Destiny's Pawns---~Chapter 20~

[Hitomi Lei]

Libra, Chid, Ren and Folken entered Merle's Village to the lively sounds of music. Children selling colored streamers ran with reckless abandon between carts filled with all kinds of exotic wears.
Vendors ad set up to sell their whares at every cornor.
Paper lamps were being set out on the eaves in perpetration forthecoming darkness.

Libra made her way to Merle's house, her grey cape covering most of her face, and hiding her sword. Chid was dressed as a commoner, his long unruly hair puller back in a very unroyal leather band. Ren looked pretty in the blue tunic she wore, her own sword out in plain view.

Merle must have seen them coming, for she ran out to greet the group of weary travelers.

"Libra!! You came, and you brought them all!" she hugged first Folken who wiped off her kiss, then Ren and Chid.

"Everyone's here. Come on in and greet them." Inside they found Millerna and her clan along with Allen and Celeana. After greetings were exchanged everybody sat down to talk. Folken soon grew tired of the adults talking. He wanted to see the parade.

"I want to go play Mommy. I want to go see what?s outside!" Libra looked at her son with laughter in her eyes.

"Oh, you do? Well ask Aunty Merle if it's time to go outside." Folken hoped up from his seat by his mother and went to Merle. He had learned early on that a certain look would get you anything...expesaly with Aunty Merle.

"Aunty Merle, can we go to the party now?" Folken asked with his big eyes pleading.

"Oh, of course sweetie. Go put on your shoes." Merle had took one look at him and melted.

"YAY!!" cried Folken as he and the other children ran off to get ready.

"You just couldn't do it could you Merle?" Jako asked with mirth.

"Who could?" Celeana asked from her seat near her nephew. "I mean he looks so much like his--" Allen put a hand to her shoulder and Chid cringer.

"It's okay." Libra assured them, "I know who he looks like." soon all the children were ready and the group departed, each with high hopes for the evening.


~~~~~<@ @>~~~~~

Denny stood on the top of a barrel with his spyglass. He was trying to spot the beginning of the parade. A sound of an approaching airship drew his attention to the sky.

"Tomi! Uncle Van is coming! I see his ship!!"

"No, you don't" The little girl looked at her brother with a look of superiority that came from being the eldest, even when she was only older by 10 minutes.

"Yes I do!"

"DO NOT!!"

"DO TO!!"

"DO NOT!!"

"Children!...What are you fighting about?" Millerna puller her six year old son off the barrel.

"I saw Uncle Van's ship in the sky and Tomi says I don't,? said the sullen boy.

"Well Mommy said he wasn't coming...SO there!!" Tomi stuck her tongue out at Denny. Millerna looked up in the sky and sure enough an airship was approaching.

"Denny, hand me your spy glass sweetie." Millerna asked.
Denny complied and soon Millerna found out that it really was Van....

"Oh dear...This isn't good. Okay kids, Denny was right. Now I need you to go find Libra. Tell her to go to Merle's" Denny stuck his tongue out in revenge toward his sister.

"Told yaw' so!"

"And no fighting! This is important!" Millerna gave them that look mothers give their children. Denny and Tomi ran off to do what Millerna had said.


~~~~~<@ @>~~~~~


Libra was looking at a beautiful silk shawl at a corner vender. Its design was one of white dragons and a red pendent held by a strangely clad figure. It told the story of her youthful adventure in Gaea. She thought about buying it for Folken. Suddenly voices calling her got Libra's attention.

"Aunt Libra!! Aunt Libra!! Mommy said for you to go to Merle's house." The twins watched with big eyes as Libra looked up in confusion.

?Why do I need to go to Merles house?? she asked the twins.

?We don?t know. I saw Uncle Van?s ship fly in and Mommy got all worried lookin? and said ?Oh dear? and said to go fond ya? she only says ?Oh dear?
when daddy does somethin? wrong. So I guess Uncle Van-?

?That?s okay Denny. Thanks for telling me.? Libra broke in. Denny was like his father, meaning he rambled a lot.
Libra threw some silver down on the vendor table and hurried over to Merles with the silk in hand.

"Can Folken come with us?" the twins chirped after they had followed her to the house. Libra thought about it. If she had to make a hasty get away, then having Folken close by would be a must, but then if he was in the house Van would have more opportunities to see his son.

