"What has happened here?!" I could scarcely hear Hotohori's alarmed voice as I slowly regained consciousness. I felt myself being carried by someone, but once again, the strength to open my eyes failed me.
"It was one of the Seiyru Seven, no da. She attacked Caitlin, claiming she had the shentso-pao within her body..."
"Mitsukake managed ta heal me, but fer some reason he couldn't 'elp her, yer Highness." I was overjoyed to hear Tasuki's voice, relieved to know that he was alright.
I felt myself being laid down on a soft bed and pain shot through my body, causing me to cringe. I heard someone sit next to me and after a moment I could feel a cool hand on my forehead. My Angel?! Could it be him? My eyes struggled to open as hope surged through my heart.
As my sapphire eyes opened and my vision cleared, I found myself gazing up at Tasuki, not my Angel. Hotohori and Chichiri were standing by the door, talking softly, and my friends were no where to be seen.
"Good ta see yer awake, Kit," Tasuki grinned down at me, brushing back some of my hair; I felt my heart skip a beat. "How ya feelin'?"
I gave a slow smile and struggled to find my voice. "I'm alright, I guess. My body hurts...how about yourself? Tasuki...you...you save my li--"
Tasuki gently put his hand over my mouth before I could finish my sentence, smiling down at me. "Ssshh. Look...here comes His Highness...I'll leave ya two alone." Before I could protest, the fiery haired had man stood up, grinning widely at Hotohori before he and Chichiri left the room.
I struggled to sit up as Hotohori sat down next to me, but his hand gently set on my shoulder, pushing me back down.
"You need to rest. Don't try and sit up." I nodded numbly and did as I was told, laying back against the soft pillows, gazing up at him, gazing into his beautiful golden brown eyes.
"How do you feel, Lady Caitlin?" His eyes gazed deep into mine and I felt myself shiver. My Angel...he sounded so concerned. About me! Me!! My heart pounded faster as I struggled to answer.
"Y...Yeah, I'm fine...I just ache. Hotohori...I...I mean, Emperor--"
"Please, call me Hotohori."
I nodded a bit and continued. "Hotohori? Do you know what happened? I mean...why didn't Soi's attack hurt me? And what's a shentso-pao?"
Hotohori smiled softly, brushing my hair from my face. "Yes...this must all be very confusing to you, Lady Caitlin--"
"Please, call me Caitlin. Or Kitty. Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt!" I could feel my face heating up as I looked away.
Hotohori chuckled softly and moved his hand beneath my chin, lifting my face so he could look into my eyes. "Caitlin. We are not quite sure why Soi of the Seiyru Seven claimed that you have shentso-pao within you. But, according to the others, when she attacked you, you were surrounded by a red glow which saved you. That particular red glow has protected Miaka many times before. It is the glow of Suzaku. And if you do not have this shentso-pao within you, I do not know what Soi would try and capture you."
"Well...what exactly is a shentso-pao? And who is Suzaku?"
Hotohori sighed, brushing back some of his gorgeous hair, his expression growing worried. "Suzaku in the guardian beast of Konan. About the shentso-pao...we are not sure. Tai Yi-Jun only told us that in order to be able to summon Suzaku, in order to save my kingdom, we must gather the shentso-pao first." He smiled softly down at me. "And you carry one of the shentso-pao within your body." Slowly, the Emperor reached forward, taking my hand in his. "Will you help us?"
My eyes widened as I absorbed his words. My heart began to beat faster and faster as I felt his hands take mine. Help them? Help them with what? Maybe I did have this shentso-pao-thingy in my body, but what was all this about summoning Suzaku?! How could I possibly help with summoning some sort of guardian beast? My eyes lifted, meeting his gaze, and I suddenly found myself being willing to do anything. Anything for Hotohori. Anything for my Angel. Slowly, I nodded, offering a slight smile. "Yes, Hotohori. I will help you."
My heart melted at the smile the Emperor gave me. Warmth and gratefulness spread quickly across his features as he squeezed my hands tightly. "Thank you, Caitlin. My country means everything to me. With your help, I will be able to save Konan."
