[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter Three: Pure Psycho

"Your highness! What are you doing in here? And with this...girl! Who is she? What kind of weird pants and shirt is that? What is going on? Your highness? Why aren't you ready for our wedding?!"

Van blinked away the sleep and looked at whatever was yelling at him. It was Seibu. Her silvery hair was up high on her head, little ringlets falling down to her shoulders. Her strange dark purple eyes glowed madly at him. He still didn't think her divine although he remembered Allen staring at her in disbelief. He had whispered in his ear that he hoped he enjoyed his wedding night and nudged him in his ribs.

He watched her full lips move but he didn't hear anything. He closed his eyes. He wasn't in the mood for her impossible screeching.

"Van! Answer me! What is going on?! Our marriage is to be in an hour!" Seibu almost screamed. She saw his hand clasped with the girl on the bed. She hadn't believed what she had seen at first. She laughed and walked over to the bed. She got a better look at the skinny girl. She was pale, bags under her eyes. She was pretty, she guessed. She would look a lot better if she would gain some weight and wasn't so horribly pale. She was tall, unlike her being so short that she went to her soon-to-be husbands lower chest. She looked back at Van and felt anger flow through her. Why was he the second most beautiful man in all of Gaea? She ripped his hand out of the skinny girl's. Van's head jerked up and he blinked sleepily.

"Seibu, go away. I'm tired. You shouldn't be in my room," Van mumbled and closed his eyes again.

Seibu felt more anger go through her. He wasn't even in his room! She hated it when she couldn't do anything with her anger. She needed to go back to her room and take care of it.

"Van, please wake up before I...before we get...um, get in trouble. You haven't even gotten ready for our wonderful wedding. I still don't have my dress on and I only have my robe on. I know you shouldn't see me like this before my wedding, but no one knew where you were so I went and looked for you. Please wake up. We only have less than an hour!"

Van moaned and covered his ears with his hands. "Go away! The wedding is off!"

Seibu gasped. She felt her eye start to twitch as it always did when she was beyond angry. "WHAT...?!?!?! You are just...KIDDING aren't you?!?!?" she whispered fiercely. She saw Van's hand wave her away negligently. She screamed and grabbed her hair. She paused, realizing that she wasn't going to get her way by screaming. Van probably thought she as insanely crazy as her beloved Dilandau Albatou.

Van stared at her outburst. Images from four years ago flashed before his eyes. Dilandau screaming 'VAN!!!!' and wanting to kill him for slicing up his 'beautiful face'. He was instantly scared. It was the same way he had done it. But she couldn't be in league with him. He was Celena now. Celena was still recovering from all the horrors she had gone through. Allen was always telling him how proud he was of his sister.

He shook his head and stood up. He took hold of her elbow and steered her to the door. "I'm sorry, Seibu, but I don't...need to get married now. I'm sorry. You don't have to attach yourself to me now. You can go home."

Seibu tried to take her arm out of his grasp but he just held on tighter.

"But I want to be attached to you! I need to be attached to you! My father will kill me! No he'll marry me off to the most repulsive man on Gaea! Please, you don't understand!" she screamed. Van pushed her gently out of the door.

Seibu gave him a threatening look that yet again reminded him of Dilandau. He got scared again but he said, regretting it instantly, "Then you don't have to go back. You can stay here in Fanelia. Your father will never have to know."

Seibu backed up against the white wall in the wide hallway. She looked up and down the corridor to see if anyone was milling about. She banged her head back and forth against the picture right behind her. "No, no, no, no, no. no...you can't do this to me..." she whispered.

Van felt pity for her but was so relieved that he wasn't going to marry this almost insane woman.

"Damn you," he heard her whisper. She said more loudly, "You have ruined my life, damn you! My plans, everything that I had planned!! I hope you die! I hope you have the most horrible death ever! I hope you burn and I'll laugh all the while!!!!" She ran down the hallway, Van staring after her, wondering if she really was insane. He looked at the small picture that she had been banging her head against. It had cracks all through it, blood coating the thin, shattered glass.

He tried to stop thinking about her and walked back into the room. He looked at the form in the bed. He swallowed when he saw how thin and pale she was. Had it been that horrible without him? He sat on the side of the bed and looked at her face. Her face was calm in her sleep. She was still beyond beautiful, although she was so starved and white. She had purple marks under her eyes. He smiled, picturing himself fattening her up. He shouldn't have any trouble because he was with her. He frowned, wondering why she had never told him the kind of condition she was in. He guessed he had sensed it, for he had felt her pain and suffering all the time.

