Forgiving the Forgotten - 56 - Decisions and Denial
CHAPTER 56: DECISIONS AND DENIAL:
AMENATSU'S POV:
In the morning of the next day, I showed Taeen all the beautiful places around. I asked permission to visit Zubia, the daughter of the noble who was Tatsu's friend.
They were rather happy to receive the royals of Jerome.
"Actually I wanted to show my wife the houses on this planet... we are redecorating the palace and we heard from king Tatsu that your daughter is an interior decorator.... indeed, your home is proof of that...."
I heard in the father's mind, 'The king? That is something good....'
Taeen played along, "Zubia, if you wouldn't mind, will you please show me around your house, I would love to talk to you about the arrangements in my home."
She was more than happy to lead Taeen away. I chatted with the parents, hinting in between that Tatsu was very impressed with their daughter's expertise in her field. I had informed Tatsu in a letter sent this morning, he had humbly thanked me. He said he didn't know how to proceed because he was afraid of father.
I had literally rubbed my hands together in anticipation of gaining his trust.
So here I was, as Tatsu's closest friend, with my emotion reading wife who would try to find out Zubia's feelings about Tatsu.
An hour later, we left their house with Zubia requesting Taeen to stay in touch. The secret glint in both girls' eyes told me that they had done some serious talking.
Once we were headed for lunch to my parent's palace with Tatsu impatiently waiting, I asked Taeen how it went.
"She is totally in love with your brother... but she is becoming desperate because her parents have asked her to choose a husband, since she's a noble, she gets the choice, but she can't actually say she has chosen the king, can she?"
"Well... she can agree if the king himself approaches her and asks her hand in marriage...."
She shook her head and smiled at me, "Playing match maker aren't we?"
"No, seriously talking, I want to gain Tatsu's trust, as a brother, and as a king forging alliance with this planet."
"Yeah right your highness!"
She nodded approvingly.
Taeen was a very receptive person when it came to my mother. My mother was engrossed in talking with her. Both of them didn't realize the awkward silence that settled among father, brother and me.
Trying to break the ice like I generally did in inter- galactic parties I said cheerfully, "So, your highness, how do you find your friends here?"
Tatsu looked straight at me, his eyes held a sarcastic glint, anger or suffering, I didn't know.
"What friends are you talking about? Friends who call me your highness, king on my face and weak and pitiable behind my back?"
"Tatsu... I mean your highness"
"I'm your brother, you can call me Tatsu you know, nobody ever uses my name, as if I never had one."
"Tatsu? Would you like to go to the gardens there is something I want to tell you...."
Our father was glaring at Tatsu. The ladies didn't care.
Tatsu stood up and walked away from the table without saying a word.
From a distance he said calmly, "This way brother...."
"Father, if you'll excuse me."
He nodded and sighed. He had aged a lot since the years I had been gone.
Mother and Taeen nodded nonchalantly. Taeen's voice hung in my head- 'Take care. Handle things properly, don't rage.'
The garden outside was beautiful it reminded me of the days when I used to play with the other princes from the other planets.
We sat on cushions laid by the lake. Tatsu pulled out the clip that held his hair together. His hair reached his ankles.
"I... I hate having my hair braided... and I hate having to be scolded by father every time I try talking to him about her."
"Her?"
"Zu... Zubia."
I felt sympathy for Tatsu, had I been in his place, perhaps I could have strived more confidently.
"Tatsu, we visited Zubia's house yesterday, Taeen figured out that she really loves you... do you love her?"
It was awkward asking him these questions, talking to him as a fellow king when both of us knew the reality, cruel and harsh. Had we both been different people, we could have hated each other. I didn't feel like hating him, he was very naive and needed help from someone who was not his commanding, strict father.
"I... yes of course I love her, but she is not a princess, father said my bride should be a princess, so we can have a happy life together. That it's my happiness that matters. How will I be happy when it is someone who is not Zubia?"
"If I may, how did you both find each other?"
"I ran away from home a year back."
I looked at him, surprised.
"You also ran away! So I thought it was alright to run away..."
"Wait... wait Tatsu! Who in freaking hell told you I ran away?"
"Everybody who knew you were alive!"
"Tatsu... I was EXILED! I was sent away with my belongings! I was kicked out of this system because it was unlucky for a black dragon to live... I can't believe they told you I ran away! Why would I? I trained all those years as a prince, knowing I would never be king! Knowing all my certificates were for my brother! Knowing I was not getting any credit for all those injuries and all those days spent starving in a broken shelter. Tatsu! No... I would never run away! Not from anything.... I do not run away."
