The same night, past midnight.
Bell couldn´t sleep. This time it was not because of nightmares, exhaustion or something else bad. He couldn´t sleep because he was so excited. After the end of the festival Ryuu and Bell returned with Astrea to the house. They had shyly wished each other good night and went to their rooms, Astrea smiled the whole time.
Grandpa, I did it! I dared!
Bell clutched his pillow and rolled back and forth in his bed. He was so happy right now, he couldn´t stop grinning.
His mind was filled with pictures of Ryuu, how her eyes widened after his confession...how she squeezed her eyes and replied to him.
She loves me! Eheheheh I´m so haaaappyyyyyyy!
Of course he wouldn´t tell everyone at home what happened here, that was something between him and Ryuu. He didn´t even know how he would tell his Familia, at some point he would have to say it.
Since Ryuu belonged to another Familia, he needed his goddess permission if they wanted to marry.
Marriage...Kyaaaaaah!
Wait not so fast...that would mean...dates! Kaaaaah!
He was never on a real date, well there was the time he went shopping with Eina and the day with Hestia, but those weren´t real dates for him. Of course it would take time before they would go on a date. But Bell couldn´t stop imagine things.
M-Maybe...even...a kiss?
Bell continued to roll around squealing.
After he calmed down a bit, he thought about how his Familia would react. Welf would probably congratulate him, Hestia might panic a bit and try to protect him. Haruhime and Lily, that was hard to think about for Bell. He wasn´t fully aware of their feelings of love for him, he loved his Familia too, but with Ryuu...that was something else.
I wonder...just a bit...how will Miss Ais react?...
Bell´s thoughts wandered around a bit, then his gaze fell on the two white antlers.
What shall I do with them..
Both were around half a meter long, the end was pointed and smaller ends branched off in between. The curve looked almost like...the curve of Ryuu´s old sword, maybe because both were natural materials.
Ryuu had told him, that her old sword was custom made by a high smith of the Goibniu Famila, out of a branch of a holy tree.
Hmmm...holy...
He couldn´t decide what to do before he showed them to Welf.
I wonder...how will it be tomorrow..
When he finally fell asleep, Bell felt like the happiest man alive.
"Ehehehe...I love you, Ryuu..."
In another room.
Ryuu couldn´t sleep either. She was also clutching her pillow, lying on her side and looked out of the window, up to the full moon.
"Bell..."
I love you...Bell.
Her cheeks went warm again, she just couldn´t help it. She had said that to Bell.
And Bell loved her...
Half of her face was covered by her arm. One part of her wanted to laugh and rejoice. The other part...her elven heritage...burned in shame.
We held hands for over an hour! Both hands!
Ryuu´s ears became hot and she buried her face in the pillow, as she rememberred how her and Bell´s hands had sweat lightly. In that special moment it haven´t bothered her but now she realized something.
W-We did that! After confessing to each other! b-barehanded handholding!...sweaty...barehanded sweaty handholding! How lewd!
"Aaaaaah!" The pillow muffled her voice and she kicked her legs.
What is happening with me?...Oh god! What if Alise and the others watched in this moment? Aaaaah!
Ryuu felt like a young girl who fell in love for the first time...well...she was.
How will I face him tomorrow...
It was not like she would just hug him smiling or something like that. Especially not with her goddess around!
"Bell..."
She looked out of the window again. Being in love was a wonderful feeling, but she wouldn´t just stop being herself.
I have to stay in control so I don't shame !
After all, things like handholding, hugging or...kissing...should be done in private.
Kissing...
I...I have to prepare my heart...someday we will...ki-kiss...
Her face hit the pillow again.
Aaaah! What am I thinking! When did I became so lewd!
Ryuu rolled onto her back, and touched her lips with her fingertip.
"But...it´s not like...I don´t want to..."
She pressed the pillow to her face and kicked her legs.
Aaaaaah! That´s way to early!
After a while she calmed down a bit and looked up to the moon again. Ryuu always loved the sight of the full moon, it was almost magical for her, maybe becaus she was an elf?
The sight reminded her of her room in the pub, from the window there she always looked up to the moon. And that reminded her of her friends at the Benevolent Mistress.
How would she tell everyone at the pub that they had confessed their love for each other. It was not like, she wouldn´t just announce it, but she wouldn´t keep it a secret either.
I was never in a situation like this...how does someone announce something like that? Hey, we´re a couple now...
Should she wait until one of her friends brought it up or asked? Of course she would never lie to them.
Ryuu could roughly imagine how they would react.
Runoa was the calmest, Chloe would definetely tease her, Anya maybe surprised, Mama Mia...that was hard to say. And Syr...
How to say it to Syr...
"Syr..."
Yes, Syr and Ryuu had an agreement to support each other no matter which of them was in Bell´s heart. But a part of her heart felt bad for her best friend.
Ryuu continued to strangle her pillow and thinking about so many things.
A while later she began to fall asleep with a smile on her lips...she was just so happy.
Ryuu mumbled softly while drifting off to sleep. "Bell...I love you..."
.
.
In another room.
"Sigh..."
