Chapter 18: Revelations
Somewhere on Mt. Taikyoku in Taiitsukun's palace, a howl of rage echoed down the corridors and through the halls. It shook the dust from the rafters and rattled the numerous wall-hangings.
"I AM GOING TO KILL HIM!!"
Chiriko hid behind Nuriko, peering out around the violet-haired seishi cautiously. "Ano…how long do you think it will be before it's safe to go near Tamahome again?" the boy genius asked.
Nuriko shrugged, casually examining his fingernails, "Who knows?"
The kiss was slow, sensual and…gentle?
For the second time that night, Miaka was frozen in shock. For her, time had ground to a halt and the rest of the world seemed to have faded away. All at once, she was…bewildered. A multitude of emotions swirled around her, spinning, rippling like the colours of an aurora borealis.
There was only Nakago kissing her…with more gentleness than she thought he could ever possess. It was the last thing she expected from him, and the most devastating gift he could give. She felt as though she was floating…caught up in the seductive silken web he had woven.
So warm….
The faint scrape of the door being carefully shut interrupted her dazed musings.
Nakago broke the kiss and rolled off her, eyeing her almost warily. He did not feel like having a red handprint on his face any time soon. The Suzaku no Miko had a very strong right arm…and he'd had the dubious pleasure of making its acquaintance, not once, but twice. "You are not going to try and hit me again, are you?" He lifted an eyebrow at her, mouth twisted into a sardonic smile.
She glared at him balefully, momentarily disoriented by the abruptness with which he'd ended the kiss. She could still feel the warm press of his mouth against her own…could still taste him on her lips. He'd tasted like mint…and it was somehow strangely appropriate; cool and mysterious, like his personality.
"No…" she gave him a pointed look, "But try that again and I will…ANATA," she said with false sweetness. She highly doubted that she would be able to slap him, even if she tried. Miaka suspected that she had been able to hit him those two times in the past only because he had allowed it.
He smirked in the way which never failed to set her teeth on edge and grate on her nerves. It was the equivalent to someone dragging their nails over a chalkboard. "You need not worry, dear wife. I think we have convinced them enough."
With that, he moved to the far edge of the bed and closed his eyes.
Miaka lay wide awake on her side of the bed, thinking about what had just happened. Her cheeks were still flushed from the encounter, and her lips still tingled from his kiss. Breathing in and out deeply, she waited for her frantic heartbeat to calm down.
She had always believed that Nakago was nothing more than a soldier; a master strategist and a brilliant tactician, who was protecting her because of some stupid code of honour which she did not understand.
Yet, a short while ago, his lips and hands as he had cupped her face…had held the innate gentleness of a lover. He had been so gentle, so careful…
As if…as if he had not wanted to hurt me.
She frowned into the darkness, deep in thought.
Her mind went back to that horrible night in the tent in Hokkan. That was the first time he had kissed her. That kiss had been forceful and brutal, roughly taken from her. At the time, he had been the enemy, the evil guy, and he had been about to—
NO! He could have, but he didn't! Miaka told herself fiercely. She had always wondered what had prevented Nakago from raping her. After all, he had only promised Yui that he would not kill her. Raping did not equate to killing…and she would never have been able to summon Suzaku if he had. The Seiryuu side would have won…HE would have won.
Suddenly a thought struck her like an epiphany. Drawing from what she had learnt of his character as a result of being stuck with him, she KNEW that he would never have violated her. Her eyes widened at the revelation. Nakago was many things, cunning, devious, manipulative, and most recently, obnoxious…but he was not the kind who would stoop so low as to commit rape just to accomplish his goals. Everything she had learnt about him pointed to that conclusion, and she wondered why she had not reached it sooner.
She turned her thoughts back to the kiss. It had been…different from the ones she had shared with Tamahome. When she kissed Tamahome, she had felt desire, passion…yearning. When Nakago had kissed her, she should have been alarmed, but all she had felt was a deep level of trust, and a strange sense of security…that everything would be all right…
All at once, it hit her. Deep down, she had known that he was protecting her, and that he would get them through this crisis safely.
She had always known…since the day at the river when he had saved her when she had refused to save herself. Friend, she thought warmly, Maybe a reluctant friend, but one I trust…with my life.
It's so strange, how things have changed. Who would have thought, that I would ever regard Nakago as anything other than an enemy. Yui would be so surprised to see how much Nakago has changed… Sure, he's still an arrogant, conceited jerk with an evil sadistic streak and a twisted sense of humour—er…Did I say that he's changed? Okay…maybe not…
She giggled softly, mind at peace now that she had sorted out the confused tangle of thoughts and emotions. She allowed her eyes to close as exhaustion caught up with her.
The question Tokake had asked suddenly came back to mind. Are you sure you can trust that man?
Miaka smiled serenely, secure in her new-found knowledge. The answer echoed in her mind just as she surrendered to sleep's dark, velvety embrace. Yes, Master Tokake…I'm sure.
On the other side of the bed, Nakago opened his eyes as he felt the calm flow of her chi and knew she had resolved whatever it was which had been bothering her.
Her breathing was deep and rhythmic, and he did not have to look at her to know that she had fallen asleep with a peaceful expression on her face. No bad dreams would haunt her tonight.
"Oyasumi nasai, Suzaku no Miko," an echo of a smile ghosted over his lips.
Notes:
1) Awwww...isn't this sweet? Nakago can be gentle when he wants to be, ne? And Miaka has finally banished her last demon, ie, the "rape" incident in Hokkan. Now that Miaka has resolved all her issues we can now continue with saving the world!
2) Okay, just for clarification purposes...A number of people have asked me "why Miaka?"
It's not that I'm a Miaka fan or anything, mind you. The answer is simply because Miaka is the only one who can summon Suzaku. In addition, I feel that Miaka is also the only one with the capacity to forgive Nakago for everything he has done...fully and unconditionally, because it is in her nature to do so.
