Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ The King of Sorrows ❯ The Persistence of Memory ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: I do not own an characters of escaflowne or any of the settings that are in the series. those belong to sunrise and other companies. I kinda wish i did though, i could make my own franchise! I also don't own da title, cuz it's a Salvador Dali painting, it's real cool, he drew it during the surrealism era!

A/N: Be ready for lotsa sap crap, as I like to call it! Oh yeah, little Inspiration came (y'noe, bit by bit) so something happened to my style of writing plus I haven't been writing for over a month. I need to get really poetic mood and everything has to be serene to write and when you have a huge family like mine, that's really hard to achieve! The plot right now is a bit weak, but I'm trying to make it short and sweet until I get into the real action.

'The difference between false memories and true memories is the same as for jewels: it is always the false ones that look the most real. The most brilliant.'
-Salvador Dali

Konichewa, minna-san! sorrie about not updating for a while. I wuz really busy and u can se dat cuz in da last chappie, I wuz blabbin about the Winter Olympics! I also tried to make this chapter longer! Well, inspiration took a long time to come and over the month of March, I wuz really busy! don't ya notice dat teachers give the most projects and crap right after the holidays when you have rodery (sp? ya noe, when u move from class to class starting in middle school) newayz, I hope u enjoy dis chapter, cuz I kinda spent sum time on it!

Amidst the boisterous Ispanian emporium, abundant with bistros, tailors and throngs of customers, was the soft trotting of a black stallion, weaving its way through. The throng was oblivious to its presence, who was invisible to their eyes alone. The lone horse kept silent, avoiding the crowds periodically, leading the rider to his destination. 'Vite, vite!' said the rider, yet his words were drowned by the crowd so he began kicking the horse's side. The horse responded to the kick and accelerated.

"Arrête, Bhaste!" The rider said as he mounted off the horse with expertise and grace. He went around the horse and stroked its muzzle. He motioned for the horse to stay as he became devoured by darkness. With one motion, he tore off his black cloak and walked into the light again, storing the cloak safely in his satchel. Rolling his eyes to see if it was clear, never turning his head, the rider headed into the nearest bistro, (he needed something to satisfy his hunger) by the name of Ambrosia Ispano. The rider looked at the bistro with distaste, taking in the low class conditions of it. Considering his business there, the rider swiftly walked in.

When he walked in, he took a moment to judge the bistro. The overall building was petite with roughly painted walls looking like it was done with fervour. Pressed flowers and other organic adorned the walls with a series of entwined green leaves lining the edges of the walls. Rosewood tables were set surrounding the bar and drinks seemed to be dispatched regularly. The atmosphere and overall look of the bistro made it seem as though only drunkard merchants were the regular's. Wine, spirits and beer were spilled all over the tables as waitresses were impatiently cleaning the messes up. All you heard was laughter and loud conversations regarding the Fanelian King's attack.

The rider took a seat by two women conversing and contributed to their conversation with a question.

"What happened?" asked the rider.

"A creature attacked the King Van of Fanelia and everyone is trying to find the one behind it," replied a young brunette woman. She was slim, attractive and with her tone of voice, the rider knew what she meant by 'creature.'

He smiled and remembered his fight with King Van. Some King, he thought and said, "How's the King?" without unveiling his identity.

"He seemed fine according to the merchants that just came today. The King and that horrid creature had a good fight, yet the creature escaped before the guards came." This time it was the woman beside the brunette who was speaking. She had wavy blonde hair and emerald eyes and as she spoke, she looked directly at the rider's mysterious navy blue eyes. "It was a rather popular event, I'm surprised you haven't heard of any of it." The brunette beside her asked where he was from.

"I'm an Austurian. I spent the whole of yesterday travelling across the Gulf of Ispano," he lied. "Well, at least I'm updated, it was nice speaking with you two," he added. With that, he moved to sit at another table by the wall and ordered a large grappa. Tonight was going to be a wasted night.

Hitomi woke up in a sterile room, much like the hospitals in London and Hiroshima (dunno where Hitomi from!) There was a single bulgarian rose, with its beautiful coral spathe with a musk scent sitting by her canopy and a message on parchment lay beside it. Hitomi got up from the bed, flexing her back from the stiffness and went over to read the note. Here in the messy style she knew was Van's was what she read:

It has been long, hasn't it? I still love you, as I've
always had and I would like you to meet me in my chambers
when you recover. Love, Van

Hitomi looked at the note surprisingly. He still loves me, she thought. She walked back to her cot and went under the covers as she heard footsteps.

Van came into the room as Hitomi looked up with loving in her eyes. "How are you? Have you rested well?"

"Yes, my eyes were just a bit blurry and the doctor said I was fine," Hitomi responded. "I read your note, it's just been so long!"

Van hugged her "We have too much to catch up on, come with me, to my royal chambers," he said. Hitomi nodded to clarify her consent and took the flowers with her.

As Hitomi entered Van's chambers, she couldn't help to gasp from the grandeur of the room. The walls were velvet red with gold mouldings at the edges closest to the ceiling. The walls themselves were about 20 feet high with a beautiful painting of cherubs and Gaia, the mother of the Titans, amidst it all. Off to the side, away from the door was the King's bed. It was a canopy with grand golden pillars supporting the top which had gathered pieces of velvet with an intricate jewel holding it up. A chest of drawers made from the richest mahogany wood was placed across from the canopy and sat there with piles of parchment, quills (this is my fantasy, so if i want quills and parchment in Fanelia, there's gonna be quills and parchment in Fanelia! sorrie, i wuz just clearing things up! well, carry on...) and a beautiful platinum jewellery box on top. Grand chairs, a siege and a chaise lounge were scattered around the room, all of which seemed to be made of expensive fabrics. A desk with three drawers on each side was set off to the side of the windows, showing a beautiful view of Fanelia. French doors with transparent glass showed a peak of Fanelia from a different perspective and seemed to be a balcony.

"It's beautiful. I remember coming here when I came back, yet I couldn't admire the beauty then." reminisced Hitomi, remembering the last time she came to the castle. "Did you design it yourself?"

Van beamed at her and said, "I helped design it, but many of my architects and interior designers helped did much more than I ever could. Some furniture here was redesigned from the destroyed furniture in our old castle.

"Well, it has been five years since we said our goodbyes, Hitomi. How has life been since you left Gaia?"

Hitomi looked at him and said with enthusiasm, "Many things have happened during those five years. After I graduated in high school with top honours, I got accepted into Oxford University a highly prestigious school in England and I'm trying to become a writer, above all. I've even submitted some of my work to Haper and Raincoast, yet I haven't received any reply. Everyone seems oblivious to the time when I disappeared and I hope it stays that way. I also still do track with a few friends of mine and remember Amano? He sadly died two months ago. Yukari and him were engaged, we still are close." With the last statement, Hitomi let a tear cascade down her cheek and quickly looked away as Van looked concerned.

Van walked into his room and grabbed a handkerchief from the dresser drawers. He walked back to Hitomi and she wiped the few tears on her cheek as he sat down on his bed. "Why don't you come and sit down. I'll have one of our help bring you some tea. You should rest now and when you are ready, I'll tell you what happened with me over the past five years. Afterwards, you can meet Allan, Merle and the royals of Austuria, you still remember them, don't you?" Van asked as Hitomi smiled. She leaned on his shoulder as Van ordered a drudge to get a cup of tea for Hitomi. It was a long day for him...

A/N: See, I told you it wuz sappy! well review, dammit!