~An American Miko~
Chapter Twenty-Three
More Sleep & Company
They were all on the road again early the next day. This time Myst was on her own horse with a very sleepy Nuriko curled up against her in her arms. It turns out that Nuriko had only slept for about an hour, then had sat up watching over the sleeping couple for the rest of the night.
Myst had woken up with Hotohori spooning with her from behind, with his warm arms around her and bloodshot reddish-purple eyes in front of her. Needless to say, the rest of the sleeping people woke up with her weather they wanted to or not. Thankfully their ears stopped ringing from the scream halfway through breakfast.
Myst sighed and snuggled her dear friends closer. "Go to sleep Ryuen. It's all right. I'll watch over you this time."
Nuriko instantly relaxed and Tamahome, who was beside them looked over in shock. "I wish I could fall asleep that fast."
Myst chuckled and nodded as she held the reigns with one hand and stroked Nuriko's hair lovingly with the other. She enjoyed feeling him against her so much now, that other than Hotohori, there was no one that fit her better. 'We're like three parts of the same soul Little Love. Do you feel that too?'
They stopped for lunch by a little spring. As they talked and laid about, Myst suddenly stiffened and looked off into the woods. As they watched a young man of about sixteen, stumbled out of the woods.
Tamahome got up and caught him as he fell. He brought him over to the group and sat him down. Mitsukake was by his side checking his vital signs immediately. Hotohori leaned forward. "Are you all right? What happened?"
The boy looked up. "My. my family. We were traveling and were attacked. It happened a few months ago. I was the only one that." He let out a small sob and curled in on himself.
Mitsukake looked up. "His wounds seem to have heal already. He's just very malnourished and underweight."
Myst went on a hunch of hers when she saw the flute in his hand. "We heard a flute earlier today and yesterday. Was it you?"
He nodded and turned his blue-green eyes to her. "Yesterday you all looked so tired and were talking about camping out on the road. I knew there was a village by here and that you shouldn't stop in the woods. They're very dangerous and I felt strangely draw to you. I didn't want you to get hurt, so I convinced you with my flute to not stop and to go a little further where you would be safer. Today, I was just trying to convince myself that I was not hungry, so I could keep going. I've tried to stay away from people out of fear, but I finally caught up to you and I saw you eating and I was so hungry." He glanced over at the apple that the Emperor had in his hand before looking back down at his hands. "I'll play for you in return for something to eat. I won't ask for much, just a few."
He stopped as an apple was held in front of his down-turned face. He slowly looked up into smiling golden eyes.
Hotohori said, "Whatever we have is yours if you need it."
He took the apple from Hotohori with such a grateful look on his face and in his eyes that it almost broke your heart.
Myst stared at him for a while longer while he ate. She felt something odd about this one. She felt energy almost like a seishi's coming from him, but had gotten no clue from Suzaku. That and the energy was off a little bit. She reached over and touched his right shoulder. Suddenly a shock went through her and she passed out.
When she woke up again it was again to her husbands almost panicked face. Her head felt like it was splitting open and she grimaced making him tighten his arms around her. She heard a flute begin to play and felt strength flow through her.
All the seishi looked at the boy as he continued to play and all finally focused on a tear in the boys clothing. There on his left side they saw a red mark. The boy looked up and saw all eyes focused on him. He blushed and stopped playing. "Sorry. I though I could help."
Nuriko and Hotohori looked back at Myst who was strangely silent. They saw a red feather in her hand and nodded to each other. Myst was still staring at the boy with her eyes wide.
Hotohori turned back to the boy and spoke up. "What is your name?"
"Everyone calls me Chiriko."
Hotohori smiled. "You're a Suzaku Seishi."
'Chiriko' looked up surprised. "Yes. B-but, how did you know?"
Hakurou had stayed out of the little circle, watching with amusement as all the other seishi at the same time pulled hair and clothing away and raised their glyphs. The boy gasped. "You all."
They nodded with wide smiles. Myst kept staring as her hand clutched Suzaku's feather. She knew who he was all right. She knew his past and his life. She knew his fears and his joys. She now knew about the Seiryuu Seishi and about Nakago and the orders that he had been given by the blond. She also know that he followed those orders mostly out of fear for his twin brother's life. He was a good person at heart and she decided right then and there to take him under her wing, even if he chose later to fulfill his orders. She would not let his heart bleed anymore.
