Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ The Call ❯ Five ( Chapter 5 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
Dinner came and went and as Hitomi came into the room she couldn't help but flinch under the gaze Princess Narine leveled at her. Having decided that this was someone she did not want to be around for too long she stayed quiet and observed everyone at the table.

She was reintroduced to Alan and Celena and explanations ensued as to what happened and why she was acting so strangely. Celena looked at Hitomi sorry for her at the time as she barely remembered her own amnesia when she was Dilandau. She hoped that the girl that had helped to save her would regain her memories.

Until that time she and Alan treated her as a friend and Celena sat on one side of Hitomi and Merle on the other as Millerna sat across from her. The others took their seats as they were bid and proceeded with the meal.

Listening to the conversation she realized that some of it revolved around her in a round about way. Listening closer while she sipped her drink she found that she was not as welcome in other parts of the world as she was here in Fanelia and Asturia. This saddened her as she kept listening she found out that she was hailed a hero in some areas for helping to end Zaibach's reign of terror and bring peace to the world when the machine that manipulated the energy of a person's wishes was destroyed.

Listening was more than she could handle as more and more nameless ghosts floated through her mind. Memories she couldn't name and people she couldn't remember meeting were all there, pushing and straining to get out until it made her head spin and ache.

Her soft moan brought the conversation to a halt and she looked up at Van who had moved to her side in concern and blushed. "I'm sorry. I think I am just a little tired from everything today. If it would be possible I would like to excuse myself and get some more rest."

Van nodded and had Gaddes and Merle accompany Hitomi up to her room. Thus excused she didn't notice in her relief the almost lethal glare that was leveled at her as she left. If she had she probably would have had nightmares from the change in the girl's face.

As she and her two friends left the room Hitomi sighed and slumped in relief. "Thank goodness that's over." She murmured.

Gaddes chuckled in sympathy then warded off the look Merle gave him. "Hey I can understand about Merle wanting to get out of there. But what got to you?"

"Didn't you see the look she gave me when I came in with you guys? If looks could kill..." She trailed off and shuddered. "Anyways, I really am tired and trying to deal with all of this is not helping me any right now. Could I sit out on the balcony for a while? I think a little fresh air would help me calm down."

Merle looked to Gaddes and at his shrug gave her OK. "I am not going to hide anything from you Hitomi. I didn't when we were together the last time you visited and I won't start now because I know that eventually you will remember. But Narine doesn't like you. I had my run in with her while you were still sleeping. She is going to be trouble for you Hitomi so watch your back this time OK?"

Gaddes nodded in agreement. No one was blind to the fact that the princess didn't like Hitomi. She wanted the power that would come with being Queen of Fanelia. Something she would not have if she had stayed home.

As Hitomi got ready for bed she smiled up at Merle and Gaddes for a moment and sighed. "Thank you. I know that this isn't easy for you and it really isn't easy for me as I don't know you all, but I remember something my grandmother told me. People return your feelings. If you trust them they will trust you back."

Merle smiled and patted Hitomi's hand. One more memory accounted for a she remembered hearing that quote from Hitomi the last time she was here. Now it was their turn to get their feelings out to her and help her to remember everything she had lost in her sleep.

As Gaddes took up his position just inside the door, Merle went out of the room with the parting reminder. "Keep her safe Gaddes, or our necks will be on the line if she gets hurt."

Gaddes nodded knowing full well what would happen with the king if she were to go missing on his or one of his men's shifts. He was going to have to make certain that he was doubly vigilant until the girl from the mystic moon was better able to defend herself.

It wasn't exactly the most restful night of sleep Hitomi had in a while, but it was enough that she was able to focus the next day as she was taken on a brief tour of the other parts of the castle by Van. Her conversation with him had been pleasant and she saw the fire behind his eyes that reminded her of something else that wanted to be remembered.

It was driving her almost crazy. All of the half memories and ghosts in her mind all trying to get loose to be remembered and yet something was holding them all back. Something that felt almost like a fear but wasn't quite as dark.

