Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ The Call ❯ Two ( Chapter 2 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Dragon Dagger 
Anime/Manga: Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Mecha / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 07.15.2012 | Pages: 1 | Words: 2.2K | Visits: 604 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Mecha / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 07.15.2012 | Pages: 1 | Words: 2.2K | Visits: 604 | Status: Completed
People were moving quickly through the halls of the palace when Merle arrived in the main portion of the castle from her quarters at the far end. As a close friend and confidante of the King she had more than earned her right to stay in the castle. However the princess was terribly afraid of cat people and so she was relegated to the far end of the castle.
She knew she wasn't mistreated and Van still needed her, which was why Gaddes usually played devil's advocate whenever Princess Narine brought up the subject of the girl getting her own place to live.
Curiosity peaked she found Gaddes outside of the king's quarters looking very worried. "Gaddes, what's wrong with Van-sama?" Her concern jumped to the king immediately.
Gaddes looked up and looking at the cat woman smiled reassuringly. "Van's fine Merle. But he went to the Mystic Moon to do something about the nightmares he has been having and one apparently came true. He brought Hitomi here and the doctors and healers have been in and out all morning trying to get her patched up. She hasn't regained consciousness yet either I'm afraid."
His worry for the girl translated easily to Merle and she let out a small moan of worry. If anything happened to Hitomi she was really going to be on suicide watch knowing the king would be inconsolable at his failure to protect the girl he had promised that protection to.
In the room Van was seated next to the bed as Princess Millerna and some assistants started working on Hitomi immediately. The first thing they had done was stabilize the girl's spine.
The next was the longest part of the night. Millerna worked several hours only being spelled for a few minutes as she was fed something and changed her surgery clothes. Hitomi was kept asleep by careful application of the anesthetics. There was no way they wanted her to wake up before Millerna was able to get all of the internal bleeding repaired.
Van was scared. He wasn't about to leave Hitomi's side until this was over and as he spoke to the princess while she worked he discovered that Hitomi was going to be bedridden for weeks while everything healed.
If he knew this girl as well as he thought he remembered her. She was not going to want to stay down. This was going to take the cooperation of everyone she knew to keep her in bed, then to help her with her rehabilitation. But at least her chances for pulling through were better than they had first expected.
As the surgery finished Van walked out with Millerna for last minute instructions on what to do should the doctor be gone and they all needed help with any complications. There would be heavy bruising and some scarring from the surgery but it was expected that she would make a full recovery, much to Van and Merle's relief.
Days passed and Hitomi still stayed asleep. Millerna came to see what was going on and reassured Van that this would be fine, even normal, but to keep an eye on her. If anything strange happened then she was to be contacted immediately.
For the time being Millerna had taken up quarters in the city proper of the Fanelian capital. Near enough to be summoned at a moment's notice, but far enough away so as not to intrude any further on the daily schedule of the castle. She had been offered quarters on site, but she refused, knowing that she had no love for the Princess staying on the grounds as Van's fiance, and it would clash with her own obvious preference for the young seer from the Mystic Moon.
Narine was almost infuriated. Here she was, the king's fiance and he had not even spoken to her in three days. Instead he had been spending every waking moment in that room with that girl from the mystic moon.
Sure, she knew of Hitomi and everything she did for Gaea, but that was no reason for him to fawn over her like a lovesick pup. She was headed down the halls of the castle at a quick clip when she was intercepted by Merle. Restraining a shudder at the cat woman's casual appearance she merely glared at her, letting her anger override her initial fear of the cat in the woman. "Out of my way, I must see Van."
Merle narrowed her eyes at the woman her standing height allowing her to tower over the woman easily. "Why is it that you need to speak to him now. He informed me that he does not wish to be disturbed when he is with Hitomi."
"That is exactly why I wish to see him. That commoner, hero she may be, but a commoner should not take the place of his fiance with the wedding so close." She made an attempt to pass by Merle and was promptly barred by the more athletic woman's arm.
"I think not." Merle growled out dangerously. "Hitomi and I may not have gotten along famously in the past, but even I can see when Van-sama is in love. Face it, Hitomi and Van-sama love each other or she wouldn't have come back with him when he left to find her." Merle was interrupted by a stinging slap in the face.
She knew that she was earning the Princess's contempt but this was outright hatred now. "You even insinuate that-that Girl is more of a match for Van than I am and I will have your furry hide gracing my father's hall."