Myst sat up and Hotohori kept his arms around her. "Chiriko. I am Suzaku no Miko. My name is Seishuku Mistyc. My friends call me Myst." She introduce the rest of the seishi and the newcomer nodded calmly. She explained who Tasuki and Hakurou and he nodded calmly. She explained where they had come from and where they were going and he nodded calmly. She explain who she and Hotohori were and he. freaked.
When he finally woke up and stopped bowing and groveling, they packed up and were on their way again. Tamahome gave Chiriko one of his old short tunics to change into and he accepted it gratefully. He was given Nuriko's horse to ride and Nuriko took Myst's horse while Myst rode either with him or mostly with Hotohori.
**********
For the next day and a half they all talked and bonded with each other. Finally they rode through Eiyo and came to the palace gates. The guards saw who it was and immediately opened the gates for them. The flock of advisors once again came out to meet them. They surrounded Hotohori and Myst's horse and stepped back only enough to let them dismount.
Hotohori raised his hand before Myst could and the advisors silenced at once. Hotohori's smooth practiced voice carried over them easily. "Please, would you give us a few minuets to stretch, speak with the rest of the seishi, and get cleaned up, before we are bombarded with the full weight of the throne again?"
The advisors stared at him a little, but nodded and backed up to the edge of the huge courtyard. Myst's handmaidens, who were starting to gather as well, took the hint and did the same.
The two royalty stepped back into the group of weary travelers. Myst let her husband speak. "All right. Tamahome, Chichiri, and Mitsukake, would you show Tasuki, Chiriko, and Hakurou to the halls where your rooms are? Hakurou, you will be housed with the seishi as well and we ask you to keep who you and Tasuki are as bandits a secret until Mistyc and I can inform the counsel. Nuriko, since you are housed in our halls, you may obviously wish to follow us as I think the Empress and I are of one mind about bathing and changing. All of you may of course join us in our personal bath if you wish, however the other bathing pool kept strictly for seishi, and now you as well Hakurou, is closer to your rooms. Is there anything else that is of dire need to be said?" This last he directed at Myst.
Myst shook her head. "Nope. I think that about covers it."
The others nodded as Myst, Hotohori, and Nuriko turned to walk to their halls. Nuriko followed behind the group as the waiting people closed around the married couple again. The advisors babbled at Hotohori and the handmaidens babbled at Myst. They took it in stride, but dismissed them all as they arrived at the royal halls. Nuriko grabbed some clothes and joined the royal couple in the bath.
When they emerged at last, the rest of their traveling group was waiting in the hall. The newcomers eyes widened as they saw the three in their court garb for the first time, especially the royal couple. Nuriko was dressed similarly to Hotohori now that it was known that he was a man.
Myst leaned over to her husband, the beads and chains on her headdress clacking slightly, and whispered, "I think it just really hit them."
Hotohori nodded and leaned to kiss her cheek through the beaded veil over her face. Myst was dressed in dark and lilac purples, midnight to light blues, and gold and silver silks. The gold phoenix headdress with it's ruby eyes and beaded veil sparkled and matched the sword which was still strapped to her waist. Myst didn't care if no other Empress in history had ever worn a sword. She believed that if she could wield it, she could were it as Hotohori did his own.
Nuriko was in a less elaborate crimson outfit than Hotohori's fantastic one, but all of their hands were covered by the traditional voluminous sleeves. Everyone including Nuriko bowed to the royal couple.
As they straitened, Tamahome smiled. "Shall we go see my family before the mob sweeps you away again?"
Myst nodded regally, once again in character. "Lead the way my friend. I am just as eager as you."
He nodded and the group, consisting of seishi, miko, and one former bandit leader, left as one. The second they turned into the halls were the So family rooms were kept, there was childish shrieking of, "You're back!", "Onii-chan!", and "Myst!"
The children attached to the voices collided a few seconds later. Tamahome and Myst knelt down for the three youngest to glomp them in turn as 'Tou- san and Chuei walked over. Boushin was in Chew's arms and as soon as the baby saw his father, he laughed and waved his arms around.
A huge smile lit Hotohori's features as he reached out to take his son. He held Boushin to him with his cheek pressed again the fuzzy head. His eyes closed as he breathed in the fresh scent of the little prince.