"Then why do you assert it so strongly as if you're scared of running away from yourself?" the wicked glint was back.
"You find my eyes wicked, Amon? Yours are rather cold black when you convert...."
I stared at Tatsu... his eyes were not violet, they were silver.
It was beautiful. I smiled and said, "And so I finally get to meet the white dragon... nice to see you."
"Same here... this power, it makes me stronger, after finding out that I had such a beautiful power hidden in me, I ran away from father, home. And walking miles and miles I landed in an inn, penniless with only my crest as proof that I was king. I realized that I wouldn't want the people to know their king was so weak. So I decided to return. Zubia was traveling from the Eastern provinces and helped me reach the palace, without knowing I was king. After that day, my heart was never with me. I found her again at a party, luckily for me she recognized me and we became acquaintances. And now... I feel I have lost my happiness. Father doesn't even want to meet her."
Tatsu seemed sad. I sighed and said, "She wouldn't have a problem marrying into a royal family. Will you have trouble accepting her from the noble family?"
"It's not me who has the problem, it's father."
I repeated the words Taeen had told me last night, "You're a man in love with a girl who in turn is in love with you. Nothing else is needed. Go ahead. Tell father that it's alright if your wife takes time learning the royal ways as long as you're with her, you'll help her manage. Tell him that it is what happiness would mean to you."
"Me? I... to go against father? To actually ask him to allow?"
"Not going against, just informing him. Otherwise... it is your wish, after all you are king...."
He thought for a while and said softly a few moments later, "I think I will ask father to discreetly allow me to visit Zubia's family and ask for her hand in marriage.... I think I can take decisions on my own... I think I want this decision to be mine and mine alone."
"I don't think, I just know it."
Two days later I saw Tatsu at the reception of Royal Dragon, early in the morning. He was in quite a hurry. He asked for me and was allowed to come up to our suite.
Taeen was still asleep. I pulled on a robe, tucked the blanket more cozily around Taeen and padded across the room to receive Tatsu without him having to ring the bell and wake my wife up.
The first sentence he said knocked me back with exasperation.
"Amenatsu! Father did not accept Zubia when I went with her to meet him!"
I smacked my head and pulled him into the decorated and heavily curtained main hall.
AMENATSU'S POV:
In the morning of the next day, I showed Taeen all the beautiful places around. I asked permission to visit Zubia, the daughter of the noble who was Tatsu's friend.
They were rather happy to receive the royals of Jerome.
"Actually I wanted to show my wife the houses on this planet... we are redecorating the palace and we heard from king Tatsu that your daughter is an interior decorator.... indeed, your home is proof of that...."
I heard in the father's mind, 'The king? That is something good....'
Taeen played along, "Zubia, if you wouldn't mind, will you please show me around your house, I would love to talk to you about the arrangements in my home."
She was more than happy to lead Taeen away. I chatted with the parents, hinting in between that Tatsu was very impressed with their daughter's expertise in her field. I had informed Tatsu in a letter sent this morning, he had humbly thanked me. He said he didn't know how to proceed because he was afraid of father.
I had literally rubbed my hands together in anticipation of gaining his trust.
So here I was, as Tatsu's closest friend, with my emotion reading wife who would try to find out Zubia's feelings about Tatsu.
An hour later, we left their house with Zubia requesting Taeen to stay in touch. The secret glint in both girls' eyes told me that they had done some serious talking.
Once we were headed for lunch to my parent's palace with Tatsu impatiently waiting, I asked Taeen how it went.
"She is totally in love with your brother... but she is becoming desperate because her parents have asked her to choose a husband, since she's a noble, she gets the choice, but she can't actually say she has chosen the king, can she?"
"Well... she can agree if the king himself approaches her and asks her hand in marriage...."
She shook her head and smiled at me, "Playing match maker aren't we?"
"No, seriously talking, I want to gain Tatsu's trust, as a brother, and as a king forging alliance with this planet."
"Yeah right your highness!"
She nodded approvingly.
Taeen was a very receptive person when it came to my mother. My mother was engrossed in talking with her. Both of them didn't realize the awkward silence that settled among father, brother and me.
Trying to break the ice like I generally did in inter- galactic parties I said cheerfully, "So, your highness, how do you find your friends here?"
Tatsu looked straight at me, his eyes held a sarcastic glint, anger or suffering, I didn't know.
