They�d delayed their departure by a few days. Eliza stood in her palace room, selecting a gown. Rather generously, Hotohori had provided her with a wardrobe fit for a princess. Every dress and robe before her had been perfectly altered to fit. Already, she wore a white silk shift under a dressing robe, and cunningly comfortable velvet slippers. She liked them much better than her own shoes, and was rather relieved to be not so much taller than everyone else anymore � two inch heels, while perfectly fashionable in San Francisco, were completely unnecessary on her, especially here. She'd also ordered some pants to be made for herself. She was NOT about to ride all over the countryside in her lawn dress every day, and none of the women's clothing here seemed designed for riding.
A sudden noise outside her door caused her to whirl as the door panels slid open to reveal a thoroughly panicked Tamahome.
�Hide me, Eliza! Please!� He hastily shut the door and fell to his knees before her. �She�s a madwoman, I tell you! I�ve got to escape her!�
Faintly, from outside, a strident voice called, �Oh, TAMA-KINS!!!�
�That�s Nuriko!� She suppressed a giggle. �I thought you were dining with her tonight?�
�Dinner, lunch, tea, every moment of every day! The woman is a demon, I tell you! If I let her,� Tamahome blanched, �She�s get breakfast too!�
Eliza felt hard-pressed to contain her shocked giggles at Tamahome�s implication.
The door to her room was flung open. Nuriko cried, �Oh THERE you are, Tama-darling!� She flung something towards Tamahome as he tried to escape, tangling his feet. �Come along, now, dearest!�
Using her immense strength, Nuriko literally dragged Tamahome out the door.
His expression of terror was too much for Eliza, as she laughed at his predicament. Nuriko shot her a suspicious look. Eliza waved and called, �Enjoy yourselves!�
But later that evening, as she relaxed on a balcony after a tedious dinner with Hotohori�s aged advisors, Eliza had to wonder if Nuriko thought she�d been laughing at Nuriko. Really, it was too much to fathom. On the one hand, Hotohori treated her like a porcelain doll, rather protective and almost proprietary. On the other, Nuriko acted sometimes like Eliza didn�t exist. In a day or two, they would ride out to find the other Suzaku warriors, yet Eliza couldn�t even be sure that Nuriko was willing to help. Determined to make sure that things would go smoothly, Eliza donned a robe and went looking for Nuriko.
She found Nuriko on another balcony, just outside the Imperial Harem. Eliza felt relieved that she�d never had to go in there, not being a concubine or whatever they were called here. Hotohori had quickly released Nuriko from any obligation, and installed her in a lovely set of rooms outside the harem, but still they saw little of Nuriko, unless it was while chasing down Tamahome.
�Nuriko?� Eliza noticed that the lady wore a rather distressed expression on her face. �Why, Nuriko! Whatever is wrong?� She hoped that it wasn�t a fight with Tamahome. Eliza wouldn�t know what to say if it were.
Nuriko sighed and opened a hand. In it, a lovely pearl earring lay. �These were a gift from my mother, when I was sent to the Harem. I seem to have lost the mate when I was walking by the lake. None of the maids will go looking for it � they are afraid of the dark.�
�Oh. Well, can you not look for it yourself in the morning?�
Nuriko shook her head. �I�m afraid it will be lost forever if I wait. It would be easy to find, though. The pearl tends to glow in the darkness.�
�Oh, how charming.� Eliza pondered a moment. She could use some time alone. �Well, I will gladly look for it for you.�
�Oh, would you?� Nuriko seemed to light up.
�Of course. Where were you walking?�
�By the bridge and the arbor. If you find my earring,� she paused, �I�ll gladly swear to serve you as a Suzaku Warrior.�
�That�s a deal!� Eliza smiled, and then waved as she headed out into the grounds.
Twenty minutes later, she was quite convinced that the earring had been stolen rather than lost. The reeds by the pond were tall enough that Eliza could barely see the ground. Then voices distracted her. She noticed a group of people on the bridge nearby, talking. As she approached, the voices became clear.
�Highness, you must take a bride! The empire needs an heir!�
�What about that Nuriko woman, Highness? Surely she is lovely enough?�
Hotohori only shook his head. �She is not as beautiful as I.� His advisors groaned. Only Eliza could see the sly smile on Hotohori�s face since he was turned away from his entourage, and she began to get the idea that his vanity was simply a joke. �At any rate, all my life I have had an image in my mind of the ideal woman for me. I will wait until I am sure of her before I wed.�
Eliza judged from the protestations arising from the councilors that it would be a good time to interrupt and rescue Hotohori. �Hello!� She called, walking up to the side of the bridge.
