The Great Secret is Revealed!
“Seiran,” Shouka-sama greeted him with a smile. “Isn’t it a lovely evening?”
“Yes,” Seien said quietly, “but I have something I have to tell you. I’m afraid…” he looked aside for a moment, “it isn’t as lovely.”
Shouka and Seien talk, some secrets are revealed, and Seien gets a shock.
Surely someone that deadly should show it, the way it showed in his brothers’ eyes, or in Meishou’s smile.
Seien sneeks a look in on Ryuuki and gets a lesson from Shouka into the bargain.
The Archives were the only place he dared try to catch a glimpse of his brother.
Civil war erupts, and Seien returns.
There were screams in the roar of voices, now, and Shuurei flinched from the sound, drawing closer against Seiran, looking up at them both with wide eyes. “Is it…” she had to stop and swallow, “is it really going to be all right?”
Seien is re-introduced to the court. Familes are reintroduced to each other.
Seien’s jaw tightened, but he did stand and turn to face the Court. The roar that greeted Shou-taishi’s gesture of acclaim was distant in his ears; it reminded him of the sound of the riots, a year and a half ago.
Seien works, sometimes reluctantly, at fitting himself back into the courts. So do some other people.
Being heir seemed to Seien to be one trouble after another, but there were occasional good points.
The Emperor is dying; Seien talks with both his fathers.
Seien’s anger made his voice a growl. “You spent years and years fighting to reunify the country, to break the power of the great clans until imperial law ruled everywhere again.” His control slipped and he slammed a hand against the wall. “And you almost lost it all just because you ignored what was happening in your own inner courts! Why?!”