Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

Escaflowne: All you need is Love, Isn't it?

Chapter 38

Ninth day at sea, just hours from reaching Fanelia

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Standing along the starboard side of the ship, Hitomi was able to just make out the mountainous region of Fanelia just above the distant horizon. Smiling at the prospect of returning to the land she considered her home away from home, she didn't hear the approaching footsteps.

"Pardon me Lady Hitomi." One of Van's vassals said respectfully in order to get her attention.

Turning to face the young man, she replied. "Yes, Spencer? Isn't it?" She smiled.

"Yes ma'am. Merle has requested to see you, below in your quarters." He explained.

"Oh, alright. Thank you." She turned and headed below deck.

Walking into her quarters, she saw the catgirl; still dressed in the nightgown she dressed her in six days ago, sitting along the window's edge, looking at the retreating seas.

"Hi Merle. How are you feeling?" The teen asked with a smile.

Turning to face her friend, Merle returned the smile with a happy grin, "Much better, thank you."

"That's good." She replied as she took a seat on the bed. "Spencer said you wanted to talk to me?"

"Who? Oh, yeah, the vassal." The catgirl gave a soft laugh. "You're funny; you even take the time to remember the names of the servants."

"Servants are people too." Hitomi replied.

"Yes, you're right of course."

"What did you want to talk to me about?" A serious expression crossed the teenager's face.

Getting up from the windowsill, the catgirl crossed over and sat down next to the teen. "What I'm about to tell you is well... personal between you and Lord Van but I feel I need to tell you before he does so you have time to think it over carefully."

"Merle, remember what happened the last time you meddled in Van's affairs." 'Okay, that was a poor choice of words.' She scolded herself mentally. "When you thought Van and Millerna were lovers."

"This is different..."

"No Merle, I don't want to hear it. I don't want to listen to any rumors about Van." Hitomi insisted.

"But this isn't a rumor, Lord Van told it to me himself." She explained.

This caused the teen to hesitate. Finally she said. "Okay, what is it you wanted to tell me?"

"Do you have any idea how much Lord Van loves you?" The catgirl asked.

Wrinkling her brow in confusion, she replied. "Well, y-yes, I... I think so."

"Do you know how much you love Lord Van?"

"Why are you asking me these questions?"

"Do you know how much you love Lord Van?" The catgirl insisted.

"I love him with all my heart, with all my soul." Hitomi replied.

"Do you love him enough to stay on Gaea forever?" Merle pressed on.

After considering the magnitude of the commitment her friend was asking about, she replied. "Yes, yes I do."

"Enough to be his wife, his queen...now?"

A fearful expression overcame the young teen. "What are you saying? Are you saying Van is thinking of asking me to marry him?"

"No, what I'm saying is Lord Van is going to ask you to marry him." Merle clarified. "And if you say no, you'll leave him empty and alone."

Hitomi got off the bed and walked a few steps way, toward the windows. "Why are you telling me this? How do you know Van plans on asking me to marry him?"

"Because, he asked me if he did, what I thought your response would be." The younger girl answered truthfully.

"So he's just thinking about it. He hasn't made up his mind." The teen replied.

Merle shook her head. "I know Lord Van. I know he wouldn't have asked me if he didn't mean to ask you to marry him."

Hitomi stared pensively out the window at the rolling sea. A million thoughts raced through her head. "And what did you tell him?"

Merle looked down at her hands as she considered how to answer her friend's question.

"Well Merle. Since you seem to have such a talent for knowing what people think and feel. What did you tell him?"

"I said... I said you loved him enough to marry him but that you may not be ready to leave your world behind. I said things like school and your family and friends were still important to you back there. I told him he should wait a few years before asked you to marry him." The catgirl replied.

The teen walked the rest of the way over to the window placing her hand on a pane of glass. For a long while, she remained silent, lost in her own thoughts. Finally, she spoke. "You have a remarkable gift Merle. You see things exactly as they are."

"Sometimes it feels more like a curse, like now. That's what you're going to tell him isn't it? Well, at least something like that." Merle inquired.

"Why is everyone in this world in such a rush to grow up?" Hitomi continued staring out the window. "I love Van. And I won't pretend I haven't thought about what it would be like marrying him, living the rest of my life here in Gaea with him. But I'm only fifteen. I'm just in my first year of high school. I still live with my family." Tears started rolling down her cheeks. "Why did you tell me this Merle? Why?"

"To spare you the shock when Lord Van does it and to give you an opportunity to think of what you will say to him. So you don't hurt him too badly." Her friend replied.

"Too badly?"

"Anything short of saying yes will hurt him. I'm giving you the chance to soften the blow." She explained.

The teen turned and walked back over to the bed, sitting down next to the catgirl. "Thank you Merle. You're a good friend." She gave the catgirl a sad smile.

The younger girl got on her knees and pulled her friend into a supportive embrace. "It'll be okay Hitomi. Just listen to your heart. You know what's the right thing to do."

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AN: I know this looks bad but don't worry. This is a V/H romance after all. Not much of a romance if they don't end up together, right? ^_^ If you recall from my description of this story, Hitomi will be making regular visits over the next three years, till she turns 18. So yes, she does go home but she will be back.

Okay, venting time. I'm sure many of you have experienced this with your own efforts to upload stories this week, but man, I was really getting frustrated. I would have posted this chapter early this week had ff.net not had the problems they did. But life goes on. ^_^

As always, thank you for your comments. Believe me, I am not trying to be evil. Just have faith in their love and it will work out in the end. (Hence the title) ^_^

A. Amishi