Faces in the sand…

A.N.: This is an alternate universe fiction. I have merely shifted Hotohori's age by three years. So…he was twenty two when he died as opposed to the original nineteen. I still feel he married quite too early. Magadha was indeed a real place in ancient India where the people were really advanced in everything they did and they did have a good connection with the Orient, since there was a lot of migration between the Buddhist/Hindu Magadha and China. The great king, Ashoka who spread Buddhism all over India, was a king of this country. Lively accounts of Pātaliputra (the famous capital city of the kingdom of Magadha) and Magadha are available in the Indica of Megasthenes (c. 300 BC) and in the travel diaries of the Chinese Buddhist pilgrims Fa-hsien and Hsüan-tsang (4th–5th and 7th centuries AD).

Disclaimer: I still don't own Fushigi yuugi. But mayhap, one day I shall grow stinking rich and then maybe I shall...MWAHAHAHA!

Chapter V:

Night had fallen all around us. I stayed away from the emperor as much as I could. There was a brief moment when I was called forth by the princess when I was with him…a brief moment which I felt would never end. And now…as we sat in our rooms, dinner an affair already completed, I felt restless. He had asked me to come to the library all by my self. I did not know what to do or if I should go at all. And I had to hide my confusions well, for the other servants had all dropped in to commend on my recital with the lute. When I had sent the last person with a gratified smile, it was nearing midnight.

I walked towards my bed and sank into it. Should I go or not? I was confused. I sighed as I got up and walked to the table on top of which sat a lit lamp. I gazed at the door that connected mine with that of the princess. There was darkness beneath the door. She was apparently sleeping. I then gently opened the door and looked towards Sātviki's room. There was no light there, either. She was sleeping as well. I sighed relieved as I retreated back to my room. I checked my reflection in the mirror. I was wearing modest clothing – a brown skirt that reached my calves and a broad piece of thick cotton in the darkest shade of maroon that was wrapped around my torso, hiding my bosom. I wrapped a brown shawl around my shoulders hiding my bare shoulders. My waist length hair was braided and kept mostly away from my face. I sighed as I slowly walked to the door and opened it again. I knew I would probably regret this later…

My feet made little noise as I wore no anklets like the princess. I was now standing there in front of the library. It had taken me almost fifteen minutes to locate the right corridor. This palace was confusing as it was enchanting…like him. I knocked at the door of the massive library only to be answered with silence. I waited for a while and then daring myself, pushed the doors gently. They opened with little resistance. Someone had left them open and I could guess who that was.

I walked into the library which was lighted sparsely this time, merely five lamps here and there…they seemed to cover half the library in darkness.

"Welcome, Adithi." I heard his voice from behind me… his breath on my shoulder. I turned around to find the emperor smile at me. He was dressed in his night clothes…a night robe in the shade of the sky. I lowered my eyes as I bowed before him.

"Your majesty wanted to see me?" I could feel his hands lifting my chin slowly as he gazed into my eyes. His eyes seemed to flicker unnaturally in the light of my lamp. Then he slowly moved closer…I felt his hand circle my waist as he kissed me. I let out a muffled yell which did not seem to register onto the mind of the emperor for his hold was unrelenting as was his kiss. I tried to push him away only to have his other hand grab mine and his kiss to deepen. When he did leave me, I pushed him away from me and backed away until I hit the book shelves. He seemed surprised yet the smile he wore on his lips seemed to suggest otherwise.

"Your majesty is mistaken. I have not come here because you called me…I came here to inform his highness that he should not call on me again." I could feel him pulling me towards him as he kissed me a second time…more passionately if possible. I felt an involuntary moan escape me as he probed open my mouth and deepened the kiss. I forgot everything around me except for the kiss as I circled his neck and clung onto him as though for life, as he opened ancient doors from deep within me. As we broke apart the second time he gazed at me, his eyes seemed to rest on nothing but on mine.

"Why do you deny yourself the truth, Adithi?" he said as I felt his hands on my back…climbing higher and higher towards my shoulder.

