Chapter Fifteen
By Genavere
One point of pride that Munto had in himself was always keeping a promise. But…was he really breaking a promise he never verbally made?
Yumemi had been firm in her tone when she said that no one from her home was to know about the pregnancy, and the announcement of the loss had been rung through the Magical Kingdom. In tradition to the lower world, solemn prayers were offered in her honor, and a period of mourning had been organized by the council.
Yet, he found himself away from the weepy eyes and away from his kingdom. Rue and Shuza were protecting his wife, and the council was taking care of issues that he did not need to address himself.
All so he could sit at the family table of his in-laws and share a staring war with the only parents he technically had by the Lower World customs. He pressed his lips together, unsure how to start this conversation. How to address the issue that their beloved daughter was facing.
It was not often he was at a loss of words.
"So," Nozomi broke the tension first, "I assume that you are here to give us an update on our daughter." Her hands cupped her tea in front of her. None of them had taken the offered refreshments.
"In a way," he lowered his eyes. "Yumemi…was hurt greatly by her captors, but she is on the mend now. Our healer, Shuza, has been able to utilize our technology and what your world uses to help her heal faster."
"Thank goodness." Shigeru leaned back in his chair, his head tipped back. "When the news came, I had feared the worse. We both did."
"Until we knew the extent of the situation, we made sure not to tell Chikara or he would have dropped all his classes to come back home." Yumemi's mother watched her son-in-law carefully. There were shadows under his eyes, and a haunted look that near burned a hole in her table. To be honest, she was not sure with his magical abilities if he would have been able to do that with just a look or not.
"Is there more that you have not sad yet?" she asked carefully. Her husband sat up and looked between them.
"You said she was healing, right?" he asked. "We will be able to see her soon? Nothing major happened to our daughter, did it?"
Munto pressed his lips together. His fists clenched and he felt blood trickle from his palms. "We—"
How could he bring it up to them? Would Yumemi be mad at him for telling them? Could he even risk not letting them know?
Everyday after she had woken up, he sat with her and tried to help her heal. He changed her bandages that he could, he spoke to her about her favorite things and what was happening with the kingdom. When he could not think of what to say, he would read to her. Often times she had a pile of books she wanted to read that she had lined up under her nightstand. Knowing she had an interest in them, he started from the top.
Three books done, she only ate when forced, conversations were one sided, and she only stared out the window from her chair until she passed out from exhaustion. Only then would he be able to carry her to bed and watch over her there.
He feared if he did not do something to help her, he would lose her once again.
Bowing his head, he finally broke down. "We had been expecting. The confirmation had only come the day before she had been taken, but the damage had been extensive and—and the child was lost."
Shame burned his eyes. Would they demand their daughter back due to his failure to protect her? Would he lose everything?
"Since she was informed of the loss, Yumemi has barely spoken besides to say she wanted no one to know about the loss. She barely eats and won't talk to me. I come to you seeking your advice and help."
A silence stretched between them. From the faucet, a stray water droplet fell into a pot. The clock on the wall echoed through the room and the evening sun filled the room in an orange glow.
"Shigeru," Nozomi's soft voice broke the silence, "will you go out and get some refreshments for us?"
"Huh?" He looked at his wife, confused. "But we—" Realization dawned upon him when he saw the look on her face. Nodding, he stood and bowed to the distraught man across the table before he gathered his things and left.
When the door closed, Nozomi reached across the table and gently touched Munto's hand. The touched sent a shock through the young king and he sat up. His eyes stared at the hand on his.
"Munto," –even they never called him Lord Munto— "how are you handling everything?"
He frowned, confused by the question. "It is Yumemi that you should be concerned about. She is your daughter and she is suffering."
"It was your child, too, and as our son-in-law, we worry about you. That is what parents do."
What parents do, he repeated in his mind. If he had done his job, what would it have been like to have a child to hold and protect? To hold and show the wonders of the world. An image of a young girl with her mother's eyes flashed in his mind.
His entire body slumped back against the chair. Tears came unabashed and fell to his lap.
"I tried to protect her…to protect them both, but I failed. She never should have been taken in the first place, but it happened. I failed everyone. Yumemi, you and your husband, Chikara…our own child." He pressed a hand against his eyes, sobs shook his body. "When she told me, I experienced a happiness only she has managed to bring me."
Nozomi listened to him quietly, her hand still on his. It surprised her that he even allowed this touch for so long, but showed how far he had grown since they first met. A testament on the effect her daughter had on the young man.
After some time of silence between them, she squeezed his hand gently. "Have you ever wondered why there is such a gasp between Chikara and Yumemi?"
He pulled his hand from his face and shook his head.
"It was not exactly by choice, you see. Yumemi was very small still when I found I was pregnant with our second child. We were excited, still had all the baby items since we were young and hoping for another child.
'Early in my first term, I had stopped at the store to get items for dinner. The weather had turned a bit bad and the rain had begun to freeze. I ended up falling down several stairs and lost that child. We were devastated and I felt like a failure as a mother." A sad smile spread across her features.
He sat there, watching her, not sure what to say. Yumemi had never mentioned anything of this before.
"There was a time after that where I refused to hold my daughter in fear that I would hurt her. Coming home, I avoided those stairs even if it took me longer to get home. In my own turmoil, I failed to see how much Shigeru was mourning the loss of his child and his wife. I did not see how it hurt Yumemi."
When he looked at her, a shimmer had come to her eyes, one he knew meant she was on the cusp of tears. A similar look graced Yumemi's features before she cried. In comfort, he took his hand from under hers and gently held it, instead. "May I ask how you managed to cope?"
Her lips pressed together before she smiled again. "Grief counselling, talking to those I trusted, spending time with my family. Anything I could to show myself that life goes on, and that sometimes these accidents happen." She squeezed his hand in reassurance. "And while this incident is less of an accident, it was neither of your faults. Those who wished to harm you are to blame, and from what I heard, they had been punished."
"Not nearly enough," he muttered, eyes flashing in grief and anger.
"That does not matter. We must stand higher than those who would try to harm us. We no longer live in a society that must deal out punishments similar to times of old. While many believe an eye for an eye, life should be valued and fair punishments not held in anger or revenge should be followed."
They locked eyes, hers showing pride and past sorrow, his shock and understanding. What laid before them now would be a long road of healing, but what happened in the past had to be laid to rest.
He gave her a smile. "I would love to invite you and your husband home with me so you can visit Yumemi. A familiar face and a mother's embrace is something I feel would help her in this time, especially if you are willing to let her know your own experiences."
She returned his smile and nodded. "Once Shigeru comes back, we would be more than happy to accompany you. And Munto," she squeezed his hand gently, "thank you for bringing our daughter home."
