A/N: Hey.

I'm sorry that i didn't post anything last month. I had actually thought that i had updated "Dreams" last month. But when i checked i really felt bad... and the worst part was that i had lost focus on this story. So it took a bit of time to get back in the grove.

So a big thank you goes to my friend trekker4life who got me back on track.

Arienhod - Yes, it was him. he's actually been a very busy boy.

serenityrain2233 - well i hope that this can relieve the anticipation for a little bit

trekker4life - Of course Merle's gonna have fun with him... though i think that the real fun will be in the next chapter

anonymous - obviously i don't kno who you really are. but Thank you. your review actually got me working on this again. and i've kept the email from in my mail box so that i would be reminded every time i checked my emails.

The Winggoddess - be afraid, be very afraid.

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Chapter 45: Fanelia

"I know! We'll go to the tailor down in the city to get you fitted for new clothes. And while we're doing that, I'll show you around the city."

"What's wrong with my clothes?" Mamoru asked bewildered.

Merle looked at him un-amused. "Haven't you noticed that both you and your sister stick out like sore thumbs when you wear those clothes from your planet?"

"Oh..." he murmured. When put like that, it sounded like he was one of those Martians from a Sci-fi movie or something.

"Now let's go before Norio's gets busy." She grabbed him by the wrist and started dragging him out of the castle.

"Are we going to ride on horses?" the brunet asked wearily.

"Not with the way you ride," was the reply. "I want to show you the city. And the best way to see it is by foot."

They made their way through the castle gate into the increasingly busy streets as more shops opened for the morning business while early shoppers were out looking for deals.

Merle turned out to be a good tour guide…pointing out each shop, what it sold, who own it, and waving to the passers-by. However, the one thing that Mamoru noticed the most was the number of people who stared at him. Some people stopped mid-action for crying out loud! So he was really glad when she pulled him into a store that was hopefully this Norio's.

"HELLOOOOOOOOO!" Merle called, leaning over the counter that separated the front room of the store. The back wall was laden with shelves, filled with fabric. There was an opening there, probably a doorframe before all the fabrics had obscured the way.

A young man came through the opening at Merle's call. "Ah! Lady Merle, what a pleasant surprise!" The man had dark brown hair, dark blue eyes, wearing an off-white long sleeve shirt that exposed the top of his well-toned chest with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows showing off his formed arms.

"Norio."

"What brings you here so early in the morning?"

"Him." She pointed at Mamoru bringing the shopkeeper's attention to the doctor.

"I see..."

"I need to outfit him with some proper clothes."

"Huh…Are you aware that the whole city has decided that they need to get outfitted for the wedding as well and that it'll take some time?"

"Yes, I'm aware of it all. I'm helping everyone plan their events. And I know that it's going to take time, especially since he needs formal ware on top of a complete wardrobe..." She leaned on the counter a bit more, "But all I'm looking for right now is for those extra out fits that you keep handy in the very back…in the dark corner that you keep just for me." She batted her eyelashes at the guy, and made a pouting face.

"Formal ware?" the dark brunet asked, undeterred. "Don't tell me that you've done away with Jack already, and found this guy to escort you to the wedding?" he asked in mock shock.

"No," Merle answered, glaring at him. "Jack's doing well, thank you for asking." She looked back at Mamoru, and motioned for him to join her at the counter. "This here is Lord Mamoru Kanzaki, brother to Lady Hitomi Kanzaki."

"Kanzaki?" Norio asked, awed.

'Lord?' thought Mamoru. He looked at Merle wide-eyed, and was about to say something when she shot him a warning glare that made him swallow his words.

Luckily, this exchange was missed by Norio. "I'll go see if we have anything, but don't expect too much," Norio said.

Merle turned back to the dark haired man, a sweet smile on her face. "Thank you so much."

"I'll send Grace out to get measurements," he said over his shoulder as he disappeared into the back of the store.

"Lord?" Mamoru hissed at Merle.

"Well, you are going to be part of the family in a few days, are you not?" she hissed back.

"I...guess."

"Then you had better get used to the title."

Just then, a figure came through the opening from the back of the store. She had pin-straight blond hair that was tied back in a high ponytail. She wore a purple dress, with a square neckline, and full sleeves. Around her shoulders was draped a thin cord with knots evenly spaced along it.

"Lady Merle, Lord Mamoru." She bobbed a curtsey, and then came around the counter, grabbing a piece of paper, a quill while removing the cord from her shoulders.

"Good morning, Grace," Merle greeted, moving toward a chair sitting under a window on the opposite wall from the counter. "How have you been?"

"I have been well, thank you. My husband and I have been exceedingly busy with the wedding and festival coming up," she answered, and then to Mamoru she said, "May you hold your arms out for me, please?" He did so quickly, and thought that he saw the tailor suppress a giggle.

"Festival?" Mamoru asked.

"To celebrate the upcoming wedding," a voice called out from the front entrance. All three turned toward the door where a new voice emerged. "And it's not just the city that's buzzing with anticipation, it's spread all over Gaea. So seems that it's going to be a big wedding after all. With representatives coming from every country... or at least that's what I hear."

