Escaflowne 1. I: The Beginning

**The Seer and the Dragon King**

**Chapter One**

A/N: Van and Hitomi, in my own version of Beauty and the Beast (inspired by Meatloaf's video for "I would do anything for love") Seriously guys, watch it and don't deny that it has some definite Beauty and the Beast overtones with some Nymph/Demonic creature action. Plus I love, love that song.

I have to warn you it will be only like Beauty and the Beast in the sense that there is a cursed man in a castle type thing the rest is up for grabs or for inspiration to strike, hard fast and quick.

Disclaimer: I own nothing! Well, maybe I own a little bit, but not much and when I say a little bit I mean the ideas outside of the whole Beauty and the Beast bit.

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The road was not use to visitors, that much she could tell. The weeds and vines that had overtaken the road were wary to relinquish their hold that they had gained over decades of disuse. Normally Hitomi would have stayed there admiring the way nature had reclaimed its stake, but not today. For the day she was running away from men who wanted to recapture her. Thus instead of gazing at the vines and trees she was cursing them for hindering her escape.

Instead of beauty she saw treacherous things that reached out and grabbed at her ankles, trying to slow her keep her near the clutches of her enemy. And yet, it was that very treacherous act that saved her life. A vine wrapped itself around her ankle dragging her back down to the ground and yet with the fall she rolled to the ground falling into the brush that had yet to over come the ancient path. The sticks pushed harshly against her tender skin while the leaves brushed and itched. Still, Hitomi just laid there catching her breath.

Her chest was still heaving at the exertion when she heard the sounds of her pursuers. The clomping and metallic sounds that could only come from Dilandau and his vile Slayers sounded thunderous to her ears, just like her heart that was slamming hard against her chest. She could have sworn Dilandau would hear the organ just as well as she could, yet when he did not stop, no instead he moved forward until there was a startled yelp.

"Sir!" one of the Slayers called out. Hitomi heard Dilandau still and could imagine the sneer overcoming his lips.

"What?" she heard him demand.

"This is the territory of Fanelia," the words sent chills down her spine. As a child in their nomadic village Hitomi had often heard of the tales of Fanelia and its cursed king, though the tales told of a time years ago where Dragons still roamed free on Gaea along with Melefs being things of great importance. In the story it had told of a family that was cursed because of the mother's heritage, she passed on the curse to her children and thus the Fanel royal family was doomed to perish. Only the youngest, most feral Prince survived to rule with an iron fist until his curse too took him and changed him and his kingdom into a death trap. It was said that they would sleep until an unsuspecting soul wandered into their realm and then would awaken to consume the soul.

"And the Kingdom of Fanelia has been abandoned for centuries!" Dilandau snarled at his man. Hitomi scrunched her eyes tight as she remembered the second part. Something was to be able to break the curse, but she knew not of what would, no one did. Or if they ever had the knowledge had long since passed.

"But sir! The curse still lives! The seer is lost to us, she has most likely awoken the Dragon King and been sucked dry of her soul," another voice of a Slayer joined the fray. There was a pregnant silence before Dilandau uttered an irritated sigh and conceded. Hitomi knew that he had probably weighted the probability of his troops actually doing anything useful as they looked over their shadows waiting for the cursed Dragon King to pop out and suck their souls from their living bodied. Hitomi shuddered at the thought, but she was already in trouble, she had trespassed on the Fanelian territory. Though she'd rather take on the Dragon King than rather go head to head with Dilandau.

The sound of soldiers retreating never sounded so sweet. Once they were far enough away that she could stand without them spotting her, Hitomi did so only to face a large yellow eye. She stifled a scream that threatened to rip from her throat, Dilandau and his slayers were too close. And, she had meant every word when she would rather be part of the Dragon King's meal than be back in Dilandau's hands.

Still the thought of actually being dragon food wasn't appealing, Hitomi shuffled back her eyes trained on the big yellow eye until a hand wrapped itself over her mouth. The hand was broad and covered in a brown leather glove, which felt strange against her flesh. Seeing as most people refrained from touching her, even if they had gloves, being touched was strange all on its own. Her back was brought against a broad chest alerting Hitomi to the sex of her savior or captor, which ever he chose to be.

"Don't move," it was a hiss that seemed to slither into her ear from lips that were far from her body. It was strange she didn't know if it were humanly possible for him to be so close to her and yet she couldn't feel his breath against her skin even as he spoke to her. His grip on her body seemed to tighten as the creature blinked its overly large eye, and then it began to move. Hitomi watched in a mixture of horror and fascination as the long scaled neck moved into the vision after the eye.

Never before in her life had Hitomi ever seen a dragon up close so as the creature moved she was completely unaware of the fact that the gloved hand had moved away from her mouth as well as the body, which had disappeared all together. It was only until the tail lazily swung back and forth that she was aware of the fact that now she was all alone in the cursed Fanelian forest. Another shiver crawled down her spine and Hitomi was quick to scramble out of the underbrush. If she could get out without Dilandau catching her as well as keep herself safe from the Dragon King, the seer would take the route.

Her breath came out in pants and Hitomi only felt shock, as her eyes did not gaze upon the road instead she saw more of the strange forest. And perched upon a limb was a cat-person with bright pink hair. Fur covered the beast creature's entire body though the majority of the fur was brown and not pink. It was a combination of the patchy skin along with a wide feral grin that was spread along the feline's face. The seer shivered and tried to look away, but it was like a bar fight no matter what you did your eyes were always glued to the scene before you.

Hitomi forcefully clenched her eyes shut and tried to imagine back home, where people danced around fires, told stories anything they could get their hands on. Where dresses were vibrant colors and most wore jewelry that jingled and jangled, even the men wore them. She ignored the fact that the second she showed the she had indeed inherited her grandmother's gifts that they seemed to shy away from her even it if was only a little bit. She refused also to remember the day of her capture instead she focused on the good parts the interesting parts that made her life with the nomadic tribe so loving and great.

"What brings you to my lord's woods?" the feline asked and Hitomi's eyes snapped open and noticed that the creature had moved a few branches down and was looking at her curiously from glassy eyes.

"I-it was an accident I lost my way. I am just trying to find my way back to the road," she tried to look away from the eyes that seemed to be made from bobbles, but she couldn't, she couldn't even force herself to close her own eyes. The creature had her in a trap.

The feline clicked her tongue and shook her head, loose pink strands flopping listlessly as she did so, "Lying will get you nowhere with the Lord. And you can't escape, you have entered our realm, the road is no longer for you eyes. No matter how wide you can see." She ended the reply with a chilling giggle. "Now, what to do with the liar girl? Leave her for the dragons or take her back home?" Hitomi watched the feline tap her chin before the grin once more came over the feline's face and she disappeared into the foliage. Suppressing the shudder that wanted to make it's way to the surface Hitomi looked at the ground and took a deep breath.

"I suppose that answers the question," she mumbled, but even as she did the noise of something rumbling caused her to look up. Trees were groaning as they moved out of her way creating a variation of a path, but not the one she was looking for. Still it was not proper to look a gift horse in the mouth, so she took the route trying to spot a fluff of pink or maybe a man with gloved hands. She didn't know where she was going, but she did know that this place would keep her safe from Dilandau for a while. At least until he got troops who weren't scared of the fables, the very fable that was now proving to be true. Would he try to turn back once he found out its truth?

She felt like she was falling and then there was a roar. A hideous bone-chilling roar as a male figure ran began to clash with a horde. Wings sprouted from his back, and it was then that Hitomi realized she was in a vision. The angle she was watching from was inhumanly possible if one was left standing and standing she was. Her eyes watched as the man tore through the large group of soldiers in red. It wasn't until all were dead did she see him finally drop to his knees. Yet, by that point there was a louder roar and if felt like Hitomi was pushed through time and space to see as a mechanical white dragon stood proudly in a clearing, and then there was nothing.

Trees seemed to lean over causing a strange archway, but then again they had just been forcefully moved. Hitomi tried to ignore the oddities and tried to see if she could spot some pink except instead of seeing the cat girl again there were squirrels and other animals that were normal to see in normal forests. She frowned because the creatures did look normal they even scurried away as she appeared to come closer. Sucking in her lip so that she could chew on it, Hitomi almost bit the flesh in half in shock. The forest ended a bit and then there was a slight incline before opening into a village.

When she arrived at the small village that seemed to be connected to an overly large castle. Except the village almost seemed as if it were deserted No one walked the cleared roads and it wasn't as if there were people hidden behind the doors. It was as if they had all disappeared or left. Walking slowly forward Hitomi looked around her bottom lip sucked in as she took a deep breath. Where was everyone? She wondered.

"They left," a deep and rough voice answered her unspoken question, "they left the second it reemerged. Seeing as they were not participants of the curse they were allowed to leave. The rest of us weren't so lucky." Turning around Hitomi saw a wolf man standing his eyes dull as if he were on the edge of life. He hobbled as he walked towards her. And his movements almost made her think he was one of the dead raised again. "I heard from my Lord that you had arrived. We were waiting for you." He gave a jerking bow and Hitomi just watched afraid of what would happen next, but the wolf man just hobbled over the path expecting her to follow along. He turned his head back when he noticed she had not moved from her spot.

"Am, am I in trouble?" she stuttered, eyes wide with fear. The beast man chuckled softly before shaking his head no.

"Just come along, you do not want to be left here when it comes to dark. I would know," he gave another chuckle this time it sounded raspy, and rattled. Once more he jerked his head towards the castle. "Come." This time Hitomi did follow the orders and with slow movements she trudged after the wolf man.

He led the way easily even though it seemed that he was about to fall to pieces even as he walked. For the most part the trip was silent except when the air was broken by screeches of the dying. It felt like her innards were shaking every time one of the screeches pierced the air. She glanced worriedly at the wolf man whom showed no signs of hearing the noises instead he dutifully led her into the castle.

There too it was silent as a tomb. Nothing moved and the air was still. The wolf man turned to her before bowing and leaving her there all alone. The door swung shut with a deafening thud, and once more the silence seeped back into the castle. Once it finally seemed to settle, Hitomi began to wonder if she were to move if she would disrupt the silence and awaken the beasts inside. Preferably she would rather not cause to castle to come to life, but her legs were shaking and she felt tired. It was as if once she stilled the actual trauma she had endured had come crashing down upon her. And thus, it was not a surprised when she nearly stumbled forward, nor was it shocking to hear the pattering of feet rushing towards her. Tanned hand grabbed her shoulders and soon she was maneuvered so that she was carried like a bride should be.

From her position she could see the curled brown hair that flowed down the man's shoulders as well as he quite large nose. His skin was tanned, but it seemed to still hold a sickly pale beneath the tan, and his eyes a dull green as if he weren't seeing anything. Hitomi mused that he must be like the cat girl and the wolf man, but yet he was completely and utterly human. As much as she was at least. However, her musings were cut short by an unmistakable feminine shriek.

"Dryden! Put her down at once!" the woman, whom Hitomi had to crane her neck to see, practically screamed. The man, who was apparently named Dryden, quickly set her down before a sheepish looked came over his sickly pale face. Now that she could see him better, Hitomi noticed that his cheeks where sunken in as well as his eyes giving him quite a haunted look. "She's our guest not your lover!" the woman continued and thus brought the seer's attention to her. She too would have been strikingly beautiful if not for the fact that she looked as if she hadn't eaten for months. Indigo eyes stared hard over high cheek bones as blonde hair fell limply over her shoulders and back.

"Millerna, she was about to faint," a smooth charming voice was emitted from Dryden and he moved towards the blonde woman. "I couldn't throw her over my shoulder now could I?" he asked as he arched a brow. His arms were busy wrapping themselves around the blondes shoulders, and if she could, Hitomi was sure, the blonde would have blushed for she looked bashfully to the ground before a mask over came her face and she shrugged the arms off.

"Well then, I apologize," her eyes still glued to the stone ground. "I knew not of your condition, Miss. Would you like some sort of refreshment?" Hitomi was startled by the offer and debated if it would be wise to eat the Dragon King's food. Would it be like the myths that once she consumed the food she would be part of their court? Hitomi sucked in a breath and looked at Millerna's slightly less dull eyes. They were not apprehensive nor did they seem too mischievous, all Hitomi could see was worry and caring. And while the worry made her uneasy, the seer couldn't throw away the caring. It had been so long since someone had truly cared for her well being, not just the fact that she was a tool for use.

"I would like some," Hitomi nodded. A smiled spread over Millerna's face that looked like it could be painful for the woman, especially when her bottom lip split open and blood began to dribble on her grayed skin. However, neither Millerna nor Dryden seemed to notice it and that disturbed Hitomi more than anything.

"Okay, I'll send some tea up to your room, which Dryden will show you to," Millerna's smiled widened if it were possible and more blood droplets fell to her chin. Hitomi gave a shudder even as Dryden's cold arms touched her bare skin. How had she not noticed the chill of his flesh before? She wondered and looked at his overly thin face. Glasses sat perched on his nose and seemed to droop a little ways down. They too looked like they had seen better days, yet she did not comment upon that particular fact. Instead she watched as the castle seemed to come alive with others who looked very much like Dryden and Millerna, as if they had yet to consume food for months or if they were near death's door. What shocked her most were two grown leopard cat women who bounced down the halls carrying strange objects. Unlike the young cat girl she had seen the two looked like they were losing their hair as well as being too thin. Still even as sickly looking beings buzzed around Dryden seemed to take no notice of them.

They arrived at a door and Dryden swung it open. Standing in the midst of the room was a red headed girl who was leaning over the bed straightening the bed spread, and strangely enough out of everything of the castle the room looked new and well kept. The red head jumped back and looked at Hitomi almost wearily before smiling broadly at her. This smile too caused a split lip and bleeding, but unlike Millerna the girl covered her lips and looked bashful with out the blushing. That seemed strange to Hitomi they could obviously bleed and yet they could not blush.

"Just finishing now are you Yukari?" Dryden asked a playful note to his tone. Once more the red head looked down at the ground and gave a nervous chuckle. "Or did you want to see the new guest?" Yukari looked up her eyes seeming to be the liveliest out of all the people and creatures she had passed, excluding the dragon.

"You caught me. I wanted to catch sight of her," Yukari held up her hands as if to say, you caught me red-handed. Hitomi frowned and wondered why she seemed so exotic. She knew from the legend that the curse was over the entire lands of Fanelia, so wouldn't it be easy to lure in unsuspecting victims. "She is very pretty," Yukari nodded as if she were approving of Hitomi's appearance.

"Very well, but I was sure that Millerna was expecting your help in the kitchen," Dryden warned. What little color that was in Yukari's face left as Dryden's comment and she quickly rushed out of the room whispering apologies. Looking back to Dryden after the door soundly closed, Hitomi noticed an amused look on Dryden's features.

"Well, then," he began, "I'll leave you to settle in and the tea should be up in a few minutes." With that the tanned man bowed out leaving Hitomi with only her own presence as comfort. She plopped down on the bed and hugged her arms as she ran through the things that had happened that day and from her deduction she had ended in somewhere slightly better than she had started out.

If she had been caught, she was sure Dilandau would have had thought it necessary to give at least forty lashings minimum. The albino seemed the relish in punishment as well was burning things. Before her escape Hitomi had watched in horror as the white haired man had brutally hit and beat upon one of his soldiers. Now remembering back on that, Hitomi wasn't too sure it would be a minimum of forty lashings, he would have probably to start off with a little bit of burning. She shuddered at the thought of that. For the rest of her wait for the tea Hitomi had kept her eyes clenched tightly.

The door swung open and she snapped her eyes open to see Yukari walk in. Hitomi wondered if it were just her eyes or if the girl looked slightly healthier as if she had fuller cheeks and more color to them as well. Yet then again maybe the red head had always looked as that. It was obviously possible that after being sent into such a horrifying place that her sense of what was actually happening would be skewed. Gratefully Hitomi received the cup of tea and took a tentative sip.

"I apologize for being such a bother, but could you finish your tea quickly? The King wishes to see you as he has returned from his hunt," Yukari bowed her head. Hitomi felt her stomach lurch and the fear begin to trickle back inside. She sucked in breath through her nose before giving a quick affirmative nod. She had already brought herself that far and now there was no turning back now, she would have to meet the Dragon King. The only thing Hitomi wished she could do was savor the tea and make the Dragon King wait, however from the legend it would be suicidal and thus she just set the cup down and nodded to Yukari that she was ready.

