Heart of the Dragon

Chapter Two: A Love Returns

Hitomi walked out of her room after she slept for an hour. She couldn't find her bag and guessed it was still outside. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and walked down the stairs. She saw Yukari and Amano outside lighting a fire through the dirt-covered window. Yukari jumped up and down in success when the fire started. She opened the door and went over to them.

"So how are you, sleepy head?" Yukari asked. "While you were sleeping, me and Amano were cleaning the cabin and lighting this fire. Isn't it wonderful?" She walked over and picked up their bags that had been lying on the ground in a pile by the car. She walked back over and handed Amano his and Hitomi hers.

"It's the most beautiful thing I have ever saw," Hitomi said dramatically. She sat down on a log that Amano dragged over and buried her head in her hands. She felt suddenly so sad and she couldn't control it. She sensed something in the back of her mind tingle. It scared her because it felt so familiar. She heard someone's voice but she didn't know whose voice it was. It sounded so sad, just like how she was feeling right now. What is going on?

Hitomi stood up and Yukari walked over to her, putting her hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong, Hitomi? You seem upset."

Amano put his arm around Yukari. He kissed her temple and looked and Hitomi expectantly, as if he wanted to know too.

Hitomi pressed her hands against the side of her head, her mind whirling in confusion and strange feelings. She felt light and invisible. She saw Yukari's and Amano's eyes fill with worry. She heard the voice again and she almost screamed in confusion and because of all the strange emotions going through her body.

Amano and Yukari looked at each other. Amano waved his hand in front of Hitomi's eyes and she still stared blindly ahead. Amano started to get scared.

Hitomi blinked when she heard someone wish, wish so hard it was startling. She looked up and saw the familiar beam of light come down towards them. She lifted her hands up to it and Yukari looked up and screamed, holding onto Amano and Hitomi.

Van sat up in bed and ran over to the balcony. He started jumping up and down when he saw the well-known light. He ran out of his door, down the marble steps, and out of the luxurious hall. The few people still awake were watching the sky light up spectacularly.

Van ran to the uncompleted stables and mounted his horse without putting his saddle on. He just picked himself up by Knight's mane and held onto it, galloping through the city and ordering the gates opened. He went to the area where he thought she landed. It took him ten minutes to get even close. He was so happy and nervous that he was shaking. He could feel her presence. It was so close. He couldn't wait to hold her, to tell her how much he loved her....

He heard someone yelling and screaming in panic. He wondered if she had been hurt and quickened the already wild pace on his horse. He heard his name be called out repeatedly. Someone came running out of the night shadows and trees and he knew it was Hitomi. He slowed his horse down, trying to come to a stop before he ran her over.

Hitomi saw him coming out of the woods and ran towards him as fast as she could. Tears of prolonged happiness ran down her face. She watched him slow down when he got close to her. She jumped into his arms while he was still on his horse and moving at a fast pace.

Van stopped Knight completely when Hitomi hurled herself into his arms. He fell to the ground and pulled her tightly against him. He heard her crying, telling him how horrible her life had been but now it was going to be wonderful and everything would get better....

Van stopped her when he kissed her ear and buried his face in her hair. She hugged him tighter and closed her eyes, the feeling of just his small harmless kiss sending sizzling warmth through her, not to mention the hardness of his muscular body.

Van dimly heard someone yelling in the background. He pulled Hitomi against him more firmly and rubbed his hands up and down her back. He felt her knees go weak and smiled against her soft hair.

Hitomi felt someone's hand on her shoulder and she let go of Van to try to wave him or her away. They got more insistent and she was suddenly yanked away. She fell against Yukari and they tumbled onto the ground.

He picked Hitomi up and brought her back up against him. He tried to kiss her, it was all he wanted to do, but someone said, "Wait a second you two! What the HELL is going on?!?!?"

Amano picked Yukari off the ground. He started to help her dust off although he couldn't tell if she had any on her because it was dark.

"I thought I would never see you again! But all this weird stuff started to happen and it felt so familiar. I was so confused and I got all dizzy-"

"Hitomi?! Where are we?!?" Yukari almost screeched. Her head was killing her and she had no idea what was going on.

Hitomi stopped blabbering and turned around to Yukari. Van took hold of her hand and kissed it, not believing that she was right there.

He asked, "Who are these people, Hitomi? What are they doing here with you?"

"Van, these are my friends, Yukari and Amano. It won't take that long to explain so if you want me to..."

"When we get back to the palace."

"The palace!!" Yukari yelled. "Where are we? Is this place going medieval on us or something?"

Hitomi let go of Van's hand and walked over to Yukari. She put her hands on her shoulders and shook her. She sounded like she was hysterical.

"Yukari, Amano. You are the only two people in the world that I have ever told about Gaea and everything that happened. Well, guess where we are?"

Yukari blinked in the darkness. She saw Hitomi point to the sky. She followed her finger and looked up. Right there in the sky was Earth and the moon. She instantly calmed down, knowing that they were all right. She had thought that some aliens or something were going to massacre their butts. She needed to stop listening to crazy music.

Amano looked up with Yukari and saw Earth hanging high in the sky. Everything that he had practically forgot about Hitomi and her stay on this planet came flashing back.

Van had no idea what was going on. All he cared about was that Hitomi was back. He still hadn't gotten a good look at her because it was pitch black, but he could tell she was malnourished. When he had grabbed her hand, he had felt the delicate bones and how fragile she was. He saw her bend over and pick something up. He realized it was her old duffel bag, the one that she had brought with her four years ago. He strained to see the other people, but mostly the annoying girl that had been yelling and complaining.