He ran his finger down her cheek and she opened her eyes. She smiled, but covered her face almost instantly.

Van blinked, wondering what was wrong. "Are you all right, Hitomi?"

"Don't look at me," she whispered. She curled up under the blanket, trying to cover herself.

"Why? What's wrong?" Van was confused. He pulled down her hands and saw tears gathering in her eyes.

"I'm so ugly," she said. She tried to bring her hands back up but Van wouldn't let her.

"Hitomi, never say that. You just went through some bad times. You won't always be that way. I'll fatten you up. Even if you think your ugly, I think you're just fine. In fact you're quite lovely," Van said in a vast understatement.

"Really? You aren't repulsed? When I went outside people would stare and make fun of me. I just stopped going anywhere. It's all your fault," she said, smiling at the last thing she said.

Van smiled with her, wanting to kill the people who made fun of her. He saw that she wanted to say something, but she hesitated. She opened her mouth again but closed it.

"What?" Van asked and kept her hands clasped between his. He could feel the air charged with craving and desire between them. All he wanted to do was kiss her, but he didn't know how she would respond to it.

"I...I...." Hitomi couldn't get it out. She saw the glow in his eyes and wondered at it. He was looking at her like he wanted to devour her. She looked over his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his hard back. He had grown so much. He was taller, so much more muscular and mature. She smiled when she felt the rasp of the stubble on his face. How could he possibly like her? She was so skinny. Her body hadn't gotten much of a chance to mature the past few years because she hadn't eaten enough food and had neglected herself to basic needs. She sighed and pulled Van closer to her. She loved him so much.

"I don't ever want to go back, Van. Let me stay with you."

Van felt something move inside him and he took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before he said, "I don't want you to leave either, Hitomi. I want...need you to stay with me."

Hitomi smiled and gave him a reassuring hug. She knew he was still slightly shy, although not as much as he used to be, and was wondering about certain things that were confusing him, like what she wanted or how she would act. She looked around the room. It was nice and neat, not lavish like some of the other rooms probably were. There was something just like an armoire and a dresser on one side. There was a bowl of water sitting on a small stand with a cloth on the side. More than likely a washstand. The bed was what dominated most of the room. It was so huge! The thing could hold at least seven people side by side without them even being crowded and plenty of room for them to move around. It was a cherry colored wood with a dark blue canopy covering the top and the same color curtains coming down the sides, the hangings able to be pulled closed. She had always wanted a bed just like it when she was little. Well, she had wanted one with little pink frills. However, this one suited her more adult self. If she went back to earth, which she wasn't, she would have taken this bed with her. She smiled at the thought. She saw a door leading out of the room in front of her.

"Van, what's that door lead to?" Hitomi asked. Van let go of her and turned around. He grinned like a fool.

"The bathing area. The technology just came out a few years ago. Only rich holdings have them. When we rebuilt the palace, someone suggested it and we built them in with the more luxurious areas of the palace. That one connects to my room. Want to see it?"

Hitomi nodded, wondering what it looked like. Van took her hand and helped her off the huge bed. She straightened her rumpled clothing as best she could as Van tugged her along. He walked over to the door and turned the handle. It opened soundlessly and Van brought her in.

Hitomi smiled and walked around, barely able to see the floor. It was a large room surprisingly, almost the same size of her room that she had slept in. There was a small swimming pool sized tub in the middle. She saw heat rise from the water and she could just imagine soaking in it and relaxing. She leaned down and touched her hand to the water. It was hot. Steam was floating in the air and her skin got damp.

"If you're wondering how it's heated, don't ask me. It has something to do with pipes running underneath it. I don't know. I love soaking in it though. When people come back to visit Fanelia, they say it's just because of the bathing rooms. I can just imagine what they do in there. This is my own personal one. I don't have people use the room your in so I can hog it all for myself." Van gave her a wicked smile. Hitomi smiled shyly back at him and he walked over to her. She came slowly into his arms, nervous about what was going to happen. She lowered her eyes in embarrassment, still thinking herself ugly even after what Van had said.

Van thought about what he should say to take Hitomi's embarrassment away. He felt molten heat rush through his veins from just the mere touching of her hands. "Did you know that I was going to be married today?"

Hitomi lifted her head, shocked. She had been trying to keep down the flush that had been coming on when she had felt herself start to tingle from Van's modest embrace. "What did you say?"

