To love, To lose and To Love Again
Chapter Two

Thank you for the reviews!!! I don't have a lot of time at the moment, so all I have to say is...Enjoy!!!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi or Sailor Moon, just their CD soundtracks. ^_^

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Usagi stirred as she felt something cool on her forehead. Sleepily, she opened her eyes...This did not look like her room.

"Did you know that you snore?"

Ignoring her slight headache, she glared in the direction of the voice. "Sou-san, that was rude."

Tamahome was surprised that she remembered his name. "I'm just stating the facts. If it makes you feel better, you snore like a kitten."

Usagi looked at the blue haired young man. She couldn't tell if he was teasing her or if he was being sincere, so she settle for, "I'm Usagi, Pr-" Usagi shut her mouth, before she blurted out her secret.

Tamahome didn't noticed Usagi's slip of the tongue. "Usagi...So, Usagi how are you feeling?" He gently removed the wet cloth, and rested his hand on her head. "Your fever is down a little bit."

"I'm not sick." Usagi disagreed, with a pout.

Tamahome smiled at the petite blonde. "I didn't say you were sick. I said you had a fever. How does your shoulder feel?"

"Sore," Usagi answered trying to move her injured shoulder a bit.

"Feel up for traveling?" He asked, moving so he could check her shoulder. "My village is only an hour's ride from here. There you can rest until you..."

"A village?" Usagi repeated, as Tamahome pulled down the neck of Usagi's borrowed nightgown. All she had wanted was to explored the city...now she had a chance to explored a village!

Tamahome frowned, thinking that she was against going to a mere poor village. "I know that my village is small and different from city, but at least you'll be safe. No one there will think you're a thief."

"Thief?" Usagi exclaimed, offended. "I'm not a thief! I'm a..."

"A pickpocket?" Tamahome added in helpfully. "It's better, than what other girls are forced to do! But someone as cute as you, could probably do better than most girls."

Once again Usagi wasn't sure, if she was being compliment or insulted. So she decided to change the subject, "What do you think you're doing?! You ecchi!!!" Usagi pulled away, from his grasp. "If I wanted you to undress me, I'd ask you to!"

"You baka!" Tamahome snapped, "I was making sure that your wound isn't getting infected!"

"Well did I ask you to? No!"

"You ungrateful brat! I saved your life!"

"Gee, thanks! How much do I owe you? Five gold pieces? Six?"

"Why y-!" Tamahome stopped in the middle of his sentence, a strange gleam in his eye as a idea took place in his mind.. "Ten and will call it even!"

"Nani?!" How dare he ask for money from her! Didn't the blue haired idiot know who she was?! ~Baka Usagi! If he knew who you were, you be getting a lecture from the council, by now.~

Tamahome grinned weakly at the enraged blonde. "Well since you gave me the idea, I won't charge you for saving your life. Any more money making ideas in your head?"
Usagi sweatdropped. Evidently, confused by strange turn in the conversion. "Anno...?"

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Breakfast was an entirely different experience for her. At the palace, the voice volume never was above a stage whisper unless, Hoto-niichan was addressing the court. Here among the Chalons, breakfast was a rambunctious affair. Usagi loved every minute of it.

"Are they bothering you, Usagi-san?" Chalon Kimi questioned as she brushed one of her daughter's hair. "Chiaki! Mia! Don't throw food at each other!!! They're usually very well behave. "

"Oh no!" Usagi replied smiling, "I think it's wonderful! I've never had a breakfast like this before. Your children are so...cute!!!" Kimi and the twins glowed at the praise, as her only son blushed, who was obviously developing a crush on the blonde . Tamahome chuckled a bit, amused by Usagi's wide eyes wondered as though she never seen a family interact like this.
"The novelty wears off after awhile." Chou, Kimi's husband replied, quietly. The older man looked at Usagi, assessing the petite blonde. "But having a son is a proud moment." He looked at the petite blonde, "One has to be sure his wife will be able to bear strong sons and carry on the family's name."

Tamahome wisely said nothing, as he caught the murderous look on his hostess' face and menacing look on Usagi. While a cute look on the blonde's face, Tamahome would rather not see if she had a worst temper then she did this morning. Perhaps it was time to leave...

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With quick good byes, and thank you's, they were on their way. Usagi happily took in the sites, sometimes having Tamahome point out landmarks. The short ride was filled with laughter and contagious joy. Despite their faulty start, Tamahome and Usagi got along wonderfully, as the young man allowed himself to enjoy the ride through her eyes. Many farmers smiled up at them as the past as Usagi called out greetings.

