I do not own any of the Fushigi Yugi characters. I do, however, own Lena… So don't mess with her!
The statue of the priestess rested in the courtyard of the imperial palace. Her fair, marble face capturing the essence of her joy and love for others. Tasuki looked from side to side to make sure the court was clear before stepping up to the statue and gently stroking her cheek. "Miaka" he whispered.
"So you love her."
"W-what? Who are you?"
The woman laughed. "My name is Lena my lord."
Tasuki frowned. "Alright Lena, I can't see how anything here is your business."
Lena smiled sweetly brushing her long burgundy hair over her shoulder. "So that is a yes then, you do love her don't you?"
Tasuki scowled. "Your being ridiculous, I don't love the priestess."
Lena's smile widened. "I didn't say the priestess. Ooooh you do love her. The great warrior Tasuki loves the Priestess Miaka!" she teased.
Tasuki's eyes darkened. "I'd watch your words if I were you."
Lifting a brow Lena stepped closer. "Oh really, what if I don't? Will you visit Suzaku's wrath on me?"
Tasuki rose to the bait. "Maybe I will."
Lena's emerald eyes flashed with humor as she gasped and pressed her hand to her heart. "Have mercy Lord Tasuki!"
"I will not be mocked by some girl!" Tasuki growled advancing on her slowly.
"Lady Lena!" A voice called from behind him. Instantly, the woman's teasing manner vanished, replaced by a look of pure joy as Chichiri came to Tasuki's side.
"You know this hellion?" Tasuki growled his foul humor abating only slightly.
Chichiri grinned sliding his mask off. "Yes, of course I do." He laughed as Lena threw herself in his arms.
Tasuki's jaw dropped as he watched the radical transformation in the girl's manner. The sarcasm was gone from her smile as her eyes slid closed and held tightly to the monk. Chichiri laughed as he relaxed his hold on the young woman. "Lady Lena I've missed you! What brings you to me?"
Lena's sweet smile faded, replaced by a sad one. Tasuki frowned when he realized he wished for the other one back. His frown deepened as Lena knelt in front of them. Turning he raised a brow at Chichiri.
Chichiri met his look with a shrug and turned back o Lena. "What's wrong Lena?" Chichiri asked kindly.
Keeping her gaze at the ground Lena spoke softly. "My lord's I have come on behalf of Gahia to request your help in riding our land of a great evil."
Reaching out a hand to her Chichiri helped her to stand. "I am never your Lord Lena, we have been and always will be equal. Why did they send you rather than your father?"
Lena's lashes swept down in reddish purple half moons on her fair skin. "My father is dead Chichiri."
Unheedingly, he pulled her back into his arms. "I'm so sorry my Lena."
Lena turned her sad smile back up at him, her mossy eyes glossy. "Will you help me Chichiri?"
Tasuki regarded the woman and the automatic tension he felt when his friend was holding her. Shaking it off he waited for the answer he knew Chichiri would give. There would be no way that he would not help one in need, especially if they were a friend.
"Of course I'll come, we're like family you know." Chichiri smiled reassuringly as Lean turned toward Tasuki.
"And you my lord?"
Tasuki leaned back on
his heels crossing his arms over his broad chest. "I don't know,"
turning to Chichiri "Who is she anyway?"
Lena's eyes flared,
"Why do you ask? I though as an honored celestial warrior you would
forge ahead to save the innocent!"
Chichiri hid his smile by replacing his mask. Leaning forward he rested his hand on her neck, "I'm glad to see you haven't changed, you know."
The corner of her mouth twitched as she maintained eye contact with Tasuki.
Tasuki glared at the two of them, "Fine! I'll come! Are you happy now? But only because I know I would never hear the end of it."
His answer was rewarded with a smile so brilliant it lit up Lena's entire face. Tasuki's breath actually caught in his chest. Entranced, he stared upon her lovely face. "Great", he thought, "Another girl, nothing but trouble."
"How long will it take you guys to get ready?" she asked her eyes shades brighter than moments ago.
Chichiri shrugged, "We just have to inform the Empress."
Lena's jaw dropped. "You know the Empress?"
"Of course we do." Chichiri was surprised when Tasuki spoke up his arms crossed over his chest. "The Emperor was one of us, didn't you know that?"
Lena's eye brows rose. "Of course I did, but I mean how close would you guys be to the actual Emperor. Was he as wonderful as he seemed?" She turned her back on Tasuki to direct the question to Chichiri.
Chichiri nodded leading the way into the palace. "Yeah he was a great guy you know, a bit vain, but he cared about his people."
Lena nodded thoughtfully as she took in her surroundings while they walked. The warriors flanked both of her sides as she entered into the inter sanctum of the palace with out even a second glace of the guards. "I never thought I would actually be going here." She whispered in awe.
"At least your bandits didn't hold him captive thinking he was a girl before you graced his court." Tasuki muttered and Chichiri chuckled.
"D-do I get to meet her highness?" Lena whispered as they came to a think pair of double doors.
"I don't see why not you know, she's really nice." Chichiri smiled taking her arm as she looked around in awe.
Tasuki looked over at the woman and laughed softly. He knew only too well what it was like to be a lowly peasant gracing the highest courts.
Lena trembled with a mixture of excitement and apprehension as the heavy doors swung open.
At first the enormous room looked empty. The dark red tapestries that lined the hall were intricately designed, run through with gold treads. Words such as peace, hope and wisdom were branded on the crimson fabric. Lena did her best to take in her surroundings, noticing the doors to both her left and right that, at the moment, were closed leaving only the tall torches in the burnt cherry columns and the paper lanterns that were intricately laced throughout the room to give off a soft light. At the far end there was a ramp nestled between two staircases that led up to a throne that was hidden by two misty red veils.