"It was one of the Seiyru Seven, no da. She attacked Caitlin, claiming she had the shentso-pao within her body..."
"Mitsukake managed ta heal me, but fer some reason he couldn't 'elp her, yer Highness." I was overjoyed to hear Tasuki's voice, relieved to know that he was alright.
I felt myself being laid down on a soft bed and pain shot through my body, causing me to cringe. I heard someone sit next to me and after a moment I could feel a cool hand on my forehead. My Angel?! Could it be him? My eyes struggled to open as hope surged through my heart.
As my sapphire eyes opened and my vision cleared, I found myself gazing up at Tasuki, not my Angel. Hotohori and Chichiri were standing by the door, talking softly, and my friends were no where to be seen.
"Good ta see yer awake, Kit," Tasuki grinned down at me, brushing back some of my hair; I felt my heart skip a beat. "How ya feelin'?"
I gave a slow smile and struggled to find my voice. "I'm alright, I guess. My body hurts...how about yourself? Tasuki...you...you save my li--"
Tasuki gently put his hand over my mouth before I could finish my sentence, smiling down at me. "Ssshh. Look...here comes His Highness...I'll leave ya two alone." Before I could protest, the fiery haired had man stood up, grinning widely at Hotohori before he and Chichiri left the room.
I struggled to sit up as Hotohori sat down next to me, but his hand gently set on my shoulder, pushing me back down.
"You need to rest. Don't try and sit up." I nodded numbly and did as I was told, laying back against the soft pillows, gazing up at him, gazing into his beautiful golden brown eyes.
"How do you feel, Lady Caitlin?" His eyes gazed deep into mine and I felt myself shiver. My Angel...he sounded so concerned. About me! Me!! My heart pounded faster as I struggled to answer.
"Y...Yeah, I'm fine...I just ache. Hotohori...I...I mean, Emperor--"
"Please, call me Hotohori."
I nodded a bit and continued. "Hotohori? Do you know what happened? I mean...why didn't Soi's attack hurt me? And what's a shentso-pao?"
Hotohori smiled softly, brushing my hair from my face. "Yes...this must all be very confusing to you, Lady Caitlin--"
"Please, call me Caitlin. Or Kitty. Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt!" I could feel my face heating up as I looked away.
Hotohori chuckled softly and moved his hand beneath my chin, lifting my face so he could look into my eyes. "Caitlin. We are not quite sure why Soi of the Seiyru Seven claimed that you have shentso-pao within you. But, according to the others, when she attacked you, you were surrounded by a red glow which saved you. That particular red glow has protected Miaka many times before. It is the glow of Suzaku. And if you do not have this shentso-pao within you, I do not know what Soi would try and capture you."
"Well...what exactly is a shentso-pao? And who is Suzaku?"
Hotohori sighed, brushing back some of his gorgeous hair, his expression growing worried. "Suzaku in the guardian beast of Konan. About the shentso-pao...we are not sure. Tai Yi-Jun only told us that in order to be able to summon Suzaku, in order to save my kingdom, we must gather the shentso-pao first." He smiled softly down at me. "And you carry one of the shentso-pao within your body." Slowly, the Emperor reached forward, taking my hand in his. "Will you help us?"
My eyes widened as I absorbed his words. My heart began to beat faster and faster as I felt his hands take mine. Help them? Help them with what? Maybe I did have this shentso-pao-thingy in my body, but what was all this about summoning Suzaku?! How could I possibly help with summoning some sort of guardian beast? My eyes lifted, meeting his gaze, and I suddenly found myself being willing to do anything. Anything for Hotohori. Anything for my Angel. Slowly, I nodded, offering a slight smile. "Yes, Hotohori. I will help you."
My heart melted at the smile the Emperor gave me. Warmth and gratefulness spread quickly across his features as he squeezed my hands tightly. "Thank you, Caitlin. My country means everything to me. With your help, I will be able to save Konan."