"Are you ready?"
"Yeah."
"Do you have everything you need?"
"Yeah."
"Are you ok?"
"I'm fine."
"Do you need help with the triplets?"
"They've already finished getting dressed."
"Ok."
"Ok."
I look away from my mother, I didn't necessarily trust her. Not after everything I had discovered. I had a slight implication that Tim had been abusing Summer ever since the tea party. The times she would come over she often times sit in silence too lost in thought to notice I was watching her. She was too young to be behaving this way. And I wanted to know the truth. With some digging and a little bit of help I had discovered that Tim had hit her on more than one occasion.
This was the same man that had sent those bikers out to have me killed when I was bringing Ivy back to the castle. The same man that had sent those assassins to my home and had me shot and killed. The same man who I had discovered was working along side Margie Carmine and Dr. Kimble to take my spinal fluid from me. To take the potent contents of J3 and capitalize off of it.
It didn't take me long to discover all of this information when I had gotten my hands on Tim.
I had beaten the information out of him and it didn't take him long to spill every little detail of his plans. Tim had kill my father but what he didn't expect was for me to inject j3 inside of me. From there, once he discovered I was a walking miracle he use the love he knew my mother had for him to get closer to me. He wanted to butter me up and when I was vulnerable enough he would take from me. Only that didn't happen and he had grown impatient with me so he use the wealth he had inherited from his family to recruit a few people.
The assassins.
Dr. Kimble, who was once loyal to my father turned into one of those people. Margie who ended up being Tim's mistress was just a cushion for him. Although he confessed he did love her he wanted to use the resources she had gotten from Richard to his advantage. Margie, willing to do anything for love because it lacked in her marriage with Richard accepted Tim and his wrongdoings wholeheartedly.
No matter who it hurt.
After beating Tim to a inch of his life I ended up killing him and tossing his body to the dragons to eat. He didn't deserved to be buried and I made sure of it.
My mother claimed she had no idea what was going on behind her back and the only reason I believe her is because of how distraught she was how torn she was to hear that her now deceased husband had betrayed and use her. I questioned everything and yet her body language so no signs of deception. I did however tell her that if Summer ever came to me with any again I wouldn't let her let her off so easily.
Since then my mother has been trying her hardest to be apart of my life. Trying to help out with the triplets and take care of everything since Ivy had passed. I didn't allow her, she was kept a distance from me and my children.
Today though, would be the day I would be burying my wife.
I felt sick, sick to my stomach knowing that she was gone. That after all I did, we did, I couldn't protect my wife. The guilt ate at my flesh, it consumed every part of me. Even the deepest darkest corners of my mind. I had to be strong though for Unity and for my family because after this there would be a important announcement for the people of Unity.
The kingdom was in shambles and they needed a leader, to breath life back into the walls. To give everyone hope that after this everything would be ok.
Eventually my mother left me alone because she knew I wasn't going to crack and talk to her. Leon came in soon after, asking me the same couple of questions I had been getting from everyone. Thought it was because they cared it was driving me crazy that they didn't understand that those questions were doing more harm than good. They were killing me inside.
I sigh readjusting my tie for the tenth time today. "You don't have to worry about me, I'm fine Leon."
"You're not fine Juko." Leon shakes his head, lips pull downwards into a frown. "When was the last time you actually ate or gotten eight hours of sleep."
"Again, you don't need to worry about me, I have too much going on to be wasting time eating or sleeping."
"I understand, I just want you mentally good before tonight."
"I'm getting there." I wasn't.
"Have you mourned for her?"
I tear my eyes away from Leon, I didn't want to have this conversation. It always seemed to leave me defeated and irritable. "Not yet."
"The longer you let it bottle up the worse the feeling will become." Leon comes over to me and places a hand on my shoulder giving if a light squeeze. "She wouldn't have wanted this... to see you like this."
"I can't help it."
"Look I know you aren't ready to talk about it but whenever you're ready you know I'll be there for you. You're my brother and I hate seeing you like this."
"It's hard... knowing that she's gone and that it's all my fault."
"It isn't, you did everything you could have possibly done." Leon says.
"Maybe if I had shown up earlier and went by myself or...."
Leon cuts me off, "then you both would have died and the kids would have no one." His reply is curt and straight to the point.
