Fae Rain- me too, and i found out that Kohawko (sorry if i miss spelled) from InuYasha is the same voice actor as Chid!

mic - ya i couldn't see Chid wallowing for too long.

mysisterthinksimasquijum- we use puppy eyes, because it supposidly makes things go quicker

Ishimaru- wow, u actually sat there and read it all... cool

Kat57- yes, yes.

trekker4life- hehe yeah i was wanting to use that line for a while.

xXFoolishXx- sorry that it wasn't soon, but here is the next chapter.

Snowtigress- yes the ring dose tell all. and if you want a really good allen bashing fic try "lets run away insead." its hallarous.

escadoom - you know that might just work...

Kogayjilynz- sorry not soon, but i got my reasons why.

Macky- as allways

KriegHerr- note toself; if KriegHerrdosen't review for long time got new hobbie.

Pure hope- you're so mean to me, but i gotta lov ya

EternalAffliction- why thank you very much

math-nerds-unite- --' ahhhhhh better late then never?

Dragon Star16- yes, now they are.

A/N: yes, i am alive. and i am so so so so so so so so so so so so so so sorry that it has been a very long time scince i have updated, but let me explain myself before you tie me to a chair and shive extra chunky penutbutter up my nose.

i had gotten bout 1/2 the chap written on my disk, then when i was getting rid of stuff that i didn't need anymore, i accedently deleted it, so that took bout a weeks worth of work and through me off from writing for bout another week or so, then i had to rewrite it, and i now have a part-time job every few nights at a bingo hall (and no i do not call out the numbers) and last Sat. i burnt my left hand so bad that i went to emerge, and to top it all off i caught a major case of writters block.

so as you may notice the little scroller tab is smaller then usuall, meaning that this is a very long chapter (over 2 000 words)

so enjoy!

Chapter 27: This Means WAR!

"We shall have a feast in celebration of this wonderess news." Said Chid after Van and Hitomi officially announced their engagement. Hitomi was about to argue that it wasn't necessary to have the cooks make an entire feast over the fact that she and Van were finally getting married. But a look from Van told her that if she refused the Duke's kindness, they would insult him, and they didn't want to do that.

"Thank you." Was all she said.

"Van, would it be best if we postpone our work until tomorrow?" asked the prince.

"Actually I would like to try and get all of it done today, if that is at all possible."

"Ah, yes of course."

"Hitomi, you will be alright all on your own for the day?" Van asked in a whisper so that only Hitomi could hear.

"I'm sure that I'll find something to do, Van." She replied just as softly, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze under the table.

She was board.

Oh, so very board.

Because Chid's trip to Faneila was cut short, both he and Van had agreed to renew their countries trade contracts after Millerna's coronation, when they were in Godashim. So that meant that Merle and Kagen –both being part of Van's advisory council- were also in the meeting. And upon hearing that Van and Hitomi were to be wed Celena had dragged Allen down to the city to go shopping, for she and Hitomi had quickly became friends during their trip to Asturia.

So she was on her own.

She had walked around the gardens –several times- and wandered around the castle, and yet they were still in the meeting, which she wasn't allowed in because it technically didn't concern her –yet. So she was stuck just wandering around board out-of-her-mind.

After a few minutes she found the 'melef training grounds, where five men were training. Seeing that she had nothing better to do, she quickly found a spot that was out of their way and just watched them. She stood there for a quarter of an hour before one of the men realised that they had a spectator, and a woman spectator at that. He dismounted and strode over to where she was.

"I'm sorry miss, but you can not stay here, it is too dangerous."

Hitomi was about to say that she would not get in their way, and that all she wanted to do was to watch, but the guy anticipated what she was going to say, cut her off. "And if you are looking for a husband, you will have to look elsewhere, for we are all happily married, or betrothed."

Hitomi looked at the guy like he had told her –convincingly- that pigs could fly. She made sure that he was done talking before she answered him. "I a-sure you, I am not looking for a husband, I was merely admiring your fighting technique."

He looked at her in total disbelief.

'Could she be-?'

"Hey, Osanai! What's the hold up?" asked another one of the men, who had also dismounted and strode over to where the two were standing. "Oh, hello, Lady Hitomi. What brings you to the practice courts this early in the day?"

Hitomi recognized the new comer as Shinneri, one of the Freidian knights who had been part of the traveling party- he had been the first to challenge her- and upon finding that she blushed quite easily, tried to get her to blush at every turn.

"Everyone is in the meeting." She simply said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Well, since you've got time to kill, why don't you practice with us? I'm sure the guys won't mind. Do you Osanai?"

At hearing his name, Osanai snapped out of his stupor, "Ah, n-no, I don't mind. It would an honor."

"No, really I couldn't."

"And why not?" argued Shinneri, "They let you learn how to use a sword on that plannet, why not let you pilot a 'melef?"

"Mainly because there are no 'melefs there."

"What! Then how do you defend your country?"

"Well… it's a long and complicated story, that covers thousands of years."

"Well then… we shall just teach you. You wouldn't believe how quickly this girl picks things up." He said to Osanai "A bunch of us were showing her some moves and it only took her 'bout three tries before she got the moves right, and besides the guy who usually makes up our six, his wife just had a baby boy last night so you'll even things up."

There were no objections from the other guys once they were told who their spectator was, and what Shinneri suggested- plus it was always fun watching newbes. There was lots of laughter and jokes- mostly at Hitomi expense- until she got the hang of being in a guymelef, and impressed the guys at how quickly she adapted to being in one of those 'buckets of scrap metal'- it usually took a knight a week to adjust. And it wasn't long till she stated winning her matches.

"I thought that I'd find you here!" Hitomi looked through the visor of the borrowed guymelef, and saw that Celena was standing in the same spot that she had been. "It's time to get ready for the feast."