�Eliza! What are you doing out here?�
�I�m looking for Nuriko�s earring. She lost it.�
�Looking for Nuriko�s earring? Why?�
Eliza shrugged, then winced, remembering a rather severe teacher at school that hated the habit. She really ought to remember her schooling, especially here in an imperial court! �I wanted to let her see I�m her friend.�
Hotohori frowned. �I�ve noticed there�s some friction there. I shall order Nuriko to behave more appropriately.�
�Oh, no! Please don�t do that!� Eliza gasped. �That would be too embarrassing! I would much rather Nuriko liked me as a friend, not ordered to get along with me. What if all the other Warriors are men? What will I do then? No, I will win Nuriko�s friendship on my own.� She smiled at him, hoping he didn�t take the rebuke the wrong way.
To her relief, he smiled in return. �You are a kind and caring woman, Eliza. Very well.�
�Well, I�d best be on with my search. Goodnight, Hotohori.�
�Goodnight, Eliza.�
In her room, Nuriko laughed as she recounted their conversation to a maid. �I told the little fool that I�d lost it near the lake! As if any woman of the Harem is allowed down there! She knows NOTHING of Palace protocol. I really don�t see why everyone is so worked up about her.�
A knock on her door was quickly followed by Tamahome�s entrance. He stood in the doorway staring at Nuriko.
�Tama-kins!� Nuriko gasped, wondering how much he�d heard. From his expression, she guessed everything.
�I was looking for Eliza. What have you done, Nuriko?�
�Humph. That pale pansy! I don�t see why everyone�s making such a fuss! Just because she supposedly came from another world, with her strange gown and her strange way of talking!�
Tamahome advanced on Nuriko. �You sent her out there, at night! You KNOW there could already be Kutou spies in the area! YOU are SUPPOSED to be HER WARRIOR!�
Nuriko shrunk from his angry stare, but just then, Eliza appeared in the door behind him.
�Tamahome.�
�Eliza!� He spun and strode to her, grabbing her arms. �Are you alright? You�re soaking!�
Eliza smiled weakly. �A rather unfortunate misstep by the pond.� She pushed past him, walking up to Nuriko. �I couldn�t find your earring. But I did find this rather attractive stone. I believe it�s jade.�
Nuriko stood, giving Eliza a rather contemptuous look. �You little idiot. I had the other earring all along. I just wanted to see you make a fool of yourself.�
Eliza grimaced. �So I gathered. Why?�
�WHY? Because you�re NOTHING SPECIAL! You little floozy, you whiny little nobody! Everyone is soooo excited, the Priestess of Suzaku! While I!� Nuriko hiccupped a bit, as if she were holding back tears. �I�ve been in the Harem for three years, and His Highness hasn�t noticed me AT ALL!� Suddenly, Nuriko slapped Eliza.
As quick as lightening, Eliza slapped her back. The maid gasped as Tamahome just gaped. Eliza�s eyes never left Nuriko�s face as Nuriko raised a hand to the red mark on her cheek. �Tamahome, leave.�
�What?�
�Leave. The maid is dismissed as well.�
Moments later, alone, Eliza sighed, and finally dropped her gaze from Nuriko. �That�s it, isn�t it? You�re in love with Hotohori. And you�re jealous of the attention he pays me.�
�Of course!� Nuriko hissed.
Eliza smiled wryly. �Would it make you feel any better if I tell you I�m not interested in Hotohori at all?�
Now Nuriko gaped. �Why ever not?!? He�s the Emperor, and gorgeous, and kind, and��
�Yes, yes, he�s all that. And not my kind of man at all.� She suddenly glanced at Nuriko. �What about Tamahome? You�ve been all over him for three day�s now.�
Nuriko shrugged, making Eliza smile a little. �Oh, I only did that to make you jealous. I though you really liked him.�
�Not at all! Oh, he�s nice too. But I prefer a man a little more� um��
Suddenly grinning, Nuriko flopped onto her bed and waved Eliza into a seat. �Come on! Tell!�
Blushing, Eliza took the chair, then bit her lip. �Well�. You promise not to tell?�
�I swear! Now give!�
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