"You don't understand." I pick up my half full glass of whiskey and down the rest enjoying the burning sensation that travels down my throat. "I just wish there was something else I could have done you know? Ivy had a hard life and I didn't make it any better." I admit solemnly. "I let my emotions get the best of me. I could have given her more, been there for her more instead I feel like I was apart of the group of people keeping her back against a wall. She deserved better." I look up at the sky holding back my tears because thinking back on everything leading up to her death made me coil inside. "She died in my fucking arms Leon."
"But the dragons said..."
"It's a slim to none chance." I grunt filling my glass up with from whiskey to throw back again.
Leon rubs his stubble his brows still pressed downwards into a frown like he was trying to find the right words to console me. "Try to think of the good times you had. The things that had made her genuinely happy, made you happy, even if it's small. You'll be surprised by what you find and hell maybe it just might help you mourn a little better."
I swallow back the bile fighting to rise from the depths of my throat. "We have to go." I say clearing my throat and sitting my glass down.
Leon nods his head and together we head out my office towards the entrance of the castle.
There I see Uri, belly swollen slightly hunched over fixing Elliot's shirt. Eden and Akeno stood off to the side holding hands with their faces down turned.
I wasn't sure if they fully understood what was going on or if they understood that their mother wasn't coming back. That she was gone and there was nothing else I could do.
"Daddy." Eden looks over at me when she sees me entering the room.
"What's wrong bunny?" I asks as she lets Akeno's hand go and runs over to me. I bend over slightly allowing her to jump into my arms. Picking her up I push her wild curls out of her eyes so that she can see properly.
"I miss mommy." I feel her tiny body vibrate and it takes everything in me not to break.
"I know baby, I do too."
"When will she come back?" She signs no longer wanting to speak.
"Mommy... is to a better place, I promise you one day you will see her again."
Eden cries, silent tears stream down her cheeks and it tells me that she and her brothers understand and that they know she's dead and she won't be coming back.
I rub Eden's back lightly bouncing her, "come on we still have to celebrate her life. She would be devastated to know you were hurting like this."
"Mommy's been hurting for a long time." She whispers.
I frown lifting her head so that I can look into her eyes. "What do you mean?"
"She's been hurt by many people. Her good days were rare. You were her good days."
~~~
I couldn't stay at the funeral for long, mentally and emotionally I was broken. I had yet to cry, I wasn't a man that cried often. Twice in my life had I done so but right now I could feel it was coming.
After the funeral which only a handful of people attended, I took my children and headed to Unity.
Right now I was standing outside of a set of double doors. Outside was the remainder of Unity's people waiting for me to make my speech.
Only I couldn't even think about becoming King when all I had ever thought about was Ivy. This hurt so much more than when I told her I hated. How she ran away because of me, it felt like I was losing my mind.
I was trying to keep my sanity together but it was in a fragile state. One small thing could knock me all off balance and that sane part of me would shatter. So before I went out, I thought about what Leon had told me.
Think of the memories and the good times, even if they were small. So I did.
~~~
I was sitting at my desk working, there was hardly a day that went by where I wasn't doing so. Ivy decided that she would come into my office and read a book. I didn't understand why she wanted to do that anyway. None of what I was doing was entertaining and I hardly wanted her in here. She was a distraction, a fucking beautiful distraction.
I hated how she talked about herself and I hated how she treated herself. A tiny little thing, curvy and soft in all the right places with a large curly mane that sat on top of her head like a cloud. Her looks were ethereal, so much that it was hard to put into words how beautiful she was.
She had been talked down on for so long that she didn't see it. Too oblivious to see how the women she walked passed envied her and how the men lusted for her. But she was mine, all fucking mine and I was happy for it.
I would sneak glances at her because it was hard not to do so.
I tear my eyes away from her for the tenth time today and scribble on my paperwork trying to refocus back on work. Like I said before it was hard to focus when she was around.
"Juko." Her melodious voice reaches my ears. I love the way she says my name.
"Mhh." I hum looking up at her, finally allowing myself to take her in. She wore a tiny silk dress that did nothing but compliment her curvy body and golden brown skin with a gold chain that added to her glowing complexion. Her lips were coated in a layer of lipgloss and her hair had been pulled up into a sloppy bun. Small pieces had fallen from her bun and the coiled whisps frames her soft angelic like face.
"Have you been to the floating islands?" She asks.
