Dream 10: Guilt

The Brat Got A Surprisingly Dark Past

…

Mahi’s father didn't say for a while that Mahi thought his father would be mad. So, he was surprised when his father suddenly laughed.

"That's my son!" the king said and tapped his back as he gave him the rope of the horse. "You will be a fine king." He whispered.

Mahi gasped as his eyes widened in shock.

"Go and pursue your life. Your mother and I will be here, waiting for you." His father told him and tapped his back before he walked away.

"I promise..." Mahi said.

His father stopped walking.

Mahi turned to him. "I swear I will protect this kingdom and will be its fine king!" he told him as he looked at his back.

His tears fell when his father turned and smiled – a smile of joy as he waved and went back inside the castle. Mahi didn't know that it would be the last time that he would see his parents.

"Your Highness, happy birthday!" the people greeted as his horse passed them by.

"Yes, thank you!" Mahi answered and the horse galloped away.

"Live well, our prince!” They cheered.

"Huh?" Mahi muttered and turned when he heard one of them say. His eyes went wide and he was thrown away when there was a big explosion from the castle and it reached the city. "Ugh!" he grunted in pain when his body flew away because of the impact and was thrown on the river below the bridge. "Ack!" he cried when his head hit the rock.

He lost consciousness.

"When I regained consciousness, everybody in the kingdom died." Mahi continued. "They actually knew what would happen when the royal family sent a secret letter to each of them. And those that were left that are still alive – " he said and took a deep breath to calm himself and balled his fists.

"I am... thankful... the prince will live on... for the sake of all of us – " he remembered one of the citizens said before Yuria's guards killed them all. He closed my eyes tight to not cry. He was just there, hiding, while I watched them all get killed. He thought as he gritted his teeth in anguish. I'll definitely make her pay! He thought, referring to Yuria.

Hail and Blue looked at each other when they saw Mahi grit his teeth. An expression of extreme fury is on his face.

"So – " Hail spoke to get his attention.

Blue looked at him and secretly smiled as he mouthed 'thank you'.

" – when you got back from an errand your parents told you, you saw your family and the other people all die?" Hail asked.

"Yes." Mahi answered as he suppressed his anger. 

An extreme control for his extreme anger. Hail thought and sighed. "So – " he spoke and looked at Mahi. " – how did you know that it was Yuria?" he asked.

"The secret letter." Mahi answered and looked away as he took deep breaths to calm himself.

"Huh...?" He muttered and looked at the wide plain before them.

There are houses afar and all the lights were lit.

"What did the letter say?" Hail asked.

"'We deeply apologize, but something bad will happen on the prince's birthday tomorrow night.'" Mahi answered as his eyes were covered in pain and guilt. 

But most of all – Hail thought when he saw a tear fall from Mahi’s eye. – his eyes were mostly covered in grief and extreme pain.

"’You are free to leave the kingdom and we won't bear you any ill will. Again, we deeply apologize for all this.', was what the letter said." Mahi finished. "But – " he said and balled his fists. " – they all stayed in the kingdom." He said, mad.

"So..." Hail muttered.

They looked at him. "... you also blame the prince?" he asked. “Everyone stayed in the kingdom for him.” he said.

Their eyes went wide. "Hail – " Blue whispered, warning him to not continue. They could guess what Mahi's real identity is by looking at the guilt that can be seen on his face.

Hail ignored him. "You are mad at the South Kingdom's prince... is that right?" he asked and looked at Mahi straight in the eyes.

"I – " Mahi spoke and looked away. "I am not – " he answered.

He does. Hail thought. "Really?" he asked and looked at the wide plain.

"Yes." Mahi answered, though he looked like he was convincing himself more than convincing them. "They all stayed behind on their will, so – " he muttered.

"Yeah, yeah. I got it." Hail cut him off and waved his hand. He looked like he was not interested in listening to anything more. "So could you drive now and find us an inn?" he asked and frowned at him. "Your story made me hungry.” He added.

Mahi gritted his teeth in anger and glared at him. "Which idiot would get hungry just by listening to a story?" he asked, then looked at him with a blank gaze after he finally calmed himself. "Ah, you are." He said and took the rope of the horse.

"Brat. I'll let you go for today.” Hail muttered and frowned as he looked at the houses afar.

"Hail." Blue called. "Thanks about that." He told him and smiled.

"What for?" Hail asked. He chuckled. "Hmph. Just for today." He said and watched the view.

Just for today, I will let him slide since we know he is still blaming himself – the prince of the South Kingdom. Hail thought and the frown on his lips disappeared, and was replaced by an indifferent expression on his face.

"Here we are." Mahi spoke. His voice interrupted Hail’s thought.

The vehicle stopped in front of an inn.

Hail and Blue turned. "Ooh!" they exclaimed as they looked at the big inn. They were looking in the other direction so they didn't see the inn on the other side of the road.

Mahi sighed as he went down the horse. Blue disguised himself as a human and Hail helped him get down from the back of the vehicle. "Thanks – " he told me and smiled.

Hail nodded.

"You two..." Mahi said and sighed. "You look like a couple. Disgusting.” he said and walked inside the inn first.

Hail grimaced. He and Blue just have a pure friendship and nothing else. This is just a dream world of mine so why should I make a romantic relationship here with someone else since I will just leave when I wake up? he thought. He isn’t a scum to make the other person’s hope up.

"Oh!" Blue muttered and clapped his hands. They followed Mahi inside. "Should I dress up as a woman next time?" he asked, feeling excited.

"Drop it." Mahi and Hail told him. Blue frowned in disappointment.

Hail sighed and looked around the inn. As expected from those movies I watched – He thought when he saw some buffy men drinking beer while some old people were talking while eating.

A man – waiter, went to approach them. "What would you like sirs?" he asked and looked at them three.

"Lunch." They answered. They looked at each other, then the waiter.

"Yes. Coming right up!" the waiter answered after he guided them to a table.

They looked around as they sat.

"Back to our topic earlier – " Mahi started.

Hail and Blue looked at him.

Mahi looked them in the eyes. " – what are your plans now?" he asked again.

Their  faces went serious. Hail and Blue looked at each other before they turned back to Mahi. "What about you?" they asked back.

"I will continue to investigate that old hag's whereabouts." Mahi answered, referring to Yuria. "So, you two?" he asked them. "You are also wanted as criminals, at that." He added.

Hail and Blue grimaced. Right. They thought when they recalled the time they were chased. "Well – " they muttered and looked at each other. Then, they just shrugged and looked at Mahi. " – continue to try to go to the castle while hiding?" they asked.

Mahi frowned. "How do you expect to do that?!" he asked and hit the table.

They grimaced when the other customers looked their way.

"S – sorry." Mahi apologized and sighed.

 The customers shrugged and continued with what they were doing.

"As I've said, how are you gonna go see the king and queen when you two are wanted as criminals?" Mahi asked, pissed.

"Then – " Hail muttered as he pondered and looked at Mahi. " – do you have a plan how?" he asked, challenging him.

Mahi was taken aback. "I – " he said and looked away. " – don't." he answered in a low voice.

Hail and Blue frowned. "So you don't." They said. "Then why are you angry?" they asked.

"Because - !" Mahi said when he was suddenly interrupted by a song.