Hey everybody!! This is—sadly—the last chapter to this story!! I'm sad and glad at the same time! I'll be placing my attentions on my other stories now. And just in case ya'll forgot, my other stories are All For Love and Coming Home. Both are Action/Romance!! But like I've explained, my writing depends on my homeschool work, so cross your fingers!!
Review Thanks:
Inda: Thanks for your reviews!! They're so great!! And to answer your question, no, Hitomi is not a draconian. See, in the last chapter, she knew that if Aidan had to go through the pain of releasing his wings again, that he wouldn't stay conscious so she used what little energy she had left and combined it with the pendant to take his pain and make it her own. But, no, she isn't a draconian.
Ashra: First off just let me say that I like your penname! It's unusual and I love it!! Second, let me thank you for your review!! And yes, I'm gonna update my other fics soon! Promise!
Supergirl6: Thanks for your review! As for your question…read and find out!! MUWAHH!!
Icicle7: Thanks for your review!! And I'm feeling much better thank goodness!!! J
Fireangel621: Thanks for your review!! And like I told supergirl6, read and find out!!
Daisy31: Here's the next chapter that will answer all of your questions!!! Thanks for your review!!
Bisexual pgmie: Thanks for the review and here's the chapter that will answer your question!!
Dreamingofflyingaway: I just love your reviews!!! (chuckles) Here's the chapter that you get to beat up Jon!! Have fun!!
Sailor Hope: You are so sweet!! And thanks for the reviews!! And update your stories soon!!! I just love them!!
Lilanimeluva04: Here's the next chapter!! I'm glad you like my story! Thanks for the review!
Merlyn1382: Great name!! And thanks for the review!!
Crescentmoon-cat: I'm so glad you were surprised about it being Jon and all!! Thanks for the reviews and here's the next chapter!!!
Madpostman: Thanks for the review and here's the next chapter!!!!! Enjoy!!!
You guys are just great!! And if you're wondering, I just thanked the ones who reviewed chapter seven!! Thanks for the support and reviews!!
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Blessed
Author: Tevrah
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Chapter EightIt wasn't supposed to have happened this way.
Jon wet his lips in agitation. None of this was supposed to have happened. If she had stayed where he had put her, then she never would have gotten hurt. He would have protected her. Why didn't she see that?
He was going to take her away from that cursed husband and child of hers. He was going to save her from a life of shame. He would have taken care of her far better than some infidel could ever hope to. Why did she run?
He gently trailed his fingertips down Hitomi's serene face. Her breathing was shallow and barely discernable. He wet the washcloth in the bowl of warm water on the floor and wiped the blood from her face. Bruises marred her once perfect complexion and dried blood was wiped away to reveal pale skin.
He had found her at the edge of the woods. She had almost escaped him. Her dress had been torn and her side had been bleeding for hours. He had at first thought her to be dead. But when he had picked her up, she had given a small moan of pain and he had tried to be as gentle as possible as he carried her back to the camp.
He had stripped her and seen to her wounds. He allowed no one else to see to her. He clearly couldn't trust the idiots in his employment having seen the man in the woods with the knife protruding from his back. If she had not have killed him, Jon would have had to seen to the pleasure himself.
Her face grimaced in pain and she moaned in discomfort. He caressed her face and she tried to move from his touch, but he grabbed her chin and kept her still.
It wouldn't do to have her thinking she could keep getting her way. She would learn in time that she didn't have a say in anything. He was in charge. He chose whether or not she could speak, eat, or sleep.
He continued dressing her wounds calmly and efficiently. He knew he didn't have a lot of time left before Van would come after him. He was sure that the little brat had found his way home by now and was crying on his papa's shoulder.
Which suited him fine. It saved him from having to stomach the sight of that…creature any longer. A smile flittered across Jon's face as he thought of Van's expression when he found out he had been betrayed. He wished he could have seen it. It would have been a moment to treasure.
Jon wrapped Hitomi's body in a thick blanket and began to tenderly wash her hair. It was so knotted and dirty. Nothing at all what a queen's hair should look like.
He closed his eyes and remembered the first time he had seen her beautiful face. It had been the day after the wedding and she had walking into the dining hall and a hush had fallen over the room. Being a soldier he had kept his face calm and he had bowed to her. But his heart had been beating so fast and loud he was sure someone had heard it.
