Author's Note: Sorry it took me so long! I have been reading some other really awesome fanfics and getting lost in my purpose….lots more to come eventually :]

Van:
She had so awed the people and advisors in the room that they would not question the king in any open venue. The advisors would never be able to publicly resist. The marriage license was as good as signed.

It was only later that Van began to worry. Will we have pushed them to use dishonorable methods? His arm was slung about Hitomi as she leaned against him. After the betrothal dinner, the king and future queen had joined most of the visiting nations' dignitaries for dessert and drinks. Down the table, he eyed his white bearded advisor. He alone voiced dissent. Will he be the one to make the deal? Van jerked as he felt a soft touch on the inside of his thigh. Hitomi was not looking at him, but she was stifling a smile. His face returned to a bored expression but he shifted the arm around her shoulders to under the table. Her leg muscles instantly tensed as his hand squeezed the flesh of her hip. Even through all the yards of fabric, Van could feel her curves. Her body was radiating heat and he was growing impatient with the chatter around them. His grip tightened again as he heard the voices of his advisors swirling among the laughter; he would cut them down as easily as any man he ever killed if they so much as breathed the traitorous words.
"Van..." hissed Hitomi, a touch of anger in her voice, "You're hurting me.." He looked down into her green eyes clouded with emotion, and loosened his grip. Instead of speaking his heart and mind, he kissed her softly in front of all their noble guests. "Sorry." He breathed as he straightened, a word he knew no one would ever hear except her. She smiled again and brought her attention back to the table and their guests seated in front of them.

"How did you ever manage this Van?" The question came unexpectedly from Apollo. Many of their guests had excused themselves, Van's advisors included. Apollo remained, along with Folken, Merle, Allen, Millerna, Dryden, young Emperor Chid and a handful of other nobles down the table and out of ear shot. Van did not answer the stupid question immediately, it would only rouse Apollo's argumentative nature.

Instead, he sipped slowly from his cup of Vino and raised his eyes to meet Folken's steel gray ones. Millerna and Allen were politely ignoring Van and Apollo, soft conversation flitting between them. Dryden was trying to distract Merle from the potential exchanges by teasing her about her dress. Chid's sensitive, bright blue eyes that made him a young copy of Allen were locked on Hitomi and Van at the head of the table. Apollo stood up abruptly after the long pause and his next words were laced with poison.

"My mother always said it would be a bitter day when Varie's children rose to the throne. They would not be able to unite the Draconians and Fanelians. You must know our mothers meant to unite the two kingdoms. After Folken was presumed dead my sister was left to wait for you, the boy king." Van's eyes narrowed quickly at the mention of the princess he had never met. The girl had been promised to Folken and then had died of a strange illness when he had left Fanelia a traitor. Before Varie's death, before Van had even comprehended what his advisors and Balgus were telling him about the Draconians and their Forbidden Kingdom's desire to unite. "Blood means more than loyalty or love, Van," Apollo spat. "I cannot see how they have possibly accepted this...union." Van realized instantly that Apollo was not talking about Fanelia's advisors or citizens. He stood to face Apollo, knowing this would anger the man and wanting to fight. "I will not have you speak to me in this way, Apollo. Our countries are at peace, let it remain so." Apollo glared at him with such ferocity that Van wanted to slit his throat right there at the table. A vicious smile slowly tugged at his face as Van imagined the blood spilling from Apollo's pretty neck. "Our countries? Draconians are all one people, Lord Dragon." His last two words were meant to mock Van's claim to Fanelia. It did not slip past Van. It was all over in a matter of seconds: Van leapt across the table and pressed his katana to Apollo's neck. "Do not ever to presume to tell me my Draconian blood makes me king of a people I have never known. I am Fanelia, and Escaflowne bows to me!" Van's voice was a loud snarl, and his features were contorted into such a rage that Hitomi lost her lover for moment. "Get out of my sight." He commanded. Apollo continued glaring up at Van as the king slowly sheathed his sword.

Ignoring his party and his love, he strode from the room, refusing to deal with the situation he had created, refusing to acknowledge the pain of his Draconian heritage. His mother had so wanted the kingdoms united, to show Fanelia she was not a demon, that her children were not demons and that her grandchildren could not be demons. But the curse of Atlantis, and the expectations of the outcast Draconian kingdom would still be there when he was done sulking.

He found his solace in the starry sky, as usual. Swinging his sword to clear his mind, to practice the moves he and Boris worked at every day, Van's breathing slowed. Shame washed over him again at his stupid actions. It would be a political mess, and Folken could only do so much. Van was always acting without considering the consequences. Sighing he looked up at the clear sky, the single moon and Earth behind it glowing softly. He started when a voice called his name from the terrace's door way. "Lord Van." He turned and stared at Emperor Chid, still a boy of twelve, trying so hard to look the King as his warrior father had. But Chid looked so like Allen that Van turned away in muted disgust as he managed to grit out, "Your grace." He sheathed his sword for the second time of the night, glad there was no blood on it, and faced the young Emperor. The young king looked up searchingly into Van's troubled face and stated simply, "You should go to her. Her pain touches everyone who tries to comfort her." Van's shame returned and caused his strong shoulders to slump, he had forgotten the most important thing of the night: Hitomi's safety and happiness. He made to move past the young king and seek Hitomi, when Chid's small grip caught his wrist and made Van stop to listen to him more closely. "She will come to hate you if you bring war to her people. Your claim to the throne will never be contested here in Gaia, all kingdoms know you are your father's son. The Forbidden Kingdom and the remaining Draconians will never find support so long as a son of Fanelia sits the throne." Van heard, and listened. "Thank you, Chid. I value your input more than you know, and you will always have Fanelia's love and loyalty." Chid's brow knitted at his words, and Van recalled Apollo's claim that blood was stronger than loyalty. He left the boy to his dark thoughts about past actions of people he had barely known.

