Four Years

by Oceanwind1224

"Four Years... if you still... I'll wait." It was a promise whispered in the night, between sheets, warmed breath and hopefully innocent hearts. Seven years later things have fallen apart and now only the consequences of their actions can hope to mend the damages done, but is it already too late? (Hitomi/Van)

2. Chapter 1

A.N. So I just spent the better part of my day looking up odd information (dates, Zodiac signs, Elemental/Astrological signs, moon cycles, Latin words, and snarky quotes) for this fic. This is the most research I have ever done for a fanfic, so I really hope you enjoy this story. I'll probably post the information on all of stuff I searched up at the end of the relevant chapters, just for kicks.

UPDATE: So… I realized I'd messed up the dates and had to fix them. Sorry for the repost of like…. ALL of the chapters… Please forgive me…

Disclaimer: I do not own "The Vision of Escaflowne" nor any of the characters therein. I am merely writing this for my own enjoyment.

XX

"If you hate your lot but wouldn't trade it, it's not your lot you hate."

-Mignon McLaughlin

XX

Chapter 1: Untraded Fate

XX

Second Day of the Ninth Month

136 Year of Lotica (1996)

XX

The night was far too quiet. It was unnerving and what should have been the soothing trill of the late summer evening now meant that this year's harvest was ruined. What was Fanelia supposed to do now? The question left him on guard and twitchy. In short, he simply couldn't sleep.

He'd spent too long in battle and on the run, as a result he couldn't stop his thoughts, or appease the paranoia that had kept him alive thus far. Van's brown eyes darted about the clearing, and his hand still gripped the sheath of his weapon in tensed readiness; a warriors posture. At one time he would have seen such a sight as becoming, even honorable, but he had learned, quite the hard way, that this was nothing more than an engraved instinct; the protective posture of a haunted man.

Van frowned into the darkness where the last vestiges' of light, the twin moons but slivers in the sky, made encroaching shadows upon the trees. It gave the unnerving optical illusion of danger wrapped in the dulcet tones of innocent tranquility.

Truthfully, it made him sick.

Was he so broken now that the things he used to take comfort in seemed horribly wrong? Was this the kind of man this war would define him as? Scowl deepening, grip tightening until the sharpened metal clinked in within its sheath, Van stared out at the forest and tried to deny what he was sadly starting to regard as the truth. Sure, fate had changed and he'd abandoned Escaflowne to save Hitomi from Dornkirk. As a result that horrid destiny machine was no more and he was aware that the war had essentially ended with that act, but he knew it wasn't over. Not for him, or Merle, and certainly not for the people of Fanelia.

The reconstruction alone would take years. The buildings would be up in a few months' time, but the trade routes and the harvests would take longer still. He was certain Arzas would come to aid with supplies at first, as well as the other neighboring villages not in the central city of Fanelia, but they had their own problems to worry about. Alliances would need to be officiated and before that they had to drive out the lingering forces of Zaibach and let the rulers reassert control over their lands. After that came the political nightmare as everyone tried to look at each other and themselves and not see the monsters they had become in their desperation.

"No wonder I can't sleep…" His voice was dark with bitter humor and he leaned his head back and against the bark of the nearest tree, relaxing when his senses told him nothing was actually out there. Escaflowne was still kneeling closer to the camp, near Scherezade, a nice sentry for the group sleeping out in the open. Van wondered if he would have felt safer aboard the Crusade where walls and doors kept one safe and alert of the enemy's possible direction.

A twig snapped nearby, diverting his attention and twanging through his senses like lightening. "Who's there?" it was less of a shout but more than a demanding whisper and he heard the start the approaching figure gave before he saw them.

Brown hair, light and short, framed a small face and large green eyes. "Uh… sorry… I… I couldn't sleep." Hitomi stammered, her cheeks flushed from her embarrassment causing her to fidget and tuck her hair behind her ear. A useless endeavor as it just fell back to its original place, but he had watched her long enough to know that the gesture comforted her. It was an unconscious twitch which she made automatically.

It was rather endearing.

"No… sorry, I…" He trailed off, unsure of what to say, how much to tell her. He wanted to believe that she would understand but at the same time, he feared her knowing. He let the broken sentence hang past the point of awkwardness and shifted his weight under her stare.

"You… can't sleep either?" Hitomi slowly inquired, leaning forward and taking a small half step closer and it brought a slight warmth to his chest. Her actions practically screamed her concern for him, and it was nice to be aware of it.

"Yeah." His agreement seemed to unlock her as she moved forward then, still cautious, but less hesitant and tucked her skirt under her with a sweep of her hands and sat beside him. It was closer than she had ever come before, her sudden bouts of hugging and the necessary moments for bodily contact not with-standing, and he was hyper aware of the warmth radiating from her body.

