Escaflowne 1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything.

Author's Note: Since this is my first Escaflowne fanfic, I'd better write a little about the background of the story. This fic was inspired by **Jane Eyre** by Charlotte Bronte (1816 - 1855) and all the characters and places from that book belong to her.

Anyway, this piece is set in an undetermined time in history. This way if I make a mistake, I won't get yelled at! (I'm a very sensitive writer, LOL) In this story, Hitomi is a Seer and we will see her use her gifts. But in her society, Seers are frowned upon. I'll go into detail later. As for Van's situation in society...well I'll let you figure it out for yourselves. I will say this, he is higher up then Mr Rochester was...

Enjoy!

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_"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge - myth is more potent than history - dreams are more powerful than facts - hope always triumphs over experience - laughter is the cure for grief - love is stronger than death." _

**Robert Fulghum, The Storyteller's Creed.**

**xXxXx**

Miss Temple was gone.

Hitomi had spent the whole evening sat in her room, looking out the window towards the road that had carried Miss Temple and her new husband away to begin their bridal tour. The darkness surrounding her reflected the shadow that had crossed her heart, staining her perception of the school she had lived in for the past eight years. Her contentment living within Lowood's walls had disappeared, stirring within Hitomi the feelings of restlessness she had long suppressed.

What was she to do now?

Was she supposed to act on these rediscovered feelings, or suppress them once more?

The silence surrounding her answered her unspoken questions. She could not stay. But that arose another problem, if she was to leave where would she go? A vision rose unbidden to her mind, of a cold house and the figures that dwelled within it looking down at her from its windows. No, returning to that place was out of the question.

_If Miss H K can provide suitable references, we will be willing to employ her in the role of governess…_

The familiar words broke Hitomi out of her musings. She looked down at her pendent, finally noticing the gentle glow radiating from it. She wrapped her hand around it, concealing its glow should anyone enter unannounced. She rose from the bed and knelt down next to it, reaching for the loose floorboard that hid one of her few possessions from her life before Lowood.

Her tarot deck.

She opened the drawer of her desk, revealing the letter she had received the day before. Hitomi removed the letter and placed it on the desk, and gazed at it for a moment before returning her attention to the drawer. She moved her hand to the back, feeling for the little piece of cloth that opened the hidden compartment. Eventually her fingertips brushed the worn old cloth, and after a gentle tug it revealed her hidden treasure.

Carefully she drew out the cards, protected by their unique case which depicted a dragon flying across the night sky foreshadowing the moon. The detail and effort used to make the carvings was the only physical evidence of her parents' love for her. Which made it precious to her, just like the cards and the pendent. The cards themselves were old, very old. And their level of accuracy was unnerving, even to Hitomi. Despite this, they had never lead her astray and at this moment she needed their guidance more then ever.

She shuffled the deck, before placing it back on the desk and gently laying her left hand over the deck.

"I ask for wisdom, I ask for aid and I ask for guidance."

The pendent began to glow brighter, and a unknown gentle wind made the loose hair from her braid dance around her face. Hitomi closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before asking her question.

"I ask of you, will this letter lead me to my destiny?"

The light grew brighter, and the pendent became hotter and hotter as the light increased. Hitomi could feel it through the layers of her dress, along with the power of the wind that was making her hair dance wildly around her face.

Suddenly, all was quiet.

The wind died, and the light faded away leaving Hitomi once more in the darkness. She drew out a candle from her desk and lit it, placing it in the holder on the windowsill. The cards had split themselves into three equal stacks, and Hitomi's hand slowly reached out for the left hand stack and turned the top card over.

The Fool - _beginnings of journeys, either physically, mentally or spiritually. Important decisions to be made._

Important decisions. The beginning of a journey. Already the cards predicted a change in Hitomi's uniformed life, and the news was welcome to the lonely girl who yearned to escape and explore the world beyond Lowood's walls. She turned over the second card.

The Hermit - _Caution. Discretion. Planning. A time to step back and reflect upon circumstances. Counsel sought and taken._

Her heart sank. The cards urged caution and discretion, which meant that she would probably face some opposition from the Inspectors. Hitomi realised she would have to get assistance from the new superintendent, and together they could plan what to do next like the cards recommended. She reached for the final card, which would reveal what the cards could see in the future. She turned it over, with butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

Wheel of Fortune - _Good fortune that is unexpected. The appearance of Destiny and Change. _

Hitomi sank back in relief, letting out the breath she hadn't realised she was holding till that moment. The appearance of that card made her whole world appear brighter. She picked up the letter, determined to go to the superintendent first thing in the morning and ask for her help and guidance.

It was then she saw the fourth pile.

Her eyes widened. The presence of a fourth pile was used when a Seer was identifying the Arcana that represented a person. Hitomi already knew what her Arcana was, it was The Moon. The pile was next to the Wheel of Fortune, which meant this Arcana was for someone in her future. Puzzled she turned the card over.

The Ace of Serpents.

Hitomi's pendent flashed a brilliant light, forcing he to close her eyes. When she opened them again, she was no longer in her room at Lowood. The room she was in now was much larger then her own, and richly furnished beyond Lowood's means of economy. It felt cold, despite the roaring fire in the large grate. The flames danced along the walls, covered in tapestries and paintings that were half hidden in the shadows. A breeze was gently blowing in through an open balcony door, stirring the curtain tied back allowing the moonlight to enter the room.

A loud fit of coughing shattered the silence.

Hitomi spun around. Her emerald eyes landed on the four poster bed, which she now noted had an occupant. The curtains were tied back, allowing the occupant to feel the benefits of both the fire and the breeze. And see her stood in the middle of their room.

"Who…who's there?"

The voice was hoarse, and its owner began another bout of coughing as they finished speaking. Hitomi slowly approached the bed, moving to the side that was it by the firelight.

