Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Bridge Over the Abyss ❯ Converging paths ( Chapter 8 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: The characters from Doctor Who are the property of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The characters from Fushigi Yuugi are the creations and property of Yuu Watase and related enterprises. I do not own them and do not make any profit from this fiction except for my own enjoyment in spending time with them.

However, all original characters in this story, as well as the plotline, DO belong to me and may not be used elsewhere without my permission.

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Chapter 8. Converging Paths

Five figures stared in awe at the magnificence of the Imperial Palace in Eiyou, its curved golden rooftops towering over the surrounding city. They could see only portions of the upper level architecture, due to most of the palace and its associated buildings being hidden behind high walls and exquisitely pruned trees. Plain white banners hung on the support pillars of every edifice, while swathes of white cloth draped across the iron gates. The lack of color was echoed in the uniforms of the Imperial guards: white tunics over somber grey uniforms.

The young woman clad in strange foreign clothes leaned nearer to a slender woman clad in the robes of a village priestess, murmuring, "Somehow I expected the place to be decorated in Suzaku red."

"Under normal conditions, you would be correct, Joss-san. But the Palace is in mourning for the Dowager Empress, and white is our color for sorrow."

Joss frowned in consternation. "We're arriving at the wrong time, damn it! I hate to intrude on the Emperor in his time of grief, but I don't know if I can wait until the mourning period is over!"

Ruiko-sama smiled at her new friend. "I very much doubt that you can wait, Joss-san, since the mourning period is twenty-seven months, and the Dowager Empress died just ten months ago."

Joss whistled in surprise, drawing admiring stares from their three teenaged escorts. "Whoa, that's some heavy-duty mourning! On the bright side, I would suppose that the Emperor will probably no longer be prostrate with grief."

"That would also be my supposition, but one never knows. When I spoke to some shopkeepers in the marketplace, they told me of the tragic story of the Dowager Empress. It seems that she and her son were very close, and she spent nearly all of the years of his life trying to secure his future as Emperor. Her efforts paid off, and Saihitei was crowned Emperor at last--but the Dowager Empress had only a few months in which to enjoy the fruits of her long struggle before she suddenly took ill and died. An unexpected tragedy for the Imperial household, since she was a relatively young woman."

The three teens--Sachiko, Makoto, and Yoshio--listened with wide eyes and wide-open ears to the fascinating history of the exalted rulers of their country. They had been nearly beside themselves with joy throughout the entire three-day journey, and now were finally exposed to the stunning sight of a crowded city and a bustling marketplace. They were also filled with a sense of self-importance at their mission. Even as they gaped at the pyramids of produce, cages of poultry, and barrels of live shellfish, they made sure to whisper to each stallkeeper, pointing at Joss and explaining their own pivotal role in finding the Girl Who Would Save Konan. Joss was blissfully unaware of the eyes that subsequently followed her, and the current of interest stirred by her passing.

The Girl Who Would Save Konan stood at the Palace gates, frowning and tapping her chin. "I'm not sure what we should do next, Ruiko-sama. In my world, marching up to the front gates of the ruler's home and saying, 'Excuse me, but I have something of importance to tell the President!' will earn you a swift trip to the local prison…"

The words were barely out of her mouth when a small shadow strode swiftly past her, straight up to the two guards at the gate. "Excuse me, but please tell the Emperor that we need to see him immediately!" announced Sachiko in her best patrician tones.

Joss groaned and put her hand up to her forehead.

"Oh, so you would like to speak to the Emperor, Mistress Ragamuffin!" retorted one of the guards, amused. "Would you like us to have him walk down here in person, or would you prefer that he send his golden palanquin to carry you up to the Palace?"

Sachiko frowned in indecision for a moment before making up her mind, "The golden palanquin, I think. It would not be polite to expect the Emperor to make a long walk on behalf of people he has not yet met."

The guards roared with laughter, and Ruiko hurried up to draw Sachiko away. But it was too late; the fiery young girl realized that the guards were mocking her, and she flushed in rage.

"You are fools to laugh at the escort of the Girl of Prophecy!" she shouted. "You had best enjoy your laughter now, for you will soon find yourselves without heads for your impertinence! The Emperor will see to it that you are punished for driving away the Girl of Legend!"

Stallkeepers and passersby stopped to listen to the tirade being directed at the Imperial Guard. One of the guards frowned at the girl's threats. "Run back to your village, little bitch, and play with your dolls! We have better things to do than listen to your ignorant ravings!"

At that, the normally quiet Makoto leaped forward. "Teme!" he hissed. "You will take that back, you bastard!"

The situation continued to escalate. One of the guards moved towards the young man, intending to cuff him, but Joss jumped up and pushed Makoto out of the way of the man's fist. She ducked under his fist, letting his momentum carry him forward, then hooked one foot around his while dropping her center in her best kung-fu move.

The guard crashed to the ground, while Joss swiftly grabbed his sword and held it steadily at his throat. "Now let's all try to calm down here and act like civilized human beings, all right?" she pleaded. But the other guard turned and ran a short way back toward the palace, shouting for back-up.

"Shit!" muttered Joss, still covering the first guard.

Sachiko, however, broke away from Ruiko's grip and began shouting at the crowd that was gathering around the troublemakers. "Do you see, people of Eiyou? Here we have brought the Girl with Miraculous Fighting Skills From Another World, to present her to the Emperor--and these ignorant guards dare to attack her! Even as Kutou threatens your homes and businesses, the Imperial Guard will not allow your savior to meet the Emperor!"

"She's right!" shouted a portly butcher. "I'm stuck paying exorbitant prices for hogs, because Kutou soldiers ransacked the pig farms who sell to me--and the Emperor won't even hear what this strange girl has to say!"

Other voices rose up in angry complaints over the hardships imposed by the aggressive acts of the Kutou empire.

"Oh, for the love of Mike!" cursed Joss. "Here!" she grabbed Yoshio and handed him the sword, showing him how to hold it at the guard's throat. "Try not to move it around, okay?"

Yoshio was pale and shaking--as was the guard, nervously watching the vibrating tip of his weapon as it hovered above him.

"Listen, folks!" Joss tried to get the attention of the discontented crowd. However, at that moment the back-up guard arrived, bristling with weapons and armor--and the riot was touched off.

Shopkeepers and passersby waved clubs, knives, and even produce, alternately demanding that the guard back off or come forward and escort the Girl of Prophecy to the emperor. The Imperial Guard stood confused, pointing their weapons at the milling crowd but unwilling to use them on the worthy citizens of Eiyou.

The Captain of the Guard galloped up on his white horse and took in the situation at a glance. "Hold your fire!" he shouted at the bowmen. He turned to the frontline guard at the gates. "Cross your spears and let no one enter, but do not attack anyone! Hold your shields up if they begin throwing things--but you may not attack except under my personal order!"

He maneuvered his horse to the gate and shouted for silence. There was a brief lull in the crowd's angry protests that allowed him to be heard. "Let me see this Girl of Legend!" he demanded.

Several hands shoved Joss forward so that she stumbled into his line of vision. He took in her strange clothes, odd hair and defiant stance. "Very well! I will take her up to meet with the Emperor immediately!"

"Wait," cautioned Sachiko shrewdly. "Why should we trust you? How do we know that you're not just going to throw her into prison--or worse!"

The crowd started muttering angrily again. "Yes, why should we believe him?!"

The Captain sighed. "I cannot allow all of you in here. What proof do you demand?"

"The Emperor!" shouted the irrepressible Sachiko. "We demand to hear from the Emperor himself!"

