Faces in the sand…

Author's Note:
I am so sorry for not updating sooner! We had this really 'big' symposium for Physics and they made us slave into the night! And this poor being here is as good as dead from all thw work. Thanks for understanding.

I'd like to thank the following reviewers.

Lady Seiryu: LOL! Thanks for the review! Hope you like this chapter.

Critias: I'll have to agree I was in conflict with myself on whether I should have let her have a conflict with herself. But then again...she is only a servant and in that period of time, they obeyed the command of the elite quite blindly. It wouldn't do well if she were to have the emperor locked, no matter what the offence. It was a sad existence. And I hated typing. LOL. But I hope it does not seem so absurd.

And here we have the meaning for Adithi's Uncle's name.

Rajamithra min Sanskrit means 'friend of the king' this would suit Adithi's uncle as he was a loyal servant for the kings.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi.

Chapter X:

She stood there as one carved in stone. Her eyes bore directly into Saihitei as she slowly walked in. The distant rumble of thunder and the sound of the falling rain the only sound around us.

"I cannot believe this." She whispered as she stood there, in front of us and the both of us, like two culprits before the burning gaze of a judge.

"Your ma-" I started, trying to reason with her…

"-Be Silent!" I gasped as I heard my friend shout. I closed my eyes but I felt his hands around me, a sign of protection. I looked up to find him staring back at the princess…his face defiant.

"It is true that she bears my son." He said, his voice holding such power and authority, I couldn't help but gape at him.

"How could you, Saihitei! I trusted you!" I heard her whisper. He smiled as he nodded.

"For which I am grateful. But that does not mean I cannot choose the one I shall marry!" I gasped again. Had he just said, marry? Oh God!

"You cannot marry her! She is my servant and I shall not allow this! It is incestuous!" I heard her seethe. His eyes narrowed as he looked at her…then they fell on me, their golden glow warming me from within…

"She bears the heir to the throne… I don't think she is merely your servant anymore! She is also the mother of my child…of my country's heir." He stated and I felt the blush creep up my face, I did not think he would care so much for my child…for me.

"I know it is a little difficult to accept, my lady. But there is no denying that it is my child that she bears. And for that reason, I have obtained greater responsibility over her than you." His voice was so firm and gentle…as though he did not want to hurt Shwetha but wanted his point conveyed none the less.

Shwetha looked at me for a moment…her eyes shining with rage and unshed tears.

"You have betrayed me, Adithi." I lowered my eyes as I felt my own tears run down my face. There was silence that was marred by the bang of the door being shut. I stared at the carpet that lay below as my eyes clouded over with the tears.

"You are not crying for what she said, are you?" I felt his hands around my shoulder. I looked up to find him smiling at me.

"You…You said…"

"I meant every word of it." he said, his voice quiet. There was a way in which he spoke…a quiet and deep tone… it seemed so effortless when he wanted to soothe me.

"It would be wise for you to leave now." I said, my voice slowly regaining its strength. I expected him to get annoyed but he merely kissed my brow as he nodded.

"You are right. We have had enough excitement for one day. Sleep well, Adithi…" he then kissed me gently as his hands slid around me, pulling me closer, my hands wreathed around his neck as I kissed him back.

The moment he went out (through the door this time), I felt all confidence I had mustered fall flat. I turned to my right to find the light still burning in the princess's room. It was apparent she was shaken…betrayed perhaps. But she could not map my life out for me! I was her servant…true. And in my kingdom, servants were well nigh slaves…true. But even then…I sighed as I felt tears threatening to break free once more. I slowly dragged myself to the door and silently opened it. She was crying on the bed, her hair in disarray and her jewels scattered on the floor. I silently made my way towards her, afraid how she would react.

"Your majesty…" her head rose and I saw her eyes red with tears that flowed down her cheeks. She glared at me as she got up from the bed and moved away towards the window. I knew it would be folly to confront her now…when the wound was still fresh. But…

"Shwetha, I-"

"Bite your tongue, craven commoner! How dare you address me by my name! Be gone!" she shouted. I cringed though it was something that I had expected.

"I am-" she walked to the door and flung it open. She then turned around to glare at me. I understood what she meant. She wanted me out of her sight. I felt tears gather around my eyes as she stood there as immobile as a statue of cold marble. There was no way I could ever approach her now…I was afraid…afraid of what she might do…

"GUARDS!" she shouted again. And in the blink of an eye, two armed soldiers of Magadha stood before us, their faces alert.