Van smiled and let go of her, knowing he wouldn't be acting like a gentleman much longer, especially since they were alone. He walked to the opposite side of the room and opened a door. He lifted his hand in invitation and Hitomi went into the room. She didn't even look at it because she hadn't gotten an answer from Van. "Did you say that you are getting married today? Why didn't you tell me before I spilled my guts to you?"

"No, Hitomi, slow down. I was going to get married. Not am going to get married. Didn't you hear that woman come in and screech at me?"

"No. Don't ever make me so upset again," Hitomi said and her shoulders sagged from relief. Van got an apologetic look on his face. He wanted to go over to her and sweep her up into his arms and carry her to the bed, but he knew it wouldn't be a smart idea. He gave up on the thought, but he walked over to her, just to hold her. He brought her against him and laid her head on his shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him. He felt her hesitate to push herself against him because she was ashamed of her body. He would give her time. She needed time to heal from everything that happened to her on Earth.

"Her name is Seibu. I guess she's pretty. Everyone else thinks she is the most beautiful thing that has ever graced Fanelia. But she...I don't know, scares me."

"Scare you? A woman? Did you get soft on me?" Hitomi joked.

Van smiled and continued. "No, it's like she acts just like Dilandau. Her crazy laugh, the way she grabbed her hair when she got mad at me. Even the way she screamed my name. You know that insane way of his. I told her this morning when she so conveniently walked in that we didn't have to get married anymore. She flipped out on me, saying that I had ruined her life, that I had destroyed her plans. I have no idea what she was talking about. I know she's not in league with Dilandau because he's Celena now. And another thing. When I brought her out of the room, she kept banging her head against a picture. When she walked away I looked at it. It was cracked into a thousand little pieces, blood covering it. She hoped that I burned and she would laugh the whole time. What do you think?"

"I think she was jealous of me, naturally. Who wouldn't be envious of me?" Hitomi said laughing.

Van smiled. She was already gaining confidence in herself. What had happened to the spirited, overly confident girl he had fallen in love with?

"Come, we need to shove some food in your mouth."

"Food? Really? I haven't eaten for two days!" Hitomi was so hungry that she could have eaten anything, even squid. Well, not really.

Van frowned. Two days? He walked out of his room with Hitomi. She hadn't even noticed that they had been in his room.

They walked down the red carpeted stairs and down the hallways to a formal breakfast room. Van opened the door and waited for her to go in first. She looked around, but the first thing she noticed was the dishes and plates set on four different places at the table. Merle was sitting left of Van's seat at the head of the table. Hitomi saw Merle and squealed. "Merle!!!"

Merle dropped her fork and it clattered to her plate. She jerked around, for she had been facing away from the doorway. "Hitomi? Is it really you?" She sat up, almost knocking over the heavily adorned chair, and ran gracefully over to her, embracing her. "What happened to you? We are going to have to cram you with food!"

Van and Hitomi both smiled. Hitomi let go of Merle and looked her over. She was taller, her hair longer, going almost down to her waist. The stripes on her arms that were visible had thinned out and gotten smaller, almost blending in with the skin. Hitomi gaped when she saw all the luscious curves the cat woman had. But the most noticing thing that had changed was the color of her hair. It was titan red, bouncing waves running through it. Hitomi was completely resentful of the new and completely changed Merle. How could Van have not fallen for this woman? She was everything a man could ever dream of! "Merle, you have grown so much! And a dress! When did this revelation happen!?"

Merle giggled and twirled around in her light blue morning gown that dragged on the floor. She patted her hair when she was done, as if her perfect hair had come out of place. She adjusted her gown when she was done fixing the invisible problem. "A while ago. I was sick of being the old Merle. I was too exasperating and bothered everyone, including Van. He was probably thanking God when I stopped clinging to him like a lifeline, although I still do occasionally. He probably thinks it's a rare treat granted, indeed." She paused and gave Van one of her old mischievous looks. "Well anyhow, I put on a dress and I liked it. I decided to take them up. Do you like it?"

"You're so beautiful!" Hitomi said, trying to keep the pure jealousy out of her voice. Merle was her friend, and she didn't deserve to be treated mean. She had been dealt with horribly half of her life because of her kind. Hitomi grinned and gave her a hug. "I'm sorry, but is that food? I'm ravenous." Hitomi let go of Merle, walking over to the table. She sat down on Van's right and gaped at the food around her. It looked so good! She started scooping whatever she could onto her plate. She stuffed it into her mouth, closing her eyes and savoring the light and fluffy eggs she was chewing on. She remembered her manners after shoving more into her already full mouth and blushed a light pink. Van and Merle had already walked over to the table and sat down to initiate breakfast again.

