Sacrifices 1/?

[Symee-Sama]

<center>Sacrifices
By Symee-Sama</center>

It was a beautiful dawn that Hitomi saw in her mind's eye, tipped pink and with hues of gold, the sun rose, illuminating the land with its light. Hitomi watched, captivated by it for a few moments before she turned her attention to what the light had illuminated.

A bloody battleground covered with the corpses of Gaea's United Forces. Hitomi walked in a daze through the pools of blood and dismembered corpses, feeling strangely detached from it all. The gore that would normally have her retching, didn't seem to touch her as she walked through the battlefield, glancing at the pendants, looking for a certain standard.

Basram, Asturia, Freid... Hitomi's heart seemed to stop as she found the standard she was looking for. The Royal Crest of Fanelia. Slowly, she picked her way through the rubble, making her way to the familiar melef that lay in a defeated heap.

<i>Escaflowne.</i> She whispered, her words echoing around the field, seeming the disturb the corpses. She finally reached the white melef, placing her hand on its leg. <i>Escaflowne.</i> She whispered again. <i>Please let Van go. You don't need him anymore... Please let him go.</i>

There was a bright flash of light as the Escaflowne's hatch opened, ejecting the young prince from the cockpit. <i>Van!</i> Hitomi cried, rushing over to his body, surprised to see he was still alive. Carefully, she pulled him into her arms, cradling his head and wiping the blood from his face. <i>Van, it's me. I've come home.</i> She smiled as his eyes opened, and he looked at her in amazement.

<i>Hitomi?</i> He coughed, blood staining his lips as his expression changed to one of pure hatred. <i>Don't touch me.</i> His voice was cold, and pierced Hitomi to the very core of her being. <i>Go away, Hitomi, and let me die in peace.</i>

<i>But Van,</i> Hitomi's voice shook as she looked at the man that she loved. <i>Please Van, tell me what I did wrong.</i>

<i>What you did wrong?</i> Van laughed bitterly, choking on his own blood. <i>You sold out to Zaibach, Hitomi. You let them give you power beyond your wildest dreams and in return, you destroyed us. All the men who lie dead here died because of you. This is your fault, Dark Lady!</i>

He coughed some more, reopening his many wounds, staining Hitomi's clothes with his blood. <i>And to think,</i> he remarked bitterly, <i>I used to love you.</i> He coughed again, his eyes glazing over as death took a hold on him, but Hitomi could still see the hatred in his eyes.

Unable to bear it, she closed them, whispering a small prayer for the departed soul of the King of Fanelia, because for some reason, that's all she could think of him as now, Fanelia's King. Not Van, not the man she loved. He was an enemy, and though he fought bravely, he was defeated, and that was all that mattered.

Hitomi felt a familiar nagging feeling in her mind, like she should be feeling more than she did. Like there was more to Fanel than the crown that he had been forced to wear, but she shrugged them off. These feelings did not matter. All that mattered was the success of the Empire, all that mattered was that the Sorcerors were pleased.

Smiling at her victory over the pathetic United Forces, Hitomi walked from the battlefield, already dreaming of the knew power she would gain as a reward. Perhaps, the power of flight this time. They could use the body of the Fanelian King for research. She was so preoccupied by her reward that she didn't see the silver haired man until her had her by the throat.

<i>You think you can just walk away from this, Hitomi?</i> He asked, his grip tightening around her neck. <i>Do you think that I'll let you get away with this? You let them change you, you let them mould you into something you were never supposed to be.</i> He smiled sadly, tracing the sides of her face with his other hand. <i>Where's the innocent Hitomi that I loved?</i>

His grip tightened again, cutting off her air supply. <i>Please,</i> Hitomi rasped. <i>Dilandau, don't do this. You don't want to do this.</i>

<i>Don't I?</i> Dilandau released her, shoving her to the ground. <i>You know me too well.</i> He glanced up at the sky, seeing the descent of the Sorcerors' ships, and Hitomi used his distraction to her advantage. With a swiftness that wasn't human, she drew her knife, and buried it to the hilt in Dilandau's heart.

