Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Mystic Wings ❯ Vow of Silence ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter Four

Vow of Silence

 

Van and Hitomi left the church, and he explained what he had planned for their wedding day so that she could make any changes she liked. They got in the car and he talked rapidly as they drove along the kilometers on their way back to the shopping district in the town by Lake Astral.

 

“I want us to get married in that church,” he explained. “I've already called the local minister. His name is Dr. Owen and he's agreed to marry us at that church at 11:30 tonight under the stars. What do you think, Hitomi?”

 

Hitomi was dazzled. This certainly wasn't going to be what she imagined her wedding to be like. As he explained what he had in mind the scene became clearer to her. There would be no guests, just the minister (to marry them), the minister's wife (to witness it), Van and her. That would be it. Her parents wouldn't be there, and neither would her sister, Marlene. Millerna wouldn't be her bridesmaid either. Hitomi would have no bridesmaids. They would get married at night, which was another thing Hitomi had never considered. She had always thought she would get married in the glorious light of morning. There would be no reception and big dinner after the wedding. Van said he would take her for a special dinner before though. No wedding presents and absolutely no one to wish them well.

 

Music? He promised that there would be music.

 

He was taking her now to purchase her wedding dress, and was telling her that she needn't bother with a white dress if she didn't want to. He was saying something about how their lives weren't conventional, so she didn't have to bow to convention, unless she wanted to. He was saying he had no intention of wearing a tuxedo.

 

Hitomi was a little overwhelmed. She didn't know what to say about all of this, but she wouldn't let herself become confused by her doubts. She loved Van, and even with their differences she knew they would get along well together. Besides, who got the opportunity to have a wedding like this? The more he talked the more the idea solidified in her mind and the more she wanted to go through with it.

 

At last Van dropped her off in front of a women's dress shop. There weren't many in this town, but they both decided that this one would probably be the best one to start at. He pulled up in front of the curb and took out his wallet to give her his credit card.

 

He gave it to her with a smile. “And to think, I was worried it would already be gone. Pick something you really like, okay Darling?”

 

Hitomi took it from him and gave him a kiss. “You're not coming in with me? Where are you going?”

 

“I'm going to buy candles. I don't want to risk the room being too dark for the pastor to read. See you soon,” he said, getting out of the car and opening her door for her. “Have a good time. Call me on my cell when you're done.”

 

“Okay,” she said, letting him help her out of the car and going into the shop.

 

Hitomi had never been ordered into a boutique with the mission being to get a wedding dress. Before Millerna had been killed, Hitomi hadn't even selected the dress she was going to wear to graduation. Now she had to choose her wedding dress!

 

As she glanced around the racks, she saw that she was lucky that Van didn't care that the dress was white or not. She was never going to find a white dress. One of the sales ladies came up to her and asked her if she needed any help. It was a girl of probably sixteen who was working there for a summer job.

 

“I'm looking for a dress,” Hitomi started.

 

“Anything in particular?” the girl asked clicking her gum, almost like she was bored.

 

“Something really hot,” Hitomi said. “Do you have anything like that?”

 

“Hot? Like a tube top with a skirt or …”

 

“No, I want straps, or at least one strap. I like off-the-shoulder, but I need something that's going to highlight my tattoo and show it off,” Hitomi said, lifting her shirtsleeve and showing the girl the dragon and moon that laced up and down her arm.

 

Suddenly, the girl seemed more interested in helping Hitomi. She seemed to have won a certain amount of respect and fascination when she sported her tattoo. “Is it for something special?” the girl asked.

 

“Yeah,” Hitomi said, putting her shirt back in place. “I need a dress that is totally unforgettable. Do you have anything like that?”

 

“Come in the back,” the girl offered and took Hitomi into another room in the boutique. “You can see what we have yourself. Our summer collection has already been picked over and it's too early for winter stuff, but you can definitely have a look to see what we've got.”

 

Hitomi looked around at the racks, but wasn't too satisfied. “Can I ask you a question? Do you have any bridal shops in town? This place is pretty small, so I'd understand if you don't.”

 

“You're looking for a wedding dress?” the girl asked with wide eyes.

 

“On the fly,” Hitomi admitted.

 

“Gee, I don't know. I was just going to suggest you have a look at those pink things, but if you're looking for a wedding dress, I really don't think I can help you.”

 

“Show me the pink stuff,” Hitomi persisted, and followed the salesgirl to the rack.

