Hello again, dear readers! It's been a hot minute. I'm excited to get the ball rolling once again!
Thank you to the two anonymous guest reviewers, and in response to one, I have posted this story on Ao3 as well.
To the guest reviewer Windrunner, your answer will be now! Yay!
Enjoy!
-Acceptance-
A gentle command. Strong in all the best ways. A man who is dignified in his surprise. A voice with a smooth calmness that makes her tears pause. She turns to heed his request.
Beautiful. Gorgeous. Breath-taking.
"How can one person naturally be that good-looking?"
Tia's throat tightens and her face goes red.
The man in regal attire with hair pulled up into a red crown merely gazes at her with a patience and grace to match his beauty.
Tia finds her mind pushing her to speak to help Kourin but with her mouth unable to form words.
"I-I Uh, I sorry," she stumbles, until a light tap on her shoulder makes her physically jump.
"It's alright Tia. Bow low, this is Emperor Saihi. Stay calm, no da," Chichiri murmurs in her ear, causing the hair on the back of her neck to prickle. She bows to show her respect and to hide how flustered she is.
"We are pleased to finally meet you, Miss Tia. But how did you come here? You seem to be troubled," the emperor says, allowing her to raise her head. Tia shoves aside her bashfulness.
"Your Highness, my friend Kourin brought me here, she told me it was important but she's getting attacked by guards. She's strong but she can't face that many people by herself. I can take you there," she rambles, panic and concern making her voice tremble. A subtle knowing look crosses the young man's handsome face.
"We heard there was a commotion in the palace. We are intrigued by your companion, and consider your plea moving. Please show us to your friend," he replies firmly, standing from his desk and nodding for Tia to go ahead.
"Thank you but I uh would need to backtrack through this suite and if there's a faster way," she says awkwardly, fidgeting in her spot and looking to the doorway she came from.
"Not to worry, no da, I can sense them. If we go out and around these couple hallways, we will be able to get there sooner no da!"
Tia once again feels astonishment at Chichiri's powers. The three head out into the hall, the emperor treading gracefully despite his heavy-looking imperial robe. Chichiri leads the way for Tia, and she strays behind to walk briskly alongside Emperor Saihi. When he catches her glancing at him, he smiles gently, causing Tia to blush at being caught and keep moving forward. The sounds of men yelling can be heard. Their pace quickens when soldiers finally come into view, their backs facing the trio. It's now that the emperor hastens to the front.
"Let us through, soldiers, we are low on patience," Saihi rumbles, his face becoming serious, his eyes narrowing in an icy glare when his soldiers turn with sneers and snarls. That is, before they recognize the person in question.
As if a spell has been cast, there are calls for fighting to cease, the emperor is here! One soldier wearing a different type of armor wrestles his way through the bowing men to bow deeply before sputtering excuses.
"Your Imperial Highness, there was an attack in the seraglio and two women escaped. We have one cornered here, she's shown unbelievable strength but even she cannot face this many men for long. I assure you that you are in no danger, sire!"
The man is ignored as the emperor sidesteps him. Soldiers part hurriedly, knocking into each other to get out of the way as much as possible. Tia forgets decorum and hurries after him, Chichiri following to keep her safe from any soldiers who might think her presumptuous in her actions.
"Kourin! Kourin I'm here!" Tia pushes past Saihi to get to her absolutely exhausted-looking friend. Lady Kourin is disheveled, sweating, hair loose and with light cuts throughout her body. She gives Tia an eyeroll and smirks.
"Took you long enough, dummy. And," she looks past Tia to see… "You brought him here?! When I look like this?!"
Kourin's fiery glare and reprimand makes Tia wince initially.
"You told me to go find him and get help, you dweeb. You've been keeping stuff from me so it's only fair anyway!" she snarls back, the two bickering incomprehensibly in harsh whispers. Their mouths shut when a presence looms over them.
"Please excuse our interruption," he says gently, "we are inclined to offer our healers for your wounds. Please follow us to our study."