"Is there anything that I shouldn't do like not stare at his face?" Hitomi asked and Yukari got a funny look on her face and shook her head.

"It depends on his mood. I mean its always just touch and go even for the ones that have been with him for a while," Yukari tried to explain. But Hitomi didn't have the heart to respond because from what Yukari had told her the Dragon King was very dangerous. Why wouldn't he be genius? She asked herself.

What she had imagined the Dragon King to be was definitely not what she saw. Instead of a tall and imposing man with eyes like fire and something that would make him beast like instead she was met with a handsome young man who had to be near her age. His hair was dark black and flopped over his bronzed, healthy looking, face which rested upon his gloved palm. Hitomi sucked in a breath when she saw the glove. The very one she was sure that had covered her mouth earlier that day. Her own green eyes latched onto his garnet ones in hope she would see recognition all she saw was pure boredom.

While he sat in a throne, Hitomi couldn't find anything of his attire that made him seem kingly. A red shirt stretched across his broad chest and shoulders while a pair of tanned pants were covering his narrow hips. To be quiet honest with herself Hitomi would have suspected that he was some sort of worker not a king, though she had to admit he looked quite attractive except for the scowl that had covered his face.

"You again," he sighed looking at her as if she were a mere ant, "in the state that I had found you I would have expected you to be somewhere in the forest…dead." Hitomi saw red. Sure he had saved her from a dragon, but she was sure she could have eventually found her way out of the whole mess. He didn't know her because if he did then he would have swallowed the words.

"Well, apparently I am far more apt then you give me credit for, sire," she gritted the words out. There was a flash in the Dragon King's eyes, was it amusement or anger, before it was quickly hidden once more.

"Well then I am glad to hear of that," his tone said it all though, he wasn't all that glad of her back talk. Yet, he seemed to dismiss her words as he began to speak once more, "I expect you to have dinner with me this evening do you accept?" Hitomi was about to snap that no she didn't accept when out of the corner of her eye Yukari jerked her head up and down. Survival would mean that she would have to spend a few hours of her day with the Dragon King.

"I accept," she kept her teeth gritted and the Dragon King smiled with arrogance before waving her off.

"Then I suspect you'll wish to change and bathe as well," Hitomi's nostrils flared and she was about to snap at him when Yukari intervened by grabbing her by the shoulders and leading her away from the scene. The man was unbearable! It wasn't really the words he chose it was completely his tone the _holier than thou_ way of saying things. If she ever caught him with out one of his numerous servants around she was going to give him a piece of her mind.

Once Yukari deposited her in her room Hitomi let out a growl and stomped her foot while saying: "Jerk!" Yukari was standing back watching her as she threw a fit for a few minutes. And yet when she was done Hitomi noticed a warm bath already there. Glancing over at Yukari, who looked even healthier, was still in her spot she had taken at the beginning of the fit.

"This place is magical," was Yukari's only response to the oddity. But, Hitomi couldn't just shake it off that a steaming bath had appeared and filled itself up out of nowhere. Even so after a prodding from Yukari, the seer was ready to get out of her dirty traveling clothes and clean her hair.

Though the moment Hitomi began to undress Yukari had excused herself, which the blonde was glad for as she preferred to bathe in solitude. As she sunk into the warm water Hitomi gave a sigh of content before relaxing further in the tub. Questions began to run through her mind as she laid there. If the place was so magical then why did all the people look so bad? Why did Yukari look more healthy and also why did the King look like he was properly fed as well as being in top form? How did the trail disappear? The last question made her stomach turn into led. Would Dilandau track her down even in this place?

The musings that were tormenting her mind ended when a knock came hard against the door. At first Hitomi suspected it was Yukari until the smooth masculine voice of Dryden slipped through the cracks.

"Miss are you ready to go to dinner yet?" he asked and Hitomi frowned. She couldn't have been in the tub for more than five minutes, yet when she raised one foot for the waters she saw that her skin was looking quite prune like. She wiggled the small digits and then stood from the tub, water splashing onto the floor, but then being quickly sucked back up. The noise must have alerted Dryden to her state of dress because he did not continue to ask her if she were ready instead he was silent.

Hitomi wrapped herself in a robe, after drying of course, and then once again with the strange magic that filled the castle a dress appeared at the foot of her bed. It was a silk like green dress with a white underskirt. The thing appeared to fasten in the back underneath her bosom and Hitomi was sure that she would need to embarrass Dryden, by calling him into the room, to get the dress on. Except she didn't the second she got something on that needed to be fastened it would be done by the time her hands reached the ends. In the end the dress was basically tying itself and once she was done Hitomi was allowed to admire her appearance in the mirror. The dress had fit the green of her eyes enhancing them as well as her short blonde locks of hair that apparently were dried by the magic of the castle.

Though she was not vain, Hitomi spent a few moments gazing at her appearance in the mirror. It was more like there was another person staring at her a regal lady of the courts, not a runaway seer from a nomadic tribe. Deciding that she had enough of staring at her own reflection Hitomi walked towards the door and opened it. Yet, when she did her heart leapt into her throat and she gasped.

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A/N#2: Haha, oh yes, I like this story very much. Ideas are flowing and I think/hope that it'll be an interesting twist to the regular Beauty and the Beast stories. Well, I must thank you for reading this chapter.

Now, right here I am going to ask more from you. (I know you read my story what more do I want?) Well, I would like some reviews telling me how I did, or if you have questions that I can clear up. Heck I'll even take you calling me mean because I ended on a cliffhanger. I want to hear your theories about what's going to happen (Because for once I have most of the story plotted out! Yay!) and I just like to read reviews the make me smile when I see them in my inbox.

Preview: _"Oh, I see," she nodded. Part of her wanted to slink back into her room and slam the door shut. It was all just too strange even for a young woman who often saw the future._

Until Next time!

AN#3: Sorry if this gives you an update I just realized that I had put up the fresh from the printing press one instead of the actually edited one. My apologies.


	2. II: The Dinner

**The Seer and the Dragon King**

**Chapter Two**

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The gasp had made Dryden look up and she got a better look at his face. No longer were his cheeks sunken in and now there was a mischievous glint to his eyes that were hidden behind well kept glasses, though the glasses still seemed to be sliding down his nose. He smiled at her reaction and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"D-did you guys just pull the whole undead look because I was new?" she asked and Dryden shook his head.

"No, during the day we looked like that, but at night we become what we once were," Dryden explained with out mentioning the curse or the legend. Did they think she had no knowledge of the curse? Maybe they had no idea how much time had passed she frowned.

"Oh, I see," she nodded. Part of her wanted to slink back into her room and slam the door shut. It was all just too strange even for a young woman who often saw the future.

"Are you coming?" Dryden asked. Hitomi gave another nod and headed out of her room. Once more servants bustled, but now their faces were full and pink from the heat and their rush. Their hair too was back to being glossy and bouncy. "Strange isn't it?" Dryden asked watching her face and its movement.

"But we should hurry the King does not like to be kept waiting and heads will roll if he is." Hitomi wasn't sure if Dryden was kidding or being serious so instead of commenting she just followed the man through the winding halls. At night the castle seemed to shine with life and everything was back in tiptop shape. If the castle had been any normal place she would have been certain that it took hours for the servants to clean. It was practically sparkling and stone didn't sparkle. Well, not unless it had something of a reflective property in it.

"How long will this dinner take?" Hitomi asked trying to keep up with Dryden's long strides. The man looked down at her and flashed a charming smile.

"All night if the King is in a good mood," he replied almost airily and Hitomi blanched. She couldn't have a dinner all night! She had been awoken quite early that day by Dilandau and had escaped by the skin of her teeth. The fact was that she was exhausted.

"Does he usually have dinners through out all the night?" she asked afraid that the answer would be a yes.

"No, only on special occasions," Dryden replied, looking quite uncomfortable with her line of questioning, but he was soon saved by a blonde woman who swept passed. Her hair was pulled into an intricate knot and yet the strands that artistically let down were slightly curled in a wavy sort of way. "Millerna!" Dryden called out as if he really didn't want to be questioned longer. The woman turned and Hitomi had to suck in another gasp. She had been right earlier, Millerna was quite striking when she looked healthy.

"What are you two doing here!" she hissed her indigo eyes darting back and forth. "The king sent for her sometime back! Why are you just now heading towards dinner. You were not?" she began and Dryden sighed.

"Millerna! I flirt! I've always been a flirt, but I never go further," Dryden insisted and Millerna gave him a look that definitely said that she was going to watch him from now on. Yet before Dryden could reply to her expression the blonde grabbed Hitomi's armed and strong-armed her to the dinning room, where a feast laid. The aroma tickled Hitomi's nose as well as caused her mouth to salivate. But the feeling of near euphoria ended when she caught sight of the Dragon King's face.

"Get lost Dryden?" he asked, flickering his eyes to the other man who had just entered. And yet once again when Dryden was about to reply or make an excuse the Dragon King waved him off. "I do not care to listen to your excuses I know who's fault it is," he leaned once more on his palm, which was now bare, and stared at Hitomi. The seer felt as if he could bore holes into her very being with his dark look.

"Is the dinner cold?" Hitomi asked trying to be sweet because from the looks of the other members of the table she was treading on very dangerous grounds.

"No, the food in this castle once prepared cannot get cold," he replied eyeing her warily now.

"Well, then there is nothing to complain about. The food would have been just as good if I had been allowed a few extra washes in the bath," Hitomi jutted her chin out, but jumped when the Dragon King slammed his fist to the table.

"Some of us do not have all night to wait," his voice sounded much like the hiss he had had when the first met. When he had saved her from a dragon, but her gratitude for the action had all dried up the second he opened his mouth.

"Then you could've told me that I needed to bathe quickly. The fault doesn't lie solely on me!" Hitomi jabbed her thumb against her chest as she argued. The Dragon King stared at her in response for a long while before leaning back into his chair and looking away from her. Millerna, whom had stood to her right the whole time, let out a sigh of relief before ushering her to a seat, and the seat of all horrors was near the Dragon King.

During the first course, Hitomi made a point of never looking towards the aggravating, but handsome King. Instead she tried to begin conversations with Dryden or Yukari since Millerna was busy instructing servants to set the tables and who needed what. A handsome brunette male sat beside Yukari and from the conversation the two were exchanging Hitomi could only guess that he was Amano and also by the way they were looking into each other's eyes Hitomi was sure that they were in love. By the second course the conversations were picking up.

"So, how faired the hunt today, milord?" a blond man inquired, and Hitomi noticed the striking resemblance between him and Yukari's Amano.

"It had been going quite well until the dragon found something else that caught it's attention," the sound of his voice drew her eyes to him, and Hitomi saw that he was glaring at her slightly. So, he blamed her for his bad hunt. She snorted and looked away still feeling slightly enraged. Placing her hands on the table Hitomi stood up so that she could leave.

"Going somewhere?" the Dragon King asked his voice once more returning to its mocking tone. It seemed as if the King would mock her and blame her all night, and she wasn't going to take it. Looking up she bared her teeth at him and only received an amused arch of his eyebrow.

"Millerna, would you bring out the third course please?" he asked and the blonde woman nodded. This went on for another three courses before desert. The King would taunt her wait for her to rise up to the bait and then comment upon her bad mood. And what was worse he did it all with the mocking tone that cause her blood to pound hard in her skull.

Though, thankfully, as the cold desert was served the King was finally silent and he excused her when she stood for the second time, his eyes glimmering in mirth. Hitomi just glared at him before stomping off. Soft feet followed her and she was just about to turn around and tell the person that she'd rather they leave, when she saw Yukari's face.

"I am so sorry the King did that. We've never seen him act so antagonistic to any guest," she apologized. Her head bowed as if she had been the one misbehaving.

"There is no need to apologize on his behalf," Hitomi shook her head, "I will just know that he is will test my patience every second he can get, but now I am very tired and I wish to sleep." Yukari nodded and whispered an of course before letting Hitomi trudge on to her bedchambers.

Down in the kitchens Millerna and Dryden were cleaning. Though Millerna was doing most of the cleaning Dryden was mostly sitting on a stool munching on an apple and he would sometimes put away a dish or two. They had been silent until they were sure both the king and the new guest were retiring to their beds.

"Does he have no hope?" Millerna whirled on Dryden and the brunette nearly dropped his fruit in shock.

"I would suppose he might be giving up, and why are you yelling at me?" he frowned before taking a bite out of the red fruit. Millerna growled.

"I don't understand it! He has no time limit!" she wiped her hand vigorously on a towel and stomped one of her feet. "He could wait ages for a woman to come along to break the spell." "Did you ever think that maybe a woman isn't needed to break the spell?" Dryden wiggled his brows. "Oh, you are impossible!" Millerna stomped her foot once more and returned to the suds. She glared at the water as if it had caused her some great distress, though Dryden was sure that he was far happier that the water was getting the brunt of her irritation rather than himself being her victim."Let's just face it the curse from what we know only speaks of love of the purest form? What about brotherly love?" Dryden suggested. Millerna snorted at his suggestion before turning to look at him. "Then we all would have been saved years ago," she replied. Hitomi awoke with a start to see a skeletal being opening the drapes of her window. A scream threatened to rip from her throat and it seemed that it was then that the being noticed her. Brown hair curled around a small boned face and sunken in brown eyes stared at her.

"Ah, you are awake, milady, I will tell the kitchens that you need your breakfast," she bowed and Hitomi was sure the woman should be falling apart. Still she moved and walked as if nothing ailed her. Frowning Hitomi tried to recall the night before and wondered vaguely if Dryden had at all looked healthy or if it had all been her imagination if she had just wanted so badly for everyone to look normal.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she stretched her arms and set her feet down on the cool stone before jerked her legs back up. Strangely enough, even though as she felt everything else Hitomi couldn't feel hunger that usually tormented her early in the morning. Actually she felt quite content. She was just about to rush out and tell the maid that it was no big deal and that she didn't need to contact anyone in the kitchens when she ran into a male chest, and one she didn't recognize. Though from the force she began to teeter backwards and luckily the man caught her in just the angle in which she could study his face.

Unlike the rest of the ghouls the man looked just like he was suffering from a sickness, his skin pale but still had the fullness of a person who ate regularly, though it was not his face that attracted her attention. No, what had her eyes glued was the man's bluish hair and tear drop marking. She didn't even notice the slightly familiar eyes until a few moments if obviously staring at the man. The Dragon King's eyes, she almost gasped, but the man wasn't the Dragon King. He was different.

"Be careful," he spoke with a cultured voice of royalty and Hitomi tried to piece together the jagged pieces with out key points. But unlike the man he slightly resembled the man was nice.

"You look," the first words she uttered to him and she couldn't believe she was such simpleton.

"I look? Oh, I look like Van, right," he smiled softly and Hitomi could only blink in confusion. Who was Van? She was going to shake her head, but then the man gave a small laugh and nodded. "Of course he hasn't told you his name. Van is the king of this castle as well as my baby brother." The seer reeled at the admission. The Dragon King had a sibling? No, never in any legend had he had any relations that survived the curse, but then legends changed didn't they?

"Wait!" she grabbed her dressing gown in her clenched fists, "you said baby brother!"

"That I did," he smiled.

"How is he the king then?" Hitomi demanded. The man looked at her as if he pitied the fact that she had no idea what was going on. The seer frowned at the look but kept staring at him waiting for his answer.

"Back when both Van and I were up for the throne there was a ceremony that we had to complete before being King. I unfortunately couldn't complete it," he explained as if it would answer every question and with a flourish he walked away. And there he left Hitomi to wonder what ceremony, what type of thing had the boys had to do? The man who had been before her had seemed so cultured to the wildness that seemed to roll off the Drago- no Van. His name was Van, it was cruel to call him something else when it was so obvious that he had another name.

This time instead of searching for a maid, Hitomi went directly to the kitchen hoping Millerna would be there. The woman had seemed nice and caring and had probably been around since the beginning of the curse. And so when she entered the kitchen, Hitomi looked for a head of blonde hair, except there was no blonde in the vicinity. A frown marred her face.

"Oh! Milady! What are you doing out here?" one of the skeletal beings asked.

"I was searching for Millerna. Have you seen her?" she asked and the being nodded. It looked very strange to see some one of such a disgusting point nodded their head as if it were normal. The beings were only skin and bones and no matter how much Hitomi tried to ignore the fact, it still rolled her stomach.

