Fate's Prisoners

chapter 35

The next morning the family woke up and headed back on the road and arrived around noon. They went straight to Luna's mother house where it looked a bit different. It seemed better put together unlike last time when they visited. "Mother, is that my grandmother?" Leon asked his mother when he looked out the window of the carriage where he saw a woman standing by the door of the house. She watched the carriage roll in trying to keep a steady face. "yes, that's her." Luna says fighting tears that threatened to fall. "Luna, why don't you talk to her first, then will bring Leon to you." The Emperor suggested Luna could only nod her head at the moment as she thought of what will happen in a few seconds.

Luna

I stepped out of the carriage and walked around before I was on the same path as my mother. I slowly took a step forward followed by another and another until I reached her. After 8 long years without her, there she was in front of me. To see her reminded me of how I got to where I am now, the reason I am who I am. Had it not been for her, I would never have gone to the palace. I never would have met the Emperor and fallen in love. I never would have had Leon or anything I do now. I am grateful to my mother more than anyone. "You! How dare you disappear!? Do you know how worried I have been all these years thinking of what you may be doing where ever you were?" She yelled at me with the tears In her eyes. I chuckled at her words before I wrapped her in the tightest hug I have ever given anyone. "Mother, forgive me. I was wrong" I repeated like a child. "You look like a woman now, I have missed you so much. where have you been all this time?" She asked wiping the tear from my cheeks as she held my face in her palms. "Oden, "I answered simply and sniffed through my noes. "Oden? Why did you go there?" I had not explained to her when I left and I guess the Emperor never did either. "Mother, I assure you I will tell you all of that later but first I have someone I want you to meet someone," I told her while holding her hands before I turned towards the carriage where the Emperor and Leon were standing where my mother could see them. When she saw Leon, her eyes glazed over again and her hand reached out for him even though he was not in arms reach. The Emperor led Leon forward to the two of us until they were a few feet apart. Her head had gone down to his hight and all she wanted to do was touch him. "Mother, this is your grandson Leon. the child of the emperor and myself." I introduced the two and it was not even a second before she hugged him as hard as she did me. She was crying even more as she held him and the sean made me smile. It was funny because Leon didn't really know what to do but stay still.

After a little bit, the Emperor took Leon somewhere so my mother and I could talk alone. "Now tell me, why did you run away to Oden?" She says as we sat on the seat in the living area. "Well, at the time the Emperor and I were not having the relationship you had seen when we left, "I confessed. "What happened, you two were inseparable when you left." "The reason we had to leave that day was because the Emperor had received notice that his concubine had conceived." "How is that possible? he had been with you for months," She asked upset that Emperor may have betrayed me. "Yes, but she had been with child for a while but didn't tell anyone about it. It was amazing no one had noticed." "So you left because she was with child?" My mother asked surprised I would give up so easily. "No, it wasn't because if the child. I had pushed the Emperor to spend more time with the concubine even though she and I were never on good terms. I did that because I loved the Emperor and I wanted him to know that I wasn't going to let something like a baby come between us. After a while, things seemed to start changing between us and mostly because of his concubine. It was like if anything bad were to happen to her even the smallest thing like she got sick I was somehow blamed. It annoyed me more because the Emperor would believe her over me every time. Around this time I had begun receiving these letters from someone who called themselves Sir E. I assumed they were gifts and notes from the Emperor because he was sorry for how I had been being treated. This went on for a while until one day that something happened between me and the concubine, she called me over to talk to her. I went there and told her I wanted us to stop fighting but she didn't. She wanted me out of the palace and she said that clearly but then suddenly she started shouting nonsense and threw herself to the ground and the Emperor walked in. Not bothering to think of what was going on he dragged me out and scolded me for something I didn't do. He didn't even bother to listen to what I had to say. I cooled down after a couple of days and decided I was going to stay away from them for a while. I didn't know that the Emperor had gone into my room and seen all the gifts I thought were from him. That night I received a note from E saying to meet him. When I wasn't surprised I was meeting with the Emperor, he accused me of having a lover other than him. I was angry and yelled at him to tell him to listen to me I ended our relationship because I was tired of it all. I didn't want to but if I kept going like that, I would have gone crazy. I had just acted on emotion at the time and regretted it. However, later I was summoned to the concubine who was pregnant's room and I heard the Emperor tell her how he didn't love me anymore and that he intended to forget about me completely and replace me with her in his heart. I was heartbroken and angry because after I broke things off he went to bed with her without hesitation. I had originally thought we would work things out when we both calmed down but that was something I was not going to forgive. So that same night I left without turning back. I went to Oden with my two best friends and found out I was pregnant but didn't return. I stayed there for the past 8 years and raised Leon but a few months ago I was found by the Emperor and he convinced us to return. We got back a month ago and I wanted to visit you and for you to meet Leon." I finished explaining and she looked deep in thought. "Well, I understand why you did what you did but im still upset with you for not telling me about it." I smiled but she spoke again. " I am curious about one thing though." "what?" "This concubine the Emperor slept with when you split. How could they have done anything with her baby belly in the way? Also, it is very unsafe for the child if she does such activities during a certain time in pregnancy." My mother says. Her words made me stop and question it too. She was at least 5 months when it happened so her belly should have been a difficult thing to deal with. "I didn't think she would take such a risk while with child, maybe he has a defect we do not know about." My mother suggested. "Other than his looks, there is nothing." "What is wrong with his looks?" she asked. "Well, he is a good looking boy but he does look anything like either of his parents like Leon looks like the Emperor and I," I explained and she was surprised. "Luna, I am not saying for sure about this but this might be something you want to keep watch out for." my mother warns me thinking really hard about what I have told her.