know she had enough power to do something like that. She should have faded by then. A gift from the White should have been beyond her."
"Have you forgotten how hard it was to pull her from the White and how close we were to having two draconian spirits before us?" Selena's voice had grown angry.
"Folken had always been an idiot."
"He shouldn't have been able to hold onto his mother's spirit at all after she was called out of the white and yet he nearly stepped out beside her. And I've no doubt that he would have had Varie not shoved him back." Selena kept her eyes on the brightening fall sky.
Dilandau didn't comment.
"It would seem that we undestimated the Draconian Queen. Maybe those demons are stronger than we know." Selena was talking to the open window, "Maybe...maybe this gift that was given will even the field a bit. Zaibach is strong but the power of the Elders, the one's who created our world... it may be more than we expect."
"They were all fools and even now the last of their kind is an idiot King who thinks he can get more information out of us just because he has invited us into this cursed kingdom." Dilandau growled, "How long must we stay!"
"As long as it takes us to weaken them and their hold on this land. We can't return untill we have found their weakness."
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Lunch was quiet and dull. Tina was surprised by how silent Dilandau stayed through out the entire time. From what Merle has told her about the albino she had expected him to gloat and strut about the fact that the Queen was ill.
The Queen was ill. That's all anyone was being told.
Hitomi had been in bed all day so far and Tina, one of the Queen's Ladies, had been told what was really happening.
Well, at least Van had told her what he believed to be happening.
Hitomi's body was fighting the Draconian blood.
Tina didn't truly know what that ment but she knew it wasn't good. Her thoughts strayed as lunch progressed in silence- Hitomi was her friend and it was because of her that Tina no longer had to live with her family. The new Queen was a kind person and for Van's sake Tina hoped that she would soon be well.
Van appeared silently, his boots making very little noise as he walked to the table and sat beside Merle.
The King's eyes were dark and far away.
No one tried to talk to him as he picked apart a roll.
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Everything was dark and in the distance small noises could be heard.
It sounded like people were talking on the other side of a wall but there was also scraping noises of things Hitomi didn't want to think about. Already she had come in contact with one and it had nearly torn her mind apart.
The voices were familiar and the words sounded like something she had heard before but she couldn't understand what they were saying. She didn't even know what they were talking about.
Sometimes the tones would change, sounding worried and quiet and other times they sounded angry and loud. It didn't matter the tone- Hitomi knew she'd never be able to tell what they were saying. She wasn't ment to.
In fact she had the distinct impression that she wasn't suppose to be there at all.
Foot steps sounded and for a moment the voices faultered.
Some one was close. Closer than they had been for hours. At least Hitomi thought it was hours. For all she knew days could have passed in this dark world that felt like it stretched on forever in all directions.
"Hitomi. Please come back to me."
Van- it was Van!
"Where ever your mind has gone- follow my voice. Come back."
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As much as Van had wished to spend every moment next to Hitomi he knew he had to do something. Just sitting around wasn't his style- he had to try to find something that would help him help his wife.
Already more people knew about Hitomi's state than he felt comfortable with. But of course he had to trust these people with the truth if they were going to be of any help at all.
Rosie promised to stay by Hitomi's side as the Healer looked her over and Van took that moment to scan through his brother's books. When Folken died Van found some of his brother's belongings inside of Escaflowne. Folken's belongings were a secret that only Hitomi knew about. Van missed his brother terribly and told no one of the left behind books in case Zaibach were to come looking for Folken's knowledge.
There proved to be much about his brother that Van hadn't even guessed. The books were very usefull, that is usefull if Van wanted to learn how to alter his or someone elses genes to cause them to be able to breathe under water or blend in with plants.
All of these 'changes' sounded painfull.
Van was just about to shut the thrid book when he saw at the top of one of the pages it said 'Changes of Mind'.
He wasn't sure if anything on the page would help but he had to try.
Van rushed back to his room to find that the Healer had just left and Rosie was talking quietly to Pennin.
Ignoring them Van moved to kneel next to Hitomi, placing his hand on her forehead.
He loved her. That had to be enough because he had no idea what Folken had been talking about when he mentioned a 'traden plate' and a 'coiled tath' as intsruments used to reach one who was lost inside their mind.
"Please, let this work."
Van closed his eyes for a few minutes, trying to tounch his wife's mind, but opened his eyes when he felt her move.
"You're ok." Van whispered, leaning closer, "Hitomi, please come back to me."
"Van... I can't...I" Hitomi moaned.
"You can." Van heard Rosie gasp as Hitomi's eyes fluttered, "You must fight. Dilandau is still in our home. Selena wants my blood and I need you next to me!"
Hitomi moaned, her eyes closing again.
"Fight to come back to me. But don't fight the Blood." Van squeezed Hitomi's hand, "It's a gift. I know mother didn't mean to put you in so much pain but she did what she had."
Hitomi sat up slowly, looking like a puppet on a string, her palm hot in Van's hand. Van stepped away from the bed, letting her hand drop.
"Van." Hitomi breathed his name.
"Yes. Come back." Van didn't know what do with himself and he ended up at the foot of the bed so he could see Hitomi's face clearly.
"It's dark. I'm not suppose to be here." Hitomi tossed her head, her body was still limp yet held up somehow.
"Then come back. This is where you're ment to be."
"The blood..."
"Is your's now." Van heard Pennin moving behind him, "You are Draconian now."
Blinded for a moment by an unexpected light, Van blinked. When his eye's were clear again Van could see Hitomi sitting up on her own. Her eyes were open and she looking around the room.
"Van?" Hitomi looked about to cry when suddenly she screamed and hunched forward.
"What's happening!" Pennin yelled, rushing forward only to be knocked over as large white wings exploded out of Hitomi's back.
Van stood stunned at the end of the bed, looking into Hitomi's large frightened eyes.
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A/N: It has been a long week! I started this last Wednesday! Ok, I didn't think I was going to give Hitomi wings, but then again you all wanted her to have them. I hope you all liked this. REVIEW!