It is unfortunate that you seem to have abandoned writing on this site altogether ]:
But I'll still hold hope - which is why I'm going to go into a full-blown review because that is the least I can give you for sharing this story with us.

I'll go into my critiquing first since there is not much to critique. The most blaring issue I'll have to say is Ren's... lovesick behavior. Compared to Hao's time spent with Anna, Ren had only what? 3 scenes with her? And that is only considering the ones BEFORE his 'love confession' of sorts. I know this is supposed to be a love triangle but it's obvious from the very beginning and all the way to this point that Hao was going to win... Ren hardly got any screen-time with her and the times he did could amount to getting slapped on their first meeting and then in the garden, they barely had any kind of personal interaction at all that would have helped shift each other's perspective towards the other. Maybe Ren's perspective was changed but there is hardly anything about Ren that would draw Anna in. At least none that you had explicitly shown us. That is why I was puzzled by Anna's softened behavior towards him at times. Honestly, I did not see any kind of romantic feelings to be felt between them, especially on Anna's part. If anything, the closest relationship I would call it would be 'friendship.' Sure, he's obviously intrigued for meeting a female who can actually hold her own for once. But love is one thing and fascination is another. I'll even concede that it could be a minor crush but how they have been acting so far, the air between them is more like camaraderie. The "love confession" and the kiss seems more forced into the narrative for the mere sake of upholding your promise that this is a RenxAnna. In general, the progression of their relationship looks rushed in comparison to Hao's.

Now having said that, I hope you don't get distressed (...too late to say that?). But I can tell you've been trying to maintain your muse for this story. The HaoAnna part though - that is apparent that you put much more time and planning into. I don't know if you can ever get Anna to be 'too' mean because she truly is a caustic girl. Yes, she has her morals and won't step on someone who is already down (after all, she's been in that position before) but don't be afraid of keeping her attitude consistent. So far though, I think you've been doing her character fine. Hao, even more so. From beginning to now, not once had you stumbled on his character. Feels no guilt to his wife or to the string of ladies he leaves behind him, doesn't take life or its consequences seriously, confident in times when a person would normally feel embarrassed. But to counter this you also show the other side: his strange propensity for children (I think this is partially due to the fact that he is disillusioned with the adult world whereas children still maintain their innocence and "realness"), his hidden anger towards the aristocracy for what they did to his mother, heck, even his strong attachment to a mother who he has never even met, and his rare vulnerable moments like in this chapter. You put these moments in at the right time and pace it all very well. You leave us enough mystery to wonder if he will come out of this as a villain who has fallen too far or someone who is just lost and stumbling only to eventually come to find that "light" at the last moment.

Other things - I love, love your scenic descriptions. Your metaphors are oh-so lovely and add to that Japanese aesthetic that suits the story's cultural setting. From the clothing to how the palace is set up - you give us enough to entice but not overly so that it would overwhelm our 'senses.' What's more is that I appreciate your acute perception to realistic interaction such as the tension between Hao and Ren here... the "smiles" and the "polite" offers, you don't even need to bold it as it was all very palpable and I could literally see the strain in my mind's eye. Your use of foreshadowing is beautiful as well. Even now I remember in the beginning when you talked about the sakura petal being consumed by the ink... and through it all, Hao just watched it placidly. How foreboding and I can only hope that it is not true if what I am thinking is correct.

Here, I liked how you justified Anna's "submission" to Hao, at least.. a temporary one, the way you did a call-back to her roots - of being feared and now, being admired. When all she wants is genuine human contact and then you left us another forewarning... in that poetic way of yours, that all she can hope for is not to get burned in the process. And we all know Hao's favorite element.

I enjoyed the fact that while you give us Hao's perspective from time to time and hints of his tone when it is not, we never truly know if half the things he says are sincere or if he is just manipulating the other person, like here when he showed his vulnerability for once... At first I thought he really wanted Anna's company and knew that opening up is the only way to get her to open up herself but then after I read that scene, I became wary because if one thinks about it, his self-proclaimed love for her is not a pure one. After all, he forced her into marriage - one could call that love by an individual who is far too used to things going his way or at this point in time, he merely sees her as a possession because you display respect towards human beings, not towards possessions. And that action was definitely not showing respect to her as a person. But taking all of his actions into consideration... I do see signs of true affection for Anna and I would have liked to see the transformation later, for better or worse.

I do not know if you will ever read this but I honestly do hope that you have not given up continuing this story or writing in general. You do have the talent for it. I give long reviews in general but if it gets extra long like this then you know that you have engaged your audience successfully.

If you ever need to respond or what-so-ever, email is: Unisawr at-sign aim . com

aww i guess this is the end
i was thinking, if jeanne's baby happens to be Yoh... well too bad xD
nice story

luv your story :DD liked Ren a lot more in this chapter
i do supr want Anna not to go with th flow with Hao, cuz i see that really OOC for her.
still missing Yoh, come "protect" Anna!
your story is the first i could read about shaman king (got others opend, but havent read them yet) so cheers! thnx for still being faithful to how characters are :)

what i picture in every chapter xD is Yoh coming and Anna showing an expression she doesnt show to anyone else (like in the manga) Hao and Ren noticing that. Anna being strong as always and not letting Hao get his way. Yoh being carefee and hmm strong (like Ryu since i dont picture Yoh being into the arts and all that xD) Yoh being jealous too, the Yoh x Anna x Hao is what i luv the most haahah

i miss Yoh q.q still nice story, the characters are not that much OOC (which annoys me xD)
I think this wont happen but gosh i would luv if Yoh appeared and Anna was already in love with him (like the ozoresan revoir in the manga xD) somehow i like the unrequired "love" of Hao towards her xD

i like the story :) though i would really love if Yoh appeared *.*

I love this story and enjoyed reading it all the way. It was so beautifully written and the poems as well. I remember I reading this story years ago before my computer crashed and as soon as I found out that this was the website that had ur fic, I read it all over again. It was truly a good story :)

Great story! A little sad to see that it hasn't been updated. I hope you had run writing it as I have had fun reading it!

An interesting story, I'd like to read the next update :)

This is such a great fanfic. I wish you'd continue it D: It's probably one of the best that I've read.

i love the story so far and it's SO SUSPENSEFUL! i mean it! i wonder what she's going to do O.o

You really need to do some more chapters for this story...It's just too good to give up...Please Update!

I love this story! Hao, why does je have to be so horrible? Anna & Ren are nice, but I'm hoping for Hao. Please update soon. Pretty please.

Hi! I am a new user here. Please do read my fic if you have the time to and do leave a review too. I really love your story, but you can update faster? I know you may be losing interest in writing but please finish this story... I badly wanted to read the completed story. I love it so much. Do reply me (Iwanted to know whether you have read my review) on when you think you will be updating it. K? Update soon.

If you finish writing this story I really think that maybe you should put Yoh in it,to turn things up a little...he could be a childhood friend of Anna's who had to leave her or something...I really, really enjoy this story though. It's really cool and funny! lol..