All you need is Love, Isn't it? Chapter 89, an escaflowne fanfic

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

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

Chapter 89

Hitomi's Chambers at Fanelia Castle

Van woke up with a start, his brow covered in droplets of perspiration and his jaw clenched tightly. The sight of the strange ceiling he found himself staring up at enhanced his momentary disorientation.

'Where am I? And why is it so hard to breath?'

As if it were intended as an answer to his silent inquiry, Hitomi sighed softly as she snuggled further up his chest, her arms resting comfortably over his shoulders.

Tilting his head downward, Van only saw his true love's sandy brown hair, which took on a pale blue hue in the thin stream of moonlight that filtered in between the curtains. Straining a bit more, he caught a glimpse of her tranquil angelic face. Seeing her sleep so peacefully brought a smile to his face.

'It was just a nightmare, nothing but a dream,' he assured himself as he wrapped his arms tightly around the sleeping teenager. 'I could get used to this.' He inhaled deeply, once again catching the scent of green apples in her hair. 'Her hair smells different than it did before.' He inhaled yet again. 'I like it. It suits her,' he smiled. Slowly, he allowed his eyes to drift closed once again as his breathing gradually became regular and deep.

Always a light sleeper, Van was roused from his peaceful slumber by the songs of the morning sparrows. Once again, he found himself on his side with Hitomi in his arms, but this time she was facing him, her head gently tucked under his chin and her arms around his waist with her hands clasped together at the small of his back. Smiling, he gently pulled her close and tilted his head to rub his cheek against the top of her head. Sleep was no longer a possibility for him. It was morning now, though dawn was still a few hours away, and sleep was the last thing on his mind. He had just had the most restful night's sleep he had had in over three months, despite the nightmare which had woken him in the middle of the night. Now he was ready for the day. But he remembered what Hitomi had told him about how tired traveling between worlds had made her now that she could control when she would arrive. While he hoped she would awaken shortly, he knew not to be surprised if she slept all day long, perhaps even more than a day.

'It's all right, Hitomi. You get all the rest you need. We have more than enough time to spend together.' He slid his hand up her back to just below her shoulder blades. He sighed sadly as his fingers ran over her ribcage. "So thin," he whispered, bringing his lips down upon her soft, sweet smelling hair.

Closing his eyes, he listened intently to Hitomi's gentle breathing, the feel of her warm breath upon his chest and the sensation of the gentle expansion under his hands caused by the intake of air into her lungs.

'I've never imagined experiencing something as simple as this could bring me so much joy.'

He kissed the top of her head again and indulged himself with another whiff of her fragrant hair. "Mmmm..." A broad smile crossed his face, but slowly the smile faded as he allowed himself to recall the nightmare, which had woken him so suddenly. "Merle..." sadness crossed his expression and his heart.

While the nightmare had a more dream-like quality to it than the waking dream he had just before Hitomi's arrival, it was still just as disturbing to him. 'Why am I seeing us at war with Zaibach again? They've shown no hostility towards us since Dornkirk's death. Why is Merle there, dressed in a knight's armor, and why does she look so... so... different... so... mature?' He sighed and gently rubbed his cheek against the top of Hitomi's head.

"I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you, Hitomi. You mean everything to me. You mean more to me than life itself." He caressed her back tenderly. "But Merle means a lot to me as well. She's been with me for almost as long as I can remember. She's the only family I have left. Next to you, she's the most important person in my life."

Hitomi let out a gentle sigh and nuzzled closer to Van. The young king raised his hand and stroked her silky soft hair, which elicited another sigh from her.

"I'm sorry for troubling you with such talk, Hitomi," he whispered softly. "I'm sure there's no need for concern. I'm certain it was just a dream." He held her tight. "Sleep now, Hitomi, my love. Sleep."

After lying in each other's arms for about another hour, Hitomi gently sighed and rolled over, out of Van's grasp. The young king raised a curious eyebrow at first, but slowly a smile crept its way across his lips and up to his eyes. He leaned over her and softly whispered, "I'll be back shortly, Hitomi... my love." Then he pressed a tender kiss upon her cheek.

Cautiously, Van slid out of bed and grabbed his boots. Walking towards the door, he pulled the servant's cord to summon the chambermaid, then he quietly left the room.

As he walked down the hallway, he saw one of the young maids approaching him quickly.

"Coragema."

"Good morning, Lord Van." She bowed. "Did you summon me?"

"Yes," he replied. "The Lady Hitomi has returned to us."

"Oh, really my Lord? That's wonderful news!" The young maid made no effort to conceal her excitement. "Shall I draw a bath for her?"

"That won't be necessary. The Lady is still sleeping, in fact, she might remain asleep most of the day," the king replied.

"Oh?"

"But in case she does wake up, I don't want her waking up all alone. Stay with her till I return. If she awakens before then, send word to me immediately. Do you understand?" he asked.

"Yes, my Lord." The maid curtsied, then quickly made her way to Hitomi's chambers.

