Chapter 5: Fish Out of Water

"It's you and I in every universe"

-Her Universe, SKARS

Hitomi woke up in the morning to the sound of people in her room. The girl who brought Hitomi her dinner last night lit the fire and pulled back the drapes. Aalis directed another group of women to pour hot water into the bath. Hitomi sat upright and pulled the blankets high around her neck. She felt rested but was unnerved by the morning intrusion. From the casual nature of everyone's behaviour, she assumed this wake-up was expected in the castle. Hitomi lived alone and never had guests, let alone a group of servants fussing after her. She was not accustomed to people first thing in the morning.

"Good morning, Hitomi," Aalis greeted her as soon as she realized that Hitomi was awake. "I've got your bath ready for you. Once you've finished, a seamstress will be up to take your measurements. You will need clothing."

"Thank you, Aalis," Hitomi breathed slowly. She was feeling slightly panicked with all these people around her so early.

She followed Aalis into the bathroom and took off her shift. She felt more exposed this morning than she had the previous night. Moving quickly, she plunged herself into the warm water. As with the previous evening, her apparent entourage did not leave her to bathe alone. Soon, she was scrubbed and her hair washed. The room only began to clear once she was dressed in the same shift from the previous evening. A breakfast plate was brought to her, and she installed herself in one of the plush chairs.

Once again, Hitomi felt her fingers twitch for her mobile or laptop. She wondered how many times Janet had texted her. She was beginning to worry that she wouldn't have a job to go back to after this excursion to Gaea. Janet hated unreliable people, and Hitomi was terrified that all the work she had done to prove herself as reliable was going down the drain. Even though there was nothing she could do about the situation, Hitomi couldn't help but worry.

"Good morning, Lady Hitomi," greeted a pleasantly plump woman with greying hair and a warm smile.

"Good morning, just Hitomi, please," Hitomi replied automatically.

"I'm Diot. I am a seamstress here at the palace. I am here to take your measurements and get you some clothing made." Diot smiled at Hitomi. "Can you please stand for me?"

Hitomi stood obediently. Diot began measuring Hitomi and recording her measurements in a large book she had brought. Once she finished, Diot gestured for Hitomi to sit and brought the book to her.

"Please look through and tell me the styles you like," Diot asked kindly.

Hitomi sat and stared at the book, feeling a little helpless. She had never been much of a fashion girl. She practically lived in workwear or sweatpants, and staring at all the designs made her feel out of her depth. Feeling overwhelmed, Hitomi's eyes began to water. She was not used to feeling inadequate or unprepared. Ever since arriving on Gaea, Hitomi has felt nothing short of alien. She did not remember feeling like this the first time; the change was unwelcome. Before bursting into tears, her door opened, revealing a cat girl she had not seen in ten years.

Lord Van had ordered Merle to leave Hitomi alone to rest until later in the day. Merle was not accustomed to following orders, even those from her adopted brother. She had woken early, eager to see the girl from the Mystic Moon for the first time in ten years. Like Van, Merle had also missed Hitomi. Although she was nervous about Hitomi's effect on Lord Van, she was excited to see her friend.

The second Hitomi recognized Merle, the book crashed to the floor, and she launched herself at the cat girl in a hug. Hitomi had never been so happy to see Merle before. When they were younger, the feline had gotten on her nerves, but now she was a welcome, familiar face. Hitomi buried her head in Merle's hair and squeezed her tightly.

"Hitomi!" Merle squealed and held the seeress with equal tightness.

"Merle!" Hitomi returned the greeting with equal fervour.

When they finally disentangled, Hitomi got a good look at the cat girl. Merle's face had matured and lost much of her kitten-like roundness. Her face had narrowed, and her figure had filled out. She was still more petite than Hitomi but was more feminine in her build. Her hair was still voluminous and the colour of cotton candy. It was tied back in a loose ponytail but fell delicately around her midback. She was dressed simply in a dress, with a laced bodice and a long skirt in a deep red. She was stunning.

"Merle, I do believe you grew up on me!" Hitomi smiled, mirth filling her eyes.

"So did you, Hitomi," Merle quipped back and ran her fingers gently through Hitomi's honey-coloured hair.

