Author's note: Ah well, I've been asked back to finish this fanfic. Please bear with my next few oh-so-unglamorous chapters as I return to the world of fanfics as well as returning myself to this story. Thanks. (:
Neonribbons: Thanks for the review. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Afternoon came and someone still rolled across the bed...FREELY. Well, that's practical for someone who didn't have a good night's rest after being slammed down by the man she loved and well, forcing herself to forget her love for him. Ah yes, our dear blond, blue eyed Seiryuu Priestess...Yui.
She gave a yelp as she kissed the cold floor. Was it possible that she could have rolled off the bed? Yes...but wasn't someone else suppose to be there, on this side of the bed? Yui scrambled back onto bed and took a good look at his tent. Nothing very spectacular. Just a plain tent with a bed in the middle, a cupboard possibly to keep his warrior set and a long mirror. Simple. Neat.
"Your Eminence, your presence is required," a cold voice chilled her as she turned towards the owner, "If you may." He bowed and their eyes met. Dark frosty blue eyes met bright blue eyes. Not a blush no matter how faint crept on Yui's cheeks but she heard his sharp intake.
"Lead me, Nakago." It was a command that broke the thick silence and somehow removed the tension from his body. She swung out of bed, walked past him with a little sway of her hips and into the welcoming sunlight. Well, who said she couldn't attend her guest in a simple camisole that barely covers half her womanhood and a pink pair of panties.
She's wearing that...? Nakago blinked as he leaned on the frame of his tent entrance, "Your Eminence, a formal wear will be more appropriate." She turned and just stared at him. She didn't breathe a word yet Nakago straightened his posture a little. This was awkward...way too awkward.
"Do you have a problem with how I present myself, Nakago?"
It was supposed to be a question since it did end with a question mark and all that...but Nakago heard differently. He heard it as a demand as if he had just challenged the authority. Oh don't get him wrong...Nakago had challenged authorities of Kutou so much, everyone feared him safe for the Emperor. And that is only a maybe.
Yes, I have...Nakago thought but he managed to bite back the response and shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "I suppose I shouldn't really care how you present yourself to the your waiting audience. But what I care enough for is your well-being..." He said casually and walked closer towards her and as he stopped in front of her, he added very slowly, "Remember that you're my priestess and keeping well-being proper is part of my duty."
"And in case you forgot," Yui challenged him as she returned his stare coolly, "I returned safe, in one piece and alive. Thank you very much but I can see myself being safe. I don't need you to watch my back." She turned her heel and marched further down the marked trail.
Well, that's one way of dismissing him. Nakago, one not used to being dissed that way, vehemently followed her. "Do you even know where you're headed to? Much less know who your audience is?" It made him smirk that she was now thinking of asking him or return to the campsite to ask someone else.
"Don't flatter yourself that I will ask you fo-"
"Perhaps if it is not me you ask, who else is here to answer your question?" Yui looked taken aback and Nakago bit back a chuckle. Well, he won.
"I shall suppose you sent everyone else to continue the journey?" Yui glared at him, her bright blue eyes seething with silent anger, "Then I must be most honored to have your sole attention here."
"Not you. The priestess shan't feel honored at having me solely to herself for the next week or so," Nakago tilted his head to the side when he assessed mock horror dancing on her face, "Now, I'm the person who wishes an audience with you."
"Then you will learn to wait. You will have your much desired audience after I have my bath." Yui spun around and trotted back to collect a fresh new set of clothes.
Reaching a secluded pond, Yui could have sworn she never saw nature as beautiful as it was now. The lake was breath-taking. Sunlight shined across the lake and the neighboring trees but rainbow was reflected off every surface containing water. She stood there for a full minute just gazing before an amused voice broke her silent appreciation for nature, "Are you coming in?"
Yui turned to see him already settled in the pond, armor discarded neatly beside a neat heap of white set of clothes. Scowling, removed her clothes. Well, she didn't really care if she was stripping in front of him...she shouldn't feel shy, considering he saw her almost naked. Slipping in, Yui allowed herself to moan quietly. Refreshing.
