The Twelve Kingdoms: The Shore in Twilight

said to them."
    "Yeah, you're right. We couldn't have helped but hold them back, Risai and Taiki."
    "Probably."
    "I hope they get wherever they're going."
    "They'll make it to a provincial capital somehow. Traveling above the Sea of Clouds, they'll avoid the youma."
    "Meaning their real challenges will come later. At the very least, I wish we could have sent some shirei along with them."
    Keiki nodded silently. Rokuta had made it clear that separating the shirei from a king--more specifically from the kirin--and sending them into a foreign country was no different in principle than sending in troops. Youko and Keiki had to give up on the idea.
    The two kijuu grew further and further away, two painfully helpless specks above the broad expanse of the Sea of Clouds. As they watched, she heard the sound of footsteps running up the staircase.
    "Are they gone?" Rokuta's face appeared.
    "Yeah," Youko said, and turned her attention back to the Sea of Clouds. The two dots seemed to be merging into the cresting waves.
    "I gave them the passports. I said that I was the one who prepared them and they pocketed them without a second thought. Lucky they didn't get around to wondering when I'd had the time to think that far ahead."
    "When it comes to the En Taiho, I think everybody would wonder the same thing."
    "Hey, what's with the attitude? Though when it gets light enough for them to read the fine print on the reverse, they're going to be surprised."
    Youko smiled. Whatever extra help they could provide, no matter how slight, had to be worth it. It was easy to calm her thoughts with such rationalizations, but in the end it was only a salve to her own feelings of pity. Not for Tai itself, but for those hearts broken at the prospect of an unsalvageable Tai.
    If Kei had only become a bit more prosperous and the Imperial Court a bit more sound. It was hard to relax and trust and seek refuge in a court where discord could arise at a moment's notice. As a matter of fact, there was no way she could continue to detain them and somehow not make them feel responsible for all the chaos.
    She had no choice but to live with the painful knowledge that she was very likely watching them go to their deaths.
    "I've got to stand on my own two feet first."
    Rokuta was staring out at the Sea of Clouds. "What's that?" he said, glancing over his shoulder at her.
    "I've got to stand on my own two feet before I can fancy myself a shoulder to lean on."
    Rokuta turned back to the window. "That's not it. Helping others is how you find your footing in the first place."
    "You think so?"
    "Undoubtedly."
    Youko nodded. Across the Sea of Clouds, the two small silhouettes had already disappeared from sight.

The Chronicles of Tai
    n the Third Month of the Second Year of Koushi, an Insurrection broke out in Bun Province. Aggrieved that War should have come to Tetsui, the Royal Tai set forth at the Head of the Imperial Army to subdue the Revolt.
    In the Span of a single Month, His Highness disappeared in Ri'un, Bun Province, and a Meishoku occurred within the Imperial Palace. The Saiho vanished, throwing the Royal Ministers into Confusion.
    Asen deceived the Court and donned the Mantle of a Pretender. Indulging in his Authority, Jou Asen (whose Name is Boku Kou), deftly deployed the Palace Guard of the Right and wielded the Black Arts as his Sword.
    Having subjugated the Nine Provinces through his Inhumanity, He thus usurped the Throne.