~An American Miko~
Chapter Seven
Surprise & a Child's Smile
Hotohori sighed inwardly as he sat on his throne. 'This is so boring. I wish something would happen."
About this time he heard one of the guards outside. "Wait! You can't go in there! They didn't want to be disturbed."
The doors burst open and the miko with seishi in tow walked proudly and swiftly in. Myst spoke in a clear authoritative voice. "Hotohori, when you get the chance, we need to talk about the trip I'm going on tomorrow."
Hotohori almost shook his head as he thought, 'I need to stop asking for things when I'm bored.'
Myst walked right passed the people who were kneeling and right up the stairs to the dais to stand at her husband's right side while Nuriko went to stand at his left.
Hotohori shook off his surprise, nodded and turned his attention back to the people who were kneeling before him. "Forgive me gentlemen. This is Suzaku no Miko, the Empress Mistyc. And this is Suzaku Seishi Nuriko. If they are both here it must be a matter of some importance. Might we finish this business at a later date?"
The men nodded, not at all peeved but feeling very honored to be in all of their presence's at once. "Certainly your Majesty. It is not a great emergency."
The emperor nodded his thanks and left with seishi and wife in tow to his office. He sat in the chair behind his desk and Myst walked around and plopped herself down in his lap with her arms around his neck.
Hotohori sighed and wrapped his arms loosely around his wife's waist. "Now what's this about you taking a trip?"
She played with the small wisps of hair that fell at the back of his neck. "We're going to meet Tamahome."
It was Hotohori's turn to gape and he pulled back a little bit to stare at her.
Myst took advantage of his open mouth and kissed him, brushing her tongue briefly against his before pulling back.
Hotohori sputtered and she smirked at him. "Don't be so inviting then. Anyway, Suzaku gave me a vision and I'm going to follow it."
Hotohori recovered from his shock and reached up to pull the pin from his hair-box, letting the chocolate waves fall free. "How do you know it was from Suzaku?"
Myst looked to Nuriko with a pleading look for help.
The purple-haired seishi stepped around the desk to stand beside them as he spoke. "She held one of his feathers when the vision came. The feather disappeared when she agreed to go on the trip. I saw it with my own eyes your majesty."
Hotohori nodded. "If Suzaku commands it then it shall be done, though of my own will I would have let you anyway."
Myst squealed and hugged him tighter. "Thank you Hotohori! Will you come too? I think we all need to get out of the palace for a while and I knew there's nothing really important going on right now that's needs you right here. Trust me. I've been keeping up with the legitimate news."
Hotohori nodded again and smiled at her enthusiasm, making her squeal again.
Myst looked up thoughtfully. "Great! Now all I have to do is figure out how to find Tamahome!"
The two seishi face-faulted. "You mean you don't know where he is?"
Myst shook her head then froze and went glassy-eyed.
Hotohori started to shake her gently but stopped as a glowing red feather fell onto her hand.
Myst turned her hand up and caught the feather. She looked down at it not seeming to see it, either that or not seeing anything but it. She spoke once again in the trance-like voice. "No. But I know how to find him now. We must go to the Juso prefecture. We'll leave tomorrow morning." With that, the feather disappeared.
Hotohori nodded and Nuriko asked, "What did you see?"
Myst held out her hands and he helped her up. "An ailing old man and four children. Two boys and two girls. Their names in order of age from oldest to youngest are, Chuei, Gyoukuran, Shunkei, and Yuiren. They are his family. They're very poor and I wish to bring them to live here. They're mother is dead and the children are young. Tamahome hires himself out, usually as a body guard to raise money for them since his father is so ill. May we bring them here Hotohori, for their sake and for the sake of finding Tamahome?"
Hotohori had gotten up as well and they were now walking down the hall. "Of course. You never need to ask me about such things. This is your palace as well as mine."
Myst smiled as the three of them walked into Myst's and Hotohori's private halls.
They passed a room with a mirror in it and Myst back-peddled to the doorway, looking in. She walked up to the mirror and the two seishi finally joined her.
