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31_days2010-05-05 03:20 pm
seta-suzume.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2010-05-05 03:20 pm
[May 5] [Original] No Absolution in Invisible Rain
Title: No Absolution in Invisible Rain
Day/Theme: May 5, 2010 "arms out in the rain"
Series: original
Character/Pairing: Ilekano (the older emperor, Bashir's stepfather) & Tiokihawa (the younger emperor, Ofika's father)
Rating: G
In the capital the coming of the rains signaled the end of the summer. Things cooled first along the coast, but Ilekano, even on the hottest days, had looked from the tallest tower of his palace and seen the approach of a stormy Autumn.
"You couldn't have seen it," his brother argued, "It was still out at sea then."
"It's not important whether or not I actually saw it. I sensed it." He clasped his hands behind his back and paced along the long, tiled room. The clouds had blown in and hung, pinched and ashen, over Ricci, but they withheld their bounty for now. Ilekano was ready for the rain to come now. The summer had stretched on long enough. He stalked out onto the balcony and held out his arms, imagining the feeling as best he could of being pelted by the rain.
Tiokihawa stayed inside, sitting on his brother's bed. "The rain won't wash away the dusky coating of imperial sings." He could picture his older brother's misdeeds building up around him like an armor of mud, drying and hardening one layer at a time. The One, blessed and merciful, might forgive such a man- he had had his reasons, had he not? But who would chose to take such chances in the handling of their immortal soul? Tiokihawa would never go to war or kill a man or take another wife, all among the less than spotless action his brother had taken.
"...Are you talking to me?" Ilekano called back. He kept his eyes closed, holding up his palms to the invisible rain. So close, so close, he could almost feel it... A cool wind brushed through his loose bangs.
"No, Kano, I'm only talking to myself!" He shifted his eyes to the lopsided stack of books at his side, all volumes of history and imperial law. He was looking for a precedent. That had to be it. ...But for what? None of them were open, but he could see a few bookmarks. He flipped open a promising tome to the red ribbon marker laid inside.
Succession laws. ...But why? Ilekano had never given any indication he planned to stray from the usual standard of primogeniture. Prince Akano was a smart young man. Tiokihawa saw no reason his oldest nephew wouldn't make a fine emperor. And though he had nothing against his brother's younger children, Atiyo, Ileyo, Kiwan, and Portia, he also saw nothing to commend them over the long-presumed heir. Furthermore, there was absolutely no reason Ilekano would suddenly want to extend the rights of the shared throne to indulge his brother's disinherited daughter. Clearly there were strange things afoot in the mind of the older emperor.
Tiokihawa closed the book and resolved to set his agents to some serious snooping as soon as he had the chance.
Day/Theme: May 5, 2010 "arms out in the rain"
Series: original
Character/Pairing: Ilekano (the older emperor, Bashir's stepfather) & Tiokihawa (the younger emperor, Ofika's father)
Rating: G
In the capital the coming of the rains signaled the end of the summer. Things cooled first along the coast, but Ilekano, even on the hottest days, had looked from the tallest tower of his palace and seen the approach of a stormy Autumn.
"You couldn't have seen it," his brother argued, "It was still out at sea then."
"It's not important whether or not I actually saw it. I sensed it." He clasped his hands behind his back and paced along the long, tiled room. The clouds had blown in and hung, pinched and ashen, over Ricci, but they withheld their bounty for now. Ilekano was ready for the rain to come now. The summer had stretched on long enough. He stalked out onto the balcony and held out his arms, imagining the feeling as best he could of being pelted by the rain.
Tiokihawa stayed inside, sitting on his brother's bed. "The rain won't wash away the dusky coating of imperial sings." He could picture his older brother's misdeeds building up around him like an armor of mud, drying and hardening one layer at a time. The One, blessed and merciful, might forgive such a man- he had had his reasons, had he not? But who would chose to take such chances in the handling of their immortal soul? Tiokihawa would never go to war or kill a man or take another wife, all among the less than spotless action his brother had taken.
"...Are you talking to me?" Ilekano called back. He kept his eyes closed, holding up his palms to the invisible rain. So close, so close, he could almost feel it... A cool wind brushed through his loose bangs.
"No, Kano, I'm only talking to myself!" He shifted his eyes to the lopsided stack of books at his side, all volumes of history and imperial law. He was looking for a precedent. That had to be it. ...But for what? None of them were open, but he could see a few bookmarks. He flipped open a promising tome to the red ribbon marker laid inside.
Succession laws. ...But why? Ilekano had never given any indication he planned to stray from the usual standard of primogeniture. Prince Akano was a smart young man. Tiokihawa saw no reason his oldest nephew wouldn't make a fine emperor. And though he had nothing against his brother's younger children, Atiyo, Ileyo, Kiwan, and Portia, he also saw nothing to commend them over the long-presumed heir. Furthermore, there was absolutely no reason Ilekano would suddenly want to extend the rights of the shared throne to indulge his brother's disinherited daughter. Clearly there were strange things afoot in the mind of the older emperor.
Tiokihawa closed the book and resolved to set his agents to some serious snooping as soon as he had the chance.