"Song of Lovers" by Ai Yuukan

Chapter 4

"Tei-sama, is there anything I could get for you?" Samantha's maid asked the new Genbu no Miko.

Samantha looked up from the scrolls. "Oh, n-no. Thank you, Miyu- san.. but maybe you could help Kate.. er.. I mean, Shoshi. Isn't she really busy?" She suggested to her maid. She really didn't have need for one, even if her maid was really nice and helpful. She thought it was embarrassing to have someone do the simplest of chores for her, like helping her dress herself. She was fif-teen, not five for goodness' sake! But Miyu was really nice.. and she knew that Kathryn was having trouble with her present maid, Eri. Eri was really put-off by Kathryn's independent nature, and Kathryn, though she didn't mind a maid's assistance, except in helping her dress herself, she did have a problem with a maid who gossiped about her to the servants. The servants were already gossiping about Kathryn's unladylike manners and 'boyish' nature. Just this morning, Samantha had heard that Eri and Kathryn had had a big blow-out. Kathryn, angered and embarrassed by Eri's rude comments on her manners and lack of a lady's grace, had literally tossed Eri out of her room and had shut the door on her. Much angered, Eri had complained directly to the emperor.

Miyu sighed. "Well.." She had heard the rumors, of course.. and she didn't really savor the idea of being maid to a cranky, tomboyish girl.. but who knew if the rumors were true? She decided to ask her present lady, already knowledgeable of Samantha's tolerant and patient nature. "Are any of the rumors true, Tei-sama?"

Samantha looked up. "Well.. what exactly do they say about Kate.. I mean, Shoshi?"

Miyu shrugged. "They say she's cranky, uneducated, accident-prone, selfish, and totally ungrateful of a maid's efforts to turn her otherwise." She said honestly. She also knew Samantha was a very reasonable lady, thus she spoke frankly.

Samantha chuckled, amused. "Hontou? Wow.. Let's see.. She's not ordinarily cranky, you know. She has a great sense of humor, and she really does like to provoke people.. But she argues good-naturedly.. She just likes talking to people." Samantha explained. "And she's not uneducated. She's very good in the arts.. well the visual arts, at least.. She can read and write and she likes to draw."

"Really? They said she cannot read or write, though."

Samantha made a face. "Well she can.. but only in English, not ancient Chinese."

"Ingi-risu?"

Samantha smiled. "English. It's the language of our country. As for her being accident-prone, she's really not. Of course, she's had her share of accidents, but it's not more than normal people. Of course, she does get a little klutzy when she's disgruntled or flustered. And she's not selfish.. why did Eri-san say she was selfish?"

Miyu grinned. "Well, I think Eri-san was exaggerating then. Shoshi- sama caught her sneaking a peek at her ladyship's drawings and writings. Shoshi-sama screamed at her loud enough to wake up the entire palace."

Samantha laughed. "That does sound like Shoshi-sama.. She does tend to get angry over those things. And Kate really doesn't like it when people try to change her. Our uncle tried to do that too many times, you know."

"Her uncle?"

Samantha's smile slowly disappeared. "Hai.. her uncle. My father.. he did like to change people to his liking and mold them into his own personal puppets."

Miyu frowned curiously. "Your father.. is he.. dead?" She then gasped. "Oh, I'm sorry, Tei-sama! I didn't mean to ask such a personal question!"

Samantha smiled cheerfully to assure her maid. "It's okay, Miyu- san."

You should reprimand her, daughter. She talks too much for a servant!

Samantha's eyes hardened. She forced Genbu out of her head with little effort. "My father's dead to me, Miyu-san. He has been for a very long time."

"Sammy!"

Samantha turned and smiled as Kathryn walked into her room. Kathryn looked around, impressed. Samantha's room was much larger than her own room, and there were scrolls everywhere. "Whatcha doing?"

Samantha sighed and started folding scrolls. "Writing. I'm trying to remember as much as I can.. about what originally happened in this world. So we can be prepared."

