*Rosemary*
I got into bed and set my head down on my pillow once we got back from Momotaro.
It wasn’t a long trip, but I still found myself exhausted.
Maybe it was because of my mana training prior to the trip.
Kine’s words echoed in my head.
Was my mana usage really that unusual?
What could the reason for that be?
Mom taught both brother and me.
And Ore continued to teach me.
Granted, he wasn’t exactly the best teacher.
He would go ‘You gotta feel it in your gut and go wamoo!’.
I snickered just recalling it.
Even now, I wasn’t exactly sure what ‘wamoo’ meant.
I sighed.
My health issues were the likeliest culprit.
Thinking back to it, my way of using mana likely was how child me compensated for the lack of energy.
But I couldn’t let it get in my way all of the time.
Pushing myself was not a great idea either.
What was the right balance for me?
My eyes started to get heavy.
‘Maybe I should ask Ore next time I see him, whenever that might end up being.
I could also consult Kine.
Although, I have bothered him enough as is.’
I gasped as I found myself back in the castle.
And not just any room of it.
No, I just had to be in the throne room.
Father glared at me.
“Your incompetence has been noted.”
I lowered my head.
“Sorry, Father.”
“You couldn’t even be a good wife to your husband.
Now you’re back here.”
I looked up at him.
“But I’m not done yet.
I’ll make him fall in love with me!”
Father glared at me.
“Are you still going on about that?
You’re a failure as a Kuroriku, and even as a woman.”
“I-I,” I tried to speak but my voice got stuck in my throat.
I gasped for air as I sat up.
It was a dream.
It was so obvious, yet, it felt so real.
“Rose, are you alright?” I heard Mrs.
Daikiri call out.
She’d volunteered to make lunch for me as I hadn’t eaten anything other than some biscuits with tea.
“I’m fine,” I said, still breathing heavily.
She walked in and sat down beside me.
“Are you sure you’re fine?
You look pale, sweetie.
Plus you’re shaking.
Did you have a nightmare?”
I nodded.
She patted my head.
“Ya should lie down.”
I sighed as I laid back down.
I closed my eyes, trying to force the thoughts out of my head.
Hopefully, that dream was not a premonition.
I didn’t want to return to the castle.
“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked.
“No, I’m fine, Mrs.
Daikiri.
I’ll be fine.”
She smiled.
“Are ya sure, sweetie?
It’s okay to talk about it.”
I sighed.
“No, really, I’m fine.
Thanks though.”
She nodded.
“If ya say so.”
Silvias ran into the room.
“Everything okay?
Rose feeling sick from vroom-vroom?”
I snickered.
“Yeah.”
“Ya sure?
Ya making the face you make when ya not feeling well,” he said, waving his hands.
I sighed.
Even a five-year-old could see through me.
Mrs.
Daikiri walked over to her spun and turned him around.
“Come on, Sil, let’s go help Alli.
She’s cooking and she might need some help.”
“Okay!”
I smiled slightly.
That kid sure was a bundle of sunshine.
Silvias turned around and waved.
“Feel better, Rose!”
I nodded.
Mrs.
Daikiri smiled at me.
“I’ll be in the kitchen if ya need anything, sweetie.”
“Understood.”
She turned around gave me a hug.
“Thank you,” I said, returning the hug.
She smiled.
“Ya welcome, Rose.”
Once they left, I closed my eyes again and slumbered.
This time, I found myself flying over a lake.
Gael was glaring at a blond boy whose face I couldn’t see.
Blood dripped out of my cousins’s side as flames encircled him.
“Gael!” I yelled, sitting up.
My door slammed open.
“Rose!
Ya okay?” my mother-in-law said, running in.
“Bad dream?” Silvias asked, poking his head in.
I touched my head.
Why did I dream of my cousin?
“Are ya okay, Rose?”
“Yes, Mother.
I’m fine.
Sorry for the scare.”
Mrs.
Daikiri furrowed her brow.
“Ya don’t look fine.”
“Ya look look like ya saw a ghost!” Silvias said.
