Destiny's Pawns ~~~Chapter 24~~~

[Hitomi Lei]

"Have you found him yet?" Van asked.

"No, Van, Folken?s body hasn't been found yet. It?s been two days. Every thing has been searched, if we were going to find him we would have long ago." Chid hated to tell Van this news. His heart was braking just at the thought that his Godson could be...dead.

"I'll not believe my son is gone...He can't be gone..." Van looked over at Hitomi, who was sleeping fitfully in her bed. Millerna said that her high fever was the cause of her
coma-like sleep.

"Van, we have tried--" Chid began.

"Don't stop the search, Chid. We will find my son." Van's face was set in stone and Chid knew how stubborn he could be.

"He isn't...there...you won't...find...him in the...wreckage..." A weak voice spoke from the bed. Hitomi noted that Van was by her side, holding her hand, which he quickly dropped when he saw her awake.

"What do you mean, not there?" Van asked.

"You must believe me. I saw a vision. The same man that attacked the Freedom Fighters all those years ago is behind this. He is going to use my son as a key to ultimate power. Folken couldn't tell me more." Her voice faded off as she tried to sit up. Chid helped her move up in the bed.

"You mean your son told you this?" Chid asked in confusion.

"No, Van's brother..."Hitomi looked at Van, "We are his only hope...."


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


Ren was feeling a little better now that she knew Hitomi was awake. She sat in the library of Hitomi's manor house. This place calmed her soul. Ren sighed; Folken was missing, kidnapped by a human monster.

Her ears hung low in sadness. She had promised Asago she would keep him safe. ?I failed you aunt. I?m so sorry. Hitomi too. I failed my lady the greatest. Poor Folken. By the Gods I hoep your okay?? She was thinking so deeply she didn't notice Chid come in.

"Hello, Ren." he spoke in the soft tone he always used for Ren. She jumped but not much.

"Hello Chid, want to join me?" she indicated the chair across from the couch she was sitting on. Chid ignored the gesture and instead sat right next to her.

"I'm glad your okay Ren." Chid said as he brought a hand up to cup her cheek. Ren tried to shift to get away.

"Your Majesty--"

"You know I hate it when you call me that, Ren." Chid brought her face closer to his.

"Chid...I...Chid, don't..." she protested weakly.

"When I flew over that wreckage I was so worried you had died. It made me realize something. Do you know what it made me realize?" He paused in his speech for a moment and Ren spoke up.

"Chid this is all very sudden, maybe you should think about it a little." Ren's hands fluttered nervously in her lap.

"You?re wrong, Ren, these feelings have been growing for three years." Chid's other hand came out to grasp her fluttering ones. Ren looked surprised.

?But I?m of mixed blood. You can?t lo??

?Don?t tell me I can?t love you because you have a unique heritage. ? His eyes were so intense that she dare not look into them, but his hand on her face prevented her from looking away.

"Chid...I...I don't know what to say." Ren finally looked away from his eyes. Chid smiled. He knew in her heart she loved him. Her eyes had just told him so. Ren just needed time. He removed his hand from her face and wrapped it around her shoulders, pulling her close enough for her head to rest on his shoulder.

"You don't have to say anything now, Ren. Just only think about it okay. I know we have to find Folken, and I don't promise to know what will happen in the future. Just don't shut me out." Ren nodded and freed one of her hands to rest it against his chest. They sat like that for a long time...content...


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

Meanwhile

Van sat in another part of the darkened Library. The only light was a fire in the massive fireplace. The size of this room was astounding. No library in Fanelia or Astoria could come close to matching it.

His gaze was upon the picture above the mantel. In fact he had been staring at it for a long time. The sceen showed himself standing in front of Escaflowne with Hitomi, Allen, Merle, and Millerna by his side. The shadowy form of Folken graced the background. Van wondered at the happy look the artist had painted on all their faces. They had been at war, seen all the killing first hand, and yet those had been happy times. He remembered many nights of just sitting by the fire and wishing the next dawn wouldn't come. Because the next daybreak always brought the war right back into their lives. Shattering what peace they had found in their dreams. It was an endless cycle, but he had been content.

Thinking of that time brought Van's mind to his estranged wife. He had regretted that last night--no that last month for three years. It had been his entire fault. Now his son could die without ever knowing his father.

Suddenly, he had to get out, out of this dark Library were memories seemed to haunt his every thought. A feeble light was coming from the glass doors that lead to the wide balcony.

"Fresh air would be nice." Van said to himself.
The cold air hit his face in a refreshing rush. Van moved to stand in the shadows of the roof. For a moment the night was silent, and Van was sure he was alone. Then, a sound, like a sob came to him, carried by the breeze.

Van moved into the light, turning to see whom it was. A small piece away stood a shrouded figure, whose shoulders were bent and shaking. Van recognized Hitomi as he stepped forward.

"Please leave me." Van wasn't about to obey, he stepped closer.

"What's wrong Hitomi?" Van made to touch her shoulder, but she jerked away.

"What's wrong you ask?" bitter laughter followed her question. "My son is alone with a mad man, and I'm helpless. I gave up tarot and my pendent is dead." She held up the purple-black jewel.

"I can't even dowse his location." Van could feel her anger and helplessness like a pain in his chest. Suddenly it didn't matter that she had left, or that he had never been told of his son. All he wanted was to comfort this woman he had loved so much.

Van reached up and wiped away her tears. One tear found it's way down his fingers. When Hitomi's tear touched Van's ring, something miraculous happened. It began to glow. Hitomi's eyes widened as her own pendent began to levitate and shine. Slowly a pinkish red color began to fill both stones. A warm peaceful feeling filled them both. It was like part of their souls had returned. Awe filled their eyes as the glowing stopped and the darkness settled around them once more.


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

The darkness was thick. Folken was afraid. He wanted his mother. A sound from beyond the darkness made him jump and cower in fear. He heard the creak of the metal door as feeble light seeped in. The monster that haunted what fitful sleep he got, stood silhouetted in the doorway.

"I came to tell you that it's almost time." he gave a sinister cackle. "The moons and stars will be a lined perfectly in five days time." the mad man could since this child?s fear, and he seemed to feed off it.

"Now, little dragon, show me your wings." he taunted. With a quivering voice Folken spoke up.

"I don't.... I don't have wings." he shivered in fear, Maybe this monster would eat him now that he knew he had no wings.

"But you do have wings, little dragon, Concentrate on them."
Folken was too afraid not to comply. He stood and arched his hack. A searing pain began to burn between his shoulder blades. The beast king cackled in delight at the sight of small bulges beneath the boy?s tattered shirt. Folken gave a cry of pain as his wings burst forth for the first time. Small white feathers drifted slowly around him as he passed out from the pain. The mad man caught one of the pure white tuffs in his gnarled hand.

"Soon.... Soon"


End of chapter


Umm?.So?yeah?Chid and Ren?.Hitomi and Van?.we had some romance in this chapter!! Yay!!

[kmf]

*grins* You have Van and Hitomi one step closer to getting back together, I am so pleased! It was touching that his concern for her and her sorrow reactivated the pendant - I suppose that their need for each other and their desire to get their child back helped to fix it. I did note that Hitomi was referring to Folken as 'my' son when she spoke to Van, so Im hoping that next chapter it will be 'our' son ^^

Keep writing, I might be a little late in reviewing, but I will get there in the end!

kmf