Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Twisted Fates ❯ The Kiss ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter 8 ~ The Kiss

Hitomi woke up as soon as the sun hit her face. She remembered the events of last night. Allen's sudden proposal, and Van's violence when Allen tried to hurt her. Hitomi sighed, thinking about the way he held her in his arms. That ever protecting embrace that made Hitomi shiver whenever she thought of it. How did he manage to always be there for her? To always soothe her and maker her feel safe. Hitomi didn't know. All she knew, was that she had longed to kiss him last night, but she couldn't. He was to be engaged to that nosy Princess June. No matter what, Hitomi would stoop that low. She sighed, thinking how good it felt to be hugged by Van. Hitomi spun around the room, thinking how she could stay like that forever. An eternity with him wouldn't be enough. Hitomi wished she could get lost in time with him. Limbo was the place where they would go, forever holding on to each other. Only she and him. God how much she wanted to kiss him. Hitomi was amazed at the feelings lurking insider her. She never even knew they existed. She smiled, wiping a tear from her eye. No matter what, she would never feel Van's soft lips upon hers. He was promised to a princess that would never appreciate him for who he was. Her sweet angel, will never know true love, for she loved him truly, and she was denied to him. Today was indeed a sorrowful day.

Hitomi stared out the window. The sky was getting cloudy, as if responding to her mood. Well, it was about time she went down and faced everyone. She would tell them her decision.

"Hey Hitomi, how have you been?" Merle greeted her, aware that Van brought her back late last night.

"Good. I'm ok." Hitomi said, realising Merle was asking how it all went with Allen.

"Oh, well, there's a package waiting for you. It's from Allen." Merle told her.

Hitomi gulped. That man, really did not know when to give up. She picked it up, and saw the note attached to it.

"Dear Hitomi,

I feel I must apologise for my behaviour last night. It was truly reckless of me to behave like that. I am very sorry. Ever since the sickness of my sister Celena I have not been the same. I assure you I never meant to make that proposal, and it was only the alcohol talking. I ardently hope that I have not made an enemy out of you, and I hope you can forgive me. I write this in the best regards, and sincerely do not wish anything more to come between our friendship. I hope at least I have retained that. Momentarily, I do not feel well being in your presence, and will come back at a more opportune time, when you will be willing to overlook my appalling behaviour.

Allen Schezar"

Hitomi looked at the letter, with a confused expression. Allen definitely had a lot of misfortunes in his life. She never knew his sister got sick. She guessed that the grief drove him to the bottle. However, she would think if she should forgive him or not. At the present time, he was the least of her worries.

"Hitomi, are you ok?" a soft voice came up behind her.

"Yeah, I'm all right, now, although there is something I want to ask you later." She told Van.

"Sure, I do hope that you are not thinking of going back to the Phantom Moon." Van said. When he saw the surprised look on her face, he added quickly. " Not yet that is."

"Maybe I'll stay a little longer, although I have certainly caused enough trouble." Hitomi said sadly.

"Look at me Hitomi." Van ordered with a firm voice. She looked into his eyes. "You have not caused any trouble ok?" Van told her, and hugged her.

Hitomi couldn't help but smile. His hugs were always so intoxicating. She could never get enough of them. Oh, but how she wanted more. So much more. For now though, she was happy just hugging him.

"Where's your fiancée?" Hitomi asked.

"You mean Princess June, my ex-fiancée?" Van asked her with a malicious smile.

"What?" Hitomi asked surprised. "You mean she's not your fiancée anymore?" Hitomi asked surprised.

"No. She never was. I just told her today. I'm wondering if she'll come down to breakfast." Van said wrapping his hand around Hitomi's waist.

"Oh well. I have to go for a second." Hitomi said and got herself away from Van.

Princess June was coming down from her chamber. She had not believed it when they told her. She was not wanted as queen of Fanelia. Well, she had never been so insulted. All because of that skinny wench with her deep green eyes. Well, she had an idea of how she could drive them apart. It was clear that the king favoured her. Hmpf! "If his mind could not be changed, then I guess hers could be." She thought poisonously.

Princess June spied on the little part in the hall. She saw when Hitomi left, and decided that it was a good time for her entrance.

