Sylphid's Happiness Revisited

by ExoriosGhoul

A rewrite of Sylphid's Happiness I started and released almost 3 years ago, the Story is similar but hopefully improved. After the events of their death march through the deep floors, they have started to develop feelings for one another.

17. Chapter 14

Hey everyone, back with another chapter for the story. I hope you all enjoy this chapter with the large fluff in it. I do want to give a content warning for the last segment of the chapter, I will put another warning before the segment. I hope you all enjoy the chapter all the same. - EG

Word Count: 15,215

Chapter 14

"Good morning you love birds," Astraea's voice softly floated through the air.

Astraea watched as Ryu twitched with a nervous blush, and Bell seemed calm but the blush on his face suggested otherwise. 'Gods I want to tease them more, but time is limited.'

So she smiled, "Well, it's going to be a long day. I have already prepared breakfast, but the festival doesn't start for another four hours. When the clock strikes twelve." Astraea stood, walked into the kitchen, and started picking up a plate in each hand. 'Heavy…' she mentally complained. But using as much strength as possible she shifted the plate onto her hands and started making her way back to the table.

Having nearly dropped the plates twice in the short distance, she managed to place them on the table with a small huff, "Well feel free to enjoy. I didn't make too much because of the feast that is starting later."

She glanced down and felt a bit of sadness at her physical condition. The plates were only half full, with two scrambled eggs each, a slice of bread, and a small portion of leftover kielbasa without the sauce.

She could see Bell was observing her, she gulped lightly as he shifted with a small smile showing on his face. "Thank you Lady Astraea."

A small chill ran down her spine, 'Ryu had hinted that he is more perceptive than one might think. No, I can't make any assumptions.' A smile grew on her face, "Why of course Bell, enjoy."

She noticed Ryu's head snap upwards, a portion of the egg already in the process of being consumed. 'Oh, how much has changed… if only…' She gave herself the mental equivalent of a shake and forced her mind clear.

X

Bell watched as Astraea sat down on a chair on the opposite side of the table. 'Something feels off. What is it?' He forced his head to work while doing his best to keep his face the same as usual. 'Urg, I don't know. Maybe Ryu noticed something. I'll have to ask her later.'

He glanced over to his partner and had to force himself not to chuckle. She had a small portion of egg and kielbasa on a chunk of bread. The exact moment she moved to take a bite, all but a small piece of egg fell off.

Bell, through an effort of will forced his focus back on his own food, despite wanting to keep watching Ryu.

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Three hours passed and Bell was standing in the center of the main courtyard where the bonfire would be lit. Korith was currently walking through the crowd of people, a pouch slung over his shoulder was filled to the brim with paper. "Lady Astraea… isn't it really expensive to get paper here?" Bell whispered, to the Goddess that stood close by.

Astraea nodded, "That's right, but it's part of the ceremony so the village doesn't mind. If anything I would say they would want to offer more. But it's unnecessary." To Bell, her voice sounded weak, but it was steady.

Bell glanced up to the clear blue sky. The sun was just beginning to cross the apex of the sky. There was a soft, warm, soothing breeze that tousled his hair. Glancing back down, he could see Ryu looking at Astraea out of the corner of her eye. 'So she noticed something?' He thought, remaining silent. 'Later Bell. Remember you are at a festival. At least try to enjoy yourself.'

His mind wandered to the last festival he attended, with Aiz and Hestia. 'I wonder how the Familia is doing without me. Still, by the time we get back, it would've been almost a full month.' He felt Ryu watching him, so he turned and met her sky-blue eyes. She gave a small smile, then returned her attention to Korith who had made his way through half the group.

Bell inched closer, his hand wandered until it met Ryu's. He could see Ryu blushing a tiny bit but her hand started wrapping and intertwining with his. That small contact helped to ease some of the worry that had started to build up. 'I'm sure they are alright. They're strong even without me. They, with some help, took down an Amphisbaena.' He let out a long breath, he was careful to make sure it didn't sound like a sigh.

The shifting of grass brought Bell's attention back to reality. Korith was only a couple of people away, he watched carefully to make sure there wasn't an appropriate way to accept the sacrificial paper.

Every single person accepted differently, so that helped to calm his nerves. He would rather avoid embarrassing himself at the current moment. "Lady Astraea, I'm glad to see you here. You had me worried." Korith glanced over to both Ryu and me, "I'm… sorry for having Larsa work so much when I'm sure you and… her would like to spend time together during the festival."

Astraea gave a warm smile, "Korith please don't apologize, it's fine. We knew this would happen." Astraea held out a slender hand, Bell noticed it seemed to be barely shaking. "Please Korith, let's not discuss such matters right now. This is supposed to be a festival, not a meeting."

Korith smiled, the gaps in his teeth revealing his age just as much as the wrinkles. "Right, Right. Here you go." He handed a slip to Astraea who gave him a small bow.

He shuffled a few steps towards Ryu, "Miss… Ryu was it?" Ryu nodded, so Korith continued in a wheezing voice. "It's been… so long since an elf partook in our festivities. Please enjoy yourself." Korith reached into his pouch grabbed a piece of paper by his fingertips and held it out. He was obviously careful to ensure there was no physical contact.

Ryu, let a soft smile show. "Thank you, Mr. Korith. I'll try to enjoy it." She was just as careful in accepting the paper.

Then, it was Bell's turn. "Boy… I still don't know how you're alive, let alone moving. But I'm glad for it, you got injured helping someone else. Here, and I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors." Korith held out another paper.

Bell gave a small bow, "Thank you," He didn't have anything else to say. There wasn't anything else that really could be said.

Korith moved on, to the next person, a female human with shoulder-length black hair. "Bell…" Astraea's voice called out.

Bell snapped his attention back to the Goddess, "Yes?" He asked with a small question in his voice.

Astraea smiled, "I understand your want for physical contact, but you both need to start writing. Consider everything that has happened, you both have a lot to put on there."

Bell blushed, and reluctantly separated from Ryu. "I… suppose you're right." He could see Ryu's ears drop marginally. He felt like teasing her, but he held himself back.

Astraea however didn't, "Ryu, when did you start acting like a lost puppy who hasn't had friendly contact? It's only for a minute, you can manage."

Ryu blushed, "Godd… Astraea…"

Seeing Ryu's reaction caused Astraea to giggle, "Ryu… I can remember how you would have acted in the past if I would've made a comment like that. Personally, I think it's a nice change. Now, get to writing."

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The mood in the square was a somber one, everyone was silent not even the animals in the distance seemed to make any noise, Bell knew it would get lively, it would only take some time.

It had taken just over half an hour for everyone in the village to finish writing the sins they had seen or witnessed in the past year. On average it seemed to be one to three things. For Bell and Ryu it was much more, as it was their first burning they were expected to write everything. Ryu covered the entire paper, every single spot of exposed paper there was almost no white left.

Bell, while less, still covered the majority of his paper. This past year alone covers ninety percent of what he wrote about. He thought about that for a second, 'Orario really has brought so much good and evil into my life… I wonder…' he shook his head before he ran down his line of thought.

He was about to try to convince himself to just not go back, but he had to. It was his home for better or worse, he had friends and people he considered like family. With a sigh, he glanced over what he had written and smiled. The next time he saw Eina he would have to thank her, if it wasn't for the copious amount of notes he had been forced to take in ever-decreasing space to write he probably never would've been able to put all that onto the paper.

Still, he silently folded it and waited for Ryu. He knew she would have… too much to write about with everything she had seen and done. So he waited there patiently, he wouldn't judge her. He knew about almost everything, and he accepted that.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ryu nod and heard her whisper, "Alright, I think that's about everything. Bell… Thank you for waiting. Let's place these down."

Bell nodded, "Right." He felt Ryu reach for his hand, and he easily welcomed it. They walked right to the pile of wood and logs and with Korith's permission tucked them deep into the pile.

As they walked back, he noticed Astraea tucking her slip into the pile. But thought nothing of it. After a few moments, they returned to where they had been standing, hand in hand.

Korith stepped in front of the onlookers, and in a booming voice, he began to speak. "Let's get started! Now speak along with me!"

His voice boomed out, Bell was stunned for a moment at its volume, 'How can he have such a strong voice?'

But his thoughts were cut off as Korith continued speaking, "Spirits of Land, Spirits of Water, Spirits of Wind. We pay homage to you. We pay homage to the past. We pay homage to the hopeful future we all hold dear. We honor you all in hopes of removing the horrors of our sins. We honor you, for taking the hatred we feel that is innate in our imperfections. We honor you all for the sake of cleansing our souls."

Korith took a deep breath, "Lastly, the Spirits of Fire. We pay homage to you last when your brilliance fades and darkness consumes the world. In that moment we shall light your beacon so you always have a home. So please be patient until then."

