Escaflowne 1. One & Two Stroke

A/N: I have to learn 214 radicals – parts of characters that appear in every Chinese character. So this is my reward for studying hard and yours, if you like :D Some will be sentences, others paragraphs. And now…

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One stroke

Yi (one, whole) – Merle smirks as she watches Van glance to where Hitomi is, then turns back to the Basramian councillor. She has to bite back a laugh when Hitomi follows suit only a second later from across the room.

Gun (vertical stroke) – His hand curls over hers, moulding her grip to the knife as it slides through the three tiered cake Millerna had a breakdown over creating. They both smother laughter at the sound of the pattisière squeaking as the cake is destroyed.

Zhu (a dot) - She can't understand why but her husband has a magical sense of knowing when she is practicing. But it doesn't stop her from carefully flicking her wrist, adding the last dot to the katakana spelling out Hitomi de Fanel.

Pie (stroke curved to the left) – Never has he been more thankful for Freidian costume, dazzled by the swathes of silk swirling round the green eyed girl's form, the sari jingling as she dances. He just has to make sure he doesn't stare at her bare midriff, and that no one else does either.

Yi (bend stroke) – Hitomi really has herself to blame as her heart leaps in her throat, a hand infusing heat at her back as she finds herself parallel to the marble floor. The twinkling garnet eyes smirking at her only make it worse. But she finds that maybe it isn't all that bad, dancing with the King.

Jue (a hook) – It takes a lot of explanation and persuasion for a koi pond with a bridge to be installed in the Palace gardens. It takes one second and Allen asking whether the King was too lazy to leave his own home to fish for both King and Queen to burst out laughing.

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Two strokes

Er (two) – "We can't be…we can't…" Hitomi rolls her eyes as the Fanelian King hits the ground unconscious. She doesn't see why having twins is that shocking. But maybe she'll remove his crown so his head doesn't hurt too much.

Tou (head, above) – Hitomi smiles every time she sees a Dragon flying above them. When Van asks why, he soon blushes at her reminiscent smile and wonders if maybe there is a chance for something after all.

Ren (man, person) – "It doesn't matter," she says, choking on her words and staring at his blood stained wings. "You saved the world. They should be damn well grateful you _don't_ eat humans."

Ren (man, person – at bottom of graph) – Van appreciates just how much of a woman Hitomi is when she acts nothing like the giggly idiots thrown at him by his councillors. He doesn't appreciate however, how he reacts as a man.

Ru (to enter) – It hurts and she doesn't know if it's even worth it, but as he gasps her name and buries his nose against her shoulder she realizes that maybe this is what love is.

Ba (eight) – Even after eight years Van feels like a teenager as he watches a pillar of light descend with a woman, most definitely a woman floats to the ground and smiles the same way she did all those years ago.

Jiong (wilderness) – Yukari can't understand why Hitomi has a dazed smile on her face as they sit round a campfire in Nara. It certainly isn't because Akio offered to help put up her tent. And she can't understand how her best friend knows how to make a fire last all night.

Mi (roof, cover) – They're nineteen and overly aware of things that they had no clue of four years ago. But for some reason it's a lot easier to curl up together in a barn, sheltering from the pouring rain.

Bing (ice) – Fanelia is a temperate country and he's never seen snow before. Yet it feels like his heart is encased in ice as he sees the Knight lower his head, the girl from another planet tilt her face up to meet him. The rain hitting him turns to pellets of frozen water biting at his skin.

Ji (small table) – The first time Merle sees it she asks her adopted brother just what goes on when he visits the Mystic Moon. The next time he wanders past the sitting room in Hitomi's quarters, he smiles at the sight of Merle curled up and asleep under the Kotatsu.

Kan (wide opened mouth) – He can barely keep his eyes open as a councillor rattles off yet another proposal for something or other. His chin is about to slip off his hand but he stops, mouth wide open as the Fanelian King states that he has no need for a list of eligible women, as he is already engaged.

Dao (knife) – It didn't matter that _she_ was lying limp in his arms, he felt as though _he_ had been stabbed, desperate to restart her own heart. Desperate to see her eyes open. To be slapped even.

Li (strength) – She doesn't care about the whispers, the malicious stares from women and men who call her all sorts of names. She just has to look at the man standing before the priest staring at her with a dazed smile and finds the strength to look every person in the eye and smile blissfully.

Bao (to embrace) – She tries her best to sneak into the throne room, after all it'll be hers one day. She stops however after opening the door a fraction and sees that her parents are both sat on the chair she had come for. And they are whispering, in an empty room. Her father is stroking her mother's stomach. Yue wonders if her mother is ill. She leaves the pair alone, hoping she'll feel better soon.

Bi (ladle, spoon) – Hitomi grins the first time she tries to show Van and Merle how to eat ramen the _proper_ way. Merle finds that chopsticks are easier to use when flicking boiling hot noodles at the other two occupants of the kitchen. Van just goes off in search of three spoons, apparently he likes the ramen she—his girlfriend—makes.

Fang (square box) – Van wasn't very happy at the way his girlfriend kept giggling at his reaction to the square picture box. He still couldn't comprehend it and no matter how much Hitomi tried through her laughter to explain the concept, Van found himself no wiser. So being the dignified monarch he was, he slid an arm round his girlfriend's waist and kissed her senseless.

Xi (round box) – If there's one thing Hitomi loves about Gaea, it's the baths. Round wooden tubs heated by fires underneath are perfection. She also likes the blush on a certain man's face when she wanders back to her room with dripping wet hair trailing down her back, smelling slightly of jasmine. Maybe next time she'll extend an invitation to join her.

Shi (ten) – She shifts, trying to move the heavy arm around her waist but not to dislodge the cheek resting against the top of her head. A shriek of laughter and nervous giggles make her smile, waving at the children playing before them. Hitomi decides her husband deserves his rest; they can enjoy their wedding anniversary when he wakes up.

Bu (divination, prognostication) – It took him a long time to even look at the tarot cards she left behind. Even longer to go through them and figure out each meaning. But it was a good thing in the end he realized, when he predicted her return.

Jie (seal, stamp) – Merle rolls her eyes but can't stop herself from peeking behind the pillar as Van carves the seal to signify his newly wedded wife's royal status. She can't help grinning with delight as the two morons _finally_ kiss after so bloody long.

Han (cliff) – Any time she closes her eyes she can remember sitting on a cliff, the image of his pristine white wings shadowing her from a blazing sunset seared into her mind. Not that she can use that as an excuse when she falls asleep in class.

Si (self, private) – He can't understand why she laughs when he smiles. It makes him paranoid, wondering what is just so funny. He can't decide whether to be angry or laugh with her when she tells him he has a secret smile only for her.

You (further, again) – She can hear Merle yelling at her, calling her crazy. Feel the wind whipping her short bangs into her eyes, smell the blistering cold air. But it doesn't matter as she takes the run up and leaps into nothing. All for a boy she barely knows.

