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Hitomi looked out the window at the first snow fall she had ever seen in her entire life. She wanted nothing more than to be out in the snow as it was falling but everyone had been stuck indoors since the attack on Hitomi's own servant. Lotti was healing just fine and if it was possible the old woman was more aware of what was going on in the palace than she had been before. Hitomi had begun to blame the maids for gossiping with Lotti but she wouldn't tell them to stop. Lotti had taken on three men at once and lived to tell the tale. Lotti's need for information, even the gossip was just one way she was trying to stay a step ahead of anything or anyone that would try the same thing twice.
The ladies were all gathered for tea under the watchfull eyes of Fanelian guards. Camilla's own men stood watch outside the doors of the tea room. It wouldn't have been so bad in Hitomi's opinion if she hadn't been in that tea room with them. Being shut in her own room had sounded better than spending two hours with the other females who were staying in the palace. Van had rejected the idea because it had been through Hitomi's window that the three men had made their quiet entrance. He had asked her to stay with the others and it was only his request that she be there that kept her from throwing herself out the window.
At least if she jumped out the window she would know what snow felt like on her skin.
"I've heard your servant is healing rather well." Collette said from Hitomi's right elbow. The little annoying blonde seemed to have decided that someone needed to keep an eye on the future Queen and of course no one would do the job right unless it was done by heself.
"Her name is Lotti." Hitomi tuned more towards the window, resting her elbows on the sill to keep from having to look at Collette or anyone else in the room with the exception of Una who sat on her left, "And she is doing well."
Everyone in the room talked over each other and tried to have the attention all on them. They all wanted to be looked at in their fancy dresses, no doubt pulled out in hopes Van would also be in the tea room.
"I've never seen snow before." Hitomi said quietly as Una turned to look out the window.
"Really?" Una laughed, "You should spend time in my home. We have three months of pure sunlight but it's never enough to melt all the ice. The rest of the year is filled with storms and snow drift large enough to swallow entire cities."
"What is snow like?" Hitomi stared at the falling flakes, "They look like feathers."
"The don't feel like feathers." Una pointed down to the white lawns, "It looks fluffy but it is still ice. It's cold and wet and sometimes it's sticky and hard. When the snow is sticky you have pack it together to make snow balls." Una grinned, "My uncles use to build huts out of snow and wage war with the snow balls they had spent the day making."
Hitomi wasn't sure how much fun that be. She hated being cold. Being cold and wet just didn't sound like fun. Not to mention being hit by frozen balls of tiny ice flakes...yuck.
"I'll show you how to sled once we can leave the palace again." the sudden gleam in Una's eyes had Hitomi worried. The only 'sled' she'd ever heard of was a large wooden desert wagon without wheels. She couldn't imagine trying to pull one through the snow. For one it was too big and two it had ridges under the sled to keep it moving on top of the sand.
Overall her visual of the event involving snow didn't look like any fun.
"Are you well cousin?" Gloria's voice in her ear had Hitomi recoiling. She didn't trust her cousin that close to her. Gloria had always found a way to make fun of or hurt Hitomi when adult eyes had been elsewhere. So it was understandable that even now she distrusted the girl and her reasoning for standing so close.
"Just bored." Hitomi smoothed out her skirts and suddenly wished she had worn another pair of stockings. Her feet were turning to ice in the breeze that snuck in around the window's glass.
"You shouldn't insult your peers so." without so much as an 'excuse me' Gloria pushed Collette's chair, with the young girl still in it, over to make room for her own seat.
"They are not her peers." Una wrinkled her nose, "They are brats who, on their own for the first time. believe themselves better than everyone else."
"And yet you seem just as self obsorbed." Gloria smirked and Hitomi glared.
"Una is as far above you all as is the sky from Gaea." HItomi sat propperly in hert chair so as to face the room. Everyone was now listening. Even Camilla had set her tea cup down.
"So you are about to insult every female who walks the world again, are you?" the old Princess asked with a smirk, "You really do think yourself special now that van has chosen you to be his bride."
