Author's notes:

I write most of my Escaflowne fanfiction using places, people and events that are mixed from both the movie and the series. For example, there is a reference to Van's fight with Dilandau in which they used psychic powers against each other. That is obviously from the movie. Mostly I use my favorite parts from each separate interpretation of Escaflowne to create my own interpretation. I think that is really the point of fanfiction. If you prefer one over the other, I simply encourage an open mind. I also fit the characters to the story I am telling, so another example is that I refer to Hitomi's hair color as "red" even though the color in the movie and series is more of a blonde/strawberry blonde. I am not sure why I am explaining all this to my readers, if there are any, but now you know. This story was a huge indulgence and it is slow and sometimes pointless. But not for me, or to me. CK 2/18/12 Also, I started referring to Van as "The Dragon", something I am stealing from Game of Thrones, but that could be referenced in the movie when people speak of "The White Dragon Clan". A stretch but hay : CK 6/5/12

Van crouched in the underbrush as he watched his prey. A bead of sweat trickled down his back and he was grateful for the shade of the forest. The sun banding through the tree tops was fierce; if he was to walk out into the open field it would surely be ten degrees hotter than in the forest. He was hunting elk-deer. It was an activity that suited him and he was skillful in bringing home large catches. The other members of the hunting party, Gaddes, Allen, Folken and two additional hunters were slowly moving towards the clearing. The forest opened into a convenient semi circle as the thick brush cleared to grassland. It was here the elk gathered to graze. It was perfect for circling, zeroing in on one or two elk to shoot and kill. Van barely shifted his gaze to assess the approximate distance and location of his fellow hunters. A bird called—it was Gaddes' and then there was the slow movement of hunters raising bows in unison. Van was one of them; they used two arrows per elk. One was for the heart, and one in the thigh to disable if the heart hunter missed. Van's arrow whistled as it flew towards it mark. In split seconds, everything happened in a blur; the herd scattered and ran in all directions. Van stayed crouched as he watched with wide eyes; his arrow pierced the elk's breast and then the great beast was down. He whooped like a young boy and sprinted towards the dying elk.

"Nicely done, Lord Van." Allen stood over the elk and the crouched Van, noting with a smile that his "back up" arrow also found its mark in the elk's thigh; it had successfully severed the femoral artery. Van grunted his appreciation and cleanly slid the arrow out of the elk. A warm spurt of blood followed and briefly showered Van in red. He blinked quickly as the blood dripped from his face and wiped his mouth on his right shirt sleeve. Allen's lip curled before he could stop himself and Van grinned wolfishly up at him.

"I guess I'll do the butchering, Allen?" Van almost laughed at Allen's prissy manner.

"Quite." Allen turned around briskly, "I'll bring round the horses with Folken."

Van pulled out his hunting knife and began to break down the meat.

It was dark by the time the men rode back within the castle walls. Van's shirt was stiff with the dried blood, and he knew he had reddish stains in his hair and on his face. He looked to his right and saw Gaddes was also stained a similar brick red on his pants. But the tallest man of the group managed to keep the blood from his face. The air was still warm from the hot day and it hung heavily. Most likely there would be thunderstorms tonight, Van thought. "Lorrrrrd Vannn!" came the familiar cry as Merle sped out of the stable doors and intercepted the group. Van shifted, embarrassed, on his horse as the men in his group snickered and rode ahead of him into the stables. Instead of sliding off his horse as he usually did to hug Merle, he rode up along side her. "Hi Merle.." He said as he looked down at her, "I'm going to clean up and stable the horse before dinner okay? See you inside." Merle pouted for a second before whining, "But Lord Vaaaann...Hitomi is in the stable she can take care of the horses!" Van's breath quickened for a second before he gained control of himself, all the more reason to ride away..."Well, she'll help us then." He stated firmly and headed to the stable.

Van dismounted and walked the horse in, his blood began to bubble when he saw Hitomi standing close to Allen and Folken while they brushed their horses. Allen was playfully pretending to brush Hitomi's hair and she was swatting his hand away. Most of the men knew about Van's lust for Hitomi, but Allen had consciously entered into a casual flirtation with Hitomi and disregarded the King of Fanelia's feelings. It made him angry for two reasons; first, it was almost treason in Fanelia to mess with the king's concubines (not that Hitomi was one); second, Allen was supposed to abide by the code of the Knights of Caeli, which stipulated that its Knights should hold themselves to the highest and most discreet standards. He was not setting a very good example and if Allen was a Fanelian citizen, he would probably be dead already.