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A/N: Thanks for reading, as always review and apologies for lack of updates. University is scary times when you're studying Chinese from scratch and heading there in 8 months. But I will get Worlds up soon! That's a promise!

Also late Happy Birthday to InLuvWidVan

Suils


	2. Three Strokes

A/N: Back again and Happy Chinese New Year – Gong Xi Fa Cai. Hope you all have a prosperous year, even more if you review :P

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**Bushou**

Three strokes

Kou (mouth) – Their first kiss is nothing to write about. She stops talking, turning to see what he thinks and find his mouth brushing over hers. The second is good until his nose knocks hers and makes her sneeze. The third is better, so much more.

Wei (enclosure) – A throne is nothing more than a cage, put in front of the people to watch with amusement. It loses its shine when it can't do anything for the girl from another world. But it regains some use when it means he can prevent himself from becoming chained further to his _duties_.

Tu (earth) – There is a difference she feels, between her world and this as he reaches for her hand and helps her step down onto the parched soil beneath them. There is a war, there is hatred, but it doesn't matter because he stands beside her.

Shi (official, scholar) – As the future Queen she needs to be able to read and write in the tongue of her new people. She can't explain to her future husband that she isn't paying attention because she finds his _teacher_ voice extremely distracting. Nor can she speak of her deviant ideas. She can't remember whether she brought her school uniform with her or not.

Zhi (to arrive from behind) – The first time they met, she ran into him. Another, she threw him to the ground with her body. This time she isn't running, she is standing quietly, waiting. No surprise or reaction shows as he steps behind her, slides an arm round her waist and places his chin on her shoulder.

Sui (to walk slowly) – The servants can't stop themselves from smiling as they hear their Queen shrieking a phrase that has become part of daily life now. "Dammit Van I'm pregnant, not an invalid, I'll walk however bloody fast I want, damn you!"

Xi (evening) – For both of them the evening is the best time of day. Somehow two marginally intelligent teenagers have worked out the orbits of two planets, calculating that they are closest to each other (if lightyears can be close) just before sunset. Everyday without fail, that time is theirs.

Da (big) – Over four years had passed and they had finally managed—with Dryden's help—to bring her back. Hitomi felt nervous, sick, exhilarated and dazed all at once. It was probably why when he pulled her into his arms that her first words to him were, "You've gotten tall."

Nu (female, woman) – It pisses him off to no end that everyone has noticed the change. Millerna babbles about her figure, Merle mentions emphasis on her curves and even Allen keeps sneaking glances at the girl he last saw four years ago. When he finally gets away from the baying hoards to ask her to dance, he realizes he's always known she was a woman. It's just in sharper focus now.

Zi (child, son) – "I want one year of marriage before children are considered." "Done, only no names that involve the word Dragon, or is some rearrangement of the word Fanelia." "Or anyone dead. We don't need our child having any more expectations heaped on them." "And you said I was unromantic."

Mian (roof, cover) – Merle is on the warpath as the infamous pair have _disappeared_ only hours before the Anniversary Ball. She stands by a window and growls at two maids who claim Lady Hitomi was in her set of rooms only a while ago. Turning her back to the pane of glass, she allows herself a small smile, vowing to get back at the couple laughing at her anger, sitting in a tree overlooking the Palace.

Cun (inch) - He's standing in front of her, his body scant inches away from her, his lips even closer. But she can't feel a thing, he is translucent and although he smiles, it is a bitter one and his eyes are heavy with regret. Regret for not closing that distance when they had the chance.

Xiao (small) – Yukari found it hysterical watching her best friend bounce along the mind boggling crossing of Shibuya, revelling in the ignorance of the people shuffling around her. It probably was a vast change, she supposed going from high school student to Queen of an entire country. Still, she didn't _need_ the manic grin on her face.

Wang (curved or broken leg) – The only metaphor that came to her mind was a Mother hovering over a baby chick. It didn't help the irony that he had wings. So she stifled a laugh and rested her head against his shoulder, finding that amusement was great for pushing away the throb of pain in her ankle.

Shi (corpse, body) – They're not married and far from any relationship that would be considered honourable but he's freezing and she's on a planet that she never knew existed until a month ago. So her legs are draped across his lap, her back against his chest and they huddle together for whatever warmth they can find.

Che (sprout) – Growing up as children, she had ran into mud puddles, climbed trees and crawled around in the dirt, uncaring. Then the war happened and everything changed. King and best friend separated. So when they met once more she stood nervously before him, trying to resist the urge to punch if he added to the long list of morons who said she had 'sprouted.' She left him off with a pinch as he used the word 'bloom.' She wasn't a damn flower.

Shan (mountain) – Hitomi Kanzaki was a pro at picking up new sports but for some reason she was incapable of skiing. It amused her ultimate rival who apparently had been skiing in resorts all over Gaea since he had learnt to walk. Her growl disappeared as a tan gloved hand offered to help her up out of the snow drift.

Chuan (river, stream) – She knows he's watching her, it's why she kept her underwear on. He knows she knows but neither does anything. And they can't figure out exactly why. She would never let Allen do this. He'd be unconscious from the rock in her palm.

Gong (work) – It didn't matter that they had been engaged by their parents. He got on with her well enough but he just couldn't figure out why she had started coming to visit him whenever he had to chop wood every evening. Or why she turned her gaze away when he took his shirt off. Strange.

Ji (self, own) – Hitomi is extremely amused when she first sees it. Merle waves it off and says it's common practice as he is, after all the King. Van however finds it irritating that his courtiers have taken to wear jewellery of their beloveds. Until Hitomi points out the charm bracelet on Gaddes' wrist and Van can't help laughing.

Jin (towel, napkin) – Dilandau grins manically at the surprise party for the newly engaged couple and does amazingly well to hold back his laughter as he recalls the pair's first bonding in college. Especially over Allen's bathroom towel and how it was closer in actual mentally scarring size to a napkin.

Gan (shield) – They work together for Abaharaki but she barely thinks of him outside of when they are flung together. So when he throws her to the ground and groans as blood seeps down his side, she wonders why she's never properly looked at him until now.

Yao (small, young) – She's intimidated by the King who never seems to smile and constantly watches everyone as if waiting for them to falter. But she knows that she's falling in love when she gets hit by a snowball and turns to see a man with desperately messy hair dart behind a tree.

Yan (house built on a slope) – Sitting on the steps as the sun slowly rises, he is the only one there to hear her speak and watch her point. "That's where we first met." He pulls her back even tighter against his chest, wrapping his arms around her, content to sit and watch the town she grew up in slowly wake.

Yin (to walk a long distance) – Merle ignores the grumblings of her idiotic brother who's been repeating the same insults for the past five hours. She doesn't bother to smother the giggle when he doesn't make a sound as the seeress asks who's next. Apparently the ache in his feet have been overtaken by a pang to the heart.

Gong (to hold something with two hands, two hands) – It sits on his desk for a very long time and he has no idea if it is a good thing or a needle in the heart as its glints with the sunlight. Only on the day he reaches for the energist he finds it starts to glow and a girl appears before him, her warm hands clasping his.

