Chapter 67 : The Strain of Love
The eastern sun rose once again over the worn mountains of Konan, starting another day in the world of the Universe of the Four Gods. This day was one of many, many days that had conceded since Saori Kawai had first passed into the book, searching for her best friend Mayo. It had been almost as many days since Miaka and Tamahome had followed, and eventually Yui, the first priestess of Seiryu, had come as well. Through the days of growing war between Konan, Hokkan, and Kutou, each day seemed to be more torturous than the last.
"I want you to bring back our north division by tonight." Boushin walked with a magistrate, his orders clear and serious. "Send out the new recruits in their place. I will not have tired soldiers on our lines."
"Yes, your Highness." The magistrate quickly wrote something down on a pad of paper in his arms.
"I'm very aware that Kutou has not attacked us for a small period of time, so you have no need to bring it up." Boushin said, turning into the throne room.
"Yes Sire, it was on my mind."
Boushin stepped up to his throne and sat down. At that moment he looked older than usual, though he was now barely sixteen. He looked like a regal emperor, with experience beyond his years. "I think that perhaps it is time for Konan to make the first attack. Our armies have been trained well enough to take the offensive position. Please Boru, send for Chichiri so that I may discuss this with him."
Boru bowed. "Yes Sire, I will get him myself."
"And Boru?" Boushin asked before the magistrate could leave.
"Yes Highness?"
"Do you by chance know the whereabouts of Lady Saori? I haven't seen her for some time now."
Boru shook his head. "I do not know where she is, but I'll be glad to find her for you."
Boushin nodded. "Thank you, but do get Chichiri first."
"As you wish."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"And so I think she's just not thinking about it right now." Saori explained, seated at the bottom of a bed. "I don't know if that's good or bad though, it's not like I've ever been a priestess..." She put a hand behind her head and smiled. "But I guess it's none of my business, huh? I think it's good to give Miaka and Yui some time alone, they just understand the situations a lot better than me, ne?"
Nuriko smiled. He was now well enough to sit up in bed, leaning against the wall behind him occasionally. Bandages came up and over his right shoulder to support the bandaging around his hip, which was currently covered by the light pink blankets of his bed. Other than that his chest was bare, though he did have a sleeping robe thrown over his shoulders. He was looking much healthier than he had a few days ago.
"They do understand each other well, but don't put yourself in as the third wheel, Saori-chan." Nuriko explained, bringing another mouthful of rice up to his mouth.
"Oh!" Saori snapped. "I remember what I was going to ask you now. Have you told Rokou about all of this?"
Nuriko shook his head, lowering his bowl and chopsticks. "Not that I don't want my brother storming the palace again for the sake of my welfare, but I couldn't write to him if I wanted to." Nuriko held up his right arm, which was bandaged still from where the first arrow had hit him.
"Oh." Saori replied. "Well, I would offer to write one for you, but I'm not that great with Chinese Kanji."
Nuriko laughed lightly. "That's all right, Saori. I'm just glad that you came to see me this morning, and bring me breakfast."
Saori flashed Nuriko her widest grin. "I'm glad you're feeling better, Nuriko. It's weird listening to you talk, though."
Nuriko blinked. "Why's that? Do I still sound sick?"
"No..." Saori blushed ever so slightly. "It's just... uh... that new tone sticks with you more often now."
Nuriko folded his arms and leaned again against the wall behind him. "Is that so?"
"Yeah..."
"Then you'd better go."
Saori looked up, confused. "What, was that mean?"
"No," Nuriko had a smirk on his lips, "But I'm not sure how much longer you can resist me and my 'sexy voice', and in my condition I really can't handle it right now."
"Nuriko!"
"Maybe next week then, hm?"
"NURIKO!"
***********************
Tetsuya typed on his computer, sunglasses on as usual. The large window to his office behind him had the curtains drawn aside, the room lit by the late morning sun. Hikari was at a daycare, since Tetsuya didn't think he could afford bringing her into work with him, and he'd have no way of entertaining her.
Tetsuya turned slightly in his chair and picked up a paper off the front of his desk, scanning over it again for a moment before returning to the keyboard and typing a few more lines in. Lately Tetsuya had been either really dedicated to his job or to reading the book, trying to lighten his mind from the several things building upon it.
He stopped mid-sentence and tapped his pinky lightly on the return key, prodding his mind for what he was supposed to write. Sighing, he turned again to the paper on his desk and read over part of it. Before he laid it back down though, went wide-eyed at sudden ink appearing at the top of the paper, as if from nowhere.
He held the paper in one hand as the ink formed into Kanji, but only wrote three words before it stopped. Tetsuya waited for more, but none came. He finally recognized the handwriting, and read what the kanji said.
"I miss you."
***********************
"Yui-chan? What are you doing?" Miaka asked, stopping her side of the conversation for a moment.
Yui looked up from the book she was leaning a piece of paper on. "Oh, nothing. I know it sounds silly, but I'm just writing a letter...."
"To who?"
"Tetsuya."
Miaka opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it. The look on Yui's face was a sad and lonely one, though she tried not to show it.
After a pause, Miaka finally spoke up. "I'm sorry Yui."
Yui smiled calmly. "it's okay Miaka, really, it is."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"If that is what you desire Emperor Boushin, then I would advise a strike from..."
"More-so from what I desire, Chichiri." Boushin interrupted. "Do you think it is a wise decision? I lean on you the most for this."
