Fate's Prisoners

chapter 26

Luna's

When I got to them, it was too late to run anymore. He had seen us all in one place together as a family. "Everyone, let's go home," I told them in Odai, I took Leon's hand and led the way with Lucas and Liluo on my sides. "Luna, stop!" I heard the emperor Won shout but I ignored his desperate calls for attention. "Luna, you can't just walk away from me like this. I know it is all of you, but this child I need answers." He says and this made me stop walking. "Ma?" Leon asked looking up at me but I looked forward. "Liluo Lucas, take Leon home. I'll be behind you in a moment." I requested, Lucas picked Leon up and they began to walk away leaving me behind as I asked. I took 3 deep breaths before I turned around once more and walked back to where Emperor Won Youngbae stood. When I arrived, I glared at him in the eyes before I spoke. "Respectfully greeting The great Emperor Won Youngbae of Won," I said bowing to him the way I did when we first met. Instead of telling me to rise he pulled me into a tight hug that I didn't want. I struggled in his arms trying to break free but he wouldn't let me go. Finally, I was freed and I moved away from him with anger. "I ask the great Emperor Won not to touch me," I said with my anger showing in my tone. "8 years of a long hard search and finally it has ended." He says he took a step closer to me but I stepped back and away. "No," I said suddenly and he looked at me surprised and confused. "No? No what?" He asked once again taking steps forward and I took the same number back. "No, my son has nothing to do with you. I answered your question before you could ask it." I said and he took a struggling breath. "How do you know? When did you conceive?" His mother took the chance to ask me? "It doesn't matter, I know who his father was," I said looking at the emperor. "Was?" His mother asked." Yes, was. His father died before he was even born. Before I even knew I was pregnant." I said they looked like they believed me and even felt bad for bringing it up. "No matter who his father was, I will accept him as my own." The emperor says. "Youngbae?" His mother said in a concerned voice. I guess no matter how much she adored me in the past, the fact that Leon to their knowledge has a different father makes a change. "You don't need to accept my son and I don't care if you do or don't. We won't be going anywhere where your accepts is needed." I said before turning to leave. "Please Luna, I beg of you. I know you are still angry with me, in fact, I am still angry with myself. My idiotic choices made me lose the most important person in this world to me. I know I messed up, I hurt you and what I did cannot be undone. No matter how hard I try I can not erase the past, but I can promise you here and now. Before all the people of Oden and again back home." He took steps toward me that I didn't notice until he grabbed my hand and held it to his chest. "Our home, that I will give us a brighter future." He says. I looked into his unchanging dark brown eyes and felt his strong heartbeat. "Have you forgotten the fact that you promised me something like this before. Now, look where we are." I said snatching my hand away from him. "My family and I are not going anywhere with you. You are the reason I came here and I don't intend to ever go back to where you can find me." I said before I turned to leave to find my family.

Youngbae

"Luna, please don't go." I said but my mother stopped me from going after her." Youngbae you heard her, she doesn't intend to ever come back to Won. You can not force her to go." She says holding my hand and leading me back to our carriage. "No, I will convince her to come back with us," I said sitting down with my mother desperately. "Dear I know you missed her but you have to consider her as well. She has been here for 7 to 8 years raising a child who is healthy and happy here. She is obviously still angry with you so your love for her will not be the reason she goes back." She says rubbing soothing circles on my back. "Then how do I get her to come back with me?" I asked. "Well as a mother, I know the only way I would go anywhere while you were a little boy as if you were there as well. Your best chance of getting Luna back to Won is convincing her child to go there. If you can do that, Luna will follow him automatically." My mother explained. I was silent for the rest of the time thinking of what to do.

Empress mother

I watched my son thinking very hard over what he should do. I found it hard to believe what Luna said about the father of her child. Whoever this man was must have looked exactly like Youngbae. That child looks just like my son did when he was a child his age. The only difference is Luna's features. Her skin tone, lips, ears were in the place of his and I knew it was impossible. That child must be my son's because the timing doesn't match up. If that child is 7 years old, he should have been conceived when Luna was in Won. She never had a lover other than my son so he can't be someone else's in our country. Not here as well because then he would younger. I would need a bit of background information but I'm sure she is lying. I thought long and hard about this until we reached our destination. We entered the palace and were welcomed but my son's lack of attention confused people.

Youngbae

All the festivities prepared to welcome me were not able to keep my mind off of Luna, how do I get her to come home. how do I get her to forgive me? "Emperor Won is the food not to your liking?" King Dusitpanit asked making me look up and remember we are at dinner. " I apologize to you King Dusitpanit my mind has escaped me recently. Please excuse my rude behavior." I said bowing to him respectfully. "not a problem my friend, these things happen to the best of us. May I ask what is troubling you so much?" he asked. "well, you and I are move friends now so I will admit. Years ago I fell in love with a woman from my Kingdom who came to work in my palace. I won her heart but when one of the concubines conceived I grew into a monster towards her. This made her leave my side and I had not been able to find her and convince her to come back to our home. I learned today that she has been here in your Kingdom the whole time. However, she doesn't forgive me and doesn't want to come back." I explained and he seemed to understand me. "I wish I could help my friends but I am afraid I am useless in this situation." He says. "I don't know if you can tell me where I can find her." I said. "well, I cannot more than likely but you may feel free to look for her.

Luna

I arrived home and Leon ran to greet me, I hugged him tightly as Liluo and Lucas approached us. " are you alright?" Liluo asked concerned. I smiled at them as best I could. "I'm fine, don't worry about me. I made myself clear on my thoughts and feelings." I explained. "that's a relief to hear, however we all know the emperor Wonis a persistent man. He will not let you or any of us off so easily." Lucas says making the two of us nod. "Mother, that man was scary." Leon says making me worry. " don't worry he can't harm you." I assured him. "Liluo can you put him to bed I'm too exhausted after tonight's events to do anything else," I asked and Liluo agreed and led my son away. When they were gone Lucas placed his hand on my shoulder and asked once again. "Are you okay?" I took a deep breath and nodded my head with a weak smile. "I'm fine, I just need to be alone for a bit," I said before I gently removed his hand and walked away to my room.

Once my door closed and I knew I was away from all watching eyes, including my family, I let my strength go. I slid down my door feeling the most pain I have felt in a long time. After 7 long years of struggling to become me again, he showed up and sent me crashing back down. He will never be able to feel what I felt all those years ago and I don't want to be the idiot who feels it again. I hate the fact that I loved that man so much, I was younger and stupid back then. I believed his words and that his heart truly belonged to me but I failed to realize the role I truly played. As for my child, what do I do? Leon is a smart boy and will figure out the truth at one point but I don't want that man in my life.