Keeping the promise (BellxArtemis)

Chapter 57

The next day the sun rose over a peaceful Orario. The streets were empty. The birds that filled the many nooks and cracks of houses chirped happily as the warm morning glow hit their feathers. The merchants of the market straits hummed to themselves as they swept the streets and prepared their stalls for what was hopefully going to be a busy day. Yet unlike the early rises, a certain home nestled in the back streets lay dormant and quiet as its residents sleep soundly in their beds.

Yet they weren't the only ones. As the sun rose and its warm light pushed away the darkness and a young boy stirred from his sleep with a heavy groan...

"Ughhh w-when did I fall asleep?" He had been sitting quietly watching over Artemis. He couldn't remember exactly drifting off, but he clearly had at some point. It didn't dawn on him till it literally hit his face but the warm glow shouldn't be there.

"W-Wait i-is that the sun? How can there be sunlight in the..." His eyes fluttered open to find himself staring up at the ceiling. His brain couldn't understand it and he knew full well he wasn't even in the arena.

"Ughh what happened? Did someone move me? WAIT! What happened with the wargame!" He couldn't understand it but he was getting worried. His body was heavy and he couldn't get up.

"Yawn...Stop moving pillow..."

"Huh?" He heard someone speak in a sleepy voice. His heart and mind raced as his eyes shot open and he turned his head slowly. Long blue hair tickled at his nose as he moved.

"A-Artemis? He shook his head "No I must still be asleep this is obviously a dream..."

"Fu-fu I can assure you Mr Cranel you're not dreaming." Another voice called out, this time more calming and older in its tone. He recognised it instantly as he blushed and turned to find Riveria standing at the edge of the bed.

He looked up at Riveria before looking down at Artemis laying on his chest feeling an instant sense of relief. She was breathing calmly, no sign of further injury. Considering the state she had been in only the day before Bell could only sigh out loud and gently hug her for a moment.

Riveria watched him, a small smile on her face before he suddenly turned back to her and thanked her over and over again for her help.

"You're not out of the woods yet, Mr Cranel...But we can discuss all that later. For now, just relax. I wouldn't want to deprive you of a chance to snuggle." She giggled to herself as Bell blushed looking at Artemis who did just that.

"W-Wait n-no it's not like that..." He tried to divert any idea that he wanted this.

Unfortunately, the blue-haired beauty had other thoughts. "Bell best pillow..." Artemis muttered in her sleep and Bell felt the eyebrow of Riveria lifting...

"Please just go..." He said blushing hard...

The green haired elf just smiled and closed the door behind her. Bell sighed heavily as he instantly relaxed. It was clear something else was happening, but at that moment he didn't care. Artemis lay on his chest cuddling him tightly, and it felt heavenly.

Despite the massive amount of healing and her adventurer status Artemis still had a series of nasty bruises over her skin, some a little yellow from the healing magic, but others still a nasty purple colour. The welts around her face were still deeply marked from the punches she had taken.

'How can life be so cruel to you...' He felt angry, sad and sick. He felt everything in that moment as he remembered the pain and suffering not just from that match, but everything that led up to it. The bitter rage he had inside for Laurous, the man that had tortured her in every single way. Disgraced her mentally and physically and made her cry!