"Is this your village?" Usagi exclaimed, as Tamahome got off the horse. It bustled with people, much like the city's market palace. Unlike the city, the people smiled welcoming them.

"Not much to look at, but-"

"It's perfect!" Usagi exclaimed, happily cutting him off. Tamahome laughed, as he helped her down.

"For a city girl, you're pretty naive."

"I am not!"

"Whatever you say, Usagi."

"Hmph," Usagi pouted, "I'm not talking to you."

Neither of them said nothing as they walked through the village. Usagi was a bit surprised at her surroundings. Use to seeing lords and ladies decked in silks and finery emerge from equally fine carriages, with small armies of servants for their every need...Village life was so vastly different from the world she knew. "Tamahome-kun, what are those ladies doing?" He looked at where Usagi was pointing, and looked at her strangely.

A dozen or so ladies, with basket of dirty clothes, chatted by the riverside, as their children played in the water. "They're washing."

"Washing?" Usagi repeated, moving closer to get a better look.

Grabbing the back of Usagi's clock, Tamahome, pulled her back before she did anything stupid. "You act as if, you never seen anyone do laundry."

Tugging on his arm, Usagi looked up at Tamahome excitedly. "Can we do that later? It looks like fun!" Usagi frowned as, Tamahome laid his hand on her forehead, a pensive look on his face.

"Your fever hasn't come back...and you still want to do laundry."

Usagi smacked him in the arm. "Don't make fun of me!"

Up ahead a small group of children, raced down the dirt road, laughing. The smallest child, stopped chasing after her older siblings, when she spotted something...someone familiar. As his voice drifted back to her, she began to jump up and down. "ONIICHAN! ONIICHAN!!! ONIICHAN!!!"

Before the rest of the children could stop her, she darted down the road and into her oniichan ceasing the friendly argument between him and the stranger. Usagi smiled with amusement, a tiny blur with brown hair careened into Tamahome. "Kawaii," Usagi giggled as Tamahome bent down to pick up the small girl clinging to his leg. "Ne, oniichan?"

Tamahome blushed slightly at Usagi's teasing tone. "Oniichan?" Big brown eyes looked at Usagi, with childish wonderment. "Is she a doll? She looks like the doll I saw!" Tiny fingers brushed across Usagi's face, "She's a very pretty doll, oniichan."

Tamahome smiled at his little sister, before looking at Usagi. "Yes, she is Yuiren," he agreed, secretly pleased to see Usagi's cheeks turn a light pink. "Usagi-san looks like a very pretty doll."

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The Sou family quickly accepted Usagi, asking no questions of her. Though Yuiren spent the first few days, believing she was some sort of a living, breathing, talking doll. Hence she had the little girl following her almost everywhere. Chuei and Shunkei veyed for her attentions, by trying to outdo Tamahome, which almost always ended in laughs and kisses for little boys. With twelve year old Gyokuran, Usagi fumbled her way though the kitchen, learning how to cook together while Tamahome and his father worked on their small plot of land. Usagi the imperial princess of Konan, loved every minute of it.

Usagi wrinkled her nose as she chopped carrots. Gyokuran had gone to fetch more water for soup leaving Yuiren with Usagi, who sat in the corner playing with her toys, "Usa-neechan?"

"Hmm?"
"Will you marry Oniichan?"

Usagi dropped the knife she held, startled. Her mind didn't even register the sharp blade piercing the skin of her fingers. "What did you just say?" Usagi questioned helplessly. If there was only one thing Usagi had in common her brother, the emperor, it was running from matchmakers and the word marriage at high speed.

"You don't want us to be part of your family?" Yuiren questioned, not yet noticing Usagi's wound, tears sparkling in her big eyes. "Y-you don't like us?!"

Usagi knelt by the little girl, "It's not that, Yuiren...It's just that I-"

A crashing sound from the outside echoed in. Both girls looked up to see Gyokuran stumble in, deathly pale and clutching her arm in pain. The young girl leaned against the door's frame, her breathing haggard hindering her ability to speak. "A..aa s-str...ange-"

Unable to continue on, Gyorukun's eyes rolled up before they closed. Usagi staggered back at the sudden weight as she tried to catch the girl before she hit the ground, ignoring the sudden pressure on her injured hand. "Yuiren!" Usagi forced herself, to keep her voice calm, despite her own rising panic. "Go and get your father and brothers, please."

The little girl had no words to say as she ran out of the small hut, moving as fast as her chubby legs could carry her.

