Sylphid's Happiness Revisited

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.