The Road Not Taken
The point of divergence from canon, when Seien chooses blood over peace.
It was good, if a little strange, still, to sit in the sun, warm and safe with nothing to worry about.
Arc: The Age of Silver
The Road Not Taken, Omake
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.”
The Wind Cries
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.
Paper Dust
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.
Peaches and Thorns
Shoukun and Seien talk about freedom, and she gathers a promise from him.
She sighed. “My little Seiran.” Very quietly she added, “If the palace will be such a cage to you, I will be sad to see you walk back in and pick up your chains again.”
Dragon’s Whisker
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?”
Finding Home
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.
The Color of the Phoenix’s Tail – Part One
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 Color of the Phoenix’s Tail – Part Two
Shuuei and Kouyuu pass the Exams and meet the princes.
“Why would you want to get rid of your best friend, the one who’s always ready to help you out?” Shuuei asked, innocently. “Or help you back to where you were trying to go, anyway…”
The Color of the Phoenix’s Tail – Part Three
Shuurei likes her life but wants it to be something more.
“Shuurei?” Seiran came to stand beside her, leaving his own scrolls. “Is anything wrong?”
She mustered a smile for him; Seiran always worried so much when she was upset. “No, it’s all right. I was just…” her voice wavered a little, despite everything she could do, “wishing I could be an official and do something good with all this.”
The Color of the Phoenix’s Tail – Part Four
Shuuei transfers, Kouyuu broods, Ryuuki gets a new friend.
“I’m transferring.” Shuuei leaned back and looked out the window of Kouyuu’s office. “I think I’ll be more suited to the military.”
And Koku-daishougun had caught him practicing with Sou-taifu and pounced on him like a wolf on tasty prey, and he still wasn’t positive that Sou-taifu hadn’t set the whole thing up. But he wasn’t saying that part; it would be bad for his image.
The Color of the Phoenix’s Tail – Part Five
Seien is learning how to deal with the ministers.
Seien sighed; some days he felt more like a nursemaid than any kind of ruler, even one in training. Keeping the ministers away from each other’s throats sometimes reminded him quite a lot of trying to keep a five-year-old Shuurei from dunking herself in the fish pond.
Turning Storm
Shuuei is selected as Prince Seien’s bodyguard, and the two get acquainted.
Shuuei’s lips quirked. “Shou-taishi was certainly right that you don’t much need anyone else’s sword to guard you from attackers,” he admitted. “But I hope, my prince, that you will allow me to guard you from this.” His gesture took in their match just finished, the blood that had come very close to being spilled.
May It Concern
Shuuei writes a letter to his family about what he’s just discovered.
My Dear Most Honored and Respected Elder Brothers Who Almost Got Me Killed,
Feed Them On Your Dreams
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?!”
Blue and Red
Shou searches out more helpers for his newest imperial acquisition.
When Shou Yousei stopped in to see how his newest Emperor was doing, he expected to find Seien in a bad temper.