Usagi looked down at the younger girl. Only the faintest hint of a pulse on her wrist, told the blonde that the girl was still alive. Usagi pushed up Gyokuran's sleeve, trying to find the wound. There was no blood, only two tiny punctured holes on her lower arm, cover by a silver tinted film of sorts that, the center of wounds were black in color, not a blackish red that was the norm for healing cuts. Just pure black.

It was like time was suspended, before Tamahome and Sou-san burst through the door. Usagi was so startled, when they burst into the room where she clumsily laid Gyorukan on the bed, that she dropped the bowl of water. "I-I didn't know what to do..." "It's okay," Sou-san replied, "The boys are getting the doctor."

"Usagi, what happen?" Tamahome questioned, as he gazed helpless at the prone body of his sister, mentally yelling at himself for not getting water earlier, like she had asked.

"I don't know!" Usagi cried, tears staining her cheeks" We heard a crashing sound, and Gyorukan-chan stumbled through the door. She tried to say something, but she couldn't breath then she collapsed...then...then. There twin bit marks on her arm. Well it looks like bite marks...there's something strange about...She'll be okay, right?!" For a moment Tamahome, stared at her. This time not admiring her beautiful person...This time observing the person the worried girl who truly cared for his family. He leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her forehead, surprisingly she seemed to calm down at his touch. "Usagi, everything will be okay. We'll make it okay."

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The temptation to return to the Konan Palace and order every royal physician to come and heal Gyorukan, was almost overbearing. Usagi watched, powerless to help as the dottering old doctor checked the child, talking to both Sou-san and Tamahome. In her arms slept Yuiren, a frown on her small face, as both Chuei and Shunkei flanked her sides, trying remind awake.

"Young lady." Usagi glanced up at the white haired doctor. "Did the child say anything before she past out?"

"Strange."

The doctor bristled at Usagi's reply. "My question is not strange, young lady."

Usagi flushed, as she explained. "Oh no, doctor. Gyorukan-chan said strange and then she fall unconscious."

"Oh, thank you." The doctor turned to looked Sou-san. "Your daughter was bitten by a deadly snake. But if you look at the marking, the blackness of the wound and the fine film surrounding, tells us that she's been bitten by a rare breed, that still has no name. From what has been past down, the victim does not die right away. But rather sleeps for fourteen days, never moving. On the fourteenth day she will slip away."

"Surely there must be something, we can do?!"

The doctor paused, looking at Sou-san, Tamahome and Usagi. All three waited eagerly to continue. "In all of the four empires, there is only one healer, that has been able to save the victims of this creature, who goes by the name, Eiri. His methods are unknown and he is known to wander from land to land, by night only. To find him and bring him, would be a challenge indeed. But one cannot search one empire in fourteen days let alone four. So, it is best to prepare the child's body for-"

"What kind of physician are you!!!" Usagi exclaimed, clearly outrage at the doctor's suggestion. "You're suppose to help them, not tell them that they shouldn't do nothing!"
"Young lady!" The doctor snapped, his face red. "Someone of your station should keep their mouths shut and only obey orders!"

"How da-"

Tamahome, stepped in-between the doctor and Usagi. "I'm afraid, we have to ask you to leave. If you wait a moment outside, I'll have your money."

Usagi bit her lip, as the doctor left. Never in her life, had she been insulted like that, and she most definitely didn't like the feeling. More importantly she dislike the resigned look on everyone faces, and felt as though she was part of the reason. Handing off Yuiren to Chuei, Usagi followed Tamahome.

The doctor left, leaving Tamahome to stare at the stars. His mind raked through the possibilities. Some seemed impossible while others he refused to consider. What to do? How to save a loved one? Why couldn't there be a simple answer? He didn't move when Usagi's small hand gently rested on his arm. "How do you find answers in the stars?"

Usagi answered clearly and without wait. "By closing your eyes and listening to the twinkling of the star."

He smiled slightly at her answer. "Who told you that?"

"My mother."

"Do they give you answers."

"Iie. Not always" Usagi looked up as she moved closer to him for warmth. "But the moon always does."

"What does it say?"

"That together, we will find this Eiri, the healer."

Tamahome looked down at Usagi. He was vaguely amused by the determined look on her face, and touched that she care. Deeply touched. Hesitantly he leaned down, and rest his forehead against hers. Wary blue eyes, widen in embarrassment as he lifted her injured hand and gently brushed his lips across the skin of the back of her hand. "Arigato."

Usagi watched, unaware of her finger resting on her lips, as Tamahome went back inside to inform his family of his new quest.

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Would anyone believe this last part was Nquil induced? ^_^ I'm serious, I have the bad taste in my mouth to prove it. Anyways how was it? ^_^ Purr-chan! Only two more to go!^_~