Behold! I have returned. Another project of mine kinda took all my attention. But here I am!
Tia has been inducted into the harem, which is turning out to be a blessing and curse.
Enjoy!
-Rooftop-
For the past few days, the shrine felt a bit dimmer. Once Gen brought the news that Tia had been spotted and recruited by palace ministers for the royal harem, there was a sense of resignation and defeat. When Chichiri came upon the news, he couldn't help but applaud fate's irony. Now he would have to explain the complication to the ministers he's been meeting with. He was so close to convincing them that Tia is the Priestess of Suzaku, here to accept her position from the emperor. All they needed to do is meet her. Proving his position as celestial warrior "Chichiri" had been simple enough, what with the character on his knee and his grasp of magic.
But returning to that empty room every evening kept eating at him.
"I know she's safe no da, but…" he trails off quietly to himself, settling in for his evening meditation. While he had been going to meetings in the mornings, he spent his afternoons catching up on meditation and prayer rituals, things he had left out from telling Tia.
"I was looking forward to showing her around, no da."
He breathes in, clearing his thoughts. He can sort through his problems and find a clear path. "Fate has a reason for taking her up to the palace a different way no da. Nothing I can't deal with."
Later, when getting ready for sleep, he briefly hears the memory of Tia wishing him goodnight.
"Nighty-night, Magic Man."
Kourin could feel it. She could feel the mysterious pull to the newcomer. The strange girl is terrible at being a lady, from walking to talking, and especially dinner etiquette. It's pitiful. She and Houki spend their time teaching her their ways while staving off any jeers from the other members. She has to. Her big sister instincts are going haywire for Tia, almost as if… As if…
Kourin shakes her head and resumes combing her wealth of hair. Her little sister is gone and won't be sending her any messages anytime soon. As for the magnetic pull that Tia has, she'll never confide it to anyone. It's only big sister instincts. It has to be.
"Um, pardon me my lady, but Miss Trianna is asking to see you," a maid calls, standing obediently in the doorway. Kourin immediately straightens herself from her slight slouch and upturns her chin.
"Send her in."
Moments later, a dead-eyed and frazzled Tia trails into the room. Kourin squeals in fright when she sees the young lady's reflection appear behind her own in the mirror.
"You look like a ghost, Tia! What's wrong with you?" she snaps while turning to face her intruder, and Tia swivels her head to meet her gaze. Kourin immediately feels a pang of guilt: the red-rimmed eyes and blotchy skin is tell-all.
"Homesick. Thought I heard my mom and I also keep thinking about Chichiri, uh, that guy I basically ghosted in town," Tia explains, her voice a mere drone. Kourin winces in sympathy… Or at least, she partway does. Her eye twitches at the mention of "Chichiri." More and more, those big sister instincts are pointing toward being something else entirely.
"You're pretty pitiful right now, so I won't tease you about your man. Surely you got to send a messenger to your family, I'm sure they're very proud of you. It's an honor to be considered beautiful enough to be brought in, you know," Kourin simpers, pointing to a stool a few feet away from her for Tia to sit on. The girl obliges, sitting with a whump and hanging her head. A silence spreads out as Tia is lost in her thoughts. A long, drawn out growl emits from her stomach, followed by a troubled sigh. Kourin puts her comb down and reins in the wave of slight annoyance before turning to face the source of gloom.
"I don't know why you came to me and not Houki for sympathy." She crosses her arms, scrutinizing.
"She's still asleep. I noticed you're always awake earlier than everyone else, even though you're not a morning person."
Kourin narrows her eyes. "Gods, it's like talking to my brother."
"Well, try not to make a habit of it. You hardly ate last night so you should just send out for breakfast. Being too skinny is no good, you'll never get the emperor's attention if you're not healthy enough to bear him sons," she berates, smirking slightly when Tia finally looks her in the eye with the hint of fire in her glare.
"I'm not here for that. He never comes here anyway, Houki told me."
Kourin sticks her tongue out at her.
"You're just hoping to be released back to your sweetheart, what was his name again?" she teases, drawing Tia out of her morose state some more.
"Shut up about that, I told you! I don't even know how old he is!"
All Tia serves to do is make Kourin cackle in delight for her successful plan.
"I don't even know how old you are Tia. All I can gather is that you're like a little kid, and here I am with yet another little sister!"
"Oh whatever I'm eighteen, I'm an adult," Tia says, causing Kourin to drop her mouth in surprise.
