Before the Fall
The Kou Empire, formerly a small country in the far Eastern continent, rose to power in the last decade when Emperor Hakutoku ascended the throne. The Ren Household belonged originally to a military family serving directly under a Tenka nobility. It was not until a large revolt between the three royal branches of the Tenka rule did Hakutoku take the opportunity to overthrow the royalty. He set about uniting the three branches under one name and established the Kou Empire.
No man was said to possess a greater ambition and foresight than the First Kou Emperor, not even the hundreds of leaders in the Tenka clans before him. Under his reign, Ren Hakutoku vastly expanded their territories, restored the court system, increased citizens' rights and implemented the Huang currency. The Kou Empire flourished under his guidance.
This was known as the start and 'Golden Era' of Kou history.
After completing the organization of their internal system, Hakutoku continued to expand in the plains. Scattered clans and tribes came under the Kou rule either via voluntary submission or military defeat. Some of the smaller countries also assimilated into the growing empire, adding to their resources and influence.
Within the span of a few years the once-small country became recognized as a formidable power to contend with even though they didn't have any dungeon conquerors back then. Large portions of the resources obtained from other clans and countries were devoted to the Kou military, which helped further their conquests and borders.
It was in such a military that Kouen presently resided in.
His army was set on a mission to bring a nomadic clan under their wing. The clan was one of the last few in the Central Plains to resist the Kou rule. They were a particularly troubling clan, their constantly moving behavior lending to their elusiveness. Their horsemen were also one of the finest across the Plains aside from the Kouga clan, in which they constantly roam near the Kou borders, picking off lone travelers and merchant groups. Unable to ignore their actions any longer, Hakutoku ordered for the clan to be subdued.
The Kou army had traveled for the past few days following scant leads until they finally spotted black smokes rising in the horizon. The main division stopped near the vicinity while the reconnaissance team scoped the terrains. Other supporting divisions began circling the landscape, spreading out in a crescent shape and rounding off any escape routes for the clan.
Kouen belonged to the second division, which was temporarily joined with the first and main division. They rested behind a sand dune while the army set up for the next attack. His tent was a lavish thing near the center of the encampment, providing sufficient protection and comfort for the young noble.
Comfort indeed. Kouen grumbled. The place was the furthest thing from comfort that he could think of. Not only were the enemy frontlines just a few miles off, but he was amidst dangerous people as well. He wondered if the bodyguards trailing after him were trying to protect him or protect others against him.
It was no secret that the first emperor's brother coveted the throne. Naturally, the caution against the emperor's brother was extended to the rest of his family members as well. They feared Kouen's growing power and his potential as a rebel faction in the future. In order to assuage this concern, Kouen was purposefully delegated to the forefront of the subjugation army. The more the branch family's powers were distributed, the less likely they will form a large enough threat to the emperor. Of course, there was also the implicit expectation that Kouen would perish in skirmishes such that his death could be written off as enemy-caused.
Nonetheless, Kouen accepted the position easily enough. He saw no reason why he should go against the first emperor when Kou was thriving under the contemporary rule. On the contrary, he was inspired by the man who was known to be as much of a scholar as a leader. Many of his evenings were spent studying about the Kou system that Hakutoku implemented and the man's ingenuity constantly astounded him.
One of the most inspiring plans he heard passingly from the first emperor was the unification of the world. It had been an accident when Kouen sneaked into Hakutoku's personal garden to retrieve the feathered shuttle cock that his younger siblings had hit over. He passed by the emperor's chambers when he overheard the emperor talking to his oldest son. It was the plan to unify the world with only one leader to govern the people. Once the difference between the races has been reduced, peace would arrive. Of course, paving the road towards this ambition requires some sacrifices as well, but for the sake of the final outcome, Kouen thought the sacrifices were a small one.
He moved around the camp, bored out of his mind. The only shortcoming of being in the army was that they couldn't afford to bring a lot of literature along with them. He had already finished reading the books he brought at least two times. It was no use talking to the others either when they were apparently cautious of him.
"Kouen, is that you?"
The red-headed boy stiffened. When he spotted the First Prince, he genuflected. "Good evening, First Prince of Kou and general of the main subjugation army. May you prosper in your endeavors and lead our people to victory. What do you seek of this one?" He recited the standard greeting lines imprinted into them since they were young.