"Yes she is in the gardens, that way," the being clarified and it didn't take Hitomi long before she bolted out of the room and was heading for the gardens. When she arrived there was another roll of her stomach because the skeletal being kneeled down before her was definitely Millerna.

"Millerna?" she hesitantly asked. The blonde woman looked up and gave a tiny smile this time maybe she was aware of the cracking of lips.

"Oh, sweetie, didn't Dryden tell you? It's only at night when we look like what we once were. Don't be afraid," she held out her hand as if asking for Hitomi to take it. But her face didn't fall when Hitomi refused to instead the seer just sat down her knees and studied her legs.

"So, that wasn't a dream?" Hitomi asked. Millerna shook her head and picked a few peppers from the garden.

"No, my dear it wasn't. That is part of the curse," she continued to work as she spoke, and Hitomi just nodded. Both woman worked in silence for a while hands moving to pull out the few weeds that the magic didn't see fit to keep out as well as gathering the vegetables. The work was therapeutic in a sense because the mind was at rest while the body worked, except for the moment Hitomi thought of the strange older brother she had met.

"Does Van have an older brother?" she inquired and watched as Millerna stilled. The seer could only assume two things had shocked the cook: Hitomi's knowledge of Van's name as well the knowledge of a brother. The woman was still for a while before she glanced back at Hitomi with wide indigo eyes.

"Yes, Lord Van has a brother. Did you meet him?" she asked. Hitomi nodded and opened her mouth to ask another question but Millerna held her hand up already assuming the nature of the second question. "His name is Folken and I cannot tell you any more than that. It is not my place." It was then that Hitomi realized that no one knew her name they all had referred to her as miss, the guest, or Milady.

"Call me Hitomi, and I wish that you would. It's very confusing trying to figure this all out when no one even gives me even the barest of hints," she rubbed her arm and looked at Millerna who was still as if she were debating something.

"Hitomi I cannot tell you everything. I wish I could but it is not yet my place. From what most of us know is that one day there was a war and the next day everyone disappeared except those who were in the castle. Even if they were ambassadors of another country," Millerna looked down at her hands as if a memory were playing over in her head. Hitomi reached out gently trying to also see what Millerna did, but nothing came to her. For what seemed the first in a long while she could not see memories along with others. "The war was dying down and, well it was all settling. But then Van, something happened and we were left with this curse," Hitomi watched as Millerna went straight back to her work, her shoulders shaking in unshed tears.

Could she even cry? Hitomi wondered, but she did not comment instead she stayed and worked along with Millerna as they pulled more weeds and picked more vegetables. Though she many, many more questions the young seer refrained from speaking any. It already seemed as if the woman had bared her soul enough. Yet, she had mentioned ambassadors from other countries. Were they still around the ambassadors, or did they some how choose death or were let go? Hitomi frowned wondering, why was it that when someone gave her information that it only left her with more questions? She didn't feel satisfied or like she had gotten anywhere. Dragging a hand through her hair she sighed and bid Millerna good-bye for the moment. The blonde woman replied with a farewell in return though from her voice it sounded as if she were choking on tears.

Walking back to her rooms Hitomi frowned and played with her fingers as she thought as to what had happened. Van was definitely the target of the curse, though why did him looking young and handsome do with his curse? Did it pain him to see others suffer while he could do nothing, and if that was the cause then why would anyone curse a man who cared so much? He was obviously trapped with in his lands, but the Fanelian territory was far and wide. It had never been dotted with villages, but everyone knew that there were hundreds of acres of woodland and what not that the once proud Fanelian nation had to its name. So, it wasn't as if he was trapped in a little box. So, what exactly did the curse target? And if she could find what it was targeting could she find a way out?

"Dadadum," Hitomi's head jerked up at the sound of someone singing, a slightly familiar voice that she could have sworn she had heard once before. Whipping her head to the side, where the voice seemed to originate from Hitomi saw a familiar fluff of pink. The cat girl! Her mouth gaped open at the realization. "Dadadum do do, lalala do do," the cat girl sang a strange melody and danced as she did. Though she was dancing on twig like legs that seemed devoid of musculature. Still she moved with an inhuman grace and Hitomi felt compelled to follow her.

If the cat girl knew that the seer was following her, she gave no indication as she danced through the halls still humming the haunting melody. Part of Hitomi wondered if the cat girl was leading her in somewhat the same way she had before only now she was using herself as the trail instead of moving the trees. The cat girl never looked back, never acknowledged anything. And so it shocked Hitomi when the cat girl seemed to disappear before her eyes into two very large doors. She pushed the doors open and was assaulted with the sight of large mechanical machine. The one she was sure she had scene before in the shape of the dragon.

Hitomi's eyes were drawn to the machine and so she did not notice as the cat girl sneakily traipsed out of the room with a mischievous smile on her face. Oh, the things that would happen.

----

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Escaflowne

A/N: Well there is the second chapter. I hope it lived up to the first one. Hehe, does anyone have any theories as to what caused the curse? Because now we know that some parts of the legend aren't true, but are there parts that are? Who knows? (Okay I kind of do, but I am keeping hush, hush about it.

Thanks to: kimmi0490, talkstoangels77, Fuyusarah, Kahoko, and AmethystWings for altering and/or favoriting this story.

Special thanks to: thepinkmartini, Suils Saifir, and Cherry Dragon for reviewing and making my day with their kinds words. And Cherry Dragon gets a huge cookie for reviewing, alerting, and favoriting this story!

Preview: _"We can't hold out much longer," Van put his head in his hands, and for a single moment Van reminded Hitomi of a child. A child who was scared of failing and wanted to be told what he was doing was right._


	3. III: Visions

**The Seer and the Dragon King**

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The mechanical beast began to move it's head twisting back and forth as if it were shaking off a sleep. The sight caused Hitomi to stumble backwards. Fear welled in her stomach as the beast, now looking very real to her leaned forward and almost seemed to sniff her. Was it going to eat her? Or what? The mechanical dragon pressed it's chilled nose to her cheek. It's green eyes flashed dangerously and Hitomi then felt as if she were falling. Though it was almost like a phantom feeling. She knew she was standing still but the feeling of falling was coupled with a wavering of her sight.

Once her sight returned to normal she noticed she was somewhere else in the castle as the mechanical dragon was gone. Also, there was something off about the castle it seemed and felt very, very different. The air of the place was far more alive, like it had been the night before, except not as desperate. Frowning Hitomi wondered for a moment if she was having a vision, before she started down the hall in search of someone anyone. She was rewarded by stumbling upon Van and an older man.

The older man had a scar on his face that looked very fresh and a gruff voice as he began to speak to Van. In the beginning their voices were muffled as if someone were covering their mouths but then Van looked to the older man his eyes worried. "We can't hold out much longer," Van put his head in his hands, and for a single moment Van reminded Hitomi of a child. A child who was scared of failing and wanted to be told what he was doing was right. The older man placed his large hand on Van's shoulder.

"Van," the man spoke in a grave tone, "you should speak to Asturia. Make a pact with them. They are also hurting from this war." Though his head was still in his hands Hitomi could see Van clench and unclench his teeth. He was wavering so unlike the king she had seen last night.

"But Asturia they," he paused looking up at the older man, "Balgus, Asturia is the ones who announced war upon all of us in the first place? How am I to conduct peace meetings when their king is responsible for my father's death!" He words sounded forced and Hitomi for a moment felt her heart pang for the poor boy.

"Van, they did not ask for your father to step in and join in the war. He did so because he believed it was the best way to keep Fanelia protected," Balgus, Hitomi assumed, replied with a terse tone. It was interesting to see a less cocky side of Van, but something else interested Hitomi. It had been thousands of years since the great country of Asturia fell to Zaibach after loosing the Final War. At the time she lived in Zaibach ruled almost everything there were only a few countries that survived over the years and kept their independence. Her nomadic tribe had been one of the few independent tribes, but while it helped date the vision Hitomi wondered at which point at the war did Fanelia fall into a curse. A snort coming from Van returned her attention to the conversation.

"It didn't help it killed father and crippled Folken," Van replied regaining a glimmer of the arrogant and cocky attitude Hitomi was familiar with. "Fanelia is in worse peril because of that!" Balgus shook his head.

"Van, Fanelia lost a king but the gained another one just the same. A king who will be great," he looked directly at the young King his hand still on the boy's shoulder. "Just remove your emotions from the equation, and think about what would be best for Fanelia." The younger boy looked away for a moment and Hitomi wondered if he was actually taking the words to heart. But she didn't know him well enough to say if he was or if he wasn't. For a moment she forgot she was in a vision and she reached out to touch the young king. Her hand passed through him, but almost as if he had felt her touch he looked up confused.

"I will speak to Asturia about joining forces to destroy Zaibach," Van didn't look at Balgus instead it felt as if he were staring at her, but that was impossible. It was merely a vision and in visions she couldn't interact with anything. She was simply a bystander to the action.

"They will want you to fight Lord Van," the man slipped in the title now. Van looked back at the scarred man.

"I know and I will for Fanelia," Van looked out of the window and as he did Hitomi's vision swam before her eyes.

Once more when it righted itself she found herself somewhere else, but it was somewhere she recognized. The dragon was still nose to nose with her, but now its green eyes were dull almost lifeless. Hitomi lifted her hand and stroked the metallic cheek of the dragon. It's eyes reawakened and she felt the falling sensation again.

This time she knew time had passed since her original vision. The castle seemed lonelier and instead of happening to come upon Van she was in a room with him. He was sitting on the edge of a bed, leaving Hitomi to assume she was in his bedroom, which caused a blush to stain her cheeks, even though she really wasn't there. He was shirtless at the moment allowing Hitomi to see his muscles he had seemingly gained since her last vision of his. He looked more like the man she knew now and he must have been at least two years older by how much he had seemed to age. Though it could very well be due to the haggard appearance he had. Still as he moved to dress she could feel the tiredness and something else come from him. There was a knock on the door.

"King Van, Asturia's princess has arrived seeking safety," a servant spoke softly. Hitomi turned around and looked at the person. There was nothing distinguishing about them, but they did keep their eyes averted from the king's topless form.

"Allow her sanctuary and anyone traveling with her," he commanded his face hard and his eyes burning with anger. Van stood once the door closed and the servant most likely rushed off to relay the message. Once more though, Van turned his head towards Hitomi as if he actually could see her, but unlike before his eyes passed through her. "Asturia is weakening. I need to awaken the dragon if we are to twin this blood bath," he spoke softly to himself before arching his neck back and staring at the ceiling. "Father would you take Escaflowne in a time like this?" There was no answer to his pleading question, but Hitomi wanted to reach out and help him.

Yet as her hand touched his skin, his seemingly solid skin Van jumped and looked directly at her his eyes wide with shock and fear. His eyes darted back and forth before he uttered what almost sounded like a cry. "Father? Was that a yes?" he asked looking all around. Hitomi reached forward again trying to understand if she had just imagined touching Van or if she had. Once more the pads of her finger touched his warm skin, but then as she did her vision swam and she was once again standing before the mechanical dragon.

However the dragon was no longer face to face with her. Instead it stood once more tall and proud like it had when she first arrived, it was as if it had never moved. She stared at it a few more minutes before a noise shocked her into turning around. The man Van had referred to as Allen had stepped into the room and his blue eyes were wide with shock. His mouth dropped open and he looked as if he were to scream, yet no sound left his lips.

"Lady!" he finally choked out, "What are you doing in Escaflowne's chambers?" His face also seemed to whiten. "It is forbidden!" There he actually seemed to raise his voice. Hitomi looked to him confused.

"But, the cat girl. She led me here. I mean she, she was," the seer looked around the room but it was empty except for Escaflowne, herself, and Allen. The cat girl was no where to be see. "She was here," she was adamant on that particular fact. Allen looked at her sadly and nodded slowly.

"I believe you. Merle can be somewhat troublesome, but we must leave this room at once before the King finds us," he motioned for her to follow him and Hitomi wanted to demand when he was going to this room if it was forbidden for others to be in it. But she was not allowed to ask the question as the second Allen excited the door both of them slammed shut and there was a metallic click of a lock. A startled yelp came from the other side and then sounds of something pounding on the door began.

"My lady! Are you all right? Do not panic I shall get the king!" Allen's voice came from the other side and for a moment Hitomi wondered why she would panic. There was obviously nothing to fear in the room. The Escaflowne had been rather startling but nothing to cause her to fear. Still Allen's worry must be warranted? Turning back around she jumped as once more Escaflowne was leaning down its head near hers. A chill crawled down her spine as she felt something utterly ominous of the situation at hand. This Escaflowne was not like the one who had given her visions. It brushed against her and she had a quick spurt of a vision.

She saw flashes of blood seeming to leak heavily from a wound, part of her knew it was a wound she had caused. But when she looked down it wasn't her hands holding the blade. Strong, masculine, and tanned hands gripped the sword, and as if she were just a puppet in the body of someone else's, Hitomi watched as the sword was lifted and as it hacked through a screaming soldier's arm. A ghost like feeling of happiness flittered through her. Happiness that this soldier was getting what was coming to him, she had been and the body too had been too enthralled in the enjoyment in the carnage that a hot pain slicing through her forearm shocked her out of the vision.

Hitomi stumbled back still feeling the pain from the cut. Her arm went to where the mark had been caused and her body went still as she touched a warm liquid that was trailing down her arm. Pulling the hand back she stared at her blood covered palm. With wide fearful eyes she looked up at Escaflowne. She no longer felt safe especially when the mechanical beast lunged forward again. A scream ripped from her throat as she fell back.

Van wouldn't say he was enjoying the sounds of his servants scuttle around afraid to be seen in the light of day, but he preferred their company rather than Allen's now frantic rush towards him. He knew something was off the second Merle had walked past him a smile on her strangely gaunt face, he hated seeing her so pained, but seeing Allen come running he knew it was something very bad.

"What is it Allen?" he asked. The blond man looked at him and sucked in a breath before replying.

"The Lady Hitomi is locked in the room with Escaflowne. Merle lured her in there and as I was about to lead her out the door closed and locked," Allen explained. Van's blood chilled. Escaflowne, now that the curse was settled, was rather dangerous just like the curse had dictated it should be, and for a moment while his throat seemed to dry out and close in upon itself, Van wondered if he would lose the girl to the curse in a way that no other had been lost in. Bolting up from his seat he almost ran to the ceremonial room.

Behind him Allen followed, though Van was sure it was with half worry and half curiosity. No one but him knew what was so dangerous about Escaflowne, the others had just been ordered not to enter the room. Of course Van wasn't daft enough to believe that everyone would automatically follow his orders when something so mysterious was presented before them. But at least he hadn't lost anyone to that part of the curse.

Van rounded the corner and there down the hall almost taunting him was large stone door that lead to Escaflowne. He sucked in a deep breath and moved purposefully towards the door, Allen still trailing behind him. The other man's presence at that very moment was somewhat annoying to Van's fraying nerves. When he opened the door what would Escaflowne present him with? Would she be alive or dead? Would her body be mangled or would she look peaceful except for her face that would be set in terror. His stomach lurched as he touched the cool stone. The very stone because to heat under his touch and behind him Allen gave a gasp.

What exactly had happened to him because of the curse had never been discussed or shown. Van felt his body quiver as the heat radiated from him. The sound of the lock releasing allowed the relief to swarm into Van's belly only to be stilled with the chill of fear at the sight of the young woman curled up on the floor her body leaking a precious fluid. The most noticeable wound was a gash on her left forearm. A mirror image to the very scar that was on his right. Tentatively Van stroked the ever puckered scar tissue, before shaking himself out of it. With a growl he twisted around to see Allen's horrified face.

"Tell Millerna to get her things ready, she has a patient," he commanding in a booming tone he hadn't used since the war. Allen's eyes snapped to him first before he nodded and rushed off to the only person who had a decent amount of medical training. Once the blond man was gone Van dropped to his knees not even caring that the blood seeped into his pants. He deserved it, he had let the girl traipse around the castle with out laying down any rules. Also in the long run it was all his fault if not for his behavior then the curse wouldn't have happened the girl wouldn't have been attacked by Escaflowne.