Yi (to shoot) – He walks down the stairs to the shooting range and freezes for a second as he hears a spine tingling spray of ear breaking shots. His hand leaves the wall, starting to run to see what the hell's going on but he stops as he hears someone sobbing and a quiet voice murmuring, "Give him time. Van's an idiot." "A blind idiot." Comes the reply and his heart stops for a second as he recognizes the forlorn, saddened voice.

Gong (bow) – Hitomi finds it so very easy to falter in her practice, causing the delightfully obliging King to step behind her and adjust her grip as she aims for the target. His fingers brush over hers and the arrow thuds against the outer ring. She has to avoid her brother's gaze for the rest of the day as he's seen her hit dead centre of the target whilst blindfolded.

Ji (pig head) – The ironic words come to mind and she does indeed feel pig sick as she finds yet another hog's head at her door step. The draconian living in the forest will find his own dwelling set on fire if he keeps the taunts up. The kitsune who watches from the bushes smiles at the ignorance of the mystic girl. Van-sama really should have gone for jewellery instead.

Shan (hair, feather) – Van ignores the pain from biting his lip but he daren't disturb the girl resting her head on his shoulder and asking him in her sleep if she can make a pillow from his feathers. Then she discusses methods of plucking and he breathes in deeply in an attempt to conceal the laughter barrelling up his chest.

Chi (walking slowly) – When he discovers why his fiancée is missing, he runs faster than he has ever ran, wondering just why she woke up feeling suicidal. His sword is pulled from the scabbard and he doesn't bother to slow his pace as he enters the Dragons' territory. Van comes to such a sudden stop that he almost falls forward at the sight before him. Hitomi is sitting against a tree with a dragon's head in her lap, smiling serenely.

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Thanks for reading as always! Reviews deserve a Chinese pork bun.

And self-pimping: Check out the Fanelian Embassy fic – Fusion. Me and other authors each write a one-shot for a word, phrase or situation. My chapter's first, so please read and review, and then everyone else's as they appear ^^

Suils


	3. Four Strokes

**Bushou**

Four strokes

Xin (heart) – Teaching a foreign student the concept of possessive pronouns was almost impossible Hitomi found. Even if the Fanelian transfer student was too good looking for his own good and was a master at tae kwon do, it meant nothing if he kept her after school for two hours each day trying to crack his thick skull with grammar rules. She was almost falling asleep when he took her hand off the desk, placed it over his thundering chest and murmured in a whisper, "This is yours."

Ge (axe, halberd) – It doesn't matter that he's practically royalty, goldilocks is apparently a knight and the albino kid has to be some sort of screwed up experiment. _She_ is the one who takes the axe off the royal hottie's belt and hacks the ornate door to pieces. Personally she prefers survival over appreciation of fine art.

Hu (door) – She's not leaving her room and he won't leave her. So he sits outside her door, listening to her cry over something or someone he feels is completely useless. He however is useful, more than useful. He could be…"Van?" Her croaky whisper of a voice sends his neck spinning fast enough to crack but he stares at the mournful Princess staring at him in shock. Whatever words or magnificent gestures he had thought up, he can only smile and pat the ground next to him.

Shou (hand) – Neither cares that she's married and he is now King of Fanelia. She slips off his glove and slides her fingers in between his. Palm against palm they feel the thin scar on each hand that pressed together form an x. It's all they'll ever be able to do. And it's all theirs.

Zhi (branch) – After two months of running, hiding, hating Allen and wanting just a bit more than worry or pity from Hitomi, he finds himself actually amused for the first time when Dryden deciphers Leon Schezar's diary and they discover that Allen is indeed like his father. Van just hopes Hitomi doesn't disappear forever.

Pu (whip) – A ribbon snaps through the air and flicks away the poison tipped darts carelessly. He turns to stare at the dainty looking woman and vows never to make fun of the ribbons that coil round her immaculate hair. Although with her long curling locks…maybe he'll stage another attack tomorrow. Just to see her hair down again.

Wen (word, literature) – It's a testament to their lifelong friendship that he dresses up as Harry Potter on Halloween. Even more so when he allows her to add the scar with red pen. But it shows just how much she's willing to do when she turns up as Naruto's sexy no jutsu just to see him laugh.

Dou (volume measure) – She can't help but giggle as Allen slumps off the chair, Gaddes falls to the ground and Kio falls asleep on the table. Van is probably the only one sober but even he is astounded by her sudden capability to down large amounts of alcohol. At least it gives her an excuse for the blush on her face.

Jin (weight measure) – She didn't have the time to tell him before he left so when he stares at her slightly distended stomach she knows she's losing the battle against her hormones when she growls, "Don't you dare say I've put on weight." It's a testament to why she left her planet for his when he pulls her into his arms and kisses her thoroughly in front of a boatload of foreign dignitaries.

Fang (square) – He kisses her to keep Allen off her back. She kisses him to stop Folken asking him whether he really is asexual or not. Neither like the fact that they're even, they don't want to be. But maybe Folken or Allen might appear later on and they can go back to their shitty excuses.

Wu (no, not, nothing) – It happens daily and neither are prepared for each occurrence. But they both stop and stare unabashedly at one another as fate gives them a tantalizing glimpse of the other. Even when the image fades, they both say in tandem to their respective companions in response to why they stood so still, looking so hopelessly sad, "It's nothing."

Ri (sun) – He had failed to catch her, his wings lethargically too slow. He knelt by her side, terrified at Millerna's words that a mere touch could cause severe damage to her spine. His heart thundered as she opened her eyes and took a shuddering breath. He didn't even realize he was blushing as her unfocused eyes squinted at him, asking if he was an angel or a god.

Yue (to speak, say) – Allen says it's a stupid myth started by the servants. Celena smacks his arm and rolls her eyes. Merle grins and points smugly as the Royal pair walk behind them silently through the Basramian market not saying a word but clearly having some sort of conversation. Gaddes laughs and Allen declares he needs a drink.

Yue (moon) – They both knew he could die the morning after, that all of them were in danger. Her foresight wasn't needed for that. But neither could or wanted to explain why they snuck off from the others and spent the last few hours together in darkness.

Mu (wood, tree) – He didn't understand what she was yelling about or how in the Gods' name she had managed to tie him to a tree. Dragons weren't sacred in Fanelia, so what was the strange girl on about? He stared in shock as she bowed to a Dragon, only for it to bow back. Her smirk as she turned to face him told him he had found his future Queen.

Qian (to miss, gap) – The phone lies on the sofa, her eyes staring blankly at the TV. She can't call him anyway as it's the middle of the night in Fanelia. So she _can't._ If she could, then she would. She knows she would. She still jumps a foot off the sofa when her phone vibrates to reveal a text, _miss you. _She _so_ would call him.

Zhi (to stop) – She knows he's running after her so she doubles her speed just to gain distance on him, thoughts whirring through her mind. Even when Allen appears on the bridge as if placed by destiny she can't stop herself from hearing the words of another man over and over again. Allen bends down and his lips touch hers; she doesn't stop thinking of someone _else_.

