The White King and Dark Lord Mage: part three
by: Tiga Shadow & Van Donovan
duo@trowa.com || trowa@trowa.com

an Escaflowne / Weiß kreuz crossover
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	The crackling white light faded and the sounds of a completely natural forest flooded
their senses. Van found himself holding Ken in his arms with them both laying on their 
sides on the ground.  The scent was Gaea. He released Ken and looked up, relief flooding him 
seeing the twin moons in the sky; it was still dark. He turned back to the other, touching 
his face fondly, softly, so he'd sit up.  "We made it."
	Ken sat up slowly, dazed, and looked up at the sky.  He jumped a little at the sight 
of Earth and the moon so large in the sky.  "Why can we see Earth from here, but we can't 
see this place from there?"  Van got to his feet, dusting off, offering a hand down to help
Ken back up.
	"I'm not sure.  Legend has it, when the Atlanteans on Earth created Gaea, they made 
it invisible."
	"Sou." Ken murmured, staring up at the sky and didn't even notice Van's hand.
	"Here," Van said, gesturing to his out held hand again.  "you'll find lots of things 
here that aren't like on Earth. Are you okay? You didn't get hurt in the fall, did you?"
	Ken took Van's hand and got up, but kept his gaze riveted on the sky for a moment 
longer. He then looked at Van and grinned a little.  "I think I'm okay."
	"I guess the moons are proof enough that we're not on Earth anymore, mm?"  the young
king asked, looking to the other, smiling so that his entire visage was drawn to silver in 
the moonlight.
	Ken nodded and looked around.  "Other than that . . . it looks kind of similar."
	Van began walking, trying to get his bearings.  He wasn't entirely sure where they'd 
been dropped; it was always so unpredictable.  "So far, but you'll change your mind later, I 
think. This world is nothing like Earth."  Ken followed him, suddenly very glad he was 
wearing his bugnuks. 
	"Lucky you I grabbed my claws."  Ken said, laughing.
	"We should be okay though."  He smiled sadly up at Ken.  "And I don't think those 
would do you a whole hell of a lot of good against a dragon."
	Ken blinked, and a flash of fear went through his eyes.  "Dragons?"
	Van laughed at Ken's startled face.  He would so enjoy teasing the other.  "Of course. 
But, so long as you don't bother them, they'll leave you alone." He softly sighed, and then
added.  "I learned that the hard way."
	Ken swallowed hard, looking around.  "I'll be sure to keep that in mind."
	Van chuckled himself, sounding amused.  "I won't let anything happen to you, don't 
worry."  he kept walking, sure Ken was following.
	Archly, Ken replied.  "What about you?"

	Haughtily Van retorted.  "I have no intention of getting hurt."  He stated with a 
grin and let out a cheer as he obviously spotted  something that was a kin to a land mark. 
"I know where we are now. The Kingdom is this way."
	"Oookay." Ken murmured, trailing along after him, carrying his bag and violin case.
	They walked for a long time until they got to a mountain crest and below them spread 
out was the charred remains of a forest and city, and in the center, a dark castle 
surrounded by new life, freshly turned over.  It wasn't as majestic in the moonlight and 
certainly not now that it was destroyed, but Van smiled down at it none the less.  
"Fanelia."  and the name carried pride in his voice.
	Ken looked down over it and whistled lowly.  "It really took a beating, didn't it?"
	Van bit his lip and his eyes glazed a bit, remembering the sight of it burning, and 
his people's screams filling the air.  "Zaibach burned it to the ground."
	Ken bit his lip, wincing slightly.  "That must have been hard."
	"Aah, it was." Van softly said, then stared down the hill again, not wanting to 
think or talk about it right now.
	Ken followed along and spoke cheerfully.  "Rebuilding it will be fun, I think."
	Darkly, Van replied.  "It's not."  Then he paused and shook his head.  "Suman, I'm 
just a little bitter.  I think I'll find my time more enjoyable, now that you're with me." 
He smiled at Ken over his shoulder, and then tripped over a rock and stumbled.
	Ken stepped forward quickly and caught him.  "Careful! Are you okay?"
	Van went red and balanced himself, not quite pulling from Ken.  "Aa, I just tripped."