He turned to face the villagers and guests. "Until the sun fades for the day we feast! Everyone enjoy the day away and be prepared for the burning of sins!"

Every single villager cheered, even Bell felt like cheering but held his tongue. He could see a smile on Ryu and Astraea, 'They must be having a similar urge.'

Astraea clapped her hands together softly, "Right, well it's time to eat until sundown. So both of you go and enjoy what the village has to offer."

Bell could feel a smile spreading across his face, "Come on let's go Ryu."

He could see a blush starting to spread, "R… Right, Astraea do you want anything?" She asked softly, but Bell noticed the sharpness in her eyes.

Astraea only shook her head, "No… it's alright, I'll eat later. Go, enjoy yourselves. I'll see you both in…" She glanced up to gauge the position of the sun, "About five hours. Don't worry, I'm gonna go relax and talk to Larsa some."

Bell hesitated, something about her statement seemed… off. But a squeeze on his hand drew his attention. "Right… well… we'll do that…" Ryu softly whispered, halfway dragging Bell.

X

Astraea watched her child and her partner leave, she could tell they suspected something was off with her. 'I… need to sit down for a bit.' Even as those silent words crossed her mind, the burning in her torso grew stronger. Strong enough that it took her full effort of will not to clutch at her chest. If she had, either or both of them surely would've noticed.

She took a single step towards her home, her legs were shaking. 'I'm glad that I have this dress right now.'

Still, she pushed forward. What other choice did she have? Each step felt like twenty, she blinked and she was at her front door. 'When… No… I must have zoned out for a second.' She whispered a single name so quietly she wasn't even sure her voice had actually been released.

"Larsa." As she spoke, she raised her hand and twisted the knob. The door was heavy… 'Why… now…' Still she forced the door open. At the end of the hall, she could see her destination. A simple table with several chairs, she wanted nothing more in that one single moment than to sink into her usual spot and sleep, but she couldn't not until the festival was over.

She grimaced, "Ten more hours… then I can rest for the night." She paused… "No… I need to prepare for their departure tomorrow as well… I need to grab those…" A wave of nausea washed over her, but she forced herself to remain steady. It took a few seconds but she collapsed into her chair and that single support helped to alleviate her nausea. "So strong…" she sighed a single breath of relief as the nausea ebbed away slowly.

It only took another minute until the door quietly opened, Astraea glanced over her eyes half closed and burning. "Larsa… there you are…"

Larsa, didn't make a sound as she entered, so unlike her normal self. She knew that in times like these to remain quiet and provide silent support. "Thank you…"

Astraea remembered how Ryu watched Larsa with suspicion, and she understood why. Larsa's eyes are similar but darker than Ryu's, Black Hair like Kaguya, and an energetic personality like Alise but the crudeness of both Kaguya and Lyra. In many ways, she almost seemed like a mash-up of her former children. Looking at Larsa always caused Astraea pain but she never let it show. "Thank you… Larsa… can you… wake me in an… hour?"

Larsa looked at her with the same kindness that Alise always had, "Goddess… You know that won't be possible."

Astraea chuckled, "I know… Just stay with me for a bit. I…" Astraea stopped speaking and started coughing.

It took a moment for the coughing to calm, it left her throat burning. "Larsa… could you get those papers for me?"

Larsa looked at her with a sign of sadness this time. "Goddess… You know that I can't."

Astraea wanted to chuckle again but resisted the urge. "Sorry… I know. I just don't have the strength to do it myself."

Astraea watched Larsa lean over, and place a gentle hand on her forearm. Her touch felt cold to Astraea. "Goddess… You know that we are always with you. Use that strength."

She could only sigh, but the touch from her child helped soothe the pain. "Right… Right… I know… Go ahead… and return. I'll… be alright. Thank you again."

Larsa backed away lightly, stood, and moved the chair back into a perfect position. "I understand… Just don't push yourself too hard. You are needed tonight."

With those words, Larsa moved silently across the floor taking steps so light that Astraea doubted even Ryu would've noticed. Without a sound, the door opened and Larsa left, closing the door behind her.

Astraea sat there for what felt like an hour, just watching the closed door. Focusing only on her breathing. "Right… You can do this." Forcing her body to stand, despite not wanting to. "Let's do the easy part first."

Astraea entered her room, opened the closet, and buried in the corner was a small chest. She didn't have the strength to remove it from the closet so instead she kneeled in the small space and propped open the chest. Inside was a small symbol, but next to that was an outfit. One that belonged to Ryu, seeing it brought back both great and terrible memories.

A city on fire, the sound of an explosion in the distance. The echoing cry of many children's sorrows. The smell of ash and blood in the air.

She shook her head, forcing the thoughts to the side. She picked up the outfit which had been bound with a strong string. She glanced over and also grabbed the symbol. "See… that wasn't so hard." She quietly told herself.

Closing the now empty chest, she returned to the kitchen. "Right… I need something to wrap everything in. I… should have a spare cloth around here somewhere." It took a few minutes, but she found a simple white cloth that would be good enough.

She looked down and could see her hands were shaking, in an effort to stop it she wrapped them around her waist. "You haven't even done the hard part… Why are you shaking so much?" She whispered to no one,

Astraea remembered how strong Ryu had become, how she stood tall when Astraea couldn't. That memory helped, but it didn't eliminate it. "I… need to do this."

With a few shaky steps, she found herself standing outside the room that had been converted into a shrine. She took a deep breath, "Right… it's…" Astraea slowly opened the door, and the shrine in the center seemed to suck attention towards it. Towards all the names, "Please don't not right now. I'm doing this for your remaining sister. Please…"

She felt a small wave of nausea overcome her, but it was minor… manageable. She attempted to put a false smile on her face but failed and gave up quickly. She took a step into the room, and all the walls she had built up began to crumble. Each second, a brick would be removed and turned to dust.

Before her limited resolve vanished completely she placed a hand on the latch that was built into the wall. With an effort of will she forced it open, and there sat a small stack of papers. Each she knew by heart, the one on top of the stack read Alise Lovell.

She touched the paper and didn't even try to prevent the tears from forming and falling freely. With a grip she wasn't sure could even lift the old stack of papers, she forced out a slight groan.

For the first time in years, she was able to move and lift the papers, a momentary wave of happiness washed over her but that was quickly washed away by the nausea. She felt the pressure building, and with as much haste as she could manage she placed the papers on the table and ran to the bathroom.

She was happy that there was nothing in her stomach as she began to vomit, the acidic taste clung to her mouth like a leech she was powerless to remove. ''Why… I was doing so well…' She already knew the answer. No matter how strongly she acted claiming it was for Ryu's sake, that didn't remove that invisible burden.

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Over an hour passed, she was starting to think there was no more acid in her stomach to regurgitate. Sitting between rounds of vomiting a thought came to mind, one she had been suppressing refusing to even let the idea run through her mind. 'I don't want Ryu to leave me again. Especially not to be with the nephew of that woman.'

She smacked herself over the side of the head, "No… that's not fair to either of them. Alfia had her reasons, ones that you accepted years ago. I… just want Ryu to stay here until the end…"

This small confession helped to ease her nausea, "No I'm still lying to myself. I have no right to judge their actions. When things got hard I fled the city. That is one thing I shouldn't have done. I wouldn't be… how I am now…" Astraea sighed, feeling a tiny bit of strength entering her body.

With that little strength, she stood and glanced herself over. Not a spec stained her pristine white dress. 'That's good.' She thought she whispered a few words, "No… as much as I want her to stay… she needs to move on from what I can't. She's chosen her partner, and from everything I've seen he seems like a good person."

She sighed and moved slowly, and gargled some water getting the last of the acid taste from her mouth. "Right… you've already done the hard part. The rest… should be easier."

With this, she nodded, even as the nausea flared at the moment. "I don't have much more time. I… need to get working."

X

Ryu was of a split mind, on one half she wanted to enjoy everything around her with Bell. But on the other, she was worried about her Goddess. Not only did something feel off about her Goddess, but she was also acting a bit different. Still, she would listen to Astraea and enjoy what she could. Fortunately, she did see Larsa quietly make her way inside.

Bell was smiling, but she could tell it wasn't a true smile that she had seen time and time again. The luster seemed to be missing. "Bell I… I'm worried about Astraea."

Bell nodded, "As am I. Something just feels off." He whispered, waving and nodding as a villager passed by the couple.

Ryu hesitated but squeezed his hand tighter. "Bell…"

Bell cut her off, "It's alright. I know you probably want to stay here. I won't stop you if that's your wish."

Ryu paused in her step, that was what she was going to confess, but she didn't like the undertone of how he said it. "You wouldn't?" She asked softly.