Van smiled at her and said, "Help yourself. For all I could care, shove it down your throat. No," he paused. "It's an order." He grinned wider when she started shoveling it into her mouth again. They all looked up when they saw a female servant in white and blue livery and a knee length dress open the door and direct Yukari and Amano in and sit them at the table.

Merle blinked. She could only handle one earthling, and that was Hitomi. She didn't know if she could manage two more!

"Who are these people, Hitomi?" Merle asked trying to stay calm, gripping the fork she had in her hand and closing her eyes. Van noticed her ruffled feathers and smiled, saying, "Can't handle more than one can you, Merle?"

Merle glared at him with fire in her bright blue eyes and waited for Hitomi to answer her. Hitomi looked up from her plate and smiled with her mouth full of food.

Yukari and Amano were escorted to seats next to Hitomi. They were silent and Hitomi was puzzled that they weren't asking her a bunch of questions.

Amano looked around the rich surroundings. The walls were white and there were what looked exactly like French style windows along one whole side. They were covered in white translucent curtains that let the bright sunlight in and bathed them in warmth. Pictures of what he guessed was Fanelia adorned the walls. The room was light and cheery, making Amano less nervous. The pretty maid that had showed them there came over and served him a bunch of food that looked delicious. The maid went to Yukari next and put some food on her plate. She walked by Hitomi and asked her if she would like more food, trying to say it delicately because she saw how skinny she was.

Hitomi blushed again and nodded. She dished even more food into her mouth and soon her stomach was so full she felt like she could roll out of the room. Van kept smiling at her and telling her to eat more, even while filling his own mouth with Fanelia's mouth-watering food. When he went to tell her to eat more again, Hitomi said, "Don't even say it, Van. I can't eat another bite. I feel like I'm going to throw up this tantalizing food. I don't even want to talk. I need to lay down." She sighed and leaned back in her chair.

Van finished eating and he watched everyone around the table. Hitomi was completely relaxed and at home, Merle was continuously glancing up at Yukari and Amano, and they were just picking at their food and looking at the room and its grandeur.

Amano put his fork up to his mouth and he noticed how it wasn't the normal stainless steal, it was gold. His white plate with what he guessed was the crest of Fanelia on it, had a ring of gold around the rim. The napkins were starched white cloths and the cups were crystal with small diamonds around the brim.

Hitomi opened her eyes and saw Amano inspecting his glass. She looked at hers and gaped at it. "Van, were did you get the money for all of this...stuff?" She picked up her glass to indicate what she was talking about.

Van sat forward and let his elbows rest on the table. Hitomi noticed how he still wore his old red shirt and tan pants. She smiled at him and remembered how she was still in the same disheveled clothes she had been in yesterday.

"Did you forget how I told you Fanelia was getting more prosperous by the day? The luxury around us is an example of it. I don't really ever use the formal rooms because I have no reason to. I'm either out in the practice field training my men or out helping the city rebuild. I eat in taverns and other places. If I do eat here in the palace, it's in my room. When I have visitors, of course we eat in here. In fact, this is just the breakfast room. We have a formal luncheon room and a formal dining room. This is not including the non-formal breakfast, luncheon, and dinning rooms," Van said easily. He sat back against his chair when he was done talking.

Hitomi hadn't thought Fanelia was that rich. "You mean there are other rooms for like dinner and lunch?"

"Yes, but like I said, I only use them when we have company. I guess I could call you a worthy enough visitor," he replied, grinning shamelessly.

"Hitomi...um what are we going to do? Amano and me shouldn't be here. It's only you. It was all a big mistake on that beam things part," Yukari said with a wave of her hand, her fork clutched in it. She was still excited about being here, but she was scared that they would never get back.

"Oh, it won't be hard to get you back. Don't worry," Van said. "Hitomi, why don't you tell Merle everything that is going on? I can see she is just bursting with questions."

Merle sat forward, lacing her long graceful fingers together and resting her chin on them. She waited for Hitomi to start.

