Holding Everything

Chapter 26: Setting and Arrival

"Eren...my son...is that you?" a rasped voice, strained and weak comes from the figure on the bed. We enter the room and shut the door, Eren walks closer to his father's bedside, not releasing Rika's hand even for a moment, "and my Princess has come as well...what a lucky day for me it is..." he smiles happily as if he couldn't be happier, Eren takes his hand and kneels next to the bed, "what is the cause of your seriousness, son?" he asks in worried tone.

"Father, I have made a grave mistake," Eren says with a slight trembling in his voice.

"Eren..." Rika says, trying to interrupt him.

"But I have come to realize I was wrong, I was ignoring my feelings the entire time."

"I don't think...I'm following you...entirely, Eren." His father says through heavy breathing.

"Please let me marry, Rika." We all freeze except for the Head whose eyebrows have risen in shock.

"Marry...?" he says softly, almost in disbelief as his mouth curls into a smile once again, "Do you love her?"

"Yes I do, and I know you probably disapprove but-"

"Nonsense." He interrupts, he looks at Rika whose eyes are filled with tears, they begin to fall in large quantities and she covers her eyes with her free hand. He turns back to Eren and nods once, "I allow it."

"NO!!!" the door swings open and we all squint in pain, our eyes having adjusted to the darkness burn from the sudden flood of light from the hall. A silhouette of a familiar figure stands in front of the light; it walks toward us hastily, hands clenched and full of rage. "You ruin the line of succession and now you want to control the future heirs as well?! The Elders will never allow such a thing!"

The sound of her heals grow louder as she closes the distance; then suddenly the bed is shaken, we look at Eren's father and see him slowly getting out of bed, numerous papers scatter across the floor on the opposite side of the bed from us, indicating that he was working even though he was lying down. He plants his feet firmly on the ground and stands, wobbling a little due to losing his strength from being sick. He walks over to Merila who straightens up, as if to try and not be intimidated by him, he stops inches from her, glaring into her eyes as he speaks.

"I, Head Sawyer of the Corpse Corp, declare my Last Decree." Merila's eyes go wide and her composure is broken as the door swings open yet again, butlers rush in, in large numbers and begin tending to the Head. Taking his measurements and cleaning him up, reminding me of how Merila covered up her abuse on Rika.

Moments later he is suited up and clean shaven, he starts walking out of his room and heads down the hallway, as we follow behind we see the house is bustling with butlers moving around in a hurry.

"Why is everything so hectic now?" I ask trying to stay of out the way whilst moving quickly behind the Head.

"The Last Decree is almost like the Head is issuing his last order;" Rika nudges my arm and explains, "It also signifies the beginning of the Heirs official upbringing to the title of Head. He may be the official Head and can make a bunch of decisions, but during this time the Elders are in charge of advising him until he matures into the Head of Sawyer house. It's the equivalent of a King handing his crown over to his heir and letting him rule. So since it's the Heads Last Decree, everyone who has ties with the Corp are informed and they are to rush over to hear it, it's basically a big deal."

When we finally make it to a large room that is filling up quickly, many people old and young fill into the chairs spread into rows, the Head and the rest of us make our way to a large stage with a podium in the middle, where four seats lay empty behind him and large curtains hang right behind them. Merila breaks away from us and sits at a chair in front of the stage; we're guided up the stairs and are seated in the four empty chairs behind the podium where the Head stands, scribbling something down then walking over to the Elders to make small talk while the guests file in.