The figure lying in the bed was small, a child. As she reached the bedside, the figure turned its head towards her. A young boy's feverish eyes met her own. He looked at her briefly before succumbing to another fit of coughing , his small body jerking and struggling for air. Hitomi felt pity for the boy, he had been left all alone and he was ill.

She went to the bedside table, taking up a pitcher of water and pouring some into a glass. She lent over the boy, lifting his head and placing the glass to his lips. The child drank greedily from the glass, spilling some of it down the side of his neck. He took a deep breath as Hitomi settled his head back down on his pillow.

"Thank…you…"

She down at him, stroking his dark hair and placing a cool hand on his forehead. He leaned into her touch, and Hitomi could see his chest slowly rise and fall as he began to drift to sleep. She wetted a small towel next to the pitcher, placing it on the boy's head before pulling the sheets down so he could feel the breeze better.

"You're welcome."

Her pendent grew bright once again, and Hitomi found herself in her seat at Lowood staring at the Ace of Serpents. She blinked and looked down at her pendent that now lay dormant on her chest. Had that been a vision, or something else?


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything!

Author's Note: Wow, I never thought anyone would be actually interested in this story. Thanks guys, you really made my day! Anyway, we've finally reached chapter 2! I think this calls for a huge bar of chocolate to celebrate!

[Well it would if theives had not stolen the last of my choclolate supply!]

Don't think I don't know who you are! Just you wait, I'll send my minions round so they can steal all your stuff! That'll teach ya! [Insert evil laugh]

Right, enjoy chapter 2. I'm off to gather my minions! [Never underestimate the power of penny sweets.]

**P.S** please review!

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_If you force the trail to emerge and turn with your every command, then most likely it will only become what you imagined. If you just enjoy the anticipation of each new curve and seize it as it comes, the road around the bend might lead to the unimaginable._

_**Brian Hufalar**_

**_xXxXx_**

The journey was about to begin.

Hitomi had secured the help of the Superintendent, who volunteered to bring the matter of her leaving Lowood to the board of Inspectors. At her recommendation the board were happy to oblige me with a reference, as long as permission was gained from my guardian to leave the school. A note was sent to the family, and the reply was short and swift.

_Hitomi Kanzaki may do as she pleases. We have long relinquished all interference in her affairs._

The swiftness of the reply was a surprise to the board, but it was deemed satisfactory and Hitomi was given permission leave to leave the school. A written reference was sent off, and within a week she was packing her belongings into her trunk.

Hitomi looked over her room one last time, making sure that nothing was left behind by accident. Her cards were already hidden within the pocket of her travelling dress, to hide them from the searchers at the border. She never took any chances when it came to those searches. But the reason for her uneasiness came in the form of a messenger from the town just that morning. And his breathless words had filled her with dread.

A Seer had been discovered near the boarder.

Hitomi had secluded herself in her room after the news was delivered. Her departure the next morning had been her cover, and she had spent the day consulting her cards. When she had asked them what the poor Seer's fate was to be, it was the card she feared it would be.

Death - _The end of a life that has served its purpose._

Now she knew what The Hermit had been warning her about. The discovery of the unfortunate Seer would now stir the old hatreds once again. And as for the Seer, Hitomi prayed it would be swift and clean. Unlike the last time.

Satisfied nothing was amiss, Hitomi went to bed. She forced herself to go to sleep, but her dreams were plagued with the flickering of flames and sound of agonised screaming. One dream was so graphic that Hitomi bolted upright in bed, a cold sweat covering her whole body. Her eyes darted wildly around the room, afraid that she would see a physical manifestation of her nightmare. Eventually she managed to calm herself, bringing her breathing back under control.

She looked across the room at her trunk, the address card nailed to the top ready for the porter in the morning to take it to her new home. The moonlight hit the card, illuminating it so Hitomi could read it from her bed.

_Fanelia._

Hitomi lay back on her bed, slowly repeating the name over and over again till she began to drift off. But it was not into a nightmare. Her pendent had once again come to life, glowing gently in the darkness as she fell into unconsciousness. And when Hitomi opened her eyes again, she unexpectedly found herself in a familiar place.

It was that room again.

The wind blew in from the open balcony door, causing her to shiver in her thin nightgown. The fire had gone out, leaving the embers smouldering within the grate. A shuffling sound made Hitomi focus on the bed, where a familiar figure was turning over in his sleep.

She quietly approached the bed, taking care not to disturb his from his dreams. Memories of their last encounter made her bend over him, checking for any sign of illness. Thankfully his chest was rising and falling normally, and he looked healthy and strong compared to his previous state. She smiled at him, reaching out to move a lock of hair that had fallen over his eyes in his sleep.

The boy leaned into her touch once again, turning his body so he could face her properly. She could see goose bumps up and down his neck, despite the warm blankets he was wrapped up in. Hitomi sat down on the bed, and began stroking his hair while debating if she should build up the fire again. It was not until the boy had rested his head on her lap, did she realise how he had slowly been moving towards her. Understanding washed over her, the poor child was lonely and was turning to her for comfort in his sleep.

She repositioned herself, leaning against the headboard of the large bed while the boy curled up next to her. He shifted his head on her lap, wrapping his arms around her middle in a tight grip. Almost as of he was trapping her there. Hitomi smiled down gently at him, before leaning her head against the wall and closed her eyes. And the last thing she heard was the boy talking in his sleep.

"Don't go…"

Sadly the pendent did not listen to his plea.

Hitomi opened her eyes, taking in the familiar surroundings of her room at Lowood. Her former room, she corrected herself. She sat up and looked down at her pendent, which once again lay dormant on her chest. She brought the pendent closer to her face, gazing into the depths of the mysterious pink stone. It truly had a mind of its own, bringing forth images and visions unbidden and glowing at inappropriate moments. But it was the only thing she had that connected her to her Grandmother. And for that reason, Hitomi would never part with the stone.

Even if it meant losing her life

Dawn came, and Hitomi took one last look at Lowood. The building held many memories, of emotions and people that had long past from the world. Her eyes flickered towards the church, bidding a silent farewell to a dear friend lying beneath the earth in an unmarked grave. Hitomi gave herself a mental shake and entered the waiting carriage.