"Oh, what a wonderful morning! How are all of you doing?" she asked the people in the room.

"Great." Everyone answered.

"King Van, how enchanted to see you again." she gave him a most melting smile.

"Princess June," he said acknowledging her with a nod of his head.

"Would you walk with me?" she asked him.

Van looked at her darkly. She was not to be trusted, yet since it was her last day there, he might as well be polite. He walked with the Princess.

Hitomi was just coming back from the kitchen a plate of food in her hand. She noticed Princes June and Van in the hall. She hesitated before taking another step. Van had her back turned to her, and the Princess looked evil. Hitomi didn't like what she saw.

"Oh, milord. I'm so glad you have changed your mind. Our wedding will be a success!" Princess June said loudly.

"What?" Van asked quietly. He wanted to say something more, when the princess swiftly grabbed him and pressed her mouth to his, in a kiss. Van tried to pull away, but the princess wouldn't budge.

Hitomi couldn't believe what she was seeing. Van was kissing Princess June. After he had told her she wasn't his fiancée. Hitomi was shocked, her newly mended heart, breaking into thousands of pieces. The plate she was holding dropped, as Hitomi's eyes widened in surprise. It hit the ground, with what she found to be a deafening sound. Hitomi's eyes filled with tears. This was unbelievable. She never knew Van to be such a player. What was going on? Hitomi was confused, and she knew she didn't want to listen to any more explanations. She ran out of the palace, into the now rainy environment.

Van managed to finally get Princess June off of him. He turned around to see Hitomi's eyes filled with shock, pain and hurt. The plate she had been holding was at her feet, shattered in millions of pieces. When Van saw that, he felt like he was about to faint. That little witch. It was her plan all along. Van never felt compelled to hit a woman before. He considered them very fragile creatures that meant no harm. He now saw that some of them were vipers in disguise. He wanted to kill the victorious looking wench in front of him. Instead, he just said between clenched teeth.

"Pack your bags, and if you are to EVER step foot in Fanelia again, you shall pay dearly." He told her and then ran after Hitomi.

"Hitomi! Hitomi where are you?" Van called in the rain. He spun around confused. Where could she have gone? Probably as far away from him as possible. She must think him a lowly scoundrel. No, why did fate have to be so cruel? Van had a look of pure desperation in his eyes. He had vowed to protect her, and he was causing her more pain. No, it wasn't fair. All he wanted to do was just kiss her, and never ever let her go. Where was she? In this rain she would probably get sick. The marketplace! That's where she could have went. Van ran in the direction of the village.

After Hitomi ran out of the palace, she stood in debate where to go. All she wanted to do was leave this world. She was wrong to have come here. Here, like on Earth, only pain existed; no joy. Hot tears were streaming down her face. Hitomi disregarded the rain. All she could see was Van's look in the moment when she had dropped the plate. It was pure darkness. No sparkle in his eyes. What was going on? How was Princess June involved in all of that. Hitomi didn't want to figure it out. All she knew, was that he had kissed her. HER. Hitomi sobbed again. Men were all idiots. Was he really that clueless? Did he really not realise how much she loved him? Hitomi wanted off this planet now. She never wanted to see Van Fanel again. Without her pendant, it was hopeless. The only person that could probably help her was Dryden. Of course! Asturia! That's where she'll go! Hitomi hitched a ride on a horse cart with some hay.

"Are you going to Palas, in Asturia?" she asked the man driving the cart.

"Yes, would you like a ride?" the small man asked.

"Yes please." Hitomi told him.

"You'll have to ride with the hay." The man told her.

"I don't mind." Hitomi said, unable to smile.