 

The dresses she showed Hitomi were pretty boring, but there was one - obviously the more popular of the two that was not pink, but a pale cream with peach coloured blossoms on it. Hitomi would have bought it at once if it hadn't been an off-the-shoulder. In the end, Hitomi had to walk away and head towards the sales rack that contained rejected graduation gowns.

 

It was really depressing, but she ended up finding what she wanted in that very rack. There was a pale blue gown of flowing satin with an overlay of gauze like a silvery spider web. It was lovely, but it was in the damaged pile. One of the spaghetti straps had come undone. Hitomi wasn't sure how she was going to fix it in time for the evening. She didn't have a needle or thread with her or back at the cabin, and she was positive that was all she needed.

 

She stood at the cash register wondering what she was going to do. How could she get it fixed? Van's credit card went through without a problem and the little salesgirl stapled her receipts together.

 

“That's it!” Hitomi gasped. “Can I borrow that for a second?”

 

“Borrow what?”

 

“The stapler,” Hitomi said, pulling the dress from the bag - the stapler in one hand and the dress in the other.

 

The horrified clerk looked on as Hitomi used the stapler to secure the strap. “You know this is a final sale, right?”

 

“Of course,” Hitomi said, pulling the dress away to look at her handy work. It wasn't so bad. She bet Van wouldn't notice that she'd stapled it shut.

 

***

 

The minister met them at the church at 11:30. Van left Hitomi in the porch to get dressed while he, the minister, and the minister's wife set up the candles in the chapel. He told Hiotmi that one of them would knock when they were ready for her.

 

Hitomi put her clothes on with a slow deliberation. Did she really know what she was doing? She was actually on the verge of getting lawfully wedded. Was she sure she was doing the right thing?

 

She put on the dress, but didn't have any stockings. It was embarrassing but she didn't have a pair of slippers or pretty shoes to wear and in the end simply had to wear the black boots she had worn out at the beginning of the day. Her hands were bare, as she didn't have gloves, and the ring Van had shown her earlier was with him. It was to be their wedding ring. She had no veil, and her only adornment was the pendant Van had given her.

 

And she was actually on the brink of being married!

 

She didn't feel at all bridal wearing a graduation dress, but there was something about the night air. Something about the muffled hurried sounds coming from the chapel that filled her with hope and elation.

 

Her hair was longer than it had been in the spring and it was almost down to her shoulders. It had a little curl in it too, so she didn't feel as boyish as she had with her shorter haircut.

 

Van had also given her some blue roses to carry with her down the aisle. She had mentioned something about it being a pity that her father couldn't walk with her, and what Van said in response to that surprised her.

 

“I don't want your father to give you to me. I want you to choose to come to me. Who ever thought of `giving people away'? It's absurd,” he said condemningly.

 

“Yet, you don't want to live in sin,” she said, teasing him.

 

“No. I want a contract between us,” he said gently, very gently, so gently that Hitomi forgot to be suspicious about the word `contract'. It was unusual, but because of his steady soothing voice, the context of the word was lost on her.

 

Hitomi stood in the porch ready to go in and waited and waited for the knock to come. Would Van knock? Hitomi's heart was turning circles around in her chest. She began thinking about what Van said about their lives together being hard. To her that meant the pain of being with a friend when they died - like Millerna. Sometimes Hitomi felt haunted by her. All Hitomi's important decisions always managed to work their way back to Millerna. She wanted to live her life freely, so that Millerna could be proud of her, and so that when Hitomi went to meet her she had no regrets.

 

There was no way Hitomi was free from Dilandau's interest since he had seen her in action. It wouldn't matter where she went or what she did, someone would always come after her. She was like Van. Someday, would there be an entire group focused on killing her too? Life was going to be difficult whether she married Van or not. She wanted him by her side.

 

The knock finally came, and the door to the chapel creaked open. It was completely dark inside. When suddenly a warm hand took hers and led her into the room. Hitomi heard the door shut behind her. It was pitch black, except for the light from the stars where the roof was cracked. She wanted to call out, but resisted. She couldn't be alone; someone had led her in.

 

Then the music started. A lilting flute began to play (was there a stereo?), and then with a wave of Van's hand, the room was suddenly radiant. The chapel was filled with the soft glow of candlelight and she saw the scene that had been waiting for her. The minister's wife had brought her into the room and Van and the minister were standing at the end of the aisle.

