Chapter Sixty-Eight: Winami:

She looked so small in my arms. I fell in love with my daughter when I first laid eyes on her. Madonna knew how to hurt me. She didn’t want me to have my latest little treasure. Her brothers were going to have to get used to her. I hadn’t seen my wife since Judith took my daughter from her. I don’t know if this is a good thing or not. I was just happy to hold my baby.

Another thing to note is that Winami was born the war ended. In fact, she was born when Japan surrendered. Things could calm down in the kingdom. That still left the issue with my family. Judith said that she was still working out the kinks of what to do with my children. She isn’t hiding what she wants to do with them.

I looked down when I heard cooing in my arms. Poor thing. She probably wasn’t taken care of properly. I was going to have to get on that. Winami was going to need plenty of food. I gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead.

“Don’t worry, darling,” I whispered. “Daddy’s never going to let you go again.” I didn’t sound too convinced of my own words. I have tried to connect with my sons. It’s not going to so easily, but I can’t give up. If I was going to lose my kids, I figured I would make the most of my time with them. It’s not easy when they are constantly asking about their mother.

“Where’s mama?” Nicky asked me days after I got Winami back. By this point, I didn’t even try to hide it anymore.

“She’s in her garden again,” he said. I noticed the worried look on his face. Oh no. Not this again.

“What’s wrong with her?” Nicky asked.

“Me,” I said. My little boy looked confused.

“What do you mean?” he asked. I knelt down to his level. There was no easy way to say it. I just had to come out and say it.

“I ruined her life,” I said. “She used to be happy before she met me.” It hurt to say that. But my children would have to know the truth. Nicky didn’t understand what I was saying at the time. Still, the truth had to come out. I told my son everything. He stood quietly staring at me. I doubted that Nicky would understand anything I told him. In the end, I pulled him into my arms.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered in his ear. His next question broke me inside.

“Will mommy ever get better?” he asked. I froze. I hadn’t thought about that before. There was only one way for that to happen. I was going to have to release her. But I knew that I couldn’t do this on my own.

“I think I have a way to help her,” I whispered to my son. I kissed him on the head and let him go.

That evening after I put my sons and the baby to bed, I called up Judith and had her meet me at my castle. It didn’t take her long to appear in my living room.

“You rang, my lord?” she asked. I clenched my jaw as I stepped closer. I completely towered over her now. I bowed before her.

“I am going to need your help,” I said. “I’m ready to end this nightmare that I have put her through.” Judith placed her hand on my shoulder. I looked into her eyes.

“Stand up straight,” she said. “Be the king that I know you can be. I will help you.” I felt myself smiling.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“Come with me,” Judith said. She took me by the hand and we vanished into thin air. Once again, I placed my trust in her.