Having bid Van good-bye for the day as he had things he needed to attend to now that she was awake she went to Merle and knocked on her door. "Merle? It's Hitomi, I had a question for you if you don't mind."

Merle opened the door and let Hitomi in. She had temporarily moved her quarters to the same floor as Hitomi so that the girl wouldn't have to travel with someone all the time if she needed to talk to the cat woman about something.

"What did you want to know Hitomi?" Merle wondered if this was something in general or if there was something special about this visit. As soon as she heard the question, her eyes went as big as saucers and she smiled.

"Merle, was there a man around here? He seemed like a mountain and he was just as calm too." Hitomi knew that she wouldn't find any of this stuff out if she sat and puzzled it out so she decided to ask the one person who would know as much about Fanelia's people as Van.

"Yes, yes there was. He was sword Master Balgus. He was Van's sword master while he was alive and one of the four generals of Fanelia's samurai." Merle seemed almost sad as she spoke of Balgus and when Hitomi heard that he had died she almost regretted asking. But there was something about that man that would always stay in her memory.

"I guess I had one more question Merle. Do you know of a place that is calm enough where I could go swimming? I would like to get out of this chair and get a little movement in other than the exercises Millerna left for me to do and it won't put my body weight on my legs while working with them to strengthen them up." She remembered swimming and enjoying it so if she found a calm enough pond or beach she could be watched while she got some sun and exercise.

Merle thought a moment and then nodded. "There's a pool in the garden yard of the castle that you could swim in. Van-sama wouldn't mind because I said it would be OK and you do look like you could use some sun. I never saw you this pale, even when you were sick."

Hitomi smiled. "Thanks Merle. I owe you, now could you help me get there? I don't want to bother Van and Gaddes is sleeping, Millerna is in town working with other patients and I don't know who else to ask." She explained.

Merle wasn't strong enough to get Hitomi to the lower levels of the castle with out hurting one or both of them so she gestured for Hitomi to get ready. "I will get some help. You get ready and I will have someone to help us in about 10 minutes OK?"

Hitomi nodded and wheeled herself out of the room and down to her room to change. She hurt a lot when she moved excessively as if something was pinched. But she fought the pain and worked to get herself back up and moving again. She was going to ask Millerna about that later but for now she knew where her boundaries were and so she was able to work within them for the moment.

Exactly ten minutes later there was a knock at her door. "Hitomi, are you ready?" Merle called through the door. Wheeling herself to the door she saw Merle, Allen and Celena on the other side of the door. She blushed under their scrutiny as she had wrapped a towel around her waist before getting back into her chair. "I am ready. Can we go now?"

Celena elbowed her brother sharply and he nearly jumped out of his skin but under the looks of Merle and herself he pushed Hitomi out of the room and they were all on their way to the lower garden of the castle.

Once there she saw a pool of clear water there and smiled as Celena and Merle helped her walk the few steps to the edge. She felt like her legs were running into daggers from all sides but she just clenched her jaw and walked as steadily as possible to the pool and slid in.

Sighing in relief she floated on her back and watched the others pull the chair and her towel away from the edge. They sat back and watched her swim on her back then her sides and then her front before Celena called a halt to the activity.

Hitomi wanted to argue but Celena cut her off. "No way Hitomi. Millerna left instructions that you could have activity, just not too much until your muscles were used to the actions again. But," She conceded, "I am willing to bet that she will let you put swimming on your list of daily activities since you really seem to enjoy it and I know that it is good exercise on the side."

Hitomi let that convince her to get out of the pool and with Allen's help she walked back to the chair where her towel was waiting. She dried off and then wrapped the towel around her waist again before she sat down. She realized that if she was pretty much standing in one place she was fine but as she started walking about it was as if her muscles would complain of being over taxed. She vowed that she would work past this and made the note to again talk to Millerna when she came in for the daily check up.

Happy and tired from having more activity than she was now used to she was taken back up to her quarters where she asked if she would be allowed a nap before the evening meal.

Merle informed her that she would come and wake her personally to get her ready as that evening was going to be shortened so that Hitomi could have enough rest to show up for fittings the next day for a slightly larger wardrobe that what she currently had for her stay.