Hitomi was greatly enjoying being spun around the dance floor. It had been a long time since she had enjoyed herself so much. She was back in Gaea, she was at a feast partially in her honor, on the dancefloor with a handsome man from Asturia. The only thing that could have made it better was if the man had been Van instead. The the thought didn't last long as she was twirled once more, and then dipped low almost to the floor. She looked up into the face of her dance partner and studied his face for the first time. He was fair, like most Asturians, with blue eyes, but his features were sharp. He had lines just beginning to form at the corners of his eyes, but that was the only sign of age that Hitomi could see. His hair was fairly short, but it was long enough to fall into his face. He carried himself with perfect grace on the dance floor. Hitomi wondered if he was as graceful at all times.

The song ended, and the Asturian lead Hitomi to the edge of the dance floor. He bowed to Hitomi and placed a light kiss on the back of her hand. "I apologize, I did not introduce myself before. I know who you are, if only by rumor, but I doubt you know who I am."

Hitomi listened attentively as he spoke. Did all Asturians have such smooth voices? Despite the comparison, this gentleman barely reminded her of Alan at all otherwise.

"My name is Daniel. Daniel Evelyn, Ambassador of Asturia. I have heard many stories of you and your involvement with winning the war against Zaibach. I would be honored if I could hear a few directly from you."

Hitomi was not used to being known, let alone by ambassadors of kingdoms. The idea made her nervous, but at the same time this man, Daniel, somehow made her feel more at peace. "I would be honored to tell you some of the stories, sir Ambassador."

"'Daniel' is just fine. 'Sir Evelyn' if you find 'Daniel' to be too familiar." Daniel bowed once more. "Farewell lady Hitomi of the Mystic Moon, we shall meet again. Thank you for the lovely dance." It seemed to Hitomi that Daniel somehow wrapped silk around each and every word. The way he said her name actually gave her chills, though that may have just been the number of drinks she had already had. Daniel turned and strode into the crowds surrounding the dance floor and disappeared.

There were chairs placed all around the edge of the dance floor, and Hitomi dropped herself into one. What was that? It didn't help that thinking about Van either made her sad or angry. Sir Evelyn was so gallant. The music was playing again and Hitomi could feel herself swaying to it. She closed her eyes to enjoy the sweet sound.

"Hitomi."

Hitomi opened her eyes. Van was standing beside her. Her heart beat a little bit faster and she could feel her face flush. Perhaps she shouldn't have had so much to drink.

"I would like to speak with you, if you don't mind." Van offered his hand.

Hitomi noticed that Van was being more polite than usual. He was definitely being more gracious than the last time they spoke. She would not yell this time, but she didn't think she could forgive yet either. Van lead her to a small room off the side of the hall.

They stood in the darkened room, the light of the hall streaming through the door. Van had lead the way in and was facing away from Hitomi. "I wanted to apologize for yesterday…" He said quietly. "I just… I couldn't imagine you would do such a thing. It… it hurt me to know you could."

Hitomi had not expected such a direct apology. It was not something she remembered Van doing easily. She felt a little guilty. She had known that if she died, it would have hurt him, but she thought that her success would be enough to make up for it. "Van… I only wanted to come back."

"No." Van suddenly seemed more tense. "You did not only want to come back! You wanted to come back or die. That's what you said before, that's what I felt when you jumped." Van turned around to face Hitomi and took her by the shoulders. "You didn't care if you died. If you couldn't make it, if I wasn't able to pull you here, you wanted to die!"

Hitomi was too intoxicated to keep her emotions under control, she didn't want to yell, but when she spoke it came out with more force than she intended. "Of course I wanted to die! Van, there was nothing left for me! I was alone! You were gone, completely! The only time I felt you was the first time I almost jumped, if Yukari hadn't been there I probably would have done it then!" Tears had begun running down Hitomi's cheeks. Why was she yelling? She wanted so badly to patch things up. Couldn't he understand how alone she was? How empty her life on earth had become? "How could you leave me behind! You say you did it to keep me from hurting, but hurting and knowing you were there was better than hurting and knowing you were not!"

"How could you want to throw away the only thing in any world I truly care about!" Van seized Hitomi's face between his hands. Hitomi looked up into Van's face. There were tears in his eyes as well. "Hitomi... If I were to lose you… we barely made it through the last war with Zaibach…if you didn't make it this time… as long as you are alive somewhere... To me, that is the only thing that matters, even if it means we can't be together. That is what I realized after you were gone."