_Farewell, dear Hikari._

The journey to Fanelia was a long one. The carriage had stopped twice for a change of horses, giving Hitomi a chance to move her stiff limbs. But all too soon she would get back in the carriage and the journey would continue. The carriage reached the boarder late that afternoon. As she expected, the carriage was stopped by a small group of soldiers.

The driver was taken to one side, and Hitomi clenched fistfuls of her dress to stop her hands from shaking. Fortunately the soldier who came to the door had a kind face, and politely asked her to get out of the carriage and be questioned by his Lieutenant. He helped her down, and Hitomi was acutely aware she was the object of scrutiny by his fellow soldiers. He lead her over to a canopy, which covered a desk and several chairs.

The Lieutenant rose from his chair, bowing to her before motioning for her to take the seat in front of him. Somehow Hitomi managed to sit down, her mind was blank with fear and she found it hard to control her limbs.

"I am sorry to pull you out of your carriage like this Miss. But his Majesty the King has ordered all outward bound transport is to be inspected, in light of the recent discovery of a Seer within the country."

she managed to nod her head in acknowledgement. Thankfully, the Lieutenant was too busy looking for a document on the desk to notice the fearful look in her eyes.

"Lt. Gaddess!"

Another soldier ran up beside him, handing over a piece of paper before departing back towards the carriage. Hitomi was finding it hard to breathe, and every moment was torture as the man took his time reading the contents of the paper.

"The driver claims you are heading to the capital of Fanelia. Why is that?"

"I have been offered a position as Governess there, sir."

"Do you know where you will be staying in the capital?"

"No sir. The driver knows the way"

Gaddess put the paper down and looked her in the eye. Another soldier ran up to his side and whispered in his ear, his eyes widened and he waved the soldier went away. He rose hastily to his feet and bowed to her.

"Forgive us Miss, we had no idea…"

"Huh?"

Gaddess moved to her side of the desk and offered her his hand. Bewildered Hitomi took it as he helped her back onto her feet, and allowed herself to be lead back to the carriage.

"I hope you will forgive us Miss. You may continue your journey with the King's blessing."

Hitomi had no idea what was going on, but she was not about to question her good fortune. But as she was about to enter the carriage, a shout from behind made her pause.

"Gaddess! What is going on?"

Hitomi turned back, noticing how the other soldiers had stiffened at the sight of the approaching figure. As she tried to get a look at him, Gaddess moved in front of her.

"Miss Kanzaki. Whatever you do, don't let the Captain get a look at your face."

"What?"

"Its for your own protection. Don't let him see you."

Hitomi never got a chance to ask him why, because his captain came upon them before she could ask. As Gaddess and the others saluted, Hitomi managed to get a look at the man she was supposed to hide her face from. He was tall, dressed like a knight with long flowing blonde hair. He was handsome, and he commanded respect from the men around him.

"Who have we here Gaddess?"

As he tried to get a look, Hitomi lowered her face just as Gaddess moved further in front of her.

"A young lady, Captain. Bound for Fanelia's capital."

Hitomi accidentally raised her head, and the captain must have seen her do it because he pushed Gaddess to one side. He stood in front of her and forced her to raise her face to his, looking deeply into her eyes.

"My, such a beautiful young lady. What kind of man would allow such a creature to travel all alone, especially this close to night fall?"

Something about this man made every feeling of dread and alarm flare inside of Hitomi. Something screamed at her to get away from him, especially as he lowered his face closer to her own.

"Let her go, Allen."

The captain turned his head sharply to the right, and Hitomi followed with her eyes since his grip on her face kept it from moving. Her eyes met with the sight of the driver, his arms crossed over his broad chest as he stared at the young man.

"Master Balgus…"

Hitomi managed to slip out of Allen's grasp, while his attention was focused elsewhere. The older man gave a nod towards the carriage, and Hitomi gladly climbed back inside. Gaddess closed the carriage door, and stood in front of it while Allen and Balgus talked.

The conversation was soon over.

Balgus climbed back into the driver's seat. Gaddess moved away from the door, bowing to Hitomi before taking his place beside his captain. Allen meanwhile was staring at the carriage, trying to catch a glimpse of her within the darkness of the carriage. Hitomi sunk further away from the window, grateful when the carriage gained speed and took them away from the soldiers.

Which left only one question: Who on earth was Balgus?

Hitomi was wondering this when the carriage began to slow once again. Balgus stopped the carriage and came to the carriage door.

"Young lady, we need to talk."

He opened the door and came inside. He took the seat opposite, which gave Hitomi a chance to examine him better. He was covered in scars, something she had overlooked when she greeted him back at Lowood. To have so many meant he was a warrior of some kind, which made her wonder why he was driving a young lady like herself to Fanelia. And by the way he was making himself comfortable, it was going to be a complicated explanation.

"I must ask for your forgiveness. Allen should not have behaved like that towards you, especially when he knew who's protection you are under."

"Protection?"

My startled tone must have confused Balgus, because he looked at me in utter disbelief. Suddenly he jumped to his feet, his eyes blazing. His head hit the roof of the carriage but he took no notice.

"I'll kill him…I swear I'll wring his scrawny little neck!"

A few oaths also followed. Hitomi had to cover her ears, since he was getting louder and louder with each insult that left his lips. Eventually Balgus calmed, and apologised for using such language in front of her. He sat down heavily, causing the carriage to jump.

"I see that some details were left out of the advertisement. Tell me, do you know exactly where you are going?"

"No. The letter said that the driver knew and I wasn't to ask any questions until I arrived in Fanelia."

Balgus muttered under his breath, shaking his head as he met her gaze.

"Young lady, you have been employed by the Royal House of Fanelia."

Hitomi felt the ground get pulled from under her feet. It just wasn't possible. Her, a lowly girl from a poor charity school was going to teach in a _palace_. Balgus gave her a few moments to process the information before continuing.

