Faces in the sand…

A/N: I am sorry for the delay! I was suffering from a bout of Viral infection and then we had to prepare for a Physics meet in my college and though we're still preparing for the meet, I thought I'd sneek an Update. So, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi.

Chapter VIII:

"You seem miles away." I felt his hands on my breast…trying to kindle me again…but I felt no interest in anything he did when I was burdened with so much trouble. I smiled or at least tried to as I gently brushed his hands away and sat up, covering my front with the sheets. I heard the rustle of satin beside me as he sat up.

"What is it?" I merely sighed and turned my face away. I felt his arms around me as he hugged me from behind.

"You are not yourself." I felt his breath on my neck. I shook my head as I turned around to face him. He seemed like a god…his body taut from the long hours of practice he must have put in with the blade…his face that was unreadable. I could never understand what went behind those golden orbs. I could feel his hand caress my neck as I felt him come closer.

"Something is the matter. What is it?" I felt like crying but all I did was turn around and hug him. I buried myself in his arms as I felt the tears leak out. He raised my face as he frowned at my tears.

"We shall be leaving in a week; won't we?" I asked him. For the first time, he was surprised. He smiled as he kissed my forehead.

"It has not been decided yet. You don't have to cry yet." He gently wiped the tears away as he smiled. I couldn't help myself. I smiled back as I leaned against his forehead.

"Is this the right thing?" I asked him as his lips traveled down my neck.

"There never was a thing that felt righter than this." He whispered as his lips met mine. I smiled as I kissed him back. He broke away from the kiss to gaze at me.

"What is it?" he smirked as he fell onto the bed,

"Are you not my slave for tonight?" I smiled as I turned around, still holding the sheets to my chest.

"Yes…" he turned to look at the door that led to the room of the princess.

"I want you to teach me to play the lute you played the other day." I felt winded.

"But the princess shall wake up." He smirked as he shook his head and got up from the bed and draped his night robe around him.

"I am ready." I sat there with my mouth open like an idiot as he walked towards the table on which rested my lute. He picked it up with both his hands and carried it to the couch in front of my bed and sat there, his hands mimicking my actions from that day. I smiled as I shook my head in disbelief.

"Her majesty would wake up." I whispered urgently.

He smiled as he plucked at one of the strings. The sound reverberated throughout the room. I moved further down my bed from where I could reach the couch that lay to the foot of my bed. Just as he was about to pluck at another note, I placed my hand over his and turned to look at him.

"Some other day." He looked at me skeptically. I smiled as I held his hand in mine.

"I promise." He tried to frown at me but managed a grin as he kissed me gently and moving the lute away from his lap, deepened the kiss. I flinched a little as he tickled me. I would have broken away from the kiss but his hands held my face as I loomed over him from behind the couch. As we broke away, his eyes rested on the pendant around my neck that seemed to dangle right over his eyes. He caught it and gently pulled at it.

"What is this?" I smiled as I retreated back to the bed.

"It's the seal of Magadha. I thought emperors were learned in such matters." He smirked as he turned around and extended his hand. I placed mine in his as he pulled me towards him.

"I did not see one around the princess." I shook my head as I hugged his head.

"She is no servant of that land." His hands that played with a tendril of my hair stopped as he turned around to look at me.

"Your servitude…is it hereditary?" I nodded. He closed his eyes as his hands slowly climbed up my arms to caress my shoulders.

"You mean you have been born into this fate…and your children after you…and theirs after them…all shall be servants?" I was surprised he was asking me all this. I smiled as I nodded my head as I hugged his neck lightly from behind.

"It's not right." He said as he gently hugged my neck. I felt touched…he was feeling sympathetic…an emperor for a servant…a thing unheard of. I smiled at the carpet as I gently kissed his shoulder.

This was a thing unheard of…

I woke up to find the emperor still lying by my side, his face snuggled in my neck. I smiled as I ran a hand through his hair, my fingers savoring their softness. He gently stirred as he woke up.

