Saiunkoku: The Age of Silver: Turning Storm

[branchandroot]

Fic post from my archive.

Turning Storm

Shuuei is selected as Prince Seien's bodyguard, and the two get acquainted. Drama, I-3

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.

Comments

[written-in-blue.livejournal.com]

*_* Oh, my. No wonder Shuuei is so very fascinated with Seien.

And it's a good thing he's going to be there for Seien, looks like.

*pets the boys*

[branchandroot]

*grins* Yeah, Shuuei really kind of seems to like the shiny, sharp ones. And the ones that go boom.

Now, if he can just hold the fort until Ensei gets there...

[brennart.livejournal.com]

So much love.

I adore how you taken so many small things into consideration in this AU. There's a slow progression towards the arrangement in the series where Kouyuu and Shuuei are the Emperor's close advisors. But of course, there's a different emperor. You're almost doing a more complete explanation of how they get there than the series does itself. (I can only go from the anime.)

Thanks so much for sharing. I look forward to where you'll take this twist of fate.

[branchandroot]

Thank you!

I'm trying to weave in the little hints we get in the novels, but I have to rely on Kage's translations and summaries, so I have to fill in a lot of the blanks for myself, too. *wry grin* Ah, well, that's what an AU is all about.

Glad you're liking it!

[majochan.livejournal.com]

I am filled with love and glee and SQUEE.

If I am not so taken with the traumatized ones, I'd love Shuuei the best. But Shuuei and Seien together is totally for the win, completely.

Most favoritest part is Seien and Shou going all "^_^" at each other while trying not to go "*fang fang fang*". Poor Seien has a bit to go before he can stop Shou from jerking his chain...

Majo

[branchandroot]

Thank you!

*giggles* Yeah, and Shou is going to have fun while he still can, that's for sure.

I'm having huge fun with Shuuei, in this AU, especially since, if I can get them that far, there will eventually be huge tension between his genuine loyalty to Seien and his loyalty to his clan. *plots*

[majochan.livejournal.com]

Ooh, plot is yay!

Shou always struck me as the type who will continue to be the one holding the chain rather than one that has a chain that others can jerk (with possibly the exception of Eiki). Poor Seien probably will need another 50 years or so of experience before he can jerk Shou's chain (and by then presumably Shou would've taken on another guise already...)

And yayness for conflict between loyalties. This is especially interesting because in the novels, it was discussed that for both Kouyuu and Shuuei, their clan held more power over them than Ryuuki. But it was also mentioned that things could have turned out differently if they had been with Ryuuki since he was a prince, which was the case in this AU (except with Seien). Certainly neither of them lack charisma, though Seien's not as 'cute' as Ryuuki.

To wrap up this already too-long comment, I recently scrapped an idea to open up a Saiunkoku doodles-request post on my sketchblog and decided to just ask 5 people instead. If you want a doodle, let me know what you'd like!

Majo

[branchandroot]

*wry* Yeah, I expect Seien is probably doomed to be chain-yanked. Though I would not put it past Shou to poke Seien until he explodes and says he has his own advisors and Shou can take a hike; at which point, Shou would stroll off whistling.

Yes, clan loyalties look like they'll be a big issue in canon! And, of course, in the AU Seien knows that Kouyuu is loyal first to his foster-father, but at first he thinks Shuuei might at least be a draw. And then, later, he has to stress that and tip the balance one way or the other. Drama everywhere!

*sparkles* A doodle? Ooooo, maybe another view of Emperor!Seien?

[sparrow-wings.livejournal.com]

Shuu~ei! I love how pereceptive he is. And that he uses his powers for good, of course. And also I love how Seien and he prod each other into being honest (at least a little).

Nitpick: Shuuei didn't need to do anything to insure it. I'm pretty sure that should be ensure.

[branchandroot]

*hearts* Thank you! Really, he and Seien do work well together, despite or because of the way they pull against each other.

*takes a moment to look words up* Ensure is probably the most proper, though current usage does ascribe "to make certain or sure" to both insure and assure, as well. I do rather like the commercial connotations of insure, there, but I might change it in the last pass. Thanks for mentioning it!

[sparrow-wings.livejournal.com]

Really? I didn't know that, so buying insurance is the first thing I think of when I read 'insure'. It's not hugely important, though.

[grey-damaskena.livejournal.com]

huzzah for AU-ness!

And for Shuuei, as well, it seems he's doing quite well for himself. Shogun already? Just how far along does this take place? I take it from the exchange with Shou that there's still some question about Seien's ascension, however small. Does that mean that some of the other princes are still around and could potentially challenge him for the position?

I like the hidden Seien-angst that Shuuei managed to pull up, although Shuuei's lucky he didn't get killed. Geez.

Shou and Seien needling each other was my favorite part, though. ;-)

[branchandroot]

Thank you!

I'm thinking this takes place around two or three years before canon-start. Really, Shuuei's rank is my time-marker in this one. I /think/ Shou is mostly just needling, but Ryuuki is around so if something went dreadfully wrong I suspect Shou would have no real problem with giving Seien the axe. ^_^;

*grins* Shuuei is very lucky. And very lucky he really is that good. Seien is chock full of nasty survival reflexes, and hasn't had a whole lot of chance to develop moderation yet.

[grey-damaskena.livejournal.com]

::amused:: In this continuity Shou has a backup plan. I wonder if he ever considered that in-series, if Seiran was his ace in the hole in case he was in truly dire straights . . . but it confuses me somewhat because I feel like Shou would have moved on it earlier. He definately knew Seiran was there, but maybe there was some other requirement of Shou's that Seiran in-series didn't meet . . .

Seien probably hasn't had anyone touch off his deadlier instincts very often since he came back. Unless there were assassination attempts after his return . . . if there were any I imagine he dispatched them with extreme prejudice.

[visenya.livejournal.com]

*cheers for Seien & Shuuei meeting* Seien and Shou needling each other...somehow I see that continuing even when Seien takes the throne. Looking forward to when he meets Kouyuu. Given his reputation, I don't doubt Seien will be able to rival Kouyuu in the intelligence department as well.

[branchandroot]

Thank you! *grins* And, yeah, I don't think Shou can live without needling; it's like breathing for him.

Kouyuu gets a somewhat more uneventful introduction, but still with lots of scheming and needling between Seien and Shou. I think Kouyuu and Seien will rather hit it off, though, they're both such perfectionists!

[penguin-sensei.livejournal.com]

You have no idea how much I loved this! Your Shuuei is perfect! (well, so is Seien, but you knew this already :D)

As usual, I'm totally fangirling your stories!

*throws Very Special Fangirling confetti all over the comment thread*

[branchandroot]

*blushing* Thank you! I really love Shuuei (well, all of them, really), so it's really fantastic to hear that people think I've captured them well.

*puts on her cat paws and bats confetti around happily*

[penguin-sensei.livejournal.com]

I'm a fan of Shuuei as well (and I like his little brother even more :P)

There are so few fics dealing with anything Ran-clan related that I'm always glad whenever I see a story even *mentioning* Shuuei and his brothers :D And when it's goodfic? Well, that's worth throwing my Speshul Confetti indeed!

[lady-readwolf.livejournal.com]

Fascinating--that's the single most word that lept to mind while reading this. Absolutely fascinating.

[branchandroot]

*grins* I'm having a lot of fun poking at Shuuei's possible backstory.