Go on, he chided himself. State the obvious. He felt like a fool.  He started to pull away. 
Despite how much he felt that he needed to protect Ken from the elements, he couldn't help 
but admire that the older man holding -him- protectively was . . . enjoyable.
	Ken chuckled a little.  "Those rocks will fly out and bite you, be careful."
	Van shook his head and smiled, standing there a moment, not quite willing to put his 
head back into Ken's shoulder he replied.  "No, the flying rocks of Fanelia are long gone." 
He sounded completely serious.  "You can only find them where the floating continents 
meet, now."
	Ken blinked and stuttered.  "Holy crap, rocks really fly here?!"
	Van blinked, looking at Ken.  "They don't on Earth?"
	Ken shook his head, eyes wide.  "No, they just kind of sit there."
	"Well, we have those kind too.  But, we use the floating ones to pilot our 
aircraft’s."  Van replied and finally pulled forward, starting down the hill side more 
carefully this time.
	Ken picked his way down the hill as well.  "Wow . . . what else do you have here 
that we don't have on Earth?"
	"Lots of things, I'm sure.  All your people look the same.  We have catmen, dogmen, 
birdmen, wolfmen, fishmen," he shrugged, hopping along nimbly.  "and we have melefs.  I 
didn't see any melefs.  They're sort of like your cars, but . . . not quite. And of course 
dragons."  He smiled again, and skidded down some, the hopped over a log.
	Ken followed him, being more careful.  "And there aren't dragons out here, right?"
	"Well, we've got most of them out of the city proper, but they still lurk in the 
forests." Van answered with a shrug.
	Nervously Ken said.  "So that means . . . they're around here, right?"
	"Aah, yeah." Van said, picking his way along, obviously not bothered by that idea.
	Ken swallowed tightly, looking around.  "And that doesn't BOTHER you??" He kept 
close to Van.
	"I told you, if you don't anger them, they'll leave you alone."
	Yeah, but . . . they're DRAGONS!!" He swallowed again.  "Sorry if I seem bothered by 
this, but . . . I am!"
	Van paused and turned looking at him.  "Why? don't you trust me?"
	"Of course I do, but a dragon is still a dragon."
	Turning away, starting down the rocks again, Van coldly stated.  "I'm of the dragon 
clan.  Watch what you say."
	Abruptly without thinking, Ken said.  "You're not a dragon, you're an angel." he 
blinked, realizing what he said, and turned red.  "Suman!"
	Van didn't turn around, so he missed the other's red face.  "I don't know what an 
'angel' is, but I'm not descendent of them.  My people were the Atlanteans.  They were called 
Dragons of the dragon clan."
	"On Earth . . . dragons are myth . . . giant, fierce creatures.  Angels are humans 
with wings . . . beautiful wings.  They're generally associated with God." Ken explained.
	"'God'?"  Van questioned and paused, thinking.  "Fanelia's God is Escaflowne.  A 
white dragon."  He reached the bottom of the hill.  "I wonder if there is any relation." 
Then, he raised his hand to his lips and whistled, loud.
	Ken blinked at the noise.  "What're you doing?"
	"Alerting them to my presence."  He whistled again, and then a similar whistle 
sounded, far off.  "It's the King's whistle. They'll have horses out here, before long."
	"Oh." Ken blinked.  "Couldn't we just walk or something?"
	"Sure, but it's still several hours from here to the castle proper."  Thundering 
hooves could be hear in the distance."
	"Really?" Ken looked doubtful.  "I haven't ridden before.
	"Really?" Van inquired, blinking at him.  "There's nothing to it.  But you can ride
with me."  He stated, simply, and stood looking regal as the men on horses became visible in 
the distance.
	"Sure . . . okay." He softly agreed, watching the men approach.
	Van smiled at Ken reassuringly.  "Everything'll be all right, Ken."  Before long, 
the men were upon them. Three men and one riderless horse.  Van explained his situation, 
introduced Ken and got things settled.  One man took Ken's things and secured them to his 
horse’s saddle bags, carefully.  Expertly Van swung up on the stirrup and straddled the 
saddle.  He looked down at Ken and patted the horses rump behind him.  "Can you mount a 
horse?"  He asked, blinking.
	Ken looked up at him and shook his head.  "Nope.  Never been around one in my life."