"Good morning." I breathed as I kissed his temple. He smiled back as the hold he had over my waist tightened comfortably. I turned to the bay window to find the first rays of the sun fall on the gilded tiles of the gazebo. He would soon leave me to attend to the various duties he had as an emperor…and I shall go back to being the simple maid that I was in reality. I wondered if I would ever be able to proclaim the intense love I had for the emperor out to the world.

"Its morning already?" he asked me sleepily as he buried his face once more into the crook of my neck. I smiled as I turned to hug him close to my heart, my heart overwhelming with happiness on having him here…with me…a world of our own…

"Adithi!" my eyes flew open as I heard Sātviki bang on my door. I shook the man next to me violently. The emperor was awake in an instant. He turned to the door groggily. Another knock ensued.

"Adithi? Are you there? Wake up! It's dawn. I will not have you sleep late today." I felt my heart beat a hundred times faster than usual.

"You woke me up for this?" he asked sleepily. I had already got up from my bed and was dressing myself posthaste. When I had tied my blouse in place, I moved towards the emperor in my bed.

"Please wake up, your majesty. You need to leave lest we be found out!" he turned to stare at me and it was clear instantly that he had not been sleeping for his eyes were alert and piercing.

"What will you do if you were found out?" I did not reply as I heard another knock on the door. This time it was Vishaka's voice that I heard.

"Adithi? Are you awake?" I could almost sense the emperor tense as he turned to the door. He had donned his night robe and was wearing his pants.

"He seems to care a lot for you, Adithi." I shook my head as I helped him wear his shoes.

"He is merely a good friend. He sees me as that only." I smiled at the emperor who had given up his attempts to wear the shoe as I helped him. I gently coaxed his feet into the light footwear.

"Now you must leave." I said as I opened the bay window. I was sure the princess was still sleeping. He shook his head as he walked out of the window into the garden. He turned around and clasping my face, kissed me abruptly. I, who was busy trying to send him away as soon as I could, was taken aback! I felt my hold over his night robe tighten slightly as I kissed him back.

He broke away as abruptly as he had kissed me.

"Farewell for now." He breathed as he kissed his fingers towards me. I smiled as I nodded my head.

Farewell for now.

I turned around and straightening my skirt, opened the door to find Vishaka standing there, ready to knock. He smiled when he saw me there.

"Well an early morn to you." I smiled as I wrapped the shawl around my shoulders tighter.

"What is it?" I asked. He smiled as he walked into the room.

"Rumors are about that we might be leaving for home in a few days." My smile faltered.

"I thought we had a week left." He smiled as he shrugged.

"The sooner the better I say." I smiled as I shook my head.

"The people here are not that very bad, Vishaka."

"We've never seen the people, have we? We hardly leave the palace." he asked me. I shook my head. That was true as well. For the past four weeks that we were here, we were never allowed outside.

"You're right. But there is little we can do about it." I said as I walked to gather the clothes that I was to wear that day.

"You're wrong, Adithi. What do you say to a trip to the local markets?"

It took me a moment to register what he had said.

"You're planning to leave the palace? But will the ministers agree to this?" he smirked as he walked to the window and placing his hand over the frame, half turned towards me.

"Who asks for permission?"

I gasped as I shook my head.

"Do you know what will happen if we were found out?" he rolled his eyes as he walked towards me and grabbed my arms gently,

"You rival my mother sometimes!" I smiled as I drew away from him.

"I think Sātviki is a wonderful person and that she is genuinely worried about you." he smiled back as he nodded.

"I know that. But I am rebellious by nature! You will not blame my dead father for this, will you?" the expression that he sported was hilarious.

"Please, Adithi. Will you not come with me?" I finally relented as I nodded my head.

"But I shall not shirk my duties." I said. He grumbled with frustration as he shook his head.

"Oh come on! The princess is no baby! She doesn't need you to be around like you're her nanny!"

Just then the door opened and there stood Sātviki. I smiled at her as she came in, her face beaming with happiness. Her eyes lay on her son for a while and it seemed as though they knew something I did not.