Hakuyuu narrowed his eyes, "You may get up."
"Thank you, your honorable."
"Follow me," Hakuyuu indicated by a tilt of his head for his younger cousin to accompany him. "I seek to discuss matters with you." He led them to his personal camp and waved off the guards standing outside the structure, silencing their protests with a quick glare.
Kouen shifted slightly. The First Prince had always commanded his respect and fear in some ways. The man was intimidating and smart, taking after his father's exemplary qualities. He was also not one of many words, making it hard to decipher the man's intentions. Although Hakuyuu was gentle and caring towards his younger relatives, making no distinction between his own blood and that of his cousins', he was also fast to deliver punishment on anyone who dared overstep the line. All in all, he was a man that demanded respect and inspired awe whenever he went.
When they entered his tent, Hakuyuu indicated for Kouen to sit by the low table. The boy remained standing until the prince took a seat and only then he followed suit, all the while keeping his eyes on the floors.
"Do you know why I brought you here today?" Hakuyuu started the conversation, eyeing his relative. "I give you permission to look at me when talking to me."
Kouen looked up, his mind churning through a thousand different things that might have gone wrong and warrant the prince's attention. Coming up with nothing, he attempted, "I am afraid not, your reverence. Please enlighten me."
"You can drop the formalities when we are not in public," Hakuyuu commented off-handedly before dropping his smile and staring straight into Kouen's eyes. "Amongst all my younger siblings and relatives, you are the most learned; hence I called upon you in this moment to seek your opinion."
"You honored me, your – Brother* Hakuyuu," Kouen quickly changed his title when Hakuyuu raised his eyebrow questioningly. "What do you want to discuss?"
"What do you think about our empire's internal system?"
"Pardon me?" Kouen didn't understand the sudden question. "Did you mean the economy? Or the high militaristic focus?"
"I mean what the Emperor had done." Hakuyuu's eyes were uncannily sharp as it bored into Kouen, as if trying to see past Kouen's verbal answers to the true thoughts underlying it. "Speak freely; none of our talk will travel past this tent."
Kouen drew in a breath as he formulated his response. "The Emperor was right in allowing two main branches of powers within the court – the combination of parliamentary officers and military leaders provide a never-before balance of powers. Moreover, by interjecting during the heights of the former Tenka wars when people were desperate for a change, the Emperor successfully installed his new currency and governing system. These are the more obvious successes, but the Emperor's true ingenuity comes in other less perceivable ways. For example, he gathered the former leaders of the Tenka clans near the capital and offered them spots in the government. On the surface, it provided the Tenka leaders with powers; but in actuality, he intends to focus the Tenka leaders in one spot for easier monitoring and also remove them from their people to make it harder to agglomerate powers."
Hakuyuu allowed a rare smile to flit across his face as he watched his younger cousin's enthusiasm. He was well-versed in the workings of their empire indeed. "Then what do you think of the emperor's true intention?"
"His true intention?"
"Come now," Hakuyuu leaned forward slightly, his easy smile a few seconds ago turning slightly more cunning. "Surely you don't think unifying the Tenka clans is father's only true goal? Why bother going to such lengths to conquer other nations if he didn't have other goals?"
This was a dangerous question. The prince's smile seemed to suggest that he knew Kouen was in the garden when Hakutoku revealed his ambition of the one world. But at the same time, he couldn't be too sure to what extent the prince knew about his knowledge of the topic. He decided to play safe. "I am afraid I know not what you are talking about."
It could be Kouen's imagination, but he thought he saw the side of Hakuyuu's smile quirked in a forced angle before the prince laughed politely.
"Sorry for asking such strange questions, please ignore it. However, given that you have been around the palace a lot and are quite observant, I take it that you have noticed some abnormality?"
"I am not sure what abnormality you are referring to."
Hakuyuu moved towards the entrance of the tent and peeked outside for a bit, ensuring that there was no one else around them before moving back towards the table. When he spoke again, his voice was much lower. "Did you not see the veiled men that intermingle amongst the merchants and nobles? Perhaps you still recall the man who introduced himself as the 'Banker' a few months back?"
Kouen nodded. "Yes. He had a dangerous aura about him. It was fortunate that his Excellency was wise and rejected the man's offer."