Hitomi cleared her throat, feeling slightly fidgety with all the looks everyone was giving her, even the serving maid standing in the corner along with the two other footservants. "Well, like you can probably tell from the state I am in, I missed Van terribly. My life just fell apart and I didn't care anymore. Yukari, Amano, and I all decided to run away. We went to a cabin up in the woods and we were going to stay for a while. I went outside and I started feeling sad and all tingly, all familiar things that alarmed me. I heard someone's voice in my head and I didn't realize it, but it was Van's. I heard him wishing, begging for me to come back. The beam of light that Yukari referred to came down and brought us here. So Merle, this is Yukari, and this is Amano," she finished. She saw Merle nod politely towards them and smile. She was the perfect example of a lady. Hitomi glanced over at Van and saw his face turn red at her words about him wishing her back here. She grinned and took his hand that had been resting on the table. He squeezed it, shocked that she had actually reached out to him.

"So when are you going to go back?" Merle asked almost rudely, but everyone just laughed at her. She had the intense urge to snort at them all and did, making them all laugh harder.

Van said after his laughter receded, "Well since they were running away, there isn't any hurry is there?"

Both Yukari and Amano nodded slowly in agreement. Yukari finished eating, her stomach filled with some of the best eggs and bacon she had ever had. She wondered if it was even eggs and bacon and paled. She leaned over and whispered to Hitomi, "Is this food, um, normal? Like on Earth?"

Hitomi giggled and shook her head, saying back to her, "No, not at all. You should see the creepy animals they have here. I was reluctant to eat it at first too, especially after I saw the animals, but I got used to it. I won't let the you see the creatures if it will make you puke."

Van heard what she had said and tried not to laugh. He looked down at their latched hands and let his forefinger stroke her wrist. He saw Yukari's face turn a vile shade of green and her hand go up to her mouth.

"No Yukari! I was just kidding!" Hitomi said hurriedly, afraid she would retch up her breakfast. She stiffened when she felt a bolt of heat spread up her arm and radiate through her. She turned wide eyes to Van. He gave her a lazy smile and let go of her hand.

He saw the disappointment in her gaze and he let his fingers run up her arm deliberately slow, spreading passion with his light and teasing touch. He rested his chin in his other hand and kept the smile planted on his face. He saw a spark light up in her expressive emerald eyes.

The green shade disappeared from Yukari's face and her hand went limp to her lap. She sighed, happy that she hadn't eaten something like an octopus or something even worse. Little did she know.

Amano laughed and asked, "So what are we going to do today?" Van stood up and helped Hitomi out of her chair. Amano followed his example and did Yukari's. She gave him a great big smile and she took his hand. Van walked over to Merle and pulled her chair out for her. She thanked him and smoothed down her dress.

Hitomi took Van's offered arm and gave him an almost wary look. She still felt all warm and tingly, but the feelings were withdrawing. She stared at his mouth and pictured herself kissing him slow and sweet. She gulped and felt herself go faint at the thought. But what about a hard, devastatingly long and wet kiss? She almost collapsed.

Van caught her and gave her a worried look, thinking that maybe she was ailing with something. He looked in her eyes and saw how they had darkened to almost black. He gave her a knowing smile and helped her back up. She clenched her teeth and reserved herself quickly, trying to ignore the unmistakable strong muscles under her hand.

They walked out of the breakfast room and down the corridors to the hall. All of the people that had arrived last night stared at it. It was five times the size of a large house, easily accommodating five hundred people. There was a gold dome above it that led to a huge chandelier in the middle. The crystals glittered and shined, making a cluster of tiny rainbows on the walls. Small tables and various things sitting on top of them like flowers in vases stood around the walls. A large thick carpet with blue, gold and cream colors lay on the floor from the doorway. The floor was blue and white marble. It was one of the most beautiful rooms Hitomi had ever seen.

"Like it?" Van asked, his head cocked and his eyebrow raised. He had changed Fanelia's whole outlook on the palace, preferring the way Asturia had their palace, or even Freid.

"It's magnificent! Did you ever have a ball?"

"We were to have one today. The preparations have already been taken down, and the rug laid back out. We roll it up for the balls and routs."

Yukari and Amano looked at him in question. "I was going to be married today. I canceled it because Hitomi was back," Van said and kissed Hitomi's smooth cheek. He was trying to stomp on his shyness with a heel with spikes on it. He hated being shy; he wanted to express his feelings he had for Hitomi.

Hitomi smiled, accepting the fact that she wouldn't be able to hold back all the rampaging feelings Van made explode through her like a tidal wave. She reached out and laced her fingers through his, receiving the new and glorious experiences of him just grazing her with a casual touch of his hand. Van gave her a warm look; blended with something she knew was arousal. She couldn't stop thinking about the kiss that they would share sooner or later. She shivered and closed her eyes.

