Sorry for the wait. I hadn't been to in over a year so I lost track of my account and

Forgot the password.

But, now I'm back and ready to finish chapter 3.

As I lay beside the woman I had just raped, a new feeling swept over me.

I couldn't describe it; it was as though I had lost all sense of morality within me.

Months went by, and Miaka had not uttered a word of the horrible things I had done to anyone.

I decided to confront Miaka about the incident.

Although, the closer I got to her, the further she ran. She must have been angry with me.

Who could blame her? I forced myself upon her.

One day while I was out walking, I was confronted by Chichiri who was rather concerned

For the young priestess.

"Miaka seems upset, no da." Chichiri removed his mask, revealing a rather serious face.

"She won't speak to me, Chichiri." I began to explain, until I stopped myself, trying not

to reveal the horrible thing I had done to her.

"Chiriko said she locked herself In her room."

Suddenly, I heard a sound from the distance.

"Miaka, please open the door!" It sounded like Tamahome.

Had he returned?

I glanced behind me and sure enough, he was standing right there.

Before I could even take a breath, Tamahome had grabbed me by the collar of my robe

And lifted me into the air.

"I know you have something to do with this, Hotohori! What the hell did you do to her?!"

I struck Tamahome in the abdomen and began walking away.

"I did nothing, how dare you accuse me!"

I couldn't tell him the truth, that I had raped his fiancé.

I couldn't afford a scandal in my empire.

Later that night, I caught sight of Miaka standing upon the bridge.

I walked up beside her, I tried to speak. However, there was nothing

I could possibly say to her.

She must have been disgusted with me and would probably never speak to me again.

"So, what new ways have you come up with to ruin my life, Hotohori?"

She questioned, the tone in her voice was enough to send the strongest warrior in the emperor to his knees.

"I…" I couldn't speak, just then. It was as if her words had killed me inside.

"Ruin your life?" I questioned.

"You lied to Tamahome, you took advantage of me and you just denied everything!"

Just then, this all-powerful Suzaku no Miko fell to her knees, crying.

I watched as a stray tear hit the ground.

"Miaka, I-…"

"I trusted you, Tamahome trusted you! And you betrayed us both!"

Miaka screamed as she lifted her body off the ground and punched my face.

"You're going to tell Tamahome and the entire empire what you've done!"

Miaka was furious, not because I took advantage of her, but because I had the nerve

To lie about it all after the fact.

"And what if I refuse?" I questioned with a smirk on my face.

"Then I'll tell everyone what you've done!"

I watched as Miaka ran away from me, and followed until she slammed her door in

My face.

Later, in my chamber…

I had been very nostalgic for that night I had shared with the Priestess.

From under my bed came a box, filled with some of the Suzaku no Miko's possessions.

A stick of this thing she calls "gum", and the garments from the "incident".

I began to feel what people refer to as "guilt". I hadn't felt this feeling before because

I thought the rich and handsome were exempt from such emotions.

What the priestess said to me got me thinking, was I really such a special person

That I could get away with crimes that men in my empire would normally be slain for?

I couldn't sleep that night, the words of the priestess had been stuck in my mind.

It would seem as though I was not as wise as I thought.

If I thought it was right for me to get away with taking advantage of a woman and prisoners in my empire were not permitted, was I wrong?

Was this no longer love; but what people refer to as "obsession"?

From that point on, no matter where I went, I was haunted by the image of the one I had so dearly hurt. Everywhere I went, an image of the priestess had appeared before me.

I was not sure what it meant, but I had a pretty good idea of the fact that I could only clear my guilty conscience by telling someone else.

I had asked for the wise guidance of Chichiri, someone I knew I could trust.

"What I am about to tell you is not to be repeated, do you understand?"

Chichiri nodded as I began to explain to him, in great detail, that night with the priestess and how I had taken advantage of her.

"This does present a problem, no da!" Chichiri exclaimed.

"I cannot stop myself from seeing images of Miaka wherever I go." I continued.

Chichiri's words seemed to burn through my soul. He said that "Even beings of royal

Status cannot abstain from guilt, it is a normal human emotion and those with a conscience do in fact feel guilt."

He was explaining to me that since I am still a man of moral standards, that I still feel guilt and my seeing Miaka everywhere is due to the fact that I had wronged her and that I needed to confront not only her, but Tamahome as well.

I needed to apologize and admit my wrong-doing.

That was easier for a man to say than to actually pursue.

However, If it meant clearing my guilty conscience then perhaps this was the right thing to do.