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Van had been hesitant about leaving her alone but he had to go meet with the new council members and fill them all in on what was happening and what was about to fall apon them. Just because Hitomi screamed herslef awake again it didn't mean he had the option to ignore his country. He wanted to, though. Just for that morning he wanted to ignore the fact that he was a king and just hold his wife as they tried to work through the confusing mess that was her dream.
Hitomi smiled weakly when he headed out the door and pormised to be right there in the bed room waiting for him when he returned.
As soon as the door latched shut behind him she was pacing the room. She was feeling ill and she was quite sure it wasn't morning sickness. Hitomi walked to the mirror and stared at her own reflection. Her eyes looked dazed and were large with a fear she hadn't yet named. Something was going to happen- she just didn't know what or when.
A flicker of movement across the smooth surface of the mirror had Hitomi leaning closer, looking for an insect or Tar's reflection as he scuttled up the bed post to grin at her. She didn't find a bug or feel Tar in that part of the palace.
What had she seen?
Leaning back Hitomi examined the mirror before flipping it over to look at the back. She knew there wouldn't be anything there to look at but all she could think of was 'Through The Looking Glass'. Hitomi had to know that there was nothing there. Too many things that had been unbelievable had happened. Too many myths and stories had come to life before her eyes.
All she needed now was the white rabbit with his pocket watch telling her she'd completely lost it.
As Hitomi spun the mirror back towards her she bit her tongue to keep from screaming. For the briefest moment she hadn't seen her own pale face and green eyes looking back but some one else's face entirely. Hitomi turned the mirror towards the wall as fast as she could and looked at from the side.
Deciding that getting a cup of tea wasn't realy breaking her promise to wait for Van she walked to the door and tried to collect herself. She'd be back before Van was done and she realy needed out of the bedroom at the moment.
Hitomi walked toward the stairs with her eyes on the toes of her shoes. She was afraid that if she looked anyone in the eye they would see the panic growing in her. The last thing she needed was to panic others when she wasn't even sure what she was freaking out about.
A cup of strong tea would help her think things through with abit more sanity.
Her dream had beem nothing but a huge headache since the moment she had woken up and now she was seeing strangers in her bedroom mirrow.
Maybe everyone had it right, maybe woman realy did go crazy during pregnancy.
At the thought of her baby Hitomi's hand dropped to her stomack. She let it sit there for half a second, aware that anyone could see her and jump to the right conclussion. Swinging her hand back down to her side Hitomi looked around and found that she was the only one on the stairs.
Merle's voice carried up from the front hall and Hitomi smiled as she heard a hiss followed by a thump.
Hitomi crept past the doors to the hall and caught a glimpse of Tina standing with her hands on her hips scolding her friend for something. Merle for her part was yelling right back. Their voices mingled and it was hard to catch what they were saying but Hitomi guessed that it had to do with the Knight, Christopher. Both girls 'fancied' him, though Merle would have rathered throw herself in the front fountain than admit it, and latley Christopher seemed to have taken notice of Tina.
Sure that she would hear all about it later Hitomi slipped into the kitchen and held her finger up to her lips to keep the cook from saying anything. The older woman just smiled as Hitomi poured hot water and herbs into a large mug. The Queen deffinately knew her way around the place. Hitomi winked at the cook before heading back out the way she'd come. Hitomi knew the woman wouldn't tell anyone she'd been there or that she looked like crap run over twice.
Half way up the stairs Hitomi had the feeling that she should get back to her room quickly. The baby's humming pressence quieted down and Hitomi felt real panic coming on. She didn't feel the hot water burn her fingers as it spilled over the edges of her cup or hear Merle's voice call afer her.
Hitomi spun around when she reached her door, feeling someone watching her and screamed as she looked at a bloody and torn Allen standing in the glass of the window, holding a sword. It was vission, and she knew it but it was so horrible. He took a step closer and Hitomi saw that his movements were jerky and stiff. White streaks seemed to flash around him as he moved.
Hitomi didn't realize she still screaming untill Merle slapped her hard across the face.
"There's nothing there!" the cat was yelling as Tina attempted to pry the broken mug from Hitomi's bleeding hands, "There's nothing there!."