Bell paused and sighed. "I… would try to persuade you… but I couldn't force you." He turned to face her directly. "Ryu… you are a free person to decide upon what you wish. If you wish to stay… I'll accept that. If you choose to leave, we don't know when the next time you might be able to see her again."

Ryu felt a couple of tears well up, "It almost sounds like you're asking me to stay here."

Bell shook his head, "Ryu… I love you and want to be beside you. But at the same time, you would be safe here and that is important to me as well." He took his free hand and ruffled her head. "I don't know Ryu. Regardless, my love for you won't change."

Ryu blushed at his open declaration of love, and she believed him. But a part of her hurt just as much. 'I thought I already had this decision made… no as much as it hurts I need to continue moving forward.' She smiled at Bell, "Bell…"

She didn't continue, and Bell didn't speak. His ruby eyes reflected the rays of the sun. So, she pushed forward, physically and mentally. Leaning forward, she kissed him not on the cheek like before. She felt his lips touch hers, and for the briefest of seconds, there was a spark of electricity that ran down her. For that briefest of seconds, it felt like they were connected.

After a few seconds Ryu pulled away, she could feel her ears burning and her cheeks crimson. She noticed Bell was in a similar state. 'It's the first true display of our relationship.' She placed her head onto his chest and without any hesitation spoke the words "I love you."

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The handful of hours passed quickly, with Ryu and Bell having just finished tasting a bit of everything. A few chunks of venison from the deers they nabbed the night before, most prevalent was the amount and variety of vegetables. There were so many, neither had seen before.

Eventually, Ryu noticed her Goddess leaving her home alone… Astraea had a natural smile on her face. Ryu could see there was the twinkle of life back in her eyes. She gently nudged Bell, who turned to look and spoke with a soft smile. "Well, that looks promising."

Ryu agreed, but it felt like a drastic shift. "Maybe, besides…" She gave a quick glance to make sure, "The sun is close to being down. Korith will probably start speaking again soon."

They watched hand in hand as Astraea approached. "Judging by the blushing and the handholding, I would say you both have had a good time?"

The pair, not realizing they had been blushing, watched as the others' blush grew. "It.. it was nice." Bell stuttered out.

Ryu looked over at him, "With how bold you've been recently. I'm surprised that… you're stumbling… over your words."

Bell's eyes widened, "No… Ryu, you're the one who as…"

His voice was rapidly cut off as Ryu's hand snapped over his mouth. "Not… now… please… I don't… think I would… be able to finish the… festival if you complete… that thought."

She waited, his hand clamped over his mouth. As he raised a single eyebrow then his eyes went wide. With the utmost hesitation, she peaked over her shoulder to see Astraea with a very knowing smirk. "Oh… to think Ryu would be so bold… Kaguya you've done it. You've corrupted this innocent fairy."

Ryu tried to reach out with her other hand but found it still stuck attached to Bell's who didn't let go. She felt her pulse increase in pace, how her ears seemed to burn with the embarrassment of a thousand suns.

Through sheer willpower, she resists the growing darkness of unconsciousness. Her flushed face flashed almost glowing as Astraea started to giggle, "You managed to resist that? Impressive for you." Astraea glanced around Ryu, "Wow, Bell you're going to have your work cut out for you. I wish you luck."

Ryu could feel Bell nodding, despite her hand clamped around his mouth still. His ruby eyes flicked to her, and he raised a single eyebrow again. She could see the mischievous ideas passing through his mind, "Don't…"

She felt a hot breath rush over her palm. On instinct, she retracted her hand, and Bell took a deep breath in. "Finally, I can breathe normally."

Ryu looked at her hand, as it seemed to pulse with heat. "Did… you have… to do that?"

Bell nodded, a look of contemplation on his face. "Would you have preferred my lick your hand? I know we're a couple… but…"

Ryu's eyes widened, her surprise and embarrassment at the very thought made her want to tease back or at least say something she started fidgeting, touching the tip of her left ear. "I wouldn't min…"

But her voice was cut off as the sound of a pair of wooden sticks clacked together, "Come one, come all. The time is now, the Spirits of Fire's last bastion of warmth is fading. Come one, Come all. Let us give it a new home, in exchange it will burn our sins away!" Korith's voice boomed over the area, drawing the attention of everyone in attendance. In his hands were two sticks, one normal and the other had a single end wrapped in a stained cloth.

Ryu… felt disappointed, as she and Bell returned to the spot they had been standing before. She glanced around, only to see Astraea approaching Korith who had just lit the cloth-bound stick on fire, turning it into an active torch.

Korith bowed his already hunched back, "Goddess Astraea. If you would." He returned to his normal posture and held out the newly formed torch.

Astraea hesitated for only a second before taking it, she held it high. Ryu noticed that it seemed to be bobbing slightly as if a great weight was weighing down on her. Slowly she lowered the torch and in a majestic and clear voice, she spoke. "Come one, Come all. Join me in a moment of silence. A moment for the ones we've lost. A moment for all the harshness we've faced. A moment for all the innocent souls… that have been lost due to the… cruel nature of… this world.."

Ryu watched in silence for a moment, as Astraea held the torch at eye level. Her voice was steady, but her majestic divine presence began to crack a bit as tears formed in her indigo eyes. Indigo eyes stared into the very heart of the fire that she held in front of her.

Ryu glanced over to see that all the villagers let a few tears fall, even as her emotions spiked as without warning the faces of Alise, Ardee, Kaguya, Lyra and everyone else came to mind. She couldn't hold back as a few tears leaked from her eyes.

She looked over and saw Bell, looking into the torchlight. A serious expression on his face, even as a pair of tears fell from his eyes. So Ryu joined him and stared into the heart of the Fire Spirits domain.

She didn't know how long they all stood there, but it couldn't have been long as the torch was still bright. It happened like a crack of lightning as all the emotions faded almost sucked away. She gasped and she felt the grip on her hand tighten. As both Ryu and Bell staggered at the sudden exhalation of emotion.

Astraea stood straight, as she continued speaking. "Spirits of Fire, please we humbly request that you accept these emotions and use them as fuel to burn the sins. Come one, Come all. Watch as the Spirits of Fire ignite the transgressions of the past." Without any warning, Astraea rotated quickly to the pile of wood and paper sins and stuck the burning torch deeply into it.

The torch seemed to snuff out, but slowly the sound of crackling wood and burning paper grew audible. Then for a second, a fire grew bright and hot as the entire exterior was lit ablaze.

Astraea was forced to take a few steps back, Ryu wanted to go help her and took a step but Bell's grip tightened on her hand. She glanced over and didn't answer her silent question. By the time she looked back, Astraea was standing straight backed next to Korith, who looked to be taking a deep breath.

Korith's voice boomed outward, "Come one, come all. The Spirits of Fire have accepted your gifts and burned your sins away. Dance now, and enjoy the night as the Spirits Home keeps us warm." Korith and Astraea gave a bow as every villager cheered. The entire time Ryu noticed that Astraea was staring directly at Bell, who seemed to be staring at the fire absentmindedly.

Soon after the fire began to shift in color, going from a soft red-orange to a bright green to a soft white. All over the course of a second. The villagers cheered even louder at the display of dazzling brilliance. Until it slowly changed back to a normal red color.

Through the contact between Ryu and Bell, she noticed how his hand had grown sweaty. She glanced back towards Bell and saw that his eyes were unfocused, shimmering slightly in the fire's glow. Bell shifted from side to side and Ryu had to catch him from falling. "Bell… Bell…"

It took a few seconds until his eyes gained focus. Bell shook his head as if clearing water from his hair. "Ryu? What happened?" As he faced her she could see an unnatural glimmer, motes of multicolored flecks in his eyes quickly fading away.

X

Bell watched with bated breaths, he had a bad feeling and he couldn't explain why. The feeling tugged at his being, nearly at his very soul. Astraea turned and thrust the torch into the pile. But it was quickly snuffed out, 'Was it the angle? The… no…'.

He focused on it, 'Don't take this away from Astraea…' All other senses went blank. He felt a sensation, and he was able to vaguely feel it ever since he woke up in that guest room for the first time, spreading through his mind.

A white spark lit from within at the torches tip, he shifted almost begging it to burn. He watched silently, his vision growing bruised as the white speck grew and spread.

Each second the speck existed he grew dizzier and dizzier. 'Mind Down?' His mind warned him. But he ignored it, he wasn't using his magic. No… it was something else.

He could see Astraea's Indigo eyes sparking and burning into him, but he was unable to act as his vision grew blurry. "...ll… Bell…" a voice called out to him, one he recognized. One that meant so much to him.

He blinked and the white spark at the core of the fire faded. The sensation began to fade, his vision cleared a bit as he shook his head.

