• That night, Aoshi lay in his bed, sleeping. He'd been dreaming of having tea with Misao earlier that day. He was woken by a noise shortly after the dream, however. It was coming from Misao's room, which was right beside of his room.

    She was muttering loud enough for him to hear, but that wasn't surprising. He had been trained in several forms of fighting, so that in case of an emergency, he'd be able to protect the queens that he had.......serviced. He was a ninja, through and through, and just the slightest of sounds could wake him.

    He decided to go and see what was the matter with the young queen. He stood, and went to her bedroom. He looked to the grandfather clock in the corner, seeing that it was nearly three in the morning. He looked back to the bed, and walked over to where the young queen tossed and turned restlessly.

    He gently shook her, and it wan't long until she jerked away. She sat up strait in her bed, panting and sweating. Aoshi tried to grab her arm, but she jerked it away, thrashing against him, moaning in pain.

    "Misao!" Aoshi whispered fervently, "It's only me! It's Aoshi!"

    Misao immediately stopped her struggles, looking up to see Aoshi's face. When she confirmed that it was really him, she threw herself into his arms and cried. Aoshi stiffened, but soon he relaxed and allowed her to receive the comfort she needed. Soon enough, her sobs died down to hiccups, and she looked at Aoshi. "I'm so sorry, Aoshi-sama, I had such a terrible dream, and it was so real!"

    "It's alright now, Misao. Go back to sleep." He tucked her into her covers, and turned to leave, but was stopped when she grabbed his arm.

    "P-please.....please don't leave.....I don't want to be alone...."

    He looked into her tear filled eyes, and sighed. He then lay down on the bed, slipping under the covers as she held them up for him. It was very chilly in the room, despite her sweaty appearance.

    "Would you like to discuss your dream....?"

    ".......Sure...." Misao answered, and began her dream. "I dreamed that Yumi sent one of her warriors to come and kill me.....because I had....." *Gulp* "Gotten pregnant.....but I do not know who by......I don't understand.......She said in my dream that she could not allow a new ruler, and that she wanted to take over my small land."

    Aoshi listened, and when she seemed to be finished, and said no more, he turned to face her and rubbed her arm. "I am sorry that you had such a frightening dream. Did you see what the warrior looked like...?"

    "Yes....he was....covered in bandages..."

    Shishio. This girl had never met Shishio. Maybe this was a vision, and not just a dream. But who would get a young girl like Misao pregnant? He was no longer a pleasure slave. He decided not to tell her that it was Shishio, and that Shishio was indeed a real person. He would keep that info to himself. He would deal with Shishio himself.

    Misao shivered, and buried herself into his chest. He reluctantly put his arms around her small frame, and pulled her close to him.

    "Aoshi-sama?"

    "Yes?"

    "May I try something...........? I've never done this before.....and I'd like to know what it's like......."

    "You are the queen, Misao. I am nothing but a servant. Do as you wish."

    She pulled her body up so that her face was directly in front of his, and before he could react (And before her resolve failed...) she brought her lips to his. Again, Aoshi stiffened. But, also again, he relaxed. He would not let it get too far. However, he would indulge her.

    **I'm her first kiss.....** He realized. He had kissed many women, and he could feel how inexperienced she was......BUT...........he liked it...He realized that he liked how innocent she was. She was pure, innocent, and....he knew, with out doubt, that she was a virgin. The idea of being her first intrigued him, infuriated him, and elated him all at the same time. He could see himself--in another couple years--becoming one with her, spilling that virgin blood. He could see it in his mind, even as it flooded anger into his heart for imagining such a thing from the young queen.

    The kiss ended with her gasping, but he was so used to it that he barely breathed hard at all. She pulled back, and whispered "I'm sorry.....I know that you are no longer a pleasure slave....I just....wanted to try it..."

    "It's alright." Aoshi soothed. He was not used to being a comforter, but he gave it his best shot. "I did not mind."

    "Was it....i mean....was it....okay....? I know you've kissed so many women, but........well.....this was---"

    "For a first kiss, it was good."

    "You....you knew?" She was mortified. He nodded his affirmation. "but how--"

    "As you said, I have kissed many women. I know the difference between expertise and inexperience. However...it was not bad, not at all. It was a pure kiss. If you could oblige me, I'd like to show you how I normally kiss a woman."

    He thrust his lips against hers, and molded together with her, teasing her bottom lip with his tongue, forcing her mouth open to allow him entry. She writhed against his body, moaning. He chuckled silently in his mind, knowing that he was melting her. After a few moments more, he felt her hands cup his face, tracing the line of his jugular. He groaned appreciatively, She smiled against his lips, and then they pulled away, Misao once again panting and gasping for air, while Aoshi remained as collected as always. Misao wound her hands through Aoshi's smooth, inky black hair. He wound his fingers in her black braid.

    "Is that really how you normally kiss?"

    "That was only the tip of the iceberg. If you are this breathless after that, I don't know if you could ever handle being bedded by a man."

    "W-w-w-w-wha....what does that have to do with this?"

    He ignored her question. "Why did you kiss me, Misao. I mean the real reason."

    "I was talking to one of the maids earlier about kissing...we just happened to get on the subject...and she said that she remembered her first kiss. She said that her, and my other maid, both got their first kiss when they were twelve and thirteen....Shiro and Kuro, too....I guess i felt left out. I'll be fifteen in two weeks, and I've still never been married. Girls younger than me are getting married and having children by now.....I just...i like you, Aoshi, and i kind of wanted my first kiss to be with you. I was desperate. I wanted you to be the one I experience all these things with....." She gasped, and hid her face in shame for her boldness.

    "That's what this was all about?" In truth, he was flattered. He had gotten his first kiss when he was eleven. He could not, however, remember the woman. There had been many women, and most of the had NOT been first-timers. The fact that Misao was desperate to experience all this with him was.....something new. He'd never been a woman's first. He did know that it was painful for a virgin, however. He knew that you had to take a woman's innocence. None of the women he'd been with had the same innocence as Misao.

    "Misao, I want you to wait until you're older to think about these things. There is no shame in it."

    "Aoshi.....I just....well....can you....? I mean...."

    "Yes?"

    "Will you at least touch me......? So that I can know.....what it feels like? I don't mean go all the way....I only mean....well, the 'tip of the iceberg'...."

    You mean for me to touch you...." He brought his hand down above her essence, which he could feel was heated through her gown and underwear. "Touch you here?"

    "Yes, but not with your....um...your special place."

    "You mean only with my hands."

    ".....un-hn...." She blushed, and hid her face again.

    Aoshi saw nothing wrong with her request. He did not ever want to take advantage of her, but here she was, clearly upset and hurting, only asking for a little attention. He smirked, and told her "Close your eyes."

    She did so, and she felt him kiss her lips again, with a passion that she'd never felt. His hands and lips worked down her body, and then, pretty soon, his hands were above her center, and he pulled up her nightgown and pulled down her underwear, allowing him to see her. He could tell that she would be tight. She was tiny!

    He brought his fingers to touch her, and she mewled and thrust her pelvis up at him. He smirked. She was almost undone, and she hadn't even began to feel his true potential.