Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Return to the Mystic Moon ❯ Chapter 6

So wow... long time. I've gotten plenty of cranky e-mails/reviews about not posting. I apologize. I've been crazy busy since I'm back in school full time. I had this chapter mostly finished but couldn't come up with a proper closing. Still don't think I hit it just right. Oh well. I also had a hiccup this summer when I got hit by a car on my bike. Puts a dent in things... aside from my bike (which was totaled) and my head. So the lesson here, boys and girls, is this: Riding with traffic on your bicycle does not mean cars will respect and/or stop for you; ALWAYS wear a helmet! And lastly, if given the option, walk instead. It's probably safer.

 

New chapter! Yay!! (Don't hurt me...)

 

 

The day had arrived and he could hardly believe it was finally happening. Hitomi would be his bride today as well as the woman who would stand at his side as queen. Part of him was so nervous he couldn't move himself from bed quite yet. The other part was too excited to stay still and so the last surviving Fanel crawled out from under his rumpled sheets and went about his morning rituals. The king made sure to clean himself thoroughly and dabbed himself with a little musk someone had given him as a gift earlier that year. He wasn't usually keen on the extra scent but he felt it appropriate for such a big and austere occasion.

 

Van was just getting into his trousers when he heard a light tapping at his window. Frowning at the interruption and slightly concerned by the fact that very few people would be on his balcony without him knowing it, he threw on his undershirt and stepped to the drapes. Merle was one of the only faces he would have expected to see, but still the last. He hadn't seen her since she disappeared into the night a week ago and, despite his worry, he hadn't had the time to go look for her himself. “Merle,” he greeted her with some surprise, opening the doors for her. She was dressed in one of her finest gowns but he noticed she was carrying her shoes. He smiled to himself. That was the Merle he knew. At least some things were still the same.

 

She watched him look her over a little sheepishly. She probably shouldn't have climbed down from the roof in her dress but she just had to talk to Van before the ceremony and there wasn't that much time. “I'm sorry,” she whispered, quickly rushing into her explanation before the king could interrupt her, “I was surprised and jealous. But I know that I behaved poorly and I'm going to apologize to Hitomi next. I just...”

 

“I know Merle. It's ok.” At his use of Hitomi's word the cat girl, more a young cat woman really, tilted her head slightly. “I mean it's alright. I understand. I never told you, but I saw Allen kiss Hitomi once. It was the only time but I didn't know that and I was so angry. I said some awful things to Hitomi that I didn't mean. I was a horrible bastard to Allen even though I know now it wasn't either one of their faults.” Merle listened in silent awe as Van shared something he had only discussed once with his bride. “But I realized that no matter what happened with Hitomi and Allen, I love her and even if it had turned out that she didn't love me, I would have still cared for her. I hope that it can be that way for us.”

 

She smiled and the king couldn't help his sigh of relief. “I do care about you. I always will. You are my best and longest friend Lord Van.” The two embraced briefly. “I wish you the best today, I really do. You deserve to be happy.” Van blushed faintly, smiling and tucking Merle back in for a short hug.

 

“I have to finish getting dressed, but don't think you've gotten out of telling me where you've been for a week,” he told her with mock sternness. With a catlike grin and a flip of her hair, Merle scooted out the doors and out onto the balcony. “Merle!” She popped back through the doors. “Do me a favor?” She nodded and took the small package he gave her. “You know where to take it?” All Van heard was the sound of her laughter fading as she no doubt scampered onto the roof. The young Fanel had no choice but to let her go and finish getting himself ready, hoping she would make it in time. The ceremony would begin shortly and being the king and all, it couldn't begin without him.

 

Halfway around the palace a flustered and still sleepy Hitomi was being dressed in her wedding gown. It was beautiful, she was sure, at least she would be sure when her eyes weren't quite so bleary with sleep. “Remind me why this has to be so early.” A yawn muffled the last few words, but considering her complaints for the last half hour had been similar, everyone in the room could guess what she was asking.

 

“To greet the new day with the union of the King and your ladyship,” someone behind a fold of skirt told her in a voice slightly muffled with pins. There was apparently some last minute tweaking to be done to the dress, thus waking Hitomi at somewhere near midnight - an exaggeration her sleepy mind insisted was quite accurate - had been necessary to put the finishing touches on. The handmaids were trying to bustle around the seamstress and make sure Hitomi ate something to go with the very large cup of the Gaian equivalent to coffee she had demanded within five minutes of realizing they were serious about waking her. “The ceremony won't be as long as you think,” the seamstress reassured her in a whisper, “King Van is notorious for shortening such things and I should think he will be far too excited to let it drag on too long.” Hitomi blushed at the sly implication in her voice but nodded.

