Reika stumbled down the halls, supporting a completely inebriated Warrior
of Suzaku on her shoulder. She glowered at the state of the man. 'This
drunk is really going to save the kingdom?' She wondered. She was feeling
pretty doubtful at the moment. The doubt was soon replaced with relief as
she spotted his door. However, just to spite her, Tasuki decided to empty
his stomach right in front of it. It took everything Reika had not to
follow suit, Holding her breath, Reika dragged Tasuki in, gratefully
depositing him on the bed.
"I can't believe this." She groaned, turning to leave. She took three steps before she was sharply pulled back into a pair of strong arms. The scent of stale alcohol assaulted her nose as Tasuki's breath brushed past her face. Apparently, he had passed out and latched onto her like a child's bear, tucking her under his arm. Reika tried to wiggle free, but with each movement his arms tightened more. "Oh gods, what if someone finds me like this?" Reika began to panic, and turned to push herself free. Placing her hand on his chest, she pushed as hard as she could without waking him. Once, twice, and three times. With a thud, she propelled herself right off the bed and landed on the hard floor.
"Ouch.." She rose to leave, giving one more glance towards Tasuki. Her eyes softened as she saw him, sprawled out with his mouth gaping open, a small incisor slightly visible. "Idiot." She murmured with a smile as she turned to leave, She had almost made it to the door when he spoke.
"Don't leave..please?" Reika started, turning to face him. He was still asleep.
"Idiot!" This time she admonished herself as she left, closing the door and heading off to find a bucket and mop to clean the hallway.
Back in the room, Tasuki murmured in his sleep again.
"Don't go..please, Kouji."
Back in the dining hall, Sora was in an unpleasant situation of her own. A few too many drunken guests had overfilled themselves on sweet pastries and had thoughtfully decided to return them under the tables. She would have to return to aid the women in cleaning that later, but first she had the three warriors to escort back to their rooms.
Sora found Mitsukake, Chichiri, and Chiriko in the hallway, bidding an evening's farewell to the emperor. She waited patiently until they had finished before she spoke.
"Lords, if you would please follow me, I shall guide you back to your quarters." Chichiri and Mitsukake nodded, turning to follow. That's when she noticed that Chiriko was in fact asleep, being carried by Mitsukake. She smiled softly and led them down the dim hallways to their rooms.
They first bid a goodnight to Chichiri, who thanked her and went to bed, not needing anything for the time being. Continuing further, they headed towards Mitsukake's room. After a few moments, he noticed their direction and spoke.
"Miss Sora, perhaps we should continue towards Lord Chiriko's room first. I think it might be easier for me to carry him there, as you seem quite exhausted." Sora lowered her head, embarrassed that she was showing her fatigue to such an honored guest. "Do not worry, it is only evident to those with medical training." He smiled gently. Sora returned his smile and passed by his room to the next. Quietly, she slid open the door, allowing Mitsukake to enter before her. Silently he followed her to the bed in the center of the room, where she was turning the sheets down. Silently, he removed Chiriko's shoes, letting them drop quietly to the floor before placing him gently on the bed. Sora covered him with the blankets and smoothed a lock out of his eyes before turning to leave. Mitsukake followed suit, exiting the room before Sora, who slid the door closed silently behind him, and then opened the door next to it, allowing him to enter his own room.
"Miss Sora, is Miss Meilan all right?" He asked with obvious concern fro the young girl.
"Of course, Lord Mitsukake. She was quite tired and has gone to bed." Sora didn't find any danger in being honest to this man.
"I see. Thank you, Miss Sora." He bowed to her.
"And thank you, Lord Mitsukake, for aiding me in getting young Lord Chiriko to bed safely." She bowed low to him. "Good evening, Lord Mitsukake."
"Good evening, Miss Sora. May it be a restful one." He turned his back to her, entering the room. Sora looked in after him for half a moment before closing the door behind him and returning to the dining hall.
Reijun stood in the now overflowing kitchens, elbow deep in dishwater. A few of the younger cooks were beside him in the same situation. Thankfully, almost half the dishes were washed and dried, It they were lucky, they might just finish before breakfast.