Astrea tried to sleep herself, but to her bad luck, she had good hearing. She heard both Bell and Ryuu rolling around in their beds.
My little Ryuu finally has someone for her...
The goddess was incredibly relieved, at least the last member of her Familia would find happiness.
Ryuu...be happy for the others too...
Astrea was absolutely sure, that Alise and the others watched over Ryuu from heaven.
Do you see how your "little sister" has developed?
"Ryuu..."
"Bell..."
Voices again from the other rooms.
She giggled with closed eyes, while she rolled onto her side. "Ah...young love."
.
.
It was a late morning when Astrea woke up again, since the festival went so long and the two just didn't want to rest, it took a while to fall asleep. With fluttering eyelids, she opened her eyes and looked sleepily out the window, it was a good thing, that no one could see how she behaved when she was like that.
Even if she was a loving person, she still had a little pride as a goddess. The goddess stretched her body and loosened the topknot she used while sleeping.
"Yaaawwwn..."
Astrea went out of her bed and washed her face with water from a bowl, which stood on a low dresser. After rubbing her face with a towel, the goddess was fully awake.
"Mmmh...I wonder if those two still sleep."
She quietly left her room and stopped in front of Ryuu´s door, she could hear faint breath, so Ryuu was till asleep.
It was the same with Bell´s door.
Let them sleep for now...
Astrea went quietly down the stairs and headed to the kitchen, to make herself some tea. For now she made cold tea, she didn't want the whistling kettle to wake them up.
She went to the living room, there she put her cup on the table and took the picture frame that was on the table.
Like many mornings, Astrea sat there in silence and looked at the picture, while sipping her tea from time to time.
It was a picture of her Familia, a product of a magical item made in the past.
On some days...Astrea sat there and cried for a long time, she cried over the loss of her children...that they would never have a future. But she also cried in relieve, that they had willingly sacrificed their lives to save the youngest of them. That even in their last moments, they stood upright to their ideals.
"I´m so proud of you...my daughters..."
As a goddess, Astrea knew that their souls waited in heaven, someday the would be reborn with no memories of their last lives, maybe something like a Déjà-vu, when their souls met something familiar. Only the kindest and bravest souls could hope to be reborn...and she was sure, every single one of them would be reborn someday.
The memory of her children was also the reason why Astrea never took another person in her Familia again. She decided for herself, that only her daughters and their children would be in her Familia.
"I will look for you my children."
Since she was immortal, except by getting killed, it was possible for her to see her children again, even if it would take 1000 years.
Astrea giggled lightly. "How I would have loved to see your reaction, if you had found out, that Ryuu has a boyfriend now."
The goddess could well imagine how the conversation would have gone.
Haaaaaa? Lion has a boyfriend? A.
What? Our little elf has someone? K.
Lion has a what? Even I don´t have one! L.
Thats bad...I just imagined Lion as a newlywed wife and young mother... N.
Ah young moth...wait Lion you´re not pregnant aren´t you? A.
What? NO! What are you thinking? Thats way too early! R.
She leaned back. "Maybe...someday you will meet one of Ryuu´s descendants."
That let Astrea smile again, there was a good chance. Elves lived long in general and the higher the status of a mortal was, the slower they aged, so even Bell had probably over a hundred years to live...maybe longer.
Bell and Ryuu had a long, long time ahead of them.
So...I can hope for many grandchildren...Ehehehe!
Astrea noticed the sound of the first steps upstairs.
"Time to make breakfast I guess."
She giggled again when she imagined how Ryuu and Bell would behave at their first morning as a couple.
I´m so lucky I´m going to see !
The situation at the breakfast table was both, adorable and awkward. Astrea watched how Ryuu and Bell shared light smiles whenever their hands came near to each other, when they wanted to grab something from the table. Then they would shyly avert their eyes and looked embarassed.
Bell wanted to take a boiled egg, right when Ryuu had the same thought.
"Oh eh, you go first."
"No it´s okay, you do."
That continued for a while.
When Astrea´s fork fell down and when as she bent down to take it up, she saw that these two touched the tip of each others toes with their own.
When she came up again, Ryuu and Bell looked deep into each other's eyes, before averting their gaze again, blushing.
Wow...they really are in love.
The rest of the day was similar, whenever they came near each other, their behavior changed, they smiled shyly or looked embarrassed to the side
When they prepared dinner, Ryuu came to Astrea in the kitchen, while Bell set up the table, as he passed Ryuu, she looked over her shoulder after him.
"Ryuu...are you awake?"
Ryuu´s head spun around and she looked in Astrea´s eyes embarassed. "I´m sorry la...mother..."
Astrea giggled again. "You two sure are cute together."
She was clearly uncomfortable. "I don´t know what´s wrong with me..."
"Well...you´re fresh in love."
"Yes but...this isn´t like me."
Ryuu looked into Bell´s direction and her cheeks went pink again.
"Is it bothering you?"
"N-No, thats not it...it´s just..I'm not used to that."
Astrea stepped behind Ryuu and hugged her softly from behind. "You will calm down don´t worry, I heard fresh love is always like that."
