"Youko was all set to go put the false queen in her place when we were all talking about what we all were going to do in order to help her. As I hear them talk I cant help but think how beautiful she is, and how strong shes become. So when it came time for my turn I naturally spoke my thoughts out loud...although I wish I hadn't." Rakushun sat in front of the En Taiho feeling the embaressment all over his body.

"So thats why you said it. Tell me...do you understand why you said what you said...you know... the part about 'and I'll be sure to tell them how beautiful their new queen is?'

"Didn't I just tell you that?"

"No, you told me why and how it slipped. You didn't tell me why you feel that way towards her."

"why I feel that way...towards her?"

"Yes."

"hmm, I'm a little confused."

"What caused you to feel like she was a beautiful woman. I admit she is attractive but the way you said what you said before she went to go take her kingdom...sounded like you were in love and decidedly so long before then."

"I...Don't know...I remember when I found her, she was in the rain and on the ground. It made my heart sad to see anyone like that so I brought her inside and let her sleep on my bed. I brought her food and I knew that she wouldn't have trusted me from the beginning, so as a result I was very wary of her but I understood at the same time."

"So is that when you fell in love with her?"

"No I dont think so...im still trying to get over the fact that I might have feelings for her...if it is as you say...I never really noticed it. However, when she left me and abandoned me...my heart hurt and not in the same way it hurt to see her on the ground...it hurt in a way it never did before."

"Thats we call back in my old world...Heart Broken. It is one of the most powerful feelings...For this situation it means you already started loving her."

"I have a question...how is it you know so much about love?"

"I read a lot of books both in this world and in my old world."

"Ah...okay...well before she had left me we were talking with each other as we were traveling...I..."

"You what?"

"When we camped out...I thought her hair was extremely beautiful and that even though she didnt trust me...I could tell that she was still scared and very kind hearted."

"So when she left you...you felt disappointed right?"

"Yes i even told her that."

"What happened to your heart when you found out she was Queen of Kei?"

"For some reason I felt Angry and my heart felt like it sank to my stomache. Then she got invited to visit with the king of En and it felt like she was out of my reach...she tried to grab for me but..."

"But?"

"I didnt feel like i even deserved to be in her presence. I rescued a Queen, fed her meager meals, made her walk with a Hanjuu, laughed with her, had funn with her, and she even considered me a friend...I didnt deserve to be that close to the Queen of Kei. She even hugged me all the time. I know now that she was quite clueless and that there are no Hanjuu in her world but still...It made my face feel warm."

"Thats called blushing. I know you know what that is."

"yes but...Rats dont blush...I thought I only did that in human form."

"You still felt it none the less..." he tried to hold in his laughter as he realized that even though this Hanjuu was INCREDIBLY smart with academics...he was lacking in the emotions departement.

"When we first made it to En castle I began waiting on Youko...but theen they told me I had to be in my human form...once i did that and was clothed I wated again, and then I saw her walk in. She asked if we had seen her friend and I knew she was talking about me...thats when I knew that she had never truly met a Hanjuu before in their human form. I was both happy and quite embaressed...I noticed the realization that hit her face for everytime she hugged me...she now knew she was...in a way...hugging a naked man. When she made it to her sleeping quarters I wanted to tell her congratulations, I'm sorry I didnt further explain being a Hanjuu, and I wanted to ask her more about her world...and what our differences were."

"I belive that would be her walking the hallways. this is your chance lover boy." He flashed a smile as he let Youko continue down the hallway until she met up with them.

"Rakushun is everything okay?" Youko actually voiced concern for her friend because he was nver up this late.

He remembered that the Taiho cought him outside earlier asking him the same question and he started the same way, "Theres a lot on my mind that im not sure of. Do you mind sitting with me for a moment?"

"Of course. I enjoy spending time with you." She smiled at him and it moved him.

'So he was right...I have feelings for her...even the smallest things she does move my heart.' "I wanted to know some differences between your world and this one."

"Such as?"

"well...you dont have Taihos'...so who picks the ruler of each country?"

"In some countries its the people who pick, some countries fight for a ruler, and some countries have a ruller that was born in a family of royalty."

"and...there's no reboku?"

"No, plants are born from seeks which are sometimes beed like things that get planted into the ground or in a roses case can be carefully taken from an existing rose bush and then planted somewhere else."

"No, reboku...children or Hanjuu"

"Ah...the answer again is still no...we dont have those...we dont even have Hanjuu. Babies are born from a mother...it is the same for animals as well."

"Then how do you pluck them?"

"You wait for them to...um...you waot for them to be done growing and the mother...the mother pushes the baby out with all her strength...she uses her hips and muscles to help the baby out...there is also a thing called a C-section...where the mother needs to be cut into in order for the child to be born and for both mother and child to be safe."

"How do you know so much about it? Were you a mother?"

"No but I wanted to be one eventually. However my friend said she would have lots of babies for me so its okay."

"What else?"

"Well, when the mother is what we call pregnant which is...with child...then the baby and her create a bond of sorts. whatever she eats some of it goes to the baby for nutrition and unlike your reboku...this baby shares half of its mother's DNA the other half comes from the father."

"How does that work?" he innocently asked.

"That umm...you will probably need to talk to King En for that one." She smiled at him with her red face. "Is there anything else?"

"No...os there anything you'd like to ask me?"

"As a matter of fact...why did you call me beautiful before I left to take the kingdom back?"

'So forward.' "well, because I truly believe you are beautiful, kind, and intelligent. you are not just beautifuk on the outside...but um...you are also beautiful on the inside."

"Thats what you really wanted to talk to me about wasnt it?"

"Y-yes?" He asked as if he might get scolded for thinking such things.

"Rakushun may I ask you why you think it is that when i first sae you in human form and clothed that I was flustered and embaressed, but when you were NAKED and behind me I simply smiled? Why do you think that is. Its not because we're friends."

"You...you love me too?"

"Yes and i think i have for a while now I ffeel happier when youre around and apparently King En noticed it too. He even saod that it was apparent we both needed each other. It took me a while to realize it, but yes. I love you."

"Youko!" He replied in a shocked whisper.

"can I ask you something else?"

"Whats your worlds custom to marriage?"

"As long as the two people love each other and agree to care for each other no matter what...they will get to be married."

"And...your people...MAKE their families at will right?"

"Yes but...even if we did get together...I thought I couldnt have children...King En said..."

"Technically since you are a Taika and a woman Taika at that I belive that if you ended up...pregnant as you said...then they would allow you to have the baby but I dont think they would allow them to be immortal without them working in the palace...Anyway...my concern is...Would you like to be with me Youko? I'll keep all my promises...I promise you that."

"I would love to be woth you forever." She smile and hugged him tightly.

(Please tell me what you think! My first twelve kingdoms fanfic...)