He shifted his head to look at Ryu, his companion, his… partner. "Ryu? What happened?" Bell watched as her eyes grew wider, then she shook her head. Worry began to infiltrate his mind. "Ryu?" He spoke with a tiny bit more force.

She shook her head, her small ponytail swishing. "Bell… are you feeling alright?" Her voice came out in nothing more than a whisper. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed tightly nearly enough to start hurting.

"Ryu…" He focused his mind on assessing his condition, "I feel alright I think. Got a small headache, like I had used a lot of mind but that's about it. I… feel like my mind is full right now. Why do you ask?"

Ryu squeezed him even tighter, he was starting to have trouble breathing. "Bell… When you looked over something was different in your eyes. Something that I can't explain. But I was… scared for a moment that I would lose you."

He heard footsteps to his side, as a voice caught his attention. Astraea was approaching slowly, "Bell… Ryu. Why don't you both dance?"

"God… Astraea!" Ryu seemed to be startled at the approaching Goddess.

Astraea smiled, but Bell could tell it was a bit of a forced one. "You're at a festival, you'll have plenty of time to talk about what happened." She turned to focus exclusively on Ryu. "Listen, Ryu, he'll be fine, nothing major happened. Please just enjoy your last night here, go enjoy each other's warmth." Astraea waved a hand over towards where the other villagers were gathered.

"Astraea, do you know something?! That wasn't a normal glimmer in his eyes!" Ryu was nearly shouting.

'I must've really scared her somehow.' He took his free hand and placed it on top of her head. "Ryu… I'm fine now, please let us drop this for now. I'll talk to Lady Astraea later." Ryu was still hugging him tightly, he almost could've sworn that his ribs were starting to protest.

Ryu placed her forehead against Bell's chest. She let out a breath. "Alright… but we will talk about this later. Is that clear?"

Bell nodded, "Of course, right now I just want to enjoy the night." He felt the grip around his chest lessened as Ryu started to pull away. He took a deep breath, savoring the air that filled his lungs. He let go of Ryu's hand, took a single step back, and held out his hand. "Ryu… my partner, may I have this dance?"

He could see a sparkle of excitement, one that rapidly replaced the worry in Ryu's sky-blue eyes. She reached out and gently grasped his hand, "I'll gladly accept this dance… my… partner." Saying the words caused a blush to form on her cheeks.

Bell could see a genuine smile on Astraea's face, they passed by her as Bell led Ryu to the dancing patch. There were several dozen couples slowly dancing. "Sorry Ryu, I'm not a great dancer. You might have to take the lead in this dance." A part of him didn't want Ryu to know that he had taken a lesson from Astraea, but another wanted to give Ryu a chance to lead.

Ryu blushed, "I… I see. Well here, come closer." Bell was pulled closer until their chests were nearly touching.

Bell smiled, he could see Ryu's mind working in overdrive as she tried to remember Astraea's lesson. So he decided to give a helping hand. "Ryu… focus on me, and take a deep breath."

Ryu hesitated, but nodded, meeting his gaze. For a brief second, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. In and out, he could see her chest expanding as her lungs took in the air. Without saying anything, she took a single step, then three with Bell following her lead.

Slowly but surely, Ryu seemed to start to feel comfortable taking the lead. Bell could see the calm confidence that began to fill Ryu's movements. He could feel Ryu's stiff grasp loosen as they twisted in a slow circle.

Slowly the world around Bell faded as he focused on dancing with Ryu, he felt his heartbeat slowing to a relaxed pace as any nervousness he might have felt ebbed away.

Following Ryu's lead, they spun in a circle and took three steps to the right. Ryu pulled away and he twirled her in a smooth motion. In the moment, they needn't communicate with words or expressions; it almost seemed like they were becoming a single entity.

They didn't know how long they slowly twisted and twirled; they only noticed the time passing by how the music changed. It was as if a musician was playing just at a point where you could just make out the individual notes.

They kept eye contact the entire time, reality seemed to be returning as the music began to fade he did something he never would've done before they were a couple. Bell leaned in, Ryu's eye widened a bit but she didn't pull away instead she leaned forward a bit as well.

Bell could feel their lips meet, slowly they kissed. Bell waited for a couple of seconds and slowly pulled away. He felt Ryu lean forward as if to keep the connection for a moment before pulling away.

"Bell… I…" he could see the blush on Ryu's face spreading, seeming at both the public display and how she was going to push for a longer touch.

A slow round of clapping filled the full village square. Bell turned his head to face the noise and saw more than half of the village had started clapping. A small blush formed on his face, as he gave a small nervous smile.

Astraea approached the pair, her hands clapping softly as well. "Very nice, for your first dance that went surprisingly well."

Out of the corner of his eye Bell noticed Ryu's ear twitched. He couldn't help but chuckle, "Why don't we take a break?" He asked just loud enough for a few people to hear.

Ryu nodded crimson-eared, "Yeah… that was… exciting, but I think… a break would be a… good idea."

They heard a couple of villagers look disappointed, but with a quick note from Korith, the musicians started playing again.

Bell led Ryu to the side, with Astraea trailing behind them. They both noticed that Astraea seemed to be looking towards the crowd and Bell felt a gentle tap against his side. "Why not dance with Astraea after this song?" Ryu suggested catching the attention of both Bell and Astraea.

"R… Ryu, are you sure?" Bell asked, a nervous nervous sweat running down his spine.

Astraea flinched at the idea, "Ryu… that might not be the best idea… I…" Astraea looked like she wanted to say something, but couldn't.

Ryu smiled softly, "Have you not really danced since coming to Genkai?"

Ryu's small teasing comment caused Astraea to blush a bit. "A tiny bit, but not in a situation like this." Astraea seemed to take a deep breath and was about to continue but was cut off by Ryu.

Bell watched Ryu cautiously, he could see revenge in her eyes. 'Have we teased her too much?' The moment that thought crossed his mind Ryu spoke up.

"Bell…" Ryu said with a determined voice, despite the slight blush forming on her face. "Bell… I will entrust Astraea's first time… in this situation to you. Please make sure it's… memorable."

Bell felt his heart rate increase, and a blush formed quickly on his cheeks. "D… Did you really have to… say it like that?" He stuttered out, his embarrassment at the phrasing evident.

Astraea was silent, a blush subtly showed itself on her cheeks. So Ryu continued, "Look Bell… Astraea doesn't… seem to mind you taking the opportunity."

Astraea flushed and grew more evident, but still, she remained silent. Bell gulped, his eyes darting between his partner and her beautiful Goddess. Until eventually he nodded, "Alright…" he turned to face the Goddess. "Lady Astraea, might I… have this next dance with you."

X

Astraea watched in silence, as her child and their partner danced. There was a small part of her heart that wanted to dance, but she knew she didn't have the energy for such a task. Neither did she have the energy to converse with Bell as she had promised. 'I hope they grow distracted with each other and forget about talking to me.' But for some reason she doubted it.

She glanced back to the fire that was crackling brightly, even standing at the edge of the square she could feel the heat radiating off the fire and it was over forty feet away. 'I don't know how those standing right next to it can take the heat.'

Astraea could still see the tiny sparks of white at the core of the fire. 'Bell…' A wave of burning flushed through her as she silently clutched at her chest trying to soothe the flash of pain.

She returned her focus to her child's dance. She could see the natural blonde hair peeking through from the roots, the faded hair was tied back into a ponytail. Seeing it bob as she twirled caused her to smile. It reminded her of times long past. She observed the blue and white outfit she wore. The coloration reminded her of the final battles during the Dark Ages and the outfit she had packaged just earlier.

What caused her to want to shed a few tears, was the gentle and soft smile towards the boy she held so close to her. She had questioned Bell before, and she knew he loved her deeply. She also knew that Bell seemed to be holding himself back, stopping himself from taking actions he would regret.

She blushed slightly at the memory of an elf calling out his name, but when she learned that they didn't go all the way she knew Bell had held himself back. Having lived for so many years, she knew that men could have a hard time holding themselves back. Hell, he pushed his pride to the side and let Ryu take the lead in the dance, just because he knew she worked hard throughout the morning and part of the afternoon.

She could respect Bell for that aspect of his personality. Her mind snapped back to the current situation as clapping started to reverberate through the air. Her attention focused back on the newly founded couple, it took a second but the clapping was all focused in their direction. 'How long had I been zoned out, lost in my own thoughts?'

Still, she played along, approaching and clapping with everyone, she even gave a few words of empty praise as she hadn't seen the full extent of their dance. Then it happened for the first time in her full experience with Ryu, or most of her children, had teased her and it had been surprisingly effective.

She could tell, Ryu had chosen her words as carefully as possible in the moment to inflict embarrassment. She could feel her heart rate increasing, which helped to distract her from the burning acid running through her veins. It had been effective on her, but judging by how Bell was reacting it had been even more effective against him.