Looking down at the ground, Merle noticed the book lying face open. "Were you picking out some dresses? Lord Van mentioned you needed new clothes."

"Yes, but I could use your help," Hitomi asked hopefully.

"I'd love to help! How long are you planning to stay this time?" Merle asked cautiously, afraid of Hitomi's answer.

"I don't know; this wasn't a planned visit. I need to talk to Van about it. I need to get back to work." Hitomi sighed; for some reason, she felt uncomfortable talking about her impending return to Earth. She reached her hand up and unconsciously tugged the end of her braid.

Merle's eyes narrowed slightly, her heart plummeting for Lord Van. "You work? Does your husband not take good care of you?"

"Oh, I'm not married. I'm a lawyer." Hitomi flushed.

Merle's ears perked up; there was still hope that Hitomi would stay then. Smiling to herself, Merle picked up the book. "Let's look at these. I want to hear all about your life on the Mystic Moon."

The two women curled up in the chairs in front of the fire and discussed what had happened in the last ten years. Hitomi discussed her life in London and her work; Merle described the political climate of Gaea and the current delegation. Merle took the lead on selecting dresses for Hitomi. Soon, Hitomi had a chosen new wardrobe, and Diot had left them to their gossip.

Van was pacing in his study, and he could not stay still. His body had been twitching since Hitomi's return. He wanted to see her, but his obligations to his crown would not allow it. While he resented it, there was nothing to be done about it. He had spent his day with the delegation, negotiating trade agreements. It was impossible to focus when Dryden and Chid kept eyeing him as if to remind him who was not present. He had spoken to Aalis earlier in the day and was told Merle was with Hitomi. He should not have been surprised that Merle disobeyed his orders. He could hardly blame her; Van wanted to see Hitomi as well. Nothing frustrated him more than realizing how close Hitomi was and unable to spend time with her. He would need to wait and hope she would have dinner with himself and the delegation.

Adrasteia stood on the other side of the door from Van's study and held her hand up hesitantly to knock. She knew the Seeress was back from the Mystic Moon; she had seen the girl the night before. As with the rest of Gaea, Adrasteia knew their love story. However, it has been ten years since they last saw each other, and Adrasteia would not give up easily. She was determined to become the next Queen of Fanelia. Steeling her courage, she knocked loudly on the door.

"Come in," Van called from the other side of the door.

Adrasteia opened the door and gazed at the king. He looked every inch the royal. He wore a high-collared black coat and cream breeches. The design was simple, but the material was notably expensive. He looked like the prince that little girls dreamed about marrying one day.

"Hello, my Lord." She smiled coquettishly.

"Lady Adrasteia, what can I do for you?" He asked inquisitively. He hid his mild irritation at the intrusion.

"I was hoping to speak to you," Adrasteia continued.

"Yes, of course." Van gestured for her to sit.

"I was hoping to get to know you better. I feel strange. I'm in your country, and we have spent so much time together, but I feel I hardly know you." Adrasteia sunk gracefully into the offered seat.

"What would you like to know?" Van asked cooly.

"Well… how did you meet Lady Merle? I have heard you call her sister, but that cannot be true." She asked, folding her hands neatly on her lap.

"She is my sister. Her mother was a dear friend of my mother. We grew up together. Her parents passed away when she was still a kitten. My mother took her in after that, and we were raised together. She may not be my sister by blood, but she is my sister in every way that counts." He replied.

Adrasteia waited for him to continue, and when he offered no further information, she said, "I have no siblings. I wish I had someone I was that close to. It must be incredible to have that bond."

"Yes, I am lucky to have her," He replied.

Adrasteia tried hard not to sigh. Talking to his majesty was like trying to squeeze water from a stone. He offered up very little for her to work with. She wanted desperately to know him, know his mind, but he kept her at a polite distance. He was a puzzle to her, polite but cold. She was beautiful and accomplished, but he showed her no special interest or preference. Adrasteia was accustomed to getting what she wanted with little effort, and breaking down the King's walls proved more work than anticipated. She had been so confident leaving Zaibach that she could win his heart, but now her confidence was shaken.

"Was there anything else you would like to know? I'm afraid I have some work to attend to and must return to it." Van said kindly. He intended it to be a dismissal but did not want to offend her.