The crowd took up her cry, shouting for the Emperor to make an appearance. The Captain frowned in aggravation, but he knew that he must appease the crowd or face disastrous consequences. "Very well! I will take your request to the Emperor, but in return, I demand your patience and your respect of the sanctity of the Palace grounds. You will stand and wait here quietly--or feel the arrows of the Imperial guard!"

The crowd murmured in excitement and apprehension as they watched the Captain ride off towards the Palace.

"So much for delicacy and diplomacy," sighed Joss, as she and Ruiko frowned at their young rabble-rousing friend.

Sachiko smirked unrepentantly. "Well, we got what we wanted, didn't we? We're going to see the Emperor!"

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Seishuku Saihitei, Fourth Emperor of Konan in the Seishuku Dynasty, sat at the head of the council table with his fingers steepled together, his perfect brow furrowed in apparent deep thought. The Minister of Commerce droned on about bushels of rice produced last year, projections for the coming year, and the expected profits and shortfalls for the next five years. The young emperor appeared absorbed in the minutiae of his country's commercial interests--but in truth, his thoughts were miles away. He mentally reviewed the entire sixty-four count kata for his sword practice; decided on the menus for his breakfasts for the next two weeks; pondered the possibility of slipping away from his personal guards in the garden long enough to climb a tree and peek out at the city…and still the insufferable man droned on! Dear Gods, would he never shut up?! Saihitei drew a deep, silent breath, bringing his temper back under control by calculating the number of bean cakes he could stuff into the Minister's over-wide mouth to choke off his interminably boring speech.

Just as he was picturing himself disposing of the entire council in one bloody yet artistic burst of consummate swordplay, the doors to the council chamber burst open, and the Captain of the Guard strode in.

Saihitei could have kissed the man in gratitude, but instead merely looked up and said mildly, "May I help you, Captain?"

The Captain made a crisp military bow. "A thousand pardons, Heika, but I must inform you that we have a riot occurring at the Palace gates--and the crowd is demanding to speak with you in person!"

The ministers and advisors grumbled in outrage. "How dare they make demands on the Emperor? How dare they riot at the gates?"

Saihitei firmly repressed the urge to get up from his chair and dance for joy. At last! Excitement, danger, intrigue--and he might even get to go down to the gates and get a good look at the outside world! However, as Emperor, he was expected to behave with circumspection, so he controlled his voice as he inquired about the cause of the riot.

"It seems that a foreign woman is with them, and the crowd believes her to be the Girl of Legend. They became incensed when the guards at the gate turned her away."

Saihitei's heart leapt up, knocking almost painfully against his chest. Could this be true? Could the Priestess of Suzaku be here at last? Gods, he had waited so long to be released from his tedious existence! Now he could embark on the exciting quest to assemble the seven celestial warriors of Suzaku--and perhaps…perhaps he would never have to be lonely again.

"This is ridiculous!" cried the Minister of Defense. "Fire upon the rioters immediately, Captain!" He suddenly quailed under the fierce glare from the dark golden eyes of his emperor. Saihitei brought his temper back under control with an effort.

"My soldiers shall never be allowed to fire upon my own people." Saihitei's tone was deceptively mild. "Surely you must know that, Minister." The Minister of Defense gulped and nodded. "Please have my palanquin brought around immediately. I am going down to the gates--to fetch the Girl of Legend."

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Joss paced nervously before the gates of the Imperial Palace, trying to think of the proper form of apology to offer to a head of state for inciting a riot in front of his home. The quiet murmurs of the rioters suddenly rose in pitch and volume, and a current of excitement passed through the crowd. Joss looked up to see an ornate golden palanquin approaching at a stately pace, surrounded by heavily armed guards who glared suspiciously at the rabble outside the gates. The palanquin was lowered gently to the ground, the curtains parted, and a tall, slender figure stepped gracefully into view.

The figure was clad in an exquisitely tailored outfit of white silk, with white fur lining the collar and cuffs--but the outfit faded into insignificance next to the breathtaking beauty of the person wearing it. At first, Josselin thought it must be one of the young princesses, the long chestnut hair tinted with gold falling past her waist, caught in a loose ponytail. But she soon realized that the outfit was a man's, as were the broadening shoulders on the youth. His eyes were dark gold, almond-shaped and as thickly lashed as a girl's, but his mouth was firm and his chin strong. He looked to be about fourteen years old, but he had none of the usual awkwardness of adolescence, moving easily and gracefully in his still-growing body.

Joss realized that she was gaping at the youth in a particularly stupid manner, so she closed her mouth and cleared her throat, determined to be polite to this young prince. Before she could speak, however, the people around her dropped down into low crouching bows, placing their foreheads on the ground.

Ruiko grasped Joss' arm. "Bow to the Emperor, Joss-san!" she whispered urgently.

The young woman choked. This youth, this child—he was the Emperor? Oh, dear Suzaku, how could she expect a mere child to help her? She might as well have stuck with Sachiko and company, and saved herself a trip! Her disappointment flashed briefly through her eyes before she had the wits to hide her expression in a deep bow.

Saihitei frowned at the woman bowing before the gates. Was that disappointment in her face when she looked at him? He bristled slightly; he was unused to seeing anything other than abject admiration in the eyes of his subjects. However, his sense of humor won out, and he found himself amused at her thoughtless nonverbal insult. Although he was still a boy, Saihitei was intelligent enough to recognize his own vanity and witty enough to laugh at himself at times.

"Rise, please," he commanded his subjects in his velvet voice, pleasingly pitched in the middle range of youth.

The people shuffled to their feet, eyes downcast in confusion. They had not really expected the Emperor himself to answer their demands, and now they were embarrassed to have imposed upon him while he still wore mourning clothes for hi w s mother.

But their Emperor did not seem angry with them. "So…" he paused expectantly, glancing hopefully at the furiously blushing countenance of Sachiko. "Where is the Girl of Legend who wishes to speak with me?"

To his shock, the woman with the short hair who had looked at him so critically stepped forward. Dear Suzaku, was this her? This…this…this woman ho looked to be in her mid-twenties, nearly past marriageable age? This was no Girl of Legend—she was more like the Middle-Aged Spinster of Legend! Surely Suzaku could not be so cruel!

Saihitei fought to keep from choking out loud in dismay…and found himself looking into laughing brown eyes.

Joss was highly amused to find the Emperor as disappointed in her appearance as she had been in his. "Yeah," she murmured reassuringly. "A little long-in-the-tooth for the Girl of Prophecy--but I am telling the truth when I say that I'm from another world."

Saihitei was startled to find himself addressed as an equal but decided that he liked it. It was a refreshing change from the usual bowing and scraping of his everyday contacts. He was also perceptive enough to note her unusual clothes and hair and the honest expression on her face. No, she was not what he had expected, but she might be just the person he needed to alleviate his endless boredom, anyway.

"My Lady," he murmured politely, "may I invite you into my home?" He could tell that she was charmed by his exquisite manners.

"I would be honored," she replied, equally polite. "But may I beg your hospitality for my friends as well as myself?"

He looked in surprise at the people who bowed deeply to him again: the peasant girl he had first mistaken for the Girl of Legend, two slightly older peasant boys, and an elegant woman clad in the robes of a village miko.

"I consider your friends to be my honored guests," Saihitei replied in all honesty, then turned towards his palanquin to hide his expression of glee. Oh, this was going to be fun…and he couldn't remember the last time he felt this way!

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Meanwhile, two dusty travelers paused on the road to the Imperial City, dropping down into the shade of a willow tree on the banks of a small creek.

The Doctor sighed wearily. "I don't think I've ever spent so much time on horseback before. I believe that my saddle sores have saddle sores! I should have thought to ask Taiitsukun to borrow the use of the flying carpet for a few extra days."

