Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi. Only the great Yuu Watase owns Fushigi Yuugi.

A/N: Hi! This is Laura and this is one of my first times writing an online fic, so I hope you like it. Please tell me if you like it, love it, hate it but whatever you think of it, please write me reviews. This takes place during the series, so it's an AU fic; that means no writing flames that say "Well, that never happened!", because I'm not saying that it did. =D Now without further aideu, I now start the story.

Azure Destiny

By: LauraJean

Chapter One : A Love Blossoms

As Yui bathed in the replenishing hot spring water, the blonde haired girl couldn't help but to wonder what it would be like to have a love like Miaka and Tamahome?s. She had many times before found herself in the same position, she realized with a start, and tried to shake it out of her head, but realized that it was far from impossible. But then again, she knew somewhere that this would forever plague her mind, even if she ever got her revenge, and that made her hatred for the miko of Suzaku grow even more.

Stupid girl! she thought out loud as some of the maids passed by. Why does Miaka always get what she wants? Just maybe someone is out there for me..no, there has to be someone out there, and I'll make it me sole purpose to find him! Yui sifted some water through her hands and then let her hand drop with a tiny 'splash' to the surface before resting back against the rock walls of the spring. She sighed and closed her eyes, as if dreaming, as she imagined what her knight in shinning armor might look like.

She could see him clearly in her mind's eye; his dark blue hair and falling down his back, fresh out of a ponytail, his open arms waiting to meet her in an embrace, his deep, dark grey eyes...She didn't realize at the time that the man she was dreaming of was exactly like Tamahome.

The servant woman kindly and quietly walked up to Yui and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Lady Yui," the woman said, recieving no answer. "Your Eminence? It's time to get out of the hot springs; you're starting to look like a prune." When there was once more no answer from the girl, the servant began to become cross. Planting her hands firmly on her hips, she yelled this time, "Lady Yui!"

"What?!" Yui yelled back in the servant's face, looking put out and rather angry that someone who was her subordinate would dare yell at her. "Can you not see that I am having my bath? I thought I told you all not to bother me!"

"Lady Yui, it is time for you to come out and get dressed," she said as politely as possible, trying not to look fearful in the face of her country's miko. Everyone knew that the young girl had a wrath that no one wanted against them. She instead continued to speak with a strong and unwavering voice. "The Emperor has asked to see you to the dining room at once. He has asked for you and Nakago to dine with him tonight. He has something he wants to discuss in private with you and Nakago and you musn't keep him waiting or he may grow vexed."

"Alright then," Yui said, her voice calmer when she found out that something serious must need to be discussed. "You must show me to my room so I may be clothed? Her voice was still demanding as ever when she gave out orders. Yui stood up straight as the servant women handed her a towel. She was, after all, the miko and thought that she should be treated as one. That meant being served...by servants that weren't so incompetent. She would have to report that dreadful yelling to Nakago at once. No servant woman spoke to Yui Hongo in that manner.

"Yes, My Lady. You're right, My Lady. Right this way, My Lady," said another servant woman in a kind and gentle voice that made Yui assume that she was very simple and dumb. However, the treatment was much better than what she had gotten from the other servant, she had to admit.

"By the way Eminence, have you seen Nakago anywhere? Someone must tell him of tonight's plans."

"Me seen Nakago? I thought that was the job of the palace help." Yui said acidly, narrowing her eyes at the woman.

"I-I'm sorry m'lady," the pudgy woman stuttered a little. "We haven't been able to find him either and I was just hoping that you'd seen--"

"Well, I haven't, so stop asking me!" Yui practically yelled, in a bad mood as they entered her chambers. "Just dress me and be gone with you!"

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Earlier that day, when Yui was still in the hot springs of the castle, Nakago was walking by with a large sack of some sort. As he was walking, Nakago tripped over a big rock that happened to be right next to the bathing area. Luckily, it was behind, a bush or someone might have seen him. As Nakago recovered from his fall, he looked up to see a beautiful woman in the spring water. His eyes widened and his signature smirk pulled on the sides of his mouth, not knowing that the blonde headed beauty was indeed Yui. Just then, Yui turned around, revealing to Nakago that it was her. He was blown away at what was before him. Nakago never knew that under all Yui's clothes and her nasty attitude was the most astounding beauty that he had ever laid eyes on.

Just look at her, Nakago thought as he scanned her from top to bottom. Just look at her features. That beautiful blonde hair, those perfect blue eves, prefect nose, lips, teeth, and... he hesitated for a moment. That Body! Exquisite. Nakago never knew that a sixteen year old girl could look like that before.

