It had been two days since the entirety of the Court focused its attention on one other than herself. Two days since she began to feel the sick dread of certainty that her life was about to change yet again... to head in a direction that she had no desire to take it. Two days since the Emperor abandoned his search for a bride to play servant to a girl from another world. Two days since the slow drudge of blood in her veins had reluctantly begun to quicken. Two days since the arrival of Suzaku no Miko.

Only once before in the history of Konan had a woman so turned the Palace on its ear... and that had been herself. In spite of her misgivings, Kourin was intrigued. Surely this girl couldn't actually fulfill the promise of her own legend. Surely, her appeal could not be founded in reality, only in myth. There was only one way to know for sure. She had to see the girl herself. And so, that was how she found herself sneaking out of the Inner Palace to the courtyard where the Emperor had gathered the country's best warrior-scholars.

Kourin suppressed an unladylike snort as she watched the Emperor and his entourage "test" the assembled men. Had she been asked, she could have told them that this was not the way to go about finding the Suzaku Shichi-seishi. Of course... she had not been asked. Nor, if she were honest with herself, would she likely have enlightened them even if she had been. Such an open exchange of information was no longer her way.

As they approached the platform overlooking the courtyard, her companion began to look very nervous. Emi looked frantically about her, "Kourin-sama, we should go back inside. You don't belong out here. You could get into trouble."

You could get into trouble, hmm? Of course, Emi, being a mere servant, was allowed to go where she would in the Palace. It was a fact that Kourin had made use of many times, but even as close as they had become in the last year, Kourin had never once asked Emi to use that liberty as she had today... to bring the Court Princess along with her. But today... she had to be here today. She had to see Suzaku no Miko with her own eyes. She had to judge for herself if the girl was worthy. For if she was... in that fragile hope; lay the seeds to free her from this self-imposed prison. That was not a chance that she was willing to miss.

And so, she smiled an indulgent smile at her maid and shook her head, not even bothering to dignify that worry with an answer. If she played her cards right, it wouldn't matter at all. She turned her attention to the Emperor's dais, caught as usual by his careless beauty. And there, beside the Emperor, a young woman -- no, a girl. A girl in tight fitting clothing. A girl with bare legs, no less. Though a small part of her admired the girl for her bravery, she could hardly believe that any female of good upbringing would display herself in such a way. And that such a brazen child, of clearly lowborn birth, could be so close to the Emperor when he would not even glance her way? It was unthinkable. There was always a chance she'd been mistaken... She tipped her head back towards Emi, "That is Suzaku no Miko?"

Emi laughed, "Hard to believe, is it not? But yes, that shameless little girl is the priestess of legend. Dressed as she is, how could she be anyone else? No woman of our world would wear such an outfit, especially not in public."

Kourin frowned, "That is indeed true. Even I, brave as I am, would not dare dress in such a fashion. Yet, not only is she not discomfited, she seems rather completely at ease. That would indicate that that mode of dress is common for young women where she is from. What a strange place that must be..." In her own mind, she ended that thought with, ...and how free. Shaking her head clear of such thoughts, she indicated the other peasant on the dais, "And who is that man with her?"

Emi smiled, "That is Tamahome, one of the Shichi-seishi. Suzaku no Miko's protector, and..."

Turning away from her contemplation of the courtyard to eye her maid, Kourin smiled. That particular tone usually meant some juicy gossip, "Yes, Emi? And...?"

She was not disappointed. With a sparkle in her eye, Emi continued, "And if you believe the rumors, Suzaku no Miko is rather smitten with the young man."

Kourin smiled, delighted with the irony, "So, though the Emperor has pined for Suzaku no Miko since childhood, when she finally arrives, she gives her heart to a peasant? Oh Emi, surely you jest!" When Emi solemnly shook her head, Kourin threw hers back and laughed, "That is a grand revenge, indeed, Emi. And perhaps, I can use it to my advantage."

Though willing enough when Kourin's schemes tore apart most of the court, Emi was still hesitant to engage in any of her mistress' games when they involved the Emperor. Her voice filled with trepidation, "How so, Kourin-sama?"

With a flourish, Kourin explained, "So long as Suzaku no Miko is available, the Emperor will see no other woman but she. So, all I need to do is make the girl... unavailable." Her smile took on a sinister cast.

"With all due respect, my Lady... you begin to frighten me with this talk," was Emi's taut reply.

"No need to be alarmed, Emi. It isn't what you think. I mean no actual harm to the girl. In fact," a less than friendly smile crossed Kourin's face, "You might even say that I'm going to help her get exactly what she wants. You see, Emi, if Suzaku no Miko becomes entangled with the peasant, Tamahome -- especially if she were to humiliate the Emperor in the process -- then she becomes a far less desirable mate, would you not agree?"

Emi finally began to smile again, "I do begin to see, my Lady. And once this occurs, it will leave your own path to the Emperor free of any remaining obstacles."

Kourin smile, "Exactly so, my friend. Exactly so."

Emi opened her mouth, but whatever she had been about to say was overridden by the sound of an immense crash. Kourin turned back to face the courtyard, not immediately comprehending what she saw. The Emperor was on his knees in front of a collapsed gazebo. It became clear enough, however, when she realized that Tamahome and Suzaku no Miko were nowhere to be seen. The obvious conclusion was that the pair were buried underneath the collapsed structure.

Instead of feeling the elation that should have accompanied the girl's dire straits, Kourin felt her stomach begin to churn. Something was desperately wrong here... Maybe it was some long forgotten shred of honor, maybe it was that dream riding her from last night, but whatever the case, the voice in her mind rang as clear as a bell as she made that realization. And it said but one word: ~Nii-chan!!~ Kourin's whole body jerked with the force of that word and she was down the stairs and running across the yard before she realized what she was doing, for one thing was abundantly clear. Her imouto wanted her to help Suzaku no Miko, wanted her to try to get along with her. She couldn't do that if the girl was dead...

As she reached ground level, Kourin forced herself to slow her headlong panic. She couldn't just go flying into the middle of that ring of men. The court guards would stop her before she got within 10 feet of the gazebo and, more importantly, the Emperor digging through the rubble in a panic. She needed a plan. Taking a quick survey of the useless and frantic energy that the Emperor was throwing into his digging, it finally came to her. That very panic might just be what she needed. If she could offer assistance at this moment, the Emperor would not question it; he would simply accept it, no matter what his guards said. And if she could make the visual of that assistance impressive enough, it might win her that bid for freedom that she was seeking... and a chance to get closer to the Emperor. Approaching the Emperor slowly, she insinuated the cultured calm of her voice into his frenzy, "Perhaps, heika-sama... I may be of some assistance."

Startled out of his fruitless digging, the Emperor turned a confused gaze her way. For a moment, he did not know her. That was clear. She forced down the surge of disappointment that automatically invoked. Just because her every waking moment was filled with thoughts of him, did not mean the same was true in reverse. Bold in the moment, knowing she had something he needed, Kourin let a flash of that anger show... and it was in that moment that she saw recognition in his eyes. He frowned, "Lady Kourin, I won't even ask by what audacity you came to be here. Instead, I will ask what impudence prompts you to imply that you can be of actual use in this crisis. Speak quickly -- I have no time for playing games."

