~An American Miko~
Chapter Five
Wedding Bliss & New Hope
It had been three months since that night that Hotohori had asked to marry her, and now a fully healed Myst smiled at the scene before her. All sorts of foods set out beautifully on tables bordering the huge throne room. People in all sorts of colors and silks, milled around the room talking and laughing.
It was her wedding day and this was the reception party that Myst had asked Hotohori to have. It was a mix of customs from Konan and from her world. That's why she and Hotohori had also exchanged rings and vows. They had each sung a song and had then sung one together.
Myst looked down at the crimson, silver, and gold silks and ribbons she was dressed in and the veil of beads over her face, falling from her headdress clicked and chimed gently. The wedding robes were simply beautiful with its embroidery of a phoenix surrounded by roses on it. The heart of the phoenix was over her own heart, the wings were on her sleeves and the whole fiery tail was wrapping around her legs, making up the flowing skirt. Her gold headdress was also shaped like a phoenix. The tail of it was made of real peacock feathers, dyed a vibrant crimson color and marked with gold flowing down her back.
Myst sat on the emperor's throne and watched the party. She smiled as she watched her new husband finish one dance and politely refuse another one. She watched him as he walked up the steps to the dais and chuckled as he has to lift the hem of his own elaborate wedding robes to do so. She started to get up get up for him and he held her down with a hand to her shoulder.
Hotohori's voice was gentle and full of love. "No. Stay seated if you wish. You look pale. Are you feeling ill?"
Myst shook her head and took his hand into her and kissed it. "No, I'm fine. I'm just a little overwhelmed. This is such a big day, joyous as it is."
Hotohori bent and brushed open bother their veils, for he wore one like hers, and kissed her eyelids. "Yes. It is a big day. Do you feel up to mingling? Everyone is eager to meet you and they are not permitted on the dais."
She nodded and took the hand he offered to help her up. "I had forgotten about that."
With that Hotohori escorted his new wife and empress to her party.
As soon as they were on the floor she and Hotohori kissed and then parted. He went to talk with some of his advisors and many ladies of the court surrounded her. The party went on for a bit, before she stumbled and grabbed hold of the edge of a table for support. Only one of the ladies noticed and reached out to touch her shoulder.
Myst felt something in that touch and turned with wide eyes to look at the beautiful face. "You. I had a dream about you last night.
The woman removed her hand and looked very puzzled and shocked. "Wha. what?"
Myst took hold of the purple-haired woman's retreating hand and looked into her eyes. "Suzaku showed you to me and told me that you were one of his own, like Hotohori. When you touched me, I felt the truth of it. Is it true?"
Myst already knew the answer. She knew that this beauty was a man and that his real name was Chou Ryuen. He was a cross dresser and she knew why and about his past, but wasn't about to get him in trouble by giving away his secret.
The (woman) answered with an almost proud voice, "Yes your majesty." The other ladies stepped back a little in shock. He pulled the collar of his court garb away from his collarbone where a red symbol flashed to life.
Myst reached out and touched it gently. "Willow. How fitting of you." She raised her eyes and smiled at him.
He smiled back at her. "My seishi name is Nuriko, but my given name is Kourin."
Myst nodded and took her hand back. "What would you like me to call you?"
Nuriko was about to answer, when the empress clutched at her abdomen and collapsed. He caught her as she was falling and gently lowered her to the floor. He held her up a little by the shoulder and shook her gently. He shouted for help and then turned his attention back to her. "Empress! Empress! Are you alright?"
Some of the other ladies were going hysterical and had to be settled down by other people as everyone crowded around.
Hotohori pushed through the crowd and knelt down taking Myst from Nuriko. When she didn't stir he looked up at the purple-haired seishi. "What happened to her?"
Nuriko shook his head. "I don't know your majesty. We were talking and she doubled over grabbing her stomach and collapsed."
Hotohori nodded understanding and stood with his wife in his arms. He looked at one of the servants. "Fetch the doctor to our chambers at once!" Then he looked back to Nuriko. "Follow me. I'll want to know more about what happened."
Nuriko nodded. "Yes your majesty." With that, the two rushed the miko and empress from the room.
**********
Hotohori was once again kneeling by the head of the bed, holding his wife's hand as she slept.
Nuriko stood by and watched. The doctor had just left and Hotohori was still stunned at reason he had been given as to why she had fainted.
Hotohori whispered something that Nuriko didn't quite catch. He stepped up to the ruler. "Majesty?"
Hotohori started. "Oh, I was just thinking is all."
Nuriko nodded but didn't say anything.
Hotohori looked back up at Nuriko. "What is your name, and what were you and Myst talking about when she collapsed?"
Nuriko smiled and pulled his collar down again. "The two have the same answer. I am Nuriko, one of the Suzaku Seishi."
