Bolting down the corridor of the Inn, Varick rushed into Kirin's room without knocking, effectively scaring her out of her wits. "He's awake!!!! Hurry let's go!" He practically shouted at her as he grabbed her wrist and tugged her back down the corridor towards Jun's room "Wai… Varick!... Hold on would you?" She was attempting to put her robe over her while being pulled by whoever that was proving to be a bit complicated at the moment.
Panting, they both arrived at Jun's room and could hear excited chatter coming from inside. Even Ao Qing was chirping happily.
They entered the room but Kirin refused to walk inside any further. When Varick looked over he noticed she just stood there staring at him as if Jun was a stranger.
He frowned at this and nudged her. "Kirin what is wrong with you? Go see your brother."
"No…" Shaking her head sideways she backed up a few steps. "No… no… no…"
Before Varick or anyone else could react, she bolted from the room and disappeared around the corner.
"Hey, what is wrong with her? Shouldn't she be happy he's awake?" Puzzled at the response Shou had no idea why she would do that after spending so many days and nights caring for him. Slowly everyone looked towards Jun with a huge question mark plastered on their face.
"This… It's my aura that she is seeing. It resembles our dad now that my memories have returned. It must have scared her. Um… Varick, could you do me a favor? Find her and explain this…"
He told Varick what to say to her and let him leave while he heaved a heavy sigh and stared out of the room's window with a complicated look on his face.
"It's been too many years…" Jun mumbled to himself, seemingly lost in thought.
In truth, the reason for the coma was not only to receive his inheritance but his lost memories. In order to keep his body from feeling the immense pressure and pain it had shut down and entered a comatose state.
Unlike the blood rite, the males in the royal line gain new mental abilities. With it they have the ability to not only see into the future but the past. The purpose was for the royal line to be able to rule with wisdom and fairness and to never repeat past mistakes but also lead them to a better future.
They more or less became the royal advisers to the female ruling matriarch.
The problem was he would have to break tradition now and go against their destiny. All for the sake of Kirin's happiness…
"If I force her… she won't save this world, but there's the other two problems as well… what to do?" Jun closed his eyes and decided to wait for Kirin to come on her own, this won't be easy and it is going to sway her choice now.
Rooftop of the Inn
Waves of confusion and reflection continued to swirl within Kirin. It was to the extent that her surroundings no longer existed within her peripheral view. Numerous memories, flashes, and thoughts cascaded down on her to the point that she was huddled into a tiny ball in a dark corner of the rooftop.
"It's not possible… he's dead… no…"
This repeated almost as if it were a meditative trance. This was the scene Varick walked in on once he stepped onto the rooftop. Seeing her this way, with tears falling from her face, it pained him so much. He had no.idea what happened and even more so how to help her.
"Kirin…" He softly called to her, hoping she would hear him. When there was no change in her he walked over slowly. He knew she could hurt him without knowing who he was in this state.
Just as he was about to reach out to her to hold her, she jolted up and walked slowly towards the edge of the roof. Seeing this shocked him he rushed over and grabbed her. Allowing her to struggle in his arms as he held her even more tightly and whispering soothing words begging them to reach her.
Suddenly she went limp in his arms and stopped her struggling all together, allowing his warm embrace to encircle her entire being.
Quiet sobs continued as he gently stroked her hair and brought her back to the corner and held her in his arms. "Shh Kirin, it will be ok. I promise I will never leave you. I'm here lean on me when you need it don't hold it all in ok? There's no need to be so strong with me here. Be good for me and use me ok? I care about you. That will never change no matter what happens."
She sunk even further into his embrace sobbing and nodding her head in reply while a smile began to play upon his lips that she couldn't see.
Something suddenly caught the corner of Varick's eyes but when he turned to look it was gone. Perplexed at this he decided to mull it over later as Kirin was his priority at this moment.
She clutched his clothing tightly even after she fell asleep from the exhaustion of her tears. Once Varick noticed her sleeping silence he stood up and led her back down to her room. As he laid her down in the bed he noticed she refused to let him go, sighing at this with a quirk of his lips he decided to lay her down.
Curling her body into every inch of Varick she could, feeling that he won't leave she finally relaxed and slept. Varick also drifted after settling himself with her and wrapping his arms around her tightly for her security. Before drifting off to sleep himself he whispered in her ear, "I love you Kirin, you can count on me to be here when the rest are gone. My sweet girl, stay with me forever."
Even if she didn't respond subconsciously she heard him. And responded by tightening her hold on him. With that affirmation he fell asleep with her.