Dai (evil, bad) – People stare at him, point at him as if his wings are on show for everyone. Even people he thought were his friends now stare at him with shock or horror at the _sudden revelation_. So he finds himself double-taking as Hitomi is sitting on _their_ bench halfway through her bento. Cocking her head she looks at him and asks, "You don't have to eat it you know. Just because I made it doesn't mean its evil."

Shu (halberd) – On the seventh anniversary of the Destiny War and the second of the Fanelian King & Queen's Wedding, they are attacked in the Asturian Throne Room. Millerna asked for the first time to be rid of all weapons so they are sitting dragon eggs for their persecutors. Van feels his jaw hit the floor when his wife, _his wife_ pulls a ceremonial axe from the wall and brings the blunt end down on her captor's head.

Wu (do not, negative imperative) – "Ngh, Van please." No response aside from her hair pulled out of its tie. Fingers sliding up, "Van, don't _please_." Her blouse unbuttoned and the skin lavished. Hitomi couldn't find the force in her voice to stop him. "Fanel, do not move an inch. Step away from my sister." Even as the cheeky git moved away, fingers gliding back down her thigh, she could see a smirk on his face.

Bi (side by side, to compare) – "Well, pick one." Van glared at Allen's taunting tone and then dared to look at the row of terrifyingly over eager office females wishing to play the role of his wife. He scanned the row, looking only at their faces unlike his blonde idiotic friend and found _her_. The one with a sharp tongue always retorting, insulting him whenever he makes a slight comment and quick to pierce his ego. "Kanzaki," he called and smiled at the utter loathing on her face.

Mao (hair, feather) – The Fanelian King finds out just how much of a temper his captive has when her free hand grips the knife he has pressed against her throat, and twists in his grasp. Any pressure he had on her disappears as he ends up with a foot length of auburn curls and a Shinto priestess running the length of the deserted temple. He really was growing too fond of her.

Shi (clan) – When he is offered the Kanzaki clan's eldest daughter for marriage he accepts to avoid further henpecking and not wanting a wife with a foreign monarch for a father-in-law. Their first meeting she is silent, dainty and fragile looking. He doesn't pay much attention. When she fights off two attackers on the way home with only a scratch on her arm, Van wonders if he's made the right decision.

Qi (air, breath) – She knows that it's starting to show. The cracks appearing in her façade, the shadows under her eyes. But she can't stop herself from jolting upright in bed every night at the faint sensation of breath on her neck, sliding against her cheek. She wonders if it's her mind or the air around her playing tricks.

Shui (water) – His clothes were soaking as he was thrust into the lake, bound at hand and foot as a sacrifice for the unhappy gods. The last thing he saw was of his mother, wailing and his brother stoically staring at him drowning. When he opens his eyes again he finds a girl with strange short hair and an extremely short dress. "Are you ok? You were unconscious by the bank. Are you hungover?" He wonders tiredly if he's ascended to the skies and closes his eyes as a heavenly, strangely dressed being watches over him.

Huo (fire) – She understood it was his job and after all it had been seeing him in uniform that had led her to agree to a date. But after seven months of scraps of time, she was ready to give up, no matter how good looking he was. The phone discarded on the floor, she curled herself up to sleep. Only hours later she awoke coughing up her lungs and shivering as she found herself staring at the man she had dumped hours previous on the lawn outside her building. Unable to speak through coughing and an oxygen mask placed over her face, Van smiled sadly and told her, "Your neighbour upstairs left a candle on the TV burning." Hitomi realized at that moment fate was telling her something. "Did I tell you that I love the fact you're a fireman?"

Zhua Zhao (claw, hand) – Van couldn't understand it. He was being driven mad with dreams of a woman, with unusually short, caramel hair, beautiful green eyes and a crimson gown. But there was no such woman at court, so who was trying to enchant him? And even with a creature of such magics in his household, a phoenix repelled all such evils. Sighing, he ruffled his hair and carried on with his paper work, completely unaware of the fiery bird who sat despondently calm on her perch by the window.

Fu (father) – The words _too late_ mock him terrifically and he watches a small, messy haired child run from Hitomi to her husband, calling out for her _"Daddy!"_ Allen knows he's once again too late.

Yao (to cross twice) – After days of waking in the softest of beds, wearing the most sumptuous of gowns and having control of an entire nation, Hitomi felt nothing but sheer relief as an angry, scruffy peasant was hurled into the throne room. "He says he wishes to speak to you, Your Majesty." She nodded to the guard and gestured for him to leave. The second the door shut with a click she sighed heavily and both she and the real King of Fanelia met each other's gaze and muttered painfully to the only other person aware of something afoul, "How do you cope?"

Qiang (bed) – Van doesn't know whether to love or hate his brother. Staring at the curled up form, almost hovering on the edge of the bed he decides on love as he gently tries to move her back into the centre. A growl escapes her throat and he pulls back, terrified of what she might do. But silence prevails and he can only thank his twisted brother for forgetting to book two rooms for them.

Pian (slice, piece) – "Touch that piece of cake and I will kill you." The smirk curling on his face only sent a reflex in her hand for her knuckles to tighten around the spork that would provide her with the Cake. And yes it deserved a capital C. In the same way her favourite nickname for her coworker deserved a capital A. Van's pretty looks could be destroyed with one punch but her cake would be eternal.

Ya (tooth) – "So will I get one Gidaru tonight?" A young, wide-eyed prince asks his father. Quizzically, his father the King asks in response, "Why's that Hiro?" After a long, complex explanation, the small prince is put to bed and the King finds his wife reading in their chamber. Unable to coherently express his confusion, he is only capable of demanding, "Why did you tell our son someone will creep into his room when he's asleep and steal his teeth for money?"

Niu (cow, ox) – "What's he saying?" She whispered and the Draconian grinned wolfishly as he turned to the woman standing by the Knight's side. With relish he translated for her, "He's offering us three goats and his prize ox," "What for?" she hissed impatiently. He sucked in a tempered breath to answer, "In return for you." Her delightful scowl was delicious to his mind, only enhanced as she stormed out of the tavern after he finished smugly, "It's a good price too."

Quan (dog) – Fanelia was joyous at the return of the Mystic Moon seeress, even more so the King as the woman he loved was now within touching distance. What came as a surprise was the golden retriever by his mistress' side. Apparently Gaea didn't have dogs but Van was far more miffed at the fact his lady love named the slobbering creature Escaflowne than its uncanny ability to growl whenever he tried to enter her room.

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Sorry about the wait for everything, again – Chinese is haaaaaard. And yes I know BIG surprise :P

But and this is a BIG but (har har), B&G will have something new soon ;)

Xiexie

Suils


	4. Five Strokes

Five strokes

Xuan (black, dark) – She waits for the lights to fuse out, only then does she dare to take the face of her brother's friend in her hands and kiss him with all her pent up fervour before she slips away, back into her geeky, best friend's little sister persona.