"Actualy I think myself in love." Hitomi smiled despite her anger, "And being in love and quite happy here means that I will not flatter anyone who does not deserve it. If you act like brats then you will be called brats. Una has it right as usual."
Camilla looked shocked but more than that she looked to be choking on what she no doubt was dying to say.
Hitomi just smiled and looked around the room. Each face was glaring back at her.
"This is my home now." she said quietly but with that same calm smile, "And I will deffend it and my future husband no matter how many toes I have to stomp even if that means telling you all exactly how you are acting."
It had been just a few weeks but already the days had turned into battles. Every tea time seemed to end the same the same way. HItomi didn't hold back on her opinions, to Una's delight, and more often than not left with glares following her out the doors.
Today though, as soon as Hitomi had finished saying the words '...are acting...', Van burst into the room grinning.
"My Love." he ran to Hitomi's side and took her hand as he knelt before her, "The materials for your gown have arrived sooner than expected."
Hitomi couldn't help but smile over Van's excitement. With her gown about to be made that meant they were that much closer to being married.
"Can I see them?" she asked, his energy was catching and she couldn't sit still.
"Prince Van!" Camilla stood quickly, her hands clenched at her sides, "Do you know what your furture wife has been saying?"
Van got to his feet and shrugged, still smiling, "I have no doubt that it was truth."
He took her hand and all but dragged her from the room.
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Snow as it turned out was just what Hitomi had feared it would be. It was sticky and wet and colder than anything she'd even felt. It got inside her boots and clung to her skirts and cloak. Even when she got inside and away from the ever deepening snow she was still wet and still cold.
She did not like snow. And from the look of the Zaibach soldiers they weren't enjoying it anymore than she was.
Bundled and arms loaded down with baskets Hitomi followed the path the guards had made through the snow. At least with the paths she was able to keep the snow from sneaking into the top of her boots and melting into her stockings.
After being locked up with the seamstress and her assistants Hitomi was more than happy to take the place of one of the servants who had fallen ill. Everyday loaves of bread were taken to the Zaibach men and everyday it was the same girl who brought the food to them. No one else would do it and with that girl sick Hitomi agreed at once to replace her. Not that anyone had even asked her or would have. She was afterall a Princess and not one who should chores but she didn't mind.
With Zaibach as their neighbors it was only too easy to wonder what their living conditions were like. Their soldiers were in and out of the palace all the time so she thought it was only fair that someone went into their fortress.
Her curiousity was killing her.
Guards seemed to step out of pure snow. She hadn't seen them or even heard them untill they were right next to her.
Pulling back her hood she saw that a few of them stepped back, "I've come to bring the bread." she smiled, "Magery is ill. I took her place."
The man closest to her also lowered his hood and Hitomi held her smile as she was met by the frowning face of Dilandau.
"And is it common for the future Queen to do a servant's work?" the albino asked.
"I needed some air." Hitomi lied with a smile, "But now I fear I need a warm drink and fire to sit before. I'm too cold to walk back."
Dilandau's frown deepened, "Follow me." he turned quickly and Hitomi had to jog to catch up.
Stepping from packed snow onto a smooth floor had Hitomi skidding into the door frame. Dilandau grabbed her arms to keep her upright and slowly took the baskets from her.
"Four of our men have knocked themselves silly doing what you just did." she saw that he was almost smiling when he let her go, "Watch your step."
Dilandau brought Hitomi to a large room with a massive fireplace set in one wall. Hitomi stared at it's size and forgot to sit on the couch Dilandau had pointed out.
"It heats most of the fortress." Dilandau explained, "A lot of the heat that feeds this also comes from the kitchens."
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A/N: I know this just ends but I've been having computer problems and after all this time away from the story I've lost interest in writing it. Sorry but I think this might be the last update. I've already come up with another idea for an Esca story (one that I'm really excited about) but I have to wait untill the computer and my laptop are actually behaving.