Chichiri looked up, and thought for a moment. "If Kutou follows the pattern it's been taking, then allowing Konan to strike first could be a good maneuver, no da. However, you may want to delay it, no da."
"Delay it?" Boushin inquired.
Chichiri nodded. "Just a few days before Kutou could be preempted to strike. That would be our best chance, no da."
Boushin nodded. "You are very wise, Chichiri. Very well, we will make the plans."
"Sire!"
Boushin and Chichiri bother turned towards the front entrance of the throne room, where a guard was running in.
"Yes, what is it?" Boushin asked. "Is something wrong?"
"There is a messenger here for you, Highness."
"A messenger?" Boushin asked. "Where has he come from?"
"General Okiata, your Highness." A second voice responded, coming into view. The soldier was a bit shorter than the Konan guard, and seemingly younger.
"Okiata?" Chichiri asked, trying to remember the name. "The Hokkan general, no da?"
The messenger nodded. "I have come in a fairly urgent manner, your Majesty. General Okiata demands to see Ambassador Cheinun immediately. I have also come to bring her back to him."
"Ambassador Cheinun?" Boushin asked, puzzled. "She was sent out on a carriage yesterday morning for her rendezvous with General Okiata. Are you saying she never arrived?"
The soldier stepped back, now confused as well. "Our ambassador has yet to make her appearance, Highness, she has information that our army needs."
Boushin exchanged worried glances with Chichiri before looking forward again. "Messenger, how long did it take for you to arrive at the palace?"
"About three and a half hours, by horse, Sire." He answered.
Boushin looked again to Chichiri. "Miss Cheinun would have had plenty of time to arrive. Could her carriage of been misdirected?"
Chichiri thought. "I find it unlikely, no da."
Boushin stepped down from his throne and across the room. "Messenger, please send this reply back to General Okiata. Please wait for the Ambassador, she will arrive as soon as possible. However, we are having some difficulties as to finding her whereabouts."
The messenger nodded. "Yes Sire." He turned on his heel and left the throne room.
"You, guard!" Boushin called for the guard's attention.
"Yes sire!" He stood straight.
"What is your name?"
"Shino, Sire."
"Shino," Boushin repeated, "Gather up a search party immediately of seven or eight men and scour over the possible routes to the Southeast Meigi Plateau. I need to find Ambassador Akue Cheinun. Understand?"
Yes Highness!"
"And take Chichiri with you. Mind that you will do what he says and nothing but, understand?"
"Yes Highness!"
"Chichiri," Boushin turned to the taller man. "I want you to find Chiriko and take him with you, his intelligence could help to track Miss Cheinun down quicker, and take either Tasuki or Tamahome, whomever you find first."
"I will, no da."
And with that order, Chichiri and the guard left through the front of the throne room, while Boushin diverted to exit through the back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hey, where the hell is everyone goin'?" Tasuki asked, seeing several men on horses, including Chichiri, Chiriko, and Tamahome, leaving from the front of the palace. He had just come into the throne room where Boushin too had just barely returned. Tasuki hadn't been around much in the morning, especially since he had an excuse to sleep in late.
"Tasuki, I'm glad you're here." Boushin said, sitting down on his throne. "Chichiri and the others are going out on a search party for Miss Cheinun, so I need you to stay here."
It took Tasuki a second to register Boushin's statement. "Wait, what!?" He blurted out. "Cheinun? What do you mean a search party? She didn't get lost comin' back, did she?"
Boushin shook his head, his serious expression never fading. "Miss Cheinun never arrived to see General Okiata, so I've sent...."
"She never ARRIVED?!" Tasuki now had a serious expression too, but a much more urgent one than Boushin's. "She left yesterday morning! Are you saying Akue just got right up'n disappeared?!"
"Tasuki, please calm yourself. I'm sure Chichiri will find her."
"You don't get it man." Tasuki said, obviously forgetting to show respect in front of his king. "Akue doesn't just get lost without sending a word back!"
"Tasuki,"
"And why the HELL am I not in that search party?!" Tasuki shouted, running towards the front exit.
"Tasuki! Your presence is needed here at the palace with the priestess!"
"I'm not gonna stand by while the woman I love could be in danger!" Tasuki shot back, barely even taking the second to turn around before disappearing from the throne room.
Boushin stood there in a slightly angered bewilderment, but just shook his head and collapsed back into his seat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Is this even the way they took?" Tamahome asked, scouring the areas beyond them. Up ahead is where all the basins of Konan lay, and some of them seemed to sweep on forever.
"I believe so, no da." Chichiri replied. He, Tamahome, and Chiriko rode at the front of the party, three guards behind them. Another lone rider was further up ahead, scouting.
"You don't really think something could have happened to her, do you Chichiri? So far, by the looks of it, she may just have arrived late."
"Maybe, no da, but remember that the Hokkan messenger didn't see her carriage on his way to the palace as well, no da."
"Maybe he took the forested route?" Chiriko suggested. "Of course, that would be getting dangerously close to the eastern border."
"Maybe Tasuki should have come with us." Tamahome brought up.
Chichiri shook his head. "Boushin needs him at the palace, no da, and if this party isn't successful, it'd be better if he wasn't here, no da."
"I see what you mean..." Chiriko's young voice trailed off.