"What is it you wish to address to me?" Yui was almost drunk. She couldn't take how scenic and picturesque it was that absorbing it all one go was all mind-boggling.
"Why are you avoiding me?" Nakago didn't plan to sound bitter but well, it is understandable if it did. Which warrior wanted his priestess to ignore him? Definitely not him. For Yui, it broke her away from the drunk mode and threw her into a fiery state.
"Avoiding you? Hah, don't flatter yourself!" Yui retorted hotly as she glared at the man opposite her. Too bad the pond wasn't big enough, but it was deep enough...Not that she could pull him and drown him. "I was simply not talking to you for there is nothing to talk about!"
"Oh really now? And here I was, thinking you had a lot on your mind! I thought I could carry your burden or at least share them," Nakago matched her unreasonable anger with one of his less explosive ones. Why was she able to draw him to exaggerated anger so fast not even an annoying Tomo can?
Well warriors are supposed to make their priestess feel as comfortable as possible at their expenses. And this include carrying her burdens too, right?
"So someone wants to be knight in shining armor and help the damsel with her burdens?" Yui mocked him yet, her voice was thick with an emotion she didn't yet recognize. "Well I'll tell you something...You can help me remove them by leaving me!" The old her wouldn't want him to go
Both man and lady looked at each other. Both silent, contemplating the short burst of heated argument. Yui panted slightly after shouting at him and looked away guiltily. It shouldn't be his fault, she was carrying the priestess burdens. He gave her a choice. It was her decision to be Seiryuu's priestess.
"I see..." It was hurting to know your priestess was blaming you. Nakago closed his eyes as he submerged a little deeper into the pond.
Earlier that day had unnerved him enough. With Yui's confession,Tomo's nudge, Suboshi's false accusation of him raping Yui and more. There was only so much the Kutou General can take and those were enough to send him snapping...but he controlled himself. It wouldn't do if he started snapping and biting off people's head. He might be a monster but he was not barbaric.
"Hey Nakago," Tomo approached the blond man who sat outside his tent like a guard dog, "Think you've got some free time from your guard duty?"
Strange. Tomo being straight-forward? He can't appear like he suspect something is amiss or if he had heard the conversation.
"What is it?"
"I was thinking...Maybe you and Yui-chan need some time off together alone," Tomo said as he transferred his weight from one leg to the other. "You know, she's got some issues with you and all that...so..."
"And if I am off with her, I trust you will find the last two?"
"Absolutely."
"Then let us meet again in Xi Lang in a month's time...latest."
"Take care of Yui and yourself."
"I will." And they parted ways, the team leaving the leader and priestess.
"Forgive me if I sounded harsh," Nakago climbed out and faced her, "I'll prepare lunch...Take your time, Your Eminence. Excuse me." With that, he dressed up and left Yui alone in the pond. Well, she had some decency to give him courtesy to change into clean clothes without her peeping through the slits of her her hands.
Why did it sound like 'Good-bye, I'm never coming back.' ? How was she going to last without anyone else to talk to? Where was she going to sleep? Oh this she knew, he'd give up his tent for her...then him?
A scream. A strangled cry burst from behind the trees in which Nakago disappeared. Was he in danger? Not possible or maybe she just didn't want to believe. But the scream sounded man enough to her. "Damn it!" A curse. Yui clutched her head in pain as she fought her threatening tears. Was Nakago hurt? One way to find out. She wore her clothes and dashed forward. She jumped over bushes, run around trees, dodged crooked branches and...
In the clearing, she saw an Armour-less Nakago with a cutting knife in one hand. His once white shirt stained and colored with red. His blood, their blood; Whose blood? Yui rushed forward and saw clearly, three brutes had died a rather painful death. Sharp clean slices, a few deeper cuts and a stab in the skull.
"Are you unharmed, Lady?" Nakago controlled himself as he allowed the rage to silent ebb away.
"No and I'm fine thank you. Yourself?"
"Well enough. I'll lead us back to camp."
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Last Author's note: I'm back...well, not regularly yet but officially. I'm finally 15! ((: