Search for the Shinzaho: Take Two

Chapter Two:  Hey, you're a princess!

Later in the evening, Hotohori made his way back to the room where the sleeping girl was.  Having not heard anything from Nuriko, he assumed she was still unconscious.  He breathed deeply, glad for the fact that he could dress down.  He had on simple robes, and his hair pulled back into a loose ponytail.  The most comfortable change he made, he thought with a slight smile, was getting rid of those ridiculous ceremony shoes, and wearing his boots.

He crept silently into the room, saw Nuriko passed out in the chair beside the bed.  Approaching the chair, he reached and shook the seishi gently on the shoulder.  "Nuriko," he whispered.  "Nuriko…"

The thinner man stirred, opened his eyes.  "Hotohori-sama," he said.  "Is she awake?"

"No, she's not.  But you've been here for while.  It's time for a break.  The other seishi are in the dining room, eating supper.  If you hurry, you'll make it before Miaka eats everything."

Nuriko stood, stretched his stiff limbs.  He realized it was rather unbecoming for a lady to stretch in that manner, but he was beyond caring.  "Arrigato, Hotohori-sama," he said around a yawn.  "You'll be all right?"

The young emperor was staring at the girl in the bed.  "Hai, I'll be fine.  Go on, get some food."

The violet-haired seishi stepped lightly from the room, closing the door silently behind him.

He wasn't sure why, but Hotohori had the distinct feeling that he was supposed to watch over this girl. As a suzaku seishi, he protected the Miko, and somehow, this felt the same way. He folded his body and sat down in the chair previously occupied by Nuriko. Once sitting, he relaxed. He let his shoulders settle down to a comfortable position, and crossed his legs at the ankles. He ran a country, and so everyday, he had to keep a cool, dignified posture. He had done it for years, but his advisors forgot that he was only eighteen years old. Much of his childhood was lost in political matters. Sometimes, only for a second, he loathed bearing the weight of all the responsibility. He was an emperor, and a suzaku seishi on top of that, but he still bore the weight. Whenever he saw how happy his people were, it made it all worthwhile.

He stared at the girl, studying her face.  A few strands of hair had been blown over her face, and without realizing he was doing it, he had reached across and swept them back.  How was it that he felt such odd feelings for a girl he'd never even spoken to?  He smirked as he thought of her being stupid and aloof.  But the way she looked, from her athletic body, to the sharp angles of her face, told him she was a bright, strong woman.

As his fingers skimmed over her jaw, the girl in the bed moaned, stirred.  Hotohori thought she was rousing, but then noticed sweat beginning to form on her forehead.  She began to toss and turn, thrashing wildly in the bed, the sheets tangling around her legs.  A nightmare, he realized, she was having a nightmare.

"Okaasan… no!" she yelled.  "You stay away from her, bastard Kojin!"

He smirked a little at the language.  Tasuki and this woman would get along quite well… then the words she had uttered sunk in.  'Kojin,' she had said.  How many of those were there roaming around the four countries?  It had be Nakago… it made sense.  The thought lit a spark of anger in the emperor.  Nakago had been in his country, and he hadn't even known it!

"OKAASAN!" the girl screamed.  She began to thrash much more violently, gasping sobs erupting from her throat.  Not knowing what else to do, Hotohori rose from the chair, sat on the edge of the bed, and did his best to soothe her.

"It's all right, you're safe now," he said gently.  He touched her shoulders, intending only to console her.

She sat bolt upright, awake and frantic, and let out an ear-splitting shriek.

"No!  Get away from me!  I don't have it!  I don't have the shinzaho!"  She struggled against Hotohori, who was trying to calm her down… and doing a rather poor job of it.  She was in a strange place, and there was a strange man touching her, she went straight into defense mode.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he insisted, and was rewarded to with a fist to the side of his head.  A little annoyed now, he shook her slightly harder.  "I fight against the Kojin," he said loudly.

That sentence made her stop fighting him.  "Against?" she echoed.

He nodded.  "My friends brought you here after they found you in the city."

The events of the day came rushing back to her.  The thieves, running away, the pain in her side, and the two voices.  The guy with the cheery face who had helped her.  What was that name she heard?  Chichiri, that was it.  Suddenly, everything that happened, from her mother being killed to her reaching the city, bore down on her and she collapsed into sobs, falling limply against Hotohori's chest.

"H-he killed Okaasan!" she wailed.  "He just showed up, demanded a "shinzaho," and when we didn't have it, he killed her!  Just pulled out his sword… and… and," she broke off, sobs muddling her words.

