Story: Departure
Author: Laily
Fandom: Saiunkoku Monogatari
Genre: Drama, Angst
Pairing/Character: Reishin, Kouyuu
Summary: Kou Reishin escapes yet another assassination attempt, but this time the perpetrator has struck too close to home.

Squeeing: I've been looking for good SM fanfic for a while - the fandom's still quite small, and there's few people writing good gen out there. This fic has a good use of cast, creating the complex political intrigue of the world well.

What I liked about this fic was the exploration of Reishin, and his relationship with Kouyuu. There's something gloriously bratty about Reishin in this fic, but it somehow meshes well with his more paternal, protective instincts.

Excerpt: When he picked the lottery that beautiful day in spring fifteen years ago, the plum blossoms were not the winning prize. They did not even come close.

I picked you. Kouyuu. The actual prize was you.