Stopping only for a moment in his chambers to deposit his boots, Van made his way towards the stairway to head down to the lower level in order to take a bath, but as he reached the stairs, he took a glance back and reconsidered his actions. Turning, he walked back down the hallway.

Quietly, Van opened the bedroom door and peered in. The small figure under the covers lay motionless save for her rapid, shallow pants. The young king smiled while letting out a breath he did not realize he had been holding. 'She's fine... of course she's fine. Why wouldn't she be?' Compelled to take a closer look, Van walked into the room, closing the door behind him.

Walking across the room and next to her bed, he sat down beside her and watched the young catgirl sleep.

'Oh Merle... please, don't ever change.' He stifled a silent laugh and rubbed his hand over his mouth. 'What a childish request,' he acknowledged. 'Of course, she'll grow and change,' he said with a smile but the smile slowly faded. "Promise you'll always be by my side, Merle," he whispered almost silently as he gently brushed the few strands of hair from her cheek.

Merle, who was sleeping on her back with her head tilted slightly towards his direction, suddenly licked her lips and brought her right hand out from under the covers to rub her nose. The task completed, she stretched her arm out to the side and took a single deep breath before returning to her normal pant.

Van smiled happily, deciding that his young childhood friend deserved a kiss for her unconscious antics. Leaning over her slowly, he prepared to place a soft kiss upon her forehead, but, hesitating for a moment, Van reconsidered and tilted his head to the side to place a gentle kiss upon her cheek. And as had become his habit from the countless times he had kissed Hitomi, he closed his eyes just before reaching her cheek. In that brief instant, Merle unconsciously turned her head straight and what the young king's lips pressed against felt surprisingly warm and moist.

Van's eyes few open and his cheeks burned in embarrassment. Pulling away quickly, he thought of a dozen explanations for what had just happened as he pushed himself off the bed. But to his surprise and relief, Merle's eyes remained closed and her breathing unchanged. 'She's still asleep,' he realized with a sigh.

The young king waited a moment longer before deciding that it was safe to turn and leave the room, but as he was about to do just that, Merle rolled on her side, away from him, and said softly, "I love you, Lord Van."

Van's blood ran cold in that instant. 'By the gods.' He turned and leaned slightly over the bed in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the catgirl's face, but frowned when he realized that the only way he could would be to walk around to the other side of the bed.

'But what would I say if she is awake?' Shaking his head, he slowly turned and walked out of the room, closing the door silently behind him.

Without further hesitation, Van headed down the stairs to the bathing chambers. Once there, he methodically went about his normal early morning routine of placing logs in the furnace, starting the fire underneath them, then steadily pumping the bellows to add air to the fire in order to get the logs good and hot.

As he worked the bellows, Van thought about the past seven hours and the wide range of emotions he experienced during that time; feelings of anticipation and excitement over Hitomi's expected arrival, feelings of shock, fear, and deep sadness during his waking dream, feelings of relief and joy when he awoke from it to find Hitomi standing before him, feelings of hesitation and awkwardness as he and Hitomi made their way to her chambers, feelings of love and desire as he held her in his arms and kissed her passionately, feelings of peace and utter joy as he held her in his arms both while they danced and as they laid down to sleep. Van smiled as he continued to work the bellows, but his smile soon faded as the memory of his nightmare darkened his spirits.

"Hitomi... Merle..."

Lost in thought, the young king failed to pay attention to the fire as he continued to work the bellows until the flames leapt out at him.

"Aaah!" He jumped back just in time to keep from getting singed.

"I guess it's hot enough," he said as he composed himself and slid the furnace door shut. He then pulled the cord, which sent the heated water flowing into the rinse bath first. It then flowed into the wash bath. Steam rose from the water as it came in contact with the cool morning air. Van went behind the changing curtain and got undressed, then grabbed a towel and a basket of toiletries and walked over to the bath. Setting the towel down by the rinse bath, he sat down on the edge of the wash bath and placed the basket next to him.

Letting out a deep breath, Van shook his head in distress.

'Let it go. It was just a dream. Be happy that Hitomi is with you again.' He sighed.

Immediately, images of Hitomi smiling up at him, dancing with him, and kissing him filled his mind. Van closed his eyes, wanting to hold onto that last memory, but the moment he did, the memory was replaced with the image of him kissing Merle.

Van's eye flew open with a gasp.

"Rrrr!" He placed his hands on either side of his head. "What's wrong with me?"

Without another word, Van let himself fall backwards into the water.

"HOT!!!"

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AN: I hope you enjoyed this short addition. Not much happens, but I felt it was necessary as a transition for Hitomi and to add more for Van to worry about. Things will start getting more exciting in the subsequent chapters after Hitomi finally awakens.

I'd like to take a moment and thank everyone whose reads my story and all those who have been reviewing it. You guys really brighten my day and make the writing of this story so enjoyable.

And finally a big thanks to my amazing beta-reader, Janice. Thanks for everything.

A. Amishi