I pause for a moment and then nod, "what about them?"
Do they actually float or is it just a myth." Ivy smiles showing off her perfect pearl white teeth. She leans over on the arm of my office couch and lays her head against it waiting for me to answer.
"From a distance it looks like it's floating, there's a waterfall in front of it so all of the mist that comes up it makes it look like it's floating."
"Wow, that's amazing, would you take me some someway?"
"When it's safe I'll take you there as much as you want. The locals have some good food I think you'll love but there's too many criminals there." I say.
"What about the south? I've always dreamt of going to the beach. Unity is so dreary sometimes that I think it's making me depressed. I want to feel the sun on my skin, smell the salt from the ocean water and I would love to try coconut milk while watching the sunset dip into the horizon."
I chuckle softly as she rambled, her eyes glimmering with hope of the future. Ivy had me by the balls and didn't even fucking know it. If she wanted to go south then so be it.
"Would you move there?" I ask leaning back in my chair and crossing my arms over my chest to relax.
She nods her head and smiles brightly, a slight barely there blush reach her cheeks. "I-I would."
"I'll take you, give me some time and I guarantee you I'll take you to see all of the south."
"You promise?" She says getting up from the couch and walks over to me.
"I promise."
"Pinky swear it." She leans over my desk and sticks her tiny pinky out at me.m with a playful smile on her face.
I resist the urge to chuckle and lift my hand up, wrapping my larger digit around hers. "I pinky swear."
Suddenly she's jumping in my lap, her arms wrapping around my neck to pull me into a hug.
She cheeses hard her eyes glimmering in delight.
How could I possible say no to her?
"I'm so excited!" She claps her hands together to emphasize on her excitement. "I have to tell Uri, she's going to be so jealous when I tell her I'm going to the beach. Maybe I can invite her." She rambled on and on against then goes to get up but I stop her before she can. Placing my hands on her hips to keep her in place causing her to gasp lightly. "Do I get a thank you?"
Ivy flushes all over again her heartbeat rapidly picking up. Telling me that I was doing things to her that she had never experienced before. "Of-of course. Thank-"
I cut her off, "a thank you kiss."
"Oh!" Her voice goes high pitch. "Right."
She leans in nervously, slowly so slow that I grow impatient and pull her head toward mine. Our lips smash against each other but it's anything but rushed. It's so soft, promising, needy and loving. And as our lips continued to move against one another I slip my hand up the side of her waist while my other grips the back of her neck. She melts against me our bodies molding perfectly.
It takes every fiber of my being to pull myself away from her. Ivy eyes flutter open and she sucks her bottom lip into her mouth.
Leaning her forehead against mine we enjoy the mutual silence. "Thank you, Juko."
"Anything for you princess."
~~~
It rained a lot in Unity but when it did I would sit outside and listen to the patters of the water hitting off of the windowpane and rooftop.
I was sitting outside with the fireplace lit enjoying the serene atmosphere when I hear familiar footsteps approaching the outside dinning area.
Ivy.
She rounded the corner, a book tucked firmly against her chest along with the record player I had gotten her when she paused. I didn't have to look up to know that she was looking at me, not expecting me to be out here.
I wasn't supposed to be home so early in the day.
"Hey." She finally says after a moment of silence. She comes around the corner and takes a seat on the opposite end of the couch outside.
"Hey." I mumbled disliking the distance. For some reason I always had the urge to be next to her. Though I could smell her from a distance I loved being up close and personal to it. She always smelled so sweet that whatever she wore always became my new favorite scent. Even when we slept together I would bury my face into her neck just to enjoy her sweet smelling scent.
"I hope you don't mind me coming out here with you. I didn't know you were out here."
"I don't." I say rubbing my stubble, I needed to trim it.
"What are you doing out here anyway?" She asks sitting her book to the side to set up the record player.
"Thinking." I admit fiddling with her wedding ring that rested gently against my chest, I never took it off and didn't plan on it. If anything I wanted to get her a new one, all of the rings given to the soldiers for their wives were the same. That was if you couldn't afford to buy a new one and at the time I was broke and refused to accept help from Tim.
"About?" She hums placing a vinyl in the record poster.
"You." I respond rather bluntly.
She pauses once more her head turning to the side to look up at me. Those chocolate brown eyes melt when they meet gray. I can see her trying to cover up the smile on her face, my answer being unexpected but she has a poor poker face and it shows.