"How could this be? How could a child make me feel this way?" Nakago asked himself, as he started to feel quite odd, like his stomach was dancing. He didn't know what was happening to him. It was something that he had only felt once in his life...but he wouldn't think on old memories. Was he really falling in love with Yui and if so what did this mean? Could she maybe fall for him? Nakago stared for a while, thinking about those things, when suddenly he heard that awful scream of that servant women. Nakago jumped up out of the bush, letting everyone around him know that he had been spying on her.

As he listened to the people say things like "Peeping Tom" and "What a shame," Nakago sunk back down into the bush and watched as his potential love walking off with another servant woman, ignoring the voices and throwing a couple of not-so-polite hand signs at some of the people. Soon after, he too had a maid come up to him and tell him abut the emperor's big dinner invitation. This didn't come to a surprise to him, since Nakago had eaten dinner with the Emperor for the past twelve years. But what did come to a surprise to him was when he found out that Yui was going to eat with the Emperor and himself as well.

Nakago got up from his place and hurried to get dressed. He had never been this way before. He had actually never felt this way before about a girl, besides his...no, he was not going to think on that. That had been a long time in the past.

After getting dressed he looked himself over in a mirror, making sure everything looked right and that everything was in place for this night. He had on a white scarf and a armored chest plate. Then he noticed that this was what he always wore, so he took off his armored viset to reveal a white, long-sleeved shirt and black pants. With his blonde hair and ocean blue eyes, he looked very handsome. Walking out of his room he pondered a lot over what he would say to Yui. After all, she didn't even know what was going on with him so he thought that keeping his 'all business' air as usual and not showing her that he harbored any feelings towards her was the best thing for now.

Yui was changing in her cambers. It didn't help that she had that annoying servant woman helping her at the moment.

"Ugh, if you can't put on a simple qi pao, then I'll do it myself!" screamed Yui as the servant women tried to help her put on a very pretty chinese dress. It was now spring so she had very light, pastel colors, with some cream as the base. It was sugar pink and baby blue with a flower pattern on it. The colors went very well with Yui's facial features and the color of her hair. When the servant woman finally finished helping Yui put her qi pao on, she left and allowed Yui to take herself down to the dining room. It was a rather ignorant move, and for that she would pay for it alongside the first woman.

Yui glanced over at the mirror on her dressing table. She walked over carefully and picked up a couple pieces that went well with her dress. Then, she made to put her hair up in a nice, tight bun, and attached the remaining hair piece, a silver comb with sapphires on it, to the top. When she looked back in the mirror, she was proud of herself. She looked like a real woman now, not just a silly junior high school girl.

After Yui was done looking herself over, she walked over to the door and slowly opened it. Then then began to walk gracefully down the long, quiet, lonely corridors to the Emperor's dining room. Yui was enjoying the quite walk when, suddenly, Nakago showed up next to her.

"Oh, Nakago," Yui addressed him politely. "The servants were looking for you. Did you safely receive the invitation to dinner?"

Nakago hesitated, remembering the beauty that he had seen earlier in the hot spring. "Oh, yes, your Eminence. I was told just a bit ago. Are you on your way there now, Lady Yui?"

"Nakago, are you okay?" Yui said but she received no answer from Nakago for a few seconds.

"Let's not talk about me; I am doing well. Let's talk about you," Nakago said in a silky voice.

Yui looked at him for a few seconds than without the slightest hesitation she replied, "What the hell are you talking abut Nakago? Have you gone completely insane? What's with you tonight?" And once again Nakago answered with the same intent as before.

"Let's talk about you," he repeated.

Yui was still in shock about what had just happen; she took a few moments to think abut what was going on. She did also notice that Nakago looked extremely good looking tonight, like he had taken extra care when dressing himself. Yui wondered why she was starting to feel strange and wondered if she could really be attracted to Nakago. However, she quickly pushed away the thought. She loved Tamahome, right?

"Well, are you going to answer?" Nakago asked, sounding somewhat impatient.

"Um, fine. Today was a very good day. The weather was nice. I took a bath," Yui said, thinking that this conversation was stupid. What was he expecting her to say? Feeling very awkward, Yui began to walk a bit faster as they reached the dining room. She stopped outside of there and allowed him to catch up to her.

"So it sounds like you had an interesting day," Nakago said. Just as soon as Yui opened her mouth to say something to Nakago, she was interrupted by another servant women opening the door to the dining area of the palace. Right on the far head seat was the Emperor.

"Nakago, Lady Miko, please come in take a seat. We have some business to talk about."

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A/N: Well that's it for chapter one. So tell me did you love it, like it, or hate it? Please, I hope it's not the last one but by all means tell me what you think. I would really like some constructive criticism and lots of reviews would be appreciated. But please be gentle on me since it it my first time writing and doing something like this. Well, until the next chapter this is LauraJean signing off.