May It Concern

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Ink Burns

This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

This is a work of fanfiction, produced according to the principles of transformative fair use as put forward in US copyright law, and abiding by the custom and practice of fan-produced work in Japan, where the source texts were created. No author is in any way affiliated with any of the creators of the source texts, nor with the companies who distribute their products, nor any other rights holder, and these stories were not authorized by either the creators or the producers. Ink Burns is a fan site and the material here is freely provided for the enjoyment of fellow fan-community members; there is no commercial infringement.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 US license at the Ink Burns fanfiction archive (http://alltrees.org/archive/).

Published on 2007-02-25 21:07:13.

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This ebook edition was published on May 16, 2012 by the Ink Burns fanfiction archive.

May It Concern

Shuuei writes a letter to his family about what he's just discovered. Humor, I-2

My Dear Most Honored and Respected Elder Brothers Who Almost Got Me Killed,

I write to you to urge greater caution, in the future, when planning expeditions like the one you sent me on a few years ago. I have recently come into possession of proof that, had the trip been completed, you would have had one less little brother.

And then who would have taken care of Ryuuren, when he bothers to visit?

Shuuei considered his opening and nodded. Guilt and threat in equal measures; his family would appreciate it.

This would likely have been even more speedily true had I attempted to deliver the expedition's goods while the subject of the transaction was still in the initial circumstances that occasioned the journey.

Shuuei paused again and ran that over in his mind a few times. It seemed sufficiently vague and confusing to be safe--at least, as safe as it ever could be, admitting to having tried to kill the now-heir-apparent. And if it ever did come to the Prince's attention, well, all Shuuei had to do was point out that it had been done for Ryuuki's sake, and he probably wouldn't die.

In short, even I couldn't have done it. This has, of course, turned out to be a felicitous fact in the end, but I felt you deserved to be in possession of all the facts so that the next clan decision is less potentially catastrophic.

Know that you have, as always, all my regard.

Ran Shuuei

Shuuei stowed the scroll for travel and tied its box firmly. He would give it to the couriers that evening, he thought.

It was always good to let his family know he was still doing well.

End