Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ La Painting ❯ Return to Fanellia ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the original Escaflowne but I am very protective of my baby Van-sama!!! And I also hate Hitomi but I will try to be nice to her in this story!!! * Twitch twitch * Yeah alrighty!!!

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Chapter II: Return to Fanellia

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Hitomi woke slowly. She had an incredible headache and her body was sore from stress. "What the hell? What…is this?" she asked as she rolled off of the uncomfortable thing she had been laying on. "Oh it's my painting. But where's Nakami?"

She stood up and looked around. All she could see was grass and beautiful red hibiscus-like flowers. When she turned around, she saw the large canyon city she longed for. "It's Fanellia! We made it!" she exclaimed as she turned back to find nothing there. "Nakami! Nakami!!" she called. The wind was her only reply.

She looked down. There was a curvy body print in the grass that dragged on towards Fanellia. A twinge of fear shot down her back. "I have to hurry and find Nakami before something bad happens to her." said Hitomi as she ran towards the canyon, painting in hand.

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The room was warm as Nakami sat upright on the bed. She was drowsy and all she could remember was waking up in the field and a group of horsemen dragged her off. They stuck some kind of needle into her and she fell asleep on impact. Spying a window, she walked over and looked out.

'Where am I?' she thought as she gazed to look for familiar landmarks. There were houses small and close together and built like the old Japanese houses. 'This is odd. Huh?!' There, in the heavens were two figures, one most definitely the moon and what seemed to be a planet similar to the Earth in the sky.

"Where in God's name am I?" she asked as she backed away from the window.

There was a knock on the door. "Wh-who-who is it?" asked Nakami. "Van Fanel. May I come in?" asked a strong masculine voice. "Hai." she meekly said.

When he walked in she gasped. 'He's the same man in the painting Hitomi had.' she thought. "Is anything wrong?" he asked. "Um nothing." Her stomach growled. "Um, can I ask you a big favor?" she asked. "Okay?" "Can I have something to eat please?" she said which made Van raise an eyebrow. "Sure. But can I ask you something?" he asked. "Shoot." she said. "Nani?" "I mean you can ask." she said. "Do you know about a woman named Hitomi Kanzaki?" he asked.

"Yes I do! I came here with her after a painting of hers made a column of light appear. She's probably still at the field." she said. Van's eyes widened. "She's here? I have to go!" he said as he hurried to the door. "Hey! What about food?" Nakami whined. "I'll send someone now!" he said as the door slammed shut.

"Oy! People these days! Can't get a decent meal to eat!" she pouted as she slumped on the bed.

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Van ran to the stables. 'Oh god! Hitomi's here? How did it happen? She came just in time. Did she change much? I hope she remembers me.' he thought as he saddled his horse and rode off. He raced like a madman down the streets.

"Open the gates!!! Open the gates!!!" he yelled as he neared the gates. Luckily they opened them just enough so that he could dash through. It didn't take long for him to reach the field. His horse was panting heavily as he continued on.

Soon he saw a woman with long golden brown hair. "Hitomi!! Hitomi!!" he yelled as he raced towards her.

"Van?? Van!!!" she yelled as she dropped what she was carrying and ran towards him.

They reached each other and hugged fiercely, not wanting to let go of each other ever again. "Hitomi I've missed you so. Don't ever leave me again!" he said in her hair. Hitomi said nothing but cried into his shoulder as she clung onto his black shirt.

A while later, they mounted Van's horse and rode slowly back. 'Am I really here? Has things changed a lot in Gaea? It feels so real.' she thought as she leaned back into Van with a sigh.

The ride was long but they enjoyed it. Van soon begins to tell her how much Fanellia has grown over the years. "The country is literally bursting with money. Everyone has a house and nobody starves. So many homeless from Austuria, Freid, and even Zaibach are moving here for housing. Crime levels have dropped recently and everyone's happy! There's a party everyday and we are Gaea's most richest and powerful country!" said Van as he beamed with pride.

"So how's everyone? How's Merle?" asked Hitomi. "Well Merle has matured a bit and is married to one of the advisors of Austuria. She now has a little girl about five-years-old. Millerna and Dryden remarried seven years ago and now have a six-year-old son and a four-year-old daughter. Allen has found a love in Eries and they are now married with a baby on the way. Prince Chid is eighteen and courting a young princess from Cesario. Celena is currently here as one of my advisors, we have become good friends and is the only one I can talk to now that Merle is gone." he said.

"Have you…fallen in love with her Van?" Hitomi nervously asked. Van blinked a little and burst into laughter. "Van! I don't see this as funny!" she huffed.

