Purity in the Stars *Maleficent: Mistress of Evil- Udo Love Story*

Chapter Four: Remnants of the Forgotten

"Went into Ulstead to run an errand. Wait for me in the cottage, I'll be back soon to make breakfast.
-Udo"
Yuna examined the note with a furrowed brow. 'Udo didn't mention anything about running an errand yesterday. Something urgent must've come up.' She pondered, setting the note back down onto the kitchen table.
Yuna sighed, plopping down into one of the rickety chairs rather unceremoniously. She placed her face in her hands, rubbing at her sore temples in a deep contemplation,
'Was that just some weird dream? Certainly it was...' Yuna's brow furrowed. '... but what if it wasn't? There are many things I locked away from back then, it was all too painful to remember...'
A slender hand came up to cover her mouth, Yuna's face contorted with confusion and worry.
"... What if we were never strangers?" She whispered into the cool morning air.
"Did I forget Udo?"
The question hung in the air like white noise, stabbing into Yuna's brain until the girl finally released a loud groan. Her forehead collided with tabletop, and she mumbled into the smooth wood, "I'm the worst." Her forehead was nice bright pink when she lifted it from the furniture.
Setting the note aside, Yuna rose from her spot at the table and exited the first floor of the cottage. The stairs creaked beneath her as she ascended, her mind never exiting it's deep contemplation as she slowly went up step by step. 'It's alright, Udo will be back soon. Surely it's all just me overthinking, right?'
Her feet made contact with the mahogany wood planks of the second story, and Yuna paused. Gently, she brought a hand up to rest over her chest; her heart beating steadily underneath the touch. The edges of her lips quirked up, and with a fond glimmer in her eyes, she quietly whispered; "Maybe there was a reason why it was so easy for me to trust in Udo." Her creased brow softened, and heart rate began to speed up.
"It wasn't the first time he'd saved my life."
The thought brought an inexplicable feeling of comfort to Yuna, and she sighed out. Swiftly, she strode into Aurora's old bedroom (which was technically her new bedroom, but Yuna still felt odd claiming ownership over the space) and began to discard of her nightgown, gently tossing the delicate white fabric onto her still unkempt bed from the previous night.
"Maybe those days didn't only bring bad things."
It felt weird to stifle through Aurora's old clothing, but Udo had informed her the previous night that anything in the cottage was Yuna's to use as she pleased (hence the nightgown that still smelled strongly of Aurora's floral aroma). Fresh undergarments had been placed within the beautifully carved armoire, something Yuna was very grateful for but decided it'd be best not to question who put them there. Slipping her old ones off and throwing them into a nearby cotton-sacked hamper, Yuna shimmied into the news ones hurriedly as the chilly morning air nipped at her skin. Ulstead could grow quite hot in it's current summer, however no season or heatwave could ever cancel out the area's frigid morning frost.
She shuffled through the various garments in a state of awe, eyes fluttering from an emerald corset here to a scarlet silk blouse there; rather overwhelmed by the many very expensive looking articles of clothing. None of which were truly Yuna's style; while she'd loved dressing up when the occasion could allow it, she certainly couldn't imagine wearing silks and lace and jewels everyday. Where on earth was the practicality?
'Guess when you spend all of your time in an ivory tower, you don't really have to worry about practicality.' She chuckled. 'Honestly though, doesn't Aurora at least have a pair of leggings?'
Her eyes fell back onto the dress Aurora had gifted to her just the previous day, it's silky floral print still just has beautiful as Yuna had remembered it. Her fingers delicately stroked the intricate sewing; it was certainly nicer than the commonplace clothing she would find at the market. It was the perfect mix of elegant yet simple; making her stand out amongst the common crowd just enough for her to feel special. There was no way that anyone else besides the royal textiles could provide such a piece...
'Textiles...' The word triggered something in Yuna, her posture becoming visibly rigid as a certain lovelorn money-flaunting town's boy popped into her head.
She could practically hear his incessant voice cooing her name.
A shudder coursed through her, and her hand snapped away from the fabric like it had bit her finger. '... Yeah, I'm not wearing that today.'
Instead, Yuna's eyes were drawn to a simple white collared blouse, and a soft lavender skirt that extended just past the knee. The fabric was a sturdy cotton, soft and durable. Yuna gently slipped the top and skirt on, finishing the look with a black corset to tie the look together (thankfully, the corset didn't appear to be made to bind the waist at all. In fact, it didn't even lace up; it appeared to simply be meant for a fashion statement. It was made from a lightweight fabric, unlike the usual stiff-ribbed silk breath suckers). The accessory covered the sheerness of the blouse, which Yuna appreciated.
Yuna closed the armoire doors with a firm 'click!', her gazed trained hard into the wood as a new thought slowly began to enter her mind. '... I hope he's okay.' Not just him, but everyone in Ulstead. How many human lives had been lost the day Ingrith raged war? How many innocent civilians were caught up in the chaos that day?
