Hello everyone, back to the regular chapters with Bell and Ryu. I hope you all enjoy this one. Also... Just so people know ahead of time there are some suggestive/lewd scenes. Either way, enjoy!
Word Count: 10,397
Chapter 12
Astraea woke with a start as pain coursed through her body, she hadn't even realized she had fallen asleep. She glanced over to the clock that sat hanging on the wooden wall. "3:39… Have I really been asleep that long?"
She paused as the memories returned of Bell running off and her sending Ryu in hopes that it might help bring them closer. She stood, the sudden movement caused her to feel dizzy and to start coughing.
With an effort she managed to get a glass of water and down it, which helped the coughing subside. She grimaced, but she kept standing. If she were to sit again she didn't know if she would be able to stand again easily.
Astraea glanced at where the two letters sat on the table, as a wave of emotion flooded her again. It was similar to when Ryu told her about what happened to the rest of her children. Nausea rose and threatened her, but she managed to resist it.
It was just as strange now, as it was then. It felt… unnaturally, she was a goddess, an eternal being that doesn't really change. Yet now she suspected that wasn't true, the wounds of the heart left invisible scars.
Astraea shook her head, "Focus." She needed to find out if anything happened. So with well-hidden shaking legs she made her way to the front door and opened it. She couldn't see her child or the shock of white hair at first glance. So with a gentle smile, she started asking around. It only took a few moments to find out that her child had moved quickly to the lone tree that stood defiantly on the hill.
She smiled, "A fitting place if any." She whispered. She started to make the slow walk towards the hill, but she stopped herself when she caught sight of what was happening up there.
The smile spread slightly, as she noticed how they were embracing each other. "Good." Then she saw them kiss. Despite her best efforts and wanting this outcome, she couldn't help a small blush show on her face.
Astraea was a virgin goddess, so even that much seemed like a massive step. Although she shouldn't be surprised, she remembered the sight of Ryu desperately trying to heal Bell and kissing him before she blacked out.
With the blush not fading she returned to her home, 'Looks like my worries were unnecessary. That's… good.' She sighed, a part of her deep down was jealous that Ryu spent all her time with Bell, but she couldn't blame her. She was scared to death at the thought of his death.
She closed the door to her home absentmindedly, and quickly opened the door that contained the shrine to her children. "Perhaps… it's best if I don't spend too much time with Ryu…" she whispered into the silent room.
She knew mentally that she should spend as much time with her child as possible before they left to return to her new world, but once the thought wormed its way into her mind she couldn't ignore the nagging feeling. "It's finally happening. To think she would be openly kissing someone… it doesn't feel real."
She was looking at all the names and none at the same time. "Right… I need to remember to give her a list of spells."
Astraea approached one of the walls, there was a small latch built into it. She held out a hand to the small handle… she started to feel nauseous again. This time she couldn't resist it and was forced to run into the bathroom, she ended up vomiting several times.
The little energy she had built up from the small nap left her at that moment. She could do nothing but lay in silence on the bathroom floor. Her walnut hair spread everywhere on the floor, and the pristine white dress she wore was wrinkled from the convulsions.
She laid there for what felt like an hour, but only ended up being a few minutes. Forcing herself to stand she left the bathroom and entered the dining area. She felt abnormally cold as she wrote a quick note before retreating to her room. She stripped off the wrinkled dress and dropped it onto the floor. With a sigh, she gave up the idea of putting on her sleepwear and simply collapsed onto her bed in her undergarments. She pulled a silken blanket up over her body hoping it would help deal with the feeling of cold.
It didn't, instead, she lay there for another hour until she heard the front door open and close quickly. She sighed and closed her eyes, "I hope you can forgive me for the future." She murmured.
X
The smile on Ryu's face didn't fade even once in the aftermath of his confession. 'It was almost perfect. Underneath a large tree, while we were alone.' She thought, if there was a single disappointment, it was that she had wanted to confess first. Have it be under the moonlight, but regardless she was ecstatic she never considered that this would happen.
Her heart was pounding, and she wanted nothing more than to continue kissing her lover but she knew she couldn't. 'I'm sure this intense burning will fade with time. It's a shame I can't enjoy this as much as I would like…'
After she pulled away to take a breath, "We… should probably… get back. Goddess was… worried when you took off." She muttered the reluctance was evident in the tone of her voice.
She watched Bell nod, "I suppose… I did leave in a hurry." They sat there for a moment until they eventually stood and turned to the village arm in arm.
"It really is a pleasant village," Bell murmured as they traveled through.
Ryu couldn't help but agree, "It's… almost a shame… that we are going to be leaving soon."
She felt Bell nod, "I agree. Although, from what Lady Astraea told me there is going to be a festival happening in two days. I imagine tomorrow they are going to start prepping for it."
"Did she give you any information about it?" She asked, pulling Bell slightly closer.
She noticed the slight blush on his face. "No… not too much. She called it the Burning of Sins… apparently, it's customary to dance with someone you care a lot about."
Ryu sighed, "I… don't have experience dancing…" There was a bit of shame in her tone. It was a skill she never thought she would need.
Bell sighed as well, "I don't have much either. The only experience I had was when God Apollo invited a bunch of Familia to a party. It was when he declared a War Games."
Ryu could tell he was reluctant to answer further, and she wouldn't push. "Well…" She paused, she didn't have anything else to say.
She could see the home that belonged to Astraea rapidly approaching. "Oh… Goddess is going to tease us. I can already hear what she'll say."
Bell chuckled lightly, "It's fine… probably better to get used to it now than when we return."
Ryu couldn't help but agree… 'I know that Lili and Goddess Hestia won't be happy about it, but I hope they will at least accept it.' She silently worried.
Bell reached out and turned the knob, and the door swung open nearly silent. Ryu noticed something felt off, there was no fire lit in the fireplace at the far end of the opening hall. She couldn't hear Astraea shuffling around. "Hmmm, quieter than I expected," Ryu murmured.
Bell nodded, "True, but no use getting worried. Maybe she stepped out to help look for me?" He took a single step inside with Ryu following.
As they entered, the sense of unusual quiet grew until they noticed a small note opened for whoever to see. Ryu grabbed it, recognizing Astraea's handwriting.