"There is a young girl called Merle who lives with the princes as a sister of sorts. Prince Folken has employed you to be her Governess. Now there was always going to be some level of secrecy during this process, but that idiot of an adviser left you out of the loop…"

Balgus trailed off there, muttering under his breath once more. Hitomi was finding it hard to breathe, all of this had been kept from her. And she had been worrying about keeping secrets from them.

"Who exactly _are_ you?

Balgus ceased his muttering, breaking out into chuckle as he looked at her bewildered face.

"I am Sir Balgus, General of Fanelia's army. I am also one of the Three Master Swordsmen. Prince Folken sent me to guard you."

"But, why? Why would you need to protect me?"

"He sent me to get you through that checkpoint. The fact that Allen Schezar was in charge of that checkpoint, makes me uneasy."

Balgus stood up and got out of the carriage. Hitomi's mind was a frantic mess, she was still petrified of what happened at the checkpoint and now she had found out she had been employed by _royalty_. Balgus came back to the carriage door.

"Do you want to have a break?"

She shook her head.

"I'm sorry. I know it's a lot to take in, but we are in Fanelia now. We should reach the capital by nightfall, you can decide what you want to do when we get there."

The carriage door was shut and Balgus went back to the driver's seat. The carriage set off, but Hitomi hardly felt the carriage moving. Her mind was attempting to process what she had been told, and as the sun sank beyond the horizon she came to a decision. She would go and see what the situation was like, and meet with the child Merle.

_I will not back down. But if I don't like it, I can always advertise again. They can't force me to stay…_

Eventually they emerged from the forest, and in the distance Hitomi could see the capital. Especially the Royal palace at the base of the great tree that sheltered the capital. The sea was shining in the distance, and Hitomi gazed at it with excitement. She had loved the sea since she was a child, it was one of the few pleasures she had found in that cold place she once called home.

She pulled the window down, enjoying the smell of the sea and the cry of the gulls in the distance. She stuck her head out and breathed deeply, not bothering what the wind would do to her hair. Balgus looked back at her briefly, and she could hear him chuckling to himself at her behaviour. But she didn't care, she was happy and she hadn't felt that way for a long time.

All to soon they reached the walls of the capital. Hitomi sat back inside the carriage, allowing Balgus to take them through the city without people staring at them. People looked over and a few called out greetings to Balgus, who gruffly replied a couple of times. Slowly they made their way through the capital and reached the palace gates.

"Halt! State your name and business!"

The carriage halted. Hitomi looked out the carriage window to see a troupe of soldiers, lead by an old man in blue robes blocking the gate.

"Its Balgus you old fool!"

"Yes I can see that! But what is your business here? I have not called for you-"

"As I recall, I do not answer to you. I answer to the Princes, and it is on Prince Folken's orders that I am here. Now get out of my way or I will run you over."

Hitomi giggled. The old man's face had turned a brilliant shade of purple, and she could not stop herself from laughing. The old ma's head turned sharply in her direction, and she had to put her hand over her mouth to muffle the sound of her giggling.

"Who is that girl, Balgus? I don't recall employing a new kitchen maid-"

"For your information, that is Miss Merle's Governess. And because of your incompetence, she nearly got accused of being a Seer and almost fell into Allen Schezar's clutches!"

The old man began to protest, but Hitomi could tell by Balgus's tone that he was barely able to restrain himself. And if that man did not shut up soon, Balgus was going to strangle him. Eventually Balgus ran out of patience.

"Silence! I don't want to hear your excuses. Save them for Prince Folken."

"Balgus, be reasonable! No harm came to her-"

"Not another word."

Balgus's tone turned dangerously soft, and the soldiers all started to edge away as if they expected their General to explode at any second. The old fool was left alone standing in the middle of the road, in the prime location to receive the brunt of Balgus's impending fury.

"Do not think I won't be motioning this to Prince Folken. This girl told me some things that the Prince will be interested to hear. Now get out of the way!"

The gates opened behind the bewildered man. The carriage began to move once again, and the old fool had to be dragged out of the way by the soldiers. Hitomi avoided all eye contact as they passed the group of men, and they soon passed through and the gates were locked behind them.

She had arrived.


	3. Chapter 3

_Libraries are reservoirs of strength, grace and wit, reminders of order, calm and continuity, lakes of mental energy, neither warm nor cold, light nor dark... In any library in the world, I am at home, unselfconscious, still and absorbed. - _**Germaine Greer**

The castle felt…familiar.

The carriage rolled to a halt at the foot of the steps leading to the imposing castle door. Balgus left his seat and opened the carriage door, signalling for her to get out quickly. He helped her down, barking orders over his shoulder for her trunk to be taken to her new room. He started to climb the steps, and Hitomi followed slowly as her stiff limbs remembered how to move correctly.

The door opened revealing the brightly lit interior. Balgus ushered her through and the door closed behind them with a great bang, sealing them within the castle. Hitomi stood in the middle of the huge entrance hall, taking in the paintings and tapestries that adorned the walls as well as the huge marble floor beneath her feet.

Balgus returned after talking with a servant. A maid appeared behind Hitomi and took her cloak and hat, Balgus handed his cloak to another servant which revealed the armoured breastplate he wore underneath.

"Come along. Prince Folken awaits us."

Fatigue swept Hitomi's body, but she forced her stiff limbs to follow the old warrior up the staircase. He lead her through endless corridors, twisting and turning like the tunnels of a rabbit burrow. Eventually they came to a sturdy looking oak door, Balgus knocked once before pushing the door open and lead Hitomi inside.

"Wait here."

Hitomi nodded. Balgus moved from her side to a door on the left hand side of the room, opened it and disappeared into the next room. Hitomi took the opportunity to study the room. It was an office of some kind, with its large desk and bookshelves overflowing with books and pieces of paper. The desk was nearly buried under huge mounds of paper, which overflowed onto the floor nearly burying the desk in a sea of paper. It reminded her of the amount of school work she used to spend most of the night marking, usually into the early morning as well.