The cart made its way slowly out of town. Hitomi sat in the hay, thinking at what she had just witnessed. "It serves you right Kanzaki. Now you know how he felt when he saw you kiss Allen." Her conscience told her. But somehow, Hitomi didn't feel like she loved Van less. She was deeply hurt by what he did, but she didn't love him less. Love was indeed a strange thing. Yet her heart was so full of pain. Why was this love denied to her? Why did it have to hurt so badly. Hitomi was sure that Van didn't love her. I mean, if he would, he would have never played her this way. First telling her he wouldn't wed the woman, so that in the end she could see them kiss in the hall. Hitomi cried even more. Why did her heart hurt so much? She was very angry with Van. How dare he do that? She thought him more sensitive than that. He thought him more sweet. She was wrong. Oh how wrong. Another sob shook Hitomi's body. Why did it have to be this way? She then became aware of the rain, and of the fact that her body was soaked. Hitomi suddenly shivered. At this point, it didn't matter to her if she caught a cold. She wished to be dead. Hitomi curled up in the wet hay. She closed her eyes, and fell asleep. A dead sleep, only offering her illusions, she knew she could never have.

~~~~

Van reached the market place, only to find it empty. The rain had chased all the people inside. Hitomi was nowhere to be seen. Van ran through the mud, and the puddles, frantically looking for Hitomi. He needed to talk to her this instant. She probably hated him. Van needed to explain what happened. He was sure she would understand. Yet Hitomi was nowhere to be found. Van searched for hours in the rain. He took no notice of it. Hitomi was probably cold, and on the verge of catching a cold. He needed to find her this instant. After more hours of hopeless searching, Van returned to the palace, soaked.

"Lord Van! Where have you been?" Merle asked running up to him when she saw him.

"Hitomi... she's... gone!" Van said, not caring that he was dripping water all over.

"Oh, she didn't see how Princess June forced you to kiss her. She only saw the kiss. Oh lord Van!" Merle said hugging him.

"Merle, what am I going to do? She probably went back to the Phantom Moon. I can't loose her Merle. Not because of a mean revengeful princess." Van said, his voice breaking.

"Don't worry. She didn't go back to the Phantom Moon. She can't without the pendant. I'm sure she's somewhere just blowing off steam." Merle told him.

"No, she's gone. She doesn't want anything to do with me. You should have seen the look on her face. Her eyes; they just stopped sparkling. Merle, it was like her whole world collapsed. I can't believe I've caused her so much pain." Van whispered, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Oh Lord Van! You've got to look on the bright side." Merle said hugging him and helping him sit down in a chair.

"What's that?" Van said with a dead voice.

"She would have never reacted this way had she not loved you." Merle told him smiling.

"She may have loved me, but I think she hates me at the present." Van said, his eyes regaining a bit of their sparkle.

"Oh Lord Van. Don't worry, we'll find her, and we'll make things right again." Merle told him.

~~~~

At the same time, things were cooling down at the palace, Hitomi arrived in Palas, the capital of Asturia.

"Little miss, wake up, we're in Palas." The small man's wife told Hitomi.

She jumped up startled. "Thank you very much." Hitomi told them. "I do not have any money, yet I have this." Hitomi told them, taking her gold chain off her neck.

"Oh no miss, we can't accept this." The woman said, giving it back to Hitomi.

"No, please. It will do you more good than it will do me. You can sell it. You helped me when I needed to get out. I am most grateful to you." Hitomi told them.

"May the gods bless you miss." The woman said.

Hitomi got up, and wobbled through the streets. She made it to the castle. She told the guards that she needed to see King Dryden. They told him he wasn't there, and sent her to queen Millerna.

When Millerna saw Hitomi, she couldn't believe her eyes.

"Hitomi! What are you doing here?" Millerna asked surprised.

"Oh, it's a long and sad tale. Oh Millerna, life is so cruel." Hitomi said collapsing in the young woman's arms.

"Come on, let's get you out of these wet clothes, and get you a meal. You'll tell me all that happened." Millerna told her.

Hitomi sobbed, and followed the young queen.

~~~~

It had been a few hours since Hitomi had arrived at Palas. Millerna checked on the young woman for one final time to see that she was sleeping soundly. She knew all that happened, and found it strange indeed. She knew that Van loved Hitomi, and Millerna was surprised at his behaviour. Nevertheless, she hoped it was a big misunderstanding. With great care, Millerna sat down at her desk, and wrote a letter to Van, telling him where Hitomi was, and to get there instantly, since she was set on leaving Gaea as soon as possible. Millerna then sent the letter through the fastest courier they had, urging it to get there as fast as it could. She then closed her eyes, and thought at the pain Hitomi felt. Millerna could see that the girl was hopelessly in love with Van. She just hoped that the courier would reach Fanelia in time.