I do not own Saiunkoku Monogatari.

It belongs to Yura Kairi.

Dedicated to Nishitamachi

pairing: Ryuu/Shuu, Kijin/Reishin, Kouyuu/Shuuei (?)

Read and REVIEW!!!!!!!!!

Lessons In Love

Lesson 3 - Revelation!!!

Ryuuki was skipping down the palace hallway to his study.

Shuurei's coming tomorrow! Shuurei's coming tomorrow! Shuurei's coming tomorrow!

He chanted to himself. Then slowed down deep in thought.

But we still have a couple more roses to finish... I guess we'll have to do it on the sly...

-

"He's STILL got some dark circles -"

"I KNOW! I gave him a talk," Shuuei sighed. "It's up to him now. His choice. He's a big boy - but... you can play mama for him if you want to."

"I didn't say anything about 'playing mama'!"

The two were nose to nose in mortal combat when Reishin and Kijin swept in.

The two older men blinked as a paperwieght grazed the edge of Reishin's hat. Kouyuu froze. Shuuei chuckled nervously.

"Such children," Reishin seethed.

"This is like... bad karma..." Kijin muttered.

"I thought we talked about this, Kouyuu."

Kouyuu sweatdropped and glared at his feet.

"Sorry, Reishin-sama."

"Sorry isn't going to cut it. You're an embarassment!"

"Well... at least the Emperor is busy -" Kijin gestured at the six large stacks of paper that surrounded the Emperor, hiding him from view.

"I don't know," Reishin's fan, snapping shut broke the following silence. "He's too quiet, if you ask me. Normally he's whining, humming or snoring..."

"He's got a point," Shuuei agreed with a laugh.

"I don't remember making a joke," snapped Reishin.

"He better not have snuck out on us -" Kouyuu panicked. "He's got too much work to do to be wasting time lolling about..."

"If I recall correctly," REishin's glare intensified even more (if possible). "Wasn't that YOUR JOB?"

Kouyuu stomped over to the stacks, disappearing behind the desk -

"Y-y-y-your Highness!" A horrified wail rose from behind the stacks.

"K-k-k-kouyuu!" stammered Ryuuki. "OW! You - you startled us."

"What the HELL - I mean, I apologize. What are you doing?"
"N-n-n-nothing... just..."

"Show me!"

A peremptory snap of his fingers.

A silence.

Shuuei, Reishin and Kijin waited.

Reishin was tapping his foot - a bad sign.

Shuuei followed Kouyuu.

Another long silence.

Then, Shuuei staggered away, holding his sides as he laughed and laughed. While Kouyuu found his voice and a way to vent his speechless rage.

"ARRRGGHHH! WHY ME? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? Heyyy... Your Highness had better have a good reason for this -"

Shuuei was trying to stop laughing - (especially in the face of Reishin's stern face) - but Ryuuki's artlessly honest response -

"It's a welcome home gift for Shuurei, of course!" -

Sent him off in another bout of laughter.

Reishin's hand tightened around his fan. Stowing it away, he swished around the edge of the desk and watched the quivering back of his son, disinterestedly. Kouyuu was upset - going by the shaking fists, gritted teeth and tense body posture.

The Emperor had shrunk back in his chair and was trying to look helpless, misunderstood and wounded - while clutching an embroidery hoop in one hand, and a needle with thread in the other. A small red spot on Ryuuki's finger happened to coincide with another on the fine white cotton kerchief - now carefully embroidered.

"We - uh - just needed to finish the edging!" Ryuuki sniffed pathetically. "We've worked so hard on it! Day and night -"

Kouyuu sighed - already giving into the puppy eyes. A slim hand snatched at the hoop - and held it up for inspection.

"Kou Reishin!" Ryuuki lunged forward, trying (and failing) to grab the kerchief. "Give that back to us at once!"

Gone was his appearance of weakness, now that his handiwork was in danger. Kijin, now watching this from a safe distance, could only shake his head.

It's a wonder things get done around here... still... Reishin is enjoying himself...

"It's... tolerable... I suppose," Reishin sniffed.

"What do you mean 'tolerable'?" Ryuuki asked suspiciously. "Are you saying our gift isn't fit enough for Shuurei?"

"Nothing is fit for Shuurei - least of all anything from YOU," snapped Reishin (wishing HE could sew something for his darling niece).

Damn the Emperor for one upping me.

"True..." sighed Ryuuki.

"Heeyyy!" Shuuei rolled his eyes at the melodrama. "Don't let him say things like that!"

"But, Shuurei deserves the best! We are giving her something we've learned to do in two months - compared to her sewing skills - and experience - Aaahhh... why didn't we take pottery up? Or painting?"
"Two months?" Kouyuu peered at the stitches. "This is amazing work for a beginner such as yourself, Your Highness!"

"Eh?" Ryuuki blinked.

"Eh?" Reishin frowned.

"Especially considering a man did this -"

"Really?"

"Don't get his ego too inflated over a piece of trash -"

"It's NOT trash!"

"Burn it!"

"Reishin-saammmaaa!!!"

Read and REVIEW!!!!!!!!!