Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Eternal Love ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

AN: There is some nudity and language in this chapter. Nothing obscene, but its a warning anyway! :)

Chapter Three

Once the two were gone, Hitomi brushed her hand over Van's face. His fever had left him, it seemed. It was so strange. It was as if her touch alone had the power to heal him. But how could that be? She had no healing powers.

"Hitomi, I..."

She placed a finger to his lips, stilling his words. "Hush. Don't talk. You need to conserve your strength and get well."

He shook his head, his hand weakly reaching for hers. He closed his eyes and brought it to his cheek. "I missed you so much. I tried...I tried to contact you so many times..."

"Why didn't you? I would have heard you, silly." Hitomi teased, her cheek rubbing against his open palm.

His eyes darkened. "I did try. Countless times. But the pendant...wouldn't work. Neither would the energist. Everything I tried...just...refused to work."

"And you started getting sick from it? Van...I'm not worth dying over." Hitomi admonished him gently.

"No? You are to me." Van whispered, his fingers brushing her cheek softly.

She looked down, blushing. "Van..."

Her words were silenced as his mouth descended upon hers in a sweet kiss.

Eyes wide, she could do nothing but accept it. Closing her eyes, she leaned into his touch, so soothing. It was like being deprived of water after months in the desert.

Breaking away, he stared into her eyes. "I never said it, Hitomi. I know you know how I feel but I never said it to you. I love you."

"Oh Van..." Hitomi sobbed, pulling him into a tight embrace. He shivered, but not from the fever. Wrapping his arms tightly around her, he breathed in her scent. "I love you too, Van."

Pulling back, she smiled lightly and brushed his hair from his face. Leaning forward, she lightly brushed her lips over his. "As wonderful as it is to hear you say that, there is only one thing I want to hear from you."

"What's that?" He asked tentatively. She wasn't going to leave now was she?!

"Hush. I won't leave you, not a second time. But you do need your rest. Lay back and sleep. I'll stay and watch over you." Hitomi soothed him gently, her hand resting against his cheek.

"But what about your family?" Van murmured, his eyes already drifting shut. He was so tired, physically as well as emotionally.

Laying him down, she covered him up once more and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Sleep, my sweet king. Sleep now."

Murmuring softly, he fell into a deep, healing sleep. She smiled, brushing his hair as she watched him sleep. "Don't worry, my love. Mother understands; I know she does."

* * *

In Asturia, all was quiet at the Castle de Schezar. Gaddes was currently roaming the halls, searching for his Captain's sister, Celena. He had gone to her room to check up on her per Allen's instructions, only to find her gone. Not one to take orders lightly, he had done what only a good soldier would do.

Look for the irritating brat.

It wasn't that he disliked her. On the contrary, he thought she was a beautiful woman. But he felt Allen was too strict with the girl. True, she needed care, especially after being a pawn of Zaibach for so many years. He also understood the need for the girl to be on her own.

Which was what he figured she was doing now. 'She probably got tired of sleeping and went for a walk. But if I don't check on her, the Captain will be royally pissed.'

At that moment, he turned the corner and nearly ran into the very person he was searching for. "Ack! My lady! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to run into ya!"

Celena blinked, then flushed, looking down. "No, no...I'm sorry. I should have been looking where I was going." She looked behind her nervously, but then turned to Gaddes. "Did my brother send you to check on me again?"

"'Fraid so, my lady. He worries about ya, ya know. But I see yer fine, so I'll be on my way." Gaddes grinned, bowing slightly.

"Oh, well, thank you Gaddes...except...one thing..."

"Hai?"

"Can I borrow your coat? I'm awfully cold...I forgot to bring one with me when I went to get a breath of fresh air." Celena asked innocently, blinking her wide blue eyes.

Gaddes blinked. "Uh...sure, my lady." He took his long coat off and handed it to her. It had been a present from Princess Millerna. It went nearly to the ground.