"Hi, Sakka," Merle greeted.

"Merle." Sakka nodded.

"What brings you here?" the feline asked with narrowed eyes.

"Well... I was our doing my morning shopping when I noticed you and your... companion." The delicious smell of freshly baked bread filled the room at that moment, coming from the basket that hung from her arm, confirming her story.

The two turned their eyes to Mamoru, still standing by the counter arms out while Grace took and wrote down measurements. Merle had a look that said, 'I told you so.'

"Well, since you're going to find out one way or another, I guess I can introduce you now," Merle teased. "Sakka Sakuseisha, may I introduce you to Lord Mamoru Kanzaki."

"Kanzaki?... hmmm..." She looked him up and down in a way that had him feel very self-conscious, and made him very glad that he didn't blush like his sister. "You do look a lot like her, I must say."

Mamoru swallowed as she continued to scrutinize him. Thankfully, Norio returned to the front at that moment. He turned to Mamoru, saying, "Ah, I have found some items for you to try on."

"Okay."

"I'm done with your measurements," Grace informed him. "...You can put your arms down now."

"Ah, thank you." He then quickly followed the only other male to the back of the store, to a smallish room. Norio opened the door for him with a bow. Still on edge from meeting Sakka, Mamoru scooted around the guy, closed the door, and was immensely glad that he could also lock it.

The room reminded him of a change room from back home. Granted, it was a bit large for a standard change room, more like the size of one found in a high-end fashion shop. He guessed that he could lay spread eagle in the middle of the floor and not touch any of the sides. But there was no way for him to delude himself that he was back home since the main source of light was coming from a bunch of candles sitting in one corner beside the full-length oval mirror. A chair was placed on the other side of the room facing the mirror, with the items of clothing on it. He figured that the folded items on the seat were the shirts, as the pants were draped over the arms.

In the end, all three pairs of pants fitted him rather well, and four of the shirts. He opted to wear the green shirt today, and the brown pants. The shirt had long sleeves, and left his physique completely up to the imagination. He told Norio what items had fit and which ones didn't. The shopkeeper promised to have all of them packed and delivered to the castle by nightfall...including the clothes he arrived in.

Then came the hard part...facing the girls.

Something told him that they would tell him exactly what they thought, needless of his feelings.

He entered the front of the shop, and the two waiting for him just stared.

Sakka was the first to break the silence. "Well, damn." She turned to Merle. "He looks good."

"Yeah," Merle agreed, not hiding the astonishment in her voice.

"He's going to need boots, though," Sakka pointed out.

Merle sighed. "I think that will have to wait until after the wedding, though."

"Why is that?"

"Phoebus isn't happy with me since my boy's have gone through five pairs of his in the last three weeks."

"Huh," Sakka thought, "Well, I guess that footwear isn't going to make that much of a difference. He's never going to blend in…not with those eyes, anyway."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Merle agreed.

Mamoru frowned. "What do you mean?"

Sakka turned back to him. "There's only one other person on this planet that has green eyes...

"And that person is your sister."

That stunned him…only two people?

But Sakka was gone before he could ask her any more questions.

XxXxXxXxXx

The rest of the day was spent winding through the streets of the capital, Merle pointing out the best shops, the bathhouses, and spots of interest. They stopped for breakfast at a bakery, and the freshly baked bread felt like it melted in his mouth. Mamoru never had bread this freshly baked, and grimaced at the thought of the preservative-filled stuff he had waiting for him at home that was surely going stale.

They had lunch in a tavern, he didn't pay attention to the name of the food that he was given, but remembered the name of the drink…Asturian Vino. It was sweet like wine, but as potent as hard liquor, and instantly knew this was a drink to be cautious with.

Then for the afternoon they went to the places that they hadn't that morning. The most significant one to him was the centre square, with the statue of what appeared to be a Gundam-like thing, and his sister standing on its shoulder... it appeared to be an exact replica of his sister, when she was fifteen, and it looked like she was holding something in her free hand.

Merle saw him stop and stare at the statue, but didn't say anything. She would let him digest this, and answer the questions that she saw building within him.

"What's the deal with this?" he asked, jerking his thumb at the statue.

"That is Escaflowne…our God…our symbol of war and power. Escaflowne will only obey one with Fanelian royal blood."

He frowned, "So why is Hitomi up there?"

"Because of what she did ten years ago." She looked him in the eye, no sign of humor in her face. "Despite what she may think, she saved our planet from destroying itself. She saved Fanelia, she saved Lord Van... now that might not seem very important to you, but we…" She gestured with her hands that made it clear that she meant the whole city, if not country, "…owe her everything. And with the reputation that she unwittingly created for herself, people started referring to her as a Goddess."

Once again, he was lost for words. Just what had his sister done to make people talk about her so? This also made him feel bad about brushing her story off so long ago.

She let him stand there for a while longer. But eventually the shadows started to lengthen, getting closer to dinnertime. "Come on, we need to head back to the castle before all the food's taken."

"Yeah, okay," he agreed, not truly hearing her.

"After dinner, I think that The Abaharaki will have heard of you, and will want to meet you."

"The Abracadabra?"

She rolled her eyes.