"Speaking of Tasuki, where have the Mt. Reikaku bandits been lately?" Tamahome asked.
"They recently returned to the battlefront where the Kutou soldier are fighting near Sairo." Chiriko explained. "We've almost driven them out there, but they keep moving in on the Southeast boundary."
Tamahome mumbled something, but it wasn't audible.
The quiet sound a whistle finally disturbed the party.
"Hei ho!" A guard behind them called, pointing forward the distant scout blowing his whistle. "Hiryo found somethin'!"
The party of six galloped down the start of the first basin road, following after the head guard. His horse stopped at something, and it took a few minutes for Chichiri and the others to catch up. When they reached the spot they all had a sinking feeling come over them, as well as nausea for young Chiriko.
"What.... what happened here?" Tamahome asked, stepping down from his horse.
"Who could do this?" A guard behind him added.
In the road, on his side, lay a dead man. His clothes were ripped and his skin was either bloody or sunburned. His tattered garments were spotted red as well.
"Chichiri?" Tamahome called as the monk passed by him and knelt by the man, looking over him.
Chiriko looked away.
Chichiri stood up and took off his mask, his serious demeanor showing across his real features. "This was done by a life force blast, no da."
"Look here!" Hiryo shouted, again just a small ways ahead. "There are broken materials scattered everywhere..." He turned and saw a horse in the distance, still harnessed to a long plank of wood.
"A carriage?" Tamahome questioned.
"He must be the driver...." Chiriko responded.
"Then where's the other horse?" A guard skimmed over the remaining scenery.
Chichiri dug his staff into the dirty ground. "The carriage must have been moving when it was hit, no da."
"Then..." Tamahome paused, "where's Inami?"
"It's a pity you didn't bring the rest with you."
The group turned around to see Nakago, floating above the ground casually in his armor, a victorious smirk on his face.
"Nakago!" Chichiri shouted. "YOU are responsible for this?!"
Nakago waved the accusation aside. "I won't bother my time with you now. I want to destroy the Suzaku seven..." His eyes scowled at Tamahome, "or what's left of them, at the same time."
Tamahome raised his fists.
"You're not a threat in this condition, Tamahome." Nakago said coolly. "You never were."
"Where's Inami!?" Chichiri again raised his voice, angry.
Nakago raised an eyebrow. "I imagine she's walking the bowels of hell at this point."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Tamahome snapped.
Nakago seemed quite amused by Tamahome's reactions, thought he floated too far away for any strikes to be made. "Out of all of them, I think I had the most fun killing her."
Chiriko's face went stark white.
"You're lying." Tamahome said, his voice colder than Nakago's.
"Am I? I disappointed you have so little faith in me." He reached his hand into the unseen places of his cape, and pulled out a studded, golden rod. He looked at it for only a moment before tossing it at the feet of the horses.
Tamahome's eyes widened as he stared at the item on the ground. When he looked back, Nakago had disappeared.
"What is that, Master Chichiri?" The guard beside him asked.
Chichiri quietly walked over and picked it up, a few grains of sand falling off of it. He raised it, looking over it with his good eye.
Tamahome stood silently as well, his fists clenched at his sides. Chiriko had his head down.
"May the gods watch over her." Chichiri whispered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Boushin?" Saori was hesitant to say his name, she wasn't sure if it was too informal now. "You wanted to see me?"
Boushin turned around from the window when he heard Saori's voice. The window had a magnificent garden view, and the afternoon sun highlighted the colors of it.
"Saori." Boushin smiled a bit. "I apologize if this is inconvenient."
Saori waved her hands. "Oh no! It's fine, really. I didn't have anything to do, so I'm glad to be here."
Boushin smiled at her again, his hands clasped behind his back. His brown eyes glanced back at the view through the window of his study.
Saori walked up and stood next to him. "It's really pretty."
"It is." Boushin agreed. "It's a shame that such beauty must be confined to one place though."
"Mmhm." Saori hummed.
"How long have we known each other now, Saori?"
Saori looked up at him. "Um..." she tried to count. How long had she been here, exactly? "8...9...10 months, maybe?"
Boushin chuckled a bit at her unsurity.
"Why do you ask?"
Boushin looked down at her. "My point being that I'm glad to have met you, Saori."
Saori felt her cheeks warm up a bit.
"Have you been well? I'm afraid I have not had the time to speak with you recently."
"Boushin..." Saori sighed a bit. "You shouldn't have to ask me that. I'm fine, really, but..."
Boushin stepped back from her. "Is something wrong?"
Saori nodded.
"What is it?" the Emperor sounded a bit worried.
"You." She answered.
Boushin was confused.
"I mean..." Saori looked out the window to avoid Boushin's gaze. "I've been really worried about you. With everything that happened..."
Boushin placed his hands on her shoulders. "Saori, you do not need to fret over my well-being. I'm stronger than you think."
"I know, but..."
"It's all right, Saori." He reassured her.
Boushin removed his hands and they were both silent for a moment.
"I forgot... to thank you, Boushin." Saori spoke up.
"Boushin blinked curiously. "For what, Saori?"
"For saving me." She replied. "When the palace was attacked. I forgot to thank you."
Boushin smiled. "You're welcome, Saori. I would never let anything hurt you."
At that statement, Saori bowed her head and turned her body more towards the window, shutting her eyes hard. "Oh please..." she begged herself, "Please don't start crying..." However, a swift tear escaped from under her eyelashes.