That was the day when he had decided that instead of dreaming about restoring Fanelia to its rightful greatness, he would do it. And he had. It had taken three years for his plans to be put into action, but he was proud of the work he had accomplished.
He had started simply. He made fires in the fields to get their attention, but that had proved to not be big enough. So he had slowly escalated until the family in the cottage. He hadn't wanted to kill those people, but that was the price of war. Innocents died in the name of freedom.
He patted her hair dry and dreamed of what a glorious future Fanelia would now have because of him, because he had dared to turn a dream into reality. And it would be a reality. He would see to it personally. Tonight, directly as the sun set behind the trees, the end would begin, and all of his planning would be revealed.
He looked at Hitomi once more and sadly shook his head. If only she had understood. If only she had tried to see things the way he did. But she had refused. She had run from the truth, from him. So now he had no choice. Slowly, he leaned down next to her and inhaled her scent.
"I would have loved you," he whispered. "But now you have to die."
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Van's eyes were dry and they were filled with rage. He stomped into the throne room with one thing on his mind: murder. He had already planned over a hundred different ways of killing Jon.
One thing he knew for certain was that Jon would die slowly and painfully.
The counsel jumped to their feet as the doors slammed closed behind him. They took a tentative step back as they looked at him. He was shaking for his anger.
"Milord," Dylen said quietly. "How is the little prince?"
Van took a deep breath before answering. "The healers say he will be fine. He just needs time to rest and heal."
"Has he said anything?" Tyiou asked. The old man's eyes were filled with concern.
Van clenched and unclenched his fists. "Oh, yes," he said quietly, "my son told me plenty. My son told me that my most trusted captain and friend has been plotting against me for who knows how long. My son told me that he was in pain because of the trust I placed wrongly. My son told me that my wife is dead." His voice broke and he closed his eyes to fight the fresh tears.
Shocked silence settled in the room. The counsel members turned to one another in helplessness. The queen was dead? It couldn't be! And Jon…no, they didn't want to believe it. Yet, they didn't have a choice. Without Jon present, the evidence was heavy against him, and though the prince was but a small boy, he wouldn't lie about something like that.
"What are we going to do?" Bartoy asked no one in particular. For all of his knowledge, he was lost. How were they going to fight someone that they had once trusted?
"We're going to find them," said Van's deadly calm voice. "And when we do, we're going to kill every last one of them. No prisoners. Is that understood?"
"But, Milord," Tyiou said quietly. "We do not even know where they are."
"Then find them!" Van roared. He turned and walked from the room before he did something he would later regret. He hurried down the deserted hallway and onto the roof. The sun's light touched his cold skin, but he didn't feel it. He couldn't. He couldn't feel anything but lost.
He had been so caught up in the mistakes and pains of his parent's love, that he hadn't even given Hitomi and him a chance. He had waited so long, and now just when he had found her, he lost her again.
He leaned his forehead against the rock wall and let out a broken sigh. "Hitomi…"
He hip began to burn. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a glowing pendant. It was burning hot. He tried to drop it, but it stuck to his hand. He gritted his teeth together and tried to keep from shouting out. What in Gaea was going on?'
He was suddenly knocked back against the wall pain shot through his eyes. He closed them, but they were forced back open as images raced through his mind. He saw Hitomi and Aidan on the hill, laughing. Then he saw them being taken and led through the forest to a camp.
Next came the image of Jon swinging the pendant back and forth and Aidan's wings coming out. He saw Hitomi and Aidan running through the woods as a man grabbed her and began tearing her dress. He watched as Hitomi stabbed the man in the back and she and Aidan continued running until she collapsed. He saw Aidan running through the woods with his wings outstretched as he fell over the cliff.
The images stopped and he fell to his knees in agony. He was catching his breath when another image hit him and he saw Jon walking next to Hitomi's body and picking her up. He watched as he carried her out of the forest.
The images stopped completely and Van was left on his hands and knees trying to catch his breath. He slowly, shakily, got up and braced his hands on the wall as he regained his balance. Then a thought struck him that helped him gain his composure back.
He knew where the rebel base was.
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Jon slowly dressed for battle. It would be a night that many would remember for generations to come. It would be a battle that would be retold from father to son until the end of time. Jon closed his eyes, basking in his own glory.