As the guards closed rank around them, Kourin didn't even waste her breath on an answer. She just smiled and for the second time in seven years, actively sought to use her seishi powers. She reached down with one hand and lifted a piece of the ceiling off the unfortunate pair trapped underneath, then a second and a third. That each piece she lifted was larger than she was herself was not lost on any of those watching. It was with a surge of satisfaction that she noted the slack-jawed awe on the faces of the Emperor and his court. More than that, however, was the fact that for the first time in seven years, she almost felt at peace. This must have been what Sensei meant. That when it was time, I would understand what my powers were for. This feels... right.

Kourin lifted one last beam of wood and Suzaku no Miko and Tamahome were revealed lying still but unharmed in the remaining wreckage. As her eyes met those of Suzaku no Miko, Kourin felt a flash of kinship, a fleeting feeling of welcome. Frustrated with the weakness of her own resolve, however, she pushed it aside. Forcing a note of derision into her voice that she suddenly did not feel, Kourin commented, "You're alive, I see. That's some luck, Suzaku no Miko," then she turned her back and walked away. She would not have to set the next part of this scheme in motion. Judging by the shock on the Emperor's face, he would do it for her.

And, of course... she was right. Once he had ascertained that his precious miko was, in fact, intact, he came right to her. For the first time since she had arrived at Court, he looked at her and actually saw her. The awe resting so uneasily on his face could not be feigned. Once he was within speaking distance he asked, "Your name... it is Kourin, correct? One of the Court Princesses?"

Kourin nodded, not willing to give him any assistance in this matter. Let him sludge through this trap-course of a conversation on his own, "It is."

As their gazes met for the second time that day, the Emperor's filled with approval. The smile of gratitude he gave her even looked genuine. He continued, "That strength you displayed earlier... Lady Kourin, are you...?"

Kourin gave him a small, humble smile and pulled down just enough of her dress to reveal the glowing red seishi character, "One of the Suzaku Shichi-seishi? Yes, Your Highness, I am. My name, as you know, is Kourin, but I am also the Suzaku seishi, Nuriko." She let the sentence hang for a moment, knowing that she need not give him anything else. The Emperor was many things, but stupid was not one of them. He could put the facts together correctly on his own. Watching him do just that... and seeing the horror and pity fill his eyes as he did, Kourin again felt her resolve waver. Perhaps... perhaps scheming was not the way to go about this. Perhaps she could just honestly talk to these people and become part of them... belong with them. Perhaps her seishi heritage had been the key to her happiness, all along...

Then, just as she had almost decided to deal truly with her fellow seishi and their miko, said miko latched onto the Emperor's arm and began to gush her thanks and praises at "Nuriko" for saving her. But, even as Miaka's focus was 100% on the "new" seishi, the Emperor's focus was 100% on Miaka. And that the girl would lay hands on the Emperor! And he allowed it! In that moment, Kourin felt her sympathy and sense of kinship flow away like water. She gave the girl a smile that any of Saihitei's young courtiers would have recognized.

Kourin walked in Miaka's direction, holding her gaze until she came abreast of the girl, "I came to help..." and glided right past her to her seishi, "...this man." She bent and took Tamahome's face in her hands, kissing him soundly, thinking all the while, First kiss to a bandit, second to a peasant... Oh, imouto, if only you could see me, now. But, she grinned against his lips when she felt Suzaku no Miko fuming behind her. Oh, Miaka... you have no idea what you've gotten yourself into. I play for keeps and I fight dirty. If you aren't ready to do the same, you may as well give up, now.

Several days later, however, Kourin had to admit that her plan was not working. The original idea had been to make the miko jealous enough of her and Tamahome's affection to stand up and openly declare her own intentions. Being as she was brazen enough to bare her legs in public, Kourin had thought it a safe assumption that she would do the same with her feelings. That, however, did not seem to be working as hoped. The miko followed her everywhere, spying on her and Tamahome's activities, but she didn't once offer up any sort of objection. And Tamahome, though he had been willing to protect the miko from being buried alive under a collapsed building, was showing no desire to break away from her to make any similar declarations. It was maddening.

Finally, unable to deal with the Tamahome's repeated attempts to sneak off into the city and further disrupt her plans, she tied him up and sat on him. At least that would keep him in one place... She jerked her head up when the door to her chamber opened unannounced. Of course it would be their erstwhile miko. She was staring at Tamahome where he was bound on the floor, an angry flush suffusing her face. The sight seemed to be preventing her from speaking, so Kourin prompted, "Yes?" in as bored a tone as she could manage.

Miaka ground out, sounding as though the words cost her something dear, "I wish to be your servant."

Kourin turned to examine her nails, hiding her elation at the minor victory, "That will be fine." Whatever had prompted the miko to make such a ridiculous offer, she had no idea. Perhaps she just wanted to be where she could openly keep an eye on Kourin's actions with her seishi. So, she couldn't resist one last jab and grabbed Tamahome up in her arms, snuggling him, "Just make sure you don't interrupt me and Tama-chan when we're alone."

Miaka, though clearly fighting down a biting response at that caveat, answered agreeably enough, "Yes, Princess."

For a moment, as Miaka left, Kourin felt a burst of anger and pain that was certainly none of hers. She dropped the younger Seishi in shock and stood up placing a hand on her forehead. Could she be sensing what Miaka felt? But that wasn't her gift... that had been Kouri-- She cut off that line of thinking before it went any further.

Chilled by the thought that her imouto surely would not have approved of her actions, Kourin was quite abruptly not in the right frame of mind for this charade. She turned back to Tamahome, quietly releasing the ties that bound him. Tamahome frowned at her as he rubbed his slightly chafed wrists, "What makes you think I won't run off?"

"I never said that I thought you wouldn't," Kourin sighed and wrapped her arms around her as she finished, "In fact, I dare say that I wish you would."

The peasant's frown deepened, "My lady Kourin, has anyone ever told you that you not only speak in riddles but you act in them, too? What the hell has this all been about, then?"

She could only shake her head, "It doesn't matter anymore, Tamahome. Why don't you just go to your miko?" She tilted her head at the young man and offered him a serene smile, "She cares about you deeply, you know. I think she loves you... or at least thinks she does."

Tamahome stared blankly at her, "You have got to be joking." And then his final words froze her to the core, "Why would I care about that? I'm just her bodyguard. Besides, I don't have time for a woman."

Kourin could only stare. This... this was what she was trying to encourage Suzaku no miko to pursue?? Oh no. No no no. That would never do. Well, there was only one thing for it. Clearly she would have to keep the man from revealing what he'd just said until she'd had a chance to find someone else to foist the girl off on. Because this situation could all too readily spiral its way out of control. Not to mention... no young woman in the flower of her first love should have to suffer through that attitude! As she rounded on Tamahome and quickly tied him back up, she tried not to examine her motives too closely, because inexplicably... she was sure that they had changed.