She couldn't say anything for a moment, but after a second Bell had decided to embrace the embarrassment and asked her to a dance. His face was still flushed with embarrassment, but his eyes were steady.

She took a deep breath, "Alright, so long as your girlfriend is alright with it. I'll accept the next dance." Astraea's face remained neutral, but out of the corner of her eye, she could see Ryu starting to blush at the statement. She cheered her somewhat successful rebuttal, silently in her mind.

She held out her hand and accepted Bell's proffered hand. As they took a couple of steps away from Ryu. "Do you want me to lead this one as well?" She spoke quietly, and in a whisper, only Bell could hear, "I want to congratulate you on how you handled dancing with Ryu. Giving her a chance to show you what she learned."

Bell could only chuckle, "Ah… well I thought it would be good for her to have some… results for her efforts. It might help her improve further in the future." Bell paused for a second, before nodding. "As a Familia Captain, it's something I have to consider."

Astraea felt her heart lighten a bit, "You… remind me of Alise, my former captain. Maybe that was why Ryu was drawn to you, or maybe it is your rabbit-like appearance?"

She could see Bell's paler skin turn a shade of red, "Remember what I said before come closer. Your partner already gave both of us the ok… so she won't get upset if you get close."

Bell blushed even deeper, but he did as he was told and inched closer until they were touching. "There we go, now we can dance properly. Now back to my question, do you want me to take the lead?"

She watched as Bell nodded and then blushed deeper as his eyes glanced downward in the motion. Astraea smiled, "Oh you are too innocent. You know I heard an interesting rumor when I lived in Orario."

Bell took a calming breath, "Oh, and what would that rumor be?"

Astraea felt her teasing side reach its peak. "I heard that if an elf has a primarily meat diet, it'll help increase their bust size. Although it might be a tad bit too late for Ryu as I doubt she's growing anymore."

Astraea gave out a giggle that turned into a quiet laugh. 'Bell looks like he is going to faint. Here I thought that was a feature unique to Ryu.' She thought quietly.

.

.

.

A few minutes passed as the pair danced in relative silence, Bell's face eventually turned back to its normal shade but Astraea had to break the silence eventually. "Bell…"

"Yes?" Bell's response was quiet and almost tense to Astraea.

"Are you not going to ask?" Her response was quiet if they were going to have this conversation. She didn't want anyone to hear.

Bell shifted to meet her questioning gaze. "Hmmm, I don't know if I will. I want to, but I can tell you don't want me to. So I wasn't planning on it unless you brought it up."

With that, Bell glanced back toward the direction they were moving. Making sure they didn't accidentally run into someone. 'Did he know I would bring it up or was that just how he worked? If so, his self-restraint is greater than I thought. Who wouldn't want to know what's happening?' She silently thought, even as her mind raced towards different ideas.

So she cleared her throat and decided on how to proceed. "Bell… I'll tell you a little bit, but when you get a status update Hestia might panic so make sure she is ok and she'll probably explain everything."

Bell nodded, still not looking at her. "I understand… although Goddess has been known to keep secrets from me. From everything I've learned about how adventurers work, I'm progressing far too quickly. So I think I have a skill she refuses to tell me about."

Astraea could see a tiny bit of frustration leaking into his expression, "Bell… I want to say I understand how she feels, but if it's true then…"

Bell nodded, "That's why for a short period I had considered… removing my position as captain. But I would regret it. I already know myself better than that."

Astraea felt her smile slip a tiny bit, "I'm… glad you think that. Losing a captain like that would be heartbreaking for her. So just try to be patient with her."

Bell sighed and nodded, but remained silent otherwise. "Anyways, it is so easy to get off topic when talking with you. What I'll tell you now. First, let me say sorry. I had read the letter from your grandfather after you stormed out. I was planning on following you and helping but Ryu seemed like a better option and it seemed to work out better that way."

Astraea watched as a small Blush formed on his face, but still, he remained silent. So she continued speaking. "I think what happened was an effect of the unknown consequences Zeus had mentioned. Is your birthday near? I believe he mentioned it would be more likely as you matured."

Bell nodded, "It is… four weeks away at this point. Although, I don't know for certain as Grandpa was always… vague with the exact day."

Astraea nodded, "Alright… so I think you are beginning to awaken some of that… power. A deity's Arcanum, it's what I felt. It was so small that the villagers didn't seem to notice. But as a being made of it, it's easier to detect."

Bell opened his mouth to speak, but Astraea cut him off. "Sorry Bell, this is all I'll say on this subject."

Bell closed his mouth, then took a deep breath and sighed, "I understand."

Astraea watched the human before her with curiosity, 'Really is he not going to push for more details? His he not going to push to know what his nature is?' Astraea already knew the answer, she had already silently praised his self-restraint once this was just another example.

Still, she couldn't let the conversation end there, "What are your plans when you get back to Orario?"

Bell flinched a bit, then looked at her. "Well, first things first I want to level. I'll probably spend a couple of hours each day on the way back sparring with Ryu… if she would want to… I'm not satisfied with my ability scores yet. I want to check in with everyone else to see how they're doing, I can't help but worry about them. But I know they're stronger than their levels would suggest."

Bell took a deep calming breath before continuing, "Then, I would like to spend a little bit of time getting used to the level, but I doubt that will happen. After that… I'm not sure."

Astraea cocked her head to the side just a tiny bit, a small blush forming on her cheeks as she thought about her question before asking it. "Are you not planning on sealing the deal with Ryu? To make her yours?"

She watched Bell flush heavily, but he shook his head slightly. "No… I promised to wait until she was ready. I won't push her into a situation like that. That… would be a betrayal to her if I were to push. Even then, I don't think I'm ready for that at the moment."

He paused, and Astraea could see some of the luster leave his eyes, "There's too much baggage weighing on my mind to consider moving forward and do something that could never be taken back." He gave a forced smile and glanced over and Astraea followed his gaze. Ryu, who was sitting on the ground, eyes flitting between the dancing pair and the clear sky above. Astraea noted that it was a near-full moon.

Bell spoke again, and she could see a tiny bit of firelight sparkle in his ruby eyes, "Besides… if possible. I would like to… proceed with the elven tradition… for Ryu. Human… traditions don't mean… nearly as much to humans as elven… traditions mean to elves."

Astraea felt a little envious, only for a tiny second. "Ryu is lucky to have someone who can restrain themselves and care so much about other races' traditions."

Astraea thought for a moment, trying to remember the specifics of the tradition in question. Two came to mind depending on where the elf came from. Both seemed like idealistic romantic scenes, but she could see them happening. "Hmm, maybe… maybe. However, the real question is will Ryu be willing to wait long enough for that? With how much she's changed, I can't tell honestly."

Astraea swirled, where pristine white dress frilled outward, as the song began to wind down. "Well, Bell. Unfortunately, I think that's the end of this song and this dance. Thank you for it." Despite the heavier conversation she still enjoyed the ability to move smoothly and with Bell's support, not risk falling.

Bell smiled, his teeth showing slightly, "No thank you Lady Astraea. You're a wonderful dancer."

Astraea giggled lightly, as a slight blush started to form. "Oh, Bell… you can compliment me all you want, but I won't fall for you."

Bell blushed and started stumbling over his words. "Wh… what no I…"

This caused Astraea to laugh, "Bell… I'm only teasing. I can tell you only have eyes for Ryu. Now let's go join her before she starts to pout."

Bell, still seemingly embarrassed by her teasing, spoke in a mild stutter. "R… right."

X

Ryu watched silently, and the pair danced smoothly. Far more smoothly than when she and Bell danced. 'I suppose it's only fair. Astraea has had so many years to learn and practice.' She let that thought enter and leave her mind without much consideration. 'I'll just have to practice more.' She silently thought, as that thought went through her mind she noticed Bell glancing at her.

Hastily she tilted upwards to see the moon, bright and glowing. A single extra thought entered her mind as she watched a single cloud slowly float through the air. 'I want to dance more…'

She felt her ears warm slightly, the thought surprised her. 'I… well… I guess I did enjoy dancing with Bell. It was relaxing and peaceful after the first few seconds.' She glanced down towards Astraea and Bell, who were still dancing. She noticed a blush on Bell's cheeks, 'I wonder why and how he is able to calm me so much?'

She heard the final note of the music end, and the two separated and slowly made their way to her. She couldn't help but smile and stand.

Astraea was the one to speak first as they approached, Ryu noticed that she seemed to always lead the conversation towards a specific direction. "Right… well… I think it might not be a bad idea to call it a night. I'm tired from dancing, and both of you need to get a lot of rest so you can leave full of energy tomorrow."