	Van silenced the chuckling men with a swift motion of his hand and dismounted and 
showed Ken how to step into the stirrup and swing his leg over the horses back.  He stood to 
the side, willing to let Ken use his shoulder to help him up.
	Ken put a hand on Van's shoulder and mounted clumsily, and then his eyes widened as
the horse danced around.
	Van grabbed the reins, steadying the horse and looked up at Ken.  "You -do- have 
horses on Earth, don't you?"  He made sure Ken was situated in the saddle and then 
skillfully stepped up and swung onto the saddle behind him, lacing his arms under Ken to 
hold the reins lightly from behind, both from desire and out of necessity.  Softly, he 
asked.  "Are you okay? I'll go slow."
	Ken sighed and leaned back a little, nodding.  "Aa, but I've lived in a city all my 
life."  as if that would mean he'd never ridden before.
	"This is a city too."  Van stated, blinking.  Then he shook the reins a little, 
finding it hard to look around Ken from behind, but managed to guide the horse along at a 
slow canter.
	Ken readjusted himself so that Van could see over his shoulder easier.  "Well, we 
don't have horses in the cities on Earth."
	"So I noticed," he said and shifted more too, looking over Ken's shoulder.  It was 
odd having someone bigger than him ridding in front of him, but he didn't complain.
	"Here, let's try this," Ken said and leaned forward a little.  "Now you lean against 
me and put your chin on my shoulder. n That'll make it easy to see."
	Van moved to lean into him but stiffened as the motion brought the raised part of 
the back of the saddle, which he sat behind, up pressing right into his groin, the jostling 
of the horse as it trotted not helping.  He exhaled a little, feeling a wash of heat and 
leaned back until the pressure stopped.  "Aah, I think I'm all rright."  He tightened his grip 
on the reins and just pressed on. The men of the palace were being good with not staring at 
them.  A trumpeting fanfare sounded his arrival in the distance, and Van noticed that behind 
them, the sun was just rising.
	Ken looked up ahead.  "Whoa, look at all the -people-!"
	Van sat tall against the horse as they approached, the newly constructed gates 
swinging open wide to admit them.  People stood just inside the gates, cheering as the 
King's escorts and mounts stepped inside.  Van smiled, holding his reins, nodding to the 
people.  Eyes fell on the strange clothing he was wearing, then to Ken, who rode so close to 
the King, their positions of importance switched with how they were situated. Cries of 
"Van-sama" and "Ou-sama!" and "He's returned!" echoed and murmured along with "Who is with 
him?", "What strange clothes he wears" and such.  They parted as he approached, clearing a 
path for them to continue along not bothered.  He was used to it. He wished he could see 
Ken's face and reaction.
	Ken felt rather like a city boy and wanted to shrink into the ground and die for not 
knowing something so simple as how to ride a horse.  It really was embarrassing.  Plus, all 
those people were -staring- at him like he was some sort of parasite. He sardonically mused 
to himself that he must have contracted leprosy.  Before much longer they stopped at the 
entrance to the castle.  It was blackened at the base, but still was impressive in 
scale. A stable boy came forth, taking the reins.  Van's held Ken a moment longer, then 
swung off the horse and hoped to the ground.  He turned, looking up at Ken perched high and 
smiled.  "You doing okay?"  He offered a hand and wondered if he ought to have a dismounting 
block called for Ken.
	Ken gulped.  "I hope so." He hopped off, and by some miracle he landed on his feet 
and his legs didn't give way.  He sent up a small thank you to whoever made that happen,
then looked at Van and nodded.  "I'm okay."
	Van just smiled brightly.  "Good."  He retrieved his things from the horses saddle 
bags and handed them to a page who followed them.  He dismissed all but one of the men, 
talking diplomatic stuff with the man that probably went over Ken's head. They started up 
stairs, heading for his room.
	Ken just trailed along after him, holding onto his bag and his violin case tightly, 
which he had retrieved from the man who'd taken them as soon as he'd gotten off his horse.
They finally stopped at a large open door and Van told the page to put the things inside and 
dismissed the man, saying he needed some time alone.  He went inside the large stone room, a 
fire burning in the fire place, and shut the door behind Ken. The room was huge, but 
sparsely furnished.  Fanelia didn't have money yet to lavish on the King, and the King 
refused to have niceties before the people had food and shoes.  He looked around the room, 
then back to Ken.  "Well?"
