Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Return to the Mystic Moon ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Yes, I know. It's been a really long time since I updated. I apologize. School, work and Swing have kept me really busy and with a huge case of writer's block, I couldn't get anything typed. Please enjoy this chapter and review!

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne or the characters therein. I don't even have the money to feed myself this week so don't think I'm going to cough up the cash either.

 

 

Hitomi found herself looking back at her house, the memories of her life there overwhelming her. She hadn't cried yet but she knew she would soon. Could she really do this? Could she really leave her family, her home, her planet? She had tucked a few photos of her friends and family into her coat pocket, knowing that there was no point bringing anything else with her. All her clothes, her belongings, none of them would do her any good on Gaea so it was only her photos that mattered. And her tarot cards… she'd tucked those in along with the photos as an afterthought. It almost seemed wrong to go back to Gaea without them. But were those small tokens going to be enough to remind her of her family and friends years down the road? Hitomi was startled from her thoughts by a gentle hand on her shoulder. “We'll miss you dear,” her mother said from behind her. Hitomi sighed, trying and failing to keep herself from crying. Turning her daughter around, she gave her a sad smile and wiped Hitomi's cheeks. “I understand Hitomi. You love him,” she whispered, a few fat tears slipping down her cheeks as well. The two women embraced, holding each other tightly to keep the feeling with them for the days ahead. Mamoru watched from the side for a moment before joining in the hug, wiggling between the two and hugging his sister as well.

Van wasn't so sure he should do this anymore. Could he drag Hitomi away from the people she loved simply because he loved her too? These people that he had gotten to know over the last week loved her as much as he did, just in a different way. They were her family. Could he take her from the family who cared for her enough to let her go when he himself knew the pain of losing those that he cared for? He watched them all embrace, a sharp pang in his heart. Seeing the three of them together made him miss his own family, his mother and brother especially. Hitomi slowly broke away from the arms of her mother and hugged her younger sibling more fully. He smiled up at her and said something that made her laugh. Van waited patiently for her to come to him, smiling encouragingly when she finally approached where he was standing. Her eyes were still a little teary but she looked resolved to go. The young king held out his hand for her and squeezed it when she accepted it. “Let's go home,” he whispered to her.

Fishing the pendant from inside his shirt, Van held it in one hand, his other arm tightly around Hitomi's waist. She looped her arms around his neck and nuzzled her face against his chest. The two took a deep breath as they waited for the beam of light to reach down and pluck them up. At first nothing happened, then the bright light that took them back and forth to Gaea came down, swallowing them in white illumination. Hitomi peeked away from Van's chest to wave to her family when their feet were pulled off the ground. Having forgotten how disconcerting this journey was, the young woman clung to her fiancé all the tighter to keep from being separated. In seconds they were hovering over deep green forests, a lake glowing under the moonlight not too far from where they would land. Neither of them had much control over their descent, the beam of light dropping them several meters from the forest floor. Van kept Hitomi close and rolled them when they hit the ground to shelter her from the impact. “Jeez, it picks us up so slowly, you'd think it could put us down nicely,” Hitomi muttered crankily as Van helped her to her feet.

Van chuckled at her grumpy attitude. “I don't think the light is intelligent Hitomi. It just puts you down wherever,” he reasoned, taking Hitomi's hand in his own and leading her into the woods. It truly amazed her how they could be in the middle of nowhere, no landmarks to be seen, and Van would know exactly which direction to go. All the trees looked the same to her, the countryside a completely unfamiliar landscape in the dark. As if reading her thoughts, or more likely her confused look, Van chuckled and dragged her closer to his side as he walked, looping an arm around her waist. “I learned from you, you know. How to look for things? I look for what I want in my mind and the pendant swings to show me where it is,” he explained with a grin. Hitomi laughed at her own stupidity. Of course that's what he did. It was one of the techniques she'd used before she'd left Gaea to help Van fight but hadn't really used since she'd taught it to him. It had only made sense to teach the young king the same tactic since it would be to his advantage to be in control of the power himself instead of relying on her to do it. It also, surprisingly enough, did wonders for the control of his temper. Not at first, but it was apparent to her now that he'd truly honed the skill she'd taught him and it had tempered his volatile demeanor. He actually thought before he acted.

