Karmagisa: Our Fate Upon The Crown

140 | S2: Red Midnight

<Duke Kuro>
I dreamt of a familiar face, a child who I've protected for as long as I could remember. She was a shy girl, clumsy, but in a blink of an eye became the brave woman possessing the eyes of a fiery dragon. But it didn't last as long as many would expect. She was a mere human who may have overcome many adversities, but she was still a mother.

Past memories

"My dearest Yua." I stood at the door pausing as I glanced at who was once my younger cousin sitting by the fire.

Now she was nothing more than an aging woman in her 40s, living with time slipping from her grasp.

"Hatsuki, is that you again?" She asked while keeping her eye on the flickering flames.

"I apologize for arriving just now." I walked over to her and placed my hand on her shoulder, "I was caught up with a meeting but I am here now."

Her child, Iris, passed away 4 days ago.

Yua sighed and I could see a single tear roll down her cheek as if she was holding back the last of her tears.

"You've must be exhausted. Come, let's get you changed." I tried to help her up but she refused.

"Don't bother." She shook her head. "I know that Roka pestered you to come be at my side once again."

"No, you're mistaken. I am here for you because you're my dearest cousin. You are hurting and I know you don't want to be left alone like this." I caressed her hand.

For the past three days, Yua didn't not want to see King Roka, for it feels like the heavens are against her. She was the one who stopped the carriage when Iris wanted to. And it was King Roka who said that they were running late.

"I feel so empty." Yua's voice cracked, "I feel like there's a hole in my heart, it's heavy and terribly aching." She confessed. "It's all my fault."

"Look at me." I said as I knelt down to meet her at eye-level. "It was not you who drunkly drove a carriage in broad daylight. It was not you who struck your daughter with a carriage gone wild. It was only you who wanted to stop to smell the flowers with your daughter."

Her eye were growing darker and lost, it felt like no torch could find her lonely soul in the midst of the chaos she was going through.

"It is not your fault." I said.

Hours past and I managed to help Yua go to bed. She was hesitant about resting peacefully for the night and I figured it was because she would relive the accident as nightmares to come.

I pulled a chair next to her bed and just sat there, hoping that she would not be crying herself to sleep again. The moonlight shone through the crack of the two curtains, lighting up the vase of pink and red camellia flowers.

A light knock appeared at the door and and answered it. It was King Roka with a quiet and solemn expression.

"My King, she is resting now." I said as he entered the room quietly.

For the past nights Yua has been sleeping in one of the guests room avoiding Roka as much as possible.

The two of us spoke in the halls and I crossed my arms growing more worried about her state each second.

"I doubt that she'll get better from this in just a few days. It will take months, years, maybe forever." Roka massaged the bridge of his nose and sighed.

Roka was a cheerful man, calm and serious when he needed to be but his people adored him. His values are what grounds him, never straying from his promises.