'When Diaval and I had left James, he was still at my shop...'  Yuna's hands gripped onto the armoire handles so tightly that her knuckles whitened. 'What if he was still there when the explosions began to ring? That street was empty, but I know for a fact that people were nestled in their homes to avoid the congestion in the streets... are they all dead too?'
A defeated feeling began to wash over Yuna, and she seemingly moved in slow motion as her hands fell from the brass handles. Her steps were heavy as she trudged over to one of the closed windows in the foreign bedroom, pushing the glass open.
The early morning brought with it a refreshing wind, and the Moors' sky was painted with calming pastels.
The crisp green grass was like an endless sea of emerald, and Yuna's position in the cottage allowed to to bear witness to the expansive beauty of the Moors waking up from a deep slumber. The rising sun beat down onto aqua lakes, and the soft humming and buzzing of rising faeries could be heard in the distance. The cooling breeze hit her face, chilling her hair that was still slightly damp from her bath the night before. Yuna's chin found its way to her palm as she leaned against the window sill, and a distant melancholy began to fill her deep brown eyes.
How many times was history to repeat itself?
'It seems that no matter where I go, evil is never far behind.' Her free hand dug it's nails into the wooden window frame. 'When will enough be enough? How much more blood needs to be shed before the universe is satisfied?'
As the girl scanned the Moors, an icy grip began to take hold of her, '... When will I finally be able to feel safe?'
Yuna thought five years of peaceful living had put her in the clear; sure, violence was everywhere, but what were the odds of a devastating attack occurring twice within her life? Most people had never even experienced it once; surely she'd be okay after the first one. It was there again; that false security. The war of Human vs Dark Fey only confirmed Yuna's paranoia, anxiety beginning to thicken in her seemingly closing throat. Was she just going to spend her whole life running? Was she supposed to just jump from country to country, move from town to town until everything was destroyed with the devastating wake she seemed to be responsible for? The prospect made Yuna want to throw up, and she slammed the window closed much harsher than she'd intended.
Shaky hands came up to comb through her wild locks, and she turned to fall face first into the unruly bed behind her. Yuna debated simply falling back asleep, hoping that Udo's comforting and strong presence would have returned by the time she opened her eyes again. 'No... I can't keep relying on him. I spent five years taking care of myself, I can't forget that.' The thought brought a prideful spark to her being, and she raised her head from a plush pillow.
Giving herself a firm slap on both of her cheeks, she allowed a calming and quiet contentment to spread through her. "You're better than this, Yuna." She nodded firmly to herself, launching herself up from the bed with a determined quirk of her lips.
'There's no use sulking. I wasn't the only affected by those attacks; it would be wrong to be so horribly selfish.'
As the rising sun began to bleed its warm light into the room, Yuna busied herself with making the bed and cleaning the now occupied bedroom. Aurora's old room, to Yuna's delight, was like a plethora of magic made into furniture; Yuna felt like a fairy herself in the quaint space. The room consisted of deep turquoises and greens, vibrantly sewn tapestries hung about the room and all of the furniture was beautifully carved from a rich red wood. Small glass chimes adorned the ceiling by the windows, casting dancing rainbows about the room as the sun rose fully in the sky. The room didn't take long to tidy up, so Yuna set about to take her mind off things by cleaning... well the entirety of the cottage.
Using water from the well outside and rags she'd found in a cupboard in the bathroom, Yuna scrubbed down every nook and cranny in a sudsy frenzy as she worked the upstairs and downstairs. No dust bunny was left unswept, and no curtain was left closed. Yuna wiped at her brow as she finally scrubbed the last countertop in the kitchen, the cottage sparkling with a charming sparkle as Yuna put her own unique touch to the interior. A peak out of the window, and the fully risen sun told her it had to have been early afternoon; perhaps no later than 10 o'clock?
'I don't even know what time Udo left... he might be exhausted by the time he gets back.' Her gaze fell from the blue sky down to where a small garden spread out about the ground just outside the kitchen window, and Yuna's eyes widened.
'Udo said he'd make breakfast, but...' Her lips quirked up ever so slightly. 'Maybe it'd be nice to surprise him!'
With a pep in her step, Yuna fetched a stray wicker basket from the living room. She stepped into a pair of simple black flats (it was a wonder how her and Aurora were a similar size in practically everything), and she pushed back her deep burgundy locks with a black headband she'd collected from the vanity in Aurora's room. Wrapping a shawl around her shoulders that was the color of royal plum, Yuna gently pushed the front door of the cottage ajar and stepped out into the welcoming glade. The outside world greeted her with warm sunlight and the rustling of trees, the blue sky before her stretched for miles with fluffy white clouds adorning it. Soaking in all that it had to offer, Yuna waltz around the stone house and to where a luscious and beautifully vibrant garden awaited her.