Houjun laughed easily. Unlike the Doctor, he actively enjoyed the means of traveling; for him, wandering through the countryside was like a dream come true. In spite of the tragedies that haunted him, he remembered that his idea of heaven was the path he now trod: being an itinerant wanderer on an undefined quest, sharing the company of a close friend.

"I hate to disillusion you, Doctor, but it's unlikely that Taiitsukun would have fulfilled any more of your requests after your blatant provocation. Unless she gave you the flying carpet where you didn't particularly want it!"

The Doctor laughed merrily, enjoying his companion's high spirits. It was about time that young Houjun enjoyed life for a while. He glanced at the young man's face, still slightly startled to see two mahogany eyes shining happily from his unmarred visage. It was obvious that Houjun had no idea of how beautiful he was…yet the Doctor preferred his true, unmasked features. The scarred visage showed a great deal more strength and character than this innocent, unmarked face. However, he was hardly one to judge, being unable to choose his own face from life-to-life. This most recent version provoked positive responses from both men and women for some unknown reason, yet was no more an indicator of the complexity of his inner self than Houjun's mask.

But now it was time that he took a few steps to ensure that their mission fell in with Suzaku's plan…and this meant altering Houjun's appearance yet again, just enough so that he would not have any distinctive, memorable features. The Doctor gazed at the fine silvery-blue hair and sighed. Yes, it was beautiful—and far too noticeable.

"Houjun?" he inquired gently, receiving a brilliant smile in reply. "We need to change your appearance a bit more, so that Magus will not be able to find you by spoken description. Do you by any chance have the ability to alter the color of your hair?"

The young magician looked startled. "Yes, I think that it would be a fairly easy spell, being that the change is less than skin-deep. It's the deeper changes that are harder to maintain." He self-consciously touched his hand to the left side of his mask.

The Doctor frowned in irritation. Damn this necessity of always having to remind the boy of his scars! Would that he could have at least some time for happiness without being forced to face the pain of his past—but that was not the path laid out for him by his god. The life of a celestial warrior was never easy; that's what this entire mission was about, after all. Furthermore, as far as the Doctor could tell, Suzaku was more compassionate than the other seikun—but he still intended to have a word with the phoenix-god when this whole thing was over.

The Doctor was surprised by the strength of his feelings for Houjun. He had recently tried to keep a certain distance between himself and his companions, especially after the near disaster that was his relationship with Ace. It had worked out all right in the end…but he had hurt her badly, and he never wanted to do that to another fragile young human again. However, he was no longer that same manipulative personality that he had been in his seventh incarnation, was he? Was he?

"Doctor?" Houjun's voice was filled with concern at the bleakness of the Doctor's expression. "Is the danger from Magus so close? Is that what you're worried about?"

"No, no, no…" The Doctor pulled himself back to the present, reassuming his usual cheerful persona. "I'm just being my over-cautious self. So which way should we go? Dark--or light?"

Houjun murmured a brief spell, and suddenly the silvery-blue locks turned bright gold.

The Doctor stared in admiration but realized that the light hair was not distinctive enough from Houjun's usual pale color. "Let's try dark, shall we?"

Another spell, and suddenly the golden locks turned a rich dark brown, the bangs trailing dramatically over Houjun's mystical face. The change was startling, Houjun's hair drawing attention away from his mahogany eyes and hardening his jawline, making him appear somewhat older.

"Perfect!" cheered the Doctor. "Just a little change, but with significant effect. How do you feel about it, Houjun?"

The young magician shrugged nonchalantly. "As often as I change my face, this is hardly startling to me, Doctor. After all, it's only hair."

The Doctor laughed. "Spoken like a true man! I can't tell you how many times I have been raked over the coals by my female companions for making the same comment!" He stretched, then looked at the position of the sun in the sky.

Sighing disconsolately, he pushed himself to his feet. "Well, if we want to reach Eiyou in the next two or three days, we had better get back in the saddle again." He groaned at the terminology. "Oh, my aching back…side." He was seized by a sudden inspiration. "My young magical friend, have you ever thought about conjuring up anything like a cushioned saddle?"

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Saihitei smiled in contentment as he sat listening to his advisors in the throne room. It had been perhaps the most enjoyable three days of his young life. The palace was filled with the exuberant shouts of his new young friends, making him realize how much he missed the sound of children playing. His own younger half-brother and sisters had long been "relocated" to the "more suitable" palace in the far South of Konan by his mother's command--and he just now realized how much he had missed the sound of their childish laughter echoing through the stately corridors. Of course, his mother had never allowed him to join in their play—she kept a firm distance between him and "those brats who would take his place"—but he had sometimes sneaked envious peeks at their games and let himself daydream that one day, he would join in…

But now his mother was gone, and however much he grieved for her in private, he couldn't help being secretly glad that she wasn't there to put a stop to his current adventure. No, the Dowager Empress was probably spinning in her stately tomb at the thought of peasants running amok through the elegant halls of her home—but let her spin! He was having the time of his life!

He enjoyed speaking with the surprisingly cultured Lady Ruiko, unconsciously accepting her kind motherliness as balm to his grieving heart. As for the Lady Joss - she might be older, but she was at times even wilder than the young teens! She regaled him with amusing anecdotes of her world and treated him with the warm familiarity of an older sister.

The only disappointment was her insistence that she was not the Priestess of Suzaku, a claim borne out by the High Priest in the temple of Suzaku. Soon after her arrival, the priest had posed the question of her identity to the Oracle with many prayers and the burning of much sacred incense--only to receive a blistering scolding from Taiitsukun, shouting that No, the Priestess of Suzaku was not currently wandering through their world and would he kindly refrain from annoying her with stupid questions again! The High Priest had been forced to take to his bed for the next twenty-four hours after that traumatic encounter.

Lady Joss had soothed the emperor's disappointment with the cheerful assurance that although it was not yet time for him to take off on the quest to find the seven celestial warriors, it did give him something to look forward to in the future. They had just begun planning how to find her missing friends when he had been forced to attend to his Imperial duties. But this time, he didn't chafe at his duties, knowing that he now had something to look forward to when his official day drew to an end.

These pleasant musings were interrupted when one of the richly dressed advisors rushed into the throne room bearing a tiny scroll. "Heika! We have just received a message by falcon from the Kutou emperor! He requests that since the foreign woman is not the Priestess of Suzaku, that she be sent to the Imperial Court in Kutou so that he may speak with her!"

"Damn!" the young emperor cursed. "Hell and damnation, may his corrupt soul burn in the depths of the seven hells for all eternity!"

"Heika!" Lord Ashida, his most trusted advisor, leaned over and rebuked the boy quietly. "You must not give way to public displays of frustration and open insults to the Kutou Emperor."

"I know, Ashida-sama, but it is the most damnable thing that he should know my every move almost before I make it! The palace must be infiltrated with Kutou spies from top to bottom, and I am sick of having to conduct affairs of state under these conditions!"

One of his mother's old advisors stepped forward, his predatory eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Heika, if you would permit me, I would be very pleased to eradicate all of the servants and replace them with my own carefully screened people."

"No, thank you, Kato-sama." Saihitei repressed a shudder of revulsion. He had a fair idea of what Lord Kato meant by "eradicate" and if the innocent were to be executed along with the guilty--well, that was just a regrettable but necessary side-effect. The youth remembered the often ruthless practices of his mother, the Dowager Empress, and although her stratagems had brought him safely to the throne, he couldn't bring himself to adopt her ways. However, one of her oft-repeated adages echoed in his mind as he regarded the twisted sneer on Lord Kato's lips. "Trust no one," she had repeated to him time and again…and he certainly did not intend to trust Kato nor permit him to fill his palace staff with "his own people."