"Saori?" Boushin pulled her away from the window, a worried expression on his face. "Saori, what's wrong? Did I say something to upset you?"
Saori shook her head and quickly wiped her eyes.
"Then what? Saori, please tell me." Boushin pleaded.
"It's... completely the opposite..." Saori managed to say, a small cry on her voice.
"What do you mean?" Boushin pulled her hands away so he could see her.
"You're... so nice...." Saori hiccupped. "Even after what I told you, you're still so nice to me...."
Boushin's eyes softened, and he wrapped his robed arms around Saori and held her close to him. "Saori, I respected your decision, then and now. Please forgive me."
Saori didn't respond, she just cried into Boushin chest, trying to control her emotions. "I'm... s-sorry..."
Boushin held her tighter, wishing he could ease away her pain. If he had known his request would have ended up hurting her like this, he never would have asked. However, he just tried to comfort Saori without showing his own pain. He had known before hand that Saori would have had to give up everything to stay with him. He had been foolish not to take her emotions into mind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Sire! Chichiri's party has returned." A Konan soldier reported to Boushin, who sat at a table in the small library, by himself. Boushin looked out the window, the sky turning orange around the setting sun. "Thank you, I'll be with them in a moment."
~
Miaka ran into the throne room as the six entered, tired from their journey. Miaka was about to call Tamahome's name, but she stopped abruptly at the expression on his face.
"What happened?" Yui asked. It was obvious that Inami wasn't with them.
"Chiriko-kun?" Saori also asked, walking a step behind Boushin.
The three guards nodded to the Emperor and went on their ways, returning to the posts which they had left this morning.
Boushin noticed the looks on the warriors' faces, and for a moment his true features showed, the ones not pushed away by the title of an emperor.
"You were unsuccessful?" He asked quietly.
"Not entirely, your Highness." Chichiri spoke up.
"We found the body of the driver near the basins, Sire." Tamahome took over. "We laid it to rest there. The carriage had been destroyed, and we could only recover one horse."
"And the ambassador?" Boushin's question didn't have much hope in it.
"Nakago of the Seiryu seven, was there as well."
Miaka gasped a little.
Tamahome continued. "Ambassador Cheinun... she's... dead, Sire."
Boushin was a little taken back.
Chichiri got out the rod from under his cloak. "This is all we have of her."
"I see." Boushin bowed his head for a moment. "This... was very... unexpected. We shall mourn for her." His words were quiet and serious. "I will have to inform Emperor Sanoii. Though we have no body, we will go through the same funeral processions as we did Mitsukake." At that, Boushin turned around and slowly left the throne room by himself.
"I....Inami..." Miaka said, her eyes in a state of shock. "No... how could she just... die? She was so strong..."
Saori felt a few tears creep down her cheek as she stood with Yui.
"Here, Miaka." Chichiri held out the rod. Miaka slowly brought her hands up and clasped them around the heavy object.
"Where's Tasuki?" Tamahome asked.
"He left." Yui replied. When he heard that," She swallowed hard, "that Inami was gone, he went out to look for her. I though maybe he had caught up to you."
Tamahome shook his head.
"What now?" Miaka's voice was shaky. "We.... we saved Nuriko... but lost Inami? It..." Miaka's eyes finally swelled up with tears, and Tamahome embraced her. "It's not fair...." She cried.
***************************
Keisuke shut the book, resting in on the table beside the smoothie in front of him. He stared at the wooden furniture quietly, sipping at the shake. He was outside a small cafe, a few conversations going on around him.
He kept thinking that if he read more it would be over faster and his sister, Yui, Saori, and Mayo would all be back sooner, but it seemed that the more he read, the worse it got. Keisuke felt like it was his fault that Miaka was suffering so much. If only he could go into the book and save her, let her know that it will be all right.
Of course, he didn't know that. He wanted so badly to just skip to the end of the book and let it all be over, but at the end of the book were blank pages, pages that wouldn't be legible until he got there naturally.
Was this book a curse? It couldn't be, Taka had come from this book, and he really was like a brother to Keisuke. Tasuki, Chichiri, Chiriko.... they were real, even if only in fantasy, and they were good people.
So why did so many terrible things happen?
Keisuke stirred the smoothie around with his straw, staring at the red tint of the drink. He would keep reading... just, not right now.
****************************
"There he is." Tamahome said as he looked out his window at the horseman coming in through the gates. He was in his room, sitting on his bed. Miaka's head lay on his lap, and he calmly stroked her hair as she slept. Chichiri was there as well, standing, waiting at the window along with Tamahome. It was very late, they were tired, but they waited for their last warrior to return.
"Who's going to tell him, no da?" Chichiri asked.
Tamahome looked at the older man, then back at Miaka. "I will. I think it will be easier if he hears it from me." Tamahome very carefully moved off the bed, gently laying Miaka's head onto the soft covers. she stirred for a moment, but continued sleeping.
~
Tasuki was just barely coming in from the stables when Tamahome met up with him at the entrance to the palace. Tasuki looked very tired, but the other emotion he expressed was one Tamahome couldn't decipher. When Tasuki finally saw Tamahome in the darkened hallway, he spoke up.
"Tama, did you...."
"Tasuki." Tamahome firmly yet gently interrupted.
Tasuki stopped.
"Tasuki..." Tamahome said his name again, "There's something I need to tell you."
