Author's Notes: Hello, everyone! Just to note, this chapter is still in the "past" mode, thus continuing from the time of the end of the last chapter. And as a warning, this particular chapter is really simply helping to set the stage for future ones during the rest of the story. I'm aware that it may be boring, but it's really a necessary step for the progression of the plot. Now with that said and done, I hope you enjoy:)
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"Do you love her?"
Intrinsically, it was a simple question. Do – You – Love – Her? Four simple monosyllabic words, coupled with a question mark at its end, merely required either a "yes" or "no" to supply a sufficient answer. Yet it was precisely this question he found himself wracking his brain over nearly every day. It wasn't pleasant, with the ability of inciting visibly physical pain at the first signs of its mental recollection. And if he was ever so unlucky as to be visited by the menace—because that's what it was, a terrible, unrelenting menace—at night, just before the sweet embraces of sleep could catch him, he would lay wide awake, tossing and turning the Unanswerable over and over in his mind, trying to see it in a new perspective, a new light.
But he never could. It was, after all, a simple, straightforward question.
"Do you love her?"
It was a question that Kohza loathed to ask.
The air was hot, sticky, and humid—the perfect kind of weather to make enjoying the day impossible. Kohza sat with his clothes clinging uncomfortably onto his body and a ribbon of sweat glistening along his hairline, watching as the small portable fan on his desk desperately tried to create a cool waft but only succeeded in pushing tepid air across the cramped room. Oh, it was detestable weather today in Yuba, but quite frankly, he was used to it. He was used to the detestable—it had clung to his back all his life.
The ex-rebel leader mumbled something of dissatisfactory tone under his breath and began hunting around his unkempt desk for a letter which he had received just two days earlier.
Two years had passed since civil discord had come dangerously close to completely collapsing the stability of a nation, of Arabasta. Two years since life-bringing rain had been returned to renew the hope of the parched and dying country.
It was hard to believe that only two years ago he had reaffirmed his allegiance to the king and made it his ambition to help restore his homeland to its antebellum glory. To resurrect Yuba from beneath the desert sands, and watch the oasis flourish once again.
He lived for that dream.
After some scouring, Kohza finally found the letter that was hidden within the mounds of paper and rubbish. Why he wanted to read something that only brought him displeasure, he didn't know. He was irritated, and most likely wanted something to justify his irritation. It read:
"Dear Sir,
There has been an unfortunate setback. The vessel carrying your shipment of timber was unexpectedly caught in a storm yesterday evening and crashed on the shores of your continent that very night. More than half of the cargo is lost, but the remainder of it will be taken to your city within the next few days. I am forwarding you this letter now to warn you of the undoubted delay so do not be alarmed. We are doing the best we can; your shipment is in the best of hands… etc. etc."
This was not news Kohza liked to receive, but—like the weather—it was the kind of news he was getting quite used to. Delays! Delays! There seemed to be nothing but delays and setbacks for these past few months. If it wasn't the timber, it was the metal. If it wasn't the metal, it was the food supplies. If it wasn't…
Just then, the door swung violently open and a genial, old man strode into the tiny, suffocating room waving a letter in his hand.
"Kohza, you'll be so excited to learn! Look—a letter!" the old man's eyes glimmered with overflowing happiness. He quickly handed the paper to Kohza—who had barely even flinched upon the old man's entry—and waited in anticipation for the boy to complete the reading, but realizing he couldn't wait that long, burst out emphatically once more, "It's from the palace!"
And so it was, Kohza mentally noted—and from the princess, at that (he distinguished this by the letter's very first word, because by now, he could recognize her elegant cursive handwriting anywhere). It appeared that she was inviting him to a gala that would be taking place a few days from now in the palace in honor of the king's "special guests."
Would he be able to come?
Kohza's mouth suddenly grew very dry and a choking lump formed in his throat because he couldn't swallow. All the while his mind was swimming.
"So will you be going to see Vivi-chan?" Toto inquired warmly, always fond of witnessing his son's long childhood friendship with the princess in play and alive. As for the man himself, two years had indeed served him well as could be seen by the second chin peeking from under the first and the flab beginning to fill the emptiness that once was his inverted belly.
Kohza looked at the old man sharply, "You've been reading my mail?" Of course he knew very well that Toto read his mail (at least, the ones that had the appearance of looking important).
The old man grew a touch angered, indicated by the slight twitching of his grey whiskers from side to side, "What do you mean? As your father, it's my right to read your mail!"—a slight pause—"So what is it? What's your answer? The deliverer needs a response—"
Kohza leaned slowly back into his chair with his eyes half shut, his entire mien suddenly grew very sullen as he replied, "I can't. There's a shipment of timber arriving here in a couple days. I'll need to be here when it comes."
But of course Toto wouldn't allow it. His whiskers twitched, but this time more good-naturedly, "What a terrible son I have sometimes! What am I, then? A stump? Kohza, you know I'll take care of the shipment, you go visit Vivi-chan."
Kohza could have summoned a handful of more acceptable excuses to use, but he already knew it to be futile. He grunted, "All right—I'll go."
Upon hearing these words, the old man's face immediately brightened, like the sun breaking through a fortress of cloud. "Very good! Very good. Let me just tell the messenger—"
And with a merry step, Toto strode out of the room almost as quickly as he came. The door creaked shut behind him and Kohza was once again alone.
He sat there, listening to the dull drone of the useless fan, vaguely wondering how in the world his father could be so lively on a day such as this.
But in the back of his mind, something was tugging at his attention. He knew exactly what it was. By now, he knew it far to well.
"Do you love her?" the thought flashed and Kohza immediately winced.
He was going to the palace...
Because
His eyes became like two orbs, seeing, as if, for the very first time.
it really was a simple, stupid question.
Kohza slammed his hands on his desk, shooting a cloud of papers and dust to fly across, all around.
He knew the answer.
He had known it all along.
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Author's Note: Sigh, sigh, sigh…. And if you are reading this right now, I commend you. And I'm positively sorry for the utter… blah-ness (couldn't find a better word to describe it)… of the plot. Now, I promise, promise, prooomise things will pick up (or so I hope)… Oh well, you will have to be my judge on that :)
But sincerely, thank you for everyone who has reviewed and stayed with this fic this long. (I greatly, greatly appreciate it. Thank you…) As long as I can pique one person's interest and know that they enjoyed my writing/plot, I think that's a good enough reason to continue this story, don't you? (eheh heh, on second thought, don't answer that --;)
Comments, questions, and constructive criticism are always welcome! Thank you, and have a wonderful President's Day (that hopefully earned you a day off :) ) !