Yu (jade) – Furious with himself and burning with hatred for the woman who seemed to mock him, the second Prince of Fanelia tightened patrols in every way. But the elite soldiers were utterly incapable of catching the elusive thief now known as the Green Dragon by the unnatural eyes that were the only part on show. It was all Van could do to pray that the thief would never be caught so as to avoid humiliation in front of the court. But he would still find her. He vowed it. Even as he made his pledge to the heavens he failed to notice a woman brush against him with green eyes of a deep jade hue. He did notice that the key to the throne room had disappeared from his person, but only hours later.

Gua (melon) – Hitomi hated working at her uncle's dojo in the summer. She was miles away from her friends and Fanelia was too hot and humid to actually do anything fun. Grumbling to herself as she carried a tray of melon slices for Balgus' _prized_ pupils, she could only stop and inhale shakily as she met the garnet eyes of a boy she knew couldn't be human. It was only for a second that her gaze drifted to his bare torso. But she could remember every detail immaculately.

Wa (tile) – He rolled his eyes as a green-eyed young woman in a red coat sat opposite him. Casual but stylish, he could see the other occupants of the Mahjong tables in Beihai park were surprised by the new arrival who was clearly under 60 unlike the rest of them. He recalled with heat the smirk on her face as she made her first move, a blank tile clicking onto the board. "You look old," she commented and he sighed at her immaturity, "It's a disguise."

"I still wonder why I married you, old Dragon."

"You know why," he replied calmly, "You wanted my treasure."

Gan (sweet) – Months after Hitomi's return, Merle still couldn't understand why the Mystic Moon seeress had to buy a piscus gourd every time they visited the markets. Baffled by her hopefully future sister-in-law's behaviour, she casually brought it up during dinner. Hitomi's reply was even more unfathomable, saying, "It washes away the bad taste of things, sweetens the reality." Only more confusing was Van-sama choking on his glass of vino and his inability to look Hitomi in the eye for the rest of the meal.

Sheng (give birth) – The King sat in melancholy, watching the young peasant woman he had fallen for and begrudgingly so, too. It seemed his parents in the afterlife were desperate for some source of amusement. Even worse was the strange feeling in his gut he couldn't seem to shake as Hitomi held a sleeping newborn lamb in her lap, shielding it from the scorching sun with a makeshift parasol. He closed his eyes in irritation as he imagined the patches of cloth transforming to brocades of silk and a diaphanous veil shielding her face.

Yong (to use/useful) – Allen is not happy whatsoever with his younger cousin's new boyfriend. He never liked any of them, but at least the predecessors were geeks who were easily intimidated. Van Fanel with a dragon tattoo and the dress sense of a gangster isn't anything similar. Even worse is the compliment Celena gives him on his driving, only for the impertinent brat to say that joyriding had its uses. Allen can only grit his teeth as his cousin laughs and smacks her boyfriend's arm gently. Why can't anyone but him see it?

Tian (field) – It has been forbidden for her to continue the training her indulgent father allowed her to start. But Hitomi is canny enough to wear training clothes under her heavy kimono as she sets off for a walk among the fields. She can only wonder hours later if perhaps her defiance was so discourteous to the Gods that they sent a bandit leader across her path, who decided that her taiji skills were far too good to remain in her home. The smirk her captor wears will be torn off his face as soon as she can undo her bindings.

Pi (roll of cloth) – As much as he is in awe of her beauty wearing a kimono, he doesn't appreciate the extremely elaborate knots that seem to be tied round her back in something she calls an obi. He doesn't care what its name is, only that it is a device sent by whatever gods their planets share, sent to torture him as without it her kimono would have hit the floor the second she entered his room. He barely hears her, drifting off to sleep hours later that he should blame Yukari.

Ne (illness, to be sick) – Neither have said a word since his mother called both of them to referee. But Hitomi drove through a raging storm to his flat across the city all so she could put lotion on his back and stop him from scratching his chickenpox sores. She leaves the jar by his bed so he can deal with what's under the covers. Maybe in the time it takes for him to no longer be contagious, they can start talking again.

Bo (back to back) – Neither are amused by the fact they were tied up together after being knocked out by whatever raid. The fact they were left back to back by Allen and his idiots, calling it _heavenly irony _is even less amusing. But neither can seem to let go of the other's hand.

Bai (white) – He didn't say a word about how he had found her in her underwear submerged in a tank full of water, or the fact he had stolen clothes from the guards' lockers for her to wear. So she didn't mention his snowy white wings that gave them shelter from the storm, instead trying to focus on a way to keep from being found by Dornkirk. Her gaze however kept trailing back to his bare stomach.

Pi (leather, skin) – He hadn't planned on appearing during the middle of the night. It had been early evening on Gaea when he had left. The room he had landed in had a hard wooden floor, but even with the sound he had made, no one had woken. Almost by instinct he moved towards a room where he could hear a female, familiar voice mumbling. He still wasn't sure if she was asleep as she moaned, "No Van, leave the gloves on," before turning onto her side with a happy sigh.

Min (vessel) – After Allen had stopped laughing at the fact the Fanelian King couldn't take the motions of the ship, he soon found nothing funny about the fact Hitomi had disappeared from her perch nearby to check on the _poor thing._ Gaddes left the room with a smirk and the Caeli Knight wondered just how _unaware_ the young monarch really was.

Mu (eye) – Hitomi had decided rather calmly she was going to kill Dilandau after he screamed that she liked guys who wore glasses. So what if her past two boyfriends had both worn glasses? It was a coincidence. Her homicidal plans halted somewhat the next morning when she passed Van in the hallway wearing a pair of spectacles that for some reason made her heart beat a lot faster than it usually did.

Mao (spear) – Walking through the knee high grass was pleasant for the unknowing. Until Merle asked why Kio kept stabbing the path in front of them with a thick branch, "It's to avoid any snakes." In a split second Hitomi was cradled in Van's arms, looking paler than an arctic fox. Van's face however was more the colour of a temperate fox's fur. Gaddes grinned at the possibility of winning the bet.

Shi (arrow) – His gaze was firmly on her chest—_not like that_—so his aim would be swift if she tried to scream and alert her father's guards to the attack. Her eyes however were lost in his taut expression, curious to know where the hatred had come from.

Shi (stone) – He had praised the Gods for the guard who had interrupted the mind-numbingly tedious council meeting. But as he followed the guards, parting the crowds to get to the centre of the square, he could only stare in shock. The statue commissioned of his fifteen year old self with one arm outstretched, holding the drag energist, his other arm bent with his hand firmly on his sword hilt were cradling a woman, unconscious and twenty feet in the air. Witnesses said she had fallen from the sky, whispers in the crowd wove the magic of the Winged Goddess. And he, _he_ couldn't stop staring at her smooth, pale, uncovered calves.