When he pushed open the door to Hitomi's room, it saddened him to see her gown torn and discarded on the ground. The rooms were dark and cold, and he could hear her breathing regularly on the bed. Her sheets were twisted in her hands and around her legs. He knelt beside the bed and reached his hand tentatively to brush the hair from her face. He stopped when he saw the stains on her cheeks, the wetness still drying on the pillows. She had cried herself to sleep. He groaned and brought his forehead to rest on her cool sheets. The movement woke Hitomi, and when he looked up, he only saw the green pools he wanted to lose himself in. Their light was so strong in the glow of the Earth and Moon. "Van," she whispered as her eyes cleared and sharpened with something he had not seen in months: fear. It made him angry that he did all this for her, and she repaid him with fear. Will you ever trust me? Have I ever given you a reason to? He did not know if his anger was at himself or Hitomi. Hitomi must have seen the deep emotions on his face, because she let go of her sheets and reached her hand to his face. He closed his eyes momentarily at her touch, she skimmed across his jaw line and held his cheek for a moment before both his hands caught her small one. When he opened his eyes to look at her again he saw only desire and love in her eyes. "Come here, Van," Hitomi commanded without even being aware of it, and his blood caught fire.

He pressed himself on top of her as his mouth crushed hers, he had only ever wanted her and she had to understand that. Her hands twisted his hair as they must have her sheets; she opened her mouth for him to slip his tongue inside. They had been cautious to never consummate their love lest a bastard was conceived or born before their wedding. But Hitomi's hips arching up to press into his erection was enough for Van to forget anything except the heat between her legs. He reached his hand down to slip her night dress above her knees and up to her stomach and caressed her inner thighs. She moaned into his mouth at his calloused touch. He enjoyed grazing her soft skin with hands rough as sandpaper, and she had whispered before to him that she liked his strong hands. He left her mouth to suck greedily like a babe on her neck and shoulders, marking her as his. "Please, Van..." she sighed as he moved lower, covering her available skin with kisses and suckles. Her eyes were falling shut as her skin gleamed with her desire, he continued to watch her as his lips reached cloth. Growling with impatience he tore her night dress from her body. She did not flinch when he pulled her roughly to him again, continuing his descent with his mouth. When he found her breast and nipple with his mouth, she moaned again, pulling his head close to her breast. Her hips were now raised and pressing firmly to his pelvis as he allowed more of his weight to lower onto her lower half. He reached his fingers down again and stroked experimentally inside her panties. She was so wet. He lost no time in slipping his fingers inside of her, all earlier anger and shame forgotten. This was what his rage was for, so he could have these few sweet moments of bliss. She cried out as he took her nipple between his teeth and then she had him in her hands, somehow. He loved her smooth hands on his cock, always he told her when he desired her to touch him. It was different than the usual strokes she gave him though. She was holding him firmly and pulling him towards her as if by a leash. He grunted as she guided him part of the way in and then he moved without asking, until he was all the way inside of her. "Hitomi..." He breathed as she whimpered momentarily and then began to rock her hips underneath him. He lost himself in her sweet smelling hair as they moved together, hoping to never wake from this dream.

"Father! Mother!" The heat roared around him as he stared, horrified at the blackened figures of his mother and father upon the dais in the throne room. A deep, evil laughter was filling the room and Van did not know where to turn for help. He only knew the heat and tears on his face. "Van." He turned at the sound of his name, and there was Hitomi naked as he had ever seen her, blood running from her breasts. Nausea swept over him as he realized she was carrying two babies, two misshapen and blackened babies. Their black wings were shedding feathers with her every step and he turned away in revulsion.

His eyes snapped open suddenly, the lingering emotions from the dream heavy in his heart. He had always dreamed of his parents burning, even though they both died in their beds. It was one of his greatest fears as a child after listening to tales of dragons surrounding the castle. He listened to Hitomi's even breathing and comforted himself knowing that he would always have her to protect and love. She would always be there to soothe his fears, to bolster his confidence. His arm brought her closer into his chest and she resisted in her sleep, intent on keeping her comfortable position. It brought a smile to his face that even in rest, she resisted his attempts to harness her.

Grey morning light filtered in her window as Van wished he did not have to face the day. The success at the engagement announcement had been severely soured by his response to Apollo's words. He felt Hitomi stir slightly, as if she sensed his unease and he pressed kisses to her face to wake her more. She mumbled something and reached her hand down to find him stiff against the sheets. Van put off Apollo and his kingdom a little longer, as the sun climbed higher in the sky and he discovered new ways to make Hitomi Kanzaki pant his name.