Zephyr: The Elemental Clans

137 - Aquarius' Decree

Aquarius Neptulus - POV;

I gently blew on the tea cup I'd been given as I brought it to my lips.

"This is delicious. You have done a wonderful job," I complimented the young nurse standing beside my hospital bed.

"Thank you Lady Neptulus," she said with a slight bow, "I tried to do my best. Is there anything else you need me to do for you at this time?"

"No that's quite alright. You've already done more than enough for me," I assured her.

She nodded and began to walk away to attend to her other patients but she paused at the door and turned to me once more.

"Another question my Lady but, reguarding your family, are you certain that you would not like to see them? It's already been two weeks since you were admitted to us and they have been persistent to visit you all this time. We've been turning them away every time as you asked but are you sure you wouldn't prefer them to come to you?"

I thought for a moment before confirming, "Please keep our arrangement as it. I can't face them at this time."

"Forgive my rudeness, my Lady, but I believe you should bring them to you. If there's something troubling you, you can't truly overcome it until you face it yourself. How do you really feel?" she murmered.

I listened to her every word and thought about deeply. Eventually, I looked up at her and sighed, "I want them here... I want them to be with me."

****

"Princess!" a blue-haired boy exclaimed as he peered into my room. I looked at him for a moment before recognising him.

"Kai?!" I gasped.

Suddenly, in perfect synchrony, two girls burst through the door and bolted towards where I now sat on my bed.

Mira buried her face in my abdomen as she hugged me tightly and wailed, "They didn't let us visit you! I thought something bad happened when they were taking care of you!"

"We were so worried, you idiot," Isla half-whimpered as she lay her forehead on my left shoulder and held my left hand with both of hers.

I smiled as I passed my hand through Mira's hair and whispered, "It's alright. I'm okay now."

Rain had entered at some point and stood quietly alongside Kai as I comforted my cousins.

Once they had calmed themselves, I looked at my four teammates... no, my four dear dear friends, and lowering my head I exclaimed, "I'm sorry! This is all my fault. I should have been with you all during training and preparation but instead, while all of you were working your hardest and giving your all for our clan, I was pursuing my own selfish wishes. If I had only considered all of you and how you felt... if I had only performed my duties as the leader of this team which I was assigned to be, then perhaps we wouldn't have seen such utter defeat at Zephyr's hands. If I only worked with all of you as one single unit, then none of you would have been harmed. I am wholly responsible for this outcome and for that I am completely apologetic!"

The four of them looked at each other and smiled.

"What are you saying Aquarius? You aren't to blame at all," Isla assured me.

"Exactly. If anything, it's our duty to protect you and listen to your every word! We were assigned as the aides of the Regulus Heir of Neptulus and we failed to uphold our job as the Knights of you, our Princess!" Kai proclaimed.

"You were the one working your hardest, not for yourself but for a member of our clan... a woman who has been here for every one of us and has been our teacher since we were little children! We should have done more to aid you in finding Aurora!" Mira chimed in.