Gutta Cavat Lapidem (a water drop hollows a stone)

Notes: A drop of water hollows a stone, not by force but by falling often, is the actual phrase.

:I begin to see why he is a man respected by both his enemies and his allies,: Yuka thought to herself as she walked into her private apartments and closed the japanese-style doors behind her, signalling that she wanted to be alone... though with her and her high-security lifestyle "alone was always a relative term.

Yuka had always privately thought that the unconscious king of Tai couldn't possibly be everything that the people of his court remembered. She'd studied him as far as she was able, trying to get a handle on what he might be like; she'd read up on him, studied the scrolls and observed what changes he had made when he'd taken the throne. She'd also adroitly steered the topic to what Gyousou Saku had been like with several people of the court she trusted would be honest with her on the matter, ally and rival alike. She'd gotten an earful. His allies remembered him as a man of great character, great insight and firm action, whose presence filled the room even when he was the only one in it. Even people who had not necessarily liked him all that well admitted that being in the same room with him was a lot like feasting at the table with a hungry tiger. Yuka was accustomed to kings being more like... Shouryuu, the smarmy and insouciant King of En, and her old schoolmate Youko, who had a more gentle and restrained presence rather than one that took command of a room. The King of Tai, she now saw, was not like either of them.

The Royal En had a lackadaisical nature, as though he never tried hard at anything, his rule remained solid and well-run due to his incredible insight and intelligence. The Royal Kei was characterized by her restraint and even-handedness, she listened carefully to all sides of an argument, took counsel, investigated a matter thoroughly, and then when she felt she had all of the information she needed, consulted her kirin and came to a decision. Hers was a "water rule" (despite all of the allusions to fire in her name) she was placid and gentle until circumstances required she move, then... oh then, she was as implacable as a river in full flood, unyielding and unstoppable until her course was run. For most of the time Youko ruled however, her rule was gentle and she and her kirin both preferred it that way. The Royal Tai however...

:He's scary!: Yuka thought to herself.

It wasn't that he had a threatening demeanor, it was just that... he had a powerful presence. He didn't go out of his way to display ferocity and she had yet to see even the mildest display of violence from him, his conversations with her so far had been gentle and civil, however...

:A tiger might deign to grace a hut, but that does not mean that it is not a tiger.:

She'd come close to him before and thought that her inability to be comfortable in his presence might just have been her sense of rivalry rearing its head, or even her inexperience with men being closer to her than a respectful distance, but after having to lock gazes with him Yuka now saw that it wasn't just her... the man had an aura about him that occupied the very air in the room, pressing against everything in it like the heat from the sun at midday. It wasn't even a conscious gesture on his part, he just had a natural force of personality, a latent fierce and commanding aura that was like a tiger with its claws sheathed.

:It's like how C.S. Lewis referred to Aslan, "he'll never be a tame lion": Yuka thought.

So far as Yuka was concerned, the lion could go ahead and have his court, and she would have the evening off!

:With Taiki's king finally taking his place back on the throne, I don't even have to attend court!: Yuka thought, slipping out of the beautiful clothes she had worn to impress the emperor of Han. The outfit was comfortable but she didn't want to get wrinkles in it or chance spilling something on her good clothes, she chose instead a very simple ruqun for her to be comfortable in and lounge around.

For the last fifty years, it had been she and Taiki, sitting on either side of the empty throne, who had lead the court in the absence of Tai's rightful king. They had led the court together, making decisions and trying as best as they could with their limited powers to keep the land peaceful and prosperous. It had been a struggle, one that had sometimes strained the bond of their friendship, but they had seen it through together and Yuka felt their relationship was special for it. But it was all over now.

:Well, my part in it is over with now, anyway,: Yuka thought. :Taiki will still be expected to attend court as Taiho.:

Even though she was glad that her part in running the patched together political piranha-tank that the Royal Court had been during the time Gyousou Saku had been asleep, part of her couldn't help but worry a little.

:What if Taiki forgets about me?:

She was going to be stepping back, probably even leaving for a little while, and his king was finally awake too. Yuka couldn't help but fear that now that he no longer needed her there, she wouldn't be important to him anymore.

:He has his king to worry about now after all, and I've never been quite as important as he is to Taiki anyway.:

Yuka knew she was being silly. It was a kirin's nature to adore the one that Heaven had chosen for them. And it wasn't like she was in competition for the number one ranking in Taiki's heart, that position could only belong to his liege anyway so it was silly to worry about it. Still, she couldn't help feeling competitive with someone now. Even if Taiki had been worried about Gyousou while he slept, Yuka had been the one who was by his side, helping him, every day. During that time, she could afford to discount her rival because he was not an active part of Taiki's life. Now that he was awake, Yuka felt very much supplanted.

