Chapter Five: Acceptance
Author: Tainted Halo
A/C: Sorry for the long delay, but I've been grounded and such... But now that I'm back I should have a couple updates in a row... I've completed the second book! Wooh! ^^; Pretty pathetic ne? Considering I've been working on this since Thanksgiving... Well I plan to get most of it finished by the end of summer, but with Viz redoing FY, it might take me a while longer... ::Growls:: So not fair... But I guess I'll survive. ^_^ Anyways, read and review, it makes my day and also make me get off my lazy butt and write. ^_~ Sorry for such a short chapter, but I love being suspenseful. ^.^ Tee-Hee Oh and about the messed up seishi names... o.O My comp screwed them up... If I get around to it I'll fix it... ^^ But I'm really busy so...
Chapter Five
Those trusting eyes were opened wide as she stared before blinking quite a few times, obviously trying to take in the information that had been forced upon her. /She hate you... You're a liar... And defiantly not a priestess.../ Nagged that annoying voice, as the tears started to fall a lot more steadily.
"Ryuu? Ryuuen... Shh... Don't cry...." Miaka's voice was soft, as her tiny arms wrapped themselves around my waist from behind. But merely hearing her plea seemed to send the tears more furiously down my face. "Ryuuen... Please... It's okay... I... won't tell anyone... I promise... So... don't cry Ryuuen..." She was trying to calm me down as she hugged me tighter, and after a few moments my sobs subsided and I unclasped her arms from around me and turned to face her. The innocent and adorable smile on her face was not what I was suspecting however. Frankly enough it would have put me at more ease to see a look of hatred in her eyes. But, I was relieved in a way, and I smiled. Maybe this was just a book, but I'd never felt so at ease than when I was around these people... And the thought of losing them, was much more than I could bear, even if we'd barely met a couple of days ago.
"Thank you, Miaka-chan..." I whispered, closing my eyes in gratitude, before, finishing the buttons on my shirt and following Miaka out of the spring. The girl just nodded and we went onwards in a silence, as I wasn't sure I should trust my voice. When we arrived back to camp, I couldn't bring myself to meet the eyes of the three seishi, not even Hotohori who kept asking me if I was alright. I kept saying I was. And I was, wasn't I? Miaka wouldn't say anything... I'd be fine. But secretly that wasn't what had me to upset. It was the fact that I was lying to these people, who were supposed to protect me. People who would lay down there lives to save me, if necisary.... And here I was lying to them. Not directly but... The guilt was eating away at me. And yet, that guilt was easier to bear than the look of disgust I knew Tamahome and more importantly Hotohori would give me.
The next morning, I found Hotohori staring into the distance his amber gaze not looking directly at anything, a look that said his thoughts were far from the present. "Whatcha doing?" I asked, hoping sincerely that I wouldn't upset his peaceful mien.
"I do not normally have the pleasure of viewing the landscape around me," He said, turning those beautiful golden eyes towards me.
"Oh... You must be pretty busy at the palace, ne?"
"Yes... I inherited the throne at fourteen when my father passed away... The power struggle that followed was horrendous. My mother was extremely ambitious and the methods she used... I ought'nt say more. In any case my mother made sure I became Emperor. You could say that I was merely her puppet. Yet when she passed away suddenly my world became virtually silent. I was surrounded by royal retainers-My own people. But I leanred how lonely true solitude can be. I was like... A bid in a cage..." His voice trailed off and he seemed so... distant and so sorrowed. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I wanted nothing more than I reach out and comfort him... However, I couldn't find very much to say so I spoke the only words that seemed to form, "Well... Can't you take time off... Like we are now?"
Oh God. Oh dear god. His arm drifted around my shoulder, "You're so kind to me..." He whispered, and my face lit up brighter than our house at Christmas time. "I... Uhm..."
"I wish..." However, I never got to hear Hotohori's wish as Miaka charged towards us.
"There you are, Ryuuen, Hotohori! Tama said that I should you gu-" She stopped short, when she realized that Hotohori's arm was wrapped around me, her face becoming quizzical. However, he released me said his farewell before he strode back towards camp.
"What was that about?" Miaka questioned as soon as Hotohori was out of earshot.
I shrugged, "I've got no idea!" I said. And that was the solemn truth.
This time we traveled on foot leaving the horses behind. Coincidently however Miaka tripped over my foot and we both went flying to the ground. Miaka glared at Tamahome, "You looked didn't you?! I know you did!"
He shook his head, "Nope. And even if I did you two aren't anything to get excited about... I mean maybe if you guys had actual bust lines..." Miaka scowled, before punching him in the stomach. "Hmph!" With that she turned and ran off.
"That was smart, Tama," I mumbled before taking off after the girl.
After wandering around scooping for Miaka I began to take notice of the fog which was quickly surrounding me. "Eh? Where'd this come-" My legs seemed to fall through the ground and I landed in a weird place where I could see through a full sized hole in the wall.
"Welcome, Ryuuen." It was an overly familiar voice... A voice just like my own... "To the other side of the mirror."
