Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Twisted Fates ❯ When the Sky Comes Crashing Down ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 6 ~ When the Sky Comes Crashing Down

Hitomi's head was spinning in circles. She couldn't make heads or tails of anything. What did just happen between her and Van? Was this a sign that he liked her as much as she liked him? Or was it just a friendly hug and kiss? Was he expressing his gratitude for her watching over him? Then why the rose? Why that beautiful red rose. Hitomi couldn't make heads or tails of anything. She just couldn't understand what was going on. Was Van just teasing her? Or was he really meaning it? What was it all about? Hitomi was so confused. All she knew was that she loved him. For his sweet way of being, the soft way he talked, and the way he looked at her. Over the few days she had been on Gaea, she had caught Van looking at her with a dazzled look. Hitomi blushed whenever she thought of it. He was so sweet in the way he was so shy and caring. How could she not love him? Of all the times he had been there for her, of all the times when he had been her last resort, her last ounce of strength. Hitomi looked up at the sky. So then how should she look upon all this? She sighed, hoping her imagination wasn't running away with her.

"So Hitomi, did you enjoy today?" Merle said coming up to her after they finished packing.

"Yeah, it was definitely something I could have never experienced on Earth." Hitomi told her.

"I'm glad you liked it Hitomi," Van said quietly, "maybe tomorrow we can go someplace else if you'd like."

"I would love that." Hitomi said smiling at him. She hoped she wasn't blushing like mad. It would have been horrible if she would have had.

Van looked at Hitomi in the light of the setting Gaean sun. She looked wonderful. He thought he saw her blush, but he wasn't sure, since the reddish light fell on her face and cheeks. Van still couldn't figure what happened earlier. He hoped he didn't scare her, it's just that he couldn't resist the impulse of kissing her. Well, it wasn't a kiss, it was... just a peck. He would have liked to actually kiss her, but he was afraid she'd slap him. He had already been slapped by her two times, and didn't want to make a habit of it. But god all he wanted to do is hold her in his arms, and protect her from all worry and pain. Now that he thought about it, she had been happier these two days. It appeared that that she could talk about her family, and also smile. She was not the nervous wreck he had brought to Gaea. It appeared to Van as if the planet's air and atmosphere was making Hitomi forget all her past pain. "Stupid idiot!" he cursed at himself. "She probably doesn't even love you back. You were just someone she needed to make her feel better. How can you possibly think that she could love YOU back. She's probably still in love with Allen. How could you make your feelings known so boldly? ?Idiot!" he silently thought. Yet he was not as worried as he thought, for it looked like Hitomi was as puzzled and as dreamy as him. "Could there be something more?" his imagination asked. "Be quiet! I'm not listening to you!" Van yelled inwardly.

"Yes, it was a very beautiful day. How are you feeling Lord Van?" Merle asked him.

"Fine... I think." He said a little uncertain.

"Let me check to see." Hitomi said extending her hand to put on his forehead.

Van felt like he was going to burn from her touch. "Why did she have to torture him like that?"

"You're ok, I guess that the nature helped you." Hitomi observed.

"I guess." Van said, and pretended to fall.

Hitomi ran to him in an instant. Merle too.

"Lord Van! Are you ok?" Merle asked concerned.

"Van!" Hitomi exclaimed.

"Ha, I fooled both of you!" He said opening his eyes mischievously.

Merle and Hitomi both made sour faces and just left him lying there on the ground.

"Hey! Where you going! Help me get up!" he called out to them.

"Merle, do you hear an annoying buzz in the air?" Hitomi asked smiling.

"No, I hear nothing." Merle said playing along.

Van got up and ran to them.

"It was a joke!" he told them.

"Lord Van! You really scared me!" Merle exclaimed hitting him playfully on the arm.

"Yeah Van! You scared us! We were afraid we'd have to carry you all the way to the palace!" Hitomi told him frowning.

"Really? I didn't know you cared so much!" Van teased.

"There a lot you don't know." Hitomi said under her breath.

Van leaned on both of them with all his weight.

"Lord Van! Walk on your own feet, or else we're leaving you right here." Merle told him.

"You wouldn't do that to a king." Van chuckled.

