Escaflowne 1. The black sheep

**I don't own ****Escaflowne**** and this is my first story so go a little bit easy on me.**

**Edited by: ****Hotari-chan**

**Summary: AU "****The group of men if you can call them more like predators wait in silence for their prey to come was snickering as they waited for the soon to be king." Please Read and Review Van****Hitomi**

**Bittersweet: A Tale of Forbidding Prince **

**Chapter 1: The black sheep**

It was always dark and ominous as he heard the many voices that always circle in his head. Some of them were snickering, some of them were telling their opinion and some of them he couldn't even understand. It always made him angry when people pity or think low of him for just one mistake or think he was at a disability to do anything. However, there was always some voice that was nice like his brother.

His brother was every caring and he always loved to hang out with him. He would always be there and reading him stories; telling him stories about dragon and how the slayers of them were always heroic. He always asked his brother why they slay something so defenseless.

That was the only time he heard his brother surrounded by a sad silence.

His mother had angelic voice; it was like an _**angel**_ was singing to him whenever she talked to him. He always love sitting next to her and just talk on for hours and hours. His mother was always telling him to be whoever he wanted to be. Even if he had oblates let them come and keep his head up and pass it with ease.

His father voice was strong and never broke; always ready to lead his nation into greatness. His father always agreed with his mother on the oblates and added to on sometimes.

His sword master was like another father to him and he was always grateful that. His father always had meetings with his brother for something or another. He would always go to him and practice with him or just to hang out.

Then there was his adopted sister that always followed him around. He liked that he could say anything without a critic or being used against him when he was with her. He liked having that freedom. He also liked that she admired him. He liked that someone liked him, completely, for who he was.

He liked being a human being to world that was so cold and dark towards him an outside born into the wrong family.

He loved his family and would do anything for them but he felt deep inside he knew something was coming.

Something bad and good that was over looked then but it was coming.

He didn't care for the voices in his head nor the people around him that judge him.

All he cared about was family and his nation, as a prince should.

However that was all going to change when he heard about his brother.

000

Voices.

Words.

They could hurt you or help you. They could bend you or fix you. They could change your whole perspective of things...

000

"Did you hear?" asked a voice around him.

"Yes about the prince," replied another voice

"Hmm.. heard he got killed or eaten by a dragon," said the first voice

"Pity they had one good prince, and, now, he is dead."

"Lord Van, your hands," said his sword master told him as he heard his horse rid next to him.

"Sorry," he mumbled as he let go of rails of the horse that he held onto so tightly.

"Don't let them get to you. We well find your brother," said his sword master.

He let a smile curl on his lips.

"Anyways, a child shouldn't hear this so, let's go, practice your sword," He said.

Van leads his horse to where his sword master was.

"But Balgus! I'm not young! 7 years old is really old!" Van said as he throws his hand out.

Balgus laughed as he pet his head.

Van mumbling as he follow Balgus as they were about to enter the room when someone came and whispered into Balgus ear.

"Van, come we have to see your mother now!" yelled Balgus as he began to run.

"Wait!" yelled Van.

000

Why was he cursed to darkness? Why couldn't he not stumble over his own feet and be the prince he should be?

Why did he feel like he was a disabled person?

000

The room felt lifeless as they entered.

"Mommy?" asked Van.

"Over here," she said as she tried to reach for her child.

Balgus took Van toward his mother as he started to feel around for his mother.

"Van, please forgive me for not preventing this," she said sadly as she touched Van's eyes so that closed them.

"Mommy, it's not your fault that the world is dark," he said.

She started to cry as Van said that and he try to find her to comfort her.

"Yes it is that your blind my son," she said as she cried to herself.

Van wanted to badly help his mother but didn't know what to do.

"Van, promise me something," she asked.

"Yes, Mommy?" he asked.

"Don't let anyone tell you who to be, just be the best you can ever. I'm proud of you," she said as she closed her eyes.

Then there was a peaceful silence.

000

The whole kingdom came to say their last goodbyes to the Queen of Fanelia.

Van, Balgus and Van's adopted sister, Merle, were the last ones to leave.

Balgu looked at Van and saw that he needed to be alone; so he took Merle to go home.

The darkness around him was suffocating him that he just sat on down on the grass.

"_Why did everyone leave? Why am I alone?_" thought Van.

Then the rain fell.

000

8 years later.

"That enough for today Lord Van," said Balgus as he walk towards Van.

Van of Fanelia, wiped the sweat off his forehead as he about to object when the doors open and a soldier came in.

"The counselor wants to talk to you, Lord Van," said the soldier sarcastically.

Balgus glance at the soldier and was about tell him off when Van raised his hand to silence him.

"For what?" he asked deadpan.

"How should I know?" he asked back hotly not liking the blind prince attitude.