I pursed my lips.
“Rose, please, tell me what’s wrong,” my mother-in-law said, putting her hand on my shoulder.
I sighed.
“It’s just a dream.” A disturbing one, but a dream nonetheless.
“True, but it must’ve been a bad one if you’re this pale.”
I sat up and tried my best to smile.
“How about I help you three finish making lunch?” Not like I could sleep after those dreams.
Mrs.
Daikiri shook her head.
“Ya still unwell.
Rest.”
“But-”
“I’m serious.
Ya still need rest.
Even though you’re not sick, ya shouldn’t push yaself.”
“Wanna play instead?” Silvias asked, smiling.
I smiled slightly.
“Alright, alright.
You win, but I’ll help you with dinner, okay?”
Mrs.
Daikiri grinned.
“Alright, that’s fine.” She patted her son’s head.
“Try not to tucker her out, okay?”
Sil nodded.
“I wanna play a board game.
Think that’s fine, right?” He glanced at me.
I smiled.
“Yeah, I can do boardgames.” Used to play chess with Ore as kids.
Would beat him more often than I lost.
Although, neither of us were a match against Father.
“Cool,” Sil said.
“Thanks again, Mrs.
Daikiri.”
She smiled.
“It’s not a problem, Rose.”
We all walked to the living room where I sat down on the sofa.
Silvias grabbed some from underneath the living room table.
It was a chess board.
“Oh?
You play chess?” I asked, smiling.
There were not many five-year-olds who did.
He nodded.
“Big Bro loves playin’ it.
He taught me all I know!”
Saffron did?
For some reason, I imagined he would be more into battleship or the like, since he loved boats.
Although, chess was mentally stimulating.
“Alright, board ready,” Sil said as he finished putting the last pieces on the board.
He sat on the floor, grinning.
“Okay, Sil, your move,” I said after I moved one of my pawns from G-2 to G-3.
He mirrored my move.
His green eyes looked up from the board and gazed into mine.
“Something the matter, Sil?”
“Say, can ya fly, Rose?”
I blinked.
A rather random question.
“Why do you ask?
Do you wish to learn how to fly?” I moved a pawn from H-2 to H-3.
He nodded as he mirrored my move once more.
“My wings still need to develop a bit more, but I wanna fly like my big bro and sis.”
I smiled.
“I don’t fly all that often.” And whenever I did, it was only for short distances.
It drained more more than walking and swimming did.
The boy grinned.
“At least you know.”
I chuckled.
“I guess, that’s true.” I moved a bishop from F-1 to G-2
He moved the neighboring pawn of the first one he had moved.
Did he have a strategy in mind or was he just playing without thinking like Ore and Gael tended to do?
I moved a pawn from E-2 to E-3 in a strategy I liked to call ‘mist’.
The idea was to have my opponent become distracted by the pawns, not realizing the bishop in their midst can strike their pieces down.
The kid smiled and went back to mirroring my move.
Was he planning to build a wall of pawns?
I allowed Sil to set up his wall of pawns while I brought the pawns around my bishop forward.
For my bishop over to G-6, taking one of his pawns and having his king within my line of sight.
Sil didn’t look worried though.
“Ha!
He moved his knight, taking out my bishop.”
I sighed and moved one of my pawns forward.
How could I have let myself be distracted by the wall of pawns?
Much to my surprise, Sil moved his knight back behind the protection of his wall of pawns.
I’d hoped he would’ve gone for the easy prey that was one of my pawns.
After several more turns, I finally won with him throwing in the towel after taking all of his pieces except for a pawn and his king.
It turned out to be harder fought win than I had expected.
I only had four pieces left on the board once it was all said in done versus his two.
And two of those were pawns while the third was my king.
The queen was the key to my victory.
Sil stood up straight, a huge grin across his face.
“That was fun!
Ya were really good!
Not as good as Saf, but still.”
Now I really wanted to play against my husband.
“Thanks,” I said, trying to hold back a yawn.
The game proved more draining than I had hoped.
“You sleepy?”