"Oh yeah? We'll walk on your own feet." Hitomi punched him lightly in the stomach. Hard enough for Van to straighten up and take his weight off of them.

The playful atmosphere continued all the way back to the palace. When they got there, Van, Hitomi and Merle were met by a richly looking carriage.

"Who came to visit?" Merle asked.

"I don't know, but look at the carriage. It has the royal seal of Roma on it." Van observed.

"Hmm... wasn't prime-minister Wazir in a delegation to that country?" Merle asked.

"Yes, but he's not supposed to be back for another week." Van told her.

"Well, maybe they resolved the trade contract sooner." Merle stated.

"Maybe." Van said with a worried look in his eye.

"What's wrong? You don't look to happy of this visit." Hitomi observed.

"Well, to be truthful, I'm not happy at all." Van said. "I planned on having a quiet summer season, without other royalty bothering me, and me having to entertain stupid boring parties." Van told her with a frown.

"You're not really fond of being a royal." Hitomi laughed.

"It's just so stupid. My council is on my back all the time. I'd rather just be a normal person. I could do more good as a soldier than as a king." Van said.

"Somehow, I doubt that, but you're entitled to your own opinion. I think you're a wonderful king. After all, your people love you." Hitomi said quietly.

Van blushed at her words of praise. He never knew she felt that way.

"Well, let's go see who's visiting." Merle said, observing Van's blush.

They all made their way into the palace, when Van was assaulted by a tall man with a moustache, that to Hitomi looked like a mouse. She fought to suppress a smile.

"My Lord, where have you been? We've been waiting for a few hours." The man called out.

"I was out Wazir. You don't need to know what I do every hour of every day. Now what do you want?" Van asked boldly.

"Well sire, Princess June from Roma came to visit you. And also... wait a minute, who're you?" Wazir asked pointing at Hitomi.

"I'm Hitomi Kanzaki." Hitomi told him.

"Well go on servant girl! You've no business in your king's matters." He said and gestured her to move on.

"In case your memory escaped you Wazir," Merle jumped in hotly. "She's the seer from the Phantom Moon, that helped your ass to stay on the council." Merle told him hotly.

"Lord Van, haven't you got tired of this impulsive wretch by now?" Wazir stabbed.

"I don't think it's your business who I meddle with Wazir. Remember, even prime-ministers can be replaced." Van said smiling maliciously. Wazir ceased to scare him. He was only on the council until the next election. Everyone was tired of him.

"Well, I'm going to go and freshen up for dinner. Come on Hitomi." Merle dragged Hitomi after her.

"I don't like that Wazir guy." Hitomi told Merle as they went out of his hearing range.

