Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Blood In Her Hands ❯ Clash of Blades and Principles ( Chapter 9 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Vision of Escaflowne.. However, the new/added characters and places in this fanfic that were not mentioned in the animated series are products of my imagination.. Any relation to real people/places is purely accidental..

Hitomi woke up alone in her room. Just last night, they were all around her. She got up and went outside. She didn't know what happened last night, but she was sure that it wasn't a good one. She wanted to see someone. Anyone. She doesn't want to be alone anymore.

”Where are they?” exclaimed Hitomi. She passed numerous rooms, halls and balconies. But it seems that the castle was deserted. There must be at least a maid in this castle, thought Hitomi. She was beginning to give up all hope that she would ever find someone in this castle when she spotted movement in one of the training rooms. It was the same room where she saw Balgus, Van's swordsmaster, and Van sparring. It was then that Balgus promised her that they would send her back to her world. They would do anything in their power to fulfill her wish.

“But Balgus died… He was murdered by Zaibach,” thought Hitomi.

She entered the room and found Van, Allen, and Hayase sparring. She was caught up with what's happening around her. Merle appeared beside her.

“Are you alright now, Hitomi?” asked Merle.

She nodded at the cat-girl beside her. Some attendants appeared at the doorway carrying some refreshments, food and clothing. They set it on the spare table and dismissed themselves. The three swordsmen stopped and went to the table. Van was the first one to approach Hitomi. She smiled at him as he walked towards her. He returned the smile.

They all went to the table. Merle sat beside Van while the others settled at the vacant chairs. Hitomi, her stomach empty for she hasn't ate anything, grabbed the nearest piece of bread she could reach and ate it. They were stupefied at her actions. Hitomi looked up and when she saw the dumbstruck faces around her, she blushed red and said `I'm sorry' for numerous times. Van was laughing slightly at her. He patted her shoulder, saying that it was okay. She smiled then resumed eating. Merle was shaking her head.

“That's the problem with you foreigners, no manners,” said Merle. Van and Hitomi were forced to remember the time when Merle spoke the very words she had said now. Smiling, they continued to eat their food. Allen was the first to stand up and excusing himself. He paced the room several times that it made Hitomi dizzy watching him.

“Ano, Van,” whispered Hitomi to Van. He faced her, asking her what is it that she wanted to say.

“May I?” asked Hitomi. Van followed her gaze and saw that she was pertaining to the weapons displayed beside the wall. Van thought twice before allowing her to be near weapons. He nodded and smiled at her. She smiled back and walked towards the weapons in a rather bouncy way. Van returned to his drink.

“Is it alright for Lady Hitomi to be around weapons, Your Highness?” asked Hayase still watching Hitomi.

“She's fascinated with weapons all of the sudden. Sometimes I never understand her,” said Van. He was watching Hitomi touch some of the samurai swords. This place reminds her of Balgus, thought Van. “And please call me Van.”

“I see,” said Hayase. “Then it's Hayase.”

“Your Highness, King Chid of Freid requests your presence in the grand hall,” said of one Van's attendants.

“Yes, I will be there shortly,” said Van and the attendant bowed before dismissing himself. Van turned to Hayase.

“Would you excuse me for awhile?” asked Van.

“Yes, Van,” said Hayase. Then he looked at Hitomi. “Would Lady Hitomi accompany you?”

Van too stared at Hitomi who stared at him back. “No. May I leave her with your company, Hayase?” Hayase nodded. Van went to Hitomi's side. Her eyes were questioning. Van held her hands.

“King Chid requests my presence downstairs. I will be back shortly. May I leave you here with Prince Hayase?” asked Van. Hitomi smiled at him and nodded.

“Please tell King Chid my greetings,” said Hitomi to Van before he departed the room. She returned her attention to the swords in front of her. She could hear scraping of a chair, and she was sure Hayase had stood up.

“I know only a few ladies who were attracted to weapons such as these.”