"Hmmm," was all he said as he passed by soldier as he pushed against his shoulder.

"Hey watch it you stupid blind brat!" the soldier yelled.

Van just stopped and said, "weak" as left.

"_What do those lazy, fat people want_?" thought Van as he walked towards where the counselors usually meet.

000

The group of men if you can call them more like predators wait in silence for their prey to come was snickering as they waited for the soon to be king. However some of them weren't as impatient and started to talk about what they were going to do when they got rid of the brat that was making fun of their authority; doing things behind their back and don't call them in until three years later when there wasn't anything to do but sign paper. Also to add to their list he was now being called a hero!

For what they don't know!

Well that was going to end the same way they got rid of his brother.

They heard their prey enter as the doors to their layer opened.

The prey stood their with aloof manner in the air. It listened for a while then enters with a ease.

"Did you came to ask me about the Dragon hunt for what?" the prey said as it crossed it's arms.

The predators flabbergasted as they look at the prey in the eye.

However one of them found their mouth and hissed nicely, "Yes all the kings before did it and well _**your**_ brother did it."

The prey seem to be a little shock of this knew information but went back to it's aloof manner quickly.

"When?" the prey asked

"Tomorrow."

"Hn," said the prey as it exist the already set trap.

Or so the predator thought however there was a Fortune teller that was looking out the prey.

And the trap in which they thought was made to destroy the prey however help the future as the war against the world started.

000

Van locked his bedroom door as he clenched and unclenched his fits.

"_I HATE THEM!!_" he thought as he started searching with his hands for this sword and things for the voyage ahead.

One of the many disadvantages of not being able to see was that your klutz with a capital 'K'.

As Van searched for his things, he accidentally knocked down a box or something.

Grunting as he try to put the things way when he land on an object that caught his interest.

It was his father before he disappeared like his brother when he really young.

It was a sword that used with a mecha of some legacy thing.

It was long sword that went up half way his leg. It was very heavy and was said to object owners if wanted. He didn't know what it looked like but he thought there were wings on it.

Feeling some kind of pride that told him to take it and it would help him in the future.

Taking it as he gathers the sword with other important things, he put them next to his bed.

000

Balgus walked to and fro in anxiety as he say Van out with worry in eyes. As orphan and now prince he took into his care. On the other hand Merle was just fine as she eagerly waved goodbye to her brother.

As Van entered the forest he felt this weird deja vu of some sort. However any other further thought into was canceled when he head what he was waiting for a dragon.

000

It was the first time he felt fear as the dragon overpower him as he didn't know what to do next however it seem that was already planned out for him as he felt his feet be lifted.

"_Where the heck am I going?_" thought Van as he and unfortunatelythe dragon disappeared into the stars.

To be continued...

**Please Review! I hope you like it!**


	2. The Unfortunate Fortune Teller

**I don't own Escaflowne and this is my first story so go a little bit easy on me.**

**Edited by: Hotari-chan**

**Summary: ****AU "The group of men if you can call them more like predators wait in silence for their prey to come was snickering as they waited for the soon to be king." Hitomi has a ability with a double-edge effect and it seem to be going really wrong since she got. Van you ordinary will expert for one problem… Please Read and Review VanHitomi**

**Reviewers'**

**Inda****- Thank you and thanks for reviewing. **

**jossi-31****- Thank you and thanks for reviewing.**

**Missing White Wings 15****- Oh you will find out! . Thank you and thanks for reviewing.**

**Arienhod****- I know I want to do it too. Thank you and thanks for reviewing.**

**Ro0tin4Kagome****- Oh thanks for suggesting a beta reader. I did get a beta reader for this story please tell me if it helps. Thank you and thanks for reviewing.**

Chapter 2: The Unfortunate Fortune Teller

When you're, young you are told regarding stories about princess and prince. How they live happily ever after they fight the bad guy. They really have little to no truly obstacle. Basically they live a straightforward life.

That was what Hitomi liked about them. She liked that story so much that once she read a story about how a princess saved the world with her seeking powers that was reward after marrying a handsome prince and lived happy ever after. She loved it so much that she brought cheap desk tarot cards in the shop. However, something weird happened when she got the tarot cards.

She wanted try to do a reading with her mother who really didn't want to but Hitomi got her to do it as she did it for her mom. The reading said that the next day her mom will have something good happen to her. Neither her mom nor her really took the reading seriously because how could a six-year-old tell the future, with cheap tarot cards nonetheless.

Well it seem the next day that the reading was right. Her mother got a raise and she eagerly waited for her daughter to read her fortune again. Hitomi happily agreed as her reading started getting better as year passed.

Also a lot of bizarre things started to happen. Like when her grandmother gave her a necklace for her seventh birthday. No, it was not really the necklace that was strange but what it did. If you swing it back and forth it will count the seconds until it came to a full minute. Also her reading with the necklace became more accurate as the years again passed by.

