Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Sacrosanct ❯ Turning Points ( Chapter 3 )

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the long wait! School caught up on me, and it was only recently that I found the opportunity to write. Plus, I had a really hard time deciding how I'd begin this chapter, thus impeding further developments until I was finally able to settle on things.

Thank you so much for all the reviews! I've already added titles to the previous two chapters and made the corrections to mistakes pointed out by the more attentive reviewers (muchos gracias!), so hopefully things are in better shape now. Anyway if there's anything you'd like to point out, don't hesitate to leave a review or contact me personally via PM or email.

Enjoy reading!

Sacrosanct

By Venusskies

A Retelling of the Escaflowne series

Chapter Three: Turning Points

He had been horribly aloof since last night, something which might speak of how far we're going to get in this unexpected reunion. Or perhaps we had yet to find the time to talk, for as soon as he found us, he took us right away to his ship, the Crusade, and set off for Asturia. Merle and I were immediately attended to; our lodgings were comfortable enough and the food almost delicious, but as expected, we didn't sleep or eat well. Van attempted neither. He and Allen spent most of the trip locked up inside the latter's office talking quite heatedly. It was hard to imagine any event wherein these two rivals would declare a truce and talk as amiably as possible, but the recent events were most special.

And never did he take a second look at me.

Fatigue was drumming into our fragile wits, commanding us to rest, but the post-traumatic shock was more terribly overwhelming. Merle and I shared a room, but we were both deathly quiet throughout the four, five hour journey to the cornerstone of the Alliance powers. Either we were too immersed in our own thoughts or there were simply no words that could express our despair. We both felt guilty for being too fickle to be of use to Van, who, we both knew, needed the empathy only we could provide during these trying times. However it seemed that he didn't need - rather, want - it, judging from the sheer stoicism he exuded upon our arrival.

Our reception at Palas was a solemn affair. King Aston and his daughters, the princesses Eries and Millerna, were all there to see to personally express their sympathies and see to our needs. There was a slight sense of comfort from the fact that these people were taking the time and effort to keep us as comfortable as possible, but I couldn't help wondering whether these people would actually sympathize enough to help us seek justice for Fanelia. Zaibach, after all, was a fellow Alliance country.

The fact of the matter was that this war was not going to be simple. No one knew just yet what motivated Zaibach to destroy Fanelia, what exactly we had done to deserve their ire. Nor did anyone know just yet that we were completely innocent. Consensus - the standard system for decision-making within the Alliance - would not be achieved until everyone had the proper information.

Allen Schezar, Knight Caeli of Asturia, had connections to the Asturian intelligence units. His connections existed even before he had been appointed to a high-ranking position within the intelligence bureau itself, and what he and Van had discussed in the Crusade probably had something do to with what he knew.

And as for Escaflowne…

It was dawn after the attacks that I was finally able to speak with Van again.

I was walking aimlessly around the palace in the wee hours of the morning, wondering where my feet would take me. I couldn't sleep even when Merle had finally succumbed to the beckoning goose-feathered pillows and the silky sheen of the mattresses; I was far too tense. My head was restless with thoughts of the future, interspersed with random questions about Allen's treatment, how we would finally be able to talk, how he would be after all this time…

I stopped when I saw Van standing against one of the stone columns scattered along the perimeter of the palace gardens, posture rigid, arms crossed over his chest and his brows furrowed in deep thought. I approached him slowly, calling out his name. He turned to me and straightened up. The moment I stopped some meters before him, his expression softened.

“Have you rested?” he asked me wisely, knowing sleep wouldn't catch me at this ungodly hour. He himself had dark circles under his eyes, evidence of his own unrest.

“Yes,” I answered softly. “But you?”

“I'm alright,” was his stubborn reply. “King Aston and I had just finished talking.”

“What did you talk about?”

“He expressed his sympathies and pledged aid in the rebuilding of Fanelia. As much as we would need, he said, and I thanked him. He also sent messengers to deliver a notice of meeting for all Alliance rulers. We will convene in three days, first thing in the morning.”

“Zaibach will be arriving?”

“A notice has been delivered, but they probably won't send representatives.”

Silence.

“Why can't you meet sooner?” I asked.

