Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Dragon's Bait ❯ Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Escaflowne belongs to Bandai and all other respective owners. Dragon's Bait belongs to Vivian Vande Velde.

A/N: Oh my I'm a little worried. All those reviews, I hope I don't disappoint. Anyhow I've been asked to start a mailing list for this story so I have. If you want me to add you please send me an email ladyequiox@hotmail.com. The only thing I ask for this service is that you leave a review in return. (lol, yes I suppose that's shrewd.)

*Jag walks shirtless onscreen* Okay that was to fulfill Penteselia's request in her review of Ch. 2.

Hitomi closed her eyes to the dragon in front of her and sent out a desperate prayer. "Please don't let me have escaped one dragon only to be eaten by another." She sensed the dragon moving closer to her. She felt his hot breath on her face and the smell of rotten flesh teased her nostrils. Oh gods she thought he's going to eat me. She could feel a small scream forming in her throat. She tried to fight it down, remembering how brave she had been when she had been left out as bait for Escaflowne. She had been strong then and she could be strong now. All she had to do was open her eyes and run for the door. Oh hell she mentally cursed as she choked on the sickening smell of the dragon's breath your about to be eaten. You have a right to scream. No one will hear you anyway. Who are you trying to be brave for? Hitomi sensed the dragon lunge towards her and she let out a bloodcurdling scream. Her scream seemed to last for eternity, much longer then Hitomi thought it should have taken for her to feel the searing pain of dragon's teeth chomping on her brain. Although upon reflection Hitomi realized that if he was munching on her brain then she probably wouldn't feel the pain anyway. And then Hitomi realized that if she had time to contemplate her demise to the dragon then something had changed and the dragon was no longer interested in her and that she could stop screaming. So Hitomi closed her mouth and cautiously opened her eyes to see the dragon staring beyond her.

Hitomi was about to breath a sigh of relief when she heard it, the slightly familiar sound of uncontained laughter. She spun towards the noise and was mildly surprised to see Van leaning casually against the castle door, his arms crossed in front of his chest laughing amusingly.

"What is so funny!" Hitomi demanded, anger rising in her voice. She failed to see the humour behind her encounter.

Van looked at her, the amusement never leaving his face. "You were perfectly calm when your villagers left you as a sacrifice for the sky god Escaflowne, but the moment you encounter a small land dragon you're all screaming and hysterical."

Hitomi's face darkened a deep shade of crimson. "He was going to eat me." she said tensely.

"So?" Van questioned.

"So..............so" Hitomi stuttered, her cheeks flushing slightly as her voice raised in mind hysteria. "I was going to DIE."

"You knew Escaflowne was going to eat you and you didn't scream then." Van said smiling.

Hitomi slanted her eyes at the arrogant boy. "That was different. Back then I couldn't feel his hot, sticky, breath on me. I was going to die Van! You would have done the same thing."

Van uncrossed his arms and walked towards Hitomi. "Would I have?" he questioned her almost mockingly. "I don't think so," he said. "I would never be in a position where a dragon would dare to eat me."

Hitomi laughed and then watched nervously as Van walked towards the dragon that had glanced at her appraisingly only a few minutes before. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized that it wasn't the only dragon on the island. There were literally hundreds of dragons in the air and in the sky. "Van," Hitomi cried. "The ....there..there are lots...of......of...dra."

Van smiled reassuringly at Hitomi and then walked towards the nearest dragon and patted it affectionately on the head, scatching it under it's chin. "You see dragon's like me, don't you Ali?" he cooed at the dragon. He narrowed his eyes slightly and his voice changed from boastful joking to a barely audible whisper. "And you could say they're afraid of me too."

There was a wild glint in Van's eyes and Hitomi was suddenly scared. Then his eyes softened an he gave a small, forced laugh. "I'm only kidding." He quickly jogged up the stairs and opened the door to the castle. "Shall we go inside milady?" He asked giving her a cocky smile.

Hitomi hesitated. She looked from Van to the dragon and them back to Van who was still grinning foolishly. She did not want to enter the castle with that arrogant boy but neither did she want to stay outside and satisfy the dragon's appetite. Sighing in defeat Hitomi walked through the door, Van laughing comically behind her.

As Hitomi walked into the entrance way her annoyance was instantly forgotten as she was once again swept again into the beauty of the mural. On the ceiling was the fall of Atlantis in tones of nightingale blue and midnight black. Hitomi traced the fiery demise of Atlantis down the wall where the picture slowly faded into that of the tale of the descent of dragons. The dragons had murky seaweed green scales and piercing red eyes. Directly in front of the dragon mural was- Van. He looked at Hitomi for once without amusement but rather intense concentration. Hitomi blushed slightly forgetting he had been there and then mentally cursed herself for being so stupid since he had just saved her life moments before.

"What captures your interest?" Van questioned.

Hitomi was at a loss of words. "The art is so magnificent......so radiant.......so fantastic. All of Gaian history is in this one room. Don't you find it fascinating."

Van shrugged non-chalantly and gave here another smile. "No not really. I've seen it a thousands times before." He turned to walk away.

Hitomi chased after him and grabbed his arm. "You've been here before? Where exactly are we?"

Van turned around still smiling. "Dinners in half an hour. I'll explain then." And with that he freed himelf from her grasp and walked away.