“How far out are we?” she asked instead of commenting on how much Van had grown up. He seemed to consider her question for several moments before telling her ambiguously that they “weren't far.” Rolling her eyes at his vague answer, Hitomi clung to him and allowed him to lead her in the dark. She wasn't used to wandering around the forest at night without a flashlight or lantern or something, being as out of practice as she was. Van on the other hand seemed to have no problems whatsoever, not tripping over a single root or upturned stone. Hitomi was more than a little surprised when they came upon a familiar clearing, tall stately trees standing sentinel over the large gravestone which marked the place where Van's elder brother Folken lay in death. Without waiting for permission, Hitomi detached herself from Van's side and knelt in front of it. She offered a silent greeting to the brother-in-law she would never get to call such. Feeling Van's eyes on her, the intensity of his gaze penetrating, she ignored him for another moment to offer her thanks to Folken for helping them and then a promise to visit again at another time. It may have been her imagination, but Hitomi could have sworn she felt the brush of a hand on her shoulder in welcome and she smiled. Van approached her silently to offer her his hand and she accepted his help. The two made their way through the clearing until the dark and brooding trees once again surrounded them.

Van remained silent for a long while as they walked. He was surprised by how it affected him to see Hitomi treat his brother's grave with such respect and honor. It had never occurred to him that she would think so highly of Folken, remember him for the brother he had become once again after long years as a traitor to Fanelia and as Van's enemy. He rarely went near the gravesite after she'd left, too scared to let himself dwell in the pain of losing him again without her there to lift him out of his depression. “He would be happy to see us married,” he whispered finally. He felt Hitomi start at his soft words followed by her small hand squeezing his.

“I have a feeling he will,” she responded softly with a small smile on her lips. He couldn't get her to say more about it and finally gave up. `Let her have her secrets for now,' he thought. They were getting close to Fanelia, he could feel it, and he wanted to get there long before daylight so they could sleep. Tomorrow, along with the following days, would be a busy day and they both needed rest before then. Finally they reached the mountain ridge that surrounded Fanelia's capitol and they both paused. The flickering of torchlight down below made it quite clear that the city was occupied again and Van felt a warmth in his heart to see that his country was thriving once more. “Oh Van, it's beautiful,” Hitomi gasped. The young king smirked and pulled her against his side so he could hold her as they gazed down at his palace and the city that surrounded it. He had to admit that from this height, Fanelia was quite a sight to look upon. After several minutes of pointing out the larger landmarks, ones she recognized and some she didn't, Van took his bride-to-be's hand and helped her down the steep mountain path to the outskirts of the city. They managed to make it to the gate of the stronghold without incident and then found themselves spotted by the guardsmen on duty.

Van gave a distinct sort of whistle and a few heads popped out over the wall. “Identify yourselves,” someone shouted. All Van had to do was upturn his face and several men gasped and a few shouted orders to open the gate. “The king has returned! Open the gates you fools. Welcome home your majesty!” The creaking of the gate was tremendous, the man power behind such an undertaking more than Hitomi could fathom. She was surprised when she didn't see dozens of men on the other side of the huge doors, instead a series of pulleys greeted her. “This must be your lovely bride,” the same guard said with a smile, having climbed down from his post. With another round of creaks and groans, the gate was closed and more people approached to welcome their king home along with his betrothed. She could see the affection for Van in his people's eyes, the admiration there. Glancing at him out of the corner of her eye she could see the same emotion floating in his mahogany depths. He looked stiff and unyielding, but if one knew what to look for they would be able to see the love of a king for his country. Her own love for this man grew, knowing that he was a fair and strong king for his people through their reaction to his return.

“I have brought with me your future queen. We will be married as planned within the next week,” he told the gathering crowd in a booming voice. He felt Hitomi startle at his announcement but whether it was the volume or the words that made her jump, he couldn't say. He'd made it clear that they would marry almost right away, hadn't he? Van considered the thought that maybe he hadn't. He still wasn't very good with communication, he had to admit, and sometimes he just assumed people understood things the same way he did. He'd have to talk to Hitomi about it later. `Or probably tomorrow,' he thought with a sigh. Already he could imagine all the council meetings he would be held up in while Hitomi was whisked off to be fitted for extravagant gowns and taught “proper” etiquette. Van had never held an affinity for it but it had been more or less beaten into his brain over years of tutoring and watching what was expected of him. Part of him wanted to command that they leave Hitomi be so they wouldn't try to change her, but he knew that she was unaware of most of their customs and those at least she had to learn. Hitomi was a strong woman; she wouldn't let them bully her into becoming some fragile little flower. Van smiled to himself as he led his bride toward the castle. He was a warrior king and he needed a warrior queen. He had his warrior queen now. `Only the formalities to go through,' he grumbled to himself, throwing a sheepish look at Hitomi when she glanced at him in concern.