Tia stands and bows to him with a grateful grin on her face. Kourin is still stunned and red-faced. As if realizing that Tia is outdoing her in manners, Kourin doesn't bother to stand and kowtows where she sits.
"I beg your forgiveness. I have dishonored you and my family by attacking so egregiously," she says, her face hidden but her voice displaying all the humble shame she felt.
"Rise to your feet, Lady Kourin. You are forgiven," Saihi responds kindly, a serene smile spreading on his face. Kourin sheepishly follows his word, shooting Tia a quick glance of malice.
The group heads back down the hall to the private study. The group of soldiers that aren't hurt are dismissed by the emperor to get back to their original duties. A man carrying a heavy looking bag is waiting outside the study door for them. Tia walks between Chichiri and Kourin, shoulders slumped in relaxation.
"I hate running. Never doing that much running in all this tomfoolery," Tia gestures down to her gown, "ever again."
"I have to admit no da, your entrance into the study was pretty dramatic," Chichiri teases lightly, earning a jab from Tia's elbow. Kourin raises an eyebrow as she looks between the two.
"Who's this guy? You- oh! This is the guy you left in the city? You have weird taste," she snickers, watching Tia get flustered once again. Tia, in slight panic, looks to Chichiri to make sure he didn't really hear (he had, but she couldn't tell.) The two enter a near-silent argument filled with hand gestures. Chichiri watches with slight interest, as he is partly glad that Tia has found such a good friend already. The very second the emperor turns around to sit at his desk, Kourin and Tia drop their hands and smile too sweetly. Kourin allows herself to be attended to by the healer and his immense bag of medicines.
"Miss Trianna, we have heard your story from your friend, and his logical plan to bring you to us as soon as possible. We hear that you are from another world entirely. Is this true?"
Tia straightens, nervously wringing her hands in front of her. " Straight out the gate. At least one person isn't telling me that explanations can wait for later."
"It is true, Your Majesty. I'm unsure how to really prove it; I didn't bring much with me but the clothes on my back. Or, the clothes I left behind before I was brought to the palace," she explains, but Chichiri clears his throat quietly behind her to get her attention. There in his hands are her pajamas, folded neatly and a sight for Tia's sore eyes. "Oh, and here they are. These are my jammies. Sleepwear. It's what I was wearing when I got here." Tia takes them and unfolds each article and holds them up to herself to show that they're her size. She awkwardly hands them off to Saihi when he asks for them. He inspects the stitching, rubs the cloth between his fingers, seemingly deep in thought.
" I must admit, I am relieved that you have finally appeared before me ," he says finally, noticeably dropping the imperial speech pattern. Now, as if a switch has been flipped, his eyes glitter with excitement. With holding his delighted gaze at this proximity, Tia notes that they are a golden color that she's never seen a person have before. Everything about this man is almost surreal.
"Chichiri said that my reason for being here is best explained by you," Tia admits.
"He was right. Do you know the legend of The Universe of the Four Gods?"
Tia gapes when she hears the familiar title.
"That's the thing I clicked on to get here!" At the confused expression she receives, she puts her hands up to help her think of a better way to say it. "Uhhh it's the title that was used on the medium that let me travel here?"
The clarification works, and Saihi moves on.
"Here, it is a legend passed down from Taiitsukun." Tia looks up to Chichiri at recognizing the name before refocusing.
"The first emperor of our dynasty was handed a scroll, The Universe of the Four Gods, that foretold the arrival of a young maiden from another world. She would arrive when the empire was on the brink of destruction to gather the seven constellations of Suzaku and summon our guardian deity."
Tia's mouth goes dry and her hands get sweatier when she logically follows where the road is leading.
"You think I'm this maiden, don't you? I fit the requirement," she mumbles. Just last night she had been questioning what she was doing in this world. Now that she's being given answers, she's uncomfortable with the truth.