“Asturia is still gathering intelligence,” he replied. “Allen has yet to report to King Aston.”

“Was that what you were talking about at the Crusade?”

“Among other things.”

At that, my stomach gave a sickening lurch. I had a strange, uneasy feeling that I knew what else they were talking about. And I didn't know if I liked it or not.

“I've arranged for you to be taken back to Chezario,” he suddenly said.

I was honestly surprised.

“What? When? How?”

“Shigure will personally fetch you tomorrow, at around noon. You should stay with your brother until the chaos rests,” Van continued, ignoring my most recent statements. “Chezario's relatively low-profile compared to the rest of the Alliance countries, and it'll be one of the last targets for attacks. Things will become dangerous for the both of us from now on. It'll be much easier for me if I know you're out of harm's way.”

I should've been touched by his concern. I should've been more appreciative of his care. But with him suddenly deciding things without even consulting me, I felt more like a burden that he wanted to cast away than a person he valued enough to keep safe.

“Van, I know I've been useless up to this point,” I began without trying to mask any of the bitterness and anger I was feeling. But I was still trying to keep my cool; conflict was the one thing we couldn't afford to have if we were to get through everything. I knew that we needed to talk and reach an understanding; by all means was I determined to make it happen.

But I should've remembered Van was already more stubborn than the average person, and in extreme circumstances, he was almost impossible to deal with. He started talking again before I had even finished telling him what I wanted him to know, but what came out of his mouth was something far from what I originally expected.

“No, Hitomi. Plese, don't ever feel that way,” he finally sighed, encumbered and frustrated by his inability to express. Van had never been a very vocal person; he was a man of few words. I knew him to be that way ever since he was a child, and when he became king, he told me once that addressing gatherings was one of the obstacles he was trying to overcome with each passing day. I stopped to allow him to gather his thoughts and speak, my gut feeling telling me that what he wanted to say was something that would mean much to the both of us and to our fragile relationship.

Yes, what we had was a fragile bond held intact mostly by the mutual respect we felt for one another. We respected each one too much to fully know that the other deserved, at the very least, an amiable companionship. Neither one of us would admit it out loud, but we both knew without words and acknowledged it for what it was. We had been friends, good friends, until two years ago; when we were married, everything suddenly became awkward. Even the friendly, comforting pats on the shoulder we used to give each other for no reason at all had undertaken an altogether different set of expectations.

And just when we were learning to adjust to the strangeness of our predicament, Zaibach had to attack.

My heart reached out to the man before me, this fallen king, who was desperately trying to pull himself together for himself, for me, for us. As his lips parted to speak, I listened intently, trying my best to understand where he was coming from and, consequently, what he needed to hear from me.

“I may say otherwise, but don't ever think that I consider you a burden. You know how terrible I am with talking,” he said, words turning into breaths, so soft were they spoken. I leaned in closer to hear him better as he closed his eyes and said, “The gods know how happy and lucky I feel to have been married to you instead of any other, and they surely know how I would do anything, anything to keep you safe.”

I was overwhelmed by his sudden confession, having not thought even for a single moment that he would say something like it at all. My only response was a feeble utterance of his name, my own eyes expressing the torrent of emotions - gentle surprise, appreciation, tenderness, slight anxiety - I couldn't tell him about.

I saw understanding in his gaze, and he steadily continued talking.

“I will talk to him as soon as he arrives. I trust your brother, Hitomi. Young as he is, I know he can, and will, keep you safe. I've always known him to be a strong man.,” he finished.

“But why don't you come with me? Stay with me at Chezario, at least until you've gotten enough rest. Y-you're tired, and you're hurt,” I began to whimper, looking away to stall the tears that were threatening to spill. “You haven't eaten since yesterday, you haven't slept since who knows when, everything happened so fast that we haven't had the time to stop and take a breather…”

“Time is a luxury we don't have,” was his simple reply. “Besides, I'll be alright.”

“Stop being so stubborn!” I suddenly exclaimed, a tear falling down my cheek. What a betrayal of my emotions, but at that point, I couldn't care the least bit. At that very moment I wanted to shake him, slap him to his senses, make him realize the importance of what I was asking of him. “Can't you see I'm worried about you? Can't you see we're all anxious about you? Why don't you pause, at least for a moment? If you get hurt, where will Fanelia be? Where will we be?”