"I shall leave you, my Lord. I do hope that we might continue our conversation later." Adrasteia said breathily. Standing gracefully, she made her way towards the door.

As she was about to leave, the door opened unceremoniously, revealing Hitomi in a freshly made dress and Merle. The women had their arms linked and were laughing. Adrasteia's eyes narrowed slightly upon seeing the Seeress. Adrasteia had to admit she was pretty enough, but that would not deter her from her pursuit of the King. Thinking quickly, she teetered on her feet and "rolled" her ankle, swaying gracefully off balance. Van, noticing that she was about to fall, quickly caught her. The result was the appearance of Adrasteia and Van in an embrace to Merle and Hitomi as they entered.

Blushing prettily, Adrasteia disentangled herself from Van's arms and thanked him quietly for catching her. She swept past the two women who were left gawking at what they had witnessed. Adrasteia smiled to herself as she went. She may not have the same history as the Seeress with the King, but she could play court games with the best of them.

"Hitomi," Van breathed at the sight of her. There was something magical about seeing her dressed in the clothes of his homeland. She was stunning. Her dress was a simple deep blue linen. It looked more like something one of the servants would wear than the saviour of Gaea. He shifted uncomfortably. The optics of what had just happened were not lost on him. He was also keenly aware of the look that Merle was giving him, and he felt his cheeks slightly pink.

Hitomi felt uncomfortable for the umpteenth time since her arrival in Fanelia. She had stumbled into a private moment between Van and Lady Adrasteia. She felt embarrassed and surprisingly hurt. She knew that she had no business being hurt; she and Van had made no promises to each other and hadn't seen each other in ten years.

"Were we interrupting something?" Merle asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Not at all," Van replied, crossing his arms defensively across his chest.

"They finished a dress for me to wear. Merle was going to show me around the castle. Since it's near supper, we thought you might want to come with us." Hitomi pushed her discomfort down. She did not care for this version of herself and would not let her awkwardness win out.

Van smiled his first genuine smile of the day. He was grateful that they had come to find him. He extended his arms to the ladies to loop onto and led them into the corridor. They had at least an hour before he would be required to host dinner, and they could cover much ground in that time. He started explaining his choices during the reconstruction and how he had blended old elements with new ones. Pride rang in his voice as he pointed out the minute details.

As they walked the halls, Hitomi could not help but smile at the pride in Van's voice. She could tell how deeply he cared about each detail. She was also impressed at how he greeted every person they passed by name. His memory of names turned out to be impressive. He took the time to introduce her to everyone they met. He treated her like some precious jewel he was bestowing on them. It made her blush. He had a knack for making her feel important. Warmth fired in her belly, and she tried to fight it back.

The hour passed quickly, and Van led them towards the great hall where dinner would be served. To Hitomi, it looked like pictures she had seen of Hampton Court Palace in England. The walls were cream, but the ceiling had dark wooden beams intricately carved into dragons. Tapestries lined the walls. Hitomi suspected that the tapestries depicted the history of Fanelia. She spied a few that depicted Escaflowne, and she smiled. She could tell that Van had spent a lot of effort ensuring that his country's history was honoured in the architecture and finishings of the castle. She was proud of him.

They appeared to be the last ones to arrive at dinner. Van's seat at the head of the table was empty, as was one seat to his left, reserved for Merle. Van frowned slightly, realizing that Hitomi would have to sit farther away from him than he was comfortable. For her part, Hitomi did not seem to notice as her eyes were trained on two delegates sitting across from each other. When she recognized Chid and Dryden, a happy gasp escaped her lips, and she rushed over to them. Dryden stood and gestured to the seat next to him. Before sitting down, Hitomi threw her arms around Dryden in a tight hug. Dryden laughed heartily before returning her embrace.

"It's good to see you, Hitomi," He smiled.

"It's good to see you too!" Hitomi beamed. "How are you?"

"I'm good; my wife will be jealous that I got to see you first." He laughed.

"Your wife? Did you and Millerna reconcile?" Hitomi gasped.

"We did at that!" Dryden replied with some characteristic smugness.

Van watched them from his position at the head of the table. He could not hear what was being discussed and longed to sit with them. He could hear someone talking to him, but his focus was not on the conversation. He was trained on the other end of the table. Once the wine was brought out, he quickly stood and held his glass in a toast.

