Happy 2006!

Hi, long time, no read, huh! And I know this is gonna sound silly, but I want to dedicate this chapter to my dog, Buddy, who was more of my little brother than a pet. I miss him very much.

Oh, and I'm sorry for any mistakes. I'll be looking for an editor soon, but for now it's just me while I try to finish up the last few chapter on this story! There should be about five or so more chapters left. Maybe four.

Well, that said, here's what you've all been waiting for.

Title: All For Love

Author: Tevrah

Chapter Twelve

Dryden stood on the bow of the Abaharaki ship watching as the trees sped by, the bulky metal and wood ship covering ground quickly. There was a sense of urgency in the air that everyone felt, that even the ship felt it for the engines were almost to full capacity. Something was going to happen. Something bad, something bloody. But when it would happen, was a mystery that everyone was anxiously awaiting.

The wind blew his hair out of the usual ribbon he kept it in and he just ignored it. The feeling of dread was so heavy that his mind couldn't think of anything else. A guymelef had been found. All of the melefs were supposed to have been destroyed many, many years ago, but apparently one had not. It could only mean death for the people of Gaea. Death for so many. If they had only had this information sooner, then they could have searched for the melef as well, and destroyed it before anyone else could have found it. But Dryden wasn't one to dwell on mistakes or regrets.

He had always considered himself to be a simple man. Sure, he was a leader of a rebel group that was opposing the most evil man in the history of Gaea, but he had simple dreams, so he figured that counted for something. All he wanted was equality for his people, justice for the crimes committed against all creatures—humans included—and a free world for his child to grow up.

A small smile played across his lips as he corrected himself. Children. A free and safe place for his children to live.

So maybe his dreams weren't simple after all, one could even say they were near impossible, but he was going to make sure they happened. There was no other option. No other way.

Long, creamy arms wrapped around his middle and his smile widened. The scent of lilacs floated up to him on the breeze. "I knew you'd be here," Millerna whispered in his ear, resting her chin on his shoulder.

He grabbed her hands and brought her to stand in front of him. Then he wrapped his arms around her and just held her close. He couldn't bear the thought of her being in danger. There had to be some other way, some less bloody way. But in his heart he knew, that Millerna would fight along side of him and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Millerna shifted in his arms and looked up at him. "What's the matter? You've been out here for a while haven't you?"

He sighed, then leaned down and gave her a tender kiss. The words were trapped in his throat. He couldn't force them out, so he said nothing. He didn't have to. He buried his face in her hair and she held him close. They knew what was coming. They knew that soon, all of Gaea would be changed in one way or another.

War was coming.

They just prayed that the right side would be victorious.

(000)

Van stared at the ethereal woman standing before him with suspicion. Who was she? Why had she been expecting them? How did she even know about them? He felt the sword begin to drop from his hands and looked down to see his hands loosening from around the hilt. He forced himself to tighten his grip again.

There was something about the woman that made him want to lay down his sword and cease all of the fighting. She was just so…peaceful. He was surprised by his thoughts. Peaceful wasn't regularly in his vocabulary. He snapped his head back up to meet her gaze once more and felt Hitomi try to move from behind him to his side. He shifted to keep her behind him. He still wasn't sure if there was danger or not. The fact was that they didn't know who the hell the woman was but she knew who they were.

"Please," she spoke again, and Van felt another jolt of peace slide through him. He fought the urge to drop his sword once more. "Don't fight against me. I'm merely trying to show you that you don't have anything to fear from me."

"What are you doing to me?" Van demanded, his grip so tight that his knuckles were turning white.

"I come in peace; I am here to guide you to a safe haven." The woman took a step back and the ground beneath her feet barely shifted. "Follow me."

She turned around and disappeared into the forest once again. The peaceful feeling left with her. Van looked down at his hands again and slowly loosened his grip. He felt more than saw Hitomi move to the side of him. "I trust her, Van," she said softly.

He looked up to see her staring off into the dark forest where the woman had disappeared. He followed her gaze and had to admit, even if it was only to himself, that for some unexplainable reason, he trusted her too.

But it would pay to still be cautious.

"Come on," Van said and started into the forest.

