Title: Sweet Love (6)

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 ^_~.