"Ryu, Bell unfortunately I have grown exhausted with the events and all the excitement throughout the last few days. I just need a day to rest and I should be fine. Feel free to use the kitchen however you would like, but could you also let Korith, the village elder, know that I will be ready for the festival. He lives in the center of the village, the building with the carved statue of a butterfly sitting outside.
You have my thanks. -Astraea."
Ryu, having finished reading it, glanced at Bell and could see the regret etched onto his face. "Bell, it's alright let's go speak to Korith."
Bell put somewhat of a forced smile on, "Right…." Bell turned and faced the exit once more.
Ryu could tell that it was bothering Bell, that his running out had seemed to exhaust Astraea enough she needed to rest, she didn't believe that but she understood nor could she find the words to help.
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Finding the Elder's house was easy, like Astraea had noted it was situated facing the open center of the town. The carved butterfly was significantly larger than either had expected. The carving's wingspan exceeded seven feet, it probably would've been rideable if it was real.
Ryu took a moment to observe the details on the carving, she found the detail was quite high. You could see the veins in the wing membranes. Each bit of hair stood out on the body of the butterfly, even the eyes seemed textured properly.
"That's almost creepily realistic," Bell muttered, taking a step closer to the front door.
Ryu for some reason found it mesmerizing, but quickly shook it off. "I suppose." She noticed that there seemed to be runes of some language etched into the statue. It wrapped around the natural curve of its abdomen. The language looked familiar but before she could think about it much a light tapping echoed.
She glanced over and saw that Bell had knocked on the door. With a slight bit of regret, she returned her focus to the subject at hand and took a few steps closer to the door.
While she waited she observed the building, it was a nice cabin. If she had to guess it probably had four bedrooms. The outside had several stacked logs, and the roof was made of a thick thatch material.
It only took a few seconds for the pair of adventurers to hear the sound of shuffling and a cane knocking onto a wooden floor. The door slowly opened to reveal an old man, who was wearing some sort of robe. She noticed that all the hair on his head was gone, and there seemed to be a scar running up the arm that held the cane from what she couldn't tell.
"Hello, are you Korith?" Bell asked politely, giving a small bow.
The elder nodded, "I am. You must be the pair of adventurers that Goddess Astraea is taking care of."
"We are," Ryu spoke, feeling the air leaving her lungs. "My name is Ryu and this is Bell. We wanted to introduce ourselves and as well as pass a message from Goddess."
The old man's face split into a small smile, "That's great to hear." He focused on Bell. "Young man, I'm surprised that you're up and moving. Those were some… significant injuries."
Bell scratched the back of his head, "I'm surprised as well. I suppose I'm just lucky."
Ryu noticed the old man regard Bell with a minute amount of suspicion. "Right… Sorry, you said you had a message from Goddess Astraea. Do you want to come in and talk?"
Bell and Ryu glanced at each other and simply shrugged. "Sure, I don't see why not," Bell spoke softly. The old man smiled slightly before turning around to enter the building proper.
They could see the house was built similarly to Astraea's just larger. Similar to hers, the door opened to a small room to take off your shoes, and a hallway directly in front of them. At the end was a table with six chairs around it.
Following the old man was simple, as they did what was expected of them as guests. It only took a minute for them to be sitting across the table from Korith.
"Sorry, I would normally offer you something to drink but I can't really right now," Korith spoke with his voice sounding slightly hollow.
Bell shook his head, "No it's alright the thought is enough for us."
Korith almost seemed to sigh, "Right, you have a message for me?"
"That's correct. Goddess said to tell that she would be ready for the festival." Ryu spoke softly, resisting the urge to shift her chair closer to Bell.
"That's great to hear… I was starting to grow a bit concerned." Korith breathed out a sigh of relief.
Bell spoke up softly, "What can you tell us about this festival? Lady Astraea said it was called the Burning of Sins."
The elder nodded, "That is correct. Tomorrow, we are going to finish preparing by piling wood up high, and lightly decorating the village." Korith took a wheezy breath, "The day after we eat for the majority of the day until night comes then we light the wood after everyone participating writes what sins they either have experienced or have done on a piece of paper in order to burn them. Once everyone is done with that we dance the night away."
Bell and Ryu listened silently for a minute, both had much they could write. "What is the time frame?" Bell whispered.
"Normally only the last year as it's done every year. But if you want to participate, it's up to you to write however much you want. Either way, I'm sure the spirits will accept them." Korith spoke leaning heavily into his chair.
Ryu felt her ears twitch slightly at the mention of spirit. "Spirit?"
Korith nodded, "Right you wouldn't know…" He raised a shaky gaunt hand towards the door. "That is a statue of the spirit, it visits every once in a while during the festival. It's said the spirit itself left the statue so that we might remember it."
Ryu shifted uncomfortably, 'Is that why I felt mesmerized by it? Because it is a spirit-touched item. That writing around the abdomen must have been written in whatever the spirit used to communicate.'
As Ryu's mind raced Bell spoke up, "Well tomorrow if it's alright, I would like to assist. I… might not be at full strength but I am still a level 4 adventurer."
Ryu's mind snapped to focus on Bell, "Bell! You need to focus on recovering."
Bell shook his head, "It'll be fine. Besides I feel pretty good right now. Also, it will give you a chance to spend some time with your Goddess before we depart again."
Ryu couldn't reply, he was right and she knew it. She had spent almost no time with her Goddess, that thought hurt a bit. 'But I had to make sure Bell was safe and ok.' She thought, but now he was… and yet she didn't want to leave his side. So instead she just clenched her hands and nodded.
She could see Bell smile, "Good, just remembered you don't know for sure the next time you will get to see her. Just enjoy it while we're here. We'll have plenty of time on the journey back."
Korith cleared his throat, "If you wouldn't mind, I'm sure it would be of great help. Do you mind if I ask your strength stat?"
Bell hesitated, and Ryu knew why. First, you really shouldn't speak of your stats to someone outside your Familia. Second, his starts were abnormal to put it simply. But Bell spoke after a second, "Sorry I can't give details, but I'll say it was near max each time I leveled."