It was disconcerting. They had been travelling and fighting together for nearly six months, her simple act of sitting shouldn't cause his stomach to flutter and his breathing to alter. Then again, all things concerning Hitomi usually ended in unexpected results. Nothing about the girl was predictable. He tried confessing and got slapped, not once but twice; first physically and then emotionally when he caught her kissing… he really didn't want to think of that right now. Then, he protects her and she gets pissed off and runs away home. Hardly a day passes by and he has the need to see her, he flies to the Mystic Moon expecting to have to drag her back, and in his naiveté he truly had believed he could do just that, and she hugs him when he declares that he has a right to her and he will not let her go again.

Of course she then turns around and demands her independence and ability to do things all on her own. She gets kidnapped and then…

"So much has happened recently, it doesn't seem real." Hitomi sighed, her head tilted back to stare up at patches of sky that were visible. Her profile seemed soft and more effeminate than usual, much like she had looked the first time she'd come out wearing a proper dress. He turned away with a slight smile.

"Like a dream." He returned and felt her stare rest on him.

"Yeah. Or maybe a vision." She sounded amused by something and he glanced out of the corner of his eye to catch the smile. One hand rose to her lower lip though never quite touched, and her eyes closed in pure joy, and the awkwardness bled away into a protective warmth. It was similar to the one he'd felt over the last few months, but it didn't burn him alive, and leave him hollow and aching inside. Surprisingly enough, it was freeing.

Van swallowed and was nearly overcome with it all. He wanted to reach out, just to share a casual touch, and really, why couldn't he? They had more or less admitted their feelings for each other mere hours before, at least he thought they had. Her excitement at seeing him had been sufficient and he had felt like he had been right. Something in his mind had just rung true, much like it had when he'd left to retrieve her. He had just known it would work.

Besides that, who clung to someone as she had without having some feeling for them? Certainly he had been her rescuer and he had been flying, but she tucked close to him, breathed in deeply as though smelling him, and pulled closer to him laughing and it had been the most intimate experience of his young life to date. So, why shouldn't he be allowed to be casual with her?

She can just hit me if she doesn't feel the same. Disastrous thoughts indeed, and self-destructive at that, but he decided that if she hadn't slapped him for his arrogant statement upon her retrieval from the Mystic Moon, that maybe she would be receptive to more forward advances. Taking his chances, Van reached out, eyes averted to the side, head angled so she couldn't clearly read his expression and placed his arm around her shoulders promptly pulling her against his side.

She tensed, and he heard her indrawn breath, at the movement but that was it. There was no screaming, no flying hands or stuttered questions. For several long seconds he did not breath, merely counted his rapid heartbeat and awaiting some volatile response. Slowly, Hitomi relaxed, and her own breath escaped incrementally, a whistle in the night, and then she was leaning her weight against his side, her head tilting slowly; hesitantly as though she was as nervous as he was, and let it rest against his shoulder.

The short, soft strands of her hair tickled his skin where the thin cotton top gaped open, and made his skin prickle, hypersensitive as her breath passed over his collar bone, moist and warm. The heat between them, where their bodies touched was comforting, and took up most of his thought process. He really hoped she couldn't feel his heart thundering in his ribs.

"This is nice, even if it doesn't seem real yet." Hitomi again took the initiative, and he finally released his own breath, his shoulders lowering, and arm relaxing into a more natural hold. She shifted and he felt her cheek against his skin and knew she was attempting to hide a smile. He breathed out of his noise, a little embarrassed at having been caught and felt his face flame. All the same he couldn't stop his own smile at his minor accomplishment.

Hitomi shifted, pressing slightly closer, her head moving until only her hair touched his skin; she was looking up at the sky again, and continued speaking voice calm and soothing; almost as though she was having one of her visions. "But, you know, over time it will become real, and the fear and uncertainty of war will fade… like the passing night." Her hand lifted up and traced the line of stars above them and he found himself entranced by the slender digits, and the silent strength they held. "… we'll forget this awkward feeling, and this will be the dream, and the silence will be reality." Apparently finished with her words she turned to look up at him, green eyes imploring and kind; so very kind, and Van couldn't help but believe her words, no matter how obtuse and fantastical they seemed now. "It will be okay Van. I promise." She whispered, her hand drifting away from the stars to hover uncertainly beside his cheek. The heat of her skin was an invisible pressure on his flesh and without thinking, his own gloved hand came up to grip it.

The trapped limb flinched in his grip but her expression didn't shift, her gaze didn't waver and they were trapped in the unwavering moment. Just two kids entranced by the intensity of touch, and emotional connection, just teetering on the edge of indecision. Van again made the first move, and pressed her palm to his cheek.