But. Hitomi valued Allen as a loyal and brave friend, and Van dared not cause her more pain or hurt. He could usually control his temper, but he could not control another's heart. After carefully arranging his facial expressions so as not to reveal his true thoughts, but not quite his tone he strode up to the men and Hitomi. "Hey! Stop playing we have to take care of the animals." Hitomi turned her smiling face to him to greet him, "Hello Van! Allen was telling me how you killed the biggest elk! You sure look like you did! I'd hug you but you're covered in blood!" Hitomi hesitantly swiped at his shirt and made a face that showed her disgust. His men standing around laughed. Van was pleased internally by her greeting and reaction, but did not change his face or tone. "I have to get my horse to stable, excuse me." He started to walk away with the horse, but was quickly joined by Hitomi at his side. Hitomi spoke so low only he could hear her; "Can I come with you?" He nodded, a movement so disguised only she saw it. "See ya inside!" Hitomi called over her shoulder to Folken and Allen. Folken smiled as Allen turned away in annoyance. He watched Hitomi and Van retreat, Hitomi's hand creeping secretly down Van's arm until it disappeared into his sturdy fist.

Hitomi was perched on the fence of Van's horse's paddock. She watched as Van murmured quietly to the great black stallion. Once they were alone and away from prying eyes, he had taken off his shirt and quickly scrubbed away the blood. Though he still had dried flecks of blood in his hair and on his clothes, his face and arms were more bearable. Hitomi had helped him with some of the harder to reach spots and they had kissed for a bit as he was drying off. She had tasted so fresh and sweet to him, it was hard to stop and clean the horse.

Now, she was the one feeling impatient as she watched the strong young man put the saddles and blankets away. He stroked the horse one last time then turned to her. Hitomi's breath quickened as he locked eyes with her and approached the fence. For once, she was taller than him, something he took advantage of as he moved in between her legs and wrapped his arms around her waist. He looked up at her and she found herself drawn to him, her face tilting down until their lips were breaths apart. Her grip tightened around his broad shoulders and their embrace brought them closer.

"Van...?" Hitomi's question was lost as Van pressed his mouth firmly on her open one. Hitomi instantly melted and kissed him back. It seemed Van always held back when he was near her, whether they were talking or touching, but when they were kissing all emotions came forth. He would grab her hips, her shoulders, her face and press these parts against his own so she could feel the heat emanating from him. His passion overwhelmed and excited her, and she so easily could lose herself in the moment.

Always, Van was the one to keep control and pull back. This time was no different. As Hitomi gripped his strong arms and pushed her hips closer to him in a searching way Van pulled back so suddenly that Hitomi slid right off the fence. She gasped as he was the only thing keeping her up, and she realized how numb her legs were. Hitomi looked up into Van's face, he was bent over her and breathing heavily. He moved so their foreheads connected and she felt her heart calming, "Hitomi...I want... you...to stay with me." Van's ragged breathing made the words come out deeper than usual.

Hitomi's eyes widened as he spoke thoughts that she knew they both had but weren't ready to utter. He was avoiding her eyes and she took a deep, calming breath. Reaching up both her hands she gently touched his cheeks and he allowed her to turn his head so she could look into his dark eyes. She could get lost if she wasn't careful. "Van, I will stay with you." There were a million other questions she had, and things she wanted to say. For now, this would have to do. He seemed too emotional and she knew he had obligations. She was being honest with herself and her wants, she did want to stay with him. She wanted to kiss him, and be touched by him...and hold hands with him in public. She took a step back, her hand dropping to his gloved wrist, "We should get back. You have a dinner to preside over." Van looked down into her confident green eyes, feeling his pulse slowly return to normal. "Yes. Thank you Hitomi."

They turned out of the stall and were walking hand in hand to the stable doors. Suddenly, the doors banged open. Van quickly dropped Hitomi's hand and stepped in front of her to greet the person who had entered. "Lord Van! Boris requires the presence of the Dragon in the royal chambers." Boris was Van's closest and most trusted servant in the castle. Van nodded and grunted his reply, causing the assistant to salute and hurry out of the stable. Hitomi concealed her reaction to the urgency of the servant; "The Dragon" was a nickname that both scared her and reminded her of one of the reasons she loved Fanelia's history.

Van turned around to look at Hitomi, his deep rust eyes shadowed by his growing hair. He didn't say anything and she didn't understand why the mood was so tense. "Go on Van! I'll see you at dinner." She offered him a sweet, small smile and clasped her hands in front of her. He seemed to want to tell her something more but instead gently cupped her hip and tugged her closer then kissed her deep and long. Her eyes were still closed when he pulled away and she watched breathlessly as he walked away. Always the pushing and pulling, she thought.

Van was steaming. He was finishing up his hot bath, and clouds of steam poured off his body as he rose and dried off. His thighs were a bit sore from the horses, but otherwise he was in top condition. He had grown since the war with Zaibach ended, his hair was longer and his muscle mass larger. He was almost as tall as Folken. He had many more new scars and permanent calluses on his sword hand. He glanced in the mirror, his mouth set in a firm line. The two largest scars ran from his right collarbone to his navel and from just under his sternum diagonally towards his left side. These were marks from his battle with Dilandau, where Dilandau's sword had shattered and the two largest pieces of it embedded themselves in Van's chest. Panicked, Van had used telekinetic powers that triggered an earthquake. He had had to throw himself after Hitomi as she tumbled down into the canyon that was created by the earthquake. It was the first time she saw his wings. Van chuckled slightly; those were the days. When he didn't care if he lived or died, so long as Fanelia was avenged.