It was his turn to look surprised. He too couldn't speak. He too didn't know what to say.

“I-I'm sorry, for trying to impose things on you,” I said, bringing my hands to wipe the tears. “I-I'm just, well, shaken, and I couldn't really, I don't, I-I can't really think straight, I feel, uneasy b-but I know I have to be strong, F-fanelia…”

And then I let go. I sobbed and covered my face with my hands, trying my best not to bawl like a helpless infant. It was the first time I cried since the incident. It was also the first time I had cried in a while.

The gods knew that I cared for Van, that I was scared for him as much as I was scared for myself, and somehow, I couldn't contain everything inside me anymore. Like a flowing river blocked by a concrete dam, there comes a time when the blockade breaks and the waters just have to run - unfettered, free. And like the good earth that yields its soil to accommodate the rushing torrents, displaced rocks and trees notwithstanding, he reached out and held me in his embrace. Reflexively I leaned into him, my hands clutching at his clothing in tight, desperate grips. I felt him rest his chin on my shoulder and his breath tickled my ears ever so slightly. The tenderness of his touch allowed my tears to eventually subside.

Immediately I knew that the comfort I drew from his strength - the gentle press of his palm against my back, the soothing way with which he stroked my hair, the warmth of his embrace - would stay with me even when he wasn't by my side. Placed in the context of our situation, his embrace meant so much more to me than anyone's attempt at empathy.

What Van Fanel had shown me that dawn was a side of him only a privileged few would ever see. And during that dawn, even for the briefest of moments, he was the Van Fanel who cared enough to actually show it to me.

-xo-xo-xo-

I finally fell asleep after breakfast. Merle was either exploring the palace or trailing Van wherever he went, and a maid had come in to close the curtains by my bedside so the sunlight wouldn't wake me. She shouldn't have bothered, for with or without the sunlight my sleep was already disturbed. I had dreams - strange and frightful - that woke me from slumber with beads of sweat trailing down the sides of my head. Each time I tried to close my eyes they kept coming, unwavering. And each time I tried to understand what they meant, I would shake my head in failure.

Tired, I sat up and rested my forehead against my knee, flashes of my dreams playing in my mind endlessly. The pendant around my neck swung with its characteristic rhythmic pattern - the perfect, undulating tune of a swing per second.

It was a bright day in my dream, and I saw my brother supervising some servants from Chezario as they prepared a carriage. They were to take a leviship back to Chezario, and the carriage would take them to the fort where it had landed. Like Van said, I was to come with them. I was a participant in my dream - walking with my brother, talking to him and Van, getting inside the carriage, seeing the coachman set us off with the sound of a whip. Merle was with us, and Van saw the both of us off. Together with him were Millerna and Eries, Dryden, and Allen.

We arrived at the leviship - a relatively medium-sized leviship at that - and boarded it. The captain and his crew were all set, and they greeted me amiably. They were happy to see me again after a while, they said, but they had hoped it wouldn't be in a circumstance like this. I thanked them for their sympathies and retired to my room, my brother following suit. It would take some two hours to get to Chezario from Palas, a little longer than the hour and a half it took to arrive from Fanelia.

Home, I thought in my dream. I would finally be going home…

Not too long after we took off, the sky began to darken so suddenly and strangely, for the clouds some distance from us were still white unlike the ones immediately beside us. There was something peculiar about the situation, and I rushed to the top of the ship to see what was going on. Soldiers were already there when I arrived. They told me to go back to the lower decks, saying that it mightn't be safe. I wasn't able to see much, but I caught enough glimpse of a huge structure hovering above us, four gigantic levistones keeping it afloat.

It was black. We were directly under it. That was why the area around us was dark, while further along our perimeter the clouds were still white.

Shigure found me and pulled me to the lower decks, telling me to stay inside my room and not go out, no matter what. I was worried, demanding to know what was going on when I saw a red guymelef whiz past the window nearest to us. Immediately I froze, a dreadful sense of déjà vu washing over me.

It couldn't be happening again. No, Dilandau couldn't be here again.

