1. First of all, thank you, Miqila and Aafje1998, for your reviews. It made me very happy (receiving reviews always makes me so happy!).

2. I will try to upload a new chapter every two months.

3. I have a ship in mind (but there a two other options), but whether this story will have a ship or not depends on what the characters do (they tend to do their own thing). [And I might also let you/the readers have a saying in it as well.]

4. There will be about two or three more chapters with Hakuyuu being fine, after that the story will progress.

5. What do you think about the way I write Hakuyuu and Hakuren? Any questions so far? Or critique? Or wishes?

6. Reviews/Comments are very much appreciated!

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Hakuyuu could not remember much about the day he suddenly disappeared. He remembered that the days before were filled with rain and a lot of work. Some of the soldiers were injured while other had gotten sick because of the bad weather. Due to that the rest of them had to work more hours which caused them to lack sleep. Even as prince he could not step out of guarding duties, normally it wasn't his job, but because of the lack of men he had to, and so he did his best, while being overly tired. The other soldiers were tired as well. The day his mysteries disappearance happened the weather got a little bit better. The rain had stopped and it wasn't gusty anymore instead it was foggy. Hakuyuu were freezing and his tiredness was not really helpful either. He could not remember falling asleep, seeing anything strange or unnatural, being captured, leaving the fort or feeling anything strange. In his memories he could see himself making his patrol, but there were no memories of ending his duty.
"I am sorry, Hakuren. All I can remember is me being on patrol. The next thing I can remember is waking up here. I don't know what happened and I cannot remember anything unusual happening that day", Hakuyuu admitted followed by a weary sigh. This situation was worrisome and made him feel highly uncomfortable.
"Nothing to apologize for, brother. Maybe you will remember something later. For now you should focus on getting better."
Hakuren was always so optimistic and he was right. There was no use to wrack their heads over the past events when there were no clues. Hakuyuu had just woken up so maybe some memories would return to him over time.
"You are probably right. Then tell me, how are the soldiers that were injured or got sick during the campaign?"
"Fortunately, none of them died. Unfortunately, some of them are not able to serve in the army anymore. Ah … Almost forgot! When the soldiers heard that you were up again they were very happy and they hope that you will fully recover soon."
"Please give the soldiers my gratitude, Hakuren. I will do so myself in person as soon as I get out of this room."
"Will do!"

Before the two brothers could continue their conversation someone entered the room. It was their mother Gyokuen who had woken up and wasted no time to get to her son. Of course she wanted to know how Hakuyuu was doing and whether he needed something. She had been so worried about him and she still was worried. Losing one child had been too much to handle already and the thought of losing another one, well, just thinking about it broke her heart over and over again. Tears streamed down her face.
Hakuyuu had a hard time to get free from her hug and more or less convince her that he was fine. Hakuren was not helpful at all and busier with restraining his laughter. Hakuyuu shot a "leave or die" glance at him. Hence Hakuren left his big brother and his mother alone. He had to meet with their father anyway and since Hakuyuu was not able to fulfill his duties as first prince and commander someone else had to do the work and that someone was Hakuren.
"You are so pal, my dear. Are you sure you are alright?", Gyokuen asked clearly concerned.
"Yes, mother, I am sure I am alright", Hakuyuu reassured her.
"Has a doctor already checked on you? Have you eaten yet? Are you cold?"
"No, no and no. Mother, please, I am fine and I can take care of myself. I am sure that a doctor will check on me as soon as one is free. And I will eat something as soon as I am feel hungry. Please, mother, believe me I am fine and there is no need for you to worry yourself so much."
Hakuyuu felt bad for his mother. It was obvious that she worried herself sick over him and she still was afraid that something bad might happen to him. He didn't knew what to do or say to make her at ease. His efforts were in vain. She would never stop worrying about her children.
"Hakuyuu, you were asleep for a month. You were hardly breathing, you were so cold. No one knew what was wrong with you and therefore no one knew how to help you. What if it happens again? How can you be sure that you are really fine now? How can I be sure that you, my son, are save now? Is it so wrong for a mother to be worried about her children? I lost one child already. There was nothing I could do about it. And there is nothing I can do now. There was nothing I could do to cure you and there is nothing I can do to make sure that you not get sick again. There is nothing you or anyone else can do. Being so helpless and useless …"
More tears streamed down Gyokuen's face and she started sobbing. Now it was Hakuyuu's heart that broke. Seeing his mother in this state hurt. He could understand her, he really could. But what should he do or say? How could he make her worries to stop? She was literally worrying herself sick and that wasn't helping anyone.

Hakuyuu hugged his mother and tenderly stroke her back. It quite took her awhile until she stopped crying.
"You should rest, mother, or you might get sick yourself", recommended Hakuyuu and smiled softly at her. She was a really kind and lovely mother who would do everything for her children – only her last child was an exception and no one knew why or how to change that, because it was not her nature – so seeing her suffering was hard to handle. He could remember her being there for him whenever he needed someone to take care of him. Thankfully, she was agreeing with him – after a longer discussion and Hakuyuu constantly repeating that he was fine – and left him after she showered him with kisses, hugs, the reassurance that she loved him and that he should get better soon. As much as Hakuyuu loved his mother and could understand her, he was very happy when he was alone again. He had to admit that he was not good with emotions. One of his flaws was to overthink things and so he often ended up with saying the wrong things or coming of as heartless when he actually cared but just did not know how to express it.

Hakuyuu got a few more guests. First a doctor came and made a checkup on him, after that his father visit him. Hakutoku did not stay long and only asked how his son was and told him to get better soon. After his father his two little sisters paid him a visit. Hakuei had made some cookies which he told her he would eat later – a lie. His other sister had drawn a picture for him. It was a picture of the whole family, excluding their cousins, their aunts and his uncle as well as her third older brother who she had never met and would probably never met. His youngest sister also told him what he had missed and how worried everyone had been – nothing new.
Since there was not much to do for the two young girl they left soon – actually it was his youngest sister that was bored soon and wanted to leave and Hakuei was in charge of watching after the little girl.

His feeling of hunger finally returned so he ate the breakfast the nurse, who had been with Ms. Liu, had brought. It tasted good. When he was done he laid down for a bit. Even though he had just agreed with his brother Hakuren that he should not try too hard to remember what happened in the fort, but not knowing made him feel restless. He needed to know what happened! What if he really had been kidnapped? That would mean that an enemy had been able to enter the fort without being noticed, defeat him, get out of the fort with him on the back without being notice and then laid him into the forest, where some wild animal theoretically could have eaten him, without hurting him. Why would someone kidnap an enemy without hurting that person and just put the person in a forest near the place the person was kidnapped from? Wasn't kidnapping for extortion? And if he wasn't hurt then why did he almost had no pulse? And why was he so pal? It made no sense at all! His head started to hurt. Great! In addition to his headache Hakuyuu also heard a sound which he would describe as voices, but he wasn't so sure. He could not understand what those "voices" were saying or whether they belong to a woman or man or a child or an adult. It was like a babel of voices. In the end it did not matter what it was exactly all that matter was the fact that his head hurt, that he heard something strange and that his body got hot – maybe he got a fever. He felt terrible.
At some point Hakuyuu felt asleep.