"Reijun, can I speak with you for a moment?" Li Fan called to his son.
"Yes, give me a minute." Reijun grabbed a towel, wiping the soap bubbles off his arms and tucking it in his waistband. "What is it?"
"Have a seat, son." Li Fan motioned to an empty table, void of filthy dishes and rags. "So tell me son, what were you doing with Sora this evening?" Reijun's eyes went wide.
"Nothing, I just.."
"Reijun," Li Fan began delicately, "I know you have an infatuation with Sora, but I truly think it's time that you place that to rest. Sora's reputation can't be, well, it can't be compromised.."
"Compromised?!" Reijun's eyes narrowed as he bellowed the word, rising to his feet. Li Fan rose to meet him.
"Yes, compromised! She is head of this palace and a personal servant to one of the Celestial Warriors of Suzaku. You know full well what that entails!" The kitchen went silent, and the two men seated themselves quickly. "Son, I just don't want to see you hurt. Sora might have to do some things for, well, if Lord Chichiri should wish to.."
"Treat her like a whore?" Reijun finished, seething anger.
"Not a whore! It is her job, Reijun. You must understand that. She can't be caught with a cook when she may be called upon by one as revered as Lord Chichiri. I love Sora, but I know her place, as does she."
"It's disgusting!" Reijun choked. "Sora and those, those girls! They're just children! And your own daughter? What about her? How can you accept that?"
"Because if it wasn't for what you call disgusting, Sora wouldn't exist! And neither would Reika!" Li Fan tried to look stoic as a tear slipped down his cheek. All the vitality he carried that evening was lost in that instant, as was all the fight Reijun had left. "Don't tell Reika. She doesn't know." Defeated, Li Fan rose from the table and returned to his duties. Reijun watched his retreating back for a moment before rising himself.
"Don't worry. I won't." He muttered as he returned to the waiting dishwater.
* * * * * WARNING: for all those who missed the hint, this will be a yaoi story shortly. One of the players has been marked; the other shall remain anonymous for the time being. You have been warned.
Other than that, another chapter for you to read. Some good stuff in this one I think. I don't know when Chapter 8 will be making an appearance though. Summer term is almost over, and I have a travel week coming up at the beginning of September, so possibly sometime around then. But no promises.
Until next time.
"I can't believe this." She groaned, turning to leave. She took three steps before she was sharply pulled back into a pair of strong arms. The scent of stale alcohol assaulted her nose as Tasuki's breath brushed past her face. Apparently, he had passed out and latched onto her like a child's bear, tucking her under his arm. Reika tried to wiggle free, but with each movement his arms tightened more. "Oh gods, what if someone finds me like this?" Reika began to panic, and turned to push herself free. Placing her hand on his chest, she pushed as hard as she could without waking him. Once, twice, and three times. With a thud, she propelled herself right off the bed and landed on the hard floor.
"Ouch.." She rose to leave, giving one more glance towards Tasuki. Her eyes softened as she saw him, sprawled out with his mouth gaping open, a small incisor slightly visible. "Idiot." She murmured with a smile as she turned to leave, She had almost made it to the door when he spoke.
"Don't leave..please?" Reika started, turning to face him. He was still asleep.
"Idiot!" This time she admonished herself as she left, closing the door and heading off to find a bucket and mop to clean the hallway.
Back in the room, Tasuki murmured in his sleep again.
"Don't go..please, Kouji."
Back in the dining hall, Sora was in an unpleasant situation of her own. A few too many drunken guests had overfilled themselves on sweet pastries and had thoughtfully decided to return them under the tables. She would have to return to aid the women in cleaning that later, but first she had the three warriors to escort back to their rooms.
Sora found Mitsukake, Chichiri, and Chiriko in the hallway, bidding an evening's farewell to the emperor. She waited patiently until they had finished before she spoke.
"Lords, if you would please follow me, I shall guide you back to your quarters." Chichiri and Mitsukake nodded, turning to follow. That's when she noticed that Chiriko was in fact asleep, being carried by Mitsukake. She smiled softly and led them down the dim hallways to their rooms.