Merle simply smiled as Gaddes stepped out of the shadows and looked down at the princess. "And if I get a report that you are threatening a member of the royal household again Princess Narine I will personally escort you back to your father. Am I Understood?"
Narine glared at Gaddes in a pique of absolute fury. "How dare you treat royalty that way? You are to protect the royalty in this castle not that common cat brat."
"No Princess" He chided gently. "It is my duty to uphold Fanelia's laws in a fair manner, protect the king and the royal family and Lady Merle here was informally adopted into the family from the start when she and the King were children." He knew that he was treading thin ice with the princess, but he had told her nothing that wasn't the truth.
Knowing she was beaten for now she retreated to her quarters to stew. Merle looked at Gaddes and smiled. "Thank you Gaddes, I didn't want that to turn into a fight. You know who would have won that one."
Gaddes nodded. "I know. That is why I stepped in. That and Van told me to protect you two from each other. He may be focused on Hitomi and her recovery right now, but he is not blind to the fact that you two don't get along."
Merle nodded and continued on to Hitomi's room. She wanted to check on the girl herself and talk to Van for a few moments. Gaddes watched her go and shook his head. He knew how defensive that woman could get with Van, but she wasn't stupid. He knew that she would protect Hitomi as well now that she was back. He was going to have to become more vigilant; this had the potential for getting real ugly real fast on several fronts.
==
In the room Van simply sat next to Hitomi's bed holding her hand and waiting for her to wake up. As he sat there he thought of his many encounters with this wonderful zest filled girl with no respect for status.
She was truly blessed with the ability to see everyone equally, and now there was the potential that she may have left him forever. He didn't want to think about that now. But it did lead to the better thoughts. She was here now, and when she awakened and was allowed up he would help her all he could to run again.
He looked up, startled to see Merle at the door, but not surprised that she had managed to enter without him noticing. "What are you doing here Merle?"
Merle walked quietly over to Van and looked closely at Hitomi. She looked so peaceful asleep like that, it was not a natural sleep, but it was at least having the benefit of keeping her still while her body healed.
"Van-sama, I would make a recommendation. Please post a guard in the room for Hitomi?" There was little emotion to her voice and it brought Van up short.
"For Hitomi? Why?" He instantly wanted to know. No one he knew in the castle would harm Hitomi while she was like this, or when she was well and about. Why should he need to post a guard in the room?
"Princess Narine was about to come in here and have a talk with you about spending all your time with a commoner and yet none with your fiance. I stopped her and she almost took her fight up with me. Fortunately Gaddes was there to prevent the occurrence. But she doesn't like Hitomi, she is jealous and it is making her a danger to Hitomi while she is helpless like this. When you are not here or I am not here to protect her, please post Gaddes or one of his crew in here. I know that they would protect her with their lives now that they all know that she is back on Gaea from the Mystic Moon." The concern the cat woman had for the girl was starting to show in the warmth and the strength of her conviction that Hitomi would be in danger if she were to be left alone.
This wasn't the first time that Van had heard something about Narine having a jealous streak. But this was the first time that Merle had brought it to his attention in connection with Hitomi. He had made a promise over a year ago that he would protect this visitor from the mystic moon. What he hadn't counted on was her strong will and his own heart being drawn to her or hers to him. It was this that brought them back together after the war just over a year later.
Looking at Hitomi he listened to Merle and knew that if nothing else the woman was a good judge of character when it come to those she cared about. He would listen to her, and he nodded. "Go inform Gaddes that I would like to have a guard posted here around the clock. I do not want to be taken by surprise and I will not allow Hitomi to be placed in danger. Not after the promise I made over a year ago."
Merle looked from Van to Hitomi and nodded. "I will inform him right away. If that witch even comes near..." The last was spoken in a near growl.
"Merle!" Van's tone brought her up short.
"I'm not sorry, you know what I think of Narine. Hitomi is your match; I don't care if she is common. She redeemed herself by helping save you, Fanelia, and Gaea in the times of the Great War. Narine was hiding at the time hoping that Zaibach would pass them over and instead had to watch as her country had to rebuild like the others." Her scorn for the girl that was soon to be queen of Fanelia was evident but it was held in check to prevent any further repercussions.
Van nodded knowing that his own feelings mirrored her own on this. He only hoped that he and Allen would be able to find a way out of this when the knight came to visit as an emissary in the next week.
Allen knew of Hitomi's condition and he and Van wrote often to say updated. Now he was able to come and see for himself and he had warned Van that he was not the only one who knew that the girl form the Mystic Moon was back and that the rumors of her returning to overthrow the balance of peace were running rife through the merchants as he had also been in touch with Dryden.