Hitomi followed behind Van, making sure that she was close enough to him that she could reach out and touch him if necessary. He ducked under low branches, and she did the same. Just who was this mysterious woman who they were following? Would she lead them to safety? Or was this feeling of peace that she had instilled in them just a trick so that she could lead them to danger?

The questions haunted her as she and Van caught sight of the strange woman walking just ahead of them on the path. Van slowed down and Hitomi grabbed his shirt in a slight grip. That's when she noticed another odd thing about the woman. Her feet weren't making a sound. As she walked, her feet were on the ground but the leaves and trees seemed to just move out of her way so that nothing interfered with her path. What manner of being could control the earth like that?

Soon the path widened so that Hitomi could move to Van's side rather than continuing to walk behind him. She noticed that his hand rested slightly on the hilt of his sword and his gaze was always shifting. Even though the mysterious woman had instilled a great sense of peace within the both of them, Hitomi was still glad that Van was on his guard.

The woman was silent as she led them through the forest. She obviously knew exactly where she was going, even though Van didn't have a clue. What was this feeling of peace that seemed to assail him? How was it happening? During these troubling times, peace should be the last thing he felt. The slight grip that Hitomi had on his shirt helped ease his mind a bit knowing that she was safe and he didn't have to turn around, losing his focus on the woman in front of them to know that.

The woman suddenly stopped in the middle of the path and Van did the same. He and Hitomi looked around wondering why the woman stopped when she turned off of the path and walked into a dense part of the forest. Van stared after her, the peace slipping away bit by bit the farther the woman walked from them. Apparently she didn't care one way or the other if they followed or not.

Just as Van made up his mind to continue what they had started he felt Hitomi slip her hand into his. He was so surprised that he turned and looked at their hands just to make sure that he didn't imagine it. Then he looked at Hitomi and found her looking at him. She gave him a small smile.

"It will be all right, Van," she said softly and gave his hand a tug as she stepped off the path and followed in the steps of the woman ahead of them. For once, Van let someone else lead.

They hadn't been walking long when the woman stopped once more. She turned slightly to look at them. Then she grabbed a rather large branch of one of the trees and pulled it back with no effort at all.

"Welcome to my home," she said simply.

Van and Hitomi looked past the branch and were struck silent by what they saw. It was a clearing in the forest and there were two small ponds about forty yards apart with a small grassy slope dividing them. Across one pond was a small bridge that stretched across from one side to the other. There was an abandoned stick with a string wrapped around it propped on the railing. The sun shone down from the large break in the trees and lit the water. It seemed as though they were staring at a hole in the ground filled with nothing but diamonds.

Across the slope and past the ponds there stood a small and homey looking cottage. It was plain, but looked sturdy enough to withstand anything. There were two windows overlooking the clearing with the ponds. There were small flowers of an exotic pink and red color growing in front of the house. There was also a small stream from the pond with the bridge leading behind the cottage. Who was this woman who lived in a small portion of what surely must be paradise?

Van and Hitomi followed behind her as she stepped out of the forest and onto the slope. She walked straight to the cottage and opened the door disappearing inside. With only the slightest bit of hesitation the two walked inside of the cottage. The door was closed softly behind them.

The inside of the cottage was exactly what one would expect it to be from the outward appearance. Homey, warm, inviting. There was a small simple wooden table directly in front of them and off to a far side of the room was a large and what would seem to be comfortable bed with a bright and soothing quilt covering it.

Off to the other side of the room was a nice size kitchen with herbs hanging from the ceiling giving the room a pleasant smell. The sunlight coming in the windows lit the room nicely without any candles. A small door was at the very end of the room that led behind the cottage. It was a two-half door where the first part was a window that would open without both parts needing to be unlocked.

"You have such a beautiful home," Hitomi said without conscious thought.

The woman gifted her with a soft smile. "Thank you, Hitomi."

"All right," Van said in a hard voice, once more stepping in front of Hitomi. "Who are you? I don't remember us giving you our names. So how do you know us? And how did you know that we were in the forest?"

