A Faithful Memory

The Beloved

It was summer. The dark oaks were covered in shady green leaves, birds sang and fluttered everywhere, and the two gardens bloomed with the brightest flowers the family could sow. Sun-rays poured from the clouds, making the pond sparkle and shine, while the warm breeze rustled through the forest with a slow, peaceful sound. It was a splendid day. And yet, everyone in the house was sad.

Kristen had to leave today.

She had been slowly getting sick, feeling more exhausted and frail as the time passed. This mortal world was not her own, she could no more live in it as a human than Phil could yet live in her realm as one of her ilk. And her time was now up.

Recently, Kristen had been spending as much time with the kids as she could; making apple pies with Kai, telling stories to Ranboo and teaching Technoblade to dance, which he was thoroughly embarrassed about. But he learned for her sake. She had gone into the library at night and found all her kids gathered around the fire, listening to Techno read to them. She'd join their little circle and quietly enjoy the sound of the Piglin hybrid's deep, even voice, which lost its monotony when he was telling a story. She had taught Kai to grow her Roses of Death, had shown him how to find their seeds and how to care for them. She had embroidered a handkerchief for Ranboo, with his name on it, so he wouldn't burn his skin with his own tears. She had given Technoblade an emerald traded to her by a villager, because she thought he would like to have a gem that he said reminded him of life, instead of blood.

So when the time came for Kristen to say goodbye, she had left pieces of herself with everyone. One by one, she went to each of them separately and told them what was happening. In the garden she talked to Ranboo, who sat in his tree and clutched his handkerchief to his face. "I won't ever see you again." He said. "But I'm glad I met you anyway."

"You will see me again, Ranboo," Kristen reassured him, "it'll just be a while. But I'll be waiting for you when you die."

In the library she found Technoblade, who sat still and silent, his waist-length hair hiding his face from her sight. "I know it's not okay," she said quietly, "but it will not be forever. We will see each other again."

Techno said nothing, but she saw his clenched hands relax a little.

Kai already knew, it seemed, for he was in the kitchen, violently stirring some mix. Kristen didn't speak a word, but helped him make the cookies, and added some chopped blueberries into the dough for flavor. The avian boy hugged her for a few seconds as tightly as he could, then raced upstairs to his own room. It broke Kristen's heart that she could not fix this for him. But a few minutes later, she heard Techno knock at Kai's door. He'll help our boy.

Philza was waiting for her at the front door when she came out. He was to walk with her into the forest, where she would take her leave. She wanted to go out in the open air, among the trees. Where she could feel the wind one last time.

****

Phil walked with a slow gait, smiling tightly as he listened to his wife tell him about how much she'd enjoyed the past year-and-a-half she'd been able to share with him. A heartsick joy filled his body with a painful ache deep inside him and he wondered how obvious it was. I'm glad she was able to stay this long. That she got to meet our kids. That we...got to have one of our own. His lips relaxed into something more real, more happy for Kristen's delights, even as his heart simultaneously began to crack apart.

They were strolling through a thickly wooded area, where bushes, thorns and briars sprouted up almost everywhere and Kristen's long skirt kept getting caught in them. Philza always stopped to help her get free. Every time his hands unhooked her dress from a bramble he felt like he was letting go of her a little more. It made keeping his composure extremely difficult, but he had to stay focused on her. He had to keep himself together, or risk his misery being the last thing she saw of him until he finally was able to find his way to her realm.