As Kurao leaves the grand hall he starts making his way towards his room on the 3rd floor of the palace, which he was recently relocated to of his own choice.
Arriving before his door he turns around to look at the door opposite to his and starts to get lost in thought. As he breaks out of his thoughts he decides to walks up to it with heavy steps.
He stands before the door for a moment still hesitating, then looks down the hall on each side before deciding to knock on the door.
*KNOCK*
*KNOCK*
*KNOCK*
Standing at the door and hearing no response he waits for a few moments getting muddle in thoughts once again, he decides to go back to his room, but before he turns around the door opens.
A tall woman who seemed to be in her early thirties with long white disheveled white hair
that almost reached her knees. Black bags under her dark sea blue eyes that would look like sapphires if not for the lifeless dim they gave off and the bags which made it look like she hasn't slept for days.
Kurao seeing this releases a deep sigh which contained a sense of grief before looking up and talking to the woman with a dissatisfied voice.
"Why weren't you there for my awakening ceremony?"
The woman just stared at the young boy with an aloof gaze not replying to his question.
Seeing the lack of reaction from her he feels his head start to heat up as tears start to form threatening to break out.
After a second the feeling of the water that welled up in his eyes, finally break the dam that he was holding earlier in the grand hall start leaking out of his eyes as he raises his voice full of grief instead of his front that he used for hit first question.
"The awakening ceremony is the most important day in a Elementalist's life, and it decides the future path they will take. Today was my big day but you were not there, instead Aunt Valya escorted me there. Instead of my own birth mother I got escorted by Elyse's Mother, but I guess she acts more like one then you do."
The woman's eyes seem to be in anger at the mention of Vayla but she reverts back to her cold look a second later. She looks at him while staying silent, just staring at Kurao while his tears were silently fell down his face.
Seeing the lack of reaction or even empathy about his condition and didn't even care to respond, he grows furious and the tears on his face start to freeze up as he unconsciously releases mana as he decides to release his pent up emotions.
"Do you know what my talent grade? Do you know how it went? Do you even care?" Then Kurao looks at the ground before raising his voice once again.
"No I bet you don't care instead you are here like always complaining why father isn't paying attention to you anymore!"
He pauses, to see that the woman's indifferent face, as her eyes turned from aloof to a cold gaze upon hearing him yell. Seeing that he was finally getting a reaction he continues yelling at the woman.
"Instead of sitting here in self loathing why don't you go get his attention? There are many things to do. We are in the middle of a war so go get some achievements or help with our stupid neighbors who are still acting on our borders! This is your fault and your choice that you sit in your situation. Since you couldn't get along with anyone else that you are here."
Kurao felt the tears freeze on his face as he kept talking, and he looks to see her cold gaze return, but not caring he continues.
"Father has recognized my talent today so it wont be long until he recognizes me.
But I wont be the same I will show to father that I am more than just a 'Genius' I will show him I am prodigy. I will get his attention and I will show that the sulking you're doing wont get his attention, but showing effort will."
After unleashing his pent up feelings Kurao didn't feel any better. He stopped to wipe his icy tears that were blurring his vision, clearing his tears he turned to watch his mother's gaze return to being indifferent. He decides to stop talking as he released what he needed to, and seeing that nothing will get through to this woman. Standing in silence he stares at the woman who seemed to be lost in thought.
Kurao didn't even want to face her as he turned around after his releasing his emotions, but before he could even move away from the door he feels the arms of the woman that seemed cold to the touch wrap around him.
Kurao just stood there in shock over the back hug he got from her. He stands there not registering how this aloof woman decided to give him a hug as he never really got familial love from her in recent times. He just stood there for minutes dazed not fully registering the hug he was receiving.
After a while he broke out of it and questions with a voice laced with confusion.
"What is the meaning of this-"
He then hears a melodic apologetic voice tearing into a breaking cry.
"Kurao I am so sorry with the way I have been treating you."
Just as he was gonna break from the hug to look at her she said again.
"I am such a terrible mother...."
Kurao stood there in a daze over the 180 change of her attitude while confused what made her say this. He could feel that her arms were trembling and were only shaking more.
While standing there the hug loosens as she drags Kurao into the room and setting him down on a chair Kurao could see little bit of frozen tears on the sides of her pale cheeks while she sat opposite to him with a small smile, to Kurao who has still not processed what was happening, what she says next sends him into further shock.
"I sincerely apologize about all the things I have been saying for a while. All the stress that built up has been running wild for a while now and I haven't figured out how to get rid of it. You know after you were born I thought things would get better but after waiting so long I didn't realize it was better. You are here; my little baby is growing up to even get recognition from his father."
Pausing for a moment Kurao's Mother - Ella looks at Kurao seemingly waiting for a reply a whole flip on the situation that took place moments ago. Kurao is confused on how this drastic 180 outburst that occurred since he has been trying to talk to her for years only getting mild responses and little to no reaction for years, but now she was apologizing for her behavior and crying? Just a moment ago she was looking at him with a cold gaze but now it turned into a loving gaze a complete flip in her attitude.
Ella on the other hand seeing that she wasn't getting anything from her son grimaced a little internally then decided to continue talking.
"So how was my baby's big day. How did it go? And what is this about darling recognizing your talent?"
Kurao just gazed at his mother who was firing questions at him, Kurao attempting to get over the sudden change he starts to calm down and starts to answer all the rapid questions as a small smile
starts to appear on his face which was in a sorrowful face earlier as the tears start to melt from the frozen state earlier.
Kurao started telling her all about today, about who showed up and how everyone looked and the reactions everyone had to his announcement.
"-anyway my Awakening went amazingly, I awakened with more then 100% elemental affinity with the Ice Element. It was so impressive that father said he would overlook my mana training tomorrow!"
"Thats wonderful Kurao. Make sure to try your best tomorrow with him and show how special you are. Make mother proud!"
Ella says excitedly. Aburptly Ella gives Kurao a hug which seemed warmer then the first time. Which he responds in kind and the smile on his face gets bigger finally getting though to his
mother who has been distant for as long as he can remember.
'Don't worry mother I will show father how much of a genius I am.' Kurao whispered to himself enjoying the warmth of the hug he was receiving after not being able to get one from her in so long.