Hitomi had chosen to stay in Fanelia with him, Merle, Allen, Gaddes and Folken while they rebuilt. She had confessed her deep attachment to Gaia, to the people that inhabited the planet, and to him. It was still unspoken the real reasons for her decision. He already knew she was connected to him in an undeniable way. But, they had not been able to express their feelings or discuss what their relationship was turning into. It was all very secretive, conveniently, because as King in a distressed country, Van did not have the luxury to be seen with just any woman. Especially a woman from the Mystic Moon. Van pushed these thoughts out of his mind, lest they lead him into a brooding mood. He dressed in his laid out ensemble for the evening; servants were good for some things. His hair was almost dry as he finished the last button at his neck and his servants were now fussing over him. Boris was giving him a once over and muttering to himself, "You are late my lord, they will be coming for you any moment." Van rolled his eyes and said, "Let them wait. I am King." Boris gave him a stern look and then smiled in triumph as a loud knock came at the door and a voice called that court was ready for his majesty. "Hm. Even the King is given orders it seems, my lord." Van flicked his eyes once again to the mirror before exiting; his dark military suit complimented his lean form. But it was still itchy. "Bye Boris." He called over his shoulder.

Hitomi was standing anxiously in the balcony with Merle and Gaddes. She had been dressed as well, as Van ensured she at least could blend in when she was at court. She had a closet full of dresses now, in addition to the odd assortment of costumes she had collected during her travels in Gaia. She was wearing a simple dark purple one today, no ballroom skirts or extraneous lace. Merle curled her tail impatiently and whispered, "I wish Van-sama wasn't late all the time, then we could eat dinner faster. I'm so hungry!" Hitomi suppressed a giggle and smiled instead, "I brought some snacks this time...I got way too hungry last time too!" The girls hunched together conspiratorially and tried to silently open the baggies of cookies. But the wrappers crinkled and Gaddes was soon casting them a disapproving look. "Girls, you might want to hurry as his majesty is about to make his entrance." He raised his right eyebrow and directed his gaze towards the throne room below. The members of court who mattered-that is the wealthiest land holders and oldest generations of autocratic families, were coming to attention and facing the walk way which led to the throne. Tonight Fanelia was welcoming ambassadors from Astoria and another far off country that Hitomi was unfamiliar with. That was why Allen and Millerna were down by the throne and not with Hitomi and Gaddes. Hitomi put the last sweet almond cookie in her mouth and chewed as quietly as possible. "Oooo" squealed Merle, "Here comes Van-sama! I bet he's wearing the blue suit today for Astoria! He is so smart and diplomatic!" Merle started leaning a bit, as she did whenever Van walked out to the throne. He had started forbidding her from the throne room during welcomes such as this because she was too excitable and made too much of a scene. Hitomi rolled her eyes and said "Quiet Merle...who cares what he wore, you know as well as I do that he doesn't even pick it out himself!" But Hitomi found herself also anticipating his entrance. The girls didn't have to wait long, Van was soon striding in with Folken and his top ambassadors in tow. Merle couldn't suppress her squeal, "Van-sama! He did wear the blue! Aw he looks so good! I can't wait to eat now!" Hitomi clapped a hand to the cat-girl 's mouth and hissed "Hush Merle, he's looking at us! You're going to get it later you dumb cat." Merle hissed something back but Hitomi wasn't listening, because Van was indeed looking at them and in particular, at her. She swallowed as she felt the heat rise in her cheeks and had to blink several times which broke their eye contact. He was now at the throne reciting the traditional greetings and pre-dinner blessing with the ambassadors from Astoria. Merle had started talking about dinner but Hitomi was watching the way Van's shoulders strained against the blue wool when he raised and lowered his katana. There was another last hidden glance her way, she could be sure now and then the ceremony was over and everyone was following the young king to the dining hall.

"Miss Kanzaki." Hitomi started as a soft male voice said her name. She turned and saw one of Van's most trusted personal butlers. "Hi Boris, nice outfit! Van looked good too. Are you going to be at dinner?" Hitomi was blabbering, Boris rarely talked to her but she had a minor crush on him even though she knew he had a wife and children. He was just a really good looking guy, and could spar with Van like no one since Balgus could. Boris regarded her silently, (that was another thing, she always felt judged) and said "Master Van asks that you join him before walking in to dinner. He...requests you as his escort." Hitomi started and her cheeks went bright red..."Re..requests? Do I have a choice? Because if I do then I don't really think that-"

Boris cut her off, "You don't. Miss, when the Dragon requests it, it is already done." Hitomi gulped and allowed Boris to take her away from the seething Merle and smirking Gaddes.