Saiunkoku: The Age of Silver: Dragon's Whisker

[branchandroot]

Fic post from my archive.

Dragon's Whisker

Civil war erupts, and Seien returns. Drama with Angst, I-4

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?"

Comments

[majochan.livejournal.com]

I'M SO GLAD I CAME HOME FOR LUNCH!

*squees incoherently*

I hope I got first comment...but anyhow. Much love and glee, and such.^^ The conversation with the emperor gave me chills *shivers*.

Majo

[written-in-blue.livejournal.com]

Oh, ow. God, poor Seiran. *pets him* Senka and Shou are ice cold, aren't they?

[visenya.livejournal.com]

While the conversation between Seiran and the emperor was very well done, I think it was the last scene that touched me most. To see him break down like that...poor Seiran. Also, poison cup imagery works wonderfully.

[sparrow-wings.livejournal.com]

Dammit, you made me cry. This line in particular cuts deep: It wasn't politics he recognized, here and now. Also this one: better for him to take this cup of poison than leave it for Ryuuki. *sniffle*

[falling-heaven.livejournal.com]

Nice story! =)
By the way, Senka is Seien's father (the Emperor), right?

[grey-damaskena.livejournal.com]

So things are well and truly on their way . . . very much happiness on my part to see this installment, with so much going on. You dealt sparingly with Senka, which I think was a very good choice, although I'm somewhat surprised that Shou wasn't aware of Seien's return (but then, I have some sort of bizarre idea that Shou knows most everything when it comes to the royal family, one that is certainly not proven. I may well give him too much credit).

I see, too, that you've changed the timeline a bit . . . I'm guessing one year with the Satsujinzoku, does that mean that Seien's spent four years living with the Kou Family of Cuteness, then? So Seien is currently . . . 17, 18? And Ryuuki's 10 or 11, and Shuurei's 7 or 8?

At least Shou is taking care of putting things back together again. I really like the silent communication between him and Senka. Senka, it seems, trusts Shou a great deal more than his sons end up trusting Shou. ;-) Long familiarity, perhaps, but one has to wonder how Shou's going to manage to re-establish himself at court when all's said and done . . . well, I'll leave that to him, anyway.

Seien's return, how exciting! I can't wait to see the reunion between him and Ryuuki. More time has passed than I originally thought while reading your stories (I thought in the beginning that you were starting right after Seien's return with the Kou family from Sa Province. Or was this in fact true and that stories since then have spanned a number of years?); I imagine it must have been very disorienting for Seien to see Ryuuki grown older. That's actually something I wonder about from the series: Seiran's first look at a mostly-grown-up Ryuuki, and his feelings at that moment . . . looks like I'll never find out, though, more's the pity.

Once again have rambled on far too much, my apologies. Looking forward to the next installment!

[penguin-sensei.livejournal.com]

Much, much love for this story, once again!

That's something I've always been wondering about, actually. After Shouka had the "conversation" with Shou in the "canon" story, what was he really thinking, knowing that he had Prince Seien at home and he could be a "worthy emperor"? I guess he didn't do anything because, just like the Ran clan, he thought that bringing back Seien would only make the civil war worse. I suppose it's the case. But hmm... still, I wonder. Also, what was Seiran thinking, when he saw the consequences of the civil war on people? I guess that's what I love most about your story; it addresses these questions, and the "what might have happened".

It makes me a happy penguin! <3

[hidden-gems.livejournal.com]

I completely second what Penguin said. I've always wondered what it must have been like for Seiran to see all that happening before his eyes, and you're bringing us possible answers with this wonderful AU series. Besides, angry!Seiran is a sort of a drug for me...

OMG can't wait for the next part!! Are they going to be reunited?? *bounces*