"But they continued to stay around the palace, which meant that someone else was allowing their presence, someone with sufficient status."
"This is most likely the case."
"I don't like how they loiter around our house, especially near our younger siblings. Just last week Koumei complained to Hakuren about seeing one of them in his palace wing."
Kouen frowned. How had he not heard about this from his own brother? Granted that Koumei was close to the Second Prince, but when it comes down to it, Kouen was still Koumei's older brother. He should be informed first. "What did they do with Koumei?"
Hakuyuu shrugged. "Nothing much, from what I heard. They were just there."
Something was not right in the equation. "They shouldn't be around Koumei's quarters-" He stopped when he realized his slip. Hakuren was out with the scouting team last week. He was not in contact with Koumei at all.
Across the table Hakuyuu's smile dipped into a smirk. "You do know about them."
Kouen sighed. There was no point trying to hide information from the First Prince. "Unfortunately, my father did not refuse the Banker."
"So it is true that your father employed their help." It was not much of a question as it was a stated observation.
"It is so. They came to my father a few months ago – after the First Emperor rejected 'Banker's' offer – and offered their services to my father. Despite our warnings, my father still took them in under his household. Ever since then, they have access to our family's state of affairs, though they have yet to make any actions other than consult with my father."
Hakuyuu contemplated what Kouen revealed to him. Not only were these people appearing all over the empire, but they were already infiltrating the royal family affairs. If their uncle was somehow involved, things could escalate quickly. "Where do you think they would strike?"
Kouen looked at him quizzically. His curiosity was piqued now. "They will strike?"
"Let us assume the worst for the sake of this conversation – which I think is not far from the mark considering the vibe I got from the Banker last time – let us assume that they meant harm for the empire."
"Given how they dispersed amongst the people, I think they will start from the bottom rungs by installing unrest in the minds of the people. The members inside the court will try to work on the weak links between the different factions. For example, pitching the military branch against the parliamentary branch or the three different former Tenka clans against one another."
Hakuyuu nodded sagely. "That was what I thought too. Well, I think it is about time," he looked at the darkening sky outside the tent. "Thank you very much for sharing your views with me. Rest assured that nothing you said will make it past to unwanted parties. You may leave."
"Thank you very much for entertaining my presence," Kouen unconsciously reverted back to formal speech, clasping his hands in front of him before exiting the tent. It was only when he was outside that he realized Hakuyuu had not revealed any of his own information. Instead, the prince had made him pour out all that he knew. Strangely, Kouen didn't feel like he was betraying his father through revealing their family's association with the veiled men. If anything, he hoped that Hakuyuu would do something to remove the strangers from their family. There was something very sinister and unearthly about these men. He made his way back into the tent for the night, all the while mulling over their empire's path of progression.
"He is quite astute for his age."
The First Prince turned around to see Hakuren emerging from behind a screen. Unbeknownst to Kouen, the Second Prince was hiding behind the piece of cloth for the entirety of the conversation. While listening in on the conversation, he was also spreading his magoi in a thin layer around the tent, insulating the sounds within the tent.
"He has provided us with some important information about Al-Thamen. As we suspected, Koutoku Ren is somehow involved in the thing."
"Don't worry, I will send a letter first thing in the morning to father. In the meantime, let's hope that Seisyun is keeping a close eye on mother, Ryuu and Ei." Hakuren waved the letter that he had already written during the discussion.
"Seisyun is only a child still," Hakuyuu said. "For now, we need to focus on our current mission and hurry back. I am sure father has already stationed guards over our family."
~oOo~
Rows of soldiers lined the path in the central courtyard of the palace. At the end of the walkway was Hakutoku himself with his faithful generals. He stood tall on a raised platform, allowing him a sweeping view of his courtyard.
A messenger rode through the ranks, waving the Kou flag before stopping before the dais. He hopped down and genuflected before the emperor. "I am pleased to bring news of the princes' safe return and their successful conquest. They will be arriving shortly."
True enough, a blast of horn resounded through the outer walls as the gates opened, allowing the subjugation army to ride in on their horses. Hakuyuu was leading the front, back straight and proud. Behind him rode Hakuren, holding onto a flag and grinning at everyone around him.
