Disclaimer: I don't own FY or the character that killed Tamahome.

~Thanks for reviewing so quickly and so much! 30 reviews!! Yay!!! I could get 100+ if I had everyone and their grandmothers (or not) as suspects. But just between me and you, only the Suzaku seishi are involved. The Seiryuu seishi have their own problems. ~

Chapter Four: Hotohori

By: omni82

Hotohori crossed the elegant carpets, striding like a king- no a God. Houki wishes she didn't have to do this. Hotohori-sama was so noble, so pure that he surely was not a viable candidate for murder. Nevertheless, he had to be questioned.

"Hotohori-sama…" Houki stood up gracefully as her lord and husband approached her.

"Houki, what is the meaning of this?" Hotohori demanded angrily. "Surely you do not believe that I killed Tamahome?!"

Houki recoiled from his harsh words and angry expression. She turned her back on him and answered as coldly as she could. "Everyone is a suspect, your majesty. Even you. You must remember that even the emperor is not above the law. If you are guilty for killing Tamahome, you will pay."

Hotohori blanched but quickly recovered his composure. "Surely you don't suspect me, do you my dear?" Hotohori crossed the short distance between them and knelt before her. Bringing her hand to his lips, his beautiful amber eyes glittered with a dark, primitive emotion that left Houki breathless. "You would never do anything to hurt your beloved husband…"

What was a girl to do? A beautiful, proud man was on his knees before her, getting ready to worship her in all sorts of carnal ways. There really was only one alternative of action. Houki smacked him squarely across the face.

"Get a grip on yourself, Saihitei!" She cried. "Now is not the time for romance. I have a job to do and you are impeding justice. Stand up and talk to me. Right now."

He sullenly got to his feet, the expression on his face akin to the one that Tasuki had coming in to his interview. He sprawled out in the same fashion that the bandit had as well, in the same chair. Houki perched primly on the primrose settee.

"Now, your majesty, tell me all you know about what went on tonight."

Hotohori gave her a grin that was meant to melt all the bones in her body. He left his seat and crawled on his hands and knees over to her. "I think you know what was going on tonight." He breathed erotically.

Houki stopped him in his tracks with a slippered foot to his chest. She ignored him as he began to rain tender kisses up the inside of her leg. "I remember," she told him shortly. Hotohori sighed and returned to his seat.

"Than you know I have an alibi. I was in bed doing the most delicious things to the firm, nubile body of the empress." He told her.

Houki sighed. It was true that her husband did have a good excuse with her as a witness. But he never talked dirty to her unless there was something he wanted to keep hidden. Otherwise, he didn't have enough energy or creativity to keep up the romantic charade. There was something she was missing.

"How is Miaka doing?" Houki inquired. Hotohori's eyes softened and he smiled in the dreamy way he did whenever he was thinking about the priestess of Suzaku. Houki knew very well that her husband was in love with Miaka.

"She's devastated, naturally. But I'm sure she will get over him quickly. Tamahome was no great loss."

O-ho! "Oh, I agree," Houki replied warmly. "Everyone else said the same thing. In fact, it's so hard to figure out who did it because everyone had a motive. Everyone but Chichiri. No one has mentioned the monk once. Isn't that odd?"

"Not at all," Hotohori assured her. "Chichiri was very tolerant of Tamahome's excesses."

"Maybe because he had the same tendencies?" Houki suggested slyly.

"No! Who on earth told you that?" Hotohori exploded.

"Why, Tasuki may have mentioned it." Houki said innocently.

"That's a damned lie! Chichiri is the most honorable amongst us! Why I practically had to order him to-"  Hotohori cut off abruptly as he remembered who he was talking to.

"Er, that is…"

"You had better tell me everything," Houki instructed him sternly. "I'm only going to get it out of Chichiri later."

Looking downcast, the emperor began to spill his royal guts. "I am sure you understand by now what a despicable man Tamahome was. Why Suzaku ever chose him to be one of his own is beyond me."

"So you killed him?" Houki inquired accusingly even though she knew almost surely it wasn't him. He didn't have the guts for it.

"No!" Hotohori exclaimed. "I was going to pay someone to do it for me," he continued.

Ah. So that's how it was.

"Chichiri?" Houki hazarded a guess.

"Yes," Hotohori sighed. "I corrupted Chichiri for my ignoble purposes. I am ashamed." He truly looked downcast but Houki reigned in her temptation to run to him and kiss away all his sorrows. Damn his irresistible beauty.

"You were going to pay someone. Did your plan ever go into effect?"

"No," Hotohori said slowly. "It was not supposed to go down until next week. And there was not going to be any earthly trace of Tamahome to be found. So you see, it could not have been me!"

"I don't know about that," Houki told him wryly. "But it sure is not looking like you. But don't get me wrong, you are still a suspect."

Hotohori smiled seductively at her. "Perhaps later I can interrogate you. A full, luscious body search would be in order." 

Houki sighed. "Get out and send Chichiri-sama to me." He bowed to her and turned to leave. The back view was just as tempting as the front and the young empress couldn't take the temptation much longer. Grabbing Hotohori by the purple sash tied around his waist, she dragged him to her and ravished his mouth with an exasperated kiss. The man was impossible and she loved him. He still looked bemused as she smacked him lightly and sent the emperor out the door.

Houki plopped on the chaise once more and began fanning herself. No point in getting worked up, she told herself. Self-control was what was needed now. She was so close to figuring out who did it. There were only three seishi left to interview before Tamahome's killer came to light. Mitsukake and Chiriko would be easy to crack but what about the monk? Would she be over her head this time?

Every nerve in her body shot to awareness as the monk entered the room. Was it her or had it gotten darker and colder in here?

"Hello, Houki." Chichiri greeted her darkly. "I hear you are looking for a killer." He looked her in eyes, his gaze malignant. "Look no further. I am the one who killed that bastard. I killed Tamahome."

TBC…

Preview for Chapter Five:

What? You wanted a preview after that last line?! Yeah right! To all you Hotohori lovers out there, I beg you, don't flame me!! It's a murder mystery! Everyone is out of character!! Just because I don't particularly like him doesn't necessarily mean I made him the killer. Of course, it doesn't guarantee that I didn't either… ^_~