blackstarryday: Maybe you should try clicking on the story alert thing again. shrugs I'm just happy you were albe to review.
Lady posion of fanelia: Interesting name. I love fluff I just don't like getting too into details with it because not only do I feel odd but I don't want that to be the thing people look forward to in my chapters. I will try to add some more fluff, I promise. In fact I had some planned for this chapter. :)
Rowanne B. Parojinog: Thanks:) You can bet that I'll continue writing. Thanks you for the review and support.
jenbo: I'm happy I didn't disapoint you. I remember you were worried if the rest of the story would be as good as the first chapters. Thank you for reviewing. :)
Ayr: I promise there will be children. Just not right this moment. It's funny, I think everyone so far has asked for a girl.
Macky: Thank ya much.
mysisterisasquijum: Thank you for always reviewing. I'll get to your new chapter later today, if I have time. If not today than this week. :)
Two toned nails: Here's the update:)
shadow Glider: I love you, I really do. You always get me laughing with your reviews. Scott actualy knows who you are because right from the get go I told him about your spork and the other day I was talking about your last review. He laughed, saying you sounded very interesting and that he was happy I had a reviewer like you because I love getting your reviews. I must have told his about that review twice in one day. :) I'm glad you got the whole tears of happiness thing. It is a whole new area to their love now that Van realises that Hitomi loves him beyond anything else and would do anything for him. He, of course feels the same way. Your take on things are very accurate. :)
maeko14: Thanks. I felt this chapter was a bit choppy but that's probably just because it took me so many times of getting up and walking away from it to get everything straightened out in my head for it. I'm glad you liked it.
QueenTatooine: I knew you would enjoy Selena being in charge. Heh, you tried for the next chapter?- That's great. I love you. Thanks for being a constant reviewer.
mizz Tasuki: LOL! The funny thing is that on the side I am writing a 'novel'. I hate calling it that because it's nick name is 'that piece of Hell flames.' I get stuck on it so much. I don't think I've touched it in two months. But I'm really happy you seem to be enjoying this, which happens to be much easier to write. ;)
Clemence: I believe I found your name in a ook the other day. I saw it in 'Wicked' and was like 'huh, that's one of my reviewer's names'. I'm such a dork. I always notice stuff like that.
pure hope: Thank you as always for your energy and enthusiasm. :)
Inda: I'm happy you liked the way I used you name. At first I was going to use it as the name of an ancient war goddess but that story line got thrown out the window.
WARNING: I use the description 'naked' in this chapter. Hide all young ones away!
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Hitomi's small hands felt like silk on his spine.
Van shifted and looked up to see Hitomi's eyes had closed. It was getting rather late but Van was happy to just be there with his head on her shoulder, laying as physicaly close to her as he could, smelling her and feeling her skin against his.
Van had believed at one point that he would never be this happy. He had known that sooner or later the council would have tried to force him into a political marriage and he knew that for the sake of his Kingdom he would have had to marry. It's not like he would have gone along with it easily or anything. Van had actualy planned on holding out as long as could before being forced to marry in hopes that he wouldn't have children untill he was 30 or 35.
Hitomi sighed in her sleep, her hands now still on his shoulders.
She was the only one he had ever wanted. Even when they had first met he felt something for her. In truth he had thought it was annoyence he felt for the strange girl but after awhile she had begun smiling around him and he knew, with just a glance at those sparkling eyes that he would never be happy with anyone else.
It wasn't just her smile or green eyes that Van loved, even then. At their first meeting Hitomi had yelled at him for being snobby and indifferent towards her. She had slapped him.
She was a free spirit and said what she knew to be truth despite how others might react. Hitomi was spunky, intelligent, fun and strong willed. The perfect woman to be Queen. The perfect wonam to win his heart.
Hitomi opened one eye sleepily smirked at Van, "What are you smiling about?" she asked.
"I was just thinking about you." Van's smiled broadened and he kissed every inch of skin he could reach, making Hitomi squeal and giggle while trying to squirm away.