Oh, how her plant loving heart soared.
A grin broke out on Yuna's face, her troubles forgotten as she was suddenly transported into a world so familiar to her; she was a herbologist, she worked with plants for a living for heavens sake! She fell to her knees before the lush garden of sage greens and ruby reds, eyes scanning over the familiar plants before her like it was a textbook. 'Parsley, mint, lettuce, eggplant, tomatoes, pumpkins, peppermint, turmeric... These faeries knew their stuff!' Yuna's eyes were lit up like the stars as she went to snipping at the ripe harvest. A sweet potato here, a handful of strawberries there, the white flowers of flavorful chamomile... Yuna felt no different than when she tended to her own personal garden at the shop. The healer studied the plants with a delicate touch of her fingertips, taking in the thick stems and healthy leaves of each root. 'These all look amazing; are they imbued with magic?' Her hand danced over an azure bud. 'I can't even imagine the kinds of medicines you'd be able to create with faerie herbs... well, I guess they don't really need them if they can use magic, huh?' She chuckled.
Eying her bountiful harvest, Yuna nodded in satisfaction. "I don't really know what Udo likes to eat... do faeries eat differently than humans?" She wondered, scratching at her temple. "Udo said that Dark Feys have the exact same anatomy as humans, so certainly our food preferences are somewhat the same." She gripped at the basket in one hand, and wrapped the purple shawl around her shoulders ever so tighter. The shallow lake in front of the cottage was buzzing with the activity of water sprites, and Yuna chuckled as she saw little specks dancing around the surface. The blossomed willow tree swayed in the breeze, and Yuna was sure she could see faeries with tutus of petals swirling along with it; their mirth resonating in the giggles they emitted.
Yuna stopped as she spotted an odd formation just a few feet from her at the head of the lake; intertwined branches and a seat of blossoms created a makeshift throne. Yuna studied the seat intently, finding the weirdly crafted piece to be rather beautiful.
'Aurora really is Queen of the Moors...' She thought. 'I wonder how she feels, now that she's living in the castle?' Yuna closed her eyes as she soaked in the sunlight, feeling the grass tickle her ankles. 'I could never imagine wanting to live anywhere else but here. What could be better than this?'
Her grip on the shawl tightened, and she looked away from the Queen's forgotten seat. 'I should hurry and get started on breakfast. If Udo isn't too tired, I hope he can still take me to meet everyone...' Her flats crunched onto the grass, rounding the corner to the front of the cottage.
She stopped in her tracks as she was met with a familiar harsh face, her kind face suddenly overlaying with an expression of indifference.
'Not this again.' She had to surprise a groan.
"Oh. You again." Her tone came out as bored, and she quirked an eyebrow at the swollen socket of his right eye. "What happened to your face?"
Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear; Borra's stalky figure loomed over the girl, his hand raised in mid-knock as he stood in front of the house's front door. Borra met the girl's gaze with a sigh, his brows knit in an obvious annoyance. Yuna released his state was significantly less harsh with the puffy black eye, and her brow quirk higher as she sank in her hip.
"The brawn with no brains." She greeted out with a sickeningly sweet grin, the Dark Fey growling at her with his fangs bared.
"The girl with the flat chest." He barked right back, his unkempt mink wings beginning to fray out dangerously.
This Fey really knew how to push her buttons, didn't he?
Yuna immediately stepped forward with a killer glint in her eye, and just as Borra met her halfway to do the same, a flash of color exploded before her eyes.
"Borra, enough. Honestly, did you really forget why you're here?"
Yuna's eyes widened as Borra became a crumpled up ball at her feet, his previous proud posture no where in sight. She followed a pair of dark and toned legs up to the owner's face, and she nearly dropped her basket in surprise.
'Rainbow wings!'
"You-You're a Jungle Fey!" Yuna exclaimed, watching as the beautifully pigmented wings shone brilliantly under the suns rays.
The owner of the wings was an extravagantly gorgeous woman; her ebony skin a stark contrast to Yuna's own pale complexion. Her long and braided hair was down to her waist, adorned with glimmering golden bands and beads; her horns protruding proudly from her head. She wore loose brunt orange fabric, a short top and low cut skirt showing just how much the Dark Feys rivaled humans; This Fey was gorgeous in Yuna's eyes.
'She's so pretty.'  Yuna blushed. The girl couldn't help the flood of self consciousness wash over her, feeling superior as she stood before the woman who seemed to be everything she wasn't; for crying out loud, Yuna looked like a child compared to her!
The Jungle Fey shot a playful grin her way, her long and toned legs creepy out from her ankle length skirt as she stepped over a groaning Borra. Her colorful wings were outstretched pridefully, and she greeted Yuna with a firm clap on the shoulder.