Saihitei sighed and adopted the gentle, humble demeanor that served to trick many opponents into underestimating him. "My apologies, Lord Kato; I do not mean to denigrate your ideas. It was my fault for speaking out of turn. After all, the palace is not the only source of news about Joss-sama. If I have heard correctly, nearly the entire city is gossiping about the Girl from Another World."

"Quite true," interjected Lord Ashida, smoothly covering for his charge's outburst. "Joss-sama did not exactly arrive quietly, and her young escorts have been trumpeting their triumph at having located the Girl of Prophecy to all who will listen to their tale of valor!" The senior advisor's eyes crinkled up in amusement.

Kato was not as amused. "Those unmitigated peasant brats!" he hissed. "I know how to silence them!"

"You will recall, Kato-sama, that those `brats' as you call them, are my honored guests." The voice remained velvety, but Kato swallowed hard at the steel revealed beneath the soft tones.

"Y-yes, Heika! My apologies, Heika." Kato bowed deeply, finally cognizant of how much the son could resemble the mother.

"It is no matter." The boy-emperor waved an elegant hand in dismissal. "You may leave now, Lord Kato."

The councilor bowed once more, then quickly strode out of the throne room, trying not to break into a run. The emperor nodded at the rest of the advisors, and they, too, took their leave. Finally, only Lord Ashida remained in the throne room.

Lord Ashida grinned at the youth. "Very well done, Heika; very smoothly done, if I may be so bold as to commend you."

The boy sighed. "Thank you, Ashida-sama. Unfortunately, I let my control slip upon hearing the message from Kutou. I find it difficult to deal with our neighboring country when the head of state is such a slimy, lecherous beast." The young emperor's eyes darkened in memory. "I will not soon forget our Imperial diplomatic mission last year. Not only was he disrespectful of my position as a fellow head-of-state, refusing to deal with any of our diplomatic requests, but the way he let his eyes wander over me! I have no doubt that were I a peasant boy or even just a lesser noble, there would be no part of my person left inviolate!"

Lord Ashida shook his head. It was unfortunate that Saihitei should have to be so worldly-wise at such a young age, but his youth was disadvantage enough. Add naivete to that youth, and Ashida would soon find himself serving a new emperor, if he were left alive to serve anyone at all. He cleared his throat. "Yes, Heika, your reaction is understandable, if not strategically advisable. But as you can see, we are in a difficult situation. Now that it is known that Lady Joss is not the Priestess of Suzaku, our refusal to hand her over to Kutou to determine if she is the Priestess of Seiryuu would be a diplomatic insult of the highest order."

Saihitei's dark golden eyes blazed. "Then let them be insulted! I will not hand her over to that beast for his perverse pleasures! If he means to declare war on us for this, then so be it!"

The old councillor sighed deeply. "Heika, it is no small thing to go to war. Kutou's army is powerful and ruthless, and most of our people would die under their relentless swords."

"So what do you suggest that I do? Hand that poor woman over to them to do with as they will? You do not know me at all if you think that I will ever agree to that, Lord Ashida!"

"No, Heika, that is not what I am advising you to do. In fact, I must admit to a feeling of pride in your refusal to yield her up to Kutou. There is a solution to our problems—but it is not an easy solution, for you or for Lady Josselin."

The young emperor leaned forward eagerly. "So there is a way to save both my people and Lady Joss? Tell me! No sacrifice is too great if I can save them both."

Lord Ashida took a deep breath. "You must marry the Lady Josselin. If she becomes your senior wife, you are well within your rights to refuse to send her to Kutou."

All the color drained out of the boy's face. "Marry her?!" he squeaked, his adolescent voice cracking up into its high registers. "I thought…it's too soon for me to choose an empress; you said so yourself!"

"No, she would not become Empress. Although Joss-sama is a fine lady from another world, she does not have the noble lineage that the future Empress is required to possess. But it is not uncommon for royalty to choose a, shall we say, older wife to supervise the household and the younger concubines until the Empress arrives to take over that role."

Saihitei looked up hopefully. "So it would be a marriage in name only?"

The councilor sighed again. "I'm afraid that Kutou is unlikely to accept such a marriage. They will require sworn statements by official witnesses that you have…ah…taken her virginity."

The boy emperor looked as if he were about to become very ill.

His trusted advisor frowned in concern. "But, Heika, I thought that you liked the Lady Joss."

A trembling voice. "I do--as a friend! But as a wife? She's so…old…and not very…beautiful." The boy flushed at the cruel honesty of his remarks.

"Ah, but Heika, you need only, er, spend the night with her…once. Then Kutou's honor will be satisfied, and Konan and Lady Joss will both remain safe for the time being." The councilor dropped his voice. "And we can see to it that the royal bedchamber is kept very dark."

Saihitei straightened on his throne. "Very well. I had stated that I was willing to make any sacrifice, and I will not flinch away from my responsibilities now. I assume that the arrangements for the wedding must be made as soon as possible?"

Ashida-sama nodded. "We must be very swift. We can pretend that we did not receive this message prior to the wedding, but we only have at most a day."

"Proceed then, Lord Ashida." For a moment, the young boy looked out of the Emperor's eyes. "But Ashida—would you mind being the one to tell Lady Joss?"

The senior advisor swallowed. "Perhaps it would be best if we informed her just before the ceremony; she will have less time to become…nervous."

Saihitei placed his chin in his hand. This seemed more like an ambush than a royal courtship, but Kutou was forcing their hands. "I yield to your wiser judgement, Lord Ashida. Let us plan the ceremony for this evening. Until then, I will continue to receive petitioners. Please send in the Royal Secretary."

"Oh, yes, Heika, I meant to tell you that you have two foreign petitioners who were somewhat insistent on meeting with you. There is something different about them, and I think you may do well to meet with them."

Saihitei wearily raised a hand to his brow. "They will have to wait their turn with everyone else, Lord Ashida. Tell them that I promise to meet with them—all in good time."

************************************************************* *************************************

Joss stepped out of the Imperial bath, attended by a plethora of servant girls. She felt strange having so many girls waiting on her hand and foot--and the increased whispers and giggles from the group did nothing for her self-esteem.

"Yeah," she muttered to herself. "Not quite enough on top and a little too much extra on bottom…but hey, I never asked to be on public display. And what's with all the fuss, anyway?" She decided to try to get an answer out of one of the giggling, bowing girls. "Hey, what's all this about? What kind of ceremony do I need the whole manicure-pedicure thingy for?"

The girl just burst into more giggles and rushed off. Joss shook her head. "Well, I guess if they were rocket scientists, they wouldn't be working as bath attendants. Gaaahhhh! I'd better find Ruiko-sama just so that I can get in some intelligent conversation today."

However, the bath attendants refused to release her. They dried her hair carefully, frowning at its short length and unruly waves. Finally they satisfied themselves with draping her in silk undergarments and diaphanous underdresses, finally finishing up with overlayers of exquisite silk robes.

Joss shifted her shoulders irritably under the weight of multiple layers of clothing. "Must be some hoity-toity welcoming ceremony, lots of bowing and scraping and droning speeches. Ah, well, the least I can do is go along with it since the kid emperor is being so nice."

The cosmetics girl stepped away from her delicate manipulations of paints, powders, and brushes, and presented Joss with a hand mirror. Joss stared at her reflection in shock. The girl had worked a kind of magic on her face, downplaying her strong nose and bringing out the slant of her eyes and the fullness of her lips, using blush to shadow and emphasize her high cheekbones.

Joss let out a soft, admiring whistle. "Well, look at me—I'm a veritable Asian princess! Guess I clean up okay, huh?" The girl smiled and bowed, not grasping the terminology but understanding that the Lady was pleased with her artistic efforts.