The old man seemed satisfied with that answer, "Very good. Now why don't you two head out? I'll let the others know that you'll be helping out."
"Do you mind if I ask where Larsa is?" Bell asked softly.
The elder shifted his head slightly, "Larsa?" After a handful of seconds, a light of recognition entered his eyes. "Right, Larsa… I believe… She is out with the hunting parties. She should be returning… tomorrow. If you want I'll let her know you asked for her."
Bell bowed his head, "I would appreciate that."
Ryu felt even more regret, 'I had completely forgotten about Larsa… I… really am a terrible member of Goddess's Familia…' She silently berated herself.
Bell stood and gave a slight bow, "Thank you for your hospitality in letting us stay in the village."
Ryu was too lost in her thoughts, and only gave a small bow. She silently followed Bell, they wandered around in silence, until Bell grabbed her hand and spoke. "So Ryu, while you were out while I talked with Lady Astraea did you find anything interesting?"
She could tell he was forcing himself to keep a positive attitude, she let out a breath and then took a deep breath in. "Not especially, there were a couple of interesting locations or strange anomalies in the landscape."
Bell tightened his grip slightly, "I see… well how about we go and take a look around?"
Ryu nodded, but her heart was torn. She wanted to spend time with Bell, he was now her lover. But she also felt bad for almost ignoring her Goddess. 'Remember… Goddess wanted to rest… I doubt she would want me to bother her.' she sighed and tried her best to smile. "You're right, here the closest one is just around the corner."
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.
Three hours passed, the sun was beginning to set off in the distance. With Bell at her side she had thoroughly re-explored the small village. "Wow, this is smaller than I expected," Bell whispered.
Ryu chuckled, her mood had lightened a bit in the time. "Right… I was surprised to find that there were only eighty or so buildings. So what probably seventy are family homes?"
Bell placed his left hand against his chin and seemed to be thinking. "I think that's about right. Hmmm... if I remember correctly, my village was slightly smaller, maybe sixty buildings? I cannot remember."
Ryu smiled, for a second she was about to say that she would like to visit it eventually, but… she remembered what happened earlier. So she forced her mind to shift her line of thinking, "Hmm… if I remember correctly, my home village had about three hundred homes. Being around a minor Sacred Tree and elves' nature to cluster around other elves."
Bell shifted closer to Ryu, as they had been sitting on an overturned tree. The sun was a brilliant orange, "It's almost strange… I'm so used to Orario that this feels unnatural. The forest, the lack of constant noise… the lack of people." Bell whispered, glancing off toward the mountains that pierced the sky in the distance. The ever-present clouds and snow are at its peak.
Ryu shifted the final inch that separated them. "I understand, despite us both growing up in an open area… the crowded and noisy city is more of a home than the forest. It's kinda sad when I think about it. As someone who was going to be a guardian of a sacred tree… to someone who almost longs for the constant backdrop of noise."
Ryu knew at that point, they were the outsiders. Something that shouldn't interfere with the tranquil forest village. She felt a light pressure shift onto her head, Bell had leaned his head against hers.
There they sat until the sun was mostly gone, only twenty minutes remained until it disappeared completely.
With the utmost reluctance, Ryu spoke. "I suppose we should be heading back."
She stood and held out a hand to help Bell stand. He chuckled, taking the hand. "So… you still think I'm too weak to get around?"
He had a mischievous smile, one that put Ryu on edge. "No… I ju…" Her words were cut off as Bell swooped downward and lifted her. She was stunned silent for a moment then she grew embarrassed as he started taking a few steps towards Astraea's home.
She was being princess carried, she squirmed in embarrassment. "Please… put… me… down." She managed to whisper. She wasn't angry, if anything she was happy but the embarrassment was growing to be too much.
Bell stopped and seemed to be thinking for a moment, "Nope," as he continued walking.
Ryu grew a deeper shade of crimson with each step he took. After three dozen she was starting to grow dizzy from the blood rushing to her face. In nothing more than a murmur, a whisper so quiet she wasn't even sure it was audible she tried again. "Pl… ease Bell. I… don't th… ink I can… much longer…"
Again her request was denied, but she noticed he was blushing as well. 'I… I think I understand… he has to be trying to hide… his emotions by bringing this embarrassment unto… us.' She sighed defeated, "fi… fine you… win."
To help support herself she wrapped her arms around his chest, pulling herself closer to his warmth. "Thank… you Ryu."
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It only took a few minutes to cross through the town. They were both some of the longest and shortest minutes for Ryu, who after passing a few villagers felt like fainting. But through sheer willpower, she stayed conscious.
As they approached the door swung open, Astraea stood there in stunned silence for a moment. "I… was starting to grow worried. But it seems that it was unnecessary."
Ryu squirmed again, her Goddess seeing her being carried like this was too much. "Please… let me down… I think I… might actually faint…"
Bell sighed in minor disappointment, "I suppose we wouldn't want that." He lowered her to the ground where Ryu took a couple steps in an attempt to regain her balance.
Astraea seeing them could only chuckle. "I guess things worked out then? Looks like you both are moving quickly." She had a hand covering a very obvious smile.
Ryu took a few steps closer, "P… please don't Goddess."
Astraea tilted her head slightly, "I don't know what you're talking about… but who knows at this rate there might be half-elves running around." Astraea looked towards the sky whimsically, as if imagining it.
The insinuation caused Ryu to misstep, tripping on a small rock, only to be caught by Bell. "Goddess!" She shouted she could almost feel steam emerging from her ears.
Astraea smiled benevolently, "While I may be a Goddess of Purity. I don't mind, just try to be quiet about it. I'm only a couple of rooms away." She chuckled lightly seeing the expression on Ryu's face.
In a matter of a second, Ryu's imagination went wild and the world went black.
X
Astraea watched in amusement, she would never get tired of teasing her elven child. Her last tease seemed to have gone too far as she went limp in Bell's arms. "Oh my… well hurry in." She commented.
She watched Bell gently pick Ryu back up, noting the strong blush on his face as well. 'Seems he has a stronger tolerance…' She noted before shaking her head. "Why don't you place her in bed? I can start getting some food ready."
Seeing her child so energetic before she fainted seemed to help her as well. The sense of dizziness faded slightly as she watched Bell enter her home.
