Chapter Two: In which I do some ass-kicking and make a new friend
Well, I'd finally ditched Aunt Sasiko and Uncle Nagumo, and the terror cousins from Hell. I wandered out into the gardens of the palace, shedding my useless and encumbersome articles of clothing here and there, until at last I was in what seemed to me to be a perfectly presentable and simple gown. An undergown, sure, but still perfectly decent. So why did I have to meet the Emperor anyways? Like he really wanted yet another maid flitting around. Was this what people in Konan who didn't want their girls did? Give them to the Emperor? All the more reason to go home as soon as Mother would let me! I was going home soon, so what did it matter? It's not like I had any plans of joining the court. Gods no! Not the court! ACK!
"Stupid Emperor," I muttered. "Stupid Konan. Stupid Nagumo and Sasiko. Stupid palace."
I tripped and fell into a nearby pond, dropping my armful of over expensive clothing.
"STUPID POND!"
I stood and found myself trying to tread very cold water. I brushed my hair out of my eyes and scowled. I gathered my now ruined silks and brocades, and as I climbed out of the pond, Mother's gold comb fell out of my hair and drifted to the murky bottom.
"Oh no! No, no, no!" I cried, reaching down after it.
I missed.
"DAMN!"
I was going to cry in about three seconds.
I hated Konan, I hated the palace, I hated my relatives, I hated the Emperor, and most of all, I HATED THE MORON WHO PUT A POND AT THE END OF AN UNLIT PATH!
I dropped my pile of destroyed apparel and stomped out of the pond, heading for a small lit doorway some forty yards off.
I started crying about halfway there.
I stomped into the dim hallway and slid down along the wall until I was sitting. I grabbed half of my sopping wet, tangled hair, all the fancy flowers and the elaborate style gone, and began haphazardly braiding.
I wanted to go home. Tadashi and I never did get the chance to use our firework supplies.
Tashi would be blowing up small huts by now, and I was missing all the fun!
I was so completely wrapped up in my sulking that I never heard the quiet footsteps come up behind me. In fact I wasn't aware of another's residence in the hallway until I felt a cold, dripping wet hand come down on my shoulder.
"Excuse me--" a voice started. It had a masculine tinge to it.
"ARGH! PERVERT!" I cried, grabbing the hand of the person and flipping him over my head, slamming him into the floor before me. I jumped back as fast as a sitting form can and crouched, daring the guy to even so much as breathe.
I crouched there tensly for a moment, unsure of what to do next.
The guy lifted his arm, cursing, and I saw a glimmer of metal.
I kicked out, sending the weapon skidding across the floor, and the guy crying out in pain. I brought my fists down hard on his face a few times, hooked my leg under him, and slammed him into the wall.
"What the--" he started to say.
I pulled my dagger out of my blouse and lept on top him, pinning the guy to the ground.
"One false move, shitbag, and I slit your throat," I hissed, and for the first time, I got a really good look at my attacker.
I found myself glaring fiercly at the face of a rather well dressed boy, who was probably about my age, maybe a little older. He was really, really, really gorgeous, and despite the thorough beating he had just indured, a stupid looking little boxy hat thing was clinging crookedly and stubbornly to his head. A few strands of long brown hair had escaped and hung limply near his face. I had just realized he was a soaking wet as I was, and a small trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. One beautiful brown eye was turning an ugly shade of purple, and his left cheek was puffing up a little. I was on top of one really beautiful male pervert! And an awfully young one, too.
I blushed.
"That was an interesting dagger trick you have there. Would you mind showing it to me again?"
"SICKO!" I screamed, skewering his stupid little box-hat with said dagger.
His good eye grew wide. The other was swollen pretty much shut.
"I'm very sorry, I meant you no harm. Would you please let me up?"
I greatfully slid off the guy, hiding my relief with an unlady-like scowl.
"Ow," He moaned as he sat up. I noticed the sword lying next to him on the ground. He gingerly touched his swollen cheek with his fingertips and sighed.
"Well, at least it's only a temporary misperfection. I shall mourn it until its passing,"
I arched an eyebrow. Okay, so the guy thinks very highly of himself, and with good reason. That's not quite a reason to kill him and dump his rock-laden, mutilated body in that Gods forsaken pond...yet...