	Ken looked around and grinned.  "I like it, it's really nice."
	"I'm sorry its so barren."  He walked to the large four-poster bed and sat down on 
it.  "I wish you could have seen Fanelia before the fire."
	Ken went to him and sat next to him, surprised when he kind of sank into the 
mattress.  "Whoa, what's in here?  Feathers?"
	"Aa, it was one of the presents from the Princess of Astoria.  Van said, sheepishly. 
"She visited not too long ago and couldn't believe I was sleeping on a straw pallet. So, she 
sent the bed."
	Ken laughed.  "That's something else.  This is really neat, Van." he smiled broadly.
"Man, and it's HUGE!"
	Van laughed.  Now that it was obvious he was a King, he didn't feel the need to 
boast it. He just hunched his shoulders and bowed his head a little.
	Ken flopped back onto the bed.  "A-aaah . . . this feels awesome."
	Van lifted his head, looking down at him, laying on his bed.  He smiled and gently 
lowered himself next to him, turning on his side to look at him, tucking an arm under his 
head.  "I'm glad you like it."
	Ken rolled over and looked at Van and grinned, then propped himself up on one arm. 
"It's fantastic. This place is amazing!"
	Van smiled and looked down, aware that he was so close and he was reacting a little 
differently, now that he knew how Ken felt.  He chuckled softly.  "I'll show you all over 
the castle later.  There is so many things I want to show you."
	"I can't wait to see them." Ken smiled warmly at him.  "Fanelia is a truly amazing 
place, Van-kun."
	Van smiled and averted his eyes, sighing contentedly, keeping his facial colour in 
check.  "I'm really glad you're not disappointed."
	"Of course I'm not!  This place . . . really, it's spectacular!" he laughed. "And I 
want to see more of it, but that'll have to wait for tomorrow." he yawned.
	"Well, later this afternoon, anyway.  They'll probably only let us sleep a few
hours.  They'll want to have a feast tonight."  He looked at Ken, not sure exactly how he 
wanted to explain his presence to the rest of the people.
	"Mm. Can we sleep for now, though?" he yawned again.  "I'm exhausted."
	"Of course," he murmured, not caring that they weren't all the way on the bed or 
that they were both dressed, or that they were both on the bed, intending to sleep in it 
together.
	"Good." Ken sat up and removed his shoes, then looked at Van sleepily.  "How're we 
gonna sleep?"
	Van yawned, not moving.  "Just like this is fine." He murmured, curling slightly. 
The fire in the place behind him kept him warm, and he didn't feel like moving.
	Ken nodded slowly and laid back down, pulling a blanket up and wrapping it around
himself.  "Oyasumi, then . . ."
	Van lifted his head as Ken crawled back in on the right side of the bed and groaned, 
sitting up.  He worked his boots off and took his sword off, letting them both clatter to 
the stone floor.  "Mou, Ken,"  He murmured and crawled sleepily across the bed to the vacant 
side and slipped under the covers, snuggling in.  "Oyasumi."
	Van awoke to a gentle rapping on his door, and the sound of a page announcing he 
would be expected downstairs in an hour.  He grunted a reply and yawned, nestling back into 
the pillows and blankets.  He opened his eyes and saw Ken's face, right up close to his 
and he blinked, holding his breath, shocked.  He swallowed tightly, not wanting to move, 
watching the other starting to stir.
	Ken opened his eyes slowly when the page knocked on the door and blinked a bit 
startled at seeing Van so close.
	Van smiled, his cheek tinting red and softly said.  "Ohayou."
	Ken blinked once more, then slowly starts to blush as well.  "Ohayou."
	Van hesitated a moment, not sure if he wanted to pull back.  Part of him ached for 
something more and part of him was scared stiff.  He just didn't moved, for a few more 
moments.  "Time to get up."  He quietly said, sounding a bit disappointed.  It was dusk, 
outside, not really morning.
	Ken smiled a little.  "Aa, I gathered that much." he sat up and stretched, letting 
the blanket fall away.  "Ooh, I feel like I've been sleeping for a week."
