Author's Notes: Yay! Three more reviews! Thank you, Hanakin, Rei-chan,
and Daughter of Suzaku. It's really the reviews that keep me going. They
encourage me, and usually, when I don't feel encouraged about something
that isn't required, I give up. So I owe this chapter to you guys. Thank
you so much! Luv ya!
Chisa and Hotohori were pulled up in front of a man and woman sitting in their thrones. Chisa looked enraged at the fact that someone else dared to sit in *her* throne. Hotohori just looked dejected.
In Hotohori's throne sat a man that it could only be assumed was his brother. He, like his younger brother, was exceedingly handsome, but instead of the warm amber eyes of Hotohori, his eyes were silver, and just as hard and cold as the metal of the same color. He had a cruel, twisted smile. "Little brother, why didn't you tell me you had such a beautiful wife?" he asked Hotohori. "If I had known, I would have taken her for my own." He turned to Chisa. "You probably don't know my name. I am Shimizu, the *rightful* emperor of Konan, and your brother-in-law." All he received in reply was a death glare.
"You two are probably wondering what my masterful plan to steal the throne was. Simple, really. Ever since you, little brother, took the throne, I have been plotting in the background to steal it back. I made allies, formed a council. And ever since your little pet started to make your life more…active…it's been oh-so-much easier to do these things behind your back. That's the sweetest part. It's as much her fault as it is anyone else's." Chisa cringed, overwhelmed with guilt.
"When you two left to visit those…peasants, I knew the time had come." He said the word "peasants" scornfully. Chisa fought her ties, trying to get to him so she could kick his ass. "My men, my darling wife, and I took action, and killed all those loyal to you. And soon, you will be killed. After all, we can't risk an uprising, like you so foolishly did."
Chisa screamed, overcome with rage. "You BASTARD! You coward! You just took over behind his back because you were afraid he would beat you in a real fight! Admit it!"
Shimizu just looked at her, surprised. "What a mouth you have! One would think that being empress would have brought a *little* culture." Then, to the guard, "Bring the girl here." The guard did as he was told.
He gripped her chin in his hand. She tried to bite his fingers. "How lovely you are," he told her, and she spat on him. "You know, your temper is as legendary as your beauty. I like women with spirit. If you wish, you may live here, as my personal slave. Either that or death."
"I'd rather die than serve a piece of scum like you!" she growled.
Shimizu cocked an eyebrow. "As you wish. But I will keep you for a bit in case you decide to change your mind. As for *you*, little brother," he said to Hotohori, "you must die. It would be too great a risk to keep you alive." The look on Hotohori's face broke Chisa's heart. He looked just so…so dead. As if his execution wouldn't change a thing. He hung his head as he was led back to the dungeon and Chisa to the slaves' quarters.
~**~
The slaves' quarters were surprisingly nice. The walls were a rich mahogany wood and the furniture was comfortable. Chisa hated it. All the other slaves snubbed her, and she couldn't understand why. What was wrong with her? Was it because she was once the empress? She was very relieved when, finally, someone sat next to her. It was a pretty girl with long black hair tied in a braid and amber eyes.
"Hi there," Chisa greeted her. "Finally, someone who doesn't pretend I don't exist!"
"Hello…sister-in-law," the girl said.
Chisa did a double take. "Kani!" She hadn't seen her younger sister in law for years. "By Suzaku, it's really you! How old are you now? Twenty? Given the circumstances, it's so great to finally see you!" She hugged the girl, and then grew serious. "I can't believe Shimizu is so cold- hearted as to enslave his own sister. Hell, I can't believe he's so cold- hearted as to believe in slavery period! What can we do? And can we ever lose these degrading outfits?"
Kani shrugged. "I don't know of anything we could possibly do. And no, we cannot change to other clothes, and I doubt we ever will be allowed to. My brother is a known pervert. And another word of warning: all of his slaves are female, as you may have noticed. That is so he can…have his way with any one of them at any time." Tears began to run down her cheeks. "He's already executed my sister and my oldest brother. Hotohori was always my favorite sibling. Oh, Chisa, I don't want him to die!"
"That sick bastard!" Chisa recoiled in disgust. "But I'm married! That is it! I am getting out of here." Everyone in the room grew quiet, and silently stared as Chisa stood and marched out of the room.
~**~
Because of long experience and practice, Chisa managed to dodge the guards as she made her way to the dungeon. And if they caught her, she would just knock them out, end of story.
"Hotohori!" she whispered. A face came up and peered into hers, but she couldn't tell whose it was in the dark. It gradually grew more visible as her eyes adjusted in the dark. "Hotohori?"
"Daaaaaaaaaaaa." Chisa stumbled back as she realized that it was Chichiri.
"Chichiri! You scared me!" she panted as her heart raced. "Is Hotohori in there?"
"Yeah, but he's really depressed, no da. I'll call him over, no da." He turned and called, "Hotohori, Chisa's here, no da."
Hotohori looked up, and his expression made her want to cry. He looked so…defeated.
"Oh, by the way, Chichiri, I found your hat." She handed him his wide- brimmed straw hat.
"She got the hat, no da!" Chichiri marveled at the girl's ability to help out, even unintentionally. Chisa sweatdropped and wondered what was so great about the freaking *hat* that everyone was cheering about it.
"Chisa, get in the hat, no da," Chichiri ordered her.
"What?" Chisa thought maybe Chichiri was trying to fool her, to make the other seishi laugh. But when she looked at Chichiri, she saw that he was being completely serious. So she placed the hat on her head, and habitually tugged down on it slightly. When the hat continued to slide down, she jumped. "What the hell?" The hat continued to fall, and when she was completely covered, she blacked out.