They headed out of the hall and went outside. There was a circular drive with white stones covering it that wrapped around the front of the palace and around a large water fountain in the middle. Yukari and Hitomi saw it and ran over. They gawked at how high the water sprouted out of the top and fell down into a series of miniature waterfalls. It was pure white marble, not one trace of gray or other colors. They stuck there hands in it and started tossing water at each other, giggling all the while.

Hitomi stopped throwing water at Yukari when her friend got a mouth full of it. She laughed again when she spit it out, gagging. She looked up to see Amano laughing so hard at her he was bent over and holding his stomach. Yukari grinned evilly and got a scoop full of water, sucking it into her mouth and making sure no one could tell her mouth was full. She walked as seductively as possible over to Amano, and when he went to take her in his arms and kiss her, she spit it in his face. Amano yelled in rage and chased after her, Yukari laughing and making fun of him the whole time. Amano caught her and pulled her against him and kissed her hard. Yukari stopped laughing and wrapped her arms around him, pressing herself against him.

Hitomi walked back up to Van and wrapped her own arms around him. He kissed her forehead and she frowned.

Van laughed and said, "Unlike them, my dear, I have rules to follow. I'm still not married and I can't do those kinds of things in public."

Hitomi pouted, her lower lip jutting out. Van stared at her soft pink lips and couldn't help it. He wanted to kiss her more than anything. He didn't know what was holding him back. He broke his stupid rule, the urge to kiss her for the first time making him not think honorably.

Van pressed his lips against hers, opening his mouth and kissing her gently, wanting to savor their first kiss. Hitomi jumped and grabbed onto his shirt to hold him closer. She opened her mouth to his demanding one and her knees went weak. She was thankful for Van's strong arms around her or she would have fallen onto the ground feeling like a pile of mush.

He pulled her against him more firmly and kissed her harder. He felt her knees go weak and smiled against her lips. He jerked and groaned into her mouth when he felt her tongue touch his tentatively. He hadn't planned to go to this level of intimacy so soon. His tongue flicked hers and he felt a shiver go down her spine.

Hitomi ran her fingers through his overly long tousled black hair and moaned when his tongue twirled around hers. He retreated some and lightened the kiss, nibbling on her lips.

Van heard someone clear their throat and had to pull away from her. He glanced at Hitomi and he stared, for he had never seen her eyes so dark that they were completely black. He had seen them almost black, but not completely. Her face had a becoming pink flush high on her cheeks and her lips were red and looked bruised. He almost forgot about the person asking for his attention. He looked in the direction from which someone had cleared their throat, and saw General Dunwe and General Eagan. Their eyes were down, trying to hide their embarrassment of finding the king in a state that wasn't allowed in his unmarried status. He blushed himself.

"Um, your highness, I'm sorry for intruding, but do you remember about the urgent message from the Duke of Freid? You are due tomorrow at the meeting for all the countries that he holds tri-monthly. You cannot miss it," General Dunwe said and glimpsed at them, still embarrassed.

Van cursed and Hitomi smiled. She wasn't used to his more mature self and could imagine the curse words he had gathered up during the four years she had been gone. He was still holding her up, and she was thankful, for if he let go, she would have fallen to the ground and died willingly.

"Hitomi, I'm so sorry. I have to leave."

"I can come with you," Hitomi said, desperate that he not leave her. She held on to his shoulders to keep him from going away. She gave him a pleading, puppy-eyed look and went to kiss him again, but he leaned away from her.

"You can't. It wouldn't be allowed that I bring a woman with me and I'm not married." He smiled at her and whispered, "I want to kiss you too, more than anything. But I'm more than likely going to get a good scolding later. I promise when I come back that we can kiss as much as you want, plus more." He gave her a wicked look and her eyes widened.

She bit her lip and tried to get her bearings. "But we went to Asturia and Freid together during the Great War. We went everywhere! Please Van, don't leave me. You can pretend I'm the woman you were going to marry."

"I'm so sorry Hitomi. Stuff changes during a war. I won't be gone longer than a week and a half."

"A week and a half! Are you crazy?" Hitomi said. "I just got here. Can't you just not go? Could you hide me or something?" Van smiled at her attempt to stay with him. "If I kiss you again will you stay? Please, I'll do anything."