Scooping her into his arms, Van cradled her fragile body. He wasn't sure the exact amount of blood that was in the human body but he was sure that Hitomi had lost too much. Hopefully the magic would take affect and begin to stitch her up enough before Millerna had to get her hands on her. The young seer, whimpered as he began his slow walk down the halls to where Millerna had set up her things for when he had been hurt so badly that by the time he arrived back home the magic had yet to stitch him up fully.

The guilt was still ripping into him by the time he put Hitomi down on a cot. Luckily the second she had been out of the Escaflowne's the magic had begun to take to her. She was no longer as pale and she seemed to be coming into consciousness. He watched as her lashes fluttered before revealing her shockingly green eyes. Her hand shot up and grabbed his right arm, right where his flesh puckered. Her fingers still stained with dried blood traveled over the scar and Van watched as her brows furrowed and then her eyes widen with some sort of realization.

"You," she whispered. The look in her eyes gave Van a sense of unease as if she knew something more than she should. There was too much knowledge in her eyes. It took most of his practiced control to keep himself from stumbling away from her in fear of what she knew. "It was you," she whispered again as her hands retreated and went to her own bloodied gash. "You killed. And you liked it." Her words shook Van to the core of his being and no matter how much training and practice he had, he couldn't just stand there and listen to her tell him how much of a monster he was.

Hitomi watched the King take a few steps away from her. What he was thinking his face didn't show, but his eyes told the whole story. For the first time she saw that his eyes were what gave him away. Fear and contempt moved through out those garnet irises. But what was the contempt for? Hitomi wondered silently. Was he angry at her for saying it? Or himself? Or maybe even someone else.

"How?" Hitomi watched his eyes narrow and a sort of rage and confusion blot out the fear. "How did you find out?" She was about to answer him put his fears to rest when the door slammed open and Millerna entered a bucket in her hands and a person that Hitomi wasn't sure she wanted to see at the moment, the cat girl. Though the gaunt cat girl looked rather guilty, Hitomi still couldn't believe she had lead her to her near death.

"Oh Hitomi," Millerna cooed her face still rather macabre and it became worse as the sadness came over her face. It was like watching a corpse trying to feel bad for someone, and even though Hitomi knew Millerna meant nothing but good things the look still sent an unwanted chill down her spine.

Millerna leaned over her and Hitomi watched as the woman began to soak a piece of cloth in an oddly smelling basin. The water most likely had something other than just water mixed in and Hitomi knew it by the time the cloth touched her still open wounds. A burning sensation pricked at the skin and Hitomi gritted her teeth hoping that she didn't cry out. She had been through worse when she had been in the nomadic tribe. Surviving this would be a cinch. Plus it was probably to help make sure there wouldn't be any infection.

Still as she suffered through the ministrations, Hitomi caught Van talking rather heatedly with the cat girl in the corner of the room. The girl seemed to just listen to him at first but then Hitomi's attention turned back towards Millerna and her concoction from hell. The blonde woman was digging into the gash on her arm and right then Hitomi could reel back the cry that leapt from her lips. Millerna winced and drew back her hands slowly.

"Sorry," she said as she dipped the cloth back into the basin. Hitomi, close to passing out, turned her and gave her a half-hearted glare, while out of the corner of her eye she noticed Van and the cat girl were back and staring at her. Van's face appeared to hold some sort of emotion until he looked back at the girl. They then began to converse telepathically, at least that is what it seemed like to Hitomi as neither of the duo spoke before Van gave a swift jerk of his head. He then turned his heel and left the room. The girl stayed for a few moments before glancing back with a face the said a mix between "I'm sorry" and "I really don't want to do this" but Hitomi supposed at the moment she'd take that apology because Millerna was still prodding the gash.

"Ow!" Hitomi reared up.

"Sorry!" Millerna once more apologized.

Hours later, Millerna returned to the servants' quarters her nearly dead on her feet despite the fact that she was once more back to normal. Her hands shook and she nearly fell bonelessly to the warm comforting bed, except Dryden, Yukari, Amano, and Allen were all in her room looking to her as if she had called them all together. Taking a few moments Millerna wondered if she had and had just forgotten about it while she helped Hitomi. The poor girl would now have a scar on her arm despite the magic working.

"Do you have any idea what Escaflowne did?" the first words that raced out of Yukari's voice stunned Millerna for a moment, she had been use to their welcoming silence. Instead of talking she shook her head.

"How could she?" Allen snorted, "You can't exactly tell exactly what happened from wounds. Van won't even allow us to see the room so we don't know if she even moved around or not."

"Weren't you in the room Allen?" Dryden asked arching a brow before turning to Millerna and asking, "How bad was it." This time she couldn't reply with a one word sentence or a shrug. Looking tiredly at the man she still considered a lothario even after these years she sighed.

"She's going to scar. Even with the magic and myself working on the wound something happened. Maybe it was his doing or something else," Millerna shrugged her tired shoulders and so that the rest wouldn't ask her where the scar was she merely pointed to her left forearm. "The king was irritable but its nothing out of the ordinary from him. So, don't get your hopes up that she's the key to breaking this curse. What ever this curse might be."

"Very well then," Dryden spoke up first and looked at the rest of the group. "We'll see you later Millerna." And with that he led the rest of the group away.

Folken stood his eyes gazing out at the night sky. Was it the same sky that the rest of the world or had the curse kept that stilled as well? He didn't know how far this curse extended and while he had tried to test its limits, Van had become more and more suspicious of his doings. It would not do for his brother to do something irrational so that he stopped. Plus a horror had already happened today. Escaflowne had awakened. It had reacted to the girl and now the clock was ticking, not for him though. But time was going to soon go quickly.

A/N: Uh, yeah sorry for the delay. While I have everything planned out and I mean everything. This chapter just didn't want to be written. I rewrote and rewrote this bad larry so many times I went cross eyed. Anyway I am supah tired and what not. I just need to rest, but while I do I shall give all ye readers something to chew on while I try to turn out the next chapter now!

Thank you to everyone who reviewed and favorited and watched. Honestly it makes my day and I hope I replied to everyone but if I didn't just know that I am so happy with all the reviews you people give me! Hopefully the story will continue to chug along now and what not. But still thank you so much.

ALSO! If I have misspelled a name please correct me.

Preview: _"We're taking her," he pointed directly to Hitomi and for a moment she wondered if it were a sick joke. Why her out of all the women in the tribe, it wasn't that she wished harm on anyone but how did they to the decision of her so quickly?_


	4. IV: Dragon

**The Seer and the Dragon King**

----

As the sun rose, Hitomi found herself still sleeping in the medical cot that she had been in for most of the day before after her time with Escaflowne. Her fingers trailed up her arm and gently stroked the soft but puckered skin of the scar. The visions, they had been quite strange. Never before had she been in someone's body as the vision went through its paces, but she also knew who she had inhabited, the King. Closing her eyes, she placed her other hand over her forehead and tried to piece it all together. The blood lust and the glee that he had felt was scary to say the least, especially since she was the third party when feeling it. Hitomi had never felt that rage or that degree of emotion in her life. Even after she was taken to be a slave she had never felt that rage. No, as Hitomi thought on it, she felt more despair because she knew she wouldn't be able to get out easily.

It had been rather sunny when the soldiers came to the camp dressed in red. They looked as if they were drenched in still wet blood, but Hitomi had known it was just a tactic they used. She hadn't been surprised by their arrival, she had had a dream of it. But what did surprised her was their reasoning. The soldiers were antsy and many soon took to either fidgeting or leering at the young girls of the tribes. Hitomi had been alerted right then that what they wanted probably wasn't something the village could give easily. Everyone had been uneasy until the leader of the soldiers stepped out of the erected tent a glower on his pale face.

"We're taking her," he pointed directly to Hitomi and for a moment she wondered if it were a sick joke. Why her out of all the women in the tribe, it wasn't that she wished harm on anyone but how did they to the decision of her so quickly? If Hitomi had expected the members of the tribe to stand up and demand that they leave before they even laid a finger on her, she was sadly mistaken. The people even scurried out of the soldiers' way making it so much easier to grab the still stunned seer.

She was soon in their grasps when the leader grabbed her chin with a bruising grip and forced her to look up at him. Green irises latched onto red and a shiver of fear rolled down her spine. The man, who seemed to be no older than she was, jerked her head to the side as if he were inspecting her. Hitomi felt like a beast the way he was looking over her. The man then clicked his tongue as if dissatisfied.

"I guess we'll take her and only her. But you owe us more for the protection we grant you Old man!" the white haired devil spoke harshly to the elder. The people milled about when he insulted their leader and Hitomi felt confusion. They would let them just take her as if she were one of their cattle yet if he spoke against their elder they bristled as such? How could they? But Hitomi didn't feel anger instead she felt a numbing sadness. It was because of her gift, she knew, that they were so happy to see her go.

The soldiers lead her out of the camp and as she looked back she saw that no one look on at her with worry. She was truly alone she had no home to go back to.

She was taken away from her memories of her capture. If she could call it that now, Hitomi thought bitterly. She paused then and wondered if she was now bitter because she remembered how she was treated or because of the emotions she had felt in the vision. Sometimes the visions would influence her in ways she didn't think possible. Glancing towards the door, Hitomi saw Millerna her face still gaunt as ever. It seemed as if everyone was at their thinnest in the mornings.

Millerna gave a wide smile and there was another split lip from the incident. She still didn't seem to notice the blood the dribbled down her chin, but she seemed to be genuinely happy, though the happiness was dampened by her horrific appearance. Hitomi thought that maybe, eventually, she'd get use to the appearance of the people around her.

"Oh! You are awake. I was worried when you wouldn't respond that you might have been far more ill than I suspected," Millerna leaned forward and with her chilled hands touched Hitomi's forehead. "You feel as a normal human should." She nodded and gave a small click of her tongue. The action reminded Hitomi of Dilandau, but she shook it off. She was no longer with the soldiers. And while she wasn't completely safe, she was safer than she had been previously. At least here she didn't have to worry about angering Dilandau and being punished for it.

Behind Millerna the door opened and a maid, Dryden following, entered holding a basin. Hitomi hoped it didn't contain the same substance it had before. Though the basin was smaller and so it could be for anything, Hitomi hoped. However, the second Millerna put the basin down on the floor Hitomi could feel the dread even before the woman reached for her bandage.

"Wait!" Hitomi stalled, "before you poke around in the wound and I scream and cry could you please answer me one question." Millerna blinked almost owlishly, and her eyes did look huge compared to the rest of her.

"I suppose I could answer it. Of course there are a few things that even I can't answer," Millerna replied. Behind her Dryden had paused at the door seemingly curious as to what exactly Hitomi planned on asking. However, Millerna was too focused on her patient and the impending question she didn't even take notice of his eavesdropping.

Hitomi doubted that Millerna couldn't answer every question that was asked, it was more about what she could and could not say. Still, the seer was intent upon finding out exactly what was happening to the castle and how the vision she had had related to the said curse. She was positive that that was why she had it. Opening her mouth she asked, "Can you tell me anything about what led up to the curse? Or even what the curse entails?" The silence after the question was nearly deafening and Hitomi expected that Millerna wasn't even going to reply.

She was in for a shock. Millerna sat back further away and her eyes stared off into space for a few moments. "War," she finally said. Hitomi was disappointed, she already knew of the war, Millerna had mentioned it before in the gardens. "War," she began again, "it was what caused this all. As I said before it was dying down and Dryden, Allen, and I decided to go to Fanelia. We needed to help them you see. They had been hit with the war the worst. But as we traveled it seemed as if the battles were picking up and it became so dangerous that instead of helping Fanelia we were forced to run to their boarders for safety." Millerna closed her eyes.

"Van graciously allowed us a sanctuary despite the fact that at one point Asturia had caused Fanelia a great dishonor. At first we were safe in Fanelia," Dryden picked up the story, "But the battles began to wage closer and closer to the capital. It was until Van could no longer handle standing and waiting. He began to fight with his men." Hitomi looked at Dryden expectantly hoping he would continue the tale. Was it then that Van began blood thirsty?

Millerna finally opened her eyes and took the torch, "It wasn't until Balgus died did he swear revenge. He, he died on my table trying to explain that Zaibach was using strange technology. Lord Van was with him when he took his last breath and after he became a demon on the battlefield. He would come to my room covered in blood and ask for a salve, but he would also tell me of his death count. Ten today Millerna, that should make up at least a little for your father's death." Millerna rubbed her face as if there were tears coming from her eyes, but there were none. She was dry eyed, and yet Hitomi was sure the only reason she wasn't crying was due to her being unable to in this state. "We know he wasn't killing for any of us. That wasn't his true intention. He was avenging his father and his mentor. I think the curse was triggered when he killed some Zaibach healers. He didn't care if they were innocent. They had helped the enemy."

"That's when," Dryden put a hand on Millerna's boney shoulder, "the curse started. I suppose there was some warning for the rest of the villagers because a large amount of them willingly left the village and went to Zaibach's side. We weren't so lucky." The gaze Dryden sent Millerna told of all his guilt and sadness. Hitomi felt like she was trespassing on a moment. Thought neither of them picked up the story and she assumed that was the end of it.

"How do-" she began but Millerna stopped her with a look. The time for answers was over. It was even more obvious as Millerna picked up the rag and began to work on Hitomi's bandages. Her movements were quick as if she wanted to get the ordeal over with. The young seer knew she had treaded on very tender wounds.

"Don't ask if we know how to end the curse. We don't and honestly all we know are rumors as to what is exactly needed to set us all free," Millerna snapped after a bit of silence. She bandaged Hitomi's arm and with a sort of flourish collected her things. She was about out of the door when the whole castle seemed to shake.

A voice from the hallway screamed, "Dragon!" Dryden was locked in place and Millerna seemed to be suffering the same fate. Turning back to Hitomi both seemed afraid.

"We need to get you to the King's quarters!" Yukari shouted as she opened the door. The red head took little notice of the two stunned people and made sure to move out of the way as Amano came in. He swooped down and picked up Hitomi as if she weighed nothing and as if he had muscles. "It must have smelt you or felt you!" Yukari whined and pushed at Amano's back. "Take her quickly!"

Hitomi would have been fine and well with allowing them to take her to safety. Except at that moment for the first time in the castle she saw the future. It was only in flickers and she wasn't completely immersed in it. In one vision she saw Van moving to slay the dragon but instead of puncturing it's heart Van was impaled. Fear for his person, even though he had been nothing but a jerk to her, enveloped her and with a hard push she tumbled from Amano's grasp.

"Hitomi!" three voices called after her as she hit the stone ground. Her legs wobbled a little under her, but they would do for now. Running as fast as she could she darted down the halls looking for a servant. Instead of finding one she saw Folken and the two cat girls. He was staring out a drafty window when she stopped behind him.

"Folken! Tell me where is Van!" he snapped his head around and looked at her shocked, he had probably expected her to be already put away. But he didn't speak, he simply grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the window. Outside she saw the dragon and a small form which had to be Van, by their positions Hitomi knew that she was not too late, but if she did not hurry Van would be dead before she could even get down to the courtyard. Pulling away from Folken she guessed at a direction and ran.

Van stared at the yellow-eyed creature, breathing heavily as he tried to see where it would strike next. It was usually safer to attack the creatures when they were still in the forests, lesser room for them to move in. But the courtyard was definitely an advantage for the dragon. It could swing its deadly tail any which way it wanted to and not to forget its other two assets the claws and the flames. How did his ancestors ever think these beings were good luck and protectors of Fanelia? All the dragons seemed to do was try to destroy his home. Though this was the first time one had ventured this far. Van lunged forward to stab the creature's heart, as it was bearing its chest, when a voice startled him.

"Van! Look out!" the girl's, Hitomi, her voice startled him enough to misstep and because the tail missed him just enough to leave a graze. Though the graze was pretty bad to be honest. He fell to his knees and his arms, with out his permission, clutched at the wound on his side. The girl also fell to her knees beside him and gave him a look of fear and was that sadness tingeing her green eyes?

He expected her to stay by his side but with only one glance at his wound she grabbed his sword, the same way he usually held it, and thrusted it into the dragon's chest. The creature gave off a horrendous screech and arched backward taking the sword from the girl's hands.

She had killed it. Hitomi blinked as the sword was wrenched from her hands. The dragons was still screaming as Hitomi fell to her backside, not too far from the stunned King and watched with horror and some sort of fascination as the creature reeled back and thrashed. Slowly it began to disintegrate and then it disappeared all together. The sword the very one she had used to kill it with fell to the ground with a thump.