Two other girls approached, bearing an elaborate glittering headdress. "Now wait a minute!" exclaimed their difficult charge, but they placed the headdress on her head despite her protests.

Joss peered out from a curtain of tiny glittering crystal and gold beads that hung in front of her face like a sparkling veil. "Hmmph! I'll be lucky if I don't trip and break my neck, since this damn thing completely cuts off all peripheral vision!" However, she remembered her resolve to humor Saihitei's whims, so if the boy wanted her to look like a gypsy fortuneteller's lamp, so be it.

Her personal attendants finally released her, allowing her to step into the corridor. To Joss' relief, she spotted Ruiko-sama approaching her, trailed by the awed and silenced trio of troublemakers. All four were elaborately bedecked in fine silk clothes and had adopted attitudes of solemnity befitting their noble wardrobe. Ruiko-sama, however, bore a troubled expression on her normally serene features.

Joss frowned in concern, then realized that Ruiko could not read her expression behind her portable beaded curtain.

"Ruiko-sama…is everything okay with you?"

"I was just about to ask you the same question, Joss-sama. I'm sorry, I should have said, 'Heika.'"

"Heika? What are you talking about? I'm not royalty--that's Saihitei! Speaking of which, what's with all this hoo-hah? What kind of ceremony are we going to, anyway?"

The miko's eyes widened in shock. "Do you mean that you don't know, Joss-sama? Didn't they tell you?"

A growly grumble. "Nobody tells me squat around here; all they do is toss me in the bath, then dress me in lampshades."

Ruiko grasped her friend's arm and drew her aside, whispering to her urgently.

An outraged shriek echoed through the corridor, rattling the glass oil lamps in their scones.

"What?!"

************************************************************* ***************************

Saihitei straightened on his throne, surreptitiously shifting his weight and trying to stretch some of the kinks out of his back. He really should be back in his rooms preparing for the wedding, but he had just the one last pair of petitioners to deal with. And because he was essentially an honest boy, he admitted silently to himself that perhaps he was putting off the inevitable for as long as possible; it was easier to deal with any number of petitioners rather than the Lady Joss.

The boy emperor looked around the throne room, now mercifully empty except for Lord Ashida, the Royal Secretary Sumisu-san, the royal guards, and the two turbaned and veiled men. Saihitei frowned. It was unlike the Kel Tagelmousse to petition anyone for anything. They were a fiercely proud and independent people, choosing to eke out a meager existence in the desert rather than be subjected to the whims of any emperor. Lord Ashida had been right: they were an intriguing pair.

"You may come forward." The boy was pleased with his smooth, velvet tones, unmarred by the embarrassing adolescent squeaks that sometimes appeared when he was under pressure. The men approached and bowed. "What may I do for you?" Saihitei inquired with his famous courtesy.

One of the men stepped forward and unhooked his face veil, a gesture of almost unprecedented openness. Blue eyes smiled at Saihitei from a strong and handsome face. Saihitei could not help smiling back; he had always appreciated beauty in all its forms, and although there was nothing in this man's face of the fragile, feminine type of beauty that was his preference, he could see the strong masculine attractiveness in the stranger's features. Furthermore, for some unknown reason, he was suddenly seized by the feeling that he could trust this man.

"I'm the Doctor, and this is my friend Ri-san," the man replied politely. "As for what you can do for us, it's more of a question of what we can do for you, Heika." The man's voice was as velvety as his own, but with strangely clipped syllables in the foreign accent.

Saihitei leaned forward to catch what the man was saying--when suddenly the throne room door was flung open like the crack of doom.

"Saihitei! What the hell is going on here?!" A short, elaborately dressed female figure strode furiously up the throne room aisle, tripping every so often on the carpet edges and brushing at a veil of beads that hung in front of her eyes from a complicated headdress.

The Doctor drew aside to let her pass. Although she had interrupted his carefully planned speech, he couldn't help grinning in amusement at the situation. He leaned towards his enigmatic companion. "Looks like someone is in the muck now!" he whispered gleefully.

The boy emperor was obviously fighting the impulse to bolt from his throne. Luckily, valor won out, since running would probably do him no good against his enraged opponent, who looked ready to chase him around the throne room if need be. He cleared his throat and attempted to achieve his usual velvet tones. "Lady Joss…what seems to be the problem?" In spite of his best efforts, the question ended in a squeak.

"Don't you give me that innocent face! What the hell do you mean, marriage?! You're just a damn kid! You know, where I come from, I could be sent to prison for ten years for even considering such a perverted act! Or at least get myself on trashy talk shows for life: Twenty-something Lecherous Loser Marries Kid Who Just Reached Puberty Last Month!" She stomped up to the throne, jabbing her finger at the emperor in rage. "Gaaaahhh, don't you get it? You're younger than my baby brother, for God's sake! So you'd better get over this stupid crush on me, and you'd better do it NOW!"

The smile left the Doctor's face at her mention of talk shows. "Now wait a minute," he murmured, frowning and stroking his lip.

Lord Ashida stepped in, realizing the disaster he had precipitated by failing to inform the Lady Joss of their plans in a timely manner. "Lady Josselin, please calm yourself; you are upsetting the Imperial Guard."

True to his word, the guards had their hands on their sword hilts, nervously eyeing the woman's aggressive moves towards their emperor.

"Well, you can tell them to stand down! I'm not going to hurt the emperor—though I gotta tell you, the urge to turn him over my knee and spank him is very strong right now!"

Saihitei looked alarmed at the threat. "Lady Joss, I never meant to…crush you, did you say?"

Lord Ashida decided to take control of the escalating situation. "That will be enough, Lady Josselin!" His voice cracked like a whip through the throne room. He was rewarded with a brief spell of silence. "You should not act so precipitately towards His Highness when he was merely attempting to save your life! It is my fault that I did not inform you sooner, but the Imperial Court in Kutou has demanded that we turn you over to them at once. The only way we can avoid being forced into doing so is if you become one of Emperor Saihitei's wives!"

The figure of the woman stood still for a moment, obviously stunned. But she regained her wits quickly. "Okay, fine, I owe you an apology, Sai. Sorry for flying off the handle like that. But listen, this is no way gonna work. I'm not marrying you, not even in name only! Can't you just tell the mopes in Kutou that I'm one of your wives without us going through some phony ceremony?"

Saihitei turned pale once again and sent an appealing glance at Lord Ashida.

The elder councilor sighed and braced himself for the oncoming explosion. "Lady Josselin," he began hesitantly. "This cannot be a ceremony in name only, nor can it be a false ceremony. Kutou will require proof from independent official witnesses that the Emperor has…that you have…that you have graced him with…" his voice became very soft, "…your virginity."

There was a moment of silence--and then…"What in the SEVEN HELLS are you perverts talking ABOUT?!" Josselin's voice was an outraged howl. "There's no waaaay!"

Her rage propelled her away from the throne, around the two figures standing off to one side, whose heads swiveled to watch her as she stormed past them. "I got news for you guys!" she screamed, whirling around to face the throne once again. "That's not gonna happen, because for one thing, I'M NOT A VIRGIN!" she shouted straight into the veiled face of one of the two turbaned men.

Mahogany eyes went wide, and a brilliant flush crossed over the bridge of his nose, which was all she could see of his face. His embarrassment silenced her when she realized what she had just screamed at him.

Meanwhile, the Imperial Court was in consternation. "Who has done this terrible thing to you, Lady Joss?" Lord Ashida was horrified. "Just name the culprit and we will avenge your honor at once!"

But Joss had turned to stare at the other turbaned man whose blue eyes danced in amusement.