 

Another half hour or so and she was as ready as she could hope for. Her hair was done strategically for perfect crown placement, her skin had all been rubbed clean and smoothed with something akin to thick lotion, her dress fit her perfectly and the slippers they'd placed on her feet could do with a little more padding but were delicate and not constricting. Hitomi looked in the mirror and could not help but smile. She looked like a queen. At least she thought she did. “One last thing milady,” a female voice murmured. Hitomi frowned until a very familiar gold chain was dropped against her throat and the comfortable feel of a small but strangely weighty pendant lay just between her breasts. Her confused look did not go unnoticed. “His majesty wanted you to have it during the ceremony but since he is not allowed to see you until you arrive...” she trailed off with a shrug. Hitomi turned and embraced the young woman immediately.

 

“I've missed you.”

 

Merle smiled and hugged her old friend back. “And I you. I'm so sorry for how I acted, Hitomi. You know I always...” she laughed, “Well I'm very happy for you both anyway and I am proud to be able to give you that this morning. I'll walk you to the temple?” she offered. Hitomi had to keep the tears from her eyes. Merle had grown up considerably and had turned into a beautiful young lady in the time she'd been gone.

With a nod Hitomi fell into step beside Merle with a few straggling handmaids following behind wanting to see their lady on her way before they scurried off to bed for a few more hours' sleep. The festival would begin later that afternoon to celebrate and bless the new royal couple. “They'll likely not make it to the beginning dance,” one handmaiden whispered. The other two hushed her but waited until the two ladies had gone around the next corner to see what else she had to say. “Rumor has it King Van's parents missed the entire festival, locked up in their rooms as they were!” All three girls giggled and took off to their quarters, still laughing, when the seamstress shooed them away.

 

The ceremony was nearly a blur for both of them. Hitomi found herself responding almost automatically to the questions asked of her. Van's eyes were just so captivating, deep with nervous excitement and emotion. She could read him like a book. His dark mahogany eyes whispered love to her, reassuring her and asking for it in return. Happily she spoke her vows to him, crying as he did the same to her. With the wedding part of the proceedings over, that left the crowning. Hitomi was almost more nervous for that part. There was far more to remember and the impending weight of becoming a queen, a real honest to goodness queen, nearly pressed her heart into her stomach. “I present to you your wife Lord Van, do you crown her your queen to rule at your side?” the Head Minister, the leader of the council, questioned in a stately voice. Van nodded before voicing his answer, taking the delicate crown from the box the Head Minister held. Turning to Hitomi he smiled faintly before placing the circlet of precious metal and stones on her perfectly done hair.

 

“I crown you Queen, to stand by my side through any hardship, but most importantly, to see Fanelia rise and prosper in the years to come. Rise Hitomi.” Van's heart fluttered in his chest as she rose slowly, the weight of her gown slowing her ascent, facing him with a bright smile. He gripped her hands for a moment then turned them both to face those gathered. “We stand united as the King and Queen of Fanelia” There was quiet applause and a few cheers which were quickly hushed by someone. Van couldn't help but smile. Fanelian royal ceremonies were usually treated with much respect and were meant to be held with complete silence from any witnesses. But obviously he didn't mind. Millerna apparently couldn't contain herself and Dryden wasn't much better, whistling at the pair when they passed out of the temple. Allen tipped his head to them and Chid had been the first one shushed by his aunt when he started clapping enthusiastically. He was older now but still held the enthusiasm of a child. The royal couple was warmed by the presence of their friends.

 

Hitomi had a hard time keeping up with her new husband as he led her through the palace. He wouldn't tell her where he was taking her and she was becoming more and more baffled. She had never been in this part of the palace and could hardly picture where they might be in the grand building. “Van, where are you taking me?” she begged again to know. His response, as it had been the last three times, was only a smile and a gentle tug on her hand to keep her moving. The hallways all seemed the same to her but Van apparently had no problem keeping them straight. “Van...”

 

“Here we are,” he interrupted her, slowing them to a stop in front of a pair of huge doors. They looked like they were thick solid wood, stained dark and engraved with scenes of the countryside. Hitomi was curious if they led outside, surely such large doors wouldn't open into a room. As Van let go of her hand to open them Hitomi found herself corrected very quickly. They did, in fact, open into a very large room, almost a banquet hall in itself. However it was decorated like a parlor, cushy chairs, a sofa and a lounge all surrounding a low wide table. “The sitting room,” Van introduced. Hitomi realized as her husband brought her more fully into the room that it was not only the sitting room the doors hid from the rest of the palace but also a series of other rooms. “The breakfast room is through here. This room is empty now but I'm sure we'll figure out something...” Hitomi knew what it was designed to be but, with their recent discussion of heirs having not gone the best, decided not to say so.