"Do you think about me often?" She teases for her sake.
"There's isn't a moment when I'm not thinking about you Ivy."
Her heart begins to race and speeds up when I scoot closer to her.
"D-do you mind if..." she clears her throat. "Do you mind if I play some music, I think this song is perfect for the weather."
I nod my head.
She smiles sheepishly moving the tone arm and letting it drop on the vinyl to play.
I think I like when rains, you told me to go to the light.
We sit in silence enjoying the music and the rain and when the song is over she resets it.
"You must really like this song."
"I do." She says turning up the sound and standing up. She puts her hands out in front of me, I frown.
"Take them, I don't bite."
"I do." I grunt."
She chortles cutely, "come on. I've always wanted to dance in the rain."
"I thought you didn't like getting you hair wet."
She flushes, "I don't, but I'm making a exception for tonight. Plus I still owe you that dance. Remember?" She smiles.
I loved seeing her fucking smile.
"You do don't you." I stand taking her small hand in mine.
"Yes, so dance with me Juko." She laughs pulling me out into the rain. The drizzle hasn't let up and if anything it's gotten heavier, so heavy that my clothes soak the moment I step out from under the dining space, patio.
Ivy's curls drop, the full length of her hair sticks to her forehead and back. She pushes the small baby hairs out of her face and turns around to face me. I had never thought that in a million years hearing one's voice or seeing their face would bring me a kind of peace that Ivy did.
She made me feel so fucking safe so fucking content with how my life has played out. I hated myself for how I had been treating her and I had told myself that I would do better. I needed to do better, she deserved better than what I had been doing.
I sigh, pulling her close until her chest is pressed up against me, forcing her to stand on my shoes. She giggles wrapping her arms around my neck while my hands rest on the lower part of my back. Our cheeks touch and I don't bother moving my face away from hers I wanted to be as close to her as possible.
I lead the dance making sure to keep her as warm as physically possible.
Soft words and beautiful nothings are exchanged. It feels so surreal.
I can't help but to lean down every so often to whisper promises in her ears. Promises or something silly just so I can listen to her laugh. I was falling for her hard so hard that I didn't care where I landed.
Ivy could rip out my fucking heart and I'd still do everything in my power to make sure she was happy. Is this what love was, was it supposed to make you feel this way?
So out in the open, so vulnerable?
I felt like a goddamn addict, I couldn't deny it. I was addicted to this girl.
"Juko stop. Put me down!" Ivy cackles throwing her head back. This was the hardest I had ever seen her laugh.
"Will you out the goddamn ring back on?" I was somewhat joking. I was getting agitated with the fact that there had been men looking at Ivy because she wasn't wearing her ring. I hated that it was making me feel these things I had never felt in my life.
Jealousy.
I was a selfish bastard and I wanted my girl all to myself. I wanted everyone to know that she was for the taking, that she was mine and mine alone. I wasn't willing to give her up.
"No it's ugly and doesn't fit." Ivy rolls her eyes jokingly.
"Do you want a new ring?" I pick her up, "I'll buy you a whole damn store so you can wear a new one everyday if you want."
"What?" Her eyes widen. "Juko, no that's insane! Someone's gonna come after us for revenge when they find out they can't buy their soon to be wife a wedding ring."
"Do you think I care?"
"No but like what if they try to beat you up." She says throwing out a scenario, eyes widening from the dramatics.
"I guess they won't be going back home to their soon to be." I grin evilly when her jaw drops.
"You're horrible!" She laughs. "Let me go!"
I gently let her down and before she can move I spin her around, her dress drenched in water twirls slightly. "Our dance isn't over Ivy." I say dipping her.
"You're right but you've got two left feet."
"You're breaking my heart princess." I chuckle deeply.
"Juko." Ivy face suddenly becomes serious.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing... I just realized how happy you make me. I know we've had our ups and downs but... you really do make me happy and I want you to know that."
"Yeah?"
She smiles softly, "yeah."
I nudge her lightly, "you make me happy too."
~~~
"Juko?" Her voice sounded so small, so out of it.
"Yes Ivy."
"I love you."
I smirk my eyes softening tenfold, "I love you too."
~~~
The doors open.
"Your new King, Juko Saigoni."