Disclaimer: I don't own Saiunkoku Monogatari

Chapter 6

Shuurei's point of view

'Where am I? It looks very similar to my chambers at the palace before I left …' Shuurei thought as she woke up not recalling anything from last nights events 'Palace…Hmm…It rings some bells…' She was in the daze until someone ran into the room very loudly 'Great Ryuuki's at it again and I just woke up…No it can't be Ryuuki I haven't seen him in ten…Now I remember! Ahhh… What messed up situation I got myself into…'

"Mother, you're here!" the person shouted and she recognized that voice immediately 'Shoto…'

"Shoto I'm glad to see you again… But why did you came here in first place before saying anything? All I got was a message from father saying that you're here and asking me to come get you" Shuurei asked jokingly, she would never be truly mad at him because she got to see Ryuuki again from the fact that Shoto came here

"Well I… I… Mom don't be angry at me grandpa said I could come with him and… and things just went the way they went…" very nervous Shoto said. 'This is more amusing than I thought it would' Shuurei thought, but still kept her composure perfect

"Shuurei I would like to finish the conversation we had yesterday" Ryuuki appeared from around the corner.

"Of course, Shoto could you leave us alone?" Shuurei asked her son.

"It would be better if he stayed…After all this matter concerns him as well" Ryuuki said with serious tone of voice. "I want to ask you the two of you to stay here by your own will. I want to get back for all the time we lost" Ryuuki said still wearing a serious expression.

Shoto's point of view

'When I looked mother in the eyes I saw that she would love to say yes to Ryuuki, but didn't knew if it was what I wanted…Now that I think about it mother left because of me, because she wanted different life for me not because she no longer loved that man. If I agree I probably will never be able to leave the palace walls, but mother will be happy… It's not even a question…My mother even though she loved him ran away because she thought I might be happier growing up in a place where I can be free of any duty that should befall me because I'm the Emperor's son…Who knows maybe I'll even like here…It's possible, right? To get along with the man who is my real father just like I got along with Seiran and be happy here…Even if I can think about millions of things that can go wrong I'll still do it…I'll still stay here because it's a thing that will make her happy…'

"What do you think about it Shoto?" mother asked with a small smile 'Everything will go right, there's no need to worry…' Shoto repeated it over and over in his head trying to calm himself down

"It won't hurt if we try…" he said not thinking about possible endings for a scenario like that.

"Does this means that you'll stay?" Ryuuki asked becoming very cheery person that Shoto didn't recognize 'This may be an interesting development' Shoto thought to himself while observing Ryuuki

"Yes, it means we'll stay here" his mother smiled a bigger and brighter smile. And then Shoto saw something he never thought he will see… He saw as Ryuuki the Emperor of Saiunkoku jumped his mother. And that led the little boy to total los of words


'Ohh how wrong was I to think that things will "work out"…' thought Shoto as he sat in front of a table with books piled on it. 'I should have known better than that…'

"Don't you try to sleep here! We don't have a lot of time! So what's the answer?

"Wha..?!" Shoto was surprised 'It can't get worse than this I guess…'

Ryuuki's point of view

Ryuuki was overjoyed. It was so long since he felt this happy. His usual grim mood was now lifted to new kind of heights from happiness. Even those few hours that he'll have to stay at the court won't be able to ruin it.

"Your Highness, you look happier today… Will I be right if I assume it's because of two mysterious people who'll be taking residents here as of today?" Shuuei asked. Of course he already knew who those people are even if to most of the palace it was a secret. Ryuuki could even bet that Shuuei already even went to great Shuurei. 'He thinks it's fun teasing me like that…Oh well whatever it won't ruin my great mood…Since Shuurei and Shoto are here no one will be able to make me angry…'

"Kouyuu don't you think things will become more interesting around here since Shuurei came back? And this time she's not alone…" Shuuei said smirking about something.

"I think I agree with you and from that smirk I can say that you already know what's going to happen…" Kouyuu said sighing heavily. It's been long enough that those two admitted that they are friends and even though they argue even more it seems that they could understand each other even more easily. 'Well, but that doesn't matter now…I'm just dying to see Shuurei again…While those two argue I'm just going to slip out for a bit. After all they always argue so long that I usually take a nap when they do it…If I'll be quick enough they won't even notice that I'm gone' Ryuuki thought to himself and tried not to giggle.

Shuurei's point of view

Since this morning that Shuurei decided to stay she was put into those tight clothes that were far from being comfortable. 'Well this is one of the minuses of being Ryuuki's wife I guess…God I forgot how uncomfortable these things were…My head feels heavy as well. I just hope that Shoto is doing better adjusting to our new life style then me…Though it's not new it's just something I hadn't experienced for a long time it still feels like its first…' Shuurei softly giggled remembering how it when it was first time for her in the palace 'I thought I made the biggest mistake of my life after I heard what I had to do after being blinded by those 500 gold coins and agreeing without thinking…But now I'm glad I took up that offer. It brought me the biggest joy in my life even if at the same time it hurt me. Somehow I almost forgot all those bad things that happened to me while I was staying here…But all those happy ones stayed with me for ten years…' her thoughts were cut of as she saw Ryuuki wandering into her chambers. It reminded her of the first time he waltzed into her chambers with the same look in his eyes that he had that time. It made her laugh.

"Why are you laughing? Do I look funny?" Ryuuki said while still shocked.

"Oh, no it's nothing it just reminded me of the old times…" Shurei said and then started laughing even harder.

Ryuukis point of view

It surprised him when Shuurei started laughing 'Did I do something wrong?' was the first thing that came to his mind.

"Why are you laughing? Do I look funny?" he asked and tried to compose himself though he was still in shock 'I didn't hear her laughter for ten years…And finally I can hear it…After such a long time…It's the greatest music to my ears…'

"Oh, no it's nothing it just reminded me of the old times…" and after saying this she started laughing again. Just now Ryuuki got a proper look of her. She was even more beautiful than he remembered seeing this morning even in those uncomfortable clothes 'I bet that's because this time she's laughing and not showing her sad smile or emotionless mask…' Ryuuki thought and started laughing with her.


Authors note: So I was thinking how to end this story and came to conclusion that I don't know if a sad or happy ending would be better and I pretty much have an idea for both. So I would like you to write if you think a sad or a happy ending for this story would be better in your reviews. Thank you ^_^