The Ember in the Fog
[ ] dialogue is spoken in a foreign language
" " dialogue in common language
[Enim?] His deep voice called out from the uncluttered and intimate dwelling.
[Over here!] He trailed a wavery voice, shifting the slightly worn curtain to the side.
[jadat nevala, let me take a good look at you. I heard you were recovering well. Hande correct this for me.] She beckoned over her shoulder throwing her platinum-colored braid to her back.
Hotsuma peered up in time to see the young woman enter the room.
[Yeraan Hande, bless your hands.] Hande simply smile and straightened, not caring to hide her catlike olive-green eyes from traveling the length of him. […these days are a bit harder. My bones get weaker by the day. You see, I do not get out much because of who I am and what others believe that I do…] The elder moves a wrinkled hand beneath her circular wooden table, continuing with her harangue. Fortunate with the capability to multitask, the tall man re-joins the conversation with the senior.
He fixed those cobalt pair of eyes on the twenty-something robust female. Her soft curves accentuated her neutral-colored dress as she moves around the room purposefully brushing against his arm. Her hair thick and dark, coated with strands that were of gilded and chestnut highlights cascading past her backside. A woman with a thick and lengthy mane and wide hip was the core standard of desirability. Catching the pinnacles of her full mounds as she purposely lowered sitting a cup of hot tea beside the elder's hand, his eyes linger on them then traveled to her neat tan hands. She had no shame, just like his Ryoko. He harked back to those times where she sauntered around in the room nude, teasing him. Any woman would have been wary of her chest size; suspecting she may have worked done but no, his Ryoko was naturally gifted. Hotsuma resisted for a brief second only to set his eyes on her backside when she strolled into another curtain room. He swallowed hard; how could he look at another woman.
Hotsuma simply nodded ignorant to what the elder has been chattering about after a time. Requesting him to sit, he graciously smiles and bent his knee reaching for the woman's outstretched withered hand. He kissed her knuckles and lowered his head to rest them against his forehead, then seated himself across from her in a show of respect.
[What can I do for you, anha?] Her hooded yet soft eyes look to him.
[Annem-Enim.] Hotsuma countered her bright smile with a tight-lipped grin of his own. [I need your help in getting my wife back.]
[I see.] She shifted the rocks around and frowned after a moment. [That will be at her discretion. Can't interfere with free will.]
[It is not a love situation. She's unconscious, has been for the last couple of weeks. I need to bring her out of it. She did not put herself in such a muddled state. I can vouch for that. I just want to bring her out of her coma.]
[She will have to do so on her own.] The elder restates and replaces the moonstones with a wooden case.
[Don't be so hasty!] Hotsuma lurched forward, the table swayed under his weight.
[Unhand her!] Hande unsheathed her dagger, Hotsuma narrows his eyes at her and frees the elder's hand half-heartedly. Hande cautiously returns the weapon to her side.
[Leave now!] Hande urges him.
[Hande, mind your tone.] The elder warned holding up her hand.
Hotsuma leaned forward, [Please, you are my last resort, Annem. We are wasting time. I-I just need you to see her, help her, please? I will give you a room in the palace; I can give you gold any number; just name it and I will give it to you.] Hotsuma mentally condemns himself for pleading; he regarded Hande for some support.
[We don't need your money.] Hande assisted the elder.
[Hande!] The elder warned once more.
[Ajjin! It is an order!] Hotsuma roared he looked from the elder's startled expression to Hande's rigid one.
Hande breathed and placed her hand on the older woman's back, [Enim, what do you think?] The elder reluctantly smiled at her, [if it does not work, you did what you could.]
Hotsuma's shoulders sagged, he knew what Hande said was fair.
[Thank you.]
Akio's hands squeezed into fists at her sides. She took in a deep breath as the royals converse amongst each other. Hizir entered the room and quickly took his seat beside Huma concealing his wounded face.
"Anything changed?".
"Not in the slightest." Hüma straightened then covered her hand over her mouth. "What happened to you?"
"I'll explain later." Hizir dabbed at the open cut, as the volume returned.
Emperor Azusa ran a laundry list of goals that he would seek to accomplish soon, and how a partnership can strengthen the future for Jurai and allies. Akio snorted in disgust after he was finished with his remarks.
"Emperor Azusa, my people are not playthings, this land is sacred and will not be abused by the single-mindedness of your people. We have thriven well in our traditional ways and will continue to do so."
"How can you build from such sparse resources?"
Akio stayed subtle, refusing to answer the question.
"Care to elaborate on that, Lady Akio?" A soft voice interjected softly. "This will only lead us to think you are holding out on us."
"Good observation Lady Ayeka; perhaps you are not the only planet that is well off. Now, shall we end this sham of a meeting?"
"We will end when I say—" Emperor Azusa bellowed before Akio cut the connection. She pinched her nose and angled herself away from the screen to Huma and Hizir.
"It amazes me how you can put the emperor in his place more than his wives. I think he secretly gets a kick out of it." Hizir entertained his shoulder-length and wavy blond hair falling around his face.