Judging from the attenuated shadows, Hitomi knew that she was right.

After bidding farewell to the guys, Hitomi followed Celena to the bathhouse for a well needed bath.

Celena has excellent taste in clothing, or so that was what Hitomi believe.

Once the blond had heard that there was a formal feast to be held that night for the celebration of Van Fanel and Hitomi Kanzaki's wedding, and knowing that the sandy hared girl had nothing that would be suitable to wear to such an event, Celena had persuaded Allen to take her to the market so that she could get Hitomi an early wedding gift.

The two girls had quickly became friends on the weeklong journey to Austuria, being two of the few known women on Gaea who could wield a sword.

The gown the Celena had bought wasn't a gown at all, but a bodice with paints that were designed to look like a full-length skirt.

"I had heard about the time that you ruined one of Queen Millerna's dresses." The blue eyed girl simply said for an explanation.

He hadn't seen Hitomi all day. The meeting had taken longer then he anticipated, and then Orden had practically forced him to get ready for the feast that night as soon as the meeting ended. So when the time came for him to go and get her so that they could go to the feast together, he felt like running down the hall to her room. But the years of training had put a quick stop to that.

He came to her door just as Celena was coming out, and she politely smiled at him, and disappeared into her room –which was right across the hall.

"Hi-tomi?" he called, not quite sure if she was still getting ready.

"Come on in, Van." She called cheerfully. She was sitting in front of her vanity, brushing her hair.

"Are you ready to go?" she nodded, and put her hairbrush down.

He held out his arm for her to take. "Umm, Van?"

"Yes?"

"Before the wedding I should really go back and say good-bye to everyone." She said a little timidly, unsure of what his reaction would be.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you." He said." And if you don't mind waiting, after we get back to Faneila, and we officially announce it to the people, and I deal with any pressing matters, I would like to go with you."

"Really?" she asked, "You're sure that you can take so much time off?"

"I am the king." He said playfully, earning himself a giggle. "And besides, Merle and Kagen will be there, and they can handle things as well as I can."

She smiled at this, and it would be nice to have him there to help prove that she was not in-fact going crazy or anything.

It was a long feast, not time-wise but because they were asked so many questions; like 'was it truly love at fist sight, like they say it was?' which was answered, "No, we were too busy either running for our life, or trying to slay the dragon." Or "When shall we expect Faneila to have an heir?"

Van had to give Hitomi credit, for she had looked the noble straight in the eye –without blushing- and answered "When the time comes, the time comes."

The food though was excellent. The cooks had really out-done themselves. Though –to Hitomi's dismay- the last course was a bird of some kind that they had redressed to look like it was never cooked or prepared at all.

So then it was placed in front of her, to her it seemed that it was looking back at her. And not feeling quite well from about the third course, and not knowing just why people called it morning sickness – her aunt who had just had a baby had it not only in the morning- hasty ran out of the semi-outdoor dinning room, and out into the garden, -away from noisy eyes and ears- and promptly lost what she had eaten.

"Hitomi? Are you alright?" asked Van.

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry, I should have warned you about that last course."

"It's alright, you didn't know, besides I don't think that it was entirely the fact that it was looking back at me."

His brows came together in slight confusion, then he remembered that she was with child

"Oh… so would you like to back to your room?"

"I think that that would be best."

"Your Majesty, I have just gotten word that the Seeress has been engaged to the Dragon,"

"WHAT!"

"Yes, it was just announced this morning."

"This will complicate things… Is the Mark with them?"

"Yes."

"Then move 'Operation Alpha' to tonight."

"Consider it done my liege."

"And remember, do not fight the dragon. They are not read just yet."

…

"Van!"

"What is it Hitomi?"

"RUN!" and with that said she grabbed his hand and started sprinting for their rooms where they had left their swords.

It was only a few minutes after Van had gone after Hitomi to see if she was all right when an all-out battle broke loose between the guards and the invaders.

Seeing that the palace was under attack again, Allen sprang into action helping the guards –he was the only guest who had brought his sword- while Chid helped everyone out through a secret door -that was hidden behind a tapestry on both sides. Then he too helped the guards –he had his customary short sword with him.

"What's the matter, Hitomi?"

"Freid's under attack."

"WHAT!" he stopped. " We have to go help!"

"With what Van? Our swords are in our rooms."

He had counted only about a dozen or so, but there could have been more hiding in the shadows or something.

Celena and Kagen had stayed behind, and had picked discarded swords, and had started helping their side. One charged at Chid, from behind while Chid was battling another, so he wasn't able to see the second intruder.

Allen quickly pushed the guy whom he was fighting down and put himself between the youth and his assailant. He was able to block the sword attack but did not see the dagger that was in the other's other hand.

"ALLEN!"

Everyone turned to see who had screamed, and saw that Hitomi and Van had returned with reinforcements.

Upon seeing the new arrivals the assailants took off running – nearly tripping over their own feet.

"Can we go and see him now?" the blue eyed prince asked the healer, once he had done every thing he could do for the Knight.

"Yes you may. But he is still asleep."

"Once again you were right Hitomi."

"Oh?"

"You said that Allen truly cared for me. And his actions today proved that." The Seeres smiled warmly at the young prince, and tried to stifle a yawn, for it was very late and she was practically falling asleep where she was. "You should really to bed, it's been a very long day for you. I can keep watch on my own."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Alright, I guess I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night Hitomi."

"Good night Prince Chid."

"YOU WHAT!

"And you call yourselves Dragon Slayers?"

"P-Please for give us!"

this chapter was brought to you in part by: escadoom (thnk you soooooooooooooooooo much!)

now tell me what you think!

please