Divine Worlds

By: S.R. Shinohara

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Chapter I

God of the Forests & his Daughter

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“ITAI!”

Hurting her had never settled well with him. Sitting back casually with a cup of tea to his lips in his forest hall, Illusian, on Tengoku, he watched the young girl’s face contort in such pain that it made him grimace in regret. It really wasn’t pleasant making her do this. “Just a little more and it’ll all be over, Saori.”

Sweat ran down her forehead and her grip tightened around the back of the chair she was leaning back on so tight that her knuckles were white. It REALLY hurt! And the fact that the length of her shirt only covered so much was bugging her, even if it was only her father and her assistant that he INSISTED she have. There was honestly no point to having one, but Kayoko was great company so it wasn’t too bad. Plus, she was an elf, so she was always fun to have by her side and kept her amused one way or another. “Kayoko, must you pull this damn bodice so TIGHT?!”

Sweating, Kayoko’s right foot was planted against the wall at Saori’s side as she pulled the godforsaken article of clothing as tight as she could. “I’m sorry, milady…but if it’s not pulled tightly then it won’t serve its purpose fully.”

“But I don’t NEED my breasts pushed up! I don’t want to make it look like I have more then I really do!”

He really, REALLY didn’t need to hear that. Not from his baby girl; not her. Not from his youngest. It was just too much, throwing back as much of his drink as he could in one gulp. If only tea were stronger…like sake or ale, maybe mead. Something that could block away those thoughts of his youngest child being inducted into Tengoku, put into sight of the many gods who’d be attending tonight’s feast.

Saori let out pained breathes, looking at the simple brown leather bodice wrapped around her and her long green shirt. God, her chest hurt. For such a simple thing, the brown bodice was damn TIGHT and threatening to crack her ribs if she breathed in too much. “I’m supposed to walk around in this ALL night?”

Her father’s sigh was ragged as he said, “If you hope to find a worthy husband among those in Tengoku, then yes.”

“And to find a worthy one I need to push up whatever assets I have so they notice them? Yeah, I’m SURE I’ll find a worthy man that way.”

Kayoko & the God of the Forests noted her sarcasm with large sweat-drops.

Crossing her arms and leaning to her right, her face pulled into an expression they knew as serious contemplation. “Besides, I don’t think I want to be married. He’d just end up on Lady Aiko’s list of conquests.”

She didn’t bother hiding her sharp look towards her father at all.

The violet haired god choked on his tea and fell backwards off his chair with more sweat-drops. “Don’t give me that look…”

Saori’s look was outright incredulous. “What? You know it’s true.”

“I don’t mean about that…err…” He searched for the right word but came up empty, face twitching nervously.

“Astute observation?” Kayoko supplied with amused pale blue eyes. This was why she liked assisting Saori & her father; they were easy to be around. And they certainly treated their servants the best in all of Tengoku. Some of the other gods were just…she shuddered just remembering.

“Yes! Astute observation.” He gave her a grateful shaky smile before Saori politely laughed and snorted (if that is possible with such a sound) in unhidden amusement. “Besides, you know my case is different where Aiko is concerned.”

“I know,” she conceded, and Kayoko could practically steam rise out of her ears as she admitted this. Her dislike for Aiko was well noted, and that was something that worried Kayoko. The consequences would have direct affects on her friend’s chances of ever finding male companionship since the goddess of Love & Beauty returned her feelings and then some.

That was a shame because truthfully, she couldn’t see Saori being happy by herself in the long haul. She’d be happy for a couple centuries, the light eyed girl was pretty content so long as she had one friend and Kayoko wasn’t about to be going anywhere any time soon, but eventually she would feel the loneliness which came with lacking a male partner who could give her things friends could not. She always had the option of doing what many of the single women of Tengoku then did but, well, she’d probably give up all her powers and go into exile first then ever become like that. She had too much self-respect.

And way too large a temper, she also had to muse with a nervous smile. It was a mystery as to where she got it; probably her mother, because her father, Kosuke, was too easy going. Stubborn as hell he could be, but never once had he shown any signs of possessing a temper, even on his worst days.

The strain of putting a good light on Aiko was tiring, especially when he was trying to put a good light on her for his daughter. It was pretty much like talking to a wall, the small child as damn stubborn as many claimed he was. Oh well, at least she’d agreed to be primped up for the feast. If she’d had her way, Saori would’ve gone in with her normal hunting clothes, still looking feminine and beautiful (to him anyway) but nothing that would attract the attention of his kin to start considering her as a mate. And that was both pleasing and disturbing to him. “Just ignore her for the night, hmm?”