:He's not even awake for a week, and he's already making Taiki worry!: Yuka thought about the new king.

So far, she failed to be impressed. Then again, that was mostly because she was partly looking to find fault with her rival. It was a little petty, but sometimes in personal matters Yuka could be just a little petty. Despite her relief at having him wake up so that he could take up the burden of state again, she was actively looking for reason's to dislike him. She was a little bit jealous that, despite her long relationship with Taiki, that man would always rank higher in her dear friend's heart.

:If he makes Taiki cry, I won't forgive him!: Yuka promised herself. :And he had better be the best ruler this world has ever seen, too. I didn't work my ass off for decades to hand everything over to some useless slacker!:

She had no cause for complaints yet, but that didn't mean that she thought he was the paragon of virtue that everyone else thought he was. She would step into the background and see how he did (not that she had much choice in the matter).

:Yeah sure, I say things like that but...: she trailed off.

Even in her own thoughts, she found herself unusually unsettled. In all matters, Yuka was accustomed to knowing what she wanted and then pursuing that thing unreservedly. She was accustomed to being decisive and unhesitating and one-hundred percent certain of herself (even when she was wrong). She had had her own innate ruthlessness pointed out to her at a young age so she knew to be wary of it. Her innate ruthless ambition served her well in the cutthroat politics of the current court but she never allowed herself to forget that it was a blade that could far more easily slice open her own throat.

:Which is precisely why I must firmly step aside right now,: she told herself.

Yuka very much wanted to attend the court that evening. She wanted to be sitting there in her usual spot beside and to the fore of the dais where the throne usually sat unoccupied, and she wanted to be able to see the looks on the faces of the Shuukou and ministers who had troubled her for so long when those pearl blinds were raised all the way for the first time in fifty years and the real king sat down on the throne.

:I know it's petty, but I really want to see the looks on their faces!: Yuka thought with relishing amusement.

But it was because she knew she could sometimes be petty and a little ruthless that Yuka felt it was best she step aside firmly right then. She had done what she said she'd do, she had helped Taiki hold the throne together until his king could climb back on it. Her part was done, if she lingered any longer beyond what she had said she would do, then the ministers and officials would have cause to be able to call her grasping and power-hungry.

:And aside of all of that... there's still one other thing.:

In the grand scheme of things it truly was a trifle. It was something that most people would be surprised to hear her worry about, but Yuka was who she was, and she couldn't really help it, so it seemed to her that it would be best to avoid the matter entirely.

She didn't want to lower her head to the floor.

:I know it's stupid!: Yuka thought to herself, a little embarrassed. :But I can't help it.:

She'd been able to avoid having to touch her head to the floor because she and Taiki had been the two most powerful figures in the room, people had bowed to them and not the other way around. If she went down to the court she would naturally be expected to lower her head to the nation's king. Yuka was too uncomfortable with the idea for a lot of reasons. It felt unnatural to her. In the culture of her times, one only lowered their head all the way when they'd done something unforgivable. Plus... She had lowered herself that way once to a kingdom's ruler. She had bowed down to the king of Kou, believing in him, and he had fed her lies. Yuka never wanted to find herself like that again, it was still a small wound that hurt her. She intended to avoid all official functions until she could leave.

To that end, Yuka, for the first time in a long time, dressed herself in comfortable lounging clothes instead of garments for show, and prepared herself for a quiet evening spent within her quarters. She might at last get to read a good book, instead of reviewing documents for the running of the kingdom.

She had just settled in on a comfortable chaise in her sitting room, one of her favorite books in her hand and a pot of tea at her elbow, when there came a firm knock at the door to her apartments. Yuka was disinclined to receive guests, but the soft rattle of her door being opened and that fact that her room maid was bowed all the way down with her forehead touching the floor said that her visitor was not someone who could be ignored even with the instructions that Yuka not be disturbed.

"Taiki says that you will not come with us to court," a voice that was becoming more familiar to her the longer she heard it said from the entrance to her private sitting room. Completely unexpectedly, her stomach did some sort of strange squirming, fluttery thing at the sound of his voice, and Yuka frowned in puzzlement.

"As you see," Yuka said, holding up her book. "I'm afraid I have plans for the evening."

