Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

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

Chapter 39

At the Port of Fanelia

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As King Van instructed his minister on the distribution of the goods aboard the small merchant fleet, Hitomi asked the servant she knew as Spencer to see that a carriage was waiting for her when she disembarked the ship to take her back to the castle. She asked Merle to stay behind and keep Van distracted as she left. And if he were to ask why she was in such a hurry to return to the castle, Merle was to say that the teen was not feeling well and simply wanted to return to her chambers and rest. It was not entirely a lie. Since Merle told her about Van's intention to ask her to marry him, she had begun to feel rather ill. She was torn between her love for the young king and the close ties she felt toward her friends and family. The luxuries of her world she was sure she could learn to live without, but her mother, her father, and even her little brother, they were all very important to her. And what about Yukari? She was more like a sister to her then a friend. She was her companion, her confidant, and her conscience.

Sitting on the sofa in her quarters aboard the ship, she waited for word from Merle. 'Oh Van. I do love you so. Please understand. I'll be back soon, I promise I will.' She closed her eyes as she tried to keep her emotions in check. Suddenly, the door opened. Startled, she jumped, turning to see who was at the door.

"Calm down, it's just me." The catgirl said. "Now's a good time, Lord Van is on the other side of the port inspecting the cargo from one of the other ships."

"Okay," Hitomi got up and retrieved her duffel bag as she followed her friend off the ship.

At the end of the pier, up a short path was the carriage, waiting to take Hitomi back to the castle. As the two teens reached the end of the pier, Merle looked over and noticed Van, in the distance, turning to look their way. As she watched him, she saw him speak briefly to one of the ships' captains then begin to head in their direction.

"Lord Van is coming." She warned.

"What?" Nervous tension covered the older teen's face.

"Don't worry. Get in the carriage and go. I'll slow him down." Merle headed off in the direction of her king, bounding on all fours.

Hitomi didn't look back. She quickened her pace as she headed up the path. Arriving at the carriage, she boarded it without a word to the coachman who opened the door for her. Having always received a kind word from her in the past, he assumed the young lady from the Mystic Moon must have been in a hurry so he mounted the driver's seat and road off as quickly as he could.

"Hey Lord Van! Have they unloaded the harbor crabs yet?" Merle licked her lips as she came to a stop in front of her king.

Looking past her, he saw the carriage pull away. "Where is Hitomi going?" He asked, still staring after the coach.

"Oh, she said she wasn't feeling too well. Kinda tired. So I told her to head back to the castle and get some rest." The catgirl said, holding her hands behind her back and rocking back and forth on her heels as she smiled up at the young king.

"You don't think its anything serious? Maybe I should head over to the castle, to make sure she's all right." His concern etched on his face.

"No! I mean, I'm sure it's just fatigue." The catgirl grinned.

Looking down at his friend, he considered her explanation for a minute then nodded and turned back toward the last ship he was inspecting. "Still interested in those crabs?"

"Yeah!" Merle yelled happily as she got in step with him. As Van begin barking out instructions once again, she stole a glance over her shoulder, down the path toward the castle. 'You're doing the right thing Hitomi. Trust me.'

At the castle, Hitomi wasted no time packing her belongings. While most of her things were already in the duffel bag, there were a few items she had left at the castle. She considered leaving one or two outfits but since she had already lost one outfit when she rescued Merle, she figured it was best not to leave another, at least not this time around.

She took out the herbal medicine Van had used on her cheek where Merle had scratched her. The scars were still visible but fading fast. She applied a little more, then wrapped it back up and placed it in the bag.

Rummaging around in the bag to make sure she had everything she needed, she came across the handkerchief she had given Van before his match against Allen. She held it to her cheek, feeling the soft fabric as it reminded her of a time not so long ago that now felt decades away. As the memory of her giving the favor to her true love, his epic battle against his friend and rival, and the kiss they shared in front of tens of thousands of people in the arena filled her thoughts, tears began to run down the sides of her face. Slowly she dropped to her knees as she clutched the fabric tightly to her chest.

"Oh Van… Van… Van…" She repeated over and over as she wept.

Satisfied everything was now being handled to his liking; Van called for his horse.

"Where are you going Lord Van?" Merle asked as he readied to mount his steed.

"To the castle. I just want to check on Hitomi. She left in such a rush, I just want to make sure she's alright." He replied.

"I told you she's fine. She was just a little tired." Merle insisted, pointing at the furniture that was being unloaded from one of the ships, she asked excitedly. "Oh, is any of that mine? Let's go see."

"Of course some of it is yours. You picked it out yourself Merle." He answered, with a confused frown. "If I didn't know any better I'd think you were trying to…" Suddenly, the young king's eyes grow large as an angry expression crossed his face. Mounting his horse quickly, he raced off in the direction of the castle.

Coming to a halt at the steps of the castle, Van jumped off his horse and ran inside, heading for Hitomi's chambers. Passing one of the palace maidens, she called out to him.

"Your Majesty, she's not in there." She informed him.

"In where?"

"Her chambers. Lady Hitomi is not in her chambers." She clarified.

"Wh-where'd she go? Where is she?" He took a commanding step toward her.

"Ah, she said she was going to the garden behind the castle." She replied, shrinking a bit from her kings intimidating presence.

"The garden! How long ago?" He grabbed her by her arms.

"Ah! About an hour my Lord. But do not worry. She said to tell you this. She said she would be waiting for you there." She said in a trembling voice.

Releasing the maid, he ran off in the direction of the garden.

"My goodness." She fanned herself with her hand as she walked off to handle her daily chores.

As Van rushed out into the garden, he immediately spotted Hitomi, staring up at the still form of Escaflowne. Seeing her like this brought a smile to his face. But as he got closer he noticed she was holding her duffel bag in her hands. His smile instantly vanished.

