Chapter 13.

PART 1.

Hatori wakes up groggily. The bed feels unfamiliar, as well as the surrounding area appears to be larger than his room.

‘Maybe I ended up back home?’ He puts his feet on the ground. “Oh, of course not.” He whispers.

The door opens. “Ah, you’re awake, good, good.” Zeko walked into the room.

Someone else also walked in after him. “How do you feel?” asked this person, who appears to be a male.

“He’s one of the healers of the castle. be nice to him.” Said Zeko.

After a few moments of silence, Hatori answers. “I feel fine.”

“Did you feel groggy when you woke up?” asked the healer once more.

“Yes.” Hatori said.

“Do you feel groggy now?”

“no.” answers Hatori.

“There it is Zeko; there is nothing wrong with him.” Said the healer. “Though it is a good thing that you brought him to the infirmary all the same.” After that, the healer excused himself from their company.

PART 2.

After Hatori was done with his morning ablutions, and taking a nice bath, he appears before Zeko within their usual place of meeting, the isolated square where he performs his morning runs.

“Before we begin, you should know what happened last night.” Said Zeko, and he began to recount the events of last night.

When he explained about the sleeping potion in his room in the form of the air, Hatori clapped his hands. “So that is why I felt so sleepy!”

“Yes.” Zeko said, and watched Hatori’s reaction.

His concern starts to grow when Zeko finds nothing. “Aren’t you bothered by your kidnapping?” he asked finally.

“What am I supposed to say? I don’t even remember anything before I woke up today. For all I know, this might be just a story created by you. though I do trust you enough that you won’t do it.” Zeko couldn’t say anything about that.

After that conversation, his friends show up as well, and his training for the morning begins.

During the lunch break, Josh finally asked what they had been wanting to ask, but were unable to because of all the exercise they had to do along with him. “So, don’t you remember anything? Not even something like a dream or… anything?” he waved his hand, willing his friend to understand what he had been wanting to say.

“Honestly, I’ll tell you the same thing which I told master. I don’t remember anything. As far as I’m concerned, I just fell asleep last night, and woke up in an unfamiliar place.” Said Hatori to both of his friends. “Although, it doesn’t mean that I’m not bothered by it.”

Zeko appears before the boys. “Are you done with your lunch?” he asked the children.

“Yes.” All three of them answered.

“Good. Because I have something to say to you, my student, and I would like if your friends were the witness to it.” Both Hatori’s friends see Zeko kneel before Hatori. “I’m sorry. I failed to protect you. It… is not easy for a person like me to apologize, but you are my student, and I failed you. please forgive me.”

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This is a new feeling for Hatori. Usually, he has observed that adults would do anything in their power to shift the blame on someone else, even threaten the children themselves, if need be, to hide their mistake. But here his master is, kneeling before him, (Judging from the height of his voice), apologizing to him.

Right then and there, Hatori decided that he might not trust any adult in this world. But Zeko will be an exception, someone whom he can trust unconditionally.

“You got me back, didn’t you?” Said Hatori. “You don’t have to say sorry to me. Just train me so good that this could never happen.”

Zeko gets up from his kneeling position. He promises that he will fulfill the request of his student. ‘I promise you, kid, next time, you’ll be so strong that you’ll turn your enemy into nothing more than a red-splatter on the ground.’

Both boys were also moved by Zeko’s apology. He might have a terrifying reputation, which he totally deserves, as their bodies remind them each night. But here he has shown to them that he is willing to take responsibility for his mistakes.

PART 3.

Lord Yograaj quelled his rage by beating his low-class soldiers in a duel. Since he can’t exactly hurt his current source of anger.

He is furious at Porus for imprisoning his daughter. So what if she made a foolish mistake. The mercenary was caught; the king didn’t need to take any further action on her. Being named in the filled court should have been humiliation enough.

But he can’t exactly let go of his anger over her screw-up, which he needed to fix immediately. He has sent his brother to the castle in place of his daughter, to see whether he can take her out or not, as well as feel out the general mood of the king.

He left his groaning soldiers without sparing them a second thought, and arrived in his personal study to plot the next move.

PART 4.

Surendra is writing a letter to his clan’s representative in the castle. He has already learned what happened last night.

When he called for that meeting a few days ago, he never would have thought that things would turn out like this.

He didn’t want to kidnap the child. He thought that all the representatives would increase their effort of talking and cajoling the boy to their side.

Outright kidnapping never crossed his mind.

He finishes the letter, and sends it to the castle. The instructions in the letter are simple.

Support the king, make sure to remind the king that Sharma clan will always support the throne, and protect the child actively instead of watching from the sidelines.

And if the boy comes into contact with the children of the clan there, welcome him with open arms.

(End.)