Each digit seemed to scald him, imprinting upon his flesh and igniting his nerves until he swore his face was tingling. Taking his lead, Hitomi pressed the pads of her fingers closer and slowly shifted them in a gentle stroking motion. A gesture of comfort.

"I promise, it will get easier. Just believe in it, in the people around you." Hitomi smiled, her hand still gently stroking his cheek in a manner so reminiscent of his mother he ached inside. "Trust me?"

Her imploring words and eyes startled a soft chuckle from him—a small sound barely more than a single huff of breath—something he had thought he wouldn't be capable to do for several years yet, and it made Hitomi grin, nodding gently at him as if to say, 'That's it Van. Keep trying, I'll be right here to see it and push you on.' He nodded back once and squeezed her hand once before releasing it.

Her hand slipped over his skin in a lingering caress before falling away completely, but the feelings between them lingered, requiring no words at all. Both of their gazes returned to the forest around them and the sky above. It was no longer so daunting, it was just a forest, that could hold danger but, didn't have to. They didn't talk more, and he wasn't sure when Hitomi fell asleep against him, nor when he followed her after adjusting her against his chest to be more comfortable.

He certainly remembered waking up though.

Before Hitomi had even stirred he'd found himself the sole recipient of a rather insulted glare. Which he thought was rather ironic seeing as the blonde haired, blue-eyed knight had had several unsightly liaisons with the fairer sex, and had even had a tryst with the young woman curled against him in sleep that was far more insinuating than what they had done. Even so, he didn't bother to correct Allen's assumptions. Call it male pride, jealousy, or what have you, Van didn't much care. No, he was much more interested in the way Allen seemed to finally give up on Hitomi after that. That was worth a glare or two in his book.

And if he preened a bit the rest of the trip out of Zaibach, no one mentioned it.

XX

Tenth Day of the Ninth Month

Year 7 of Carusfatum (2003)

XX

Merle was not surprised to find him on the roof, staring up at the mystic moon like some love-struck teenager, and not in his very comfortable bed this late into the night. What she was surprised at, was why she was not surprised to find him thus.

It was no secret that he and Hitomi were in love, it was also no secret that in the near seven years of reconstruction, Van Slanzar de Fanel, King of Fanelia, had not once looked to secure his legacy in a marriage, nor had he accepted any proposal of alliance through it. Many had accepted that fact as there were few who didn't know of his relation to the seer from the Mystic Moon. That and it was no longer a secret that he was of Draconian decent, and many still feared, or in many cases loathed, his mixed heritage.

All in all, he had been left to his own devices, and many—herself included—had assumed that after things had settled down, he'd go to retrieve Hitomi from the blue orb in the sky and make her his queen and then they'd all have to deal with her for the rest of their lives. Merle had been looking forward to it, though she would rather rip out her own tongue than admit to that aloud. She'd been near giddy when the reconstruction had finished two years into the Carusfatum Era, thinking that he'd finally do it, but then there had been the harvests and trade in and out of Fanelia to worry about, as well as the debt they had incurred over the last three years while reconstruction had been priority. But even after that had completed and peace talks had ended, and everything had settled into the monotonous flow of peacetime, Van still had not left, Hitomi was not returned, and now nearly a whole year after the complete restoration of Fanelia, Van still watched the blue moon rise morosely from his seat upon the roof, mourning the loss of a girl he had let go.

This is getting stupid. Merle frowned, her tail bristling out as her foot tapped the tiled roofing, a replica of the soft blue of the original, in an effort to control her temper. She had kept quiet this long out of respect, both to him and Hitomi and their feelings. She assumed that when they were ready they would make that final step, now it was becoming obvious that she had overestimated their mutual intelligence. Man, I'm getting too old for this…

Stepping closer, she watched as Van's hand lifted to touch the pink pendant around his neck. It was rare to see him without it. She could still recall the nightmare that he had become several years back, when reconstruction had somehow enabled him to 'misplace' the item. No one wanted a repeat of that incident, and the necklace was known, and unofficially declared by the populace, a royal treasure; a Fanelian Treasure, and anyone who spotted it not upon the King's person was to hand deliver it to the castle; to her more specifically. No one else dared to mess with Van when he was in a mood, not even Allen Schezar dared to. The king was no longer the teenager who survived an unfair war, all gangly limbs and angles, but a young man—still lean and whip-like thin, and far too short for his liking—but steady and aware of himself. Wish he'd dress more like a king though… Merle thought with a glance to his casual sleeveless top and light hide pants.

It was true that, traditionally the rulers of Fanelia had opted to wear casual clothes with exception of official ceremonies, but Van took that to a whole new level entirely. No one had bothered an attempt to correct him though.