Myst stood up and chuckled. She laid her hands on Boushin's back as the baby grabbed onto the ribbons that hung from either side of Hotohori's own headdress. "You know, he's so much more advanced than a normal baby. He so much older mentally than a baby his age should be.
Hotohori laid a gentle kiss on Boushin's cheek and the baby squirmed and laughed, then, "Da!"
Hotohori pulled back to look at his son's face with wide eyes and a grin split Myst's face. Hotohori blinked. "My precious, what did you say?"
The baby in his miniature prince garb squirmed and patted his father's face. "Da!" He bounced a little still patting Hotohori's face and squealed with laughter as his small gold eyes stared into the matching eyes of the Emperor. "Dada!"
Myst laughed lightly and wrapped an arm around Hotohori's waist, laying her cheek against his shoulder and looking at their son with shining eyes. "Well, either he wants to be Chichiri, or he just said his first word Daddy."
The other's laughed and Chichiri blushed slightly, while Hotohori's eyes misted over. He hugged his son again and whispered to him. "Oh my precious, precious son. I love you."
Myst smiled and rubbed her husbands back. "May I hold him now?"
Hotohori nodded and handed Boushin over. Then he wrapped his arms around his family from behind letting Myst lean back into his warmth.
Myst smiled and turned her son around to the rest of the group. "As you may have guessed, this is my son, Crowned Prince Seishuku Boushin. Boushin." She tickled his stomach and he laughed. "These are your uncles, Hakurou, Tasuki, and. Chiriko."
No one noticed the pause before she said Chiriko's name, except for maybe Chiriko, though nothing was said. They all smiled and moved to a more comfortable area to talk.
**********
A.N.: Ya know, writers block really sucks, but I figured, the best thing to do is work through it. I've done it a few times and it really has helped. I still have no clue when this fic is going to end. Not any time soon I don't think. You might really have to stick with me on this one, since personally I HATE it when good fics end, and as far as I've heard from the people who have read this fic, it's pretty good. Well it's late and I have a splitting headache, so. Keep reading and ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!
~Celesta Hellewise Harman
They were all on the road again early the next day. This time Myst was on her own horse with a very sleepy Nuriko curled up against her in her arms. It turns out that Nuriko had only slept for about an hour, then had sat up watching over the sleeping couple for the rest of the night.
Myst had woken up with Hotohori spooning with her from behind, with his warm arms around her and bloodshot reddish-purple eyes in front of her. Needless to say, the rest of the sleeping people woke up with her weather they wanted to or not. Thankfully their ears stopped ringing from the scream halfway through breakfast.
Myst sighed and snuggled her dear friends closer. "Go to sleep Ryuen. It's all right. I'll watch over you this time."
Nuriko instantly relaxed and Tamahome, who was beside them looked over in shock. "I wish I could fall asleep that fast."
Myst chuckled and nodded as she held the reigns with one hand and stroked Nuriko's hair lovingly with the other. She enjoyed feeling him against her so much now, that other than Hotohori, there was no one that fit her better. 'We're like three parts of the same soul Little Love. Do you feel that too?'
They stopped for lunch by a little spring. As they talked and laid about, Myst suddenly stiffened and looked off into the woods. As they watched a young man of about sixteen, stumbled out of the woods.
Tamahome got up and caught him as he fell. He brought him over to the group and sat him down. Mitsukake was by his side checking his vital signs immediately. Hotohori leaned forward. "Are you all right? What happened?"
The boy looked up. "My. my family. We were traveling and were attacked. It happened a few months ago. I was the only one that." He let out a small sob and curled in on himself.
Mitsukake looked up. "His wounds seem to have heal already. He's just very malnourished and underweight."
Myst went on a hunch of hers when she saw the flute in his hand. "We heard a flute earlier today and yesterday. Was it you?"
He nodded and turned his blue-green eyes to her. "Yesterday you all looked so tired and were talking about camping out on the road. I knew there was a village by here and that you shouldn't stop in the woods. They're very dangerous and I felt strangely draw to you. I didn't want you to get hurt, so I convinced you with my flute to not stop and to go a little further where you would be safer. Today, I was just trying to convince myself that I was not hungry, so I could keep going. I've tried to stay away from people out of fear, but I finally caught up to you and I saw you eating and I was so hungry." He glanced over at the apple that the Emperor had in his hand before looking back down at his hands. "I'll play for you in return for something to eat. I won't ask for much, just a few."
