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a mistake to think of the life there and the taika as two separate things. This was one question she couldn't expect to find an answer to here.
    Youko again shook her head as Koukan turned to her with a puzzled expression. "I'm okay. Continue."
    "Upon Taiki's return, the yellow flag was raised in Tai and the shouzan commenced. The Royal Tai was forthrightly seated upon the throne. A record of the event remains in Kei. The Phoenix sang forth the name of the Tai Kingdom, announcing the ascension of the king. According to our records, the Taiho made an unofficial visit to Tai to deliver his congratulations."
    When Youko cast a surprised glance over her shoulder, Keiki wordlessly confirmed that this was true.
    "So we have diplomatic relations with Tai."
    "Well, in terms of diplomatic relations," Keiki said. "I was still on Mt. Hou at the same time as the Taika, Taiki's ranka. And when the shoku swept him away. When Taiki returned to Mt. Hou I took the opportunity to return to Mr. Hou and met with him. Hence the ties between us."
    "Wow," said Youko, the strange feeling returning. This child from her dreams had met with the kirin right there in front of her. "So that's why that woman--Risai--came to Kei? To petition Keiki, because he's a friend of Taiki?"
    Keiki tilted his head to the side doubtfully. "Hard to say. I haven't met with General Ryuu personally."
    "But the Royal Tai?"
    "I have met with His Highness. He struck me as a quite extraordinary person."
    Koukan nodded his head as Keiki had done. "I don't know that we can term these two personal visits by the Taiho an establishment of foreign relations. Indeed, with Kei herself falling into chaos shortly thereafter, the Taiho was not able to congratulate the Royal Tai upon his coronation. Neither do the ministers show any indication of having concluded their deliberations about whether or not to send an official envoy to express Your Highness's well wishes. In other words, we have not even established such diplomatic relationship that would allow us to exchange ambassadors."
    Keiki apparently agreed with this summary of events. "In any event, the new king was enthroned. However, barely six months later, there came from Tai an Imperial Communique to the effect that the Royal Tai had died."
    "An Imperial Communique? What about the Phoenix? When the king abdicates, doesn't the Phoenix announce the end of the regime?"
    "You are correct. The Hakuchi sings forth when the king is enthroned, as he does when the kings gives up the throne. The Phoenix will then pass these tidings along. But this time the Phoenix did not sing. The Phoenix has not yet announced the end of the Tai regime. In short, I do not believe that the king has died or abdicated."
    Youko rested her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands. "I heard something similar from the Royal En. The proclamation came that the Royal Tai was dead, but it didn't ring true to him. If the Taiki died, then the fruit of the next kirin sprout forth on Mt. Hou. But there is no sign of the taika at all."
    "Yes. According to the communique produced by the envoy, only the Royal Tai died. It did not touch upon the disposition of the Tai Taiho. However, by this point, the rumors concerning the Tai Taiho evaporated without a trace. At the same time, refugees began leaving Tai in droves. The word was the Tai Taiho had died, but seeing as the Phoenix had not announced his passing, I had to believe they were mistaken. Subsequently rumors about the coronation of a new king were noised about. In this case as well there were no envoys and the Phoenix made not a sound."
    "What do the refugees say?"
    "They are of many opinions. Some say a pretender has assumed the throne. Some say the Taiho has chosen the next king. And some say that were it simply a matter of the king passing away, then the throne would sit empty. But the vast majority believe there was a coup d'etat in the palace, the Royal Tai was assassinated, and the Taiho has fallen into the