Facing the twenty-two year old Van was far more daunting than the fifteen-year-old with the hormonal and emotional issues. Still, his moods were never a concern for her, being as close to family as he had left, he was unlikely to snap at her, though she had received her fare share of sharp words and cold silences, she was still far more capable of handling him than anyone else in the castle.

That said, she waited a moment, allowing him whatever moment he was having, or maybe he was making a wish. Pointless, as the only thing she could think him needing to wish for, he seemed determined to avoid, for whatever doubtless stupid reason.

When he did nothing but sit there, eyes closed, brow pinched, hand gripping on that damnable necklace, Merle decided that she'd been patient enough with her stubborn Lord Van. Someone needed to give him, and in conjunction Hitomi, a kick in the pants, and no one else had the audacity to do it but her. Sometimes, being a good sister was tough.

And tiring.

They better name their first daughter after me for this… And with that last fleeting thought she plopped down heavily beside the man. When that didn't even garner a flinch, she sucked in a large breath and yelled directly into his ear.

Hey, no one said she had to be nice about it.

XX

The valley looked unreal bathed in the light of the two moons. Mystical and perfect like an elusive dream, but it was undeniably real and that made all the difference. The colors were slightly off, sharper and newer than his memory, and that was soothing to him, it proved that it was really back; no longer just a goal. Seven years had brought the charred remains of a desolate kingdom into the polished jewel that now remained. Sure there were always things to improve, but now they were less consuming then it had been at the end of the War of Fortuna. Fanelia was stable once more; green, growing, and safe.

You were right, Hitomi. Van thought to himself, watching over his kingdom with a kind of pride that could only be built after losing everything once, and watching it rise from the ashes. The shadow of war had mostly drifted to the back of his mind, just as the girl had promised they would and only occasionally colored his thoughts now. Thinking of her, he found his eyes drifting up and inevitably he was gazing at the orb she called home.

He didn't know much about that world, had hardly had time to care upon his first and only visit, and now he couldn't seem to escape it. What was it like on that world? Were there wars like Gaea had? He knew that the Mystic Moon, Earth, she had called it Earth, was a world far different than his own. The strange place he'd found himself in; the stone roads and buildings, the poles with wires crossing the sky in a patchwork pattern, had been so alien he doubted any truth he held to here could be placed or found in her world. It left room for many questions and daydreams.

Perhaps he'd have a better grasp of her world had he been able to continue mentally visiting her, but that one time he had—she'd been near the ocean on a stone platform with that bag of hers. She'd looked just as lost and conflicted as he felt, but she had smiled when she'd seen him, smiled and said she was fine—had been so exhausting. He'd collapsed afterward and been laid up for most of the day. For someone attempting to rebuild a kingdom, that kind of drawback was simply not an option, no, there had been no way to continue to speak to her that way, so it was useless thinking about it now.

Seven years… I wonder what she's doing now. Van breathed deeply, enjoying the encroaching chill. Harvest season was just beginning, and soon enough the streets would be filled with the crop goods and he'll be dealing with the grain storage for the winter months, and fast on its heels would be the post-Harvest and Letum Festival. Soon, he would be far too busy to wonder about her life on that distant planet, and perhaps, with time, like the memories of the war this ache would fade away into nothing. Maybe, he'd forget her.

No… I'll never forget her… Van thought his eyes drifting closed and his gloved hand rising to grip the delicate chain that kept that promise alive between them. Not even when I'm old…

For a moment he played with the idea of trying, just once more, to see her. To appear in her world, if only faintly and see what she was doing, but he knew bitterly well that even if he had the time to glimpse in and recover from its affects now, he still wouldn't see her. They had lost contact three years back. The gentle thrum of emotions not his own, used to linger on the fringe of his thoughts, and for that first year he'd sharply felt things from her. Fear, anxiousness, sorrow, desperateness, hope, joy, and various others he couldn't name but were so strong they would send him to his knees. For the stronger ones, he'd usually tap back, attempting to question her. The response was hard to describe, even harder to figure out—emotions could be rather difficult to translate and were painfully non-specific—but he was given the impression that she hadn't wanted to tell him.

That she was hiding something from him.

Fair enough, she had her own life, and she was allowed secrets. At least, that's what he tried to tell himself. Truth of the matter was he didn't like it. And as the years passed by and she continued to keep her silence, he eventually stopped asking, stopped listening. He wasn't even sure when he'd stopped feeling them all together. Regardless, he reached inside for the part of him that held the green-eyed girl so dear. He focused on what he recalled about her; her short, light-colored hair, the soft plains of her face, the high cheekbones, the large green eyes, the metallic foreign scent that clung to her clothes and skin, and the way she said his name, sharp and with the bite of an accent. He'd always liked the way she pronounced his name. The softened, smothered quality to the first constanant, making it sound more like a 'b' than a 'v', the elongated vowel that somehow sounded seductive even when she was lecturing him, and of course the sudden end that was the only familiar articulation of it. His stomach clenched with simple memory alone.