Ryu glanced at Bell and noticed he was watching her. She felt slightly confused when Bell nodded. His gaze shifted towards Astraea. "Actually… Lady Astraea. If it's alright with you I would like to stay out here for a bit longer." He paused and blushed slightly, "I personally would like to dance some more… with Ryu."

Ryu blinked, three, five times before she realized what was said. She started to blush, 'How had he known? Or is it what he wants as well?' She thought, glancing over towards Astraea. She regretted it immediately as she saw the wide smile spread across the Goddess' face.

Astraea nodded her eyes sparkling with joy and amusement. "Very well Bell, I'll allow it. Although… just be careful. While I would… want grandkids, I'm not ready to be called grandma yet."

Bell's face erupted into a crimson fury, "L… Lady A… Astraea. You… already know…. my thoughts… about that." Bell's eyes went wide as he realized what he had said and in front of who. His eyes dashed over towards Ryu then back towards Astraea. "That… was a mean… trick."

Astraea just giggled and waved a hand in front of her face. "Maybe… Maybe. But it was the truth. Now you two have a fun time."

Astraea glanced up, and Ryu followed her gaze. Knowing her face and ears were burning a shade bright enough to almost glow in the pale moonlight. Astraea smiled, "It's a little early, but it's almost a full moon and you're in a forest. Ryu, what are your thoughts?"

Ryu's mind ran wild, her imagination ran even wilder. Images flashed through her mind, of Bell pinning her against a tree and kissing her. Her mind forced her to remember the foggy memory of the dream she had last night. She let out a tiny squeal of nervous energy as the world went black.

X

Bell was forced to jump and catch her, "La… Lady Ast… Astraea. I don't think… it's healthy… to faint so much." After Astraea's comment, he had imagined spending the night with Ryu. 'No… I need to hold back.'

Astraea chuckled, "Maybe… not. Regardless, you have my blessing honestly. Feel free to go, make sure you have fun dancing. I'm… gonna go rest."

Bell wanted to stop her, but he couldn't. Astraea was already walking away. Bell glanced down at the unconscious still blushing elf that was held in his arms. He could feel how she was pressing into him, he shook his head and lifted her in a princess carry although it was a little awkward with her body limp and he started walking.

.

.

.

Bell sat on the ground, his back was against the tree. His hand moved unconsciously as he slowly stroked the soft green blonde hair on top of Ryu's head. He stared up towards the thick canopy overhead. Thin streams of moonlight leaked through gaps in the leaves.

'This sight almost looks like something out of a fairy tale.' He silently realized as he resisted the urge to gaze down at the unconscious elf. She might be his partner now, but that didn't mean he could start acting like a pervert.

He already knew what his Grandfather would say if he saw him right now. 'Do it, look at her. She is practically begging you to act. What elf leaves themselves unconscious unless they want you to act.' A tiny voice sounded, but he cleared his head by humming a song. It took a while to realize he never remembered hearing the song in the past. At the current moment, he didn't care; he simply liked the way it sounded.

As he hummed, he could almost picture the lyrics but they slipped his grasp each time. He could hear something, like a soft exhalation of breath.

He glanced downward and saw that Ryu was still unconscious, but her breathing had increased a bit. 'Won't be long now.' He realized with a tiny bit of sadness, 'Was this how Aiz felt when had constantly knocked me unconscious?' He realized that today was the first time he had thought about her in about three weeks.

Still, he continued to hum lightly, "Argo…"

Bell paused his hands movement, as what she said sunk in. "Argo…" He whispered back. 'Why… does that feel familiar? I know Tiona loves to call me that, but this isn't that… It's like a long-forgotten memory that a keyword has lifted the fog of time on.'

He remembered what his Grandfather had said. He slowly leaned his head back against the tree his back was against. "Does his meddling have to do with this feeling of familiarity?"

He couldn't wrap his head around the entire thing. 'Me… a common village boy, one that you could find anywhere, the child of two people tied to the strongest Familia's in history. Me a common village boy, now with Arcanum… what… am I going to do?' His mind silently raced as he watched a particularly bright star sparkle in a gap in the canopy above.

He had been sitting there for a couple of minutes, but it felt much longer with all the thoughts on his mind. He sighed and looked downward to see Ryu's eyes shifting open slowly. He couldn't help himself, "Have a nice nap sleeping beauty?"

He watched, as Ryu's eyes snapped open, the flush returning in full force. "Be… Bell… how long…"

Bell listened to Ryu stuttering over her words in silence for a second, until he decided to speak. "Only a couple minutes. Lady Astraea already returned to her home to rest for the night."

Ryu breathed out a sigh, "I wasn't… expecting her to say that. Nor did I expect you to have already talked to her… about that."

Bell felt a tiny blush on his face, "Not exactly… but I suppose it's close enough."

Bell felt surprised that she hadn't jumped up yet as he slowly continued to stroke her hair. Despite it being tied back, it had plenty of give. He noticed Ryu's sky-blue eyes boring into his face so he sighed. "You want answers now? I still don't know much but I know enough."

Ryu laid still but spoke softly. "Bell… I do. I'll still… love… you no matter what it is."

Bell chuckled, "Well that's a relief at least. No, I don't think I'm exactly a human anymore. Lady Astraea said… that I had used… some Arcanum."

X

Ryu's shock must've been obvious, 'Arcanum the power of the Gods… could he really have some?' Her mind raced, it didn't change how she felt about him, something like that couldn't. "I understand, I think. You had said when you were explaining the letter something like this could happen. Either by growing older or receiving a blast of Arcanum."

Bell nodded as she looked up, his ruby eyes like motes of hot coals in the darkness. 'No… clear your mind, Ryu. This is a serious conversation.'

She waited to see if he would say anything, it took a few seconds but he opened his mouth to speak. "The only thing that might qualify is when Goddess Ishtar tried to charm me… but nothing happened then. No strange feelings… No…"

Ryu could see his mind working in overdrive, he was thinking about something. "Bell…"

Bell sighed, "Nope… I felt like I was on the cusp of realizing something that should be obvious, something I'm not remembering properly. But I just… can't at the moment."

Ryu, despite it being slightly embarrassing, was enjoying the soft ruffle of her hair. She was aware of how obvious he was in avoiding touching her ears. "Ryu… can I ask you something?"

Ryu wanted to nod but couldn't in her current state, so she spoke instead. "Of course. Ask away."

Bell glanced from her, then to the sky. "Alright… Ryu, were you dreaming something while you were unconscious? You had spoken a single word, 'Argo.' I was just wondering if you remembered anything?"

Ryu thought for a handful of seconds, 'The word Argo… is probably referring to a shortened Argonaut. Which is both a skill he has and from what he said it was the soul that Zeus had used. But… why does the shortened version sound so familiar.'

As she focused, small fractured memories of a dream came to mind. "A tiny bit… I was… calling someone that. There was a long dirt path… and we were traveling down it… I can… almost remember more words, it's on the tip of my tongue but I… can't."

She sighed and opened her eyes to see Bell looking down at her. She observed those Ruby orbs carefully, for long seconds. But that change was nowhere to be found, the frightening sparkling… 'Was that the Arcanum? What does this mean?' She silently thought.

Despite her elven nature yelling at her she closed her eyes and leaned more heavily onto his lap. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but she felt relaxed lying there alone in the near silent forest.

She still wanted to dance some more, but just for a few minutes, she wanted to relax and listen to the soft breeze that fluttered through the forest, the ruffling of leaves, and even the sound of a very distant owl. Truth be told she had to fight not to fall asleep, but still, she laid there.

.

.

.

Ryu had lost track of time, as she laid there her hair constantly being ruffled lightly, gently. But she knew the night was starting to grow old. "Bell…" She whispered, catching the attention of her companion.

"Yes?" He softly whispered, his eyes closed seeming to enjoy the current situation as much as she did.

She didn't want to break the cozy atmosphere but she had to. "The night is growing old…" She hoped that he would catch her meaning.

He nodded, "It is. Are you still feeling up to a dance?" He stopped stroking her hair and she felt a couple of taps against her forehead.

Ryu half-heartedly swiped at his hand, "So long as you think you can manage." Her hand met nothing but air, as Bell moved his hand away. She blushed a bit as his hand caught hers.

She felt a reassuring squeeze through her hand. That single squeeze felt like all the warmth of his personality flooded through that small connection. "I'll be alright. Now up, unless you want me to princess carry you like I did here."

She felt her face flush a bit, "You… didn't… right?"

Bell only chuckled lightly and tapped her side. "You have five seconds."

Ryu was tempted to call his bluff, but she remembered how he had carried her through the village. Almost on pure instinct, she sat up. "Alright… fine you win this time."

They both chuckled, it only took a few moments for the both of them to be on their feet. With Bell holding out his hand. "Ryu… Might I have this dance?"

