A/N Here's the second chapter! Sorry for the small delay.

Priestess and Warrior

Chapter 2- Preparation

A week has gone by and tomorrow is the day the first troop will depart. I haven't spoken with any of the warriors (with the exception of Nakago) since last week, as a matter of fact, I haven't even seen them around at all. From what he told me, Amiboshi and Suboshi are to leave with the first troop tomorrow. The rest are to leave the day after.

It snowed again last night so everything is white again. Winter is my favorite season, it's so peaceful. Miaka always hated it, I suppose that may be why I have grown a fascination for it. The path I'm walking is so quiet, I can hear everything around me. A small bird is perched on a tree just above me and it's whistling a happy tune. It reminds me of Amiboshi's flute. I look up to gaze at the bird and I find that it is Amiboshi.

"Amiboshi?" I ask. "What are you doing in a tree?"

"Ah your eminence, I was merely trying to cheer you up," he replies. "This song gives you courage and strength."

"Cheer me up?" I ask, feeling very annoyed. "Do I look like I need cheering up?"

"With all due respect," he says, "yes, it seemed to me that you do. I also sought you out to tell you that my brother wishes to speak with you."

"Suboshi? Why didn't he come find me himself?"

"That I can't answer," Amiboshi says teasingly. "He said it was urgent and he wants to talk to you before we leave tomorrow."

"Fine," I say rudely and I walk away. Suboshi wants to talk to me? And why is it so urgent? The snow crunches under my feet and I wonder if another snowfall will happen again tonight. The snow is so soiled now from all of the footprints that have treaded through it. It is most beautiful when no one has touched it and it remains innocent and pure.

I suppose that was when I was most beautiful as well. Before I was defiled my body was completely pure. I suppose that's another reason why I like the snow. Aside from the fact that it's peaceful, it reminds me of what I once was, clean and undefiled.

-----

I wait outside Suboshi's room and I hesitate before I knock. This entire week I actually have been meaning to talk with him; to thank him. I knock quietly and slowly. Suboshi opens the door immediately, as if he were expecting me at this exact time. "Your eminence, please come in," he says cheerfully. I can tell it is a façade.

"Amiboshi said you wanted to talk to me?" I ask, getting right to the point.

Suboshi flushes and he turns his head away from me. I notice that he has a bag on his bed all packed. "I'm assuming that you're bringing that bag with you to war?" I ask. Although I can't see his face, he nods. "Are you scared?" I ask, not completely knowing why that question popped into my mind.

"I'd be lying if I said I was," he says calmly.

"But you know there's a possibility that you could die!" I say very loudly. "Doesn't that frighten you?"

"Amiboshi and I grew up around war. Our village was destroyed when we were small children and we lost our parents that same day. I can't say that war is the greatest thing in the world but it's necessary. As for the chance that I won't come back alive, I'm okay with that too. You of all people should know that you shouldn't be afraid of death."

He is talking about my two attempts at suicide. "But still, there's the whole matter of summoning Seiryu. If any of the celestial warriors were to die, then what would we do?" I ask, furious with him for thinking that death is a good thing.

"What would we have done if you were to die?" Suboshi asks. I gasp and realize what he's getting at. Those last sentences make me sound so hypocritical. "Without a priestess, the summoning isn't even worth the effort. Besides, Nakago tells me that there are other ways to summon Seiryu, ways that don't require the warriors."

Up until now, I hadn't realized how much Suboshi knew about all of this. Why are we even talking about this? Amiboshi told me that Suboshi wanted to tell me something. I should get back to that. "Anyways, going back to what I initially came here for, what did you want to tell me?"

Suboshi closes his bag and looks me directly in the eye. His blue orbs stare directly into mine and his gaze is so hard that I actually feel like he's looking right into my soul. "Suboshi?"

He grabs my shoulders and then places his lips gently over mine. My eyes widen and I feel the sudden urge to slap him across the face. But I can't bring myself to do it and I feel myself melting into him. Shouldn't I be hating Suboshi for this, I thought I loved Tamahome. Suboshi's hands lower themselves from shoulders to my waist and then the pain comes. I can feel the memories swimming back into my head and I am, once again, visiting the night that I was raped.

I push him away from me as hard as I can, forcing our lips to separate. "What were you thinking!" I nearly scream.

Suboshi's expression to one that's been hurt but I don't care. I turn and run out of the room as fast as I can and I don't look back. I only stop when I reach my room and then, only then, do the tears begin to come out. I throw myself on my bed and sob into my pillows. The fact that he is not here by now is proof that Suboshi didn't follow me, which I am grateful for.

I pull my sleeve down slightly and I look directly at my scar. The tears come even harder now and I scream, "Why!" Everything else fades after that and I'm left with nothing but the ringing sounds of my screams, pounding in my ears.

A/N Sorry it was so short! This is probably going to be my shortest chapter. Let me know what you thought!