Chapter 4: Guilt

A few days had passed since the attack on the good mages and Hannah came to the Underground, but the poor girl was having a hard time recovering. Her first night was very rough and she didn't eat for a couple days, but River Person was beside her, doing everything he could to help her. "Young one, please, eat something," he said. "You haven't eaten anything for two days."

She looked at him, tears in her eyes. "I...I don't know if I can," she admitted. "I...I keep seeing...,"

She trailed off and he pulled her into a hug, knowing what she was trying to tell him. "I know, little one. I know," he said softly, holding her comfortingly as he continued to soothe her. "Shh, shh."

Hannah sniffled and clung to him. "I...I should have stopped them," she said. "But I couldn't stop them. I should have done more."

River Person was quiet as he could see the girl was suffering from guilt and he recognized it all too well when Rebecca's teachers had died. "Hannah, you are not to blame, little one," he said, rocking her in his arms as she continued to cry.

She's so much like Rebecca, he said to himself before it hit him and he nodded. "Hannah?" He said to get her attention.

She looked up at him. "Yes?" She asked, still clinging to his cloak.

"There's something you need to see," he said.

Hannah looked curious. "What is it?" She asked.

He smiled at her. "You'll see."

They got to his boat and her took her to Waterfall. "Walk up this small rise and look closely, but keep your voice down," he said to her.

Curious, she did as she was told and her eyes widened at what she saw.

There was a patch of blue flowers and in front of these flowers were two soul crystals that glowed with magic, the magic the girl recognized. "Is that...Rebecca's teachers' magics?" She asked.

"Yes," River Person said. "They sadly passed away a while ago, but it hit Rebecca very hard as they were like her parents to her."

He gently touched an Echo Flower and Rebecca's voice filled the air in a low tone. "Teachers who taught me well, like the parents I always wanted; Teachings I'll never forget. Rest in peace, my teachers, my friends, my parents."

"That's Rebecca's voice," Hannah said. "But...how?"

"Echo Flowers," the cloaked monster said gently. "When Rebecca's teachers were dying, they managed to get a final message to her to warn her about what the evil mages, led by Rebecca's birth parents, were doing and they were on their way to break the barrier and declare war. They gave her their soul crystals and her own as one last gift and when they passed on, she found this spot to set up this memorial to them."

The brown-haired girl looked at the crystals and nodded. "They were both very good teachers," she said. "They taught me a bit too. We were saddened when they passed."

River Person nodded. "I found Rebecca here and brought her home where the Royal Family and others mourned with her, helping her through her grief. While this comforted her, Rebecca still felt very guilty over their deaths."

"Why was that?" Hannah asked. "It wasn't her fault that the evil mages attacked her teachers."

"No, but because it had been her birth parents who had done it, Rebecca felt responsible for it and for the war that was coming. Her family helped her to move past her guilt and see that she wasn't responsible for their actions," he said. "Then came the fight. She stood with her new family and faced off with her parents, declaring she stood with us."

The brown-haired mage nodded. "You all won and Rebecca managed to wipe their minds of the incident," she said. "We were so happy about that, but we never dreamed there would be more attacks like that."

"Neither did we," River Person said. "Rebecca does still occasionally feel guilty, especially since she knows she'll one day have to tell her children about their human heritage and she was hoping to have shared the news with her parents."

Hannah nodded as tears filled her eyes again. "I know how she feels," she said softly. "I was hoping that one day I'd get to tell my father that he'd be a grandpa."

The cloaked monster nodded. "Her family has helped her move past the guilt and we will do the same for you, Hannah," he said. "You're not alone in this. You never were."

The mage gave him a grateful look before pulling something out of her pocket. It was a stone much like the ones Rebecca had set up long ago, only this one was colored purple and orange. She then pulled out another one that was yellow and purple and looked at the monster that had brought her there.

"River Person, do you think Rebecca will mind if I add these to the memorial?" She asked.

"Go ahead, young one," he said, knowing by doing this, she would have some closure.

Hannah knelt down and gently placed the two stones together in front of the other two. Tears filled her eyes as she stood up and backed away. The cloaked monster beside her went to his boat and pulled out a flower pot filled with soil and with his magic, an echo flower grew and he looked at the girl. "For your father," he said gently.

She nodded gratefully and accepted the pot from him. "How do I do what Rebecca did to make the others keep her message?" She asked.

"Lean your face close and whisper what you want to say to it," he guided her.

Nodding, she leaned her face close and took a deep breath. "I love you, Daddy. I promise you, I'll make sure your sacrifice will not be in vain," she said tearfully. "Rest easy now, Dad. I'll never forget you."

She then lifted up her head and gently touched the flower, which replayed her message before she walked over to the memorial and River Person followed, using his magic to plant the flower in-between the two new crystals. "There," he said soothingly. "It's a fine tribute to your father, young one."

She got up and turned to him. "I miss him," she said as she began crying again.

The cloaked monster pulled her into a hug. "I know, little one," he said softly. "It's alright. Let it all out."

The brown-haired mage clung to him as she cried and he continued comforting her. Rebecca, who was nearby and had gone to visit the memorial, nodded as she saw this. She had seen Hannah put both her father's and her own soul crystal with the other two and the dark-haired mage was fine with that. She even saw the echo flower that River Person had helped Hannah plant and guide the girl into saying some final words for the parent she missed.

"I hope this will give her some closure as it did for me," she said softly. "And it looks like River Person is going to make sure she doesn't feel alone."

Nodding, she bowed her head for a moment of silence for her teachers/parents and for Hannah's father. After a bit, she lifted up her head and moved away, heading back for the castle and going inside. The guards greeted her solemnly and she returned the greeting, seeing the king had no doubt told them that there would be another war and they had to be ready for it.

She found the Royal Children in the garden with Toriel and they gathered around her as she entered. "You okay, Aunt Rebecca?" Carmen asked.

"Yes, I am, sweetie," the dark-haired mage said. "I have a favor to ask of you children."

"Name it," Asriel said as the others nodded.

Rebecca looked at them all. "I want you all to be there for your aunt Hannah as you were for me when my teachers died," she said. "She's going through a very rough time right now. Can you promise me that you'll be there for her and help her through this?"

"We will, Aunt Rebecca," David said as the others nodded. "We promise."

She smiled at them. "Thank you, children," she said.

Toriel came up to her. "Where is Hannah now?" She asked.

"River Person took her to the memorial for my teachers and she added to it in memory of her father," Rebecca said. "I'm hoping it will give her some closure."

The goat woman nodded. "We'll be there for her," she promised.

They were not going to let one of their own go through what was to come alone.

I felt Hannah needed some closure after what had happened and it looks like River Person felt the same way.

Next up: The evil mages' plans start backfiring.

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GoldGuardian2418