"The princess is sleeping and she doesn't want to be awoken yet. I shall be her maid in waiting for today. You must go with him. I've even asked prior permission from the princess." She pushed me to the bathroom and closed the door.

"Vishaka will be in my room. I've even asked one of the guards the way to the western gates which is the closest from here. Hurry up Adithi." I heard Sātviki leave my room with Vishaka. I sighed as I placed the clothing I was to change into away from the tub and stripped.

By the time I was done with my bath, Vishaka had gotten impatient and was waiting outside my room when I opened my room. He stood there, looking at me funnily.

"You look beautiful." I cocked an eyebrow as I looked at him. Whatever was wrong with him? I was dressed as simply as servants dressed. But I smiled at him amused as I walked to him and adjusting the white woolen shawl around me.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked him as we walked out of the corridors and towards the western gates that was looming in front of us…leading out into the city of Eiyou, the capital of Khonan.

He smiled.

"To the market." I smiled as I walked by my friend. There was something in his mind and I knew for sure that it concerned me in a way.

The market was a breath taking sight. There were shops selling everything! From the costliest of silks to the cheapest of eatables. I held onto Vishaka who apparently knew his way about, making me suspicious if he had snuck out of the palace before.

"The market is quite busy isn't it?" I nodded mutely as I looked around…taking in all that I saw. The sights, sounds and the smells of the stalls around me.

"They have a stall here that sells jewellery from various lands. They even have the jewellery that we use back in Magadha." He led me through the maze of the market and soon we were standing in front of a shop which had various knick-knacks hanging all over the place. The only other customer was a person in a black cloak, his features well hidden. I wasn't even sure if it was a man or a woman. He was looking through various anklets that women from my country wore. The shop owner seemed to attend to the cloaked stranger with great care.

"How do you like this one, sir? It is studded with the finest stones. It was personally out-sourced from Magadha." I turned to look at the article to have my breath taken away. The anklet he held out to the cloaked man was so intricate! It resembled a creeper that clings beautifully to the branches of trees and from its various tendrils dangled many black onyxes. The combination of silver and onyx seemed to enchant me.

"It's pretty; isn't it?" I felt the cloaked stranger pick it from the shopkeeper and hold it in his palm. The onyx shone even more beautifully in the fairer hand of this man than in the hand of the shopkeeper. I could feel Vishaka come and stand beside me.

"It is so beautiful, Vishaka." The man turned a little to look at us. But his drawn hood hid his face. I felt embarrassed as I pulled at Vishaka's sleeve and drew him to another corner in the shop, where hung a lot of bangles.

I could feel the man's gaze on me as I slightly turned to see if he had left. He had stood up and was paying the shopkeeper apparently for the anklet. The man left the shop without another backward glance.

"How may I help you?" I started. I turned around to find the shop owner smile at me kindly. I smiled back as did Vishaka.

"I am here to buy some ornaments for this lady." I heard him say. The man looked at me once and his face broke into many smiles as he nodded his head.

"I get it! You must be the people from the delegation that had arrived in the capital two weeks ago! Follow me! I have the finest collection of jewellery here."

"How much was that anklet you just sold off?" I heard Vishaka ask. The shop owner smiled as he shook his head.

"I am sorry. But that was one of a kind. I hear that it belonged to an ancient priestess of a far away country. I just sold it away. It fetched me five thousand gold coins."

I felt astounded.

"It was that expensive?" he nodded as he turned to me.

"What kind of jewellery are you looking for, my lady?" I smiled as I turned to Vishaka.

"Any kind. But something small." He nodded as he motioned towards the glass case behind him. It held a lot of pendants.

"They are all silver and are from here…seeing that you would probably get the jewellery from your country there." I smiled as I looked at the various pendants that hung from silver chains and black threads.