That not the only thing happened but she gave a reading to a person she believed didn't exist. Then why give a reading? She didn't know why but deep in heart she felt he was real.

This person was actually a boy that she always saw due to the results of what she predicted while she was a sleep. She didn't really see what he looked like but more how he acted. She didn't see a lot or why it happens and it seem that the boy was the same age grew when she did. So since she only started reading fortune when she was six she didn't know why he had such a hard time _**seeing **_things. Like the sword that was right in front him that he didn't find until tripped over it. Why was that?

Sometimes when she was awake she saw it too. She got so use it that she waited everyday to go to sleep just to see him!

Today she really wanted to see him because she felt that he needs her.

"Hitomi!! Are you listening to me?!" yelled Yukari as she waved her hands in front her best friend.

Hitomi snapped out her daydream as she smiled at her best friend.

"What did you say Yukari?" she asked out of her daydream.

Yukari slapped her forehead as she lean forward from her chair near Hitomi's desk so she was an inch away from her best friends face.

"I said that Amano is going to be watching the girls track team today," she said slowly as she winked at her friend.

Hitomi face became red as she got a metal picture of Amano shirtless.

"Now you are imaging Amano shirtless! Then you are going to imagine Amano and you having ten children on a FARM!" said Yukari as she closed her eyes with a smirk on her face as she lean back in her chair happy with the results she got.

"Yukari!!" Hitomi scream as she tried to cover her already red face.

"HA! See you not the only one that can see the future," she said laughing at her best friend red face.

Hitomi after a while started laughing to nervously.

If you hadn't guessed it already: Amano was her crush.

Her prince charming if you want to go the extreme.

"So I know this shirt that will make Amano follow you, if you know what I mean," said Yukari as she again winked at her friend as she jumped out of her chair ready to run out the door.

"Yukari!!" said Hitomi as she chases Yukari out the door.

000

"I think it's going to rain," said Hitomi as she got up from tying her shoe.

"Don't say that! You want it to rain so Amano can check out your body!" scold Yukari.

Again Hitomi face became red as Yukari made fun of her.

"Anyways I thought you liked the rain," said Yukari as they started walking to the track field.

"I do, it's just this one seems… sadder?" she suggested.

"Isn't rain supposed to be sad?" asked Yukari back.

"No! Never mind… it just reminds me of smoke…from a dragon," she answered back.

Yukari smile softy at her friend she always like that imaging and saying the strangest things.

"Well if the dragon doesn't breathe fire on the field I think we'll be fine." Yukari laughed.

"Yeah," said Hitomi, as she again looked the sky.

Hitomi had a bad feeling about this.

000

Hitomi slowly opened her eyes, as she looked straight into Amano's eyes.

"AHHH!!" yelled Hitomi.

Amano surprised by the outburst fell backwards as he said, "Sorry Hitomi! I just wanted to make sure you were ok."

Hitomi looked at Amano for a second and then asked, "What happened?"

"Well, I don't know the whole thing but you fainted after you saw something? " he asked her.

"Oh…" was all she could say.

He let it go as he started to look at her necklace.

"Hey do you mind if I take a look at that?" he asked pointing to her necklace.

Hitomi looked at her chest for a while before realizing what he asked for and blushed at being such a dirty minded. She took off the necklaces and handed to Amano.

He held in his hand the necklace as he lightly traces it.

"It's beautiful," he said.

"I know… did you know if you swing it will count the seconds until a full minute is gone," she stated.

Not really replying he started swinging the necklace.

"1," he said

"2," she said next.

It went on like that for a full cycle until Amano caught the necklace in his hand when it was a full minute.

"Hitomi," he whispered before turning around abruptly.

She squealed but didn't say anything because she was too caught up seeing Amano's lips so close to her to realize anything else.

"I need to know… is there any other guy in your life?" he asked.

Hitomi's eyes widened as she was about to say something to Amano as they heard the door open behind them.

"I'm sorry!" said Yukari as she quickly closed the door again. "Oops…"

000

"You know Hitomi what I saw back there will cost you," said Yukari as she started to walk forward in front of them.

Hitomi looked bewildered at her friend then comprehend what she meant then yelled at her.

Yukari laughed but then she stopped as she had a thoughtful look on her face.

"Yukari?" she asked scared of what her friend was thinking.

Yukari snapped out her thought as she smiled evil at her friend.

"You have to give me that yummy pudding in your lunch for the next week!" said Yukari.

Hitomi sighed a relief as she went up to catch up with her friend.

After a while Yukari stopped and turn around to her friend.

"Yukari..." Hitomi asked.

"I'm so sorry Hitomi but Amano's leaving." Yukari said as she lean her head on Hitomi.

Hitomi just stood there as she took in what her friend said.

