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Tina watched Hitomi pace through the snow and pulled her own cloak tighter around her neck. The queen had insisted that they get some fresh air but it seemed she couldn't sit still.
Hitomi smiled at Tina just seconds before a snow ball bounced off the air about a foot from Hitomi's head.
"That's not fair!" Merle screeched, giving away her hiding spot.
"You were so proud of yourself I could feel it from over here and was therefore warned about the attack." Hitomi laughed and Tina watched as a a clump of snow rose to meet Hitomi's out stretched hand.
Seconds later Merle could be heard hissing and spitting.
Merle and Tina had discussed the possible spy in the palace and for the life of them they couldn't find anyone who even acted a bit suspicous. For a while they hung around the cooks and just listened to all the gossip that was being passed back and forth. They learned nothing.
Hitomi had smiled and thanked them for their efforts when they came to her frustrated.
"Van already has a few of his own spies placed here and there to keep track of the comings and goings of the staff. " Hitomi had said before insisting that they go outside with her.
Another snow ball struck Hitomi's barrier and slid harmlessly to the ground as the Queen laughed and called more snow up to her waiting hands.
Tina squinted at the Quuen, trying to see her baby bump. If you looked realy hard you could just barely notice that Hitomi's stomack wasn't as flat as it use to be. She was almost three months pregnant and shouldn't have been showing at all but her morning sickness had caused her to drop a few pounds. She still looked very ill but it seemed the fresh air was doing her a world of good.
"Hitomi!" Van came running out the side door and Hitomi, being shocked by his outburst was struck in the shoulder by Merle's well timed snowball.
"See what you did?" Hitomi laughed over the sound of Merle's victory shouts, "You distracted me from the game."
"You shouldn't be out here." Van quickly undid his cloak and threw it around her, "It's too cold."
"Van, I'm fine. I was getting a bit stir-crazy from being inside all the time." Hitomi gave Van a warm smile as she called up another hand full of snow.
Tina didn't even see the snow touch Hitomi's silver circled palm before it flew off and Merle's shouts changed to surprised silence.
"Not Fair!" Merle yelled as she stomped out of the bushes, "I didn't know we were still playing."
"No more playing." Van tried to smile but his mind was on how pale his wife looked even with the blush the cold had brought to her cheeks, "It's time for the Queen to warm up with some soup. You're both welcome to join us for lunch in the Hall."
Hitomi let Van direct her inside. He was worried and would be for the entire pregnancy. It was understandable. Zaibach wanted their blood running in the streets and their child's head as a trophy. She let him fuss and scold becasue truth be told she was begining to worry as well.
As of late her dreams had been foggy and tense. She never remembered all of what she saw in these dreams but the sweat that pasted her hair to her neck and face hadn't come from a dream about daisies and bunnies.
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Hitomi was tired often and the staff still thought she was ill. Van had seen the worried looks many of the servants wore in her presence. He wished he could tell them the truth and have them share in his happiness but he couldn't take that chance.
Tren had recently discovered that a few of the cleaning staff left every night for destinations unknown. The hour at which they left wasn't odd but the hour of their return was. Three or four women would leave every evening around dinner time when everyone was bussy and return in the dead of night.
Tren and his brother had tried following them night after night but they never ended up at the same place and sometimes it wasn't even the same four woman who left the palace.
How was that to be explained?
Van stared into the fireplace, his legal documents forgotten as he worried away at the riddle.
A soft thump had Van half out of his chair and reaching for his sword before his mind was able to react. Van smiled and moved away from his desk. Hitomi had flaaen asleep in a chair by the fire and the book she had been reading slipped from her hands. The book sat between Hitomi's small feet as the Queen stirred in her sleep.
Van watched waiting for her to wake or cry out as she had been doing lately whenever she slept. He knew something was wrong but Hitomi always said the same thing- the dreams weren't detailed and there was no need to go looking for a wild goose hunt while they worked with Fried and Asturia on plans to stregthen Fanelia's deffenses.
Hitomi settled back in the chair and Van smiled. He didn't even know what a goose was but if it was wild and hunted on Earth he had no doubt that it was dangerous.
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Hitomi had felt herself slipping down into a deep sleep the moment she had decided to try to stay up untill Van was done with all of his papers. The fire had been so warm and the chair so soft- it was all she could do to read the first page of her book. She read the page again and again before finaly giving in to sleep.
She no longer left like she was 'falling' asleep but being forcefully pulled down into it. She felt her hands in the waking world twitch and she heard the book hit the thick carpet but it was as if she was trying to listen through a wall. Everything was so far away and she she was still being dragged deeper into sleep and deeper into the dream she had ever night for the past 10 nights.
Fully in the dream now, with no thoughts of the fire or the book Hitomi steadied herself and waited for the floor that she knew would appear beneath her feet. Seconds later she was standing on a deep red rug. The rug extended out in front of her, urging her to walk on. Hitomi walked because she knew she did every night. If she had turned and tried to go anywhere else she would just end up at the rug again. She had no choice.
Walls began to appear brick by grey brick around her and with the walls came portraits. Each portrait was a scene she couldn't see clearly no matter how hard she tried. Everytime she thought she had finaly made out what was on the canvas the colors would change and make up a new scene.
Frustrated Hitomi reached out to rip one of the pictures from the wall. Another materialized in its place.
Turning back to the red path Hitomi huffed and strode forward. That's when the fog started rolling in and in the fog the sounds and shapes of many horses. None of them had riders but all wore saddles piled high with strings that trailed behind and around them, seemingly alive.
The walls had gone and the red was fading around her as she lunged for the nearest horse, hoping to get on it's back. Just as she got close enough the string shot out at her, wrapping around her. With every step and every noise the strings became tighter and more painfull.
"Let me go." Hitomi's voice sounded desperate even though she knew it was dream, "Please let me go."
One more trot, one more snort and Hitomi would no longer be able to inhale. The strings were too tight.
Beware the Riders.
Hitomi screamed as the horses became skeletons and she struggled to pull away from the bindings only to have them slice her her pale skin. Hitomi watched in horror as the two circles, one on each palm filled with blood.
Beware the Riders.
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A/N: Sorry it's so short. It's late and I realy wanted to get something out to you guys. So, yea, send me a bunch of reviews and hopefully you will have another chapter to read by next week. :)