"What friends are you talking about? Friends who call me your highness, king on my face and weak and pitiable behind my back?"
"Tatsu... I mean your highness"
"I'm your brother, you can call me Tatsu you know, nobody ever uses my name, as if I never had one."
"Tatsu? Would you like to go to the gardens there is something I want to tell you...."
Our father was glaring at Tatsu. The ladies didn't care.
Tatsu stood up and walked away from the table without saying a word.
From a distance he said calmly, "This way brother...."
"Father, if you'll excuse me."
He nodded and sighed. He had aged a lot since the years I had been gone.
Mother and Taeen nodded nonchalantly. Taeen's voice hung in my head- 'Take care. Handle things properly, don't rage.'
The garden outside was beautiful it reminded me of the days when I used to play with the other princes from the other planets.
We sat on cushions laid by the lake. Tatsu pulled out the clip that held his hair together. His hair reached his ankles.
"I... I hate having my hair braided... and I hate having to be scolded by father every time I try talking to him about her."
"Her?"
"Zu... Zubia."
I felt sympathy for Tatsu, had I been in his place, perhaps I could have strived more confidently.
"Tatsu, we visited Zubia's house yesterday, Taeen figured out that she really loves you... do you love her?"
It was awkward asking him these questions, talking to him as a fellow king when both of us knew the reality, cruel and harsh. Had we both been different people, we could have hated each other. I didn't feel like hating him, he was very naive and needed help from someone who was not his commanding, strict father.
"I... yes of course I love her, but she is not a princess, father said my bride should be a princess, so we can have a happy life together. That it's my happiness that matters. How will I be happy when it is someone who is not Zubia?"
"If I may, how did you both find each other?"
"I ran away from home a year back."
I looked at him, surprised.
"You also ran away! So I thought it was alright to run away..."
"Wait... wait Tatsu! Who in freaking hell told you I ran away?"
"Everybody who knew you were alive!"
"Tatsu... I was EXILED! I was sent away with my belongings! I was kicked out of this system because it was unlucky for a black dragon to live... I can't believe they told you I ran away! Why would I? I trained all those years as a prince, knowing I would never be king! Knowing all my certificates were for my brother! Knowing I was not getting any credit for all those injuries and all those days spent starving in a broken shelter. Tatsu! No... I would never run away! Not from anything.... I do not run away."
"Then why do you assert it so strongly as if you're scared of running away from yourself?" the wicked glint was back.
"You find my eyes wicked, Amon? Yours are rather cold black when you convert...."
I stared at Tatsu... his eyes were not violet, they were silver.
It was beautiful. I smiled and said, "And so I finally get to meet the white dragon... nice to see you."
"Same here... this power, it makes me stronger, after finding out that I had such a beautiful power hidden in me, I ran away from father, home. And walking miles and miles I landed in an inn, penniless with only my crest as proof that I was king. I realized that I wouldn't want the people to know their king was so weak. So I decided to return. Zubia was traveling from the Eastern provinces and helped me reach the palace, without knowing I was king. After that day, my heart was never with me. I found her again at a party, luckily for me she recognized me and we became acquaintances. And now... I feel I have lost my happiness. Father doesn't even want to meet her."
Tatsu seemed sad. I sighed and said, "She wouldn't have a problem marrying into a royal family. Will you have trouble accepting her from the noble family?"
"It's not me who has the problem, it's father."
I repeated the words Taeen had told me last night, "You're a man in love with a girl who in turn is in love with you. Nothing else is needed. Go ahead. Tell father that it's alright if your wife takes time learning the royal ways as long as you're with her, you'll help her manage. Tell him that it is what happiness would mean to you."
"Me? I... to go against father? To actually ask him to allow?"
"Not going against, just informing him. Otherwise... it is your wish, after all you are king...."
He thought for a while and said softly a few moments later, "I think I will ask father to discreetly allow me to visit Zubia's family and ask for her hand in marriage.... I think I can take decisions on my own... I think I want this decision to be mine and mine alone."
"I don't think, I just know it."
Two days later I saw Tatsu at the reception of Royal Dragon, early in the morning. He was in quite a hurry. He asked for me and was allowed to come up to our suite.
Taeen was still asleep. I pulled on a robe, tucked the blanket more cozily around Taeen and padded across the room to receive Tatsu without him having to ring the bell and wake my wife up.
The first sentence he said knocked me back with exasperation.
"Amenatsu! Father did not accept Zubia when I went with her to meet him!"
I smacked my head and pulled him into the decorated and heavily curtained main hall.
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