Chapter 41: Chapter 41

The day four weeks ago still stays on repeat in my head. I have sat in his room since surrounded by all his things. In the evenings I sit in the sitting room and replay our conversations by the fire. I have cried at the pain I feel all this time. My boy is gone, and I have no one to blame for him leaving but myself. I have not spoken to anyone since that day. I live in the memories of my son.

That day when Draco pushed me away after he found out the truth I had remained seated in my pride. I was hurt that he would speak to me, the woman who birthed him, in such a way. Normally, when he is hurt he runs to his tree to have some time to himself. I thought that he would go there to think and to get over what he had heard. As his ma I should have known that this time would be different. I had dismissed my lady maid as soon as Draco left the room so I could have time to think to myself.

For a few moments I felt guilty at what I had done. That feeling was however fleeting and I soon rose to anger that my boy did not see what I had done for him. As I pondered all the steps I had taken to ensure his future I also thought about the reasons I did it. When I was a young girl the people in my village had always looked up to my family. We all had powers that helped our village thrive while they lived from the gifts we brought to the world.

My father used my three sisters, brother, and I to fill his pockets with coin. When he was offered money for my hand he showed the true love he carried for his children in his heart. There was none. We were only a way for him to keep his lifestyle. He believed that since his five children were born with powers then someday his grandchildren would also have power. The day I was given to Draco’s father my siblings also left our home so he could no longer use us. Together as siblings we vowed to never bring children into this world, so that their life would not be as ours.

I however, loved Draco’s father. Through the bond I have with my family still I feel that I was the only one to break that vow. All these years I have watched to see if Draco would have powers. Though none have ever shown, I made the decision long ago about who he would take for his bride. I believe that since my parents had a union of love, which is what brought our powers just as my mother’s family had. I needed to assess this theory so I made sure Draco would not marry for love. From my experience love has the power to create so much.

As I think about all the decisions I made, I know that I am crying once more as I sit by this fire. I just could not bear the thought of someone using my grandchildren the way I was used because of my powers. I was lucky that at the time of his conception I did not grow to love his father yet. Not that it matters now that he is gone. My boy is gone forever. In his last moments I was not there because of my pride and trickery.

When I left my rooms that day I went to Draco’s room expecting him to be readying for the ceremony. When I found it empty I asked the servants for his location. There were none who could tell me where he went. They could only tell me that he had on horseback. I began to panic at the thought that he would run to his father to tell him what I had done. As I rushed down the stairs to find my love I ran to his office where I expected him to be. I found him at his desk sipping the wine he kept in his decanter. He was already dressed in his ceremonial robes for the ceremony. When he saw my frantic expression he rose from his seat and came to join his hands with mine.

“Is everything all right?” he asked

“No, my love. I have truly made a mess of things as of late. I feel that now I am paying for my machinations and now Draco has left” I said.

“Left, what do you mean he left? Where has he gone?” he questions me.

“I do not know. He is upset at what I have done. When he yelled at me earlier he said he was leaving to be with the girl, the paddy field worker. Everyone is arriving and expecting a marriage ceremony and he is not here to participate. I know that he will not return for it. We need to dismiss the guest and go after him. We cannot lose him Santo. We have to get him” the words spill from my mouth in a non-stop torrent.

“We will get him back love. I will have servants ready the horses……. wait a moment. You said our son yelled. Why would he yell” he ask.

As I stay silent not wanting to tell him what I have done. I run my hands along the sides of my robe in nervousness. His wrath is not what I need at the moment, but I know I must face what I have done. I take a deep breath to speak but before I do he stops me with a hand.

“You have always been good at playing games. If this is another scheme you have wrought upon us you will face consequences. Now tell me what you have done to the boy” he demands.

“I had no intentions of hurting Draco. I did what I did so that he would have a good future and union. He would have been happy at the choices I made later in life” I begin.

“What did you do?” Santo San yells.

“I made a deal with Xiyi. I offered him a vast amount of coin to make sure his daughter married Draco. He wrote us about ten days ago deciding to cancel the arrangement. I could not let that happen so I made sure to make him an offer he could not refuse. We made a deal that no matter what Draco or you did he would go through with the arrangement. Only then would he receive the coin I offered” I sobbed.

Santo-San has gone red at my truth. He has thrust me away from him before I could finish and now paces his study. I cry as I try to reach out to him, and he shrugs me off. “If had of married that paddy field worker he would never thrive the way he needs. His children would live the same life I had as a girl. He would have been able to understand someday” I cried out. He whirls at my words and grabs my hand tightly in his own.