"Well, thank you for sharing that extremely private but hardly unique piece of personal information with us," he chided softly under his breath. However, Joss' reaction was much more audible when she recognized him.

"Doctor!" she yelled, pointing a finger at him.

The smile on his face was replaced with a look of shock. The court erupted into pandemonium, as the guards rushed in on Lord Ashida's command to seize the Doctor and his companion.

Joss was pushed to one side, and she pushed back frantically, trying to make her voice heard above the clash of armor and the shouts of the men. "No, wait! I didn't mean that he…" Running forward while trying to get the beads out of her face, Joss tripped over the carpet runner and crashed to the floor, smacking her head against the tiles. Saihitei bolted from his throne to the side of the now quiet and still figure.

"Let go of me, you idiots!" shouted the Doctor. "I'm a doctor, for pity's sake!"

The emperor nodded at his guard, and they released the man. The Doctor knelt beside Josselin, his quiet companion hovering anxiously at his side. He gently removed the ornate headdress, then carefully felt around her neck and pulled open her eyelids to peer into her eyes. Taking off his turban, he folded the cloth into a flat pillow and placed it gently beneath her head. "She's going to be all right," he sighed in relief. "Possibly a mild concussion. We must be sure to get her up and moving around as soon as she shows the least sign of consciousness."

"I will see to it, Doctor." The emperor's tones were once more smooth and velvety. "However, I'm afraid that I must keep both of you here as my…guests, until the Lady Josselin recovers and clarifies her accusation against you."

The Doctor sighed wearily, glancing one last time at the face of the young woman as he rose to his feet. "At the risk of sounding like the worst kind of cad, may I say that I have never seen this woman before in my life?"

"Well, Doctor, she certainly seems to know you. And until she awakens, I must take her word over yours. In the time that I have known Lady Joss, I have never known her to lie."

Saihitei felt that it was not necessary to tell the strangers that he had only known Joss for three days. Nodding at his Imperial guard, he dismissed them. They bowed with military precision, then marched out of the throne room, escorting their two prisoners to the lower levels of the palace - to the Imperial dungeons.

************************************************************* ********************************

Someone was being very annoying. Someone was pounding relentlessly on a drum in a monotonous rhythm, never varying the tempo although they altered the dynamics at irritatingly uneven intervals--boom, BOOM, boom, boom, BOOM! Someone was about to get themselves dealt a nice knuckle sandwich if they didn't move the damn drum further away from her head. Boom, BOOM, boom, BOOM, boom…

All right, enough was enough! Now it was time to put the Fear of Joss into whatever idiot was doing percussion performance art next to her bed! Her eyes snapped open as she sat upright--two fatal mistakes at the same time. She tried to yell "Gaaaaahhh" but it came out more like "Grr-blurbl-gak!" as she fought to keep from vomiting from the wave of nausea that swept over her. A cool, damp cloth was pressed against the back of her neck, while a strong, slender arm kept her from pitching forward onto her face. Slowly the nausea receded, and the drummer retreated to a bearable distance. Joss drew a few deep trembling breaths, then slowly opened her eyes again. At first, she could only see indistinct blurs of light and shadow, but they soon resolved into the drawn, worried features of Lady Ruiko.

"Ru-iko-sa-ma?" she croaked.

The miko shook her head at Joss. "Try not to talk, Joss-sama, nor should you make any sudden moves. Your strength will return shortly, but until then, you must be patient." She gently pushed Joss back against a pile of silken cushions.

The miko rose and turned to consult with a serious, soberly dressed male figure that stood near the door. He exchanged a few words with Ruiko in a low voice, then approached Joss. He checked her pulse and listened to her heart, then peered into her eyes. At his soft request, she tracked the movements of his fingers with her eyes.

The court physician smiled in satisfaction. "You must drink all of the herbal draughts that I send to you, then begin trying to move slowly around the room. Please do not push yourself, Lady Josselin. I would prefer if you did not leave your bedchamber for the next day."

After drinking a cup of the herbal tea, Joss felt good enough to swing her legs to the floor and walk slowly around the room with the support of Ruiko's arm. With every step, she began to feel more like herself. At her request, Ruiko assisted her to her bath chamber.

Joss walked over to the basin to splash some water into her face—and stared in shock at the battered-looking visage that stared back at her from the wall mirror. The make-up had been washed from her face, leaving her skin clean and clear, only to showcase an impressive black eye shining forth in all its rainbow glory.

"Geez…" she whistled in a mixture of admiration and horror, as fragmented memories of her accident began playing through her brain. She flashed a cocky grin at Ruiko's reflection. "Well, you should see the other guy! I bet that tile floor is gonna tremble in fear the next time I make an appearance in the throne room!"

Ruiko misinterpreted her joke. "The other guy? Oh, yes, he and his friend are safely locked away in the Imperial dungeons awaiting the Emperor's judgment."

"What are you talking about?" Suddenly, the last of Joss' fragmented memories clicked into place. "Ohhhhhh, SHIT!" resounded through the chamber and echoed down the corridor beyond.

************************************************************* ********************************

"Thirty-seven…" murmured a velvet voice. "Odd, wouldn't you say? Thirty-seven bars in front of this cell. I could almost attribute the number to human error, but there are also thirty-seven bars in front of each of the cells across the way. Makes one ponder the significance of placing a prime number of bars on each cell. Some sort of mathematical riddle, do you suppose?"

Houjun looked up from twisting his dark hair back into its customary ponytail, his turban and veil resting on the simple bench next to him. He flashed an uncertain smile at his fellow prisoner as he pushed his trailing bangs out of his eyes. "And the prize for solving the riddle? Instant pardon and immediate release?"

The Doctor paused in his pacing. "Perhaps." A deep sigh. "As frequently as I find myself in situations of involuntary incarceration, you would think that I would become accustomed to the tedium inherent in these circumstances--yet the sense of confinement never ceases to rankle."

"So this happens to you often, being unjustly imprisoned?"

"Oh, yes! I almost get nervous if I don't end up behind bars at regular intervals. However, I must admit that this is the first time that I've ever been imprisoned on this particular charge." The Doctor shook his head. "I suppose that at my age, one should appreciate all the `firsts' that one has left to encounter but somehow I think that given the choice, I would have happily bypassed this precise experience."

"Of course. To your list of experiences to be avoided, please add public humiliation, possible flogging, and Imperial execution."

The Doctor laughed. "Ah, my young friend, I can see that incarceration brings out your sarcastic side. Well, never fear, I should have us out of here in no time."

"I was about to say the same thing. Now that our guard has finally left, I think that we should make our escape."

"Yes, he was rather persistent, wasn't he?"

A patient sigh. "He might have left sooner, Doctor, if you didn't keep entertaining him with juggling and sleight-of-hand magic tricks."

The Doctor looked wounded. "Can I help it if having a captive audience brings out the busker in me?"

"Just as long as you remember who the captive audience really is. And on that subject, it's time to go."

"Just one moment." The Doctor rummaged busily in his coat pockets. "I'll get us out of here as soon as I find my sonic screwdriver…"

"Never mind, Doctor, I'll get us out of here even quicker."

"No, no, no, this won't take me a moment…"

Houjun touched the Doctor's elbow. "Look up, Doctor."

The Doctor looked up--and was shocked to see that they were standing in the corridor outside the cell. He cocked an eyebrow at the young magician. "Near-instantaneous spatial transmigration—and executed very smoothly, I might add. I didn't even feel us move! Extremely impressive, Houjun!"

His companion blushed. "It's nothing, Doctor; just a little trick I've been able to do since childhood. It's gotten me out of many scrapes as a child, especially when stealing persimmons!" He flashed a grin at his mentor.