Shi (to show, spirit, ancestor) – After dancing for two hours in the simmering heat, she had climbed onto the roof of a tavern, careful with her red and gold skirts and midriff baring top. Not batting an eyelid, she kept her gaze on the bonfires and ever swirling mass of dancing people mid-celebration as a messy haired King sat beside her. "You said I could come, and it's in my honour so I _graced_ them with my presence." She could only sigh as his arm slid round her bare waist, knowing she would have to leave her worshippers and _him_ all too soon.

Rou (animal stamping the earth) – They call him the White Dragon but she's not all that convinced he should be compared to such a magnificent creature. As she watches him shout and yell, stamping his foot at the Knight Caeli who growls in response she unfortunately mutters in the sudden lull, "Dragon you say? I think Petulant Puppy is more suitable." Hitomi laughs at the murderous expression she receives.

He (grain) – Fan could only stare at the hefty bag of money the Fanelian King had given him with a solemn face. All his requests had been adhered to but out of the merest sliver of curiosity, he had peeked round a drawn curtain to see the monarch leading his blindfold-wearing Queen along the path towards the barn with a smirk. Even his wife wouldn't be able to figure out why, there was only grain in there.

Xue (hole) – She keeps looking at her phone but she never presses a button. She can see Dilandau's on edge so she grips her phone even tighter as the heavily pierced idiots glare at them. In the same second one reaches behind their back she presses the button and ten minutes later she's speeding away with a smirking idiot who mutters as she shifts gears with practiced ease, "You couldn't have called me earlier?"

Li (to stand) – The coronation of King Van is something that sends the whole continent into a frenzy. Even in the newly constructed Throne Room, the seated dignitaries fidget with excitement, some out of awkwardness at sitting beside old enemies and others desperate to catch a glimpse of the man who ended the war. Not even the King himself knows as the elderly Priest places the crown on his head for the second time that one spectator is standing still, watching with tears running down her cheeks.

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A/N: I apologize deeply for the horribly long wait for everything. After exams came a holiday that had tons of research for, then family stuff which is very dampening for fanfiction writing mode. And in three weeks I'm off to China for a year. Here's hoping FFN works round the Great Firewall of China.  
Fics are definitely still in progress e.g. Worlds, Black & Gold, The World Beneath Her Feet and In The Shadows. Also new projects. Things will definitely appear in time.

Trust me?


	5. Six Strokes

Six strokes

Zhu (bamboo) – Varie never forgets the first time her middle child returned from his very first date, declaring that he hated all Pandas and hoped they all choked on their bamboo. She can still remember calling another mother who admitted that maybe the zoo wasn't a good idea.

Mi (rice) – Van refuses to look at the woman with wet hair, combing the tangled honey strands and smirking at him via her reflection in the semi-destroyed hotel room. She snorts at him in a terribly unladylike fashion and he knows his father and oh God Folken will dine on this for years to come. So his anger doesn't reach the usual catastrophic heights when she mutters about how he was _just like white on rice_ last night.

Mi (silk, thread, fabric) – Chid knows he is lucky to have such a large family. But he is more astute than his parents realize when he ties a piece of red string between his 4th Uncle and 7th Aunt's pinkies. When they wake up on Christmas morning and try to shuffle apart and ask for a reason he grins and tells them it's their red string of fate.

Fou (jar) – "What you need is a Bell Jar," Dryden informs her whilst reading a mind-boggling thick book on the Fanelian Wars.

"Dude, just lock yourself in a cupboard—the one by the gym is roomiest!" Dilandau mentions to him in between mouthfuls of food. So it's even more awkward when the Head Boy and Girl are found pushing one another into a cupboard, both trying to struggle away and force the other in, resulting in detention where the teacher mercifully leaves them alone long enough to overcome hostility and give into burgeoning teenage hormones.

* * *

Wang (net) – "Hitomi Kanzaki to star in Asturian film with Van Fanel!"

"Fanel not happy with choice of lead actress…"

"Hitomi-chan: 'Basram actors are far more gentlemanly…"

"Secret on-set romance rumours!"

"Joint statement: We are not dating."

"Fanel seen with ex-girlfriend Merle Strategos?"

"Sports legend Amano Susumu: 'Hitomi broke my heart.'"

"Visions of Escaflowne: THEY ARE TOGETHER!" "Legendary romance continues On and Off screen!"

* * *

Yang (sheep) – It's seen as a humorous jibe against the first drunken proposal that Hitomi receives as chief barmaid of the White Dragon. She'll marry the man who gives her a lamb of her own, she's always wanted one. After that the patrons regularly ask for her hand and promise animals of more extravagance. Yukari realizes the game is getting out of hand when one particularly beer-sodden idiot offers to slay a dragon—a sacred animal in Fanelia and what was her tavern named after anyway?

All laughter stops when Hitomi finds a lamb delivered with a note tied to its neck along with a ring and the signature of the ruling clan-chief.

* * *

Yu (feather) – He knows when she is watching, he can tell immediately. But trying to explain the sensation to others is almost impossible until he notices the tattoo on her shoulder and smiles slowly before telling the nearest person, "It's just like when my wings distend."

Lao (old) – She is twenty and standing on a hillside waiting for her two irritatingly slow friends to catch up when she sees them. A young man, who looks frighteningly familiar but it is the other, much older man that catches her gaze. She can only gasp when she sees the pink pendant around his neck and the lines around bright burgundy eyes. The shock overrides her brain for a moment before she smiles wistfully, understanding his message.

Er (beard) – When he returns to the Palace after having chased some bandits with the help of Allen and his banded crew of misfits for three days, the Fanelian King notices the significant growth of stubble and starts to ponder what it would be like to follow in his father's footsteps until he hears the sound of a female spluttering an entire world away, shouting through mouthfuls of onigiri he can't wait to try that if he grows a beard she'll never come back to him.

Lei (plow) – It was slightly cruel but Van enjoyed his cousin's visits, if only for his language slip-ups or _skip-ups_ as Dryden called them. Or rather he did until he mentioned Allen's enjoyment of _ploughing the field_ with Yukari correcting him. But it seemed his cousin was seemingly cleverer than he looked by turning to Hitomi and asking whether Van had ever ploughed her.

Er (ear) – He still remembers their first date and how distant she was, right up to the point he leaned over and tucked a stray lock of chin-length hair behind her ear. He can still see the startled expression in her eyes and how she turned to look up at him with surprise at the gesture, only to reach up and press his lips to hers. To this day he still laughs at her explanation of how his touch _made it seem real._

Yu (brush) – No one could understand the King's insistence on keeping the portrait of his missing fiancée in his chambers. Whispers moved through the city and across borders that he was obsessed, something was wrong with him, that she hadn't been kidnapped but had run away. It seemed as if he waited with baited breath for something only the Gods could understand. Or at least it seemed so until the King received a scroll of beautifully hand painted calligraphy, upon which he told his council to prepare for a wedding.

Rou (meat) – Hitomi was always sent on jobs no one else wanted to do. Fetching, carrying, cradling, monitoring were her specialty. So it came as a surprise when the council instructed her to find the Queen's 2nd son. Tracing him to a monastery was the easy part but to distinguish between 500 young men impossible as long as he hid his wings. But it wasn't too hard when she sat outside the doors with a plate of sizzling meat. It was to her complete shock that the dark-haired prince ignored the food in favour of pressing his lips to hers.

