The Twelve Kingdoms: Dreaming of Paradise

from. Still, I would ask that you understand where we are coming from as well. You were the only person who could have stopped him. To the ministers and to the people, you are the person who stopped the unbearable suffering and saved us all. When you announced that you were retiring to Kei Province, they couldn't help but become enraged with grief."
    Gekkei took a breath and let it out. He looked at Shouyou. Shouyou continued, "So I'm asking you not make us go through that all over again." Shouyou stood and took the two letters from his pocket and held them to him. "Here."
    "Shouyou—"
    "General Sei asked if I would pass them on to you. I really think you should read them. I'm not the person they were intended for. They belong in your keeping. Please—"
    He placed the letters on the desk next to the box that held the inkstone. Then he bowed and left the study, leaving Gekkei alone with his thoughts.

Chapter 8
    G ekkei stared at the two letters sitting on his desk for a long time. Finally he picked them up and opened them.
    The letter from the Royal Kei began with a brief introduction, and then went onto explain how Shoukei came into her employ. The Empress hoped that he would read Shoukei's letter and somehow be able to put aside old resentments. Unfortunately, the chaos in Kei had not yet abated and they had no resources to spare on Hou's behalf. Nevertheless, she would pray for Hou's welfare.
    Even when a government enjoyed the Mandate of Heaven, difficulties could flourish. All the anxieties that arose from the concerns about the physical realm and the people simply could not be erased. And how much worse they must be in a kingdom without a king.
    A young and inexperienced empress such as herself could offer no meaningful advice or worthwhile assistance. But if there was any way that Kei could prove helpful, however small, she asked that he inform her emissary about the particulars.
    "A friendly pat on the back—"
    Gekkei spoke without self-reproach or irony. The straightforward tone of the letter touched his heart. Her signature was in a different hand than the rest, which had obviously been transcribed by an experienced scribe. He sensed a slight hesitancy in the brush stroke, as if the signature itself symbolized the character of the new, young empress. He found the effect quite affecting.
    He turned to Shoukei's thicker epistle with a heavier heart. And therein he discovered her unadorned expressions of regret. She regretted never having taken her father to task while she was Princess Royal. She had ignorantly failed to live up to her obligations, and her father was dead as the result. Such a lack of filial piety and such needless suffering inflicted upon the people forced the hand of Gekkei and the others to tread painfully upon the Will of Heaven.
    Furthermore, after Gekkei had spared her life, despite her guilt, she had not reflected upon this gift, but instead had been possessed by hatred. Even when she'd been transferred to Kyou, her impudence had made a mockery of Gekkei's forbearance, and for that she was deeply sorry.
    "So she finally understood—" Just like the Kei general said, people could change.
    Taking another person to task was an often difficult proposition. All the admonishments directed at Chuutatsu came to nothing. In fact, taking every disagreement as evidence of disobedience, in the end they only spurred him on. But Gekkei didn't want to believe that his criticisms had no meaning, for such words of reproof arose out of a hope and a love that couldn't be articulated.
    The letter continued. Shoukei wished to make recompense for the crimes she'd committed when she absconded from Kyou, else she could not be worthy of serving in the Imperial Palace of Kei. She would surrender herself to the Royal Kyou and accept whatever punishment she deserved.
    She did not know what would become of her after that. There were things she wished to communicate to Gekkei personally. But the situation being what it was, she would entrust her thoughts to this document instead.
    And so she concluded the letter, with an additional postscript that she expected to be leaving Gyouten about the same time General Sei delivered this letter to him.
    "To Kyou—" the surprised Gekkei muttered aloud. He glanced through the letter several times, then got to his feet and went to the door of the study and called for a servant.
    Even as a prank, to pilfer the property of the Imperial Palace was no different than robbing the