jychan: I don't own Saiunkoku Monogatari so no suing please….
14. A Sworn Revenge
It's been a couple of days since Himeko had runaway from Shinyen, wherein she was almost caught up and she had to leave the said country with the boat, but was not able to save her younger sister, Senshi Hidari.
"Hidari-hime... Hidari-hime... Don't!!! NO!!!!"
She shouted as she awoke, while panting.
'So, it was just a dream. A dream, after all.'
She thought as she closed her eyes,
"Ah, are you OK already?"
A young boy asked as he went near Himeko,
"Dare desu ka?"
Himeko asked the identity of the boy who just smiled and replied,
"To Eigetsu. Pleased to meet you, eto?"
'If I give my real name, then, I would be easily found by the officials if ever...'
"Shimo Furiko. Domo. To-kun."
"Dozo yoroshiku, Shimo-san. Eto, about your clothes, don't worry it was Kourin-san who changed you! Eto, are you a traveler, Shimo-san?"
Eigetsu asked as Himeko nodded and replied,
"Ah hai. I am a traveler. Eto, To-kun, do you know where I could work?"
"Eto, anou, I'll try to ask some people around here."
"Or perhaps, you need someone around here. I'll try my best, To-kun..."
Himeko said as she was all fired up,
"Eto, it's OK, Shimo-san, I guess Kourin-san would be able to do things herself here..."
Eigetsu said as Himeko sighed and nodded,
"Is that so... Well then, I guess I have to leave already. I don't want to become a free-loader here."
Himeko said as she got up,
"Eto, Shimo-san, it's OK. It's OK. Don't worry..."
Eigetsu said as he sweatdropped,
"Eto, are you sure, To-kun? I just don't want to bother you here. And I also have to go somewhere, but first, I must get a job."
She replied as she sat down,
"If you won't mind, Shimo-san, but where are you supposed to go?"
Eigetsu asked as Himeko replied,
"Eto, I have to go to Kiyou. It's supposed to be important, but then, I guess it could wait for sometime. A week probably will do."
A knock was heard and a girl went inside,
"Ah, Kourin-san."
Eigetsu acknowledged as Kourin nodded and went near the two of them,
"Ah, Shimo Furiko. Thank you very much for taking care of me, Kourin-san."
'Furiko' said as Kourin nodded,
"Eto, I wanted to call Eigetsu-sama for dinner. But then, it would be also fine if Shimo-san joins us. By the way, Ensei-san has arrived from Kiyou."
'Ensei? The name seems familliar...'
Himeko thought as she stood up while Eigetsu was talking with Kourin,
"Ah, this is Shimo Furiko-san, by the way,"
Eigetsu introduced Himeko towards Ensei,
"Shimo Furiko? Ah. Ro Ensei, domo. You look familiar, Shimo-chan. Have I seen you from somewhere?"
Ensei asked as he raised an eyebrow as he was looking at Himeko,
'Shoot. This was the guy who Shi-san and I met back then. I have to act as I don't know him.'
"Probably. But I'm not so sure. I'm a traveler, after all, Ro-san."
Himeko said as she gave a smile,
"My, my, a woman like you is a traveller? Isn't it difficult for a woman like you?"
"I beg to differ. I can defend myself from such people, Ro-san, although I'm just unluckily that my... horse was gone... Yes. That's it. My horse was gone. And then, I suddenly, fainted. Luckily, I was found by To-kun and Kourin-san."
Himeko said as she sweatdropped,
"Ah. Is that so? You just looked like a girl that I met in Kiyou."
Ensei said as Himeko nodded at this while sweatdropping,
"So, where have you been before you were found by Eigetsu and Kourin?"
"Eto, I came from Shinyen."
Himeko replied as she sighed,
"Also, To-san, I would really like it if you stopped asking questions. You sound like an investigator."
She added as Ensei nodded and replied,
"You're right. But, I just can't help it but ask."
"I see... But it rather tenses me up, Ro-san."
Himeko replied as the two of them chuckled,
"Is that so? Then, I better do stop. After all, a princess like you shouldn't be tensed up."
"Eh?"
Himeko turned to Ensei with a face of shock and surprise,
"Am I wrong? You do seem like an ojou-chan."
Himeko bit her lip as she replied quickly,
"I-I'm not an ojou-chan! I'm just a simple girl. I'm not some kind of princess, you know."