A little later two other guymelefs began flying past, their capes billowing against the wind. My breathing began to quicken. I ignored my brother and ran to the cockpit, stopping at the sight of the captain ordering his flustered crew to get the ship's defenses ready and prepare for a guymelef attack. People were in a disarray; Shigure had to intervene to help keep things in order.

There was a slight rumble and the ship began to shake. We were being attacked.

We were no match for these flying guymelefs. I knew no country that had developed a technology so advanced that it allowed these monstrous machines to fly and take their battles to the skies. They had a huge advantage over us, and the people inside the cockpit were distressed.

I felt my heart pound in anticipation. Someone was coming...

Someone was coming.

Heartbeats later I saw Escaflowne, flying like a dragon and heading straight at one of the guymelefs. Piloting it was Van, his expression grim. My insides sang with elation at the sight of him coming to our rescue, but then I got worried about his safety. I slipped out of the cockpit and ran back up to the viewdeck, weaving past the soldiers, to get a better view of Van and his fight.

He was engaged with the red guymelef, but the two others were approaching to corner him. He succeeded in avoiding an encounter with any of them, flying in and out to deliver sparse yet hard blows on his opponents. I was happy with how he was carrying on. From what he was showing, he seemed to have gotten used to Escaflowne and was controlling the guymelef with a higher degree of skill. Our leviship was taking the opportunity to steer away from the battle. In my mind I could picture the crew wordlessly thanking him for the diversion.

Miles from us, over to the left, we saw another leviship approaching. It was still far, but it was coming steadily. I had a hunch it would be the Crusade, coming to help us.

The fighting became more intense. I could see Van getting weary of avoiding all three guymelefs on his own while trying to attack them. He was getting tired, and his attacks were getting weaker. The guymelefs, especially the red one, were beginning to corner him. The Crusade was much closer now, and help was much nearer. But suddenly I heard a loud clash from the battle; the red guymelef had struck Van terribly, sending him crashing into the fields below. I cried out in horror as all three guymelefs swooped down on him and continued to pound on him.

A voice from the floating structure boomed to the guymelefs below, commanding them to stop. Something inside me recognized it, but I was too worried and stricken to think about it just yet. Van was down below, at the mercy of those three guymelefs, and I couldn't do anything to help.

I heard the voice once more. This time, he ordered Dilandau to bring Escaflowne and its pilot to him. Dilandau, albeit grudgingly, obeyed. Together with the two other guymelefs they brought Escaflowne, no longer the dragon that was soaring just a while ago, to the black structure hovering above us. Panels from its underside parted to let them in, and when they shut closed, the structure moved away and disappeared.

I hugged my knees to myself, my head reeling from recalling my dream. I didn't bother trying to make sense of the strange elements I saw, like the dark black structure - whatever it was called - and how it disappeared. I felt even more tired than I was before I tried to rest.

I got off the bed and took a peek behind the curtains. The sun was already setting.

Deciding that it was time I joined the rest of society and found out what developments had arisen during my failed attempt at rest, I left my room. My heart was even more anxious than it had ever been.

 

 

* * *

 

I found Merle perched on the railing at the palace's west wing, unusually quiet. I moved a little closer and saw her to be deep in thought, which was why she hadn't noticed me coming beforehand. She purred noisily, expressing her surprise in seeing me.

“I thought you were sleeping,” she said, getting off the railing to stand beside me. We were overlooking a big canal, one of the main waterways that flowed into the heart of the palace. Vessels were traveling in and out of our sight as we stood in our places, saying nothing to one another. We stayed that way for a while until I spoke.

The sun was already poised to set.

“Where is Hitomi?” I asked while looking straight ahead. So transfixed was I on a particular vessel traveling quietly along the canal that I didn't notice the way her gaze shifted away from my direction. I didn't see how her eyes lost the faintest of glimmers. I didn't sense the swift intake of breath that lasted only for a split second. My attention to her returned only when she replied.

“She's the one who's sleeping,” Merle answered. “That's why I left her alone. She looked awfully tired.”

“She is,” I said. “She hasn't been well at all.”

“Neither are you,” was her quick retort. “You're a mess Lord Van. You haven't slept at all, haven't you?”