“Did you really have to tell me?” Saori frowned as she said flatly, “I was planning on doing so anyway. The sight of her alone pisses me off and I want to try and have some fun at this thing.”

Kayoko caught the glint in her eye and twitched nervously. Kosuke might have seen it, but he probably easily brushed it off as her natural spirit showing itself. She knew better. Saori wasn’t referred to by most of Tengoku as mischief personified for no reason. “That’s good to hear, milady, but make sure you don’t have TOO much fun. That could be dangerous.”

Saori caught the hint and the double-meaning to Kayoko’s words with a smile. This was why she liked Kayoko; the elf was amazingly good with words, probably because of her maternal faerie blood. Of all the races in the world, Faeries were the smartest, besides being the fastest with their foot tall forms and two pairs of wings. The only reason Kayoko wasn’t confined to a foot tall form was because she became an assistant to the deities of Tengoku; she couldn’t do anything if she were still in her original form. Still, she was pretty short in this form of hers too…

“Well, since you’re all set, shall we go?” Kosuke finished his tea in one quick gulp, setting it down on one of the many small tables scattered about their grand hall. Grand was probably the wrong word for it though; they only had 500 rooms compared to everyone else who had 1,000 or more in their halls. “Lord Joutei gets testy if the star of the feast is late for their induction into Tengoku.”

“Yeah,” she drawled with a frown. Kayoko thankfully followed behind them, being their servant. It was completely for Joutei’s sake that they asked her to walk behind them as all servants did rather then with them since he seemed to have issues about servants being treated nicely by their masters. Saori couldn’t help snorting; of course he would, considering how his servants spoke of him when he wasn’t listening. And then there were the many stories Kayoko, who’d been passed around and worked for every damn god who lived on Tengoku, had told her of the SHORT time she’d spent at Joutei’s hall before being traded – or was it given? They still weren’t sure which it was – to Illusian and her current “masters”.

“Remember why you’re here.” Her father’s voice broke Saori from her thoughts as she blinked up at him curiously. “Just smile and greet like we practiced and this will be relatively painless.”

“Do I have to smile?”

“Saori!”

“Hai, hai…smile and greet, got it.”

Kosuke rubbed his temple in pain as they exited the forest which grew around their home; Joutei’s hall was in sight now, lighting up Tengoku’s night sky with its festive lights and glittering disposition. It was pearl white with gold trims, fitting for the King of Gods and his wife, and always sparkled brighter then any other hall no matter what time of day it was. Though Tengoku never fell pray to weather abnormalities like the lands below the clouds, they still went through night and day like everyone else.

Why did he have the sneaking suspicion he was going to have a huge headache by time this night was over? Saori’s joke wasn’t helping matters either. His youngest had the cruelest sense of humor, really. The induction to Tengoku was the only thing he actually liked; it solidified ones place in Tengoku, as well as the role most had already picked out for themselves by time this thing came around. If they hadn’t, Joutei gave them one. Simple as that.

He already knew what she’d picked; Saori had made it clear she wanted to work with her father as a Goddess of the Forests, which he didn’t mind in the least. He was in charge of far more then what his title let on and he needed the assistance. After working with some of the other main gods and goddesses (except Aiko, of course) like he’d asked her to, in case there was a job better suited to her or if there was one she liked better, she’d pretty much decided it was what she wanted.

But Kosuke had found something interesting out about his daughter; she’d excelled in every area. Every one of the deities she’d worked with had raved to him after about how great a job she’d done. Namie the sea goddess had been especially floored by how well her animals had liked her – and those sea creatures liked few, if any, other then Namie herself. The thunder god Raikou had none too subtly hinted that she was nuts to want to follow in his footsteps when she’d handled his tasks so well. Hiiro the fire & war god had been enchanted by her ability to adapt well to his job once she’d gotten the hang of it. Hell, even his son by Aiko had been impressed by how helpful she was in the area of healing, and those two were lucky if they could be civil most of the time.

It all made him wonder about her maternal lineage. Saori had more or less been dropped anonymously on his doorstep with a note saying to take care of their child, but the mother had not even left a name. He could tell without a doubt she was his too; the hair was exact in color and she shared many of his attributes (like the stubbornness) and quirks, not to mention she’d smelt of his divinity. The aura that surrounded her as a child, and still did, reeked of his divine presence. So who had been the mother? She was no doubt the reason Saori had the ability to carry out whatever she did so well. Hell, he knew for certain HE couldn’t!

