The Unknown warrior

Chapter 53

*In the previous chapter.*

When Master left her room, another question popped into her head, and she dashed to the door to ask him, but as she exited her room, she noticed Master had already left. She didn't say anything except smile. "Serena, are you awake?", Grace asked from downstairs.

"Yes," she said as she went down the stairs slowly, smiling and blushing slightly.

*Now.*

That night, he arrived in Rota. But, at the time, Illene was waiting for him in the royal garden, hoping that he will bring Serena back safely. Illene noticed Ash's Pidgeot land quietly on his room's balcony. She, too, noticed that Serena was not with him and so she went to his room to ask about her. As she approached his room, she noticed that the gate was shut. She knocked on the gate and asked him if she can open it. But all she got was, "I need some alone time right now; I'll talk to you later." Illene could tell from his voice that something terrible had happened to him there. But, as she again knocked, a little push of her caused the gate to open.

Along with Ash.

He was sitting on the edge of his bed in his room, thinking about something. He was still sad and depressed. Suddenly, Pikachu hopped onto his lap to make him feel better. When Ash saw him, he smiled a little, but it was a sad smile.

"Pikapi, Pikachu?", Pikachu asked.

"Nothing buddy, just a little tired... after all these...", Ash said, still depressed.

"Buddy, what a weird thing is love...", Ash asked all of a sudden. He was fully depressed at that time.

"Pika?", Pikachu asked, confused.

"When I was with Serena, I felt good and happy. A feeling of happiness ran through my nerves. That feeling, gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling which I had never experienced before. But now, when I am away from her, all it gives me is pain and sadness. Such a weird feeling it is, Pikachu, which can make you both happy and sad.", Ash said, smiling a little, and patting Pikachu on his head.

"Pika-chu...", Pikachu said, sadly. He too became sad after seeing Ash's sadness and pain in his voice.

"Ash, you're okay?", a voice came from the front. Ash and Pikachu both raised their heads to see who was there. It was non-other than Queen Illene.

Ash asked her in a low voice, "How'd you enter?"

"You probably forgot to lock the gate." Then she slowly came to him and sat beside him.

"Ash, can you explain what happened between you and Serena?", she asked.

After Ash heard her, he sat still for a while. Then with a deep breath, he, with his eyes welling up with tears, explained what happened between them a few hours ago.

"Oh Ash, I'm so sorry to hear that,", Illene said, her eyes widened.

Ash didn't reply to her. Instead, after a moment, he slid his head onto Illene's lap and lied down on the bed. Illene was taken aback by his sudden action, but she instantly remembered that Ash had lost his mother at this very age. He doesn't have anyone to please him in in such a miserable state of him, so she didn't react. She then gently placed her palms on Ash's head and waved her hands across his forehead. "Ash, I know you're in a bad state now, but I'm sure time will heal everything; just give time some time," she said.

Ash gave a slight nod in response to her words. He then closed his eyes. As soon as he closed his eyes, he fell asleep. He was clearly stressed, both physically and emotionally. Illene smiled when she saw this.