"Ah! You must be Yuna!" Her mink eyes twinkled, smiling at the herbalist. Gosh, she was even more stunning up close! Her kind and mature face beamed down at Yuna, and suddenly she felt very self aware of how red her cheeks were...
Yuna wished she could wear an outfit like that and not want to die of embarrassment.
"U-Um yes! That's me!" Yuna nodded enthusiastically, taking the Jungle Fey's hand to shake it firmly.
The Fey grinned, pointing to herself with a wink. "The name's Shrike. I'm assuming you and Borra are already well acquainted, yes?" Her eyes glinted with amusement as Yuna's nose scrunched. "Yes... I suppose that's one word for it." If Borra mumbled an insult from his spot on the ground, Yuna pretended not to hear it.
Hesitantly, Yuna eyed the Jungle Fey's captivating wings once more. "Your wings... they're beautiful." She confessed sincerely. "You're also very pretty. Are all of the Jungle Fey like you?"
Shrike laughed at the oblivious girl's curious personality, her eyes shining up to her like that of a child's. "Well, for the most part I'd say so." Dark arms came up to cross over her tanned midsection. "Jungle can get quite humid; the less layers the better. Of course, we're not running around like shirtless animals unlike a certain brute." Shrike scoffed humorously, watching as said Fey picked himself up from the ground.
"Lords, Shrike. You didn't have to hit me that hard." Borra grunted out, eyeing the two women with disdain.
Shrike rolled her eyes. "And you didn't have to try and start a fight with our guest. Honestly, did that black eye not teach you enough?"
The words perked Yuna's attention, and she eyed the the forest and jungle Fey inquisitively. "What's that supposed to mean? How did you get that injury, Borra?"
Borra huffed, eyes cutting sharply to Yuna before cutting back to the ground. "..."
Yuna quirked a brow, and Shrike smirked.
"I'm sorry, what was that?"
Borra glared at the dark skinned Fey, shouting out; "I got my ass handed to me by Udo, alright?!" Borra's wings ruffled in agitation, and his yelling had caused a few wandering birds to flap away out of fear.
Yuna seemed surprised by this. 'Udo... hit Borra?' She studied the injury carefully, the purple and yellow of a bruise outlining Borra's deep socket. 'Borra is so much larger than Udo though... how on earth did that happen?'
A hand patted her back, and she looked up to see Shrike smiling down at her.
"Believe it or not, those two are actually good friends." She explained to Yuna, making the girl do a double take. She looked at Borra's ever angry demeanor, Udo's kind smile flashing through her mind. She pointed to Borra confusedly; were they talking about the same Borra and Udo?
"Borra and Udo? Good friends?" She questioned. Just last night, the two were at each other's throats! Also, they got into a fight! How on earth were those signs of friendship?!
Shrike smile grew larger as she watched Borra rub at his sore face, continuing; "Hard to belief, huh? They've been friends since they were very young. Where Borra lacks in academics, Udo excelled in logical thinking; hence the fact that Borra has never been able to win in a fight against him." Shrike giggled as Borra sent a harsh glare her way, waving off his cold demeanor.
"My understanding is that Borra overstepped his boundaries last night, hm?" She gave a squeeze to Yuna's shoulder.
"Had Udo awfully upset. Stormed over to Borra early in the morning, when it was still dark outside, and "bam!", laid him flat on the ground!" Shrike let out a laugh at the recounter, eyeing Borra with a mischievous look in her dark irises.
"Borra, do stop sulking dearie. I do believe Udo instructed you to do something, did he not?" Her voice cooed to him sweetly, and Borra sighed in resignation.
Like his legs were made of led, Borra stalked up to Yuna to stand directly in front of her. Amber eyes met her brown ones, and Borra's shoulders sagged in defeat.
"You. Human." He addressed her gruffly.
Yuna eyed him cautiously, crossing her arms in front of her as she beckoned him to continue.
Borra sighed in a tired annoyance. "... I'm only doing this because Udo told me to." He grumbled. Borra stared down at her with an unwavering gaze. "I... am... sorry." He spoke the words slowly, like they were foreign to him and he wasn't quite sure how to pronounce them.
Yuna suppressed a smile, leaning forward to quirk her head cutely at the Fey. Oh boy, she was going to have fun with this. She feigned innocence; "I'm sorry? What was that Borra?" She blinked up at him with her thick lashes.
Shrike sighed with exasperation as Yuna let out a startled cry, the rough Fey shoving her face away and making her tumble to the ground.
"I said sorry!" He shouted, Yuna huffing as she picked herself up from the ground.
"You have a very funny way of showing it." She muttered, brushing herself off and collecting the fruits and herbs that'd fallen from her basket.
Shrike smiled fondly at Borra, punching him in the chest with a closed fist. "Your apology skills certainly could use some work, but I guess that's a start." She shrugged. Shrike eyed Yuna, studying her for a moment before turning back to Borra.