“No,” I honestly replied.

“Then why don't you?”

“I can't. I don't want to.”

“Martyr,” she mumbled under her breath, taking great care not to let me hear them. She could never insult me openly, the little cat-girl. Never, since childhood, did I hear her speak ill of me or of my family. She was our staunchest supporter, her love for us never dwindling, her fire everlasting. And she probably knew me better than Hitomi did, for while Hitomi had spent summers with me, I was with Merle for the rest of the springs, winters and autumns.

Perhaps the little feline knew something I didn't.

“Why are you so stubborn Lord Van?” she asked, turning to look me squarely in the eye. She scrunched her nose, almost daring me to answer her question. I grinned at her half-hearted attempt to intimidate me, allowing myself a small chuckle at her expense.

“You never take me seriously Lord Van,” she concluded, folding her arms across her chest in defiance.

“But I do Merle,” I answered, humoring her. “I do take you seriously when you want me to.”

“Then why don't you right now?”

“Trust me, I am.”

“Then why are you so stubborn?”

“Because that's how I am. That's how I've been.”

She didn't seem to like that answer, for no sooner than the words left my lips she clamped her mouth shut, frowned and wagged her tail furiously.

“Is something wrong?” I asked, not understanding her actions.

“You always treat me like a child,” she shot back. I didn't have time to reply for she immediately ran off, leaving me alone.

I was puzzled, to say the least. But I didn't have the energy or the desire to run after her and ask why she left me so suddenly. Besides, the sun was already setting. I vaguely remembered Millerna informing me that dinner in the palace was usually after sunset, and I felt hungry. I decided to walk to the dining hall instead.

I walked on, passing hallways of tapestries and portraits of royals. I stopped to admire a particularly striking painting of the eldest Asturian princess - who became duchess of Freid before she died a few years ago - Marlene, whose long golden locks and porcelain features had been beautifully emphasized. I went on a little further and saw portraits of past kings and princes, finding one of King Aston in his youth and one of his father. The rest I wouldn't have recognized had it not been for the names and years engraved below their images.

So distracted was I with these works that I hadn't noticed where I was going. I had intended to go to the dining hall but I was clearly headed for the gardens. I shook my head slightly and was about to turn around when I heard voices talking and moving towards me. They were familiar - that of a man and a woman's - and it was only later on that I understood why my first impulse was to hide in one of the darker corners of the hallway to avoid being seen.

The woman was Hitomi, dressed in a blue evening robe - one of Millerna's, probably. She looked solemn and quite tired, but she was walking steadily beside a taller man with long hair…

I took a glance at the sun. It had already set.

“He's sending you back to Chezario tomorrow? And you agreed?” he exclaimed in hushed tones. They both stopped when they reached the end of the hallway.

“Yes,” Hitomi replied gently. “He had my best interests in mind.”

“But why did you agree? You know you will be much safer here in Asturia,” he argued. “Zaibach would not dare attack this country!”

“Well that was different from what I was expecting,” she answered weakly. I couldn't see her facial expressions, but I could guess from the tone of her voice that she wasn't really smiling.

“Why? What were you expecting?”

“For you to say that you would protect me.”

“But you already know that.”

“Yes, I guess I do.”

“Hitomi, is there something wrong?”

There was a slight pause - hesitation, perhaps - before she replied.

“No. Nothing's wrong. I'm fine.”

“Aren't you happy to see me?”

“Yes, I am. It's been a while Allen. I've… I've certainly missed you,” she said, her voice gradually fading into a whisper.

“And I, you.”

“Why didn't you speak with me at the Crusade?” Hitomi asked, her voice gaining a little urgency. “Why did you ignore me so pointedly?”

Allen breathed in heavily before replying, “You know I had to. I couldn't risk anything with him around.”

“But Van knows! He understands.”

I glowered as my insides lurched at that particular exchange. I didn't like what both Hitomi and Allen were implying with their words.

“Believe me Hitomi when I say that that's the very reason why I don't want to risk anything,” Allen replied. “There are some things that you don't understand about the way men act, the way they feel…”

“What do you mean?” she asked, puzzled. “Is there something I should know?”

