Dream 9: Mahi

The Brat Got A Surprisingly Dark Past

…

Hail opened his eyes slowly. He smiled when he saw the sky. "So, I'm finally back – " he muttered. His muscles that were taut due to tension last night now relaxed.

But, his words were cut off by a loud voice. "Hail! Come on, get up! The food is getting cold." It was Blue’s voice.

Hail frowned and immediately sat up when he heard Blue's voice. He looked around and saw they were at the mouth of the river, leading to the sea. "So, I am still dreaming – " he muttered and looked like in a daze.

"If you dreamed of being chased by guards and got a near-death experience, then you must be leading an unhealthy, unfortunate life." The young man who saved them last night looked like a merchant. His name is Mahi.

Hail frowned and looked at them. They are eating grilled fish and fruits. Yes. I remember he gave them his name last night when they stopped by to sleep. He thought and rose from the ground. He walked towards them. "Brat." He spat and sat beside Blue.

Mahi just shrugged. "So?" he said as they were eating. "What do you plan to do now?" he asked and looked at us, "You are still going to see the king and queen?" he said and resumed eating.

"I have to." Blue answered.

Hail looked at him.

"I have to." Blue repeated in a low voice.

Hail stared at him. Why does he insist on seeing the king and queen? He thought, feeling puzzled.

"Why?" Mahi asked.

Hail continued to look at Blue, waiting for his answer. But, Blue didn't answer and just remained silent.

Mahi sighed and looked at Blue. "They won't see you,” he told him.

Hail and Blue looked at him.

" – nor will you ever see them." Mahi added.

"Why?" Blue asked.

Mahi looked at us, then heaved a sigh. "Well, I owe you yesterday for trying to get into the castle..." he muttered and looked them in the eyes. "The king and queen will never see you, since they're – " he said and took a deep breath. " – under the control of the queen's evil mother... Yuria." He said.

"'Yuria'..." Hail muttered. Why does it sound familiar? He thought and his forehead knotted.

"I knew it!" Blue exclaimed and abruptly stood up. His face is livid. "Damn that evil witch!" he said as he gnashed his teeth in anger. "I knew then that there was something wrong, that's why I went to visit Hai... – " he said, then glanced at Hail. 

Hm? What’s wrong? Why did he stop? Hail thought.

Blue cleared his throat. " – the prince." He continued. "So, she is really the one who imprisoned me!" he said, feeling pissed.

"I don't know your story, but it seems we bear the same grudge towards her." Mahi said.

Hail and Blue looked at him in puzzlement.

‘grudge’? Did he just say ‘grudge’? Or did I mishear it? Hail thought. His mind is filled with doubts. "Why do you know this, anyway?" he asked him, trying to confirm his guess.

Mahi looked at him. "I am investigating the royal family." He answered.

"Huh?" we said, shocked.

Mahi nodded. "Yes. Because – " he said and looked away.

Hail’s expression changed. "Hey. No flashback at this time of the chapter, please – " he said, trying to interrupt Mahi. Although I am curious about your grudge towards the royal family, I don’t want to waste more time in this world that is just a dream of mine! He thought.

"'because'?" Blue asked, ignoring Hail since he doesn’t understand what just Hail said.

Mahi took a deep breath and looked at them. "Our kingdom was destroyed by her." He answered.

Their eyes went wide in shock. But, what is more shocking is – 

Hail abruptly stood up. "There is a kingdom other than this one?!" he asked. His voice rose due to shock.

They looked at him. "You don't know?!" they asked back, shocked, too, since they didn’t know that Hail doesn’t actually know it.

Well, all of these are really shocking… to Hai. 

…

"I really don't know you're such an idiot." Mahi said as they traveled away from the castle of the East Kingdom.

"I already told you that I am not from this world!" Hail retorted.

"Yes, yes..." Mahi just said.

Blue sighed while shaking his head. He doesn’t know why Hail is saying these words. He recalled that Hail also told him before that this world is just his dream. Where did Hail get these absurd ideas? He thought. He wonders what Hail had gone through… with this thought, his usually bright eyes slightly dimmed.

Hail frowned in discontent. "Why, you - !" he said and balled his fists. He looked away. He decided not to argue with the brat. "So, there are four kingdoms, you said?" He asked.

"Yes, idiot." Mahi answered.

Hail glared at him but held in his temper. "And you said your kingdom was destroyed... the South Kingdom?" he asked again.

Mahi nodded, and decided to stop ‘teasing’ Hail after he saw that the other was about to explode. "Yes." He answered. 

Even though he is an impertinent brat, he is still polite. Hail thought and secretly smiled.

"How did you know it was that evil witch?" Blue asked.

Mahi took a deep breath and let the horse walk on its own while dragging the carriage where they were sitting inside. "It was a year ago..." he started.

"So we're starting the flashback here now?" Hail muttered.

They ignored me.

"A year ago..." Mahi started, ignoring Hail. "I was so happy at that time, since my parents gave me permission..." he said.

"'permission'?" they asked.

Mahi felt his face go red and he looked away. "P – permission to go to the other kingdom." he answered. I can't tell them it was a permission to confess... right? He thought. "Then... it all happened." He said as his eyes turned dull.

…

It was Mahi’s birthday, a day that is supposed to be so happy but it ended up in a tragedy. Everybody in the Capital of the South Kingdom, especially the ones in the castle, are busy preparing for his birthday celebration. It will be held inside the castle and everybody is invited.

"Ma...hi...~!" his mother, the queen, called as she went inside his room.

Mahi’s face went red. "Mom!" he cried and covered himself with the blanket. "How many times do I have to tell you not to enter my room without knocking?" he asked, feeling embarrassed.

"What?" she asked, pouting. "Are you hiding something?" she asked and looked around his room.

Mahi’s eyes went wide when she looked in the mirror. He immediately ran and took off the picture, but she already saw it. "E – err, this is – " he stammered and hid the picture behind him.

She grinned. "Oh?" she said as she walked towards him. "My son is really in love, huh?" she asked and chuckled when she saw his face went redder.

"Mom..." he called.

She laughed and patted his head. "You're old now." She told me, her eyes became misty. "You are the one to decide what you will do in your life. Your father and I will be here to guide you." She told him and kissed his forehead.

"Mother..." he called and smiled.

"So, go on!" she said and pushed him.

"Huh? Where?" he asked.

"'where', you say..." she said and frowned. "To their kingdom, of course!" she told him.

He felt his face go red. "Mom!” he cried in embarrassment.

She laughed and pushed him out of his room. "Go." She whispered and smiled. "Go and confess." She said and closed his room.

He frowned. "Mothers really are meddling." He said. "But – " he smiled and looked at the picture. " – they are the best." He said and immediately ran out of the castle.

"Mahi." He suddenly froze when he heard his father call.

He turned. He saw him leaning on the wall, beside the horse.

"Dad." He called.

"Leaving your own party?" his father asked and his eyes narrowed.

Mahi gulped as his face paleed. "E – err, I – " he stammered and took a deep breath. He looked him in the eye. "I have something important to do." He told him.

"More important than your birthday?" his father asked and frowned.

Mahi steeled himself and nodded. "Yes." he answered and looked him in the eye. "My life." he told him.