Almost the moment he entered the palace he was pounced upon though he handled the assault much better than in the past. Merle had only grown a little while he had grown into a strong young man and it was easier to catch the cat girl without stumbling backward under her weight. “Lord Van!” she cried happily. He smiled softly at the young woman who had been like his sister for years, becoming his family when he had none left. “You were gone so long!” she gushed when he set her back on her feet. Chuckling softly at her dramatics, Van grinned and took a step back, bringing Hitomi forward to greet the pink-haired girl. Hitomi smiled nervously at Merle whose eyes became wide with shock. Both women blinked at each other for a moment before Hitomi stuck her hand out to shake with Merle. The cat girl obviously remembered the gesture from Hitomi's last visit but all the girl from the Mystic Moon got in response was a sneer and a quiet growl. “What are you doing here?” she snapped. Van's eyes widened and he frowned at the cat girl.

“Merle!” he whispered furiously.

“Why did you bring her back here Lord Van? I thought you were just going out to look for a bride for formality's sake!” she hissed at him. “You weren't really supposed to bring anyone back and especially not her!” The Fanelian king was shocked. He hadn't anticipated such a heated response from the young woman he'd watched out for all these years. He'd thought the two of them were getting along better just before Hitomi left. It seemed that the strawberry blonde at his side was just as startled as he was by Merle's actions. In a flurry of fur and fury, Merle turned and scampered out of the front hall. The couple stood in stunned and awkward silence for several moments.

Hitomi wasn't sure what to do or say. She knew why Merle had reacted the way she had, it was obvious to anyone, aside from Van perhaps, that the young cat woman had a crush on the king and had for many years. It was only natural for her to feel betrayed that he had brought home another woman, especially the one woman she had felt so threatened by in the first place. There had never been anyone who had accepted Van so wholly before and Merle knew that Hitomi loved him more than anything. In her mind, she was being replaced and pushed aside. Hitomi knew this because that's exactly how she would have felt had it been her in Merle's shoes. “You're going to have to talk to her Van. She's hurt and upset.” He glanced over at her and gave her a confused look. Hitomi sighed and smiled a little. He was a smart man, but very obviously male in that he didn't understand women's feelings at all. “Show me where I get to sleep and I'll explain,” she said with a small laugh.

“But Merle's like my sister!” Van cried once Hitomi had settled onto the lounge chair at the end of her bed and had explained why the young cat woman was so upset by her arrival. “I nearly raised her myself.” The young king was pacing in front of the fireplace, obviously distraught by the revelation. Hitomi gave him a tolerant smile and beckoned for him to come sit by her. He paced a few more times before settling down at her side. “I never saw it,” he murmured.

“I'm not surprised. It's usually the person who is being crushed on that is the last to know. She's always loved you and really that's all you should worry about. She'll always love you, it just has to become a different kind of love.” Van nodded but he still looked terribly worried. She understood his distress. Hitomi couldn't imagine having to tell someone you had cared for and taken care of for years that you couldn't love them the way they wanted, that there was someone else. `I never had to do that with Allen because he realized it before I could even say anything…' Hitomi sighed softly and took one of Van's hands in both of hers. “As long as you're understanding of her feelings and explain the truth it will all work out for the best.” He nodded but she could tell that her fiancé was still upset and anxious about confronting Merle on this issue. “You're her best friend,” she whispered, leaning into his shoulder, “I'm sure she wants you to be happy, she just wished it was with her.” He nodded faintly. Suddenly he turned to her and pulled her close for a soft kiss. Hitomi readily accepted his lips, kissing him just as softly in a reassuring manner. He obviously needed it at the moment. A harsh breath through his nose was the only warning Hitomi got before their kiss changed. His mouth was suddenly very insistent upon hers, drawing her closer and pressing his tongue to the seam of her lips. Allowing him to press her back onto the lounge chair, she raised a gentle hand to the side of his face. “Van,” she whispered in the small space he'd given her to breathe. Her tone was enough to still his movement to kiss her again. He knew what she was thinking almost immediately and it helped his brain to clear.

Sighing roughly he rested his forehead against hers for a few moments, collecting himself so he could leave her room with a clear head and with his emotions under control. “I love you,” he murmured, kissing the end of her nose as he pulled himself to his feet. She whispered it in return, walking him to the door and kissing his cheek before moving to close the door behind him. The pair blushed when the two guards standing outside the door grinned. Van scowled at both of them, forcing the two men to wipe the smiles from their faces very quickly. Hitomi ducked back into her room in embarrassment and Van finally turned to leave. With yet another sigh the young king made his way through the corridors to his room in contemplative silence. He was tired from the long day, worried about Merle and overwhelmingly anxious for the upcoming wedding. There was so much to think about and he was worried he wouldn't get to sleep at all that night. Dealing with his advisers without sleep was never a good idea and he didn't fancy the headache he would have come the following afternoon. Licking his lips brought back the flavor of Hitomi's kiss and he smiled. Maybe sleep wouldn't be so hard to find after all.

 

 

Well, there you have it. Sorry it's so short. I'm having a hard time writing long chapters for this story. But at least I wrote one right? Right. Thanks for reading!