"That's surprising," he replied. "I would have thought you would want to be there to see it all for yourself. Your enemies are due to be humbled."

"All things considered, I don't think that would be wise. After all, they do make a habit of saying I'm only interested in power. If I show my face there while you're on the throne they'll have more ammunition."

"Without your presence while I chastise them my attempt to teach them humility will be incomplete," he replied. "They won't reflect properly. And besides that, if you disappear from court now, it will only cause a rumor to spread that you are the one being punished. I am sure you grasp that your opponents would be quick to start such a rumor, and it would be ungracious of me to allow such a thing after all you've done."

"I... That is..." Yuka said uncomfortably.

He did have a point, but Yuka couldn't bring herself to state her real objection to going down to court with him and Taiki. She was deeply discomfited with the thought of the full bow that would be expected of her, but she felt it would be out of place for her to say so. She had not bowed down like that since the whole mess with the former ruler of Kou fifty years ago when she'd been a little girl, but it still stung even in the present. It seemed that Taiki's king was as discerning as he was reported to be, for he seemed to sense her discomfort immediately. He sat down on the edge of her chaise, bringing him closer to her than any man had been allowed to be within five decades. Yuka froze up. That close to her she could feel his presence near her, as strong as sunlight against her skin.

"Tell me the real matter," he said softly.

It was a request, but it carried the weight of a soft command. Yuka found herself too embarrassed to look at at him. He waited patiently. She suddenly felt more like she was a shy, awkward fifteen year old again, and not a polished politician of fifty years. The sight of her teacup gave her an excuse to retreat behind manners and Yuka grasped it, much the same way a drowning person might grab for driftwood.

"Would you like some tea? I have a blend sent from Hou!"

The calm, unwavering regard of his deep crimson eyes was like an almost physical weight on her, but she forced herself to maintain her calm. He nodded, even as he continued looking at her, and Yuka was able to steady her suddenly agitated nerves with the calming activity of pouring tea.

"This is a strange tea," he remarked on tasting it. "It is... oddly flavored, and the wrong color."

It was red rather than any varied shade of brown or even green. And instead of tasting like any of the usual varieties of tea, whether earthy or spicy or the sharp-pine taste of some of the northern blends, this one tasted both spicy, strong and almost tangy.

"Normally tea leaves require a sub-tropical environment to grow in, and Hou is as far north as we are, but the new queen grows a variety of the tea-plant that is capable of growing in the lower valleys down in Hou. The leaf when it is fresh, I understand has a slightly astringent taste to it, possibly due to the acidic soil. The treatment, the rolling and oxidizing they do to it before they ship it gives it that mildly roasted flavor."

"You sound knowledgeable," he remarked.

"Hou-ou and I have exchanged letters discussing tea. It is something we've found in common," Yuka smiled a little, a tiny genuine dimple appearing.

She had cultivated an unofficial sort of connection with the eccentric, regnant queen of Hou. She was such a strange one and so funny. It was almost as amusing to exchange letters with her as it was to send seichou to Youko.

"When I first came here," she admitted. "The only tea I had had was the prepackaged stuff. I acquired a taste for it, mainly because I'm a terrible lightweight..."

"You are surprisingly small," he agreed.

"I meant that I have no tolerance for alcohol," Yuka corrected him. "Since I couldn't risk getting tipsy in a court that was already looking for ways to rip me apart, I had to default to some other drink. I somehow wound up with a taste for tea, which, when I lived back in the other world I had never really drank much of."

"So, now that we have exchanged pleasantries, will you tell me what is the matter?" Gyousou pressed.

Yuka spared herself a moment by taking a sip of tea, trying to think of something else to say. The king held her with that weighty regard he had for a long moment, then gave a little smile.

"You and Taiki are really alike in some ways," he said softly. "With him, I can always tell when something is bothering him, and have a good way to be able to either guess what it is or coax it out of him."

"You know he doesn't like you to worry about him," Yuka replied.

"Yes, which makes me worry, causing him to worry even more. Thus it has been determined that it's always best to simply have it out in the open. With you, I have no way of guessing what might be on your mind."

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" Yuka replied.

Gyousou looked back at her evenly, his silence speaking for him. Yuka found that she couldn't quite look up at him, which was unheard of for her. She'd never before met a person whom she could not meet the eyes of, but there was something about him, some kind of special gravity he had that made the air around him feel heavy and her chest squeeze in on itself. Yuka could only theorize that she must be somehow allergic to him.

"Do you dislike me?" he questioned gently after Yuka maintained her silence.