Their faces were so close. Hitomi was suddenly very aware of how alone they were. She could hear the music playing through the cracked door of the small room. Van's hands were warm on her cheek. They quivered slightly against her skin. His eyes were rimmed with water. She could just barely feel his breath pass over her lips. Before Hitomi knew what was happening, Van put his arms around her and swiftly pulled her against his chest.

"Perhaps it was selfish to cut myself off from you, but I thought it would be best in the long run… maybe I should have waited, but… It was too much for me. I was afraid that if I didn't, I might end up pulling you back here myself…"

"Van…" Hitomi's head rested against Van's chest. She could hear his heart beat. He tightened his hold around her, and she put her arms around him. Hitomi could feel the pendant around Van's neck pressing into her own flesh through Van's shirt.

Hitomi could hear some commotion outside their small room. The music had stopped and there were raised voices, but Hitomi couldn't make out what they were saying. At the moment, she didn't really care. She was finally in Van's arms. This was why she had come back, why she had risked everything. Hitomi heard footsteps at the door.

"Your Highness." Van's embrace around Hitomi relaxed and he stepped back. One hand continued to rest on Hitomi's shoulder. " There is a messenger from Asturia. It is urgent."

At that moment the images from Hitomi's dream flashed into her mind. Could this be it? Was it about to begin? Perhaps this was the real reason she had come back. "Van, I have to tell you something important."

"It will have to wait." Van turned to the man at the door. " Bring the Asturian messenger to my Solar, and have my advisors as well as the current delegation of Asturia meet me there." The man bowed and left. Van turned back to Hitomi. He paused for a moment, his eyes searching her face. "Time to go be King." Van turned and strode out of the room.

"Van!" Hitomi was too late. She had to tell him about her dream. With all of the tension between them, she had almost forgotten the troubles facing Gaea. As much as she had come back for Van, she had also come back because she missed Gaea. Now that Van had confessed to her, she wasn't sure what she wanted to do about it. He had been afraid he would pull her back himself? She hadn't really thought that far ahead, all she had wanted was to be with him again. Their faces had been so close… his arms around her felt so warm… What would be next? If he was in so much pain before that he was afraid he would pull her back himself, what would he do know that she was here?

Hitomi left the small room to rejoin the festivities. The music had begun again and so had the dancing. Hitomi scanned the room for anyone she knew and noted than Sir Evelyn was missing. Of course he was missing, wasn't he part of the Asturian delegation? Hitomi should be in that meeting as well. She needed to tell Van, and probably everyone else who would be there, about her dream. If it was a vision, it could give them important clues about the future. Instead she was stuck at a dance with no one she knew. Well, not no one.

Merle saw her from across the room and bounded over. She seemed somewhat agitated.

"Hitomi! Did Van tell you anything? What was the messenger about?"

"I don't know… he called a meeting of the Asturian delegation."

"Ooooo… I just knew it, something is going to happen. And I thought things were about to get back to normal now that you and Van talked. You did talk right? It was good this time? Everything is okay?" Merle had a pleading look on her face.

"Yeah… I think its okay." Hitomi said. She could still feel the warmth of his arms.

The rest of the evening passed with little interruption. Hitomi mostly spent her time watching the other dancers until Talo and Stephen appeared to escort her back to her room.

Van paced back and forth at the head of the room. The seats were all occupied by his advisors and the messenger sat in the middle of the room.

"Your Highness, Princess Millerna requests your presence in Palas as soon as possible. She is calling in the counsel of all ally kingdoms."

Van stopped in front of the messenger. "Tell us again what was reported. Dalvin, make sure to write this down." Van gestured to a man with quill and paper who sat at one side of the room.

"All we have is the reports of scared witnesses, and the damage assessment from the infantry, but it seems that one of the port towns, Holdenton, was attacked by a large melef. The witnesses report there only being one, but that it was faster than anything they've ever seen. Nothing was taken. The town was simply attacked and then the melef disappeared. There is disagreement among the witnesses as to what exactly happened, but there are a few who say the melef disappeared into thin air."

The whole room was quiet. "Serril, prep the Zephyr for immediate departure. We leave first thing in the morning."

A tall man at the back of the room turned and left in haste.

