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Broken Willow
standard disclaimers
mbsilvana@yahoo.com
Prelude:
"Angry, Nuriko? Why? I mean, it's ridiculous- your attraction to Hotohori. You're a man."
With those words, his world was turned upside down. He looked over at Hotohori and saw shock and loathing in the beautiful Emperor's eyes. His lips trembled as the words tripped unheeded from his tongue, confirming Miaka's bitchy announcement. "You're so mean! You told them my secret!" He picked up his skirts and darted into the woods, tears streaming down his cheeks.
He ran as far as he could, then further still. Finally he collapsed beside a stream, his lungs burning. Looking into the stream he almost screamed in frustration. He had been working so hard for the last year to make Hotohori love him, and it was all undone by her. The stupid Suzaku no miko.
His reflection stared back at him, and all he could see was how perfect he looked- exactly the way he pictured Kourin would have looked had she lived to be eightteen. He stared deeply into the river, and for the first time since his sister had died, wondered if he was doing the right thing. He'd hurt so many people by his deception- his parents, his brother, the other princesses, and now Hotohori. And now, looking into the water, he wondered who he was. There was no Ryuuen.
He wiped the remnants of his makeup off on his sleeve, and braided his hair away from his face. Damn her. If it wasn't for her, he could still be in the court, content in his role.
He tried to repress the sense of betrayal he felt at Miaka's cruel words, but was unable to. For a while, he had felt that they might actually become friends. He remembered her standing in his doorway, holding out a pale stone as a gesture of her goodwill. Shattered again. By now he should expect life to be cruel. In a fit of anger, he slammed his fist into the reflection that gazed back at him, causing the cool surface of the water to shatter, leaving behind only distorting ripples.
"Atashi no baka!" he yelled, then suddenly the tears halted. Atashi? he wondered. I am Kourin, but now that they know, I can't be her anymore. One more thing to curse Miaka for. "Boku... Ore..." he whispered, trying to readjust to the masculine identifiers.
He would get even with her, he swore. She had taken the things that were most precious- Hotohori and his identity as Kourin- away from him, so now all he had left was the fragile hope of vengeance.
The water had settled enough for him to see the bitter expression that was on his face. Suddenly the only he wanted was to get out of his dress and into something else. He couldn't do much as a female. His lips curled upwards in an evil smile as he thought of the possibilities- after all, who knew what kind of trouble a rogue ShichiSeishi could make?
END PRELUDE
Broken Willow
standard disclaimers
mbsilvana@yahoo.com
Prelude:
"Angry, Nuriko? Why? I mean, it's ridiculous- your attraction to Hotohori. You're a man."
With those words, his world was turned upside down. He looked over at Hotohori and saw shock and loathing in the beautiful Emperor's eyes. His lips trembled as the words tripped unheeded from his tongue, confirming Miaka's bitchy announcement. "You're so mean! You told them my secret!" He picked up his skirts and darted into the woods, tears streaming down his cheeks.
He ran as far as he could, then further still. Finally he collapsed beside a stream, his lungs burning. Looking into the stream he almost screamed in frustration. He had been working so hard for the last year to make Hotohori love him, and it was all undone by her. The stupid Suzaku no miko.
His reflection stared back at him, and all he could see was how perfect he looked- exactly the way he pictured Kourin would have looked had she lived to be eightteen. He stared deeply into the river, and for the first time since his sister had died, wondered if he was doing the right thing. He'd hurt so many people by his deception- his parents, his brother, the other princesses, and now Hotohori. And now, looking into the water, he wondered who he was. There was no Ryuuen.
He wiped the remnants of his makeup off on his sleeve, and braided his hair away from his face. Damn her. If it wasn't for her, he could still be in the court, content in his role.
He tried to repress the sense of betrayal he felt at Miaka's cruel words, but was unable to. For a while, he had felt that they might actually become friends. He remembered her standing in his doorway, holding out a pale stone as a gesture of her goodwill. Shattered again. By now he should expect life to be cruel. In a fit of anger, he slammed his fist into the reflection that gazed back at him, causing the cool surface of the water to shatter, leaving behind only distorting ripples.
"Atashi no baka!" he yelled, then suddenly the tears halted. Atashi? he wondered. I am Kourin, but now that they know, I can't be her anymore. One more thing to curse Miaka for. "Boku... Ore..." he whispered, trying to readjust to the masculine identifiers.
He would get even with her, he swore. She had taken the things that were most precious- Hotohori and his identity as Kourin- away from him, so now all he had left was the fragile hope of vengeance.
The water had settled enough for him to see the bitter expression that was on his face. Suddenly the only he wanted was to get out of his dress and into something else. He couldn't do much as a female. His lips curled upwards in an evil smile as he thought of the possibilities- after all, who knew what kind of trouble a rogue ShichiSeishi could make?
END PRELUDE