"Pick what you like." he said as he placed the glass case over the table. I looked at the various trinkets there when a particular pendant caught my eye. I took it out of the glass case to examine it properly. It was a simple silver ball that ran through a black thread. There was a single line of delicate green jade that ran around the ball. I showed it to Vishaka who smiled and turned to the shop owner.

"We will take this." He said, handing the pendant back to the shop keeper who carefully packed it for us. I was a bit surprised as to why Vishaka had taken me out without any warning. We did go to the market in Magadha and he did end up buying something for me. But somehow, this time it felt different. He turned to me when he had paid the price for the pendant.

"Shall we leave?" I nodded as I walked out of the shop into the morning sun.

"We shall have something to eat before we explore the market further." He suggested and I had to agree. My stomach was seriously empty as I had started out quite early. He led me to another shop which looked like a tea shop and bade me wait outside as he went inside. I waited with discomfort as I felt the stares I received from all around me. In another few minutes, he was beside me, much to my relief.

"Shall we eat, Adithi?" he held out a loaf of bread. I took it from him and bit into it. It was obvious that there were many better things but since he had bought the pendant, it was quite clear that we were short of money for an extravagant feast.

"You could have saved a little for the food, Vishaka." I remarked softly as we walked back towards the lanes that would lead us back to the palace. He smiled as I felt his hands over my shoulder.

"You worry too much, Adithi. Come…there is something I need to tell you." he led me to what looked like a garden. There were vendors who were selling all sorts of cheap eatables. But I was happy with the loaf he gave me. The sky was slowly turning gray and it bore unmistakable signs of an approaching shower. We walked around the trees as he talked about his work and the way how he was treated. Surprisingly, this time, he had good things to say about the emperor.

"He is a good horse rider. That I shall have to accept…and the way we are treated in his stables are much better than the treatment I got in Magadha." I smiled as I seated myself beneath the shadow of a huge beech.

"Will you not come with us then? Are you planning to stay here?" I asked him. He smiled as he shook his head.

"I don't know." There was silence as he sat down beside me. We spent many afternoons in like fashion…wiling away the time with mindless chatter. And most of the time, it was I who spoke. But this time, I chose to remain silent…for my thoughts always seemed to trail back to the palace.

"How do you like it, Adithi?" I started as I returned my thoughts to the conversation I was having with my friend.

"Do you like Magadha better than this place? Will you linger if given the choice?" I looked down as I considered his question. It had been something that was running around in my head as well. What would I do if we were to leave this instant? I did not have an answer. I couldn't possibly leave the princess for the emperor…no, not when I did not even know if he loved me…

But if he did…then…could I leave centuries of tradition and trust and stay behind? The face of my uncle loomed in my view as I thought of the probable black mark that would mar my entire family's name. The only family I had – my uncle and Sātviki. I looked up at Vishaka who was waiting for my reply. I wondered how he would react if he knew. I smiled as I shook my head.

"I don't know, Vishaka." He sighed as he caught my hand in his.

"I feel both are the same sometimes. But the emperor is said to be a very kind man. The people seem to adore him." I looked at my friend with wide eyes.

"You are praising him, aren't you?" I asked my voice hardly concealing the surprise I felt. He smiled as he shook his head, as though trying to get something out of his mind.

"You could say so. But…I would never admit to that openly." I smiled as I nodded my head. That was the Vishaka I knew.

"There is another thing I wanted to ask you." he said as he gently caressed my hand in his. I looked down a little surprised. I did not know where he was heading.

"What is it, Vishaka? You seem so serious." The hold he had over my hand did not loosen.

"My mind has been yearning for a chance to speak with you." I nodded urging him to continue. Then I noticed it…his ears were slowly turning pink…as though he were blushing. What was making him blush like this?

"Adithi…I do not know when I started feeling this way…but…" he stopped hesitantly. I clutched his hands comfortingly as I nodded, urging him to continue. He smiled at me as he clasped my hand tighter.

"I have wanted to say this to you…" I felt the drumbeats of my heart fasten in pace.

"…but my courage fails me every time. And now, I must tell you." I was afraid of what he would say next…

"Adithi…I love you."