Kouen was placed some ways behind, after the important officers and generals in the main division. He saw Koumei, Kouha and the other princesses hiding behind some of the other soldiers. Kouha was being mischievous again as he peeked an eye upward and winked at his passing brother, though Koumei quickly hissed for him to bow his head down.
"Your Excellency, I have brought good tidings about our progress on the Plains. The barbarians have agreed to abide by our terms and become a member of our great empire."
Cheers rang out through the courtyard as everyone congratulated the returning soldiers.
Behind the dais, Gyokuen and her two youngest children watched the procession.
"Look Hakuryuu, this is the empire that your father and brothers have forged. It will one day grow into a strong power that is heard far and wide." Gyokuen smiled as she hugged Hakuryuu in her arms, allowing him to see better.
Hakuryuu giggled happily as he watched his brothers walked inside the palace. The laughter was cut short, however, when he saw the veiled figures standing in the back near Koutoku. He didn't like those masked people ever since he first saw them a few months ago. But every time he complained to his mother, Gyokuen only patted him and assured him that their father would take care of the situation.
By the time night fell, Hakuyuu and Hakuren were once again summoned to their father's chambers for a secret meeting.
"What news do you have of Al-Thamen's movements?"
The two brothers shared a glance before Hakuyuu took the initiative to answer. "We have our suspicions confirmed – Koutoku is somehow associated with the organization."
"I see," Hakutoku stroked his beard contemplatively. "Even so we can't do anything unless we have solid proof on our hands, otherwise my brother will use this as leverage to revolt against us."
Hakuyuu didn't know what prompted him, but he added nonetheless. "None of his children agrees with his doing, there is no need to involve them as well."
Hakutoku laughed mirthlessly. "You'd always had a big heart. I heard you are quite particular about Koutoku's first son, are you not?"
"Fascinated. I am fascinated by how intelligent and compassionate he is. If guided correctly, he can become a great leader."
"So be it. I will try to leave them out of the issue as much as possible, but I can give no guarantee. Kouen is the best inside information we can obtain about Al-Thamen, expect him to be involved one way or the other. Continue to keep your eyes and ears open, and take care of the rest of your siblings as well. Dismiss."
The two princes performed a quick salute before exiting from the chamber. They walked side by side as they made their way back to their own wing in the palace.
~oOo~
The palace was casted into chaos with the recent assassination attempt on the first emperor's life. His majesty was returning from a rare expedition from their summer home when a stray arrow struck him on the shoulder. They were passing under the gate arch when the projectile seemingly came out of nowhere. Guards and soldiers immediately surrounded the fallen emperor, acting as a shield around him. They were lucky that the arrowhead wasn't dipped in poison.
A close examination of the arrow's build revealed that it matched the former Western Tenka clan's arrow designs. For the next few days, every member of the court having affiliation with the clan was immediately seized and put under house arrest. No one was allowed to approach them as they were questioned vigorously one by one.
Despite his wound, Emperor Hakutoku returned immediately to his throne. He stamped down any unrest and fear, commanding people to continue on as normal regardless of the missing members inside the court. Any expansion was put on hold.
In the meantime, people in the palace started noticing the conspicuous presence of the veiled men more and more. They didn't do much, staying mostly to the side and watching the events that transpired. They were also rather hard to lay a hand on, disappearing and appearing in various places without preamble.
"Things sure are getting bothersome," Koumei huffed as he flopped onto his study table. In the last few days security around the area had been intensified, though most of them were focused on the former Western Tenka clan members. That meant that the securities placed on them formerly were lifted slightly.
The Kou brothers gathered about in Koumei's study room after having an afternoon off. Without anything to do, they started chatting about the recent events around the palace. It did not escape their notice that things were getting out of control in their own home.
"The Western borders are in unrest as well regarding their court members being put under house arrest," Koumei continued on, waving his fan lazily. "I don't see what the big deal is though – I mean, we didn't have absolute proof yet that the one that shot the arrow was a Western Tenka soldier. They could have just borrowed the arrow."
"The arrow is the only lead we have, might as well start from there," Kouen shrugged, unrolling another scroll. "What bothers me is the veiled people in the palace. They appeared at the same time the arrow was shot. It was no coincidence." He didn't tell his brothers that he had stayed awake for the last few nights trying to solve the mysteries of the link between the assassination attempt and veiled men. It seemed too simple and obvious to attribute the assassination to those men. There was a bigger plan at hand.