"Your questions are completely warranted, Van," the woman said in a calm and unperturbed voice. "And I assure you that they will all be answered in due time. However, your first question I can answer now. My name is Sora. I am the descendant of the Elfin race that once governed over Gaea."

"The Elfin race had a powerful gift of sight," Van said aloud. "Is that how you know who we are and how we would be in the forest?"
"Partly," Sora said. When Van started to speak again, she interrupted. "Please. I mean you no harm. I merely wish to offer you a peaceful place in which to rest before you finish your journey. And I shall answer all of your questions in due time as well as some questions you didn't even know about."

Questions they didn't even know about? What on Gaea was she talking about?

"First," she continued, "we must eat. I know you must be hungry."

On cue, Hitomi's stomach growled and her cheeks went pink as she gave a sheepish smile. "I guess a little something wouldn't hurt, would it?" She directed the question at Van.

Seeing the pleading on her face, he sighed. "I suppose."

She smiled at him then turned to Sora who had watched the byplay without saying a word. "Would you like any help preparing a meal? I don't really have any skills with cooking, but I'm sure there is something I could do."

"I would like some fish for dinner," Sora answered. "Perhaps the two of you could catch some from my pond. It's the one with the bridge."

Hitomi nodded as she turned to go out the door eager to help in any way. She turned back to see Van still standing in the middle of the room beside the wooden table. He and Sora stared at one another a long while before he gave a small nod of his head and followed Hitomi to the door.

Sora watched through the window as Van and Hitomi walked to the side of the pond. Hitomi sat down on the grass and Van took off his shirt and sword to walk out into water. He was extremely silent and still waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Then suddenly he reached into the water and threw a fish on Hitomi's lap. She shrieked in surprise and the fish flopped back into the water. Van threw her an annoyed glance, but she merely responded with a glare of her own and moved further up the slope.

"You play at a dangerous game, Sora." The voice was deep and held a reprimand in it's tone.

Sora merely ignored the growled statement and continued to watch the two people that were the last hope for Gaea.

"If they discover that you have sheltered them, that you even exist, there is no hope for you. You are the last of your kind. They will kill you." The voice was closer this time and held a hint of pleading in it.

When she replied, her voice was calm, steady. "Without them, everyone is dead. They are our last hope. Besides, the hunted must always have a place to rest their weary souls."

Silence, then a loud sigh came from behind her. She felt the released breath on her neck. "Then let us pray they do not fail."

"They cannot," she whispered. "Or all is lost…forever."

(000)

Hitomi sat on the comfortable slope and watched as Van stood in the water, small drops clinging to his skin where the fish would splash him. There were three flopping fish down blow her. Their bodies were gulping for air and their struggles becoming weaker and weaker. The sun was slowly setting leaving the sky to be painted in lavender and rose streaks. She leaned back on her elbows, letting her head fall limply back and closing her eyes.

Her neck began to prickle and she brought her head up and opened her eyes to find Van staring at her. Her breath caught in the back of her throat as she saw his body being outlined by the sun's glow. His disarrayed raven hair moved slightly as the warm wind blew between them. But all of that was second as she saw the look in his eyes. He was looking at her like she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen before in his life.

When her breath came back it was in short gulps. Her body felt warm and cold all at the same time. Then he held out his hand to her. She looked at his hand, then back to his eyes. The look was still there. Almost without conscious thought she rose to her feet and went to him. The moment her hand touched his he grasped it tightly, like he would never let go.

The water was warm as her bare feet stepped into the pond. Ripples ripped across the placid water, scattering fish to and fro. But neither noticed as Hitomi came to stand in front of him, her head bent back so that she could still look into his eyes. He placed his hands lightly around her waist and turned her around so that her back was to his front. He slid his hands up her arms to her shoulders, then back down to her hands. She shivered slightly and he pulled her closer to him. His mouth was next to her ear and as he spoke, his lips brushed against her flesh.

"I'm going to teach you how to fish." His voice was just below a whisper, and made her heart pound in her chest. "So one day if I'm not around you can fend for yourself."

