Kady's Journey -Freesia-

Chapter 13: The Justice

"You are at a crossroads, Kady," she repeated seriously as she looked at me the way she did at Galion, like her own but something quite different at the same time, "Sooner than later, a choice will be laid bare in front of you and you got to make a choice."

"A choice..."

She nodded as she stopped drinking and gave me her full attention, "Yes. If you want to keep moving forward, walking or otherwise, you have to choose. Regardless of who you are or where you came from, I believe they are all the same choices anyways. Either you will choose other people or yourself. What they want versus what you want. I know you already realized by now that you can't choose both."

"Only fools think that they can have the best of both worlds but in reality, you can only handle just one. If you take more than what you can possibly bear, you will buckle under the own weight of your stupidity," I said plainly that made her laugh.

"Only by then when you are already crushed by the responsibilities you made yourself carry idiotically, you will finally realize how greedy you are," and to my surprise, tears fell from her eyes, "Ah, how long has it been since the last time I cried? Maybe the last time was when Galion was just a baby and I don't know how the heck I will support him."

I can only imagine her younger self cradling a baby she knew she has no chance of supporting, "But you managed to do it."

"By the skin of my teeth. It was my foolishness that brought him to this world. The least I can do is to spare him of the same cycle of stupidity. There were times that I don't know what to do in our life. He is sick, I have to work, I have debts I can't pay on time and was about to get kicked out in the streets. But somehow, I managed. Up until now, I didn't know how I did it. Some stupid luck or something maybe," she said as she tried futilely to wipe her tears away.

But I shook my head and smiled at her, "Luck favors the motivated and looking at Galion right now, well, I can't say that you are otherwise. He is as noble as any other purebloods in our class, that much I can say."

"I once thought that the path I choose was the wrong one," she said as she shook her head at the bottle of whiskey, "But now that I talked to you, I realized that I picked the right and best one that I can have in that situation."

She then looked at me and smiled purely that made her look like as if she is back to her younger days before her father left her, "Mine is a harsh one. Took me years before I see the end of the long, dark tunnel. But you can choose something better than what I did. I just know it. You are far stronger than what I could ever be."

"Thank you for those kind words. I'd like to think I can do it on my own no matter what but the more I spend time with my classmates, no matter how fleeting our time together maybe, I think it won't hurt to rely on others once in a while, right?"

She stood up and touch the side of my face and lifted it a little, "It is like I took a ride in a time machine and I am talking to my younger self right now. I won't say you will have it easy. Heck, you could experience something worse than I did but at least I can tell you that by the end of that seemingly endless darkness, you will finally see the light. Just hang in there and make peace with your choice because at the end of the day, no matter what you pick, always remember that it's your choice and yours alone to see through the end."

I raised my glass of water to her and she winked at me before we laughed together.

-0-

"Oh joy."

"I know."

"Do we really have to?"

"Well, there are at least choices. You either go to him or he will come to you. Pick your poison."

"You call that a choice?"

"Think of what you will and hey, don't blame the messenger. I was just kicked out of the door so I can deliver this message to you three."

We looked at Ren who is dressed in torn pants and a body-hugging shirt that showed off his fit physique. 

Now that I have finally observed him carefully, he is rather the odd duck out of my Imperial classmates in terms of looks.

His face is not wild or rugged like the others nor have the striking features like Trevor's. His is a bit outlandish in a good way. Perfectly tanned complexion even if I never see him staying that long in the sun. He is also a bit lanky but not lean. Muscled but not bulky. His hair is straight and almost as if it is made of silk.

You really have to stare at him for a long time before you appreciate his beauty.

"How long will we have to stay there?" Lexei asked as we stepped out of the apartment building and onto another glorious sunlight of Alricer.

"Good question. Either he will get bored of you all and send you home in few minutes or you will stay there with him the whole day and night," Ren answered happily as we walked towards the three Riksentian girls waiting at the corner of the street and happily eating buns of bread they bought at the nearby bakery, "Though he is awfully nice to those ladies. Treated them like princesses when he heard they are Baroness Severina's representatives."

I smiled at the sisters who are still happily eating the morning away without a care in the world. Honestly, I got so used to seeing them together I am always on the lookout for the other one or two whenever I see them alone or missing one of their numbers.