"I know you are the Priestess of Suzaku we have awaited. My hope is that you will accept your role to save Konan. In return for summoning Suzaku you are given three wishes. Anything you desire will be given to you by the deity," Saihi explains further, the hope bleeding through in his voice. Tia begins to feel guilt for a plea she hasn't turned down yet.
"That's a lot of responsibility for some rando to take on. Why does this priestess have to be from another world? I'm not saying no," she defends, seeing that Saihi is about to interrupt, "I just… I'm just like any other girl from my world. I don't see how I could possibly be the top candidate," she finishes lamely, feeling awash in shame upon seeing the spark of disappointment on his face.
"Oh please," Kourin snorts. All attention turns to the smirking lady, who stands with all the air of someone who knows every secret in the world. "You're the priestess. I could feel it when you came in the room your first day in the palace. You're so good at your job, in fact, that you've unwittingly found two of your celestial warriors already."
Tia scrunches her face in confusion. "I have?"
"Ugh, you're so dense. Obviously Chichiri is one, it's right in the name. As for the second, here." Kourin daintily pulls down the collar of her dress to show a faintly glowing red Chinese character just below her collarbone.
"I'm Nuriko."
Tia looks in turn between Chichiri and Kourin, then to Saihi who seems unsurprised by the new development.
"Lady Kourin –Nuriko –is correct in that you are naturally drawn to your duty. However, you have found three," Saihi begins, and a familiar warm feeling that Tia is beginning to recognize more and more settles into her senses once again. The emperor's head turns and he pulls his collar down slightly at the side to show another red Chinese character on his neck. "I am Hotohori, your third celestial warrior."
Things swirl in Tia's mind for the umpteenth time since she's entered this new world. Magic, constellations, and rituals for three wishes. It sounds so simple. Tia has a gut feeling that it isn't. Somewhere in this, there's a dark twist. Fairy tales always have one. But seeing the confidence in the emperor's eyes, and having Kourin who's given up her identity in the harem for her, could she live with saying no? With being saved by Chichiri, with knowing an entire empire is in danger, could she refuse?
"I knew you were the priestess when you arrived, no da. Who knows why you were chosen, but you were no da," Chichiri adds, placing a hand on her shoulder in comfort. Tia's troubled look melts into one of resignation. She inhales deeply through her nose, closing her eyes to rein in all her conflicting thoughts. After exhaling, Tia looks to Hotohori.
"I'll do it. I'll be the Priestess."
"Ugh Tiaaaaaa, you never could say no to anything," Carly mumbles, feeling a hot wash of guilt down her back afterward. After all, Tia got into this mess trying to help her with her English project. It's now the afternoon, and Tia's parents are sleeping while she monitors the progress of the story. It's an interesting one so far. She can't help but wonder if Tia really does have a crush on Chichiri, given how the book describes her getting flustered every time she's teased about it.
"Tia never had any crushes before, said that she's waiting for a bigger pool to choose from," Carly thinks, letting her mind wander. Her nose wrinkles as she concentrates on her schoolmates. " Not that I blame her, our school is tiny and if they're attractive they're taken already."
In her musings her eyes flutter shut for a rest from staring at the white screen.
"I don't know whether Tia is lucky or not. Would I want to be in her place…?"
A deafening roar quakes through Carly to her very core, causing her to shriek in fright and jump up from the chair. She swivels her head trying to find the source of the thunderous sound. Tia's parents appear in the room, still exhausted but looking harried and frantic.
"What is it, what's wrong?"
"Is Tia okay?"
Carly only gapes at them in confusion.
"Didn't you hear that just now? It was so loud!"
Tia's parents merely look even more confused. She makes the decision to shake off the strange occurrence and sit at the computer with a nervous smile.
"Oh, it's nothing. Tia is doing well right now, I'll come get you guys if anything changes."
"So Chichiri," Tia starts, earning the attention from the monk. "Did you reach out for me yesterday? I was waiting for you to jump in and help me escape and thought that was some sort of signal."