Hotohori touched her shoulder. "What's wrong?"
Myst looked at Hotohori's refection and then back at her own. "You can see it now."
"See what?"
She hit him in the arm with out looking back. "That I'm pregnant silly. See?" She took his hand and placed it on the small curve of her belly. She was wearing the clothes from her world, so you could clearly see her abdomen.
Hotohori's eyes brightened and his face lit up. He pressed against her back, wrapping his arms around her and resting his palms against the slight swell of her belly. He pressed his lips to her hair in a kiss and breathed in the scent of roses from her.
Myst leaned against him then looked back in the mirror and saw Nuriko standing there looking at them with a fond smile on his face and something like longing in his eyes. Myst knew the look of someone who saw a happy family and longed to be part of one. The look of someone who hadn't been part of one for so long. She reached over and took Nuriko's hand.
Hotohori surprised both of them by reaching out with his own hand, taking both of theirs in his and pressing it to where his hand had been before on Myst's stomach. This placed Nuriko's palm against Myst's skin, Myst's hand on top of his, and Hotohori's on top of hers. Hotohori's other arm guided Nuriko to the right side of them so Myst could put one arm around the small seishi.
Myst did just that and Nuriko rested his head against her shoulder, with his right hand still under theirs and his left arm around her and Hotohori.
Hotohori spoke in a soft warm voice and Nuriko met his bright eyes in the mirror. "I know how great the need for a family who loves you is Nuriko. We both know. As the chosen of Suzaku, we are the closest kind of family there is."
Myst nodded in agreement. "You are always welcome in our arms and hearts. We love you Nuriko, so, so much."
Hotohori hugged them tightly and as Nuriko hugged back he felt tears fall from his eyes, as he whispered something he never thought he would again. "Tadaima."
**********
Myst looked over from her horse as she rode between the two seishi. Hotohori had wanted her to ride the horse with him, but she had insisted on taking her own horse. They were all dressed in common clothes from that world and had been on the rode all yesterday and had spent the night at an inn.
"I think this next village should be it." Myst looked at the sort of carriage that was following them It was being driven by a plain-clothed palace guard and right now carried the doctor in case he was needed.
The guard nodded understanding and she turned, the two seishi and her riding ahead.
Myst stopped a farmer as they passed. "Excuse me sir, does the Sou family live in this village?"
The kind man nodded and pointed them in the right direction. They rode in a trot down the road looking around the small village.
Suddenly a child ran out of one of the yards and in front of them. Nuriko's horse started and he pulled up just in time to miss the little girl.
The little girl stumbled, fell in front of Myst and looked up frightened. Myst got off her horse and picked the little girl up comforting her. "Are you all right? Did you get hurt?"
The little girl shook her head and Myst looked back at Nuriko to see if he was okay. She was worried because this was almost what had happened to his sister. He was fine if not a little pale, so she turned back to the child.
"Is your name Yuiren?"
The little girl smiled. "How did you know? Do you know big brother?"
At this point the others had dismounted and a young boy ran out of the same yard and up to them. "Yuiren! I'm really sorry if my little sister bothered you."
Myst shook her head and put the child back down. "Don't worry about it. She helped me find you. You're Chuei aren't you?"
Chuei nodded. "Yes. Do I know you?"
Myst smiled. "Yes and no. May I see your father?"
Chuei nodded and started walking to the house. "Yes, but he's very ill."
"I know. That's another reason we came to see you."
Chuei showed them in and to his father. Myst knelt by the bed with a smile. "Hello sir. How are you feeling today?"
The man looked up at her. "Well enough. Who are you?"
"My name is Seishuku Mistyc. I am Suzaku no Miko. These are two of my seishi. This is Nuriko, and this is Hotohori, also known as Emperor Seishuku Saihitei, my husband."
The man tried to get up as his eyes widened. "Yo. your majesties! We are honored to have you in our humble home!"
Myst pushed him back down and continued to smile gently.
Hotohori came and knelt by the bed as well. "You must rest. Please tell no one who we are. We simply felt that we needed to be truthful with you from the start. We wish our visit here to be discreet."