Within a few days, Kourin had to admit that her plan was not only not working, it was failing abysmally. Tamahome had, obviously, not confessed love to Miaka. Miaka had equally obviously not confessed love to the peasant -- though in light of his confession of earlier, Kourin was not convinced that that was a wholly bad thing. What was even more frustrating, however, were the lengths the girl was going to, to try to win her own affections. It was at once endearing and irritating beyond belief. Not to mention the surge of guilt that she felt every time she heaped yet another unreasonable demand upon the girl just to have it met and fulfilled as quickly as possible. Really... she could almost find herself liking the younger girl if it weren't for all the history between them. Well, clearly it was time to change tactics. Subtle wasn't working, so it was time to hit someone over the head with a clue x four. Miaka loved Tamahome and Tamahome, though he didn't yet recognize it, did care for the miko as well. The best way to show someone how much they love another... is to take that other away. Kourin knew that lesson by rote. So perhaps a taste of that fear would be enough to prompt Tamahome into a shift in attitude.

Miaka would be along any minute now to see if she had any last requests before bedtime. That would be a perfect moment to set this new plan into action. She took one of a pair of iridescent pearl earrings from her dresser and walked outside to her balcony. She folded her hands in her sleeves and waited for Miaka to arrive. When she did, Kourin allowed a sad, faraway look to fill her eyes -- not difficult with all she had to motivate her recently. The miko did not disappoint with her immediate query after Kourin's well-being. Squashing the sudden flare of guilt she felt when she saw the girl's open and honest concern, she pulled one hand out of its sleeve and showed her the earring. She explained that it had been a gift from her mother from when she had left for court and that she had lost the other while walking near the lake. Miaka would have no way to know that none of the Court Princesses were allowed anywhere near that lake...

She swallowed another surge of guilt as she saw Miaka completely taken in by the lines that she was feeding her. "The moonlight reflects off them, making them shine, so they're easier to find at night. But my maid is scared of the dark and won't go out to the lake to find it." Feeling ever more like she was committing the worst kind of betrayal, she let a tear fall from one eye as she delivered the coup de grace, "I don't know what to do."

Miaka smiled tenderly at her and, as Kourin had known she would, immediately volunteered to go find the earring for her. She made a show of protesting, but Miaka insisted. She looked down and met the gaze of Suzaku no Miko -- it was full of love and compassion. There was more care, more true affection in that gaze than Kourin had seen since Genrou's last visit. Already uneasy from her own guilty conscience and more unsure than ever that she was on the right path, that look tipped her over the edge. She couldn't fight this any longer. The girl had won, though she didn't even know it... And so she made this concession, one that she had told herself she would not make... not ever, "Miaka, if you can find my earring then I must show my gratitude, in my own small way. If you find it, then I will agree to protect you as a Suzaku Seishi."

Miaka's eyes lit up with happiness at the offer and Kourin was dazzled, Imouto used to smile that way... Miaka swore that she would find her earring and ran off, yelling "Thank you, thank you!" the whole way. Kourin let herself sink against the rail in exhaustion. What was she doing? What had made her say that? She growled in frustration and clenched her fists. It didn't help any that Miaka couldn't possibly find her earring, thus letting her off the hook. The earring was still sitting on her dresser, after all. But still, the fact that she had even made the offer -- and meant it, no less! -- bothered her immensely. She walked back inside and had Emi pour her a glass of wine to calm her nerves, and desperately tried to ignore the voice in the back of her mind screaming obscenities at her for her false vow.

Hotohori stood looking out at the lake. He was surrounded by advisors, as he always was. Lately however, they'd been worse than usual. They were not even giving him a moment's peace from their eternal pestering. And their subject of choice? As usual, his unwed and -- more importantly -- childless status. It had been a year, and he still had not chosen an empress. It bothered them, so they in turn, bothered him. He sighed heavily as they once again asked him why he had not chosen a bride. He smiled and said, in deadly seriousness, "Because none of them are as attractive as I am." At their nervous laughter he smiled. He could predict with a fair degree of certainty what their response would be to that last sentence. He waited.

"What about the Lady Kourin? She's very attractive. Most of the young men at court fall in love with her at first sight."

And there it is. He sighed heavily as he shook his head. The situation with Lady Kourin was... complicated. When she had first arrived at Court, he had, of course, noted her beauty. Who wouldn't? As he advisors invariably pointed out, she was the only Princess at Court, quite possibly the only woman in all Konan, whose beauty matched his own. But that was only on the outside. On the inside... she had become cold, bitter, vindictive. Her sharp tongue and sharper wit was wielded with deadly precision against any and all who crossed her -- whether the slight was intended or not.

It was a true shame. With her arrival there had been many rumors about her: that she had trained the little bay mare that she had brought with her to Court; that she had ridden through the palace gates unaccompanied not because she had lost her escort, but because she had ridden with none; that she had been captured by bandits on the road to the Palace and had escaped unscathed and with all her possessions plus additional trail rations... the list went on. Any woman about whom those tales were told was one to be reckoned with... one who could be his equal. But, it would never be. Whenever he looked at Kourin, that was not the woman he saw. The one that he saw was cruel and too full of anger to ever love another. And so it was with great relief that he was now able to offer his advisors a perfectly legitimate excuse, "Don't be silly. The Lady Kourin has been released from her responsibilities at Court to take up her position as a Seishi. You know that."

He looked skyward and let a soft smile touch his lips, "That aside, all my life I've had the image of the perfect woman..."

He then gasped in surprise as said perfect woman popped her head up from the ground and giggled, "Hello, Hotohori-san!"

He smiled as he knelt down next to her, "Miaka, what are you doing out here?"

Her smile took on a slightly false cast as she answered, "I'm on a mission for the Lady Kourin."

He felt his anger rising, but kept his voice gentle, "I've heard about her terrible behavior towards you. I will speak with her and order her to behave."

She surprised him by lifting up a finger and shaking it back and forth under his nose, "Orders don't change people's minds, Hotohori-san. Besides, I want to become her friend honestly!" Her eyes took on a sad look, "I think... I think she really needs one." Unhappy with the answer, but unable to see a way to go around his miko, Hotohori nodded his acquiescence. As Miaka ran off towards the lake, he stood and stared pensively after her for quite some time.

Kourin swirled the wine glass in her hands, then slowly took a sip. It was taking Miaka an awfully long time to come back. She should have admitted defeat by now. Suddenly, her heart skipped a beat. With a sinking feeling in her gut, Kourin remembered hearing about vines that grew at the bottom of the lake and how easy it was to get tangled in them if you fell in. She began to shake. She'd meant to send Miaka away and worry Tamahome with her absence, maybe even for her to get a small dunking, but not anything worse than that. And with each passing moment that Miaka was gone, Kourin became more and more frightened. Perhaps she should go look...

She had risen to go do just that when Emi placed herself in her way, "My lady! You can not go out to the Lake. It is forbidden! Just because the Emperor granted you lenience the once does not mean he will be equally forgiving a second time. I beg you not to put yourself at further risk!"