 

Van led her to a similar set of doors to the first though much smaller. He allowed her to open them herself and stood back as she took in her surroundings. The royal chambers had stood empty for a long time. His parents having been dead many years, Van had never felt comfortable using them until now. His own room in the palace had been quite a ways from this wing simply to keep it out of his sight. Now he and Hitomi would occupy them again, the king and queen. She seemed awed by the size of the rooms, the thought that had gone into decorating them obvious. The ceilings were high but the rooms still seemed cozy. His mother had found it important to make her family feel at home there since it was the only place in the palace that they could truly escape to and just be a family. His father had made the ceilings so high in hopes of keeping his draconian wife from feeling cooped up. Van recalled a little sadly when he'd been given his own room outside of this wing.

 

He'd been at odds with himself at the time, old enough to want his own space but young enough to feel like his parents were casting him out. Folken had been given his own room several years before and so Van knew he was overreacting. Leaving the royal nursery itself - not so much a nursery since he'd grown up - had been nowhere near as hard as knowing his parents would not be just a room over. Being the hard-headed boy he was he'd managed. Van only wished none of them had ever left, somehow thinking that had caused the rift between his father and brother and then eventually the death of his parents in succession.

 

“Van it's beautiful!” Hitomi's voice shook Van from his brooding thoughts and he smiled softly at her back. She was floating around the room, picking up the set of toiletries he'd had made for her. The young king approached her and took hold of her shoulders, turning her so she could see him. Her smile widened but he noticed the soft blush on her nose and cheeks. “Van...” she breathed.

 

Her skin felt flushed. Hitomi wasn't sure if it was from the excitement of seeing the new room, the heavy dress, their swift walk across the palace or perhaps Van's very presence. Whatever it was causing it didn't really matter, only that it was making her a little lightheaded did. Van stood in front of her, his mahogany gaze focused only on her. “Hitomi, are you alright?” her new husband asked in concern, noting the slightly dazed look in her eyes. She shook her head to dismiss his concern, which turned out to be a very bad idea. Swooning as her vision spun, Hitomi reached for Van. She was extremely glad to feel his strong arms around her, leading her to sit on the edge of the very large bed she'd been admiring previously. After much debate, mostly on Hitomi's side, they agreed that taking off the hot and heavy gown was the best way to solve the problem. Van even brought her a simple robe to put on over her slip before he helped her undo the ties of the corset she'd so loathed before. “There.”

 

“Thank you, I feel much better.” Van nodded his relief, still watching her carefully. It was no wonder she'd nearly fainted. Hitomi had been awoken long before he'd woken up, had barely eaten a thing, had had a very strong cup of kava and had been forced to stand through the majority of that morning's proceedings. It was a wonder she hadn't actually fainted earlier. Given this, he quickly went to the hall outside their room to flag down the nearest guard. Food was to be brought to their room immediately as well as the queen's belongings from her room. Van glared then nodded curtly to the guard who hadn't quite had the control, or common sense, to not grin at his king in masculine camaraderie. Van closed the door behind him and shook his head, grinning a little to himself. He wasn't stupid, he knew what his entire kingdom expected he and Hitomi were doing right now. Not that he intended to tell her that. She'd blush from her toes all the way up and would likely lock herself in the bath.

 

When he entered their room he found her sitting under the smaller of the windows, looking out from the window seat on the main courtyard of the castle. There were carts selling food, trinkets and souvenirs. Dancers and other performers littered the open space, a puppet theater set up in one corner.

 

“It's so cool,” she gushed to him when he came to sit beside her. He wrinkled his nose at the phrase, unsure what it meant. She laughed when he asked her if she was chilled now. “Sorry. I mean it's really amazing. I guess I'll have to remember my weird earth stuff doesn't make sense here,” she said, waving her hand vaguely. Van smiled at her to show he wasn't offended by any means. The two sat, simply holding hands and pointing out the festivities to one another like excited children until the bell was rung to announce the arrival of their meal. “Oh good. I'm hungry!”

 

“I thought you might be. Stay here. I had them bring the rest of your things up so you could change. I'll have them put the food in the breakfast room.” Hitomi nodded, her smiling face glowing up at her husband. He leaned down to give her a quick kiss and found himself drawn in very quickly.

 

“Ahem...” The two split apart as Hitomi's maid came in with her things. Van rolled his eyes and left the room so she could be fussed over and he could see what the kitchen had whipped up for them. He hadn't really eaten much either and found his stomach rumbling as he followed his nose.

 

 

Thank you for your patience! Hopefully this chapter will tide you over until the next one... whenever that might be. I'm working on it... promise!