The man nodded and laid back as Myst pulled the thin blanket up to his neck. "These are my children." He gestured to the four children standing in the doorway.
Myst stood and went to them, kneeling down to their level. "Yes I know." She touched each as she named them. "Chuei, Shunkei, Yuiren, and Gyoukuran. Suzaku told me about you. You're very special children."
Gyoukuran stepped up to her. "You can talk to Suzaku?!"
She put her hand on the girls shoulder. "Not quite, but he can show me what he wants once in a while. He showed me all of you and we made a decision."
Hotohori, who was now standing picked up from here. "If you would consent, we would be honored to have you come live with us at the palace for as long as you'd like.
The father's eyes welled up with tears. "Oh! Oh Majesty! How can we thank you?!"
Hotohori smiled widely. "Do not worry about it. It's the least we could offer. We'll send word to your eldest and hopefully he'll join you soon."
Nuriko nodded and spoke for the first time. "That's right. The family of a fellow seishi is our family as well." He looked down as he felt Yuiren tug on his silk, women's riding clothes.
The child looked up at him with bright eyes. "Miss, are you my brother's wife?"
Nuriko knelt down with good humor on his face. "No. I haven't met your brother yet."
Yuiren smiled. "You'll like him, I know you will."
Nuriko laughed and stood with Yuiren in his arms. "I'm sure I will. If he's anywhere near as sweet as you, I know I will." Yuiren laughed and hugged him pressing her cheek against his.
Myst smiled at the two. 'It's like he has a little sister again. This is a good thing.'
With that, they began making plans to leave the very next day as the doctor came in and began assessing the illness that the child's father had.
**********
A.N.: Did I mention that typing on a laptop is quite a bit different from typing on an actual computer? Not that I'm really complaining, but hey oh well. Not gonna type long on this one. The café I'm in is getting ready to close up. Once again, the next chapter will be out soon if it isn't already. Oh Yeah, a mention for next chapter, Tamahome's father will be referred to as "'Tou-san." Enjoy!!!!!
~Celesta Hellewise Harman
Hotohori sighed inwardly as he sat on his throne. 'This is so boring. I wish something would happen."
About this time he heard one of the guards outside. "Wait! You can't go in there! They didn't want to be disturbed."
The doors burst open and the miko with seishi in tow walked proudly and swiftly in. Myst spoke in a clear authoritative voice. "Hotohori, when you get the chance, we need to talk about the trip I'm going on tomorrow."
Hotohori almost shook his head as he thought, 'I need to stop asking for things when I'm bored.'
Myst walked right passed the people who were kneeling and right up the stairs to the dais to stand at her husband's right side while Nuriko went to stand at his left.
Hotohori shook off his surprise, nodded and turned his attention back to the people who were kneeling before him. "Forgive me gentlemen. This is Suzaku no Miko, the Empress Mistyc. And this is Suzaku Seishi Nuriko. If they are both here it must be a matter of some importance. Might we finish this business at a later date?"
The men nodded, not at all peeved but feeling very honored to be in all of their presence's at once. "Certainly your Majesty. It is not a great emergency."
The emperor nodded his thanks and left with seishi and wife in tow to his office. He sat in the chair behind his desk and Myst walked around and plopped herself down in his lap with her arms around his neck.
Hotohori sighed and wrapped his arms loosely around his wife's waist. "Now what's this about you taking a trip?"
She played with the small wisps of hair that fell at the back of his neck. "We're going to meet Tamahome."
It was Hotohori's turn to gape and he pulled back a little bit to stare at her.
Myst took advantage of his open mouth and kissed him, brushing her tongue briefly against his before pulling back.
Hotohori sputtered and she smirked at him. "Don't be so inviting then. Anyway, Suzaku gave me a vision and I'm going to follow it."
Hotohori recovered from his shock and reached up to pull the pin from his hair-box, letting the chocolate waves fall free. "How do you know it was from Suzaku?"
Myst looked to Nuriko with a pleading look for help.
