Forgiving the Forgotten - 55 - Mother and Son
CHAPTER 55: MOTHER AND SON:
TAEEN’S POV:
I had a dreamless sleep. I woke up to the soft voice of Amenatsu’s mother and the deep voice of my lover.
"... She saw me in the state I was when I had gone to the glacier during my training...."
"Now... wasn’t that very reckless of you? You had absolutely no control over your powers back then, did you?"
"They are still out of control... I am still learning to control them."
The chair scrapped the floor as his mother stood and I heard the noise of a glass pan being lifted.
"Amenatsu... I’ll change the water, find the incense for colds and light them under the stool.... change the cloth again, she is a princess; treat her like one will you?"
There was a smile in her voice. Her footsteps faded. Amenatsu kissed me desperately. I tried to open my eyes but I couldn’t....
Amenatsu lifted a wet cloth from over my head and pushed my hair out of my eyes....
He was sitting so close to me. I felt my heartbeat quicken. There was blood pooling in my cheeks. I wanted it to not show but my reactions were exaggerated or something I didn’t understand.
"It’s alright Taeen... sleep for now darling... I’m here with you...."
There was a tightening in my chest, the inability to speak out was terrible. I clutched the sheets under me. There wasn’t enough power in my hand.
"Amenatsu! Let her rest... you are troubling her heart... let her rest!"
Amenatsu calmed down and placed a hand over my head. His other hand held my hand. It felt so warm. He was the man I loved. The one I would always love. I fell back into semi sleep.... I could hear mother and son talking.
"So you came to love a person after all.... I thought you were so full of anger you couldn’t feel anything else... it broke my heart to leave you that way.... I had no option."
Amon didn’t say anything. He placed a cold wet cloth over my forehead again.
"Mother, I realize the pressure you must have been under. I just wish father could accept me too...."
"You don’t..."
Amenatsu cut his mother short and said, "It’s a pain talking about that part of my life. I have a better life now. I’m a better person and I have someone I have to protect. So none of it matters to me anymore."
"I hope it’s the truth. How did you meet Ta?"
"She was sent to earth for protection from her step mother... by her brother. He was dying and he knew it. He met me soon after I was exiled...." there was a twitch of pain in his voice. I wanted to hold him and make him alright.
"Why do you call it exile?"
"I was banished... what else do you think I should call it? For Tatsu’s sake or rather father’s will I be forced to say I ran away?"
"I... I’m worthy of your anger but I plead with you to understand that your father loves you..."
"Mother... I will agree; he is my father after all. It is the tradition of the islands that I blame. A twin killed because multiple births are considered unlucky? There are more than ten sets of twins and triplets that I have personally seen on Jerome. They show me a childhood I could not have... there are two little boys, the sons of Taeen’s handmaid. I haven’t seen better brothers. I could have known Tatsu... could have been a brother to him... maybe father would have liked me then..."
"You dislike this island, don’t you?"
"I don’t have the right or the inclination to. This place was where I was born, this is what taught me that fate means nothing. Had it been in my fate to be part of Jerome royalty, or rather the head of it, father wouldn’t have sent me out. Jerome is something I will die to protect... of course it is second to Taeen, but still.... mother I’m eternally grateful to you for not poisoning me to death when you were supposed to.... I love you mother, so much that it is a physical pain to not see you for so long. I don’t miss anyone here other than you...."
His mother chuckled and said, "You don’t miss Hebi?"
My ears became alert....
"For what shall I miss her? I was probably infatuated with her. I would suffer in hell for all eternity if I could spend my life with Taeen. Mother... I... I bound my soul with hers...."
"What? You did what?"
"She slipped into a coma... her powers went out of control... I wanted to save her, and I didn’t know what I would do if she left me. So if she dies, I will wither with her. But if I die, my shadow will protect her."
"You... you made a single sided tie with her?"
Amon must have nodded. I didn’t hear him reply.
"You love her that bad?"