"Go get Van." Tina said as she looked into her Queens eyes, "Go get him, Merle!"
Hitomi tried to tell her friend what it was that she had seen in the glass but the words wouldn't come and all she could do was stare at where Allen had been, feeling more lost than she had that morning.
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"They must think you married a lunatic." Hitomi said as Van removed a small sliver of mug from her palm, "Ow!"
"I don't care what they think. Besides, we never hid the fact that you're a Seer. I'm sure they'll all come to their own conclussions." Van turned Hitomi's hands gently, looking over the damage.
"I saw Allen." Hitomi felt her voice catch, "He was bleeding... badly and looked dead, like a zombie only he was still walking and fighting..."
"Fighting?" Van looked up at his wife and frowned, "Do you think you saw part of Zaibach's attack on Fanelia?"
"I don't know..." Hitomi flinched as Van poured water over her hands. She watched it fall into the basin by her feet.
"What else did you see?" Van asked.
"When he moved it was like there was something around him, moving with him." Hitomi had a flash of her dream and the vission combined, "He looked like a bloody puppet." as the words left her mouth Hitomi gasped, "That's it! Zaibach couldn't build up their armies so their controlling people, forcing them to fight- like puppets."
"The strings you saw in your dream...?"
"Puppets have strings, Van. It makes sense." Hitomi tried to hold still while Van wrapped her hands in bandages.
"More sense than anything I've thought of to explain what you've been seeing." Van tied the last bandage and looked Hitomi in the eyes, "We have untill the spring at least to prepare for battle. No kingdom would risk loosing their men to frost bite or other winter dangers."
"God, Van. All those poor people being controlled by Zaibach. What are we going to do? I mean, this isn't a normal fight. We can't hurt people who don't even know what they're doing." Hitomi placed her hands gently in her lap and hoped Van had a answer.
"I don't know, my Love." Van shook his head slowly, "For now all we can do is look after our own."
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Hitomi climbed out of bed slowly, gently.
Van didn't stir.
She couldn't fall asleep. Even though now she had an idea what her vissions ment she still felt like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
She knew some of what was happening?- But what was it she didn't see? What piece was missing from the damn puzzle!
Hitomi slipped through the secret entrance to the Queen's room and wasn't surprised to find Tar curled up on her old bed. She had felt him before she saw him.
"Ah, my dear friend." Tar stretched his wings before jumping up into Hitomi's arms, "You know you're not crazy, right?"
"I guess." Hitomi whispered, "Sometimes it's so hard to put the Seer part of my mind aside and just be Hitomi. It's never far from away. I feel distracted and fragile all at the same time."
"Things aren't always easy, Hitomi." Tar brushed her chin with the tip of a wing, "You above anyone else must know that. You are a Draconian Seer Queen. How often do you think those come along?"
Hitomi laughed, "I don't think I've ever looked at all of those together. It sounds rediculious now that you mention it. Draconain, And Seer, And the Queen of Fanelia."
Tar smiled at her in his reptilian way and they both became serious.
"Before you go to bed Hitomi, I must tell you that I feel Rosie's baby will come soon. It won't be easy on either the mum or the baby." Tar turned and looked past Hitomi to the window.
"I know. I've already thought of that. Thank you for the warning, my friend." Hitomi let Tar jump down to the bed before going back to her own bed.
It was odd being in her old room. Van had explained that many royal couples found it to be less stressfull if they had seperate rooms to hide in at night after arguements but being there was like creeping into an empty house, a place you once lived that was now a distant memory.
Sliding back into bed Hitomi suddenly felt as though it had been days since she last slept. Van snuggled up to her in his sleep and soon Hitomi was drifting off with his arm around her and his breath tickling her neck.
Her last thought was a prayer sent out to whoever would listen to let this night be peacefull for everyone.
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A/N: Ok, once again not alot happened but I have to have things just so before anything major can happen. I mean, have any of you ever read 'Harp of The Grey Rose'? It was all action and no filler and a total let down. I actualy had something else for the first half of this chapter but I became so entirely stuck that I just started over. Sorry it took me so long. Review!