The purple-haired seishi stepped around the desk to stand beside them as he spoke. "She held one of his feathers when the vision came. The feather disappeared when she agreed to go on the trip. I saw it with my own eyes your majesty."
Hotohori nodded. "If Suzaku commands it then it shall be done, though of my own will I would have let you anyway."
Myst squealed and hugged him tighter. "Thank you Hotohori! Will you come too? I think we all need to get out of the palace for a while and I knew there's nothing really important going on right now that's needs you right here. Trust me. I've been keeping up with the legitimate news."
Hotohori nodded again and smiled at her enthusiasm, making her squeal again.
Myst looked up thoughtfully. "Great! Now all I have to do is figure out how to find Tamahome!"
The two seishi face-faulted. "You mean you don't know where he is?"
Myst shook her head then froze and went glassy-eyed.
Hotohori started to shake her gently but stopped as a glowing red feather fell onto her hand.
Myst turned her hand up and caught the feather. She looked down at it not seeming to see it, either that or not seeing anything but it. She spoke once again in the trance-like voice. "No. But I know how to find him now. We must go to the Juso prefecture. We'll leave tomorrow morning." With that, the feather disappeared.
Hotohori nodded and Nuriko asked, "What did you see?"
Myst held out her hands and he helped her up. "An ailing old man and four children. Two boys and two girls. Their names in order of age from oldest to youngest are, Chuei, Gyoukuran, Shunkei, and Yuiren. They are his family. They're very poor and I wish to bring them to live here. They're mother is dead and the children are young. Tamahome hires himself out, usually as a body guard to raise money for them since his father is so ill. May we bring them here Hotohori, for their sake and for the sake of finding Tamahome?"
Hotohori had gotten up as well and they were now walking down the hall. "Of course. You never need to ask me about such things. This is your palace as well as mine."
Myst smiled as the three of them walked into Myst's and Hotohori's private halls.
They passed a room with a mirror in it and Myst back-peddled to the doorway, looking in. She walked up to the mirror and the two seishi finally joined her.
Hotohori touched her shoulder. "What's wrong?"
Myst looked at Hotohori's refection and then back at her own. "You can see it now."
"See what?"
She hit him in the arm with out looking back. "That I'm pregnant silly. See?" She took his hand and placed it on the small curve of her belly. She was wearing the clothes from her world, so you could clearly see her abdomen.
Hotohori's eyes brightened and his face lit up. He pressed against her back, wrapping his arms around her and resting his palms against the slight swell of her belly. He pressed his lips to her hair in a kiss and breathed in the scent of roses from her.
Myst leaned against him then looked back in the mirror and saw Nuriko standing there looking at them with a fond smile on his face and something like longing in his eyes. Myst knew the look of someone who saw a happy family and longed to be part of one. The look of someone who hadn't been part of one for so long. She reached over and took Nuriko's hand.
Hotohori surprised both of them by reaching out with his own hand, taking both of theirs in his and pressing it to where his hand had been before on Myst's stomach. This placed Nuriko's palm against Myst's skin, Myst's hand on top of his, and Hotohori's on top of hers. Hotohori's other arm guided Nuriko to the right side of them so Myst could put one arm around the small seishi.
Myst did just that and Nuriko rested his head against her shoulder, with his right hand still under theirs and his left arm around her and Hotohori.
Hotohori spoke in a soft warm voice and Nuriko met his bright eyes in the mirror. "I know how great the need for a family who loves you is Nuriko. We both know. As the chosen of Suzaku, we are the closest kind of family there is."
Myst nodded in agreement. "You are always welcome in our arms and hearts. We love you Nuriko, so, so much."
Hotohori hugged them tightly and as Nuriko hugged back he felt tears fall from his eyes, as he whispered something he never thought he would again. "Tadaima."
**********
Myst looked over from her horse as she rode between the two seishi. Hotohori had wanted her to ride the horse with him, but she had insisted on taking her own horse. They were all dressed in common clothes from that world and had been on the rode all yesterday and had spent the night at an inn.
"I think this next village should be it." Myst looked at the sort of carriage that was following them It was being driven by a plain-clothed palace guard and right now carried the doctor in case he was needed.