Hotohori said nothing, simply held the shaking body, stroked the soft hair.  The ridiculous thought that she had the most amazing crimson eyes popped into his head for one moment.  The shinzaho, he thought darkly.  What do you know, Nakago?

The young woman pushed herself out of his arms abruptly, wiped her face with a sleeve.  "Gomen ne," she said.  "It's been a very long and trying few days."

"Don't be sorry."  He smiled lightly.  "My name is Hotohori, and they…" he said over his shoulder as the door burst open and the rest of the seishi and Miaka ran into the room, "are my friends."

The six people stood at the foot of the bed, smiling down at the girl.  In turn, they introduced themselves, and she logged away all the names, hoping to Suzaku she'd remember them all.

"I'm Jiyuna," she told them, casting a glance around at them.  They were certainly a diverse group of friends, she noted, and also very close.  It didn't seem to bother them to stand nearly on top of each other, giving quaint little looks and winks to another.

A guard suddenly flew into the room, nearly colliding with the group.  "Heika-sama, I heard a scream, are you all right?"

Hotohori stood from the bed, and suddenly, he was tall, empowering, and dignified.  "Hai, everything's fine.  Go back to your post."

The guard bowed quickly and exited the room.  Jiyuna tore her gaze back to the man who stood above her, eyes widened almost comically.  "Emperor?"

He was beautiful.

In fact, "beautiful" hardly did him justice.

A tall, almost intimidating man, the emperor of Konan was breathtaking. His dark, mahogany hair fell well past the middle of his back, with loose strands framing his stunning face. His face, indeed, was stunning. Slender, with large, amber colored eyes, a small, upturned nose, and thin lips that rarely seemed to smile. His cheekbones were high and pronounced, and he had a strong, determined jaw.

This was a man who fought like hell for the people he cared about, as well as what he believed in.

This was a man she could easily fall in love with, emperor or not.

"How do you feel, no da?"

The strange voice made her tear her eyes away from Hotohori and seek out the face.  There it was, amid the group, a cheerful, yet still slightly concerned face.  She knew that face, those happy eyes.  This was Chichiri.  "You," she said, smiling.  "You saved me."

He grinned, but cast a knowing glance in the direction of a flame-haired man wearing colorful beads around his neck.  "Hai, but Tasuki helped too, no da."

Tasuki looked back at the monk, gave an imperceptible nod.  "I fried the sons of bitches," he muttered, looking embarrassed.

"Arrigato, Tasuki and Chichiri," Jiyuna said. 

Tasuki's flush deepened, and he grinned, revealing two fangs.  "Aw, don't mention it."

Hotohori eased himself back onto the edge of the bed.  "Can you tell us what happened, Jiyuna?"

Jiyuna cleared her throat, and her eyes became distant, remembering. "My mother and I live in a village right inside the country's border. Or, we did until three days ago. It was morning. I was in the bedroom, making the beds, and my mom was out in the other room, cleaning. We saw a bright blue flash outside, and then, the door just flew off the hinges and splintered everywhere. When the dust had settled, there was a guy with blonde hair and blue eyes standing in the doorway. He told us to give him the shinzaho."

Upon her uttering the word "shinzaho," the seishi all glanced at each other. The girl didn't seem to notice and continued her story.

"We told him we didn't know what he was talking about, but he insisted. 'Give me the shinzaho now, and I might let you live.' I told him to get out. We didn't have whatever it was he wanted. He smiled then. A blue light started to form in the palm of his hand, directed at my mother. I screamed out 'no!' and ran at her, shoving her out of the way. The ball of magic hit me, and all I could do was fall, and watch as the blonde man walked to my mother.  For some reason, I couldn't move.  He grabbed her by the throat and held her against the wall. Again, he asked for the shinzaho. Mother told him that she didn't have it. The blonde man, with a cruelness only the devil could possess, pulled out his sword and stabbed her through the chest.  Suddenly, I was able to move and I jumped up and ran out the back door, sprinting toward the woods.  That's how I got hit in the side.  He blasted me as I ran away, like a coward.  I should have stayed, fought him, but I didn't.  When I reached the woods, I knew the only chance I had at figuring out what was going was to get here, to the palace.

The others listened intently. Tamahome frowned. Something seemed very wrong, but what it was eluded him.

It was Chichiri who said what was on everyone's mind. "What does Nakago know, no da?"  Even though he and Tasuki knew very well the reason for Nakago's visit to Jiyuna, it wasn't their place to say.  And it seemed that Jiyuna didn't know, either.

"If we knew that, we'd all be better off," Tamahome muttered.

"OF COURSE YOU WOULD!"

The thundering voice appeared out of thin air, and so did the old woman who was suddenly floating above the bed.