"I want the caravans to be ready in another two days. We are leaving." She said with a finality that wound me more than the news.

"Your majesty!" I whispered as I stood there shocked. She turned to gaze at me, her tear-stained face blank.

I did not know how I slept that day…as a matter of fact; I did not sleep a wink! The simple fact that there was another life in me was enough to keep me from slumber.

I sighed as I thought back to the events that happened last night. All was over. I remembered faintly on how I had walked back to my room in tears as I heard Shwetha command the soldiers to prepare for our departure. And I did not want to wake up. What if it was all true? What if it wasn't a blissful nightmare? What if…

"Adithi! You are still in bed?" I heard Sātviki. I opened my eyes to find her standing there with a frown in her face. Was she angry at me only for the mere fact that I had overslept or was she still livid over the new shame I had brought upon the people I loved?

Her frown melted away to be replaced by an expression of sadness. She walked to my side and sat by my bed, just as he had done many times when I would sleep away early and he would gently wake me up.

"Adithi…" she left the sentence incomplete. Her eyes seemed to avoid mine. I caught her hand in mine desperately as I whispered,

"Have I erred you so much that you even loathe my presence, mother?" her eyes grew moist as biting her lips, she shook her head. I felt like crying then and there…seeing Sātviki crumble before me.

"I feel betrayed, my child. You could have told me…you-"

"And what would you have asked of me, Sātviki?" I asked her earnestness causing my voice to rise. I felt the salty rivulets running down my face. She looked up at me, her eyes wet as well.

"Why did you do this, Adithi?" I shook my head as I lowered my eyes, unable to look her in the eye anymore.

"I…I was helpless…" I looked up, my eyes beseeching, "I love him, mother. With all my heart! Please do not slight this bond with the title of adultery!" I cried as I tried to catch her hand, half expecting her to pull away. But she merely cried as she held onto my hand tightly.

"This shouldn't have happened, Adithi. This is not good. Our reputation…your reputation…Oh my child! How will I face your uncle?" she wept as she leaned her head onto my shoulder, her tears falling on my shoulder…burning me with guilt.

"Just as you would always do, Sātviki!" there was a voice. Both of us raised our heads shocked to find none other than my uncle standing there with a smile on his face.

"I just arrived; and saluting the princess would have been my first action had she not been in slumber."

There was silence as the both of us stared at my uncle like we were gazing at a ghost. His smile faltered a little as his eyes traveled from one tear stained face to the other.

"What is the matter, Sātviki? Why are you two in tears? Is something amiss?"

We did not speak but lowered our eyes, not knowing what to say…how to say it…

"Sātviki. What is it?" there was a note of urgency in his voice as he slowly walked towards us. I felt like dying just then. Why hadn't I thought of all this when I had so willingly given myself to him? Why did my mind not warn me what was obvious?

"Rajamithra…I have some important things to tell you." I heard Sātviki speak in a solemn tone. I saw my uncle's countenance blanch a little as he sat down on the chair, his eyes never leaving Sātviki.

The room was as silent as the graves when Sātviki finished. I did not dare look up in fear of what I might find. When the silence dragged on…too long to bear, I slightly raised my eyes to find my uncle stare at me, his tears running freely, his face seemed shocked, which by the standards of human expressions would be termed as an understatement at the very least.

Sātviki sighed as she sat down beside me, her hands over mine and her eyes over my uncle.

"The folly has been committed and there is little we can do to undo this unfortunate turn of events." I could sense that Sātviki was choosing her words rather carefully and I was at awe. She was seriously the most mature person I had ever encountered.

"Adithi…" I wanted to run away rather than face the man in front of me. I looked up to find shock being replaced by sadness and regret.

"U – Uncle. I – I did – did not intend to-" I never got to finish the sentence for I felt him rise from the chair and walk out of the room, his tears the last thing to break my soul.

I turned to look at Sātviki who, by her expression hadn't been expecting this either. She turned to stare at me.

"Adithi, I-"

I did not wait for her to complete her sentence either. For I rushed out of my room, in search of the one man I wanted to see most at that moment…more than Saihitei.

"Uncle!" I cried as I ran blindly down the corridor, knocking a servant down.

