The King at Twilight

By Maria Szabo

Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction, and the only profit being made is that of enjoyment.

"Gyousou-sama?" his eyes were wide and innocent. "Is this Tai? Is this our land?"

"This is our kingdom." He lifted the boy, light as a feather, off of his suuga, and set him on the ground. "So, Kouri, what do you think of it?"

By the Gods, I am so weary of fighting, he thought, as he sought refuge from the chill evening that was falling upon the mountains between Bun and Zui provinces. An abandoned hut gave him some respite from the wind, which held a bite of winter. It barely qualified as a building anymore, but there was no youma infestation and it would serve as adequate shelter for tonight. He knew it would not be long before he'd have to return to one of the cities, and live in hiding there. He was strong, but the land was stronger, and he was no fool. Fate had damaged his pride, but not erased it completely.

Seven years, it had been, seven long years, since he had set out from Kouki, the capital of Tai. Another rebellion in Bun Province, that was what had called him away. He'd expected it. Tai had been too long without a ruler, and now that the gods had seen fit to provide one, there were those that were hesitant to set down the power they'd grasped during the interregnum.

Gyousou, King of Tai, had foreseen the treachery of his subordinates, but he'd miscalculated his ability to prevent their actions. Give him a sword and he'd fight all day and night, but he'd not realized how difficult it would be to protect his Kirin. He'd never had anyone or anything so precious to him, and when that was taken away…

He'd avoided capture in the first ambush, but his troops had been devastated. The battle had turned into a mad cluster when the soldiers loyal to the traitor turned in the midst of battle. And then the news that Taiki had been killed…he refused to believe it, but Asen himself had presented the horn as evidence, in the hellish parlay where he'd learned how deep the conspiracy had gone. His closest comrades, his oldest friends, the ones he thought believed in his crusade—they were the ones who had done this to him. And to Tai.

But Asen was lying about Taiki. I would know. I would know. It had become a mantra for him. He would not surrender. Surrender meant death, and the land of Tai needed its King alive. What kind of idiot did they take him for? If Taiki were dead, he too would fall within a few months. But the years had passed and he was still alive. Barely.

And Taiki? No one knew. He was not in Tai, of that Gyousou was certain. He'd searched the length and breadth of the land. All he knew was that the boy was not dead.

No fire. It would be seen. Gyousou took off his ragged cloak and shook off the dust, and then wrapped it back around himself carefully. He settled on the floor of the hut, in the corner, the furthest away from the doorway which had long ago lost its door. Outside, twilight settled into the valley and he let himself fall into dreams of a happier time.

"Gyousou-sama?" his eyes were wide and innocent. "Is this Tai? Is this our land?"

"This is our kingdom." He lifted the boy, light as a feather, off of his suuga, and set him on the ground. "So, Kouri, what do you think of it?"

Taiki did not answer at once, but turned in a circle and solemnly surveyed the land around him. "There's a lot to do."

"Yes."

"I don't know if I'm…" the kirin stopped himself and then turned his face up to his king, his small face set in determination. "Let's do our best."

He ruffled the boy's hair, from the back. "Absolutely."

FIN