Balgus re-appeared in the doorway, returning her thoughts to the present. He came through and returned to her side, followed by a much younger man with light blue hair.

"This is her, my Prince."

"Thank you Balgus. You may wait outside."

Balgus bowed and left the room. Hitomi swallowed nervously as she faced the man in front of her, but a ghostly image that appeared behind him made her forget her fear.

The Prince had _wings_.

The image was gone as soon as it came, but Hitomi still stared on into the space that the wings had occupied for several moments. The image had been blurry and the wings themselves looked faded, like they were ill. Why had her gift shown her that? Was it significant for some reason? The questions went round and round in Hitomi's head, but her gift gave her no answers.

Eventually it was the Prince that broke the silence that lay between them.

"You are Hitomi Kanzaki?"

Hitomi gave herself a mental shake and scraped together a reply.

"Y-Yes, my lord."

"I see."

The Prince studied her for a few moments before bowing slowly towards her, an act that she was completely unfamiliar with and threw her mentally off balance.

"Forgive my rudeness. I am Folken Lacour de Fanel, Prince Regent of Fanelia. It is an honour to have you with us, Hitomi Kanzaki…"

It took Hitomi a few moments to return the action with a curtsey. She murmured the necessities to Prince Folken, but her mind was miles away. She vaguely heard Balgus re-enter the room, and she could hear the Prince mention something about taking her to her room. The next thing she knew she was being herded out the door by Balgus, with the Prince watching on with an unreadable look in his eyes.

It was late when Hitomi sank back into her new bed, sighing in bliss at the softness of the mattress and pillows. It was such a contrast to her hard old bed at Lowood. But Hitomi was not complaining. After travelling since dawn in a carriage, the softness was like manna from heaven. She reached under her pillow to hold the case that hid her cards, grasping it as she slipped into unconsciousness.

But sleep did not await her.

Instead she found herself within a library, a HUGE library that went on as far as the eye could see. The booklover within Hitomi was struck dumb at the amount of books within the shelves, but they were not what caught her full attention. No, that belonged to the dark haired boy at the table in front of her. He looked older since the last time she had dreamt of him, yet he still looked as pale and sickly as ever. He was hunched over a huge tome, with a blanket thrown over his shoulders and a candle to see by.

Once again, he was alone.

The flame of the candle died plunging the room into darkness, save for the gentle glow of Hitomi's pendent. She could see the boy fumble around, trying to find the candle so he could light it again. But his hands could not find it in the darkness. His blanket fell to the floor, and he began to shiver as he still groped for the candle. After watching him for a few moments, Hitomi moved closer to the table and recovered the blanket from the floor.

"Who's there?"

Hitomi froze. She must have made some sound that attracted his attention, and since it was so dark the boy's gaze went over her several times. After a brief pause she put the blanket back on his shoulders. His shoulders stiffened under her touch, but he did not pull away. The candle came back to life, casting a soft glow on the book and upon the boy himself. He turned then, his eyes looking straight through her. Hitomi realised then that he could not see her, but merely feel her presence.

He looked _sad_.

Hitomi moved away, her footsteps echoed in the silence of the room. The boy leapt to his feet, nearly knocking the candle over in his haste.

"Please don't go!"

Hitomi turned back, watching him from the short distance she had put between them.

"I can't see you. Where are you?"

Hitomi opened her mouth to respond, but the pendent once again intervened. Instead, a man stood in the boy's place. The library faded away, leaving Hitomi and the man stood in an endless void of darkness. The light of the pendent did not reach his face, but she did not need to know he was staring at her. The man lifted his hand, calling her to let him take her hand into his own.

And she obeyed.

His hand was gentle yet firm when she placed her hand in his. He bent his head and brushed his lips across her knuckles, the touch as light as a feather. Yet it caused Hitomi's skin to burn, and her cheeks to flush. His face was hidden from her view, but she felt him smile against her skin as if her reaction pleased him. But all to soon, this place also began to disappear like the boy and the library.

As the scene faded away into the light, a voice echoed all around Hitomi.

"_The Dragon will return to claim his Lady…"_

Hitomi sat up straight, a sheen of sweat covering her body. Her cheeks were as flushed as they had been in her vision, and she looked down at her right hand the man's lips had been. Her attention drifted to her pendent, which lay innocently against her chest once again.

Someone had entered the room and opened the curtains, allowing the cry of the gulls and the faint scent of the sea to enter her room. But she hardly noticed these things, her mind was still trying to understand what that voice meant.

_The Dragon…as in The Ace of Serpents?_

Hitomi took her case out from under her pillow, opening it and drawing out the Ace of Serpents. As she gazed at the dragon depicted on her card, which was the same as the one on her case, she thought of the man in her vision. His imaged flashed in front of her eyes, as if to confirm her suspicion. She put the card away, with the intention of thinking more about the significance after she had met her new pupil.

As she dressed, a maid came in with her breakfast tray. Thankfully the girl stayed away from her bed where the cards were hidden. When she left, Hitomi placed them back in the secret pocket of her dress. She would not take any chances till she could find a safe hiding place for them. A simple act of carelessness-

_Wham_

Hitomi practically jumped out of her skin when the door crashed open. A young girl was sprawled upon the floor, rubbing her head and groaning. She sat up, rubbing her head just behind her _cat-like _ears. Hitomi could not fail to notice the girl had a _tail_, as well as bright _pink _hair and _brown_ fur. As she stared, the girl finally caught sight of her standing there. And the pair of them stared at each other in disbelief.

"Miss Merle!"

The girl's tail twitched, and she crawled behind the door just as a maid came into view through the doorway.

"Please, Miss Merle come along. You have to gat ready to meet your new governess…"

The woman's voice faded away, leaving the pair of them alone once more. Hitomi finally snapped out of the shocked trance she had fallen into, realising that her new pupil was cowering behind the door. Clearly she realised she had seen something she should not have seen, and the child may have realised it.

