Disclaimer: The characters and Saiunkoku are not mine they belong to their respective owners.

I guess this story could be sort of an AU since Ryuuki doesn't reveal his sexual preference until after Shuurei's about to leave the palace.

The story of the Rose Princess is told in full detail in the Saiunkoku Novel . Anonymous person translated it (sorry don't have name)

Bridging the Gap

"What is it? " she asked with a touch of annoyance glaring at the young men stretched out on her bed.

It was the fifth night in a row that the young emperor had paid a visit to his new concubine. She, the lone member of his harem, had been residing in the imperial palace for a little over two months . However, Kou Shuurei had not planned on having to deal with this aspect of her job as it was common knowledge that the emperor of saiunkoku was homosexual. That was one of the reasons she even cave in and took up Sa Taishou's irresistable offer of 500 gold pieces in exchange for her tutorialage of the incompetant and aloof emperor. However, like most things there was a catch. She had not counted on him developing such fondness to her erhu or story telling skills. That had to be the only reason he had made it a habit of coming to her chambers each night or atleast that was her hope.

"Neee Shuurei, you promised you'd finish the tale of the rose princess," he said pleadingly.

She glared at him but soon her facial expression softened seeing that puppy look on his face so eager to hear another installment of her stories.

She sighed."Your majesty, there's always tomorrow night. I'm quite tired after playing an hour nonstop of erhu."

He pouted not content with her reply. He had no intention of leaving her room tonight or any other night for that matter. He had become quite fond of her warm soft body which was a source of comfort in the lonely darkness of the night. He hated sleeping alone and from an early age had made it a habit of having one of his male servants spend the night in his room. However, he no longer saw a need to do so as he now had a companion who's company had become increasing addicting. Yes, that was the best way to describe his insaciable yearnig for her soft soothing voice as she told him various bed time stories or simply listening to the gentle sweetness of her erhu as she plucked the strings with those gentle yet callous fingers mared from years of hard work .

She sighed again resigning herself to having to spend another night with him. Under any other circumstance she would have flat out refused this sort of arrangement but she was confident that his intentions where innocent and he had no alterior motives or gain from wanting to sleep in her room. So far he had done nothing overtly inappropriate, well if you exclude the morning after the first time he had spent the night. The memories mad her almost want to pelt him with her fist though she had to admit he had the most beautiful smile on his face that morning. She shook her head at that last thought.

"Ok so where were we the last time..." she began.

Ryuuki's face lit up like a kid opening his presents on Christmas. He had repositioned himself sitting in indian style all ears and eyes on his lovely concubine.

"I know, I know! " He said raising his hand .

Shuurei couldn't help but laugh at his childish gesture. She smiled and knew she would be safe for now.

"Bara no Hime and her lover had just had a daughter," he responded without being prompted .

"Oh yeah, and it was a happy time for all three but atlast their young child had fallen ill," she continue the tale somber voice.

"The child was sickly. Bara-hime then decided to use up her remaining life energy to heal her child. As she slowly transferred her life energy into the child, she said to her husband:
Once i finished transferring my energy into our child, I will turn back into a rose. However, in order to prevent anyone from touching me, i will grow thorns at my sides. Only you will be able to hold me without hurting yourself. My love for you will last far longer than forever…"

"Sad, isn't it," he commented as he now lay sideways resting his chin on his hands.

Shuurei took in a deep breath and nodded. The story itself was not her favorite as it had many bitter-sweet elements similar to her own childhood.

"Shuurei...is quite like the rose princess" Ryuuki said reaching out to caress her cheek.

She blushed quickly turning away.

"I am not," she refuted.

"I think you are. You're a pretty flower with thorns that make it hard for mm...anyone to get too close without hurting themselves," he nodded.

"Though as you can see," he said showing her the scratch marks on his palms from the night he had brought her roses.

"I'm not afraid to hold a rose even if she has thorns"

He moved closer to her closing the gap between them.

"Your Majesty! " She yelped as he embraced her drawning her close.

"Tsk tsk, didn't we agree that you'd call me by my name in private?" He chastized playfully as he ran his hand in her dark thick locks yet still keeping her trapped in his warm embrace.

"I like this body...so soft and yielding," he whispered refusing to let go.

