His lips gently pressed to hers. It was their first night together as man and wife. The young emperor slowly tugged at his brides silken robes. A mixture of emotions swirling through him.. From excitement, to nervousness.. Even sorrow.. Though he doubted that was a common feeling for a new husband. However… his wedding was something of a rushed blur, and his bride.. a mere shadow of the one he had truly loved.

She was lovely.. That was certain.. And she was kind to top it. Bit still she was not the one he had wanted. Hotohori looked down at the blushing woman, her milk white skin tinged with a pink glow that trailed from her cheeks all the way down to the top of her exposed bosom. Aside from the breasts.. Which he honestly did not mind.. She could almost be the twin of the one he desired. Again sadness struck him, alongside a memory, soft and sweet.

In his mind he was back in the garden, where the gazebo had fallen atop Tomahome and the priestess of Suzaku, and out of nowhere came a young and beautiful figure; he remembered thinking it was almost as beautiful as his own. Long silken hair of a deep indigo, and rose colored eyes. She was extravagant. And without more than a soft greeting, she began to lift even the largest parts for the fallen structure and throw them aside effortlessly. He had to admit he was intrigued by her. After the shocking rescue, he found her to be Nuriko, of the Suzaku seven constellations, the symbol if which appearing just below her collar bone.

"Is something wrong, your highness?" His bride cooed softly, her hands rested delicately beside her head on the silken sheets, as she lay awaiting his next touch, her eyes wondering his features.

"Forgive me. I must be nervous is all… "She knew it was more than that, he could tell by her furrowing brow, but she would never ask.. She was too kind for that. He reached a hand down to her cheek before taking her lips with his own once more, fading back into his memories.

Only a few weeks had passed since his meeting with the woman, he had found that she was one of his courtesans.. he had wanted to pay her a visit.. but he was known for his chaste behavior when it came to his harem.. and on top of that she was a warrior of Suzaku. As fate would have it though, the priestess was ill and needed to return home. He had been forcing thoughts of the courtesan away since their meeting.. he was convinced he was in love with the priestess. He had wanted to love her since he was a child and yet now, on the road with her, he couldn't help from glance repeatedly at the young beauty that was Nuriko.

"Should I.. leave for the night.." the woman murmured below him. He had lost himself again. He half debated nodding to her, allowing her to leave, and not try to hide his lack of want any longer. Instead he smiled softly at her as he began to untie her loosely wound sash.

"Please don't Houki, it is our wedding night after all. We should consummate our marriage, should we not?" he asked, attempting to sound playful.

As her robe finally fell he remembered the single most devastating news he had ever heard.. at least at the time. "Why do you even go after Hotohori its ridiculous, after all you are a man!" The voice of the faux priestess rang though his head, his dear courtesan.. had been a man all along…

His hands slid over the soft, feminine curves of the woman below him, still hesitant, but at least able to keep some focus on her, though admittedly it had far more to do with the image he saw overlap her, then it did her. Houki was soft, and pale, with dark eyes and soft lavender hair.. in the right light though, her eyes could almost shine like… and her hair as well.. it almost could look more.. He let out a sigh, and sat up, turning away from the blushing woman.

It wasn't the same.. it could never be the same.. and she deserved to be loved her herself.. but could he give her that?

After a long moment. She sat up wrapping a slender arm around the man, her head rested gently on his back. " My love.. is it.. that person again.. ?" She asked softly. She was overstepping her boundaries, and she knew it.. but he would not lash out.. he owed her a lot. " When we first met.." She said softly, her hand fiddling its way into the front of his own robe, touching his tone, warm chest. "It was only a couple weeks ago.. at least officially.. I saw you, reflecting in the garden.. I had never seen such sadness in a man's eyes.. but then you looked at me, and all I saw.. at least for a moment was … love.. And hope.."

Her hands slid to loosen the top, forcing it to fall off his shoulders. "You called me.. Nuriko.." Her lips pressed softly to his shoulder, but he felt a tremble in them, as if she could start crying any moment. " When you explained that Nuriko - that Korin- had passed on.. I undertstood.. I understood because we had been confused for one another before.. on more then one occasion.. and.." She paused, the next part coming out in an almost pained whisper. "I.. don't mind.. I can be Nuriko for you.. you can call me that.. in private if that is what it takes. But highness.. please.. make me your wife.. "

A soft blush entered his cheeks at her words.. he knew it hurt her.. each time he called her Nuriko.. though it had happened more than once.. on the day Nuriko died.. there was so much regret inside the young emperor.. he had wished he had gone with them… and had fought alongside the fallen warrior, he wished he had told the other his mixed feelings.. had tasted his lips.. just once..

Houki was still unaware that "Korin" was not woman, as "she" had wanted the other harem women not to know the truth, as they had become good friends.. and he did not want to reveal such a thing now.. not with houki knowing his true feelings towards the other .

He turned to his beautiful bride, pulling her to his chest, tears welling in his eyes that he still could not manage to let fall even after weeks of wanting them to. "thank you,.. and I am sorry.. Nuriko.." He said as he laid her on the bed, shedding his own robes as he kissed his way slowly down the nape of her neck, his hands moving down her frame, the whole time, wondering just how curvy Nuriko truly was below his silken robes, the thought enough to finally give him the inspiration to delve between her thighs, the false name, escaping his lips once more.