Ephemeral Affairs [MXM]

Sadness and Sorrow

It's really late, maybe a little after midnight, when I hear knocking on the lower half of my door.

Unfortunately, behind the door is a wailing Niowei and causing Asahi to wake up and cries in empathy.

"I hate my mommy," Niowei pouts angrily but looks a little better when she sits by my side on the bed staring at Asahi.

"Why? Will you tell me what's wrong?" I wipe her wet cheeks.

She nods, "Mommy is talking with Uncle Artemis about getting married 'again' like my daddy doesn't exist already."

"But Uncle Artemis will make a great daddy for you."

"No. I already have a daddy. Mommy just need to wake daddy up," she softly grabs Asahi's feet and giggles. "His feet are so small."

"Are you feeling better now?"

"Yes."

"Then how about we go find your mommy. I'll bet he's looking for you now," I get off the bed.

"No!" She begins crying again, "I don't ever want to see my mommy again. He's mean to my daddy."

Then there's another knock at the door, "Maeve. Is Yllathanise with you?"

"Yes. Come in. I didn't lock it," I sit back down and Niowei goes to hide behind my back.

Alosrin's green eyes immediately pop from the darkness and so does Artemis's red pair.

"Darling, I'm sorry. Please come to me?" Alosrin kneels down and holds his arms out.

Niowei peeks over with a fading smile when she sees Artemis by the door, "No. I don't want to."

"Come on. You're bothering Maeve and Asahi. They need to sleep and so do you, okay?"

She peeks over again with a more angry face, "No."

"If you don't come to me, I'll marry Uncle Artemis," Alosrin says in a monotone.

Niowei leaps out from behind me and jumps onto Alosrin's lap with tears of happiness, "Now you can't marry Uncle anymore. It's a promise, right?"

"I promise."

"I'm sorry mommy. I didn't mean to run away," the little girl begins confessing all her wrongs to her mother.

Alosrin kisses Niowei's rosy cheeks and the red eyes outside the room disappear.

Perhaps Artemis is just not meant to marry an elf.

"Sorry for bothering you both, Maeve. We'll be going to bed now," Alosrin shows a genuine smile with Niowei clinging onto his chest.

"Good night," I reflects the warm mood.

The mother and daughter left the room with a stronger bond between them.

I lay Asahi beside me on the bed and the light begins to dim again.

Early the next morning, I am awakened by Fiona's grasps for air.

"My Queen," Fiona says with a sad expression. "I don't know how I would sugar coat this, but Queen Nanya has left us."

"Pardon?" I couldn't believe my ears.

I know Grandmama hasn't been better but Alosrin has been taking care of her like he is her real son.

Grandmama should be getting better not worse.

"Would My Queen like to see her face one last time?" Fiona comes to my side and help me up from my bed.