Chapter 8

My eyes instantly met Yui's. Fear flooded through me and I could see it reflected in her own eyes. Hadn't she denounced the title of Priestess of Seriyuu before leaving Kouto? Why would they come for her now when Nakago had given her permission to leave? Through the fear, a mighty swell of anger rose in me.

"Your priestess isn't here!" I shouted. "She renounced the title now leave her alone!"

"Miaka," Nuriko hissed.

I shot him an angry glare before looking up at the ridges. A feminine laugh echoed threw the pass followed by another lightning bolt. This one landed just a foot behind Chichiri and I's horse. The horse reared in terror and it was all we could do not to fall off.

"I'm afraid we can't do that Priestess of Suzaku. Especially when she is being threatened by low life's," Soi answered.

"Who you callin' low life's?!" the bandit leader demanded.

Soi laughed again. This time she was joined by her associates who, for some reason, sounded identical to each other. I looked back to Yui and saw that she'd become pale during this exchange. This whole thing was absolutely terrifying her and I wouldn't have that. If nothing else, I would protect her.

"You say you're her warriors right? Since when are a priestesses warriors suppose to terrorize her?!" I yelled.

The pass went silent. The only sounds were my words echoing off the cliffs and the uneasy whinnying of the horses. They trotted back and forth in a skittish manner and I could sense their need to run in fear.

"Forgive us Lady Yui," a new, male voice said from somewhere to our right.

"Yes. Please forgive us priestess. It was not our intention to frighten you," an identical voice said from our left.

I watched Yui carefully as she took a deep breath to gather her courage. She leaned away from Nuriko, loosening her death grip on him, before looking around us. She looked above my head and her eyes narrowed in anger.

"I'll decide whether or not to forgive you when you tell me what exactly you three are doing here!" she demanded. Despite her fear, her voice was steady and filled with anger.

"Maybe we should talk about that after we get out of these mountains ya know." Chichiri suggested.

I looked around and noticed that we were alone. In all of the terror and confusion, the bandits had disappeared with our money. I couldn't help but breath a sigh of relief. The leader ogling Yui like a side of meat had made me as uneasy as it had made her.

We quickly made our way through the pass. No words were spoken. Nuriko and Chichiri were clearly on guard in case of another ambush. The only thing we heard outside our progress was the clomping of hooves from our unseen companions horses.

***Nakago's POV***

"Lord Nakago, we've received word that Lady Soi and the twins have joined with Lady Yui and the followers of Suzaku," one of my underlings informed me.

He was kneeling with his head bowed in a submissive pose. In that position he could not see my smile. I had given Soi very specific instructions. She knew of my feeling for MY Miaka and had volunteered to retrieve her for me. I'd made sure she knew that my woman was to come to me by her choice. If she didn't, then she was to bring the Lady Yui back.

"Very well. Continue surveillance." I commanded.

The solider nodded his assent before quickly departing.

My mind raced with thoughts of my last dream encounter with Miaka. She'd called me a barbarian. In my anger I had retaliated. If she had been any other woman, I would have very easily taken her. But she wasn't any other woman. She was MY woman. I could never harm her.

Once again I found myself glad that I hadn't forced myself on her. I had promised not to take her until she gave herself to me and I meant it. Still, with her beauty and spirit, that promise would be extremely difficult to keep. I closed my eyes and saw her lying before me once again. Her body as bare as the she had been born. Her eyes shone in the candlelight.

I wanted nothing more than to take her, to posses all of her. I knew it wasn't time yet. I knew because her eyes did not yet reflect the love and burning desire I felt in my very core. She may think I only desire her body but she is wrong. I desire every part of her. What I desire most from her, even more than getting lost in the bliss that is her beautiful body, is to possess her heart. For her to love me would be the sweetest miracle I could ever hope for.

