Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Life in the Imperial Court ❯ Memories of Courtship and Marriage ( Chapter 3 )

Another in my list of Houki one-shots. All loosely related. I hope you enjoy. This one is abit limey in regards to my others of the Empress, but I am working on this. Hope you're not too shocked.

 

Disclaimer: Fushigi Yuugi belongs to Watase Yuu, Studio Pierrot, and other studios I can't remember and that most certainly don't belong to me. If it did belong to me, I'd have all the character novels animated with a lengthy budget for each!

The character of Shuntaka is mine however. He's a passenger on the ride of life.

 

“Memories of Courtship and Marriage”

an Empress Houki tale

by penpaninu

 

Houki strode through the archways of the palace corridors, her faithful maids trailing her. Male verbal instruction met her ears and the empress made her way to an open courtyard, large and vast along the side of the palace. A scattering of young and old palace guards watched idily here and there, then snapped to attention as the Empress and her train of maids strolled by.

Houki nodded serenely to them all and continued on her way out into the sun.

 

A dozen or so swordsmen were standing half at ease as their senior, a general named Hao Yu, instructed a small boy dressed in simple loose pants and a plain red tunic, his shoulder-length hair tied back in a bun. Houki smiled to see her son in simple clothing. He may have been mistaken for the son of one of those warriors calling compliments and comments to their general's instruction. Boushin gave a small serious smile in return and continued his stances, holding his miniature blade perfectly.

 

Well as perfectly as it looked to her. Houki did not profess to understand swordplay at all.

 

“And strike, highness!” Hao Yu barked, raising his own blade with one corded arm. Boushin struck valiant and true and sparks flew from the kissing metal. The warriors nodded and commented loudly together as the five-year old boy stood back in another ready stance, bangs hanging in his eyes. Hao Yu bowed at the waist to his Crown Prince seriously,

 

“Well done, highness. You are progressing very well,” he said. Boushin inclined his head slightly to acknowledge his words.

 

“Thank you, General Yu,” he said seriously, his hazel eyes bright. The warriors laughed and guffawed around him and Houki smiled to see her son enjoying the male attention.

 

“Boushin grows stronger every day,” the senior maid smiled to her mistress. Houki felt inclined to agree.

 

Boushin's personal attendants walked into the courtyard from the other side of the palace and Houki's heart beat a little faster. Shuntaka had grown taller if possible in the last year and her blushing heat had noted each change in his personality and form. He was ever loyal, and always at her son's side even while he had bad dreams in the middle of the night. He never overstepped his boundaries but lately Houki found herself wishing he would find ways to.

 

Now as she walked to him in the courtyard surrounded by other servants of Konan, he sank to one knee readily, his eyes shining with a hidden promise to always serve her as she wanted. Houki stood tall and regal, looking down at the slope of his strong shoulders as his barely upturned eyes watched her through his lashes from his position lower than she. Their eyes slowly meeting in understanding burned with a slow heat as if seared by Suzaku's touch.

 

“Highness, I will take Boushin to his studies now if you will permit me,” Shuntaka demurred. His voice was low and pitched almost familiarly to her ears. Houki found she enjoyed his husky tone whenever he spoke for her alone. The Empress nodded, her face unreadable though her cheeks held a trace of pink not done by rouge and makeup.

 

“Thank you, Shuntaka. You serve the royal family well,” she complimented. In the court, words could have deeper meaning and she had meant a layer of familiarity to seep through. Shuntaka had gotten the silent message for his eyes shone fire and his cheeks reddened as he stood and bowed again.

 

These small verbal games they played in the presence of the palace was a minor courtship in their relationship of Empress and Attendant. Courtships were meant to be taken slowly and seriously. Houki bestowed a wide motherly smile for her son as Boushin waved goodbye for the afternoon.

 

Boushin's father had extended a long courtship without physical contact as well and Houki's eyes grew serious as she compared her weeks now to what had been given to her when Heika was alive. Oh Heika-sama….

 

Houki walked along the palace corridors and remembered.

* * * *

 

 

Houki thought in her first months staying at the imperial capital, that she must have missed home more than she thought she did. Her first glimpses of Heika-sama, his imperial majesty of Konan Empire, reminded her of Tendou. Heika must have been younger than her left-behind dear friend, but they held similar looks, similar poise, and certainly Heika's eyes were almost the same color, his hair the same dark shade of brown. Heika's hair was all hidden beneath his crown, so she could not be so sure of her complete comparison to a man who had been as a brother to her all of her village life. Tendou had worn his long hair back in a simple high tail and it had always flattered his kind smile.