"When did you hear about this?" she asked.

"A while now… I just didn't want you to be sad. Hitomi I'm so sorry!" Yukari said as he hugged her friend.

However Hitomi stopped listening after a while as she just stood there.

"Yukari, I have to go," she said as she started to run away.

"Hitomi," Yukari said as she watch her friend run away.

000

Hitomi didn't feel so good not because her crush was leaving today but she didn't have a dream about the boy.

She had a really bad feeling about this but she going to ignore today since she going to do the unthinkable: ask her crush for a kiss and she was feeling bad as it was.

She brought her necklaces out from under her shirt.

"Don't fail me now."

000

She started to breathe in and out as she jogged to where the track was. She felt her heart beat faster and faster as she got there as she saw her crush waiting for her.

She took a deep breathe in as she jogged down the stairs there as she went towards her crush.

"Amano!" she yelled.

Amano back was towards her but turn when he heard his name.

He smiled and said, "Hitomi."

She smiled back as she took her necklace out as she whispered again.

"Don't fail me now."

"So, what do you want, Hitomi?" Amano asked.

She took another deep breathe in as she said, "Amano if I can reach here where you stand from the starting line. Will you give me my first k-kiss?"

Amano flabbergasted for a while but then he nodded.

Hitomi smiled as she started to go to the starting line. She was about to start when the light came on she looked up to see Yukari waving from the bench.

Then she ran as fast as she could towards her goal.

However, she didn't expect a light to hit right in the middle where her target was and the place she was. Tripping over her feet she fell down just to see a blue hair boy fall from the light.

Van grunted as he got up from the ground.

"_Where the hell am I?_" he thought as tried with no really help search where he was.

Hitomi gasped as he looked at the boy in front of her.

"_No it can't be…the boy from my dream._" She thought.

She was going to say something when a roar came from behind them.

"What the hell was that?!" said Amano as he pick up Hitomi.

"Are you Ok, Hitomi?" asked Yukari.

"Yes I think so," she said.

Van cursed under his breath how did commoners get involved with this. He was going to say something to them when he felt the heavy steps of the dragon.

"Oh crap" he said under his breath as he said to the others. "RUN!!"

"What are you—" said Amano but got cut off when fire out of nowhere came out.

"RUN YOU FOOL!" yelled Van again as he brought his sword out his hilt.

The other three eyes grew wide as they saw the blood coming off the sword. They ran as fast as their legs could away from the mad boy with the sword.

"Come out! I know you're here!" Van yelled as turn the sword in his hand over and over again ready to attack.

The dragon roared again as it came out of its hiding place.

Van smirked and readied himself.

But, he didn't expect the dragon to fly above him and follow the other three.

Van again cursed to himself when he realizes the dragon left him and went to other three.

000

Hitomi look at the sky again and the bad feeling inside started to take over.

"Hitomi, don't worry I'll protect you," said Amano

Hitomi smiled but she still felt a dread take over her.

They had just left the boy in the track field and now were in a temple. She didn't feel this was a good place to stay but she again ignore it and enjoy her time with Amano.

It was short lived when they heard a roar.

Hitomi looked up at the sky again but soon regret it because down came an ugly green monster with its mouth open ready to eat them.

They all yelled, piercing the sky with their voices.

Blood spilled everywhere as again the dragon roared.

The boy from before cut its side as he stood between the dragon and the other three. The boy then yelled a battle cried and ran towards the dragon.

Hitomi watched the two battled each other something felt wrong.

Then she saw it like fast moving car crashes the dragon tail coming down and killing the boy.

"WATCH OUT!!" she yelled at him.

However the warning came to late as the dragon's tail went down towards Van.

Hitomi didn't think as she ran and slide down pushing Van out of the way.

Since she on her back when she pushed Van out the way her back was the only thing injured.

The dragon roared again angry that its prey escaped as it again brought down its tail.

But Van was ready for it as he jumped up before it landed and slides his sword from the dragon back down.

As it let out one last roar Van stick his hand inside and searching for it.

"Hitomi!" yelled Yukari as she reached her injured friend.

"I'm fine," Hitomi said as she tried to get up.

"Don't move Hitomi… Hey you what the hell are you doing?" said Amano as he turned towards at Van who didn't seem to care about them as he took out a circle-like thing.

"Oh shut up I'll take us to the healer and everything will be fine," he said as he brought the circle from his hand up.

Again a light came down and Van slowly started to float upwards.

However, Hitomi seem to be the only one that was moving upwards the light.

"Hitomi!" Amano yelled as he brought his hand up with Hitomi necklace up.

Hitomi tried to grab Amano's hand but instead got her necklace as they disappeared into night.

"HITOMI!!"

000

Hitomi groaned as she got up from where'd she fallen and screamed.

_**TBC**_

_**Please review! **_


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