Lena froze as the tall figure of a woman stepped out from behind the veils and started toward them. Chichiri and Tasuki moved forward to meet the Empress while Lena threw herself on the floor and pressed her face to the ground in front of the beautiful woman.
The Empress Houki lifted a brow to the warriors before her before looking down to the red haired woman examining the carpet in front of her.
"Lords Tasuki and Chichiri it is so good to see you!" She greeted with the incline of her head before turning and looking at the woman. "And you would be?"
Lena felt her heart catch as the Empress addressed her.
"Your Highness, I am Lena Tania from Gahia, I have been sent to request the aid of Lord Chichiri in riding our land of a terrible evil." Lena spoke quickly to the carpet.
"Ah, so you're a friend of Lord Chichiri, then by all means rise my dear."
Lena paled as she rose shakily to her feet. "Thank you Highness." She whispered still keeping her eyes on the carpet.
The Empress smiled at the two warriors before reaching out and catching the woman's hand in her own. "Now what kind of evil are your people dealing with?" she asked kindly leading Lena toward the doors to the west.
"W-we, believe it is a demon majesty. So far it has taken eight of our people including my father. It has also destroyed the main part of the house in which I, and many others lived with our master."
The Empress nodded in understanding as she led the way out into a private courtyard. Gracefully, the Empress sat on a marble bench near one of the ponds. Gesturing, she offered the seat next to her to the still very nervous young woman.
"I see your dilemma Lady Lena, and I will do all in my power to help you. But first you must rest, for I can see you are terribly tired and if I do not mistake my guess, wounded."
Lena's eyes jerked up to the Empress' in surprise. "H-how did you know?"
Across from the women both warriors frowned.
"Lena, are you holding a guise?" Chichiri admonished.
Lena's chin jerked now in a short nod, "Yes, but I'm not badly injured and we must make haste to save my lands!" she excused.
The Empress shook her head, "I admire your determination dear but it would all be in vain if you fell ill on the journey."
Tasuki, who had remained silent thus, spoke up "Yeah, you silly woman, then where would we be?"
The Empress and Chichiri both swung their eyes to Tasuki in surprise. It almost sounded like he was worried.
Catching both of their astonished looks Tasuki rolled his eyes and turned back to frowning at Lena. "Where are you hurt anyway? Not like I care or anything."
Lena's mossy eyes met his in slight irritation.
Chichiri cleared his throat drawing her attention once again to him. "Lena drop your guise." He demanded striding over to her. Meekly, she hung her head and dropped her guise. Her beautiful robes disappeared into a dark green kimono that was ripped fairly severely around the neck and back.
Upon reaching her Chichiri's breath caught as she turned around and slid her robe down her backside slightly. Purple bruises flowered her slender back as well as a deep cut that slashed over her shoulder and behind her neck.
"What happened?" Tasuki asked softly as he reached out to gently touch the worst of her bruises. Chichiri jumped in surprise at his friend's appearance at his side and shot him a warning glance as Tasuki moved up to examine the gash on her shoulder. Tasuki, however, did not even notice. His eyes never left Lena's brutalized form.
"Well thieves, right when I got to town, but it's alright I'm fine." She blushed feeling extremely uncomfortable as she pulled her tattered robe back up.
The Empress smiled softly and took Lena's arm. "You must be a powerful sorceress Lady Lena, to hide so much so fully."
Lena blushed again. "Well, I am still studying, that's why I came for Chichiri, he is much more powerful than I."
The Empress nodded. "He is very powerful and you may have his help as well as any other's you wish my dear, now lets get you cleaned up and rested, I believe you'll be able to leave in the morning if you rest well tonight."
Lena nodded in thanks before pausing to turn back to Tasuki and Chichiri. "I'm sorry for deceiving you my friends."
Chichiri nodded stiffly. "Just don't let it happen again Lena, we'll make the preparations for travel while you rest, don't worry about a thing, you know. Everything will be just fine."
Lena nodded smiling tiredly as she cast a glace at Tasuki who looked at her with a soft light in his dark eyes. Almost immediately, he caught himself and covered with his sarcastic swagger. "Right Lady, get rest we'll see you in the morning."
Lena smiled as she turned around to let the Empress lead her away, thinking that the wing warrior had a more of a mask than Chichiri.
Tasuki whirled on Chichiri the moment Lena and the Empress were out of earshot. "Ok who the hell is she and how do you know her?"
Chichiri laughed as he turned to make his way back toward their rooms. "Lena and I shared the same master, she is a sorceress as I am a sorcerer. I've know her since I was injured, she was the one who helped me recover, you know. She was nothing more than a child at the time. Barely ten when I showed up. But she never left my side. She's had a tough life, you know, but she's got a good heart."
Tasuki nodded, "Right so she's a sorceress, that explains a lot." He cleared his throat and tired to do the same to his mind.
Chichiri shook his head in wonder as he watched Tasuki, he had never been one to outwardly show feeling and this was something different all together. Could it be possible that he was interested in Lena?
"Well I'll work on getting food if you want to get the traveling gear." Chichiri smiled behind his mask as he turned into his room.
It took Tasuki a moment before he responded "No problem."
Leaning out of his doorway Chichiri added, "Hey you should stop by and make sure Lena doesn't need anything for tomorrow, it didn't look like she had much with her."
Tasuki blushed as he turned toward his room. "Sure, whatever."
Chichiri smiled as he changed then headed down toward the kitchens. "This could get interesting." He chuckled.