Kourin wrung her hands together as she shifted her weight back and forth, "But Emi... She's been gone too long! She might be in real trouble out there. She's alone in the dark looking for a small earring that doesn't exist! It's a fool's errand! And no one even knows that she's out there but you and I!"

Suddenly the door to her room was thrown open and a low voice growled, "Is that true?"

She gasped at the figure of Tamahome standing in her doorway. He practically radiated protective fury. Well... at least one positive thing had come from this debacle. One of her plans was finally working. Unfortunately, in her impotent fear, she found that she didn't care one bit. Apparently, this plan had worked a little too well -- for she had caught her own self in its web, too. She hung her head as she whispered, "It is."

Tamahome cursed at her, "All she ever wanted was to be friends with you! Don't you understand that?"

The words were like a knife straight into her heart. She did understand it. She had understood it. She just had refused to see it. And now... now it might be too late. She grabbed Tamahome's hand and pinned his gaze with her own, "I did not deal with either of you honestly. For that, if you feel you need it, you have my apology. But that doesn't matter right now. You are free to move about the Court as you will. So go! Go to your Miko! She needs you!" With that last cry, she released him. He took off at a dead run... only to run straight into the person who had prompted all this frenzy.

Miaka looked adorably puzzled by the whole thing. She walked past Tamahome, dripping water all over Kourin's floor as she walked up to eye her bemusedly, "I didn't find your earring, Kourin-sama... but I found this rock." She held up a stone, polished to a smooth shine by the waters of the lake, glowing nearly indigo in the moonlight. The glow was, however, eclipsed by the one in the miko's eyes, "It's so beautiful, it reminded me of you. Would you like to have it?"

Kourin's jaw dropped open, then snapped closed and began to tremble. She heard Tamahome in the background scolding Miaka for trying to be nice when Kourin had been deceiving her all along. Kourin clutched the stone in her hand and fought off the threatening tears to speak, her voice rough with the suppressed emotion, "He's right, you know. I have been deceiving you. All this time, I've lied to you, I've treated you cruelly, I've deliberately tried to break down your spirit. How can you possibly still want to be my friend?"

Miaka frowned at the honest confusion in Kourin's voice, "Because... because I think you need one. Because I sense that there's something in you worth knowing, worth salvaging. Because I think you're a good person who's been through some bad experiences. Because I think everyone deserves a second chance." Her eyes rose to meet Kourin's, "Because I want to. Isn't that enough?"

And that was when the tears broke free from the bonds under which Kourin had placed them. Through her sobs, she only managed to choke out these words, "I don't deserve you."

Miaka just smiled and enfolded her in a gentle hug. And it felt as though she had finally, at long last, come home.

Last night, Hotohori had discovered -- too late to do anything about it -- that his miko was in danger. She was in danger in his own Palace, and he had not even known about it until after the fact. He had seen her walking to meet that danger and had not even thought to stop it. And so, he had tried to rectify that mistake, announcing that he intended to make her his Empress. He had then asked her to spend the night in his chambers, so that he could best ensure her continued safety. She had refused. Politely, to be sure, but she had refused all the same.

In light of their earlier discussion, the Emperor knew that he could not make that request an order, but he had been sorely tempted. No one ever refused him! And that the woman he loved had been the first... He was angry. He knew it was unreasonable, but he couldn't help it. He had been ready to override his own sense of honor and force her to stay when Kourin and Tamahome had intervened. The look of relief that Miaka threw their way as she scurried out of the room was painful to see. That he had been the one to inspire its need, was unthinkable. He could not continue on like this.

Apparently, Kourin had felt the same way. For the look she had given him... The pain he felt at the relief on Miaka's face was nothing compared to the... the... Oh, call it what it is! ...the fear he'd felt when he'd seen the anger on Lady Kourin's. He never thought that he would admit to such a thing -- fear of a woman. But the look in that Lady's eyes... He could now understand how there could be truth to the rumors that had spread about the woman on her first arrival. The fire in those eyes could have cowed a bandit. The fierce independence could have brought her to the palace alone. The boundless love and devotion beginning to shine there could have easily tamed an untamable horse. And the disappointment and betrayal... he could not hold that gaze for longer than a moment. So, taking the cowardly road, he had dismissed the other two seishi and spent the rest of the night trying to regain his shaken composure.

It had taken him most of the night, but he knew now what he had to do. So, here he was, outside the door to Lady Kourin's suite, ready to attempt to make peace. He had to, for all their sakes. For that Lady, when roused to anger, left destruction in her wake. He had seen it happen all to frequently -- it had almost happened again last night. He had to stop it from happening again, even if it meant making concessions that he might not otherwise have wanted to. Thus why he was here in person, as a fellow seishi, instead of demanding her presence in the audience chamber as the Emperor. But all of this knowledge was not helping him to knock on the door.

Fortunately, the Fates seemed to take pity on him and the door opened under his hand before he had a chance to convince himself to take this last step. Kourin's maid stood just inside the door and offered him a polite expression of curiosity, "Heika-sama?"

He cleared his throat and lifted his head, "I am here to see the Lady Kourin."

Emi frowned, "I am sorry, heika-sama... she is not here."

Well... that was an unexpected and unwelcome development. He sighed. He had not planned to spend the morning on hunting down a wayward Court Princess... "Do you have any notion where she might have gone?"

The girl blushed at the question and ducked her head, "Forgive me, heika-sama..."

Finally, Hotohori could stand it no longer. Was he truly so accursed poor at handling women? This one was terrified of him, the one he loved couldn't stand to be in his company alone and the one who reportedly loved him also hated him in equal measure. It was no wonder he had yet to chose a bride... He said, in as calm a tone as he could manage, "I am not angry with you. I am not angry with your mistress. I merely wish to speak with her on a matter of some importance. Any assistance you could offer would be appreciated."

There... she relaxed. Dropping a small curtsy she finally answered, "You see, Your Highness, when you said that she was relieved of her duties as a Court Princess, she interpreted that to meant that she now had freedom to move about the grounds..." Her voice lilted upwards as though asking for conformation. He gave it with a small, impatient nod and she continued, "The last I saw of her, she was heading towards the lake..."

Thanking the maid and hoping that the Lady wasn't about to get herself into similar trouble to his miko, Hotohori headed after her.

Kourin inhaled a deep breath as she stepped out into the field -- freedom! It was like a drug, like an oasis in the desert where she had lain too long without water. It was intoxicating and she couldn't get enough of it. At first, she had been all in a tizzy over what to do, but then realized... there was only one place that she truly wished to go.

She headed out across the field towards a structure on the other side. When she reached it, the sounds and smells of a hundred horses assaulted her senses. If she had thought that the sense of freedom itself was wonderful... how much more was this? She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply of the scent, completely subsumed in the pleasure of the moment.

She came back to herself rather abruptly, however, as a man walked up and laid a gentle hand on her arm, "My lady, you will have to forgive me, but I think perhaps you don't belong here...?"