With a gentleness that surprised her, he placed Ryu into the bed and covered her. It only took a few seconds, but still, that was promising. 'I feel like he could be a good father if given the chance.' The thought caused her mood to shift downward.
As he left the room, he softly closed the door. "Here sit, let me cook today. It might not be as good as what you've been making, but I can do at least something." She was about to open her mouth and insist otherwise but Bell spoke before she could. "We read your note, so please relax a bit and let me do something to help."
Astraea noticed he was already heading for the kitchen, she sighed and did her best not to collapse onto the chair. "If you insist."
Bell nodded, "I do. We talked with Korith while we were out and let him know what you said. He also gave us a few details about the festival." He leaned down and grabbed a couple of knives and other necessities.
Astraea chuckled, "I suppose that was good of him to do. So what are the plans?"
Bell shrugged, "Well as I'm feeling significantly better I offered to help gather the wood tomorrow that was needed." He sighed, grabbing a pan.
As he bent to open the magic box that kept perishable food good, she asked another question. "How are you feeling?"
Bell pulled a couple of vegetables and a small wrapped piece of meat out. "Like I said, I am feeling pretty good. The majority of my strength is back so that's a plus."
Astraea sighed, 'Avoiding the question? I cannot allow that.' She thought, and she focused her mind. In a soft, gentle, and calming voice, she asked again. "Bell… I know that. But how are you feeling?"
Bell paused mid-cut, remaining silent as he finished the cut with a sharp clack of metal against wood. She could see the reluctance, but after a few more clacks he sighed. "I don't know. I think it will be a long time before I come to terms with everything. But I can't let that control my life, now can I." It was a question.
"Lady Astraea." She picked up the tonal shift in the way he spoke. So she remained silent and simply let him speak. She knew that most of the time people don't want an answer, just someone to talk to.
Bell sighed and continued to work. "I… don't know how I feel about the contents of that letter. Should I be happy that I know for certain the man who raised me is still alive? Should I be angry that he deceived me? I… feel a bit lost, as I feel happy, angry, sad, and anxious at the same time."
Astraea watched as he unwrapped the meat and started to cut it as well. "I already expected that he was alive. So I've already accepted that. It's… everything else. The truth about my parents, how I'm the forced reincarnation of a hero… the fact that I was only conceived due to his involvement." She could see a few tears starting to fall.
It was due to the swirling mixture of emotions, "Bell…" for the first time she spoke. "For what it's worth, and from my point of view. I'm glad that you were born. Even if not under the best circumstances I'm glad you left for Orario. I'm glad that you met Ryu, I… might have never seen her again if not."
She paused for a minute, as Bell had stopped cutting and put the pan back, pulling out a large pot. She waited so her words could take hold, when she heard him sniffle slightly she continued in a gentle tone. "Bell… are you happy or miserable?"
Bell was silent for a long few minutes as he continued to work. Astraea didn't mind the silence, she wanted Bell to take his time before deciding on an answer.
He only spoke again when a soup was set onto the magic stone stove to heat up and start properly cooking the ingredients. Bell sighed and sat across from her, and he smiled. It wasn't a brilliant shine but it felt genuine to her. "I suppose I am. Although I would be lying if I said it wasn't a bittersweet answer."
Astraea arched an eyebrow, "Oh, and what might that answer be?" After a second she added, "If you don't mind sharing that is."
She watched Bell release a breath, "I don't mind. I'm conflicted. I'm happy, no, ecstatic that I'm now with Ryu. But I don't think I can be truly happy until I can fully accept the news." He clenched his fists tightly until they started to turn white. Then he breathed a sigh and stood moving back towards the kitchen.
He stirred the stew a bit before testing the taste, he frowned and continued to stir, adding a couple of vegetables, "I… just want Ryu to be happy… and to be strong enough to protect the Familia that has grown so important to me. If… I can do those then I think I can be happy." Bell spoke so softly Astraea had to strain to hear.
Astraea turned to face him. 'That… isn't the best way of thinking. Discarding his aspersions to protect his Familia.' She thought, placing a hand on her chin with her elbow on the table. But how could she best explain that?
She sighed, "Bell… feel free to take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt. While it's a noble goal that you want to protect your familia. Just remember you are mortal, the strongest fact about mortals that I've found is the ability to rely on and help others. So… instead of simply protecting them, I would advise you to work together with them in order for them to help protect themselves just as much."
She released a breath, "If they want to be adventurers, then there is no perfect protection. Death and injury are common, so… just remember that no matter how much you try they will get wounded."
She glanced over to see that Bell was trembling, so she pushed forward. "I… Bell, listen and focus on getting your head cleared of fear. It's… not easy I know, I… haven't been able to confront my own fears for years. But that is a problem with me being a goddess, we don't change at least not easily. Focus on your happiness, it's fine to be selfish as long as it is not causing problems."
She wanted to try to nudge him to accept what scarring he had from their dive, but she couldn't find the words she wanted to use. She knew that words alone couldn't help him, it would be reliant on him and the support of those around him. Her eyes shifted towards the room they had been sharing, the one where she expected her child to be awake and listening. Astraea wouldn't… couldn't call out to Ryu to join them, not yet at least.
Bell shifted the soup around and took another test sip, before nodding. "Bell… one last thing." Her voice caused his head to shift up to face her. "As for Ryu… I think you can make her happy. I would argue that you already have, but the future will probably be rocky and filled with instability. Just remember to not force yourself and rush to a future of regret."
Bell nodded, "Well it should be finished in a minute. I… appreciate your words, while I may not follow them completely. I… understand where you are coming from. For now, at least, I will try to focus on Ryu's and my happiness." He moved closer and gave a small bow. "I should check on her, would you be able to set the table?"
Astraea smiled softly. "As long as you understand, but I believe I can do that. Go ahead."
Astraea stood and moved into the kitchen where all the dishes were held. The moment the door closed, she breathed a sigh of relief. A single tear fell down her cheek, "Good, maybe with that I can be happy again."
X
Ryu laid on a bed she didn't remember entering, as she sat in wonder a flush of embarrassment raced through her mind. The suggestions that Astraea had insinuated, just remembering caused her face to turn red and her body to burn as if with anticipation.
