Kamidake and Sasami

This was pitched as a potential future scene for Kamidake and Sasami for some years beyond the end of the stories I wrote. Sasami was never old enough to properly pursue her knight at that time but I wanted to write something with the two of them anyway. Kamidake is so sweet and Sasami is such a cutie J So here it is…the Kamidake and Sasami scene J

"Kamidake?"

Sasami rested her chin in her hands, gazing up at her companion as he perched on an up-ended tree trunk, carefully wiping his boots clean of the mud and leaf litter that clung to them. He glanced up, shooting his pretty companion a smile.

"Yes, Hime-sama? What is it?" he asked. Sasami frowned.

"Oh...nothing, I suppose." She said pensively. "I was just thinking...about being here, on Jurai, when it's quiet and peaceful and stuff like this. Thank you for coming out this way with me this afternoon, Kamidake. Father still gets so protective over me, when I want to walk from the palace. I think he has this idea I'll be abducted and forced to marry someone - since every man and his dog seems to want a piece of Jurai's future goddess."

She sighed heavily, and Kamidake laughed, shaking his head in amusement.

"There are many women who would enjoy such attention." He said softly. "I'm gathering you're not one of them, Sasami-hime?"

"No, I'm really not." Sasami admitted. "I thought it was funny, at first. All these strange men begging my father to let them court me. But now I'm a bit sick of it. None of them wants to bother getting to know me. They just want to be married to Tsunami-kami-sama, that's all. I know how Ayeka felt, now. When she was going to all those marriage meetings. Now I'm eighteen, it's really my say - but I'm glad Father's still standing in the way and saying no to all and sundry. Sometimes it's helpful to have an overprotective father."

"Lord Haru wants the best for both his daughters." Kamidake said contemplatively. "There's no harm in that, Hime-sama."

"No, I suppose not."

Sasami hesitated, shooting him a sidelong glance from beneath her lashes. In their walk through the forest, wisps of his normally neat hair had been teased loose from their usual ties, framing his face and giving him a different, more relaxed visage. He seemed oblivious to her attention, having returned his focus to his boots, and a slight, wistful smile touched her lips.

"Kamidake, how old were you when Tsunami chose you?" She asked softly.

Kamidake glanced up again, frowning as he read her expression.

"That's an odd question to ask, Sasami-hime." He observed. "Why? Do you think she might come calling on you too, soon enough?"

"No...not yet." Sasami shook her head. "I was just curious. You've never told me that story, and I'd like to hear it. I know it from Tsunami's side, of course. I know she wanted you to be one of the ones to guard and protect me...and be a part of my life. But I haven't heard it from yours."

"Well, I don't think there's much to tell." Kamidake reflected, sitting back against the upright base branch of his tree seat as he contemplated the question. "I was a knight of Jurai, sworn to serve my Emperor in all things. There was a lot of very bloody, very dangerous fighting at that time - Jurai was under seige from a planet called Seniwa, who were often Juraian foes. These days, the two worlds have a peaceful settlement and often trade and exchange ambassadors. But then it was different. Seniwa wanted to invade Jurai, and we had to do all we could to defend our world against them."

"I remember studying about that, once." Sasami said thoughtfully. "I didn't find it interesting then, but I didn't know you were in it, Kamidake. Was it interesting?"

"I'm not sure that's the word I'd have used." Kamidake said, amused. "Frightening, more like. But we drove the invaders back and liberated our world. Every evening after I survived a battle, I'd go to Tsunami's shrine and thank her for seeing out another day. In the end I believe it was her spirit that allowed us to defeat our enemies. Sometimes I suppose I was there longer than others - it was a peaceful place to be in the midst of so much chaos."

"Tsunami's shrine isn't here any more. Not that one." Sasami said regretfully. Kamidake shrugged.

"It fell victim to Kain's assault on this world." He agreed. "But stone walls can't embody the spirit of a goddess, we both know that. The connection you have with her is more divine and more true than any man-built shrine. People will know that, as time goes on. Tsunami will be as potent and popular a force in your time as she was in mine, believe me."

"I do." Sasami sighed. "And I wouldn't mind except I've got to be her."

She shrugged.

"Oh well. Maybe I'll find time for peaceful moments too." She added philosophically. She smiled, sending him a sidelong glance.

"You didn't tell me how old you were, Kamidake-san."

"Oh." Kamidake pursed his lips. "When I was conscripted by my Emperor, I was seventeen. But when Tsunami called me to her purpose, I was...about twenty, I believe. Certainly not much more."