“I'm fascinated with these. It sort of makes you aware that you can inflict injuries to others and so to yourself. The level of expertise in handling these weapons will decide if you're using it for the good or for the bad things. The physical strength is not enough, the will of the mind must coincide with the mastery of the weapon. If those two would not work together, then the yielder would just be lost in his reasons as to why he's using these weapons,” explained Hitomi. Her hands glided on the smooth surface of the bow she saw in the corner of the room.

“Well said,” said Hayase, impressed to what Hitomi had said. Naturally, the women in his court would pertain the sword to weapons of bravery and destruction. Hitomi's insight to the weapons agrees with his. Using weapons is not only of courage and strength, but the mastery of mind over matter. The true test of this mastery of mind is when the yielder first stained his blade with the blood of his victims.

“Prince Hayase?” asked Hitomi. His gaze fell to that of the blonde maiden's. Her eyes were questioning his, as to why he became silent all of the sudden.

“Gomen, Lady Hitomi. I was carried away by my thoughts,” answered Hayase.

“You do not need to apologize, Prince Hayase. I was just worried that you're quiet all of the sudden.”

Hayase laughed heartily. Hitomi looked at him confused.

“Have I said something funny?”

“No, Lady Hitomi. It was just that I remembered our first meeting. You weren't this polite. I was wondering about the change of attitude,” replied Hayase, now controlling his fits of laughter. Hitomi blushed hard red.

“I apologize for my behavior then. It was just… a tough time for me.”

“I'm not complaining Lady Hitomi. I just find it interesting,” said Hayase.

“Please just call me Hitomi. Enough with the `Lady' prefix.”

“Hayase then. Enough with the royal title.”

They both smiled at each other. Hayase stepped towards the corner and took out his sword. He laid it down on the floor. As he did so, he seated himself beside it. Hitomi was attracted to the sword. Its sheath was black and the sword was sleek and thin. Then she noticed that it was a double sword. There were two handles visible in the single sheath. Hayase was watching Hitomi examining his sword from a distance. He beckoned her to touch it. She was reluctant at first, but her curiosity defeated her.

“I may ---?” asked Hitomi. He nodded.

Hitomi lifted Hayase's sword. It was heavy for something that looks so small. The sheath was made of leather, a thing that confused Hitomi.

“The interior of the sheath is also made of leather. The steel is sandwiched between the two layers of thick leather. It makes the blade warm even in cold winter nights, thus, preventing its corrosion and future deterioration. It also helps the blade to keep sharp,” explained Hayase. Hitomi nodded and her eyes shone with wonder.

She tried to unsheathe one of the swords. It was difficult, since she was accustomed to her kodaci, which was considerably lighter than what she's holding now. She tried to balance herself with the sword and soon, she was used to its weight.

“You form is good. I've been told that you're handling swords yourself,” said Hayase. Hitomi lowered the sword she was holding.

“I am not good yet with it. I'm still training,” replied Hitomi. She replaced the sword to its sheath and set it beside Hayase. “Thank you for letting me hold your sword for a while.”

“It's okay. May I ask you something, Hitomi?”

She nodded.

“Why are you training?”

Hitomi was unsure what to tell Hayase. She stood up and went to the weapons shelf again. She was choosing her words carefully. As of now, only Van knew of her past. But she have this feeling that Allen knew too.

“I plan to kill someone,” said Hitomi seriously.

Hayase was not prepared to the answer Hitomi had given him. He looked at Hitomi again and was surprised to see her smiling.

“It's a joke, Hayase. I never meant to kill anyone,” said Hitomi, now giggling because of the stupefied expression Hayase has plastered on his face. It took him a few moments before he could finally register that she was just playing around. He too then laughed.

“You got me there Hitomi.”

“You should have seen your face, Hayase,” laughed Hitomi. “I want to make myself stronger. I don't want to depend on someone else for my protection.”

“I understand how you feel. But you know, yielding a sword is not really protection,” replied Hayase.

“What do you mean?” asked Hitomi.

“Well, you can't protect anyone with the sword you use. Yes, you may protect someone but you can't ignore the fact that you've wounded someone with it. No matter what you say to yourself, no matter how many times you convince yourself that you did it for the betterment of others, blood has still been drawn by your sword.”

“I only intend to use it when the lives I care about are threatened. And, if they were the ones who attacked first, then I was just defending myself, am I?”

