Author's Note- This is just a short piece inspired by the Valentine's Day spirit and crafted during a snow day off from school. Believe it or not, I am still working on The Journey of Escaflowne and have managed to make quite a bit of progress by going through the fifteen chapters I wrote a while ago and changing them. I've now moved on to writing new chapters, and I hope to update it relatively soon.
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Louder Than Words"Have there been any difficulties with keeping the stables warm? It will only be getting colder in the coming weeks."
"No, King Van, the beasts are fine, though the horses are wrestles from not being ridden. With the snow as deep it is, it is not safe to let them roam in the fields."
"Of course." Van nodded his approval as he walked down the aisles of Fanelia's chief stables, stopping briefly to run a soothing hand down the neck of his own personal steed. The caretaker walked anxiously beside his liege, eyes moving nervously about in anticipation of something going amiss. The famed king said little, remarking only on small things from time to time. Even bound tightly in thick wools and fur, he stood proudly to his full height, his towering form moving purposely not inhibited by the bulky fur-lined boots strapped to his feet.
The king had shown up unexpectedly after the lunch hour to inspect the stables, sending the working hands in a flurry of last second cleaning with the panicky caretaker's whip cracking at their heels. The stables managed to appear tidy if not immaculate, with perhaps the biggest folly being the absence of feed in the last 12 stalls.
The caretaker held in his sigh of relief as they came to the last part of the stables where the straw was kept. They had made it through the inspection without any bucking horses, misplaced tools, or falling hay barrels, and the king sighted no major problems. He was going to reward himself with a strong drink after this.
"Was everything up to standard, my lord?"
Van swept his eyes over the dim lighting of stables one last time before nodding. "Yes, everything seemed to be in order. I'll let you know if-"
The caretaker's eyes widened as the king's words were abruptly cut short by an unexpected flying object. Oh, by the gods. "My-my lord, are you…are you alright?"
Van stood there in shock for several moments, before he recovered long enough to let his eyes narrow knowingly. He wiped the snow from his face and imperiously brushed the white dusting from the front of his coat. Some of the iciness had managed to find its way into his collar, and he scooped it out with two of his gloved fingers.
For a man who had just got smacked in the middle of his face with a snowball, the frightful caretaker observed, the king managed to do all of this while still remaining to look extremely dignified as if he were simply brushing off the lint from his shoulders. Completely horrified, the caretaker waited for his liege to erupt, as it seemed a silent fury burned in his eyes.
"My Lord…I-I'll have the culprit chased down immediately!" He looked around wildly for a fleeing figure but upon finding none, he called for a stable hand. "You there! Yes, you, search the stable for anyone amiss." The caretaker turned his attention back to the stoic king and laughed nervously. "A thousand apologies! I- I'm sure that it was only a child playing a game, your majesty. I'll look to it personally that the child is reprimanded…"
"There will be no need for that," Van cut in with a dangerous monotone. He nodded stiffly at the caretaker. "Good day."
The caretaker watched open-mouthed as the king stalked away decisively. He would not want to be the assailant when the king got a hold of him.
Van kept his eyes trained on his surrounding, his senses trained to pick up the slightest movement or sound. He moved further and further from the stables but did not become disheartened. Now where was…
There was a muffled giggle from his left, and he gave a feral grin. "Got ya."
Moving casually so not to give away that he had heard his attacker, Van stared into the nearing hedges, his muscles tensed as he readied to pounce, when suddenly a second snowball came flying at him. Van easily dodged it with a well-executed roll to his right. As the cold projectile joined the snow pile behind him, a quiet curse came from the bushes.
Van wasted no time in time in locating the source of sound and sprinting across the short distance that separated them. With the grace of a trained warrior, he vaulted over the hedge and tackled the surprised figure to the snow. A feminine grunt proved Van's assumptions correct as he smiled victoriously down at the woman underneath him.
"Oh, don't look so smug," she ordered with a small smile of her own, "I much prefered the look on your face when I nailed you at the stables." She laughed as she remembered her lover's stunned expression and the reaction of the caretaker.
He stared down at her reproachfully. "I told you I had a lot of work to do today, Hitomi."
She sighed dejectedly but showed no outside sign of remorse for her somewhat…childish behavior. "I know."
Van looked appreciatively over the woman pinned beneath him. Her hat had fallen off when he'd tackled her, allowing long honey locks of hair to sprawl in the snow around her head and damp strands to stick to the side of her face. The cold brought a flush to her pale cheeks and reddened her slightly chapped lips. Green eyes sparkled brilliantly against the backdrop of snow, and Van soon found himself too enthralled by her gaze to continue reprimanding her. "I have to meet with captain of the west guard."
"I know," she sighed.
She held his gaze for several moments, and a silent conversation passed between them. Her eyes conveyed disappointment and his expressed regret at having to leave her…again. The past month had been demanding of Van's time around the kingdom, and his relationship with Hitomi had suffered for it. Too many canceled afternoons together and promises of 'later' filled the time they should have been spending together.
"I'm sorry."