"Now you have me feeling envious. I was always getting caught in the astralfruit orchard as a child."

They moved quietly up the corridor, looking anxiously around the corner for guards. The Doctor frowned at the ground as they continued on their way out of the prison. "I have the strangest feeling that we're making a mistake in leaving so soon, however. There's something about the girl who accused me that is very intriguing. For one thing, I'm fairly certain that she is not from around here. I would almost like to talk to her and find out…"

"Doctor, do you remember what they say about being careful what you wish for?" Houjun pointed ahead of them.

Standing there with a look of shock written across her bruised face was the girl in question. At her side was a slender, thirtyish woman in a miko's robes, while an Imperial guard bristling with armor stood behind them. Houjun took the Doctor's elbow at the same time that the guard lunged towards them.

"No, wait!"

The shout came from both the girl and the Doctor, halting everyone in their tracks.

The girl took charge. "Stand down!" she barked at the guard. He frowned at her and hesitated. "Are you defying me? You forget who I am, soldier!" Her voice rapped out crisp and clear, very different from the previous casual slang that she had used in the throne room.

The Doctor placed a soothing hand on Houjun's arm, feeling the young man's muscles jump with tension. "Steady on," he soothed as the girl approached them, staring at the young magician.

"Shouryuu?" she inquired in disbelief. "Where did you get the other eye—and what did you do to your hair?"

The Doctor gripped the young man's arm tighter, feeling the fight-or-flight response taking over.

"Doctor, she must be from Magus!" Houjun hissed, desperately trying to loosen the Doctor's grip. "Maybe she's even…Kurayami!"

"Oh, now that one hurt! Don't even mention me in the same breath as that bitch—unless it involves me hitting her with some kind of blunt instrument!" The girl held her hand out, palm up in a gesture of peace. "Look, Doctor, Shouryuu—I know that we started out on the wrong foot, but I came here to put things right. Would you mind coming with me so that I can explain everything?"

The Doctor moved forward, still holding Houjun in an iron grip. "It seems that contrary to your previous accusation, you have the advantage of me; of both of us, in fact. So it would probably be best for us to accede to your wishes." He glanced at the guard.

The girl had the grace to blush. "Ummm, sorry about that. I didn't mean to accuse you of…of… I was just surprised to see you, and I shouted your name—at exactly the wrong time, I guess—and the next thing I knew, I was waking up with this shiner and a mother of a headache."

The Doctor's gaze grew keen. "But you recognized me…and I have no idea who you are. Do we meet in my future?"

"No, not that I know of. Ummm, it's a long story, so if you wouldn't mind?" She gestured towards the prison exit.

The Doctor looked at her pale face and the beads of sweat at her temples, and realized that she had rushed down to the prison to see them before she was fully recovered.

"Excellent idea!" He released Houjun and took the girl's arm. "Might I impose upon you for a cup of tea?"

They exited the prison together, leaving a bemused Houjun and Ruiko to follow in their wake.

************************************************************* ********************************

As they approached her rooms, Joss pretended to stumble so that the Doctor drew nearer, supporting her. "Doctor," she whispered rapidly. "I need to talk to you outside of Shouryuu's hearing—will you help me out?" The Doctor nodded curtly.

"Houjun," he called out pleasantly as he settled Joss in a chair. "Do you know how to make an herbal infusion to help strengthen the Lady Josselin?"

Joss' eyes widened at his knowledge of her name, but she soon remembered that Lord Ashida had called her by name several times in the throne room.

"Of course, Doctor, but I'll need to get the herbs."

Joss spoke up. "Ruiko-sama, would you mind showing him around the palace dispensary and kitchens?"

The miko nodded. Both she and Houjun were aware of the fact that they were being sent out of the room deliberately, but they complied without argument, just sending troubled glances back at the Doctor and Joss.

Once the door closed, Joss turned towards the Doctor. "Doctor, I want to tell you how really, really sorry I am about that mix-up earlier."

He waved a hand, lightly dismissing his time in prison on her account. "But that's not the reason you needed to speak to me in private, Lady Josselin."

"Just Joss, please, Doctor. No, I needed to tell you where I come from—and I didn't want to say the wrong thing in front of Shouryuu." She took a deep breath. "You see, I come from the National Library in Tokyo…and the reason I know so much about you and Shouryuu is that I've been following your adventures in the book. You know, the Universe of the Four Gods?"

The Doctor lifted one eyebrow. "You were quite right to consult with me alone. There is much that Houjun should not know at this point in time, particularly anything to do with Suzaku's involvement in his life. Are you aware of that aspect?"

"Yes; I followed you into the reference room, so I started reading right when you were taken into the book."

"You followed me? Why?"

Joss blushed. "Well, I found all that talking-to-yourself stuff pretty intriguing, aaaaand...you're also quite the looker."

"Looker?"

"Never mind." She was completely scarlet by now, so she cast around for a change of subject. "So Shouryuu goes by the name of Houjun now?"

"I usually call him Ri-san if we are with strangers, but Houjun is his real name. We can't use Shouryuu because of the possible danger from Magus and company, not to mention that he dislikes the name ever since the exorcism."

Joss narrowed her eyes. "Yeah—that bitch Kurayami! If I ever get my hands on her!"

"I had conjectured that she was the one responsible, but it's always good to get independent confirmation. What about Magus?"

"It's not clear even in the book, Doctor. He has some sort of connection with Kurayami…but her agenda seems to be different from his. She doesn't respect him very much, I can tell you that much. I can also tell you that he was pretty desperate to hold onto Shouryuu, so he's probably spitting tacks about now."

"So how did you get here, Lady, er…Joss?"

"It was right after the exorcism." To Joss' surprise, her eyes filled with tears, and her voice thickened with grief. "He was so hurt… He was so vulnerable and fragile, and they hurt him so bad; he just wanted to die." She wiped at her face. "He went into the river, and all he saw were lies and tricks…and then he started drowning!" A sob escaped her. "I couldn't just watch him die! I demanded that Suzaku take me into the book so that I could save him—but I ended up in a different place. But even if I was useless, I don't care, because all that matters is that you got there in time. It was you who saved him, right?"

"Yes…but don't call yourself useless, Joss. You wouldn't be here unless you had a role to play. And if nothing else, you have shown that you care about him—and he needs all the love he can get."

"Love?" Joss stared at the Doctor in disbelief. He just smiled back at her, and she was suddenly overwhelmed by the waves of compassion she could feel coming from this man, time lord, whatever he was. She looked at his beautiful features and felt the warmth of his presence, and thought, "I could almost fall in love with him…almost…" But she couldn't really, because it was already too late for her. She had already given her heart to…

Her face went brilliant scarlet as she realized what she had just admitted to herself. Was she insane?! He was from a different universe, not to mention being several years younger than her! It was all wrong, it could never work, it was the craziest thing she had ever done…so why did it feel so right?

She looked up shyly into blue eyes that shone with understanding. The Doctor took pity on her self-consciousness and changed the subject. "So we need to settle on what we shall tell Houjun and your rather perceptive miko friend, not to mention the young emperor. I always find it best to stick to the truth as much as possible; it makes keeping track of things much less complicated."

"Good idea, Doctor, especially in my case. I'm kind of famous—or infamous—for being unable to speak anything but the truth as I see it. So I'll be sure to mess up a complicated lie."

"Very well. We'll keep it simple with only a few omissions: no mention of Suzaku or the book and ah, let's not say much about where I came from, either. I believe that Houjun has inklings that I'm not from around here, but he has enough on his plate for the time being."

"That's fine with me…since I'm not exactly sure where you come from, either."

The Doctor beamed at her. "So you see? The truth is always easiest!"