 

It was Van she saw first. He was incredible. He wore a white shirt, but no tie of any kind, and as a matter of fact his shirt wasn't even done up. His hair and skin looked darker than ever. Hitomi couldn't take her eyes off him. No groom ever looked as good. Thank goodness he despised convention.

 

Each pew had a candle poised on the end of it, and there were candles set in large bowls of water in a circle surrounding Van and the minister. There were also candles alight in holders nailed to the walls. The music playing sounded heavenly.

 

But the airy song and the soft warm lights were not the best things besides Van in the room. The minister and his wife seemed genuinely pleased that they had been asked to participate. They were not young, and looked as though they had enjoyed many years of marriage. Hitomi knew she might not have been able to feel near as happy if their faces had been downcast. Instead, it seemed like they really did wish her and Van all the happiness in the world.

 

The music didn't stop as the minister read the prayers and married them quietly. As Hitomi looked into the intense warmth of Van's eyes she felt like she had never even been alive until this moment. It was magical, and very much different than any other marriage she had ever been to. This was like Romeo and Juliet, or an eloping couple who no one wanted to get married. The deep love between them seemed to be in every glance, every touch, every moment ticking on a clock, and made every word the man said fill Hitomi with gratitude that she was alive to feel this.

 

At last, Van was saying his lines and she heard herself saying hers. The minister allowed them to kiss. They brought their heads together and touched their lips. Van's breath was hot, and suddenly she realized that he really had been holding back every other time they kissed. This was very singular. The heat didn't hurt her, but instead seemed to evoke another emotion in her … like … she didn't know how to describe it. What was it?

 

A kiss like this, the forever kind of kiss that seems to slow time, and make disasters wait, was finally disrupted by a spark of flame to Hitomi's left. She involuntarily turned her head and dropping her flowers she saw that one of the candles on the pew had fallen and the bench was now on fire. The wood was dry and the flame was arching higher and higher.

 

Van turned his head and saw it too, but his face became excited - intrigued. “Try to put it out, Hitomi. Use your abilities.”

 

Hitomi saw that the blaze was spreading. The fire had spread through the floorboards onto the next pew. She tried to concentrate, but she saw that one of the candles had burned the paper on the wall and soon the roof would be on fire. This was really serious! And he meant for her to put it out? Hitomi closed her eyes and desperately tried to listen to the beat of her heart, but the clarity wasn't coming in the same way as it had the night with Dilandau.

 

“Van!” she yelped, feeling like she couldn't do it.

 

“Calm down,” Van was whispering into her ear, “Take things slowly.”

 

She listened to her heart, or at least tried to. The fire was making her panic. What if she wasn't able to stop it? Would the church burn down? Van and the others hadn't moved. Hitomi stole a quick glance back at the minister and his wife. Neither of them had moved, and, in fact, neither of them looked the least bit afraid. Who were these people? Where had Van found them? They weren't even shocked by Van lighting the candles all at once.

 

That thought gave her some comfort. Van had lit all the candles at once, so theoretically she could put them out all at once, as well. It was getting hot in the room now, and Hitomi was really distressed now. Her heart was beating wildly, but she forced herself to relax. She had to make her heart beat rhythmically.

 

Van was too close to her. He was distracting. She pushed him away blindly with the palm of her hand, and she heard him step away from her.

 

She didn't open her eyes. She didn't want to see how much of the building had burnt. It was becoming smoky, and if she checked the damage that had been done one more time, it might get beyond her power to control it.

 

She put her hands out as she had before and simply believed she could do it. Hitomi felt the ice ripple from her fingers, but it wasn't the same as it had been when she had fought Dilandau. There was no wind, but the ice fell from Hitomi's hands like fog. The white mist crept across the floor and up the walls, extinguishing the fire with it. Hitomi opened her eyes and saw what was happening. It jumped from her fingers like little frogs leaping into a haze hanging over a lake early in the morning. The room filled steadily with the vapor until the fire in the ceiling stopped blazing, as well.

 

Hitomi had put the fire out and it was as dark as when she had first entered the room.

 

Then a light blazed. Van was holding a small globe of fire in his hands. “You're incredible, Hitomi,” he said gently. He held the light up beside his face, so that one side was shaded and the other warmed by the light. She couldn't see the minister or his wife, the fog was too thick.

 

“Really, Van?” she asked, knowing full well she had done really well.

 

“Mr. Fanel,” the minister interrupted. “We still need to sign the papers.”