She couldn't help but smile at the theatrics despite nobody being able to see them. She reached out and placed her hand over the top of his, their palms touching before she spoke. "I would be honored, Bell."

So their dance began, Ryu pulled Bell close, closer than they had been last time. 'This atmosphere is perfect… just like Astraea had said. A near full moon, alone in a forest clearing.'

Ryu had to hold back jumping as Bell's hand fell onto her lower back, she took a step to the left and Bell followed. She couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips, as Bell's forehead rested against hers.

There was no music to guide them, after taking a few steps she felt the change in momentum. As one they slowed the pace down to a crawl. She closed her eyes and let her mind relax. At that moment, she no longer tried to resist the blush that was slowly forming.

She allowed herself to go with what her heart pushed for, as they slowly turned and rotated around the empty grove of trees. She could feel the chilly breeze pass over the portions of exposed skin she had. It helped to cool the burning she was feeling from the act of dancing with her love.

X

The forest was silent, as the pair danced. Elf and human, it didn't matter. Nature watched and respected their silent slow dance. No animals made a sound, all the insects seemed to avoid them even the very moonlight acted like a subtle spotlight on their silent moment.

Two steps took three seconds, a turn took four. Slowly they rotated in a meandering circle. Slowly all the space between them faded as Ryu slipped her arms under Bells and held him in a gentle hug. Her chin resting on his shoulder, her eyes closed enjoying the moment.

Bell had his arms wrapped around her upper arm, hands on her back. His head rested against the side of her head. His eyes were closed, as he enjoyed the simple pleasure of being with the one he loved. He could feel the grass shifting as they spun in a slow circle.

X

Bell listened absentmindedly for danger despite knowing nothing would come, he wasn't focusing on any one sensation. Instead, he allowed his body to move on its own, without his conscious input. They moved in a perfect sequence, he could feel the moonlight each time they passed a soft stream of light that passed through the canopy.

His body felt like it was on fire, but his heart rate was calm. Like everything that was happening was perfectly natural so he didn't worry about the burning feeling. After a while it even started to feel comfortable, something that he knew wouldn't fade. Even after they finished, love. A true love, something that would transcend their lives.

He wouldn't be able to describe it in any other way, he welcomed it and embraced it like an old friend. Never again would his heart waver.

Acting on instinct, he pulled his head away from hers, as she did similarly. After a moment their foreheads were touching, he was surprised by how warm hers felt but realized he probably felt similar. He stared into her sky-blue eyes, and in a slow movement kissed her.

It was a gentle kiss, not a deep and passionate one, he held it for a few seconds as they slowly rotated.

Shifting towards their right. Their lips parted, but only for a moment as Ryu pushed forward and did similar. Bell felt like his mind was beginning to boil as he felt the heat in his body increase.

Seconds passed as fast as lightning, but as slow as a leaf falling to the forest floor. As they parted, Bell noticed how flushed Ryu was.

Slowly they circle the same twenty-foot clearing. As Bell started to become aware of their surroundings, he realized just how far the moon had drifted across the sky. Hours had passed with neither seeming to have noticed lost in each other's company as they were.

He smiled at her, "Wow, I didn't realize how… long we've been out here."

He noticed how Ryu's eyes seemed to clear a bit as she took a quick glance around. A soft blush on her cheeks grew slightly. "I… wow, I didn't expect to lose track of time that much… Bell…"

It took a few seconds, but Ryu met Bell's eyes and she smiled slightly. He leaned forward without thinking and kissed Ryu again. "Bell… I…" Ryu spoke softly as he pulled away. She shook her head, "Bell… as much as I really don't want to head back… I think we should. It's almost one in the morning? Judging by the moon."

Ryu's reasonable response broke Bell from the last of his stupor. He couldn't help but blush at the forward actions he took. "I… I'm sorry you're right… Let's go ahead and get some sleep." Despite him being in control of his faculties, his body still seemed to be burning.

X

Ryu nodded in agreement, "Right… sleep…" She glanced at the moon holding her arms out trying to let the cool breeze chill her still-burning body. She glanced over towards Bell, she wanted to say what was on her mind, to say that she enjoyed the kiss and to keep going. But she couldn't, 'If… I give into my urges… it would be a mistake…' She sighed as the cool breeze did nothing to relieve her of the heat that radiated through her body.

She took a step and felt a warm hand wrap around hers. "Ryu… I… enjoy tonight… it was… peaceful." Bell spoke, she could hear the nervousness in his voice.

She wanted to chuckle, but she didn't. Instead, she spoke softly as a warmth built in her cheeks. "I… enjoyed the night… alone with you… as well." She felt Bell tighten his grip on her hand, the heat in her body pulsed as the warmth from his hand radiated outward.

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The walk back was quiet, but neither seemed to mind. They found the door to Astraea's home unlocked, which was a pleasant surprise as neither wanted to wake Astraea up.

The door swung open silently, all the lights were out and there was no sound to speak of. The wooden building wasn't even creaking in the cooler night.

Bell opened the door to the room they had been sharing, nothing felt out of the ordinary.

They collapsed onto the bed, and Ryu felt like her body was on fire. The relatively controlled temperature of the house only compounded the heat that refused to leave her. She sighed, lying halfway on the bed she looked over to her left and saw Bell looking at the ceiling.

An image flashed through her mind, a dream she thought she had forgotten completely. She remembered Bell leaning over her. She retracted her hand from Bell's and slapped each of her cheeks in an attempt to clear her mind.

"Ryu?" Bell asked softly, his voice seemed so seductive at that moment.

She needed to ask for the burning to leave her flesh. She knew what would help, but she couldn't vocalize her thoughts as the notion of speaking what she wanted nearly caused her mind to go blank.

So instead, she looked over towards Bell and very purposely tapped her ear. She heard Bell gulp a bit.

"Ryu… are you sure… we're still… in her home… and I… don't think I can… control myself with something… that tonight. With how my body is… burning and is reacting tonight…" Bell's voice felt weak, to her ears.

A part of her wanted to remain silent, but she knew she couldn't. Not after making another selfish request from her partner. She went to speak, but she couldn't find her voice. 'How far am I willing to go tonight?' She silently asked herself. She already knew the answer, so she sighed. "No… you're right. I'm sorry Bell."

Ryu turned to the side, she was disappointed. Disappointed in herself, for pushing Bell into a situation and for giving in to her urges despite what her mind was telling her. 'What kind of elf am I?'

She was staring at the wall, blankly until a voice brought her attention back to reality. "Ryu… you know I love you. But… It feels like we are already pushing things too quickly. Just… like how you're feeling, I am as well. I've already said this, but when the moment is right and you're ready so will I. But, I… won't let us… ruin what has only just started… Do you understand? I love you, but I want what's best for the both of us."

Shame filled Ryu, 'Why was someone younger than her thinking logically? While I'm losing control. I need to calm down. Remember what we promised. Didn't I tell him I felt like an amazon?' Ryu was silent for a minute, lost in her mental argument. Until she found her voice, "I understand. Again… I'm sorry. Let's… try to get some sleep."

She rolled back over and looked Bell in the eyes, despite her self-loathing being reignited for a moment she still felt happy. "I'm sorry, but I'm thankful that you at least have a calm mind."

Bell sat up and shook his head, "No… I really don't. I… just act based on my heart. This one time… I'm resisting it. This one time, I'm forcing myself not to act." He gave a small smile, "Go ahead and get some sleep… I need to get a cup of water."

With that statement, Bell stood and shifted precariously nearly falling over. He shook his head and took a step towards the door. "Bell? Are you feeling alright?"

Bell just chuckled, "Yeah… I think I'm just tired. Please get some sleep."

Ryu didn't want to sleep seeing him nearly topple over like that but she trusted Bell. While he often acts strong she could tell he wasn't lying. She could barely keep her eyes open. As Bell left the room, she sat up fell fully onto the bed, and rolled over to the opposite side so Bell could join her when he returned.

Her eyes grew heavy, and a strange mixture of shame, excitement, and love filled her mind as she drifted into the void of sleep.

X

Bell walked down the small hallway and was startled to see Astraea sitting in her usual place at the dining table. Her indigo eyes flicked upward when he entered the room. "Bell? What are you doing up so late? You know that you should probably leave at dawn right?"

Bell shifted a couple of steps closer, "I know. I'm more surprised to see you awake right now. I was just getting some water before I went to bed."

Astraea turned back to her hands, which were crossed in a prayer-like form. "You're probably right, but I can't sleep tonight." She looked back up and looked at Bell. "Would you mind talking with me for a couple of minutes? Well… after you get your water."

Bell nodded, "Sure… I can do that." It only took a few seconds, but he retrieved a glass and filled it with water. He sat down across from Astraea but didn't say anything immediately, allowing Astraea to lead the conversation.