He cupped her hands with his and slowly stuck them under the water. They were still and silent for a long minute. Then, slowly, cautiously, a small fish small through their hands and Van closed Hitomi's hands over the slimy flesh. He took his hands away from hers, letting her bring the fish out of the water. The fish began to wiggle in earnest as she lifted it up and it lost its much needed oxygen. Hitomi smiled in victory as she looked at the fish in her hands.

"I did it," she said in wonder. Then, "Oh!"

The fish went diving back into the water as Hitomi dropped it. Her hand was bleeding from where the fish's fin had sliced her palm. It was a small cut but burned fiercely. Van took her hand once more and looked at the cut. Then he lowered it into the water to wash away the blood and clean it. Hitomi stared at him as he treated her wound with a tenderness that she had never known before. Her eyes misted a little as she wondered how she could have lived most of her life and never have known about this man's existence.

The moon was beginning to reflect on the water's surface as Van brought her hand out of the water. The sting had slowly eased away without her even noticing it. He lifted her hand so that it was to his mouth and looked her in the eyes as he gently kissed the center of her palm. Her heart was pounding again and her body had a warmth inside it that seemed to happen more and more as she was around him.

Then he lowered her hand and simply looked at her. The moon provided sufficient light that she was able to see ever inch of his face. There was a small curved scar at the right side of his head that she had never noticed before. The same errant raven lock that always seemed to give him trouble had once more fallen onto his forehead and she reached up with her free hand and brushed it away. It fell right back. She smiled softly and let her hand slide down to his cheek. She left it there as she slowly gathered her courage.

Then she cupped her hand at the back of his neck and lowered his head. He went without any resistance. His breath tickled her nose as she kissed his chin. Then she brushed her lips up to his cheek, to across his nose to his other cheek. She slid down to his mouth and kissed the corner of his lips.

During all of this he hadn't moved a muscle, but the pulse in his throat was beating quickly. She leaned back slightly and looked into his eyes. What she saw there gave her the answer that she had been looking for. His eyes were burning with passion and she felt a feminine pride that she had been the one to put it there.

She left her eyes open as she once more reached up and kissed him on the lips. She wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled him as close as she could. He was the first one to close his eyes as he gave into the need that they both had. He let go of her hand and wrapped his arms firmly around her waist, pulling her so close to him that they seemed to mold together.

He groaned in the back of his throat as she nibbled on his lips and Hitomi felt the rumble all the way down to her toes. A fire was spreading from one to the other as they stood in the pond, holding each other. Neither was sure who had started the flame, but they only knew that they didn't want it to go out.

Lips brushed, then ground together as teeth and tongue met in a beautiful and sensual dance as old as time itself. Bodies molded together, becoming one person for a single beautiful moment and skin brushed and hardened as the fire seemed to get out of control.

When they pulled back from one another they were breathing heavily, the time and place forgotten as they merely saw and felt one another. Their hearts beat fast against their chests as if they would just pop out. Hitomi realized that her feet were dangling off the ground. She hadn't even known that she'd left the ground.

Van slid her slowly down, their bodies creating a friction against one another. Her body was shaking with a pent up passion that she didn't know how to get rid of. Frustration and want ran through her body and was reflected in her eyes, but Van knew that they had to stop now or they wouldn't stop at all. While this place was peaceful, he wanted Hitomi to understand fully what was going to happen before they made love. He also knew that it would be happening very soon.

Hitomi shivered in Van's arms. She never wanted this strange feeling to end.

Van grabbed her arm and helped her walk back to the bank. Picking up his discarded shirt off the cool grass and ripped a piece of it off. Holding her hand up to the moonlight, he wrapped the cloth securely around the cut and tied it off. Hitomi watched as he took the rest of his shirt and scooped the still fish into it. He tied it securely and threw it over his shoulder. He turned back to her and reached out his hand. She grabbed it and they walked back up the hill and to the cottage.

The moonlight seemed to make the entire clearing glow with some florescent light that cast a beauty on the stones to the trees. The door was still open and they walked right in. Oil lamps lit the rooms and made it seem as if the sun had never set. Sora was in the kitchen chopping what looked to be some kind of herb. A pot of water was boiling on the coal stove and the fireplace had a nice and toasty fire burning in it.