"I do not understand you and neither do I desire to." I whispered fiercely as I stood there…defenseless as his hands slowly did away with the shawl that shielded my shoulders.

"You know what I speak of. I would not have called you here had I not sensed your need as well." I frowned as he kissed my shoulder…his hands slowly rubbing my back…sending shivers down my spine. I tried to move but my body seemed at that moment unyielding. I gasped as I felt his hands undoing the knot that held my blouse in place. I moved away from him, holding my hand to my chest so that the cloth would not fall off. I felt tears gather in my eyes as I haphazardly tied my blouse back in place.

"What are you doing?" I whispered as I tried backing away; I had forgotten the existence of the book shelf that I had hit the last time I tried getting away from this man. He smiled as he placed both his hands on my shoulder and gently drew me into another kiss…a much gentler and softer kiss. The battle that was being waged between my mind and body seemed to end…the body taking over the mind this time. I closed my eyes…my hands wreathed around his neck lightly as I kissed him back, losing all sense of sanity. The only thing that mattered was this enigma in front of me and his kiss. I felt him gather me into his arms and bodily lift me from the ground.

"Spend the night with me." I did not reply for the next moment, he had kissed me as he pushed open a door that seemed to lead into what seemed like his bed-chamber. He set me down on the gold and red settee. I felt my breath constrict as he slowly pushed me into the settee and kissed me again…his hands now wandering all over my body. I shook my head as my mind tried in vain to win my body over.

"This is sinful…"

"No this is not…forget about order and law for this night, beautiful one… remember only us…" he kissed me again as I felt his hand resting on my bosom, his hands seemed to work magic with my body as I felt myself moan at the pleasure he seemed to inflict me with. With what little constrain I had, I pushed his hand away as I moved a little away from him. He seemed to be annoyed at this.

"No. I am bound by laws…this is treachery!" he caught my face in his hands as he stared at me. I closed my eyes instinctively, as though I was expecting him to hit me. He was after all an emperor and this was his kingdom.

"Please look at me Adithi." His voice was soft and gentle.

I opened my eyes slowly to find him smiling at me. I felt tears gather in my eyes again. Now I wanted to be with this man and yet I knew I could not…it seemed so confusing!

"Do you feel the need or don't you?" I did not speak. I did not know… But then…he did not give me a chance to speak for he had kissed me again…though this time, there was a sense of gentleness as though he wanted to me to see how much he could care! I felt tears gather in my eyes as I hugged him and losing all sense, kissed him back. The way he smiled against the kiss, seemed to suggest how happy he was. Was it because he truly cared or was it because he had won this battle against me? I did not know.

I felt him gather me into his arms as he slowly untied the knot that held my blouse in place and gently…as though he could hurt me if he was not careful, and without ever taking his eyes off me, he slowly unraveled the yard of cloth around me and tossed it aside. I felt the blush creep up my face as I lowered my head and covered my chest with my hands…my cheeks burning red. He smiled as he hugged me again, his chest burning into mine as he kissed me again. Then he slowly lifted me from the settee and walked to the huge four-poster bed, with its gauzy curtains that seemed to partially hide us from the outside world…a world of its own.

The night was long. That night…I felt something stir within me…a passion I had not known existed! An emotion strange and strong…a feeling of happiness and sorrow…a state of mind that seemed to grant me bliss but one which confused me at the same time!

Somewhere in the night…when both of us lay passion-spent, divest of clothing amidst the ocean of white and red satin that surrounded us, it seemed clear to me…I had fallen in love with the emperor.

The sound of the falling rain seemed to be the only sound around us as we lay there, his hands around my waist, my head over his chest…his muscles sculpted to fit the Gods…I felt tears run down my face. He started from the slight slumber he was in and looked down with what seemed like concern in his eyes. Those golden orbs that seemed so intensewere pools of gentleness now.