Kathryn made a face. "That's a good idea. Wonder why I didn't think of that. Oh yeah, you're the smart one."

Samantha laughed. "How's Miyu-san?" She asked curiously. "Scream her ears off already?"

Kathryn blushed. "Sammy! No, she's a lot better than Eri, you know." She sat down on Samantha's bed. "Have you been out of this room at all, Sammy?" She asked curiously.

Samantha flushed. "Not really.. It's just been too time-consuming, writing everything I remember, down on paper. So how is everything in the outside world?"

Kathryn grinned. "Well, everything's okay, I guess. Vivien's bored, Miaka's doing what she's supposed to do, run the staff ragged, and.." Her smile faded. ".. there's no word of Lilian."

Samantha looked down. "I was afraid of that."

"Afraid of what?"

"You haven't noticed? Remember our penpals? I was with Tetsuya and Taka.. you were with Keisuke.. and Vivien was with Miaka."

Kathryn's eyes widened. Of course! "And Lilian was with Yui! Does that mean she's in Kotou?"

Samantha nodded sadly. "I'm afraid so."

Kathryn sighed. "I don't like this. At all. That means.. she's with Nakago. Keisuke-kun didn't speak very highly of him."

Samantha had to smile. "That's one way to put it. Whenever Taka says his name, it's always accompanied by a curse or two."

Kathryn smiled sadly. "If Vivi finds out that Lily's in Kotou with that guy.. She's going to go through the roof. You know how close those two are."

Samantha sighed sadly. Kathryn was right. Although Vivien and Lilian were best friends, too, she and Kathryn were just.. sisters. Sisters who cared about each other, yes, but they never bothered to gain that 'best-friend' degree. She never had a best friend.. Well.. She smiled sadly. Kathryn was the closest she would ever get to getting a best friend. They understood each other.. and they knew each other better than any of their sisters or friends did.. but neither of them had really made any effort to actually 'do' some best-friend.. stuff. They just weren't willing to share their feelings with each other. Samantha sighed again. But Lilian and Vivien were as close as two peas in a pod. They were willing to talk to each other, to share their concerns and joys, but not Samantha and Kathryn. Samantha shrugged it off. It was just that they were introverts.. not extraverts. It wasn't their problem.

Samantha sighed as she opened her eyes. It was morning. Time had passed by quickly for her.. much too quickly, in fact. How could being in an enchanted book be so.. boring? She knew everything that was going to happen.. and she had to wait until it was all over to summon Genbu. She frowned. And she didn't really want to summon him, anyway. Something about Genbu had her hate him thoroughly. He reminded her of her.. own father. Samantha's eyes hardened.

Only Lilian's father had remained while the rest of his brothers had mysteriously.. disappeared. Her sisters had all had really nice fathers.. She smiled softly. Lilian's father had been the intellectual type, and had taught his daughter that losing at anything was not an option. Vivien's father had possessed wry humor and had encouraged his daughter to be independent and strong. But Kathryn's father.. had always been her favorite uncle. He had loved Kathryn deeply, and had encouraged her to always follow her heart and to believe in herself. He had taught her to be her own person and to give love freely and generously. But her own father.. Samantha closed her eyes. She had hated him.

Samantha's father had been the cruelest man Samantha had ever known. He had never treated Samantha like a daughter.. but only as a student. He had given her kendo lessons for as long as she remembered, and had received her first gun when she had only been thirteen. Her father had never cared about the law.. He had never cared about anything.. or anyone. At first, Samantha had obeyed him with fear, for when her sisters and uncles had been away, her father had always punished her for misdeeds with his whip. Tears stung Samantha's eyes. He had been a brutal man.

She remembered the days before he had.. disappeared. He had been sickly.. and she hadn't felt the slightest bit of pity for him. When he had disappeared, along with her two other uncles, she had cried along with the others.. but she had been crying tears of joy. With her father gone, and with the help of Lilian's father, she had learned that it was okay not to be afraid.. that it was okay to care..

