Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ The Call ❯ Three ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
The darkness was all but absolute. As she floated in it Hitomi Kanzaki wondered why she wasn't afraid of the darkness that usually promised nightmares. "Nightmares? When did I have those?" Her thoughts whispered across the back of her mind. Seemingly locked away but desperately trying to get out, as her drifting thoughts triggered nothing more than a familiarity.

Twitching slightly she wondered why she felt so warm. Something about the heat was not comfortable, and yet it wasn't uncomfortable. It was a warmth that was there, and for the moment she was unable to do anything about it. Looking about she felt herself relax again as something familiar impinged on her mind again. She wanted to remember and see the light but only the darkness held her in its gentle clutches.

==

Looking about the room Van's attention was arrested by a short twitch Hitomi's body gave. Eyes wide he watched carefully to make certain that he wasn't dreaming and was reassured that he wasn't when her hand clenched in his.

Happy, but not willing to risk anything yet he looked over at the guard that had been stationed in the room for the shift and nodded. "Get Merle. Tell her to go and get Millerna, it looks like Hitomi may be starting to wake up."

The guard looked surprised but complied immediately.

Van looked down at Hitomi and smiled as he thought. ~Soon Hitomi, we will be together again. Soon.~

==

Merle was in the middle of a catnap when a sharp rapping on her door awakened her.

"Lady Merle, Lord Van told me to seek you out. Please open up?" He sounded both out of breath and desperate. That snapped Merle out of her fugue from being woken up prematurely.

Opening the door she asked. "What is it?"

"Lady Merle, Van-sama told me to get you to go to Princess Millerna's. Something about Hitomi-san possibly waking up." His excitement was now clear and Merle's eyes widened.

"I will go right away." Shutting the door she practically tore her way out of her day wear and into her road clothes so that she could run on all fours to get to Millerna's faster. Tearing out of the room at top speed she sped past guards, castle help, and Princess Narine with out a thought.

As she left the castle she wondered idly if meeting Hitomi would cool Narine's jets any. "Nah. If nothing else she would piss that spoiled little princess off worse than I did." The thought made Merle smile as she kept going top speed to Millerna's and banged on her door. "Millerna. Get up and get your bag!"

Millerna was meeting with one of the town's folk that she knew of and invited over to see if she could do something about a health problem. Both jumped when they heard the banging on the door. It sounded urgent and as Millerna stood to answer the door she heard Merle and gasped.

"I am sorry but I have to go. Something must be happening with Hitomi-san that Merle was sent to fetch me." Gathering her cloak and her bag she tossed a recommendation chit to her patient to one of the doctors that specialized in that particular disorder.

Running out she found that there was a horse ready for Millerna and Merle was next to it, in a hurry to go. "Come on. Van-sama thinks that Hitomi is going to wake up soon!"

With Merle's anxiety thus explained Millerna mounted the horse and both cat and mount took off at top speed for the castle.

==

Van, Millerna, Gaddes, and Merle were all in the room together as Millerna made several checks on Hitomi's vitals. Looking up at Van she smiled slightly. "You were right. Her pulse is starting to rise and her eyes are moving some. I think that some time in the next few hours she should wake up. Then we will be able to see what all has happened in the healing sleep.

Van hoped that Hitomi would be all right soon. There was nothing he wanted more than to hold her in his arms again and feel her arms around him. He couldn't get around it, he truly needed her now more than ever.

Millerna looked from Van to Hitomi and then to the others she had known for several years. This was hard on her as she had continued her studies and as she was reading found that Hitomi may not be out of the woods yet. There was a danger to them all if something was misplaced during the surgery, or had shifted out of place again during the sleep.

Merle looked at Hitomi and decided that she was glad to have the woman back. Van had been mildly depressed over the year with out her around to make him talk. She knew that they loved each other and having seen the option, knew that she would take Hitomi's side in any battle, even if it meant sacrificing her own honor for this.

Gaddes was worried for everyone's sake. Here were some of his friends and the little lady that had saved them all. And now all he could think of was that they were returning the favor. Instead of her saving their lives, it was their turn to save hers.

He had gained permission to become the head of Fanelia's royal guard after the Great War. Van had spoken to both Allen and King Aston about that, stressing the need for someone that he could trust. After all of the adventures over a year ago, there was no one more deserving of the promotion than Gaddes.

As they all agreed the Crusade also became the Fanelian King's travel craft in a trade agreement that brought prosperity to both countries. So Gaddes moved with his crew to staff the Castle with a guard. Granted his friends all grumbled at the fact that they had to wear uniforms now, but they did not begrudge the fact that they were Fanelia's best line of security. Instead, it was a point of pride for them all.

Gaddes usually went around in his usual garb when there were no state visits in the plans. However when there were visitors of state or he was part of an entourage to another country he too took the time to turn out in his uniform of Captain of the guard.

Now he was comfortable with his position and what he did, it was only a matter of time before the girl that had gained the respect of he and his men would wake up. It would be a great relief to all.

==

The darkness was all but complete, yet in a small corner there was a patch of gray. Turning over she saw this and was curious. "Why would there be gray in this world of black?" The thought whispered curiously.

Looking about she didn't see anything else that would cause the gray so she moved towards it. She was still warm but now it wasn't so uncomfortable. Something in this direction was beckoning to her. Something familiar and friendly.

As she moved towards the gray, it seemed to grow larger until the black realm was now a small patch in the gray. She could feel a little more and could tell that she hurt. Her mind was also clearer and able, so as she looked about herself she realized now that she was asleep. She was asleep and she was in a lot of pain.

Trying to wake up was hard for her, as she really wanted to go back to the black world where she didn't feel anything. But the beckoning sensation didn't go away. Something or someone was calling her and they wanted her to wake up in a desperate way.

"The voice. It is so familiar." She wracked her pain filled head trying to figure out what was trying to get past the block in her mind. It was pain filled and part of her past but it couldn't be seen, and refused to be recognized.

She headed to the brighter area, knowing that this was going to be very painful indeed. She had to find out who was calling her though.

==

As they watched they could see Hitomi's facial features start to move about to mask what she was feeling. Looking at Millerna she had some painkillers ready for Hitomi as they could easily see that she was going to be in a lot of pain when she finally woke up.

The movement was subtle but to Van it was more hope every second. Millerna, Merle and Gaddes all watched with rising hope as well as Hitomi's eyes opened and looked up into Van's half fear and half hope filled sienna eyes.

Every one waited as the struggle to wake up enough to speak warred in her eyes. Hoping for the best they realized soon that their hopes were crushed as she spoke her first words to them.

"Excuse me, but who are you?"