"I guess you are more apt than I gave you credit for," the voice of Van startled her but when she looked back Hitomi couldn't help but feel horrible. If she hadn't turned down that wrong hall she would have been in time to stop the wounding all together. But because she hadn't been thinking, Van was now lying on the ground bleeding still. Wait, Hitomi frowned. He was still bleeding! She remembered the second she got out of the sanctuary her wounds had begun to stitch themselves together but Van's was still seeping.

"Never mind that! Why aren't you healing?" she scrambled over to him and tore a piece of her gown. Pressing it against the wound Hitomi looked into his eyes.

"I only need a little… rest and then I'll be good as new. The curse, it doesn't affect me like it does you or any of the other girls," he clenched his eyes shut as he spoke, so she could no longer look into the garnet irises.

Van couldn't believe she was worried about him, she was the only girl to see his monster antics. Yet out of all of them she was the only one who wasn't shying away from him now. He had told at least three of the girls what he had done and how he had felt and all three had hated him for that, but this girl had witnessed it first hand and yet here she was pressing a torn off part of her gown onto his stomach.

"How much rest do you need?" he heard her demand and for a moment he opened his eyes to look at her. He was about to answer that only a few minutes, but all he could do was look into her empathic eyes and for those minutes he was struck. She might not have been the most beautiful girl to fall into his realm and she definitely wasn't the easiest to get along with. But he could feel that she would stand by his side. Was she the one?

Hours since the attack and Millerna still felt wobbly. The night was upon them and she felt great except for the fact that Hitomi had killed the dragon for the King. It was something that she had never seen or expected to. But the girl had acted as if something was happening to her while in Amano's arms and then she had pushed against him and left the rest of them behind to save the king apparently.

"Are you thinking about what happened with Hitomi?" Dryden asked, and for once she didn't feel any bit of shock that he had managed to sneak behind her.

"Yes, and I am sure you are thinking about it too aren't you?" Millerna turned around and waited for the inevitable. Dryden wrapped his arms around her gently and kissed her forehead. For so long she had scorned him in hopes for Allen, but as the years grew she had come to realize that Allen did not love her. The one who loved her was Dryden, and while she hadn't been too keen on being his lover either she had given him a chance.

Now they were somewhere in between that. Millerna let his presence comfort her and she hoped she returned the favor for him as well. "I think," she paused, "I think she's the one."

Dryden nodded, "Me too. Let's hope both of them see it too though."

A/N: Hello all. I am terribly sorry for the extremely long wait. I have no excuse except for having no umph to finish this chapter, which is horribly short compared to the other three. I promise eventually I will make it up to you and write a long, but decent chapter!

Anyway life has been interesting and I hope I haven't lost all my readers by now, but thank you everyone for your support! It means a lot to me.

Ah! Before I forget I had one reader who was very worried about the well-being of Hitomi's soul. Now, I don't know if I should let you all know this, but no Hitomi soul isn't being sucked out as she stays in the castle. However the soul sucking out bit does come from somewhere. The reveal of where will happen later.

Also, I hope that the explanations weren't too boring and that you all enjoyed the chapter! Please review!

Preview: _Her cut wasn't healing. Not like it did before. _


	5. V: Magic Waning

The Seer and the Dragon King

The first thing Van tried to do was get out of bed before he was ready. But like usual Millerna was right there to push him back down and scold him for the action. He couldn't very well yell at her for doing such but instead he sent her a glare. The blonde clucked her tongue but she kept her hand firmly on his bare chest and gave him a look of a stern mother.

"You aren't ready to get up yet," she scolded, "even with the your instant healing you are still going to need lots of bed rest. If this was a normal place you'd still be in critical condition." Van blinked up at Millerna before glancing away, she was strong even in her corpse like state. If there was one person who hadn't deserved to be stuck with the curse, it had had to be the group from Asturia. They had just wanted safety and somewhere to lay their heads down as the battles raged around them. But, he had cursed all of them into suffering a fate worse than death.

Rubbing his eyes he watched hazily as Millerna rubbed oil over his chest. He wasn't quite sure what properties it had, but the next thing he knew his skin was tingling with an odd sensation. It was as if it were reacting with the magic that usually clawed at his chest and breath. He had always hated his large prison ever since it had been imposed upon him.

"How is she?" he asked. Millerna looked up at him and held a secretive smile. As if she knew something he didn't.

"She's better," Millerna replied. Van nodded it was good that the girl hadn't suffered. Closing his eyes he forced the memories of the girls of past and of Escaflowne the Dragon Goddess out of his mind. But, Millerna's ointment kept him from sinking into oblivion. Opening his eyes once more, Van sighed and looked to the woman.

"Have you noticed anything? Has she looked sick?" he asked. Millerna gave him a shocked look.

"No, she's fine she looks just like usual a healthy living girl. The other girls lasted longer than this," she left the question hang in the silences. Plus, her eyes showed her question sharply enough. Why was he worried now? He didn't look at the blonde princess as if his feigned ignorance would deter her one bit. "Van!" she snapped letting go of his title. Once more his eyes found hers. "Why now? Do you think?"

"No, no there is no time limit. That was made clear to me, but that does not mean our sanity can, can withstand it," he sighed placing a hand over his eye. The moment caused a discomfort in his chest as he did so. Van glanced at the chest and noted a faint line that cut across his torso. A wound from before the curse, but still it managed to cause his discomfort. "And I cannot let another girl go through what I have forced upon the rest of you." Van looked away, he couldn't look into the eyes of one of the women he had wronged the most. Millerna's hand swept through his hair.

"My Lord, you have suffered a dozen times over for our sake, and you have kept mum about the truth that pains you. If only Hitomi could see what we all see. Behind your arrogant attitude you, you have a kind and hurt heart," she said softly. Her tender touch to his scalp reminded Van of memories he would prefer to forget, but yet he yearned for a motherly touch.

Still, Millerna's chilled hands took away from the ideal that any real comfort could be gained until the curse was broken. Letting a puff of air out, Van wondered if the girl would be the key.

Hitomi stared at her mirror self for a moment she wondered if she actually looked that pale and scared. Her eyes were dark and seemed as if they took up her face. Plus, her skin had, for some reason, lost some of its coloring. Touching her skin, her other self doing the same, she pressed her fingers hard against the flesh and watched as it lost even more color. Releasing the flesh she watched as more color returned to it. She felt as if she looked sick. Touching her hair she frowned at her doppelganger briefly thinking of what exactly she was doing. It was stupid to play with a mirror. Turning around Hitomi jumped started to see Yukari behind her with a blue dress folded over her emaciated arm. Hitomi had never remembered Yukari looking so thin, but then again due to how every seemed to be normal at night every morning their thinness looked so _wrong_.

"Sorry Yukari, I didn't realize you were there. Do you need me?" she asked. The red head smiled, the smile seeming to split her face. It still disturbed her, but Hitomi was sure the second that the servants' appearances stopped bothering her was when things would be terribly wrong. Snagging her bottom lip, she wondered briefly if they ever got use to their gaunt and terrifying forms.

"Oh, no! I didn't need you, but I did bring this dress. The King wishes to see you in the gardens today," she said, holding up the dress. "He was finally given leave of the medical room! He'll probably want to thank you for your help." The red head seemed so cheery that for a brief moment Hitomi felt like maybe the king would actually get his act together and thank her.

"I see," Hitomi began, "Well I'll get dressed then." She held her palm upwards and open to receive the dress. Once it was placed in her hands Hitomi smiled briefly. If it was anything like the past days then once she got the dress on everything would be situated. With out a second thought, Hitomi shed her clothing and slipped the blue dress on. And, just like expected the magic went to work. Except it didn't. Unlike the times before the dress didn't fit snugly against her form and the ties were done sloppily so that the bow drooped almost despairingly. Hitomi turned to Yukari, whose eyes were as wide as saucers, with questions all over her face. "What's wrong?" she asked. A lump started to form in her throat from Yukari's horrified looks.

"It's happening quicker!" the red head squeaked. She pressed her twig-like fingers against her mouth. Hitomi didn't know what _it_ was, but from how the other girl was reacting she could only assume it wasn't a good thing. "I must tell Millerna! And you! You must go see the King he'll surely know!" The twig like girl gripped at Hitomi's arm with a bruising force before sending out of her room with a rush.

Before the blonde knew it she was at the opening of the garden and the King stood with his back to her. Her dress still felt ill fitted, but thanks to Yukari she hadn't had the time to situate it. Yet, as if he knew she were there the young King turned around, his eyes showing a flash of concern before something she recognized easier found its place: annoyance. What he was irritated or annoyed with, Hitomi had no clue.

"You look as if you rolled out of bed," he commented. The blond rolled her eyes, but before she could open her mouth and retaliate the king waved it off. "I wanted to talk to you about the dragon. The living one," he clarified. Hitomi gave a humph before folding her arms beneath her breasts.

"They both seemed real to me a points. I mean that armor moved for the goddess sake!" she blurted out. Van turned and looked to her his eyes slightly widened. His mouth was also gaped open slightly.

"Escaflowne moved for you?" he asked. Hitomi blinked. He seemed to shocked that it had moved stepping forward, closer to him she looked in his eyes. His worry was more evident than the annoyance that had flickered over his face before.

"Yes. And gave me visions," Hitomi answered. The king's hands found their way to her cheeks and for a brief moment the blond felt heat radiate over her face. His touch was tender and almost caring.

"Why did you go in there? Why did you even fight the dragon that came to the castle! Do you have a death wish?" His gears shifted quicker than Hitomi could comprehend at first, but while his words were harsh his hands were still tender with her. Reaching up, she touched the wound on his arms. The smooth skin seemed to the roll in her fingers as she traced it with her fingertips.

Upon doing so there was a prickle at the edge of her eyes and she felt the pull of another vision. A girl stood her hands in her lap and she shook her head. She was pretty, gorgeous really but she was crying as she yelled loudly, so very loudly, that she wanted to go home. Feelings, phantom like feelings, drifted through her. Her chest felt heavy with disappointment as the girl chose to go home. Her hand reached out, it wasn't hers though it was Van's, and tried to stop the girl from running.

"_Celena!"_ Hitomi heard not only Van's voice but her own intertwine with the plead. But the girl continued her way to freedom and out of his life. The pain, it wasn't physical, was nearly unbearable as she and Van, they seemed to be one person, crumpled over.

Hitomi found herself back in present kneeling on the ground with Van a couple feet away from her. He looked betrayed and hurt by what she could only assume she had been speaking with him, but in the real world instead of the safety of her vision.

"Did you vision tell you about Celena?" His voice sounded slightly harsh in her ears. Hitomi looked up.

"No, but I did see her briefly before she left. I didn't know why she crying or why you were sad," Hitomi said. She stumbled to gain her footing but once she didn't Van kept his distance. "Who is she?"

"That is none of your business!" Van roared. Hitomi toppled backwards in the shock and into the thorns of the rose bush. The sting of a cut caused her to wince as she lifted her hand away from the bush. She stared at her hand and felt something akin to horror clench at her lungs. Her cut wasn't healing. Not like it did before. Of course a simple scratch wasn't something to worry about, but as she had been taken away from the ceremony room her wounds had healed. Hitomi had accepted that her wounds would heal. Clutching the hurt hand to her chest, she turned away from the king and rushed back into the castle.

Van stood at the edge his brows furrowing as the girl rushed back inside still clutching at her hand. Internally he cursed himself for scaring the girl, he should've kept his temper under control, but Celena she was a sore spot for his heart. Walking towards the rose bush, Van kneeled down preparing to pluck a rose from the bush in apology when he noted that Hitomi's blood still rested upon a thorn or two. He would state that it was curiosity more than anything that led him to brush his finger over the droplets and place the said finger in his mouth. Van didn't know why but as he tasted the tang of her blood he felt a searing pain in his heart and head.

He tumble forward into the bush and the thorns relentlessly cut into his flesh as well. For a plant did not care if the person too close to it was a mere seer or a grand king, it would take its payment anyway it was necessary. Yet, as Van's blood mixed with the young seer's the rose bush began to grow.

Yukari pressed a hand to her beating chest as she found Dryden instead of Millerna. Where ever the blond had made off to the red head couldn't care at that point. She turned to the brunette and grabbed at his sleeve. The man looked surprised by the sudden attack, but Millerna didn't care. She sucked in a breath.

"The magic! It's waning! Hitomi's dress wouldn't tie up right and she looks sick! She knows something is wrong, but I don't know if I can tell her! How long do you think the magic will hold?" Yukari practically screeched in the brunette's ear.

Dryden sat back and let out a low whistle. Millerna herself had mentioned that the King had been strangely worried about Hitomi's well being. It had been as if he had known that dealing with Escaflowne would be something damaging to her. Rubbing his chin, Dryden mused as to what it could be that had sapped the protective magic from the young girl. "Dryden!" Yukari screeched again. The man looked up and sighed.

"We can't know. This has never happened before. Maybe her protective magic got weakened and sent her into the next stage, but maybe she'll hang onto this one longer than you did? We don't know and I don't think we can even fathom what will happen," he said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. It was obvious from the exasperated look Yukari gave him it wasn't the answer the red head was looking for. Dryden, however, held up a hand trying to keep the girl from launching into another worried rant. But, as her lips peeled back over her teeth and her eyes narrowed he knew only an interruption would save him from the girl's wrath.

Once again Folken was alone with his thoughts, and like usual he walked as he contemplated what all actions that had led to the curse. Had Van's bloodshed done so? Had the cruelties of war sent the gods and goddesses into a frenzy, and if so why _only_Fanelia. The elder brother looked out the window and from his tower he saw a peculiar sight. One of the rose bushes had begun to grow, and in a place where nothing changed it was an odd sight. First the dragon and then the rosebushes. Something was changing. He leaned against the wall trying to discern as to what elements of the well-known curse were changing. The girl would obviously have less of a time to swallow Van's misdeeds much less make the greatest decision anyone, even the gods, could ask for her.

Touching the tear drop below his eye, Folken wondered if all the peculiar happens were the doings of fate and that maybe, just maybe the girl was the answer to it all. She seemed to carry a power of her own, her own inner light. He rubbed his eyes then and sighed. Contemplating did nothing, so he would have to check the boundaries and the rest of the world, the sleeping world, to see if Escaflowne's attack, the dragon attack, and the rosebushes were all symptoms of a bigger problem.

Just as he turned Folken noticed his two helpers rounding the corners as gracefully as their near dead bodies would allow them. He felt sickened by their appearance. They were only trapped in the castle spell because of his selfishness. Rubbing his cold hands together he knew he wouldn't have to say anything to convince them to do as he wished.

"We need to scout the parameter, but remember you must be in by nightfall!" he warned. Both Naria and Eriya nodded before bounding off and away from him again. Folken returned his gaze outward. He'd follow soon after, but only after he found out what was causing the disturbance in the gardens.

Hitomi watched as her cut slowly and somewhat painfully healed. The skin stitched together at a irritating slow pace, so that she could watch with horrified fascination at the wound. Before her cuts had healed in seconds. She would look up and then down and there would be no scarring and no sign she had ever been hurt. Bruises had been the same way. Yet, like the dress and like everything else that had happened it was sloppy and slow.

"Yukari! NO!" A trio of voices caused the seer to glance up and watch in curiosity as Millerna, Dryden, and Amano tried to stop the red headed girl from marching into her room. Yet, despite have a force of three people, albeit emaciated people but Yukari wasn't any better off, pulling back on her the red head managed to rush forward into the room. Her thin chest was heaving as she stumbled forward.

"Hitomi. I need. To. Tell you something," Yukari gasped doubling over her knees. The seer blinked and titled her head ever so slightly.

"What is it?" she asked. But before Yukari could open her mouth Millerna rushed forward followed by the two males.

"Don't you dare! This could ruin everything!" She shook her finger in the red head's face.

"She needs to know!" Yukari snapped. Hitomi felt confused and bewildered by the actions of the two women. "Hitomi I was like you! I wasn't here when the curse started. I am one of the disappeared girls!" The information sent a whirlwind of shock through the blond. She had been sure there had been more girls, but she had never stopped to think what had happened to them.

* * *

A/N: So, um, hi guys! [You can all thank **Anenihan** for her review] Long time no update for this story. My Rurouni Kenshin story had been getting my attention but I promise from now on I will try to alternate between the two in updates. I mean my last post was in 2009 and it wasn't really even in the double digit months. So I am sooooo sorry and if anyone is still reading this I bow my head in shame.

