Proverbial Wisdom
An Alternate Continuity Saiunkoku Monotagari fanfiction.
Warnings: This story is rated about as strongly as the original show. The original source material, the Saiunkoku Monotagari anime, manga, and books, belong to the original copyright holders.
A nod to Majo-chan, the fanartist that drew the inspiration of this fanfiction, namely Emperor Seien and Prince Ryuuki.
Prologue: A man's heart is indiscernible behind his chest.
Shuurei scanned the characters on the page. She could feel the odd shift and jangle of the ornaments in her hair. It would take a while for her to get used to the weight and way her scalp hurt every night after the maids had taken it off. Though, if all goes well, she'll only have to put up with it for a few more months.
She did her best to ignore it and the weighted feeling of the layers of silk oppressing her frame. She was there for a mission and wouldn't be paid without finishing it. Add to that, there were personal reasons. To her, the emperor was the still the family friend and fake retainer she had once known. Shuurei fondly remembered the Seiran that would help her carry her books home from school and keep her father out of the kitchen. She didn't care that he had changed his name and the letters between them had grown less familiar over the years. She'd do anything for Seiran without the urging of the counselors, even pretend to be his wife. She'd find the assassins and traitors after his life.
Shuurei wished that she could get him alone and tell him all about the master plan but he had continued his aloof attitude. Except at dinners and the cold greeting at her entrance into the harem, she hadn't seen him at all. It wasn't that she expected him to restart the familiarity that they used to enjoy. He was the emperor now. But it was good that he hadn't thought them really married to each other. She still didn't know what she would do if he did come to her bedroom and demanded his husbandly privileges.
"The gods smiled down upon the crowning of our new monarch. Both the auspices, solicited and unsolicited, read to be this to be the start of a new age," Shuurei read aloud. The secretary's diary droned on and on about the various festivities and tribute of the clans during the celebration. She felt distantly left out though she knew she had had a wonderful time at the city's own celebration the same day.
It was a different perspective than the one with which she was familiar. She had worried about Seiran since that dark day the small group of soldiers had showed at her family's door to tell them that their servant was no longer returning to them. It was a shock to find out her retainer was, in fact, the true heir to the throne.
After that, the royal gossip hadn't filtered back to her. Her father was an uncomplicated man and holed up the archives. And for some reason, Seir- Emperor Seien seemed uncomfortable talking about politics in all their correspondence; which was why this book and it's window in the court's dealing was so important to the mystery.
"... then to the surprise of all, mid-dinner, our most honored lord, Emperor Seien, made the most startling announcement. With his first edict, he not only pardoned the condemned criminal, Shi Ryuuki, but named him royal advisor." Shuurei's eyes' shot open at that.
Criminal? That pale, nervous youth that was introduced as the 5th Prince was a criminal? She had heard that one of the princes and several cousins had been executed but why had Prince Ryuuki escaped the block? Why would Seiran name his brother Grand Advisor straight from exile?
The mystery begins. Please review if it piques your interest.