	Van bowed his head, looking down, and flushed more.  "Not me . . . I feel sleepy 
still." He yawned an stretched, rolling onto his back.
	Ken laughed and flopped back down too.  "I could easily go back to sleep.  Would we
get away with it, though?"
	"No," he murmured and rolled onto his side, reaching over and resting his hand on 
Ken's waist, opening his eyes to look at him.  He glanced down at his hand on Ken's side and 
then back up at his face and then smiled.  "I hope you fit in my clothes."
	He chuckled.  "Not likely.  I did bring some more of my own, though."
	"We'll have some made for you. People will stare if you just wear those Phantom Moon 
clothes all the time."  Van said, smirking.
	"I like my clothes, though." he blinked.  "Can't I wear them sometimes, at least?"
	"Of course.  There's no sense in trying to deny the fact you're from the Phantom 
Moon. But," he yawned, closing his eyes, snuggling into the warmth of the bed again.  "you'd 
look nice in a chamberlains robe."
	Ken sweatdropped.  "I think I'll stick with my jeans and t-shirts, thanks."  he 
grinned a little and yawned, pulling the blankets over them.  "Let's go back to sleep for 
awhile."
	Not protesting physically as he scooted in closer to Ken, Van said.  "We shouldn't. 
It won't do to be late."
	Ken comfortably put an arm around Van's waist, like Van had done to him.  "You don't 
seem too inclined to move . . . and I'm not either." he yawned more.  "Can't they put it 
off until tomorrow?"
	He took a breath and yawned a bit.  "I'm just lazy, sometimes.  They could, but, we 
just need to put in an appearance.  Then we can slip away."  He opened his eyes, and glanced 
out the window where the sky was orange.  "Come on, lets get up." he said sleepily, finally
moving to sit up.
	Ken grumbled a little, but sat up too.  "Okay, okay . . . I'm up." he yawned hugely.
	Van laughed at the yawn from Ken and really wanted to pull him back down and sleep 
with him more, but he forced his Kingly side to take charge and pushed the blankets off. He 
started towards a large brown bureau standing in the far wall and opened it, pulling out 
garments.  He pulled his shirt off, stretching and looked between two different shirts.
	Ken wandered to his bag and changed his shirt as well, then put his shoes back on 
and tied his sweater around his waist.  "Good as ready."  he ran a comb through his hair.
	Van pulled one shirt over his head, pulled off his jeans and donned some white dressy 
looking pants and washed his face in a basin.  He never touched his crazy hair.  He glanced 
to Ken and stretched once more.  "Just stay close to me down there.  It's bound to be 
chaotic."  He warned, opened the door and smiled at the page who was standing there. He'd 
just be there, waiting the whole time, and Van had known it.
	"I'm sure." Ken grinned and tossed his comb back into his bag, and followed.  "Lead 
on, then, Van-kun. Let's get this over with so we can go back to sleep."
	The page lifted a silent brow at the comment and at Van's blush.  Ken was being just 
a little to familiar for Van, but he held his tongue; he liked it.  "Hai." They started down 
the stairs, through the winding maze that was the castle, and soon they were in the dining 
hall. It was filled with people and so many turned and smiled and talked to Van.  He put out 
being an excellent public speaker, talking, shaking their hands, calling them by names, 
talking of all sorts of various city issues.  He sat at the head of the table,  Ken to the 
chair at his right.  He made a long, on-the-moment speech, was saluted and cheered and the 
food got underway. He glanced at Ken for the first time since they'd come down, hoping the 
other wasn't too incredibly bored.
	He's kind of sitting there just looking around, trying not to appear too much like a
tourist, but it's quite obvious he's not from around here.  People had been talking to him, 
but they spoke so quickly and with such an accent that he couldn't understand half the 
things they were saying and was forced to just use the "nod and smile" method.  When dinner 
started, he looked at Van and grinned.  "You're a good speaker."
	For once, not boasting, Van just commented:  "I'm a King."  he wondered how long 
it'd take for that little tid-bit of information to really sink in for Ken.  He chatted with 
various people, including Ken, throughout the meal, and dessert was brought and the 
conversation lulled.  When it was over, he excused himself and Ken, making another 
comment/speech at how grateful they were, but still so tired from their journey.  When he 
spoke, he used the Royal We, and it was almost discerning.