"She means everything to me... she taught me how to live with her, she never told me how to breathe without her. So...yes.... I love her, she is my wife."
"You said you have a son.... you look too young to be a father...."
"I’m not exactly going to look any other way ever. Yes I do have a son, but at this moment he is in a planet far away from here. I can meet him only after 13 years. Taeen, is spite of being the one who suffered more, supported me at my worst when we lost Dawn. He was very handsome even as a baby. You would have loved to see him... how about Tatsu?"
I heard his mother sigh and say, "Tatsu has trouble with his duties, he has less confidence than you... you look every inch a king, and Ta is a very beautiful queen... she knows how to handle what."
"She is my life... I wouldn’t know what to do without her."
"You both be good to each other. I will come with Tatsu tomorrow. Maybe you can convince him to marry a princess from some planet... it’s a headache convincing him...."
"Mother, have you thought that he might be in love with someone from this planet?"
"Could be... the daughter of the noble family from the North district often meets him during the royal balls. He seems happy with her. I thought they were just friends...."
"I will look into the matter. Don’t worry, I will help you get yourself a daughter in law...." Amon chuckled.
"I already have one.... and I really adore her. I admire her strength as a wife and as a queen."
"Thank you mother...." he yawned and changed the cloth again.
"I think you’d best take care of your wife, I will return to the palace. Try to join us for lunch tomorrow. You could talk with Tatsu.... may I ask you why you chose to tell the name Amon as your first on Jerome?"
"Amenatsu is for my family back on Jerome... for Taeen."
"Why do you call her Taeen?"
"She is my life force mother...."
"Yeah... that’s the hundredth time you’re telling me that tonight.... I must leave, my carriage must have arrived. The moon is beautiful tonight.... take care."
"Goodnight mother"
She kissed my forehead and with the soft tinkling of bangles, she left.
Amenatsu sat by my side again.
"You were listening weren’t you?"
"T..That was some... confession!"
I sneezed a few times.
"Do you want some of my life source? You’ll be alright in a few seconds?"
"Shut up! Don’t exploit your life force."
I felt sleepy again. Amenatsu yawned again and said softly, "Mind if I slip in with you?"
"Why would I?"
There was a subtle change in his mood as he tried to conceal his feelings. I turned to the other side. My head touched his lips.
"I’m here... you can talk to me...."
He nodded, his lips brushing over my forehead, it felt cool.
"I... I am not really sure of my anger... am I angry at my father or am I angry at myself... sometimes it becomes so difficult to understand, I feel hated. By myself. By my father. Why do I want to win his affections so much? Why? Taeen?"
I put my fingers in his long hair and said, "You’re angry at yourself for hating your father and your father is angry with himself for having to abandon you.... Do you really hate your father? He was the one who thought about your better interest..."
"Yeah... he was the one who decided I must go for training...."
"Because he wanted you to live, even when you were supposed to be killed here.... he wanted you to fashion your own destiny, it’s all in your hands. Don’t you see? He wanted you to survive on your own, at a time when he couldn’t be there to support you.... and as for your brother, well you know he didn’t know any better. He did what he was told."
"You’re right, I must thank father for his concern and care. Taeen..."
"Hmm?"
"What are we going to do about Zubia and Tatsu? I don’t want to get too involved."
Zubia was the daughter of a noble family on Tatsu island.
"We just tell Tatsu that he can go on with his attempts at proposing to her. He has to have a bride after all."
"Taeen, all queens here are princesses, she is a simple noble."
"Zubia is a girl in love with a man, who in turn is in love with her... does any other condition need to be fulfilled? I don’t think so."
"You’re strong, aren’t you?"
"I will be for both of us if you ever weaken; I know you’ll do the same for me."
His arms came around my waist and I could feel his heartbeats, in rhythm with mine.
"I love you."
"I love you too Amenatsu. Go to sleep before my mood changes and I kick you to the other side."