Van turned to the tall blond man sitting near the door. "Ambassador Daniel, I assume your delegation will want to accompany us. You are more than welcome to travel with us in the Zephyr, but you must be prepared to leave first thing. I can't waste any time."

Daniel nodded his head and stood. "I will prepare my delegation immediately Your Highness." He turned and swept out of the room with excessive grace.

"Everyone is dismissed." Van said. He turned to Dalvin as the advisors were leaving. "Dalvin, inform Margery that Hitomi should be prepared to leave first thing in the morning."

"Sir, you are taking the Lady Kanzaki to Palas?"

"Yes, I don't want her out of my guard. Besides, there are a few people there I think she may be glad to see."

Hitomi was awoken by a sharp rapping on her door. As she became conscious she could hear a voice coming through the door as well.

"Lady Hitomi, Lady Hitomi! It's Margery, please, I have an important message."

Hitomi looked at the window to find it was still dark. She wondered what could be so important at such an hour. She thought it probably had something to do with the messenger from Asturia. She got up and through on a robe that hung near the door. She opened the door and Margery rushed passed her and began picking up her things.

"We must hurry and get you packed My Lady, the leviship leaves within the hour. I should have been here sooner, by I overslept, I'm sorry!"

Hitomi was confused. "Margery, I will pack, but where am I going? What's going on?"

"Orders from the King, you are to accompany the delegation to Asturia. The leviship, Zephyr, is leaving in less than an hour, and I'm supposed to have you on it! Hurry!" Margery was rushing around the room picking up clothes and throwing them haphazardly into Hitomi's duffle back. Hitomi was grateful she didn't have many belongings. She got herself dressed in her own clothes and helped Margery finish backing the new belongings that had been given to her since arriving in Fanelia. It was lucky that it all still fit in the one duffle bag. Hitomi shouldered the back and followed Margery out the door and through the palace.

Near the barracks, Hitomi and Margery were met by Talo and Stephen. "My Lady, are you prepared for departure?" Hitomi nodded and the group continued on their way.

The leviship was larger than Allan's Crusade. It made sense that it would be since it was the ship of a King rather than a Knights vessel. Van stood near the ramp into the ship speaking with an advisor. When he saw her he left his conversation abruptly and approached her.

"You are ready to go? You have everything you need?"

"Yes, I don't own much."

"Excellent. Margery will show you to your cabin on the Zephyr." He nodded to Margery, who bowed her head in return.

"Van, I have to talk to you." Van was already turning to leave.

"It will have to wait, it will take more than a day to reach Palas, we will have time." He turned and left.

"Van…"

"Come My Lady." Margery lead Hitomi into the leviship.

In the hallway on the way to her cabin Hitomi heard a familiar melodic voice. She turned a corner to come face to face with Sir Evelyn.

"Ah, My Lady of the Mystic Moon, we meet again." Sir Evelyn bowed his head to Hitomi, and she did the same.

"Sir Evelyn."

"I had hoped you might join us. I am still looking forward to hearing your stories of the war with Zaibach. It seems just the thing to pass the time on a long trip between kingdoms."

"I would be glad to talk with you My Lord."

"As I said before, you need not be so formal My Lady, it is I who am honored to be in your presence. Please, call me Daniel." He bowed his head again.

"Alright...Daniel, I look forward to talking." Hitomi felt somewhat unsettled by the level of attention Sir Evelyn was paying her, but his grace and calm demeanor still made him pleasant company.

"As do I My Lady." Sir Evelyn nodded and continued on his way down the hall with a couple others from the Asturian delegation.

The leviship was loaded with all of the supplies that would be needed for the voyage to Palas, and set out on it's way. Even though it was a large ship, the whirring of the propellers and the humming of the levistones served as a constant reminder that they were on the move. Hitomi had a hard time sleeping because of the constant sound, and found herself wandering to the upper decks to get some fresh air. She was surprised at the speed they were travelling. The wind rustled through her hair as she emerged on the outer deck. The mystic moon hung silently in the sky. Hitomi gazed up at the home she left. She missed her mother, and she missed Yukari, but this time she could look up knowing that it had been her choice to come here, and that they wished her well. Hitomi leaned on the railing of the leviship. The grass far below almost looked like water in the moonlight.

