“The entire population of our village was standing outside, waiting out in the thunderstorm. Our clan was one of the oldest war clans, yet we didn’t get any sort of privileges or recognition. Mr Seechii was the person who brought our clan out of this issue and helped us get not all the privileges, but at least some of it, or that’s what I thought. I still don’t know the exact reason why the village stood outside—waiting for you. However, that might be why. But I had no time to sit down and think why. I had two lives to save because you really needed saving. Akemi couldn’t keep together anymore. She bit her left arm so hard that blood squirted into her mouth, yet she clenched her arm with her jaws tightly. I had to pull her arm away only to stuff her mouth with a towel because she begged me to, and still she was moaning and whimpering.”

“I was on the edge of things—I didn’t know how I could hold this off. But the storm was steadily getting worse by every minute. I was getting worried more and more when I noticed she suddenly grew silent. She was about to faint again and that—right now can be fatal. I yelled and it did not work. I shook the bed, opened the window to let the stiff wind in, slammed the door again and again and she didn't even move an inch. I was losing both you and her with every second. I wanted to do something—I had to, but this maid was watching, making sure that I didn't touch her again. She would throw a fit if I pissed her off. I had to control myself—but I didn't have the time to just to maintain Akemi's state and wait for the female doctor. She was this close to fainting and how am I really supposed to make sure she doesn’t faint into oblivion without touching her.” 

“And then—It happened. The horseman. He was finally back. I sighed in relief as I felt the weight getting off my chest. I jolted up from the floor and dashed to the door to let the female doctor take over and save this suffering soul. He didn’t bring a doctor, but a letter. A letter that he read, not just to me or the maid, but to the whole of the village. He stated that Mr Seechii was killed on the battlefield eight days ago and that they had buried his body in the state graveyard with proper honour formalities. EIGHT DAYS AGO! And they said nothing about it to us—but no time for mourning! ‘Wait what? What about bringing the doctor here?’ I questioned him and he had the guts to reply that since Mr Seechii was no longer in the position. Thus, the horseman no longer have to be stationed here because there is no one requesting him to do so and that they asked him to go to the base right now. Apparently someone from the base was coming here, and this horsemen met him halfway in and was ordered to head back to the village. He didn’t even touch the town’s entrance. It instantly got on my nerves. I went straight for his collar, lifted him off the ground. How could he even think of leaving her like this? I badly wanted to burying my fist two inches deep in his face.” 

“Oh gawh… Did you punch him?” She questioned with her eyes flaming with curiosity.

“Well, about to. But when I saw his face. It screamed for forgiveness. It was an order. He could do nothing against it. It’s not him, but the higher ups that connect us to the king. I could do nothing but let him go. The villagers wanted to beat him to a pulp, but Akemi was more important now. They were worried about who could help her at the moment. With no other choice in hand, as a doctor, I stepped up. The maid was still against this, saying that Akemi’s dignity is more important. I dashed back into the door, about to lock it behind me, but she held the knob at the neck of time—I had to yank her out of the way. Leaving the maid outside, I turned back and noticed your mom staring at me, teary-eyed, gripping the rims of the cot tightly and covered in sweat. Her whole body was tense. ‘Is he dead?’ whispered Akemi, and it just fell down on me. What should I do now? Am I the one who had to tell her about her husband? I looked at her eyes—the look on my face painted the picture and it broke her out. She screamed so loud that it overpowered the volley of thunder and slammed her hands down on the cot—going crazy.” Mika gasped. 

“I walked to the cot, kneeling beside it and clenching her hands with both my hands, staring at her contorted face, shallow rapid breathing, shaking with sobs. ‘When one hope dies, another hope is born.’ I tried to say it to her in the best way possible, but her heart fell down on the floor. She looked at me—with her soulless eyes. Losing the motivation to even move on with her life, and that’s when you showed up. You kicked mommy’s tummy from the inside to remind her she had to live on.” Mika’s face was lit up with a wide smile.

“But maybe the little trooper kicked a bit too hard. Akemi went through immense pain. She was trembling and started bleeding yet again. I had to give her an herb to numb her pain. Almost everyone would have this in their house. I went through each drawer—shelf to shelf. I couldn’t find it anywhere. That’s when I saw this little box. It looked as if it’s most likely to have money or something of great value, but no medicine. I had to open this—had to take the chances. But it was locked, I started looking for the key and then I heard someone whisper my name. It was her. I noticed she had been clutching something in her hands, but time didn’t permit me to ask about it. She stretched her hand for me, showing me her hand. I slowly peeled her fingers off the fist to reveal the key and scrambled the box open. It wasn’t money or jewels or even medicine that was inside the box—it was letters. Letters from your dad.” 

“The herb would work here, but I knew what would work better. I read a letter to her, waiting for the second wave of pain, at which I could do what I was there for. She smiled even when she was under so much pain and there it came, the next wave.”