Title:  Sweet Love

Author:  Yih

Written:  January 29, 2002

Disclaimer:  All rights are Yu Watase.

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Part 10: Moment of Truth

"Do you know where Hotohori-sama is?" she asked one of his advisors, taking for the longest time to wait for one of them to finish discussing important Konan business matters.  "I've been looking for him everywhere," she babbled, "but I can't seem to find him anywhere." 

"Of course I know where he is," answered his advisor, knowing full well that the emperor would want to see the Priestess of Suzaku, wondering what important matters she wanted to discuss with His Highness. 

"Well, could you tell me then?" she inquired, feeling uncomfortable that the advisor still hadn't answered her simple question. 

"He's in his private gardens.  All Konan matters for the day have been resolved until tomorrow when he'll have to go over them again.  He always goes there after the meetings," responded the advisor.  "All you have to do is follow this path down until you can turn right, see?"  He pointed to where the path turned to the right. 

"Yes, I see," she exclaimed, nearly hugging the man because she was so happy.  Instead, she bowed respectfully, baffling the advisor who should have bowed to her.  He smiled watching her start running toward the gardens, thinking to himself that this Priestess of Suzaku was going to be very good for the emperor. 

Miaka had to run a good deal more than she expected, though the path hadn't looked that far off when she turned right she found she had quite a bit more of a distance to travel.  She finally made it to the impressive looking gardens, reminding her vaguely of the hanging gardens of Babylon from the extravagance and similarity, but she suppose it only suited Hotohori's elegant tastes.  When she opened the door of the garden, she didn't know that she was going to interrupt an important discussion that Hotohori was having with his chief advisor. 

"It's important that we discuss this now, Your Majesty," urged the chief advisor.  "We don't have time to waste.  Information has lead us to believe that all Kutou needs is their Priestess, and if ours has arrived theirs won't take much longer.  Rumor has it Kutou has already gathered all the their seishi." 

"You should have brought the manner up during the council meeting earlier," Hotohori said calmly, though his eyes were flashing indignantly at being disturb during his quiet time where he had been hopefully waiting for Miaka. 

"I would have," explained his chief advisor, "but I thought it was imperative that we discuss this first privately as not to alarm the others.  Some of the advisors are not quite as level headed as I would like, but they come from important families in Konan whose influence the crown needs for continued prosperity." 

"I know," Hotohori agreed, "but still, we have already gathered three Suzaku seishi, there are only four more to go.  I'm sure that once I send out scouts led by Tamahome that our problem with gathering the rest of the seishi will be solved." 

"The Priestess really should lead the expedition.  She needs to know her seishi well and have them trust her for it to work," he advised. 

"It's too dangerous for her," Hotohori replied quickly.  "She's too important for Konan to risk." 

"We would be able to provide her with enough guards that that wouldn't be a problem," counted his chief advisor.  "But I know that's not the reason for your hesitation for sending her out on a mission even with an armed escort accompanied by the two seishi, you have feelings for her, don't you, Your Majesty?" 

Hotohori turned away from him.  "I do," he admitted freely.  "I love her, does it matter to you if I do or not?  Would you risk the one you love?" 

"It does matter to me," his chief advisor stated softly.  "Your mother put me in this position so that I might watch over you when she died.  You know that I'm loyal to you, Your Majesty.  I would give my life to you if it was ever required.  But I just want to offer you this one piece of advise, do you really love her or is it just that you've been dreaming of her for so long that it seems like love?" 

Hotohori's gaze swept back to his advisor and his answer was definite.  "Yes, I know I love her.  And when I saw for the first time, it was then that I knew I could not live without her by my side.  Even though she is the Priestess of Suzaku, I can wait until her duties are done for Konan and when my duties are done so that we can be together." 

The chief advisor nodded his understanding.  "But still, you know that she should go on the expedition to find the other seishi.  It's important that Konan is able to protect itself from Kutou." 

"I know, but I want to keep her safe.  And on the road, it's dangerous, especially if Kutou knows that we have our Priestess," Hotohori replied. 

Miaka could no longer keep her silence.  Hotohori's words had warmed her heart and soul, but she knew what she must do.  She had to… find the rest of the seishi for him.  She wanted to help Hotohori protect his country from the enemy, Kutou.  She'd do anything to help him, even if it meant risking her life. 
"I'll go," she exclaimed.  "I'll go to find the other four seishi." 

"Miaka!" cried out Hotohori, moving quickly over to her.  "What are you doing here?" 

"I was trying to find you," she explained, "but I overheard the conversation.  And it made me realize how important finding the other seishi are for Konan to protect her from Kutou.  I know that you want me to be safe, but if I have an armed guard and Tamahome and Nuriko with me, what can go wrong?" 

"Still," Hotohori began, "the possibilities of dangers unknown and unforeseen are endless and boundless.  There's no way of knowing what could be out there and if Kutou knows that you are the Priestess, nothing will stop her from sending her own seishi out to stop you from gathering the rest of the Suzaku seishi.  Listen to me, Miaka, I'm sure that Tamahome can gather the seishi just as quickly by himself as with you." 

"But," Miaka said with determination, "if I am the Priestess of Suzaku, I should be the one to find all the seishi, shouldn't I?  Isn't that my job as the Priestess of Suzaku to gather all the seishi?" 

"Yes, it's your job," conceded Hotohori. 

"I don't want to make you sad and worry by going," Miaka declared earnestly, "but I want to help you in everyway that I can.  And this is the only what I can help you.  I promise that if there's the slightest danger that I'll come straight back, okay?" 

Hotohori closed his eyes with pain, seeing a flash of what it would be like if Miaka was hurt by imagining that she was leaving him.  But letting her do this, he knew, was going to make her happy because she was doing something for him.  And if there's one thing that he knew even as emperor he could never do was deny Miaka what she wanted.  It wasn't in his heart to refuse her anything that she wanted. 

"Okay," Hotohori answered finally, "you can go find the other four seishi.  But I will send my personal guard with you to protect you along with Tamahome and Nuriko." 

Miaka hugged Hotohori and kissed him on the cheek, making his flush a light pink.  "Thank you, you won't regret this.  And you won't worry or be sad because I know how to take care of myself." 

He smiled back at her, he was counting on that.  And he was counting on Tamahome and Nuriko to take good care of her as well.  He would have to have a talk with them as soon as possible, and he'd personally make sure that only the most loyal men from his personal guard was sent with Miaka, the ones that would die if need be.  He knew exactly who he would send with her.  His life was meaningless without hers. 

Author's Note:  I've been having troubles with this series.  But I'm back now and hopefully the next chapter won't take 9 months to update!  Gomen nasai about that!  I really am sorry, but the story died on me and today it got reborn!  Anyhow, I am going to rewrite the series, but I'm going half/half with it, some will be borrowed from the series and some of it won't.  Some events will change, and others won't.  And that's all that I know of right now!  It may be completely original from this point on, who knows?  It's pretty original from the beginning, just borrowed some scenes and twisted others around, but it works… doesn't it?  Please review!  Those random reviews all these 9 months really prodded me to continue so don't stop!