"It's a good thing I tagged along. I figured you'd get all grumpy like you normally do. Don't worry, Udo will be vey happy that you did as he asked." She smiled.
Shrike's tone became softer, gently adding in. "She is a friend, Borra. One of Udo's, at that. Do you not trust your kin's judgement?" She eyed him hard, "While she is a guest of the Moors, she is a guest to us. You really don't want Udo kicking your arse again for being mean to her, do you?"
Borra sighed, softly brushing the girl's wrist off of him. "Yeah, yeah, I know." He replied, his gaze on the Fey not one of disgust or judgement like Yuna was used to seeing.
It resembled... fondness?
Yuna watched the exchange curiously, finally speaking up; "You two seem close." She gestured to them.
Shrike smiled at the statement and Borra grumbled, the latter responding; "I've been dealing with this little firecracker since he was just a babe. Don't let his tough guy act fool you; I promise once he warms up to you, he's a total sweetheart." She winked at Yuna.
Borra let out an amused chuckle. "Right, and let Udo throw me into the river for it?" The two shared a mischievous laugh, and Yuna could only wonder what they meant by that.
Striding back up to Yuna, Borra let the tension slip from his body. He stared down at Yuna, and in a surprising act, lifted up a calloused hand to her.
"Look, if we're going to have to be acquainted through Udo, then so be it." His deep voice resonated. "It's... my pleasure to meet you human- I mean Yuna." Yuna had to give him an A for effort; who knew Borra could swallow his pride?
Shrike smiled warmly as she watched Yuna place her hand into Borra's own, the two finally establishing a very thin and brittle olive branch (but hey, a peace treaty was a peace treaty, right?).
"For Udo, I'm happy to be on friendly terms with you." Yuna said with quirked lips.
Gently, Yuna's hand came up to brush the swollen flesh of Borra's face, and he tensed up once more. Her brows furrowed. "Looks like Udo got a pretty good hook on you. Borra, would you like me to patch this up?" She offered kindly. Yuna wasn't shocked when Borra staggered away from her touch, slapping her hand away. "Don't touch me!" He exclaimed, almost immediately correcting himself with, "I-I mean no. No thanks."
Flustered, Borra turned on his heel. "I am leaving. When Udo returns, tell him I did as told." Borra spoke out quickly and without room for argument, his ratty wings already taking him high into the Moors' open sky. Shrike watched him with a sigh, scratching at her head.
"That boy. He's always so pent up; it's like he's allergic to emotions and communication. He's been a hard head since he was a kind." She said with amusement, her eyes leaving Borra's fading figure to go back to Yuna.
"I should head after him; to keep him out of trouble. We only came here so that Borra could work on not being a total arsehole, he'd do anything to keep good relations with Udo." Shrike smiled again, collecting one of the girl's small hands in both of her own and speaking sincerely,
"It is wonderful to see you up and moving, Yuna. Well, honestly it's wonderful to see you still living. No doubt, you had a few spectacular nurses, if I do say so myself."
The playfulness in her tone made Yuna's eyes widen with understanding. "Shrike, were you one of the Spiritual Feys that helped heal me?" She squeezed at the Fey's hand in anticipation.
She was met with a squeeze back, Shrike smiling as she replied, "The one and only. You're a real fighter, aren't you?" Shrike's eyes softened. "Such a wonderful thing that magic can do. Make sure you take it easy in the coming days, I'll have Udo arrange a healing session with you as soon as I see him again." She instructed.
Yuna nodded her head in understanding, staring at the Jungle Fey like she was some type of god. "Yes, of course." Her eyes sparkled. "Shrike, I can't even begin to express my gratitude towards you. Please, can I make you some tea? Or are you more of a coffee kind of Fey?"
Shrike laughed, waving off the question as she retracted her hold on the girl. "No payment necessary. I'm just like you; I don't help people for the profit of it." The warmth of her smile matched the vibrancy of her wings, which were now beginning to over Shrike off of the ground ever so slightly. "How about this, you show me your gratitude by taking good care of Udo, alright? He's been worrying himself to the bone over you, try and take it easy for him!"
"Yes!" Yuna quickly complied. "I will!"
Shrike huffed in amusement, her wings giving a mighty flap before propelling her higher into the sky. The sun beat down behind her like a mighty backdrop, and Yuna was breathless at how powerful Shrike looked; everything about the ebony Fey seemed effortless. Then again, the same could be said for all other Feys; was Yuna really supposed to coexist with these beings sculpted from marble?!
"I looked forward to our paths crossing again, Yuna. I know it'll be very soon." Shrike's voice boomed down at her.
Yuna smiled up at the Fey, waving at her erratically. "I can't wait! Thank you very much, Shrike!"
Yuna could just barely make out the girl winking at her, adding in, "I do believe Udo will have a surprise for you when he comes back. Be a patient girl and wait inside, alright?"
