In a certain hill away from Matsudera, two young men perched above their mounts, staring at the horizon where their destination located. Fatigue was obvious on their face as they had rode for days with barely enough rest.

“Daiki-kun,” Ryutaro was never this hesitated before. “I’m afraid of what his reaction would be.”

Daiki gave him a reassuring smile, “Ryosuke is wise. He won’t be reckless.”

“I never disappointed him before,” Ryutaro frowned.

“We’ve tried our best, but it is beyond our power,” Daiki replied. “Let’s go. The sooner we reach him the better.” Daiki nudged his horse forward and speeded away.

Reluctantly Ryutaro followed his companion, heading to the Alliance’s ground base.

**********

Keito arrived at the ground base in the afternoon three days after Ryosuke sent him message. He wore Alliance troop’s uniform and a mask that covered half of his face. A pair of soldiers on guard came and inquired his intention. Without mentioning his name, he said that Ryosuke summoned him then one soldier left him while the other one guarded him. Not long after the soldier returned and escorted him to the commander tent.

“Aniki,” Ryosuke soon greeted him with a warm smile once they were alone.

He pulled down his mask and returned the smile, “It feels like years since the last time I saw you, Ryosuke.” He said while giving Ryosuke a brief brotherly hug.

“You miss me that much?” A playful smile appeared on his brother’s face.

He chuckled lightly and admitted, “Of course.” He remembered something and reached into his pocket under his coat. He took out a wrapped tiny box.

He smiled knowingly when he said, “But not as much as your wife. Here, she asked me to give it to you,” He handed the gift to Ryosuke.

Ryosuke unwrapped it then opened the box, revealing a piece of turquoise handkerchief with Ryosuke’s initial and insignia embroidered on one of its corner. He found it so sweet that he could not help but remark, “What a lovely couple you and Mirai are.”

He noticed the slight pinkish shade appeared on Ryosuke’s pale cheeks, making him chuckled once more. Ryosuke turned around immediately to return to his seat, a way to hide his embarrassment. He followed his brother and sat down on the chair across him.

“So, why you summon me?” He asked straightly after Ryosuke put the gift away.

 The seriousness in Ryosuke’s expression alerted him and Ryosuke returned with a question, “How is the castle?”

“We’re doing fine, everything runs according to the plan,” he reported.

“Good,” Ryosuke said and paused for awhile before adding, “Aniki, there is an unpleasant news I have to tell you.”

He straightened his back once he heard that, “What is it?”

 “I received a report that… Dowager Yumi has passed away.”

He stilled, but managed to ask, “What was the cause?”

“We don’t know. Rumor said it was a suicide, but our spies could not verify it.”

He slumped, his chest tightened, and his head felt too heavy that he rested it on the table before him, and he closed his eyes. His mother’s face flashed in his mind. She always wore her uptight face in front of him, giving a stern expression whenever they met. When he was a child, he was so afraid of her and she had never been a figure of mother he wanted to have, yet somehow he could not bring himself to hate her. Quite the opposite, Ryosuke’s loving personality had rubbed on him that he grew to love his mother just the way she was.

“Aniki?” he heard Ryosuke’s voice, worried evident in it.

“I’m alright, Ryosuke,” he said without lifting his head from the table. “I have anticipated this since over six years ago.”

“Six years ago?”

He drew a deep breath before lifting his head to face Ryosuke properly. With sadness lingered in his heart, he explained, “Since I found out about who I really was. I confronted Mother about it. I had noticed long before it about how indifferent Father was toward her. I was wondering whether that was usual to happen in an arranged marriage, but…,” he paused for a time.

“But after I learned about the truth, I eventually understood. Mother was haunted by her mistake, the remorse… the regret… the loneliness…,” he could not hold his tears from falling. “She told me back then, that Father and I were the only reason for her to continue living… and that living was the worst punishment she deserved.”

He saw Ryosuke’s sympathetic look before continuing, “Father had told her when I was still a baby that the only way to earn his forgiveness was by raising me herself and let me be what he wanted me to be… and she did it.”

“By making you the crown prince?” Ryosuke asked.

“Yes,” he answered, tears swarming his vision. “When Father passed away, I was the only reason remained for her to live. Thus, when I heard the Okamoto announced my death and knew that they preserved Mother’s life, I have seen this coming… sooner or later she would take the decision to end her life in anyway. I believed in the rumor… she must have committed suicide.”

“I’m really sorry for your loss,” Ryosuke said sincerely.

He smiled bitterly, “So… we are orphan now…”

Ryosuke put a hand above his own, giving him an assuring squeeze and saying with his gentle smile, “At least we still have each other, Aniki…”

The warm feeling generated from Ryosuke’s gesture reminded him of his childhood.

He was five years old, crying alone in a corner of the Inner Palace garden after his mother scolded him for not being able to understand a matter quickly. Suddenly he heard a light footsteps running nearer. When he looked up, he saw Ryosuke crouching down before him with curious look.

“Keito-niisan is crying? Why? Hurt? Where?” Ryosuke asked with worried voice.

He shook his head, “No, Ryo-chan… Mother is angry again…”

“Keito-niisan is sad?”

He nodded weakly and Ryosuke smiled before scurried over, kneeling and hugging him with his tiny arms.

“Don’t be sad. Ryo-chan is here,” his brother patted his back. “Mother Queen will not be angry again if Keito-niisan stops crying.”

“Really?”

“Un! Because Mother said a good boy doesn’t cry. If Keito-niisan doesn’t cry, it means Keito-niisan is a good boy. Mother Queen will like a good boy. Ryo-chan know it.”

Hearing that, he wiped his tears off and pulled away from the embrace. “Thank you, Ryo-chan.”

Ryosuke smiled widely and suddenly they heard a chuckle. They turned to find the source and their smile widened when they saw their father stood close from their spot, watching their interaction.

“Come, my dear sons,” their father spread his arms opened while squatting down.

Grinning, he raced with Ryosuke to reach their father. Soon after, they were enveloped in their father’s embrace and laughed together.

He smiled genuinely despite sadness and gratefulness mixing in his heart, “You and Father are the greatest blessing in my life, Ryosuke. Thank you for everything.”

He saw Ryosuke’s smile faltered a bit when he said that. “Father…,” Ryosuke muttered.

“I apologize for everything you have been through all these years, Ryosuke,” he said guiltily.

Ryosuke patted his hand before pulling away and saying, “I never blame you. It’s just… I’m wondering how Father felt about your mother because General Shida said… Mother did not want Father to regret his action if he executed her.”

“Father loved her,” he saw Ryosuke’s eyes widened slightly and he continued, “He said it himself. But Mother’s betrayal caused the feeling died off. I don’t know whether Father had forgiven Mother before he left us. I hope he did.”

To his surprise, Ryosuke replied, “I hope so, Aniki. Your mother had suffered enough.”

Yes, his mother had suffered enough. She had to live with remorse and knowledge that her love for King Shohei should have been requited if only she was not blinded by her pride and jealousy. Staying close with the man she loved but would never have while seeing another woman had everything she wanted, and haunted by her sin which materialized in him, that must be tormenting.

Remembering about Lady Umi, he said, “Your mother had suffered so much, too, Ryosuke.”

Lady Umi had to lose her position as King Shohei’s legal wife, losing her right to be the queen as she was the first wife. His mother was the one assigned to the position while Lady Umi demoted to be a consort, and then she had to bear the separation with her husband and her son had to lose all his rights. He had expected Ryosuke would resent him or his mother when he knew the truth. However, he found it wrong. Ryosuke was blessed with a forgiving heart, just like King Shohei and Lady Umi that took care of him wh