He fell to the ground, his body trembling as his internal organs failed, and his vision began to fade. <i>They're coming for you, Hitomi.</i> He whispered, tears streaming down his cheeks. <i>If you ever loved me at all, don't let them take you.</i>

And Hitomi paused for a moment, staring at the tears that were still streaming down his face even though he was dead, and scoffed. <i>You were weak, Dilandau.</i> She sneered as she stepped onto the platform that the Sorcerors had lowered for her. <i>This is where I belong.</i> She smiled at the destruction that she had caused, knowing that she would be well rewarded for her efforts.

Giving one last look at the silver-haired corpse, her smile grew as she turned to face the ship. <i>You don't know what you were talking about, Dilandau. This is my home.</i>

<center>* * * * *</center>

Hitomi woke with a start, and looked around her room, not quite sure where she was. She checked over her clothes and hands, expecting to see blood on them. Van's blood. Dilandau's blood. "Only a dream," she whispered to the empty room. "Nothing more than a dream."

But it had been so real... She could still feel the dagger in her hands, the warm blood covering her hands, and splashing on her face. She could still feel the euphoric feelings that the dream had left her with. Disgusted with herself, Hitomi stumbled down the hall to the bathroom, washing her hands furiously in an attempt to get the blood off of her hands.

She was going insane, she decided. She was going insane and having bad dreams about Gaea. They couldn't be visions, she knew that she would never kill anyone, even if it was Dilandau, and she knew that hse would never just abandon Van or send millions of men to their deaths. It wasn't her way. The very thought of those things made her queasy.

Shaking her head slightly to clear it, she smiled weakly at her reflection. It had been three years since she had gone to Gaea, three years since she had left Van. Two years since he had stopped contacting her. The beauty that her features had promised, had faded when he had broken off contact with her.

He had told her that the situation had changed, and that he had found another that he loved just as much as her, if not more. It was only natural for him to choose his new love over Hitomi. They could be together happily in Gaea, they could be free of her memory, and her damning visions.

<i>Oh Van,</i> Hitomi thought softly, her heart breaking a little bit more. <i>Be happy wherever you are. That's all I ever wanted for you.</i>

She sighed as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. She wished that she could find someone new to replace Van like he had replaced her. She wasn't happy alone, but there was no one she could relate to on this planet since she had gone to Gaea. No one she could confide in. Not since Yukari and Amano had moved away.

Sadly, she changed her clothes and picked up her book bag, composing herself before she went out the door. It's time to move on, she told herself fiercely, knowing that she just couldn't seem to move past Van's betrayal. They had been so closely bound before he broke it off. So close that she could sense his thoughts, and feel what he felt.

Now there was nothing, just an empty space where Van used to be, and although she had tried many different things, nothing could fill the void he had left. Not paying attention to her surroundings, Hitomi walked down the street, still trying to cheer herself up. She was so preoccupied with herself that she didn't see the dark shadow that followed her down the otherwise empty street.

<center>* * * * *</center>

Van was furious, damn these advisors who thought that everything that a King did must have their permission first. He had done what they had asked. He had broken things off with the Seeress from the Mystic Moon.

<i>No,</i> he thought, angry with himself. <i>Her name is Hitomi. She's a person not a damn title!</i> Melancholy settled over him as he looked out the window to the royal gardens. <i>I wish I had never done it.</i> He thought as he watched the gardeners tending the flowers. <i>I still love her... I shouldn't have listened to my advisors. I didn't need a wife. I could have done without one.</i>

As if his thoughts had drawn her to him, Seira opened the door, beaming at him. "Oh Van," she smiled. "How can you stay inside on such a beautiful day? Come outside with me and walk in the gardens!" She laughed at the expression on his face as she pulled him out the door. "If you stay inside all the time, you'll wither away!"

Van smiled back at her. He had grown to love Seira, but he still yearned for Hitomi. He loved them both equally, but he had Seira, and it was almost like he only wanted Hitomi because he could not have her. Seira was beautiful, kind, gentle, and intelligent. Everything a man could want in his wife, but still...

He wanted Hitomi. He wanted to pull her from the depression she had fallen into. He could still sense her thoughts, he could still feel her emotions as sharply as he felt his own, and he wished that when he had severed the bond between them, that it had worked for both of them.

<i>This is my punishment,</i> he thought grimly as he smiled at Seira and held her hand. <i>This is what I deserve for lying to her. This is what I deserve for attempting to sever a love bond.</i> His smile faded as he felt something break within Hitomi's heart. <i>This is what I deserve for destroying her happiness.</i>

His smile quickly returned as he watch Seira catch a butterfly bringing it back to him as a gift. "Cheer up, love!" She kissed him quickly. "Or you'll make me believe that something's really wrong."