A simple act of carelessness.

A few moment later the girl came out of her hiding place. She was fiddling with a bracelet she wore around her left wrist, which gave off a magical aura. The girl's image flickered and all her cat characteristics vanished. Brown fur was replaced with light bronze skin, the tail disappeared, her pink hair changed to dark red. Her cat ears disappeared, replaced by human ones hidden beneath her short crop of hair. In short, the cat girl had vanished and had been replaced by a red haired little girl.

Who was glaring at her.

"Miss Merle, there you are!"

The maid had returned, glad to have finally found her lost charge. She fussed over the child, hoisting her back to her feet. She whispered something into the child's ear, and with a final glare in Hitomi's direction the child left the room. The maid bowed, apologising for the disturbance they had caused. She then left, leaving Hitomi alone with her mind still reeling from what she had just witnessed.

"Okay, Hitomi. Lets think this through rationally, and not jump to any conclusions. You saw a little girl who looked like a _cat_ enter your room. Yet when she came out from behind the door, she looked like a normal little girl with red hair."

She paced the room, trying to calm herself down. Suddenly, she remembered what the maid had called the cat girl: _Miss Merle_.

_She's my pupil. _

_

* * *

_Far away from Fanelia in a cold dark cell, the captured Seer was awaiting his fate. His body was battered and bruised, and the future promised more of the same. But he had served his purpose and now he was ready to die, knowing that at last he could rest in peace.

Even now as he awaited his death, his gift gave him glimpses of a future he would no longer see. He saw a woman teaching a child, her green eyes kindly looking down at the child as she worked. The woman was a Seer as well, her aura was unmistakable in its brilliance. She truly had a great gift, and the child also had something of a mystical nature about her.

But the child's aura was nothing compared to the young dark haired man watching them.

His aura was just as bright as the young woman's, yet it was distinctly different. The ghostly image of wings appeared behind his back, which immediately gave away his heritage: _Draconian. _

A door slammed, breaking him out of the vision. He leaned his head against the cold damp stones, listening for the footsteps that spelled the end of his existence. The figure passed by his cell, kicking the door in contempt as he passed. Even though he was now he was locked up, the people still feared and hated him.

_Their fear is deeper then any ocean._

The sound of the door being unlocked echoed off the stone walls. The jailer inclined his head towards the corridor, refusing to speak a word to him. He was grabbed by two guards as he crossed the threshold, and was clapped in heavy cold chains. He was dragged by the collar they thrust around his neck, leading him to his death like a dog.

Yet the Seer was calm.

The courtyard was filled with soldiers, their function to keep the people from getting near the pyre. But that did not stop them screaming at him, throwing stones and abuse at him for his mere existence.

_Abomination!_

_Demon!_

_Go to hell where you belong, Seer!_

The Seer was tied to the stake, and watched as the last of the wood was thrown onto the pyre. The atmosphere was becoming darker by the second, as the people unwittingly let the darkness out of their hearts. Only his kind could see what damage the darkness brought, and even now it pained him to see the light swallowed thus.

A flicker of energy caused him to raise his eyes to the crowd. He could sense another Mystic in the crowd, and this person was trying to reach out to him.

_Please…let me help you._

He located the source: a young man with a child in his arms. The child was ignorant of the events around her, focusing on trying to get her father's attention to her and the doll in her arms. The man was focused upon him, trying to get closer through the crowd.

_No, this was meant to be. _

The young man tried to protest, gaining a few looks from the guards.

_Enough. Protect yourself and your young one, and leave this land._

He could see the young man wanted to push the matter further, but he was cut short when the castle doors opened and the Prime Minister appeared.

_May you find peace in the next life._

_And may you find joy in this one, friend. Farewell._

The young man vanished into the crowd with his child, hopefully to safety. The Seer watched as the minister took his place on the platform in front of him. The man's eyes were filled with darkness and hate, the cloud of darkness he emitted nearly blocked out the sun.

"Filth of the Mystic Valley, you have been found guilty of treason against this nation. Thus you have been brought here to die. But we are not without compassion, repent your heathen ways and your soul may yet be spared. What say you?"

The words rang clear in the silence that they had created. The crowd were waiting, secretly hoping that he would crack and give them the words they longed to hear. To reaffirm their beliefs that they were doing the will of the gods, and saving his soul from damnation. He had watched many of his fellow mystics break under the strain, and his heart bled for each of them. But he would not break.

The ancient Hymn of the Mystics was his response.

_Win dain a lotica_

_En val tu ri_

_Si lo ta_

_Fin dein a loluca_

_En dragu a sei lain_

_Vi fa-ru les shutai am_

_En riga-lint_

_Win chent a lotica_

_En val turi_

_Silota_

_Fin dein a loluca_

_Si katigura neuver_

_Floreria for chesti_

_Si entina_

The crowd was silent as the song echoed around them. An ancient knowledge, hidden within their blood, kept them from interrupting the words of the ancient song. The minister managed to shake free of his involuntary trance, and signalled for the fire to be lit. Two guards stumbled forward with their lit torches and threw them into the pyre. The flames caught the tinder and the fire began to make its way towards the Seer, and the smoke began to choke him as the crowd watched in silence.

The fire caught the fuel and the blaze began to grow hotter, and the flames licked at the Seer's bare feet. Soon the crowd had to cover their noses, with the sickening smell of burning fat and flesh burning in their nostrils. The Seer held his tongue against the pain, even as the flames made their way up his legs and were now near his waist. He was delirious from the pain, and the smell of his own flesh burning almost made him retch.

He forced his eyes to look at the minister, who was covering his mouth with a silk handkerchief against the smell. Eventually he pushed the silk away and threw up, gagging for air as he emptied his stomach all over the platform. The other ministers were moving well out of the way, leaving the old man to throw up in peace. It was a comical sight.