"Why would anyone want to kill uncle?" Kouha latched onto Koumei's hair, staring with big round eyes at his older brothers. The second sibling simply swatted him away, returning to his slouched position once more.
That was another mystery that Kouen had yet to solve. It was all too convenient to say that the old Western Tenka faction rebelled against the emperor. There were some remaining grudges in the ex-Western clans, but it should not be strong enough to necessitate an action against the emperor. Besides, why make the attack so obvious that it could be traced back to the Western clan? Why risk having the Central government bear down upon the people when they have most of their powers spread thin in the plains?
Hakuyuu and Hakuren were just returning from checking on their family. So far there had been no mishaps with Hakuryuu or Hakuei. Their younger siblings had complained about their lack of interactions lately, but Hakuyuu assured them that once everything settled down, they would spend more time with their siblings. Strangely enough, the usual boisterous Hakuren was quiet throughout the whole trip.
In fact, he had been quiet for the past few days, a rare contemplative look marring his usual care-free face.
"Is there something wrong?"
Hakuren snapped his head upwards, seeing Hakuyuu looking back at him. He scrunched his brows and after some deliberation, motioned for Hakuyuu to follow him into his room. Once inside, he used magoi manipulation to coat the room again, confirming that no unwanted eavesdropper was nearby.
"I am thinking about the recent case of assassination."
"You have a lead?" Hakuyuu stepped towards his brother, eyes bright and intense.
"I…have my suspicions." Hakuren murmured, looking away.
"Why didn't you tell us then?"
Hakuren shook his head again, biting his lips uncertainly. "Because it is just a suspicion, and…it may not sit well with father. If I do tell you, will you promise me that none of these will make it to father's ears before we have concrete evidence?"
At Hakuyuu's nod, Hakuren continued on. "Recall the incident, where had the arrow been shot from? I saw it with my own eyes that the arrow came from the general direction of the inner archway; in another words, it came from an otherwise heavily guarded station. There is no way that an assassin could make it easily into a place like that unless…"
"Unless he is part of the royal guardsman," Hakuyuu finished off. "Yet no one else caught sight of him, which meant that we have more than one spy inside the court working together. I have thought of it too and this is the biggest possibility." It was not a big surprise given how big and diverse the court is. "I still don't see what makes you so unsettled about it though, this is something we have already gone over."
"That's not the thing that makes me nervous. When the incident happened, I looked over to Ryuu, Ei and mother to make sure they were fine, but then…I saw mother smiling. Of course, I thought I had been wrong because they were far off, there was no way that mother would smile at father's injury," Hakuren stammered, "but, a few nights ago, I saw her passing a scroll to one of those veiled men. I can't describe in details, but I feel like something about her had changed."
"Are you certain about this?"
"As certain as you are standing before me right now."
Hakuyuu nodded and patted his brother on the shoulder. "I will look into it. In the meantime, go back to sleep first, we need a clear mind to sort through the issues."
"Yes." Hakuren bowed to Hakuyuu before the older man exited the room.
As ridiculous as it sounded, Hakuyuu didn't have a hard time believing his brother. Although their parents were quite in love with the other at the start, things have changed over the years. Even though it was not noticeable to the normal passerby, Hakuyuu had observed the gap between his parents growing substantially. They no longer whispered sweet nothings to the other. Even when they passed by each other on the hallway, the former gentleness was replaced by distanced aloofness.
If he asked anyone about it, they would probably attribute it to the emperor having less time to spend with his wife. The expanding empire is robbing him of his personal time, so it was no wonder that they were drifting apart. But Hakuyuu was smarter than that. Like Hakuren, he noticed that something had changed in their mother. She was still sweet and gentle towards her youngest children, but towards Hakuren and him, she was more closed off. Sometimes he caught her staring at them, something cunning in her expression. But as quickly as it came, it disappeared, replaced by the gentle smile.
Perhaps it was like how the ancient idiom goes: there may be a knife behind a smile.
A/N:
* Brother – can be used to refer to an actual blood sibling or to an older male that is close
Many of the context and setting is based off Dun Huang and the Forbidden City in China (which Ohtaka had mentioned in the Taiwan interview that she got some of her inspirations from). This might not conform completely with the Magi-verse, but it's the best I could based off from. Sorry! w