The words made Yuna confused, and her brow furrowed. "Wait... what?"
Of course, Shrike was already in hot pursuit of her hot tempered friend, the long blades of grass and branches of trees shaking in the gust of wind her mighty wings had left behind. Yuna shielded her face from the incoming bombardment of pollen and dirt, blinking up to the sky where Borra and Shrike had exited almost as soon as they'd arrived. 'Borra and Shrike seem close... and Borra and Udo are friends?' Yuna shrugged to herself as she pushed open the cottage door, discarding of her shoes and shawl on a nearby coatrack. 'That must mean the three of them are friends; how lovely."
She set the basket of fresh harvest down onto the kitchen counter, and busied herself with rinsing off a cluster of strawberries from freshly retrieved well water. 'Udo, Borra and Shrike are all different kinds of Dark Fey, and yet they coexist and have even been friends since they were young. I never really thought about it, but I guess Feys don't exclude their social circle to just their own kind.'
She chopping the green top of a plump strawberry off and into the sink, chuckling to herself. 'Well, certainly Dark Feys are Dark Feys no matter the fine detailing. But... Udo is the exception.' She then sliced the berry straight down the middle. 'Shrike was very kind to me, and Borra is... well he's Borra; but Udo is treating me like I'm simply one of them.' She tossed the fruit into a nearby basket, busying herself with the next one. 'No... it's more like Udo simply doesn't see the difference. Or perhaps, he simply just doesn't care. It's like I'm not even a stranger to him.'
Her dream of rolling ocean waves and a snowy savior popped into Yuna's mind, and she fumbled slightly with her knife. "...."
She set the blade down, the strawberry long forgotten. 'Because maybe I'm not.'
Her gaze lifted to the clear sky painting the kitchen window. 'Udo, please come back soon...'
Her mind absorbed by cooking, silence overtook Yuna as she worked with precision and built up tension; the only being the sounds of the knife hitting the wooden cutting board, and the sloshing of water over crops.
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Udo's tired figure settled from the sky rather ungracefully.
His wings stretched out like he was stretching stiff muscles, and he rolled his knotted up shoulders back with a popping groan. It was late afternoon, and his whole being screamed with exhaustion. As soon as Aurora's old cottage was in sight, he dropped from the sky like he'd been shot. His feet met the grass with a thud!, and he sighed in relief was he stood in front of the cottage's front door.
He was tired, completely spent, and felt rather dizzy in the summer sun's heated reach. However... as he adjusted the hefty burlap bag over his shoulder; his heart filled with an anticipatory joy. Oh, how we simply could not wait to see Yuna's face when she saw what he'd been up to since the early morning hours...
Udo's heartbeat began to race as he reached forward to click open the door, stepping inside the cool shade of the house rather greedily. "Yuna, I'm back." He called out softly. In truth, Udo felt just a tad guilty; her promised the girl he'd be back in time for breakfast, but his excavation took up much more time than he had originally anticipated. Surely, all would be forgiven once Yuna became aware of what he was up to. Also, Udo wasn't quite sure there was an angry bone in the girl's body.
A quick scan of the first floor and the silence that met him indicated that the girl's presence was absent; at least from the kitchen and living room. Udo felt a worry begin to take hold of him; surely Yuna hadn't decided to explore the Moors by herself, right? The girl's unending love for the undiscovered and her curiosity didn't seem to cloud her rather logical thinking, but Udo couldn't help but worry. The Moors were safe, but what if she'd wandered off of a cliff? What if she'd twisted her ankle somewhere and was unable to get help? What if a rogue faerie had seen her as an easy target, and was attempting to take advantage of her? Udo's grip on his sacked possessions tightened at the prospect. He shook the unreasonable anxieties from his head, platinum locks draping down his figure.
'I asked her to stay in the cottage, and I know she wouldn't stray far from Aurora's immediate territory.' His mind reasoned with him.
'I know Shrike had to have come by with Borra already, did they take her to meet the other Fey since I was taking so long?' A pang of involuntary jealousy coursed through Udo, as childish as it was. He remembered the way Yuna's eyes lit up at him the night before; how excited she'd been when he promised to take her to meet his fellow kin, how excited he had been at the prospect of taking Yuna through the Moors with him and exposing her to the heritage he'd come from...
'... They better not have.'
A glance to the kitchen table showed a plate of left over pastry and scattered glazed strawberries, a small mess in the kitchen revealing that the herbologist had been hard at work while Udo tended to his business in Ulstead. A pale hand reached out to sample at the girl's work, and Udo smiled as the sweet tang of the berry hit his tongue.
A baker, an artist and a doctor; what a wonderfully talented woman.
Udo welcomed the fresh and sugary taste with a sigh; he would definitely need to ask Yuna how she managed to whip out a pastry puff worthy of being displayed in the highest of artisanal bakeries (at least in his opinion). He wiped his finger on his already dirtied robes, figuring that the added stain wouldn't really affect his already disheveled appearance. Scanning the living area, Udo felt confused; wouldn't Yuna have come to meet him if she were here to hear him?