Hotohori blinked amazed, then put his head down on the bed and groaned.
Nuriko got to his knees beside the emperor and worriedly put his hand on the man's should, half afraid to be reprimanded for touching the ruler.
Hotohori looked up and shook his head. "Don't worry. It's just one shock after another today. Myst said it was a little overwhelming. How right she was."
They would have said more had Myst not shifted on the bed. She yawned and rubbed her eyes with her free hand. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up to see Hotohori and Nuriko above her. A mischievous look crossed her face and she smiled at the two. "Were you two worried about me?" She squeaked as Hotohori all but flung himself onto her and wrapped his arms around her tightly and kissed her cheek.
"Yes I was worried! I would die without you! Don't ever scare me like that again!"
Myst wrapped her arms around Hotohori and returned the embrace. She smiled and reached up to pull his headdress of and let his hair fall free as he continued to hug her. She buried her hands in the hair that fell down his back. She hugged him tighter when she felt the wetness of tears on her skin. "I'm sorry Love. I'll try to be more mindful of how I'm feeling." She gasped at what he whispered next.
"Why didn't you tell me that you carry my child?" He sat up and looked into Myst's stunned face.
She caressed his cheek. "Hotohori, I was going to wait until after we were married to tell you. It was going to be a surprise tonight."
Nuriko took this moment to clear his throat and excuse himself and the two rulers looked up at him, suddenly remembering that they were not alone. "I think I'll take my leave now, if you will excuse me your majesties. Congratulations on everything. You must have a lot to talk about. You also needn't worry about my discretion. I vow that I will keep what I know a secret until you wish it revealed."
They both nodded and Myst smiled brightly for the small seishi. "Thank you Nuriko. I'll see you around. I'd like to talk to you again some time."
Nuriko couldn't help but smile back as he bowed and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.
**********
A.N.: So. What'd ya think? Did you like? I'm going to form a special bond between the three of them, especially between Nuriko and Mistyc. I'm thinking it's because I made the three of them the same age. It's gonna be cute. Oh yeah! I'm also an avid Houki hater. not to diss any of you that like her. this is simply of my own opinion, and you needn't worry, Houki isn't even in this story and I wouldn't diss on her openly anyway. If you want to know my reasons, just drop me a line. However, I do love the idea of Hotohori having a child. I think he'd make a wonderful father. Anywho. Keep reading no da!!!
~Celesta Hellewise Harman
It had been three months since that night that Hotohori had asked to marry her, and now a fully healed Myst smiled at the scene before her. All sorts of foods set out beautifully on tables bordering the huge throne room. People in all sorts of colors and silks, milled around the room talking and laughing.
It was her wedding day and this was the reception party that Myst had asked Hotohori to have. It was a mix of customs from Konan and from her world. That's why she and Hotohori had also exchanged rings and vows. They had each sung a song and had then sung one together.
Myst looked down at the crimson, silver, and gold silks and ribbons she was dressed in and the veil of beads over her face, falling from her headdress clicked and chimed gently. The wedding robes were simply beautiful with its embroidery of a phoenix surrounded by roses on it. The heart of the phoenix was over her own heart, the wings were on her sleeves and the whole fiery tail was wrapping around her legs, making up the flowing skirt. Her gold headdress was also shaped like a phoenix. The tail of it was made of real peacock feathers, dyed a vibrant crimson color and marked with gold flowing down her back.
Myst sat on the emperor's throne and watched the party. She smiled as she watched her new husband finish one dance and politely refuse another one. She watched him as he walked up the steps to the dais and chuckled as he has to lift the hem of his own elaborate wedding robes to do so. She started to get up get up for him and he held her down with a hand to her shoulder.
Hotohori's voice was gentle and full of love. "No. Stay seated if you wish. You look pale. Are you feeling ill?"
Myst shook her head and took his hand into her and kissed it. "No, I'm fine. I'm just a little overwhelmed. This is such a big day, joyous as it is."
Hotohori bent and brushed open bother their veils, for he wore one like hers, and kissed her eyelids. "Yes. It is a big day. Do you feel up to mingling? Everyone is eager to meet you and they are not permitted on the dais."
She nodded and took the hand he offered to help her up. "I had forgotten about that."
With that Hotohori escorted his new wife and empress to her party.
As soon as they were on the floor she and Hotohori kissed and then parted. He went to talk with some of his advisors and many ladies of the court surrounded her. The party went on for a bit, before she stumbled and grabbed hold of the edge of a table for support. Only one of the ladies noticed and reached out to touch her shoulder.
Myst felt something in that touch and turned with wide eyes to look at the beautiful face. "You. I had a dream about you last night.
The woman removed her hand and looked very puzzled and shocked. "Wha. what?"