Its just this is my final year of high school type learning and before I head into college I want to at least get one story done [It'll probably be this one because who knows how long Divorce will be] Still to all those who read this thank you.

Preview: _Or if push came so shove it'd meet another trail at some point, and she would be actually free._

**Thanks to all who reviewed! It means a lot to me! **


	6. VI: Yukari's Story

**Seer and the Dragon King **

**VI.**

"I need to tell you my story," Yukari started. Hitomi stumbled back unsure she even wanted to hear the story. Her lips trembled and she felt slightly sick, she had assumed from her vision and from Van's reaction to her vision earlier that there might have been a girl before her a woman that had touched the king's heart but left before the curse could do anything to her. What she hadn't even thought of was the chance that any of the girls had stayed. Yukari grabbed her arm to still her. "Please, Hitomi. I need you to know what happened to me, so you can know what could happen to you." The other girl looked so sad as she echoed the please. Hitomi gently pulled her arm away, fearful that if Yukari prolonged her touching that the visions would crop up once more. Still, she nodded, agreeing to hear whatever tale Yukari thought necessary. Behind the two women Amano, Dryden and Millerna stood still, no longer trying to stop Yukari from speaking about the past.

The red headed woman took a deep breath as if she had to fill her lungs completely before she started her tale. Amano broke from his stillness to kneel next to his lover and wrap his hands around Yukari's own. "I am unsure how long it has been since I disappeared into their realm, but this story needs to start before I came here."

Yukari stared at her feet as she trailed behind the wagon. Once again her father had gotten them chased out of another village with his charlatan ways of fake prophecy. Part of her wondered why he couldn't even try to keep a normal job. At first he would feign a job in the fields, but eventually her father would fall to his knees and claim a vision. His act was so convincing at first that most of the people of the village would clamor around him begging for him to tell more. Eventually they would all wise up and before the fires and pitchforks came into play her father would pack them all up to head to the next village with the promise that next time they would find a permanent place to live. Yukari wasn't about to hold her breath on the promise.

The wagon wobbled as it went over a rock, and Yukari's eyes zeroed into the satchels especially as an orange orb dislodged itself from its place in the pack and rolled down and off the wagon. Yukari watched it, contemplating just leaving one of her father's props to waste away in the forest they were passing by, but she couldn't. Instead she stopped watching as her mother and father led the mule down the trail without a notice that anything had been displaced. Yukari shook her head as she picked her way through the bushes. The branches scratched at her legs as she walked further into the forest. It wasn't until she couldn't see the trail anymore that Yukari felt out of sorts like she had somehow entered a realm that she was not meant to be part of. It was almost as if she had fallen into the stories of the fairies that her mother had often spoken about. Stilling Yukari turned around looking for anything to orient herself back to her original trail, yet instead of seeing a clearing in the distance Yukari noted she had somehow found herself on an old strange trail. Grass had already pushed its way between the bricks that had been laid out. Yukari stilled for a moment before deciding that most of the time old trails found their way back to the newer ones, and it was rare that two were just beside each other forever. Or if push came so shove it'd meet another trail at some point, and she would be actually free. Yukari smiled at that thought. Freedom from her charlatan father would be heaven sent.

"So, you followed the trail?" Hitomi asked. Yukari seemed to shake herself out of her thoughts, her movements causing her to look as if her head was far bigger than it was supposed to be.

"Yes, I think I was looking for a reason to get out. I wasn't coerced into going along the trail," Yukari admitted. She steepled her fingers. Hitomi just blinked for a moment trying to catch herself up with the story as it was. Not only was Yukari a girl who had been pulled into the spell but she looked almost as bad as Millerna and Dryden did. "Anyway, I found my way past the village and to the castle quite easily. But it was nearing night when I did it. So, Millerna and everyone didn't scare me, not really."

Yukari looked around the beautiful castle and smiled broadly, the place looked like stories said castles should be. All clean all just perfect. She ran a finger along to stone of the place before giving off a giddy squeal. Her noises must have attracted the people living in the giant building because soon the a bundle of them came from the nooks and crannies. Yukari couldn't even think of anything going wrong, the place was too beautiful for it to harbor trolls or evil things, and from the servants that had come to see her she knew she couldn't be more right.

A blonde woman whom was slim and looked like she should be a painting walked forward with two men trailing after her. Yukari awaited for her to address her and tell her what beautiful place she had stumbled upon. Instead of speaking the blonde haired woman just studied her, violet eyes sweeping over her. It wasn't until the darker haired male nudged her gently that she seemed to shake from her thoughts.

"It's seems you have found our lovely home just in the nick of time. Would you care to share dinner with us?" she asked. The blonde didn't bow or tilt her head down like most servants, and Yukari wondered if the woman could tell that she was nothing more than a peasant as well. Still the offer of food was almost too much as Yukari's stomach rumbled. She pressed a hand to her belly and smiled.

"I would love to have dinner with you all. Where is the person who rules over this castle?" she asked. The woman just gave a small smile, almost secretive.

"He was out hunting, but he should be back by now and cleaning up," she replied before turning to the blonde haired man who had stood behind her. "Allen would you please tell Lord Van that we have a _guest_?" she asked. The man nodded his head and was soon off to go speak to whoever Lord Van was. Yukari couldn't help but feel excitement well up in her stomach at the thought that maybe she could live out one of her mother's bedtime stories. Where a young beautiful girl found her way into a handsome lord's heart and lived the rest of her life in wealth and splendor. "Come," the blonde woman held out her hand. "I'll show you to a room where you can get dressed into something a little more proper for dinner attire," she told her softly. Yukari followed eagerly like a puppy. She couldn't believe that this all was happening to her.

"How did your first dinner go?" Hitomi almost felt as if she were listening to a fairytale. Yukari had been so trusting that everything would work out. Her heart ached for the girl. Reaching outwards towards the other girl Hitomi almost wished she could make the fantasy life Yukari had been looking forward to at first into a reality.

"Wonderful! You know I don't know what it had been about the both of you being in a room together Hitomi, but when Lord Van had dinner with me he was a little stiff but other than that he had been a perfect gentleman," Yukari told her honestly.

"Maybe there is a little more of a spark between the lord and our house guest this time," Millerna said just loud enough for the other two girls to take note of her. Hitomi felt the need to clarify that she had been unaware of any spark of anything between herself and Van other than slight bouts of animosity and irritation. Yet, she was sure any protest against the assumption would be an admittance in both Millerna and Yukari's eyes.

"Yes, I can see that. Plus while I had thought the King was nice. There was another person who actually caught my eye," she said wistfully. Hitomi knew who it had had to be, seeing as he was in the room and smiling fondly at Yukari.

Yukari wondered her way towards the stables where there were no horses, but Millerna had told her that sometimes to get quite and to stay out of the castle and away from the terrifying corpse like people who lived there during the day. Yukari couldn't believe that she had once thought that the castle was the perfect place for her. After two weeks of watching the people switch between healthy and near death she didn't think she could handle it. Yet, every single time the King approached her with his never changing appearance Yukari felt the urge to turn tail and disappear down a hall. His way of seeming always the same was actually more frightening than the servants and their looks of being an inch form becoming the undead. So, she was going to hide in the stables away from the bulk of the people and especially the king.

She was sitting on the wood staring at the knots in the wood when a sound came from behind her. Yukari nearly jumped out of her skin as she whipped around and saw a gaunt man that looked quite a bit like the blonde man she had seen almost always near either the King or Millerna. His hair was brown instead of a golden blonde and he looked extremely sheepish to be caught moving crates around. Yukari jumped from her perch down to the ground and started walking towards the man.

"What are you doing? Were you spying on me?" she asked, nearly demanded him. The man stood up straighter eyes widened to a point he would've looked like a cute furry animal if it had not been for his gaunt face. Yukari couldn't keep the smile at his reaction off her face completely.

"No, I just," he paused before sighing, "I just, sometimes the castle gets to be too much for everyone, and I just like to mess with the boxes." Yukari almost arched her brows and demanded he tell her the truth but after looking at the boxes surrounding them and their neatness on one side while the other was rather disheveled, she couldn't help but believe him.

"Okay, after you're done with your boxes. I wouldn't mind if you sat with me."

Hitomi listened to Yukari's tale about how over the months she had become more and more intrigued with Amano, and less interested in fame and wealth with the healthy Van. She had fallen in love with a man who looked more like a necromanced corpse during the day and a normal being at night. Still Hitomi couldn't fathom how the girl had eventually found herself in the court with the people who suffered the curse. So, she waited to hear exactly what had happened.

When Yukari kept gushing about her times and adventures with Amano Hitomi almost begged the other girl to move on with it, yet she didn't have to as Millerna cleared her throat and raised her eyebrows upwards. For a moment Hitomi wondered if the movement of such skin should've made any noise. Yukari looked down sheepishly, her face still mostly absent of coloration before nodding again.

"Anyway, it was about a year into my stay that I noticed something, I was looking a lot more like them. I was thinning down during the day and plumping up," Yukari started.

She had nicked her finger on a knife while trying to prepare a meal for Amano while he worked, and for a while she had been use to the quicker healing and eventually the normal healing, but she had nicked her finger three weeks ago and the wound would still sluggishly leak blood if she kept it unwrapped. Yukari decided right then and there she was going to ask Amano what was going on. She picked her way through the castle avoiding the creepy cat girls and their boss as well as Millerna and Dryden with their serious _us_ discussions. As she slipped out the back past the gardens, Yukari felt worry well up into her chest.

"Amano!" she cried out wrapping her arms around the thin man. He stumbled back a couple of steps before giving a grunt. "I cut my hand and it's not healing it's not even scabbing over!" She gave off a whine while Amano just seemed to stand ramrod straight. "Amano!" she called out his name gripping his clothing tightly in her hands. His wool-like shirt felt scratchier than it had previously.

"Yukari, we need to take you to the king. You, you need to hear about this," Amano said as he pulled back. He grabbed her hand once pulling himself from her. "Come on, now!" Yukari moved to complain, to drag her heels anything to keep away from the strangely intense king, but nothing she did stopped him from pulling her towards the throne room. Luckily for her though, they ran into Millerna carrying a tray of fruits and salted meats. Amano stopped only to grab Millerna's fragile arm.

"Is the King in?" he asked, his eyes looking so wild to Yukari, but Millerna just looked resigned. She gave Yukari a sad look before nodding her head in the affirmative.

"Yes, come this way," she told the both of them. As she lead the way Yukari tried to figure out why in the world they were so worried or acting so strangely. Millerna brought her knuckles to the door three times before opening the door. "Lord Van, Yukari and Amano have come to see you," Millerna stated. Yukari watched over the blonde's to see the King's eyes widen and his posture straightened considerably.

"Send them in," he commanded. Yukari was immediately pushed forward by Amano and held in front of the king like some sort of specimen. Before she could feel any betrayal she was stilled by the King letting out a string of some very un-royalty like curses. "How long has she been like this? Her time is running low?" he growled, stepping down from his perch as he did. He grabbed her face with his pointer for thumb.

"What are you doing?" Yukari asked. The king ignored her instead he looked around the room at Millerna and Amano.

"You have two choices, you can either stay or you can leave and return to the normal world. Your choice," the king stated. Yukari shook her head.

"What?" she asked still unsure as to what the king was getting at.

"Either you stay and look like this," he looked pained as he spoke, "or you can leave and have a normal life." Yukari was quite once of the first few times since she arrived in Fanelia. She could go away live a normal life try to find a guy as great as Amano, or she could stay and look hideous for most of her life unlike it ended. Yet, if she stayed she'd be with Amano. Looking into his eyes she touched Amano's face.

"I am staying," she said softly.

Hitomi sat back, confused as to why Yukari had felt the necessity to tell her the entire tale. What did her decision to stay have to do with herself and her staying? Millerna seemed to notice her confused expressions and gripped her shoulder tightly. Yukari looked too proud of herself for her to truly know Hitomi's little problem.

"What I think Yukari was hinting towards is that if you request it, Hitomi, you can go home," Millerna said softly. She rubbed circles on Hitomi's shoulder. The seer couldn't quite swallow the words handed to her. What they were suggesting merely after she had some problems? The cut had healed eventually it was slowly knitting up but it was gone. Looking up at the group Hitomi opened her mouth to tell them exactly why she couldn't ask that of Van, when she realized even she didn't know why she knew she needed to stay. Pushing back away from the two women, Hitomi just shook her head.

"I need to speak with Van. I need to, I need him to answer my questions," she mumbled. Millerna once more reached a hand trying to still her but Hitomi merely ducked out of the way. She nearly ran from the room in search of the proud king.

Back in the room Millerna turned her gaze back to Dryden. His green eyes latched onto hers and with a simple shift of his body he conveyed the fact that he was very much so willing to let her wrap her arms around him. Millerna forcefully kept her body still, she couldn't always run to men when things weren't going the way she hoped. Honestly she really liked Hitomi and had wished that she would have immediately left them now that the magic was wearing off. As much as she wanted the cruel curse to be broken she didn't want it at the cost of another sweet innocent girl. Yukari was more than enough, and plus Hitomi had a wise look in her eyes.

"She'll make the right choice," Dryden said. He walked beside her and gently cupped her cheek. If it had been night she would've nuzzled into his hands and wrapped herself around him despite her earlier decision. "Hitomi seems to know of things that we have never even told her. She'll either break the curse or she'll disappear from our lives completely." He spoke like he knew exactly what would happen. Millerna looked up at the man who had always been there for her, willing to throw his body over her not out of duty but out of love when the threat of attack had come upon them. She found herself trusting him happily.

Hitomi wasn't sure that she was following the right halls or even if Van was still inside of the castle, if she remembered correctly from some of the commentary from the servants, he often liked to walk about the forest seeing his realm and making sure that if a young girl found her way into their world that they managed to get to the castle before night. From his first night's commentary, Hitomi had assumed that he had nothing to do with the cat girl, Merle, leading her back to the castle. He had seemed so completely uncaring. Never the less she needed to find out if he was indeed within the castle walls. Gently she touched the said walls as she turned the corner towards his throne room, and she fell immediately into another vision. Her eyes watered and her mouth burned.

It felt as if there were smoke everywhere she turned, but as Hitomi tried to peer around the area she found herself in she realized that she couldn't move on her own accord. It was like before when she had been in Van's body as he had slaughtered dozens. Yet, right then she was covering her mouth and hacking along with him, she assumed. As she was forced to turn around and look at the battlefield Hitomi noticed all the fires that looked almost exactly like Van's. Out of the corner of his eye, Hitomi also took notice of a healthier Folken walking up to them. He still looked tired, but he wasn't as sickly looking as he was every other time Hitomi had seen him in the castle.

"I got word that the royals from Asturia have settled in and are trying to reestablish contact," Folken said, he sounded as if he just wanted to sleep for weeks. Van nodded, and Hitomi felt her head bobbing as well.

"Good," he replied. "Well move forward in the morning. You get some sleep, we need our tactician well rested." Folken just stared and for a moment Hitomi almost felt as if he wasn't only looking at Van but as her as well, but he merely shook his head and told his younger brother to also sleep. Somehow, even as Hitomi was dragged out of that vision she knew that Van hadn't slept much if at all.

As she came out of the visions Hitomi found that she had turned around away from the throne room, and that she could still feel the smoke and the death all over her body. Pressing her own hand against her lips she hacked a couple of times trying to clear her throat. When it came to no avail, she merely pressed forward walking back towards the gardens trying to ignore the discomfort of sore eyes. As she passed by, Hitomi noted that the servants were once again dancing around her and staying as far from her physically as they could, as if they knew she were a freak.

She stopped looking at the servants who kept their heads down out of respect and moved so they wouldn't hinder her. They would never find her to be a freak even if she allowed them all to know that she could see the past and the future. Actually, if she put her mind to it, Hitomi was sure they would be more attuned to embracing her, something her old village had never even thought to do. Shaking her head, Hitomi knew she couldn't allow herself to think about that for a while. What she needed to do was find Van and talk to him not only about Yukari, but everything else Celena and the curse. She didn't know quite why she was so sure Van would be able let her see herself and her choices, but something in her said that if anyone could help her it would be him.

