Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Silent Secrets ❯ Dilandaus Arrival ( Chapter 8 )

Silent Secrets

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne, except for the charakters I made up myself!! Although it would be cool to have the rights on Esca, for I would have changed some events, like Hitomi not leaving Van... *g*

Thanx for all the reviews you gave me... I so happy!!

*Gets all teary*... *grabs tichue and blows her nose very loud..*

One of you answered to my question about who Dilly should have a crush on, he should have one on Esmeralda.

THAT IS DEFINATLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!!

First, Dilly is much to good for Esma and secondly, her fate has already been sealed. I won't give you more information on that topic right now, so you'll just have to read along with the story. Maybe I'll drop a hint here and there.....

But I think that that is enough for today about me blabbering around and hindering you to read the story on...

ENJOYYYYYYY!!!!!!!

Chapter 8: Dilly's Arrival

"Van!! Hurry up with your washing!! Dilly is going to be here any moment and he'll probably kill you, if you are not gonna be there in time!!!"

"I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying, Merle!! Is the rest all ready???"

"We are only waiting for you to finish!! Oh my god! I can already see him sitting on his horse outside the gates of the city!! HURRY!!!!!!"

"I'm comming, I'm comming! Hold your horses!!", Van said as he came dashing out the door, finally ready with his morningly washing and dressed in his usuell beige pants and red shirt.

It had been 3 days since that "accident" with the dragon and Hitomi. As promissed, Van hadn't told anyone anything and the following day, the guards and some other people had reported, that the dragons had reatreted a bit further into the woods. They were still nearer to the castle and the city than usual, but their retreat had calmed down the people and everyone behaved normal again (~ some had seemd really scared and one had even gone so far as to say, that this was the end of Fanelia!!! ~).

It still all made him wonder, who Hitomi really was and also what she was... Maybe a magician?? Naaaaaaaaaa... that would have been to obvious and they never wandered around the forest just like that.

Someone of the ancient folk like him (~ Draconian, you dummies....~)???

No, he would have noticed and she him as well....

A seer maybe...? But it was said, that they lived hidden in the the mountains north of Ispano and only came out, when something really bad was going to happen and if such an situation occured, tried to make straight contact to the person, who was involved mostly with those thing, they had seen. And Hitomi definatly didn't seem to be looking for someone, for she still was staying here in the castle with him and didn't seem to want to go so quick again...

(~ THEM VAN, THEM!! You're not the only one in the castle *g* ~)

And besides, there was still that dream, which seemed to be from her past, that lingered in his mind. For she seemed to have at least some sort of family, even if they didn't care much about her and her mother had been dead in his dream.

It was all much to confusing....

Van and Merle had just made it out on time, before Dilandau came rushing in on his horse, with his elite troop the Dragonslayers behind him.

They all came to a stop infront of the others and Dilandau jumped of his horse:

" Hey guys!! Good to see ya all! What have ya all been doing??"

Dilandau gave his friends his normal (devilish) lazy grin.

"It was about time you came. It wouldn't be the same, totally crazy routine without you in the castle, Dilly" Van answered and smiled wickedly as he watched Dilandau (I'll call him from now on only Dilly *g* ) winced at his given nickname.

Dilly: "Are you starting it again Fanel?? One day, I really gonna kick your butt.

And how have the others been doing?

Dryden, still the same crazy merchant as ever.

Millerna still charming.

Merle you have grown..." - "Yeah. And now I can even scratch your eyes out, without the need to jump so high and tackling you down will be even more fun." - "We'll see about that kitty cat.

Hey Aron! Have you been a good boy and practised with your sword?? *big hug!!*

And here we have Allen Schezar, our little girlie..." - "You're just jealous...", replied Allen.

Then Dilly's eyes fell on Celena and you could see a little blush creep up on both faces, but they hid it quite well.

Dilly: "And here is the beautiful Celena" He took her hand and kissed it. Now her blush was more evident on her face and Merle nudged Van into his rips to whisper to him: "How long has this been going on between those two now? Four years??" - "I think three and a half, but they are both much to shy to admit anything towards each other. And both there pried won't let them admit, that they are to shy." - "Just like you and Hitomi", Merle answered grinning, when she saw the blush creep up on Van's face.

That was when Dilly noticed Hitomi standing a bit in the background near Van and Merle:

"And who are you, if I may ask so? I haven't seen you around here?"

Hitomi simply nodded and smiled at him as Van lay an arm around her shoulder and made the answering for her:

"This, Dilly *more wincing from Dilly* is Hitomi. I found her in the forest and brought her back with me to the castle. But I think we should get inside and have something to eat, while we discuss the rest."

And with that they all made their way to the dinning hall, after Dilly had ordered his Dragonslayers to take care of the horses and then also get something to eat. While eating, Dilly was told about Hitomi not being able to talk and he told her, that it didn't matter.

Princess Esmeralda had also been introduced to Dilly, when she had come down to the dinning hall. He had taken one glance at her and had said the first thing that came into his mind (~ what he often does *g* ~) :

"Now I know, why Van will not want to marry you."

They had all held there breaths for the on comming storm. Esmeralda had at first looked like she was going to murder him with her own hands, but had then laughed a laugh, that had sent ice-cold shivers up all of there spines and had said, that Dilly had an interesting sense of humor, making all sweatdrop ^^° .

