Miaka and Tamahome had been married for a month now, still lived on the palace grounds a small villa just a small distance from Hotohori's quarters. Tamahome had changed he was no longer the man miaka fell in love,he was so cold and so posessive it was unbearable. Tomahome was dangerously jealous now.

~ In their room~

"Miaka! I thought I told you not talk with other men!" Miaka shrank back "Tamahome please why are you acting like this?" Tomahome was enraged "How dare you question your husband you unloyal wench." With a sickening crack Miaka fell to the floor and brought a shaky hand to her cheek which was now red and stinging "B-but Tamahome it was only Tasuki, He is our friend" Tamahome grabbed her by the collar of her school uniform " Is he just a friend! Miaka!? I seen the way you look at them Miaka, you have thoughts and dreams about them don't you!" He screamed at her "N-no Tamahome it isn't like that please your hurting me "

"Hurting you? this is nothing compared to how much your gonna be hurting " He tightened his grip on her neck till she was gasping for breath, she was then slammed against the wall "If i ever see you next to another man again I swear I will kill them do you hear me!!" He shouted as the tears streamed down her face and over his hands. He dropped her to the floor and stormed out of the room to go to the city for his daily business Miaka picked her self up "Oh God Tamahome " she whispered when she saw her reflection in the mirror she had hand marks around her throat. her pale cheek bruised but that was only the beginning. You see he had done this before she had bruises all over her body, her arms, and her back as well as her stomach. She just couldn't understand what had happened He had been acting so strange it had been like he was back under the kodoku. Her body couldn't take it anymore a few days before he had beaten her so badly she had to be treated by mitsukake. Tomahome lied telling him that she was attacked in the city. She knew Chichiri and Nuriko had their doubts. "What happened to the man i loved the man i married? " she asked her shattered reflection. Just as a knock came from the door,she choked down her sob "who is it?" she asked in her best fake happy voice. This man was not fooled "Its me priestess" the man answered "Please" she begged "Go away I can't talk with you any more" she called to the man, yet she so desperately wanted to tell him about how much her feelings had changed. That she really wanted him now and came to love him more then she loved tamahome. If Tamahome found out he would abuse her even worst

Hotohori could feel this in his heart. He opened the door and shut it quietly behind him. " I am sorry Miaka but I must see you I have heard rumors of what goes on in my......." He trailed of at the sight of Miaka her clothes tattered and her bruise as clear as day. " Miaka? what happend here? who did this to you?" She couldn't answer but couldn't bring herself to tell him. He had wrapped his arms around her fragile body 'oh how long I have wanted to hold you.. but why did it have to be like this?' he thought. "chichiri! please come here and bring mitsukake" The emperor commanded the blue haired monk appeared out of his little straw hat "what happened to miaka?.... I bet it was Tomahome again Ya know!" he quikly returned with mitskake to heal miaka. Hotohori looked to Chichiri "can you show me what happened?"

"sure thing ya know!" he placeda small mirror in hotohori's hand like the one tightsukune had the mirror tunred black as Chichiri chanted images filled the small object of all the times Tamahome had beaten her. Hotohori gasped in horror "No more by the gods I have seen enough" He Turned the mirror away in pure hatred and shock. He could not believe the Images he had witnessed. Embracing Miaka he whispered " I am so sorry I never knew, why did you hide it?, I could have helped you if i had only seen this before " she whispered into his ear "Its not your fault I never told you hotohori " she turned to the others "Can you all please leave I would like to rest " Hotohori was about to leave, "wait" she called to him " I don't want to be alone can I stay wiht you?" she was blushing but also very frightened. Hotohori looked at her with sad eyes 'How I wish you could stay with me forever' but he simply answered "Of course you can priestess Tamahome will be punished once he returns" Hotohori picked up Miaka and carried her to his chambers where he placed her on the bed pulling up a chair to sit by her side. Miaka looked down "Hotohori I must confess... I mean I think you should know ..I-I- I love you m-m- more then Tamahome" she whispered as she leaned against him "Oh Miaka" He Embraced her lovingly then he layed beside her on the bed wrapping a protective arm around her waist "I love you I have always loved you" hePlaced a butterfly kiss on her forehead. The beautiful moment was interupted when Tomahomes angry voice thundered through the palace "MIAKA!!!!!"

TBC that is if i get at least 10 reviews (and yes I know my grammar sucks ~.~) Mistress fire angel