She shook her head violently, "No… it's too early for that. Besides Bell…" She remembered that Bell was young, not even mature by human standards.
But even still, the implication sent her mind running. She didn't hear any sounds except the faintest of whispers coming through the walls. Almost on instinct, her hand began to wander downwards, as soon as her hand slipped underneath her clothing a creak echoed through the door.
Her hand snapped back to her side, with the realization of what she was about to do. The door slowly creaked open and the shape of Bell entered the room. "Ryu, you awake?"
She opened her mouth and attempted to sound calm but she failed. "Y… yes." Her voice sounded pitiful, the embarrassment was evident in her voice.
The outline of Bell's head shifted as he took a few steps forward, "Are you alright? Is it about what Lady Astraea said?"
"In part," Ryu whispered, her heart was thumping. 'Please don't know what I was about to do.' She prayed despite knowing he shouldn't.
Bell sighed, "I wanna say I understand, but I'm sure my reaction might be different if I was in your shoes. I'll… just say. It's… too early for that sort of thing." Thanks to the thin stream of pale light that leaked through the window, Bell was blushing as well. "Eventually maybe… but for now…"
'It must take an extreme amount of courage to say something like that.' Ryu thought as she held her arms around her stomach as she lay there. "Sorry… I'm sure she has been teasing you… while I was in here. How… long have I been out?"
Bell seemed to relax a bit, "Not too long, maybe half an hour. I prepared some food for all of us. It's not much, but it's something. Think you can eat?"
Ryu shifted and sat up, she felt her stomach complaining about the abuse known as hunger. So she simply nodded, before she turned her body to start to get out of bed a soft hand landed on her head, and shifted around a bit. It caused her to blush a bit but she didn't pull away, "I'm glad you changed the subject, and no Lady Astraea didn't do any teasing. We just talked about how I was feeling in general."
Ryu released a silent breath, "Good. I'm glad." She waited until his hand withdrew, she accepted the hand that Bell held out as he helped her stand. Her body was still burning, but it felt manageable… for now at least.
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Dinner fortunately for Ryu was a quiet affair. Astraea didn't tease her anymore, besides a few jabs at her expense which was far more preferable. She didn't want to risk passing out from embarrassment again. The moment everyone was done eating and her bowl was cleaned of stew she made her excuses and left for bed.
She sighed as she sunk into the bed, she wrapped her arms and legs around one of the two pillows on the bed. She was doing her best to restrain her urges. Only half an hour later the door creaked open again as Bell entered.
She flinched a bit when Bell sat next to her. Her back was to him as she faced the wall, but thanks to her enhanced senses she could feel and hear the shifting of clothes as Bell sat down behind her. He didn't touch her, instead just asked. "Are you sure you're ok?"
She wanted to say what was on her mind, but it was too embarrassing to consider. So Ryu somewhat skirts around the issue. "I can deal with the teasing. But when she mentioned children… it grew too much for me." Her heart raced as she moved onto her back and glanced towards her lover. Her face was halfway buried into the pillow she was clutching to her chest, ears, and cheeks a brilliant crimson.
As her eyes met him, a single thought entered her mind. 'I wish I knew what he was thinking. Much like me, I'm sure he has things he can't say right now.'
He shifted his face back towards the ceiling, "It's alright R… Ryu. You don't have to say anything more. With everything Lady Astraea said… I don't blame you. I… well it would be impossible… to not be embarrassed."
Ryu watched Bell close his eyes. A single thought entered her mind, and without noticing she whispered the thought out. "Are you sure? I'm doing my best to not jump on you like an Amazon. My body says to push forward, but I don't think I'm mentally ready for that yet."
Bell chuckled, which caused her to nearly pass out due to the sudden realization of what she had vocalized. "Well, then that makes two of us… then."
Ryu only then realized that he was still sitting, "Bell… lay down, you… need to rest after everything… today." The words were slightly muffled as the pillow half covered her mouth.
Bell sighed, "You're right. I didn't realize the mental exhaustion I was feeling."
She felt the bed shift a minimal amount as he rested his head against the other pillow. 'So… warm.' Ryu thought even though they weren't touching.
"Ryu?" Bell whispered from behind her, if she focused she could've sworn she felt his breath on her neck.
Her body started burning anew, but the burning was pleasant. "Y… yes?" She was starting to get excited, and she knew it based on how her body was reacting, as there was a bit of wetness forming between her thighs.
She turned her body to the side a bit so she could see her lover, the very idea caused her to want to look away. "I love you." He whispered.
Her already red face turned a bloody crimson, "I… lov…e you t…o." She managed to respond even if she did stutter a bit.
Ryu felt the bed shift a bit as he whispered, "Goodnight Ryu." Then she felt it, it was like an electric shock but it didn't hurt. It was like every nerve in her body pulsed, a sense of pleasure radiated and an involuntary moan escaped her lips.
Ryu was stunned silent, judging by the lack of an immediate reaction, so was Bell. 'My ear, was that just because he kissed the tip of my ear?' Deep down, she wanted more.
X
"I love you," Bell whispered, he felt a bit awkward. Now that they were a pair it felt more embarrassing to embrace Ryu, despite having grown so used to it lately.
Ryu whispered in a stuttering voice, "I… lov…e you t… o."
'Adorable.' Was Bell's first thought, 'When did I start to see Ryu as adorable? I think it's the way she is easily embarrassed…'
He could see the tip of Ryu's left ear was almost glowing with how red it was. He could hear a little voice speaking to him. 'Why not kiss it? You're a couple now.' The voice whispered gently in his mind.
He decided to listen, but he moved slowly, cautiously. After a second, he placed a simple kiss on her ear. Her body stiffened as she let out a moan. It was a sound he had heard before. 'Where had I heard that before?' It took a few moments to remember. 'Right, when I was running through the red-light district. Right before I met Haruhime for the first time.'
His face blushed in realization, 'I have to say something.'
He opened his mouth, closed it, and reopened in a failed attempt to find his voice. After a moment he managed. "So… rry Ryu… I didn't."
It took a few seconds before Ryu responded, "It… s alr… ight Bell, I… just was… n't rea… dy for that."