There was a soft knock on the door, and a servant entered bearing a steaming ceramic pot and several tiny fragile cups. She set the tray on the table and bowed low. "The Lady Ruiko sends this tea with her compliments and bids me to tell you that she and the young man will be returning as soon as the infusion is ready."

The Doctor sniffed the steaming air, then broke into a brilliant smile. "Lapsang souchong--my favorite! This is turning out to be an excellent day!"

************************************************************* ******************************

Ri Houjun bowed his head over his teacup and stole quick furtive glances at the girl who was speaking so animatedly with the Doctor. He had never seen anyone like her in his life—and he wasn't sure that he liked her at all. He sent his thoughts inward, analyzing the feelings of resentment, finally realizing that what he felt was jealousy at how easily she and the Doctor related to one another. The truth was that he didn't like sharing the Doctor with anyone—and the deeper truth was that he was acting like an insecure child. He gave himself a mental shake and tried to look at Lady Joss again through eyes unclouded by jealousy.

She was a startling sight with the black eye and her cropped unruly hair; those two features, along with her blunt, unladylike way of speaking, almost gave her the air of a harlot. Nor was she beautiful; her nose was a little too large and her chin too determined to fit in with the fragile, porcelain beauty prized in Konan women. But her face was open and honest, her brown eyes shining with good humor and trust… Yes, trust. He took a furtive peek at her ki--yes, he was right. She looked at life with the happy assurance of a child who had never suffered terrible pain or trauma. Her ki was golden, shining, unblemished with the shadows that darkened his own soul.

Suddenly he realized that she was looking at him as intently as he had been gazing at her.

"Sorry, Houjun, didn't mean to leave you out of the conversation." She self-consciously touched a finger to her bruised face as he continued to stare at her. "Yeah, guess I'll have to pull out of the Miss Konan beauty contest now. Not that I was a top contender, anyway."

Houjun flushed at the way her remarks mirrored his own recent thoughts. Did she have the ability to read his mind the way that the Doctor did? No--no, that wasn't it. She probably just read the expression on his face as he gave her the same sort of critical regard that strangers gave his unmasked face. He was suddenly ashamed; he had been wrong about Joss. She <i>could</i> be hurt, the same as him; the difference was that she just lifted her chin and stared down the pain. He swallowed a sudden lump in his throat.

"No," he said, denying his earlier critical thoughts. "I was worried that you might be in pain. If you wouldn't mind, I might be able to help. I have a few healing powers."

"Sure!" Her reply was quick and easy. "I'm willing to give it a go if you are. Do your thing, Master Magician!"

He was startled by her instant trust in him—but then again, if what they said was true, didn't she know more about him than anyone except the Doctor? That thought was a little too embarrassing to deal with, so he pushed it away as he knelt beside her chair. He lifted his right hand and placed his long fingers gently around the dark contusion surrounding her left eye. She closed her eyes as he began to murmur a brief healing spell.

Joss' heart beat rapidly at the touch of Houjun's fingers on her skin. He was so close that she could feel the warm fragrance of his breath on her face. She shivered slightly, feeling the power flowing from him, controlled and held in check by his breathtaking gentleness. She flushed with emotion and prayed that he could not detect her sudden surge of desire.

Houjun drew back slowly, satisfied at the fading of her bruise. He met her gaze and was suddenly overwhelmed by the emotion he saw shining in her eyes. She was looking at him as if he were something…wonderful. His heart began to beat rapidly, and he felt confused. No one had looked at him like this since… But then again, that had ended up meaning nothing, her feelings towards him turning out to be quite different from what he thought he had seen in her eyes--so why should this be any more real? At the same time, something in his heart told him that this was different; he had no reason to doubt Joss' honesty. But why did she find him wonderful?

At this breathless moment, the door to Joss' room crashed open, and three figures leaped in, bristling with armor and weaponry. Houjun turned swiftly, instinctively shielding Joss with his own body.

"Get away from her, you bastard!" shrieked a fierce--and decidedly feminine--voice from the shortest of the three. The two taller figures leaped towards Houjun, so he lifted his hand in self-defense.

"Fusege!" he commanded--and all three figures stood paralyzed in place.

"Oh, for God's sake!" cursed Joss in aggravation, as Lady Ruiko and the Doctor walked up to examine the frozen tableau.

"Ruiko-sama?" squeaked a high-pitched voice. At first, Joss thought it was Sachiko, but it turned out to be Yoshio, his voice raised in fear. "I think I've been struck blind!" The miko gently turned the oversized helmet so that it no longer covered his eyes. The sturdy youth sighed in relief.

Makoto, careful as always, was twitching his arms, testing the limits of the spell, but Sachiko snarled at Houjun in rage, trying to twist out of the mystical bonds. "Don't think that you'll hold me for long, Doctor Whoever-you-are, Despoiler of Helpless Women! I'll get out of this, and then You Will Paaaaaaay!"

"Helpless Women?" yelped Joss, offended.

The Doctor was trying to cover his laughter with a bout of coughing. He finally regained his breath and moved forward.

"Actually, I'm the Doctor, this is my friend Ri-san, and I'm afraid that you are quite mistaken about my intention in regards to the Lady Joss. Not to mention that you have the advantage of me."

The girl lifted her chin defiantly. "I am Sachiko, Principal Warrior of Kawagishi Village and Protector of the Girl From Another World! And these are my assistants, Yoshio and Makoto." This announcement was greeted with strangled chokes of outrage from her two male cohorts. Unfazed, the girl-warrior turned a critical eye on the Doctor. "Aren't you a bit old to go around despoiling women? I would hardly think that you would have the, uh, inclination any more."

"I beg your pardon!" retorted the Doctor, highly offended. A muffled snort of laughter from his young companion did nothing to improve his temper.

Ruiko stepped in, her expression stern. "That will be enough, young lady!" she rapped out. "You are compounding your foolish error with unforgivable rudeness! You shall apologize to the Doctor and his companion at once!"

Sachiko's lips trembled at the reprimand, but she remained defiantly silent.

The Doctor took pity on her imminent loss-of-face. "No, don't scold them, please, Lady Ruiko. They have shown admirable courage in confronting opponents of unknown strength on behalf of their friend, and even now refuse to give in although they are held fast." He addressed Sachiko with a respectful bow. "Lady Warrior of Kawagishi Village and Most Honorable Protector of the Girl From Another World, will you and your brave companions accept our humble surrender on the condition that you hear us out? There has been a regrettable error in the accusation placed against us, and we ask your clemency in allowing us to present a defense."

Sachiko gave a short but regal nod. In return, the Doctor nodded at Houjun, who breathed out, "Hanase kudasai!" releasing the youngsters from the holding spell. Joss and Ruiko moved forward to divest the teens of their impressive array of weaponry so that they could sit comfortably.

After one-half hour and three trays of cakes and tea, an excellent understanding had been reached between all parties. The high level of good humor had reached the point of the noise overflowing into the corridor, thus obscuring the march of booted feet. Suddenly, the door to Joss' chamber slammed open, and a harsh male voice shouted, "Everyone hold, in the name of the Emperor!"

A weary velvet voice. "Oh, no, not again… Houjun?"

"Fusege!"

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Glossary of terms:

teme - (Japanese) very rude form of address, meaning something like "You bastard"

miko - (Japanese) priestess or wise-woman

Heika - (Japanese) Your Majesty, Your Highness

busker - (British English) street entertainer

Fusege! - (Japanese) Stop, or Block! A command.

Hanase, kudasai! - (Japanese) Release, please. (polite)

Author's note: (3-6-05) Thanks for reading! And a special thank you to Peril879 for reviewing. I'll try to be more prompt about putting up new chapters.