Astraea seemed to be watching carefully but nodded and began to speak. "Did you have a good time at the festival, and with your extended dance with Ryu?"

Bell blushed slightly. "I… we did lost track of time."

Astraea giggled, "That's good… to be honest I half expected to hear Ryu calling out your name."

Bell's blush spread a bit more as he remembered Ryu nudging her ear while looking at him. But he remained silent, hoping to not get teased. He returned his focus to Astraea's face and saw a wide smile on her face.

That smile faltered something, "Listen as much as I would love to tease you and Ryu about your actions… that's not what I wanted to talk about."

Bell took a deep calming breath, "Alright… what did you want… to talk about?" He asked in a quiet relief.

Astraea's expression turned serious for a moment. "Bell do you know anything about your lineage outside of the letter that your grandfather had left? Again I'm sorry for reading it after you stormed off. I was hoping to find an explanation."

Bell paused for the briefest of seconds, as his mind raced. "I understand your reasons, but no not really. He… was reluctant to talk about them."

Astraea shifted in her seat, "Right… well that letter had mostly talked about your mother. But I want to talk about your aunt. Alfia, Silence. The incantation of Talent."

Bell noticed that Astraea had grown tense as she started to speak. "Alfia?" He whispered quietly.

Astraea nodded, "That was her name. She was a formerly powerful adventurer, one of the strongest of her time when she was at the height of her power. Sadly the disease that claimed your mother also ate away at her. She was a level 7 adventurer, but could've easily fought a level 8 and would've won the majority of the time."

Bell felt a glimmer of excitement, but he remembered the last portion of the letter that was directed at Astraea if she were to read it. Bell remained silent, as his mind raced. "Bell… she and a few others didn't join the fight against the one-eyed black dragon. She and one other were far too sick to be helpful in the fighting. Well, that is a compliment to claim it was even a fight, but that's another topic. No, your aunt and one more joined Evilus after Zeus and Hera were banished."

Bell stood sharply, he remembered the stories that Ryu had told about their fighting against them. "Astraea are you saying…"

Astraea held out a calming hand, "Easy there Bell… please sit back down and let me finish."

Bell took a few steps in a circle, before taking deep calming breaths. Once some of the tension left his body he sat down still focusing on his breathing.

After a moment, Astraea continued, "Right… they joined Evilus because they wanted to force new heroes to rise to take on the challenge their Familia's failed at. They weren't like the rest, the majority of Evilus wanted nothing more than to cause destruction. Anyway… my children ended up fighting against her… Ryu included. It was a tough fight, one that should've ended up as a loss. Asfia… didn't want to kill everyone I think so she ended up killing herself after she was satisfied that there was a hope for the future."

Astraea sighed, "In the end, through her sacrifice, she believed that a new wave of heroes would rise through the destruction. I'm sorry Bell… I wish I could give you some good news but… I can't."

Bell shivered, he felt agitated for only a brief second. "Well… I don't know if she succeeded. Freya Familia has a level 7 and a few level 6 from my memory, and Loki Familia has several levels 6 and 5. I… don't know how I feel about that. Loki Familia seems to be the only one still trying to grow stronger, I haven't heard of Freya Familia forming an expedition or anything of that nature."

Astraea nodded, "I agree… I think they've grown complacent for the most part." Bell could see the hesitation in Astraea but before he could say anything Astraea continued. "Bell… I have a favor to ask. It's unrelated to what we're talking about but I think it's important for the future."

Bell nodded, "I can't make any promises, but I'll do what I can."

Astraea chuckled, "You haven't even heard what I'm hoping for. Regardless, please try to get Ryu to use her new skills. While she has accepted what happened and with your help started to move on. Having that skill is like rubbing salt into the tender flesh of her heart."

Astraea's plea was an honest one, and a reasonable one. Bell remembered Ryu mentioning it. "I… see. It'll be difficult, I feel, but I'll do what I can." He gave her a soft smile.

Astraea returned that smile with one of her own. "Good… now… please go get some sleep… I know you need… it. As do I apparently." She muttered after fighting off a yawn.

Bell stood, even as his mind was still working on the many different things he needed to do in the future. But he was tired of thinking for the night. "Right… I'll try to get some sleep."

With that statement made he returned to his room, in the darkness he could see Ryu almost curled into a ball asleep. Bell couldn't help but smile, but it was tinged with a bit of guilt. Sure his aunt might have had good intentions, but her methods were wrong Bell didn't have a better answer.

He crossed the room and sat carefully on the bed and sighed. "No… I can't think about things from the past at the moment. I need to move forward… My first step is to help Ryu before we return to Orario. Then somehow help everyone grow stronger… much stronger."

He reached over with his fully healed hand placed it on Ryu's head and ruffled it a tiny bit. He watched as a small blush spread across her cheeks with a small warm smile on her sleeping face. 'I need to work harder, to push farther if I'm going to protect the ones I love and care about.' As that thought crossed his mind, an idea began to bloom.

Bell crawled into the bed and wrapped his arm around Ryu's curled body. Letting the comfort and warmth that radiated from Ryu seep into his body, it helped to calm the wild train of thoughts that raced through his mind. A slow few minutes passed before he followed Ryu into the void of sleep.

Again, brief content warning. For the next segment.

X

An elf screamed as a whip tore into her back. A man looked down at her with a glee of joy. He observed the elf's beautifully nude body, her hair was a long blonde that ran down to her shapely hips. Though disheveled and streaked with red blood it still shined in the near full moonlight. Not three hours ago he put a torch to the tips of the elf maiden's ears, nothing but a ruined mess of flesh remained. Oh, how he enjoyed her screaming begging him to stop.

"Come on now, you know what you have to do if you want the pain to end. Look, I even have healing potions here ready for you to accept." His voice was filled with excitement and lust. He watched the elf's resolve fail, as she bent her ruined body and kissed his boot.

He only wanted one thing, the one thing all elves treasure. He would tempt them with promises of salvation only under one circumstance, they had to beg for him to take away their purity.

The elf groveled at his boot and cried as she spoke. "Please, my Lord… Take my unworthy… body as your… reward for helping… free me from my pride… this nasty elf realizes her… mistakes." The man could hear tears falling onto the ground. That sound was even sweeter than the screams.

"Very good, now look me in the face." The man demanded, the elf flinched but did as she was ordered. The man smiled, grabbed the elf by the arm, and threw her to the ground.

He began to undress, and the elf cried loudly. "My Lord… you promised the… potion."

His smile grew, "I did… and you'll get them after I'm done with you. Elves can be quite feisty with this part from my experience.

The man forcefully grabbed her exposed breast causing her to whimper in pain. Using it as a handle, he forced himself into the innocent elf. She screamed at the sudden explosion of pain. Brilliant blood fell to the floor, as her purity was brutally shattered.

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Hours passed, and the elf cried for the first hour. But after the third time, she gave up completely and became nothing more than a doll who had its strings cut. That moment, the moment where all determination left the elf was what pleased him so much.

It's why he targeted elves in the first place. Once their pride is broken, they become nothing more than a beautiful sack of meat for him to relieve his frustrations.

He sat there satisfied, next to the broken elf. He rubbed his head feeling the relatively new scar that ran from the crown of his head and wrapped around to just below his left ear.

Hatred filled his mind at the memory of who caused it. So much so that he considered not giving the promised potion. But… in his mind, he was a fair person. So he grabbed a potion sitting next to their impromptu bed and put a large portion into his mouth.

He forcefully flipped the elf over glancing at her cherry red and swollen flower and smiled. He kissed the broken elf and forced the liquid down her throat. He watched as the open lashes slowly knitted back together. But the elf didn't react, so an idea popped into his head, an idea that excited him.

So he easily flipped the elf back around and spread her cheeks. With no prompting he forced himself in, he felt her flesh tearing as he entered her fully. The elf only gasped a bit, but didn't complain.

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Time passed in a series of pleasures for the man. Until, despite his blessed body, he grew exhausted. He could only imagine how exhausted the unblessed elf was.

He focused his attention elsewhere, the sound of pickaxes striking stone revealed what time it was. He glanced back to the elf as a wide toothy grin filled his face. "Right… I got work to do. I hope that by the time I return, you're ready for more." Laughing he left the tent.

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Review Responses:

Blazeburn006: Hey, I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, I do enjoy writing the Ryu and Astraea scenes in this series. Astraea just being a teasing mother-like figure to Ryu while she has the opportunity is fun. But Yes, Bell knows that Ryu has been spending so much time with him and not enough with those who will be left behind when they return to Orario. Sitting under a tree is adorable, and it's a shame I missed the pun opportunity.

pix25: Glad you enjoyed it.