Bell leaned back, in a vain attempt to give Ryu a bit of space. 'I shouldn't have done that… I…' He couldn't finish the thought, he was a bit afraid that he had ruined his newly formed relationship with Ryu.
The pair sat in silence for a trio of minutes, Bell noticed that Ryu seemed to nod into the pillow she was cradling, her breathing had grown a bit heavy and erratic. "B… Bell… can I… ask a fav… or of you?"
Her voice was stumbling and halting, but he could understand clearly. "Of course… Ryu. Again I'm… sorry."
There was a minute of silence, "Bell… I'm not… ready for… that yet." Her words were halting but she wasn't stumbling on them anymore. "Please… Bell… please… continue doing… that for… a bit… longer. With… my ear."
Bell didn't think Ryu could get any more embarrassed, but he had been proven wrong. The feeling was so potent, it seemed to flood into him as he grew nervous and heavily flushed. "Ryu… are you… sure?"
Ryu nodded sharply, almost unnaturally. "Bell… please don't… make me ask again."
After a few seconds, he made his decision. "Ryu." He kissed her ear again and caused the ear to flex a bit.
He was surprised, he thought they would've been completely rigid, but they weren't. Ryu started moaning quietly. "Bell…." She panted out.
This caused him to move more, placing gentle kisses along the length of her ear, each second that passed her voice grew just a bit louder.
After he felt that what he was doing was beginning to grow stale, he decided to push forward a bit. He placed the tip of her between his lips and began to nibble very lightly. He was careful to not put too much force into the action. The resulting gasp and moan, he was sure could be heard through the door.
Ryu's breathing grew heavier as he continued nibbling, "Bell… just… a bit… more." Bell noticed how she tried her best to cover her moans with the pillow that was being crushed in her arms. Her back had begun to shift closer to something resembling a ball. He could feel the heat radiating off her even as her legs shifted several times.
With one last louder moan, her body jerked lightly, pulling the ear from his grasp. "BELL!" Ryu called out, it was muffled but it was loud. She was panting in the aftermath, Bell had to shift his hips a bit.
After a few seconds Ryu spoke, "Thank… you. Bell… I."
Bell tapped her lightly on the head, "Try to get some sleep." He paused for a second, "I'm glad you enjoyed it." He leaned in and kissed her lightly.
Ryu shifted to lay on her back, he caught the glimmer of red and sky-blue next to him. He glanced over and Ryu was watching him. "Yes?"
Ryu hesitated but seemed to find her voice. "Is… there any… thing I can… do for you?" She was looking straight at the ceiling.
Bell inwardly smiled, 'She's embarrassed. A reasonable response.' When he had said he wasn't ready to move further he had meant it. It took a few seconds to come up with an answer. "Ryu… can I make a request?"
Next to him, Ryu gulped a bit, "Of course… it's only… fair."
Bell sighed, he knew it. "Ryu, my request is that you get some sleep and prepare yourself for tomorrow. You'll probably spend a large amount of time alone with Lady Astraea tomorrow."
Ryu, who had been blushing the entire time, suddenly began to lose color rapidly. "I… I… I don't… know if I… can do that."
Bell couldn't help but chuckle lightly. He wrapped her slightly damp body closer, "You'll be fine. Just think of it as training. When we get back to Orario, there will probably be more teasing than what Lady Astraea will do."
Ryu gasped then sighed. "If… you insist."
Bell chuckled, again the subtle scent of pine needles filled his nostrils. "Ryu, can I ask a question?"
Ryu had her eyes closed as she nodded. "Go ahead."
"You see there is something I've noticed recently. No matter what, there is always a scent of pine needles around you." He could see a rapid blush return to the ear he had been nibbling. He had to resist the urge to do so again.
Ryu simply shifted her head from side to side. "I don't know. I've never noticed… although if it is a… scent I have, I probably would've grown accustomed to it and unconsciously filtered it out."
Bell closed his eyes, the bit of heat that radiated from his partner comforted him as his eyelids grew too heavy to open again. He yawned, "Well it doesn't matter. Goodnight Ryu I love you."
He heard a whispered response back, "You're… probably right. Goodnight Bell, I love you." As his mind slowly turned blank as the world of sleep overtook him.
X
Astraea laid there in her bed with a flush heavy on her face. She sighed lightly, "I know I teased and told them that they could, but I didn't expect them to actually have sex already. They just formed their relationship."
She wanted to reprimand them, but deep down she was happy. She never expected Ryu, of all people, would have an experience Astraea herself refused to have.
She looked over to the small crest that stood upon the nightstand next to her bed and smiled lightly. "Well, I guess that means I will have more ways to tease her before… She leaves again." The thought made a tear fall down her cheek. She rapidly drove the emotion from her heart. "No… it's for the best that she leaves, let her grow her wings." Astraea whispered.
It took a few minutes to realize that she was tightly clutching the night cloth over her heart. With a quick sigh, she unclenched and rotated to her side. "Maybe I can get some sleep, I know I need it."
Ever since that event a full year ago, sleep has been difficult for Astraea. Getting no more than four a day. She let out an involuntary groan, as the memories filled her mind. Clutching her pillow so tightly that the seams began to tear.
.
.
.
It took an hour, but she managed to calm herself enough that the sudden burst of emotion drained her mentally enough that she passed out.
X
Ryu's eyes shifted open slowly, she felt amazing like she was on cloud nine. Instinctually she tightened her grip around her partner, she wanted nothing more than to enjoy the warmth that radiated off Bell. Half an hour passed as she laid there, slowly her memory of the night before returned to her. She could feel her pulse rising as a wave of embarrassment passed through her. 'What am I going to say to Goddess? Nothing really happened, but I can remember the noise I made…'
She began to squirm a bit, she didn't regret what happened but now she would have to deal with the aftermath. Ryu remembered thanking Bell after the deed was done, 'Why did I thank him?', but she didn't remember almost anything afterward, 'I must have fallen asleep almost immediately after.' Her mind was racing, placing together the pieces of her memory of the night, while it had only lasted a few minutes it felt like an eternity of pleasure.