End notes: Sorry it took me soooooo long to finish! Gomen, gomen!
Chisa and Hotohori were pulled up in front of a man and woman sitting in their thrones. Chisa looked enraged at the fact that someone else dared to sit in *her* throne. Hotohori just looked dejected.
In Hotohori's throne sat a man that it could only be assumed was his brother. He, like his younger brother, was exceedingly handsome, but instead of the warm amber eyes of Hotohori, his eyes were silver, and just as hard and cold as the metal of the same color. He had a cruel, twisted smile. "Little brother, why didn't you tell me you had such a beautiful wife?" he asked Hotohori. "If I had known, I would have taken her for my own." He turned to Chisa. "You probably don't know my name. I am Shimizu, the *rightful* emperor of Konan, and your brother-in-law." All he received in reply was a death glare.
"You two are probably wondering what my masterful plan to steal the throne was. Simple, really. Ever since you, little brother, took the throne, I have been plotting in the background to steal it back. I made allies, formed a council. And ever since your little pet started to make your life more…active…it's been oh-so-much easier to do these things behind your back. That's the sweetest part. It's as much her fault as it is anyone else's." Chisa cringed, overwhelmed with guilt.
"When you two left to visit those…peasants, I knew the time had come." He said the word "peasants" scornfully. Chisa fought her ties, trying to get to him so she could kick his ass. "My men, my darling wife, and I took action, and killed all those loyal to you. And soon, you will be killed. After all, we can't risk an uprising, like you so foolishly did."
Chisa screamed, overcome with rage. "You BASTARD! You coward! You just took over behind his back because you were afraid he would beat you in a real fight! Admit it!"
Shimizu just looked at her, surprised. "What a mouth you have! One would think that being empress would have brought a *little* culture." Then, to the guard, "Bring the girl here." The guard did as he was told.
He gripped her chin in his hand. She tried to bite his fingers. "How lovely you are," he told her, and she spat on him. "You know, your temper is as legendary as your beauty. I like women with spirit. If you wish, you may live here, as my personal slave. Either that or death."
"I'd rather die than serve a piece of scum like you!" she growled.
Shimizu cocked an eyebrow. "As you wish. But I will keep you for a bit in case you decide to change your mind. As for *you*, little brother," he said to Hotohori, "you must die. It would be too great a risk to keep you alive." The look on Hotohori's face broke Chisa's heart. He looked just so…so dead. As if his execution wouldn't change a thing. He hung his head as he was led back to the dungeon and Chisa to the slaves' quarters.
~**~
The slaves' quarters were surprisingly nice. The walls were a rich mahogany wood and the furniture was comfortable. Chisa hated it. All the other slaves snubbed her, and she couldn't understand why. What was wrong with her? Was it because she was once the empress? She was very relieved when, finally, someone sat next to her. It was a pretty girl with long black hair tied in a braid and amber eyes.
"Hi there," Chisa greeted her. "Finally, someone who doesn't pretend I don't exist!"
"Hello…sister-in-law," the girl said.
Chisa did a double take. "Kani!" She hadn't seen her younger sister in law for years. "By Suzaku, it's really you! How old are you now? Twenty? Given the circumstances, it's so great to finally see you!" She hugged the girl, and then grew serious. "I can't believe Shimizu is so cold- hearted as to enslave his own sister. Hell, I can't believe he's so cold- hearted as to believe in slavery period! What can we do? And can we ever lose these degrading outfits?"
Kani shrugged. "I don't know of anything we could possibly do. And no, we cannot change to other clothes, and I doubt we ever will be allowed to. My brother is a known pervert. And another word of warning: all of his slaves are female, as you may have noticed. That is so he can…have his way with any one of them at any time." Tears began to run down her cheeks. "He's already executed my sister and my oldest brother. Hotohori was always my favorite sibling. Oh, Chisa, I don't want him to die!"
"That sick bastard!" Chisa recoiled in disgust. "But I'm married! That is it! I am getting out of here." Everyone in the room grew quiet, and silently stared as Chisa stood and marched out of the room.
~**~
Because of long experience and practice, Chisa managed to dodge the guards as she made her way to the dungeon. And if they caught her, she would just knock them out, end of story.
"Hotohori!" she whispered. A face came up and peered into hers, but she couldn't tell whose it was in the dark. It gradually grew more visible as her eyes adjusted in the dark. "Hotohori?"
"Daaaaaaaaaaaa." Chisa stumbled back as she realized that it was Chichiri.
"Chichiri! You scared me!" she panted as her heart raced. "Is Hotohori in there?"
"Yeah, but he's really depressed, no da. I'll call him over, no da." He turned and called, "Hotohori, Chisa's here, no da."
Hotohori looked up, and his expression made her want to cry. He looked so…defeated.
"Oh, by the way, Chichiri, I found your hat." She handed him his wide- brimmed straw hat.
"She got the hat, no da!" Chichiri marveled at the girl's ability to help out, even unintentionally. Chisa sweatdropped and wondered what was so great about the freaking *hat* that everyone was cheering about it.
"Chisa, get in the hat, no da," Chichiri ordered her.
"What?" Chisa thought maybe Chichiri was trying to fool her, to make the other seishi laugh. But when she looked at Chichiri, she saw that he was being completely serious. So she placed the hat on her head, and habitually tugged down on it slightly. When the hat continued to slide down, she jumped. "What the hell?" The hat continued to fall, and when she was completely covered, she blacked out.
End notes: Sorry it took me soooooo long to finish! Gomen, gomen!