Hitomi stood shocked staring at Van's retreating form. He knew where they were? And who was going to cook dinner? As far as Hitomi could sense he and she were the only people in the house. And as Hitomi had discovered the mysterious presences the pendant had revealed were of the dragons just outside the door. And where the HELL was the dining room? She ran in the direction of the retreating boy but could not find him.

Hitomi grabbed her pendant and closed her eyes picturing the egotistical Van. Her brow furrowed in concentration when she couldn't get a clear image. All she could feel was the aura of dragons around her. Hitomi tried to fight down the growing fear inside of her as she sensed the nearness of danger. She tried to ignore the uneasiness as it only clouded her perception but it couldn't be ignored. Opening her eyes and taking a deep breath she focused on picturing a table and chairs. Holding the pendant in front of her she followed the map in her mind and when she stopped and opened her eyes she found herself in a magnificent mahogany dinning room.

The room was dark, the only illumination was three white candles at the end of a long table. In the candle light Hitomi could just make out Van, his raven hair strewn in front of his face. Hitomi made her way to the place setting to the right of Van and sat down. She glanced at the empty space in front of Van and then back at the plate in front of her.. "Is this mine?" she questioned as she picked up the fork.

Van nodded his head.

"Aren't you eating?" she asked.

Van gave her yet another one of his annoying smiles. "No I already ate."

Hitomi stared at him in confusion and then rammed the fork back down unto the table. She was getting slightly aggravated with his cryptic answers and know-it all looks and smiles. She tried to control her anger. "I have a few questions." she said trying to keep the frustration from her voice.

"And I might have some answers." he said and then added, "After you eat of course."

Hitomi sighed once again in defeat. Then realizing how hungry she was she quickly ate her food and then blushed at her bad manners. Oh course she thought why I need to show manners for him I do not know.

Hitomi held her crystal goblet of vino in her hand a sipped it quietly. "Okay Van I'm done now Will you answer my questions now."

"Wait." he interrupted. "I have a question first."

"What is it?" Hitomi asked preparing herself for anything.

"What is your name?"

"My ......my name?' Hitomi stammered.

He save her a cocky smile. "Yes your name. I never caught it. You know mine. I gave in to you when I valiantly saved you from the dreadful Escaflowne but you never gave me yours in return. So I do believe I am intitled to a name."

"Hitomi."

"Hitomi.................." he trailed off

"Kanzaki. Hitomi Kanzaki. And you are?"

"Me?" he asked in surprise.

"Yes you. You're Van?"

The perpetual smirk never left his face. "As I told you before milady it is just Van."

Hitomi uttered a sigh of exasperation. "Okay Van, where are we?"

"In a castle." was his reply.

"Yes," Hitomi said exasperately. "But where is this castle?"

"On an island." he smiled, and then added helpfully. "In the ocean."

Hitomi gritted her teeth. Okay new approach. "Do you know whose castle this is?" she asked sweetly.

"Yes." came the reply.

"Whose?" came the controlled question.

"Why mine of course." Van said as if it was quite obvious.

"YOUR'S!" Hitomi screamed jumping up from her chair and instantly spilled the burgundy vino on her white top.

"Hey," Van exclaimed. "that's my shirt you know."

Hitomi stared at Van incredulously. No, she had not know that but that was the least of her concerns. "How did I get here Van?"

"The ocean currents carried you."

"And how did you get here." Hitomi questioned.

Van countered her with another question. "Why were you left as Dragon's Bait?"

Hitomi opened her mouth to complain that he had avoided her question but quickly closed it. Instead she related her prophecy of death and ruin on the Aston household and the princess Millerna's less then pleased reaction."

"You predicted devastation on the Royal House of Asturia?" Van asked sounding skeptical. "How?"

"With my tarot cards." Hitomi replied.

Oh," Van stood up and stretched giving a big yawn. "well that was a pleasant discussion but I'm off to bed now."

"Wait Van. How long are we going to stay here? I want to go home."

Van looked at her quizatively. "Home? But your village doesn't want you."

"Yes but I can't stay here."

"Why not?"

"Well because....just because. Tomorrow I'm going to go home." Hitomi said stomping her foot irately.

"Well whatever," Van said turning and walking towards the door. "but I wouldn't go outside the castle. Those dragon's get pretty hungry and virgin blood is a delicacy you know."

"Then how do you get out?"

"They like me." he said laughter in his voice.

"Well couldn't you..........."

"No." he said sternly, interrupting her, his tone of voice saying the topic was un-negotiable.

"So I'm a prisoner then." Hitomi whispered, more a statement then a question.

Van stopped and slowly turned around, flashing her his trademark smile. "No I wouldn't say that. You're just a guest that cannot leave." Then he turned and walked out of the door, leaving Hitomi standing alone in the dinning room.

A/N: Well there is Chapter 4 (although it really is chapter three but if you count the prologue). I had more to write, I really did, but that would have made it long and besides people were complaining about me leaving my chapters on cliff-hangers and if I had continued it would have been a cliff-hanger for certain. Anyhow I hope you enjoyed it. As always feel free to email me or add me to MSN ladyequinox@hotmail.com. Once again if you wish me too add you to a mailing list email me and I'll add you. Thank-you too all those people who have left a review.