Hitomi picked up her bag and handed Yukari hers. She had dropped it when she had yanked her away from Van. She was still mad at her for doing that. She probably would always be mad at her for that.

"Maybe we should get back to the city, Hitomi," Van said. Hitomi nodded her head vigorously, wanting to see Fanelia so much.

"Are you still rebuilding her? Did you already finish the palace? Is it larger? Or is it smaller?"

Van laughed and pulled her against him. He held her, breathing in her scent and cherishing her as much as he could. He still couldn't believe that she was standing next to him. They started walking and Van told her how Fanelia was still under construction and how much larger it was. He told her of the improved battlements and how everything, including Fanelia's respect and economy was growing. He told her about what happened while she had been gone and tried to tell her how much he had missed her, but he was too shy and didn't want to say a lot with the other people around. He didn't like expressing himself in front of other people unless it was unavoidable.

Hitomi felt tears come to her eyes. She wrapped her arm around his waist and clutched him close. Van put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her temple, knowing that the people behind them probably couldn't see. He could barely hear the whispers of Amano and Yukari behind them. He wondered what the relationship was between them.

"They're going out," Hitomi said, confirming his thoughts.

"What's that?"

"Boyfriend and girlfriend..." Hitomi still saw that he was confused and said, "Sort of like courting each other. Do you know what courting is?"

"Oh. Sorry," Van replied while he was smiling at his own ignorance. How was he supposed to know Earth terms?

Hitomi felt so tired and she started to slow. Van noticed it and mounted his horse, pulling her up in front of him. She sighed and leaned back against his chest, resting her head on his shoulder. She dozed off quickly, listening to Amano and Yukari talk about this strange world. Van took her bag out of her hands and held onto it since he had nothing to tie it on to.

Van didn't walk his horse very fast so that the two behind him could catch up. He forgot their names. It took a while to get to Fanelia because Yukari and Amano were walking so slowly. It annoyed Van further and he kept thinking, were Earth people that lazy and bothersome?

Yukari and Amano stared at the city. It was so beautiful! They walked under the gate and passed numerous houses and buildings that they couldn't identify. When they were closer to the palace, Yukari gasped and her hand went up to her mouth. It was so huge! So exotic looking, so different from the kind of palace she had been thinking of. She had thought it was going to be all big rocks tumbling down around their ears. Instead it looked brand new, not stone at all, but a whole bunch of stuff put together. Like a gigantic house.

Amano didn't really take in the beauty of it; he was just fascinated by all of the war-like qualities the city had.

Van dismounted in front of his home and pulled Hitomi down into his arms. The palace was dark for no one was awake. Not too many people had seen him gallop away like the devil was after him. He looked back at the two staring around them in shock although they couldn't see everything in the dark. He waved his hand at them and told them to follow him. He knew that they couldn't see and he rolled his eyes when he heard them bumping into everything. He felt a hand grip his shoulder to try to get through the hallways and rooms without breaking anything or running into more stuff.

He didn't know if he should carry Hitomi to his room or if he should put her in a guestroom. He yawned because it was getting extremely late. He carried Hitomi to the room right next to his. He laid her down and beckoned Yukari and whatever the guy's name was to a room farther down the hallway. He stopped before the door. "I'm sorry we haven't been properly introduced. With Hitomi coming back, I couldn't help myself." His hand shot out and gripped Yukari's. "I'm Van de Fanel, King of Fanelia."

Yukari gasped and shook his hand energetically. "Do we have to bow or call you 'your highness' or 'my lord' or 'your grace' or 'your...'"

Van laughed and let go of her hand to take Amano's. He finally remembered his name. "No, you don't have to unless you feel it absolutely necessary. My advisors are always mad at me for not making people call me that. I just feel weird when they do unless I'm in important company. Then I like to preen at people calling me that. I guess you could say that I'm proud of my country," Van said and let go of Amano's firm grasp.

Amano opened the door and walked in. There was a large bed, dressers, and other various things he couldn't see in the dark. He smiled and took Yukari's hand. He didn't feel tired anymore.

Van saw his smile and wondered if he should have given them the same room. He looked at Yukari's nervous expression and stopped him.

"If you want another room, Yukari, you're more than welcome to have one." He saw the tense look that she gave Amano. Yukari gave him a kiss goodnight on his cheek and followed Van. Amano stood in the doorway for a minute before he closed it. He was upset that Yukari hadn't wanted to follow him, but he guessed he understood her.

Van went to the door next to Amano's and opened it. He walked in and showed her where the lamp was and told her that she could lock the door if she felt uncomfortable. She watched him walk out and close the door, saying goodnight quietly. She almost ran over and locked the door. She leaned against it and sighed. She couldn't believe she was in Gaea! After everything Hitomi had told her about how wonderful and beautiful and exotic it was, she couldn't wait until tomorrow.

Van took his time going down the hallway to his room. What should he do? What should he say to her? Oh yeah, I'm getting married tomorrow. Want to be a bridesmaid? He shook his head. He wasn't getting married now that Hitomi was back. He fully intended...what? To marry her? He didn't know. He halted before Hitomi's room. He didn't hesitate in opening it. He saw her slim form lying on the bed curled up in a ball, just like Merle.

He walked carefully over to the bed, afraid of making any noise and waking her up. He pushed the hair in her eyes back behind her ears. He still couldn't see her very well. He sat down by the side of the bed and took her hand in his. He laid his head on the side of the bed and fell asleep.