I shuddered when I realized just how much like Tadashi I'd really become. Maybe Mother was right. Maybe I did need a little break form Tir Hoki. My scowl became fiercer.
I watched the guy stand a little unstably, and limp over to where his weapon had flown. He was way over a foot taller than me. I scowled some more.
"You lied! If you really meant me no harm, you wouldn't have pulled a knife on me!" I accused harshly and loudly, wishing my dagger wasn't pinning that awful hat to the tiled floor at the moment.
He picked it up and turned.
"Yep, I lied. How rude of me. But this is a very interesting knife anyways, isn't it?" He asked, holding out his hand. I saw a golden glitter.
"Mother's comb!" I cried, forgetting to be defensive and grabbing it.
"You saw me drop it into the pond, didn't you?And you went in that cold icky water just to get it back for me?"
He respond was a simple nod. I felt my eyes filling with tears.
"I saw you crying and figured it was important to you," he said quietly, rubbing a bruise on his arm.
"Now don't cry, I shouldn't have come up on you like that," he said quickly, looking upset.
"Oh, Gods, and I just beat you up after you were so nice! I'm so sorry!"
I know there were times where I had been much more embarassed, but I couldn't think of any at the moment.
"Here, let me clean your face up a little," I said quietly, ashamed. It was the least I could do for him.
I took his hand as I pulled my dripping handkerchief out of my blouse, bidding him to sit down. He did, and I tried to clean his face as gently as possible.
"What else do you keep in there?" he asked, flinching a little as I wiped at the two cuts on his face and wiped away the blood from his swelling lip.
"The Emperor of Konan," I joked grimly.
He gave me an odd look.
"Alright, truthfully, I keep a fan, a few handkerchiefs, a money purse, and whatever else I need on a band around my chest, under my clothes,"
I explained.
"And the dagger? Does that go in your 'band' too?"
I blushed again.
"It's none of your buisness where that dagger is kept!"
He smiled, then flinched.
"You are a remarkably skilled young woman. What is you name and where did you learn to do that?"
"Loki Keisha, daughter of the late Loki Dario and his wife, Loki Michi, of Tir Hoki. Most people call me Miyoko, though, and how else could I survive living around Tadashi?"
"Can I call you Miyoko? And who's Tadashi?"
"Please do, I won't answer to anything else, and Tashi wa--is my best friend at home in Tir Hoki,"
We were quiet.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"I'm S-Hotohori,"
I waited.
"Just Sotohori? Are you a servant or something?"
"Um, yes and no. I just live here from time to time, and it's Hotohori,"
"Oh. A friend of Emperor Saihitei Seishuku?" I asked, feeling faint.
"You could say that,"
"Oh no! I'm going to be beheaded!" I moaned.
Hotohori frowned.
"Whatever for?"
"My Aunt and Uncle brought me here to present me to the Emperor as a serving maid or something like that, their kind way of saying they don't want me!"
Hotohori nodded.
"I take it you and you relatives don't get along well?"
"You could say that," I muttered.
"Where is your mother?"
"At home, in Tir Hoki,"
"Why did she send you to be with them if they don't like you?"
I paused.
"I don't know. I think she may be ill," I said quietly.
"Oh, I see. I'm sorry,"
I bit my bottom lip.
"I just hope that when she calls me home, the Emperor will let me go,"
"He will, don't worry,"
"How do you know?"
"I just do,"
"I'll bet he won't,"
"I'll bet he will,"
He laughed suddenly.
"Fine, say that he will," I said, slightly annoyed.
"If I'm right, and I don't get to go home soon, you, um...y-you have to refer to yourself in the--uh-- p-plural form forever more!"
He laughed.
"And if you do get to go home soon, you and your mother and Tadashi have to come back and stay with me in the palace!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
We both started laughing.
I took the handkerchief and dabbed at his face a little more.
"I am sorry,"
"As I said, It's only temporary, luckily for you,"
Then Hotohori saw his ugly hat.
"Oh dear. I was fond of this," he lamented, pulling the dagger out of the floor and retrieving his mauled box.