"It might not even be that. Don't worry Hitomi. You can do whatever you want. I'll ask Chid if I can leave early because...I'll make something up."

Hitomi's eyes filled with sadness and tears, the passion that had been flaring through them seconds ago vanishing as they turned their normal green again. Van just smiled and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you later, Hitomi. Don't worry, do whatever you want. It will take you a while to see all of Fanelia and the changes that I have done. Have fun with your friends. I see that they have stopped kissing and Merle is actually talking to them. That will be rare. Go over to them. They will keep you company while I'm gone."

Hitomi smiled when he kissed her forehead and walked back into the palace to get his clothes and horse ready for the trip. He looked back before he went through the enormous heavy oak doors. She waved pathetically and a lopsided grin appeared on his face as he shook his head, disappearing.

General Dunwe and General Eagan walked away with Van, leaving Hitomi all by herself. She went over to Yukari with a down look on her face and immediately she was worried.

"What's wrong, Hitomi?" she walked over to her and put her arm around Hitomi's shoulders, bringing her over to Amano and Merle.

"Van's leaving for Freid," she said and stopped next to Merle. Merle was sitting on the green grass, playing with a grasshopper. Hitomi was surprised that she was exercising such a childish pastime. It jumped on Yukari and she screeched, jumping up and down trying to get it off. Merle crouched down low and leapt on Yukari, just like that cat she was. Yukari landed on the ground with a loud thump. The grasshopper jumped off her and Merle ran after it, catching it and letting it go and doing it repeatedly.

Yukari stayed on the ground looking up in the sky. Hitomi lay down beside her and looked up with her. Soon Amano and Merle joined them and they all stared up into the sky. The sky was a bright blue, fluffy white clouds floating over their heads. They initiated pointing out weird shapes and animals. Hitomi pointed out a dragon and Amano directed them to a cloud shaped in a perfect circle. He called it a CD, of course.

Hitomi closed her eyes. Was this a dream? She knew it wasn't, that she was here on Gaea. She dozed off lying in the warm sun, thinking of Van and the wonderful kiss they had shared. They all fell asleep and a servant had to come out and wake them up because it was going to rain. The raindrops started to fall and soon they were all soaked. They ran inside and stood dripping on the blue and white marble. They figured after a few minutes that they should get changed and they walked in the direction they guessed that their rooms were in. It took them about ten minutes and Hitomi was shivering violently from the cold. She guessed it was because she didn't have enough meat on her to keep her body warm.

She opened her door and stripped her clothes off as soon as her door closed. She saw a downy towel and remembered the bathing room. She grinned and walked over dripping and shivering to the door. She peaked in to see if anyone was in there although she knew there wasn't going to be.

She walked back and got her towel and put it around her. The door opened up silently again and she set her towel next to the side. She stepped on a dark green marble step. It was a stinging shock at first because she was freezing. She jumped in, laughing at herself when the water went over her head. She hadn't known the water was that deep. She stood up in the middle and smiled when she saw how the water went to her shoulders. It got deeper in the middle she guessed, and the sides were shallower. The heat seeped into her bones and she started humming. She played in the water and started to float on her back. She got all wrinkly after a while and she looked around for soap. A bar was lying on the side and she grabbed it and started scrubbing herself. She smelled it and realized it smelled just like Van. She smiled and rubbed herself harder with it, willing to have the smell of Van all over her. I'm going to sleep good tonight!

There was a knock on the door. Hitomi looked around. What happens if it's a guy? Or a male servant? The soap around her covered her somewhat. She lowered herself into the water until only her head and shoulders were above it. "Who is it?"

"It's me, Yukari. What are you doing in there? I thought this was your room."

"I'm taking a bath!" Hitomi yelled through the door, relaxing. She started to wash her hair. Yukari said through the door, "I didn't know they had baths in this place! Can I have one when you're done? I'm freezing!"

Hitomi dunked her head under the water and washed the soap covering her head. She popped back out and said, "Yeah, this is great. I want to stay in here forever. We should have brought bathing suits to go swimming! This thing is just as big as one!"

Hitomi came out a minute later wrapped in a thick white towel, her hair dripping.

"Can I go in now?" Yukari asked. She had a pile of clothes in her hands and she went towards the door.

"Go ahead. I hope Van doesn't know you were using his own personal bathtub. I don't know what he would say." Hitomi tried to repress a giggle.

