The Cascading Effect

A Twisted Utopia

"Nate. Do you really not recognise me?" Tessa finally asked.

Now it was the King's turn to feel the shock.
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He stared at Tessa, eyes full of confusion. A crease on his forehead. He scavenged through the layers he buried his memories under to find the answer. He had buried those memories deep, deep inside when the futility of keeping them and the hope of ever returning had hit him. If your memories make you YOU, was he even the same person he used to be 7 years ago? Who was he 7 years ago? A son, a brother, a friend, an innocent child, a little boy who was his class' mood maker, had a puppy crush on his sister's best friend for as long as he could remember, a mischi.... wait... his sister's best friend. His sister- Mia. Her best friend..... Tessie?...Tessie-Tessa?.... Tessa?!!!!

His eyes widened with realisation.

Was this really Tessa? The Tessa?...... His Tessa? But how- how was it possible! Her eyes, hair, everything! How did he not realise it sooner?!

"Tessie..?" He finally managed to say, with great hesitation.

A few gasps and question marks floated in the crowd around him. But he was only looking at her. As he always had been.

"Do you recognise me now?" He could still sense some fear in his voice. He couldn't believe he was about to duel with her! He was the reason behind that fear. F*ck Guoshi. He was the king and he was going to do things his way.

He took a step closer to her.

"Does anybody else call you Tessie?"

"Umm my mom does sometimes. Also this neighbourhood aunt." She replied.

His heartbeat was wining a Formula 1 race. This was such a Tessa thing to say.

"Why are you ruining the moment?" He complained.

"Because I'm still in shock and my mind cannot process this situation, so my defence sarcanism has taken it upon herself to continue the conversation." She blurted.

He chuckled. His heart couldn't contain the excitement but he did not want to show it all in front of the rest of them. He needed to take care of the situation at hand first.

"Sarcanism?" Yet he questioned against his own will.

"Sarcasm+ Mechanism." She was charged with her survival instinct but she was injured all over. He needed to get her to the infirmary.

He turned to Guoshi.
"Guoshi, she is a trusted friend from the other side. I know you will be opposed to the idea but I swear upon my honour that she can be trusted. I will not put a friend, a very dear one at that, in danger and neither will I put my kingdom in danger. Please trust me. So I request you to please make an exception and let this go. She will not be a threat to anybody, I, the King of this sacred land, give my word."

If Nate was stubborn like a rock, Guoshi's principles were like a mountain.

"No." The Guoshi said.

Nate was perplexed. What could he possibly say to make Guoshi change his answer? Something which would make the idea of fighting her to death worse that letting her live in terms of Guoshi's principles and the law of the land.

Think!! Only if she was pregnant! Sacrificing a life, as a form of collateral damage, was the worst possible offence on this land. Is she pregnant? He stole a look at her flat stomach. Probably not.
He could lie about it but it would never work with Guoshi. He would know instantly.

What else? Suddenly a scene caught his eye. A brother sister duo walking hand in hand.

That was it!
"Guoshi I haven't been entirely honest with you. Tessa, Tessa is actually my sister. My own blood. Are you really going make me fight my own blood? Isn't that blasphemous?" He argued.