Karmagisa: Our Fate Upon The Crown

25 | Forever Twisted

<Nagisa>
Before I knew it, I had made it to my family home. When we came to be, it was already 5:15 pm. I couldn't dare to look out the window, instead I hid myself behind the red curtains just a little longer.

The carriage stopped and the chauffeur stationed the horses, and the footmen along side him unbuckled the luggage from the roof of the carriage. I gathered all my problems and unwanted thoughts about my mother and stepped out. The three palace guards followed behind me silently.

The ones to greet me were the few servants that stayed to care for the rest of the family, and there amongst them was my older brother who was three years older than me.

"Hey Nagisa, welcome back." He waved hysterically happily. "Almost didn't think you would come back actually." He joked. "Not to this hell hole."

I shook my head as I walked up the stone steps.

"Mamoru, enough with the jesting for now. Whether I like it or not, this is where I was born and raised."

"A tragic story indeed." Mamoru hugged me rather unexpectedly and I flinched from the unexpected surprise. At first I almost didn't know what to do. But I could sense how skewed his manners were.

"What's wrong?" I returned with my arms around him. "What happened Mamoru?" I questioned.

He's never been like this before even when we relied on each other when we were younger. But never close like this. He would only push me to fuel his humor, and other acts siblings do to annoy each other. I've have not since the day I was born, seen him like this.

"Just come inside for now." He replied back and he released his arms from around me and tightly pushed me forward through the doors.
"Father is waiting inside."
    ••••
"Dear father, Nagisa has come." Mamoru opened the door into my parents room and the guards all separated to accommodate the security of the manor. I saw mother laying in bed with my father sitting in the ivory chair beside her. She was sound asleep, but her complexion was really under the weather.

"Ah-" My father shot up from the seat and bowed his head. The next few words he was about to say, made me interrupt him before he could speak.

"Don't dwell upon it. I am still your son." I reminded him. "How is her condition?" I walked closer.
"She's fighting it. I don't know what happened, first she was taking a stroll in the town with her friends, then the next day she caught something. The doctor came by and said it wasn't severe, but it will be a long recovery.

"So no word about what it is?" I furthered.

"I'm afraid we don't know but since then no one else has contracted it. So it's safe to say that it's not contagious." He explained.

"Everything is fine here as you can see." Mamoru placed his hand in my shoulder, speaking very optimistically. I looked up and he grinned falsely as ever.

That's when I decided to excuse myself along with Mamoru, away from everyone else.
I had asked Mamoru if we could speak in private, in his chamber room if that was possible. He agreed without hesitation and dismissed the servants around.
He closed and even made sure to lock the door. Whatever is said in this room, will remain here.

"You seem out of character." I pointed out.

He stood before be and tuck his hands in his pockets.

"You as well, oh great Queen." He snickered.

"Mamoru. Quit the games, I know that it's all an act." I demanded to know what has gotten into him.

"Has playing the next Queen open your eyes to the power invested in the crown." Mamoru sat down in the arm chair and crossed his legs, "What a life."

"I don't understand." I replied, "you never spoken to me like this before. At least, not that I know of." I said taking a seat as well. "Mamoru..."

"Well Nagisa, when you left the family months ago, it's been worst than ever." Mamoru said, "instead of filling in her time with leisure, she decides to find me a wife." Mamoru sighed.

The news came to be rather abruptly but at this point it's normal right? If I remembered clearly, father said that Mamoru was free to chose who will be in his life, but Mother has always been the one to control it.

"You did wait too long. You're at the ripe age of 20, it's about time." I said.

"You sound just like her." Mamoru rubbed his temples, "I already have a girl to cherish but only you know."

"W-what? But you didn't tell me until now!" I loudly replied.

"Yeah, now you know." Mamoru stared out the window and sighed depressingly. "But mother already made arrangements, the wedding ceremony will be in two days, what a life."

"T-two days?! W-why wasn't I aware of this?!"

Mamoru shrugged, "Mother said she didn't like the idea of you coming and taking all of the spotlight. That's Mother for you but even myself, I don't want to be there." He explained.

"Then tell her! Tell both Mother and Father!" If it's one thing I believe...it's that when it comes to love, it shouldn't be controlled by another. One sided romance it's not real.

Then it hit me hard, the thought of even letting that cross my mind. I swallowed hard and eventually sat down. It's not about me right now, it's about Mamoru. I cannot falter on this thought.

"Nagisa, there is only so much I can do." He replied.

"She's from the middle class, they won't approve."

"I approve! If it's not from them, I approve! You have my word for it." I assured.

"I wish it was that simple, a blessing from the crown itself, my dear baby brother. I'm sorry Nagisa that your big brother is such an embarrassment."

I essentially ignored the shaky relationship we had when we grew up, but now we're both at the age to realize that our differences can't be the thing to separate us. Not now, not in this kind of situation. The fact that he would tell me about this, proves that he trusts me, maybe all this time too.

"So there is no way of getting out of it?" I questioned.

"Not from the hands of mother." He replied.

"Where is the lady now?" I pestered.

"Lives in the east part of the Kingdom, near the little church." He described. "Father is a teacher of course, mother a merchant, ironically mother gets her shoes tailored by them."

I stared long and hard at him. I thought of only thing that would be the escape to a happy ending. But it will cost Mamoru his family title everything. I wonder if he's willing to trade his family, for a single woman.

If it were me I wonder if that love is strong enough for me to do so. Then again, not everyone gets a happy ending.