Catching his hand, she drew him towards her, pulling his body against her and capturing his lips with her own. Losing herself in the sweetness of him, she pulled away breathlessly, brushing a few stray strands of hair from her face. "There is so much to be happy for." She leaned in again, teasing him for a few moments before pulling away, and walking towards the center of the garden.

"You always do this," Van smiled. "You love the King's Sanctuary."

"Of course," Seira countered. "For it is the only place that guarantees sanctuary with the King. No advisors ever make their way in here. Most of them suffer from the pollen fever."

Still smiling, Van let her lead him to the secluded glade in the heart of the royal gardens. Keep cool from the blazing sun by a canopy of branches, and a tiny pond, this glade was a slice of heaven for Van and his wife. The one place they could go without fear of being interrupted.

"I love you," Seira whispered as she pulled him to the ground, running kisses over his face. "I love you more than anyone, Van." She sighed as he moved his hands up to cup her face, forcing her to look into his eyes.

"I love you too, Seira," Van whispered closing his eyes to hide the pain that came into him whenever he spoke those words. "I love you too." He could feel a dark shadow closing over him, clinging to him, and choking him.

Startled, he bolted up, knocking Seira off him, and pressing a hand to his throat. "Van!" She cried, wrapping her arms around him. "What is it? What's happening?"

"It's Hitomi," he rasped. "Someone's hurt Hitomi." He saw the hurt expression on her face, and knew that he would have some explaining to do later. The pain gathered in his lungs, until he thought that they might burst, and then all of a sudden, the pain was gone, replaced by a new feeling.

Warmth rushed through Van's body as realisation washed over him. "Seira," he took a steadying breath. "You weren't the first woman that I loved." He watched her face dissolve into tears, and clutched her close to him, wishing that he could take away her pain.

"The first woman I loved wasn't from Gaea. She was the Seeress from the Mystic Moon, and during the war, I fell in love with her." He wiped the tears away from her face. "I still love you, dearheart, but I realised that you had to know."

"Why?" Seira asked, sniffling slightly. "Why after two years did you decide that I suddenly needed to know?"

"Because," Van took another breath, trying to sort out the emotions that were warring within him. "Something happened to her, and now, she's on Gaea."

<center>* * * * *</center>

Hitomi shook her head in an effort to clear it. Where was she? Grimacing slightly at the dirtiness of her surroundings, she looked around, desperately trying to give a name to the place she was locked in. Sighing, she sunk to the cold, grimy floor. She had no idea where she was.

"So they finally gotcha," a low voice drawled. Hitomi turned in the direction of the sound, fear rising in her. "Took them long enough. They've been trying to get you for years, Kanzaki." He sprung to his feet, unconsciously taking a fighters stance as he looked her over.

"Dilandau," her voice was calm despite the growing knot in her stomach. Her eyes shifted back and forth, looking for a way to escape. What had happened to Selena? Hitomi wondered. She thought that Dilandau was gone forever. "What are you doing here?" She managed to ask.

"The same thing you are." He replied easily, pulling up the sleeve of his tunic to show long, ragged scars that ran up and down the length of his arm. "We're here for the sorcerers use."

Hitomi shook her head. "I don't understand."

"Rude little thing, aren't ya?" Dilandau's eyes flashed with amusement. "You haven't even introduced yourself yet." He gave an exaggerated sigh. "I would've thought that our parents had taught you better."

Rude? Her? Angry now, she opened her mouth to snap at him when she realised what he had said. "Our parents?" She stuttered, a sense of foreboding settling over her. "What do you mean?"

"I'm Dilandau Albatou Kanzaki," he said with a smile, holding out his hand to her. "Welcome to Hell."

Author's Note: Okay, this is my first fanfic in a loooong time, not to mention my first Esca fic ever. I don't know how overused all my ideas are. I tried to make them different, and I tried to keep them all in character, if I didn't, bitch me out for it. I have no problem with criticism, as long as it's constructive. Hope you liked it.

Symee

[Chronalax]

Yo sis! Not too shabby for a first fic, but stil like the GW ones better. Dilandau rocks, an you better not make him and hitomi together. And don't leave van with that othger girl. find a way around that