"And Azaka?"

"I can't be certain. But he was my superior officer in rank and age, so I never liked to ask." Kamidake admitted. "We operate on equal terms as Tsunami's Chosen, but in many ways I still look to him as commander, and he slots into that role, too."

"I see." Sasami ran her fingers idly through the blades of grass. "So you weren't that much older than I am now, when you decided to give up your life for Tsunami's cause?"

"I suppose not." Kamidake shook his head. "Although it was never a difficult decision to make, Sasami-hime. I was Tsunami's man from the moment I donned armour. That was just the way of it."

"But what about your family? Didn't you miss them? Weren't you sad about leaving them behind?"

"There was noone to leave behind." Kamidake said softly, and Sasami thought she saw a flicker of regret dart across his expression. "Any family I did have were wiped out by battle and pestilence. I became a knight of Jurai to avenge those I'd lost - and because, really, I had nowhere else to go."

"Kamidake!" Sasami's eyes became big with horror. "I'm sorry...that's horrible! I didn't know - I didn't mean to upset you."

"It was many moons past, Hime-sama." Kamidake assured her. "Life has to go on. For me, it went on here, in this time and place. I don't regret the choice I made. Tsunami is a good mistress, you know."

"Yes...I suppose so." Sasami sighed heavily. "Kamidake, do you like me?"

"That's a strange question, if you don't mind my saying so, Princess." Kamidake looked startled. "Of course I do - why would I not?"

"I don't know." Sasami admitted. "Because it's your duty to? Because Tsunami chose you to? I'm not sure, exactly. I just don't like thinking I'm someone's job. That's all."

"Ah, I see." Kamidake's eyes crinkled with gentle amusement at this. "Hime-sama, you are never a chore to attend. You can rest easy on that score...both Azaka and I are extremely fond of both you and the Lady Ayeka."

"I wish you'd stop calling me that."

"Calling you what?" Kamidake stared.

"Hime-sama." Sasami grimaced.

"But Princess..."

"I hate being Princess sometimes." Sasami interrupted him. "And I hate it every time you say it, Kamidake. We're friends, aren't we? I mean, proper friends? Not just Princess and Knight?"

"Well, we are, but..."

"Then please don't call me Princess any more."

"Your father would not like that." Kamidake said ruefully. "Besides, what else should I call you, if not Hime?"

"Sasami." Sasami said simply. "Because that's my name."

Kamidake stared at her, floored by her suggestion, and despite herself, Sasami giggled.

"You look so funny." She said with a grin. "But I'm serious, Kamidake. I don't want you to call me Hime-sama or Hime any more. Friends don't call one another silly things like Princess. I want you to call me Sasami. That's who I am and what my friends call me."

"I don't think that's appropriate, Sasami-dono." Kamidake looked bewildered. "And I'm sure it wouldn't be appreciated at court. Yes, we're friends, but there's also social expectation."

"Which is a lot of rubbish." Sasami folded her arms across her chest.

"But you are Princess Sasami, the second daughter of Lord Haru, brother of the Emperor." Kamidake objected. "You are the sister of the Crown Princess of Jurai. You are the Chosen one of Tsunami-kami-sama. And you are..."

"In love with you." Sasami said softly, flooring her companion once more and striking him dumb in mid-sentence as she did so. She blushed, lowering her gaze at his incredulous stare.

"Hime-sama..."

"Don't!" Sasami exclaimed. "Please, Kamidake. Don't call me that!"

"But...Lady Sasami..." Kamidake hesitated, then, "You're tired, and you're saying things you don't mean. We should go back - it's going to get dark soon and people will wonder where we are."

"You know, Ayeka told me something once." Sasami raised sad crimson eyes to the knight's dumbstruck violet ones. "And I didn't understand it until now."

"Princess?"

"She said that a lot of things can hurt you in life." Sasami whispered. "But the thing that hurts you most of all is telling a man you love him when he doesn't feel the same way in return. No matter how close you are, you can never quite get to where you want to be. I never thought about it much - I really didn't, until now. But now I understand what she meant. I'm sorry, Kamidake...I shouldn't have said anything at all."

She got to her feet, pulling her cloak more tightly around her shoulders as she turned to walk on.

"Sasami-dono!"

His voice called her back and she hesitated, turning to send him an apprehensive glance.

"Yes?"

"It...isn't unreturned, Lady Sasami." Kamidake said gravely. "But there are a lot of things...Tsunami....your Father...I am a Knight of Jurai. Nothing more. You are so many things. I would never damage your honour, not for anything on this planet."

