Chapter Sixteen
By Genavere
With the help of some of his men, Yumemi's parents safely arrived at the palace of the Magical Kingdom. Due to the attack, they were both assigned two guards each, which meant a full group moved through the halls as Munto led them to royal wing.
Outside his bedroom, he waved away the guards who were posted there and turned to his in-laws. He took a deep breath, "I am not sure what her reaction will be once she sees you. While I never promised to not tell you, this was a matter she made clear would not be tolerated to be broken."
Nozomi smiled up at him. "Do not worry, we will take care of our daughter. You rest for now." She patted his arm in reassurance.
With a final nod, he opened the door and looked in on his mourning wife. As before, eyes stared out the window looking at everything and nothing at all. His features softened. "Yumemi," he called softly, "there are guests here to see you."
Her movements were near mechanical in nature when she turned her head to look at him. Before she could say a thing, both Nozomi and Shigeru slid passed their son-in-law and went to their daughter. The chairs he had ordered to be placed there before arriving were quickly snatched and brought to the window and soft voices filled the room.
The ball was no longer in his hands, he mused, thinking that he had something wrong with that Lower World saying. It mattered little if he said it wrong, as long as the one who could correct him on it later would find healing in the arms of her parents.
He motioned the guards assigned to both of the parents over. "None are to enter this room until either the Queen permits it or her parents.
They straightened in their positions. "Understood, Lord Munto!"
One last lingering look at the guarded door was all he allowed himself before he turned and left. There was nothing left for him to do now but wait.
######
Rest had never been part of the plan when Munto left, even after the suggestion from his mother-in-law. Outside, the waning moon shone little light onto the kingdom and most of the lights had dimmed into the late hour. It made for the best time to work…and try not to focus on what he had done or the repercussions he will face.
When his mind tried to wonder to what might be discussed, how Yumemi would take the information from her parents, or if any of it would help in the end, he would force himself to delve further into his work. The piles on his desk were the worst they had been since the wars had ended and he had been reinstalled as the King of the Heavens. Not even the diplomatic nightmare of convincing the Lower World leaders they were not hostile had not required as much paperwork.
Rubbing his eyes, he leaned back against the back of his chair and sighed. It was late, yet no one had summoned him yet. His eyes darted to the secret passage that led to the bedroom. A figment of Yumemi from the past stood there for a moment before his eyes cleared. Before, if he had still been working by this time of night, she would have come to bring him to bed.
He closed his eyes, his head still resting back against the chair. Sleep had been a rare find the last couple weeks. A weariness had settled on his body, settling down deep into his bones and muscles. The wars had cost his body years of wear from injuries, endless days of fighting, and nights working to keep his kingdom from falling.
Briefly, he wondered if this is what his parents felt when they made the decision to give birth to him and their evitable fate.
Without meaning to, he felt his breathing slow. The heaviness in his eyes grew and his mind cleared enough to let him fall into an uneasy sleep. Even in his rest, he felt the need to keep doing more. To focus on his wife, to tend the kingdom, and keep order in the Heavens.
Around him, he saw piles of reports, family members searching for deceased loved ones, mages looking for direction. Through the mess of everything, a child with fiery hair and jade eyes ran to him. Without a moment of hesitation, he bent down and swooped up the child into his arms, hugging them to his chest.
This was their child; he knew it with his whole being. The one he failed to protect.
"I'm sorry," he buried his face into the child's shoulder and wrapped his arms tight around their body. A hand caressed his cheek. "I should have protected you better."
"You did what you could," the voice barely reached his ears it was so soft. "You are only one person."
The child pulled away to stare down at him, their green orbs held his. All around, everything faded to nothingness. Red hair grew out and changed to dark blonde. Finally, he blinked, realizing he had tears in his eyes again. "Yumemi."
She gave a small smile, "Munto."
He frowned and tried to clear his eyes. "Is this a dream still?"
"Do you often dream of me?"
"Every night," he breathed out. Hands reached out and gripped her hips firmly. They pulled her in closer and she settled on his lap. A soft blush warmed her features.
"This is real, Munto," she whispered, brushing away the remainder of his tears. "I came when I realized you were still working. The guards never interrupt you when you are buried in paperwork."
His eyes widened; a jolt woke him fully from his slumber. "Then your parents—"
"Shhh," she laid a finger on his lips. "I understand, and I am so thankful to you for risking everything to help me. It could not have been easy for you to go to them knowing I would have fought against it."
"You are not mad at me for betraying your wishes?"
A moment passed. Lips pressed into a thin line and her eyes darted from his to focus elsewhere as she thought about his question. "At first…I was furious, but I fought to show those emotions to my parents," she explained slowly. "Then, they told me of my mom's experience and what they went through."
A soft smile brightened her features. "We actually talked for a long time, about the past, what happened, our loss." Her eyes met his again. "It felt like we were able to finally stand on even ground. Not simply as parents and child, but as adults who can share experiences together."
The joy that came to her eyes, the lift in her lips, the brightness of her features, he took it all in and finally managed to relax. There was a pull at his own lips he felt. "I am glad you were able to talk with them as such. I knew not what else to do to help you, they seemed the only logical next step."
He looked away, a shadow forming over his features. "Besides maybe pulling in your friends, but I had a desire to keep living for a bit longer."
Her clear laughter echoed in the room and brought his full attention back on her. Eyes grew, his grip on her tightened as did the muscles in his throat. "Yumemi…" he rasped, tears brimmed to the edge again. That sound that he feared never to hear again, he wanted to treasure it.
She saw his reaction, her heart aching. "Oh, Munto…" She leaned her forehead against his. "Mom suggested…that we see a councilor, to help us with our grief."
He nodded, without a moment of hesitation. "If you feel we should, I will go. We do not have such people in the Heavens, but I understand there are those in the Lower World who would be able to help us."
"You…would not be opposed?"
"Of course I would not be," he furrowed his brows. "If this is a step in healing and you feel it necessary, I will go. Anything you feel is best, we will do it." He carefully reached up and caressed the healing scar on her cheek. A reminder of his failure to protect her.
Hands grabbed his hand and held them against her face, her head turned and kissed his palm. "Thank you…thank you for being with me. For enduring this with me. And for saving me." Her eyes shown brightly. "Without you, I would not be here now."
While he wanted to argue that she was the one who rescued herself, he conceded defeat this time. There were still shadows under her eyes, and there was a nurse from the Lower World he would rather not get on the bad side of if she were to find out her patient had not rested properly.
"My Queen," he pulled her hand to his lips and laid a soft kiss on her knuckles. "Will you do me the honors of allowing me to escort you to our room and allow this humble servant of yours to rest beside you in bed?"
Heat flushed across her cheeks and she ducked her face. The way he spoke when he did that made her insides tinge and her toes curl. Swallowing hard, she gnawed on her lower lip and nodded. "You may, my King. I would accept no less from you, and allow no other this privilege."
A heated look sent a jolt through her and she squealed as he picked her up effortlessly in his arms. He gave her a wicked grin. "Then let us make haste and take you to bed."
Take her to bed, indeed!