"Van! You're gonna make me wake the entire palace!" Hitomi squealed, pushing at Van's shoulders to no avail. He was much stronger than her.
Van nipped at her belly button and stopped to smile up at her, "But I love hearing your laugh."
"Well, there are other ways to make me laugh-quietly." Hitomi tried to sound annoyed but just couldn't even work up the begining of a scowl with Van smiling at her like that.
"But this way is more fun." Van said and dove for the backs of Hitomi's knees.
Hitomi laughed and pulled one leg free before placing it on Van's chest. With a huge push Hitomi managed to shove Van off the end of the bed.
They both were laughing hard. Hitomi gasped for breath and crawled over to peer down at her husband who was laying on his back, holding his stomack laughing with the bed sheets all around him. When he had gone over the edge his attempt to catch himself had only brought the blankets down on his head as he landed on the rug.
"What a sight we would be." Hitomi managed as her giggles slowed, "Both completely naked and laughing to hard to stand."
"Well, I'm happy no one will see us- ever." he added and they laughed some more.
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The wind had turned bitter and Millerna pulled her sweater closer around her shoulder's as she walked quickly to the tower Hitomi was redoing as a library/sitting room for her and her Ladies of Court.
In Millerna's opinion the job should have been put off for the spring when the cold winds wouldn't be pushing their way through every small crack. The towers were the worst places to be during cold weather.
Hitomi, who Millerna found deep in her work of going through boxes and moving old furnitue didn't hear the other Queen enter. Millerna just stood back for a moment and watched her friend move from one box to the next. It seemed like annoying work and Millerna was just starting to hope the if she slipped out quietly Hitomi would forget that she had invited her friend up. Maybe Millerna wouldn't have to go through the dusty boxes with the cold seeping in through every nook and crany.
"I'm glad you could make it." Hitomi smiled over her shoulder at the tall blonde, she had known Millerna was there. She had seen her in her mind, "I wanted to be able to talk to you without anyone else around. I would have liked to have Dryden here as well but that might have been wierd."
"Ok. What is it?" Millerna asked, perching on the arm of an ancient looking chair.
"Ok- I didn't want to just blurt this out but Allen has been following you around. I knew it before anyone else did but just yesterday the Guards told me they have seen him around."
"Of course he's around. He's staying here too." Millerna laughed, "Maybe he's just run out of things to do and has been wondering."
"It's been four days in a row that he's been tailing you and only you. When Dryden's around he goes back to his rooms." Hitomi looked up at her friend and sighed, "I know you use to think you loved him but it was your sister he loved."
"Don't you think I already know this?" Millerna asked with a smile, "Everyone knew they had fallen in love."
Hitomi took a deep breath and pushed the thought of Prince Chid from her mind.
"I just don't want him to do anything stupid." Hitomi said slowly.
Prince Chid had heard of Dilandau's return and had written offering Van help if help was needed. Chid, almost twelve was more diplomatic than most who had been at it for decades, was showing just what type of man he would grow to be.
A true friend and thinker.
Hitomi smiled to herself and asked Millerna if she would mind finding Van for her so he could help move the heavier stuff.
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Van came up the guarded stairs slowly and found his wife sitting on the floor of the dusty tower room, flipping through old books.
He knew her request for help was just a way to get him up there without worrying Millerna. Hitomi was fully capable of moving anything in that room with her mind and the whole way there Van could feel her thoughts swirling just beyond his own.
"Are you well, my love?" He asked, squating down next to her, "What's on your mind?"
"The councilors will be arriving back tonight." Hitomi said to the book in her hands, "Chid has offered us a small army and Allen is shadowing Millerna. There's too much to think about without throwing in the maniac twins."
"Then why not just eat in our chamber's tonight and hide away from troubles and thoughts." Van rubbed her shoulders and whispered into her ear, "I would be more than willing to chase all of your thoughts out the window and lock them out." he kissed her neck and felt her relax into his touch.
"That would be lovely." She said dreamily, "But have to deal with the council. We have to tell them that I am now Draconian."
"I'm actualy looking forward to this." Van smiled, "Albert will be beside himself."