"Van!"

There was a sudden flicker behind closed eyes. An image, gone as swiftly as it had been, and he grew still. It was coldly reminiscent of the time he'd been attempting to find the invisible guymelefs using Hitomi's dowsing technique. He grasped at the fading images, trying to pull it back. What is this…? He didn't want to hope that he had somehow reopened the long dead link, but when the flash returned giving him the impression of a cold night, a long black path that looped around a familiar field with arena like seating, he was left with little choice.

That's the place where we first met… where I faced the right of succession. Van was amazed as the image seemed to flicker in and out, fading and clearing with the tempo of his heart. With each intermission he became aware of a pressure, a deep resonance of pain, remorse, guilt and fear. The intensity was nearly enough to send him gasping for breath. Was this what it was like for her each time she had a vision? If it was, he could understand how her heart had stopped during their journey. His own heart labored with the sensations, sympathetically linking with them and pounding through him as if they were his own.

What—?

"Lord Van!" The screech made his ear ring harshly and startled him violently from his thoughts. His precarious balance nearly gave him an unintended flight from the roof, and he was left scrabbling at the roof tiles a moment before a furred hand reach out to steady him. "Wow, haven't see you do that in a while." His savior laughed, tugging him back into a seated position and the muddiness of his thoughts cleared enough for him to recognize his assailant.

"Merle!" He snapped, well, it was less than his usual commanding tone, but it got his point across well, at least he always thought it had, but from the way she rolled her eyes and removed her hand from his wrist to flop beside him on her back, hand cradling her head as she too stared up at the moons, said otherwise.

"You were really out of it, Lord Van." It was a simple statement of fact, but it brought back the vision. He flinched pushing it away.

There was no proof that that was actually what Hitomi was feeling now, and really, what could he do about it? She had cut him off, she had kept her secrets and who was he to pry? His uselessness irked him and he turned back to looking over Fanelia, the one thing he could protect

"What did you need Merle?" He asked as a buffer to the impending questions she was most likely to make. From her pout he had been right to cut her short.

A bubble of humor filled him and helped to alleviate the last of the chill from that vision, or whatever it was he'd seen. There was nothing he could do about it anyway. A king couldn't just leave his kingdom to gallivant around a strange world because she might need his help. She might not even want it… Van pushed those thoughts aside completely, turning to face Merle and her puffed out cheeks and glare, and a startled smile lit his face. "Merle, you know there is this old wives tale about contorting your face for too long…"

"Oh hush up." Merle snapped crossing her arms and turning away from him. She was always this way and he was grateful for her childishness at times. It had made rebuilding the kingdom bearable and had kept him from losing sight of the important things in life. For several moments there was companionable silence, both just enjoying the late evening air before winter's chill made it unbearable and then Merle attempted once more to talk.

"You know, sooner or later those blood-suckers are going to start pressuring you for an heir." It was said flippantly but the intent was clear and caused him to frown at his less than favorite topic.

"And they will just have to wait as they did with my father."

"Lord Van, King Gaou was in the midst of a war when he was crowned and spent most of his early years fighting. They didn't have a choice but to wait."

"As did I Merle." The rebuff kept her quite for a time and he felt both gratified and guilty for his comment. Though he understood what she meant, loud and clear, it still rankled deeply. "I know that they have stayed quiet because of the war and reconstruction. I know that now they will start to get restless but that is not a concern I wish to entertain at this time." He paused, again looking over the land that he was so very proud and protective of and felt himself calm. "I just wish to rest a moment. To look at what we have achieved and feel comforted by it. Is that so much to ask?" He turned to face her and found an odd expression. "What?"

"Lord Van," She paused and opened her mouth several times before letting out an angry sound and sitting back up. "They didn't just keep quite because of that."

He waited for her to expound and when she didn't he frowned and prompted her. "And what reason did they wait then?"

Morose eyes met his, the look one he knew to be a shadow left over from the war and he tensed in preparation. "Van." The absence of title told of how serious and personal this next inquiry would be; for both of them. He tried to steady himself, but the minute the words left her lips he knew he was unprepared. "Everyone knows you're going to marry Hitomi, so why don't you just go get her already?"

"Four years… if you still…. I'll wait, four years."

Van shook his head to free it from the memory of words and pushed it all to the back of his mind, refusing to entertain the emotions that spurred him, and focused on the moment. They had both made their decisions and it was impossible to turn back now.