"Is that so? I always thought that you were an ojou-sama, from the way you move and talk. Very elegant, I must say."
"Really? That's false! In fact, I'm really really... clumsy!"
Himeko replied with a fake laugh,
"Oh? I don't think so at all. But, you really do look like the girl that I saw with Seiran?"
Ensei said as he sat down,
"Oh? I look like that girl with this Seiran? By the way, who's Seiran?"
Himeko asked as she sat down,
"Oh, a friend of mine. A very very close friend of mine."
Ensei replied with a smirk on his face as Himeko raised an eyebrow,
"Is that so? Then, you must know the shujou, as well?"
She asked as looked at Ensei,
"Eh?"
Eigetsu looked at Himeko,
"Of course. I know him. But wait, don't tell me... Gomen ne, Shimo-san, but then, our shujou won't take any concubine."
"Wait. Wait. Wait! That's not what I meant at all! Ryuuki-ten'no is quite younger than me. Very much younger, in fact, I might be as old as the exiled Prince."
Himeko replied with a sweatdropped,
"That's good then. Because you really won't stand a chance. After all, the shujou's obsessed with the Empress."
Ensei replied as Himeko nodded and smiled,
'That's good, Ryuuki-ten'no. I won't have to worry about you. Kogo Shuurei is quite lucky with you. Unlike me, who doesn't know about how Seien-sama feels about me...'
Himeko started eating after saying their blessings,
"Neh, Shimo-san,"
Himeko turned to Eigetsu,
"Doushited desu ka, To-kun?"
"Eto, why are you going to Kiyou? That is, if you won't mind if I asked, Shimo-san."
Eigetsu asked Himeko, who looked at the younger boy,
"Eto, I have to meet with someone. I have to talk to someone."
Himeko replied as she thought about it for a moment,
"Someone? What's his name? We can go around Kiyou and ask for information about that someone."
"I'm afraid that I must talk to him very personally and secretly. And I also know how to talk to him. I have got it all already. But first, I must do something here, before I go to Kiyou."
She replied as she frowned a bit,
"A job, was it, Shimo-san?"
Eigetsu asked as Himeko nodded,
"Eto, we can ask the Merchants' Guild for you to have a job, Shimo-san."
Eigetsu replied as Himeko smiled and replied,
"That would really help, To-kun. But, first, I must find a way so that I could go to Kiyou,"
"You could also go with the Merchants' Guild, going there."
Ensei said as Himeko smiled and replied,
"Thank you very much for the information. Hopefully, someday, I might be able to repay the goodness that you have given to me."
"Maa, maa, that would really help, Ojou-chan."
Ensei said as Eigetsu replied,
"It's OK, Shimo-san. It's OK."
"Is that so? Then, I guess I'll be leaving for the mean time, To-kun, Kourin-san, Ro-san. I guess I'll be applying first in the Merchants' Guild."
Himeko said as she stood up and left after bowing,
'That was tough. Bowing before people. That was one thing I have not done before. Before as Shi Himeko. Wait and see Yamamoto Kentaro, I shall have my revenge. I will not take this big disgrace over the Shi Family. I will not just stand off doing nothing. I swear.'
Over Shinyen...
"Yamamoto! You swore that you would do nothing to Hidari-hime and Kogo Himeko-sama, if I took over the throne. You swore that you'll just let them have an exile. But what's this? Why are you seizing Hidari-hime?"
Kaori asked as she looked at the old man,
"It is simple. Kaori-sama would never become the Empress if she doesn't die. The younger girl would be the bait. Her sister would always find a way to retrieve her back. She would never leave her younger sister in that state."
Yamamoto Kentaro snickered as Kaori bit her lip and closed her eyes,
'Gomen nassai, Onee-sama. Hidari-hime. If I only knew...'
jychan: Well, that was it. So, surprise! Surprise! Eigetsu found her!!! No Seiran today... So, sorry...
Stelra Etnae: Oh, I must agree... Although wasn't Shuuei disowned?? Oh well... I don't think Himeko would be willing to give off Shinyen for Seiran, but she is willing to not marry for him... Ah... Oh, yes. I hate him as well. That Yamamoto Kentaro, I hate him.... Kaori-hime? I don't know... We don't know... But I am pretty sure that there's a threat with it. Himeko was able to escape, but Hidari didn't... Yep. I wonder how Shuuei would act if he knew that Hidari was held captive... LMAO... But oh well... hope you like this chaptie...