It was probably best he not think about it anymore for the night; his headache was growing and they were already at the grand hall’s shining gates. Saori’s smile was disturbing him (even if he was the one who told her to do so) and Kayoko seemed to be trying to tell him something with her eyes. What it was exactly, he couldn’t tell, but it involved his daughter since her eyes kept moving from Saori, to the hall, and back again. What was she trying to say?

Saori was not looking forward to this night; it was going to be dull and boring unless she found ways to keep herself amused. She didn’t like many of the deities, so the whole night she was going to be surrounded by people she abhorred or, at the very least, disliked. Few she could tolerate, and the majority of those deities didn’t bother attending formal inductions. Why should they? They usually met them beforehand when they went around trying their hand at doing different jobs. What point was there to attend the formal induction if they didn’t like partying?

Even after the few centuries she’d been on Tengoku, Saori still didn’t understand the fondness of partying. It seemed the deities loved throwing feasts or banquets, mostly just for the hell of having one. Some like Namie the sea goddess hated the noise of banquets, but the majority of them, like Joutei, loved them. Why? Who knew? She’d never fully understand the deities; that was for sure.

The moment they stepped into the grand dining area, decorated lavishly with artworks and other decorations, all eyes went to her and Saori beat down the urge to cower with a metal pipe. She was one of them, right? She shouldn’t cower just because they were looking at her.

“God of the Forests, Lord Kosuke.” Joutei addressed him with a pleasant smile, sand eyes crinkled in merry delight, induced by the highly alcoholic ale & mead he was drinking most likely. “You made it on time!”

Kosuke’s smile was strained. He didn’t like Joutei when he was sober and he didn’t like him when he was drunk either. “Milord, King Joutei, I have indeed with my daughter and her servant.”

His eyes turned to Saori and she had to bit back a shudder at how he eyed her. God, it was going to be a trying night. “As, yes, young Saori…I believe you have chosen your path as a deity, have you not?”

“Hai, King Joutei,” she said with a bow. Best get it over with as quick and painless as possible before she gave into her desire and ran back to the safety of Illusian. “I wish to follow in my father’s footsteps as a Goddess of the Forests. I feel it is best suited for me.”

Many of the other well known deities she’d worked with heaved disappointed sighs/grunts. They’d known she’d say that, but it was still disappointing.

Joutei noted this with an amused twitch of his eyebrow. “It seems you were quite popular.”

The thunder god, Raikou, chose to voice what they were all thinking. “She was an extremely helpful worker; it’s disappointing.”

And this was coming from people who’d shunned/hated her before she’d worked with them; Saori nearly snorted in uncontained laughter, adding ‘fickle’ to the list of words she often used to describe them.

Joutei hummed, scratching his chin before a smile Saori just simply didn’t like crossed his face. “Well, it would be a shame for so many to be disappointed. Though it’s a title of less prestige then a full-fledged goddess…” Saori snorted inwardly; like she cared about that stuff? “…would you consider becoming an Assistant Goddess?”

She’d heard of them; not many chose that line of duties because of the less glamorous title that it was rather then being an independent deity. What they did was basically help deities with their work whenever they needed aid, so in a sense they were multi-talented deities whose talents and contribution weren’t paid as much dues as they should be. The job fit her, but she didn’t relish the fact that her contributions would be taken for granted. If there was one thing Saori hated it was being made a fool. “I would, but I’d have two stipulations.”

She could see all their ears perk; they really were desperate, weren’t they?

“And those would be…?” Joutei hated stipulations; they always ended up stressing him out.

“Should I feel, within a certain amount of time, that the title is unsuitable for me I can become what I originally wanted – a Goddess of the Forests.”

Alright, that was doable. He could do that no problem. “And the second stipulation?”

“Depending upon the request made to me, I can reserve the right to ask for compensation in return for my services if I feel it merits it.”

Ah, there it was. Joutei rubbed his forehead as he felt the familiar bud of a headache begin to blossom.

Kosuke nearly laughed aloud at her conditions; he’d expected nothing less of her. Saori knew as well as he did how much of a fool Assistant Deities often got treated like. Asking for compensation would ensure that she wasn’t taken for granted and used mindlessly. Yes, my little girl is smart. Did you all think she wasn’t? Hahaha, now you know better. Shame on you for thinking such a ridiculous thing! My little girl won’t be used. She has too much self-worth to let herself be used like that.

“Alright,” Joutei finally said after much thought, “Those stipulations will be met.” Louder and more proudly he announced, “I am proud to introduce Saori, our newest Assistant Goddess!”