"Lord Van…?" Merle reverted sounding concerned and looking worried, and it startled the confession from him.

"It's too late."

"Huh?" Merle looked highly confused and sat back staring at him for several long moments. His whispered statement was all he intended to give her however, and it soon became apparent to her as well. "Lord Van… what do you mean?"

There was a sharp thrill of pain then, one that seemed odd for such an old wound and Van shook his head, ignoring the heat against his chest where the pendant glowed eerily beneath the collar of his shirt. "Exactly what I said."

He was sharper than he'd intended to be but that rush of pain had yet to dissipate and close on its heels was terror, but that couldn't be right. This conversation had been long in coming, he knew it as certainly as he had known there was no way to correct it or stop it. The pain had receded in the last two years to the point of faded regret and nothing more. So why..?

"… But, you haven't said anything!" Merle snapped gripping his arm as he made to stand and holding him still. "What's too late? What happened, you can't say you stopped caring because you come out here at least once a week! You love her, Lord Van, I can tell and—"

He cut her off with a tug that broke her grip and turned to her with an angered glare. "You can tell? That's great Merle but what exactly does that prove? So we loved each other once," She flinched at the past tense and he took sick satisfaction in that. "Certainly that love has not faded, but love is not everything."

"…Lord Van…"

"Love is a privilege and a blessing, but it does not guarantee a Kingdom. It does not satisfy the loss of one's family nor does it replace a life one left behind. It doesn't stave off catastrophe, it doesn't guarantee a marriage, and it certainly doesn't procure a miracle." It was the bitter truth he'd come to realize when he found he could live without Hitomi present. He was content without her by his side, and he could find meaning and joy in his life without needing her with him. That in no way stopped the yearning and the wish he had to see her again, and that didn't mean he wanted to live without her, just that he could.

And if he could, then so could she.

That was the most painful epiphany of all.

"We may love each other Merle, but she has her life on her world to occupy her, and I have Fanelia to rule and worry about." His words were causing those blue eyes to turn glassy, and he was reminded that Merle had not had to grow up the same way they had. Sure she was no novice to the pain of the world and the cold realities of life, but she was still naïve when it came to romantic love, and he was dashing her young ideals and dreams about the subject. Reaching out he gently stroked her head, much the same way he had done when she was a child and watched as she blinked several times. "It's alright Merle. We both made our decisions, and it does no good to regret them now."

"But… but… Lord Van—" Again her words broke off when the pendant gave off a harsh glimmer that caught both of their attention and several things correlated at once:

He momentarily lost himself in a rush of sensations and could not decipher what he actually felt, from what the emotions were impressing upon him, and then in the midst of the chaos, he heard a mental scream that tore him apart; shredded him inside, left him to bleed out.

Their link had been violently thrown open.

Hitomi! The pain blocked him out entirely, and he knew she couldn't feel anything aside from her anguish, but it didn't stop him from trying. What happened? What's wrong? Tell me something! Again no response, but the feel of the moment shifted, faded, and he was left reaching for a heart; a mind, which was drifting away from him, and at the end he caught a trail of words, the end of a desperate plea as the empty track and invading mind blinked out; "Give him back…"

Van shook his head, heart thundering at the accusation he had felt in her cry, and he was suddenly aware of himself again. Merle was gripping his arms attempting to steady him as he sagged. Sweat beaded his brow and he was gasping for air. He was a right mess and couldn't find the strength of will to fight it. What… was that? Hitomi? What happened…?

The link only pulsed at the back of his mind with worry, doubt, guilt, and fear. Whatever it was, it was clear it was mostly emotional. He couldn't write out physical harm, though the 'taste' of her pain seemed less mendable. It was hard again to describe how he knew, he just did, and it stopped him from running off like the fifteen-year-old he had been, impatient to have her back with him.

"Van!" Merle's near hysterical yelling finally broke through his thoughts and he lifted his own hands to grip hers back, forcing himself to stand.

"I'm all right."

"All right?! Lord Van, you just—" It seemed she would never be able to finish her arguments today as a blue beam of light illuminated the sky, spearing down to the earth just outside of Fanelia. It glimmered down just beyond the forests, and he knew, with the certainty that had led him to Hitomi's side during the middle of the war, that the light would land just on the border between the main capitol and Arzas.

Shock was the most prevalent emotion, both he and Merle watching as the fragments of light dispersed and the night returned to its usual dimness. Silence returned, as though the appearance of the light had not even occurred, and perhaps if he'd had more time he could have made himself believe that it was nothing more than a figment of his hopes and dreams, but Merle seemed more positive and hopeful than he and forced both of them into action.