I turned and walked out of my receiving chamber, heading toward the training grounds. Many of my soldiers were running through their drills and preparing themselves for battle. A great change was coming and it could be felt everywhere. The young emperor, Hotohori, as well as the old and lecherous fool who ruled Kouto thought I was readying this army for a war between our empires. How wrong they both are.

Soon I would put my plan for this empire into motion. With the Lady Yui as my priestess and Miaka as my bride, I could achieve anything. But oh, she would be more than just my bride. Soon, very soon, she would be my Empress!

***Miaka's POV***

"So you came here from Kouto to protect Yui?" Nuriko asked as we settled around a long table.

We'd finally made it out of the mountains and found ourselves at a small in. Yui and I sat beside each other with Chichiri and Nuriko flanking us. Our three new companions sat opposite us.

"We were sent by the General. Whether you chose to leave or not, you are our priestess and we are meant to protect you," one of the twins answered. His brother, who sat to his right, nodded in agreement.

"Miaka was right though. I did abdicate my role as priestess. I never wanted that title and I still don't. Why come after me now?" Yui asked.

Her hand was clenched in a tense fist. I reached out and covered it with my own hand, hoping to sooth her. She unclenched her fist and threaded her fingers threw mine. I looked over at her and gave her a gentle smile which she quickly returned in full measure.

"We had heard as much Lady Yui but we were still ordered to come. To disobey would have been treason," the twin on the right answered.

I nibbled my lip while thinking. To disobey Nakago was treason? If he was acting with their emperors support then it was possible he had more power than we'd first realized. That would make him even more dangerous than I'd thought. A shiver of fear ran down my spine as that realization dawned on me. For such a man to be focused on me was terrifying and yet some how, exhilarating.

It was clear to me that he knew what he was doing. Anyone who saw Yui and I together for any amount of time knew that the best way to get to me was through her. I suddenly remembered something that Chichiri had told us.

"Chichiri, didn't you say that the only reason you and Tamahome were able to escape the Kouto palace because a bolt of lightning had stopped Nakago's attack?" I asked.

"That's right," he said. After a moment, his thoughts caught up to where I was. He turned to Soi and grinned.

"I don't know why you did it, but thank you for your help. If you hadn't intervened, Tamahome would have died."

I looked to Soi who was watching me very carefully. She seemed to be looking for something and after a moment, she smiled. At first I didn't think she'd heard Chichiri's words but then she turned to him and nodded.

"You're gratitude is not necessary. My general was enraged and needed to get his head clear. I only did what I had to," she answered.

His anger that day still baffled me. Everything about him was utterly confusing. That included his inexplicable passion for me and his obvious need to posses me. A feeling of gratitude flitted through my heart as I thought of Hotohori. I was so glad that even though he claimed to love me, he was not as fierce and terrifying about his feelings as Nakago.

The next morning we were traveling together in search of more of my warriors. Soi had seemed to hit it off really well with Chichiri. She was passionate and protective as well as highly intelligent. She, Yui, and Chichiri talked a lot about strategy and politics. I couldn't really follow the conversation that well so I leaned against Nuriko's back.

The twins road on the their own horses at the rear while Nuriko and I were in the lead. Yui rode with Chichiri and Soi kept pace with them. I could hear Suboshi and Amiboshi talking but couldn't really make out the words. For some reason my ears had felt like they were filled with cotton all morning.

For the first time in days, I'd had a Nakago free night. That didn't really matter though as I felt my eyes beginning to close from weariness. My entire body ached but I was sure that was because I was unused to horseback riding. It wasn't until I began to slide off and fall head first toward the ground that I realized maybe something was wrong.

Thanks so much for reading! Sorry if it was crap. I tried. I've just been so busy lately. Since this story seems to be more popular than When Suzaku and Seriyuu Ally, I will be finishing this one first. Reviews are always welcome, even flames. In fact, I'm a bit OCD about them and I check for them a couple times a day. Don't judge me! I'll get the next chapter up in the next couple of weeks. If you haven't already figured it out, Mitsukake is going to show up in the next chapter!