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Part 4
Merle quietly opened the door to Hitomi’s room. She stifled a giggle and then
perched on the edge of the bed.
"Hitomi!" she laughed and jumped on the bed, "Wake up! It’s time
for breakfast!"
Hitomi moaned and threw a pillow at the cat girl, sending her to the floor with fits
of laughter.
"Come on Hitomi! There are all kinds of things: eggs, bacon, bread, fruit, juice,
even some yogurt!" Merle coaxed naming all the tasty food that was prepared.
"All right, I’ll come just let me get dressed" Hitomi laughed as Merle
bounded from the room.
"Just Hurry up," she called from some distance down the hall.
Hitomi closed the door and rummaged through the closet until she found a light blue
sundress. She put it on and slipped on the shoes that she had left by her bed.
She walked towards the dinning room and found that almost everyone was already there,
except Van and Folken.
‘Guess it’s a family thing, sleeping in,’ she laughed to herself.
Merle motioned her to the seat next to her. Hitomi filled her plate and was just
raising the fork to her mouth when Van walked in. She forced herself to swallow the bite
of food. She was realizing more and more each day just how much she loved him and as he
bent down to kiss her on the cheek he seemed even more like the boy she’d fallen in
love with two years ago.
"Good morning, Van," she managed.
"Good morning, Hitomi. Did you sleep well?" he asked already knowing the
answer.
"Yes, quite well actually, it’s so nice to be back in Fanelia." She
loosened up and managed to finish her breakfast.
"So, what do you have planned for today?" Folken asked his brother.
"You should know, meetings with the council, then meetings with all the
dignitaries that want to form alliances and that’s just this morning." Van
sighed, Hitomi was finally back and he didn’t have anywhere near enough time to spend
with her.
Merle knew what he was thinking and was struck with brilliant idea.
"Hey Hitomi! Why don’t we go to the market after breakfast? We can just shop
around and maybe even find something neat to buy." She suggested.
"That sounds great Merle," she said.
"Well, it appears we all have arrangements for the day then," Folken said,
satisfied. He knew full well that Allen would be leaving and that would ease his nerves.
He’d never been to comfortable around Allen, let alone Serena, who didn’t know
the fullness of her time being controlled by Ziabach. It mad sense for her not to be told
her alter ego was Dilandau, It would mean mentally scarring her and she was already so
traumatized to know they had made her into a killing machine let alone a guy.
* * *
"Ooo, Hitomi this one is really pretty!" Merle said holding up a necklace
with a locket in the shape of a heart, there were diamonds around the edge and a floral
pattern was etched into the middle.
"Yes it is," she held it in the light and watched the diamonds sparkle.
"Oh Merle, look at this!" Hitomi had spotted a bridal shop. She was looking
at a veil with a diamond tiara and matching necklace.
"Wow, do you really like it Hitomi? We could get it." Merle suggested,
fingering the diamonds woven into the veil.
"I don’t know, it must be expensive…"Merle cut her off.
"Hitomi you’re going to be queen do you think that the cost is
going to matter?"
"I suppose not," Hitomi realized this was going to take some getting used
to.
"Let’s look at the dresses, we’ll need your gown, the bride’s
maids’, and the flower girl’s."
"I forgot how much planning a wedding took," Hitomi sighed, "but who
will we have be the flower girl, I can’t think of any one."
"I don’t know, maybe Van will know." Merle suggested
"Wait I know!" Hitomi thought of a little girl with dark hair and green
eyes.
"Who?"
"Tara, the little girl from my day care center, she’ll be perfect! Also
she’s a foster child, maybe just maybe we could adopt her and get her out of that
wretched foster home!" The idea had come to Hitomi just as the words left her mouth.
"Whoa slow down Hitomi! I’m sure this is a great idea although I’m not
sure exactly what you’re talking about." Merle was confused, ‘foster child?
What the heck is that?’ she wondered. Hitomi explained that Tara’s Mother had
abandoned her and Tara was put in a foster home when she was very little. But the foster
parents weren’t very kind, they left her at the day care center all day long and at
times she had come in with bruises from them beating her.
"Oh, that’s horrible! I just know Van will agree you should adopt her."
Merle liked the idea of helping Hitomi take care of a little girl that looked like she
could very well be Van and Hitomi’s daughter.
"Great, we’ll have to go back to Earth for at least a week before the
adoption process is finished. But I think we can work that out." Hitomi was planning
everything out in her mind.
"Hitomi! Snap out of it! Let’s just have fun right now, we’ll find your
dress and pick out ones for the brides maids to come and be fitted." Merle
couldn’t wait to get started.
"Okay, let’s start with the bride’s maids. Pick a red one you like
Merle because I want you to be my maid of honor." Hitomi smiled at the surprised look
on her face.
"What Merle? Who else would I pick?" Hitomi laughed.
* * *
They spent several hours shopping and returned to the palace with two gowns, a sample
bouquet for Hitomi, her veil, shoes for both of them, and several order slips for flowers
and dresses that would be picked up later.
Van was in a meeting and saw them walk through the palace gates. He wasn’t very
interested in the new plan for agricultural development so he watched as the walked up the
steps and under his window. Hitomi’s face was beaming and he knew they’d been
successful; he saw the sample bouquet and knew where they’d been.
"Lord Van, do you approve of the expansion project?" An adviser asked.
"Yes, yes, do what you think is right. In fact I’m putting you in charge of
the whole thing. I trust you won’t disappoint me." Van said and walked out of
the meeting. His Fiancée was back, what better reason could there be to escape the
monotony?
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Part 5
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