Ryuu only nodded, she tried to calm herself down, to get back to her usual calm behaviour. It wasn´t unpleasant, but showing so much affection openly was unfamiliar for her.
It took Ryuu and Bell three days, until they managed to behave like young adults again and don´t panic every time they were near each other.
These were the funniest days in a long time for Astrea, she really enjoyed it, to see her last daughter blossom like this.
A few days later.
It was the morning of their departure. All of their clothes were washed and clean, except for a few white stains on Ryuu´s travel clothes due to the dragons spit. She would need to wash it at the pub in their special magical tub. The backpacks were packed and they had fresh food for the travel.
Bell had already wished Astrea goodbye and promised her to watch over Ryuu, he waited outside, so that Astrea and Ryuu had the last moments together.
"Do you have everything? A handkerchief? Tissues? Food? Water? Clean clothes?"
"Yes lady Astrea we have everything."
Ryuu smiled calmly to her goddess.
"I really enjoyed the time here."
"And I that you two were here...you will come again right?"
"Of course, when I get my next vacation, I will visit you again, maybe I can bring Syr with me someday."
"I would like to meet her sometime, I would like to thank her for rescuing you."
Astrea took a pile of letters that were bound together from the table and gave them to Ryuu.
"You know who to give it to?"
"Yes."
The goddess looked at her daughter.
"You have grown so much."
"Thank you."
She pulled Ryuu into an motherly hug. "I will miss you, but I am relieved that you are doing well."
"I will come and visit you, I promise."
"Take care of Mr. Bell yes?"
"Of course."
"Then...I´m wishing you two save travels."
"I will send you letters."
Together they stepped out of the door, Bell had already put his backpack on.
"Mr. Bell, take care of my daughter, yes?"
"I will, I promise I will do everything to protect Ryuu."
The goddess looked at the two.
"Save travels you two."
""Goodbye for now, lady Astrea/Mother.""
Ryuu and Bell waved the goddess while they walked to the village entrance, the whole time the goddess waved back.
The villagers they came across wished them goodbye and they returned it.
Around twenty minutes later, they stood on the hill and took a last look at the village.
They saw a lone waving figure in front of Astrea´s house.
Bell and Ryuu waved a last time, then they turned around and set off.
The trip itself was uneventful, when they passed the house of the couple at first they wanted to greet them, but before they could knock they heard moaning sounds from the house...and decided to just keep walking...fast.
Ryuu and Bell talked about everything that happened on their journey, it was quite alot, they enjoyed the good weather and the presence of the other, it was strange how much happened in these three weeks since Ryuu got the letter.
One question remained, who send her the letter? It wasn´t Astrea, Ryuu had asked her.
Even if they were a couple now, they behaved normal around each other. It would take time for them to grow closer to the other. The only noticable thing that happened, was in the second night of their travel.
It was a bit chilly, so they decided to sleep together, snuggled up to each other. That was the first time both did it willingly from the start.
They felt a bit embarassed but also very comfortable, lying together like that.
"Good night, Bell."
"Good night, Ryuu."
Carefully he put an arm around Ryuu and gently pulled her to him. Embarassement aside, they really enjoyed the first time sleeping together as a couple.
"Ryyuuuuuuuuu!"
A few seconds after they went through the northern gates of Orario, a blue-gray haired figure jumped onto Ryuu.
"Wah, Syr!"
Ryuu struggled to keep her balance, as her teary eyed friend hugged her.
"Ooooooooh how I missed youuuu! Pleeaaase! Never let me alone for such a long time!"
Syr must have waited for them and now she refused to let go of Ryuu.
"Syr, sorry for taking so long...we´re back."
"Welcome baaaack you two...sniff!"
The young woman seemed to be relieved.
"Ah Mr. Bell, it´s so good to see you again!"
Syr showed her brightest smile to them.
"Thank you for greeting us Miss Syr."
"You two sure look good and-...Ryuu? What is that?"
She looked shocked. "Whh-What a-are t-these white s-s-stains?!"
Syr´s gaze wandered between Bell and Ryuu back and forth.
"That? I was hit by a white cloudy liquid, it is very hard to remove."
Syr looked at Bell with open mouth in horror.
"I-It´s not what you think! That was monster spit!"
"You let a monster spit on Ryuu? Mr. Bell I´m shocked! What kind to plays did you do to my little Ryuu!" She hugged Ryuu protectively.
"What are you thinking of me?! We were attacked!"
"Honestly?"
"Yes!"
Syr looked at Ryuu, who nodded. "Hmm...I will believe you."
"Now then, come you two, Mama Mia awaits you with food and the girls waiting in awe for your return."
It was a very, very long evening. At first they were greeted at the pub, then Bell had to visit Eina like he promised. After that he could finally return home.
"Beeeeeeell!" A projectile in form of a small goddess was fired onto Bell as soon as he opened the door to Hearth Mansion.
"Welcome baaaaaack!" Hestia cried uncontrollably and refused to let go of him.
It didn´t took long for all residents of the house to come to the front door.
It was a long night...a very long night.
But Ryuu and Bell were happy to be home again.