"Don't speak like that about your great-granduncle, Ren," Lenneth said sternly to our classmate, "I don't really get why all other people treated him like a senile old fool when is really awfully nice during our whole stay there."

Hrist nodded in agreement, "She's right! I was actually expecting him to be as rude as Ren here but he treated us with utmost respect and courtesy more than necessary. It was surprisingly pleasant."

"Right you are girls. I guess what he just needs are a little more attention and care. Such a kind old man. No wonder he lives such a long life like Baroness Severina. Full of vigour and kindness," Silmeria finished before taking a huge bite out of her bun.

Ren looks like he didn't know how to react because of what he heard.

His face looks like somewhere in between vomiting and gaging right now.

"Well, anyways. Chief Ogawa hates tardiness. He expects you there before lunch so you three better ride the locomotive now," Lenneth said earnestly as she stood up and shoved the still gagging Ren towards the direction of the apartment block we are staying, "Move it, Ren. Ms Ancis must've been waiting for us right now. Enough of your drama."

And the four moved away from the three of us and started walking towards where we came from.

"Why do I feel like those four are just so in synch right now?" Lexei asked as I laughed and grab the arms of the boys beside me and walked with my head held up high.

Galion looked down on me curiously as we walked down the streets with my arms wrapped around theirs, "Kady?"

"I want to experience being the subject of other people's envy because I am being flanked by two handsome boys of the Empire and Kingdom that they can only dream of being near with," I said so seriously that made Lexei choke on his bottled water.

"You are really, really, unpredictable, you know that?" Galion asked as he smiled at me and shook his head as we near the train station where a lot of people are indeed looking at me as I strut my stuff confidently, "The other day you are so serious, it's like you will send anyone flying if they ever so dared as much as come close to where you are standing, the next you are like a regular girl clinging on our arms."

The Yekaterinian heir nodded in agreement as we stand at the platform and waiting for the train to arrive, "So true. Sometimes I think the only persons who can really understand you completely are those twins of yours, Kady. Kiel said once that they know exactly when to approach you for something."

"Really? Now that you have mentioned it, they are almost always requesting something from me at the most opportune moment when I'm either bored, finished with my homework or after a meal," I said contemplatively and I realized that they really know when to talk to me in a way that I won't get irritated or angry.

"I will definitely take note of that," Galion said as he looked at the incoming locomotive, "I just have to warn you two that the best way to deal with the Old Man Ogawa is to let him speak, don't interrupt or ask a question. Keep nodding and pretend you are listening even if you are not. The best we can do is to tide the time away and who knows, it is known that once in a while if we are lucky enough that is, he will tell an interesting story about his time or lore long forgotten between his rumblings."

Lexei and I nodded as we boarded the train as it immediately started chugging the moment we sat on the designated seats for us.

I looked out of the window and sighed deeply in appreciation of the view I am enjoying.

While I do appreciate the high-speed Maglev of the Empire, the slogging train of Kalalit has its own charms that I can't deny.

While all I see outside the windows of the Maglev are a blur, the locomotive's sub speed allows me to marvel at the untamed wilderness of the lands outside the city borders.

Unlike the Empire's almost perfectly manicured grasslands and forests, the nature of the Kingdom is untamed and left to its own devices.

I can see the smokey city of the Alricer province from a distance and outside the city walls are completely uncivilized and almost untouched by human.

We crossed raging rivers, through a forest so thick, the light of the sun barely penetrates it and a huge mountain range so vast it looks like a natural wall separating Alricer from the next province we are heading to.

"The train is slowing down, are we really there yet?" Lexei asked confusedly after almost an hour of travelling, "I was expecting to at least see tall chimney stacks or something at least from afar but aren't we in the middle of nowhere?"

Galion just motioned us to follow him as we begin to disembark the train until we got off and landed in a seemingly deserted platform only manned by one sleepy guard and his pet cat sleeping on his lap.

"We are in Ogawara province now?" I asked tentatively as we begin to get off the platform and through a dirt path leading towards a dense forest.

Galion nodded and pointed at the sky where we saw columns of smoke rising from the ground to the skies, "This province doesn't have a provincial city or something like that. There is a small settlement on the other side of this forest. It was designated as a town but it's more like a large village at best. It's better if you two see it for yourselves. Come, it's just a few minutes by foot from here."

Lexei and I looked and nodded each other as we followed our classmate who is currently trudging along the beaten path.