Ryu scrunched her eyes closed as the blush that had begun to form erupted in saturation to a vibrant red. She could almost feel steam coming from the tips of her ears. Without conscious thought, she slowly raised her hand and touched the tip of her ear. She softly stroked it but it didn't cause any sort of reaction. She let out a sigh of relief, she was glad that it didn't but she would be lying if she said she wasn't even a tiny bit disappointed.
Bell next to her began to stir from his slumber. She watched the white bangs that covered his eyes shift away revealing mostly closed eyes, only a sliver of red peaked out. Deep down she knew that she would never get tired of watching Bell wake up. "Bell…" she whispered.
His eyes opened completely as she watched. He let out a yawn, "Good morning Ryu. How are you feeling?"
Ryu smiled lightly, covering her face a bit. "Wonderful, I don't know… how we are going to talk to Goddess about this."
Bell chuckled, despite the small blush forming on his face. "Well… if she asks, we'll just have to be honest. Wouldn't want her to get the wrong impression."
Ryu sighed, 'I agree… but I feel like it is a fair judgment to make. Last night, we rushed a bit.' She thought in silence. After a few minutes, she could hear the sound of her Astraea moving around in the kitchen.
She noticed that Bell was watching her, "Ryu… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."
Ryu sighed, "Bell, please don't apologize. I was the one… who asked in the end." Her mind felt like the embarrassment she was going to face in a short bit would be enough to end her life. Still, she looked Bell directly in the eyes as she spoke, she wanted to know she meant it.
Still, Ryu could see Bell was unconvinced, she had just opened her mouth to speak when a voice echoed through the closed door. "Come on you two love birds. If you are going to keep me up might as well join me for some food."
The pair turned a deep shade of crimson. "Well… there is no use in delaying the inevitable. It'll only make it worse." Ryu softly muttered.
Bell sighed and shifted the blanket off of him, exposing both him and Ryu. She was only wearing a pair of light green shorts and her white nightshirt that had ridden up in all the excitement of the night. She could see Bell blush a bit, then stand shifting his clothes to be more presentable. "Well… are we going out at the same time?"
Ryu nodded, "I suppose." She sat up and felt her shirt fall a bit. Doing her best to hide her embarrassment she stood and shifted her clothing into a normal form. She would need to bathe but that would have to wait until later, unfortunately. "Well let us."
Ryu watched Bell open the door and peek outside. She could hear him gulp, "What's wrong?" She asked softly.
Bell leaned back and whispered, "Lady Astraea is just sitting at the table. I can see obvious bags under her eyes."
It was Ryu's turn to gulp, despite being twenty-one years old. She felt like a kid who was about to be scolded. "I… I don't see what's wrong with that."
Bell shifted his head from side to side, "She is simply sitting there smiling… but something about it feels off."
Ryu reached out and grabbed his hand, "We can face the teasing together."
Bell nodded, "You're right." He took a deep breath and opened the door completely. He took a few steps out as Ryu followed right behind him.
Hand in hand they walked to their fate.
.
.
.
The table was in a quiet and awkward state, both Ryu and her partner were waiting for Astraea to say something about last night. But she didn't. Instead, she handed out plates of food and silently ate while watching the pair.
Ryu could feel the nervous tapping of Bell's leg from how close they had been sitting. 'Looks like Bell is going to collapse under the weight of the silence.' Ryu thought for a second.
She heard a sharp inhalation of breath next to her, "Lady Astraea… I'm sorry!" Bell shouted and lowered his head.
Astraea didn't respond immediately, instead, she silently patted her lips with a small cloth. "I don't mind, I might have been teasing but I meant it." She seemed to sigh, looking at nothing in particular. "Did you think I would be angry at you for celebrating your office recognition of love in a permanent and irreversible act?"
Bell didn't know what to say, so Ryu stepped up and opened her mouth to speak. "G… Goddess we didn't… do that…"
Astraea raised an eyebrow, "Oh? I was sure from the way I heard a quiet elf shout a male's name suggested otherwise."
Ryu was burning up, 'Was I really being… that loud?' She thought feeling like her nerves were frying from the embarrassment. "N… no. It wasn't… that."
Astraea smiled sweetly, "Do tell… what was it then?" Before Ryu could say anything Astraea spoke up again with a gleam in her tired eyes. "No, don't answer that, let me guess. Hmm."
Ryu noticed her goddess observing her closely. Then a predatory smile started to spread. At that moment, Ryu wanted nothing more than to forever vanish into the ground beneath them.
Then Astraea slapped the bottom of one fist into the palm of her other hand. She then turned to Bell who was almost as crimson as Ryu knew she was. "I think I know, Bell, you did something to her ear, correct?"
Bell took a second but nodded in defeat. Astraea chuckled lightly, "I don't know how Kaguya knew but she called it."
Ryu noticed despite her teasing Astraea had the slightest tinge of pink on her cheeks. "What about… Kaguya?" Even saying the name hurt a bit.
She could see a bit of hesitation in her goddess's eyes, but she spoke anyway. "One day when you were out on patrol, Kaguya and Alise were talking about you. Kaguya made a passing comment that your ears would be a 'weak spot'. Alise argued otherwise as she stated that she had touched your ears before and you showed no reaction."
Ryu's head slammed into the table, and after a second she raised her head. "Of course, Kaguya would say something like that. Wait… I don't remember Alise ever touching my ears."
Ryu blushed anew, as she lightly tapped her ear. 'From my memory only Bell has.'
Astraea shook her head, "She said it was while you were sleeping in the dungeon." At this Ryu could only sigh.
Bell, having finished, stood and spoke, "Well. Let me give you two some time together. I promised to help with the festival however I could. Now that I'm feeling better, I could probably help with moving wood at least."
Ryu instinctively stood, she was about to join him but she realized what Bell had said. "Bell…"
Bell gave her a brilliant smile. "Ryu… it's fine. Spend the time to talk to Lady Astraea. I know you had much you wanted to talk about."
Ryu sat back down. "Bell…" She could feel her ears droop a bit.
She felt a hand pat her on the top of her head. "Ryu, please don't look like an abandoned puppy. I'll be back in a few hours." She felt him kiss her on the top of her head. Ryu looked up to see Bell quickly wash his dishes and make his way out the front door. But not before mouthing, I love you.
