Disclaimer: The Twelve Kingdoms belongs to Fuyumi Ono, and Media Blasters.
As the morning sun rose over Kinpa Palace, Kei's Empress was already awake and hard at work. She sat slightly hunched over her desk. As Youko read over the last of her paperwork, she shook her head in annoyance. It seemed that a peaceful, and prosperous Kei, generated far more paperwork than a Kei, on the verge of collapse.
"Well, I guess the bureaucrats need something to occupy themselves with, now that they can't complain about the state of the country," Youko said to the portrait that hung on the wall, above her desk, facing her.
With a flourish, she lowered the Royal Seal onto the last document. Lacing her fingers together, Youko raised her hands over her head, and stretched her sore back. Looking out her window, she noticed that the sun had just begun to rise, and she was finished with all her paperwork, for the day.
She glanced at the aforementioned portrait. She had commissioned it four years ago, as a reminder of the duties that she had to uphold. The portrait itself depicted a gaunt middle-aged Asian man. The man was seated on a throne, and he wore yellow robes of a vaguely similar style to those found in the wardrobes of En Ou, and his contemporaries. A red cap, with a peak that resembled at miniature pagoda completed the image. The portrait was a direct copy from a book on Chinese History that En Taiho had given to her, after she arrested Seikyou, after returning from a trip to Hourai. The man was Emperor Kangxi, and the author of the book had proclaimed him to be one of the best, if not the greatest, emperors in Chinese history. He had reigned for a long time, over 60 years, certainly not much compared to some of the more prolific immortal Emperors that she knew. But for a mortal it was very good.
Prior to assuming the throne, the Chinese court was embroiled by the machinations of corrupt politicians, he had somehow managed to oust the ringleader and arrest him. The amazing thing was Kangxi was two years younger than Youko when he did this. That feat alone told volumes of his strength and character.
Thereafter, Youko had modeled some of her behaviour on his own. For instance she now rose everyday before sunrise to complete her paperwork. She had taken to reading the works of Kei's greatest scholars and writers. She had almost completed this task, and was planning on moving to En's works as soon as she was finished.
Youko walked over to her window, and looked outside. Of course the only thing she saw was water. She wondered what were the citizens of Kei doing today? The obvious answer was they were doing what they did every day. But what was that? Try as she might, Youko could only conjure somewhat vague images of everyday life of a citizen of Kei.
She walked back to her desk, and slowly sat down in her chair. Was she really so out of touch with her people? Granted she had been living on a rock for the last six years, but was that really an excuse. Perhaps she had taken her emulation a little too seriously.
Youko shook her head. There was no use in berating herself. All of the paperwork was already finished. She therefore supposed that there wouldn't be any harm in venturing down to the capital for a little reconnection therapy. Of course Keiki would give her the usual stick in the mud attitude, but that hadn't stopped her before.
Youko quickly changed into her grey "citizen" Youko garb, and left her room to solicit Rakushun into accompanying on her foray.
Meanwhile, the aforementioned ratling had just finished dressing himself, much to the chagrin of his maidservant who had just arrived.
"Really, Minister why must you make things so difficult for me?"
Rakushuin smiled, "Difficult? I've just saved you over an hour's work."
Kizuha, the maidservant, sputtered, "Minister! That's not the point. It is one of my duties to dress you every morning. I have to complete my duties!"
"As you can see I'm already dressed. There's no point in arguing any more. Perhaps tomorrow you can help me."
"Really Minister?"
"Of course."
Satisfied Kizuha turned around, and flounced out of the room. Rakushun followed suit after making sure everything in his room was in order.
He had barely crossed the threshold of his door before literally bumping to Youko.
"Youko?"
"Come on, there's no time to explain," she said as she grabbed his hand and dragged him along. As the duo ran along through the halls of Kinpa Palace, past numerous bewildered Officials, and servants, Youko gave Rakushun a quick recap of what she had in mind.
"So we're going down into the city?"
"Sure, it'll be fun, and I need to reconnect with my citizens. I've been stuck in the palace for too long."
"All right, I see. So then why are we running?"
"Keiki of course. The second he saw me, he knew what I was planning."
"Ah."
Youko and Rakushun rounded the corner, only to meet the stern gaze of Kei Taiho. He seemed to be quite flabbergasted, well as flabbergasted as a stoic Kirin could get.
"Your Highness," he said.
Author's Notes:
Yes, yes, I know I'm a lazy bum. This update weighs in at a staggering 892 words, my smallest chunk of fanfiction to date. It's not like I don't enjoy writing this story, I'm just having a lot of trouble dealing with a multi chapter format. I will finish this behemoth of...eventually, and I'll even try to do it in a way that's satisfying, I hope. Next update to come sometime before the end of the year. (I hope)