She wiggled a little trying to pry him off her without being too forceful.

"Don't you think it's strange that we haven't yet gotten to know each other in ways of man and woman?" he said seductively kissing her earlobe.

"Waaa...it's not strange at all considering Your Majesty likes man," she said trying her best to diffuse the situation.

"That may be true, but I never stated I didn't like women..." he responded .

She was about to say something but his lips sealed her words silencing any further protests and proceded to thorough ravage her soft lips.

Shuurei felt flushed and slightly dizzy all at once as his majesty's tongue made its way into her mouth plundering and conquering every corner of her mouth. She closed her eyes not quite sure why she was letting him do what he was doing.
She moved her hands up his torso intended on pushing him off her but his reflexes were swift and he held her hands still as he continue he deepened the kiss. It was only a minute or two later before he allowed her a quick reprieve to catch her breath and his lips were back on hers more eager than before.

She thought about screaming...she thought about kicking him where it would hurt the most...and the more she thought about it the redder and more volatile she got; yet her body seemed to refuse to do what her mind will it to.

Ryuuki broke the kiss to look her in the eyes.

He saw a fiery glare there but also a flicker of lust lingering there as well.
Her face was flushed with the slightest crimson tinge just adding more to her vulnerability.

A playful grin formed on his lips as he whispered in her ears and kissed her along the jaw line.

"You make it hard for me to stop now...all flushed and excited."

"You ...unprincipled man! " she yelled at him.

"How so?" he asked

"You lied to me...to everyone!" she glared at him.

"Shuurei, that's unfair statement! I just never disclosed my preference for both sexes," he pouted momentarily.

Than without further preamble he cupped her heated sex startling her that she instictively closed her legs trapping his hand between her warmth.

"Ryuuki!" she half protested embarassed by her own delirious responsiveness to his gestures.

"Teach me the different ways of loving that you had mentioned..." he whispered as he continue playing in her moist heat.

"I..I can't" she whimpered.

"Oh?" he said nonchantly as he inserted a finger inside her.

"Ahh...it's hard to think with your fingers down there" she protested

"Down where?" he asked playfully.

"Surely the well learned Lady Kou Knows the name for that part of the body."

"You idiot! " she muttered

He chuckled, inserting another finger and than swirling them around aimlessly causing shuurei to buck upwards driving him deeper into her wet passage. Shuurei whole body quivered violently as she bit her lips hard to stiffle another moan that threatened to escape her lips.

Ryuuki paused his tender ministration of his fingers to take in the not so innocent sight of his tutor/concubine as she had what was positively her first orgasm atleast the first at the hands of another man. He smiled priding in being her first lover. He was quite sure she hadn't been kiss before either. After all she had been chosen to be his concubine and no less than a virgin could enter the imperial harem.

"Should we stop...I wonder?" he inquired kissing her lightly at the corner of her lips as he drew his fingers now drenched in the after math of her orgasm.

Shuurei was drenched in warm sweat that had caused her thin night gown to cling to her body like a second skin.
She was thoroughly embarassed by her body's responsiveness to his roaming fingers and passionate kisses . She turned her head in the hopes that she might not give herself away . This must end she thought at this rate she might lose herself completely and be at his mercy.

"Perhaps we should do this more often...I've never seen you look lovelier than when you came" he added

"Stupid...get out !!! get out get out!!" she finally snapped pushing him off her.

"Oy, Shuurei" he protested trying to calm her down by hold her flaring arms still/

"Calm down...it wasn't that bad was it?" he asked sheepishly.

She glared at him than turned aways burying her face in her pillow.
True she didn't exactly put up a fight and she is technically his concubine which would entitle him to her body whenever, wherever he please. She couldn't get herself to hate him not even now. He was uterly clueless about the gravity of the situation.

"Fine sleep on the floor and don't you dare crawl into this bed got it?!" She finally spoke.

Ryuuki pouted but decided not to push his luck any further for the time being. He wanted her enough that he would do this much as long as she did not stay permanently vexed with him.

"If you so wish my lovely flower," he added.

She turned around refusing to speak to him.

Patience he thought. He'd have a word with Ran Shuuei tomorrow morning as his brilliant suggestion cost him atleast a week worth of shuurei's anger and the warmth of her body in her warm bed.