Since setting out to sea, he has abided by a single rule as a pirate doctor - to not abandon any one of his patients. This time will be no different.
No matter the odds, Trafalgar Law will not let Murasaki Arisa die.
« Trafalgar D. Water L...
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"...why didn't you tell us sooner?" Tatsuhito asked in disbelief.
Nearly on the verge of tears, Koga could only shake her head mutely as she bowed her head low in apology.
"Please forgive us!" she repeated.
Ito knelt by her side and comfortingly patted her mistress' hand.
"You must understand, how... sensitive the matter is," she said, shooting a significant look over to Law, who stood leaning against the doorway. Though his attention was trained prudently into the adjoining room, it was clear the pirate was listening closely to the conversation.
Ito cleared her throat and lowered her voice.
"It was imperative for Mototatsu-sama to take all the necessary precautions."
Tatsuhito let out a ragged breath. Arisa hid a sigh and directed her gaze down to her lap. Of course it all went back to politics. Everything had a cause and an effect. The peace ensured by Mototatsu and Koga's marriage alliance came at the price of a target emblazoned on their son's back. There were already plenty of outside factions who had a vested interest in dissolving the Amatsuki clan's ties to the Amenoka-ji Uzuki for their own material gain. If the news of Tatsusada's ailing health were to leak to the other clan remnants, it could easily be interpreted as a sign of weakness, thus emboldening hostile actors to make their move. And that wasn't even considering the Kyōgui. The Kodera-Ikki in particular would certainly use the situation to their advantage if they were to find out.
This was often the reality for families borne out of arranged marriages. Some called it duty. Others called it a death sentence.
Tatsuhito's brows had drawn together into a faint scowl. Arisa didn't miss the exhaustion veiling his eyes as he slowly brought a hand up to his temple, and felt a sharp pang of sympathy. From their student days, Tatsuhito had always seemed a rare exception from his peers in his patience and quiet tenacity. But even he had his limits, and Arisa suspected that he was running close to the end of his tether. First there was the proposed marriage alliance Shiori had mentioned yesterday, and now this...
"We'd like to break the news to the elders as gently as possible once we get to Amenoka-ji," Koga was saying, wiping at the corners of her eyes. She bowed again. "So please, if only you could keep quiet about this until then...!"
Arisa cleared her throat.
"Please don't worry about that, Koga-sama. It's not our place to say."
"...what happens to Waka-sama after this?" Tatsuhito finally looked up, his voice defeated.
"There are still a few specialists we want to follow up with. Dr. Yotsuji was doubtful as to their abilities, but Mototatsu wants to be as thorough as possible. We plan on visiting them on our way home. And besides..." Koga faltered. "...we thought it would do Ta-chan good to see you and Father..."