She turned to look at the man, taking in the broad shouldered strength, the sleek black hair only beginning to grey at the temples, the ruddy tan complexion from hours spend in the sun, the warm, dark eyes... it didn't take a genius to recognize the Emperor's master of horse. She offered him a small bow, "Keiichi-san, my apologies for arriving without forewarning. But it has been given to me to understand that I now have freedom of the grounds and I realized that there could be only one place to which I could take that freedom on such a glorious day." She offered him a somewhat cheeky smile, "If I may be so presumptuous, that is."

He narrowed his eyes at her, then began to laugh, "You would be Lady Kourin, then." He held out his hand to take hers and kiss it, "It's a true honor to meet the lady who rode in on a horse that His Majesty couldn't tame."

Kourin blushed as he kissed her hand and tried to wave away the praise, "I have heard that the Emperor has a wonderful seat, but Osozaki was specially trained. She does not accept a new rider readily, or often even at all, without proper introduction."

His face assumed a sad expression, "I was sorry to see that she had been stolen. She was a good mare." When he looked up, he was surprised to see a mischievous smile on Kourin's face, "Then again, perhaps that is for the best...?" At Kourin's hastily muffled giggle, he tucked her hand under his arm and led her inside the stable, more than surprised by this interaction. In fact, it might be fair to say that he was stunned. He had heard terrible things about this young lady over the past year, but now he wondered if her awful behavior was merely the reaction of a free soul being fettered within solid walls. Understanding, without being asked, what had brought her out here, he swept his hand over the rows of horses, indicating that she should choose her mount. She smiled at him and began to walk up and down the main aisle.

Kourin walked up the main aisle of the stable, peering into each stall for a mount that was equal to her own. She found none. Oh, they were all gorgeous horses to be sure, but none of them had any spirit! Parade ponies, every one of them. She sighed, suddenly doubting the wisdom of having Genrou steal her horse. With this newfound sense of freedom, she'd have given anything to be able to share it with her little Hana. Suddenly, she heard a soft whinny from off to the left, and followed the small hallway down to a darker part of the barn -- the main aisle held the nobles horses, obviously. Maybe some of the servants' horses would be better suited to her purpose...

The short walkway brought her out into another aisle much like the first, but the horses here looked a bit scruffier. Her eyes were drawn to the stall in front of her and she gasped slightly. This beauty was magnificent! In looks alone, he'd have qualified for a spot on the main aisle, but something in his eyes... At first glance, she figured him for a stallion and bent to check -- she was right, this dark beauty was still whole. She walked up and softly blew across his nostrils. He snorted back at her, then uneasily accepted her soft caresses on his muzzle and cheeks. He was a dark chocolate brown color, but had a white blanket spread across his hindquarters, delicately dotted with lighter brown spots. She saw the stripes on his hooves and the spots on his muzzle and smiled, an Appaloosa Stallion. They were known for their vanity, strength, and free, fun-loving nature. And they were extremely rare in this part of the world.

As she had been acquainting herself with the stallion, she didn't notice the footsteps behind her. Keiichi spoke softly so as not to startle either the girl or the horse, "I see you've met Galaxy..."

Kourin kept caressing the stallion's muzzle, but she smiled, "He's beautiful. I've never met an Appaloosa before, and I'm surprised to find one so well-behaved." Galaxy snorted and tossed his head as if to deny the accusation of being well-behaved. Keiichi patted her shoulder as if she'd passed some test, "They are very rare in these parts. I'm surprised that you recognize one when you see one." When she turned to face him, he laughed, "Galaxy's my horse. I brought him with me from home when I became stable master. In fact, it was the Emperor's admiration of him that got me this post. So far, only myself and Saihitei have been able to ride him -- though I get the feeling that we only stay on because he decides to tolerate us."

That drew a laugh out of Kourin, "With a good horse, when is that not the case?" A sudden shyness seemed to overtake her as she asked the next question, "Do you mind if I...?" Her voice trailed off.

"Ride him?" he finished for her. Her heart sank as he walked away, then picked up when he came back holding a saddle and hackamore. He winked at her, "I prefer not to use a bit on him if I don't have to -- he has a very sensitive mouth. But if that doesn't faze you, then I don't see what the problem would be. With what I know of your own little mare, and what I've heard of your father's touch with horses... a touch I hear tell he imparted to you?" At her small nod, he finished, "With those credentials, you're the only other person in the Palace that I would trust enough to try." He stood and held out the tack for her, a curious smile on his face.

She took the tack and placed it over the railing of the stall, entering to slip a halter over Galaxy's head. Kourin lightly ran her hands over the stallion's body, examining every inch of him. Keiichi leaned over the stall door and handed her a set of brushes. She took them and made quick work of grooming the stallion, who leaned into each brushstroke. She laughed, a deep, rich velvety sound, and lightly pushed at his flank, spluttering, "Spoiled brat!" The stallion reached around and snorted in Kourin's hair to tell her what he thought of that. She smiled and patted his muzzle in reassurance.

Keiichi watched the two with a thoughtful expression on his face. Galaxy behaved this well in the stall for him, but he had known Keiichi all his life. He handed the tack over to Kourin and pondered some more. The only thing that remained to be seen was how she handled herself in the saddle. More and more, he was convinced that Kourin couldn't be as bad as they said, not if she loved horses as much as she appeared to. This carefree, happy girl before him was not the stuff of nightmares that the young lords made her out to be. He'd have to share his revelations with the Emperor. Finally finished tacking up, Kourin led Galaxy from his stall and out of the stable.

Keiichi suddenly had cause to wonder if Kourin had ever ridden astride before and kicked himself for not asking sooner. If might be possible to ride Galaxy in a lady-saddle, but he'd never had reason to find out. Kourin answered his unspoken question with a wink, then settled her left foot in the left stirrup and with one little jump, swung her right foot over the saddle. She bent down, quickly adjusting the stirrups to the right length and slipped her feet into them. Once she was settled, she looked down at Keiichi, wondering what she'd see in his eyes. He was smiling.

Galaxy, for his part, had arched his neck proudly, and was standing still as a statue. Kourin's cream-colored riding outfit stood out in sharp contrast against his dark coat. They looked good and he knew it. Keiichi laughed at his antics and gave them a small salute. Kourin returned it, her heart already pounding with excitement, and gave Galaxy a light kick, urging him forwards. He responded eagerly -- too eagerly, and gave a little buck. She smiled and gently reined him in. None of that was going to happen with her on his back! He snorted and pranced for a few steps, tossing his head angrily. Finally Kourin leaned closer and whispered soothing words into his quivering ears.

There was a pause, then Galaxy settled down, waiting for her command. She gave him another kick and off they went. She laughed and urged him on faster, until they were flying down the trail, Kourin bent low on his neck. Keiichi watched them go with a smile on his lips. He was definitely going to have to share this with Saihitei.