"Sunekake babaaaa!" Tamahome yelped.  "You scared me!"

"I'll do more than scare you if you call me that again, Tamahome," she warned.

Jiyuna was staring wide-eyed at the floating woman.  "W-what is that?"

"That's Taiitsukun," Miaka replied.  "She's with us."

"She's floating."

Taiitsukun focused her attention on Jiyuna.  "Did you think I'd walk here all the way from Mount Taikyouku?"

Jiyuna shook her head.  The others were reacting as if it were perfectly normal to see an old woman floating above a bed.

"Can you help us with this difficult puzzle, Taiitsukun?" Chiriko asked, his juvenile voice still two octaves too high.

"Of course I can, Chiriko," she answered, her voice softening.  "My dear Jiyuna," she began, floating down and closer to the girl.  "The shinzaho, what that man was looking for, is what the Suzaku no Miko needs to call Suzaku."

"Suzaku no Miko…" Jiyuna's gaze trailed around at the people in the room.  Seven… plus one… her eyes stopped on Miaka.  "That's you… and you're all the seishi!"

Tamahome blinked.  "I thought she knew that…"

"Apparently not," Mitsukake whispered to him.

"Do you think she knows Nuriko's a guy?" Miaka wondered.


"That's still debatable," Tasuki muttered, and found himself lying on the floor, the wind knocked out of his lungs.

Jiyuna was confused, and trying to ignore the commotion going on with the rest of the group.  "Why would a man come to the home of two peasant's and think we have something of such value?"

"That man was Nakago, Shogun of Kutou Country, and Seiryuu seishi," Taiitsukun said. "And, Jiyuna, you are no peasant girl."

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Nani?  What the hell are you talking about?"

Taiitsukun floated still closer, until her face was only inches from Jiyuna's.  "That necklace… the one you have had since before you can remember, the one you never take off. Where did you get it?"

Jiyuna reached automatically for the medallion tucked under her shirt.  She pulled out, for everyone to see.  It was simple, gold, and with an emerald in the center of it.  "This?  My father gave me this before he died.  I was just a baby."

The ancient woman grinned.  "You're only half right."

Chichiri understood immediately.  He looked to Tasuki, who had just picked himself off the floor.  "That's it, no da," he whispered.

"What's it?" Tasuki whispered back, creeping closer.

"He gave her the shinzaho before he sent them away.  That's why Nakago went looking for her, na no da."

Tasuki blinked.  "That was pretty fucking stupid.  He should have known that someday someone would figure the damn thing out and go after them."

Chichiri smiled.  "Tasuki-kun, you're smarter than you let on, no da."

The other seishi were as confused as Jiyuna was.  What was Taiitsukun trying to say?  "Your father did give you that, of course, but he's not dead."

"Not dead?"  The statement was like a slap to her face.  It was too much.  Too much was happening, too much information was being thrust upon her.  Her head felt dizzy.

Taiitsukun knew the next piece of information would be a blow, but the girl had to know.  "Jiyuna, you're the daughter of the emperor of Hokkan.  That medallion you're wearing is the shinzaho."

Jiyuna felt sick to her stomach. It couldn't be true, there was no way that she could be an emperor's daughter! "B - b - but, my mother always said that he had died right after I was born from a mortal wound in battle."

Taiitsukun shook her head. "He sent you both away for your protection, and thought that giving you the shinzaho would ensure its safety as well."

Now anger kindled in Jiyuna's eyes.  "Did he now?  And, what, he just expected me to go throughout my life, never knowing who I was?  And putting me in danger like that!  What kind of father is that?"

"Jiyuna," Hotohori whispered, putting a hand on her arm.  "Don't say such things.  You don't know the circumstances."

"No, but I know the facts.  My mother is dead now, because he sent us away!  Because he thought that allowing his only daughter to grow up without a father would be safest for her!  It didn't work though, did it?"  She was furious now.  "It didn't work, because now I know that I had the power to save us both, and I was ignorant to it!"

"You're wrong," Hotohori spoke up, loudly enough for her to look at him.  "Even if you had known, Nakago would have killed you both.  He enjoys it.  He likes killing.  You were like flies to him."

The irritation in the emperor's voice made Jiyuna calm down.  He was right.  The look in those blue eyes when he stabbed her mother told her so.  He'd have killed them anyway, and he'd have won.  Now, perhaps she'd be able to help these people who helped her, and get her revenge at the same time.

She slipped the necklace off her neck, beckoned to Miaka to come forward.  "Suzaku no Miko, this belongs to you.  Use it well."