Myst took hold of the purple-haired woman's retreating hand and looked into her eyes. "Suzaku showed you to me and told me that you were one of his own, like Hotohori. When you touched me, I felt the truth of it. Is it true?"
Myst already knew the answer. She knew that this beauty was a man and that his real name was Chou Ryuen. He was a cross dresser and she knew why and about his past, but wasn't about to get him in trouble by giving away his secret.
The (woman) answered with an almost proud voice, "Yes your majesty." The other ladies stepped back a little in shock. He pulled the collar of his court garb away from his collarbone where a red symbol flashed to life.
Myst reached out and touched it gently. "Willow. How fitting of you." She raised her eyes and smiled at him.
He smiled back at her. "My seishi name is Nuriko, but my given name is Kourin."
Myst nodded and took her hand back. "What would you like me to call you?"
Nuriko was about to answer, when the empress clutched at her abdomen and collapsed. He caught her as she was falling and gently lowered her to the floor. He held her up a little by the shoulder and shook her gently. He shouted for help and then turned his attention back to her. "Empress! Empress! Are you alright?"
Some of the other ladies were going hysterical and had to be settled down by other people as everyone crowded around.
Hotohori pushed through the crowd and knelt down taking Myst from Nuriko. When she didn't stir he looked up at the purple-haired seishi. "What happened to her?"
Nuriko shook his head. "I don't know your majesty. We were talking and she doubled over grabbing her stomach and collapsed."
Hotohori nodded understanding and stood with his wife in his arms. He looked at one of the servants. "Fetch the doctor to our chambers at once!" Then he looked back to Nuriko. "Follow me. I'll want to know more about what happened."
Nuriko nodded. "Yes your majesty." With that, the two rushed the miko and empress from the room.
**********
Hotohori was once again kneeling by the head of the bed, holding his wife's hand as she slept.
Nuriko stood by and watched. The doctor had just left and Hotohori was still stunned at reason he had been given as to why she had fainted.
Hotohori whispered something that Nuriko didn't quite catch. He stepped up to the ruler. "Majesty?"
Hotohori started. "Oh, I was just thinking is all."
Nuriko nodded but didn't say anything.
Hotohori looked back up at Nuriko. "What is your name, and what were you and Myst talking about when she collapsed?"
Nuriko smiled and pulled his collar down again. "The two have the same answer. I am Nuriko, one of the Suzaku Seishi."
Hotohori blinked amazed, then put his head down on the bed and groaned.
Nuriko got to his knees beside the emperor and worriedly put his hand on the man's should, half afraid to be reprimanded for touching the ruler.
Hotohori looked up and shook his head. "Don't worry. It's just one shock after another today. Myst said it was a little overwhelming. How right she was."
They would have said more had Myst not shifted on the bed. She yawned and rubbed her eyes with her free hand. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up to see Hotohori and Nuriko above her. A mischievous look crossed her face and she smiled at the two. "Were you two worried about me?" She squeaked as Hotohori all but flung himself onto her and wrapped his arms around her tightly and kissed her cheek.
"Yes I was worried! I would die without you! Don't ever scare me like that again!"
Myst wrapped her arms around Hotohori and returned the embrace. She smiled and reached up to pull his headdress of and let his hair fall free as he continued to hug her. She buried her hands in the hair that fell down his back. She hugged him tighter when she felt the wetness of tears on her skin. "I'm sorry Love. I'll try to be more mindful of how I'm feeling." She gasped at what he whispered next.
"Why didn't you tell me that you carry my child?" He sat up and looked into Myst's stunned face.
She caressed his cheek. "Hotohori, I was going to wait until after we were married to tell you. It was going to be a surprise tonight."
Nuriko took this moment to clear his throat and excuse himself and the two rulers looked up at him, suddenly remembering that they were not alone. "I think I'll take my leave now, if you will excuse me your majesties. Congratulations on everything. You must have a lot to talk about. You also needn't worry about my discretion. I vow that I will keep what I know a secret until you wish it revealed."
They both nodded and Myst smiled brightly for the small seishi. "Thank you Nuriko. I'll see you around. I'd like to talk to you again some time."
Nuriko couldn't help but smile back as he bowed and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.
**********
A.N.: So. What'd ya think? Did you like? I'm going to form a special bond between the three of them, especially between Nuriko and Mistyc. I'm thinking it's because I made the three of them the same age. It's gonna be cute. Oh yeah! I'm also an avid Houki hater. not to diss any of you that like her. this is simply of my own opinion, and you needn't worry, Houki isn't even in this story and I wouldn't diss on her openly anyway. If you want to know my reasons, just drop me a line. However, I do love the idea of Hotohori having a child. I think he'd make a wonderful father. Anywho. Keep reading no da!!!
~Celesta Hellewise Harman