"We are honoured this evening to have Hitomi Kanzaki join us from the Mystic Moon. Hitomi's contributions during the Destiny War were invaluable. I propose a toast to the return of old friends." Van proposed, lifting his glass to Hitomi.

The table gasped slightly at the announcement. Hitomi's role in the Destiny War was well-known, and she was commonly referred to as the Saviour of Gaea. Van smiled with pride at introducing her to the delegation and giving her the honour she deserved. Hitomi turned pink at the attention and sunk lower into her chair. She was embarrassed by the attention. Being in a room with strangers who all knew her for something she had done at fifteen felt strange.

Taking solace in the wineglass in front of her, Hitomi took a long sip of her wine. Almost immediately, she felt the heat of the alcohol rush to her cheeks. She felt it burn into her tense muscles, and her body relaxed. Knowing her tolerance, she quickly returned the half-empty glass to the table. If she were not careful, she would end up getting drunk and embarrassing herself further. Thankfully, food began making its way to the table, and attention was diverted away from her.

Adrasteia's pretty brow furrowed in frustration. His Majesty was distracted and not paying attention to anyone but the Seeress. She had been trying to ask him more questions, but his responses were short and to the point. He was distracted, and nothing she did to redirect his attention worked. She could see his eyes dart back to her over and over again. It was almost as if he feared she would disappear into thin air before their eyes. She glanced over at Deimos, her compatriot from Zaibach, who was blissfully enjoying his meal unbothered by the King's inattention. She would have to talk to him about providing a distraction for the Seeress so that she could continue to get to know the King.

"Deimos," she hissed under her breath.

"What?" Deimos responded, his mouth partially full.

Gesturing her head towards the Seeress, Adrasteia looked at him with a glare that read, 'Keep her distracted.'

"Right," he muttered before raising his voice. "Lady Seeress, how long will you grace us with your presence? I am sure you have relations on the Mystic Moon who miss you terribly."

"Umm… I don't know. Van… err... Lord Van helped me out of a sticky situation back home. This was not a planned trip but a… uh… welcome one." Hitomi stumbled over her words. She was not expecting to be called upon. Calling Van a 'Lord' felt sticky and strange in her throat, but she did not know how else to refer to him publicly.

"His Majesty went to the Mystic Moon?!" Adrasteia exclaimed, her cheeks pinked at her outburst.

"Yes, I did," Van replied cooly, implying the conversation was over. He felt strange hearing Hitomi refer to him as 'Lord Van.' He wasn't sure he liked it.

Adrasteia balked slightly at his tone. He had always been distant with her, but his voice had an iciness and a dangerous glint in his eye that she had never seen before. She had more questions and wanted to comment on the accursed nature of the place but bit her tongue. She knew from his reputation that the King could be prickly, but she had not witnessed his surliness firsthand until now.

"Isn't that place cursed?" Deimos piped up, oblivious to the tension that crept into the room with Van's response.

"It isn't cursed. It's my home." Hitomi retorted, a slight fire lit behind her eyes.

"Agreed, it is not cursed and is home to one of the great heroes of Gaea." Van agreed curtly. His eyes glinted dangerously as if daring Deimos to continue.

Hitomi looked at Van gratefully while the rest of the table shifted awkwardly. An uncomfortable silence followed, and while Deimos had the good sense not to continue speaking, he did not have the good sense to apologize.

"I'm sure Lord Deimos meant no offence," Bran spoke up jovially, trying to break up some of the thick tension in the room.

"If he did not, he can say so for himself," Hitomi said flatly. After a silence continued to ensue, she rose from her seat. "I must ask to be excused. I am tired."

"Hitomi…" Chid said, standing as she rose to her feet.

"I'll see you later, Chid. I'm fine, just tired." She reiterated and headed out of the room.

The silence that permeated as Hitomi walked away was deafening. Van had stood as she left. He was about to follow her when Merle touched his arm and gestured her head towards his guests. He looked pained as his eyes stayed trained on the door Hitomi had left through. Sitting back down, Van turned his attention back to his guests. The conversation began again, and the delegation turned to safer topics such as trade agreements and the weather.