I shook my head.
“No-” I yawned.
My face flushed.
He giggled.
“Wanna have nappy time after lunch? The source of this chapter is g.com.
Mommy give me cookies and piece to help me get a good sleep!”
I patted his black mat of hair.
“Sure!”
“Yay!”
“Lunch is served!” Alli yelled as she stood under the archway delineating the kitchen and living room.
“Alli, really surprised us this time,” Mrs.
Daikiri said as she entered the room carrying a tray with four plates on it.
They smelled good.
“Oh, boy!” Silvias said, basically drooling.
I stared at the stir-fry.
It did look good.
I wasn’t sure if I was hungry enough to eat it yet though.
“I hope you’re hungry, dear,” Mrs.
Daikiri said.
I just smiled and took it.
Picking up the fork, I began eating.
While lacking any meat, it still managed to taste great.
“Mmm…
So good,” I said.
Allie smiled.
“I knew you would love it.”
I blushed.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been able to cook much lately.”
“Don’t worry about it.
Mommy and me don’t mind cooking.
If anything, it’s good training for when I marry!”
I furrowed my brow.
Why was a ten-year-old thinking about marriage.
Even I who was born into royalty didn’t think about it until I was in my teens.
Although, maybe it would been better if I had given it some more thought.
I lacked the skills expected of a wife.
Silvias began wolfing down his meal.
The kid had a better apetite than his brother.
He did not eat much during our wedding reception.
I moved my plate away from me once I was done and leaned back.
My eyelids grew heavy again.
I felt like I was going to fall asleep at any moment.
When I opened my eyes, I found little Sil and Alli curled up on the sofa next to me.
They were so adorable.
“Slept well?” Mrs.
Daikiri asked, smiling.
She had a duster in one hand and had a bandana and apron on.
I nodded.
“Think the little ones chased my nightmares away.”
She giggled.
“I think ya right.
When I only had Saf, I would have some nightmares too, but whenever he slept by my side, they would vanish.”
“That’s nice,” I said, smiling.
Sil scooted closer to me and cuddled up.
“Rose, we should play again sometime soon,” he mumbled, smiling.
I laughed mentally.
Was he still asleep?
Mrs.
Daikiri gently stroked Sil’s hair.
“Even in his sleep, this one is still rearing to playing.”
I chuckled.
“It’s good to see them happy.”
“Aye, it is,” Mrs.
Daikiri replied softly.
“They will grow up fast, ya know.”
I touched my stomach.
That made me feel a little sad and yet I was not even a mom yet.
I was not even sure if I was pregnant to begin with.
Mrs.
Daikiri raised an eyebrow at me.
“Did ya and Saf, ya know?”
My face heated up and let go of my stomach.
“Uh.
W-well, we a-are married.”
She furrowed her brow.
“He didn’t force ya, did he?”
I shook my head.
“N-no!” I fidgeted.
“If anything, I am the one who asked.”
My mother-in-law laughed.
“My, aren’t ya a courageous one.” She patted my head.
“As long as he treats ya right, there’s no need to worry.”
Courageous?
I was scared half the time.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Mrs.
Daikiri was a really good mother-in-law.
If anything, she felt like a second mother.
“If ya don’t mind me asking, what did ya dream about that got ya all scared?” she asked, stepping back.
“Was it a dream about Saf?”
I took a deep breath.
“The first one was related to him.
I dreamt that I had returned to the castle.
We had divorced.”
She furrowed her brow.
“That is unnerving.
And the other was about ya cousin, Gael, correct?”
I nodded.
“I saw him fighting a blond kid near a lake.
He was surrounded by flames.”
She pursed her lips.
“That sounds like a nightmare indeed.”
“Yeah.
But both felt so tangible.
Maybe I am being superstitious, but I fear they might come true.”
Mrs.
Daikiri nodded.
“I understand.
Sometimes dreams can become reality.
But sometimes that reality plays out differently from the dream.”
‘Plays out differently?
Hopefully both of them do.
For the better.
I do not wish to lose my cousin or Saffron.’