Oddly enough it was decided by group vote that aside from just Kaen who would not leave her side, that she was to be guarded at all times. It didn't really matter who stayed with her be it Allen, Dryden, Millerna or Merle. For now it was Merle and Kaen; Merle at the chair by the door and Kaen directly beside the bed on the floor.
"Kaen, tell me again how it was that this all came about… Keori's description was not quite as detailed as I might have hoped…" Merle got up and walked to the other side of Keori's bed and looked at the features that were clearly Hitomi's and the man who had become her husband on earth. It was strange to see the daughter to such a person… Hitomi had been in love with Allen and later it had almost seemed if Hitomi and Van might become one… but she had returned to her earth and Van had remained.
"Ragan had to pull Hurin from a tree. She had flown down from the sky being chased by Allen Schezar. When he would not give up and had tracked both of them down, Ragan had called on the people. Doing so as the rightful heir is equal to swearing oath to the people… he was no longer just Ragan and we were no longer just the people. We became his and he became ours… but Hurin needed to find the King of Fanelia and Ragan knew that the people, who knew she was from the mystic moon, would not let her leave. They began to see her as a compliment to Ragan… and he made her leave without telling him… I was told when she left and he knew she would, that I was to follow. She found me out quickly… she is smart. Too smart… She knows things and guesses things she should not… I do not trust all these people that say they will help her. I do not know of any that help without doing for themselves…" Merle smiled.
"And you are doing this why?" Kaen turned away from her and fingered his blade absent-mindedly.
"Just I have said… No one helps without doing something for themselves… I offered to help Ragan. One, because I did not like village life. Two, because it was commanded, but I did these things because she is Hurin… Both mine and Ragan's… You keep with man… Do you know?" Again Merle smiled. In three years she had grown from the wild and willful child to a friend and advisor. Hitomi's departure needed tending in many ways. She had left a world in war pangs and a King lost. In that time she had been had been Van's friend, his crutch and his diary. He allowed things to pass between them that no other would hear from him. That was the relation-ship that came from befriending those of the beats-tribes. Van's brother and saved a pair of girls and they had died for him. Merle stood beside Van in much the same way and now Keori stood backed with Ragan and Kaen.
"I do know… so very much do I know. Mankind is slow and cautious and there is something in them that is child-like for it and yet we, who are strong-bodied and willful…, find ourselves blinded with their courage and there creative mind... they can be just as bold as we and we can be just as child-like and slow as them. It is no wonder that those that make it into the world and mix with the other become so close and so bonded." Merle's insight into the world and the openness she had offered allow Kaen to bring her into his personal circle of trust.
"She must get to Fanelia…" Merle nodded with that a glint in her eyes.
"Tell me more. I must know everything." He walked to the window and paused with eyes closed. It was tiring be on guard all day and all night. He never actually fell into that deep sleep that allowed for full rejuvenation, but a half-sleep where his scenes remained wakeful and watchful.
"She was already being chased by men before we left… They were circling the village waiting for a chance to come in. This I know. She fled at a good time because they had been away from the village for a short while, but they knew very quickly that she had moved. How, I do not know. I made Hurin jump from the cliffs that drop into the sea past the trade city of Godashim. We travel to the closest port and sailed for 8 and a half days to Palas, Asturia where I parted from her to see who was still following her. You came off of the boat with the Merchant man, but only he followed her. You went directly towards the palace… Why?" Merle shoved back from the bed and stood by the door before pacing like a caged animal.
"I needed to speak with King Chid. I needed to make sure that nothing happened when they arrived. No mishaps getting her inside… Too many things stand unanswered. Too many things left unknown… She is a key to something that Van and I have been trying to figure out and now that she is here the gears have begun to move… But we are still standing on the outside looking in. We do not know what gears are moving, we can only hear the grinding and ticking as something beings to start… I cannot say much more without the permissions of the Fanelian Court and Van… But something has happened… It has been since Hitomi left… we are just starting to see the effects of whatever is beginning. That is has taken this long means that it is going to be big." Kaen closed the window to mask the chill that was coming from within him rather than the warm and humid day.
"Hurin…?" Kaen walked towards Keori, her lips moving as if she was speaking, but nothing came out. No noise, barely even breath. Her eyes opened before a blast rocked the south wing of the palace.