 

Heika only wore solemn gazes in the throne room. His young and regal face was handsome enough, but he looked so sad, or at the very least distant. He could be kind enough, but he had never visited his own harem, much to her fellow sister's consternation and disappointment.

That confused Houki as she went through her lessons in how to be a proper lady and how to please Heika if he ever deigned to visit the crowd of women gathered across his country to please solely him under Suzaku's blessing.

 

Why would he gather so many women if he didn't show any interest in them? She had been taken from her poor childhood home, and elevated into a woman of choosing at the expense of losing her dear friend. Tendou by now would have married another and Houki must be happy for him if he chose to move on. She knew how he felt about her, but she was here now, in the capital of their land, and she was moving nowhere.

 

Then one rainy night she would not forget ever in her life, Houki had been taking an evening walk alone without fellow sister or handmaiden, nearing Heika's walk of grief and solitude unknowingly. The rumors of course had spread rapidly after the swordfight against Heika-sama… . imagine, his highness defending what was his with his own two hands! Houki had to admit, she was impressed even if what the harem heard was only a rumor.

 

She had passed by her emperor, vulnerable without his crown, his robes open without care at the collar, his hair cascading down his back. Her heart had stopped in her throat. He was hurting. He was in pain. This new image of her emperor quickly erased the bored and solemn bejeweled young man she glimpsed across a courtroom of dignitaries and ministers.

He was so very human as his emotions displayed themselves on his handsome face. His lips trembled, and his eyes were wet in tears. His looks were identical to Tendou's now that she saw the length of his brown hair. But in that moment, Houki ceased to think of Tendou.

 

She saw Heika-sama. And she started to think of her emperor as a man who was very lonely. She could understand him now, seeing his moment of pain. Wasn't she also lonely? Didn't she also desire the companion of another human being who could understand her? She had made some small sound for Heika whirled in her direction, eyes open and pained.

 

The long moment they had shared in the night before Houki had fled stretched an eon.

 

The following morning was a sigh of relief as Houki readied her day with the usual lessons, the usual talks with the other courtesans, the usual exercises in grace and dignity.

Then the appearance of Heika-sama had shattered that routine. The sisters and attendants had all scrambled to ready for his first and unknowingly, only visit to the seraglio.

 

Heika-sama and his ministers stood at attention. Heika's eyes visited each and every courtesan and each female held their breath. Then Heika's eyes swiveled and settled on Houki. Houki remembered standing still, poised and elegant under his scrutiny. Gone was the partially casual appearance of his wild grief. But his eyes held understanding as they openly viewed each other.

Houki remembered her harem sisters whispering and giggling. Surely Heika would not choose Houki-san for her open gaze at his highness.

 

Then Heika spoke. He had chosen her. He had offered his hand and pulled Houki forward by his side.

 

“What is your name, gracious lady?” he had asked warmly. Houki had flushed at his gentle tone.

 

“Lady Houki,” she had whispered, head bowed in contentment.

 

“You will be by my side, Houki-san. You would do me a great honor in receiving my courtship,” Heika had asked graciously. His hand was large and warm as Suzaku's flame in Houki's smaller delicate one. Houki, her cheeks flushed with happiness, could only nod.

 

“Loyal servants of Konan,” Heika then spread wide his arm, his sleeve draping to the floor. “We no longer require your services, and we thank you for your dedication. You may leave our seraglio at our convenience.”

Houki's cheeks flushed deeper as the meaning of his words sunk in, as his ever-present ministers gasped lowly a few feet away. His highness was disbanding his own harem in favor of one single wife!

 

The last she heard from her harem sisters was a chorus of outraged screeches.

 

* * * *

 

Thoughts of Tendou were few and far between in Houki's short courtship with Heika. At the first touch of his gentle hand as he lifted her above all the other courtesans in his harem, and to his side, her feelings had sparked high and her body flushed.

 

With just a touch of his hand. Their courtship had consisted of walks and conversation and other light pleasantries. While the emperor was free to do what he wished physically before they were wed, he still remained the valiant suitor and did not push for anything intimate or seek anyone else out. Heika had disbanded his entire harem after all.

 

Houki grew more comfortable with Heika in their meetings escorted only by the Prime Minister and her matronly attendant. They had only touched hands and the desire they sparked from simple contact was grave anticipation of what was to come once they were wed.

 

Their wedding night came blessedly fast. Pomp and ceremony lasted the entire day but all too soon the Emperor and his wife were shut into their new bed chamber, dressed down by their own attendants before they were closed off together. Houki stood waiting in a thin robe as her young emperor steeled his courage, standing apart with his hands fisted. He was a young man and very ready for her physically, but the hesitation in his eyes touched and concerned Houki. He wasn't sure of her love for him despite their courtship.