"He has his own personal one? Sweet! I wonder if Amano and me have one somewhere close to our rooms. I can't wait to soak in that beast." She walked away and closed the door behind her. Hitomi couldn't hear anything. She got dressed in a pair of tight jeans and a tight blue and yellow jersey shirt that had the number seven on the front and back. It was one of her favorite shirts and she looked good in it, considering how skinny she was. She took out her CD player and a CD and put her headphones on, listening to the music and relaxing. She started to fall asleep when she saw Yukari walk out. She frowned to herself realizing that because she was so malnourished she was constantly tired.

"Took you long enough," Hitomi said drowsily. Yukari smiled and walked over to the dresser where Hitomi's brush rested. She picked it up and sat on the bed where Hitomi was lying down and started to brush her hair.

"Will you brush my hair, Hitomi? I know you like to play with this mop," Yukari said and went closer to Hitomi.

Hitomi pulled Yukari back towards her and took the brush from her hand. "I'm not really in the mood, Yukari. I'm just tired. And hungry," she said smiling at the last thing she said.

"Really? You want to get some food? It's like what time? Three?" Yukari asked and jumped off the bed. Hitomi dropped the brush and climbed off her huge bed. They walked across the blue and white carpet to the door. They had no idea where they were going. They found a servant and asked where they could get some food. The girl blushed and told them to go back to their rooms and food will be brought to them. Hitomi thanked the girl and walked away, back towards her room. She still had no idea where she was going, but at least she had a general idea where her room was.

Ten minutes later, the same girl knocked on the door. Hitomi hurried to the door and opened it, ushering the girl with the cart in.

"What's your name?" Hitomi asked suddenly. The girl smiled and said, "My name is Marie, Lady Hitomi."

"Lady Hitomi? Why are you calling me that?" Hitomi asked and took the plate from Marie's hands and gave it to Yukari. She took her own and uncovered the platters. She inhaled the soup and realized that she had a plate. She grabbed the bowl sitting next to the platter. She scooped some in with the ladle. Yukari opened the other dish and she grinned when she saw salad. Marie put some on her plate and said, "His highness had it ordered, my lady. He said that you and Lady Yukari and um...I forget the other ones name!"

"Amano," Yukari stated and walked over to the bed. Marie recovered the plates.

"Sorry," she said and blushed. "His grace said that you were to be treated with utmost respect and treated just like him."

"Oh," Yukari and Hitomi said at the same time. They started eating all the while talking to the servant girl. Marie knew it was improper, but she liked the two women.

"Do you know when Van is going to be back?" Yukari asked Hitomi. Hitomi directly got a sad look on her face but she whipped it off when she spooned some soup into her mouth. She closed her eyes and swallowed.

"He said something like a week and a half."

"That long? Why didn't we go with him or something?"

"Something about he's not married and stuff. I don't understand all this royal stuff," Hitomi said and put more soup into her mouth.

Marie left a little later after giving them another serving. They heard a knock on the door and Amano appeared.

"Oh, Amano! I totally forgot about you! I'm so sorry!" Yukari said. He came over to the bed in new clothes, a pair of dark colored jeans and a black shirt that said 'rock on' in white. It was odd how Amano used to be so preppy. He must have changed a lot in college.

"Are you hungry?" Hitomi asked. He shook his head and she shrugged. He looked around the room, but what he noticed was the size of the bed.

"This bed is huge."

"Don't you love it? If I ever went back to Earth, I would bring it back with me," Hitomi said and finished her soup, setting the bowl on a stand by the bed.

"What do you mean your not going back?" Yukari asked. She set her plate on the floor and plopped back onto the bed, staring at Hitomi.

"I'm not going back. You should know that already. Could you imagine me going back? I would die Yukari, and you know it. You too, Amano," Hitomi said calmly.

"I guess I always knew that," Yukari admitted. Hitomi and Amano lay back on the bed like Yukari. He took her hand and started to caress it.

Yukari moved closer to Amano and rested her head on his shoulder and put her hand over his heart and felt it pound. Her hand moved down and the beat increased. She smiled and stopped moving her hand to let it lay on his stomach.

Hitomi didn't see it because she was facing away from them on her side. "I'm stuffed. It feels so good to be full. I've eaten so much today that if I keep it up, I'll gain so much weight I won't know what to do with it."

She heard Yukari giggle and wondered why. She turned in their direction and saw her hand moving down his flat stomach. She looked away and sighed. She wished Van were here. She closed her eyes and fell asleep, dreaming of him.