"I am afraid." I said, my hold over his arm tightening unconsciously. He merely smiled as he kissed my brow and then slowly I inched my face upwards, my lips craving for his kisses, a craving he so lovingly understood as his lips descended down on mine, sending shivers down my spine in the most pleasurable manner as his hand started caressing any part of my body he could hold onto…hands that seemed to work magic for I felt my need renew as I moaned against him, holding onto him as though for life.

"There is nothing to be afraid of, Adithi…" his voice was guttural as though his passion was hardly bridled. I smiled as I closed my eyes and let him kiss me again.

The night was turning out to be the most enjoyable affair in my life. And it was all because of this enigma of a man.

I woke up the next morning to find myself in my own bed…in my room. I woke up with a start and turned to find the emperor sit there by a chair beside my bed as he leaned onto a desk, his head lying over his folded arms as he slept. I smiled as I slowly got out of my bed. He had obviously forgotten to tie the blouse back in place when he had attempted this dangerous and risky shift. I wondered when he had slept then! I covered my bare chest with the shawl I had worn last night and tip-toed to the sleeping man on the chair. I prodded him gently, hoping to wake him up. He merely moaned lightly as he shifted a little, revealing his face to me. He seemed so handsome and perfect! I smiled as I gently kissed the straight and beautiful nose that twitched a little, making me giggle. This probably woke him up for I felt him jerk a little and grab me around the waist. I yelped as I looked down to find the emperor smiling at me slyly.

"Hoping to spy on me?" I shook my head as I lowered my eyes. He laughed gently as he released me and got up.

"I would think you would talk a bit more freely now…having heard you last night…" I could feel his hands crawling up the shawl. I moved away from him as I felt my cheeks positively burn from embarrassment. I thought back to last night.

It had been a little painful, having been my first time! I had cried when I felt the pain of the first thrust… but the way he tended to me… like a tender and gentle healer with a wounded animal, I felt the love I had for this man multiply multifold times. He was obviously remarking of the numerous times I had cried out his name in the raptures of ecstasy… but he had also been quite vocative himself and he couldn't complain. I smiled a little as I ran my fingers through his long mane. It was just as soft as last night, when I had lost myself in them… he was still attired in his night robe.

"You must go." I said simply as I turned to the bay window through which he could now leave without being noticed. Dawn was just approaching and if he would leave now, then he would not be seen…I sighed as I felt his gaze on me.

"And why must I?" he asked, getting up from the chair and hugging me from behind. The shawl shifted a little as I felt his hand on my breast. I smiled as I moved away from him and looked him directly in the face.

"You must." I said as I took his hand in mine and held onto it. He looked at this sign and smiled.

"One day I will have you break all codes of conduct for me." I smiled as I shook my head and led him to the bay window.

"Have I not done that already?" I asked my voice smiling. He turned to look at me just when he was about to leave…his eyes looking deep into mine…I felt the blush creep back as he slowly came closer. When we were merely millimeters apart,

"I will see you again." I smiled as I nodded my head. With a gentle brush of lips, he parted from me that day, only to remain etched in my heart forever!

"You look tired." I yawned as I nodded my head. Shwetha was reading a book as I sat there beside her, waving a huge plumed fan. The nights were pleasantly cool and it did rain occasionally but today, the air was just as humid as ever! Khonan was no different from Magadha sometimes! I smiled as I thought of the emperor…it had been two days since that night and I was yet to hear anything from him. It seemed as though he was quite busy.

"Oh how I wish we could see the emperor!" she cried as she flopped onto the bed. I smiled as I nodded my head. I was in the same earnest.

"Has he intimated any information about when he shall be free, Adithi?" I shook my head.

"I am afraid; I haven't met the emperor, my liege." I lied. She smiled as she nodded, her eyes fluttering close.

"Do you think he is handsome?" she asked me, her voice dreamy. I did not know what to say.

"Yes." I said truthfully. She looked at me with a funny stare.

"Do you?" she asked. I smiled as I nodded my head. She smiled back as she got up from the bed and straightening her skirt, walked to the door.

"I think I shall go and meet him. Follow me, Adithi." I was shocked.

"But Shwetha, the ministers are discussing matters of grave importance. I don't think-" she looked at me, her countenance exasperated.

