The Tale Continues (Saiunkoku Monogatari Fanfiction: Ryuuki x Shuurei lemon)

Chapter 10: Development Comes

Shuurei walked briskly despite the beautiful sunset. She is going to have a long talk with Ryuuki. However, no one is his study nor in his sleeping quarters. She looked around the room. He is really not there. She scanned the nearby places but he is not there either.

She looked for any sign of Shuuei. He is not around too. That means he is with Ryuuki. At least that means Ryuuki is safe since Shuuei is with him. 'Where would those two go? Ryuuki should be resting.' Shuurei thought. Her annoyance is replaced with worry. She was about to go to Jyuusan's room when she spotted Kouyuu. He seemed to be lost again.

Kouyuu looked so annoyed being lost again. He is muttering about how the pathway home could transfer to another location with just a few minutes. ''Kouyuu-sama, have you seen Ryuuki?''

''Shuurei, I mean Your Highness,'' Kouyuu said as he kneeled with a bowed head. Shurei's head is starting to ache from all this kneeling and bowing that she had been receiving all day. All of them had called her 'Your Highness' which they do not normally do. She did her best to neglect it. She wanted to tell him to just call her the way he used to but she chose to talk with Ryuuki first. ''I just came from His Majesty's room. He is signing documents,'' Kouyuu answered her question.

''You mean he is working?'' she said in a high pitched tone. First he put her in trouble due to his gift. Now he is working and yet he is not in his working place! What a pain, she wanted to hit him. ''Thank you for telling me. Uhm, but by the way the exit is that way,'' she pointed out. She concluded that a long time must have already passed since Kouyou went to Ryuuki's study, he just got lost again. She just came from there and there is no sign of Ryuuki in the study.

''Uh, of course,'' Kouyuu said and hurried away.

Shuurei stomped to around and after an hour of looking for him she went back to his study. She clenched her fist as she saw that Ryuuki is his study and there he is signing a document. There are several piles of paper on his table. An hour ago when she went there, there are no piles of paper there and certainly no Ryuuki.

''Finally, I can sleep now!'' Ryuuki said with a sigh and his head dropped face first on the table.

''Your Majesty, you must not sleep here. Else you might get sick of the cold. Let me walk you to your sleeping quarters,'' Shuuei said. Ryuuki lazily lifted his head. His eyes widened when he saw Shuurei at the entrance. Shuuei turned and immediately kneeled. ''Your Highness,'' he greeted.

''Shuuei-sama, please don't do that. This is all a mistake,'' Shurei stated.

''Eh?'' Shuuei said still bowing his head.

''Will you stand up and stop bowing to me and calling me 'Your Highness'. Call me the way you used to,'' Shuurei said in annoyance. And to Ryuuki she glared as she said, ''you tricked me into accepting this and now look at you.''

''I'm sorry.'' Ryuuki said and dropped on the table again and started to sleep. He is exhausted. When Shuurei came an hour ago he had just left with Shuuei to check on something. Shuurei sighed. They brought Ryuuki to his sleeping quarter and Shurei nursed. She heard that for the days Ryuuki had been so engrossed in his work since after all that had happened there are so many things to be fixed.

Many of the officials are looking up to him now with high expectations. They said he had been acting more like an Emperor. He had become strict and wanted all reports to be as precise and accurate as possible. He had been so authoritative that the officials cannot just do as they please during the court sessions. He had been paying surprise visits to corrupt officials and had most of them fired and given due punishment but he made those willing to admit their mistakes and start anew and swear loyalty to him. After what happened, he had not changed his principles but he became more active and kingly. He had become more determined to be the emperor of Saiunkoku. Shuurei noticed that too as she watched him from afar.

He wanted to be worthy of the official named Kou Shuurei who, despite from her weak body and diminishing life force, willingly continued her work out of loyalty to him and who suddenly came flying in to save his life. He is in debt to this inspector of the Censorate. He also wanted to be worthy of Shouka's service, of Yuushun, Ou Ki, and all the Clans of Saiunkoku. He wanted to be worthy of his people. He finally remembered that as a child even though he waited for Seiran to be emperor, he wanted to be powerful to stop the chaos in the country. He did not like watching the town burn as his brothers fought for the throne. He wanted a peaceful scenery, not that of burning houses and screaming villagers.

Shi province that Ryuuki had been governing had undergone lots of development that even the ordinary people could feel now that they are loved by their king. Several projects are still ongoing with the help of Yuushun's wife. Her experiments and inventions are very useful.

Although, now Sai Rin is resting a bit since she is pregnant. He had kept it to Yuushun to surprise him but when he knew it from someone else, it offended him. He was distraught thinking that his wife must have hated him being so busy about work and neglecting her. Sai Rin then clarified later on that it was a misunderstanding, but Yuushun now refused to help Ryuuki in any form when it comes to romantic love to women or his relationship with Shuurei.

Ryuuki coughed. 'This is not good,' Shurei she observed how tired Ryuuki looked. But to Shuuei, Ryuuki is rather looking good compared to how he looked during the locust plague and the aggression for the throne. ''Here drink this with the tea,'' Shuurei said as she helped Ryuuki up.

''I'm sorry I had to bother you again. I really need to sign those documents or else the projects in other provinces will be delayed,'' Ryuuki said and drank the tea. ''I'm glad you are the one taking care of me.''

Shuurei sighed. ''Jyuusan was the one who prepared these.'' Jyuusan is still the Chief court lady for the time being as they looked for someone to substitute her. Jyuusan had decided to enter the military and she had strongly declared that if women could be officials, then women could be in the military too. Ryuuki had been processing the papers for that. Many did not like the idea but as they watched all those who challenged Jyuusan-hime get defeated, they are rather impressed of her skills.

''I know. I am thankful to her too. She had been managing the court ladies well.'' He laid down again. Working without rest for the whole day had taken its toll. He had not eaten lunch or supper. He held her hand with both of his.

''What is it?''

''I like Jyuusan-hime (Princess Jyuusan) too. But it is definitely different to the way I like you Shuurei,'' Ryuuki said.

''You should rest Ryuuki. Sleep while Jyuusan and I prepare dinner. I will wake you up when it is ready,'' she is about to stand but he held her hands tight.

''Will you stay with me again tonight,''

Shuurei wanted to slap him. Judging from her face, Ryuuki knew she misunderstood.

''What I mean, just sleep here. Nothing else.''

''Are you asking me to sleep on your bed again? I am not your wife you know.''

Ryuki smiled weakly. ''Yes. I am fully aware we are not yet married so have no worries since I will not do anything weird. Plus I don't think I can even manage to do anything. I feel so drained and exhausted. But I am not sure if I can sleep peacefully.''

Shuurei understood what he meant by that. ''It's the nightmares again isn't it?''

''Yes. I was not able to return to sleep yesterday after horrible nightmares so I worked instead. I finally remembered that there was a time when I was sick and listening to your heartbeat made me sleep soundly. Its wonderful rhythm calmed me down that I was able to sleep for a few hours straight.''

''You are not going to listen to my heartbeat again are you?'' Shuurei said with a blush. She wanted to throw something at him. But as she looked at the expensive tea cup used only for the emperor, she realized did want throwing such an expensive thing to this silly person.

''Perhaps I will,'' Ryuuki honestly said.

''Maybe I will just play the erhu and leave,'' Shuurei said and turned to leave.

Next Chapter: A Lonely Ending