After calming down a bit, he replied, "You don't have to worry about Celena, we are just close, like I to Merle. Nothing a goddess like you should worry about." he said as he brushed his hand through her now long hair. Hitomi blushed at this and cuddled up into the handsome king behind her.

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They reached Fanellia castle at dusk and they dismounted at the front doors while a servant quickly hurried Van's horse to the stables. Hitomi gasped as she looked up. "Wow Van, the palace is so huge!" she said and put a hand up to her mouth. Van chuckled and held her other hand. If this looks good, you've got to see the inside. That's much better."

Walking hand in hand, Van showed Hitomi the palace. It looked pretty much the same on the outside with the blue roof but the inside was different. The walls weren't the paper and soft wood screens that they used to be. Now they were either stone or rock-hard wood. The halls were wider and every floor had a red carpet. Each room seemed to be larger and had a lot more space to move freely in.

The room that caught Hitomi's eye was the ballroom. It was bigger than any room she had ever seen. She could fit five of the track fields that she used to run in high school side by side with enough room to fit a few spacious classrooms in. The floors were a nice polished cherry wood and the walls were a wonderful shade of off white. Wonderful burgundy carpets hung magnificently, ready to be used. A massive crystal chandelier delicately hung in the middle of the room, catching the rays of the sun, making rainbows shine and dance fancifully around the room.

"I see you like it." said Van when he noticed Hitomi's awe-filled gaze. "It's so large! How could that be hung? Wouldn't it fall?" asked Hitomi. He gave another laugh and replied, "It is huge but the prisms are made of blown glass. It weighs about thirty pounds in the least, maybe sixty. Queen Millerna sent this to me for my nineteenth birthday. The fool who put it up almost broke it because it was so light."

They walked through the living quarters as Van pointed out the rooms that she needed to know. "This is the main healer's room, her name is Ridia and she is really nice. If there is anything you need, ask her. This one on the far left is Celena's room. You should remember her right?" he asked as he squeezed her hand a little. She nodded her head and they continued.

After a little while they came to more elaborate rooms. "Your friend's room is here." he said as they passed by. "Your room is right here. There are guards here to guard the staircase to my living quarters. So you'll be safe here. If you need me, the guards will let you in."

Hitomi turned to Van and hugged him closely. "Am I really here? Are you really holding me?" she said into his shoulder. His hand brushed her shoulder-length chestnut brown hair. He tilted her head up to look at her closer. "Aishiteru." he said as he gazed at her emerald eyes. Small flecks of blue glittered at him.

"Aishiteru." she replied. She was a little awkward to say it because it was the first time she ever said it to anyone. Suddenly she felt a soft brush against her lips. Strong arms held her closer to Van's fine toned body. He deepened the kiss and his tongue softly stroked her lips. Shyly, she opened her mouth and his tongue immediately touched hers. His raspy moan sent warm shivers down her back. Pressing her up against the wall, he slowly moved down her long neck, nipping her skin softly. She nibbled his ear and clutched onto his shirt as her toes barely grazed the floor.

Calloused hands crept up her hips to her back and stopped abruptly at her bra strap. He toyed with it in wonderment of what it was. Decieding to ignore it, he continued is exploration to her breasts and cupped one with desire. She moaned softly as she leaned into his fondling. "I want you Hitomi" he sighed into her ear with lust. Raw heat emanated from her body as she held onto his demanding body. Suddenly, she felt uneasiness about what would follow this encounter of newly awakened sexual emotions.

"Van, we need to stop." said Hitomi, in the middle of a quiet moan. He stopped his onslaught of kisses on her neck and moved back to her lips. "Please Van." she pleaded between kisses. Breaking away from the kiss he looked deep into her eyes. His once bright ruby eyes were now a dark burgundy. "Hitomi…" he pleaded as he brushed a stray lock away from her face. "I don't want this to get out of hand, not now." she delicately said as she stroked his cheek softly. Van took her hand into his and kissed it. "I understand. You should get your rest anyway." he said with a gentle smile.

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Are you all still reading this lil' ol' story of mine? I love you all. I tried to make the love scene full of desire and longing and I think I got too far a bit before I made Hitomi want to stop. If I make Van too horny in my next chapters, You can blame the great NC-17 story writers: Van Lover and more! Sorry, I'm kinda dazed right now from finally finishing the second chapter. Have patience for me; high school is hard. The only thing that keeps me goin' is the new CD from Kylie Minogue. Okay, I'll shut up now. Don't forget, review and I'll get it out a lot quicker.