updated 6.2000

Fushigi Yuugi is copyrighted to Watase Yuu, Bandai, Tokyo Television, Flower Comics, and others. No infringement is intended!

Chapter 3 Silent Vow

After the Miko disappeared with the Empress, Namame told his companions that there were some matters that he needed to attend to. Seeing the withdrawn look on his face, Hatsui made a move to follow his friend.

"No," Urumiya said softly, "Leave him be. He needs time to think by himself."

"Che," Hatsui sat down at the table again with a thud. "Always storming off by himself, never wanting to tell anybody his problems." He pointed at his face, "I'm a trustworthy guy. Why can't he even open up to me? We've saved each other's lives on the battlefield, all three of us, and still, I only know about him as much as he'll let me. I know who he is now, but his life remains a mystery to me."

"He'll come around," Urumiya said, gazing off into the distance. With his ability to see into other's hearts, he could do the same with Namame, but he knew better than to violate someone's privacy.

Urumiya thought back to how he had learned the lesson of violating people's minds. Once, in his home village, when he was only five years old, he had a friend named Haka. Haka was the youngest of her siblings with only a father. They were very close friends and had practically grown up together. When one night, she came to his window crying, he asked her what's wrong, but she wouldn't tell him. Just having realized his powers, Urumiya reached into her heart and extracted the source of her pain. That night, his innocent mind was spoiled... Haka's father, drinking himself to the point of delusion every night, always wandered into his daughters' bedrooms. Tonight, it had been Haka's turn. At the time, he didn't know what the man did to her; he only knew the pain it caused her. Now, every time he remembered the experience, he shuddered at the way the man treated his own daughters. His young self, out of concern for the little girl, had told his mother. What had followed was a public condemnation of Haka's father, and the whole family was chased out of the village. All he did was cause her more pain. Urumiya never knew what happened to his childhood friend, but from then on, he never violated another's privacy, no matter what the circumstance, unless the other gave him permission to do so.

"Urumiya," Hatsui broke his reverie, "What do you think of the Miko?"

Urumiya shrugged, "I haven't known her very long, but she's got some kind of a shell about her."

"Humph, sounds like Namame," Hatsui mused, "Maybe I'll have better luck breaking her shell than his."

"She's got a strong mind though," Urumiya concluded.

"Well, about time we had some excitement around here," Hatsui leaned back in his chair, "It's been half a year since the last major battle with Kutou. I'm getting out of practice."

Urumiya listened to the other man's comment. Although he sounded like a blood-hungry warrior, Hatsui hated to hurt anything, and hated war most of all. Urumiya didn't need to use his powers to know that Hatsui's words belied his true opinion.

Namame rode idly through the frozen landscape, he had been riding the whole day and now and night had fallen. Out here in the tranquil night, he could think clearly. Memories of the past stalked behind him and several times during his excursion, they had caught up to him. Now, he pushed them away firmly.

"I vow," he said to his constellation in the sky, "To protect this country with my last breath."

He sighed and turned his horse, heading back for the sleeping city and palace.

Kamei had been touring the palace the whole day with the Empress, now she was back in the room where she had started. She couldn't tell what time it was, perhaps around ten at night. Hatusi and Urumiya sat with her and the Empress. They had been making small talk, waiting for someone to come.

Namame slipped in silently, seeing all eyes on him, he sat down hurriedly.

"Where have you been Namame? Not making any trouble in town I hope," Hatsui teased.

Namame's face flushed slightly.

"Ah, so you have been frolicking, huh? Find a girl you like?" Hatsui went on.

"Let's get to the task at hand," the Empress said that as Namame remained silent to Hatsui's jesting. Normally, Hatsui would have been slammed to the wall already.

Kamei picked up the scroll. "We have four more seishis to look for...I want to get started as soon as I can leave."

"You don't have to do this alone Kamei," Urumiya said.

"I don't?" Kamei almost cried with relief.

"We're not going to let you go out there alone," Hatsui said, "Who knows what kind of weirdoes are out there?"

"But-the scroll said 'by herself search for the Shichi Seishis," Kamei quoted.

"You've already found us," Namame spoke his first words, "We can help you find the others."

Kamei stared at them a second, "Thank you, thank you, thank you," she cried with relief, "I was worried that I needed to go out there all by myself."

"Don't worry Miko-sama," Hatsui put a hand on her shoulder, "Whatever things may come, we Shichi Seishis of Genbu will face it with you."

"The provisions will be ready in a week," Empress Seika said, "We'll need food, supplies, three coaches, at least a hundred men..."

"Whoa, Empress," Hatsui put out a restraining hand, "What do you mean 'we'?"

"Well, I'm coming with you, of course," she said.

"Empress, you cannot come with us, you have to stay here," Urumiya told her.

"I never get to have any fun," she sulked.

"We can't be taking around a whole army with us either," Namame said, "We'll be easy prey for Kutou assassins. If it's only the four of us, we can blend in easily."

"He's right," Hatsui affirmed.

"All right, all right! You get to do whatever you want. I'm just an empty-headed little Empress with nothing better to do," she said, "Take all my fun away!"