As he drew closer, the teen turned her head and smiled at him. "I actually started to forget what Escaflowne looked like. A magnificent machine and you learned to operator it so perfectly."

"Why do you have your bag with you?" The king asked, not letting her distract him.

Softly she sighed. "I need to go home Van." She turned to face him. "It's been weeks now and I have school work to do. I have exams in just a few weeks then the summer track-training season starts. I stand a good chance of making the varsity team this year if I work hard over the summer break."

"Do these things really matter?" He asked as he drew close.

"Of-of course they matter. How could you ask such a question? These things as you put it, are a part of my life."

"And what am I Hitomi? Am I not a part of your life? Or am I just a diversion. A quaint change of pace from your world." He stared at her coldly.

Unable to endure the harshness of his stare, she turned way. "Don't be so cruel. You know I love you. Don't make this harder than it already is." She began to cry.

"It doesn't have to be hard at all. Just stay. Stay here on Gaea. Stay here with me." He walked up to her and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. "Hitomi, I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Don't you want the same thing? Don't you think you could be happy living here on Gaea, with me?" Gently he turned her around so he could look into her face.

Dropping her bag she slowly raised her head to stare into his intense gaze. Her vision blurred by the flood of tears that welled up in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

"Hitomi, I'm not a man of words. I may be a king but I'm also a simple man. I know the forests, and I know how to fight. But I know what my heart is telling me. And it tells me I don't want to live another day without you. Hitomi, will you…"

Gasping in shock as she realized that he was about to ask, she quickly placed her hand over his mouth. "Don't. Don't say it Van. Just don't say it. If you don't say it, then I don't have to break your heart. Please Van, don't say it."

Slowly, he moved her hand from his mouth. "But I thought you loved me."

"Oh Van." She pressed her face into his chest as her tears started up anew. "I do love you. Nothing would make me happier than to spend the rest of my life with you."

"So what is the problem?"

"We come from two different worlds, you and I. And as much as I love you, and I do love you; I'm not ready to leave my world behind just yet. It's not that I doubt my love for you, I don't. And it's not that I have anyone else that even comes close to you over there, there isn't. It's just, we're still both so young. I know that doesn't seem to make a difference here but where I come from, a boy and a girl can't even get married until they turn eighteen."

"Eighteen?"

"Mmm hmm." She nodded.

"And how old are you now?"

"I'm fifteen." She answered.

Van tightened his hold around her and breathed in her scent, committing it to memory. "Very well. In three years then."

"What?" She asked, her eyes shot open though she still kept her head on his chest.

"In three years you will be eighteen. In three years, I will ask you what you did not want me to ask you now."

She remained silent and still for a long while, just holding him tight. Finally she replied. "Thank you Van. Thank you for understanding."

"I don't understand but I will concede to your wishes."

Looking up at him, she saw the hardness in his gaze slowly melt away. "Thank you still."

They stood there looking into each other's eyes. Memorize each curve and line on their faces.

Van broke the silence first. "Must you leave right now? We just returned to Fanelia. There's so much I want to show you still."

"I think it's best if I go now. The longer I stay, the harder it will be to leave. But I promise to be back very soon." She insisted.

"Not six months this time."

A concerned look crossed her face. 'That's right. It was only six weeks on earth but six months here on Gaea since the last time I left.' "I don't know how, but I promise to figure out this whole space-time thing. If it is at all in my power to control, I promise not to take six months to return. I swear."

Van nodded. "So I guess this is it then."

"I guess so." Hitomi smiled sadly.

"At least let me have one last kiss goodbye." He asked.

"Not goodbye. That sounds too permanent. How about, till we meet again." She suggested.

"Very well. Till we meet again." He said as he tilted his head downward.

Hitomi raised her lips up to meet his as their eyes closed and their lips pressed softly together. Through this simple tactile action they conveyed their love and longing for each other.

Slowly the pendent around Van's neck began to glow and levitate. Eventually engulfing both of them in a bright beam of light. And just as slowly Hitomi began to levitate as well, pulling them apart.

Suddenly, she realized she was missing something. "My bag!"

Van looked around the ground. Spotting it he retrieved it quickly and held it up for her. Still within reach she grabbed it and smiled at the man she loved.

He smiled back. "I'll be waiting, till next time we meet."

"I promise, it will be soon." She called out, rising higher and higher till she was no longer visible.

Van stood there staring up at the sky as a single tear rolled down his cheek. "Goodbye Hitomi. I do love you." He whispered.

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AN: Bittersweet is what I was going for, did I make it? Parting is never easy, and especially for Van here knowing how long the last time it was he saw her. But he is a strong young man, so I have confidence in him. I was going to make this two chapters but I felt you deserved to see it taken this far after the problems this website has had. By the way, does anyone know of any Escaflowne specific website I might be able to post this story at? After ACEN, I found that there are many ff fans that refuse to log onto ff.net. Call it prudish or what have you but I'd like to share this fic with as many Escaflowne fans as I can. Thanks.

I must say. Eva fans are a pain in the ass!!! I'm working on posting an Eva story I wrote months ago as a sequel to Eva ff writer, Random1377's story Crimson and Azure. I followed this style I started here, with very short chapters. I've received several reviews already complaining about that approach. I've been told, not asked, told to make my chapters longer. What arrogance! If I didn't put so much of myself into that story already, I'd just leave it unfinished and screw the Eva fans. Sigh. Sorry for venting here, but you guys make me feel so at home. I really loved Escaflowne after I saw it and I've seen it a few more times since I started writing this story. I've really come to love Van and Hitomi and the rest of Gaea as well. I'm so glad I can share this story with you.

I'll try to get a couple more chapters out before the end of the week.

A. Amishi