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

Chapter 68: Bittersweet Parting

Ensei and Suou left and the lady soldiers carried the supplies to their camp site. Jyuusan had told them to leave something for her to carry too but they got everything. They didn't want her to carry any more. They knew it's hard to climb up the mountain with those heavy loads.

Jyuusan was about to follow her soldiers when Seiran held her wrist. She signaled the soldiers to go ahead without her and they smiled to each other when she is not looking. She slowly turned looked at the hand that held her. She looked up to his eyes. ''What is it?''

Seiran pulled her to him and hugged her. ''I'm sorry,'' he murmured.

''It's alright. It's just a kiss. You have kissed me before,'' Jyuusan replied in a low voice.

He sighed. 'Just a kiss?' he repeated to himself. ''That's not what I mean. I was cruel. You don't deserve to be kissed like that.''

''Its fine,'' Jyuusan said without looking at his eyes. He knew it was not alright.

Seiran loosened his hug to see her face. He used a hand to trace her jaw line and raise her chin up so he could look at her eyes. ''No. I regret kissing you like that. I shouldn't have done that,'' he said as he thumb her cheek. He leaned down his face and let his thumb gently run through her lush lips.

''S – Seiran?'' Jyuusan blinked. She has an idea of what he is planning to do. He stopped when his lips are just an inch away from hers. He searched her eyes. Jyuusan thought he would not really kiss her. She was surprised when he closed his eyes and his warm lips touched hers. She blinked twice before closing her eyes too. A strong gust of wind blew.

This is the first time he kissed her on his own volition without other intentions, just to kiss her. The first time he kissed her was when she wanted to forget. The kiss a while ago was due to anger and having no choice but to do so. But this time, this kiss is different. This kiss is for himself.

His lips started to move slowly and Jyuusan was coaxed to respond to him. This kiss is far better than a while ago. She felt his warm tongue lick the line between her lips. He is asking for her permission, unlike a when he kissed her in front of the two that he forced her mouth open. She welcomed him and both of them were breathing heavily when they parted and Jyuusan is clinging to his neck.

They stared at each other for a long time until when Seiran finally spoke. ''That is how I should have kissed you,'' Seiran said and Jyuusan just nodded. He searched her eyes if she is still angry.

Jyuusan smiled at him. ''Go, you can still catch up with the two.'' She slowly removed her arms around his neck and Seiran seemed reluctant to part. He looked like a puppy being chased away by its master. She giggled when he hugged her tighter and buried his face at the crook of her neck. She hugged him back as if to say that she is not shooing him away.

''You don't need me anymore?'' he asked with a pout, still holding her.

Jyuusan giggled again. ''Yes, so you can leave now.'' Seiran loosened his hold and narrowed his eyes at her. She made a short laugh and gave him a peck on the lips. ''Now go or I'll change my mind. See you in the palace, General.''

Seiran cannot help but smile at the laughter in her eyes. ''Fine, call me when you need me then,'' he said and finally released her from his hands. Jyuusan shivered, suddenly feeling cold after being separated from his warm body. ''You'll feel cold without me tonight,'' Seiran said confidently when he noticed. He turned his back and started walking.

'How arrogant,' Jyuusan thought and shook her with a silent laughter as she watched him go.

Ensei and Suou saw a certain someone smiling to himself. They looked at each other and walked to him. ''Seiran, you've got a nice smile. Did something adorable happen?'' Ensei greeted.

''I thought you were eloping? Why are you here?'' Suou teased. ''You seemed like you are much more happy than a while ago,'' he observed.

''I'm just glad that I can go back to the palace now and resume with my duties,'' Seiran shoved off their prying.

''Aren't you even gonna tell your best friend?'' Ensei cajoled.

''Since when are you my friend?'' Seiran placed an undiscernible expression on his face.

''Something did happen,'' Suou said when he looked at Seiran's eyes. No one can escape Suou's keen eyes and sharp intuition. ''Perhaps they had a quickie before they parted,'' he thought out loud and Seiran kicked his face.

''Oooh, maybe you're right. Seiran is a man after all,'' Ensei agreed and coughed when Seiran hit his gut.

''Get lost. Since when are you two talking about me like that? What do you take me for?!''

''You don't have to be shy about it,'' Ensei mumbled and dodge a kick from Seiran.

''All men have desires you know,'' Suou stated and hid behind Ensei's muscular built. ''Moreover, Jyuusan-hime seems to really like you too,'' he added. That made Seiran pause.

''What did you say?'' he asked with wide eyes.

''She really likes you,'' Suou repeated and Seiran seemed to be lost in thought. Ensei and Suou watched him stare at nothing with his hand on his chin.

''No. That can't be possible,'' he finally concluded after a long thought. ''You just saw how she made the two of you believe that were dating and you both ended up in trouble. I'm just the same. I'm just a pawn for her convenience,'' Seiran said more to himself than to them.

The two sighed and patted his back in pity. ''I can't believe I'd see you become a toy one day. With your looks, maybe your unrequited love still have hope,'' Ensei ruffled his hair.

''What the hell are you talking about? She's my enemy. I hate that devious woman. I don't love her,'' he angrily hit his friend again.

''You don't have to be so angry if you do not. You're acting like you're guilty,'' Suou stated and dodged an attack.

That night, when he is back in the palace, Seiran cannot help but think about what Suou said and smiled to himself as he remembered their kiss in the forest. 'Maybe I could make her pay that way,' he thought. 'I'll make her fall for me and,' he paused. 'And what?' he raised a brow and shook his head. 'No. No way am I going to do that. She is deadly,' he thought.

When he slept, he dreamed of doing with Jyuusan what he had fantasized when he saw her nude. He woke up all sweaty and feeling warm. He paled at the bittersweet dream he had. He dreamed that he was so enthralled as he thrust inside her and he was groaning in pleasure. But when he looked at Jyuusan she was crying in pain and pleading him to stop. That's what jolted him awake.

He would have loved his dream if Jyuusan was pleading him to continue, but she wasn't and it made him shiver in distaste. That dream implied that he was raping her and it made him feel lowest of the low. He is a noble and decent man after all. The dream he just had was a nightmare.

Next Chapter: Eager Shuuei