"That's-! That isn't it..." she said.

She was stammering every bit as bad as Taiki did, when there was something bothering him that he couldn't bring himself to say.

"You are in a very great hurry to leave," he pointed out.

"That's not why I won't go to court with you," Yuka said. "And why do you care so much anyway?"

She had learned that in politics, a good offense could be the best defense.

"You are a singularly important person in my kirin's life and I personally owe you an enormous debt. If there is anything I have said or done that bothers you, I want to know so I can make reparations."

"It's nothing... It has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with me," Yuka replied reluctantly.

Gyousou again waited patiently. Yuka, for the first time in a very, very long time found herself caving in.

"I have a bit of a hard time talking about it, even after so long a time, but back when I came to this world the first time I wound up... working," she said hesitantly. "For the previous king of Kou. He seemed like a respectable king, even if the sorts of things he told me and that he had me training to do were... not exactly..."

Yuka trailed off, still bothered to this day by the person she had allowed herself to become back then. Even after all she'd accomplished and all the time that passed, she was still deeply ashamed and mortified by it.

"Anyway. Back then, I lowered my head to him, believing that, even if I didn't quite agree with the methods, that the ends he was employing me for would be virtuous ones. They were not. I... cannot... I simply can't bring myself to lower my head like that ever again. In addition... In the world and time I come from, you only bow over like that when you're abasing yourself to deeply ask forgiveness when you've done something so unpardonable that there is no other way to show your abject humility. I've done some things in my life I'm not proud of, but none of them have been after I started working with Taiki. I don't feel that I have done anything to Tai that I need to apologize for."

"Ah," Gyousou said. "Is that what this is all about?"

"That, and I really want an evening off," Yuka replied, looking hopefully at her book.

She'd had the volume for months and hadn't made it much beyond the third chapter!

"I am not so without confidence as a man or a king that I require every forehead around me to touch the floor," he said kindly. "As long as you bow respectfully, there is no need for you to make yourself uncomfortable. You should hurry and change for Court, or you will miss the event."

"What about my book?" Yuka asked plaintively.

"It will still be here when you return," he replied firmly.

Yuka looked at him sharply, suddenly suspicious. He seemed awfully insistent that she attend court with him. Her politicians instincts told her that he had some sort of plan he wanted her involved in and if he attacked publicly, then she would not easily be able to countermand him without losing face.

"Waait a minute," she said, grasping a hand around he elbow to hold him in place as he moved to rise. "What are you planning, and what do I have to do with it?"

Gyousou contrived to look innocent, but now that Yuka was actively engaged, he couldn't fool her. She'd been around court too long and though Gyousou's face was stern, he was no politician and his innate honesty made it relatively easy to read him.

"Spill it!" she commanded after he hesitated. The king looked amused by her asperity and said

"I have half a kingdom to reconquer, and you must know that in that time I will have to leave Hakkei Palace. Usually under these circumstances, the Taiho is left to manage affairs of state in the absence of the king, however you and I both know that the royal court is not in any shape to be overseen by a kirin."

"Yeah, they'll walk all over him, sweet boy that he is," Yuka agreed resignedly.

"Which is why I must reluctantly ask you to remain in place for a little longer, at least until I can bring the northern province's back under my banner."

"You were going to ambush me!" Yuka accused.

"Say instead that I was conscripting the aid of a most loyal citizen," was his unapologetic reply.

"Who's a loyal citizen?! I'm only here for Taiki!" she retorted hotly.

"Which is why you should remain here for a little while longer," Gyousou pointed out. "If you leave and I leave, he will be essentially alone. You wouldn't want that. I certainly don't."

"You're far too used to having things your own way, you tyrant," Yuka shot back.

She took him by the elbow and pushed him toward the door. When she reached it, she shoved him across the threshold and snapped the shoji shut in his face, leaving him on the other side. She heard his question through the paper screen.

"You are coming, are you not?"

"We'll see!" Yuka replied smartly.

:He's too used to having things his own way, he should have to worry about it for a little bit. The nerve! He wasn't even going to ask me!:

"You would truly disobey a command from your king?" he said, sounding like he couldn't quite believe it.

"Consider this my way of rebuking you, and repent on it!" Yuka snapped back.

Abruptly, he started to laugh. Even through the wood it was a warm rich sound that did funny things to the backs of her knees.

"I shall reflect on my actions then," he promised her, sounding more amused than sorry.

"Darn right you will," she muttered to herself then went back to her book. Sadly, by the time she got there, her tea was tepid.