Chen (minister, official) – The court is in shock when clerks reveal that the wily Earl Kanzaki gave his title and lands to his daughter and not his layabout son. Clamours are made for change and cries of condemnation but the King is determined to follow the wishes of his best advisor. Only when the Countess Kanzaki sits before him as the newest member of his council does he wonder whether her father had others things in mind than Fanelia's prosperity.

Zi (self) – She called him selfish and he wouldn't let that stand so he told her the main reason for his proposal was for the good of Fanelia. Only after a slap—_when did he start to enjoy that?_—followed by her own apology and many kisses did they both admit they were selfish.

Zhi (arrive) – It was a sad fact of too many romance novels and films that a girl would enter a party or some social gathering and all would fall silent in awe at her sudden transformation. It was to her horror that she found herself the object of everyone's silent, critical gaze as her brother's (the new Prime Minister) guest at a party full of high society. But somehow the curious eyes of the Fanelian King _of all people_ following her round the room made sure she kept her back straight and her smile as natural as possible.

Jiu (mortar) – Everyone believed that they were only hours away from war. So people did crazy things, went on binges of all kinds, smashed shop windows and stole luxury TVs, and some people told the truth. No one paid attention to a gold medal athlete and married politician locking themselves into a hotel room until long after the news of a pre-emptive ceasefire broke.

She (tongue) – The rebel group are brought to meet the exiled seeress who looks past Allen and Dryden, straight to him and murmurs, "You have the eyes of a Dragon, but the mouth of a Snake." The cavern echoes with the dying lull of chatter until Gaddes retorts, "That'd be one heck of a tongue he'd have there miss, wouldn't you think?" The ragged band of royals and misfits looking to overthrow the Emperor burst into laughter, but the once and future King of Fanelia is staring at the simultaneously blushing and smirking seeress.

Chuan (opposite) – He wanted to punch the pane of unbreakable reinforced glass between them but she seemed serene in an orange jumpsuit. He almost expected her to mutter it complimented her eyes but instead she answered the question she had carelessly ignored all throughout her trial, "Folken was going to kill you so I killed him instead."

Zhou (boat) – Sent away on a retreat as future commander of the Royal Armed Forces he grows to hate the Senator for making him swim for an hour in the icy lake. But he can't decide whether or not he loathes the Senator's daughter who rows out to the middle of the lake every morning as well, only to lie back and watch the sunrise—or so she apparently tells her father.

Gen (stopping) – "Run!" Dilandau cried, swinging the black duffle bag over his shoulder and taking off into the back alleys. A second later a head of messy black hair crashed through a side window, startling the silver haired man allowing the darker of the two to overtake and yell over his shoulder, "Way ahead of you sweetheart." A second later he tripped over scattered rubbish bags and landed at the feet of an angry waitress who plucked the sunglasses off his head and swore at him before dumping a bag of rubbish onto him.

Seconds later and running away from the police sirens, he smirked at his accomplice and murmured as suavely as possible whilst stinking of fish-heads, "She wants me."

Se (colour, prettiness) – Whispers go round the court of Lord Mikami's cousin, the topic of the absent Mystic Moon seeress for the moment forgotten. It isn't beauty or the colours of her dress that she is noted for, instead it is the pristine white strip of cloth wrapped round her face to prevent others from seeing her milky unseeing eyes. They do not realize how unseeing they are when the Fanelian King does a double take at the young woman curtseying to him with a satisfied smile or how he smiles brighter when she is in view.

Cao (grass) – She had successfully bathed in the lake under the full moon as was her village's custom, without finding any peeping Allens or Dilandaus, nor had she been attacked by any water sprits. So she sat on the grass in her petticoat, waiting for her hair to dry. Her self-congratulations were a tad too premature. Her family waited till the next morning to search for her, already losing hope until they found her dress and a still damp towel. Hitomi had completely forgotten about the land spirits hunting for a mate.

Hu (tiger stripes) – Merle was aware of the power she had, the attention she procured from many courtiers and rolled her eyes every time her adoptive brother warned her away from extending her claws. She would always smile and nod but every time think of another woman who was very much like a tigress, luring the Fanelian King without either knowing it.

Chong (insect) – "It is said that the Mystics were crushed like ants in their underground caverns," she whispered in his ear, one hand curling intimately around his neck. "But insects repopulate quickly and if they live in the dark, then surely," the knife against his throat tightened, "they can see in the dark too." A second later a canny knight lit a match and the startled King found himself standing alone in front of a cracked mirror.

Xue (blood) – "Vampire or werewolf?" Millerna asks with pretend flippancy, every conversation quietening even though they could all hear Hitomi's answer if they were in a nightclub, "Neither, nothing wrong with a human guy right?" Van's attempt at a laugh barks the loudest but even with his sharpened eyesight he misses the amused smile flicker across her face.

Xing (go, do) – Dryden was getting to the point where he was going to smash their heads together. But as King of Asturia—_and only through marriage_—he had to act respectably. But it didn't stop him from responding to the Fanelian King's query as how to handle the returning seeress with the infamous quote that passed down for generations: "Go, do."

Yi (clothes) – She has no idea why Van's smirking. So what if she was the one to go pick him up from the airport? She may have feelings for him but he's so dense that he'd never notice. But her caramel hazelnut frappuccino threatens to come back up when he mutters with amusement, "So that's where my hoodie went."

Xi (west) – From the age of 13 he picked up a habit of always gazing in one direction. Even if the window was behind him he would stare at an empty wall. Few people questioned it and even his close friends couldn't offer an explanation. It all changed when he announced he was going to University in Asgard, at which point comprehension dawned with those who remembered the fiery green eyed girl who had enchanted him as a child.

* * *

A/N: Massive apologies. Life headbutted me in the stomach Will try to get back on things but it might take till Summer.

All I can say is: Go to China! Don't eat Panda!

SuilsS xx


	6. Seven Strokes

A/N: Change of penname, relocation back to England (so fic writing recommences, hopefully…) Nothing much more to say than enjoy (and please review :P)

* * *

Seven strokes

Jian (see) – They were sent away to the conference by themselves and she ignored all the comments of how _romantic it would be._ But when she finds his dinner jacket sliding over her bare, cold shoulders as they stare out at the Asturian Gulf she starts to see just what everyone's been talking about.

Jiao (horn) – She wakes to the sound of a horn blasting down the mountain, only to realize in horror it's the sound alerting the guards that the High Priestess is missing—_her_. Turning to her equally unclothed bedmate and pulling the bedsheet to cover her modesty, she gasps at the recognition of just who charmed her into losing her maidenhead, foresight, and possibly life the night before. His inhuman red eyes open and gaze at her with a smirk that she's seen all too often on the statues and carvings of the Dragon God she worships. Or in last night's case, was worshipped by.