The place is eerily quiet aside from the rustling of the wind and the sound of cicadas that can be heard clearly once we stepped inside the verdant woods.

The trees look very ancient and there are different kinds of oddly coloured and pungent flowers I never thought existed before. There are several flocks of richly coloured birds perched on top of the branches and a herd of deers drinking at the brook flowing peacefully through the forest.

"The last time I've been here was around five or so years ago when mom begged for sanctuary from the Ogawara Chief should the need arises," Galion said breaking the silence between us three as we followed his back, "She really thought that at best, she will have to beg for a long time or he will flat out refuse. But to her surprise, he immediately said yes after hearing her plea without preconditions. He even offered his manor that he is not currently using."

"He sounds reasonable enough," I said casually and Lexei nodded in agreement, "Did you also meet Ren before, Galion."

Our guide scratched the back of his head and gave out a hearty laugh, "I did. Actually it's the same time when my mother asked for sanctuary. He is the first person we saw in this forest fishing at the brook we just walked pass over earlier. For some reason, maybe because of stress, we managed to get lost along the way. His tongue is as sharp back then as the one he had right now. He managed to chide mom for being a careless and clueless mother who managed to get lost following a beaten path before bringing us to meet his Old Man."

"As irreverent as ever it seems," I said while chuckling.

"Yep. Anyways, turns out that Old Man Ogawa didn't even know he has a great-grandchild at all. Ren said it was the beginning of the end for him and I was partly to blame for him landing his heir status that he never asked for," Galion said as he took a deep breath and sigh, "Long story short, the Chief ordered Ren's parents to prepare him for the successorship as he found finally the perfect heir to his position and I for one have to agree with his decision. How Ren acts and speaks is like a carbon copy of his predecessor. You two at least have a taste of the tongue their dynasty is famed for."

Lexei looked at me hopefully, "Now, if only he can be as nice to our Kady here as he was to the Riksentian girls then all will be well, right, Kady?"

"Why do I feel like an offering or something?" I asked that made Lexei laugh.

"Whether you are or not, we will be there soon enough, look..."

We looked at the direction Galion is pointing at and saw scenery we were not really expecting. The moment we reached the end of the woods we saw the mountain range we just passed earlier while on the train and what's surprising is as if carved into the face of the massif itself several huge buildings made of steel and iron together with smaller buildings just at the foot of the mountain.

It is like a scene in a fantasy story or something.

"What kind of engineering and architectural magic is this?" Lexei exclaimed as he ran past Galion to get a better look, "How can you even build that huge building on a cliff?"

We looked at the huge building he is pertaining to and it looks like a huge powerplant as I've seen several people from afar delivering sacks of coal just outside of it.

"There are engineering techniques of old that is already forgotten by the Empire which is still alive and well in the Kingdom. One example is what you are seeing right now. I doubt Imperials can even build a manor on a cliff but we did, feast your eyes," Galion pointed at the western side of the range and we saw a beautiful marble villa perched at the edge of a massive cliff and half of it seems to be made out of the mountain itself.

"Amazing," I just exclaimed as our eyes continue to gaze at the beautiful sight before us.

There is a small collection of houses at the foot of the mountain with people going about their daily lives peacefully.

"Come, let's go to the Chief's house and be done with this," Galion said as we started walking again but to me and Lexei's surprise, instead of heading through the village and eventually to the manor we head straight to another patch of forest.

"Hey, pal. Are you sure this is the right way?" Lexei asked tentatively and quite respectfully as if he is afraid to offend our classmate, "It's just you don't exactly have a clean track record for directions. Genetically or otherwise."

"Just shut up and follow," he answered and true enough, after a minute or two, we arrived at a clearing to see a small hut made of bamboo and nipa.

There's a wooden bench outside and there sits the person who summoned us in this province.

Wearing a different colored robe but same design and probably age, he is lounging quietly in his bench as if watching the neverending column of smoke from one of the many power plants nearby.

"Chief Ogawa, pardon us for intrusion," Galion said as he bowed his head lowly which we mimicked, "I heard from Ren that you want to talk to us."

"Hmph. It seemed that the ears of that brat are not as useless as I thought it was," he said bluntly that made me and Lexei smile lopsidedly.

Yep. 

They are really related.

"As you say, Chief Ogawa," Galion said tentatively before stepping back and introducing us, "I have here with me..."