Everyone seemed happy; that was good. She could see some of the very amused gazes in some of their eyes; they were, dare she say it, proud that she’d come up with a way to maintain her dignity while taking on the lesser title. Others seemed annoyed by it. Oh well, they wouldn’t request her aid then. Saori mentally noted their faces so she knew who to request compensation of should they ask for her services.

It was actually a blessing in disguise, she soon noted. Many of the single males not worth the time of day didn’t approach her, her title disinteresting them entirely. Those who were sincerely interested only approached her now, regardless off her newly announced position in Tengoku.

“That was very impressive,” Raikou praised, his handsome face drawn into a small twitch of a smile. His electric yellow hair that was spiked every which way was distracting her as he spoke, unable to help watching it as it moved – or didn’t, as was his case. It was like it was frozen.

“Arigatou, Lord Raikou.” Saori grinned, inwardly cringing as she shifted in her seat. The damn bodice was hurting like hell. “I hope I will get the chance to work with you again; it was fun, working with the weather.”

Was he embarrassed? Well, as embarrassed as Raikou ever became, anyway. “You can count on it, Lady Saori.” With a small dip of his head he left, his face dropping back into his trademark frown. He really needed to loosen up.

No sooner had he left did Saori jump in surprise when an arm snaked around her from behind, a hand resting right where her bodice was tied in the front, toying with the strings. “I expected no less from you; cunning as always, Saori,” said his smooth voice, and she could imagine the size of his smirk as his fingers went a little too close to her pushed up cleavage then she liked, brushing against the skin.

She smacked his hand away with an irritated twitch. “Stop that, Hiiro.” He did, but his arm didn’t remove itself from around her, still playing with her bodice’s string as he leaned against the back of her chair playfully. Since he was so tall, Hiiro was literally bent over, his face closer to her ear then she would’ve liked – something he made good use of as he occasionally blew into it. “Why do you always do stuff like this?”

“Because I love Saori,” he said bluntly, smiling as he saw her face darken with a blush. His voice was silky smooth as he whispered into her ear, dark red hair brushing gently again her cheek, “Your image keeps me awake at night…”

Saori smacked his arm as his fingers tried to go back to her chest again, more irritated then before. “I’m sure you said that to the Nymph last night too before you took her to bed.”

Well, he had, but he never meant a word of what he said to her. What he said now he actually meant. Didn’t she know that? “I didn’t mean a word of what I told to her.” He closed his eyes, slowly bringing his lips to brush her cheek lightly. “Every word I speak is only true for you.”

Saori snorted, her eyebrow ticking in greater annoyance. Hiiro always pissed her off like this; he was the most handsome man on Tengoku and like many males slept with countless women, yet he was asking her to believe what he said after admitting he’d told the very same thing to the Nymph he’d ravished the prior night with no meaning? She wasn’t born yesterday and had a mind that could work despite a small, SMALL attraction to him, thank you. “Yeah right.” Where’s Lord Raikou when you need him?

Hiiro’s eyes narrowed in question before he abruptly swept her out of the seat and into his arms with one quick movement, her yelp echoing in the halls as he took her outside into the gardens. Being one of Joutei’s divine sons, he lived in his great hall with him, and he knew his way around the corridors as well as the grand garden which servants maintained. It was empty at the moment, silent of everything but the water dripping into the fountain and Saori’s loud rants as she yelled at him to, essentially, put her down before she made sure he never had any progeny ever again.

He obliged her once they were at the fountain, setting her down to stand on its edge so she could look him in the eye instead of at his chest. “You always were loud, even as a child.”

Her desire to hit him was fueling, biting it back only because she’d known him longer then any other. If he didn’t start talking soon her patience with him was going to snap. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Standing was becoming too painful, sitting down on the stone ledge as gracefully as she could without her discomfort being noticeable. Gah, this damn thing HURTS!

“I want us to talk in private,” Hiiro frowned, deadly serious, “Why do you never take me seriously?”

Saori nearly toppled over into the fountain. He was kidding, right?

“I know you feel it,” he continued, his tone light and gliding through her ears like silk. The image that brought to mind made her blush, her expression comical. Hiiro would’ve laughed if he could see it, but was too busy leaning by her ear and speaking in a sensuous voice that made many a female melt. “You’re a smart girl…you know it. I know you can see my desire for you as plainly as I can see the sparks you get for me from time to time.” He nipped her ear, a smirk pulling at his lips as an amusing thought floated through his head. “It gets worse the longer you ignore it.”

“You flatter yourself too much,” she said flatly, averting her eyes. His vivid silver eyes had a discomforting look to them at the moment; it made her uneasy. “You should know me better then that anyway. I don’t set myself up for falls.”