That same anxiety began to pull at him. Just what trouble had the young herbologist gotten herself into while he'd been gone?
Adjusting his grip on the canvas bag, Udo feet took him to the wooden stairs leading up to the cottage's second story. He was pleasantly surprised as his free hand came to grip at the railing; not a single sheen of dust in sight. In fact, the wood appeared to even be polished. 'Did Yuna do all of this?'
Udo had thought that the cozy house seemed much more welcoming and clean than he'd left it; no it was confirmed to him that it wasn't just his imagination. Fresh cut lavender in a vase in on the living room table, a delicate aroma of vanilla, the dulled colors of the cottage seeming just a bit warmer and brighter... Udo would've thought Yuna was magic herself.
Udo ascended the stairs uneasily; why was it so unnervingly quiet? Was it bandits, or robbers? Had Yuna's injuries flared up once more and she'd been rendered unconscious somewhere?
Udo's pace became quicker, and his senses heightened.
Where on earth was the scarlet locked cleric?
'If something were to happen due to my own negligence, I'd never...'
Udo's grip on the rail practically splintered the wood, and he nearly broke the floorboards of the second story with his heavy steps. No sounds emitted from any of the three faerie's bedrooms, no sounds or steam from the bathroom... Udo could feel his heart clench as his eyes shot to to the closed door of Aurora's bedroom, staring at it like it were some fearsome foe. If Yuna weren't in there... he was fully prepared to turn all of Ulstead upside down to search for her. Each slow step he took emitted a groan from the wood beneath him, and as Udo placed his slender hand over the door handle, he could feel a stiff tension beginning to melt into him.
He listened for a moment, before swiftly swinging open the door with a dangerous conviction; ready to fight any foe that might've been awaiting him in the girly bedroom.
While there was no vicious thug foaming at the mouth with a dagger in hand, there was a certain girl all but passed out atop of the bed's plush covers; oxblood hair spewing out wildly from her headband and mouth slightly agape as she slumbered deeply. Udo protruded wings sank as he released a breath he didn't even know he'd been holding, and a warm smile spread on his lips as Yuna didn't even seem to stir from his rather loud entrance. Shrugging his bagged possessions by a small writing desk, Udo quietly strode up to knelt by the girl's bedside. Her burgundy locks complimented the natural red gradient of her lips, and her face was clear of any nightmares or disturbances. Thick lashes covered her closed eyes, and Udo chucked in sheer affection as he gently wiped a small string of drool leaking from the corner of her soft lips.
"A true sleeping beauty." He whispered.
He wasn't just teasing her; Udo meant it. Even completely asleep, Yuna looked like she was simply posing to be painted. Her expression was serene, and even if she was completely disbelieved in her sleepy state, Udo was positive there wasn't any other sight that could compare to her.
Yuna was like starlight personified.
Udo retrieved a knit quilt from the foot of the bed and gently lay it over Yuna's still clothed figure; her slumbering state seeming to appreciate the gesture as she curled into the warmth greedily. She mumbled something in dream-talk incoherently, and Udo grinned.
'She must've fallen asleep waiting for me, she didn't even change back into her sleepwear. Poor thing must still be exhausted from everything.'
That appeared to be something they had in common at the moment; Udo was completely and utterly spent. His usual pristine image was stained with patches of dirt on his face and on his attire, his hair was falling loose from some of his braids and his wings... well, his errand had certainly sped up the time needed to clip off any stray feathers. Yuna's sleeping figure made him jealous, and the bed before him seemed to be teasing him with its cool sheets and many blankets. Entering an internal debate, Udo's eyes fluttered over to where his surprise for Yuna was waiting to be opened, sagged against the bedroom wall and staring him down.
'I don't want to wake her up; she should be resting as often as possible... but I also want her to hurry and wake up.' Udo huffed, rather troubled by what to do.
A small mewl from Yuna's sleepy state made the Fey snap his eyes back down to her, watching as she turned onto her side and let burgundy hair cover her sleeping face. Udo's heart fluttered; her actions and noises reminding him of a baby cat.
'Cute..' He reached forward to carefully tuck the hair out of her face, smiling as he knelt by the bed.
His gaze went back to the sleeping girl's face; Udo felt a flutter in him at how close they were, and also a slight fear as he hoped Yuna wouldn't beat his arse when she woke up to find him in her bed. Hesitantly, Udo allowed himself a quiet moment to stare at the close proximity of her very pretty face.
'... A sleeping beauty indeed.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What's that one called, Yuna?" A sweet voice broke through the night as the three siblings huddled together on the calm beach, a plethora of stars stretching across the open ocean. Yuna rested her chin atop of the girl's burgundy locks that matched her own, humming as she combed the wild tresses with her fingers.
