Britannia Part 16
Choices and Apologies
Ishida Province the Next Day…
Down in the courtyard Takeru was helping Hikari and Sora into the carriage, "There you go Princess, Sora," Takeru said.
"Thank you Takeru for everything while we stayed here," Hikari said smiling.
"I must thank you for your help, if I would have listened to you and your brother then perhaps I would have been well off to do so," Sora said looking from Takeru then to Yamato.
"No problem I was glad to help you and things happen do not blame yourself so quickly," Takeru said.
"Right if you would close the cabin door Takeru," Yamato asked him.
Takeru nodded then smiled at the girls and closed the door. When he had Yamato's smile faded and the two noticed.
"Yamato you said you would tell us what has happened. You are back so quickly," Sora said with worry as she cradled her baby in her arms.
"I will," Yamato said.
The carriage made it's way out the castle gates then when the gates were closed which was about an hour later.
"Yamato tell us," Hikari demanded.
"When we had arrived to the battle we were a distraction just enough of one for Yoshita to harm your father fatally. The King has fallen," he said quietly remembering helping Jyou, Koushiro, and Ryota carry his body back to the castle.
"No…" Hikari said tears filled her eyes and she began to sob.
Yamato gently held her hand in his, "Hikari I am terribly sorry," he said.
Sora shocked, "How is Taichi?" she asked.
Yamato let go of Hikari's hand then turned to Sora, "Taichi was injured by a bow but he is expected to make a full recovery," he said.
Sora felt tears weld up, "I can only imagine how he must feel at the moment," she said.
"The same as I do," Hikari said through her tears, "In mourning."
YagamiCastle…
Villagers came from all over the Yagami province to give their respects to the fallen King, "Long Live King Haruko!" the crowds shouted from out side the castle gates in side Jyou helped Mimi out of the carriage and went to give her condolences to Queen Kumiko Yagami.
"Where is Prince Taichi?" Mimi questioned as she noticed he wasn't there with the other grieving family members.
"Taichi is in the recovery wing," Kumiko said, "I gave him options to think about."
Mimi nodded, "Can I see him?" she asked.
"You may," Kumiko said then turned to shake hands with Moriko and Ryota who offered their condolences.
Mimi walked into the castle and looked around seeing if she could remember where the recovery wing was she then stopped to ask the guard to escort her.
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In the recovery room, Taichi lay in his bed looking up at the ceiling and thought about how Sora had not told him of his child then he thought how childish he had been to run out like that. However, it did not give a excuse for Sora not to tell him for he was still mad but now thought about how his father did give him permission in a sense to pick her. His feeling for Sora hadn't changed at all then he felt someone starting at him, looked quickly to his right, and saw Princess Mimi, "Princess what brings you by?" Taichi said.
"Just to see if you were alright," she said quietly.
"Or is it for another reason that you wish to speak about," he said looking away from her and once again stared out the window in front of him.
"Yamato told me about what has happened, but I hadn't expected you to act the way you have," Mimi said with worry.
"She did not tell me that she was carrying my child until after my baby was born," he said still a little bit angry.
"Prince Taichi I want to help since you did help King Yamato and I with our love," she said to him.
"I understand your good will, however it is not that I do not love Sora any more. Because I do love her very much," he said.
"Then what can she do to prove that she is sorry?" Mimi asked him carefully.
Taichi sighed, "She apologized to me when I was there but I refused to listen but now I regret it," he said.
"You are in a difficult place to decide on what you want, maybe once she arrives you will know what you want," Mimi said and with that she left him to think about what she had said hoping that it would work as Yamato said it would.
Three days later…
The Ishida party had finally arrived to the Yagami castle to have the Haruko's funereal. Taichi and his mother where in the courtyard waiting as they exited the carriages.
Hikari exited first and skipping the royal way of greeting ran to her mother and hugged her, "Mother I am so sorry that I was away from all this," she said in tears hugging her tightly.
"Do not be sorry things happened darling," she said softly as she hugged her daughter.
Hikari let go then hugged her brother, who cringed in pain, "I am sorry Taichi," she said relieved that he didn't tell her to not touch him after hiding Sora's secret from him for all those months.
"Like mother said it is not your fault do not apologize," he said quietly looking at the lower Yagami Flags.
Yamato was sent his condolences to Queen Kumiko and then was next in front of Taichi as Hikari went to Mimi hugging her then Jyou while thanking them for being here.
Yamato stuck his hand out to Taichi who accepted, "Glad to see that you are okay," Yamato said.
"Thank you I was wrong to get upset about what happened," Taichi said solemnly.
"It is no big ordeal Taichi I was merely trying to help Sora that is why I let her into my castle to protect her and your child," he said with a look over his shoulder to see if Sora was coming out of the carriage but she hadn't.