"You're eighteen? You're obviously a woman but I didn't think you were as old as me," she replies, a tight feeling settling in her stomach because her big sister instincts aren't fitting the picture and she doesn't WANT them to be destiny yet!
"Don't worry I get that all the time back home, people usually joke that I'll be glad when I'm older that I appear so young. Uh Kourin, are you okay?" Tia asks, noticing the sudden sour look on her friend's face. The lady levels a calculating stare, mouth still twisted in a pucker. She then takes a breath in, opening her mouth to ask the now burning question: "Where are you really from?"
But she stops, suddenly, blinking when she remembers that she doesn't want to know. Because if it's true, if it's REALLY true, then she has to stave it off for now. Kourin isn't ready to accept the concrete knowledge that Tia is from another world. But Kourin also knows that the time will come soon, and she won't have a choice. For now… denial. Tia obviously doesn't know what's in store for her and has no idea that the man she left behind in the city is one tied to her fate.
"Kourin?"
Tia recoils her hand when the lady jumps at her concerned touch on the shoulder.
"Oh, don't mind me. I suppose I'm still tired myself. You did say that I'm not a morning person, so that's that. Call some maids in here, I'll help you get cleaned up and I'll show you a special place that'll give you a little privacy so you won't have to bother me so much," Kourin covers up hastily, standing and flipping some of her hair over her shoulder. Tia sits wondering what is actually bothering her but gets up to do as bid. Kourin pulls a silky shawl over her shoulders, directing Tia to take her place at her vanity.
Small talk begins once again when maids arrive, and they all begin their work on cleaning Tia up.
"Kourin, why do you get up so early? Also, when do you take your baths? You of all people would have enjoyed watching me fumble around at the communal one," Tia ponders, attempting small talk as she gets preened. She's managed to wave away cosmetics for now, citing that her very pale skin requires for her to keep it clean. She feels her hair jerk back suddenly and squawks in pain.
"Yo what the hell was that for?!" The maids giggle at Tia's outburst, which is one of the now infamous glimpses into Tia's real character that Kourin and Houki have been attempting to hide. It had been going well, because Tia is shy, but it always comes back.
"What an impertinent thing to ask! Every lady is allowed her privacy."
Tia frowns, but secretly picks up the hint of nervousness in Kourin's eyes and voice. She turns back around.
"People sure like being mysterious here. I feel like I'm being played." Tia's ideas on the reason for so much secrecy run dry quickly.
Kourin dismisses the staff when Tia is deemed presentable.
"Now, you have to promise me to keep this spot a secret, okay? And be discreet when going up there again after this: it's technically out of bounds for us," Kourin explains, her voice a harsh whisper to get her point across. Tia's eyes widen but she nods enthusiastically. At this response, Kourin puts a finger to now smiling lips and winks.
"Excellent. Come quietly."
The expedition begins with Tia's heart thudding in her chest as she follows her friend through the myriad hallways of the palace. Breaking rules is exciting! Peeking around corners, staying flat against walls, holding their breaths… Tia loves every bit of it. She's never done any hardcore rule-breaking in her life, and she can just hear her parents accusing Kourin of being a bad influence.
Kourin ushers her into a closet, closing them in quickly but without slamming the door. Inside is a set of steep wooden stairs, which Tia is directed to climb. Up the two go, to a small platform with a hatch in the slanted roof next to it.
"This is a worker's entrance to the roof to fix tiles, but it isn't used often. Go on, open it up, just be careful not to make any noise," Kourin whispers conspiratorially, flapping her hand at Tia. She undoes the latch, and carefully as Kourin directed, attempts to open the door. It refuses to budge.
"Are you sure you open this often? It weighs a ton," Tia growls, her voice and face pinched from the strain. Kourin watches on, slightly entertained by the young lady's effort but notes it's taking too much time.
"Move away, careful. I'll do it."
Tia scoots away, panting slightly and glaring at the immovable door. Kourin sidles up to it and, as if lifting a feather, pushes the door out and up, flushing their crawlspace with sunlight. Both squint at the action, Tia with a grunt of both pain and consternation.
"How?! I may not be a weightlifter but if someone with Kourin's figure can lift it I should be able to!" Tia thinks, begrudgingly following the woman out onto the roof. Kourin gently shuts the door behind them and they crawl up to a certain spot.
"Ah, there we go. Now, see this lovely view of the gardens? It's a nice place to think, and there's no way anyone can see us," Kourin sighs contentedly, turning her gaze to a certain area. Tia follows her eyes, forgetting about her anger at being completely outmuscled by the woman next to her. Her sights are set on a figure walking out to a small, covered gazebo with a table set up inside. There's clear visibility into the gazebo from their perch, and the expensively robed figure walks with a certain air of dignity, with consequence. From where she is, Tia can't pick out too many details, only that the person is pale, and that their dark hair is pulled up into a small covering hairpiece.