As she walked into the garden, Hitomi stopped near the roses just as she caught sight of the king. He was leaning back on his hands with his eyes at the sky, yet he didn't look hopefully instead his face was covered with a mask of sadness. He looked like as if the entire world had settled itself on his shoulders. Hitomi felt the worry for him sink into her belly. It was a less frantic version than when he had faced the dragon, but seven she could tell he was near the end of his rope.

"Do you feel the years?" Hitomi asked. She startled him, this she knew by his shoulders bunching and his head twisting her way with a slight widening of his garnet eyes. "I mean it doesn't seem like Yukari or even Millerna really seems to feel the years." She continued while he stayed quiet. Van merely regarded her somberly before shifting over on the stone bench and allowing her to sit down next to him.

"It does feel like it's been too long since I was able to travel, or to even interact with the world outside of this. But I can't even tell you the exact amount of time that's passed," he answered honestly. Hitomi turned her head to hide the slight bit of excitement that maybe for the moment Van would be cooperative and he'd actually tell her the truth. Looking back at him, she noted that he was actually interested in knowing how much of the world he had lost. Hitomi swallowed feeling a bit of bitterness fill her throat. It had been at least one thousand years since the fall of Asturia and the disappearance of Fanelia. It had been so long that Fanelia and its King had been wrapped in myth and legend. All of his exploits had been exaggerated upon to the point where he was a terrifying beast of a creature, and while she recognized that he had been a very vicious man in war filled with lust for the fight and blood, Hitomi could see that was not what was all that made Van Fanel, King Van Fanel of Fanelia.

"If Ziabach is to be believed," Hitomi started, "then the Great War ended a thousand years ago after the disappearance of Fanelia and the fall of Asturia. They have been ruling most of the world ever since." She watched his face closely, her eyes gluing to him like and trying to gage his emotions. Van shut her out again, his face a stone mask of uncaring, but from what she had seen from him in moments she knew that he couldn't be completely unaffected by the mention that everything he knew most likely had been dead for hundreds of years.

"They have held their empire for quite a while then," he commented blandly. Whatever hope Hitomi had that Van would let her in it had slowly begun to dim. Still she had a chance that he might let her in a little bit more.

"Yes well, there are a few nomadic villages that hold the semblance of being independent of Ziabach, but still if the army comes in requesting a girl or a boy to come with them most of the villages readily give up the least important people or the ones they think are freaks," Hitomi told him softly. She tried hard to keep the anger and bitterness from her voice. She loved her village they were just trying to save themselves, and it wasn't their fault. But, they had left her, and she couldn't help but feel the betrayal deep in her belly burning through her.

"I am sorry that happened to you." Van looked her straight in the eyes, and for the first time Hitomi felt as if he were really talking to her. That maybe just maybe they were on the same level. He wasn't commanding her to do anything or acting as if he were above her. Instead he was treating her like an equal. Hitomi blinked away the small prickle of tears that had found their way to her eyes. Hitomi shook her head, she had never really told anyone in the castle what had happened to her, but it wasn't like her trials were anything compared to theirs.

"What happened," she sucked in a deep breath, "happened. But, what about you? If some day a girl comes by and saves you all from this curse, what happens to you?" Hitomi asked. Part of her hoped deeply that the simple nudge would be ignored of its curiosity and that he would keep his slightly open nature and tell her the truth. When his face became shadowed, she knew she lost any opportunity. His eyes hardened and his lips thinned, the memories she knew he must have had of the curse were not pretty ones. Hitomi reached to touch him, a merely comforting gesture, but he shied away like she was a poison. The seer drew back her hand immediately.

"I don't want you to see what I see," he stated gruffly. "I assume that you have a gift, one that back in my time would've held you in high esteem and untouchable by any world power. Obviously where you are from," he paused, looking at the ground bitterly he gave a sneer towards the dirt, "that is not the case." He didn't speak to her again instead he stayed far from her before he walked back towards the forest his shoulders held straight in irritation. Hitomi curled in on herself on the stone bench feeling rejected. She shouldn't, that she knew for sure, the king had no need to actually make sure that she felt included, and it wasn't the first time he rebuffed her or made her feel small. Yet, it was the first time he did it after letting her really see him.

She laid there for what felt to her was an hours' time before she uncurled herself from the bench and decided she'd had enough time feeling sorry for herself. Patting her hands over her dress, Hitomi decided she was going to find out and Van's push of her person was not enough for her to turn tail and stop looking into the curse. Plus, if she had any chance of actually figuring out if she could break the curse she needed to know what it was or the truth as to why it started. Immediately she started wracking her brain trying to figure out who would know best. Obviously Millerna and the rest of the servants wouldn't be too privy to the real battlefield experiences, and from what she had seen there were no left over soldiers toiling about the castle awaiting for her to pick their memories.

Hitomi jolted ramrod straight, as a thought curled its way into her mind. There was one person other than Van who had been the battlefield and most likely wherever he had been as well. Turning on her heel, Hitomi had a new Fanel to find, but that one she didn't know very well at all.

Folken had watched the exchange between his brother and the new girl. For one mere heartbeat he saw all he needed to. Van was allowing the girl to become more than just an innocent he had to protect from a curse. She was gaining a name and a face in his memory. Folken just hoped her ability to touch Van's soul wouldn't tear his brother to pieces if she couldn't help them break the curse. Not even Van really knew the final act to stop the curse, but the new girl didn't seem to be the one who would allow Van to call the shots. Turning away from the window, Folken looked back on his books and his lab. There had to be something he was missing about the whole ordeal what would have the ability to call upon the Goddess' favor and give it such a boots of power. He had had Naria and Erya running around the entirety of Fanelia collecting clues and observing the forest. They had gotten down the more promising items, but still he only had a simple theory of where the key point for the curse resided in. He needed to get a few more samples to be sure, but after that he would be able to deduce the best way to fix the curse.

Heading out of his private room, Folken was shocked to see the young girl heading down the hall with an intent look on her face. She had a few servants trailing after her with their stick like arms stretched out as if their frail beings could stop the intent woman. The moment she caught him in her sights, she headed right for him. Her movements of previous seemed almost uncoordinated compared to the intensity on her face.

"I need to talk to you!" she said loudly. Folken noted that the girl who had seemed to ease his brother into conversation was nowhere to be seen for him. It clued him into where exactly on the totem pole he stood with Hitomi. He felt his back stiffen. "Please, if I am to find anything else out I need you." She reached forward and grabbed his hand tightly in her own. Then again maybe he wasn't so low in her eyes, but he wasn't sure of her extreme forwardness. Yet, her hand shook as she gripped his, and worry came over her face briefly. Forwardness of desperation, Folken noted. His body relaxed slightly before he nodded for her to walk with him. She released his hand and dutifully walked a step behind him.

Gnawing on her lip, Hitomi couldn't believe she had done that. She would have never ran to a man and demand to talk to him, at least not back in her village. She touched her face thinking over the whole ordeal when Folken lead her into a room she hadn't seen before. It looked out of place in the castle like it had been meant for a Princess from another country and culture. While Van and Folken seemed to ooze modesty with their clothing, the room looked like it was outfitted with satin and gold. The colors were rich as well.

"Where are we?" she asked looking around. Folken pulled a chair out from a desk and motioned for her sit on the settee. He didn't speak for a few heartbeats instead he looked at her as if he were studying her and the room.

"The future queen's room, or what was to be the future queen's room. Van was given two years to procure a queen or at least have an engagement. There were parades and parties. Van picked one she was going to rule, but well it didn't end well. We were in war about half a year after he was given his ultimatum. Now what did you need to know?" Folken asked. He was looking into the mirror as he spoke his eyes seeming to take in his sickly appearance. He wasn't the best looking, Van definitely was with his golden skin and healthy appearance, but he couldn't complain too much in Hitomi's opinion. She rubbed her shoulder debating how she should ask Folken the question. Van had shut down and that was after he had been acting so honest and truthful, and she while she knew Van only a little she knew Folken even less. No one really talked about the elder brother with a deformed arm, but Hitomi knew that everyone was cautious of him.

"The curse, can you tell me anything about it?" she asked. Her voice had lost most of the strength she had harbored earlier. Folken didn't move at first. Instead he just gazed at her. With him so quite Hitomi couldn't help but begin to fidget in her seat, which was surprisingly comfortable. For a moment, she remember her mother scoffing at a merchant who promised that his fancy furniture was the best in the land. She had then told Hitomi in a very dry voice that anyone in the village could make more comfortable furniture with their eyes closed and the extra bells and whistles on the settee made it hurt your backside. That was before her gift had shown itself before her mother herself had distanced from her.

"Alas, I do not believe right now is the time to tell you about the curse," Folken spoke up, jarring her from her memories. He slid his fingers over the wood and looked at her almost sadly. "In a few days time come back to me, and I will disclose everything I know, and before you inquire I was around when the curse was cast. I know the lead up, and unlike the servants around here I will not give you speculations. Yet, you have to be patient," he said gravely. Hitomi couldn't even get a word in before he stood and started for the door. She was sure that she was making a very good impression of a fish pulled from a stream, mouth gaped open eyes wide. "This room, I think maybe you should stay here for a little while. Get the sensation of it. You'll then understand how Van treats the people he cares greatly for." With the last few words Folken exited the room.

Hitomi sat back and mulled over what all had happened. Her cut had been sluggish to heal, Yukari's story, her clothing, Van's kindness and openness, and Folken's words. It was all so much. Curling up on the settee, Hitomi rested her head and it only took a few moments before she was asleep.

* * *

A/N: Wowzers, long time no update. Yeah? Well, thanks to everyone who reviewed for the last chapter all that time ago that means you: pinkmartini, kimmi0490, darkmist101, karmy 014, artszy, aye-know-hah, and puma1sunfire. Also, sorry if the switching between the past story and the "present" was confusing!

It means a lot to me that you all took time to leave me encouragement! So thank you! Only seven more chapters left of this story, but there might be a sequel afterwards.

_Preview: He stood tall in the shadows with his wings unfurled, and her breath stilled in her chest at the sight. He was magnificent._

Please, leave a review!


	7. VII: Dragon King

**Seer and the Dragon King**

**VII.**

The morning light peaked through the curtains of the room right into Hitomi's eyes. She rolled over onto her side only to fall from the bed and onto the floor. Shooting up straight and rigid she looked around the room, she knew the bed she had been in hadn't been hers, almost terrified of where she had ended up sleeping the rest of the afternoon and the night. Yet, she was still in the ex-queen-to-be's room and she was still in the castle. The curse was still clinging to her and everyone else. Hitomi rubbed her eyes and managed to get her hand on the bed before pushing herself to stand. As she gazed over the top of the sheets, her eyes followed a tan gloved hand up to a tanned forearm. Once again he was merely wearing a simple shirt, not something that a royal from Zaibach would wear. She remembered hearing of the straw royals of Zaibach and they luxurious clothing from the girls in the village before her sight became apparent. Still she had never seen Van in anything remotely royal like. Slowly her eyes found their way to the King's face, what she was expecting was a glare of great proportions. Instead, the royal just gave her a contemplative look. He didn't ask her what she was doing there, but he didn't turn his gaze from her. Maybe the room was painful for him too gaze upon. For a moment she wondered if Celena had been the woman who had bedded in the room until she left.

"Folken showed me this room. He said it was important," Hitomi babbled on. She watched Van's face slightly afraid that he would transform into a disciplinarian or worse that mocking man who made her feel little. "The room that is, that was what he called important not why he showed me the room. He only showed it to me so we could talk in private. I- I am sorry that I intruded," she finished off her rambling feeling even worse than she started. The King probably thought her even more demented from her fall to the floor or even more insulting from her inability to even speak to him. Yet, he merely gave a small chuckle before sitting down on the bed.

"Folken told me he had left you here," he admitted, "right after the entire castle was up in arms about your disappearance. Still, I did find you sleeping on the settee and it didn't look comfortable." He stopped talking and for once since she had seen him in the room Van didn't look at her instead his eyes were glued to his lap. Hitomi settled herself onto the bedding and awaited him to continue, yet when the King remained tongue tied she couldn't help but lean forward and ask him.

"Did you move me to the bed?" she said tentatively. He seemed uneasy with the way their conversation was going, but Hitomi wanted to know if the king had taken it upon himself to place her in a better sleeping arrangement. Maybe she was a little wrong about her first assumption of him. The king seemed to be a little red when he looked up, but he merely cleared his throat and nodded. Hitomi gave him a smile, feeling the heat on her face as well. "Thank you." She turned her gaze to her hands and waited for the two options available either the king would leave her to her silence or he would speak again. When he didn't move Hitomi sneaked a glance upwards towards him. He had kept his eyes adverted, but he was rolling the material of his own tunic between his thumb in forefinger. A nervous motion, Hitomi wondered. Van cleared his throat and his eyes immediately settled on hers.

"I was to check on the village merely to make rounds. You seem like you've been wanting to get out of here for at least a little while, would you care to accompany me?" he asked. Hitomi was sure there was something different in his tone, but she wasn't particularly sure what the difference was. She knew she didn't know him enough to really know every nuance in his voice. He could be plotting to kick her out of the world before she could even hear about the curse or he could be just trying to be nice to her after days of being an ass. Hitomi sucked in a breath, she'd have to jump sometime.

"I'd like to see the village again. I vaguely remember it from when I first came here," she admitted, and as she thought about it Hitomi felt as if her arrival had been months ago bordering on years. A small smile seemed to curve over Van's lips and he gave a short nod.

"I'll let you get dressed and I'll tell Millerna to pack us two lunches then," he said. Hitomi bobbed her head in agreement. She wondered if she could find her way back to her room from there but Van stopped her. "There are dresses in here that you can borrow." And with that he quickly popped off the bed and walked out of the room. He was kind of an oddity. Hitomi walked towards the large armoire. She swung the doors open only to see a half dozen dresses fit for a queen. It should've been obvious that those would be the type of clothing in such a room, still she even with the dresses that had been set out for her with magic she had never quite had anything so grand as most of the dresses before her. Yet, she assumed that due to her dwindling connection to the magic there would no longer be a dress laid out for her out of nowhere. As Hitomi reached for one of the lesser ornate dresses, the cloth moved away from her twisting out of her grip until her hands landed on a light green dress somewhat like the first one she had. The fabric seemed to pull towards her, and Hitomi mused that maybe the magic hadn't completely forsaken her. She didn't know how much the idea of the magic leaving her had scared her until she felt the relief settling in her body. As she put the dress on, Hitomi felt obligated to help the magic of the castle fit the dress to her. The dress cinched at her waist giving her the appearance of an actual female figure. Hitomi for once felt somewhat pretty even with her short unfeminine hair. Dragging her hand along the dress she clung to the feel of the fabric over her palm.

Hitomi shook her head, she should stop admiring the clothing. Van's good nature his kindness probably wouldn't last, kindness rarely did. She forced herself to walk out of the ex-queen-to-be's room and right into Millerna. Despite seeing the blonde like a corpse every single morning since she arrive, Hitomi still felt like her heart stuttered in a brief moment of fear, and she hated herself for it. The people of the castle had been nothing but extremely nice to her as she lived there. Yukari had even confided into her about her past. Millerna had fed her and Dryden had been nothing but kind. Yet still their appearances chilled her deep within every morning when they were at their worst. They were good people, better than anyone she'd ever met in her short lifetime.

"So there you are," Millerna chirped. Her voice was too happy and lively to come from her cracked and bloody lips. Hitomi blinked noting that despite the probable pain that Millerna was in she was smiling broadly and in her hands was a small plate of cheeses, cured meats, and slices of delectable fruits. The same plate the Hitomi was sure Millerna often brought to Van. "These are for you, seeing as you missed breakfast and supper. We were all worried, but here you are and," Millerna trailed off. She lacked the brightness in her eyes, but Hitomi was near positive that if she had this conversation closer to nightfall Millerna's eyes would've been gleaming with life. The shorter girl picked up a few of the salted meats and cheeses with one hand while piling the fruits in her other. "Take what you want, you and the king are going to have a satchel filled with these so don't worry!" she chirped again. The green eyed girl blinked trying to figure out what had Millerna in such a good mood. Most of the time she was fluttering around the kitchen with a scowl on her face over something Dryden did or she was being motherly and worrying about everything. Hitomi popped in a piece of the meat, slowly chewing it as Millerna seemed to watch her with avid fascination. While she had never really felt out of sorts with Millerna before having the woman watch her eat made Hitomi feel uneasy.