"We wouldn't want that," Hatsui said, smiling mischievously, "I promise, when we get back, I'll tell you a bed time story before we go to bed."

"Hentai!" the Empress cried and smacked him across the head.

"Itai yo!" Hatsui complained, "Can't anybody take a joke these days?"

"Namame," the Empress sobered quite suddenly, "I want you to come with me to my chambers tonight."

"Oh, so he's your favorite," Hatsui stuck his head in their conversation, "What's he got that I don't?"

Both Seika and Namame punched him in the face.

"I understand your majesty," Namame bowed and followed her as she left.

Kamei watched the conversation, following everyone's facial expression and movement. From what she has seen, Hatsui was a jester who liked attention, but his moods turned from one second to the next, and you could never really tell what he was going to do next. He acted like a carefree guy who looked at the bright side of life. Urumiya was quiet and thoughtful. When he spoke, he was always heard. He seemed to understand everyone's thoughts and feelings. Namame was just silent. Kamei felt as if he was keeping something to himself. His kanji meant 'wall' and it seemed as if he hid behind a wall. Empress Seika was just a likable person. She was very amicable and caring.

"What are you thinking?" Hatsui leaned on his hand, sitting right in front of her. Kamei had been so engrossed in her thoughts that she had not noticed.

"Oh, nothing," Kamei blushed involuntarily.

"Ah, you blush," Hatsui cupped her cheek with one of his hands, "You were thinking about me, ne?"

"In your dreams," Kamei smiled sweetly behind her words and Hatsui laughed.

"Finally, someone who talks back instead of using fists," he stood and tousled her hair, "I like you already." With his ever changing mood, he was suddenly serious, "Miko-sama, the journey we are about to undertake will no doubt be filled with danger. Wherever you go, you can count on us to follow. You will never be alone and we will go through this together," he took her hands, "I swear to you on my life and my honor as a Genbu Seishi that I will protect you till my last breath."

"Hatusi," Kamei said worriedly, "thank you, but I don't want you to put yourself in danger because of me."

"Kamei," he smiled, "You did the same for us. You didn't have to stay here. I'm sure we could have found a way to send you back to your world, but you stayed. It is my destiny to protect you and if I die in the process, at least I didn't die in vain."

"Arigatou, Hatusi," Kamei said, speechless beyond those words. It still seemed like a dream to her. She felt as if any moment, she might wake up in the library.

"Yes Miko-sama," Urumiya walked up to them, "It is our destiny to protect you and help you on this quest. You're not alone."

"Thank you, thank you both," she smiled.

Namame watched as Seika brought out a wrapped bundle. Slowly, she unwrapped the silk cloth as he stood and watched. When the silk fell to the floor, a sword lay there in her hands.

"Kouryuu's sword!" Namame gasped.

"Since you'll be leaving soon Namame, I want you to have this," the Empress laid the sword in his hands.

"But, I can't," Namame protested, "It's Kouryuu's, I have no right to bear it."

"Namame," Seika stepped closer, "It was Kouryuu's wish for you to have it."

"But, Empress, I can't take it," Namame gazed fixedly at the floor.

Seika put one of her hands around his and lifted his chin with another, "Hear me Namame," her face looked so much like her twin's, but a more feminine version, "It wasn't your fault. You weren't there."

"That's just it, Seika," Namame said bitterly, "I wasn't there."

"It was an assasin," Seika said softly, "My brother speaks through me Namame, he's inside me, that's how I can carry on this charade of being Emperor. Kouryuu wants you to have his sword, the sword made at his birth that was connected to his chi. Take this sword, Kouryuu said, and use it well to protect those you love. Those are his exact words."

Namame looked into Seika's eyes and for a split second saw the eyes of his old friend. "I'm sorry Kouryuu," he said, as close to tears as he's ever got since that one time in his childhood. "I failed you."

"Namame, don't say that," Seika, hugged him.

Namame freed himself from her gentle embrace and knelt before her with the sword, "For Hokkan and its people, I accept this sword."

Seika turned away, tears in her eyes, but she didn't want him to see that.

Namame bowed and left her, leaving her alone with her thoughts. He had come to them when he was ten years old. He was found in a burned down village at the border between Kutou and Hokkan. As soon as he was able, he joined the men training to become soldiers. That's where Kouryuu had met him and through her brother, Seika got to know him as well. Namame fought every battle with bravery and honor. That's how he had captured her heart without even knowing it. No matter what she did though, she never seemed to be able to reach him.

When Kouryuu was killed by a Kutou assasin, Namame had the fever and could not join him. He has always blamed himself for not being there. After his death, Seika and Namame had been close because of their shared grief. Still, Seika knew that she was not the one who would touch his heart and wished that he had not touched hers.

Hi, Fuuiin here, some closing remarks...

Gomen Hatsui! I don't mean to beat you up. Am I being mean?

Well, Hokkan, in the north is only supposed to be made up of nomadic tribes but I made it into an empire... I don't think anybody care, right?

I really want comments people, well, since my websites are new, I don't think anybody knows about it... -.-'

This is going to be a long story, I think...

Ah, my brain's not working anymore...so, bye! Write me!