“Draco is in love with the girl. He was finally happy and looking forward to the future instead of just going through the motion. You expect me to agree with what you did. After everything we have been through you would deny him love. You betrayed me and went behind my back to do it” he rages in my face. I bow my head to his anger as he grasps my hand.

“Look at me! In this moment we will be leaving to get our son back. We will give him our blessing to marry the girl of his choosing. Even if it is the paddy field worker Io. You will accept the union on this day. Once it is done you will be suspended until a time of my choosing from my presence. You have played enough games and should not have played this game with my er zi! Do you understand me?” he roars.

“Yes” I say dropping to the floor as he releases his grip. He rushes to the door and yells as the servant standing there.

“Ready the carriage at once. Four guard will accompany us on our journey” he says “You must summon Huli to my study at once” he finishes reclosing the door.

“Santo- San please….” I begin.

“Quiet, I don’t want to hear what you have to say right now. Go and clean yourself up at once. Our journey will begin shortly” he says dismissing me.

I rush to the bathing room and clean my face at once. As I dry my tears I know I must not tally too long to anger him further. When I return to his study he is standing in wait for my return with Huli. I wish to plead my case once more. However, this is the strongest consequence my love has given me and if I were to anger him in front of someone; there is no telling what he would come up with next.

I walk behind him as we exit as Huli follows. Santo-San steps into the carriage first. When I enter behind him he gestures for me to sit across from him with Huli. My eyes water that he is dismissing me like this. I have always been at his side when we travel. Huli shouts directions to the carriage driver for where we are heading. The scenery passes in a blur at our hurry. My mind is thinking of ways to manage the consequences instead of taking in the view.

We arrived at a hut in the nearby paddy village. The air was quiet around us. Exiting the carriage, we took in the rough dirt ridden terrain with a grimace. In front of the carriage the footmen cleared his throat. When we turned toward him he gestures to a horse that was grazing the grass next to a sapling that looked recently planted. He held up the reigns of the horse for us to see and I relaxed at seeing our house emblem. My Draco was here.

Santo-San turned to head toward the door gesturing for Huli to stay back near the carriage. I followed him in the direction of the door to the hut but stayed a few feet behind as he knocked. For a tense moment there was no answer. He lifted to knock again when an elderly man opened the door. When he saw my masters face he jerked nervously and immediately bowed.

“Rise, I have no times for pleasantry. What are you called?” he commanded to know.

“I am Homura. To what do I owe the honor of your presence today general?” the man asked boldly meeting masters eyes.

Gesturing to the horse before he spoke he said “That is the horse of my house that my er zi rode here this day. Tell him to come out at once” he commanded.

The elderly man straightened the lapels of his worn white shirt in nervousness at the request. Looking away from my masters’ eyes he took in the rest of us standing on his land. “I can not tell him to come at once sir” something no my masters face made him jerk back as he started. “He is not here you see. He has taken a walk with my daughter Io to discuss something of a personal nature.”

“Where would they go?” Santo-San demanded to know.

“They walked in the direction of the paddy fields. If they are not seen there then they would go to the cave” he informed him quickly.

“Come. You will lead the way” master said spinning on his heal. The elderly man turned into the hut for a brief moment and then begun to walk in the direction he pointed us.

“The wagon will be faster” I rushed to inform him. Master quickly turned toward me giving a look to say he did not warrant me to speak. I cast my eyes down and headed back to the carriage.

“Your carriage can only take us over the ridge. The paddy fields are filled with water as it is almost harvest time. Your horses and wheels will be unable to travel through without ruining our livelihood” he stated with a pause in his walking.

With that, we all abandoned the carriage and began walking. As we walked I was glad for the presence of the four guards who accompanied us through the night. We are out of our comfort zone entirely and who knows what happens in this lesser village. When we reached the fields of water we all took in the shapes on the horizon to see if they could be seen. When Homura continued passed them I knew that they were not. My feet were beginning to ache as we walked the distance. At first I wished that I had stayed back in the carriage, but I pushed on because I needed to talk to Draco.

I know I must begin to make apologies and amends immediately. Perhaps if I could get Draco to forgive after giving him and the girl my blessing, he would speak to me again. I know that once things between us are mended that master will come back to me. I hope it is soon as I do not want to face the consequence of being denied his presence. The terrain we are on starts to incline. Raising my head, I see that we walk up the small slope of a nearby mountain. In my heart I hope that we find Draco soon. I am not sure how much more my feet can take.