Splashing a bucket of cold water over the previously playful flame inside of her, his words seemed to echo hollowly in the small space between them. It was a worn apology that no longer held much ground, and they both knew it. Van cast his eyes to the snow in a clear sign of remorse, and Hitomi found a guilty uneasiness turning in her chest at causing her lover to feel such guilt himself.
She mindlessly fidgeted with the clasp of his cloak, and she reprimanded herself for not being more supportive. "You can't be everywhere at once, Van. I understand." Which she did. She had known coming into this relationship that Van had obligations to his land and to his people, and he wasn't the type of man to throw aside such responsibilities so he could spend night and day by her side. She didn't expect that; wouldn't want that. She just…had thought there would be more than passing kisses and hurried conversations between council meetings. This was their first time alone together for more than five minutes in two weeks.
Van shook his head in disagreement. "It's not fair to you. You left your family, your home, and your entire world so that we could be together, and we have less time now than we did when we were planets apart. I haven't even properly introduced you at court yet."
"No need to rush," she teased in an effort to lighten the mood, "because once you do, I'll have to pretend I actually like spending time with the lords of Tidian and Basram."
Her comment had the opposite of the intended effect, and a deep frown marred Van's handsome features. "I see how they look at you," he said quietly, "how they are eager to touch you in any manner courtesy permits. They vie for your dances and conversation, and I detest them for it."
"Van…" Hitomi laid a soothing hand on his cheek, but he simply shook his head. While the insecurity Van battled in his youth had subsided, it had taken on a more jealous quality of over-protectiveness or possessiveness. No longer did he shy away when he felt his relationship with her was challenged, but instead became rather aggressive though never acting out irrationally. "Van, they don't know…"
"And its because I haven't spoken for you." His voice was no longer quiet; his aggravation clearly expressed in his growing volume and pained facial expressions. "I-I want them to know that they stand no chance with you, that your love has already been claimed and that I'm the one it's been promised to. I want them to know that we'll be spending the rest of our lives together deeply in love…even when were old."
A slow smile spread across her face at his rephrasing of the promise they had made almost five years ago, and she found herself amused by his obvious frustration. Rarely did Van display his emotions so passionately, and the fact that she was the reason he was so riled up was endearing, and it reminded her of why she loved him so much. A contented giggle spilled past her lips to create white wisps in the frozen air.
Van looked down at her incredulously. She was laughing. He couldn't believe it! Here he was trying to convey the profound workings of his heart and lay bear his desires of spending eternity by her side, and the woman was laughing!
Hitomi, sensing the distress of the man above her, leaned forward and captured his lips in a long, deep kiss that left them both breathless. After slightly pulling away so she could look him in the eye, she traced his strong jaw with the tip of her gloved finger. "I love you, and," she said with a sincere smile, "I'm willing to wait for us."
A look of what Hitomi could only describe as relief passed over his face as a small smile turned up the corners of his mouth. Therefore Hitomi was completely unprepared for the next words that left those captivating lips. "I'm not."
Green eyes widened in alarm, Hitomi sputtered, "Y-you're not?"
He shook his raven locks. "No. I'm done waiting. The way things are now…I can't stand it anymore."
"Y-you're done. You're done with us?" The cold shiver that traveled down her spine was not due to the afternoon chill but to the shock of the situation she was in. Van…was leaving her? An aching hurt turned dangerously in her stomach at the thought. Numbly she maneuvered out from underneath him and sat back on her heels in mimicry of his own position. "I-I…what…"
It was Van's turn to smile inappropriately. "Marry me."
Her face crinkled in bewilderment before slowly smoothing in comprehension. She silently stared at Van for only a moment before her eyes narrowed dangerously. "How dare you!"
He caught her wrist just inches before her hand could make bruising contact with his face. She struggled against his hold and scowled as he continued to watch her in amusement. "I cannot believe you would do that! I-I thought you were breaking up with me!"
"I don't think that would be possible even if I wanted to. You'd probably swoop down on me in the night and tear my eyes out," Van said with a smile that earned him another pointed glare from his infuriated lover.
"Of all the moments you decide to take up comedy!" Hitomi grunted in exasperation as she finally manage to regain control of her captured arm.
"So, will you?" Van pressed.
Hitomi crossed her arms and turned her head stubbornly heavenward. "Will I what?"
"Marry me."
Hitomi froze, the actual weight and intention of the question becoming real. Not only was Van not leaving her…he wanted to marry her. Her mouth opened several times without uttering a word, and Hitomi fought for the proper control of her body as her head spun in a dizzy ecstasy. Saying 'no' would be a total denial of everything she was, and saying 'yes' would completely understate the pure joy rioting inside of her.
Finally fed up with her silence, Hitomi launched herself into Van's steady arms, and the two held each other in the blissful rapture of two people who knew they would be loved for the rest of their lives.
Actions did indeed speak louder than words.
I sat down, wrote this in an hour, read it, and decided that I didn't really like it. I just felt a need to post it because Escaflowne seems to be a shrinking fandom, but it's still my favorite so…tuh-dah! I'd love to hear your feedback.