	Ken's more than happy to get out of there and return to the sanctuary of Van's room.
With a relieved sigh, he sat down on the bed and shook his head.  "Wow.  So many people!  I 
don't know how you can keep them all straight . . ."
	Van walked to the open window and leaned on the sill, looking out into the cool 
night, seeing the half-rebuilt Fanelia stretching out before him.  He just remained silent 
for a long time.  "It's just something I learned to do." He finally said, softly.
	Ken got up and walked to the window, looking out, then looked down at Van.  "Are you 
okay?" he inquired.
	Van didn't turn, looking out into the cool night.  "Aa, I just wonder how many of 
them will die before the upcoming winter comes."  He looked down, thinking.  "I always get 
melancholy after social gatherings.  I brood too much, I suppose."
	"That's a morbid thought." Ken said, trying to think of a way to cheer Van up, and 
smiled.  "Do you have violins here?"
	"Perhaps so." Van muttered and rested his chin on his palm, staring into the cool 
night. He repeated the word over hearing it.  "Violins? What's that?"
	"I guess not." Ken went to the other side of the room and got out his violin, just 
assuming it's in tune and looked at the melancholy king. "This is a violin."
	Van finally looked away from the window at the instrument.  "Oh. Well, we have 
something similar looking."
	Ken raised the bow and played something impressive.  Van leaned against the sill, 
watching him play, smiling after a while.  Ken played until his arm started to hurt, then 
stopped and laughed a little.  "That's all for now.  Wow, that hurts after awhile."
 	Van clapped when Ken finished and left the window, reaching for the instrument after 
Ken set it down.  "That was fantastic Ken."
	Ken smiled.  "Arigatou." he picked it up again, and handed Van the violin and the 
bow.  "Can you play too?"
	"No, I've never tried." He said and moved to hold the violin like Ken had, tucking 
it under his chin and raising the resin.  "This is so weird.  How do you know what to do?" 
He asked, not wanting to strike a chord and possibly break something.
	"It takes practice." Ken answered, smiling.  "I've been playing for a long time. I 
can teach you, if you like."
	"Aah, I'd like that." He holds the bow and looks at him.  "Am I holding it right?"
	"Like this." Ken stepped behind him and positioned his hand and arm.  "Just like 
that." he added, nodding.
	He let Ken control his arms from behind and then rested the bow on the strings. He 
was afraid to pull.  Ken chuckled at Van's hesitation.  "Try to play it later, though." 
he took it gently and smiled.  "We can save that for tomorrow.  You look like you're about
to drop, anyway."
	"I feel like it too." Van muttered but lowered the instrument, turning to hand it 
back.  "Thanks, that made me feel a little better."
	Ken grinned.  "Anytime." he put the instrument away carefully and shuts the case,
then stretched and yawned.  Van watched Ken and then pulled his shoes and shirt off, going 
to the bed.  
	"I could tell the council members didn't approve of you staying in my room." Van 
softly said, pulling the covers back again.  A maid had made the bed again, when they were 
out, apparently.
	Ken snorted.  "That doesn't surprise me." he said as he took off his shoes and shirt 
as well, and ditched his jeans in favor of a pair of gray sweat pants.  He went to the bed 
and crawled under the covers.  "They probably think we're lovers."  he laughed.
	Van tensed a little and rolled onto his side, looking at Ken.  "We might be."  He 
softly breathed.
	That cut Ken's laughter short and he blinked, blushing a little.  "Wh . . . what?"
	Van looked away, and down biting his lip.  "Not now, I mean . . . but . . . if you 
like me . . ." He quietly said, and then swallowed, closing his eyes.  "I might like you
too.  I don't think I'd mind at all."
	Ken smiled a little.  "Hai, I like you . . . and I wouldn't mind either . . . but, 
are you sure you want them to know?"  Van bowed his head a little more, as if trying to 
retreat from the idea of his council members.
	"They'd know anyway."
	Ken slowly reached out and touched Van's hair.  "Iya, you just tell them it isn't 
true, and they'll at least leave you alone about it."
	Van lifted his head, looking at Ken as the other touched him, eyes studying his 
face.  "I wouldn't lie about this."
	Ken blinked.  "Is it allowed here?"