The group seemed to utter a collective sigh, but Miaka, who was absolutely bubbling with joy, threw her arms around Jiyuna's neck.  "Arrigato, Princess Jiyuna!" she gasped.

Princess?  Jiyuna shook her head.  "Miaka, no… call me Jiyuna.  I grew up on a farm, not in a palace.  I'm as royal as… well, just forget it, okay?.  Hopefully, that will help you stop that Seiryuu seishi.  He can't be allowed to hurt any more innocent people."

Miaka nodded, then turned to Taiitsukun.  "Now what?  We have it, we have the shinzaho!"

"NOT SO FAST!" the old woman boomed.  "Did you think it'd be this easy, Suzaku no Miko?  You must depart for Sailo at once.  The Seiryuu are probably already on their way to get other shinzaho."

"There's another one?"  Miaka's heart sank.

"Only when you have them both will you be able to call Suzaku and obtain your three wishes."

Hotohori stood from the bed.  "We'll leave at dawn.  I'll have supplies and horses prepared."

Taiitsukun looked back to Jiyuna.  "Highness, I'm afraid that you won't be able to go to Hokkan to see your father."

"What?  Why not?"

The old woman frowned.  "Because the Seiryuu were already there."

The words hit Jiyuna so hard she cried out.  "He's dead."

Taiitsukun nodded slowly.  "I am sorry.  I'd hoped you'd be able to meet him and take your rightful place one day."

Jiyuna looked up at the old woman.  "I understand.  I have no claim.  He's gone, and I don't have the shinzaho."

Miaka's eyes filled with tears instantly.  "Oh, Jiyuna-san!  That's awful!"  She looked down almost fearfully at the shinzaho still clenched in her hands.

"Miaka, I have no desire to take back what I gave you.  The country was fine without me for seventeen years, I'm sure they will survive.  Konan is more my home, anyway.  I grew up in this country."  She was tired.  She was so very tired, and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep and deal with everything in the morning.  She looked back to Taiitsukun, offered a tired smile.  "Thank you, Taiitsukun.  I know where I come from now, it's all I can hope to have from my past."

Taiitsukun nodded, knowing Jiyuna was being sincere.  She spun to the seishi.  "Good luck, my seishi."  And then she was gone, disappearing with a pop and flash of light.

The silence in the small room was deafening.  Jiyuna looked up at the seishi, saw them studying her.  "I'm all right," she told them.  "It's just still sinking in."

Hotohori peered down at her, concern etched on his face.  "Perhaps it's time for all of us to get some sleep," he said.  "We have an early day tomorrow."

The group muttered their agreements, good nights, and filed out of the room to go to their own.  Hotohori remained behind, still looking at Jiyuna.  "Take a walk with me," he said, offering his arm.

Jiyuna looked up at him, nodded.  "I think some fresh air is exactly what I need."

They stepped out of the room, walked down the walkway to the same bench Hotohori and Mitsukake had sat on earlier in the day.

"What are your plans now?" Hotohori asked her.  "Go back to the village?  Stay in the city?"  Stay with me? he almost added.

She turned to look at him.  The little sliver of moon that hung in the sky cast his eyes into shadow, illuminated his hair, making it look silver.  "If it's okay with you and the rest of the seishi and Miaka, I'd like to accompany you to Sailo, see this through."

Hotohori nearly leapt with joy.  "I'm sure the others will be glad for the extra company.  We owe you much, Jiyuna."

"No, it is I who owe you," she said.  "If Chichiri and Tasuki hadn't come upon me in that alley, I'd be dead and the shinzaho lost."

The emperor leaned toward her.  "How is this feeling?" he whispered, placing a fingertip on her tunic where the wound was.

If she was having difficulties breathing, with Hotohori so close, Jiyuna conveyed nothing on her face.  "It's aching," she admitted.  "I think I need to get some sleep.  A lot has happened today, and I just can't take any more until my brain rests."

Hotohori smiled, and his amber eyes lit up.  "I understand.  Go, sleep, dawn will come early for you."

Jiyuna stood, and, not quite knowing how he'd react, and not really caring, she bent down and kissed the emperor gently on the cheek.  What are you doing? she asked herself.  You could be executed for this!  Kissing the emperor?!  She was amazed to find she didn't care.  She had to feel his smooth skin on her lips.  "Good night, Hotohori-sama," she whispered.

"Oyasumi, Jiyuna," he told her.

When she walked back to her room, and the door had closed, Hotohori let out the breath he'd been holding.  Whatever he'd been expecting from this young woman, a soft kiss on the cheek wasn't it.  He touched the place where her lips had been, shivered.  He could definitely fall in love with her, he realized.

Hell, maybe he already had.