"And I'm glad you came to my life… I really need someone I can turn to."
A smile spread on Hitomi's lips as the vision vanished and she found herself back in the corridor on the factory ship. Heading again in the direction she was walking before the vision came she giggled slightly 'You will change him Merle… I believe in you to show him friendship… maybe even something more…"
And as she walked in the main hangar another vision came…
A young dark-haired boy looked with pride in his older brother. He was sitting between two samurais on the square in front of the palace and watched as his brother, as his hero received the royal sword from the priest, which made him a new king of Fanelia.
He ran towards the just crowned king as soon as the ceremony was over to congratulate him. Gaou was there for him after their gather died; he was the one who look out after him and taught him about history and about law. But he never taught him about love.
Once more Hitomi saw as Gant looked towards his older brother, but he no longer looked up on him. And the only reason for it was a beautiful woman that stood next to the king. Gaou turned towards his brother and called him to join them but he only turned away and left without saying a word.
"I am worried love." A woman spoke to her husband as he walked in their chamber after a long meeting.
"Everything will be alright Varie. Gant will change his mind once he actually got to know you." He walked to her and placed his hand on her abdomen.
"He doesn't want to know me. Gaou, I'm afraid of him."
"He would never dare to act against you I any way." He took her hand and led them to their bed "He knows I wouldn't allow anything or anyone to hurt you."
"Or our son." Varie smiled ad kissed her husband what resulted with a dark blush on Hitomi's cheeks. She was standing there and watching the past and it had become normal thing for her by now, but watch as Van's parent's lie together in bed and kiss was another thing. She started to feel rather awkward as figures from the past continued to kiss quite passionately.
As the scene changed and darkness surrounded her blush vanished from Hitomi's cheeks and was replaced with a sad expression. She could feel the love fill the royal chamber and it hurt her to remember it would never happen to her.
Sound of child's cry seemed to make the darkness disappear and Hitomi once more found herself in the same chamber only this time there was more light in it, and more life.
A small child lied in the crib next to the bed queen of Fanelia was lying in at the moment. Her husband was sitting next to her and watched the little boy he called his son.
Hitomi turned away from the scene and walked out of the chamber. She didn't really know where she was going, but something as telling her she needs to go that way. She continued to wander through the palace until she stepped in front of large door that were slightly open.
She walked through the wood and than turned back to see if that really happened before turning back to the young man in the chair. A glass of vine was in his hand and an empty bottle on the table next to him. She didn't even needed to hear his words to know he was drunk but Hitomi new the vision meant something so she stayed and listen.
"As one demon wasn't enough now there is another one of those. I told him about her… I warned him but he wouldn't listen…Now there is another one."
He threw the glass into the wall and the wine left a smear on the white paint. Standing up Gant went to the window and looked out towards the square where people started to gather as soon the word spread that the queen went into labor. He watched as his brother carries out his precious son for everyone to see. He was disgusted that people were actually cheering when they should kill the monster and his mother.
"I am sorry that you are so blind brother and don't see what kind of creature that witch of your wife really is…"
Hitomi gasped, as the scene suddenly changed apparently to few years later cause king Gaou was already older then when she saw him few moments ago. He sat on the throne and watched sadly as the cat-woman in front of him explained him what happened last night.
As soon as she was finished with her story his expression changed and he became angry. He turned to one of the guards on the door "Sull, bring my brother here."
As soon as he ordered that the cat-woman looked at him scared "You… you don't have to do that my Lord. It really isn't necessary."
"Yes it is Elissa." He calmed her down ad showed to the guard that hesitated to do as he was told before he looked back at the beautiful feline standing in front of him "I know my brother courted you for over a year now Elissa and I know as well you refused his every proposing which made him frustrated. But that does not justify him. Gant had on right to rape you." The king sighed and shook his head "And now that he did he will face the consequences."
Walking slowly through the darkness Hitomi listened in hope she might hear something to guide her, but for what seamed like hours no sound reached her ears. She was about to give up and scream, call someone, anyone to help her out of the darkness.
She smiled as once more as a cry of a child was heard and she found herself again in the royal chamber. She recognized the scene right away; after all it wasn't the first time she saw the day Van was born. She had seen it the day he revealed his wings to her. Folken was ten and he stood next to his father, his smile was wide upon seeing the bundle in his mothers arms. But Van wasn't the only child born that day.
Scene from the chamber in the palace changed and Hitomi looked around to see where she was now. The room was smaller then the former one but it was a bedroom too. Just that in this bed was a cat woman Hitomi recognized as Elissa. She too was holding a newborn child just as queen Varie ad she smiled to the little boy in her arms. But then the door opened and an angry man walked inside.
Hitomi didn't need to turn to him to know it was Gant Fanel. He walked through her never knowing she stood there and watched as he took the child from his mother's arms and walked for the moment out of the room. Elissa was confused with his action until he walked back in.
Hitomi closed her eyes when she saw how fact he walked back to the bed. She really didn't want to witness what she thought he might do to the cat-woman again.
"Thank you Elissa." Hitomi opened her eyes in shock and watched as Gant lied down on the covers and opened his arms for Elissa to cuddle in. Observing a little better she didn't noticed the previous anger in his eyes, only affection for his wife. There was no doubt she was his wife, after all they both had rings that bind them in marriage.
"And queen Varie? How did the labor go?"
"Why do you bother to ask about her?" he asked coldly "It's not like she would bother to ask about you well-being?"
"She is my friend."
"She is a cursed demon!"
"She is still my friend." Elissa said again, but her kindness didn't affected Gant; not even a bit.
Hitomi opened her eyes and screamed seeing a small creature in black cloak standing in front of her observing what she was doing.
"No daydreaming. Work. Deadline coming closer." He said and walked back to the melefs in production.
"How much more time do we have?" she asked following him.
"Two years. Ten months."
Hitomi stopped in her track and shook her head. They would finish the melefs in two years and six months if everything goes as planed so his panic they would deliver them with delay was silly. But still she did as told and hurried to help one of the makers to lift a part of an operation system towards already finished pilot cabin.
But only after few minutes she was send away out of the hangar. They would do something she wasn't supposed to see. Not that she mindthat they gave her some free time. But it seemed like the vision just waited for her to settle in the chair.
Brothers stood opposite of each other and argued "You are being unreasonable Gant!"
"Why? Because I have no attention to listen to your orders anymore? I made my mind. We are leaving in spring."
"Leat is still too young. Even though he is a cat-boy the cold air-"
"Don't you dare to call my son a beast!" Gant yelled at the shocked king "At least he is not a monster like yours."
"Gant?" king Gaou called but his brother walked out of the chamber without looking back.
Hitomi wasn't surprised when the scene changed, but she surprised when she saw that Gant changed his mind and not in the good way. Elissa was sitting in the open coach trying to keep the bundle in her arms warm as they drove out of Fanelia.
"That can't end good…" Hitomi whispered to the wind around her as she watched the family leaving in the middle of winter while the snow was falling "She will pay it with her life… Won't she?"
I was looking for an older review and noticed one for the forth chapter of the old version of this story. If you are new reader-yes, there was an older version with only five chapters and it sucked.
Anyway, in the review there was a question about why doesn't Escaflowne accept Leat. I thought I might answer that question considering the plot is completely different so that situation won't repeat itself in this version of the story.
The reason is this- in the first chapter Ispano maker tells Van his blood is stronger cause he's a Draconian. My idea was that Leat's blood wouldn't be accepted cause compared with Van's it's weaker and as such not GOOD ENOUGH for Escaflowne.