There was silence around us. The only sound was that of the thundering clouds and the wisps of wind that blew the dead leaves around. He was looking at me with adulation…with such eagerness and expectations.

I felt tears starting to form as I shook my head. This was not happening. I rose from where I sat and wrenching my hand away from his, I ran…I ran towards the palace. I ran as fast I could, not heeding his calls…his imploring cries for me to stop. I ran as I felt the rain come down in torrents. I ran until I felt the world around me vanish into darkness.

I had fainted.

I opened my eyes slightly to find myself back in my room. Vishaka was seated beside me, soaked to the bone. I looked down at myself to find my dress changed and dry.

"Mother changed you out of the wet clothing. You must rest, Adithi." There was something in his tone that seemed different. I distinctly remember him proposing to me…but then, now it seemed as though he was being polite just for the custom of it. I was surprised. What had happened? Just as he was about to leave, he turned around and looked at me with a look that I would never forget. It was as though I had wounded him deeply. But…what had happened?

"Why didn't you tell me?" for a minute I was astounded. What was he talking about? I had never mentioned the emperor and I had just fainted! It was not like he had seen me with him in compromising situations! Then…what else did he mean? He smiled sadly as he shook his head and turned around.

"Sleep well, Adithi." With that, he left the room. I felt anxious for some reason. I slowly got up to find myself in a better position to move around. I walked to the door and opened it slightly to find none other than the princess standing outside with Sātviki behind her and the healer who traveled with us. The look that the princess gave me was one of disbelief and anger. I was starting to feel afraid. What had happened? I looked at Sātviki and to my horror, she was crying. I turned to the healer. He was looking at me with a look that was a mixture of sympathy and surprise.

"You shouldn't be up yet, Adithi." I heard the healer say. The princess was remaining as mute as a statue.

I moved aside, bowing in front of her as she silently entered the room. Sātviki walked to my side and forced me into a chair. I turned to look at her surprised. She couldn't have me sit down when the princess was standing. When I protested, Shwetha spoke…her tone of extreme indifference.

"Oh sit down! In your condition, you shouldn't pay much attention to hierarchical etiquette." She then turned to the healer who walked to me and felt my forehead. I watched all that was being done with bewilderment. What was the meaning of this? They all acted like I was a criminal! Had they found out something? Had the emperor left something of his in my room? I looked around my room to find it exactly as I remembered it. There was nothing there that would have given us away. Then…

"Have you been feeling giddy recently?" I heard the healer ask me. I shook my head.

"Today was the first time." he nodded his head contemplatively as he felt my pulse this time. He sighed after a little while, shaking his head. For some reason, I felt afraid.

"I am afraid, I made no mistake in my assessment, my liege. I believe she is only a week or two into it though. It is quite strange that we should come to know of it so soon." He bowed down before Shwetha who was now giving me a stern gaze. I looked down at my hands as I could take no more of her stare.

"You may leave." She said in a voice that seemed to resonate with authority. He nodded as he bowed down before her and with another look thrown in my direction, left the room. Now we were alone in my room. The air was thick with anticipation. Sātviki was still sobbing.

"Why? What is the matter?" I asked softly as she wiped her tears away in her shawl. Shwetha stood there as one made of stone with a stony glare on her face.

"Who is responsible for this?" I turned to look at Shwetha. Gone was my good friend. Here stood the princess of Magadha interrogating her lowly maid servant.

"I beg your pardon, your majesty. But I don't under-"

"Who is responsible for the burden you carry with you?" she was almost shouting. I felt like the world was suddenly spinning very fast. The world did vanish off when her next question hit me. I felt like I was being thrown out into darkness as her words resonated through the room.

"Who is responsible for the child in your womb?"

The tale shall grow…

Author's Note:

DUNDUNDUN! There you have it folks! I hope you wait for the next chapter with anticipation! And reviews are always a good thing! So, click the 'Go' button and tell me what you think!

- Anarya of Lorien.