Genbu reminded her of her father. She had hated her father, and so she hated the deity. Who was he to boss her around like that? She was her own person, and she was strong. She could love now, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Her father had taught her to be strong by herself was to be strong in everything she did, but now she knew better. She had taught herself.. that yes, she was strong by herself, but stronger with the love of her friends and family to keep her going. She was strong.. but strongest when she wasn't alone.

Samantha smiled softly. That was the lesson she had learned all by herself.. and the only lesson that had ever mattered.

"I don't want to stay here." Samantha said firmly. "And don't you even try to say that you'll be okay by yourself."

Vivien's face fell. "But Sammy.."

Samantha was adamant. Vivien wanted to go alone with Miaka and Nuriko to find Tamahome and she definitely didn't want to stay here while Vivien rode herself away from the mind-dulling boredom! She was going and that was that!

Vivien looked at Kathryn, who was just standing before her window, looking out. "Are you going to insist on coming, too, Kate?" She asked miserably.

Kathryn jumped, startled. Samantha couldn't help but smile. Was she and Vivien that easy to tune out? Kathryn blinked. "Oh, sure. Whatever."

Vivien made a face. -_-* "Do you even know what we're talking about?"

Kathryn blushed. "Er.."

Vivien sighed dramatically. "Do you want to go with me or what?"

"Where?"

Vivien and Samantha sweatdropped. Exactly how long had she been tuning them out? Samantha sighed. "I want to go with Vivien, who plans on going with Nuriko and Miaka to look for Tamahome. Do you want to stay here or go with us?"

Kathryn shrugged. "Sure, I'll go."

Vivien's face fell even more. "But Kate.." She whined.

Kathryn smiled slightly. "But of course if you don't want me go, I won't."

Vivien brightened. "Really? Thanks, Kate!" She turned to Samantha. "At least I'll have one less sister to protect."

Samantha glared at Vivien. "What did you say?"

"You heard me." Vivien stuck out her tongue. "You're just going to slow me down."

"Why don't you to say that to my face!"

"Already did, icicle-butt!"

After a while, Samantha and Vivien both stopped arguing. They frowned worriedly as they watched Kathryn just stare out the window.

"It didn't work, Sammy." Vivien remarked to her sister.

"I see that." Samantha answered worriedly. Something was definitely going on with Kathryn. She hadn't responded to their all-out argument.. for Kathryn, that wasn't natural. Kathryn thrived on the intensity of a good argument, and she and Vivien rarely argued like this. It had all been a show.. But nevertheless, Kathryn hadn't joined in like she would have and argue them both out of the ball park, so to speak. Kathryn was.. different. Suddenly, Samantha had a notion. "Ne, Vivi.."

"It's Vi."

"Whatever. Hey, do you think.. Houki's still in her?"

"Nani?"

Samantha tried to explain her hunch. "Kathryn replaced Houki's own spirit, didn't she? But it looks like they only sort of merged with each other. Kathryn's hair was blond.. Houki's was purple.. now it's blue. But Kathryn retained her eyes. There's still some Houki in Kathryn's body. Do you think Houki's nature is affecting Kathryn's original personality?"

Vivien looked thoughtful. "You know.. you could be right."

"Of course I could be." Samantha said impatiently. She looked again at her silent elder sister. "Vivi.."

"Vi."

".. I think I'm going to be staying here this time. I.. need to watch over her. She's changing.. but there's the danger that she may not be able to counter the remnants of Houki's personality.. I have to be here and make sure that Kate.. the Kate we know.. doesn't disappear."

"Kate..?" Samantha peered around the corner. She blinked with surprise as she saw her sister on her hands and knees, looking in between the floor boards. She sweatdropped. "Kate.. What are you doing?"

Kathryn started, and bumped her head up against her bed. Samantha winced. "Ow." Kathryn stood up and rubbed her head. "Oh, hello Samantha. How are you today?"