The flames had reached his neck now, and his chest was beginning to melt away with the force of the blaze. In normal circumstances there would have been a bag of powder around his neck, which would have exploded by now thus ending his agony. But the Prime Minister had ordered the executioners to ignore this small mercy, with the intent of letting the Seer die in as much agony as humanly possible.

The Seer looked up into the sky beyond the smoke. His whole being was in agony, but his mind was calm. His pendant was still intact, hanging from the fist of one of the guards near by. He could feel it pulsing, responding to something that had caught its attention. Voices entered his mind, speaking the words of ancient prayers for his soul and for his acceptance into the next world. Beyond the voices he could hear a commotion among the guards, who were yelling and pointing in his direction.

Somehow he realised that his pendent had returned to its place around his neck, and that it was glowing brightly against the flames. The voices increased in their volume, till they were echoing off the walls of the courtyard and the people were cowering in fear. The Seer closed his eyes and made a wish, and he felt himself floating into the air leaving the pain and the hate behind.

_Win chent a lotica_

_En val turi_

_Silota_

_Fin dein a loluca_

_Si katigura neuver_

_Floreria for chesti_

_Si entina_

A light came down from the heavens, swallowing the Seer and the pyre. The people shielded their eyes, as the ministers screamed for order. The pyre was fully ablaze, swallowing the Seer whole. His flesh was burning all over, and the people could just make out his face hidden in the flames. It was at peace, and he was smiling up at the light. The light grew brighter, and the voices speaking in their ancient tongue grew stronger as well.

Then, they stopped.

The people uncovered their eyes, watching as the soldiers rushed towards the pyre. The ministers were beside themselves, some screaming incoherent orders while others just stared at the pyre in awe. A cry sounded as people began to point at the pyre, and the whole crowd soon followed suit.

The Seer was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything!

Author's Note: You guys must have the patience of saints, because I can't believe it took me so long to update this story! (Shakes head in disgust) Anyway it took me a while but I finally got this typed down, after nearly three months of being written down in my notebook and being heavily edited during boring lectures.

So, I hope you enjoy chapter 4! And hopefully I won't leave you guys hanging that long again. (Fingers crossed)

**PS**: Please Review!

* * *

_When the wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast._

_**Wiccan Rede**_

Rain battered against the glass, causing Hitomi to look up from marking Merle's latest essay. The child herself was working on some basic math problems, muttering to herself as she worked. Hitomi sighed, wishing the child would just ask for help instead of struggling by herself. Merle had a good mind, not exactly first rate but Hitomi was determined to make a scholar of her even if it killed them both in the process.

Their meeting had gone exactly as Hitomi imagined it would.

When Hitomi had got over her initial shock, she had been summoned by a maid to go to the school room. When she had arrived, Prince Folken was sat in the room with her new pupil waiting for her. Hitomi immediately dropped a curtsy to the prince, while the child scowled at her from the young man's lap.

"Good morning, Miss Kanzaki. May I introduce your new pupil, Merle."

Hitomi had greeted the child to no avail. The child just scowled, and after some meaningful looks from the prince returned her greeting. The prince them excused himself, and left the pair of them alone to size one another up. The child was clearly uncomfortable and with what Hitomi had seen earlier, so was she to some degree.

_Snap out of it Hitomi, just act like nothing happened!_

"Ready to begin your lessons, Merle?"

The child just nodded sullenly, and they had begun. At lunch they finished their lessons for the day, and Merle was free to play while Hitomi marked her work and set the next day's lesson. They settled into the routine peacefully, and the days flew by without event. The prince came in every now and again to see how they were both getting along, and even Balgus came in on occasion. But after four months she still felt like a stranger to everyone.

The prince was frequently away from home, negotiating with other nations and forging alliances with their rulers. Fatigue followed him like a ghost, but the councillors never gave him a chance to breathe. They hounded him with documents to sign and to preside over meetings that frequently ended in bickering and disagreement. His visits to the school room were the only time he could relax, playing with Merle and looking over her work with Hitomi. But the peace would be shattered when Balgus came through the door, summoning the prince to a meeting with the council. He would drag himself away, and the endless cycle would begin again.

Hitomi jumped as the window was blown open by the wind, causing the fire to dance and the cold air rushed in to chill them both down to their bones. She hastened to the window, pushing the glass back into place and securing the latch once more. Hitomi looked around to assess the damage the wind had caused. The table was bare of papers, which were strewn across the floor. The bookshelves lining the walls thankfully were undisturbed, but the fire was waning and she hastened over to feed it more wood.

Soon the fire was burning brightly in the grate once more, and Hitomi eased herself off the cold hard floor and busied herself with collecting the fallen papers. As she reached for a piece, it transformed before her eyes into one of her cards. Her pendent pulsed as the card revealed it's image to her.

Death - _The end of a life that has served its purpose._

Tears threatened to spill from her eyes as the paper returned to its normal form, another Seer was dead and had been taken to the Mystic Valley. Hitomi knew she should not cry, they were in a better place now and were safe from further harm. But her tears continued to build till one spilled down her cheek.

"Miss Hitomi?"

She was brought back into reality with a painful jolt, Merle was looking at her from the other side of the table with curious eyes. Hitomi mentally shook her self, and quickly gathered the papers from the floor and returned them to the desk.

"Come now Merle, this is not getting any work done."

Merle stood up and placed the papers back on the table, staring at the tear stain on her cheek as she returned to her work. Thankfully the child did not ask any questions, and Hitomi returned to her marking and discretely wiped the tears away.

At noon she finished the day's lessons, leaving Merle to play for the rest of the afternoon while she marked her work for the next day. Lunch promised to be a solitary affair, and Hitomi was about to ring for a servant when Balgus came into the school room in search of her.

"Prince Folken requests you join us for lunch."

The invitation was unexpected, as Hitomi was used to eating alone in her school room back at Lowood. But she found the invitation most welcome, and so she followed Balgus to the Prince's study. The desk had been temporarily cleared of papers and was set for lunch, with Merle sat on the Prince's lap telling him of her lessons that day.