"Kamidake." Sasami's eyes softened, and she leant up against the trunk of a nearby tree, eying him gently.

"Besides, I know that Tsunami had her ulterior motives for choosing me. She made that clear enough when she had control of your body on the trip to Kihaku." Kamidake continued. "Your feelings aren't yours. They're hers."

"No..." Sasami shook her head. "I thought so as well, to begin with. But they're not, Kamidake. They're not Tsunami's at all. I mean, yes, she had those motives and feelings. She likes you a lot and she wanted you to be part of my life because she couldn't bear the idea of you aging and dying before she had a chance to live again. But I don't love you for those reasons, you know. I love you for being strong and brave and always there when I need you. I love you for risking your life to defend Tenchi when he went to fight Kagato. I love you for risking your life when you gave your magic to me to help break Kihaku's spell. I love you for all the time we spend together, talking and laughing and just being friends. I love you as Sasami, Kamidake. Not as Tsunami. Because I'm not her yet. So I can't have all her feelings. Not really."

"Even so, Hime, there are lines that cannot be crossed by Princesses and those who attend them." Kamidake said quietly. "We'd both do as well to forget this conversation ever took place."

"No." Sasami shook her head. She hesitated, then darted towards him, putting her arms around him and kissing him impulsively, taking him off guard. He disentangled himself from her playful embrace almost immediately, glancing around them in a panic, and she laughed, touching him mischievously on the nose.

"I'm not a Princess. I'm going to be a Goddess and Goddesses can make their own rules." She murmured. "I'm not a baby any more, Kamidake. I'm eighteen now - old enough to sit on the Council, if I want to. And Tsunami did choose you for me. Whatever her motives, she did select you. You're not just a knight and I'm not just a Princess. I'm a Goddess in Waiting and you're her Chosen. That's different."

"Is it?" Kamidake looked troubled. "Sasami-sama, you're being reckless."

"Perhaps I am." Sasami sighed. "But Kamidake, I've waited for five years or more to be able to discuss this with you - to bring it out in the open as an adult and be honest with you about how I feel. It doesn't seem reckless or rushed to me. It seems like it's been such a long time coming."

Kamidake just stared at her, and she smiled.

"Ayeka knows." She added. "And she doesn't mind. She gave me her blessing already. And Washu told me that if I really did love you, I should do whatever I could do to get you and keep you, because losing you would be the worst thing I could do."

"How many people did you discuss this with?" Kamidake looked horrified, and Sasami laughed.

"Only them." She said unrepentantly. "Well, and maybe Suki - but she is my closest friend at court, and she tells me all her secrets. Besides, Ayeka is my sister, so she wouldn't ever tell if I asked her not to. And Washu knows a lot of things...she saw the chemistry between us without me telling her. So I didn't technically confide in her - it just happened that way."

"Sasami-hime." Kamidake sank back down onto his tree trunk, apprehension and unrest on his face. "This just...I mean...it can't..."

"It can." Sasami shook her head. "Kamidake, please...listen to me. You waited all those years for me. Isn't that true?"

"I suppose it is, but..."

"And I waited so many for you too, or it seems that way." Sasami's eyes danced. "So I don't see any problem, do you?"

"Sasami-hime, you are Tsunami-kami-sama!"

"One day, not yet." Sasami dismissed this with a flick of her fingers. "And she approves of you too, so I guess that's another positive we can add to the pile."

Kamidake sighed heavily.

"You make this so difficult for me, saying these things." He said helplessly. "I'm only a man, Hime. I can't fight every demon."

Sasami laughed, resting her hand gently on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry...I've scared you." She said contritely. "I didn't mean to - I just thought I'd take a leaf out of Ryoko's book and see if the direct approach works. I mean, she got her man, in the end. She must have something right."

"Lady Ryoko?" Kamidake blinked at her, then, "If you don't mind, Sasami-dono, I'd rather you didn't try any of her techniques again."

Sasami giggled.

"I'm sorry." She repeated. "I'll try and remember. But this is new to me too, you know. And I am serious, Kamidake. I didn't lure you out here to talk about this stuff, but since we are here and we are alone, it just kind of slipped out. Besides, I wanted to talk to you while I was still Sasami. I don't want you to love Tsunami and not me...I want it to be the other way about."

She faltered, eying him doubtfully.

"Is it?"

Kamidake sighed heavily, and at first he didn't answer. Then, at length, he met her gaze.