"Why? It's as ugly as--"
"MIYOKO! MIYOKO, WHERE ARE YOU?"
I grimaced.
"Oh no!"
"What?" asked Hotohori, standing to join me in looking nervously out into the garden. Hotohori was so tall I barely cleared his elbow. I didn't really have time to sulk about this now, though.
"Miyoko! It's time to go before Emperor Saihitei!"
"Oh NO!" I cried, looking down at my muddy, dripping underdress and ratty, half-dried hair.
"Maybe our bet won't stand after all,"
"Why is that? And who is calling you?"
"Because the Emperor will take one look at me and throw us all in the dungeon for playing such a mean trick on him! And that's Dariko,"
"Loki Dariko?"
"Yes," I moaned.
"Oh, you poor girl. I have the misfortune of knowing her as well,"
"Oh?"
"MIYOKO!"
"Ug. I have to go,"
"Wait! I can see right through your dress! You can't go to court like that!"
"I have no choice!" I exclaimed back, crossing my arms over my chest just in case he really could see through my clothing.
"Loki Dariko! Tell you parents that Loki Miyoko is with me and will be presented before the Imperial Court shortly!" Hotohori called in a booming, official sounding voice.
To my shock, snippy little Dariko stood stock still, bowed and ran back into the palace proper.
"Whoa! I wish I could do that! How did you do that?!"
Hotohori chuckled.
"I do a pretty mean Saihitei Seishuku impersonation," he said, smiling a little.
"You're good enough friends with an Emperor to be able to impersonate him and not get in trouble?"
"Um...yes..."
"WOW! THAT IS SO NEAT!" I cried, almost jumping up and down with delight. Maybe Hotohori could get me out of this! I sent up a silent prayer that maybe he could.
"Yes...well...come on, we have to get you cleaned up before you are brought before the court,"
We had walked into a small room where several serving maids stood around looking nervous.
"Oh! Your --mrmpherpph!" A girl started, silenced as Hotohori put his hand over her mouth.
"Dress her," Hotohori said off handedly.
"Your face!" cried another one.
"A mishap on the stairs, nothing more," Hothori said, and winked at me.
They rushed into motion.
"Umm...are these all girls like me?"
"Yes,"
"Why are there so many?"
"His Majesty never turns a person like these girls away,"
"Why?"
"Where else would they go? Most of them are unwanted and would be put to death,"
"I don't think I like Konan very much," I muttered.
On of the maids near me looked from Hotohori to me, and then passed out.
"Ummm...."
"Someone take care of her," Hotohori said, looking concerned.
Five girls rushed to their fallen contemporary.
Something fishy was going on here.
"Well, I must go. Someone will escort you to the Emperor in due time,"
He turned and started to leave.
"Wait! Hotohor-OW!" I cried as one of the girls dressing my hair tugged a little too hard.
He was gone. Damn. It had almost felt like I had a friend there for a moment. Oh well.
Z
By the time I reached the throne room, I had been dressed, wrapped, combed, twisted, painted, powdered and adorned to a nearly royal perfection. I was tired and dizzy and wanted to go home more than ever. I was also aware of the fact that I hadn't eaten a thing in two days. So I was feeling rather weak as I faced the entrance to the throne room of doom. As I entered I heard titters of how beautiful I was, blah, blah, blah, and I got even more angry than before. Didn't these people know it wasn't me who was beautiful, it was the powder and paint and silk and jewelry? Was that all these people saw? I resisted the urge to scowl.
Someone announced Uncle Nagumo and Aunt Saskio, and I was led to kneel stiffly before the Emperor and stare at the ground with closed eyes until he decided whether or not I could stay.
Well, now I was dressed better than anyone in my family with me, dripping with gold and jade, dressed in blazing gold and scarlet, and my hair was done so elaboratly I could hardly keep balance, because let's face it, I have a lot of hair. Aunt Sasiko and Dariko looked really pissed. Before I knelt, I tucked Mother's comb into the pile of hair and flowers on my head, hoping that Hotohori was somewhere in the throne room, watching me. That thought was comforting.
I heard the Emperor talking rather boredly to Uncle Nagumo.
