Chapter 26

Eclipses

Heiyan Bay, Rysian Warship

            Yamada holds on to his beloved. His eyes are closed and he seems to be immersing himself in the whole moment of having her in his arms. The young woman seems to have the same mindset as the Water prince because she too leans back towards Yamada’s cradling arms, unmindful of what is going on around them. Their sweet moment is shattered when an ear deafening sound erupts from the island, covering the whole bay with a tremendous field of violent energy.

            “NO!” The young woman screams while she sits erect shocking Yamada.

            “What’s wrong?” he asks in all haste as the young woman stands up and hurriedly tries to leave the room.

            “Tiffany where are you going? What’s wrong?” Yamada asks, well more like begs his sweetheart as he holds on to her keeping her from leaving.

            “My mother she is planning to curse the whole continent of Tartharac I have to stop her!” Tiffany says while Yamada holds on to her like a child.

            “No don’t go I don’t know if I’ll ever see you again!!” Yamada begs her as he tries with all his might to make her stay.

            “I have no choice Yama-chan I am the only one who can stop her.” Tiffany tells her half crazed lover as she places both her hands beside his face.

            “No! No!” Yamada continues to insist as the tears he has been suppressing ever since the noises of panic around the ship have reached them over flowed. He is afraid as any man will ever be.

            “If you leave I know for certain that we can never meet again.” He tells her amidst his pain.

            “Yama look at me.” Tiffany tells him as she stares straight into his eyes assuring him that even though they will be apart they will always belong to each other.

            “I will be with you someday but now it’s…” Tiffany tells him while holding back her tears.

            “Right now it’s not possible.” Yamada finishes her sentence for her as a gentle calmness envelops him.

            “We will be together, I will do whatever it takes just to be with you even if it means I have to pretend to be a man I will do it.” Tiffany tells him while resting her forehead against his.

            “Zutto.” Yamada promises her.

            “Forever.” Tiffany promises back as they close their eyes. The moment Yamada opens his eyes she is gone all that is left is her breathtaking scent and the traces of her warmth against his cold skin. He weeps in the sanctuary of the small room as the cannons fire nonstop outside the ship in the warzone. Just like the wrecked waters of the Heiyan bay the crown prince of Shou feels the pain of what may be the first and last farewell he will ever give to his paramour.

Heiyan Bay, Errusian Warship

            Inoo slowly opens his eyes and the first thing he sees is Jessica coming into the room carrying a tray full of medicine. He scrunches his face at the thought of drinking all of that medicine.

            “Baby what’s with the face?” Jessica asks him in a stern manner but he finds it extremely cute. His lover’s icy glare always makes his heart do somersaults. A smile suddenly forms in his face earning a questioning glare from Jessica.

            “You are definitely sick.” She tells him while setting the tray down the table beside his bed and sitting beside him.

            “No I’m just nuts and it’s your entire fault.” He says pinching his nose in hopes of not smelling the foul looking brew.

            “What did I do?” Jessica asks while pouting. He sits up with her help and smiles at her cuteness.

            “You should know.” He says jokingly not forgetting to keep his mind blank so she won’t be able to read his mind. She tries to read his mind and when she finds nothing she gets annoyed. She takes the bowl in her hands and spoon a large helping of it.

            “Since you are clearly bent on annoying me today I am going to punish you!” Jessica says evilly while holding out the bowl of medicine.

           “You are going to finish all of this today.” She tells him while awaiting his outburst of complains.

            “That’s alright as long you are feeding it to me.” He answers sweetly then takes her hand and kisses it. Jessica’s eyes soften a little and she plants a soft kiss on his lips.

            She holds out a spoonful of the medicine and Inoo gladly opens his mouth. Inoo is very obedient and Jessica finds it cute. Inoo soon finishes the entire bowl of bitter brew and insists on jugging down a gallon of water to remove the after taste. Jessica fluffs his pillow and lays him down on it.

            ‘I want to cuddle!” Inoo begs cutely. Jessica merely laughs at his childish attitude and walks out of the room carrying the empty bowl.

            She returns and finds her lover fast asleep. The medicine has taken immediate effect on Inoo, she smiles seeing the color on her lovers skin return to normal. She changes into her fox form and happily snuggles against the sleeping form of her lover. They happily go into the world of dreams in the comfort of each other’s’ arms.

Salmaria, Verona Palace

            Chinen wakes up and finds himself in a luxurious room covered with yellow flowers. He feels the soft fabric beneath his body and the soothing smell of what seems to be the ocean. Where is this place? Is this heaven? Has he died?

            Someone suddenly opens the window and light floods in through the glass pane. He shields his eyes from the light unlike anything he has ever seen. He turns to his left and realizes that he is certainly not dead. He feels his hands and sits up erect in shock.

            A woman bows to him and places some clean clothes on a table at the bottom of the bed where he is at. He looks at her in shock. The woman is not only beautiful but she is also dressed in such a fancy manner. Her yellow gown flows down to her feet like a waterfall, making it appear as though she is a fairy. Her hair is tied at the top of her head in intricate braid with flowers embedded into it.  She looks absolutely breathtaking!

            The woman leaves and two more women as elegant as her come into the room bring things he is sure unfamiliar with. They speak to him and he is all the more surprised because they speak the same language as him. They told him that they have been assigned as his servants by order of crown princess Sunny. He asks them if he is still in Salmaria and they said yes. He becomes confused and he doesn’t know what is happening. One minute they are torturing him, the next he is being treated nicely.

            The women leave the room while he still wallows in confusion. What the heck is happening? His body is still aching but thankfully not as terrible as before. He sees the bandag