A Blind World

Chapter 11

Zisteau awoke to frantic talking and someone sobbing. He sat up confused, disentangling himself from the adorable boy beside him, who happened to wake at the sudden movement. He looked just as confused as Zisteau himself.

"What's going on?" Kurt questioned sleepily.

"I'm not sure." Zisteau replies, pulling the blanket off of himself.

He stood up, padding his way towards the door. He opened it cautiously, peeking outside. He saw servants rushing frantically, it was chaos. He entered the chaotic hallway, flagging down the first person who walked by, which just happened to be Baj.

"What is going on?" Zisteau questioned as Kurt appeared by his side.

"You must go back your room." Baj says sternly, going to move past Zisteau.

Zisteau grabbed Baj's wrist, stopping him. "What is going on?" Zisteau tries again, putting more authority behind his words.

"Zisteau. You have to go back to your room until further notice."

"Baj, you tell me what's going on right now or I'll have you thrown in the dungeon." Zisteau threatens.

"Fine, go look for yourself." Baj says, gesturing down the hall, frustration lacing his voice.

Zisteau went down the hall, dodging servants that were rushing about. He heard quiet footsteps behind him as Kurt followed, looking overly confused. He approached the door to his parents room, which was open, oddly enough, and entered. What he saw broke his heart. His father sat in a chair, hunched over, sobs escaping him. His mother, lay on the bed, motionless and pale, while Jsano stood by, examining her. He looked closely, not seeing the slow rise and fall of his mothers chest.

His knees suddenly felt so weak as what had happened sank in. He collapsed against Kurt, who staggered at the sudden extra weight he had to support, but quickly steadied himself. Zisteau sobbed into Kurt's shoulder as sobs racked through his body and his thoughts raced. How could she be dead? She couldn't really be dead. She couldn't just leave him like that.

"It's ok Zisteau, it's ok." Kurt murmured, pulling Zisteau close.

"H-how can you say that?" Zisteau sobbed, his voice muffled by Kurt's shoulder.

"Because I know it will be." Kurt answers calmly.

"But she's dead! It's not like you'd know how that felt!" Zisteau half shouted, pulling away from Kurt.

That hurt. It hurt Kurt a lot as the words sunk in. "I've never had parents Zisteau. My mother died and my father was a war veteran who got hung for raping my mother. I guess I really don't have a fucking clue." Kurt says pointedly, turning and leaving the room without glancing back.

A hand shot up, covering Zisteau mouth as he realized what he had said. "Kurt! Wait! I'm so sorry!" Zisteau shouted, running out of the room on shaky legs.

He ran after Kurt, grabbing his arm, stopping him from walking away. Kurt turned to him, teary blue-red eyes meeting his own teary blue-green.

"What the fuck do you want?" Kurt asks coldly.

"Kurt please. I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean what I said. That was horrible of me." Zisteau says, his voice laced with fear, fear that Kurt would leave him, that he would be left without his mother and his love.

Kurt sighed deeply, moving to hug Zisteau. "Your lucky I love you." Kurt said, his voice wavering as he seemed to finally calm down.

Zisteau hugged back tightly, letting the tears fall as everything settled in. He couldn't believe it. He didn't want to. He wanted to wake up from this nightmare, for that's surely what this was, a horrible, horrible dream that he would wake up from and be back beside his peacefully sleeping boyfriend.

"This-this can't be happening." Zisteau says, squeezing his eyes shut.

"I wish it wasn't Zisteau, I really wish it wasn't." Kurt says, placing a kiss on Zisteau's head.

"Prince Zisteau." Came a hesitant, Dutch accent.

Zisteau took a deep breath and straightened up, trying ever so desperately to act composed, but he knew he was failing, if the tears didn't give that away, then the small sobs did.

"Y-yes?"

"Your wanted in your parents room...."

Zisteau nodded, biting his lip hard. He grabbed Kurt's hand, never wanting him to leave his side and they walked back down the hallway. They approached the door cautiously. This time his mothers body wasn't there anymore and Guude was still in the chair, but Baj was beside him, rubbing his back.

"Guude. Zisteau is here." Baj says gently, moving to leave the room, to provide privacy.

Zisteau sits in the chair opposite of his father and Kurt sits beside him.

"Kurt, can you please leave?" Guude asks with a shaking voice.

Kurt nods quickly. "Of course." He gives Zisteau a kiss. "I'll be in your room."

"Ok.... I love you."

"Love ya too."

"Zisteau.... I-I know this is difficult... for both of us...." Guude starts, but his voice trails off as he dissolves into sobs.

Zisteau stands up and hugs his father, who returned the hug. They just stayed like that for what felt like forever as the two grieved their lost loved one. They were both in shock. How could this have happened? No one knew what had happened to her. She was so young and full of life.

Someone cleared their throat and both looked up to see Jsano standing in the doorway. "King, prince, I have figured out what caused queen Aureylian's sudden passing."

Guude nods shakily, willing him to continue.

"Miss Aureylian died from cardiac arrest." Jsano informs sadly.

"She-she never told me anything was wrong...." Guude says sadly, feeling hurt that his own wife couldn't tell him that anything was wrong.

Jsano slowly backed out if the room, obviously uncomfortable. Baj re entered the room, a small leather bound book in hand.

"Guude.... Aurey wanted you to have this..... she uh swore me to secrecy and told me to never read it. But, she specifically wanted you to have this when she passed..." Baj said awkwardly, handing him the small book.

Guude took it, his blue green eyes filling with tears all over again as he read the nearly written words.

Guude, my love,

If your reading this then Baj kept his promise and I have passed on. It pains me, writing this, but it's what must be done. I didn't betray you my love, I was simply protecting you. My mother had congenital heart disease. It's what killed her. I was born with it and I have a weak heart. I've known all along I wouldn't live forever and I knew that when the time came, I would just somehow know. It's been estimated that anyone with this disease is lucky to live till their late thirties. But, I'm hoping that I don't die before our child is born and I hope, beyond hope that he isn't burdened with this. I couldn't love with myself if they did have it.

I love you Guude, always, but it's time to move on, go find Bdubs again, love him again. He deserves you as much as I did. He was your first love, unlike me who was forced upon you, but you loved me anyway. Just remember my love, your not your father, let our child have freedoms and let them choose their own destiny. This is goodbye my love, really and truly goodbye. You've made my life amazing and perfect. I love you, always and forever.

~Aureylian

Guude allowed Zisteau to read the note in the book, which only caused his eyes to widen with fear. "I-I could have it too?"

"I suppose so....."

"I.... I'm so scared father. What-what if I do?"

"Then you'll have the same fate as your mother......"