I wished it was really Hotohori up there doing an Emperor impersonation, and not the real Emperor. He was propbably some old, bald drooling toothless fogey with lots of money and a nice voi--
"Pardon me, your Majesty, but what has happened to your face?"
My eyes snapped open. I felt nautious suddenly.
No, it couldn't be that Hotohori--no! That was insanity! I was hearing things!
Wasn't I? Oh, please say I was hearing things!
"Nothing to concern you, Lord Nagumo, I took a rather nasty fall down the steps in the garden. You niece helped me, as a matter of fact,"
"WHAT?!" Aunt Sasiko cried. Now I was seriously ill. I bit my lip.
I glanced up to the throne to see Hotohori settled comfortably, in flowing golden robes and a new ugly little box hat. His non-swollen eye smiled at me, but his face was stern.
Oh, Gods help me! I beat up the Emperor! I gave a weak little cry of fear and then
I passed out.
I awoke to see two of Hotohori's distorted and concerned faces over me, as well as those of a few advisors and other members of the court. Eventually my vision was clear again, and Hotohori had me helped to a chair nearby. He commanded me to sit and then stood before his throne, even though everyone else in the room practically had their noses crushed into the ground.
Aunt Saskio was screeching out things like: "Oh, don't help that wretch! Did she trip you, or push you?"
"Hotohori!? You're the Emperor!? I beat up the Emperor? I beat up the Emperor!" I cried in a panicky whisper. No one paid any attention to me. They were all too busy counting the stitches in the rugs that their faces were pressed into, or so it seemed.
"Yes. I didn't want to tell you because I knew you'd treat me differently. I wanted to be your friend. I don't have many friends, you know," he whispered back. No one noticed that, either.
"I knew she was an uncultured ruffian, Your Majesty! I should never have brought her to the palace! Your Majes-"
"Lady Sasiko, stop your mindless babbling. I fell down the stairs leading to the garden. Lady Miyoko was in the garden, saw me fall, and assited me back to the palace.
"Miyoko is no lady. Why did you fall, Your Majesty?" Dariko inquired sourly, as usual.
"I was overcome by Lady Miyoko's overwhelming beauty. I could not stay on my feet. I had just come out the door when I saw her kneeling by the pond in a glow of moonlight. Crystal tears fell from her lovely eyes, her raven hair flowing with flowers to put even my gardens to shame, her rose lips so soft, her gentle hands reaching through the water to touch a lily...Why, she is almost as lovely as myself,"
I choked back a howl of laughter. He was enjoying this way too much. The court advisors were looking at each other in confusion.
"That plain old burlap bag of a girl? She's beautiful and my lovely Dariko is not? You notice a poor country cousin and not my flower of the court?" Aunt Sasiko cried angrily.
"Lady Sasiko! I would trust you to speak of such other worldly beauty more gently!" Hotohori cried.
I sqeaked and bit my lip. Unworldly beauty? Yeah, maybe if he was picturing himself...!
My Aunt flushed crimson and muttered an apology.
Dariko was furious and glared at me.
I couldn't stand it anymore.
I burst out laughing. He was so full of it! I couldn't believe the court was buying this! I laughed and laughed and laughed, until tears streamed down my face. After a long struggle Hotohori laughed with me, only a lot more quietly and trying to hide his face with his hand.
He stuttered an apology to my relatives as he laughed. My stomach hurt horribly from laughing so hard. Me? Almost as beautiful as him? Uh huh. If anyone believed that one, I had a temple in Tir Hoki I'd gladly sell them! For free!
The court was in an uproar. No one knew what to do. Dariko was bawling. My other cousins were laughing at her, Aunt Sasiko was yelling at Uncle Nagumo, who was yelling back. Little Arishiko ran up to me and crawled in my lap, sucking her fingers.
Hotohori and I continued laughing. The advisors argued with each other, Lords rushed about and argued, and Ladies tittered and gasped behind their fans.
In the midst of the melee, however, I saw a face that knocked the laughter right out of me. A tall, thin, pale man with straight, jet black hair and large, glowing black eyes stood in the shadows of a doorway and stared at me from behind a fan.
As I stared at him, another pang of dizziness struck me.
The man put me in mind of a poisonous viper: beautiful, yet deadly.
