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

Chapter 43: The Shielded Heart

Two years had passed since Shuurei returned to Kiyou. Shuurei was astounded when she knew that all the ladies that Ryuuki took in the Inner Palace became ladies in waiting and not consorts. They were summoned to fill the position left by those who left and went to the military. She was annoyed when Ryuuki started proposing to her again but she is somewhat relieved that Ryuuki is not just taking any woman in the Inner Palace.

Meanwhile, Kouyuu and Sera had gotten married. Kouyuu who is now the Secretary of the Civil Ministry, finally agreed to marry her after realizing that he loves Sera. Sera on the other hand had been in love to Kouyuu for a decade.

Shuuei and Ryuuki were distraught in envy. Who would have thought that the man who hated women would get married ahead of them? They are happy for Kouyuu though.

Meanwhile, a flower in full bloom had been given by the king Shuurei when she left Kiyou for four years. Seiga is now the Director of the Censorate and Ki Kouki had been given another job. Ensei and Tantan are now both well-known Censorate officials while Shuurei has been a feared Censorate official for years now. She has the title as 'Official Killer' which was previously the title of Seiga.

And due to the high quality work of Shuurei, Ryuuki had been receiving petitions from her subordinates. They are petitioning against him marrying her since it would mean that she would stop to work. But even so, Ryuuki kept on proposing.

''Shuurei please marry me. I'm tired of checking portraits after portraits and running away from ladies,'' Ryuuki pleaded. They had just drank tea in the garden outside Ryuuki's chambers after watching Seiran and Jyuusan have a match. Those two never changed.

''No way! What kind of reason is that for marrying,'' Shuurei exclaimed. ''I already told you to forget about me. I'm going back to work.''

Ryuuki sulked. When Shuurei was about to leave, he held her hand and pulled her to his lap. She hugged her tight. ''I really did my best. I tried noticing how beautiful the ladies in the portraits are, and they are really beautiful but I don't want them. I cannot forget Shuurei,'' Ryuuki said with his head buried on her back.

''Ryuuki please let me go. Someone may see us,'' Shuurei said in alarm as she looked around. But instead of letting her go, Ryuuki held her legs and altered the way she is seated on his lap so he can see her face. Shuurei realized that Ryuuki had become a little more aggressive than before.

''I love Shuurei and only Shuurei,'' Ryuuki said as he intently gazed at her eyes. That silenced Shuurei. ''What will I do to make Shuurei marry me?''

''You don't have to do anything because I will not agree to your proposal no matter what you do.'' Ryuuki did not flinch when he heard her say that. He had expected her to say that. Shuurei was surprised when he said nothing after she rejected him again. Then she suddenly felt his lips on hers. His arms had tightened around her holding her in place.

''You always say that,'' Ryuuki said after kissing her.

Shuurei hit his chest. ''What the hell do you think you're doing? Someone could have seen us,'' she said as she looked around.

Ryuuki stood up at that, lifting her. ''Fine, let's go inside.''

''What? No. Put me down,'' Shuurei protested.

''You don't want anyone to see us right? Or should I kiss you here again?''

''No. You are not bringing me in your room and you are not to kiss me,'' she said but Ryuuki had already started walking. He entered his room and locked the door.

''Now no one can see us right?'' he said shamelessly. He sat on a chair and kissed Shuurei again. ''You don't have to hold back now,'' he said as he tilted her chin.

''You shameless perverted man!'' Shuurei said with a clench fist. Somehow she felt like Ryuuki is losing his sense of shame as time passed by.

''Perverted?'' Ryuuki said with a raised eyebrow. Then he leaned in closer until when his lips are almost touching hers. ''Should I show you how perverted I am?'' he said as his lips brushed hers while he talked. Shuurei shivered. Somehow their conversation had gone to the opposite direction. He kissed her again, more aggressively this time since no one can see them. After two years, Ryuuki knew exactly how to make Shuurei respond to his kisses now.

Shuurei wanted to get out of there. She did not like being on his lap wrapped in his arms like that. She didn't want to feel his comfortable warmth and those loving arms of his. She especially did not like how his lips are moving right now. It makes her shiver and make butterflies wreak havoc in her stomach. Her heart is pounding her chest and as Ryuuki licked between her lips, her heart seemed to jump it could have gone out of her. 'Stop,' she wanted to say. But before she could, he licked between her lips and it parted in defeat; allowing him to enter.

She felt his warm tongue touch hers and she did not like that too; it makes her want to respond. It retreated, and she did not like that either; it makes her want to chase it. And when his tongue touched hers again, she was utterly defeated. She can no longer stop herself and responded to his kiss. For two years, Shuurei had always been in confusion every time he kisses her.

This is exactly why Ryuuki carried her into his room. He knew that when she is not worried about onlookers, it is easier to make her respond to his kisses. He had learned this know after two years of being rejected since she came back to Kiyou when he asks for her hand. But when he kisses her, most of the time, she had responded to him. He cannot back down now, can he? Shuurei did not notice how her guards against him are crumbling. The shield she had used to cover her heart and protect it from this kind of thing is melting. Ryuuki is determined to make that shield melt. He does not care if after melting that she would go to him or to someone else. As long as he could melt that, it is good enough.

He wanted Shuurei to love even if it is not him. He did not want to see her always just working for him with no time to love and dying alone. She had done more than enough for him as an official. He knew that her time left is short and that made him even more determined to make her experience love in a different way.

It was his fault that she had locked her heart. Now that he had proved that he had not changed the law just for her but for every woman who dreamed like her, he knew he had more chances of erasing the line that she had drawn between them. He would not give up now that the dream he had thought was impossible to reach is now getting closer and closer.

He could feel her eagerly responding to the kisses he is giving. He made his kisses more demanding and fervent to see if she would still respond. He smiled in his heart as she continued responding to him. She is the only woman for him. Shuurei blushed when they broke apart. She had responded again. She had met him with the same eagerness. Seeing the embarrassed look on her face Ryuuki reassured her. ''There is nothing to be embarrassed about. You should not always hold back how you really feel.'' He caressed her cheek and lovingly kissed her hair.

Shuurei did not know how what to say. Ryuuki's gentle and loving eyes are gazing at her again. Was she holding back her feelings? She did not know anymore. Her feelings are in a mixed up confusion. She did not want to marry him. Or does she, but cannot? She wanted to continue working under this king. She wanted to continue to help him even if just a little. That's why she cannot marry him. Since it means she have to stop serving this king. The king she had chosen. But why does she continue to respond to the kisses of this man named Shi Ryuuki?

Next Chapter: Opening the Locked Heart