Hiiro blinked in confusion but shoved it away; he’d ponder that curious statement later. Pulling back just enough so he could get a view of her eyes, his smile was sensuous and knowing. “Such a stubborn girl…strong-willed and cunning with such a fire inside…and you haven’t even known the passions of a god yet.” Her face flamed, so embarrassed that she didn’t even fight him (probably didn’t notice since she would’ve fought like hell if she weren’t so embarrassed by the image he gave her) as he lowered her back so she was lying back along the fountain’s ledge, her violet hair falling into the clear waters partly. “It’s why I’ve always wanted you, don’t you know.”

Her light blue eyes came to focus and she finally noted her position, Hiiro hovering above her. “Hiiro…stop this. Let me up.” That look of his was so incredibly disconcerting; she hated that look.

He would, but not quite yet. “I want you for my wife, Saori…no other can do…no other has stayed in my mind so long.” His smile was rue as his fingers tugged at her bodice’s laces. “The others never noticed you until tonight, but I’ve known you much longer. It’s been you, lately, which I see when I ravish those other women. I can’t remember a point which I never imagined it were you.”

She wanted to die, or at least melt away. Her face was a hideous red and she knew it, looking down when she felt the pressure on her chest disappear. Her bodice had fallen open, consequently letting her shirt’s neckline dip lower then she liked. Oh yeah, that was good. ESPECIALLY with the mood Hiiro seemed to be in at the moment. Crap.

His eyes darkened but he made no move to do anything more, only hovering above her with that strange look in his eyes. Yes, he was sexy as hell, she could admit that. Yes, she was attracted to him at the moment – it was pointless to not admit that when it probably showed on her face. But she wasn’t stupid enough to get taken in by just that. She’d heard Hiiro use some of those lines before and she wasn’t buying it.

“Ne, Saori! Milady, where are you?!”

Kayoko’s calling distracted him enough that she could kick him over into the fountain with a swiftly brought up leg, getting up and adjusting her shirt so it didn’t hang so precariously and shifting her sash to a more comfortable position around her waist. She heard Kayoko’s jaw clang against the paved walkway of the garden as soon as she found her, glaring in irritation at Hiiro who was sitting in the fountain soaked, leaning back on his hands with crossed eyes. “Don’t do that to me again, Hiiro, or I really will make sure you never have anymore progeny.”

Hiiro watched her go with a wry smile, letting his head fall back so the cold water ran down his face soothingly. The cold water he was sitting in slowly undid the affects her image had had on him – especially her neckline that had gaped once he’d undid her bodice so she could breathe without trouble. He’d noticed her discomfort the second she stepped inside the hall. He knew her too well to not notice her subtle hints. “Mattaku…she’s so stubborn…”

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“He didn’t, I mean, you didn’t…” Kayoko was stumbling to find a gentle way of asking what she wanted with little success. “What was Lord Hiiro trying to, uh, do?”

Saori’s eyes narrowed. She had no damn idea how to answer that. “I have no idea. I do know I’m glad I didn’t have to find out.” With a sigh, she leaned her forehead on Kayoko’s shoulder, her feet continuing to walk the path through the forest that would bring them to her home, Illusian: her warm, SAFE hall that she shared with her father. “Your sense of timing is impeccable though. I’m sure those ears of yours picked up something of what he said too once you were in range.”

Kayoko nodded, patting her shoulder comfortingly as her long pointed ears twitched in the cool breeze which drifted past them. “They did. I picked up his words clearly about the time he said he wanted you for a wife.”

Saori cringed. Kayoko muttered an apology, twisting her hand around lightly as magic filled the air. Saori liked the feel of magic, letting the waves of it dance around her bunched up nerves and loosen her tense body. “Arigatou.”

“I aim to help, milady.” With a teasing smile, her ears twitched again as she looked over and asked, “Would you like me to help you with the bodice again?”

Saori’s eyes dropped to the piece of clothing in her left hand and in the blink of an eye it disappeared in a flare of fire. “Never joke about that again.”

“Hai, hai, Lady Saori; never again. So did you see anyone who interested you as a potential husband?”

Saori’s answer was simple, the door to Illusian slamming in Kayoko’s face. Laughing, she opened it up and ran inside saying, “Gomen ne, Saori! Gomen!”

She waved it off, going into her room with a sigh. She wanted sleep. That feast had been no fun at all, except for when one of the younger deities slipped and fell on his ass because of some conveniently placed horse dung. Hiiro had pretty much hammered the last nail into the coffin.

And her father wondered why she hated those feasts. Small wonder.

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