I did not trust that man. Not one bit.
Well, I'd finally ditched Aunt Sasiko and Uncle Nagumo, and the terror cousins from Hell. I wandered out into the gardens of the palace, shedding my useless and encumbersome articles of clothing here and there, until at last I was in what seemed to me to be a perfectly presentable and simple gown. An undergown, sure, but still perfectly decent. So why did I have to meet the Emperor anyways? Like he really wanted yet another maid flitting around. Was this what people in Konan who didn't want their girls did? Give them to the Emperor? All the more reason to go home as soon as Mother would let me! I was going home soon, so what did it matter? It's not like I had any plans of joining the court. Gods no! Not the court! ACK!
"Stupid Emperor," I muttered. "Stupid Konan. Stupid Nagumo and Sasiko. Stupid palace."
I tripped and fell into a nearby pond, dropping my armful of over expensive clothing.
"STUPID POND!"
I stood and found myself trying to tread very cold water. I brushed my hair out of my eyes and scowled. I gathered my now ruined silks and brocades, and as I climbed out of the pond, Mother's gold comb fell out of my hair and drifted to the murky bottom.
"Oh no! No, no, no!" I cried, reaching down after it.
I missed.
"DAMN!"
I was going to cry in about three seconds.
I hated Konan, I hated the palace, I hated my relatives, I hated the Emperor, and most of all, I HATED THE MORON WHO PUT A POND AT THE END OF AN UNLIT PATH!
I dropped my pile of destroyed apparel and stomped out of the pond, heading for a small lit doorway some forty yards off.
I started crying about halfway there.
I stomped into the dim hallway and slid down along the wall until I was sitting. I grabbed half of my sopping wet, tangled hair, all the fancy flowers and the elaborate style gone, and began haphazardly braiding.
I wanted to go home. Tadashi and I never did get the chance to use our firework supplies.
Tashi would be blowing up small huts by now, and I was missing all the fun!
I was so completely wrapped up in my sulking that I never heard the quiet footsteps come up behind me. In fact I wasn't aware of another's residence in the hallway until I felt a cold, dripping wet hand come down on my shoulder.
"Excuse me--" a voice started. It had a masculine tinge to it.
"ARGH! PERVERT!" I cried, grabbing the hand of the person and flipping him over my head, slamming him into the floor before me. I jumped back as fast as a sitting form can and crouched, daring the guy to even so much as breathe.
I crouched there tensly for a moment, unsure of what to do next.
The guy lifted his arm, cursing, and I saw a glimmer of metal.
I kicked out, sending the weapon skidding across the floor, and the guy crying out in pain. I brought my fists down hard on his face a few times, hooked my leg under him, and slammed him into the wall.
"What the--" he started to say.
I pulled my dagger out of my blouse and lept on top him, pinning the guy to the ground.
"One false move, shitbag, and I slit your throat," I hissed, and for the first time, I got a really good look at my attacker.
I found myself glaring fiercly at the face of a rather well dressed boy, who was probably about my age, maybe a little older. He was really, really, really gorgeous, and despite the thorough beating he had just indured, a stupid looking little boxy hat thing was clinging crookedly and stubbornly to his head. A few strands of long brown hair had escaped and hung limply near his face. I had just realized he was a soaking wet as I was, and a small trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. One beautiful brown eye was turning an ugly shade of purple, and his left cheek was puffing up a little. I was on top of one really beautiful male pervert! And an awfully young one, too.
I blushed.
"That was an interesting dagger trick you have there. Would you mind showing it to me again?"
"SICKO!" I screamed, skewering his stupid little box-hat with said dagger.
His good eye grew wide. The other was swollen pretty much shut.
"I'm very sorry, I meant you no harm. Would you please let me up?"
I greatfully slid off the guy, hiding my relief with an unlady-like scowl.
"Ow," He moaned as he sat up. I noticed the sword lying next to him on the ground. He gingerly touched his swollen cheek with his fingertips and sighed.
"Well, at least it's only a temporary misperfection. I shall mourn it until its passing,"
I arched an eyebrow. Okay, so the guy thinks very highly of himself, and with good reason. That's not quite a reason to kill him and dump his rock-laden, mutilated body in that Gods forsaken pond...yet...