Later after dinner, when everyone had gone their separated ways you could see Van and Hitomi again lying in the gardens and "talking" to each other (~ Van talked and Hitomi wrote ~), while there were again two people in hiding. One was no other than Merle and the second one was Esmeralda, nearly bursting with jealousy and hatred towards Hitomi.

"So, what do you think about Dilly, Hitomi?"

+He seems to be a nice guy, but has a bad temper and can't keep his mouth

shut +

Van chuckled: "That's him alright. He also likes to challenge me to a sword-fight, so it won't be long until he asks. Can you handle a sword?"

+Not really. I met once a good friend, who taught me a bit, but died two years ago. +

"Oh, sorry"

She smiled. +Don't be. Maybe you could show me how to really sword-fight? +

When Van looked at her, he saw a blush adorning her cheeks. Van's smile grew.

"Do you want to begin now?"

He chuckle slightly as he saw, how her face lit up at once and she nodded.

"Then let us go to the training room. There should be no eyes disturbing us there, just like here", and he gestured to Merle and then to Esma.

"Hey! You're doing very well, but you gotta put more strength into you attacks. Or don't you want to beat me?", Van grinned. He had been training with Hitomi for the last two and a half hours and he had to admit, that she was doing great. If she kept this up, she would be nearly as good as he himself in a few weeks. Hitomi was a very fast learner and that good friend, who she had referred to earlier, had taught her much more, than she had at first admitted.

But by now, Hitomi was panting rather heavily, while he could still breath halfway calm.

"What do you say, we call it a day. You can take a two or three hours rest? And if you want to, we can go into the forest then. I think, I need to get out of here again for a while."

When she gave him a questioning look he answered her unasked question:

"You don't know how those advisers can drive you nuts. Especially when they want you to marry a snobby princess you can not stand or something like that. When I'll tell them, that I want to go out into the forest today, they'll probably freak out because of the dragons. If you want to, you can stay here of course.", he added. But she shock her head.

"So you want to go?" Hitomi nodded and smiled her genuine smile, which she only seemed to give him and that made his heart skip a few beats. He also smiled back and told her, he would get her when he was done with that huge amount of paperwork, that awaited him in his study.

Van sighted in relive. He had managed to do all his paperwork AND get Princess Esmeralda of him within a bit more than two hours. He even managed to tell his advisers, that he would be going out into the forest and they had almost seemed to faint before him of fear, that a dragon or something else would kill him. When he had told him that he would be going with Hitomi and even ask some of the others, they had smiled a bit, which had startled him.

>Maybe they are not that crazy anymore about me marrying a Princess, but you can never tell<, he thought.

He sighted again as he made is way to the stables, for a servant had told him, that Hitomi would be waiting there. He had asked the others, if they had wanted to come. Millerna, Dryden and there son Aron had wanted to go to the market and Allen had already promised to spare with Dilly a bit later, which was currently still sleeping (~ that guy needs a lot of sleep *g* ~).

Celena had said, that she wanted to go with Millerna and her family and Merle had also wanted to join them. So he was going to go alone with Hitomi, which somehow made his heart beat a bit faster and made him smile for all to see, who crossed his way.

As he got to the stable, he saw that Hitomi had already finished with saddling the horses. He smiled: "Guess it will be only the two of us again, since the others are all doing something else." She smiled back and they both mounted.

They had been strolling through the forest in silence, just enjoying each other company. And somehow they had ended up on the clearing, where they had first met and from where Van had brought Hitomi to the castle. He smiled when he remembered that day. It all seemed like ages ago and he felt he had know her that long, too. They dismounted and let the horses drink some water at the pond.

They lay down in the soft grass and talked about this and that.

It somehow reminded Van of being here once with his big brother Folken and Hitomi noticed the shadow pass over his face.

He saw the look she gave him, questioning, but also worry and concern.

He sighted and sat up as he began to speak:

"Do you remember when I told you that my father died when I was 16 and my mother soon followed him? Well, I also had a brother called Folken. He was always kind and caring and made you smile whenever you where upset...

But when I was 12 something terrible had happened. There had been a big fire in the city near the castle and my father and brother tried to help as beast as they could, for the fire was starting to get out of control and would have burned the whole city. Just when the thought hat everything would be okay, a wall, which was still at some parts on fire collapsed and fell directly on Folken, who couldn't completely jump out of the way. When they got him out, he was still breathing, but he was badly injured and the healers couldn't do anything for him anymore. He died a day later."

There Van stopped, for he couldn't go on further as he felt tears sting at the back of his eyes and he looked down. He suddenly felt arms rap around his shoulders as Hitomi hugged him. He hugged her back strongly and allowed two tears to fall from his eyes on her shoulders...

Awwwwwwww, how sweeeeeeeettttt!!!!!!! And so teary *grabs tissue and blows nose* ....

I hope you all enjoyed this chappie again. Because I wanted to keep the chapters about the same size, I stopped her. I already got the beginning of the next chappie and if you people are nice, I might just make it to finish the next one tomorrow (or should I say today for it is one o'clock in the morning *g* ????)

.....

Until then, bye!!!

Oh, and review, I know you an do that without braking you fingers on the keyboard, or can you??? *lol*

Ciao!!!!