"Me neither, but Lord Van has to keep him on the council until the next election. Come on, let's go freshen up for dinner." Merle told Hitomi.

~~~~

Later that night, Hitomi came down to dine in the main hall. She was wearing a pale green dress, that outlined her curves. When Van saw her enter the room, it was like everyone else just faded in the background. All he saw was her beautiful figure gliding across the room. He immediately excused himself, and made his way to her.

"Wow, Hitomi, you look......... stunning." He told her quietly.

Hitomi blushed at the compliment. "Like it? Merle gave it to me saying it doesn't fit her very well." Hitomi said spinning around so he could see the whole thing.

Van was speechless. He had never seen someone more beautiful that her. She just stole the whole show. There was not a woman in the room that could measure up to her. His wonderful Hitomi. God how much he wanted to tell her he loved and ask her to stay with him here. Yet he couldn't. What if she was only playing a court game? What if this was all a fairy tale to her? She was after all from another world, and like before she could decide to go back any second. Van looked at her strangely. Well, even if she would decide to go back, he'll always remember this time he had spent with her. She was the only woman for him. He remembered when she first saw his wings. She thought them beautiful instead of running away from him. She had never asked anything from him that was beyond his powers, and she had always risked her life for him. For a stranger she just met, that acted like a conceited jerk when they first met. How could he not love her? She was always by his side, always knowing what to say, and always soothing his heart. How could he ever love someone else? How could anyone demand that of him? He was pretty sure that that's what the Roma Princess's visit was implying.

"It's time for dinner, shall we go sit down?" Van asked courteously, offering his arm to Hitomi.

She smiled at him, and wrapped her small hand around his arm. She had practised this all afternoon. She hoped she would not make any mistakes, and remember everything Merle taught her.

As if guessing her thoughts, Van leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Don't worry, you'll do fine. Just copy everything I do." He told her. Before raising his head though, Van breathed in more of her perfume. It was indeed intoxicating. He proudly observed that in her hair, rested the red wild rose he had given her.

The night proceeded without much trouble. Hitomi caught on quickly of court manners. Most of the ladies were sympathetic, and nice to Hitomi. She was passing quite a good evening, until Wazir stood up to propose a toast.

"To Princess June of Roma, the new fiancée of Lord Van." He said drinking in that favour.

Van almost choked on his drink, being very surprised by the announcement. How did Wazir always manage to catch him at the worst moments. Damn it, why couldn't they talk about this before? He glanced at Hitomi, and what he saw on her face made his heart bleed. He saw not disappointment, but pain on her face. She was masking it quite well, but he could see down to her soul. This announcement was paining Hitomi very much. Could it be because she felt something more for him?

When hearing the announcement, Hitomi swallowed the lump in her throat. Well, there it was. The moment she had dreaded since her coming to Gaea. Why did Van not tell her of this? Why had he led her to believe that there might be something between them? Ooh, she was so mad for letting her imagination run away with her. Hitomi's heart was breaking. It was clear that fate didn't want them to be together. She looked at Van's face, and saw his dark look. Somehow, he didn't seem too happy about this. Nevertheless, Hitomi gave him an iron glance. Why didn't he tell her?

Dinner was finished, and Hitomi didn't know how she found the strength to get through it all. She excused herself from the group she was chatting with, and left the hall. All she wanted was to go to her room and cry. She ran through the halls, trying to get to her room.

"Well milord, it looks like we are engaged to one another." Princess June came up to Van and said sweetly.

Van had just saw Hitomi leave the room in a hurry. He guessed something was wrong with her and desperately wanted to get away from his council.

"Not for long." He muttered to the princess and left after Hitomi.

The tall blue eyed woman looked at him furiously. No one would refuse her hand in marriage. Especially not this king. She'll see to it that she'll get rid of that skinny little green eyed wench and have the king all to herself. After all, very little men resisted her charms.

"Hitomi! Hitomi wait up!" Van called after her running through the hall.

Hitomi turned around, fire shooting through her eyes. "I think your guests miss you. You better go back." She said coldly.

"No, they are better entertained. What's going on?" he asked concerned.

"Nothing, I am not feeling very well, I feel the need to retire." Hitomi said, tears burning under her eyelids.

"Maybe you're catching a cold or something. I should take care of you." Van suggested with a playful twinkle in his eye.

"I am sorry milord, you forget that you are now an engaged man. What would your future wife say if she saw you with another woman? I do not wish to cause trouble. I shall tend to my wounds alone." Hitomi said and opened the door to her room.

"Hitomi wait don't "milord" me," Van said impeding her from closing the door. "I assure you, I knew nothing of this." He told her.

"Of course you didn't milord," Hitomi said struggling to close the door. When she finally did, she locked it with the key, and crumbled to the floor tears spilling down her cheeks. "Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid girl!" she said quietly. "How could you imagine he loves you?" she said and got up. Hitomi fell on the bed, painful sobs shaking her whole body. She could never forget his penetrating look. So full of longing, pain, and something else. Something she couldn't identify.

On the other side of the door, Van just stood there dumfounded. He thought he heard small sobs from inside Hitomi's room, but he wasn't sure. Her pendant was glowing hotly, just like it had done that time when he went to get her. With a sagging heart, Van walked down the corridor. He would kill Wazir if he'd go back to the hall. Instead, he spread his wings and flew out the window. He needed to feel the cold breeze against his face, for his sore heart needed mending.

He didn't even notice the two eyes shining from a dark corner.

"Awesome! How am I going to fix this?" Merle cursed in silence. She was so close to getting them to confess their love. Now this occurred. She wanted to scratch out Wazir's eyes. But no, she had a better idea of how to get back at the rat who ruined her beautiful work.