"What are you waiting for, Lord Van, go get her!" Merle's words were punctuated by the shocking action of her tearing his shirt off of his person, not caring how the fabric caught his nose and ears on the way up and sent his hair into a messy disarray worse than usual.

"M—Merle!"

"No! There is no time!" She snapped promptly tearing the shirt from him and in a move that shocked him even more than the beam of light, shoved him off the edge of the roof. It was only due to self-preservation and his wings that kept him from certain death.

"Merle, what has gotten into you?!"

"No! You can yell at me later, just go and get her!"

"Her? Merle, there is no—" She cut him off, shoving at his shoulders when he tried to alight on the roof beside her.

"Look, your pendant glows, you have a fit and a blue beam of light descends from the mystic moon! Who else could it possibly be?" Merle did have a point, but he didn't want to dare and hope, after all, if she was here, what was she running from? He wasn't certain if he could handle her returning if it was not to simply be with him. "Stop thinking so much and go! Before someone else grabs her!"

She had a point. Even if it wasn't Hitomi, the last time a visitor from the Mystic Moon had arrived a war began and the winning side was aided by that person. Could he really risk this?

Turning, heart thrumming in his chest in long denied hope, Van turned in the direction of the light, and flew. His wings would be faster than any horse or Guymelef, and he knew that unless someone had been passing through that exact spot, he would likely be the first to arrive. Well, unless Ruhm's men are on patrol again… It was nearly too nostalgic to bear, and Van shoved it from his thoughts, focusing instead on the current beneath his wings, and the chill rush of air over his bared skin.

XX

The trip was over quickly, and he was not surprised to find a ring of Beast-men, Ruhm at its center, gathered around a small form in the tall grass. He couldn't make out any defining features from his position in the air and descended quickly. He would have retracted his wings immediately, but those from Arzas were not as narrow-minded, nor superstitious as many others. It was still uncomfortable showing his wings off but the beast-men were less likely to be frightened by his Draconian blood then men were, and since he would need to return swiftly to Fanelia, it might be best to leave them out.

"King Fanel." Ruhm greeted, his expression welcoming but no less alert. "I expected to see you here."

"Am I so predictable?" He returned with a slight tilt of his lips, and the older male grinned shaking his head.

"Anyone who knows about Lady Hitomi would know that if a column of light appears in the sky close enough to be viewed by Fanelia, then you will not be far behind." His knowing look said that his arrival only proved his point and Van let it slide, finally having the courage to glance down at the being that had descended.

"It is not her." Van wasn't even aware that he had spoken aloud until Ruhm replied with a solemn rumble to his words, a large hand lifted to scrub the back of his head.

"No, it is not the Lady Hitomi. I had expected to find her as well upon our arrival."

Van was reminded of Merle's comment about everyone believing that he was merely holding out to marry Hitomi, and turned back to face the small visitor.

It was a child; small, and if he had to guess no older than four or five. He was dressed in a large baggy blue top, and dark blue shorts that just covered the tops of his knobby knees. His feet were clad in white socks and nothing more, the bottoms of which were stained a dark black, making it clear he had been out with no shoes for some time.

The child was curled upon his side, unconscious, little body in a near fetal position, hand held close to his mouth. His skin was pale, much the same as Hitomi's had been, and he assumed he was probably from her homeland from the similar construct of his features. A shock of unruly black hair lay in a messy tangle about his head and Van felt minor pity recognizing that mass of wiry, uncontrollable chaos. If the child's hair was anything like his own, he would never be able to control it.

"What do you think this means?" Ruhm asked at his side, also surveying the quiet child. It was clear the other male had been expecting a great blessing in Hitomi's arrival and was left instead with a great worry. This child's coming could mean the end for the tenuous peace, or it could mean nothing at all. Either way, for now they had no answers.

"I don't know." Truthfulness was not always best, but where Ruhm was concerned, he trusted the other enough to do so. "I have no clue what this could mean, but I will find out." He met the golden stare of the beast man. Slowly, Ruhm nodded.

"I do not doubt that you will."

Van inclined his head, a show of thanks for the faith given him, and bent to gather the small bundle into his arms. The boy weighed near to nothing and his clothes smelled distinctly of metal. Hitomi's scent. Van, shook his head and settled his burden against himself.

With a groan, the kid rolled, curling closer and a small dirtied thumb found its way into his mouth. Curled as close as he was, Van was able to detect a smell beneath the cloying cling of metallic heat; the harvest wind. It was at such odds that for a moment, he thought maybe he was just smelling a stray breeze from around them, but the season wasn't quite right for it. Odd… maybe the seasons are different on the Mystic Moon…

Ruhm made a considering sound then, and drew his attention away from his tiny cargo. "What is it?"