The old man waved his rod impatiently as if our classmate did something to annoy him, "I know. I know. No need to tell me who they are. I may be well over a century old but my eyes are as good as yours. Three nobles from three different nations, hmph. How long has it been for me?"

"I do apologize, Chief Ogawa. But I am a commoner..."

"Silence!" he shouted angrily as Galion looked at me accusingly as if it's my fault, "I already told you all didn't I that I may be more than one hundred years old but my eyes are as good as they ever are. I am not mistaken, girly! Don't make me repeat myself again!"

I was about to say something when Lexei just tugged my hand meaningfully as Galion took over for me, "Forgive her, Chief Ogawa. She is just a bit dazed. New Year's Eve, Your Highness."

"Ahh, is that why? Well, I can let that pass if that is the case," he said calmly as if he is not about to smack me with his walking stick, "Don't just stand there, sit in front of me, unless you want to kill me with a stiff neck, hmm?"

Galion immediately sat in front of the Chief and we followed suit quickly as we make ourselves comfortable at the soft grass.

"The reason why I summoned you here is just so I can take a good look of you three, the scions of the Empire, Kingdom and..."

I was just about to open my mouth when Galion elbowed my ribs hard that made me squirm in pain.

I will get you later...

"...scions that will change the fate of the four nations forever," he finished solemnly as he looked at each of our faces one at a time, "It is a shame that through your pains and sufferings will the world learn how futile fighting really is. A real shame for the next generation to pay for the mistakes of the ones before them."

Lexei grunted before smirking ironically, "Sounds ominous. You friends with the Sage or something, uhm, Chief?"

Before Galion can even move in to smack our classmate, the old man nodded to our surprise, "Yes. I have acquainted to him Yekaterinian Heir. If you want to be specific, I've known his grandfather when I was a child."

"You've gotta be kidding me..."

The Chief laughed loudly by what he heard from Lexei, "When you are around my age, you have no time to "kid" someone. What I told you is true. Do you think I will last this long, acting immature my whole life? You really took more from your father than your mother. Not surprising though."

"Wait, you know my father?!"

"I think the most appropriate question for me, dear child is "is there anyone you don't know?" he said seriously that made Lexei drop his jaw as the Chief looked at me next, "As the father of this feisty little girl here. You may look like your mother but your father drilled even his very spirit in you so thoroughly you are like his second coming."

This sound more and more like a farce but I still tried to be as respectful as I can and Galion didn't even try to stop me this time when he saw my facial expression which I can just imagine, not my peaceful one, "You talk a lot, that's for sure. But how can we even prove that what you are telling us is the truth? With all due respect, of course?"

The old man just looked at me straight into my eyes and said words that shattered my very being, "Have you ever got your answer whenever you ask your father where did he come from before he died, little girl?"

"Have you managed to find out his true identity when he didn't even leave anything but his teachings and few pictures of him with you that is blurred or covered at best?" he continued asking questions that feel like a huge blow against me each time he asked them, "Have you found the reason why in his legal documents, he is shown as an orphan but his actions said otherwise?"

He then smiled sadly at me before dropping his final question, "Do you believe that he is just a random Maharlikan home-based worker who just happened to be so knowledgeable about world affairs and politics, even in a fighting art that you don't know the origins just like the man who gave his life so you can live on?"

"I..."

So this is the feeling of being so powerless you can't even form coherent words no matter how hard you try.

It's hard to fight against someone who wields the truth as a weapon over you.

"I will impart these words that I once gave to your father when he was your age, little girl. It doesn't mean that if you don't know about something about yourself, others are just as ignorant as you are. There are those around you who know the truth as I do but I guess they want to honor the request of your father to let you live a simple, normal and peaceful life, unlike the one that he leads many years ago," he said kindly as he used his stick to raise my chin so I am looking him directly, "He entrusted the greatest inheritance he can pass on to you. You already know what it is, am I right? The very thing that let you ace that horrendously hard entrance examination of that academy."

I took a deep breath as I try to get a grip of myself and to make sure that I won't lose my cool and just cry my heart out, "And I guess you won't tell me the answers to those questions, right?"

 "Well, you are just like your father, little girl, am I right?" he asked kindly as I don't know how to respond to his question, "He always wants to look for his own answers. He just won't accept what is just given to him. Until he reaches the same conclusion on his own, he will not just be satisfied with what is served on his plate unless he worked hard for it."