"When did you find out?" Taichi asked.
"She was found collapsed near a road to a small village in the Ishida province, where the people who cared for her found out that she was pregnant and told her. She asked where she was and the peasants said that she had asked for me so I came with Takeru and Daisuke to retrieve her that is when she told us that you were missing," Yamato said explaining to him.
Taichi merely looked to the ground in silence then looked up at Yamato, "Did she come?" he questioned.
Yamato simply turned to the carriage and looked at it as did Taichi, "is she in there?" he said to Yamato who only nodded.
Kumiko heard the conversation, "Sora is here? With the baby?" she said with curiosity.
"Yes," Yamato said answering her.
"Come Taichi, I know in your heart that what she has done to not tell you was hurtful but by the look on your face you still love her," Kumiko said watching her son carefully.
"I know," he said still all three stood there they're stare aimed toward the carriage.
"She was right to not tell us, your father would have mostly been angry about it there would be no telling what he would have done to keep the royal bloodline," Kumiko said.
"She must have had enough to be Hikari's lady in waiting," Taichi said.
"Taichi you were supposed to be wed to a princess that is why we chose Princess Mimi," Kumiko said, "However we hadn't expected you to fall in love with Sora."
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Hikari saw her mother talking with Taichi and Yamato then went back into the carriage where Sora was cradling her child close to her, "Sora you are allowed to come out," she said.
Sora looked up at her, her face had been stained with tears from crying, "I can not," she said simply looking worriedly at her.
Mimi came up to the carriage as well since Yamato was busy talking with Taichi and Queen Kumiko, "Sora," she said poking her head into the carriage.
"Mimi, it is nice to see you once again even though it is on such a sad circumstances," Sora said then looked down at Raidon.
Soon Hikari and Mimi were sitting in the carriage with her, "Why can you not come out of the carriage?" Hikari asked her as they continued the conversation from before Mimi had came.
"Hikari I can not see his face the way he was so angry before," Sora said explaining her reason why and for her it was a very good reason it hurt her to see him so angry at her.
"I talked to him a couple of days ago about you," Mimi said.
"What did you say?" Sora asked.
"I said that you are very sorry for not telling him and he understood that. He said that he still loves you," Mimi explained.
"He still loves me?" she questioned.
"Yes he said that, but maybe if you come out of this carriage and see him his thoughts will be clear on what is the right thing to do," Mimi said.
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"You have not answered my question mother," Taichi said.
"She has little royal blood her father was once the lord of Takenouchi Province which settles now in ruins and is now run by thief's and the black trades," Kumiko said.
"Why did he condemn us then?" Taichi asked feeling betrayed and hurt at what his father had done to him.
"Because he wanted to keep you with in a days ride from the Yagami Province," she said.
"So that is why he gave me his permission, because she did have royal blood after all," Taichi said understanding now finally why he had given his blessing to him.
"Would you want to see your son?" Yamato asked he looked to Kumiko who nodded at Taichi and with that he walked toward the carriage as they did Mimi and Hikari came out and slowly out came Sora with the baby in her arms.
Taichi and Sora stood about ten feet apart watching one another to see who would move first. That was when Taichi came forward, "I am sorry for what I have done," he said.
"I am partly at fault as well," she said.
Taichi looked down at his son then looked up to Sora, "Can I?" he asked.
Sora looked shocked at him but shook her head, "Of course he is yours," she said as she handed Raidon to Taichi to hold for a moment.
Kumiko approached the two, "Sora I am terribly sorry for the stress of this lie. But I can understand why you chose to do what you have," she said.
"You do?" she questioned.
"I do," she said with a smile then looked at her grandson. "Our lives can not be determined by others. Therefore you are allowed back into the Yagami Castle and province," she said.
"I wondered Why Yamato said for me to come but he had spoken to you first," she said softly.
Kumiko only nodded, "May I?" she asked looking at her grandson in her son's arms.
Sora smiled, "You may."
As Taichi handed Raidon to his mother, he looked at Sora. For once his mother was finally seeing what was in front of him all along he was truly happy that she felt that it was okay to bring her to the province again, "I owe you a apology Sora," he said.
"An apology?" she asked confused.
"Yes for running away earlier. For letting my anger get the best of me," Taichi said he turned his stare to the ground.
"Taichi I forgive you," she said.
He quickly looked up at her shocked she even forgiven him, "You forgive me so easily," he said.
"You had every right to be angry Taichi, therefore I can forgive you so easily. Not only that but I still love you very much," she said she came closer to him.
Without saying anything, he brought her into his arms holding her in a tight embrace then pulled away from her slightly, "I love you too," he said and slowly he leaned in and touched his lips on hers.
To Be Continued…