He quickly gets over any surprise he feels at hearing this. "Ah, I was just making sure you were okay no da. I'm glad you didn't try and break out before I was at least on palace grounds, although the Prime Minister was meant to have fetched you so we could meet up before meeting the emperor no da," he replies, not catching the short glimpse of disappointment on Tia's face.
"Everything seems to have turned out in our favor anyway," Nuriko points out from Tia's other side. All pause when Hotohori does, as a young man has raced up and automatically fallen to his knees, forehead to the ground.
"Your Imperial Highness, it is with great shame that I must inform that we are not able to locate the Lady Trianna that His Grace the Prime Minister meant to show before you!"
The cry is met with a pregnant pause, as Hotohori, Nuriko, and Chichiri all pointedly look at Tia. The young man raises his head to see why there is silence and sees Tia giving him a small nervous wave.
"Sorry. Found my way here without you. Kinda broke the system I guess," she apologizes, dipping her head in a meek bow with a bashful smile. The young man's cheeks redden and he immediately jerks his head back down to Hotohori.
"Please rise, and inform our Prime Minister of our fortunate encounter with Lady Trianna. We also request his appearance in our private apartments within the next quarter hour," Hotohori commands, cutting in before the aide can begin a lengthy tirade of apologies. Off the young man dashes, to which Hotohori sighs.
"Lady Trianna, it seems that our system of communication is flawed."
He turns to look at her with apologetic eyes. She gives him a lopsided grin.
"No problem, sire, we're all humans down here," she says, fidgeting her hands because his beauty and status still unnerve her. Hotohori's smile warms her worries away.
"Indeed. Chambers are being prepared for each of you, all in the vicinity of my own apartments. Should you require anything, all you need do is ask. Should you desire to speak with me, I will do my best to accommodate," he explains, gesturing down the outdoor corridor they are walking down. The three behind him all look at each other in surprise; none of them expected such gratuity. They emphatically thank the emperor as such, to which he waves them off with an elegant hand through the air. Tia hears Nuriko sigh in adoration. The young woman rolls her eyes and makes a childish disgusted face to Chichiri, who smiles wider when he notices.
"Please get settled. I'm afraid I must return to my duties, but tomorrow we shall officially announce Lady Trianna as the Priestess of Suzaku, and further discuss the plan to attain the remaining constellations."
Servants heralded them to different hallways to guide them to their own suites. Before Tia separates from her friends, she calls for their attention.
"Not to be a Debbie Downer or anything but I'm gonna take a bath and sleep off that run. But is it okay if we all eat dinner together, I really don't wanna be by myself."
Nuriko casts a quick glance at Chichiri to see if he knows what a "Debbie Downer" is, but the man's face is trained on Tia's hopeful gaze. In response, the warrior almost forgets to be subtle in her eyeroll, crossing her arms and shifting her weight onto her left foot.
"Of course we can, you have to catch me up on everything that's happened no da."
His response is met with an enthusiastic cheer from Tia, drowning out any objection Nuriko thinks she might want to perhaps maybe just a little throw out to avoid third-wheeling. Having been automatically overruled, ignored, unheard, or any combination thereof, Nuriko gives in.
"Yeah yeah, it'll be a riot. Wait til you hear what a disaster she was the other morning," she says, casting a wide grin Tia's way. For her part, Tia doesn't completely explode at the diatribe. Rather, she remains calm. Suspiciously calm.
Turning an all-too-happy smile and wide eyes to her newfound warrior, Tia shakes her head tightly.
"Don't go there, or I'll tell Hori that you're okay with sleeping in the stables for beating up the guards!"
"How DARE you give His Majesty such a casual nickname!"
On the two go in fierce whispers, leaving Chichiri behind. The monk watches with a strange sense of satisfaction.
"If all the warriors get along so well with Tia, summoning Suzaku might not take too long after all no da!"
And so, Tia makes it official! She has a nice start with three warriors and a cushy place in the palace, but she's also correct: Fairy Tales always got them nasty turns!
Review if you like, thanks for reading as always.
Til Next Time,
-A