I had reached the end of the corridor and from the looks of it; my uncle was nowhere to be seen. I felt like weeping right then and there, not minding that people who did not already know of my condition would obviously find out. Just then, there were sounds that seemed to come from the room where we had placed our heavy luggage – the lamps that we used when traveling by night and the banners that were carried in front of our procession.

I gingerly walked towards the door and gently opened it.

"Uncle?" I called out into the darkness of the room. My heart stopped for a while as the man who sat there on the table, his head resting on his arms, raised his head to stare at me.

That was one scene that I found it hard to forget. The face of my uncle as he sat there, his eyes tear-stained and his gaze half accusatory and half angry.

"How could you?" he asked me, his voice that I always remembered to be soft and gentle was now, broken and hoarse.

"Uncle, please-"

"How could you not think of us? Why did you do this?" his voice was rising dangerously as he stood up abruptly from where he sat and pushed the stool to the stone floor.

I backed away a little. My uncle was scaring me.

There was silence in which my uncle seemed to try and control himself. And I stood there, staring at him as though I was looking at an animal about to pounce.

He looked up at me and from his expression I knew he was trying his best not to lash out.

"We need to talk." I sighed relieved as I nodded, though his voice sounded really ominous. I dreaded this talk we were going to have but I followed my uncle out of the storehouse and back to my room nonetheless.

The falling rain was the only sound around us. I looked at my uncle who stood looking down at me, his eyes cold and unmoving though mine was in tears.

"I cannot." I said simply as I turned my face away from him to glare at the gazebo which was visible from my room… where we had first talked.

"I wasn't asking you. I was ordering you." he said cruelly as he turned my face roughly to face him. This man in front of me was not my uncle but some other entity. Gone was the Rajamithra who was kind and considerate. In his place stood a stranger who seemed hell-bent in having his way…even if it meant destruction of the life in me.

"I know how you feel, Adithi. But please-" I heard Sātviki speak. I turned to glare at her, something I had never done.

"And you want to kill my child for it?" I asked her, aware that I sounded harsh and hurt. Though the latter was truer than the former.

"I don't want to hear anymore from you. The healer shall come in a few hours and let us be rid of this burden." I heard my uncle bark. I was started as I heard him.

"Why?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. He did not deem to look at me then…

"I am a loyal servant of the king and his household before I am your uncle…that is why."

I felt my tears run down unchecked. I got up from the chair where I sat and walked to him,

"Then, am I not a mother first…before I am anyone else?" I asked. I knew I had shaken him. Never had I ever dared to disobey my uncle…my only relation. He looked at me, startled.

"I am sorry, but I cannot do as you ask of me. I will not have anyone touch my child." I said with a finality that surprised even me.

My uncle looked at me for a second…his eyes calculative and stern before they melted to gentleness…back to the man I knew and loved.

"Adithi, why do you make this harder for yourself?" his voice sounded so resigning that I felt tears sting my eyes once more.

"Very well…" he said, turning away from me.

"We shall leave for Magadha." I felt silence reign again.

"But he has vowed to wed me." I said, my voice shaking a little.

He turned around to smile, a very sad and amused smile.

"Adithi…he is an emperor. One who can probably have a million wives if he chose-"

"-yet he does not." I cut in before my uncle could complete.

"No." he said, shaking his head.

"Even if he does agree to marry you, what about your duty to the princess? She was the one who you serve. Will not your name be in the dirt if you were to leave her for a man you met but a few weeks ago?"

"But I love him…with all my heart! Why can you not see that?" I pleaded.

"Adithi, it is the fate of being born in this class of servants. You can never aspire for things beyond your status. And now…" his gaze fell on my stomach.

"We must leave." He said his tone now final.

"No." I replied, my tone just as firm. He scowled at me as he turned around, to face Sātviki.

"Will you kindly start packing, Sātviki?"

Sātviki stared at me, not knowing what to do…her eyes darting between mine and my uncle's.

"But, Rajamithra, I think-"

"That wasn't a request, Sātviki." She blanched at the tone my uncle used and turned to give me a helpless stare. I felt so helpless that day that I wanted nothing more but to run away from this all.

When Sātviki left my room as well, I felt alone…terribly alone.

The emperor had not been to see me ever since that fateful day and now…slowly… I was beginning to doubt my dreams. My vision strayed to the gazebo outside where the rains still lashed relentlessly.

Saihitei…

Author's Notes:
TADA! End of another chapter with such tense an ending. Review away now to know what happens next.

Yours in fellowship,
Anarya of Lorien.