The eastern sun rose once again over the worn mountains of Konan, starting another day in the world of the Universe of the Four Gods. This day was one of many, many days that had conceded since Saori Kawai had first passed into the book, searching for her best friend Mayo. It had been almost as many days since Miaka and Tamahome had followed, and eventually Yui, the first priestess of Seiryu, had come as well. Through the days of growing war between Konan, Hokkan, and Kutou, each day seemed to be more torturous than the last.
"I want you to bring back our north division by tonight." Boushin walked with a magistrate, his orders clear and serious. "Send out the new recruits in their place. I will not have tired soldiers on our lines."
"Yes, your Highness." The magistrate quickly wrote something down on a pad of paper in his arms.
"I'm very aware that Kutou has not attacked us for a small period of time, so you have no need to bring it up." Boushin said, turning into the throne room.
"Yes Sire, it was on my mind."
Boushin stepped up to his throne and sat down. At that moment he looked older than usual, though he was now barely sixteen. He looked like a regal emperor, with experience beyond his years. "I think that perhaps it is time for Konan to make the first attack. Our armies have been trained well enough to take the offensive position. Please Boru, send for Chichiri so that I may discuss this with him."
Boru bowed. "Yes Sire, I will get him myself."
"And Boru?" Boushin asked before the magistrate could leave.
"Yes Highness?"
"Do you by chance know the whereabouts of Lady Saori? I haven't seen her for some time now."
Boru shook his head. "I do not know where she is, but I'll be glad to find her for you."
Boushin nodded. "Thank you, but do get Chichiri first."
"As you wish."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"And so I think she's just not thinking about it right now." Saori explained, seated at the bottom of a bed. "I don't know if that's good or bad though, it's not like I've ever been a priestess..." She put a hand behind her head and smiled. "But I guess it's none of my business, huh? I think it's good to give Miaka and Yui some time alone, they just understand the situations a lot better than me, ne?"
Nuriko smiled. He was now well enough to sit up in bed, leaning against the wall behind him occasionally. Bandages came up and over his right shoulder to support the bandaging around his hip, which was currently covered by the light pink blankets of his bed. Other than that his chest was bare, though he did have a sleeping robe thrown over his shoulders. He was looking much healthier than he had a few days ago.
"They do understand each other well, but don't put yourself in as the third wheel, Saori-chan." Nuriko explained, bringing another mouthful of rice up to his mouth.
"Oh!" Saori snapped. "I remember what I was going to ask you now. Have you told Rokou about all of this?"
Nuriko shook his head, lowering his bowl and chopsticks. "Not that I don't want my brother storming the palace again for the sake of my welfare, but I couldn't write to him if I wanted to." Nuriko held up his right arm, which was bandaged still from where the first arrow had hit him.
"Oh." Saori replied. "Well, I would offer to write one for you, but I'm not that great with Chinese Kanji."
Nuriko laughed lightly. "That's all right, Saori. I'm just glad that you came to see me this morning, and bring me breakfast."
Saori flashed Nuriko her widest grin. "I'm glad you're feeling better, Nuriko. It's weird listening to you talk, though."
Nuriko blinked. "Why's that? Do I still sound sick?"
"No..." Saori blushed ever so slightly. "It's just... uh... that new tone sticks with you more often now."
Nuriko folded his arms and leaned again against the wall behind him. "Is that so?"
"Yeah..."
"Then you'd better go."
Saori looked up, confused. "What, was that mean?"
"No," Nuriko had a smirk on his lips, "But I'm not sure how much longer you can resist me and my 'sexy voice', and in my condition I really can't handle it right now."
"Nuriko!"
"Maybe next week then, hm?"
"NURIKO!"
***********************
Tetsuya typed on his computer, sunglasses on as usual. The large window to his office behind him had the curtains drawn aside, the room lit by the late morning sun. Hikari was at a daycare, since Tetsuya didn't think he could afford bringing her into work with him, and he'd have no way of entertaining her.
Tetsuya turned slightly in his chair and picked up a paper off the front of his desk, scanning over it again for a moment before returning to the keyboard and typing a few more lines in. Lately Tetsuya had been either really dedicated to his job or to reading the book, trying to lighten his mind from the several things building upon it.
He stopped mid-sentence and tapped his pinky lightly on the return key, prodding his mind for what he was supposed to write. Sighing, he turned again to the paper on his desk and read over part of it. Before he laid it back down though, went wide-eyed at sudden ink appearing at the top of the paper, as if from nowhere.
He held the paper in one hand as the ink formed into Kanji, but only wrote three words before it stopped. Tetsuya waited for more, but none came. He finally recognized the handwriting, and read what the kanji said.
"I miss you."
***********************
"Yui-chan? What are you doing?" Miaka asked, stopping her side of the conversation for a moment.
Yui looked up from the book she was leaning a piece of paper on. "Oh, nothing. I know it sounds silly, but I'm just writing a letter...."
"To who?"
"Tetsuya."
Miaka opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it. The look on Yui's face was a sad and lonely one, though she tried not to show it.
After a pause, Miaka finally spoke up. "I'm sorry Yui."
Yui smiled calmly. "it's okay Miaka, really, it is."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"If that is what you desire Emperor Boushin, then I would advise a strike from..."
"More-so from what I desire, Chichiri." Boushin interrupted. "Do you think it is a wise decision? I lean on you the most for this."
