Disclaimer: I do not own Saiunkoku Monogatari. It belongs to its creator, Sai Yukino. I'm not looking for a profit, and I'm not paid for this.


On a clear night the emperor walked through the garden alone.

Ryuuki no longer feared the night as he had in his youth, but as twilight slipped into darkness, the melancholy that threatened to replace the fear snuck into the quiet corners of his mind. All his life he begged the gods that he never need to spend a night alone. With Jyuusain-hime, his beautiful triplet daughters, and young son, the gods had granted him with enough family that he would never need to be alone again.

On a clear night the emperor remembered the past.

Most of the time he locked away the sadness, but under tonight's clear sky and bright moon he could not keep his mind from wandering to his first love, Shuurei. He knew it was selfish to hold on to his memories of her. The day they met, her manju buns, they way she scolded him, and her ehru music all haunted him.

On a clear night the emperor considered his mistakes.

His first year with Jyuusain-hime had been the most difficult. Over and over again he inadvertently hurt his new wife. She was keenly aware that she resembled his lost love, and although he never meant to compare them, somehow Shuurei's shadow lingered. Jyuusian-hime never shed a tear in front of him, but he knew. He could not help but know. The guilt was almost more than he could bear.

On a clear night the emperor made a choice.

The night she brought him manju buns, Ryuuki held Jyuusian-hime tightly and begged her forgiveness for making things so difficult for her. That night he truly fell in love with his new wife. He vowed to himself never to compare the two women again. He made sure she had everything she ever wanted and needed. When she was pregnant with the triplets, no expense was spared satisfying her cravings. As the pregnancy progressed, he massaged her feet and dutifully rubbed Kouyuu's special blend of herbs and oils on her stretch marks.

On a clear night the emperor's family began.

The night the triplet daughters were born, he wept for joy. Jyuusain-hime made his family complete. He found true happiness in the faces of his children. In an instant his entire world moved to revolve around three tiny heartbeats. For hours he remained by his empress's side, holding her hand and whispering his gratitude for bringing them all safely into his world.

On a clear night the emperor walked through the garden alone.

Under the light of a full moon, Ryuuki counted his blessings until the memories of his lost love were locked away once more. He then returned to his quarters and kissed his empress's sleeping forehead.

"My love belongs in the present," he thought resolutely, "not in the past."