"Isn't he absolutely wonderful? The most beautiful being you've ever seen?" Kourin mumbles, the utter adoration in her voice causing Tia to wrinkle her nose.
"Hey, you keep teasing me about my friend in the city and here you are swooning over this guy," she points out, causing Kourin to outright squeak indignantly.
"You little moron, that is His Majesty! That is our emperor!"
The two yelp when the object of their discussion turns his regal head and looks toward them. Both flatten themselves as much as possible to avoid being seen.
"I thought you said that no one would be able to see us!" Tia hisses.
"If we can see him he can see us, that's how lines of sight work, you twit!" Kourin whispers back, both sucking in their breath when it's clear that His Majesty is scanning their part of the roof. Something distracts him, and he refocuses on something else. Kourin and Tia release their collective breath.
They sit up to watch the man once more, with Tia trying to pick out as many details as possible.
"He seems young," she comments quietly.
"Oh he is, he's eighteen. But isn't he the most gorgeous person you've ever laid eyes on, so much poise and obvious intellect! Like a walking piece of art crafted by Suzaku himself," Kourin gushes, face turning pink. Tia squints her eyes trying to focus on him, but there aren't many distinguishing features she can pick out from their spot.
"Yyyyeah, sure."
Kourin pinches Tia's arm at her doubtful response.
"You wouldn't know; you're already infatuated with someone else," Kourin sniffs, smirking afterward because Tia's face has become red once again.
"For fuck's sake-"
"Watch your language, we are ladies."
"-He's just my friend!" Tia finishes hotly. The two sit in silence, watching the emperor drink tea and talk with two old men.
Eventually, both clamber back down and sneak back to their quarters. By that time, most ladies are awake, and they meet up with Houki for breakfast. Tia's lady training continues. All the while, both Tia and Kourin keep slightly distracted by their thoughts: "I wonder if Chichiri will come save me" and "I don't know if I'm ready yet, Kourin."
"I am told you are a true warrior of Suzaku."
It's a statement, with no lilt of a question.
"I am, Your Grace. I bear the mark of Chichiri on my knee no da."
The Prime Minister of Konan hums. As Prime Minister, he is privy to most of the information regarding the empire. It makes him one of the few people who knows that their Gracious and Eminent Ruler is also a bearer of the mark of Suzaku. When the news finally arrived at his desk that a warrior had come forward with astonishing information on the legendary priestess, doubt had already been cleared from his mind that it was true. But, being in his distinguished position requires him to investigate. To protect his Emperor. To protect Konan.
The young monk in front of him, with his strange smiling face… He is meant to be a savior to them all.
"And where is the girl you say is from another world? The one meant to become our priestess?"
Chichiri shifts minutely, placing his hand to his face and removing his mask. If the Prime Minister is surprised to see Chichiri's true face, he doesn't show it.
"I will be truly sincere, Your Grace. While I was meeting with ministers to arrange a meeting for her, she was spotted by those charged with gathering women for the seraglio. She was taken in, and is still there," he explains, leveling a neutral expression with one of the most powerful men in the country. If anything, the minister begins to look thoughtful, if not amused.
"It would seem that fate desired her to meet someone here in a faster manner than yours. What is this woman's name?"
"Trianna, although she will likely be going by her nickname, Tia."
The Prime Minister sits back, lacing his hands together to sit on his lap. The relaxation in his form dissolves any tension in the room.
"I have no reason to doubt what you say. As it stands, your request for a meeting with His Imperial Highness has my approval. I will send out for those responsible for the harem and find Miss Trianna, and the meeting will occur tomorrow morning just before noon. Do you require a room here at the palace, Chichiri?" he questions, his face easing into a kind smile. Chichiri returns it and ducks his head in respect.
"I do not. Thank you for your time, and I will be sure to arrive early should Miss Trianna require my assistance," he replies, standing once the Prime Minister has already stood.
"Already dutiful, as a warrior should be, and she has not yet formally accepted her role as priestess." The minister's remark and sideways glance at the monk brings out a small smile from the warrior. Chichiri thinks on the quality few memories he has with Tia.
"She may be unsure at first, but she will agree. She's secretly a very passionate person, I think," he says, covering up his true face once more with the mask. The Prime Minister remains curious but manages not to show it.