Right away, Samantha knew that that was Houki speaking, not Kathryn. Her sister would have said, 'Oh, hey Sammy. What's up?'. Kathryn was as predictable as sweat on a hot day. Kathryn was never that formal.

But.. how could she broach that subject? "Er.. Kate.. are you feeling okay?"

Kathryn cocked her head, puzzled. "Why, of course. Why do you ask?"

Samantha made a face. "Kate.. is that you or Houki talking?"

Kathryn blinked. "Why, of course Houki's not talking. I'm Shoshi. Are you feeling well, Samantha?"

Samantha had had enough of this. "Kate, is Houki taking over your personality?" She blurted out. She then winced at the stricken look on Kathryn's face.

Kathryn looked down at the floor. "Why.. am I acting strangely?"

Samantha couldn't help but be blunt. "Yes, you are. You're not acting like the Kate I know.. you're acting like.. like.. a lady."

Kathryn's face fell. "Like a lady, huh? You mean the real me's that hopeless?"

Samantha sweatdropped. Wrong choice of words there. "Er.. no. I mean.. er.. I know you don't really talk like that.. so.."

Kathryn sighed and sat on her bed. "Oh, shush. I don't like it when you stammer, Sammy. And no, Houki's not taking over my personality."

Samantha sat next to her sister. "So Houki's sprit really does linger within you?"

Kathryn nodded. "Yes.. at least remnants of it. She's not taking over.. just.." She turned red. ".. she's tutoring me."

Samantha blinked. "Tutoring.. you? On what?"

Kathryn's face reddened even more. "On.. how to be a lady." She muttered, embarrassed.

It took Samantha a while to digest this new information. After she had done so, she couldn't help but smile. "Why.., may I ask?"

Kathryn sighed. "You do know that I'm supposed to take Houki's place in this world, right?"

Samantha nodded slowly. ".. Right.." She still couldn't see where Kathryn was getting at. ".. And..?"

".. And because of that, I'm supposed to fall in love with Hotohori and have his kids."

Samantha's smile broadened. "And you think the best way to do that is to be exactly like Houki was supposed to be?"

Kathryn slumped. "Yes." She muttered.

Samantha couldn't help herself. She burst out laughing. "You can't be serious!"

Kathryn looked hurt. "But I am.."

Samantha was immediately apologetic. But she couldn't stop smiling. "I know you are, and that's why it's so funny. Geez, Kate, what cave did you crawl out of? If you want to fall in love with Hotohori, and him to fall in love with you, just be yourself!"

"Demo.."

Samantha gently touched her sister's shoulder. "Listen, Kate.. think. Why did Hotohori love Miaka in the beginning..? Because.. she was so full of life. You are also.. full of it. And you already have a weakness for guys like Hotohori. It'll be a snap to fall for Hotohori.. Do you get it, yet?"

Kathryn was stunned. "But how could you be so sure..?"

Samantha smiled gently. "Do you remember life outside the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho, Kate? Guys liked you. Some even asked you to be their girlfriend. But you rejected them all.. as if you were waiting for something.. or someone. Hotohori's your dream guy. Remember that." Samantha got up and walked towards the sliding doors. She knew Kathryn needed to think on it before she started thinking straight again.

As she slid the door closed behind her, her eyes softened with melancholy. She had spoken the truth.. Kathryn had had her admirers.. but all she ever had were big brothers. Kathryn was lucky to have that kind of attention. She wanted to find love more than anything..

Suddenly, Genbu appeared in her head. Love is a waste of time and energy. The only emotions you should feel are anger and determination..!

Samantha narrowed her eyes. When she had studied under Taittsukun, she had learned the most discipline out of all her sisters.. and the most useful skills. With a brief twist of concentration, she kicked Genbu's presence out of her head with her own mental attack.

Samantha smiled as she went to her own room. The trees were rustling angrily with Genbu's wrath. She started humming happily as she closed the door behind her. What a beautiful day.

Samantha sighed as she wandered the open halls of the Konan palace. The experience of absorbing the atmosphere of ancient China was really quite exhilarating.. Samantha pouted irritably. She would be enjoying it more if she didn't have so much on her mind.