By the time they reached the woods, Kourin's hair had come unbound and was flying out behind her as they ran. She laughed, throwing her head back in sheer delight. They exited the woods like a cork from a bottle, shooting across the field without a care in the world. The courtiers outside were gasping in shock, but Kourin didn't care. She was free! Let them laugh. Their opinions no longer mattered. When she spotted the Emperor standing near the lake, an evil gleam came into her eyes -- it was too perfect. She gently turned Galaxy in a tight arc to head straight for Hotohori, counting on the fact that he would have the sense to duck. He did. Galaxy and Kourin soared over him, landing with a ringing laugh and whinny on the other side, as they took off into the field again.

The Emperor stood by the lake, quietly throwing pebbles into it. He'd been searching the grounds -- fruitlessly, he might add -- for the last 30 minutes. Perhaps that wasn't a long time, but it was long enough! He was an Emperor. He had responsibilities. He couldn't waste all his time searching his Palace to find a woman. He was ready to abandon the search and head back inside, when the thunder of hoof beats alerted him and he looked up. That was Galaxy, Keiichi's prized stallion! What was he doing out? He looked up at the rider, the cream colored riding habit streaming along in the wind and perfectly matching Galaxy's blanket marking. The unbound indigo hair streamed out behind them like a banner as the rider bent low over Galaxy's neck, an angry gleam in her brown eyes.

For a moment, the Emperor thought that Kourin had lost control over the Stallion. Was Keiichi crazy to put her on that beast? Then he remembered Osozaki. He looked up a second time -- the stallion and lady were almost upon him. He had no choice but to duck. He had to admit that Kourin had judged the timing perfectly. Galaxy soared over him, his hooves just missed grazing Hotohori's crown. They landed several feet beyond him, and if he didn't know better, he'd have sworn they were laughing at him. He slowly picked himself up off the ground and watched as the two galloped away, reveling in their freedom from the world. His face paled slightly, and he sent a swift prayer to Suzaku that he'd be able to control Kourin without the leash of the Court upon her, because from the looks of it -- Kourin was out for blood.

When Kourin brought Galaxy in, a good three hours later, they were both soaked with sweat, exhausted, and very happy. Galaxy nuzzled her possessively as she hooked him up to cross ties and untacked him. She rubbed him down with a warm cloth and warm water, carefully washing the sweat marks from his sleek coat. He whinnied and nuzzled her some more. She caressed his nose, murmuring silly praises and compliments in his ears. He loved every minute of it. She snapped a lead rope to his halter and led him outside to walk him cool, simply enjoying being outside. She'd nearly forgotten how much she loved the outdoors. She smiled, Imouto-chan and I would never be caught inside if we didn't have to be... The thought brought pain with it, but somehow, not the overwhelming grief that had always accompanied thoughts of her sister. It frightened her.

As if sensing her change in mood, Galaxy walked right up to her and nuzzled her shoulder, hard. He sent her sprawling into the lush grass, then proceeded to lean over and whuff at her face and hands until she laughed from his ticklish whiskers. She carefully got up and caressed his nose, then ran her hands lightly down his chest and legs. He was nowhere near as hot as he had been. She walked him around a few more times for good measure, then led him back into his stall, making sure everything was put away. She slipped the halter off his head, lightly kissing his nose. He whinnied after her, and she smiled, then headed off to take a bath.

Keiichi watched the whole thing from the other aisle, smiling lightly. He had seen that magnificent jump over the Emperor's head, and it had kept him laughing for a good ten minutes. This girl wasn't one to be trifled with, that was for sure. He went back to feeding the horses, whistling a cheery tune to himself.

Kourin smiled as she got dressed after her bath. Now that she was relaxed and refreshed, it was time to start examining the new set of problems she had been presented with. As a seishi, she was free to move about as she wished. That gave her much more freedom to accomplish things. And her first task... was Tamahome. She had seen Tamahome's face when Miaka had been "missing" last night -- he loved that girl as much as she loved him. He just didn't realize it, yet. And when they had found Miaka in the Emperor's chambers? Priceless. Even though she'd had to deal with her own anger at the situation, she had to admit that the Emperor couldn't have played the situation into her hands better if he'd been in on it from the start. She hummed to herself as she fastened the buttons on the overdress.

The Emperor had driven a wedge between the two starry-eyed children of the group. Tamahome had been none too happy last night. This gave Kourin the opening she needed to get herself into the boy's head and try to figure out what the problem was. She added one final touch to her hair, then swiftly left her room.

And so it was with a barely planned coincidence that she was on hand to see Tamahome brush past Miaka with barely a polite greeting, and Miaka's heartbroken reaction. Oh... that would never do. She was going to have to move faster than she'd intended. She launched herself past her stunned miko and latched onto Tamahome's arm, yelling, "Tama-chan!" and leaning her head onto his shoulder. Her miko was a blast furnace of betrayal just over her left shoulder and she ignored it as best she could. I'm so sorry... believe me, Miaka, I'm doing this for your benefit...

They walked, making polite conversation, towards the city. It had been so long... it was a surprise to her how little had changed. Most of the buildings were in similar states of disrepair eight years ago, the peasants similarly unwashed... It was hard to believe that she had once been one of them. She shuddered. When Tamahome looked questioningly at her, she smiled and glanced behind her looking for a distraction. She almost laughed as she found it. Miaka had followed them. She nodded back towards the other girl, "She actually thinks she's well disguised."

Tamahome told her to leave Miaka alone and she faked a pout. Protectiveness... protectiveness was good. Finally, they reached the main square, and Tamahome bounded up a set of steps and tried to auction of some of Miaka's belongings. When he failed to do so, Miaka revealed herself as Suzaku no Miko to validate his claims. This resulted in a near riot, and Kourin lost the younger pair in the milling people. She cursed quietly, then caught sight of them heading off towards another part of the city. She figured out where they were going and took the back way to meet up with them. It was imperative that they not end up wandering about alone -- it was too easy for tourists to get into trouble around here...

When she reached them, it was already too late. They had been surrounded by a group of tough looking young men and the pair had been separated. She put a hand to her mouth -- she recognized some of these people. They had been bad news even when she was younger. She smiled as she remembered bloodying a few of their noses when she had been only seven. She turned her attention back to the leader of the group. Was Tamahome auctioning Miaka off to these people? Her fists clenched as the anger rose up in her like a tide -- how dare he?? What kind of sorry excuse for a man was he? She was about to leap out and give those young men a good beating when she saw Miaka's eyes blaze and watched in shocked disbelief as she smashed her fist into the face of the one holding her captive. She hadn't expected a woman -- well, a woman other than herself, but she was admittedly a special case -- to beat up a city tough! It made her heart ache with pride. The ogre sign finally blazed into life on Tamahome's forehead and he joined in with their miko on finishing off the rest of the gang.

She silently cheered as he sent them running. She looked up suddenly when a rumble of thunder caught her ear. A big raindrop landed right on her nose and she hunched up miserably. Fancy court dresses weren't made for this weather. She watched the argument between Suzaku no Miko and her Seishi with growing trepidation. A little sneeze escaped her, and she covered it quickly. She need not have bothered -- neither of the other two heard a thing. She was beginning to think she should step in, however, when Miaka finally screamed out, "Because I love you!"

