The Emperor Is Searching

The saddest moment of everyone's life is the end of someone close to them.

The Kumara's are mourning.

Thirty eight women sit on the floor outside of the Kumara's compound, there, they beat their wooden drums and sing the mourning song.

This is to let everyone know that a person in their kingdom is dead and is being buried that day. And anyone who hears them will leave whatever he or she is doing and attend the burial.

At the backside of their compound, six men are digging a hole where the dead will be buried.

Ximnam was sitting on the pavement in their backyard when he saw one of Kleila's friends whose name he doesn't know.

He got up and walked to her. "How is she?." 

Yoe turned to him. "She's awake but refused to open her eyes or get up and we know this because of the tears coming out of her eyes. Maybe if you talk to her she'll listen. Your sister needs to be buried today otherwise her body will start smelling."

Ximnam nodded his head and turned back to go sit on the pavement.

Yoe grabbed his hand and this made him turn and look at her, his eyes questioning her motive.

"I understand how you're feeling right now, I lost my mother, father and brother at the same time. Our house caught fire and they got burnt.

I won't say sorry because I know it will only make you more sad, but I will say stay strong. 

Stay strong Ximnam, you will get over the pain." Yoe said softly and pull him to her when she felt him fighting himself not to cry.

Kenniae is at the front of her house with her husband who's holding her as she cries. They sit there to welcome people.

Ximnam didn't have the strength to console anyone, not even himself but after a little while, he got up and went to his parent room where they Instructed Due-De to lay Nena when they saw him running with her unconscious body.

"Sister." He called as he sat on the mat beside her. "Please get up, let's go bury our sister."

Nena opened her eyes and looked at Ximnam. "Brother." She called softly and then she began to cry all over again.

Ximnam pulled her up and she buried her head on his shoulder.

"She was alive when I entered, she wasn't dead ..the midwife, she.. She let her die." She whispered so softly to his ears.

Ximnam wipes the tears on her face. "She didn't have the strength to push and also couldn't swallow the strength decoction the midwife made for her. Muna was almost out but sister couldn't push and so the child died out of suffocation."

Nena sniffed and looked up at her brother. "But why didn't the midwife save sister, why did she leave her to die?."

Ximnam began to pat her back gently, hoping to calm her down when he felt her getting anxious and her breathings weren't normal.

"Sister already lost too much blood and for her to live, the midwife needs to cut her open and get the child out. She refused, I would have forced her but she'd still die. Let's bury her Nena, let's set her soul at peace."