Chichiri looked up, and thought for a moment. "If Kutou follows the pattern it's been taking, then allowing Konan to strike first could be a good maneuver, no da. However, you may want to delay it, no da."
"Delay it?" Boushin inquired.
Chichiri nodded. "Just a few days before Kutou could be preempted to strike. That would be our best chance, no da."
Boushin nodded. "You are very wise, Chichiri. Very well, we will make the plans."
"Sire!"
Boushin and Chichiri bother turned towards the front entrance of the throne room, where a guard was running in.
"Yes, what is it?" Boushin asked. "Is something wrong?"
"There is a messenger here for you, Highness."
"A messenger?" Boushin asked. "Where has he come from?"
"General Okiata, your Highness." A second voice responded, coming into view. The soldier was a bit shorter than the Konan guard, and seemingly younger.
"Okiata?" Chichiri asked, trying to remember the name. "The Hokkan general, no da?"
The messenger nodded. "I have come in a fairly urgent manner, your Majesty. General Okiata demands to see Ambassador Cheinun immediately. I have also come to bring her back to him."
"Ambassador Cheinun?" Boushin asked, puzzled. "She was sent out on a carriage yesterday morning for her rendezvous with General Okiata. Are you saying she never arrived?"
The soldier stepped back, now confused as well. "Our ambassador has yet to make her appearance, Highness, she has information that our army needs."
Boushin exchanged worried glances with Chichiri before looking forward again. "Messenger, how long did it take for you to arrive at the palace?"
"About three and a half hours, by horse, Sire." He answered.
Boushin looked again to Chichiri. "Miss Cheinun would have had plenty of time to arrive. Could her carriage of been misdirected?"
Chichiri thought. "I find it unlikely, no da."
Boushin stepped down from his throne and across the room. "Messenger, please send this reply back to General Okiata. Please wait for the Ambassador, she will arrive as soon as possible. However, we are having some difficulties as to finding her whereabouts."
The messenger nodded. "Yes Sire." He turned on his heel and left the throne room.
"You, guard!" Boushin called for the guard's attention.
"Yes sire!" He stood straight.
"What is your name?"
"Shino, Sire."
"Shino," Boushin repeated, "Gather up a search party immediately of seven or eight men and scour over the possible routes to the Southeast Meigi Plateau. I need to find Ambassador Akue Cheinun. Understand?"
Yes Highness!"
"And take Chichiri with you. Mind that you will do what he says and nothing but, understand?"
"Yes Highness!"
"Chichiri," Boushin turned to the taller man. "I want you to find Chiriko and take him with you, his intelligence could help to track Miss Cheinun down quicker, and take either Tasuki or Tamahome, whomever you find first."
"I will, no da."
And with that order, Chichiri and the guard left through the front of the throne room, while Boushin diverted to exit through the back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hey, where the hell is everyone goin'?" Tasuki asked, seeing several men on horses, including Chichiri, Chiriko, and Tamahome, leaving from the front of the palace. He had just come into the throne room where Boushin too had just barely returned. Tasuki hadn't been around much in the morning, especially since he had an excuse to sleep in late.
"Tasuki, I'm glad you're here." Boushin said, sitting down on his throne. "Chichiri and the others are going out on a search party for Miss Cheinun, so I need you to stay here."
It took Tasuki a second to register Boushin's statement. "Wait, what!?" He blurted out. "Cheinun? What do you mean a search party? She didn't get lost comin' back, did she?"
Boushin shook his head, his serious expression never fading. "Miss Cheinun never arrived to see General Okiata, so I've sent...."
"She never ARRIVED?!" Tasuki now had a serious expression too, but a much more urgent one than Boushin's. "She left yesterday morning! Are you saying Akue just got right up'n disappeared?!"
"Tasuki, please calm yourself. I'm sure Chichiri will find her."
"You don't get it man." Tasuki said, obviously forgetting to show respect in front of his king. "Akue doesn't just get lost without sending a word back!"
"Tasuki,"
"And why the HELL am I not in that search party?!" Tasuki shouted, running towards the front exit.
"Tasuki! Your presence is needed here at the palace with the priestess!"
"I'm not gonna stand by while the woman I love could be in danger!" Tasuki shot back, barely even taking the second to turn around before disappearing from the throne room.
Boushin stood there in a slightly angered bewilderment, but just shook his head and collapsed back into his seat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Is this even the way they took?" Tamahome asked, scouring the areas beyond them. Up ahead is where all the basins of Konan lay, and some of them seemed to sweep on forever.
"I believe so, no da." Chichiri replied. He, Tamahome, and Chiriko rode at the front of the party, three guards behind them. Another lone rider was further up ahead, scouting.
"You don't really think something could have happened to her, do you Chichiri? So far, by the looks of it, she may just have arrived late."
"Maybe, no da, but remember that the Hokkan messenger didn't see her carriage on his way to the palace as well, no da."
"Maybe he took the forested route?" Chiriko suggested. "Of course, that would be getting dangerously close to the eastern border."
"Maybe Tasuki should have come with us." Tamahome brought up.
Chichiri shook his head. "Boushin needs him at the palace, no da, and if this party isn't successful, it'd be better if he wasn't here, no da."
"I see what you mean..." Chiriko's young voice trailed off.
"Speaking of Tasuki, where have the Mt. Reikaku bandits been lately?" Tamahome asked.