Sora turned when she heard them come in. Van let go of Hitomi's hand and walked to the kitchen to put the fish in the sink. He emptied his shirt and moved back to let Sora investigate. She nodded. "This will do nicely," she said in her melodious voice. "Did you have very much trouble catching them?"

Van shrugged. "Once you learn how to be still and let the fish come to you, it really isn't all that hard."

"Indeed," Sora answered. She moved back to chopping the herb. "Although, I suppose it would have been simpler if you had just used the fishing pole."

Van raised an eyebrow. "What's a fishing pole?"

"The piece of wood with the string attached to it," Sora said, her back to him. "It was on the bridge."

"That seems ridiculous," Van said. "It's much easier just to catch the fish with your hands."

"Yes, I fear it's something that will never catch on," Sora said. She grabbed a handful of the herbs and threw them into the pot. The boiling immediately stopped and the water began to simmer.

With Hitomi and Van's help, the dinner was cooked quickly. Fresh bread, herb broth, and soothing Din tea helped to satisfy their hunger in no time. When the table was cleared, the night was well upon them and the moon was hidden from sight as the clouds floated in front of it. The sounds of the forest seeped in the small cottage, echoing in a surprisingly soothing nature.

Van and Hitomi were once more seated at the table, Van having laid his sword by the door. It was a matter of trust and that small gesture told Hitomi and Sora that he was finally beginning to trust his own feelings toward the mysterious woman. Sora sat across from the two of them, a single candle providing light from the middle of the table. She clasped her hands together in a loose and easy manner that conveyed no nervousness or anxiousness. Then she began her tale.

"Many, many years ago, when Gaea was new to the universe, gods walked on its grounds, swam in its seas, and flew in its skies. But Gaea was a powerful entity in itself and could rival the power of the gods in a frightening way. Seeing this, the gods ascended to their heaven and watched in jealousy and anger as Gaea grew more powerful with each sunrise and sunset.

So acting with trickery, they sent humans to inhabit the planet. The human life grew and grew, committing terrible crimes against Gaea, murdering its animals for food and sport, destroying its forests for weapons and shelter and poisoning its seas for the pure glee of the gods. It became so horrible that Gaea itself had to interfere.

It created beings of its own. Beings that would have the power to control the humans. They were known as Mermians, Weres, and Draconians. These beings had the power to live beneath the sea and control the grounds and fly the skies as the gods themselves once did.

Seeing this, the gods became enraged and whispered evil things to the humans. And the humans, knowing nothing better except what their creators taught them, picked up their weapons and went to war. It was the first war Gaea had ever seen and it was named the Eve War, as it was the beginning of all things dark that befell on this world.

The beings of Gaea were much stronger than the humans and immediately began to push them back, killing each one that dared to attack them. Realizing that their creations were going to loose, the gods made their worst mistake. They, themselves, returned to Gaea to fight. They came as beasts, huge metal monsters that could destroy hundreds of Weres, Mermians, and Draconians with only one stroke of their swords. They were given the name Guymelef.

The guymelefs were quickly winning the war and Gaea was loosing its power. So as the gods gloated over their soon-to-be-won victory, Gaea managed one last attempt to save itself. Copying the gods example, it created a monster of its own, sending it to destroy the gods. It was as glorious as it was terrifying. Taken by surprise, the gods were quickly destroyed, one by one, until there was only one remaining.

The battle lasted for years and years, until the two finally managed to stop. They looked around at what once used to be a beautiful world and found all that remained was ugliness and a fear so thick that it shrouded the entire planet. Gaea dropped its sword and wept until the seas were once again full and the forests were once again growing, but in doing so, it lost its spirit, its power.

Seeing how Gaea's spirit was dieing, the remaining god took pity on it, and went to the heaven once again. From there it watched as Gaea sprouted wings and took flight across the world, crying tears of anguish. But the guymelef that Gaea inhabited was never seen again. So, the god watched the world as it grew into a populous place once again. But it did not interfere with the humans or the remaining beings that Gaea had created.