Kourin held her breath, praying for Tamahome to answer in kind... and knowing that he would not. It was too soon. He wasn't ready. Damn it! I knew I shouldn't have left them alone! He opened his mouth and let out the damning words, "I'm sorry. I don't feel the same way." Kourin watched in horror as Miaka's heart shattered. She could clearly see it happen through the girl's expressive eyes. Again, she could feel what Miaka felt -- pain, horror, utter shame. A tear slipped down her cheek, and she wondered at it, startled that she could feel so deeply for someone who she had hated naught but a week before.

A small thump and a startled yell brought her quickly back to the scene. Miaka had collapsed on the muddy ground -- she was out cold. Tamahome gathered her up and ran back towards the palace, Kourin hot on his heels.

Several hours later found them clustered at Miaka's bedside. The girl looked so... so fragile, lying unconscious in the bed like that. It was so easy to overlook how small, how delicate, she was when she was awake. Her personality made her seem larger than life, somehow. It was frightening to see her like this. Kourin found her heart swelling with sympathy for the girl. She glared at Tamahome as he passed off the responsibility for the whole mess on the street toughs they'd been fighting. He owned some of the responsibility for this, too, and she'd be damned if she let him snake out of it.

With the only hope for Miaka being to send her home to recover, plans were made to travel to Mt. Taikyouku -- a place she knew well from her schooling. She debated back and forth with herself about the merits of revealing that knowledge, but in the end, it wasn't necessary. The Emperor found all of the information that was needed in the pages of the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho. As the Emperor dismissed everyone to go prepare for the journey, he called out to Kourin to stay her leaving. She turned to meet his honest eyes and couldn't restrain the blush that overtook her as she met them. She'd almost forgotten about that incident with Galaxy. From the look in his eyes, he had not. He tapped his fingers against the desk, then gave her a slight smile, "I hope that you and Galaxy had fun this morning."

Kourin raised her head defiantly, in spite of her blush, "Yes, heika-sama, we did. He is a magnificent animal."

He smiled at her discomfiture, "We are all seishi, Nuriko. Please call me Hotohori-sama."

She nodded, feeling as though she'd been kicked in the gut. While on the surface, the words were a token of friendship, a gesture of closeness... she was a master of such gestures herself. By calling her "Nuriko", by calling attention to their joint seishi heritage, he had reminded her what else was meant when she had been "relieved of her duties as a Court Princess." It meant that, in his eyes, at least, she was no longer a woman -- no longer eligible to be Empress. He was willing to grow closer to her... as long as she was willing to accept that price. It was like a shot right through the heart.

When next he spoke, there was a note of awe in Hotohori's voice, but no compassion... no hint of his awareness of her in any way other than as a fellow seishi with skills he could use. He said, "I have never seen such a wonderful display of horsemanship. I didn't think anyone other than Keiichi could control Galaxy like that. How did you learn to ride that well?"

She looked back up at him, refusing to let him see how badly he'd hurt her with his words, "My otou-san raised horses. He had no sons, no natural-born children, so when I expressed an interest in his real babies, he decided to show me. With my seishi power, the strength needed to tame and train a horse was not a problem. I actually had quite a knack for it." Finally finding a reason to smile, she met his eyes dead on, her own twinkling, "I trained Osozaki, as a matter of fact."

He laughed, "Is that so?" At her nod, his eyes took on a sympathetic look, "I wish you had told me sooner. I would have arranged for you to leave the court to ride her."

Seeing such open compassion in his eyes was the last straw. She felt herself growing cold and did nothing to stop the note of derision that crept into her voice, "No, heika-sama. You would not have. I was only a woman, good for nothing more than to be an ornament to grace a man's harem and breed his children. It doesn't matter what you would have said. It would have been the same. The only way you could have changed it was to declare me Empress." At his slightly sickened look, she pressed on, her own heart threatening to tear asunder as she shredded the man she loved with words that she couldn't stop herself from speaking, "But you've made your position on that abundantly clear, haven't you? I love you with all my being and I would have made you extremely happy... but that isn't what you want. You have me stuffed into a new box now and you don't want to let me out of it long enough to realize that I might be the answer to your prayers." She drew herself up and folded her hands into her sleeves, "Very well, Hotohori-sama. I will be Nuriko for you. Nothing more. Not ever again." Then, stuffing her own anger and pain deep inside herself and pretending that she didn't see the hurt in his shocked eyes, Kourin turned on her heel and strode off down the corridor.

Kourin ran down the hallway, feeling as if her heart was tearing into a thousand pieces. It was too cruel -- to be told in one breath that she was admired and trusted and then in the next that no matter how loved she was, she was no different from a fellow man in the Emperor's eyes and that there would be no hope of a romance between them. It wasn't fair! Not watching where she was going, she all but crashed into Tamahome.

The boy had the audacity to be staring into Miaka's chamber, eyes depressed and downtrodden. The man had no right. Soul blazing with a fury that had, until now, had no outlet, Kourin grabbed the younger seishi away from his post and threw him up against the outer wall, "How dare you look so upset! It's your fault that she's like this in the first place!"

Tamahome stared at her in abject disbelief, "I... I had nothing to do with it!"

Kourin grabbed him by the front of his tunic and slammed him up against the wall a second time, "That's a lie and you know it! I was there, Tamahome. I saw you. You may not have planted this illness in her body, but you sure did plant the one in her spirit." She spun him to face the window again, "Look at her, Tamahome! She loves you. Really, truly loves you. And you trampled all over her feelings as though she were the dirt beneath your feet. How could you handle a woman's emotions that indelicately? What kind of a man are you?"

It occurred to Kourin as she continued to rant at the blue-haired seishi that her anger was just a touch misplaced. Certainly she was angry on Miaka's behalf... but the one she should have been ranting at was the Emperor. He deserved more of her anger than Tamahome did. Tamahome was just young and mostly ignorant, but the Emperor... he should have known better.

Finally, she threw Tamahome away from her in disgust and marched in the other direction. So angry was she and so eager to be away from those who were causing her pain she didn't even notice when she ended up off the palace grounds and back on the streets of the capital. The rain was still coming down in heavy sheets and she could barely see where she was going. Eventually, she slowed her mad rush, her heart finally quieted. She took in huge gulps of air to calm herself, then turned her head to take in her surroundings. She immediately wished she hadn't. She sank to the muddy ground, quivering, pale, and shaking. The cold seemed to sink all the way through to her bones as she looked around the intersection.

No... It was a last gasp of horror from a mind that couldn't handle one more strain that day. It was too cruel that instincts could work on a person to that extent. The one place in the capital that she would never forget, the one that she should never forget... the place that had torn her heart asunder the first time. She stared about, sure that she could still see her imouto's blood staining the street. She crawled on her hands and knees to the spot where she had last seen her imouto alive and collapsed, curled up and shaking. I can't do this anymore...

She didn't know how long she lay there, feeling the heat drain from her inch by inch. The night had settled into a deep, almost living darkness, the rain still pouring continuously down into the thirsty ground. She felt a hand on her shoulder, but couldn't bring herself to care enough to respond. A cool baritone voice penetrated her thoughts, "Ryuuen-chan? Is that you?" The voice was full of wonder, but the words made her shrink even farther away.

