Ignorance is bliss von Merilsell (Absence makes the heart grow fonder....RyuuXShuu-goodness) ================================================================================ Kapitel 1: A gamble can be risky....or the thing which is needed ---------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: I obviously don´t own Saiunkoku Monogatari and their characters. Meh. I only own this crazy, and dirty mind of mine, which created this story. Muaharharhar. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1: A gamble can be risky....or the thing which is needed -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***** "Absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it." --Thomas Fuller ***** Shuurei could hardly stifle a yawn as she finished yet another page of her report. She glared at the looming pile of paperwork before her, as if willing it to shrink in size. She had once again sacrificed sleep to stay over night in the archive for getting the massive amount of paperwork done. There was no other way of doing so, because it was an important case she worked on and Kouki her chief of the section of Government inspection needed the finished files as soon as possible. Where the hell was Seiga anyway? "Good-for-nothing idiot, can't be counted on to do his share," Shuurei muttered to herself before shaking her head and putting down the pen, taking a deep breath as she did so. “Well, okay, maybe it's time for a little break - just a little - to ease my mind; it is a wonderful clear night after all.” the young woman said and decided to take a short walk in the beautiful royal garden before finishing the rest...or as much as possible. She sighed. “Damn you, Seiga. How should I alone get this much work done before morning?” Shuurei rubbed her tired eyes with both of her hands. Well, she had to make it or Seiga and Kouki would never acknowledge her as official of their section and whining about it wasn´t helpful at all. “I practically begged chief to be allowed to work over these files, so it's my turn to repay his trust. Well, after finishing the walk,” she decided, while leaving the archive in the direction of the door. As soon as she stepped outside, Shuurei inhaled the cold fresh air and immediately felt her mind freed a bit from the hours of repetitive desk work. It was a perfect night to take a walk, not too chilly anymore and the half rounded moon shone brightly over the palace garden. Shuurei found it quite amazing how quiet and peaceful this normally overly busy place could be late at night. She didn´t even see a single guard around, which either meant they went patrolling or to sleep, she silently mused. It´s wonderful here - now I understand why Ryuuki liked to stroll through the garden, when he couldn´t sleep, Shuurei thought with a faint smile on her lips. Wait..., her eyes widened, ....what if I meet him now while wandering around here? He is the last distraction I could need now. ...and Ryuuki doesn´t even know I´m here at this time of the night, so meeting him would be kind of... awkward. She panicked lightly. Actually, a small part of her wished for meeting him this way (though she would never admit it to anyone). Neither had seen the other for the past few weeks due to being overloaded with their work. Shuurei could imagine that ruling a country wasn´t a job which left much free time and it was quite noticeable to her that Ryuuki took his duty as emperor much more seriously now compared to the times before. Yes, he was handling things more maturely and had indeed grown as a king - since that incident in the Kyuusai cove - this was a certainty she could not deny. Yet somehow she couldn´t shake off the nagging feeling of him....avoiding her. Albeit this fact seemed quite ironic to Shuurei - Wasn't he always the demanding one in their relationship? In their always returning routine of Ryuuki confessing his undying love to her, while Shuurei was the one who constantly shrugged him off, saying he should give his love to someone else? Even after she had told him dozens of times that he had to give up, the young kind had always refused to follow her advice, three years long. All the more was she taken aback as Ryuuki made this kind of suggestion not so long ago: A gamble, an agreement. Shuurei could easy recall every single one of their words in her mind, as if it were said yesterday: “An emperor must marry. If that is a duty as a king we´ll get married. This means we can´t wait forever for you, Shuurei. In addition, if we marry someone other than you it will be Jyuusan-hime.” Wait wha...huh? Why all the sudden? Instantly, her mind and heart started racing again, just like that time she had heard those words from him. She couldn't believe what he was saying there; Shuurei felt her face fall out in disbelief. Ryuuki observed her reaction carefully and was pleased with what he saw. That's good, it looks like we still have a chance, he inwardly smiled. “So let's play a game: we´ll set a time limit," the young emperor added. "If you continue to escape us until then you win. We´ll never say that I want to marry you again; We won´t trouble you.” Shuurei couldn´t do anything except stare at him, dumbfounded. “However, if I manage to make you accept my proposal, I win. How about that?” Ryuuki finished and looked expectantly at her, hoping she would react the way he thought she would. What. He´s suggesting a gamble? This was all she was able to think in this moment. However, what a foolish desperate idea of Ryuuki. Why is he doing that? He knows I would never give up my dream being an official to marry him. “It sounds like you are at great disadvantage,” she proudly declared to him. “Well, fair enough. I´ll play your game. What is your time limit?” Ryuuki smiled inwardly - she had reacted like he thought. He was pleased to know that he knew her well enough. And with that thought he bowed down to her to whisper the time limit in her ear. What Shuurei heard then didn´t surprise her - it was just so typical for them. *** Hosted by Animexx e.V. (http://www.animexx.de)