"It's beautiful isn't it." Van suddenly appeared beside her. He leaned his elbows on the railing and sighed. "It's been a long time since I've been able to get out of the palace. I've missed these journeys. Come to think of it I don't think I've been to Palas since before you left. I've travelled around Fanelia some, but I just sent Ambassadors to far away places. This seems somewhat like old times."

Hitomi wasn't sure what to say. She hadn't been alone with Van since the welcoming celebration. Being with him felt different than it did the last time she was on Gaea. After they had finally realized how they felt, Hitomi had left for Earth. They had never really spoken about it or had much time alone after defeating Zaibach. Before that they had been friends, and colleagues. He had protected her, but there hadn't been anything more. Now she was as nervous as the time Allan confessed to her.

"It does feel like old times. And it doesn't…" Van said. Hitomi was glad that he couldn't see her blush in the moonlight. Was he as nervous as she was? It was one thing for Hitomi to hurt because they were separate, and to desperately want to come back, but it was another thing entirely to be faced with him actually being there next to her… especially after their fights. She could feel his presence next to her. What should she do? She wanted to reach out and place her hand over his, but couldn't bring herself to do it. He was right there, but he still seemed out of her reach. He was officially a King now. Hitomi hadn't really thought about that yet. To her he was always just Van, but since coming here she had finally seen him as the King of Fanelia. She glanced over at him. He sure wasn't dressed as a King. He was dressed just as he always had been. It was hard to imagine that he ran a whole country.

He glanced her way and she quickly turned her gaze back to the grass below them. Hitomi finally found her voice.

"It does feel like old times… but not all in a good way. Van… Why are we going to Palas?"

Van heaved a sigh. "I didn't want to bring you into this… but I suppose I did just by bringing you along. I'm sure you've heard the rumors about unrest in Gaea."

"People disappearing."

"Yes. Well, it's gone beyond that. There was an attack on one of the border towns of Asturia. If it was raiders or something we wouldn't think anything of it, that happens all the times on border towns. But this attack was by a melef. The reports say it was the fastest one ever seen. Even this wouldn't worry me beyond reason, only… this border town happens to be a port town between Asturia and Zaibach. If I am correct in my fears, this may mean the war with Zaibach is about to reignite." Van sighed again and hung his head. It appeared the weight of this news hung heavy around the neck of the King.

Hitomi didn't want to add to his worry, however she finally had her opportunity. "Van, I need to tell you about something."

Van lifted his head and looked at Hitomi.

"Before I came back… months before actually, I had a dream like the ones I used to have here. There was fire everywhere. Palas lay in ruins, and there were melefs. I couldn't see everything clearly, but Asturia had been laid to waste..and… So had Fanelia. That was the first thing I saw actually. Anyway, this dream keeps coming back, and I get glimpses of it even when I'm waking now that I'm back. I don't know what it means. I don't know whether it's a vision of things that will happen or things that may happen, but part of the reason I came back was to make sure it wouldn't. Van, let me help. Don't keep me out of this, please."

Van had a darkness surround him. "I thought you didn't like war."

"I don't, that's why I want to prevent it."

"There may be no preventing it. I want you safe. You should have come to me sooner about this dream."

"I tried."

"If I had only known… I shouldn't have brought you along. I thought if I kept you near me I could keep you safe but… you're already involved."

"Van." Hitomi was getting annoyed. So what if he was King, he couldn't order her to stay behind, she wasn't one of his subjects after all. "Van, I would have found a way to come anyway."

"Than maybe I would have had to lock you up!" Van pounded his fists on the railing of the ship. Hitomi stood silently stunned as Van continued. "All I want is for you to be safe. That's all I've ever wanted, and now that I know how I feel, I can't focus if I think you may be in danger… but… you're here now."

"I am here now… let me be of use." Hitomi stood up straight in her most defiant pose. Van put his hands up to his neck and lifted the lanyard for the pendant over his head. He held it in his hands for a moment, then held it out to Hitomi.

"Here. You're back. This belongs in your keeping. Perhaps it will strengthen your vision so we may see what is to come. Once, you refused to aid in my fight because you did not want the violence to continue. Perhaps this time, you can help prevent it from beginning. I only hope I can protect you."

Hitomi lifted the pendant from his hands. Van turned and walked down the deck then disappeared inside on of the doors.

Hitomi held the pendant delicately in her hands. It felt light. It had been so long since she held it. Her grandmother's pendant, the gift that gave her Gaea. She lifted the pendant and placed the lanyard around her neck.