He stopped as an apple was held in front of his down-turned face. He slowly looked up into smiling golden eyes.
Hotohori said, "Whatever we have is yours if you need it."
He took the apple from Hotohori with such a grateful look on his face and in his eyes that it almost broke your heart.
Myst stared at him for a while longer while he ate. She felt something odd about this one. She felt energy almost like a seishi's coming from him, but had gotten no clue from Suzaku. That and the energy was off a little bit. She reached over and touched his right shoulder. Suddenly a shock went through her and she passed out.
When she woke up again it was again to her husbands almost panicked face. Her head felt like it was splitting open and she grimaced making him tighten his arms around her. She heard a flute begin to play and felt strength flow through her.
All the seishi looked at the boy as he continued to play and all finally focused on a tear in the boys clothing. There on his left side they saw a red mark. The boy looked up and saw all eyes focused on him. He blushed and stopped playing. "Sorry. I though I could help."
Nuriko and Hotohori looked back at Myst who was strangely silent. They saw a red feather in her hand and nodded to each other. Myst was still staring at the boy with her eyes wide.
Hotohori turned back to the boy and spoke up. "What is your name?"
"Everyone calls me Chiriko."
Hotohori smiled. "You're a Suzaku Seishi."
'Chiriko' looked up surprised. "Yes. B-but, how did you know?"
Hakurou had stayed out of the little circle, watching with amusement as all the other seishi at the same time pulled hair and clothing away and raised their glyphs. The boy gasped. "You all."
They nodded with wide smiles. Myst kept staring as her hand clutched Suzaku's feather. She knew who he was all right. She knew his past and his life. She knew his fears and his joys. She now knew about the Seiryuu Seishi and about Nakago and the orders that he had been given by the blond. She also know that he followed those orders mostly out of fear for his twin brother's life. He was a good person at heart and she decided right then and there to take him under her wing, even if he chose later to fulfill his orders. She would not let his heart bleed anymore.
Myst sat up and Hotohori kept his arms around her. "Chiriko. I am Suzaku no Miko. My name is Seishuku Mistyc. My friends call me Myst." She introduce the rest of the seishi and the newcomer nodded calmly. She explained who Tasuki and Hakurou and he nodded calmly. She explained where they had come from and where they were going and he nodded calmly. She explain who she and Hotohori were and he. freaked.
When he finally woke up and stopped bowing and groveling, they packed up and were on their way again. Tamahome gave Chiriko one of his old short tunics to change into and he accepted it gratefully. He was given Nuriko's horse to ride and Nuriko took Myst's horse while Myst rode either with him or mostly with Hotohori.
**********
For the next day and a half they all talked and bonded with each other. Finally they rode through Eiyo and came to the palace gates. The guards saw who it was and immediately opened the gates for them. The flock of advisors once again came out to meet them. They surrounded Hotohori and Myst's horse and stepped back only enough to let them dismount.
Hotohori raised his hand before Myst could and the advisors silenced at once. Hotohori's smooth practiced voice carried over them easily. "Please, would you give us a few minuets to stretch, speak with the rest of the seishi, and get cleaned up, before we are bombarded with the full weight of the throne again?"
The advisors stared at him a little, but nodded and backed up to the edge of the huge courtyard. Myst's handmaidens, who were starting to gather as well, took the hint and did the same.
The two royalty stepped back into the group of weary travelers. Myst let her husband speak. "All right. Tamahome, Chichiri, and Mitsukake, would you show Tasuki, Chiriko, and Hakurou to the halls where your rooms are? Hakurou, you will be housed with the seishi as well and we ask you to keep who you and Tasuki are as bandits a secret until Mistyc and I can inform the counsel. Nuriko, since you are housed in our halls, you may obviously wish to follow us as I think the Empress and I are of one mind about bathing and changing. All of you may of course join us in our personal bath if you wish, however the other bathing pool kept strictly for seishi, and now you as well Hakurou, is closer to your rooms. Is there anything else that is of dire need to be said?" This last he directed at Myst.