 

Van took Hitomi's hand in his and led her over the bowls of water to the pulpit, which happened to be the only reasonable place in the room for a person to write something. But since the candles had gone out, Hitomi was starting to feel that the good feelings that had existed at first in the room had vanished. It was cold in the church now, and wet.

 

The minister presented them with the documents and a pen for each of them to sign their name with. Van signed first with his right hand in steady strokes, and then he gave Hitomi the pen with an encouraging smile. She took the pen in her hand, but she couldn't seem to keep it steady enough to write her name. Finally she got it out - Hitomi Kanzaki.

 

She was suddenly very cold, but she thought she had no reason to be. It was summer outside. Maybe it was just the way Van's fireball lit the room and the mist.

 

“I hope you will be very happy, Mrs. Fanel,” the minister's wife said as she took her husband's offered hand and exited the front of the building.

 

Hitomi was sorry to see them go, but she managed to bid them farewell with the smile only new brides wear and wished them well.

 

Once they were gone, Hitomi turned around to see Van. He was still standing behind the pulpit. He was taking their marriage certificate and putting it into an envelope. He looked different in that light. He didn't look like a good-looking teenager who was more on top of the game than most. That was how she had viewed him at first. He stood there with the papers in hand seeming … like an alter ego of himself. He seemed like a hero from a gothic romance standing in a ruined castle; with only a lonely candle by his side … she had to stop reading those books.

 

She trusted Van. There was just something about this moment that was disquieting. Maybe it was how Van obviously forced her to use her power and put something at stake for her to save. It was ridiculous that she wanted to save that little church. Now that there had been a fire there, it would be torn down for sure, and Hitomi felt sick at the thought of it. Now it was a place for her memories. A place where she had Van had pledged their love and it would be ruined no matter what she had done.

 

Perhaps she should have let it burn down.

 

In any case, they were the last couple to be wed in that little church, and Hitomi felt that there was a certain kind of finality about that thought that left a shadow over her marriage.

 

“Van,” she asked, quietly, “You were hoping that those candles would start a fire, weren't you? Was it your intention to burn this church to the ashes?”

 

He regarded her patiently before answering. Finally he said, “Do I seem heartless? I thought you were magnificent.”

 

“Answer me,” she said, softly, “Did you set that fire intentionally?”

 

“Yes,” he said. “But I wouldn't have let it get out of control. I would have stopped it before any of us were really in danger.”

 

“How would you have done that?”

 

“If I start a fire, you'd better believe that I can stop it just as easily. Please don't look at me like that. I am trying to teach you, and the only ways I have been able to think up have been rather brutal, but I can't just tell you to use your ability and have you use it with no motivation. Could you learn anything that way?”

 

“I don't know,” she said, stepping over the bowls of water and picking up her fallen roses.

 

“Are you angry with me?”

 

Hitomi thought carefully before answering. “No, I don't think so. Tell me though, who were those people?”

 

“The local minister and his wife. I told you, didn't I? Dr. Owen.”

 

“Yes, I believe you told me all that, but who were they that they weren't surprised by your abilities or mine?”

 

“Oh, that was nothing. This was just the church he and his wife were married in, and he was willing to do one more wedding here. I told him it would probably be a very weird wedding and to take no notice of it. Everything that would happen was very explainable.”

 

“So, he and his wife were just here to enjoy the show?”

 

“I guess. Are you ready to go?” Van asked.

 

She paused. “It was a weird wedding, wasn't it? You and I … the way we are.”

 

“You look gorgeous. A goddess would be jealous,” he drawled.

 

“So, you're going to take me home now?”

 

“I have no home,” he said, coming close to her and taking one of the roses in her hands. “Wherever you are, is where I belong now … for the rest of my life. I love you … let me show you.”

 

***

 

That night, before Hitomi went to sleep, Van whispered into her ear, “Hitomi, will you promise me something?”

 

“Anything,” she breathed recklessly, tangling her fingers in his hair.

 

Van kissed her throat and whispered a few hot words to her. “Will you promise me that you won't tell anyone that we're married?”

 

“What?” she asked, sitting up.

 

“All the same reasons still exist why we couldn't tell anyone before. Please promise you won't tell anyone unless it's life or death. I don't want to risk your safety. Please promise me.”

 

Hitomi looked at him doubtfully. She didn't want to make such a promise, but she saw his point of view, and finally promised. “You won't tell anyone either?” she asked afterwards.

 

“No. It's our secret.”