"This has to stop." He said softly. "Before one of us disgraces you beyond all redemption."

"I won't be disgraced." Sasami said with a shrug. "And I'm not worried about my reputation. I'm worried about being happy, Kamidake. And my sister understands. Why not Father and Uncle, too? She's on my side and you are Tsunami's chosen. I don't see why they wouldn't accept it, if it was what I wanted."

"Really?" Kamidake raised an eyebrow. "I do."

"Well, perhaps." Sasami sighed. "But...I don't suppose we have to tell them."

"There is nothing to tell them." Kamidake said frankly. "And we're heading back to the palace. Now. Before there is."

"No." Sasami grabbed him by the hand as he stood to go, pulling him back towards her. He eyed her quizzically, and she frowned, her eyes clouding over as she read his expression.

"You don't love me, do you?" She murmured. Pain flitted across Kamidake's eyes at this.

"Answering that could get us both into so much trouble." he replied unwillingly. Sasami dropped her gaze.

"I don't want to cause trouble, or be in any." She said honestly. "But how can it be wrong, to love someone? Especially someone you trust and that you know won't hurt you. It doesn't seem wrong to me. Why does it seem so wrong to you?"

"Because you're a Princess."

"Will you forget that, please?" Sasami begged. "Kamidake, this isn't about Princesses or Knights or any other stupid social convention that Jurai dreamt up to keep people apart. It's not about them, it's about you and it's about me. Tell me honestly, please...I want to know. Do you love me...can you love me? Because if you don't or can't I'll find a way to accept it...and never ever mention it again. But if you do, I want to know. And if you lie to me either way, Kamidake-san, I won't ever forgive you. Tell me the truth - please."

There was a long silence, as a mixture of emotions crossed Kamidake's face. Then, at length, he sighed.

"I do." He admitted reluctantly. "And I have...but Sasami-sama..."

"That's all I need to know." Hope sparkled in Sasami's crimson eyes and she touched him on the arm. "I have a lot of time to keep working on you, if I need to, to make you see how it's all right to be in love with me. I just needed to know that you were."

Kamidake dropped his gaze.

"It's dishonourable for a Knight to aspire to a Princess's heart." He whispered. Sasami snorted.

"No, it's not." She said matter-of-factly. "It's no more wrong than Tenchi wanting to be with Ryoko and you don't think that's wrong, do you?"

"But Tenchi-sama rescinded his claim to Jurai's throne!"

"And I have no claim to the throne either, because of Tsunami and because Ayeka is in line to inherit and she and Takeru have Shigure to carry on the line." Sasami shrugged her shoulders. "Really it's not all that different."

"Perhaps." Kamidake acknowledged cautiously. "Lord Haru might not see it so equinanimously."

"Then we just won't tell him." Sasami decided. Kamidake looked relieved.

"I think that would be a wise plan." He agreed. Sasami smiled, eying him carefully for a moment. Then, hesitantly, she kissed him. At first the knight went to pull away, but as the kiss became deeper he gave up his attempts to fight it and when they broke apart, Sasami saw with some satisfaction the same depth of emotion reflected in her companion's eyes as was surging through her own heart. She grinned.

"That seals our secret." She murmured. "Doesn't it?"

Kamidake eyed her ruefully, touching his lip absently with his finger.

"I think we need a chaperone." He observed sheepishly. "Next time we come walking, I'll ask Azaka to attend."

"No, you won't." Sasami scolded. "Kamidake, do you not want us to have time alone together?"

"I don't intend on having an affair with you, Sasami-sama." Kamidake said flatly. "It goes against all codes of chivalry I was ever taught, and dishonours your status as a Princess of this planet."

Sasami sighed.

"I knew you'd say that." She admitted. "And I suppose it's okay. I mean, at least until I can work out a way to convince Father and Uncle that we should be together. Because if I can do that, Kamidake, will you still run from me?"

"If Lord Haru gives his blessing, and my Emperor also, then nothing would give me more pride or honour than to accompany you." Kamidake said solemnly. "But I come from a time different to yours, Sasami-sama, and you have to understand that things were even stricter then than they are now. What I know and what I feel are two things and they must be brought into line. Without their blessing, I have no intention of crossing over that line with you again. And for the sake of us both, we should keep it a secret. Not even Lady Suki needs to hear this particular story."

"All right." Sasami sighed. "I suppose so. I suppose I understand."

She hesitated, then slipped her hand into his, giving it a friendly squeeze and then release it.

"In which case, please escort me back to the palace, Kamidake-san." She said playfully.