Tsugi’s heart broke for Yamo. Tears streamed down his face, and no matter how much he wiped, they just kept coming. Tsugi stood up and embraced Yamo in his little arms. Yamo reached an arm around Tsugi and pulled him in.
When love, comfort and bravery was needed, it was like Mare took over his body and brushed care onto whomever needed it. Her comfort was the only one he knew how to give. He lightly patted and brushed Yamo’s head, just like how Mare did to him.
When they both finally calmed down, Tsugi pulled away and sat back down.
Yamo wiped his face with his sleeve. “I sat there for a long while, just crying my heart out. Eventually I was able to get myself up and buried my family under the wisteria tree.”
“Why that specific tree?” Tsugi cleared his throat and wiped the remaining tears from his eyes.
Yamo looked at Tsugi and smiled wistfully. “That was where I first met Namiko. I could still remember it like it was yesterday. I had just come back from a job and went out for some fresh air. Somehow my feet ended up taking me there and I saw her, sitting under the wisteria tree reading a book called, ‘The Open Heart’.” He chuckled, amused. “I’d say it was love at first sight for me, but who knew such a beauty with an innocent soul could fall for someone like me.” His voice shook and he averted his gaze to the table.
“So what happened to the men?” Tsugi sniffed and wiped his nose.
“Honestly?” Yamo sighed and ran his fingers through his hair “...I don’t know what happened at that moment. I wasn’t myself for a long while. Volgan also allowed me the time and space to grieve.
When I finally came to my senses, Volgan explained to me that when he found her, he had punched the crap out of the men. Apparently, the whole time I was with my wife, Volgan dragged them into the dungeons, and they were still there.
When we interrogated them, they said that the merchants paid them to send a message so that I would go back to work for them. And well…they got what they wanted, except with a slight change of plans.” He sneered vengefully at his thought of revenge, which lifted their hearts a bit and they were finally able to breathe a little better.
“I always make sure to take my time with them. They have to feel every little bit of pain, just like how they did to my wife.” He waved his hand through the air. “Minus the sexual assault part. That’s one line I can’t make myself cross.”
“I would’ve done the same thing.” Tsugi couldn’t even begin to imagine his pain, but he could feel it through Yamo’s aura that is so dense with dread one could slice through it.
Yamo leaned across the table and placed a hand on Tsugi’s head. “I hope you would never have to do anything of the sort buddy. I hope you will find someone who will love you unconditionally one day and you two will live your lives to the fullest with nothing but happiness. Never let anyone try to take that happiness from you. If you find someone special like that, you hold on to them for dear life and don’t let them go.”
Yamo took a deep breath and blinked the depression off his face. “I’m sorry.” He chuckled. “How did we get on this subject anyways?” It was more of a rhetorical question, so Tsugi didn’t bother to answer.
Yamo cleared his throat and shifted his eyes side to side. “Oh, right!” He sighed and walked back over to finish cutting up the salmon. “Namiko and I didn’t have much, and I was away working most of the time, so she would catch salmon from the river and we would eat it with rice and seaweed. Oh! I forgot some seaweed.” Yamo stuck a piece of raw salmon into Tsugi’s mouth before putting one into his own. “In my cloak is a pouch of coins, take it and run down to the market and pick up some seaweed. Oh, before you go, stop by the orphanage and tell Volgan and Fay to come home for sushi. Then you can go to the market.” Yamo called after Tsugi. “Remember, orphanage first and tell them about the sushi!”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
“Okay.” Tsugi darted out the door with his cloak and the bag of coins. His eyes were still a little swollen from all the crying, but he was glad Yamo opened up to him. He felt like it was a very good bond of trust that Yamo revealed his deep dark secret to him.
‘Maybe I should trust him too. I should tell him the truth about everything. I owe him that much, for everything he’s done for me.’ He walked happily with a skip to his step and stopped by the orphanage.
“Are you alright Enron?” Volgan turned the corner and saw Tsugi standing before him. “What happened?” Volgan quickly knelt and grabbed Tsugi by the shoulders.
“I’m fine, nothing happened.” Tsugi was confused by Volgan’s reaction.
“Why are you crying then?” He let go of Tsugi’s shoulders and tilted his head slightly.
“Oh…” He rubbed his eyes. “Yamo was telling me about Namiko and Miru.” He smiled sadly up at Volgan.
“I see.” He sighed. “Did you need something? How come you’re here?” Volgan stood up, towering over Tsugi’s little body. Somedays, he had forgotten how tiny he still was.
“Yamo told me to come let you and Fay know to come home for sushi.”
“Sushi?” Volgan’s eyes widened and he licked his lips. “Good, I’m starving.” He rubbed his growling belly. “I’ll let Fay know. Head on home before it gets dark. We’ll see you two later.” He waved at Tsugi, who turned around and pranced out of the building.
Tsugi had gone to five different stores, before he could finally find some seaweed. It was like everyone had decided to have seaweed on the same day. Tsugi quickly walked through the streets and headed home.
“Please, would someone please help me?” A tall hooded man walked around and begged the people walking by. “I need someone to help me get home to my wife.” He cried. “Does anyone know how to get to Mitheryn? Please.” The man wandered the streets, but everyone passed and ignored him, like he didn’t exist.
Tsugi was still very sensitive from the day's events and felt a tear fall from his eyes. He quickly wiped it away, feeling awful and wished he could help, but he didn’t know his way around.
‘I can ask Yamo!’ The idea crossed through his mind and he ran home eagerly.
“Yamo?” Tsugi went into the kitchen but Yamo wasn’t there. Tsugi saw that Yamo had already found some seaweed and rolled all the sushi already. Tsugi placed the seaweed on the table and saw the door to the cellar was open. Some faint noise came from below. “Yamo?” He proceeded down the stairs and into the operating room, but Yamo wasn’t there. The loud noise was coming from the enclosures.
Tsugi pushed open the door and headed down, passing by each of the enclosures and peeking in. “Yamo?” There was no one in sight, but the noise came from a little further ahead. “I saw this man that wanted to find someone to help him get home to his wife, and I was wondering if you were interested.” There was a gate that was open to an empty enclosure. “Yamo?” Tsugi walked into the enclosure and closed the gate behind him. “Yamo?” He called out, continuing deeper into the enclosure, the cold wind blew speckles of snow into his face, causing a cold chill to run up his arms. He brushed his hands over his arms to warm them as he continued further into the enclosure.
Red spots were strewn onto the white snow and Tsugi knelt down, picking it up to smell it. It smelled of iron. Tsugi’s eyes widened, and he heightened his senses, ready for anything to attack. He couldn’t remember which creature was in this enclosure, or if there was even one here. He followed the trail, leading him into the forest.
Trees had broken and fallen here and there, sending Tsugi’s heartbeat racing faster and faster with each step. His breathing also quickened with puffs of breath leaving his lips, rising into the cold air. He gazed down at the blood trail which worsened and he heard gasping which caused him to look up. The trees in the area had fallen, like a hurricane came through. A giant cloaked man stood with his back to him. His cloak was torn and ragged, covered in blood splatter here and there like he had just finished with an intense battle. Blood dripped from the mans’ hand that hung by his side, and dripped into the snow, pooling it in red.
Dread coursed through Tsugi’s veins and pounded in his ears, making him step back. The crunch of the snow under his feet perked the man's ears and he turned to look at Tsugi from the corner of his eye.
Tsugi’s eyes widened, his heart dropped into his stomach as his body froze with terror. His worst fear had become reality and he finally let out the breath he was holding, “father…”