Minutes later I felt his cool breath on my neck and both of us, tired to the bone fell asleep under the beautiful moon.
TAEEN’S POV:
I had a dreamless sleep. I woke up to the soft voice of Amenatsu’s mother and the deep voice of my lover.
"... She saw me in the state I was when I had gone to the glacier during my training...."
"Now... wasn’t that very reckless of you? You had absolutely no control over your powers back then, did you?"
"They are still out of control... I am still learning to control them."
The chair scrapped the floor as his mother stood and I heard the noise of a glass pan being lifted.
"Amenatsu... I’ll change the water, find the incense for colds and light them under the stool.... change the cloth again, she is a princess; treat her like one will you?"
There was a smile in her voice. Her footsteps faded. Amenatsu kissed me desperately. I tried to open my eyes but I couldn’t....
Amenatsu lifted a wet cloth from over my head and pushed my hair out of my eyes....
He was sitting so close to me. I felt my heartbeat quicken. There was blood pooling in my cheeks. I wanted it to not show but my reactions were exaggerated or something I didn’t understand.
"It’s alright Taeen... sleep for now darling... I’m here with you...."
There was a tightening in my chest, the inability to speak out was terrible. I clutched the sheets under me. There wasn’t enough power in my hand.
"Amenatsu! Let her rest... you are troubling her heart... let her rest!"
Amenatsu calmed down and placed a hand over my head. His other hand held my hand. It felt so warm. He was the man I loved. The one I would always love. I fell back into semi sleep.... I could hear mother and son talking.
"So you came to love a person after all.... I thought you were so full of anger you couldn’t feel anything else... it broke my heart to leave you that way.... I had no option."
Amon didn’t say anything. He placed a cold wet cloth over my forehead again.
"Mother, I realize the pressure you must have been under. I just wish father could accept me too...."
"You don’t..."
Amenatsu cut his mother short and said, "It’s a pain talking about that part of my life. I have a better life now. I’m a better person and I have someone I have to protect. So none of it matters to me anymore."
"I hope it’s the truth. How did you meet Ta?"
"She was sent to earth for protection from her step mother... by her brother. He was dying and he knew it. He met me soon after I was exiled...." there was a twitch of pain in his voice. I wanted to hold him and make him alright.
"Why do you call it exile?"
"I was banished... what else do you think I should call it? For Tatsu’s sake or rather father’s will I be forced to say I ran away?"
"I... I’m worthy of your anger but I plead with you to understand that your father loves you..."
"Mother... I will agree; he is my father after all. It is the tradition of the islands that I blame. A twin killed because multiple births are considered unlucky? There are more than ten sets of twins and triplets that I have personally seen on Jerome. They show me a childhood I could not have... there are two little boys, the sons of Taeen’s handmaid. I haven’t seen better brothers. I could have known Tatsu... could have been a brother to him... maybe father would have liked me then..."
"You dislike this island, don’t you?"
"I don’t have the right or the inclination to. This place was where I was born, this is what taught me that fate means nothing. Had it been in my fate to be part of Jerome royalty, or rather the head of it, father wouldn’t have sent me out. Jerome is something I will die to protect... of course it is second to Taeen, but still.... mother I’m eternally grateful to you for not poisoning me to death when you were supposed to.... I love you mother, so much that it is a physical pain to not see you for so long. I don’t miss anyone here other than you...."
His mother chuckled and said, "You don’t miss Hebi?"
My ears became alert....
"For what shall I miss her? I was probably infatuated with her. I would suffer in hell for all eternity if I could spend my life with Taeen. Mother... I... I bound my soul with hers...."
"What? You did what?"
"She slipped into a coma... her powers went out of control... I wanted to save her, and I didn’t know what I would do if she left me. So if she dies, I will wither with her. But if I die, my shadow will protect her."
"You... you made a single sided tie with her?"
Amon must have nodded. I didn’t hear him reply.
"You love her that bad?"
"She means everything to me... she taught me how to live with her, she never told me how to breathe without her. So...yes.... I love her, she is my wife."
