Dreamwalker 4
AsaHi fell silent, a sudden churning dread growing in the pit of her stomach. That was not what she expected to hear at all. “I don’t understand. You said there was nothing wrong.”
“There isn’t,” one of the other men answered, somewhat more sternly. “Your son, FuSoYa, has been summoned by the Manor. He will report there to begin his schooling immediately.”
“Immediately? You mean right this moment?” her face began to flush with a mother’s growing anger. Manor or not, this was her only son.
“As I said, we are here to escort–”
“That’s out of the question!” AsaHi interrupted, eyes flashing defensively. Her anger appeared to have little effect on the men in front of her, but it did prompt Fu to poke his head out of the washroom with concern.
“Mother? What is going on?” he asked.
“Fu, stay right there,” she responded in warning over her shoulder before turning her attention back to the men. They seemed more restless in knowing that the object of their search was just on the other side of the one small woman who was blocking their way.
“Ma’am, we don’t want any trouble with you,” one spoke, taking a step forward.
“He is only a boy!” AsaHi spread her hands to hold either side of the door frame, as if that might stop what was about to happen. “You can’t just take him from his home! I’m his mother and I forbid it!”
“He’s chosen to learn under the best teachers of the Manor,” the first man tried to reason. “You should feel honored…”
“This isn’t your child! Don’t tell me how I should feel!” she snapped back.
He closed his mouth with an abashed look, turning to his companions. At least one had the sense to be ashamed of what he was doing.
“Take me? Take me where?” Fu’s concerned tone wavered from behind her.
“Nowhere!” AsaHi grated through grit teeth.
“We’re not leaving without him,” pressured the third man, from behind his companions. “These are our orders. It’s not possible for us or for you to–”
“What does SoYa have to say about this?” she interrupted.
“There’s nothing he can say about this,” came the cold answer.
“I do not want go with you,” Fu spoke sharply to the men from behind a stubborn scowl.
“You don’t have an option,” the man repeated, inching towards the end of his patience.
“You cannot make me!” the edge to Fu’s voice spoke mind magery.
AsaHi knew the sound too well. She knew the strange powers that both her husband and son possessed. The power to meld the thoughts and feelings of others. The power that the Manor surely feared. At that moment, she feared, too.
If Fu does something he shouldn’t… if he becomes an enemy of the Manor…
This could all get worse. Much, much worse.
But if I just let them take him…
AsaHi was running out of options. The men were running out of tolerance.
Biting back the bitter taste in her mouth, she turned to her son, “Fu. Don’t.”
“But…!” At the soft touch of her hand on his shoulder, his eyes flickered to her face.
“Do as they say, Fu,” AsaHi instructed him.
“What?!” shock and pain flooded the boy’s face. All formality had vanished now. “I’m not… I don’t want…”
“Shhh… shhh… I know,” she hushed him, stroking his hair. “Just go to the Manor. Your father will be there. He’ll know what to do to fix this. I promise you.”
Fu choked back whatever words threatened to move his tongue. But he didn’t have time to speak. One of the men made his way through the door and nudged AsaHi away from her son.
“Get your stuff and get moving,” the man ordered. “You don’t have long. We’ve wasted enough time here.”
The boy threw a frightened look at his mother, begging for her interception.
AsaHi could only shake her head, “Do as he says, Fu.”
She could see the heated, angry tears glistening in his eyes as he turned from her, walking back into his room. Helpless, the muffled sounds of packing and movement from the other room raked across her heart. Once that was done, AsaHi could only cover her mouth with one hand as she watched the men claim her son, escorting him into the deepening night. They didn’t even give her the chance to reassure him.
The light flickering off his frightened boyish eyes was the last thing AsaHi saw before she could see him no more.