"Indeed! They shall discuss away till the end of the world if they are let to do so. Come, Adithi. Let us drop in. He will be surprised for sure!" she smiled as she draped her shawl around her. I sighed as I nodded my head and covering my own bare shoulders with my trusty brown shawl, walked behind her.

The doors that led to the conference room seemed to be partially closed. I was standing behind Shwetha, partially hidden when the door opened. Out walked the ministers of Magadha and the emperor, still in the acme of discussion. He was probably engrossed in the discussion for he did not notice us standing there. Then…there was slight cough from Shwetha. He turned around and his gaze fell on me. He was definitely surprised. His eyes then darted over Shwetha who was standing there smiling at the emperor in a demure way.

"Lady Shwetha. How may I help you?" she blushed as she lowered her head. And here he was complaining I was being all prim and subdued!

"I thought his majesty has been quite busy for some time that…I thought I could alleviate his stress. He smiled as he nodded his head.

"Indeed. I am touched. Do you fancy a walk through my gardens?" she nodded her head as she turned to me.

"I think I shall not need your services, Adithi. You may retire." I was surprised. There was something in the tone she used that seemed so different. It was as though she was being the princess and expected me to be the maid…yet…

I nodded as I bowed before them and turned around to leave.

"I daresay they could trust you more than to have a maid chaperone me wherever I go!" I heard Shwetha speak. I felt hurt. So she did mean what she said in the manner she said it. I turned around to find him looking at me with an aggrieved stare. I lowered my eyes as continued on my way to my rooms. Was it because I had told her that I felt the emperor to be handsome? Did she think I was a threat? But then…the emperor did not love her did he? I turned around to find only the empty corridor. So they had already left, had they? For some reason, I felt hurt. It was not that Shwetha had never used that tone with me…but this time, it was subtly different.

I opened my door to find the bay window open. I walked to it and was about to close it when I found Vishaka standing there in the gazebo. He turned around and found me standing there, my hand half closing the window when he motioned me to stop.

He walked to my window and entered my room through it.

"What are you doing?" I asked him surprised. His clothes were wet with sweat as though he had worked too hard. He shrugged as he looked towards the gazebo.

"I was merely enjoying the view." He said as he turned his attention towards my room. I shook my head dubiously as I said,

"And you were sweating over it?" he looked at me amused.

"I was working with the emperor's steed if you must know!" he said.

"And?" I prodded on.

"I am yet to meet a more obstinate animal in my life." He walked to my bed and sank into it. I looked at him skeptically. Was he saying this because he did not bear much love for Saihitei or was it the truth?

"He rides his steed without much trouble though…doesn't he?" I asked. He nodded.

"Seems like the horse is as conceited as his owner." I rolled my eyes. I knew he would end the discussion here. I smiled as I walked to my friend and sat beside him.

"I think you should take a nice bath. You stink." He laughed as he got up from my bed and headed for the door. He opened the door but stood where he was.

"What is the matter?" I asked jovially as I lightly pushed him aside to see what it was that had immobilized my friend. I gasped when I did find out…

There stood the princess and the emperor. It seemed as though the emperor had come to drop the princess. She looked at the emerging Vishaka with surprise. But I could not take my eyes off the emperor…his eyes strayed from a mute and quite surly Vishaka to me...on my hands that rested on his shoulder. I hastily retrieved my hand and turned to look at him…his eyes seemed to suddenly become almost mask-like. It was as though I could not read what went on in his mind.

"Good afternoon, your majesty." Vishaka was bowing before him.

"Yes." He said distractedly. His eyes were on me. I could take this no longer and I bowed before him…my eyes now straying to the floor…to his feet.

"I shall be seeing you again, Lady Shwetha." When I looked up, he had already left as had Vishaka and the princess. I stood there, all alone in the deserted corridor.

The tale shall grow…

Author's Note:

It seems as though tension is slowly arising between the various characters already. Please review and tell me how you think my story is so far!

- Anarya of Lorien