"They recently returned to the battlefront where the Kutou soldier are fighting near Sairo." Chiriko explained. "We've almost driven them out there, but they keep moving in on the Southeast boundary."
Tamahome mumbled something, but it wasn't audible.
The quiet sound a whistle finally disturbed the party.
"Hei ho!" A guard behind them called, pointing forward the distant scout blowing his whistle. "Hiryo found somethin'!"
The party of six galloped down the start of the first basin road, following after the head guard. His horse stopped at something, and it took a few minutes for Chichiri and the others to catch up. When they reached the spot they all had a sinking feeling come over them, as well as nausea for young Chiriko.
"What.... what happened here?" Tamahome asked, stepping down from his horse.
"Who could do this?" A guard behind him added.
In the road, on his side, lay a dead man. His clothes were ripped and his skin was either bloody or sunburned. His tattered garments were spotted red as well.
"Chichiri?" Tamahome called as the monk passed by him and knelt by the man, looking over him.
Chiriko looked away.
Chichiri stood up and took off his mask, his serious demeanor showing across his real features. "This was done by a life force blast, no da."
"Look here!" Hiryo shouted, again just a small ways ahead. "There are broken materials scattered everywhere..." He turned and saw a horse in the distance, still harnessed to a long plank of wood.
"A carriage?" Tamahome questioned.
"He must be the driver...." Chiriko responded.
"Then where's the other horse?" A guard skimmed over the remaining scenery.
Chichiri dug his staff into the dirty ground. "The carriage must have been moving when it was hit, no da."
"Then..." Tamahome paused, "where's Inami?"
"It's a pity you didn't bring the rest with you."
The group turned around to see Nakago, floating above the ground casually in his armor, a victorious smirk on his face.
"Nakago!" Chichiri shouted. "YOU are responsible for this?!"
Nakago waved the accusation aside. "I won't bother my time with you now. I want to destroy the Suzaku seven..." His eyes scowled at Tamahome, "or what's left of them, at the same time."
Tamahome raised his fists.
"You're not a threat in this condition, Tamahome." Nakago said coolly. "You never were."
"Where's Inami!?" Chichiri again raised his voice, angry.
Nakago raised an eyebrow. "I imagine she's walking the bowels of hell at this point."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Tamahome snapped.
Nakago seemed quite amused by Tamahome's reactions, thought he floated too far away for any strikes to be made. "Out of all of them, I think I had the most fun killing her."
Chiriko's face went stark white.
"You're lying." Tamahome said, his voice colder than Nakago's.
"Am I? I disappointed you have so little faith in me." He reached his hand into the unseen places of his cape, and pulled out a studded, golden rod. He looked at it for only a moment before tossing it at the feet of the horses.
Tamahome's eyes widened as he stared at the item on the ground. When he looked back, Nakago had disappeared.
"What is that, Master Chichiri?" The guard beside him asked.
Chichiri quietly walked over and picked it up, a few grains of sand falling off of it. He raised it, looking over it with his good eye.
Tamahome stood silently as well, his fists clenched at his sides. Chiriko had his head down.
"May the gods watch over her." Chichiri whispered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Boushin?" Saori was hesitant to say his name, she wasn't sure if it was too informal now. "You wanted to see me?"
Boushin turned around from the window when he heard Saori's voice. The window had a magnificent garden view, and the afternoon sun highlighted the colors of it.
"Saori." Boushin smiled a bit. "I apologize if this is inconvenient."
Saori waved her hands. "Oh no! It's fine, really. I didn't have anything to do, so I'm glad to be here."
Boushin smiled at her again, his hands clasped behind his back. His brown eyes glanced back at the view through the window of his study.
Saori walked up and stood next to him. "It's really pretty."
"It is." Boushin agreed. "It's a shame that such beauty must be confined to one place though."
"Mmhm." Saori hummed.
"How long have we known each other now, Saori?"
Saori looked up at him. "Um..." she tried to count. How long had she been here, exactly? "8...9...10 months, maybe?"
Boushin chuckled a bit at her unsurity.
"Why do you ask?"
Boushin looked down at her. "My point being that I'm glad to have met you, Saori."
Saori felt her cheeks warm up a bit.
"Have you been well? I'm afraid I have not had the time to speak with you recently."
"Boushin..." Saori sighed a bit. "You shouldn't have to ask me that. I'm fine, really, but..."
Boushin stepped back from her. "Is something wrong?"
Saori nodded.
"What is it?" the Emperor sounded a bit worried.
"You." She answered.
Boushin was confused.
"I mean..." Saori looked out the window to avoid Boushin's gaze. "I've been really worried about you. With everything that happened..."
Boushin placed his hands on her shoulders. "Saori, you do not need to fret over my well-being. I'm stronger than you think."
"I know, but..."
"It's all right, Saori." He reassured her.
Boushin removed his hands and they were both silent for a moment.
"I forgot... to thank you, Boushin." Saori spoke up.
"Boushin blinked curiously. "For what, Saori?"
"For saving me." She replied. "When the palace was attacked. I forgot to thank you."
Boushin smiled. "You're welcome, Saori. I would never let anything hurt you."
At that statement, Saori bowed her head and turned her body more towards the window, shutting her eyes hard. "Oh please..." she begged herself, "Please don't start crying..." However, a swift tear escaped from under her eyelashes.