"You would know better than I. Tomorrow is an auspicious day."
Chichiri nods.
"It is indeed, no da. I'll be here for Tia this time."
Chichiri excuses himself with a low bow and makes to exit the palace. The Prime Minister allows him to go, his mind briefly processing the strange man Suzaku has graced with power. The curiosity is shaken when a servant appears to remind him of his next engagement.
As Chichiri walks through the grounds on his way out, he stops under a small copse of low trees to reach out with his energy. With his left thumb hooked in his prayer beads, he focuses. His reach isn't quite so extensive with the abundance of people in the area, but…
There! "Tia is okay, not that I expected her to be in trouble no da. Ah, but I will see her tomorrow." He makes a satisfied hum and keeps moving forward.
... ... ...
Tia perks up when she feels something familiar wash over her. She's only ever felt it once, and even though it hadn't been directed at her then, it's obvious…
"That feels like…!"
Excitement spreads throughout her system and a grin breaks loose on her face. The feeling disappears as soon as she feels it but she's sure: Chichiri is sending her a signal!
"Tia, why are you smiling like that so suddenly? It's creepy," Kourin jabs, hiding her face modestly behind her silk fan. Tia loses her glee and folds up her own fan to smack Kourin with it. Houki watches as both begin a mock-swordfight with their fans. She listens to the smack talk and eventually the giggles as it turns to fun. The lady smiles to herself while continuing to fan herself demurely.
"I have such spirited friends. It is not so much a bad thing after all," she mumbles, catching the attention of her two friends. Both drop their squabble and round on her.
"Didja have something to say, Houki?" Tia asks, voice low and figure poised strangely in some sort of dueling stance. Kourin takes advantage of her diverted attention to jab her in the ribs, causing Tia to bend over. Before the fight breaks out anew, Houki stops them my swiping her fan between them.
"You two need to behave yourselves. We're ladies, remember? Tia, I was merely complimenting your adeptness with the fan. I mean no offense, but it is something you comparatively know well," she clarifies sternly, going back to fanning herself. Tia and Kourin bashfully join her, shooting each other feisty juvenile glares and snickering.
"Thanks Houki." Tia briefly hides a nervous smile, staring up at the ceiling. "I totally didn't learn fan etiquette from The Princess Diaries. No one will ever prove it."
"You're quite welcome. Now, it's time for dinner." Tia groans. "You'll never get better if you don't keep practicing. Kourin told me you're also not eating well enough," Houki says, falling into step with Tia with Kourin leading them to the main dining room. Tia has the sense to look ashamed.
"My mom used to always scold me too, so I promise that I always get enough to eat. Not all of us need to pig out like Kourin does," she teases, watching her friend in front of her tense up. She throws a glare over her shoulder but keeps moving forward with a "humph."
"I won't be falling for a trap like that, Tia. I'm far too refined and mature."
"So refined and mature that you just engaged in a fan-fight with me like two minutes ago."
"I was defending myself. Perfectly natural, especially when young scallywags like you come along," Kourin finishes, the trio turning into the dining room that is only partway full. Those already inside instinctively look up, but only for a discerning glance. Tia is grateful that the stares have died down. Being completely foreign in a strange land isn't as fun as it seems when all eyes are on you.
That night, Tia lies awake thinking of her journey so far. Getting pulled into a new world, getting beat up, meeting Chichiri, learning about the world from monks, earning friends, joining an imperial harem, making more friends… All happening within only a couple weeks of arrival.
"Is Chichiri here to get me out? I kept hoping all day I'd feel him again, so I guess not. It's not really that bad here… Kourin and Houki keep me pretty distracted during the day. But what am I doing here?" Tia muddles through several questions, mysteries leading to more mysteries with no viable answers. No clues. And while she's alone, the feeling of homesickness washes over once more. She misses her cats. Her parents. Even her daydreams about college have fallen by the wayside.
"Mom and dad must think I'm dead by now, I've been gone for so long," she grumbles, fixing on a point in the ceiling to stare at. Her stomach doesn't growl tonight: Houki had made doubly sure to stuff her full of food. Between being shown the ropes, the rooftop niche, and the concern, Tia admits that it isn't so bad in Konan. She rolls over and closes her eyes, deciding that showing up looking like death in Kourin's room the next morning would be ungrateful of her.
The last thought she has before drifting into slumber is of Chichiri, one last attempt to feel him searching for her.
When she feels nothing, she sighs.
Poor Kourin. Destiny is gonna drag you in kicking and screaming!
Thanks to all who are reading!
Til next time,
-A
