Chapter 35: Rei's Past: Rosa's Happiness

- Flashback 15 years Ago, 6 years after the wall was built -

"MOM!" Rei cried shaking her mom, who had collapsed on the floor, covered in her own blood, "MOM!"

"Reia!" the king shouted as he pulled the child away from her dying mother.

They were back at the palace. Rosa used Linked Haki and the last of her strength to safely transport her husband and her child across the island and behind the castle walls. Jeffrey knelt over his wife, sobbing uncontrollably when the queen and the king found them in the middle of their room. It was the same room where the queen stayed the first night she had came to the island with Rosa.

"I-I-I'm sorry," Rosa gasped to the queen, who was holding her friend's hand, coughing up blood as she spoke, "This was the first place I could think of. I didn't mean to startle you."

"Don't apologize!" cried Queen Adela, tears streaming down her face, "That was a smart decision. I can save you! I can save you!"

She put her hands on Rosa's shoulders and concentrated on transferring her own Haki, hoping that it'll help stabilize Rosa's condition.

"Mom!" Reia cried. She leapt of the king's arms and rushed to her mom's side.

"Reia," her mom whispered. She placed her hand on top of her daughter's head as Reia cried into her chest.

"I'm sorry," Reia whimpered, "I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I wanted to surprise you with flowers."

"I know," Rosa whispered, "You don't need to apologize. You're okay now."

"Rosa!" The King roared, "What were you thinking using your Linked Haki so recklessly! You're not a fighter! You haven't trained your body for it."

"My daughter," Rosa gasped, "is safe, Your Majesty. That's all that matters."

"I'm sorry," Reia whimpered again, "I shouldn't have left. I thought I could be back in time. I thought I could fight them off too but I couldn't. I can't do anything!"

"You can and you will," Rosa said using all her strength to speak clearly as she lifted her child's head and looked directly into her eyes, "Remember our promise, Reia. You can do it."

"I can't," Reia cried tears spilling out of her eyes, "I can't do it."

"You can," Rosa repeated even more firmly than before, "You're a genius and I believe in you."

Reia cried harder unable to form words.

"Don't ever think differently, do you hear me?" Rosa said looking at her daughter, "If I say you're a genius, you're a genius. Because..."

Rosa coughed up blood before she could finish her sentence and her hand fell to her side.

"Because you're always right," Reia whispered, holding up her mom's hand.

"That's right," Rosa said smiling at her daughter, "Whatever happens, remember that you are strong and use that to protect the ones you love."

She started to vomit up even more blood. The blood started to seep into the queen's dress as she kept holding onto her friend.

"Stop talking!" Queen Adela said, "I will save you. You're going to be fine!"

Rosa put a hand around her friend's wrist and looked up at her. She shook her head. The queen's tears spilled out as her friend pushed her friend's hands away.

"You haven't controlled your Haki either, Adela-sama," Rosa whispered, "Please don't risk it for me."

"Will you quit being my champion?" Queen Adela sobbed.

"Stop trying to protect everyone!" Jeffrey cried putting his forehead on top of his wife's head, "Stop it! Let us protect you now."

"All my life, Jeffrey," Rosa said weakly, giving her husband a smile, "I dreamed of having a family. Of being able to love and protect a husband and child of my own. You have given me that...You two are my everything and if I had lost either one of you, I might as well be dead. I'm happy to die as long as you two are safe."

"Stop talking like that!" Jeffrey cried, "You're not going to die."

"I want you to be safe," Rosa said with a smile, "And I made it happen."

"MOM!" Reia cried.

Rosa put one hand back on her child's head while the other reached up to touch her husband's cheek. Her eyes were determined with no signs of tears as she smiled at the two of them. "I love you."

Reia's world turned silent as she felt her mother's hands drop in slow motion. She saw her father throw his head back and cry but she couldn't hear a sound. The queen screamed something too, putting both her hands back on Rosa's shoulders, but again, Reia heard nothing. She felt herself get lifted up again by the king and held on the side. He turned to look at her to say something but she couldn't make out the words. She blinked at him and then looked back at her mother who looked as if she was asleep.

Everything seemed to move slowly. Green Cloaks ran into the room and The King shouted at them but Reia couldn't understand. Her mind had become a blur and she was unable to control it. Suddenly, the king was looking at her and shouting. She tried to focus her mind back to what he was saying and then suddenly everything went dark.

"REIA!" The King shouted as the child passed out in his arms, "REIA!"

"Put her on the bed!" the queen cried, still concentrating on her friend. She was covered in sweat now, her gown thoroughly drenched in her friend's blood.

"GET THE DOCTOR!" Queen Adela shouted at the Green Cloaks, "Someone get the doctor now!"

Adela could feel her Haki surge through her hands and into her friend's body but Rosa was still not moving. Come on, she said, come on! She pushed her haki more but still nothing. She kept sending more and more haki through until suddenly blood started to pour out of her nose. Amongst the protest of the king, Jeffrey, and some of the Green Cloaks, she kept going. Her vision started to get blurry and her ears started to ring but only one thought was in her head. One voice.

"I'm Cogan Rosa and I'm going to be your champion!"

Suddenly two hands were put on top of hers and it broke her concentration. She looked up to see Jeffrey's tearful face as he shook his head. "You'll die if you save her, Adela-chan."

"THEN LET ME DIE!" the queen cried surging her Haki through her hands again but this time Jeffrey grabbed her wrists and held it up.

"She'll be very upset if you gave your life in return for hers," he said softly looking down at his wife, his tears and snot dribbling down his chin.

"DON'T YOU WANT YOUR WIFE BACK?' the queen cried, "DON'T YOU WANT HER TO LIVE?!"

"I WANT HER TO LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE SHE'LL BE HAPPY!" Jeffrey roared back and then he spoke, his voice breaking, "And she won't be happy in a world where she lived and you didn't."

He took a deep breath and brushed a piece of red hair out of his wife's face where a small smile was on her lips. "She's gone, Adela-chan. But she's happy."