"Saori?" Boushin pulled her away from the window, a worried expression on his face. "Saori, what's wrong? Did I say something to upset you?"
Saori shook her head and quickly wiped her eyes.
"Then what? Saori, please tell me." Boushin pleaded.
"It's... completely the opposite..." Saori managed to say, a small cry on her voice.
"What do you mean?" Boushin pulled her hands away so he could see her.
"You're... so nice...." Saori hiccupped. "Even after what I told you, you're still so nice to me...."
Boushin's eyes softened, and he wrapped his robed arms around Saori and held her close to him. "Saori, I respected your decision, then and now. Please forgive me."
Saori didn't respond, she just cried into Boushin chest, trying to control her emotions. "I'm... s-sorry..."
Boushin held her tighter, wishing he could ease away her pain. If he had known his request would have ended up hurting her like this, he never would have asked. However, he just tried to comfort Saori without showing his own pain. He had known before hand that Saori would have had to give up everything to stay with him. He had been foolish not to take her emotions into mind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Sire! Chichiri's party has returned." A Konan soldier reported to Boushin, who sat at a table in the small library, by himself. Boushin looked out the window, the sky turning orange around the setting sun. "Thank you, I'll be with them in a moment."
~
Miaka ran into the throne room as the six entered, tired from their journey. Miaka was about to call Tamahome's name, but she stopped abruptly at the expression on his face.
"What happened?" Yui asked. It was obvious that Inami wasn't with them.
"Chiriko-kun?" Saori also asked, walking a step behind Boushin.
The three guards nodded to the Emperor and went on their ways, returning to the posts which they had left this morning.
Boushin noticed the looks on the warriors' faces, and for a moment his true features showed, the ones not pushed away by the title of an emperor.
"You were unsuccessful?" He asked quietly.
"Not entirely, your Highness." Chichiri spoke up.
"We found the body of the driver near the basins, Sire." Tamahome took over. "We laid it to rest there. The carriage had been destroyed, and we could only recover one horse."
"And the ambassador?" Boushin's question didn't have much hope in it.
"Nakago of the Seiryu seven, was there as well."
Miaka gasped a little.
Tamahome continued. "Ambassador Cheinun... she's... dead, Sire."
Boushin was a little taken back.
Chichiri got out the rod from under his cloak. "This is all we have of her."
"I see." Boushin bowed his head for a moment. "This... was very... unexpected. We shall mourn for her." His words were quiet and serious. "I will have to inform Emperor Sanoii. Though we have no body, we will go through the same funeral processions as we did Mitsukake." At that, Boushin turned around and slowly left the throne room by himself.
"I....Inami..." Miaka said, her eyes in a state of shock. "No... how could she just... die? She was so strong..."
Saori felt a few tears creep down her cheek as she stood with Yui.
"Here, Miaka." Chichiri held out the rod. Miaka slowly brought her hands up and clasped them around the heavy object.
"Where's Tasuki?" Tamahome asked.
"He left." Yui replied. When he heard that," She swallowed hard, "that Inami was gone, he went out to look for her. I though maybe he had caught up to you."
Tamahome shook his head.
"What now?" Miaka's voice was shaky. "We.... we saved Nuriko... but lost Inami? It..." Miaka's eyes finally swelled up with tears, and Tamahome embraced her. "It's not fair...." She cried.
***************************
Keisuke shut the book, resting in on the table beside the smoothie in front of him. He stared at the wooden furniture quietly, sipping at the shake. He was outside a small cafe, a few conversations going on around him.
He kept thinking that if he read more it would be over faster and his sister, Yui, Saori, and Mayo would all be back sooner, but it seemed that the more he read, the worse it got. Keisuke felt like it was his fault that Miaka was suffering so much. If only he could go into the book and save her, let her know that it will be all right.
Of course, he didn't know that. He wanted so badly to just skip to the end of the book and let it all be over, but at the end of the book were blank pages, pages that wouldn't be legible until he got there naturally.
Was this book a curse? It couldn't be, Taka had come from this book, and he really was like a brother to Keisuke. Tasuki, Chichiri, Chiriko.... they were real, even if only in fantasy, and they were good people.
So why did so many terrible things happen?
Keisuke stirred the smoothie around with his straw, staring at the red tint of the drink. He would keep reading... just, not right now.
****************************
"There he is." Tamahome said as he looked out his window at the horseman coming in through the gates. He was in his room, sitting on his bed. Miaka's head lay on his lap, and he calmly stroked her hair as she slept. Chichiri was there as well, standing, waiting at the window along with Tamahome. It was very late, they were tired, but they waited for their last warrior to return.
"Who's going to tell him, no da?" Chichiri asked.
Tamahome looked at the older man, then back at Miaka. "I will. I think it will be easier if he hears it from me." Tamahome very carefully moved off the bed, gently laying Miaka's head onto the soft covers. she stirred for a moment, but continued sleeping.
~
Tasuki was just barely coming in from the stables when Tamahome met up with him at the entrance to the palace. Tasuki looked very tired, but the other emotion he expressed was one Tamahome couldn't decipher. When Tasuki finally saw Tamahome in the darkened hallway, he spoke up.
"Tama, did you...."
"Tasuki." Tamahome firmly yet gently interrupted.
Tasuki stopped.
"Tasuki..." Tamahome said his name again, "There's something I need to tell you."