Magi: Hiraeth

37: To Be Like Before

To Be Like Before

Huge ships flying the Sindrian flag arrived at the port at noon. The three children, Aladdin, Alibaba and Morgianna, were welcomed warmly with lots of festivity. The Generals praised them for their valor and heroic deed during the war at Magnostadt. A festival is going to be head in the evening, another Maharajan, to celebrate the return of the three. It was also to celebrate Yukiko's arrival formally.

"Yukiko onee-san!" Called out the blue haired magi to her while she was looking up to the petals flying with the breeze. She was also there to welcome the children but got distracted with the falling petals.

"Oh my, Aladdin, Alibaba, Morgianna! You grew so much!" She looks at them surpirsed yet still smiling. "I didn't get to have a proper look at you back in Magnostadt because of the chaos but my~ You all grew taller; and stronger!"

"You became even more beautiful, Yukiko-san! Those fancy robes suits you!" Complimented Alibaba with a huge grin.

"These are the clothes that a Queen of Xue normally wears afterall." Reiji cooly said that earned him a smack on the back of his head from Kurosaki.

"That is a rude way to speak to the people who took care of Yukiko-sama during those years we were absent. Also, he's a magi!" Midoriko scolded Reiji who just 'hmph'-ed at the straight laced man.

"Thank you for taking care of Yukiko. She told us a lot about you." Kurosaki bowed politely at the three who told him that it was alright.

"Alibaba, I apologized for leaving the affairs in Magnostadt to you and Yamuraiha. I needed to prepare all the necessary things for the summit in two months time." Sinbad suddenly approached their group.

"Oh it was alright. Aladdin wanted to stay too since he was regretting what happened there a bit. Morgianna and I wanted to be by his side to support him." Alibaba replied with his usual smile.

Right after that conversation, Alibaba was swarmed with people whom Yukiko thinks: are fond and respects him. She got to speak with Toto, a member of the Yamabala who she once met in the mountain back when she was still with the tribe and at Reim Gladiator Colliseum.

"Let's all party tonight!" All the people cheered at the notion.

- - - - - • • • • • - - - - -

The square outside the palace was lit with lanterns and bonfires together with the merry-making of the people. The drums, trumpets, and stringed instruments were playing joyful and festive music that made the people dance and energized them more to party.

At an elevated gazebo at one corner of the party venue, Yukiko is sipping a bit of alcohol beside one of her retainers which is Kurosaki. The other two, Reiji and Midoriko, were invited to drink by the locals so the two were left alone.

"You were crying the other day after King Sinbad whisked you away from us. Would you like to talk about it, Yuki?" He asked her in a kind tone.

After her sudden disappearance courtesy of Sinbad's whim, they found her at the back of the castle sitting on the bench overlooking the flower field. She was crying silently, clenching her fist like a child who has been neglected. That sight of her broke Kurosaki's heart.

Since Kurosaki grew up with Yukiko and Aoren, he considered them as his own siblings. He is as protective as Aoren towards Yukiko but a little bit strict since Aoren often let Yukiko do anything she pleases so he took it onto himself to set her and Aoren straight. But when he calls her by her nickname Yuki, it means that he is being soft and genuinely concerned towards her.

"..nothing that I can't handle. I'm alright." She replied after a short pause. "I've been thinking, I'm a little bit old to be..you know. Stressing myself about a broken heart. I should act more mature than before and be a woman worthy of my title."

Kurosaki looked up to the full moon as Yukiko stopped talking. He can't really say anything about her problem since he can imagine how painful it was for her to be rejected after being given false hope. Aoren told him all about it for him to properly take care of Yukiko in his stead.

"Tomorrow..I'll start acting like how I was towards him before. It has been more than a year since that incident. If I could gather enough courage, I would like to talk about it and have a proper closure. I'll be married soon anyway.." Yukiko smiled a little.

"Are you okay with that? Marrying for political reason? You've always told me that you wanted to be married like your parents who met and fell inlove like those in your story books."

"I couldn't have aniki shouldering such a responsibility. Besides, he already has Setsuna. I could clearly see that those two are much inlove with each other."

Kurosaki looked at her with a sincere smile. He could no longer see the small little girl who was only concerned for her happiness before. Now, she puts others before herself. Very much like how a ruler of Xue should be.

"Also..with Kouen..I think love is something that I can learn. Although I am still not sure of his own feelings towards me despite his bold declaration of it..I think he is someone who isn't hard to love." She continued to say, smiling.

"The future is uncertain and never predicatble. The little things we do can change it drastically, so my only advice to you is to be always calm and careful in making the choices that you make so in the end, you won't regret it." Kurosaki kindly said before placing a hand on her head. "My, look how much you've grown. King Aomine and Maya-sama are definitely proud of you wherever they may be now."

Yukiko only replied with a small smile before looking at her reflection in her drink. She was just silently hopping that she can pull her old self together and not be that resentful anymore. 'All has passed' is what she is repeating inside her head.

She was able to retrieve their country back, reconstruct it, and able to bring her people back. It is an incredibly large feat that even she finds hard to believe.

"Just a little bit more..after I am married to the Ren family, our other people will be liberated completely. They are being sent back one by one just like the deal said, right Kurosaki-nii? They aren't slaves anymore.." She asked him, still looking at her drink.

"Yes they are. It is what the other Lords say. Aoren is supervising over them in your stead so don't stress yourself over it for now. Let your brother also carry some of the burden."

Before she can reply, fireworks exploded and lit up the dark but starry skies. It was like a montage of huge and bright flowers that has the colors of Sindria's beautiful land. She just smiled to herself and made a firm decision.

"Tomorrow..just like before.. I will be just that. It is finally time to let go of your feelings for him, Yukiko."

And so, another peaceful night passed in Sindria.