X
Astraea watched Bell leave with gratitude filling her wounded and burning heart. 'Bell… you are a good person. Did you realize something?' She silently thought.
So she spent a minute observing her child, and she noticed that her hair was much shorter and a slightly different shade. 'After everything she had cut her hair, isn't that a normal reaction to grief for an elf? Regardless, she probably dyed it when she went into hiding.'
She noticed that her hair was probably long enough to tie into a short tail. 'She'll probably do just that regularly in a week or two of growth.' That wasn't the only thing she noticed. Ryu had grown a bit in a few different ways.
She was a couple of inches taller and her general figure felt a bit more refined than last time. "Ryu…"
Ryu finally shifted her head away from the door and looked at her. "Yes, Goddess?"
Astraea debated for a second but put a voice to her thoughts. "Are you planning on growing your hair out again?"
Astraea watched as Ryu shifted her hand upward to touch her hair. "Probably. Even if the pain isn't completely gone, I can now move forward."
Astraea smiled, "I'm glad. That means I can show you something without any regrets. Here follow me."
She felt her hand shaking as she stood, 'What will she think?' She silently questioned herself, but the offer had already been put out and she couldn't retract it.
Ryu tilted her head slightly, "Oh sure." She voiced as she stood.
Astraea moved quickly down a separate hall, she raised her shaking hand to the handle of the closed door. With a slight shake of her head, she forced her hand to wrap around the handle and open the door and entered the all too familiar room to her.
The room was small, but it didn't need to be a large room. The shine of her fallen children was on full display. After a second Ryu entered behind her, and she released a soft gasp. "Goddess… this is."
Astraea nodded, "It's my shame, but also my pride. A shrine to every member that had fallen with my emblem emblazoned on their backs."
She glanced over to Ryu, to find she was pale and shaking. "Ryu?"
Ryu shook her head, her eyes were glued to the list of names. Astraea understood why there were more names than Ryu knew about. "Ryu… last year… I tried to restart the Astraea Familia. I felt confident that I had learned from my mistakes, but I was wrong."
Astraea felt her knees give out as she collapsed to her knees. Ryu collapsed next to her, "I…" her voice was shaking. Astraea could tell that something else was wrong. But she didn't have the mental power to comfort her.
Ryu held out a hand towards the carved wood that held the names. "I… remember. Nightmare…"
Astraea was confused, but she remembered how Ryu woke up screaming. 'Nightmare…' she thought.
It took a few seconds for her to find her voice. "Ryu… when you woke up… you were having… a nightmare?"
Ryu nodded but remained silent for a long time. She spoke softly after several minutes. "A pool of blood… names etched into a tree…"
Astraea understood, she regretted bringing Ryu here even if she hadn't known. "Ryu… I'm sorry."
Ryu shook her head. "No… it's fine. I… had been so concerned about Bell… I didn't have the energy to think about it."
Astraea watched her child force herself to stand. She was amazed with the strength of her child. Ryu held out her hand to her. Astraea took it and was pulled to her feet. Ryu wrapped her arms around her, she could feel the warmth radiating off her child.
The swell of emotions she felt was sudden and her resistance shattered, the Goddess of Justice began to cry uncontrollably.
X
It was late in Orario when Hestia suddenly jerked. She was sitting at the kitchen table, the only child present was the smith. Hestia started sweating profusely. "Goddess?" Welf muttered, with a small mug in his grasp.
Hestia shook her head, her twin tails flying through the air. 'Maybe it's just the alcohol?' She thought. "Sorry Welf, it's just that I have a feeling something drastic has changed. Like a partial loss of purity."
She watched Welf chuckle lightly and swish his mug lightly. "Good… maybe Bell made his move with Ryu." He joked lightly.
Hestia felt anger brewing deep in her heart. In a low menacing voice, she whispered. "Don't joke like that. We both know Bell is too good of a kid to do that and with Ryu being an elf… I find that unlikely with their nature."
Welf, just looked at her. "You've got to be kidding right? Did you not notice how during the welcoming party for Ryu they were constantly glancing at each other? Surely you noticed how close they were acting? Hell, I even found Bell asleep in her lap."
Hestia felt something in her break, despite how harshly Bell had denied her, she still had a shred of hope to rebuild their relationship so that she might try again. "Welf… I know, but that was uncalled for. No smithing for you for four days!" Hestia declared.
Welf narrowed his eyes. "Sorry Goddess but no. Do you not remember the state of our equipment? I need to repair them within the next couple of days so we can head back down into the dungeon. We don't have quite enough money yet, we are extremely close but we are rapidly running out of time."
Hestia pouted, then stood sharply. "Fine. You win." She stomped away from the table and marched towards her room.
.
.
.
There she sat alone, she remembered when she and Bell slept in the same room. Despite being happy with the progress the Familia had made she still longed for those times again. A sharp knocking on her door shook her from her thoughts. "Who is it?"
Welf's voice echoed through the door. "Goddess… It's Welf, please open up."
With a soft humph she got off her bed and threw her door open. "Yes?"
Welf sighed, "May I enter?" When Hestia sighed and waved him in he spoke again. "Listen Goddess I understand that you love Bell. But you have to remember that he is free to choose who he wants, with the little we've gathered about what happened between them. Are you at all surprised this might happen? We still don't even know if something did happen between them."
Hestia sighed, she felt her agitation start to fade away. "I know… you're right. As the Goddess of the Hearth, I'll have to accept that eventuality." She sighed again and looked at Welf who was the stand-in captain while Bell was gone. "I won't make any promises… but I'll try."
Welf gave his crooked smile. "Good… that's all I can ask. It might be hard, but that's all I can ask for you to try."
Hestia nodded, "Alright… get some sleep. You have a lot of work to do."
Welf nodded, "That I do. Goodnight Goddess."
Review Responses:
Blazeburn006: Frostbird and the things like it are idea's that I want to play with for future chapters. I think the only time we had a section with Welf's perspective was when he was making the unbreakable magic sword, and probably a portion during Volume 8 so it felt nice. I've had to go back to a place I previously worked at... It was awkward to say the least.
pix25: Thanks, and what could Welf use the item for? Time might tell.