	"Is what allowed?" Van inquired, blinking.
	Ken found himself blushing more. "Um . . . us being together, we're both boys."
	Van sighed and shrugged.  "It isn't uncommon," He stated, and closed his eyes.  "but 
for a King it's unheard of.  I'm sure they'll make me marry, so I can produce an heir."
	Ken blinked, then grinned a little.  "I don't exactly want to share you."
	Van finally went red and was glad his head was already bowed.  "You might have to 
compromise."
	"As long as they don't marry you off." he teased with a grin.
	Van sighed and scooted closer to Ken, slipping his arm to his waist, holding him. 
"It'd just be a title, Ken.  A child wouldn't be recognized legally, otherwise."
	Ken put his arm around Van's waist and pulled him close, closing his eyes.  "Mmm, 
that's true." he sighed and buried his face in Van's hair, inhaling deeply and loving the 
scent of spices and cedar in the younger boy's hair.  "Well . . . won't it be bad if your 
wife decides she's fallen in love with you?"
	Van pressed his cool face to Ken's chest as the other nuzzled his hair, having never 
been so close to someone before. He relished in the other's touch.  "I'll just make sure 
she doesn't."
	Ken chuckled.  "What're you gonna do, be mean to her?"
	"No, but if I never spend time with her, how could she fall for me?"  His hand on 
Ken's side trailed up his back, and back down.  "She'd know I had you."
	Ken smiled.  "Well, that's a good idea, I suppose." hr tightened his grip a little. 
"Mm . . . this' nice . . . you're warm."
	Van sighed, glad Ken wasn't going to argue the idea that at some point in time, he
-would- have to marry. The council would be able to accept a relationship between them 
better too, if they knew he'd agree to marry anyway.  Not that he knew how strongly he felt 
about Ken.  He pressed into Ken, his hand sliding along his arm, making Ken hold him tighter. 
He wanted to feel him around him. It was so new, but it felt wonderful.  Having someone to
hold and protect -him-.  He sighed.  "You're warm too."
	Obligingly Ken held him tighter.  "Tell me if I'm suffocating you or something." he 
said, then pulled the blankets up securely around them and smiled sleepily.  He was warm and 
happy, and feeling very much cared for. In the long run, he supposed that he didn't really 
mind if Van married.  After all, like he'd said, she'd know that Van had him. So he didn't 
worry about it.  He figured he'd just go with the flow.  Van scooted up, so he could rest 
his face in the crook of Ken's shoulder and neck and breath his scent in and still be 
comfortable.  It felt so nice.  He never regretted going to Earth at all.  He didn't even 
regret having not found Hitomi.  She'd always danced around his feelings, anyway.  
Especially with Allen.  He squeezed his eyes shut, tightly, wondering what Merle would say 
when she returned from Trill in a month.
	Half asleep, Ken said: "Nobody's gonna barge in on us, are they?"
	Thickly, as he fought of sleep, Van replied.  "They always knock first.  What's it 
matter if they do?"
	Ken yawned.  "Dunno.  Won't it scare a page or something to find us like this?"
	"Perhaps, but, I'm the King.  What're they gonna do?"  He muttered into his neck. 
In time, Ken would realize what exactly being King meant.
	"I dunno . . . freak out, maybe?" he chuckled low in his throat.  "Think about it. 
All a page will most likely see is you in my arms, and both of us bare-shouldered.  They 
might get the wrong idea."
	Van opened his eyes, looking up at him.  "Wrong idea?"  He assumed Ken was saying 
they might think he was trying to kill him, but he couldn't see how it'd look like that.
	"Aa, that we . . ." Ken blushed as the thought played in his mind.  "You know . . .
what I mean . . . right?"
	Van just looked at him with an unreadable face.  "That we what?"
	Ken blushed even deeper.  "That we . . . um . . . made love to each other."
	Van stiffened in the others arms and then forced himself to relax, bowing his head 
into Ken's shoulder again, tightening his hand around his waist.  Just saying it sounded nice.
"So what if they do?" He whispered, speaking softly.  "I'm sixteen, which means I'm one
year an adult already.  I can do as I want, if I want."
	"You're an adult when you turn fifteen . . . that's right.  You told me that." he
hugged him closer.