"Hum?" Large golden eyes blinked at him, obviously brought from deep in thought and then the furred head shook in the negative. "Oh, no, it's nothing, just a stray observation."

"Please, any help on this would be welcome." Van implored, knowing well how acute a beast-man's senses and hunches could be.

"It's just, perhaps this is a good omen after all."

"How so?" He couldn't really see what a child from the Mystic Moon could possibly represent, aside from the fact that the parents must be desperately worried by now. He momentarily thought of Allen. Knowing how his sister's disappearance had basically dictated his life made him a little desperate to find a way to send this poor kid home. First though, he had to make certain the kid knew nothing of this world and was no threat to Gaea.

"Well, it seems good fortune to me to find a child so reminiscent of our King." Ruhm's look softened and he reached out to stroke the boy's hair gently. Baffled, Van looked at him and awaited an explanation. When Ruhm pulled his hand back he finally gave one. "I have known you since you were a small child driving your brother and Mother to distraction."

Van coughed and tried to fight back a blush reminded of his childish actions and stunts growing up. The fact that this man he respected could still view him like that rankled deeply, and he wondered if that was how most of his advisors viewed him. "Your point is?"

"I meant no offense, King Fanel." Ruhm amended probably sensing Van's increasing hostility. "I was only trying to point out that this boy looks remarkably like you did as a child. It is, in my view, a good omen that a stranger should share something with one so respected and revered." Had that statement come from anyone else, Van would have suspected that he was kissing his royal backend, but Ruhm only said what he meant and was often times exceedingly blunt to the point of near rudeness. If he was giving a compliment, he truly meant it.

"Thank you, Ruhn. I hope you're hunch is correct."

The beast-man's smile said what neither could.

With the last of the pleasantries out of the way, and a promise to send word should he discover anything, Van took to the air once more. The weight of the child hardly affected him, and it was an easy flight back with no extra exertion made. Somehow that was disheartening and only served to remind him that it was not Hitomi he was transporting back with him.

Glancing down at his burden he tried to see the resemblance that Ruhm had. Aside from the mussed up black hair and possibly the shape of his eyes, the kid looked nothing like him. His features were far more similar to Hitomi's. Japanese. She referred to her country as Japan. Looking more closely he decided that perhaps the child's nose was more pronounced than Hitomi's but then again who could tell on a growing child.

Setting it aside as nothing more than their hair being similar and the fact that the other was hoping for this to be a good sign, Van ignored Ruhm's comment entirely. Strangers could often share traits that other's would swear to be identical, when it was really nothing more than the person's own romanticized view. He refused to see this as a good sign, or anything at all until he had more information. It is likely just a mistake. Like what had brought Hitomi's grandmother here in the first place.

He just hoped the repercussions weren't as bad this time around.

Mentally making lists in his head Van never noticed the distance traveled nor the look of surprised shock on Merle's face when he returned. There was much he needed to do, starting with notifying the Alliances. Allen, Millerna, Dryden, and Chid had been essential to the reconstruction of not just Fanelia but the current peace treaty, and he was certain that they would aid him now, in whatever this turned out to be.

A.N. Right so, sorry if Van is OOC but I am attempting to "Age" him a bit. It has been seven difficult years and his personality was always a little arrogant and harsh to begin with, I'm simply playing it up a little. Now on to a few translations and references…

Fortuna: Fate (Latin)

Letum: Death (Latin) – their version of Halloween/the day of the dead etc.

Carus: Beloved/Costly (Latin)

Fatum: Fate (Latin)

Latin words: .

I decided that since nearly every country has its own version of 'Halloween" or a day in which they celebrate the dead, I decided that Fanelia would have one as well. It follows the more Pagan Ideals for the holiday but there you have it, and I threw Carus and Fatum together to create Beloved Fate/Costly Fate as the name of the new Era since they strove so hard for it. As for the Era of Lotica and the Year, yeah I threw Lotica in because its from the Lyrics in the latin song from the movie. Feel free to hate it.

Year Start: title/tt0138919/

As for the year that the original story started, I decided that the since the show was originally created in 1996 that I was going to say that the original show took place then in the spring since its rather implied that Amano is graduating and going to college abroad, and since the new school semester in Japan is in early spring I decided that it was in April when this all took place. As for Van and Hitomi's ages…

. and . is where I found their birth days and subtracting 15 years from 1996 places Hitomi's birth date as December 9, 1981 and Van's as April 13, 1982. This is what I'm using, sorry if it's incorrect.

Dates and Moons: calendar/?year=2004&country=26

Okay, as for the moon phases I actually looked them up and the above link is where I went to find out what cycle our moon was in and I just made the other match it. So yes, on September 10th of 2003 the moon was full in Japan.

Thank you and please review!