"Judging by that bruise, what idiotic thing you have revealed to anger your brother?" Akio drew Hizir's head closer to inspect the welt.
"Mother…" The green-eyed male whined.
"Where is he?" Huma attempt to conceal her giggle at the scene.
"Wish I could say." Hizir places the lock of hair behind his ear.
Akio stormed to the door after hearing the congregation of the staff acknowledge her estranged son.
"What is the meaning of this? Why are those two witches in my home?" Akio stood by ignored by her eldest son.
"Hotsuma!" Akio tried to follow, only to be impeded by Hizir. She regarded the younger son with a warning glare. "Damn him." Her heated glare kept trained on the retreating backs of the trio climbing the steps and disappearing around the corner.
"Mother, I could not stop him, he was determined. You and I both know that stepping in between him and that woman's well-being is futile. The evidence lies on my cheek."
"I too, have seen the look in his eyes. He loves that woman." Hüma chimed in.
"Don't be stupid." Akio glower at the young woman. The infuriated older woman cupped her chin in her hands. "I will have a word with you later."
Hotsuma critically regarded the elder.
[I feel her.] She admitted softly eyelids fluttering shut, and her thin lips parting. Her wrinkled fingers felt along Ryoko's wrist. Hotsuma felt the weight lift off his shoulders.
[Is there something you have of hers; something connects you both?]
Hotsuma moved his head and reached into his pocket for a cloth. Hande watched as he opened it to find a beautiful ring attached to a chain, then to a picture of a child in the arms of the latent woman. Hande beamed at the photo and touched her hand to her heart. She understood his pursuit of this foreign woman. Hotsuma followed her sights and pointed at the child beneath his index finger.
[Our son, Reyyan.] He felt proud and relieved, knowing that children always be a weakness for most. Hande handed the items to the elder who reached out and message the items with the pads of her thumbs.
The landscape was soothing, the reflection of the crag peaks on the water looks unhesitatingly from a painting. The grass moved and caressed her legs as the wind picked up filling her senses with that earthy smell. At that moment, Ghost picks up his head and looked ahead of him on alert. Ryoko followed his sights to a small figure standing in the lake.
Garbed in a knee-length white dress, and a flowered crown over her curly brown tresses, Ryoko could not make out any facial details. "What are you doing here? Who are you?" Ryoko's brows furrow as she carefully crouches down the steep hill. Nearing the end of the hill she sees the bright smile and the crinkle of the nose. Ryoko felt an overwhelming feeling tingling throughout her body. She felt conflicted either to smile or frown at the intruder, the rest of the small figure's face was concealed by the shadow of her bangs.
A blush crept across her cheeks, "Hello. Hi!" She finally worked up the courage to knelt before the child, the water dampening her dress. She felt a calmness as she locked eyes with the hazel orbs that stared back at her. Ryoko's hesitant hands reach up and patted the crown of Baby's Breath and down to the soft tresses of brown curls.
"I-I feel like I should know you. B-But…I."
"Mama." The child finally uttered with a smile, again, that was recognizable, yet she could not place any connections.
"Mama? I am sorry, I am not your mother. I-I don't remember…" A seed of worry crept across Ryoko's features as she struggles to make sense of the situation.
"Mama." The girl smiles and sandwiched Ryoko's face in her little hands and planted a kiss on her forehead. Ryoko could not help to feel shame and guilt, she closed her eyes feeling the tingle sensation between her brows. When Ryoko opened her eyes, she was also clothed in a similar white gown. Her pallid fingers traveled to the top of her head that was crowned with baby's breath.
"Mama. Gel'mek." The little girl pulled Ryoko's hand.
"You want me to come with you? But—" Ryoko turns to find Ghost gone. "Ghost! Where are you?"
"Gitmem, ge'rek mama." The girl tugged on Ryoko's arm and pointed across the lake to a field. Ryoko looked in the direction, it was an empty piece of land. Finding the child will not relent, she follows suit. "There, we will play together mama."
Hotsuma sat across from the elder, with creased brows. He had lost count on how long they have been seated in the room; he grew impatient by the minute from the rapid breathing of the elder to the stuttering. The room was hot, and he felt fatigue setting in. His eyes traveled to Hande; the young woman sat on her knees in a meditative pose. Hotsuma slumped and briefly glance at Ryoko. He stared at her almost willingly to goad her in wake up. To no avail and he lunges forward resting his head on his arms, giving in to the fatigue.
"We will have so much fun, mama." The little girl twirl and picked up her legs one at a time.
Ryoko allowed herself to be pulled across the water, they were halfway to land, when the little girl suddenly leaped in front of her with arms outstretched. Ryoko picked her up and felt the little legs wrap around her waist. The little one giggled with her arms outstretched, Ryoko looked on feeling herself giggle along with her. Before she knew it, they were laughing.
"Let's go and play." Ryoko came to a stop, looking into the little one's eyes adoringly, with a nod they continue their trek.
"Princess!" A voice bellowed behind them, they both turned to the voice,