The guard nodded understanding and she turned, the two seishi and her riding ahead.
Myst stopped a farmer as they passed. "Excuse me sir, does the Sou family live in this village?"
The kind man nodded and pointed them in the right direction. They rode in a trot down the road looking around the small village.
Suddenly a child ran out of one of the yards and in front of them. Nuriko's horse started and he pulled up just in time to miss the little girl.
The little girl stumbled, fell in front of Myst and looked up frightened. Myst got off her horse and picked the little girl up comforting her. "Are you all right? Did you get hurt?"
The little girl shook her head and Myst looked back at Nuriko to see if he was okay. She was worried because this was almost what had happened to his sister. He was fine if not a little pale, so she turned back to the child.
"Is your name Yuiren?"
The little girl smiled. "How did you know? Do you know big brother?"
At this point the others had dismounted and a young boy ran out of the same yard and up to them. "Yuiren! I'm really sorry if my little sister bothered you."
Myst shook her head and put the child back down. "Don't worry about it. She helped me find you. You're Chuei aren't you?"
Chuei nodded. "Yes. Do I know you?"
Myst smiled. "Yes and no. May I see your father?"
Chuei nodded and started walking to the house. "Yes, but he's very ill."
"I know. That's another reason we came to see you."
Chuei showed them in and to his father. Myst knelt by the bed with a smile. "Hello sir. How are you feeling today?"
The man looked up at her. "Well enough. Who are you?"
"My name is Seishuku Mistyc. I am Suzaku no Miko. These are two of my seishi. This is Nuriko, and this is Hotohori, also known as Emperor Seishuku Saihitei, my husband."
The man tried to get up as his eyes widened. "Yo. your majesties! We are honored to have you in our humble home!"
Myst pushed him back down and continued to smile gently.
Hotohori came and knelt by the bed as well. "You must rest. Please tell no one who we are. We simply felt that we needed to be truthful with you from the start. We wish our visit here to be discreet."
The man nodded and laid back as Myst pulled the thin blanket up to his neck. "These are my children." He gestured to the four children standing in the doorway.
Myst stood and went to them, kneeling down to their level. "Yes I know." She touched each as she named them. "Chuei, Shunkei, Yuiren, and Gyoukuran. Suzaku told me about you. You're very special children."
Gyoukuran stepped up to her. "You can talk to Suzaku?!"
She put her hand on the girls shoulder. "Not quite, but he can show me what he wants once in a while. He showed me all of you and we made a decision."
Hotohori, who was now standing picked up from here. "If you would consent, we would be honored to have you come live with us at the palace for as long as you'd like.
The father's eyes welled up with tears. "Oh! Oh Majesty! How can we thank you?!"
Hotohori smiled widely. "Do not worry about it. It's the least we could offer. We'll send word to your eldest and hopefully he'll join you soon."
Nuriko nodded and spoke for the first time. "That's right. The family of a fellow seishi is our family as well." He looked down as he felt Yuiren tug on his silk, women's riding clothes.
The child looked up at him with bright eyes. "Miss, are you my brother's wife?"
Nuriko knelt down with good humor on his face. "No. I haven't met your brother yet."
Yuiren smiled. "You'll like him, I know you will."
Nuriko laughed and stood with Yuiren in his arms. "I'm sure I will. If he's anywhere near as sweet as you, I know I will." Yuiren laughed and hugged him pressing her cheek against his.
Myst smiled at the two. 'It's like he has a little sister again. This is a good thing.'
With that, they began making plans to leave the very next day as the doctor came in and began assessing the illness that the child's father had.
**********
A.N.: Did I mention that typing on a laptop is quite a bit different from typing on an actual computer? Not that I'm really complaining, but hey oh well. Not gonna type long on this one. The café I'm in is getting ready to close up. Once again, the next chapter will be out soon if it isn't already. Oh Yeah, a mention for next chapter, Tamahome's father will be referred to as "'Tou-san." Enjoy!!!!!
~Celesta Hellewise Harman