I shuddered when I realized just how much like Tadashi I'd really become. Maybe Mother was right. Maybe I did need a little break form Tir Hoki. My scowl became fiercer.
I watched the guy stand a little unstably, and limp over to where his weapon had flown. He was way over a foot taller than me. I scowled some more.
"You lied! If you really meant me no harm, you wouldn't have pulled a knife on me!" I accused harshly and loudly, wishing my dagger wasn't pinning that awful hat to the tiled floor at the moment.
He picked it up and turned.
"Yep, I lied. How rude of me. But this is a very interesting knife anyways, isn't it?" He asked, holding out his hand. I saw a golden glitter.
"Mother's comb!" I cried, forgetting to be defensive and grabbing it.
"You saw me drop it into the pond, didn't you?And you went in that cold icky water just to get it back for me?"
He respond was a simple nod. I felt my eyes filling with tears.
"I saw you crying and figured it was important to you," he said quietly, rubbing a bruise on his arm.
"Now don't cry, I shouldn't have come up on you like that," he said quickly, looking upset.
"Oh, Gods, and I just beat you up after you were so nice! I'm so sorry!"
I know there were times where I had been much more embarassed, but I couldn't think of any at the moment.
"Here, let me clean your face up a little," I said quietly, ashamed. It was the least I could do for him.
I took his hand as I pulled my dripping handkerchief out of my blouse, bidding him to sit down. He did, and I tried to clean his face as gently as possible.
"What else do you keep in there?" he asked, flinching a little as I wiped at the two cuts on his face and wiped away the blood from his swelling lip.
"The Emperor of Konan," I joked grimly.
He gave me an odd look.
"Alright, truthfully, I keep a fan, a few handkerchiefs, a money purse, and whatever else I need on a band around my chest, under my clothes,"
I explained.
"And the dagger? Does that go in your 'band' too?"
I blushed again.
"It's none of your buisness where that dagger is kept!"
He smiled, then flinched.
"You are a remarkably skilled young woman. What is you name and where did you learn to do that?"
"Loki Keisha, daughter of the late Loki Dario and his wife, Loki Michi, of Tir Hoki. Most people call me Miyoko, though, and how else could I survive living around Tadashi?"
"Can I call you Miyoko? And who's Tadashi?"
"Please do, I won't answer to anything else, and Tashi wa--is my best friend at home in Tir Hoki,"
We were quiet.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"I'm S-Hotohori,"
I waited.
"Just Sotohori? Are you a servant or something?"
"Um, yes and no. I just live here from time to time, and it's Hotohori,"
"Oh. A friend of Emperor Saihitei Seishuku?" I asked, feeling faint.
"You could say that,"
"Oh no! I'm going to be beheaded!" I moaned.
Hotohori frowned.
"Whatever for?"
"My Aunt and Uncle brought me here to present me to the Emperor as a serving maid or something like that, their kind way of saying they don't want me!"
Hotohori nodded.
"I take it you and you relatives don't get along well?"
"You could say that," I muttered.
"Where is your mother?"
"At home, in Tir Hoki,"
"Why did she send you to be with them if they don't like you?"
I paused.
"I don't know. I think she may be ill," I said quietly.
"Oh, I see. I'm sorry,"
I bit my bottom lip.
"I just hope that when she calls me home, the Emperor will let me go,"
"He will, don't worry,"
"How do you know?"
"I just do,"
"I'll bet he won't,"
"I'll bet he will,"
He laughed suddenly.
"Fine, say that he will," I said, slightly annoyed.
"If I'm right, and I don't get to go home soon, you, um...y-you have to refer to yourself in the--uh-- p-plural form forever more!"
He laughed.
"And if you do get to go home soon, you and your mother and Tadashi have to come back and stay with me in the palace!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
We both started laughing.
I took the handkerchief and dabbed at his face a little more.
"I am sorry,"
"As I said, It's only temporary, luckily for you,"
Then Hotohori saw his ugly hat.
"Oh dear. I was fond of this," he lamented, pulling the dagger out of the floor and retrieving his mauled box.
"Why? It's as ugly as--"
"MIYOKO! MIYOKO, WHERE ARE YOU?"