They first bid a goodnight to Chichiri, who thanked her and went to bed, not needing anything for the time being. Continuing further, they headed towards Mitsukake's room. After a few moments, he noticed their direction and spoke.
"Miss Sora, perhaps we should continue towards Lord Chiriko's room first. I think it might be easier for me to carry him there, as you seem quite exhausted." Sora lowered her head, embarrassed that she was showing her fatigue to such an honored guest. "Do not worry, it is only evident to those with medical training." He smiled gently. Sora returned his smile and passed by his room to the next. Quietly, she slid open the door, allowing Mitsukake to enter before her. Silently he followed her to the bed in the center of the room, where she was turning the sheets down. Silently, he removed Chiriko's shoes, letting them drop quietly to the floor before placing him gently on the bed. Sora covered him with the blankets and smoothed a lock out of his eyes before turning to leave. Mitsukake followed suit, exiting the room before Sora, who slid the door closed silently behind him, and then opened the door next to it, allowing him to enter his own room.
"Miss Sora, is Miss Meilan all right?" He asked with obvious concern fro the young girl.
"Of course, Lord Mitsukake. She was quite tired and has gone to bed." Sora didn't find any danger in being honest to this man.
"I see. Thank you, Miss Sora." He bowed to her.
"And thank you, Lord Mitsukake, for aiding me in getting young Lord Chiriko to bed safely." She bowed low to him. "Good evening, Lord Mitsukake."
"Good evening, Miss Sora. May it be a restful one." He turned his back to her, entering the room. Sora looked in after him for half a moment before closing the door behind him and returning to the dining hall.
Reijun stood in the now overflowing kitchens, elbow deep in dishwater. A few of the younger cooks were beside him in the same situation. Thankfully, almost half the dishes were washed and dried, It they were lucky, they might just finish before breakfast.
"Reijun, can I speak with you for a moment?" Li Fan called to his son.
"Yes, give me a minute." Reijun grabbed a towel, wiping the soap bubbles off his arms and tucking it in his waistband. "What is it?"
"Have a seat, son." Li Fan motioned to an empty table, void of filthy dishes and rags. "So tell me son, what were you doing with Sora this evening?" Reijun's eyes went wide.
"Nothing, I just.."
"Reijun," Li Fan began delicately, "I know you have an infatuation with Sora, but I truly think it's time that you place that to rest. Sora's reputation can't be, well, it can't be compromised.."
"Compromised?!" Reijun's eyes narrowed as he bellowed the word, rising to his feet. Li Fan rose to meet him.
"Yes, compromised! She is head of this palace and a personal servant to one of the Celestial Warriors of Suzaku. You know full well what that entails!" The kitchen went silent, and the two men seated themselves quickly. "Son, I just don't want to see you hurt. Sora might have to do some things for, well, if Lord Chichiri should wish to.."
"Treat her like a whore?" Reijun finished, seething anger.
"Not a whore! It is her job, Reijun. You must understand that. She can't be caught with a cook when she may be called upon by one as revered as Lord Chichiri. I love Sora, but I know her place, as does she."
"It's disgusting!" Reijun choked. "Sora and those, those girls! They're just children! And your own daughter? What about her? How can you accept that?"
"Because if it wasn't for what you call disgusting, Sora wouldn't exist! And neither would Reika!" Li Fan tried to look stoic as a tear slipped down his cheek. All the vitality he carried that evening was lost in that instant, as was all the fight Reijun had left. "Don't tell Reika. She doesn't know." Defeated, Li Fan rose from the table and returned to his duties. Reijun watched his retreating back for a moment before rising himself.
"Don't worry. I won't." He muttered as he returned to the waiting dishwater.
* * * * * WARNING: for all those who missed the hint, this will be a yaoi story shortly. One of the players has been marked; the other shall remain anonymous for the time being. You have been warned.
Other than that, another chapter for you to read. Some good stuff in this one I think. I don't know when Chapter 8 will be making an appearance though. Summer term is almost over, and I have a travel week coming up at the beginning of September, so possibly sometime around then. But no promises.
Until next time.