“No, don't mind what I said,” he quickly returned. I could hear him shake his head quite vigorously.

“There's something you're not telling me,” Hitomi declared suspiciously.

“That's because it's not particularly important,” Allen defended.

“Why not?”

“Hitomi, don't you trust me?”

“After everything that's happened, it's getting harder and harder to trust people,” she retorted dangerously, her voice taking a lower, more resentful tone.

“But you must trust me when I say that you can't go to Chezario tomorrow,” he said pleadingly. He must've taken hold of Hitomi's hands for she hastily told him to let go of her.

“No, I'm not,” was his firm response. “Not after losing you once.”

Hitomi was silent at this.

“Allen, please…”

“Tell him that you don't want to go. Don't leave Hitomi. You'll be much safer by my side. I promise, I won't let anyone harm you while I'm here.”

“But I've been wanting to go back to Chezario too. This is the perfect opportunity.”

“You're just saying that to cover for him,” he remarked bitterly, almost mockingly, to which Hitomi shot back defiantly.

“How dare you say that! Of course not. I do have a mind of my own Allen. And I trust Van. I know he wouldn't tell me to do this unless he had a good reason. He has gotten me this far safely, and I trust him,” she spoke sternly.

I shifted to get a better look at them and saw Allen's face darken against the dim light.

“Why are you defending him Hitomi? Has two years with him converted you so much?”

“Why are you painting him to be such a criminal? He isn't. He never was. And I cannot at all understand why you despise him so! He has done nothing to deserve such a thing from you.”

It was Allen's turn to keep silent.

“Never, in the past two years, has he spoken ill about you Allen,” Hitomi breathed so softly that I almost didn't catch her words. “Never. Not at all.”

“Answer my question, Hitomi.”

“What question?”

“Do you love him?”

My eyes widened with surprise at the sudden turn of questioning. Why was he suddenly so keen to know about Hitomi's feelings towards me? Was this insecurity I was hearing?

“He is my friend. Yes I do,” she replied without uncertainty.

“No, you understand what I mean. Now answer me again. Do you love him?”

With bated breath and a faster heartbeat Allen and I both waited for her to answer.

It took her a little while longer this time around, and when she finally spoke, it wasn't really an answer.

“Why are you asking me this?”

“I need to know Hitomi. I need to be assured.”

“What for, Allen?” she answered quite desperately. “What else do you want from me?”

I could barely make out how Allen's brows curled in confusion, how his lips were pursed so sternly…

“Am I too late Hitomi?” he asked hoarsely. “Am I?”

“Why didn't you come to the cherry tree when I asked you to?” she retorted with a quiver in her voice. “Why didn't you answer my letters when Mizuki gave them to you? Why are you talking to me just now?”

“I won't let you go,” he said with finality. “I won't let go of what is mine.”

Hitomi simply shook her head and ran from him, breaking free when he tried to keep her by holding her arm. Allen stood still for a few moments before walking in the direction Hitomi took off, his heels making a definite click against the hard stone floor.

I emerged from my corner in the shadows and stared at where they had just been.

I decided to go back to my room, my hunger no longer of immediate concern.

-xo-xo-xo-

Indeed it was noon when the delegation from Chezario arrived. Shigure, King of Chezario, had come to the palace at the same time the wealthy merchant Dryden Fassa decided to pay a visit to King Aston. Both men paid their courtesies to the elder king first before joining us - I, Hitomi, Eries and Millerna - for lunch at the dining hall. The Asturian King and Allen Schezar had previous commitments to attend to and were thus unable to eat with us or see the delegation off.

Talk was pleasant while we consumed cutlets of steak and portions of veal. Dryden told us about his most recent ventures into transportation, having just acquired the largest merchant ship in the whole of Gaea. He and his father were two of Gaea's richest men and were both excellent businessmen, but their disparities were stark and painfully obvious to the average citizen. While Dryden greatly cared to see to the welfare of his employees and conduct his transactions with maximum transparency, his father had been accused of abusing various rights, exploiting certain laws, and consorting with the shadier members of high society.

“I'm off for a two week trip to Basram,” Dryden told us while taking the refill of wine a servant had offered him. “I have to personally see to the new leviships we're having built over there. I'm a pretty hands-on man when it comes to business, and other things in life I guess.”

