This chapter was finished in the record time, but I guess you deserved it cause you nicely reviewed. On the other hand I WON'T update Memories of a heart till I have at least two reviews. Sorry, I know that is blackmail but I really took my time to write a decent chapter, I even rewrote it few times till I was happy with it so do me a favor and review it.

But for now you can enjoy reading this one! I hope...

A woman walked down the corridor of the Fanelian palace towards the meeting room. Her long light hair flowed behind her as she quickened her pace hopping she won't be late for the meeting again, but she was distracted and lost the track of time till she noticed she needs to attend the meeting in few minutes. She and her friend both hurried in their rooms to change. His room was closer so she had no doubt he was already there which was good cause if anyone knew about them it would be… they both knew it wouldn't be easy for other to accept their mutual affection.

"Princess Eries, you're a bit late." She heard as she walked in the meeting room.

"I'm sorry your majesty, I was a bit distracted and forgot the time." Eries, the princess of Asturia and for few months now the ambassador in Fanelia answered pretending she didn't noticed the smile she got from the young king.

"It's alright. You are here now so we can start with the meeting."

"I suggest we start talking about the ball." Weronn said getting everyone's attention.

"What ball?" Vans asked hiding his annoyance about the adviser's attempts got get him married.

"I thought we could invite some young noble women for you meet majesty." Weronn said casually.

"Did you ever consider the possibility I have already found someone?" Van asked out of the blue and Weronn turned white.

"But… your majesty… you can not possibly mean that girl…" Cowin couldn't even speak normally from the excitement "She isn't wordy to be the queen of Fanelia even if she was here, which she isn't."

Van allowed his adviser to finish with his bashing before he put on an angry face "I don't want to hear you or anyone else speaking of Hitomi in that way. And there will be no ball because the palace isn't finished yet!" with every word his voice became louder "I can't believe I left from a very important personal appointment to listen your rambling about the plans to get me a wife."

After several moments of silence Syan decided to change the topic "This year was a good one your majesty. I received the reports from all the farmers and it seems our sowing was successful and we will not need to import corn. Our own supplies will do."

"That is a good news." Folken smiled and than turned to Eries "Accept for Asturia."

"Our merchants will simply have to find some other things to trade with Fanelia this year." She smiled too and turned to Van who was looking with interest at her conversation with Folken.

Metal hallways were cold and dark as a young girl walked with her head bowed toward the hangar where she left the last year of her life. It was hard to believe it has been one whole year since she stayed with Ispano makers in exchange for the repair on Escaflowne.

"I wonder if Van is alright…" her voice trailed off when she realized what she just said "Why do I think of him now? What about my family? Why aren't they in my thought constantly?"

"You no look good." Ispano maker turned to Hitomi as she walked in the hangar. Unlike the small Ispanos Hitomi rarely wore her hood on her head.

"I wish I could tell my parents where I am so they wouldn't worry anymore." She said out loud before managing to stop herself.

"Why you not use our holography device?" Hitomi looked at the small creature confused and curious at the same time.

"What is that?"

"You send picture to family. Tell where you are." He answered and returned back to his post at the strange looking computer.

In the last year Hitomi was surprised by the advanced technology Ispano owned so many times but every day she would find out something new and even more interesting than the last thing.

"Can I see them too?" she went after him.

"They record answer and send back." He said and turned to his work. Hitomi shrugged and walked away knowing it would be useless to ask more questions; they never told her much accept how to use a thing, not on which principles it worked.

No one on Earth ever saw as the small flying machine appeared on the sky after passing through the thin passage between Earth and Dimensional Gap. It flied around a bit before finding the right direction. It navigated only with the help of Hitomi's instructions till in came to the middle size house whose description was stored in his memory. The Kanzaki family house had only one illuminated window and the holography device flied in through the open window of the kitchen and from there to the living room where Hitomi's parents and brother sat.

"Mom!" Mamoru jelled pointing to the flying machine that levitated under the ceiling.

"What is that thing?" she asked seeing what her soon was pointing at.

"I send from Hitomi." The holography device said flying lower before landing on the desk.

"Where is she?! Where is Hitomi?!" her father asked angry.

The device didn't said anything cause it wasn't programmed to answer questions; it simply opened the memory and released the recorded message. The picture quivered before the image of the young girl in black cloak became visible.

"I… I don't know how to start explaining where I am and what happened. I am quite sure Yukari and Amano told you what happened in the night I disappeared and I am also sure you didn't believed them. But it is true. I went on Gaea, the world from grandma's story. I'm not there anymore though... A year ago I gave away my freedom to save a friend, to save a boy king who brought me to his world, and now I live with Ispano makers who crated this holography device that is showing you my message, as well as some other things that I don't have the time to count… I miss you all a lot, and I truly hope I will have the chance to see you someday… And I hope you will forgive me for hurting you the way I did for not letting you know sooner where I am… You can record a message for me too and the device will bring it here… I'll try and contact you as often as I can… I love you all…"

As the picture vanished tears started to flow. Mamoru took his mothers hand and when she looked down on him he smiled "Hitomi is safe, we know that now. Can we record the message as she said?"

Mr. Kanzaki nodded; they will let their daughter and sister know how much they love and miss her, and how much they are proud of her. Cause even if it is what keep her away from them they are proud she did such an unselfish gesture for another.

Merle stood next to the window of Van's study. He wasn't in at the moment cause he had some important thing he needed to attend. Cat-girl growled in annoyance; the young king was unavailable for quite some time now and she didn't even want to know why. Actually she was afraid she wouldn't like the answer.

She watched with interest as two people walked down the path of the recently replanted garden towards the shrine in the back part. Merle actually blinked few times just to make sure she was seeing correctly as the man took a smaller delicate in his and lead the woman away and out of her sight.

In a flash Merle made a decision; she will find out what is happening in the palace, she wouldn't be herself if she didn't sniffed around.

After passing almost all corridors of the palace she noticed Van as he walked in. Right away he was intercepted by the annoyed looking cat-girl.

"Is there something wrong Merle?" Van asked calmly, but inside he was feeling a bit guilty for keeping a secret from Merle. Not that he was afraid she would talk around, he simply wanted for it to be a surprise for everybody, including his adoptive sister.

"I know Lord Van." She smiled bitterly "Did you honestly think I wouldn't find out? I have eyes you know. And a heart too." With that she went back to the kitchen to help with dinner.