She was really feeling relieved.. she had helped Kathryn solve her problem.. somewhat.. and she had finally found a way to keep that Genbu out of her head.. at least temporarily. She was powerful, yes, but not as powerful as Genbu himself was. Her little parlor trick wouldn't work for long.

But there was one problem that still required fixing.. her boredom. Vivien was fine, off adventuring with Miaka.. and Kathryn was busy adapting to palace life.. as it would be required of her to do so. And Lilian.. Samantha's eyes grew shadowed. Well.. Lilian was in enough trouble already if she was indeed in Kotou.

But what could she do? Samantha found herself wishing she was back out of the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho. Out there, she was small and child- looking, yes, but once people discovered her potent intelligence and discipline, they respected her. Sure, people knew she was smart here, too, but it just wasn't the same. They respected her as much as they would respect a bookworm.. the key part of the word being 'worm'. This bothered her. No, she wasn't obnoxious or anything.. at least she hoped not.. but she was so tired of people underestimating her just because she looked like everybody's ten-year old sister. And to make matters worse, she really did look like she was ten!

Grumbling, Samantha paid no attention to where she was walking, and suddenly, she collided with someone, and fell right on her behind. Fuming and beet-red, Samantha stood. Oh, great, that had been graceful! She had fallen as if she weighed no more than a ten-year old, too! Phooey!

"I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

Samantha rubbed her nose, a little more than annoyed. Great, another person taller and immediately 'older' than she was. Grr! This was not happening! "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." She snapped irritably.

The young man immediately stepped away. "Did I say something wrong?"

Samantha winced. What was she doing? "Oh, no. I'm sorry. You just caught me in a bad mood." She smiled apologetically.

The young man smiled. "It's fine. Is your nose okay? It looks a little red." He said, concerned.

Samantha reddened even more. Her nose was fine.. it was just.. She couldn't help but blush in the presence of a really cute guy. And this guy was adorable. He was taller than her.. but not so tall as to make her angry because of it. He was just tall.. enough. He had short light brown hair.. and violet.. no.. blue eyes. Or did they just shift color? He carried a flute. She smiled weakly. A flute. Just perfect. She loved musicians. Great. Just great.

Samantha needed to get away before she discovered more about him that would make her drool. "I.. I.. I'm fine. Oh, I was looking for my sister and I see her now.. so.. uh.. bye!" She hurried away.

"Okay.. Will I see you again around here?" The young man couldn't help but ask. He didn't know why he had asked her that.. But there was just something about her..

Samantha didn't turn but her face was tomato-red. "Uh.. sure! My room's just around the corner..!" Woah, now! Too much information! Samantha wanted to sink into the ground. What was wrong with her? And her heart.. was beating much too fast. But she was too healthy to have a heart attack..

The young man blushed at the seemingly double entendre. "Oh.. uh.."

Both of them didn't say anything in a while. They were both just too embarrassed. Finally, Samantha forced herself to turn around. She had to get a hold on herself! She was Samantha Smith, Tei, a seishi of Taittsukun, and the second Genbu no Miko! But why did she feel so.. weak- hearted..? She smiled weakly. "My name's Samantha.. what's yours?" She asked in a friendly tone of voice. Yes, friendly. As in.. just said it for friendship-related purposes, Samantha tried to convince herself.

The young man smiled shyly. "The name's Ami.. er.." For a moment, he looked flustered.

"Amy?" Samantha blushed. Boy, this was getting awkward. But she couldn't help but feel sorry for his feminine-sounding name.

The young man blushed. "No! My name's not Ami! It's.. It's.." He looked stumped. "I meant to say.. it's.. Aki. Yes. Aki. My name is Aki."

Samantha smiled. "Oh." Then she blushed again. "I.. have to go now.. see you later, okay? Ja!" She hurried away.

The young man looked on after her. He smiled slightly. Her name was Samantha.. what a pretty name..