I grimaced.
"Oh no!"
"What?" asked Hotohori, standing to join me in looking nervously out into the garden. Hotohori was so tall I barely cleared his elbow. I didn't really have time to sulk about this now, though.
"Miyoko! It's time to go before Emperor Saihitei!"
"Oh NO!" I cried, looking down at my muddy, dripping underdress and ratty, half-dried hair.
"Maybe our bet won't stand after all,"
"Why is that? And who is calling you?"
"Because the Emperor will take one look at me and throw us all in the dungeon for playing such a mean trick on him! And that's Dariko,"
"Loki Dariko?"
"Yes," I moaned.
"Oh, you poor girl. I have the misfortune of knowing her as well,"
"Oh?"
"MIYOKO!"
"Ug. I have to go,"
"Wait! I can see right through your dress! You can't go to court like that!"
"I have no choice!" I exclaimed back, crossing my arms over my chest just in case he really could see through my clothing.
"Loki Dariko! Tell you parents that Loki Miyoko is with me and will be presented before the Imperial Court shortly!" Hotohori called in a booming, official sounding voice.
To my shock, snippy little Dariko stood stock still, bowed and ran back into the palace proper.
"Whoa! I wish I could do that! How did you do that?!"
Hotohori chuckled.
"I do a pretty mean Saihitei Seishuku impersonation," he said, smiling a little.
"You're good enough friends with an Emperor to be able to impersonate him and not get in trouble?"
"Um...yes..."
"WOW! THAT IS SO NEAT!" I cried, almost jumping up and down with delight. Maybe Hotohori could get me out of this! I sent up a silent prayer that maybe he could.
"Yes...well...come on, we have to get you cleaned up before you are brought before the court,"
We had walked into a small room where several serving maids stood around looking nervous.
"Oh! Your --mrmpherpph!" A girl started, silenced as Hotohori put his hand over her mouth.
"Dress her," Hotohori said off handedly.
"Your face!" cried another one.
"A mishap on the stairs, nothing more," Hothori said, and winked at me.
They rushed into motion.
"Umm...are these all girls like me?"
"Yes,"
"Why are there so many?"
"His Majesty never turns a person like these girls away,"
"Why?"
"Where else would they go? Most of them are unwanted and would be put to death,"
"I don't think I like Konan very much," I muttered.
On of the maids near me looked from Hotohori to me, and then passed out.
"Ummm...."
"Someone take care of her," Hotohori said, looking concerned.
Five girls rushed to their fallen contemporary.
Something fishy was going on here.
"Well, I must go. Someone will escort you to the Emperor in due time,"
He turned and started to leave.
"Wait! Hotohor-OW!" I cried as one of the girls dressing my hair tugged a little too hard.
He was gone. Damn. It had almost felt like I had a friend there for a moment. Oh well.
Z
By the time I reached the throne room, I had been dressed, wrapped, combed, twisted, painted, powdered and adorned to a nearly royal perfection. I was tired and dizzy and wanted to go home more than ever. I was also aware of the fact that I hadn't eaten a thing in two days. So I was feeling rather weak as I faced the entrance to the throne room of doom. As I entered I heard titters of how beautiful I was, blah, blah, blah, and I got even more angry than before. Didn't these people know it wasn't me who was beautiful, it was the powder and paint and silk and jewelry? Was that all these people saw? I resisted the urge to scowl.
Someone announced Uncle Nagumo and Aunt Saskio, and I was led to kneel stiffly before the Emperor and stare at the ground with closed eyes until he decided whether or not I could stay.
Well, now I was dressed better than anyone in my family with me, dripping with gold and jade, dressed in blazing gold and scarlet, and my hair was done so elaboratly I could hardly keep balance, because let's face it, I have a lot of hair. Aunt Sasiko and Dariko looked really pissed. Before I knelt, I tucked Mother's comb into the pile of hair and flowers on my head, hoping that Hotohori was somewhere in the throne room, watching me. That thought was comforting.
I heard the Emperor talking rather boredly to Uncle Nagumo.
