Title: Sweet Love
(6)
Author: Yih
Written: April 2001
Dedication: To the following
Reviewers- dragonlady, Terri Lee Kelly, Princess Marlene, michan, Jennifer,
may, Lavender, Empress_Miaka_Yuuki, SailorCereCere, Moon Angel, Jen-chan, tina,
Usagi Tsukino, Spirt of Cosmos, Sailor Wolfie, Rymsie, Iona, Stormligh,
Celestial Phoenix, and Mystasia!
Wow! Keep up the
great reviewing!
Disclaimer: All
rights are exclusively Yu Watase.
Part 6: Trials of
Love
I love him, thought Miaka in a sense of panic. But he loves somebody else. I'm so stupid, he loves someone who's probably
divinely beautiful. And I'm just short
and childish in looks, no matter what he said!
Why would he even like me? I'm
just a stupid Priestess of Suzaku that can't do anything right. I mean I nearly got myself killed earlier
today, and if Hotohori hadn't--hadn't protected me, I would have been crushed
to death. But why did he do that?
He's probably just doing it because I'll supposedly save
his empire!
"Move aside," enuciated Hotohori clearly.
"No," answered Tamahome again. "I'm not letting you get to hurt her anymore. I don't know what you did to her, but you
had her near tears. I haven't seen her
cry through any disastrous situation, so you must have done something
extraordinary to bring her near tears!
If you don't tell me what you did to make her run away from you like
that, you aren't going to get pass me."
"It's none of your business," Hotohori retorted. He tried to move past Tamahome, but Tamahome
kept true to his word, he wasn't going to let Hotohori get past him until
Hotohori told him what had made Miaka so upset.
"Give me a reason to let you pass," Tamahome warned, "or
else I won't let you pass."
"I love her," Hotohori replied.
"That doesn't explain why she was crying."
"I was trying to confess my love for her!" cried out
Hotohori exasperatedly. "But she ran
away from me before I could say anything!
I don't see why she'd be so upset!
Unless--unless she thought that I was talking about another woman! I'm such a fool! That must be it! Why
can't I make things more clear? I
should have told her in the beginning that it was she that I was referring
to!"
Tamahome tried to control the emotional whirl of jealousy
surging through his system. His voice
came out gruff as he asked, "what exactly did you say to her to lead her to
believe that it was another woman and not her?"
Hotohori glanced at Tamahome through weary, sad eyes and
inquired instead, "I have given you my reason for why Miaka ran from me. Now, will you let me pass or not?"
"The problem is that I need to know whether she ran from you
because she thought it was another woman or because she knew it was she that
you were referring to but didn't want to turn you down in front of your face,"
answered Tamahome.
"And why you need to know that?" asked Hotohori through
perceptive eyes.
"Because I love her, too."
"Priestess?" murmured a soft, feminine voice.
"Wa--yes?!" said Miaka as she stumbled to the door of her
room. "Who is it?"
"Nuriko."
"Come in!" exclaimed Miaka.
"Is something wrong?"
"Yes," Nuriko responded sharply. "Something is very wrong."
"What is it, then?"
Nuriko sat down on the rosewood chair and glanced at
Miaka. "It's you."
"What?"
"You're the problem to my problems," Nuriko muttered.
"How am I the problem to your problems?" asked Miaka in
confusion.
"I love Hotohori. I
was meant to be with Hotohori," explained Nuriko. "But your mysterious appearance has dazzled him into believing
that you're the one he should be with.
That's just wrong! I've been
waiting in the Seraglio for years, just for him! And all you do is come here and he is taken by you!"
"You're wrong!" cried out Miaka. "He loves you! He told
me tonight--this very evening! It had
to be you…"
"Was it really?" Nuriko asked in amazement. "Maybe I was wrong then… I mean, how could he want you over me? I am so much more beautiful and suited to be
his Empress than you are. You are after
all the Prietess of Suzaku."
Miaka was slightly speechless from this girl's lack of
humility.
"And I've been prepared in the Seraglio as one of the likely
candidantes to possibly be the Empress.
It's just really comforting that he has come to his right senses. I mean, you know absolutely nothing of what
it takes to be in that Royal position.
Do you?" she asked and when Miaka shook her head, she continued, "it's
been my dream since I first saw Hotohori year ago to be his Empress. He needs someone like me, so he'll never be
lonely again."
"Well, he told me that he loved you," said Miaka
quietly.
"I'm so surprised you would tell me that…" trailed off
Nuriko. "Because I was so sure that you
were jealous of the relationship that Hotohori and I have build today."
"I'm not. I wish you
great luck as his Empress!"
But I wish that I was in your position and not in the one
that I'm in.
"Tell Hotohori, if you see him that I wish to speak with him
okay?"
"Sure. Sure,"
replied Miaka absently.
"I'm not surprised," Hotohori finally responded. "I could tell, you know."
"I'm sure you could."
"Do you think she loves you?" Hotohori inquired
curiously.
"I don't know. Do
you think she loves you?"
"I don't know."
"It seems that both of our answers are the same," murmured
Tamahome in bitter amusement.
"I wish I knew though."
"Don't we all?"
"I've loved her since before I can remember. I've heard stories about how the Priestess
of Suzaku would descend from another world to save Konan. It never ocurred to me that she would come
in my lifetime, even though I am one of her Celestial Warriors. I had yearned for her to come though because
if she came, it seemed that she would be the answer to my problems," Hotohori
confessed.
"What problems?
You're the Emperor; you have everything you need!" exclaimed
Tamahome.
"It's a solitary life, Tamahome. I've always been alone."
"I think poverty is worse," bit out Tamahome.
"I'd rather be hungry than to be so alone--so isolated."
"I'm sorry you feel that way," Tamahome responded. "But I can't really sympathize with an
Emperor."
"Will you let me pass?" asked Hotohori tiredly.
"Let me talk to Miaka first."
Author's Note: Please read my Nakago x Soi fic, it's
so different that you just might like it.
It's called Between Heaven and Hell ^_~.