Author: Tainted Halo
A/C: Sorry for the long delay, but I've been grounded and such... But now that I'm back I should have a couple updates in a row... I've completed the second book! Wooh! ^^; Pretty pathetic ne? Considering I've been working on this since Thanksgiving... Well I plan to get most of it finished by the end of summer, but with Viz redoing FY, it might take me a while longer... ::Growls:: So not fair... But I guess I'll survive. ^_^ Anyways, read and review, it makes my day and also make me get off my lazy butt and write. ^_~ Sorry for such a short chapter, but I love being suspenseful. ^.^ Tee-Hee Oh and about the messed up seishi names... o.O My comp screwed them up... If I get around to it I'll fix it... ^^ But I'm really busy so...
Chapter Five
Those trusting eyes were opened wide as she stared before blinking quite a few times, obviously trying to take in the information that had been forced upon her. /She hate you... You're a liar... And defiantly not a priestess.../ Nagged that annoying voice, as the tears started to fall a lot more steadily.
"Ryuu? Ryuuen... Shh... Don't cry...." Miaka's voice was soft, as her tiny arms wrapped themselves around my waist from behind. But merely hearing her plea seemed to send the tears more furiously down my face. "Ryuuen... Please... It's okay... I... won't tell anyone... I promise... So... don't cry Ryuuen..." She was trying to calm me down as she hugged me tighter, and after a few moments my sobs subsided and I unclasped her arms from around me and turned to face her. The innocent and adorable smile on her face was not what I was suspecting however. Frankly enough it would have put me at more ease to see a look of hatred in her eyes. But, I was relieved in a way, and I smiled. Maybe this was just a book, but I'd never felt so at ease than when I was around these people... And the thought of losing them, was much more than I could bear, even if we'd barely met a couple of days ago.
"Thank you, Miaka-chan..." I whispered, closing my eyes in gratitude, before, finishing the buttons on my shirt and following Miaka out of the spring. The girl just nodded and we went onwards in a silence, as I wasn't sure I should trust my voice. When we arrived back to camp, I couldn't bring myself to meet the eyes of the three seishi, not even Hotohori who kept asking me if I was alright. I kept saying I was. And I was, wasn't I? Miaka wouldn't say anything... I'd be fine. But secretly that wasn't what had me to upset. It was the fact that I was lying to these people, who were supposed to protect me. People who would lay down there lives to save me, if necisary.... And here I was lying to them. Not directly but... The guilt was eating away at me. And yet, that guilt was easier to bear than the look of disgust I knew Tamahome and more importantly Hotohori would give me.
The next morning, I found Hotohori staring into the distance his amber gaze not looking directly at anything, a look that said his thoughts were far from the present. "Whatcha doing?" I asked, hoping sincerely that I wouldn't upset his peaceful mien.
"I do not normally have the pleasure of viewing the landscape around me," He said, turning those beautiful golden eyes towards me.
"Oh... You must be pretty busy at the palace, ne?"
"Yes... I inherited the throne at fourteen when my father passed away... The power struggle that followed was horrendous. My mother was extremely ambitious and the methods she used... I ought'nt say more. In any case my mother made sure I became Emperor. You could say that I was merely her puppet. Yet when she passed away suddenly my world became virtually silent. I was surrounded by royal retainers-My own people. But I leanred how lonely true solitude can be. I was like... A bid in a cage..." His voice trailed off and he seemed so... distant and so sorrowed. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I wanted nothing more than I reach out and comfort him... However, I couldn't find very much to say so I spoke the only words that seemed to form, "Well... Can't you take time off... Like we are now?"
Oh God. Oh dear god. His arm drifted around my shoulder, "You're so kind to me..." He whispered, and my face lit up brighter than our house at Christmas time. "I... Uhm..."
"I wish..." However, I never got to hear Hotohori's wish as Miaka charged towards us.
"There you are, Ryuuen, Hotohori! Tama said that I should you gu-" She stopped short, when she realized that Hotohori's arm was wrapped around me, her face becoming quizzical. However, he released me said his farewell before he strode back towards camp.
"What was that about?" Miaka questioned as soon as Hotohori was out of earshot.
I shrugged, "I've got no idea!" I said. And that was the solemn truth.
This time we traveled on foot leaving the horses behind. Coincidently however Miaka tripped over my foot and we both went flying to the ground. Miaka glared at Tamahome, "You looked didn't you?! I know you did!"
He shook his head, "Nope. And even if I did you two aren't anything to get excited about... I mean maybe if you guys had actual bust lines..." Miaka scowled, before punching him in the stomach. "Hmph!" With that she turned and ran off.
"That was smart, Tama," I mumbled before taking off after the girl.
After wandering around scooping for Miaka I began to take notice of the fog which was quickly surrounding me. "Eh? Where'd this come-" My legs seemed to fall through the ground and I landed in a weird place where I could see through a full sized hole in the wall.
"Welcome, Ryuuen." It was an overly familiar voice... A voice just like my own... "To the other side of the mirror."