"You said you have a son.... you look too young to be a father...."
"I’m not exactly going to look any other way ever. Yes I do have a son, but at this moment he is in a planet far away from here. I can meet him only after 13 years. Taeen, is spite of being the one who suffered more, supported me at my worst when we lost Dawn. He was very handsome even as a baby. You would have loved to see him... how about Tatsu?"
I heard his mother sigh and say, "Tatsu has trouble with his duties, he has less confidence than you... you look every inch a king, and Ta is a very beautiful queen... she knows how to handle what."
"She is my life... I wouldn’t know what to do without her."
"You both be good to each other. I will come with Tatsu tomorrow. Maybe you can convince him to marry a princess from some planet... it’s a headache convincing him...."
"Mother, have you thought that he might be in love with someone from this planet?"
"Could be... the daughter of the noble family from the North district often meets him during the royal balls. He seems happy with her. I thought they were just friends...."
"I will look into the matter. Don’t worry, I will help you get yourself a daughter in law...." Amon chuckled.
"I already have one.... and I really adore her. I admire her strength as a wife and as a queen."
"Thank you mother...." he yawned and changed the cloth again.
"I think you’d best take care of your wife, I will return to the palace. Try to join us for lunch tomorrow. You could talk with Tatsu.... may I ask you why you chose to tell the name Amon as your first on Jerome?"
"Amenatsu is for my family back on Jerome... for Taeen."
"Why do you call her Taeen?"
"She is my life force mother...."
"Yeah... that’s the hundredth time you’re telling me that tonight.... I must leave, my carriage must have arrived. The moon is beautiful tonight.... take care."
"Goodnight mother"
She kissed my forehead and with the soft tinkling of bangles, she left.
Amenatsu sat by my side again.
"You were listening weren’t you?"
"T..That was some... confession!"
I sneezed a few times.
"Do you want some of my life source? You’ll be alright in a few seconds?"
"Shut up! Don’t exploit your life force."
I felt sleepy again. Amenatsu yawned again and said softly, "Mind if I slip in with you?"
"Why would I?"
There was a subtle change in his mood as he tried to conceal his feelings. I turned to the other side. My head touched his lips.
"I’m here... you can talk to me...."
He nodded, his lips brushing over my forehead, it felt cool.
"I... I am not really sure of my anger... am I angry at my father or am I angry at myself... sometimes it becomes so difficult to understand, I feel hated. By myself. By my father. Why do I want to win his affections so much? Why? Taeen?"
I put my fingers in his long hair and said, "You’re angry at yourself for hating your father and your father is angry with himself for having to abandon you.... Do you really hate your father? He was the one who thought about your better interest..."
"Yeah... he was the one who decided I must go for training...."
"Because he wanted you to live, even when you were supposed to be killed here.... he wanted you to fashion your own destiny, it’s all in your hands. Don’t you see? He wanted you to survive on your own, at a time when he couldn’t be there to support you.... and as for your brother, well you know he didn’t know any better. He did what he was told."
"You’re right, I must thank father for his concern and care. Taeen..."
"Hmm?"
"What are we going to do about Zubia and Tatsu? I don’t want to get too involved."
Zubia was the daughter of a noble family on Tatsu island.
"We just tell Tatsu that he can go on with his attempts at proposing to her. He has to have a bride after all."
"Taeen, all queens here are princesses, she is a simple noble."
"Zubia is a girl in love with a man, who in turn is in love with her... does any other condition need to be fulfilled? I don’t think so."
"You’re strong, aren’t you?"
"I will be for both of us if you ever weaken; I know you’ll do the same for me."
His arms came around my waist and I could feel his heartbeats, in rhythm with mine.
"I love you."
"I love you too Amenatsu. Go to sleep before my mood changes and I kick you to the other side."
Minutes later I felt his cool breath on my neck and both of us, tired to the bone fell asleep under the beautiful moon.
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