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

Chapter 44: Opening the Locked Heart

''It's okay,'' Ryuuki reassured. There he is again, telling her it is okay even if he wanted more. He is choosing her again and not his own feelings. 'How many times already have I made this man choose between himself and me?' Shuurei thought as she looked up to his face.

''I am not asking you to marry me now. We can save that for later. I am contented at how things are right now. I know you want to do something else,'' Ryuuki said and kissed her cheek.

''I'm sorry,'' Shuurei said with all her heart. She knew it must be painful for him. Right now, he is reassuring her and his own self.

''Don't apologize. The Emperor wants you to continue working for him so I cannot have you yet. He would be angry at me if I will take away his beloved and trusted official. The king wants you by his side too. So I could only have a little part of the woman named Shuurei and not meddle with his lady official or else he will hate me,'' Ryuuki said with a smile. What he said is true. As the king, he wanted to continue seeing Shuurei fly but as the man named Ryuuki, he wanted her in his arms though he wanted her to have her dreams too. He cannot compromise any of the two. It is not his or the king's decision to make. It is Shuurei and her official self's decision to make. He shifted to emperor mode.

''Ryuuki cannot ask for your loyalty and commitment. Right now, we want your loyalty and commitment to us and not to anyone else. Could you swear that to us Kou Shuurei?'' Colors sparkled in Shuurei's eyes upon hearing Ryuuki say those words. Shuurei looked up to him in awe. She is looking at the emperor. He smiled. Shuurei was about to stand and kneel to him and swear loyalty so he said, ''you do not have to stand. Swear to us like this. Even us wanted to try cuddling with an official.'' A playful smile appeared on the emperor's face.

''B-but Your Majesty,'' Shuurei was flustered. Suddenly acting as the emperor while she is in his lap and wrapped in his arms made her even more nervous. ''I do not deserve such honor,'' she said with a bowed head.

''We think that every maiden in this country even those who were not born of noble blood deserve to be on our lap too. That is not different to you. But the high officials would not agree to that ideal. You are Princess Kou Shuurei so to their eyes you can be by our side. But to our eyes, even if you are a commoner you deserve that honor,'' he said.

That's right. To him as the emperor, he wanted to erase that gap between nobility and commoner and that of man and woman. But it is not an easy task since the people wanted to serve under a mighty king that demands obedience. He cannot expunge the nobles' beliefs so easily. He will do it slowly and step by step. ''Will you swear your loyalty to us?'' he asked again.

''Yes Your Majesty, I swear my loyalty and commitment. I have decided that since the day I was allowed to take the exams to be an official. I will continue doing my best to be useful to Your Majesty,'' Shuurei said with all her heart. She felt like she had always wanted to be asked that question and answer it like that.

''You have been very useful to us. We are grateful to have an official like you.''

Shuurei's eyes are suddenly filled with tears. She did not know why but it's like she had always been waiting to hear that from the emperor. She had always wanted to be praised by her king, to be recognized by him. She had always wanted to hear she had been useful. Something deep within her heart finally unlocked, opening a new start. She removed the flower hairpin that he had given her and held it close to her heart.

Only he, the emperor, could remove that cargo from her heart since he is the one who placed it there. And today he had taken that cargo away and eased her free from it. The responsibility she had always felt, the duty to prove that she is worthy to be an official has finally been accomplished.

The Emperor is looking down at her in all his glory that she had to close her eyes. ''How shameless of me to cry in front of Your Majesty. Please forgive me,'' she said with a smile despite her tears. She cannot stop herself from smiling. She felt his hands dry her tears. When she opened her eyes, his face is so close to hers. But the one gazing at her is still the emperor. ''Y-your Majesty?''

''We have also wanted to kiss you,'' he said and kissed her. Shuurei was stunned. It really is the emperor kissing her right now. It is different to Ryuuki's kisses. She cannot explain but it felt different from how Ryuuki normally kisses her. She did not know if she should respond or if she is even allowed to respond but in the way he kissed, she could almost hear his voice in her mind demanding 'respond to us.' She responded to the king. She felt like she is obligated to respond, he is the emperor after all.

The burden she had always carried on her shoulders vanished. She felt somewhat different now as she kissed back the emperor who had made her dreams come true. This emperor, is also part of her dream. She had dreamed to serve a good king, and as Ryuuki continued to improve through the years and show his real competence, she realized that she had been serving one rare excellent king. A king who had the power to make his people's dreams come true. Saiunkoku had greatly progressed because of him.

Next Chapter: The Emperor's Touch