Hitomi giggled and try to let go of the heavy dark mood that kept trying to smother her. Suddenly she had an idea, "I know it's cool outside but I was wondering if you'd teach me how to fly."
Hitomi ducked her head, her cheeks a brilliant pink.
Van placed his hand under her chin and brought her eye's up to meet his, "I would love to."
OooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooO
Merle grumped and hissed almost the entire ride to the Fields. She hated horses and found that Hitomi's great mood and soft words to Hiran were almost enough to send her back to the palace where Dilandau and Selena were being closely guarded for the day.
Millerna seemed to be an equaly good mood and bounced Inda in her lap everynow and then to get the toddler squealing and laughing. Dryden and Van were just ahead of them in some sort of conversation with Allen.
Tina hung back with Merle and watched as the Cat girl grew more hostile.
"What's wrong?" Tina asked, as quietly as she could. the Guards just behind them would pick up on her tone of voice and move closer if they thought something was seriously wrong with Lady Merle.
"This damn horse is walking like he has bricks tried to his feet! He's bouncing me as hard as he can with every step and when I move to get a better seating he speeds up like he's hoping I'll fall off!" Merle scowled as her horse, who seemed to know he was being talked about, turned to look at her with one big brown eye, "I think he's mocking me."
"Horses can't mock people." Tina laughed, "If it makes you feel any better we'll switch horses for the ride home."
Van called back to tell them that they were aproaching the Fields. It wasn't the sam field he had taken Hitomi to. That stretch of land was too private for him to share even with his friends. The area they had ridden too was known as the Fields because it had once been farming land back before the War and was now just a few empty, grassy plots of land not far from the palace.
Everyone sat on blankets to have their lunch and talked happily for a while. Millerna pulled out a deck of cards and soon everyone but van and Hitomi were deep in a game of what looked to be Hearts.
Van leaned over said to Dryden, "We'll be back before long. If you want to head back just have a guard come and fetch us."
Dryden nodded, having been told the plan earlier.
Hitomi and Van stood and headed for a crop of trees on the other side of the Fields. four guards, Cailas, Tren, Christopher and Aidren bork away from the other guards and moved to walk with their King and Queen.
Once they reached the other side of the trees Van turned to look at the men standing with him, "You know why we're here. I know you're curious but I ask for you to all stand with your backs to us and do not turn unless commanded to do so."
His friends nodded and turned away to form a wide circle around the area.
"Now, my love." Van said gently, turning to his pale wife, "Take a deep breath and relax." Van rached forward and undid half the lacings on the back of Hitomi's shirt, "Breath and give them a push out."
There was barely any noise at all as Hitomi's wings burst from her back.
"It didn't even hurt." Hitomi beamed.
"It doesn't if you're relaxed enough." Van smiled and ran a over the feathers he could reach.
Hitomi shivered and laughed.
"That's something to get use to too." Van laughed and pulled his shirt off over his head.
Hitomi watched as his wings seemed to exlpode of his back and wondered if that's what her's looked like.
"Just take my hands and tell me when you're ok. I'm just gonna take you in a circle not even ten feet up. No need to worry."
"I'm not worried." Hitomi said, swallowing hard.
Van laughed and linked his hands with hers, "Flex your wings. get use to how they feel."
Hitomi closed her eyes and let Van's voice wash over her. She could do this. She was going to do this.
Van's wings brushed her side as he leaned in, "Keep your wings stiff and out. I'll teach you how to glide first. It's what Folken taught me first."
"Sounds perfect." Hitomi said as the image of Van and Folken flying around with their mother laughing from beneath came to her.
"You can do this." Van said just as he jumped up into the air.
Hitomi tried not to scream and instead made a strangled squelching noise in her throat.
Van's laughter was all Hitomi could hear as she squeazed her eyes shut.
Ok, so maybe flying wasn't something she could do on her first attempt. Hell, she could hardly relax her arms and she knew Van's fingers had to be in pain.
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A/N: Thunder storms heading my way. Had to cut this short so I could get it posted before we loose power.