Karmagisa: Our Fate Upon The Crown

69 | Flock of Crows

<Nagisa>
I stared stung, with everything that happened seeping into the cracks of my heart. Mamoru and my mother who would never wake again.
I tightened my fist while sitting on the benches, feeling guilty that I couldn't save them.

"Nagisa, I signaled the flare." Karma said as he walked back into the church. "We'll see who responds first." He added.

"Alright." I said without turning my head.

I just couldn't look away from the disaster and misfortune I caused.
What will I tell father? What about Aika?
All these thoughts swirled in my mind, making me feel dizzy and anxious.

"Nagisa." Karma called my name again. "You can only get stronger from this. This is reality. Take it and get stronger."

Karma's voice echoed and I realized he's right. Even though I didn't have it in me to accept it so easily, he's right. What's done is done and I can't turn back the clock.

"Queen Yua! My King!"

I turned around without thinking and saw Kaede beyond the doors, waving her arm and a few knights behind her who were examining the corpses.

"My King, once I witnessed your flare, I released another once when I arrived." She said, "did you find her? Lady Shiota?"

Karma kept silent and glanced over at me. I stood up and smiled at Kaede.

"It's nice to see you again, Kaede." I greeted.

"Nagisa? Is it you? Really?" She stepped closer assuming that I returned, and held onto my hands, "Nagisa..." She said with tears accumulating in her eyes, "I've missed you." She looked down while wiping them away. "My apologies that I wasn't with you all the time, they held me back at the palace."

Even though I wasn't gone for so long, the way Kaede appeared, I was dissatisfied. The dark circles under her eyes, chapped lips, and scars from the previous times, she looks exhausted. And it's because of me.

"You've done a great job Kaede, I'm grateful to have someone like you by my side regardless." I pulled her in and embraced her. She truly is a magnificent lady.

"Nagisa...?!" She seemed startled by the sudden action of mine. I looked up while I was hugging Kaede to see Karma a little jealous, with a hinting smile of pleasure as well.

Then I heard her gasp.
I gradually let go and she stood petrified by the sight of those two laying before us. I stood next to her, watching as she knelt down beside Mamoru.

"I could of swore I was delusional when I saw a flock of black crows outside. This is not what I expected at all." She said with her voice fading out.

When I started to hear quiet chattering, I turned around to see Karma speaking to the knights. They all listened in attentively as Kaede and I were trying to listen in as well.

And before we knew it, the rest of them had arrived.
••••••
<Karma>
Everyone was finally here, with the knights surrounding the premises. Kaede help secure the premise and happened to miss Duke Kuro entering. Karasuma bowed his head at me, and stood shoulder to shoulder at the opening of the door.

"You've made quite a mess outside my King." He spoke somewhat casual, with some kind of praise.

"The stench of both is present in here as well." I pointed out, while directing my eyes over at Kaede and Nagisa still by the bodies of those two.

"I didn't think he had it in him to leave the palace in the condition he was in." Irina joined in as she saw Mamoru head, with his body covered by the benches.

Kuro nodded his head at me and walked passed us without a word. When he made it to Nagisa, he placed his hand on his shoulder. Those two began to talk.

"What happened exactly?" Irina questioned.

"At first, it was just us too, but Mamoru had found us and insisted on seeing this to the end, and confront his mother. I couldn't say no." I explained.

"You're far too lenient." Karasuma sighed.

I took note on what he said and continued.

"A little birdie brought us here. I'd figured that she wouldn't comply whole-heartedly; she was no simple bird, but a hawk with a troublesome friends of her own. I dealt with them myself, while Nagisa and Mamoru spoke to their mother inside."

Irina looked back at the door and shook her head in disgust. She still isn't used to seeing gore, I can understand how uncomfortable it was to walk past all of them.

"I presume that Lady Shiota is dead?" Karasuma spoke.

"You can go look for yourself. Both are dead." I conveyed, "Apparently while I was dealing with he pests outside, Lady Shiota tried attacked Nagisa. Though, Mamoru protected him from harms way and got terribly injured himself. Of course it's natural that Nagisa had to end his mother."

"Hm? Don't you mean Queen Yua?" Irina wondered, "I can understand Lady Shiota's hatred for the Crowns, but wasn't the Queen who killed her?"

I sighed and shook my head, placing my hand on the sheath of the sword.

"No, it wasn't the Queen. Nagisa is the one who killed his mother after what happened to Mamoru. Long before we made it here, Nagisa came back to us." I explained.

"...you should of said that from the beginning!" Irina blurted.

"I agree, you should of sent a messenger bird." Karasuma added in accordance to Irina.

"And what would that have done? Remember, priorities come first. Of course I was grateful to see Nagisa again, but our mission was to find Lady Shiota." I walked in front of them and faced the two. "All I can say for now, is that things have settled. There were sacrifices made, but not in vain."

"Yes, my King." They both bowed their heads in agreement.

"But the real question is, how is he?" Karasuma asked.

I glanced back over, staring at Nagisa's back.

"Why, just look at him. Not mere devastation, but true malais. It's only natural...and it will take some time." I said.

"And if not?" Karasuma questioned, almost worried that the affliction would affect the current Crowns and our reputation.

"Fear not, I'm confident that he'll manage. And if not, I'll be there right beside him to cope through it. We'll become stronger together...I believe that Nagisa can do it." I gave them the assurance they wanted to hear.

Even if they seem to doubt me a little, it didn't matter at all. I just can't stand to doubt Nagisa anymore and they shouldn't either.

By then, Nagisa, Kaede, and Kuro all headed our way. Nagisa didn't make eye contact with me, but walked into my personal space and pressed his head against my shoulder. He leaned on me a little.

From my view, I could tell that he was burnt-out and terribly exhausted.

"Come on Nagisa, lets go home. Shall we?"