“In a way, you are defending yourself. But up to what extent? Will you say you're still defending yourself when you're attacking your opponent with your rage? And now that you're the one attacking, does that mean that you're in the wrong side and your opponent's the one defending himself?”

“I can't say that.”

“So can your opponent. The point is, both of you has your own reason why you want to use your weapons. It is not the battle of who is right and who is stronger. It all goes down to who's more mature in handling the weapons,” finished Hayase.

Hitomi looked at him, confused. Hayase chuckled at her.

“You'll understand what I mean someday, Hitomi.”

She shrugged. He made a point there. She made a mental note about it. What he had said enlightened her. She glanced up the window. It was near lunch now and Van's still not finish with King Chid's meeting. It's not she expected him to be immediate, but he said that he will be with her shortly.

“Now then, I want to see you handle that weapon.”

Hayase unsheathed one of his swords and lunged himself. Hitomi was not prepared for this. She grabbed one of the samurai swords displayed on the wall. With a quick apology for the fore owner of this sword, she used it to block Hayase's sword. She managed to block his attack, but the weight Hayase's sword and her sword was enough to knock her off of her balance. She diverted the weight of the two swords to her right and at the same time, stepped to the left. Hayase recovered from it quickly and was advancing on her again.

“Be one with the sword, Hitomi. If you kept using it, then you will never learn,” said Hayase.

She held the sword in her shaking hands. Calm down, Hitomi. She grasped the sword tightly and side-stepped. Hayase advanced forward slowly then went to a fighting stance. For minutes, Hitomi and Hayase went into a sparring deal. Hayase kept giving the first blows and Hitomi tried her best to defend and disarm Hayase.

She's doing well, thought Hayase. But she needs more training. He kept advancing, making Hitomi practice her stance well. There was one time when he was surprised to see Hitomi catching him off guard. He defended himself on time; if he failed to, he would be bandaging his left shoulder by the time they end this match.

“You're getting better,” said Hayase. She returned the sword to its place.

“Why are you so glum? You should be proud of yourself. You almost wounded me back there.”

“I thought I could handle a weapon efficiently now. But when I fought you, it made me aware that I have so much to learn. I was just lucky that I caught you off guard, but you blocked my attack easily,” said Hitomi sadly. She re-sheathed the sword with much force she intended to.

“You don't have to force yourself Hitomi. For a beginner, that's so much to achieve,” said Hayase. “You have what it takes to yield a sword.”

Hitomi faced him. She was still panting from their sword fight, but what Hayase had said made her feel happy. Perhaps with more training, she could be the new Hitomi she desires to be. She wants to be strong, strong enough to take on her oppressors.

“Don't worry, with proper training you could be what you want to be,” said Hayase.

It was then that Allen, Van and Merle entered the room. When Van saw Hayase's sword unsheathed, he stared at Hayase asking for an explanation.

“We just have a sparring spree, Van,” said Hayase, sheathing his own sword. He turned to Hitomi who was still lost in her thoughts. He placed his hand on her left shoulder; she looked at him.

“Remember what I've said,” said Hayase. He smiled at her then went towards the doorway. Van and the others made way for him. When Hayase was out of their eyesight, Merle went to Hitomi.

“Ne, Hitomi, why are you shaking so badly?” asked Merle. She was holding one of Hitomi's hands which were visibly trembling.

It seemed to break Hitomi's thoughts. She looked at Merle who's face was full of concern. She smiled.

“I'm shaking because of the weight of the sword I used to fight Hayase. Oh Van,” said Hitomi. Van went beside Hitomi when she called him. “I'm sorry for using one of the swords without permission. It just happened suddenly and ---”

“It's alright. I'm just glad that you're okay,” said Van. He took Hitomi's hands (including the one Merle's holding) and squeezed it slightly.

“Well, now. It's time for lunch and we better head down. You don't want to keep the guests waiting, do you Van?” asked Allen.

“Let them wait,” snarled Van. He was not ready to let go of Hitomi's hands just yet.

“Van!”

“Yes I'm coming. Shall we eat then?” asked Van to Hitomi. She nodded.