Myst shook her head. "Nope. I think that about covers it."
The others nodded as Myst, Hotohori, and Nuriko turned to walk to their halls. Nuriko followed behind the group as the waiting people closed around the married couple again. The advisors babbled at Hotohori and the handmaidens babbled at Myst. They took it in stride, but dismissed them all as they arrived at the royal halls. Nuriko grabbed some clothes and joined the royal couple in the bath.
When they emerged at last, the rest of their traveling group was waiting in the hall. The newcomers eyes widened as they saw the three in their court garb for the first time, especially the royal couple. Nuriko was dressed similarly to Hotohori now that it was known that he was a man.
Myst leaned over to her husband, the beads and chains on her headdress clacking slightly, and whispered, "I think it just really hit them."
Hotohori nodded and leaned to kiss her cheek through the beaded veil over her face. Myst was dressed in dark and lilac purples, midnight to light blues, and gold and silver silks. The gold phoenix headdress with it's ruby eyes and beaded veil sparkled and matched the sword which was still strapped to her waist. Myst didn't care if no other Empress in history had ever worn a sword. She believed that if she could wield it, she could were it as Hotohori did his own.
Nuriko was in a less elaborate crimson outfit than Hotohori's fantastic one, but all of their hands were covered by the traditional voluminous sleeves. Everyone including Nuriko bowed to the royal couple.
As they straitened, Tamahome smiled. "Shall we go see my family before the mob sweeps you away again?"
Myst nodded regally, once again in character. "Lead the way my friend. I am just as eager as you."
He nodded and the group, consisting of seishi, miko, and one former bandit leader, left as one. The second they turned into the halls were the So family rooms were kept, there was childish shrieking of, "You're back!", "Onii-chan!", and "Myst!"
The children attached to the voices collided a few seconds later. Tamahome and Myst knelt down for the three youngest to glomp them in turn as 'Tou- san and Chuei walked over. Boushin was in Chew's arms and as soon as the baby saw his father, he laughed and waved his arms around.
A huge smile lit Hotohori's features as he reached out to take his son. He held Boushin to him with his cheek pressed again the fuzzy head. His eyes closed as he breathed in the fresh scent of the little prince.
Myst stood up and chuckled. She laid her hands on Boushin's back as the baby grabbed onto the ribbons that hung from either side of Hotohori's own headdress. "You know, he's so much more advanced than a normal baby. He so much older mentally than a baby his age should be.
Hotohori laid a gentle kiss on Boushin's cheek and the baby squirmed and laughed, then, "Da!"
Hotohori pulled back to look at his son's face with wide eyes and a grin split Myst's face. Hotohori blinked. "My precious, what did you say?"
The baby in his miniature prince garb squirmed and patted his father's face. "Da!" He bounced a little still patting Hotohori's face and squealed with laughter as his small gold eyes stared into the matching eyes of the Emperor. "Dada!"
Myst laughed lightly and wrapped an arm around Hotohori's waist, laying her cheek against his shoulder and looking at their son with shining eyes. "Well, either he wants to be Chichiri, or he just said his first word Daddy."
The other's laughed and Chichiri blushed slightly, while Hotohori's eyes misted over. He hugged his son again and whispered to him. "Oh my precious, precious son. I love you."
Myst smiled and rubbed her husbands back. "May I hold him now?"
Hotohori nodded and handed Boushin over. Then he wrapped his arms around his family from behind letting Myst lean back into his warmth.
Myst smiled and turned her son around to the rest of the group. "As you may have guessed, this is my son, Crowned Prince Seishuku Boushin. Boushin." She tickled his stomach and he laughed. "These are your uncles, Hakurou, Tasuki, and. Chiriko."
No one noticed the pause before she said Chiriko's name, except for maybe Chiriko, though nothing was said. They all smiled and moved to a more comfortable area to talk.
**********
A.N.: Ya know, writers block really sucks, but I figured, the best thing to do is work through it. I've done it a few times and it really has helped. I still have no clue when this fic is going to end. Not any time soon I don't think. You might really have to stick with me on this one, since personally I HATE it when good fics end, and as far as I've heard from the people who have read this fic, it's pretty good. Well it's late and I have a splitting headache, so. Keep reading and ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!
~Celesta Hellewise Harman