He would be the one. He would be the one to lead them to victory. He would deliver Fanelia from its repression and deliver a message to all that this country would never again bow to infidels, would never again have an impure king.
He had the key, the only key, which would ensure a victory never won before. He strapped on his sword and turned to the locked box on the floor. He reverently unlocked it and opened the lid. The pendant would save them.
He froze as he found the box empty. He picked the box up and threw it across the tent. No! This couldn't be happening! Where was it? He overturned everything in his tent looking for the lost pendant. Then an image struck him. No, it couldn't be…
He ran from the tent to end of the camp and burst inside the last tent and found Hitomi still in her long sleep. He rushed to her and jerked her up. He gripped her arms and shook her violently. "Where is it!" he yelled. "Tell me where the pendant is!"
She cried out in pain as he shook her again.
"Tell me now!"
"…run…" she whispered. "…gone…"
He dropped her and turned away from her. Gone? But where? He stopped. Run…
Aidan.
And if the brat had taken it, then that meant that Van now had it!
He whirled back to Hitomi with rage in his eyes. She had taken it from him and given it straight to his enemy! He stalked to her and jerked her up again. He gripped his knife when a soldier rushed into the tent.
"Sir!"
Jon dropped Hitomi once more and turned to the soldier. "What is it?"
"The whole Fanelian army is at the edge of the forest, Sir! The king leads them! It's time for battle!"
(888)
There was so much pain. She just wanted to be released from her torture. She tried to move, but found herself bound to something. It made her feel as though her entire body was made from the heaviest metal on Gaea.
She was cold. There was something blowing against her skin and it made her shiver. Where was she? Why was she so cold?
She opened her eyes as best she could. Her eyelids just felt so heavy. Darkness met her sight. She groaned as she turned her head toward the cold wind and saw white tent flaps blowing. Everything came rushing back to her. She was supposed to be dead, wasn't she? It certainly felt like she had died. The pain had been so unbearable.
Her vision cleared as she looked around. The moonlight cast a soft glow inside the tent and she saw that she was wrapped tightly in a thick blanket, but her arms were free. She wasn't bleeding, but bandaged and clean. Who—
She froze and fear locked her breath in her throat. Jon! Where was he? Was he close by? She slowly looked around and strained to hear every sound that she could, but there was nothing. No sounds at all. That didn't sit well with her.
It was too quiet.
Slowly, painfully, she sat up and tried to stand on her feet. It took two tries before she managed the feat. Shakily walking to the tent flaps she stuck her head out and her eyes widened. The entire camp was empty. There wasn't a soul around. The tents still stood, but the fires and men were gone. She didn't know whether to be wary or grateful.
She stepped completely out of the tent and shivered again as the cold wind mercilessly blew across her exposed skin. Hunching over slightly to try to keep warm, she began to once more walk to the edge of the forest.
She wanted out once and for all.
(888)
The battle had begun.
Soldiers were fighting; soldiers were dying.
Van looked around the battlefield and wiped the cold sweat from his eyes. They were overpowering the rebels slowly, but surely. It was only a matter of time until the rebels were either defeated or they surrendered. But either way, they would all die. It was just a matter of time.
His rage hadn't diminished since he had found out the truth of his betrayer. He searched diligently for Jon, but found no trace of him. He wanted to be the one to have the pleasure of killing Jon with his own sword, the sword he had been given when he was crowned king. That would be a just death for his betrayer.
The Mystic Moon and its child cast an eerie glow around the battlefield, foretelling of death and grief.
A glow surrounded the pendant that was hanging around his neck. The necklace snapped and the pendant shot off in the direction of the forest. Van took off running after it. Where was it going?
He ran through the forest for a long while before he saw the stopped pendant hovering in the air beside a tree. He reached for it and it went into his hand, the glow diminishing. He looked around, but couldn't find anything of importance. Why had the pendant brought him here?
A whimper came from the brush in front of him. He tightly gripped the hilt of his sword and walked forward. He held his sword in front of him and quickly cut the brush away. There was nothing.
A scrap of cloth caught his attention. He picked it up and rubbed it between his fingers. It was a blanket of some kind. What in Gaea—
Another whimper came from far off this time. It was small and meek, but he heard it all the same. He ran through the branches and brushes, and then suddenly stopped.