I wished it was really Hotohori up there doing an Emperor impersonation, and not the real Emperor. He was propbably some old, bald drooling toothless fogey with lots of money and a nice voi--
"Pardon me, your Majesty, but what has happened to your face?"
My eyes snapped open. I felt nautious suddenly.
No, it couldn't be that Hotohori--no! That was insanity! I was hearing things!
Wasn't I? Oh, please say I was hearing things!
"Nothing to concern you, Lord Nagumo, I took a rather nasty fall down the steps in the garden. You niece helped me, as a matter of fact,"
"WHAT?!" Aunt Sasiko cried. Now I was seriously ill. I bit my lip.
I glanced up to the throne to see Hotohori settled comfortably, in flowing golden robes and a new ugly little box hat. His non-swollen eye smiled at me, but his face was stern.
Oh, Gods help me! I beat up the Emperor! I gave a weak little cry of fear and then
I passed out.
I awoke to see two of Hotohori's distorted and concerned faces over me, as well as those of a few advisors and other members of the court. Eventually my vision was clear again, and Hotohori had me helped to a chair nearby. He commanded me to sit and then stood before his throne, even though everyone else in the room practically had their noses crushed into the ground.
Aunt Saskio was screeching out things like: "Oh, don't help that wretch! Did she trip you, or push you?"
"Hotohori!? You're the Emperor!? I beat up the Emperor? I beat up the Emperor!" I cried in a panicky whisper. No one paid any attention to me. They were all too busy counting the stitches in the rugs that their faces were pressed into, or so it seemed.
"Yes. I didn't want to tell you because I knew you'd treat me differently. I wanted to be your friend. I don't have many friends, you know," he whispered back. No one noticed that, either.
"I knew she was an uncultured ruffian, Your Majesty! I should never have brought her to the palace! Your Majes-"
"Lady Sasiko, stop your mindless babbling. I fell down the stairs leading to the garden. Lady Miyoko was in the garden, saw me fall, and assited me back to the palace.
"Miyoko is no lady. Why did you fall, Your Majesty?" Dariko inquired sourly, as usual.
"I was overcome by Lady Miyoko's overwhelming beauty. I could not stay on my feet. I had just come out the door when I saw her kneeling by the pond in a glow of moonlight. Crystal tears fell from her lovely eyes, her raven hair flowing with flowers to put even my gardens to shame, her rose lips so soft, her gentle hands reaching through the water to touch a lily...Why, she is almost as lovely as myself,"
I choked back a howl of laughter. He was enjoying this way too much. The court advisors were looking at each other in confusion.
"That plain old burlap bag of a girl? She's beautiful and my lovely Dariko is not? You notice a poor country cousin and not my flower of the court?" Aunt Sasiko cried angrily.
"Lady Sasiko! I would trust you to speak of such other worldly beauty more gently!" Hotohori cried.
I sqeaked and bit my lip. Unworldly beauty? Yeah, maybe if he was picturing himself...!
My Aunt flushed crimson and muttered an apology.
Dariko was furious and glared at me.
I couldn't stand it anymore.
I burst out laughing. He was so full of it! I couldn't believe the court was buying this! I laughed and laughed and laughed, until tears streamed down my face. After a long struggle Hotohori laughed with me, only a lot more quietly and trying to hide his face with his hand.
He stuttered an apology to my relatives as he laughed. My stomach hurt horribly from laughing so hard. Me? Almost as beautiful as him? Uh huh. If anyone believed that one, I had a temple in Tir Hoki I'd gladly sell them! For free!
The court was in an uproar. No one knew what to do. Dariko was bawling. My other cousins were laughing at her, Aunt Sasiko was yelling at Uncle Nagumo, who was yelling back. Little Arishiko ran up to me and crawled in my lap, sucking her fingers.
Hotohori and I continued laughing. The advisors argued with each other, Lords rushed about and argued, and Ladies tittered and gasped behind their fans.
In the midst of the melee, however, I saw a face that knocked the laughter right out of me. A tall, thin, pale man with straight, jet black hair and large, glowing black eyes stood in the shadows of a doorway and stared at me from behind a fan.
As I stared at him, another pang of dizziness struck me.
The man put me in mind of a poisonous viper: beautiful, yet deadly.
I did not trust that man. Not one bit.