Van was starting to take the warning more seriously now that Merle had confirmed of one problem in his own household and now there was nothing for him to do but prepare for the storm and hope to diffuse it's total power.
She knew she wasn't mistreated and Van still needed her, which was why Gaddes usually played devil's advocate whenever Princess Narine brought up the subject of the girl getting her own place to live.
Curiosity peaked she found Gaddes outside of the king's quarters looking very worried. "Gaddes, what's wrong with Van-sama?" Her concern jumped to the king immediately.
Gaddes looked up and looking at the cat woman smiled reassuringly. "Van's fine Merle. But he went to the Mystic Moon to do something about the nightmares he has been having and one apparently came true. He brought Hitomi here and the doctors and healers have been in and out all morning trying to get her patched up. She hasn't regained consciousness yet either I'm afraid."
His worry for the girl translated easily to Merle and she let out a small moan of worry. If anything happened to Hitomi she was really going to be on suicide watch knowing the king would be inconsolable at his failure to protect the girl he had promised that protection to.
In the room Van was seated next to the bed as Princess Millerna and some assistants started working on Hitomi immediately. The first thing they had done was stabilize the girl's spine.
The next was the longest part of the night. Millerna worked several hours only being spelled for a few minutes as she was fed something and changed her surgery clothes. Hitomi was kept asleep by careful application of the anesthetics. There was no way they wanted her to wake up before Millerna was able to get all of the internal bleeding repaired.
Van was scared. He wasn't about to leave Hitomi's side until this was over and as he spoke to the princess while she worked he discovered that Hitomi was going to be bedridden for weeks while everything healed.
If he knew this girl as well as he thought he remembered her. She was not going to want to stay down. This was going to take the cooperation of everyone she knew to keep her in bed, then to help her with her rehabilitation. But at least her chances for pulling through were better than they had first expected.
As the surgery finished Van walked out with Millerna for last minute instructions on what to do should the doctor be gone and they all needed help with any complications. There would be heavy bruising and some scarring from the surgery but it was expected that she would make a full recovery, much to Van and Merle's relief.
Days passed and Hitomi still stayed asleep. Millerna came to see what was going on and reassured Van that this would be fine, even normal, but to keep an eye on her. If anything strange happened then she was to be contacted immediately.
For the time being Millerna had taken up quarters in the city proper of the Fanelian capital. Near enough to be summoned at a moment's notice, but far enough away so as not to intrude any further on the daily schedule of the castle. She had been offered quarters on site, but she refused, knowing that she had no love for the Princess staying on the grounds as Van's fiance, and it would clash with her own obvious preference for the young seer from the Mystic Moon.
Narine was almost infuriated. Here she was, the king's fiance and he had not even spoken to her in three days. Instead he had been spending every waking moment in that room with that girl from the mystic moon.
Sure, she knew of Hitomi and everything she did for Gaea, but that was no reason for him to fawn over her like a lovesick pup. She was headed down the halls of the castle at a quick clip when she was intercepted by Merle. Restraining a shudder at the cat woman's casual appearance she merely glared at her, letting her anger override her initial fear of the cat in the woman. "Out of my way, I must see Van."
Merle narrowed her eyes at the woman her standing height allowing her to tower over the woman easily. "Why is it that you need to speak to him now. He informed me that he does not wish to be disturbed when he is with Hitomi."
"That is exactly why I wish to see him. That commoner, hero she may be, but a commoner should not take the place of his fiance with the wedding so close." She made an attempt to pass by Merle and was promptly barred by the more athletic woman's arm.
"I think not." Merle growled out dangerously. "Hitomi and I may not have gotten along famously in the past, but even I can see when Van-sama is in love. Face it, Hitomi and Van-sama love each other or she wouldn't have come back with him when he left to find her." Merle was interrupted by a stinging slap in the face.
She knew that she was earning the Princess's contempt but this was outright hatred now. "You even insinuate that-that Girl is more of a match for Van than I am and I will have your furry hide gracing my father's hall."
Merle simply smiled as Gaddes stepped out of the shadows and looked down at the princess. "And if I get a report that you are threatening a member of the royal household again Princess Narine I will personally escort you back to your father. Am I Understood?"
Narine glared at Gaddes in a pique of absolute fury. "How dare you treat royalty that way? You are to protect the royalty in this castle not that common cat brat."
