Karmagisa: Our Fate Upon The Crown

33 | House of Falling Cards

<Nagisa>
Everyone started to leave, taking their rumors and whispers along with them. The servants of the household started clearing the yard of the festive decorations. Down with the white ornaments, down with the the white hatched arch that had white and pink flowers twirling around them.

The bride herself, didn't seem to care of the turn out. I think it was her father that led her to mother, bowed their heads and left without a single word.

I could only see the stone cold expression of hers.
She was the only one still seated in the arranged chairs in the front. She was the only one left of the people that arrived, despite being the host herself. She sat patiently, her posture fixed like a statue.

I could only dare to show my face at a sensitive time like this. How will she react? I thought. I know of her capabilities, but after something tremendously eventful, what will she do? Have I've really done it now?

The weather began to drain itself. The grey skies and clouds drew near, covering the sun.
I advanced forward and stood in front her at a safe distance. She kept her eyes staring straight, where the groom and bride were supposed to stand.

Mother didn't care to give a glance. She kept her eyes forward when she spoke with a low, caustic tone.

"You just don't know when to stop." Mother finally spoke, "you ruined everything I had planned." Her voice remained calm and collective.

"I did what was best for Mamoru. He's my brother and-."

Before I could finish mother had raised from the seat and glared at me like a criminal. So many things conceived in that mind of hers as her hand raised higher than my shoulder.

The pain concentrated in one area of my cheek and throbbed desperately. It's been awhile since she had slapped me so violently. A wave of awkwardness and disgrace gutted me out.

The swords unsheathed.
The two knights that accompanied me drew their swords in our direction. I motion my hand to make them halt. At first they stuttered, but remained loyal to the orders.

Mother didn't care for them and initially ignored anything but the situation at hand.

"What do you know? What could you possible know what's best for him? I'm his mother! I gave birth to him and what I say goes! You've crossed waters to destroy it! How incompetent!" Mother roared furiously and grabbed my arm, squeezing very tight with her nails digging through.

"You're not apart of this family! Ever since you came out of the womb, I always wanted to send you away but no...you made things worst with that damned marking on your chest. I should have never given birth to you!" She exclaimed. "Get out of my sight!"

Her voice was like blaring sirens. Everything I took in blockaded my thoughts, piercing my heart as it sped quickly offbeat.

When I thought she was finished, her last words before I left that grim day was.

"Don't ever think about coming back here. This wasn't your home to begin with."
  •••••
<Karma>
As I know, Nagisa should be coming back tonight or earlier tomorrow morning. But that didn't matter. I wanted him here now.
I wonder how Kaede is dealing with Nagisa. Did she make it there in one piece? Without being mugged or kidnapped by scums of the kingdom.

I kept to the downstairs main recreational room. Usually held for conferences, meetings, any small events for anything really. The two arm couches and the long glazed redwood table that was in between. It was a room to fit at least 20 people, but I was in there in the space alone.

I picked the curtain to the side, seeing the downfall of rain, pattering on the window cell. Dark and mysteriously making me uncomfortable. It also synced with the clock ticking in the back, as it was quarter to 7.

At first I heard a rumbling sound. Something rattling in the darkest nights. The lamps even couldn't conceive such a sound to where it was coming from. That was until I saw a carriage, pulling up to the grand driveway with the glittery fountain settled in the middle.

"Could that be..?-."
The door of the room opened half way, then fully. The butler walked in and bowed his head.

"My King, the Queen has arrived. The footman is sending him as we speak." He conveyed.

"Thank you." I stepped out and made my way to the main doors.

The palace guards all stood firm when I passed and their breaths held in, like it was forbidden to utter anything. The two footmen opened both doors, one on each, until both of them opened all the way and there stood Nagisa.

A depressing aura he carried on his back.

The footman behind him had carried his luggage aside and bowed his head. I acknowledged him and they brought his belongings inside.

"H-hey Karma." The sound of his voice was deafening to the despairing and detached nature. Something did happen when he was there, I could read it all over his facial expression.

The grand doors closed behind us and I swiftly led Nagisa back to his chamber. To be expected, very quiet and sign of no one home.
He sat down on the bed and I watched as he took off his coat and just sat near the window. He looked out trying to search for nothing.

"Nagisa, what happened?" I asked softly, slowly approaching and sitting across from him.

He sighed but held it in.

"Come on, talk to me." I tapped his arm.

"I don't know. I don't know why it's like this."

"What do you mean, I won't understand if you don't tell me." I went on.

Nagisa seemed to have snapped when I spoke. A sarcastic short snicker and shook his head. He crawled deeper into himself, the pains he was enduring alone.

"You wouldn't understand anyways. Not when you have a closely-knit family. I don't have a place to return to even if I decide to go back to my family." Nagisa returned.

"I try, I really do. But it's not good enough." Nagisa covered his hands with his face and lurched over his seat. "It's hurts, I detest my mother, but it hursts to be called damned, to be shunned, to be made a nobody even when I'm her son. I don't know why it's making me so-."

I grabbed Nagisa's arm and tugged him out of the seat. To my dismay and my liking, I tripped with that kind of force and we both ended up on the ground. Nagisa's body resting on me, as I broke his fall.
He shed tears that were held in the days he was back home. They were obviously restricted, only half the emotion. Possibly less.

He had his face dug into my chest as I patted his back and tried to soothe him.

"You've done enough." I assured, "no matter how conflicted you are, how unsure you are of home. You can always come back into my arms like this. Let me be the candle wick that supports your flaming torch."

Nagisa calmed down by now and he picked up his head a little. His arm moved with his cold hands interlocking with mine. I could feel his heart beating, as did mine.

"Please take this pain away." Nagisa wished for nothing else but freedom of his mind. The torn tattered heart that still managed.

And that night our bodies couldn't resist the sweetness we craved for.
The sweet everlasting taste of pleasure which I selfishly hung onto. I was afraid to let go again, because there was no use in knowing if it would be our last.