"Yes I suppose, but don't go far."

"Thank you Aunt Libra!" the twins hurried off to find what mischief they could find, with Folken being pulled right behind them.


~~~~~~<@ @>~~~~~


Van watched as the ground came closer and closer. Because of the high traffic in the village he had to land out side of town. He was eager to see Merle and the group, all though being with them all brought back memories of Hitomi. He sighed as he entered the village. It was hard to find his way in the crowd. Up ahead two small children ducked around a corner. Van recognized them.

"SO Millerna brought the twins? I bet they'll know where to find everyone." SO Van followed the twins as best he could. It seemed that a small child with light teal hair was traveling with them too. Try as he might, Van couldn't get them to hear his call over the hoar of the crowd. Van desided to just follow the imps for the time being until they could lead him to the others.


~~~~~<@ @>~~~~~

Libra entered the house to Merles near frantic scramble to repack their things. Ren was caring it out to the airship.

"I take it I'm no longer welcome?" Libra asked in a smooth tone.

"Oh, Hitomi! Van's hear, you have to go...or he might-!" Merle said as she hurried too stuff Folken?s clothes in his small bag.

"Ah, so this is what has you so flustered." Libra thought for a minute.

"Millerna, you?ll find Folken with your children. I thought it best to keep him out of sight. And Chid you'll have to find another way home I suppose. Ren you can't stay, so you'll have to cut your visit short too. Sorry but he would recognize you and wonder." Listing to her calm, almost bored tone as she gave instructions eased everyone?s nerves a bit.

"Okay I'll find Folken and take him to the airship first thing." Millerna said as she and Chid hurried out the back door. Ren had just finished taking the last bag from Libra and Merle when the door opened wide.


~~~~~<@ @>~~~~~


?Merle, I'm here!" called Van as he entered the house. Following the twins had eventually led him here before he lost sight of them again to the crowd.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a hooded figure dash into the next room, almost like she didn't want to be seen.
'What...?'


~~~~~<@ @>~~~~~


Libra heard the door open and she pulled up her hood. She moved to the next room quickly, hoping not to be noticed. Libra heard Van ask Merle about the person he had just witnessed.

"Who was that in such a hurry Merle?"

"Oh, her...? She's just one of the villagers" Merle gave a
nervous laugh after saying this, Chid and Millerna burst in around that time.

"We can't find Folk---Oh, hi Van..." Millerna said out of breath. Chid grimaced. This was not good.

Libra moaned silently when she heard about Folken not being found. In over three years she had not been this close to Van. It hurt, she still loved him, but the wounds left from their last moments together had never healed.
She moved to the window and looked down. It would be a far jumped, but it couldn't be any worse than some of the getaways they made during the Great War. She pulled it open and sit on the sill then with a graceful leap she landed in a crouch. She got up quickly, moving to the shadows as she brushed some dried leaves off her dress. Ren was up ahead having found the twins and Folken. Folken ran to his mother yelling.

"Mommy! An airship just camp in! I got to see it up close with the twins, but Ren wouldn't let me go in!!" he pouted as he wrapped his small arms around her knees. Libra hushed him softly as she patted the twins on the head. It was going to be a long trip back home.















End of chapter


A.N Thank you Rosie for reviewing my story!!!

[kmf]

Its very sad that Van and Hitomi as estranged, I was so hoping that Van would spot Hitomi in this chapter but she got away from him. I hope you get them together again soon, although I like the angle you are taking about them being made for each other but not knowing each other that well.

*sighs* Please make it better soon - I want the Grey Lady to be happy again and her pendant to glow red as it used to....

kmf^_^

[Goldberry]

Hmmmmmmm, you can be quite angesty when you want to, Hitomi! *grins* I just got around to peeking in the other forums and I spotted your story. Wonderful job so far, though I must agree with KMF when I say I need Van and Hitomi together soon! No more torture! *falls off her chair*

You have a very actiony writing style that I really enjoy as it holds my attention and I find myself on the edge of my seat, ready to find out whats happening. This story is coming along nicely and I can't wait to see where you're leading us. Keep the chapters coming!

Good luck!
Berry

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http://berrygold.tripod.com

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Goldberry on 2002-07-11 07:36 ]</font>