A woman was on the ground wrapped only in a thick blanket and clutching her side. Her hair was hanging down her back and it was a rich honey blond color. His sword dropped to the ground and the woman quickly turned around. Her emerald eyes were wide with fear.
"Hitomi?" he croaked. Please, dear gods, don't let this be a vision. Let her be real.
"Van?" she whispered. She let out a cry tried to crawl to him.
He snapped out of his trance and dropped to his knees gathering her close to him. She was freezing and there was blood on the blanket at her side. He kissed her passionately and gripped her face with his hands. She was crying and he was surprised to find tears sliding down his cheeks as well.
"I want to go home," she said, gripping his shirt. "I want you and Aidan and I just want to go home. I thought I was never going to see you again."
She buried her face in his chest and he held her tightly. "Hitomi…" he whispered.
He froze. A trail of blood slid down his neck and disappeared into his battle armor. He slowly pushed Hitomi back and her eyes widened in fear. She followed the sword at his neck and found herself looking at Jon's hate-filled face.
"Get up, infidel king," he said angrily.
Hitomi looked at Van and he saw the fear in her eyes. He kissed her hands gently and slowly stood up. He turned around and faced his enemy. Jon looked like a different person. His once handsome face was twisted with malice and hate. He was the ugliest thing Van had ever seen.
Van's gaze stayed steady on Jon, but he was thinking on how to get to his sword. "Why betray me, Jon?" he questioned.
"You have no right being on the throne of my people!" Jon roared. "You have no right!"
"It is my blood right," Van said as he silently motioned for Hitomi to get back and began to circle around Jon.
"Your blood is tainted!" Jon exploded. "Creatures like you deserve to die, and I'm going to see that you do!"
Van stopped beside his sword and stared at Jon. "I will kill you tonight, Jon," he said with mild calmness in his voice. "You will never again touch me and mine."
He dropped down, rolled, and picked up his sword. The attack came swiftly, but Van blocked it. Every attack that Jon would do, Van would block it. Every attack Van would do, Jon would block it. Jon used all of his strength and brought his sword down. Van faked falling down with an injury and Jon raised his sword for the final blow. Van rolled to the left and sliced his sword up.
Jon stopped and looked down in astonishment. His middle had been cut all the way through. His last thought as he died was that it couldn't be possible.
Van panted as he watched Jon fall to the ground. He dropped his sword again and turned to Hitomi. She was sobbing and trying to run to him at the same time.
He picked her up and cradled her to his chest. "Let's go home," he whispered lovingly and turned and walked away.
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Three weeks later the queen was feeling just fit as ever. There was cause for celebration in the kingdom. The prince and queen had recovered from their physical wounds completely. The rebels had been defeated. And the kingdom was expecting another little prince or princess soon. The queen was pregnant again and the royal family and subjects couldn't have been happier.
The peace lasted for many, many years in the country of Fanelia. It prospered into one of the richest and peaceful kingdoms on Gaea. The king and queen had many children and each one fulfilled their duty to their country with pride.
After the death of King Van, twenty-four year old King Aidan took the throne. He continued to work for a lasting peace that his father had fought so hard for. And he would pass on the knowledge to his heir and see that generations would remember that blood didn't matter in the place of a king. Heart did.
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The woman smiled as she saved her story and shut off the lap top computer. Hopefully she would get a good grade when she turned the story in next week. She put the glasses in the sink and looked at her microwave clock.
4:47am
She rubbed her eyes and groaned. She had a meeting with the children's teacher tomorrow at ten o'clock. She trudged up the stairs and opened a door that had a child's drawing on it. She smiled when she saw her children sleeping in their bump-beds.
Little Aidan and little Alena. They were her blessings.
She quietly shut the door and walked to the room at the end of the hall. A man was sleeping on his stomach on the big bed in the middle of the room. She quietly undressed and climbed into bed beside him, trying not to wake him up. She kissed his bare shoulder and leaned down beside his ear.
"I love you, Van," she whispered.
Then with a smile on her face, Hitomi Kanzaki-Fanel fell asleep and dreamed of her King.
THE END
Well?? What did you guys think?? I hope you liked it!! Bye!!
Tevrah