This she could respond to -- she had to. She batted feebly at the hands that seized her shoulders, mumbled, "That isn't my name... not my name... I'm Kourin! I'm Kourin..." The hands pulled her into a rough embrace and rubbed her back. She couldn't summon the strength to push the man away. Finally, she felt herself lifted into strong, muscular arms. She knew no more for quite some time.

When next she woke, it was to a mix of sensations. She was tucked into a warm bed, wearing a loose sleeping robe. The sun was pouring in through the window, promising a warm day to come. A cool cloth lay against her brow, and there were two weights settled on the bed with her, one to either side. The one on the left was the first to speak, "Come on, Ryuuen-chan, it's time to wake up now. You're safe."

The weight on the right -- the baritone from last night -- added his two cents as he drew the cool compress from her forehead, "Wake up, otouto-chan. You can't sleep forever."

That caught her attention. In her half-fevered state, she almost forgot who she was, and more importantly, who she was supposed to be. The word burst from her as she reached out a hand to that gentle, familiar voice, "Nii-chan??" She heard a choked sob and was soon pulled against a strong shoulder. The voice was rough with suppressed emotion when it answered, "Yes, Ryuuen. It's me. It's so good to see you... I've missed you -- more than you know."

Kourin felt the weight of the past eight years sink down on top of her. Combined with the strains of last night and the unexpected reminder of her imouto's death, it was too much. She crumpled against Rokou's shoulder and dissolved into tears. The other weight lifted off the bed. When it settled down again, a mug of hot soup was pushed into her hands. She raised her eyes to meet those of her Sensei. Somehow she wasn't surprised. She gave him a tentative smile as she sipped at the soup. Rokou slowly stroked her hair as she quieted, "Gods, Ryuuen. If I didn't know who you were, I'd think you were a girl!"

Kourin blushed, for the first time in a long time feeling like the young girl that she was, "That's sort of the idea, nii-chan." Her voice caught on the last word and she lowered the cup.

Sensei growled at her, "For the gods' sake, Ryuuen, drink it!" Years of learning to obey that voice forced the cup back to her lips. She drank it down and soon felt quite a bit better as warmth returned to her extremities. She turned to Rokou, still unsure of him. She hadn't seen him in eight years, no longer knew him well enough to predict what he might do. It made her nervous. He continued to stroke her hair.

Finally, he spoke, "'Kaasan hasn't been the same since you left, Ryuuen. Losing Kourin was hard on all of us, but to lose you in the same week nearly tore the family apart. 'Tousan and 'Kaasan blamed themselves for driving you away. I was like the invisible child around the house. I think they were afraid to acknowledge me... afraid that I would disappear, too. 'Tousan didn't even have the heart to keep up his business. It's a good thing I have a knack for tailoring. I took over the shop as soon as I was able. I've been running it for about six years now."

Kourin lowered her gaze. She knew why Rokou was telling her these things, knew that she should feel some measure of guilt for leaving him behind -- as always -- to pick up the pieces. But she had long ago accepted that by traveling this path in life, there were some things for which she might never be forgiven. Abandoning her family in their hour of greatest need had only been the first such of many. She answer him quietly, "I'm sorry, nii-chan. I never meant to hurt you."

Rokou patted Kourin's back. He seemed as uncomfortable with the situation they were in as she was, "It's all right, otouto-chan. Really, I'm just glad to know that you're okay." He cleared his throat and glanced around the room as though looking for a less volatile subject. Finally he settled on, "So where have you been hiding all these years?"

Kourin smiled a soft smile at her brother's awkwardness and started to tell her tale, "When I left the capital, I confess I was not really paying attention to where I went. I just knew that I wanted to leave. I think I must have walked for several months, just aimlessly wandering from village to village. I had stopped in a small town one day, trying to barter my skills for some food, when a servant came running down the mountain, screaming that the local lord had been caught in a rock-slide. Since I knew that I could help him, I went along with the rescue party." She gave her sensei a smile, and he nodded in approval. "Anyway, I saved him, and he and his wife were so grateful that they took me in as their daughter."

Rokou's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline, but he didn't say anything. "He raises horses and, in spite of my gender, he taught me everything he knew. He even gave me a little bay mare of my own. Her name is Osozaki." A smile crossed her lips as she remembered all the trouble that little mare had caused. "Eventually, a messenger came from court, announcing that the new Emperor was gathering all the young women so he could choose a bride. My parents insisted that I go, so I did. I'd been living there for a year when Suzaku no Miko showed up. I have been relieved of my duties as a Court Princess to devout myself to my responsibilities as her seishi."

Her sensei merely smiled and patted her knee, "As you were meant to."

Kourin nodded, "Yes, sensei. I know that now... I know that well." She then sighed, "Speaking of which... we had plans to leave on a journey this morning. I can only imagine what sort of disarray I have thrown things into by not being there." With a pointed look at her own state of undress, she eyed her sensei and her brother, "But I can't return to the palace dressed like this..."

With an embarrassed look, Sensei frowned, "Your... dress was rather soiled from the rain and mud. I sent it to be cleaned, but it won't be ready for another day." When he saw the frustration start to gather in his student's eyes, he amended, "But my wife has some old clothes that might fit you. They aren't court garb, but they're good for traveling."

Kourin gave him a grateful smile, then turned to her brother. Rokou was trying to hold back tears as he pulled Kourin to his chest, "I wish you could stay. I'd like to get to know you again. There is so much I missed out on by you not being here."

Kourin felt a lump rise in her throat. Since their imouto had been born, they had pretty much ignored their older brother. For the first time in seventeen years, Kourin thought about how that must have made Rokou feel. She pulled Rokou more tightly to her and this time patted his back, "I'm sorry, nii-chan. I have to go, I have no choice. I am a Suzaku Seishi. Nuriko. Remember? You were the first one who told me." Rokou nodded and Kourin continued, "When this mission is over and Konan is safe from Kutou and Seiryuu, I will come back. This I swear to you on my honor as a seishi."

Rokou frowned, "But those are serious enemies! What if you don't--" His voice choked off abruptly, then he quietly continued, "I couldn't bare to lose you, too."

Kourin pulled back to look into her brother's eyes and said, with all the certainty that she could muster, "I won't die, nii-chan. I've lived this long... I'm too stubborn to quit, now. I will come back to you."

At that moment sensei walked in with the clothing and held it out to Kourin, who smiled and nodded her thank you. He smiled in return, then pulled Rokou out of the room, "You don't stand and stare at a lady when she's dressing."

This pulled a surprised chuckle out of Kourin and she dressed with a much lighter heart. The outfit was a little big on her, but for traveling, that wouldn't matter much. She walked out into the main room to discover her brother already gone. Sensei shrugged, then enveloped her in a hug, "You just make sure you keep that promise, Ryuuen. I expect to see you back here bothering me very soon! Keep in touch, this time." She nodded and quietly left on her way back to the palace. She had a journey to make.