 

Houki walked to him, her robe slowly opening and seducing his passion-ridden gaze. His lips parted as she reached for him. Houki murmured against his lips, wanting and loving him. She let him know her unhidden feelings.

 

Convinced of his courage to take her, his arms held Houki to him and she gasped at his eager strength. Together they divested the other's robes and climbed onto the wide bed. Heika was her age, yet despite his god-given position, he was also a virgin. This he confessed as their bodies slid together, gasped against her neck as he worked to push his way inside her. Her hands ran up and down him, her legs widened, her lips caressed his shoulder and his neck. His Suzaku-blessed celestial mark flared beneath her touch, illuminating the bed's veils.

 

“We'll learn together, Heika,” Houki whispered and again she had said the right thing for he groaned, sheathing firmly into her virgin core. The pain was sharp as he stretched her fully yet Houki would bear the ripping again when she witnessed his first strangled gasps.

And Houki saw the inner heart of Heika-sama as he thrust against her. And Houki was humbled at the respect and love shining from his eyes that she was his.

 

* * * *

 

Houki bowed her head and accepted another cup of tea from her Prime Minister as they finished up their reports for the day. How could she forsake those precious memories of her Emperor's love and care for another? The daily guilt she felt for wanting to love again gnawed at her slim middle, though it lessened with each day. Suzaku no Miko would have laughed and explained the human need to love and be loved. It was Suzaku's requirement for living, was it not? Their country's patron deity was a being of fire and passion and love. He would not disregard Houki's want for a man living for her approval and affections.

 

Houki still prayed nightly to her personal altar to Heika-sama, though more and more she took Yuuki Miaka-san's advice to heart. The guilt still ate her, but slowly she felt she would come to a decision that would calm her heart and still her mind. Besides, her beloved husband's ghost may not be waiting in limbo this many years passed. Suzaku no Miko had claimed they were waiting to be reborn last she had ventured to the capital with the remaining Suzaku schiseishi in her company. Perhaps he had moved on and was living another life.

 

Wouldn't he want her to do the same, move on?

 

“Empress, you should rest. If you don't mind my saying, you don't look well,” The Prime Minister's eyebrows furrowed and he patted the back of his Empress' hands.

 

Houki smiled and laughed. “I think rest is in order. Shall we continue tomorrow?” the Prime Minister smiled in agreement.

 

 

“Very well then, highness. Will you bid the Crown Prince good evening?” the Prime Minister asked, rising to his feet in all of his finery.

 

Houki bowed her head in silent agreement. Her maids fluttered at her sides and Houki turned to them.

 

“No. I will not require your assistance tonight,” she commanded gently. Her maids bowed low as she swept out of the small audience chamber. Houki followed the familiar path to her son's chambers and peeked in.

 

Shuntaka picked up Boushin after another servant tied his sleeping robes together. The tall slender man bounced the heir in his arms and Houki smiled to see her son laugh. Shuntaka tucked Boushin into his small bed and pulled the covers up tight around him.

 

“I will be just in the other room as always, my prince. Pleasant Dreams and may Suzaku bless you,” his words were almost the same lullaby in nightly passing and Boushin nodded trustingly eyes fluttering closed.

 

When Shuntaka turned around, Houki's smile froze him in place.

 

“You are good to him, Shuntaka,” she said and a sure smile spread across her servant's face. Shuntaka bowed low and followed her out of the heir's room.

 

“It is the least I could do for the next Emperor,” he said proudly, following surely at her elbow. Houki looked over her shoulder at him.

 

“And for the Emperor's mother?” she asked lightly. Her heart pounded as the two stood regarding each other without the trappings of soldiers, dignitaries, ministers and Boushin. Shuntaka's lips parted, wanting to speak the words held deep in his heart. Houki's chest pounded, wanting his confession.

 

“Empress….” He begged. His fingertips brushed her hand. Sparks flew between man and woman at the slight contact. Houki pressed her palm against Shuntaka's smooth jaw. He closed his eyes in ecstasy at the simple touch.

 

“Houki-sama,” he murmured. Her eyes shone but she inclined her head regally.

 

“Good night, Shuntaka…and sleep well,” she whispered. Shuntaka took the message and captured her hand in both of his. He allowed himself to press a lingering kiss along the back of her delicate hand and bowed on one knee, holding it captive to his breast.

 

When Houki knelt before her altar later that night in preparation to sleep alone as always, her heart felt lighter. “That was better.”

 

End for now

 

I realize I am using the flashback of her seeing him that night on overkill. I apologize. Like it? Hate it? Please review.

Penpaninu 10/16/05