We all laughed at his remark, even more so when we saw him wink at Millerna. Her only response was to lift the corners of her lips smugly.

The two of them, Dryden and Millerna, were like Hitomi and I after all. They too had been engaged by their fathers and it was only a matter of time before they got married. Dryden's visits to Palas were becoming frequent, and his private talks with King Aston even more so.

“We'd all love to see the new ships once they arrive,” Princess Eries remarked. “What would you use them for?”

“My father and I will be expanding our transport services business as soon as we acquire them,” Dryden explained. “There is an increasing demand for mass shipment of goods, especially here in Asturia. People seem to be catching on the good economy, but of course, my father and I plan to catch more of it while it lasts.”

A few of us laughed at his pun on their business exploits. Shigure in particular was enjoying himself very much.

“It's a shame you can't stay any longer Dryden,” he said. “When did you say were you leaving?”

“Sooner than you might think my boy,” Dryden replied with a small smile. “If all goes well, then I'll be gone in three hours. Which is why, my good ladies and gentlemen, I must beg your pardon and take my leave. There is much to attend to, and time is of the essence.”

Promptly, Dryden rose from his seat. We all followed his example and started walking towards the main hallway.

“Hitomi and I are leaving as well,” Shigure told Dryden, who raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Really now? And what of King Van?” he asked me.

“I shall be staying,” I replied simply.

“But Queen Hitomi, aren't you anxious to leave your king behind?” Dryden asked, turning to Hitomi.

“Anxious, yes I am, but there isn't much I can do to sway a stubborn man,” she answered with a small smile. “He can be very hard to deal with when his mind has already been set.”

“Well most men are like that,” Millerna added, folding her arms across her chest. “They do believe that they can pretty much do anything, given their high stature in society.”

“Ever the feminist, are we princess?” Dryden winked.

We all laughed as Millerna merely scoffed at him.

When we arrived at the main entrance, Dryden's carriage was already prepared. He rode it immediately and set off while Shigure and Hitomi waited for theirs to arrive. Millerna, Eries and I waited with them as well.

“You will take care of yourself Hitomi,” Millerna said, holding the other girl's hands in hers. “Rest and get those dark circles out of your eyes. Chezario is such a wonderful place, and I would like to be there. It would do you much good.”

“Yes Hitomi,” Eries agreed. “You have been through much, and you need to recuperate. Eat well, for you will be exerting even more strength and energy in the days to come.”

“Thank you princesses. I really appreciate your concern,” Hitomi answered, smiling gently. “But you must also see to that hard-headed man over there. If I haven't been sleeping and eating well these past few days, then all the more with him!”

“Don't worry sister,” Shigure said. “I'm sure the princesses Eries and Millerna will make sure he will take care of himself while you're gone.”

I gave a small smile, a half-hearted attempt to assure Hitomi that I'll do well. It was just then that we heard the sounds of neighing horses; the carriage had already arrived, and was just in front of us.

“I guess this is it then,” Shigure remarked. Turning to us and bowing, he thanked the princesses for their hospitality and bid us farewell. Hitomi curtsied and thanked the princesses as well.

“Don't worry about her Van,” Shigure addressed me. “I'll take care of my sister.”

“I know you will,” I replied, giving him an encouraging pat on the shoulder.

He then boarded the carriage.

Hitomi, meanwhile, looked at me with a swirl of emotions in her eyes. She was most certainly anxious of leaving me alone at this time, but there was no turning back at this point. She smiled weakly and I squeezed her hand reassuringly.

“You will be fine,” I told her.

“Do take care,” she whispered.

Unexpectedly, she gave me a small peck on the cheek.

She turned around hastily and boarded the carriage. With a whipping from the coachman and a neigh of the horse, the carriage curbed into the stone-paved lanes fronting the Asturian palace and disappeared into the mass of buildings and houses.

Eries went inside first, leaving Millerna and I to watch the retreating carriage. After some time, Millerna turned to me and shot me a knowing glance. I looked at her, confused, eliciting a wide grin and a shaking of her head. I had no idea as to what she meant.

To be continued…