"And how did you enjoy your lessons, Merle?"

"They were okay, Lord Folken. But I'd rather spend time with you then her, she's weird…"

The girl trailed off when she spotted Hitomi in the door way with Balgus, and watched as they both paid their respects to the Prince. Balgus helped Hitomi to sit down before taking his own seat, and Merle returned to her own chair as the servants brought in the food. The spread was certainly more generous then what Hitomi was used to at Lowood, where the food was in such small quantities that it left the staff and children alike longing for more.

Balgus dished out the food, giving a generous portion to each of them before dishing out his own. Merle began her meal quickly, which caused Hitomi to make a mental note to teach the child proper behaviour at the dinner table.

"And how has your day been, Miss Hitomi?"

"It has been fine, your highness-"

"Lord Folken, if you please. It is only fair, since I am allowed to address you by your given name."

Balgus chuckled, and Hitomi could feel her face burning with embarrassment. Never the less she continued her report on Merle's progress.

"Miss Merle has made good progress today, and I hope to see it continue. "

"She has not given you any trouble, I hope?"

The question was directed at her, but the Prince looked over at the child who was sinking slowly into her chair under his stare. Hitomi at once leapt to her defence.

"Not at all. Miss Merle behaved beautifully today, she was a complete pleasure to teach."

The child perked up at the small praise from her Governess, while Balgus smiled into his glass of water. The Prince was about to question her further when the door burst open, nearly coming off its hinges. Balgus was off his seat in seconds, drawing his sword and pointing it at the neck of the man Hitomi recognised from the palace gate. His robes were in a state of disarray, and his eyes were wide as they looked down at the sword Balgus was threatening him with.

"Good afternoon, Luther. What brings you here?"

"The S-Seer, my P-P-Prince…"

Balgus growled and pressed the blade deeper into the man's throat. Folken made a disapproving sound, which caused Balgus to lessen the pressure on the blade. Hitomi watched the young man carefully, especially his grip on his glass which was beginning to crack under the force of his grip.

"Go on, Luther. Balgus, put your sword away."

The general obeyed, sheathing his sword but remaining on his feat. Hitomi was dreading what came next, the details of the death she has sensed that morning which she prayed was quick and painless. What she heard sickened her to her stomach.

"The Seer was burned at the stake this morning, my Prince. However, our neighbours urge us to begin an Inquisition at once. We agree with our neighbours council, and have already taken the liberty to begin-"

Balgus's fist slammed into the desk, causing Merle to jump and Hitomi to flinch at the waves of anger coming from the swordsman. Folken remained still.

"The Inquisition! Have you all gone senile?"

"Sir Balgus-"

"How quickly the Council forgets! Do you not recall the last time the Inquisition swept across Fanelia? How families turned on each other for coins? How friends betrayed friends for land and property?"

Hitomi could see in her mind everything he described. She watched the Inquisition sweep through Fanelia, tearing the country apart and leaving the broken souls behind to fix the destruction it created. The visions were swift and violent, and a lone tear escaped from her eyes and ran down her cheek in her despair.

_Crack_

The sound of breaking glass caused the room to fall silent. Hitomi looked Folken, who was standing up with shards of broken glass in his fist. The ghostly image of his wings appeared again, and his eyes looked other worldly as they stared at the trembling council member.

"Lord Luther."

Hitomi flinched at the coldness in his voice, only to have Balgus rest a hand on her shoulder in reassurance. Even Merle shied away from Folken, leaving her seat to sit on her Governess's lap and clutch her hand like a vice.

"You will call a meeting of the Council, immediately."

"B-But my Prince, it would take days to-"

"I don't care. Call the councilmen here now, tell them I expect them here immediately. Now get out of my sight!"

The council man fled the room, leaving Folken to collapse into his seat with a sigh. His wings disappeared along with his anger, and left the room in silence. Hitomi gained enough courage to reach across the table and lay her hand gently on Folken's bleeding fist, which caused the young man to look at her in silent gratitude for her concern.

"Lord Folken?"

His name felt strange on her tongue, but it managed to break him out of his thoughts and back to the situation at hand. He gently removed his hand from hers and looked at the still seething Balgus, his expression grim.

"Balgus, I must prepare for this. I seek your memories and wisdom, and also your help."

"What ever you desire, my Prince."

Folken looked kindly at Merle, who was still sitting on Hitomi's lap and staring at the young man in front of her.

"Forgive me, Merle. I did not mean to scare you…"

"That's okay, Lord Folken. I know you didn't mean it!"

The child leapt of Hitomi's lap and ran round the table to hug Folken, who returned the embrace with a gentle smile on his face.

"Thank you Merle. Now, why don't you show Miss Hitomi the library? I'm sure she would love to see it."

The child nodded and came back round the table. She held her hand out to Hitomi, who took it and was lead away from the two men who's expressions turned grim as they closed the door behind them. Just as the door closed, she heard Folken address Balgus.

"Find him. Van needs to come home."

_Van?_


	5. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

Attention All, for I have a message for the masses...

I have a lot to do at the moment at home, and thus I don't have enough time to write up all the chapters that dwell in my notebook. So I have put a poll on my Author's page, which gives you all the option to vote for which story I update first.

Please look for the poll at the top of my Author's page, and vote for the one you **really **want me to update.

You have my thanks for reading this message.

**P.S** Many thanks to those of you who have recently either reviewed or story alerted any of my works, they have been the few worthwile emails in my inbox as of late.

Please send me some more!

**11/8/2012**

Just read a review by Cloudcity'sbookworm who kindly pointed out that I'd left out Ebony and Ivory from the Poll, a mistake I can't believe I didn't notice before! I have corrected that little oversight, and now you all can vote for it.

Many thanks to Cloudcity'sbookworm, and I apologise to all of you who wanted to vote for Ebony and Ivory.

Must of been having a blonde moment.


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