I just chuckled and nodded, "I won't believe anything unless I've proven it otherwise."

"Then you know what to do, inheritor of his will. May in your journey, you will find the answers that you seek and finally accept what is expected of you," he said with finality as he looked at Lexei who is still staring at him intently, "No matter how hard you scrutinize me, young boy, I will not say anything that has already been said and done. What was foretold will indeed come to pass."

He then looked at Galion who is quietly listening to what the old Chief is saying, "Both of you will die at the hands of the ones you most hold dear."

I suddenly remembered what the Sage back at the Empire has mentioned...

That Galion and Lexei shared the same fates.

...at the hands of the ones you hold dear.

"Wow, that's rather direct. So what? I will avoid love like plague just because I will die at the hands of who will love me?" Lexei asked as if he doesn't care if anything happens to him.

The old Chief looked at him curiously, "Every man lives, Scion of the Witch. But not everyone will truly die."

"Great. Just, great. Another riddle. I am not half as intelligent as my mother, just so you know," he said while deflecting what Dynast of Ogawara said.

"Your mother said that she is only barely half as intelligent as her son is, didn't she?" the old man responded which made our classmate shut his mouth, "Pretending to be ignorant is all well and good. After all, even I am envious of those who are at bliss over their ignorance. But reality won't go away if you ignored it. It is still there until you accept it."

Galion snickered and threw an angry look at Lexei, "If you think you are fooling anyone, then think again."

"I am fooling myself at least, Galion. At least I'm sure I am..."

The Alricer was left speechless by what he heard and maybe just this once, he finally has a small glimpse of who our classmate really is.

"It takes great courage to admit that you are indeed deluding yourself," Chief Ogawa said as he smiled at Galion, "I hope in time that you, in turn, will be true to yourself. Gearth may be a cruel and unforgiving place but would it hurt so much if you open yourself to the ones you trust?"

Galion didn't answer and instead averted his eyes in shame and embarrassment, "To think that you three here are in front of me is just astounding. Someday you will understand why I keep on telling these things to you. Only then will I be able to finally do my role and take my well-deserved rest."

He then stood up and shoed us away saying that he prattled enough for one day and we are bothering him too much already.

"I prefer if we keep this meeting between the three of us," I said quietly as we finally reached the train platform and waiting for the locomotive to come.

Galion and Lexei looked at me sadly and tried to smile the best they can.

"Are you sure you didn't want to know, Kady?" Galion asked sincerely and Lexei nodded.

I shook my head and smiled, "I wouldn't believe him anyway. Besides, I need to know and see for myself the truth rather than just believing the words of an ancient man as is."

"You always is the special one, Kady. Do you know that? You act nobler than most of us yet you can easily get down and dirty if need be," Lexei said seriously.

"I rarely agree with whatever comes out of this i***t's mouth but just this once, I will. You are really an odd girl, that's for sure," Galion said as I laughed at what they just told me.

I removed my eyeglasses, fixed my hair, and blinked my eyes several times before looking at them, "Wow, feeling in love yet? I wonder which one of you will I choose?"

"Well, if it's not prophesized that I will die if I did fall in love, I would consider it but seriously, Kady. Don't walk around without your glasses. Yuro and Yugo will ultimately be sent to jail for mass murder," Galion said as he looked at me incredulously.

Lexei shook his head as he stared at my face, "Unbelievable. You're hiding something dangerous behind those glasses and hair of yours. But that face of yours, why do I get the feeling that I've seen that before?"

"In your dreams, maybe?"

Lexei sputtered at my joke as Galion laughed out loud and I began to cry in earnest.

Why do I get the feeling that I will not get what I want for them?

Why?

Isn't it too much to just ask as something so simple as to see them together and happy?

"Kady?"

"Is there something wrong?"

I shook my head and tackled the two in a big hug, "I'm just happy that I feel lighter than before. It is really less of a burden when there are others who know what you are keeping. Eerie and ancient old guys, aside."

To my surprise, they returned my hug and patted my back softly, "You know what I'm happy about right, Lexei?"

"That Trevor wasn't here? Yeah, me too, Galion. Me too. If I was caught like this with her, that Royal Crown Prince of yours will declare war promptly and use my tsardom as a beachhead."

We all laughed out loud as I continued crying in their arms.

What will I have to give or do to make this moment last forever?