"No Princess" He chided gently. "It is my duty to uphold Fanelia's laws in a fair manner, protect the king and the royal family and Lady Merle here was informally adopted into the family from the start when she and the King were children." He knew that he was treading thin ice with the princess, but he had told her nothing that wasn't the truth.
Knowing she was beaten for now she retreated to her quarters to stew. Merle looked at Gaddes and smiled. "Thank you Gaddes, I didn't want that to turn into a fight. You know who would have won that one."
Gaddes nodded. "I know. That is why I stepped in. That and Van told me to protect you two from each other. He may be focused on Hitomi and her recovery right now, but he is not blind to the fact that you two don't get along."
Merle nodded and continued on to Hitomi's room. She wanted to check on the girl herself and talk to Van for a few moments. Gaddes watched her go and shook his head. He knew how defensive that woman could get with Van, but she wasn't stupid. He knew that she would protect Hitomi as well now that she was back. He was going to have to become more vigilant; this had the potential for getting real ugly real fast on several fronts.
==
In the room Van simply sat next to Hitomi's bed holding her hand and waiting for her to wake up. As he sat there he thought of his many encounters with this wonderful zest filled girl with no respect for status.
She was truly blessed with the ability to see everyone equally, and now there was the potential that she may have left him forever. He didn't want to think about that now. But it did lead to the better thoughts. She was here now, and when she awakened and was allowed up he would help her all he could to run again.
He looked up, startled to see Merle at the door, but not surprised that she had managed to enter without him noticing. "What are you doing here Merle?"
Merle walked quietly over to Van and looked closely at Hitomi. She looked so peaceful asleep like that, it was not a natural sleep, but it was at least having the benefit of keeping her still while her body healed.
"Van-sama, I would make a recommendation. Please post a guard in the room for Hitomi?" There was little emotion to her voice and it brought Van up short.
"For Hitomi? Why?" He instantly wanted to know. No one he knew in the castle would harm Hitomi while she was like this, or when she was well and about. Why should he need to post a guard in the room?
"Princess Narine was about to come in here and have a talk with you about spending all your time with a commoner and yet none with your fiance. I stopped her and she almost took her fight up with me. Fortunately Gaddes was there to prevent the occurrence. But she doesn't like Hitomi, she is jealous and it is making her a danger to Hitomi while she is helpless like this. When you are not here or I am not here to protect her, please post Gaddes or one of his crew in here. I know that they would protect her with their lives now that they all know that she is back on Gaea from the Mystic Moon." The concern the cat woman had for the girl was starting to show in the warmth and the strength of her conviction that Hitomi would be in danger if she were to be left alone.
This wasn't the first time that Van had heard something about Narine having a jealous streak. But this was the first time that Merle had brought it to his attention in connection with Hitomi. He had made a promise over a year ago that he would protect this visitor from the mystic moon. What he hadn't counted on was her strong will and his own heart being drawn to her or hers to him. It was this that brought them back together after the war just over a year later.
Looking at Hitomi he listened to Merle and knew that if nothing else the woman was a good judge of character when it come to those she cared about. He would listen to her, and he nodded. "Go inform Gaddes that I would like to have a guard posted here around the clock. I do not want to be taken by surprise and I will not allow Hitomi to be placed in danger. Not after the promise I made over a year ago."
Merle looked from Van to Hitomi and nodded. "I will inform him right away. If that witch even comes near..." The last was spoken in a near growl.
"Merle!" Van's tone brought her up short.
"I'm not sorry, you know what I think of Narine. Hitomi is your match; I don't care if she is common. She redeemed herself by helping save you, Fanelia, and Gaea in the times of the Great War. Narine was hiding at the time hoping that Zaibach would pass them over and instead had to watch as her country had to rebuild like the others." Her scorn for the girl that was soon to be queen of Fanelia was evident but it was held in check to prevent any further repercussions.
Van nodded knowing that his own feelings mirrored her own on this. He only hoped that he and Allen would be able to find a way out of this when the knight came to visit as an emissary in the next week.
Allen knew of Hitomi's condition and he and Van wrote often to say updated. Now he was able to come and see for himself and he had warned Van that he was not the only one who knew that the girl form the Mystic Moon was back and that the rumors of her returning to overthrow the balance of peace were running rife through the merchants as he had also been in touch with Dryden.
Van was starting to take the warning more seriously now that Merle had confirmed of one problem in his own household and now there was nothing for him to do but prepare for the storm and hope to diffuse it's total power.