Yan (speech) – The sting of her slap hadn't changed in all those years but he knew she was justified. After all he had been sitting on her bed, waiting for her, unable to say anything until she pulled her top over her head.

Gu (valley) – Even if they were able to stand on the same ground, both know that the social disparity between them is as vast as the continent itself. So when he finishes dancing with another prospective bridal candidate he finds himself startled by the vision of a woman who looks unbelievably like the woman he loves in a silk blue floor-length dress, her hair swept up elegantly to show the delicate curve of her neck. She smiles at him, sadly before she turns to her left and steps away into nothing. It doesn't matter anyway, they're on different worlds.

Dou (bean) – He smirks at her and asks smart-assedly whether the sack she's carrying is full of _magic beans_. He is in shock for hours after she pelts him with a handful of runner beans that splatter mud over his pristine school uniform. She has no idea until he proposes that he believes they were indeed _magic_.

Shi (pig) – It never goes on the official record that the first _actual_ meeting of Prince Van Slanzar de-Fanel and his future bride, Margravine Hitomi Matsuri Kanzaki al-Freid occurred when the haughty prince asked if all commoners smelt like pig shit.

Zhi (cat, badger) – Only after their first child and soon-to-be older brother has gone to bed do the King and Queen grapple with their child's genius, each holding a corner of piece of paper on which the Crown Prince has scrawled a drawing on. "It's a cat." "Please, it's a badger, why else would it have a long snout." "You haven't lived here long enough, it's a cat, definitely a cat."

Bei (shell) – "I read somewhere that before money, ancient cultures used cowrie shells as currency…" "We're lying on 5 million gidaru after robbing the Bank of Adelphi and you're talking about what you learnt from the history channel?" He took the hint quick enough and rolled towards her.

Chi (red, bare) – No matter how much Yukari blathers on about how _he needs to see her_, Hitomi is happy to admire Van Fanel from afar. The national Kendo champion is chased round Pallas University by enough women, and she doesn't need any more awkwardness around him during their Chemistry classes. She can't understand why Yukari has disappeared further down the aisle to snigger until she looks outside the shop window, catching the heated gaze of said man as she holds a pair of lacy red panties in her hand.

Zou (run) – She was running on the treadmill, for once _sans_ iPod as the brat had stolen it. Sadly the hotel gym provided 24 hours news instead of repetitive Basramian dance music for her to run to. Hearing _his name_ made her turn her gaze to the LCD screen, seeing _his face_ made her slow down but hearing _his speech_ on how he was returning to his hometown to _propose to his childhood sweetheart_ pushed her arse over teapot off the treadmill completely.

Zu (foot) – Since the reappearance of the Mystic Moon Seeress, neither have had a chance to spare more than a pleasantry or a wave as banquet follows parade follows dignitary greeting. On the night of the last _official_ ball—gods know how many courtiers will hold their own and expect their attendance—his gaze sweeps the crowd and he finds her outside, sitting on the edge of a fountain with her bare feet in the ice cold water. Silently moving to sit beside her and desperate for something to say now they are alone he only stares as she meets his gaze and they realize nothing needs saying.

Shen (body) – The petite woman with a parasol held above her by one of her numerous guards strolled up and down the line up of slaves the trader was offering. She stopped suddenly and nodded silently, before gesturing to the parasol holder and turning back to the shade of her carriage. An hour later, clean, mostly shaven and dressed in clothes that weren't dirty or reeking of manure the King of Fanelia sat opposite her as they travelled out of Basram. Before he could speak, she threw a skin of water at him, sighing as she watched the sun set. "You'd been missing for a month, so of course they sent me to find my itinerant best friend and haul him back to his duty." He smirked for the first time in weeks and murmured quietly, "You forgot betrothed."

Che (cart, car) – Having to pick up her drunken _underage _brother at 3am was bad enough but his two best friends as well was sheer torture. She was just about able to breathe with the stink of alcohol rolling off them, wondering how much they had spilt on themselves in contrast to how much they had consumed and decided she was better off not knowing. The incessant giggling between the brat and one of his cronies was pushing her to shove them out of the car and make them find their own way home, instead she called to the other one. "Oi, Fanel, why are the giggle twins unable to breathe back there? What else did you drink or smoke?" With an embarrassed cough, the dark haired boy replied quietly and with a drunken solemnness, "They think I fancy you Hitomi-sempai." She rolled her eyes, sighing until his next words made her almost jump a red light, "I think so too."

Xin (bitter) – People say coffee is bitter, lemons are bitter. If ever asked, Hitomi says that being on the receiving end of male pride is bitter. It might not make sense to whomever's asking but she knows that somewhere, somehow her target audience can hear her loud and clear.

Chen (morning) – The King usually woke to the sunrise on his face, but instead found he was woken up on that particular morning by an elbow to the ribs as the person tangled in the sheets beside him turned over. As sleep slowly fell away, his eyes widened and his jaw dropped at the chestnut haired woman snuggled against his side, head resting on his chest.

Chuo (to walk) – Contrary to what the general overly romantic population believed, the Fanelian King had never once returned to the glade where he had parted ways with the Mystic Moon Seeress. Walking away once was hard enough.

Yi (town) – She was going to kill him. He was leaving for military training, along with the other recruits and she as his closest friend went to embrace him before he disappeared for an entire year. She was not expecting him to tilt her chin and kiss her to the point of swooning in front of the _whole damn town_ before swaggering off with a smirk and telling her to wait for him. Oh she'd wait alright, with a sock full of bricks.

You (wine, alcohol) – Mamoru realized that turning 18 wasn't so massively important as other things, carefully watching the men either side of him try and talk quietly, assuming he had passed out from the tequila shots they had bought and forced him to drink. But even he couldn't keep up the drunken pretence when Van had retorted to an unusually dishevelled long-haired blonde, "Dammit, I'll marry Hitomi then and Celena can marry Mamoru, happy?"

Bian (divide, distinguish, choose) – Hitomi returned to the table flabbergasted and that was a miracle in itself. Unable to formulate speech was another until she sat beside him with two jaegerbombs and breathed, "Van just bought these and asked me to dance." Dallet, who was halfway through downing a tequila shot, sprayed it all down his girlfriend's dress, but she was far more interested in the gossip train, shouting over the pumping music, "Van? As in Van Fanel, the man your parents are forcing you to marry?" Hitomi nodded, unsure of whether to blush, laugh or cry. Dilandau as it turned out knew what to do and had the green eyed woman returned to the bar where a man she hadn't seen in 3 years was happy to ply her with drinks. Folken would be very happy with the results.

Li (village, mile) – Unlike the overwhelming majority of people on Gaea, the Fanelian King's five cabinet ministers would love to do nothing better than strangle the Mystic Moon Seeress' skinny neck. Their King was soon turning 22 and still unmarried-_without heirs._ Not that they were able to, all because of something the King had mirthfully informed them was called a _long distance relationship._

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Worlds soon I promise, it's just being a pain in the tea kettle right now. And of course more B&G and others :D

Be patient xx


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