	"It's different on your world, isn't it?"  he said, closing his eyes again, running 
his hand along Ken's muscled arm, feeling the curves there with enjoyment.
	"Hai . . . it's different all over Earth.  Some places, you're an adult when you 
turn eighteen . . . others, it's twenty-one . . . it's different everywhere you go." he was 
acutely aware of Van's movements and closed his eyes, enjoying it very much.
	"Eighteen? Twenty-one?" Van murmured and shook his head.  "That seems like such a 
long time." he opened his eyes and his hand stopped on his arm.  He looked at Ken's neck. 
"Does that mean you still regard me as a child, since . . . to your laws I'm not an adult?" 
It was exactly the impression he got.
		"Iie." Ken said and hugged him gently.  "I don't call anyone who acts like 
you do and has done what you have a child.  At all.  You seem older than me, almost."
	"Aa, perhaps so." Van said and his hand slipped around the other's back again, 
holding to him.  "But you're older. You know things about life I never learned.  I want you
to teach me everything."
	Ken laughed, a little surprised.  "You rule a country, and you've killed a dragon. 
What could I possibly know that you don't?  You fight as well as I do, if not better.  
You're much better with people, I'm only good with kids.  You can make speeches in front of 
people -- strangers! --, and I bumble all over myself talking to customers in the flower 
shop."  he shook his head, grinning.
	Van smiled, his lids drooping and spoke softly.  There was nothing he ever batted 
around the bush with.  Everything he wanted, he just said out right.  "You play music, and 
talked of soccer . . . I want to learn those things.  I don't know this intimacy, either, 
and I want you to show me this, too," he said, caressing his side.  He kept going.  "You 
smile and are always happy which is something I've forgotten how to be a lot.  There is so 
much you can teach me.  I want to know it all."
	"Well . . . it's easy enough to teach you music and soccer." he smiled.  "As for 
intimacy . . . well . . . that just comes with being more comfortable around me . . . and me 
around you." he caressed Van's back lightly, almost butterfly-ishly.
	He arched into the touch and murmured softly, shifting his weight some, leaning into 
Ken more.  "But you know how to love and make love.  That's not something anyone ever told 
me.  Especially not between two men.  I want you, to show me."  He tightened his grip 
knowing Ken was gonna jolt.  "Not -now-, not for a long while, but eventually. It's 
something I want.  It sounds wonderful."
	Ken blushed deeply.  "I. . . I don't know about knowing how to -make- love . . . I 
think I'll just have to figure it out from what I've heard." he didn't mention his 
shounen-ai manga at home.  "If you want it, then we should wait until we're much closer."
Van smiled and was glad Ken wasn’t getting all jumpy anymore.  Now that -he- knew how he felt 
and what he wanted, it was simple for him to talk about it without blushing.  "Of course. It 
will be a while, yet."  He said, yawning, curling his small body into Ken's.  "Thank you."
	"Mm . . . you're welcome." he yawned again and got really comfortable.  "I love this 
bed." he said, and laughed softly.
	"I didn't, it never got warm, but it's much nicer with two bodies in it." Van said, 
and chuckled, without moving.  He shifted and laughed softly, his hand going to rest on Ken's 
stomach.  "I can hear your heart beating."
	Ken smiled and hugged him.  "Is that good or bad?" he didn't exactly know how to 
reply to that one.
	"It's just neat."  Van muttered.  "I've only ever heard yours . . . and I remember 
hearing my brothers, when I was little."  He gently petted Ken's flat belly.  "He used to 
read to me as a child, and I'd fall asleep against him."
	"I didn't bring a book." he softly chuckled a little.  "I guess you'll have to make 
do with just laying here talking."
	"That's fine." Van said, contentedly.  "Folken always wore a shirt, too."  He chuckled
thinking more.  "And I was much smaller."
	Ken laughed softly, picturing it.  "Aa." he's totally relaxed, eyes half closed and 
his head tilted to the side a little.  Van sighed contentedly, never having expected to 
share his bed with another man.  He closed his eyes and pulled the blankets over their 
shoulders. 
	"Goodnight, Ken."
	Ken snuggled down, holding him. "Oyasumi." 
	Shortly, they were both dreaming peacefully.


--end part three--