"I haven't lost appetite," she said quietly. Millerna seemed to realize what she was doing as she looked down sheepishly and shook her head.

"That's good. Now the King should be in the main hall," she spoke mostly to the floor. Hitomi nodded slowly, finishing her small meal.

"All right. I'll go see him now," she agreed. Millerna was being odd and so was Van, but at least it was a really good change with Van, Millerna just worried her. She had never seen the blonde woman so jumpy and happy, and in her condition it made Hitomi wonder if their bones were brittle and easily broken too? She shook her head, she didn't want to think about what could happen to the people, not right then.

Hitomi moved as quickly as she could and soon she found herself in the main foyer staring at Van's back. His head was slightly bent as he tied the sword hilt to his belt, but he looked more like a mythical warrior. One of the men of the old stories that the wise women and men would whisper into the ears of wide eyed children. It was to fill them with dreams of heroes even as Ziabach stole away every hope they could ever manage. They were free as long as the big bad Empire didn't want something from them. But Van, with his strong back his wide shoulders and stance of a warrior he would be a good visual hero for the child back in her home, not some much in person unless he had a lot of personality hiding underneath his snarky, cocky, and just overall slightly unpleasant attitude.

"Ready?" Van asked. Hitomi hadn't even noticed that he was looking at her. She tried to stifle her blushing but the redness came over her face none the less. His eyes seemed to latch onto her dress before they slowly traveled up to her face, and there they stood staring at each other for at least a few heartbeats.

"Yes," Hitomi replied quietly, breaking the silence. Maybe she shouldn't have picked the green dress or let the magic pick the green dress for her. For all she knew the green dress was Celena's favorite. She ran her palm over it again, the fabric felt wonderful still, but Van was still staring at her like he was trying to find answers. Shaking her head, Hitomi continued on towards him. Van seemed to snap out of his daze of staring in her direction as she got nearer. Her head snapped up once more as she heard him clear his throat. Part of her wondered what he was going to say if he was about to make a sly comment about her choice of clothing, but instead there was a faint pinkish hue to his face and he immediately clamped his mouth shut. "Are you ready?" she asked. The pink hue turned a little more red and his lips thinned.

"Yes, of course," he started. Van held out a hand awaiting for her to put hers in it, "You must be at least a little careful, while there aren't as many people rushing about, you can get lost the village." His warning sounded greatly important, and part of her was trying to remember what the animalistic man had told her when she first arrived. Yet, her memory was stalling out on that particular aspect. Still she didn't ask why he was taking her out to the village if he thought it was too dangerous. Instead she hooked her hand around his arm, gripping his bicep and allowed him to lead her out of the castle.

The second fresh hair hit her nose Hitomi sucked in a deep, long breath. There was moisture in the air, but as she glanced upwards there were no clouds in the sky. It was bright and sunny, but not too warm. A decent breeze found its way to her and King before lazily trailing off somewhere else. Before when she had traipsed into castle she hadn't paid much attention to the surrounding village except that it had seemed incredibly deserted. Her eyes swept over the area taking in everything while Van lead her through the beautiful, yet untouched village. Unlike most of the people who were walking about right then in the corpse like forms, the place itself looked like nothing bad had ever really happened there. It was pristine, strangely pristine at that. Leaning her head towards Van she moved to ask him a question when he turn his head. Their noises collided just before his lips brushed against her cheek. Hitomi snapped back and Van took at least four steps back away from her, his hand hovering over his nose. Hitomi didn't even know if she should cup her cheek or her nose at first, but she went with the slightly pained cartilage.

"Sorry," she said, "I was about to ask a question." One thing she didn't want the King to think was that she had been about to come onto him. As attractive as he was he'd yet shown that he wasn't a total and complete ass most of the time and plus he was cursed and dragging everyone else down with him. Also, from what little she knew it wasn't as if Van was the innocent being punished. Shaking her head Hitomi locked eyes with the King again. "I just wanted to know why the village looks so nice." In her mind it should be shambles. Or at least it shouldn't look like it had never been touched by human or nature. During the day even the castle looked lived in. It was only at night when it seemed to be too clean. Van shrugged, a very unkingly move, but Hitomi just watched his face.

"I don't know why, but this is how it is now," he answered honestly. Hitomi tried to hide the smile that came over her face, he was still talking to her almost freely. As they walked along the street Hitomi began to note that there were more people walking about the village than she had known had been in the castle. They were obviously not the same people she saw walking along the corridors of the castle, but they still suffered from the curse as well. Hitomi looked to Van trying to gauge his expression, but as his jaw clenched and his eyes hardened she knew that asking about those people would probably be the quickest way to get him to shut down on her. "They were my soldiers. The ones who didn't die on battle," Van seemed to start talking out of nowhere. Hitomi tried to keep her shock off of her face. She hadn't expected him to actually tell her anything if she didn't pry at it. Still if he was going to talk she wasn't going to interrupt him. Instead, Hitomi tried to give him her most encouraging smile. He didn't look at her.

Back at the castle, Dryden was still trying to figure out what exactly got Millerna humming. She had been happier ever since Hitomi had arrived and they had some hope again, but after yesterday's revelation where Millerna stated afterwards that she wanted the girl to be happy above their happiness he was expecting a sulking princess who would pour her time over the warm fire as she made the meals. Instead he was watching as Millerna seemed to dance around the kitchen area a smile on her face despite the stinging he knew she was feeling from keeping that wide grin.

"Millerna," he started to say, but when the blonde whirled around she grabbed his arm tightly and pulled him towards her.

"The king requested that Hitomi walk the village with him!" she spoke excitedly. Dryden felt for a moment as if he were let into some secret female privilege of gossip and relationships. "Do you know what this means?" she asked. Dryden knew exactly what Millerna thought it meant, but before he could mention the ulterior motive the King could harbor the blonde gave a joyful squeal. "It means he might want her to stay for himself and she'll be more likely to break the curse!" Dryden kept quiet for a few moments, he didn't have the heart to drag his lovely princess back to reality, she'd do that for herself soon enough. Millerna gave off a huff and narrowed her eyes.

"I know that it could be just a ruse so he can convince her to leave and never return, but I am trying to be optimistic, especially after Yukari reminded us of the past. Just because she only knows of herself and a couple other girls doesn't mean when she tells us these stories that we don't remember every face of every single one of those girls who walked through those castles walls!" Millerna snapped. Her happiness evaporated quickly as she pressed her pointer finger hard against his chest. He was use to her anger and her frustration, he'd had to deal with it for so many years it was almost second nature to take her face in his hands and press a kiss to her furrowed brows. Just like it was almost like clockwork for her body to then start its slow decent into relaxation back into him.

"I know you want it to work this time. We all do, and we all have wanted it to work, but like you said not too many nights ago we don't have a time limit we can wait forever and still be fine in the end. It'll hurt but it'll be okay," he tried to comfort, but with a future bleak either way it was hard for even him to find the beauty in the outcomes. Millerna sniffled against his shoulder burying her face against it.

"But will the world wait for us?" she asked. It was a heavy weighted question, and they both knew it. The only glimpses of the outside world they had ever gotten was the glimpses from the girls who wound up in Fanelia for a little while. Still most of them didn't know much and neither he nor Millerna had ever gotten the guts to ask about Asturia. What had become of their home? Had their homeland become a crippled country bowing to Ziabach's will or had it been completely dismantled. Dryden dragged a hand through her stringy hair, if it had been night he would be able to feel the thick strands of her usually luscious hair, he ached for it to be night. To him Millerna would always be beautiful, but during the day as the curse took its toll and the sunlight hid nothing he knew she would rather stay cooped up in the kitchen without a way to leave. Yet at night she was vibrant in more ways than just her looks.

"We'll hope for it, Millerna, that's all we can do," he assured her. His Asturian Princess didn't respond to him verbally, instead she tightened her grip on him seeming to soak up any comfort her could give her. He could give her this, he could give her comfort and warmth, even when part of him worried that she still held Allen on a pedestal. He wouldn't mention it, not right then but part of him still was sure that one of the reasons she hid away while she felt so ugly was due to her having a lesser chance of running into Allen. He also knows he shouldn't worry too much, Millerna has stayed by his side more and more over the years.

Millerna pulled back from his embrace only to press a kiss to his cheek, yet after she pulled away fully and went back to preparing the lunch. Dryden stood in the kitchen watching her again. She was no longer grinning and dancing around, but she isn't sulking either and that Dryden can be glad for. Yet, as she moves he can't help but feel a little bad for dimming the light she had earlier. Taking in a breath, he gritted his teeth he was going to dive into the world of the king's love life just for her.

"So, he's taking Hitomi to the village. Do you think he's going to give the speech over how he rules this land of ghosts and maybe she can too?" he asked. Millerna's back stiffened before she turned to look at him curiously. Her brows found their way closer to the jewel the rested between them than the lids the usually resided over. Eventually she gave him a knowing smirk.

"Or maybe he's telling her of how adorable their children will be?" she suggested, her lips quirked even further upward. Dryden opened his mouth to add on to the ridiculous statement when Millerna nearly flounced over to him and pressed her boney fingers against his lips. There was some semblance of a sparkle in her eyes before she gave him a softer sweeter smile.

"I know what you were doing, and thank you," she whispered before pressing her lips to the corner of his mouth.

Hitomi followed dutifully after Van as he walked about the village seeming to keep patrol and looking for something she wasn't quite sure what. They had been silent since his admittance and she couldn't quite form the words she wanted to say to break the silence. Instead she had just watched and followed him move amongst the ghostly building and emaciated people. Van seemed to try not to look at the buildings too closely and the people even less. Finally, deciding to comment on some of the odd flowers placed on the buildings Hitomi open her mouth and pulled in a breath, yet as she did a sharp pain pressed hard at her temple. Her feet refused to move any further, and pain blossomed in her shoulder as she crashed hard against the wall of one of the building. Lights flickered before her eyes, before her body gave the falling sensation. Once more she was pulled into a vision, yet unlike most of the times she was going to have someone notice her odd behavior.

Once she opened her eyes to the vision, Hitomi knew quite soon that she had never really been in the area before. Instead of having some sort of inkling or idea of where she could be, Hitomi could only see the unfamiliar landscape before her. It wasn't until something moved to her right that she knew where to look, or what was important enough that she needed to see. It was the man with wings. He stood tall in the shadows with his wings unfurled, and her breath stilled in her chest at the sight. He was magnificent. Even with his face completely shielded, Hitomi felt slightly dazed while gazing upon him. For a moment she felt like some of the young girls in her old village whom had done more than their fair share of giggling at the boys herding the animals. The man moved as if to walk out of the shadows and finally reveal his appearance, yet right as the sun tried to reveal his features he took to the sky with one strong jump.

His wings snapped in the air taking his weight with grace Hitomi had seen many times with the large eagles. Tilting her head back Hitomi shielded her eyes from the unrelenting glare of the sun, and for a moment she allowed herself to forget that she was in a vision. Instead she tried her hardest to just enjoy the sights. Still with every vision she was to either see the past, the future, or some symbolic moment that would stay muddy and unclear until it was too late. Hitomi especially hated the unclear visions. Just as the winged-man flew over the treetops they burst into flames. The man didn't seem to notice as the fire tried to reach for him, to pull him down to the ground jealous of his ability to fly.

Hitomi felt the heat of the fires against her skin, but she refused to take her eyes from the man with wings. Screams of rage soon began to join in with the crackling of the fire, but still it wasn't until a quick rustle of clothing to her left that she looked away. There she saw a figure in white drenched in red pick up a long sharp spear before hurling it towards the figure in flight. The figure screamed something at the winged-man, which Hitomi couldn't decipher. Not until it was screamed again.

"Pain of others shall be the pain of your own!" Hitomi snapped her head back towards the winged man only to see him continue his flight even with the spear embedded into some part of his body. The world continued to burst into flames as he flew over it. The vision ended almost as abruptly as it began. Hitomi could feel gloved hands on her face and as her eyesight cleared she saw that the King crouched before her, his face hard with worry. Blinking a few more times, Hitomi allowed the rest of the senses to come back. Her shoulder throbbed a bit from the hit and her head ache a little, however, she made it through the vision without any signs of pain from the fires. She kept her eyes on her unblemished skin, just to make sure she didn't have to look at Van. He wasn't going to understand even if they knew about her visions nor had an inkling towards what exactly had happened. She was sure if she kept her eyes stuck on anywhere but him, he couldn't ask.

"Hitomi, what happened?" he asked. His hands moved to touch her face, and she quickly shied away from the touch. The second anyone ever found out about her gift they turned against her seeing her only as the freak she knew she was. She sucked in a deep breath twisted her body away from the king and towards the building. At first she didn't think Van was going to waste his time on trying to coax her into speaking, but she was wrong. The king's strong, gloved hands gripped at her waist and pulled her towards him. Hitomi's other shoulder collided with his chest and she gave off a grunt, a very unlady like grunt at that. Even though the King held little interest towards her, Hitomi couldn't help the slight coloration of her face. "What was that?" he continued to prod. What she assumed to be some variation of concern colored his voice. "Hitomi," he breathed her name, and somehow that became the trigger. She looked up her eyes taking in the furrows of his brows and the worry on his face.

"I have visions," she whispered her eyes unwilling to leave his face as she admitted the truth. Her bottom lip threatened to tremble, but she sucked in a breath and held back. There was nothing to be sad about if the Dragon King couldn't accept that she was a freak then to hell with him. His brows lowered as he seemed to take in the information, part of her wondered if back in his time if her kind were welcome. Van rocked back on his heels and looked at her with somber eyes.

"So, how did you manage to fall into Fanelia when you're such an important asset? If we'd had a Seer in our employment," Van drifted off his eyes fastening on the ground near her bare knee. Apparently at some point her dress had decided to bunch up around her waist causing the lower half of her legs to show. As Hitomi reached to the dress down, Van gripped the fabric and rubbed it between his forefinger and thumb as he thought. "It wouldn't have happened. I would've been able to, to stop. At least I think I would if I knew what was ahead of me. Then no one would be hurt and I would be long dead with some ancestor on the throne," he spoke mostly to himself, but Hitomi couldn't help but to listen to him. They were words that she knew she wasn't supposed to hear, yet she still leaned forward slightly trying to hear the words he wasn't saying. For a moment she cursed her abilities sporadic timing. If there was to be anytime that she would wish to jump into a memory it would be right then. "Why aren't there more people after you?" he asked, shaking himself from his thoughts and as he did his lifted his head. The noses almost met harshly once more, but instead merely brushed against each other.

Hitomi stared at his face, and felt the heat rush into her own. She wasn't going to lick her lips no matter how dry and chapped they felt, instead she pull back from his magnetism. Casting a look back down to her knee and his hand still holding the fabric she sucked in a breath.

"There were people after me. That's why I got into here. I fell. I got pulled in. I don't know, but Ziabach found out that I was a seer and they wanted me," Hitomi spoke. It felt disjointed as she tried to tell him. Van gave a huff and when she settled her eyes back on him, she noticed he was looking up at the blue sky.

"Of course they would want you. They at least back then knew the goodness of having a seer. So you're from Ziabach?" he asked. For a moment, just one breath Hitomi wondered why out of nowhere he seemed far more interested in her and who she was. His face was no longer near hers, so she didn't feel the burn of embarrassment as she licked her lips.

"No, I'm from a village that Ziabach doesn't own, but it isn't exactly free either. I was requested to be given to the army so they would spare the village when their paths crossed. I don't think my people understood what a gift Ziabach saw me as," she whispered. It was hard to tell the story. It was hard to feel the bitterness rise up her throat again and begin to clog it with anger.

"How long?" Van asked. He released her clothing and shifted his attention back fully to her. Hitomi didn't have to ask what exactly he meant but his question how long. Touching her short cropped hair she twirled a finger around the strands.

"Five moon cycles. That's how long I was trapped with them," Hitomi answered and stared right into his eyes as she did.

A/N: Oh my geebus, that was a while to get cranked out. I am sorry but college/work/life in general sucked me dry! Anyway I got this chapter down I hope you like it and I want to say thank you for all of the reviews, if I didn't respond to you I am so sorry I try to respond to everyone and if you were anonymous thank you anyway!

Preview: _She had to do this, she thought as she stared at the sack, she had to find the temple. _


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