Yet, as time passed, and centuries faded into nothing, the god realized that the humans no longer remembered their creators and at this became very lonely. It tried to search for Gaea, but could not find a trace. So the god became sad, and its spirit began to leave it, just as Gaea's had. In a last desperate attempt to find some solace for its loneliness, the last god dove to the planet below and buried itself deep in the ground.

More time passed, and the battle between the gods and Gaea became a legend, then a myth, and then nothing at all, not even a distant whisper. But there were some who still believed and passed their beliefs on to their children, and then to their children's children. And those few still search for the guymelefs of the god and the spirit of Gaea to restart the Eve War, and finally achieve victory over the other as the god and Gaea never had."

(000)

That night as Van lay sleeping on the floor, a warm blanket on top of him and his head cushioned by his arm, he thought of Sora's story. Of how the Draconians were created by Gaea itself and how jealousy and anger had started an event that had ended up shaping the entire destiny of the world and its inhabitants. He thought of how his family had died because of fear that turned into hate, and he thought of Hitomi. He thought of how her mother had been murdered in front of her and how she had become a pawn in a dangerous game that was centered around the greed of power.

Yet, somehow, she had remained pure at heart, and beautiful of spirit. His stomach began to relax where it had been knotted from his thoughts and the ache in his heart began to ease a little more. He finally realized that he didn't feel guilty anymore for not being able to save his parents or his brother. And he knew it was because of Hitomi.

His eyes drooped and Hitomi's face came to his mind. He saw her blush when he kissed her, then the dazed look on her face when he did it again. He remembered how she had gotten jealous of the innkeeper's daughter and angry at him. And he remembered how she had looked that very evening when the setting sun had touched her face and her eyes had shone at him with desire and something else that he didn't even think she realize was there. But he knew what it was, and his heart jumped once, twice, as he felt an immense satisfaction settle on him.

Hitomi was falling in love with him.

And he had already fallen in love with her.

His heart jumped again as that thought struck him with such clarity that he had to open his eyes and sit up. Well, what did you know? He really was in love with her. It had just happened so fast that he hadn't even realized it. But the thing that amazed him the most was that he wasn't mad or panicky about it. He was…content. And getting very impatient for Hitomi to figure out that she was in love with him, too.

The wind rustled through the trees and the sound floated into the cottage. A strange smell stirred with the wind and Van went on instant alert. He grabbed his sword from where it lay by his side and quietly stood up, tying the sword around his waist. Hitomi turned from her back to her side on the pallet by the table and Van bent down to pull the cover back over her shoulders. She didn't even stir.

The smell came again and Van began to feel his stomach tighten as it always did when danger was near. He flattened himself against the wall and looked out the back door window. There was nothing out of the ordinary, but he always trusted his instincts. Without making a sound, he opened the lower half of the door and snuck out. The door didn't make a sound as he closed it.

The cool night air kissed his skin lightly, but he didn't feel it. His mind was only on tracking down what his instincts were detecting. He ran to the forest, his eyes never resting, his ears tuned to the sounds of the forest. It was too quiet, nothing like it had been before. He had only walked a little ways into the forest when the smell hit him again.

It was smoke. From a campfire.

He drew his sword silently and crept forward. He could see the glow of the fire now and the man who knelt before it. Van couldn't see any weapons or detect any other people around, but that didn't deter him. He walked forward, his sword pointed in the man's direction. He stopped ten feet from the man's back.

"Stand up and turn around slowly." Van's voice was hard, and he knew that it let others know that he would kill them and not feel a thing.

At first it seemed the man wasn't going to comply with Van's orders, but then he slowly stood up and turned around. The firelight shifted away for a moment, leaving the man's face to be covered with shadows. Then the light flickered back and Van saw that the man had a small smile on his face. And then the stranger spoke.

"Hello, Vannie."

Van's heart exploded, and then formed back together with those two words. That voice, it was the same. The voice from his childhood, the voice of his hero. It hadn't changed one bit. And even thought Van's second thought was to deny what was standing before him, he knew that only one person had ever called him Vannie.

"Brother?"

(000)

To be continued…

Well, what did you think? Please let me know! Oh, and I'll be responding to the reviews with the personal reply thingy! Bye for now!

Tevrah

Next Chapter: Is it really Folken?