Celena smiled, putting it on. "Oh thank you, Gaddes! That's much better! I'll return it in the morning, I promise!"

"Eh, no trouble, my lady. Good night." With that, he bowed once more and left her alone.

She didn't move, standing there for a good ten minutes before she was certain he wasn't coming back. She took the coat off and dashed around the corner. Slumped against the wall was...someone she'd never thought she'd see face to face.

Dilandau lay slumped against the wall, panting. He cursed himself for being so weak. If this had been two months ago...

But he never finished his thought. Two months ago he had been in her body. Her soul had been trapped, allowing him free reign. It had been like that for years. But something had triggered the transformation, sending him packing, allowing her to reclaim her own body.

He had waited in silence, or near silence. It was the first time he had ever been aware of her. Before, the visions he had of her were merely that, visions. They had held no substance for him. But now he could see her, touch her. The rage that had always sustained him seemed to fall away whenever he gazed at her.

At the moment, she knelt next to him, seemingly uncaring of his nakedness. She helped him to sit up, wrapping the borrowed cloak around his shivering body. She placed a hand to his forehead and shook her head. "You have a fever. Small wonder, with the coldness of the night and your...lack of attire."

"Don't you fucking think I thought of that?!" He snarled, trying to pull away from her. But he was too weak, failed miserably.

Despite his callous words, she smiled at him, unafraid. She brushed his sweaty hair from his face. "Hush. We need to get to my room and get you in bed. We have many things to discuss, you and I."

"Hn." He grunted, barely acknowledging her words. He knew she was right. They needed to find out why this had happened. How this had happened. He couldn't remember anything, except for an intense pain. It was like being split down the center...

He blinked, but said nothing as she wrapped one of his arms around her shoulder and lifted him up, carrying him once more down the deserted corridors. Was that it? That searing pain...was that the cause of their split? Then why did he still feel tied to her? They were separate...yet together.

Just as when they shared the same body, he could feel her emotions. He knew she could feel his as well. This greatly unnerved him, like nothing else ever could. He wondered where the others were...

His Dragonslayers...he knew they were dead. He remembered them dying at the hands of Van Fanel. He longed to pay the youth back for that. The other... Folken. Where was he? What had happened to him after his betrayal of Zaibach?

He stumbled, catching himself at the last minute. Celena gave him a whispered, "sorry" and opened the door to her chambers, carrying him inside.

She closed the door behind her, nearly dragging him to her bed. Placing him on the edge, he nearly collapsed, breathing heavily. He was so tired and so weak...

"Shush..." Celena soothed, her hands quickly making short work of the coat, dropping it to the floor. She retrieved a bowl of water and a towel. Sponging the towel with water, she rung it out and dabbed his face with it.

He breathed a sigh of relief, the heat abating a bit. She smiled, dipping the towel in the water every so often as she washed his body with the cold water. He watched her as she worked, trying to lower his body temperature to safe levels.

"Why?"

She looked up from his chest, looking into the ruby orbs that stared back at her. "Why?"

"Why are you doing this? Why not let me die? I'm sure that's what the others would want." Dilandau spat bitterly.

Celena placed a hand to his forehead, brushing the white locks from his face. "Why do I help you? Or why do I care for you?"

He blinked. "Aren't they the same?"

"No. They are not. Why do you think we were given this chance?"

Dilandau snorted. "Chance?! Chance for what?! Chance for your brother and his lot to string me up as a murderer?!"

"Why would they do that? They think you're me. They've never believed we were separate beings. Only Jajuka knew." Celena returned to washing his body with cold water.

"They'll kill me when they find me." Dilandau replied in a dead voice.

"I won't let them. We're two halves of the same whole." She moved closer, looking into the ruby orbs before her. Her fingers brushed his hair away from his face softly as she leaned over him. Her eyes looked into his for a moment.

He licked his lips, looking at her with...what? He didn't know. Swallowing, he shivered, but from the fever or something else...

Both closed their eyes as their lips met for the first time.