"That one is Orion. Can't you tell by the bow?" Yuna asked the girl, a finger coming up to trace the constellation's figure.
The girl's eyes widened as she followed her elder sister's finger, jumping up from their shared blanket with a squeal.
"I see it! I can finally see it!" She exclaimed excitedly.
Yuna smiled at her sister's mirth, her big and innocent eyes shining up to the night sky and her cheeks, still laced with baby fat, scrunched up as she grinned.
"Good job, Mina." She quietly whispered.
Yuna turned her head to look at her other younger sibling, smiling warmly at the ever polite boy with his face shoved in some type of adventure book. She softly carded her fingers through his black hair that hung just below his ears, his sharp dark eyes that were like his elder sister's never leaving the pages in front of him.
"Is that a good read, Leo? You've been awfully quiet tonight." Yuna's face held an amused smile as the young boy nodded his head vehemently.
"Really good. Thank you for buying me it, Yuna." His soft voice was like a mouse.
Yuna scanned the red leather bound book, watching as Leo flipped through yet another page. He hadn't put the blasted thing down since she'd bought it for his birthday last month; he was always such a smart boy. The book was far beyond the reading level of what would be expected of an eleven year old; something that universities and scholars would hold in their possession. Yet, Yuna knew that Leo could handle its contents, and sure enough; here he was, already half way through the thick book.
"You're welcome, Leo." Yuna smiled, lifting her gaze up just in time to see Mina trekking a bit too far out into the dark sea.
"Mina!" She called out sharply, this not being the first time she'd had to scold one of the twins for wadding too far out. "Back to where it's below your knees." She quirked a brow as Mina turned to face her, the girl releasing a groan before complying to the older's demands.
Yuna huffed in amusement, turning back to the boy upon feeling him tug on her loose blouse. She looked at Leo, prompting him to speak up in his ever quiet voice,
"It's your sixteenth birthday next week. What do you want?" His eyes glimmered up at Yuna, looking at his big sister like she was a part of the night sky. Yuna smiled, and pinched at one of his freckled cheeks.
"You don't have to get me anything, Leo. We're already going on that trip with mom and dad, remember?" She smiled at Leo's silent frustration, his dark brows knitting together.
"But... it's your last birthday before you leave." He argued softly. "You leave for university the following day. I wanted to do something special for you..."  Leo's demeanor began to deflate with his impending sadness, and Yuna's eyes softened.
"Hey, Leo..." She gently brought his head to her chest, and he latched onto her almost immediately. "I'm only a few towns over. You can come and visit me anytime; and I'll be back every weekend, and every holiday." She tried to soothe her younger sibling.
"Yeah, until you get a boyfriend."
Yuna lifted her gaze from Leo to quirk a brow at where Mina's soaked figure stood before her with her arms crossed (Yuna had taken her eyes off of the girl for one whole minute, how on earth did she always manage to be so rough and tumble?) .
"Pardon, Mina?"
Mina huffed in frustration, her feet gritting into the sand's slippery texture. "You're going to meet some smart boy at university, fall in love with him and then never come back home!" Mina's voice had risen into a shout, but Yuna didn't miss the way that her eyes began to glisten with unshed tears. "Then you'll make mommy and daddy sad when you stop visiting. Then you're going to have babies and forget all about me and Leo..." Mina sniffled, wiping at her nose as she tried to maintain her shaky glare on her older sister. "Why do you even have to go away? Why can't you just stay here? Can't you learn about plants here?"
Finally, Mina's tears freely fell as her juvenile face scrunched up in distress. "Are you leaving because you're mad at me? Because I never listen?" Mina whimpered. "I'll listen Yuna, I promise I will! Please just stay..."
Yuna silenced the girl by bringing her into her warm embrace, not even bothered as the ocean-soaked girl seeped water into her clothes. Mina whined as she latched an iron like grip around Yuna's neck, Yuna running her nails comfortingly over her back. Yuna could feel Leo's shoulders shake against her, and she brought him in even closer as she knew the shy boy wanted to cry in private.
With the twins in her embrace, Yuna blinked up to the starry sky as she let the two cry out their pent up emotions; her own eyes stinging with tears she refused to let fall as her lips formed a soft smile. The thousands of stars glimmered down at her, a sight Yuna never failed to find comforting as she squeezed to twins ever so tighter.
She took a moment to contemplate what to say next, finally speaking over the boy and girl's muffled cries.
"... Did you know that it's speculated there are roughly two hundred to four hundred billion stars in our galaxy?" The way the two quieted down their cries let Yuna know they were listening, and she continued, "Yet, we can only see up to two thousand on any given night, even when there isn't a single cloud in sight."
The hypnotic sky seemed to grow brighter above her, and Yuna smiled.
"It's comforting, isn't it?" She adjusted her hold on the younger siblings. "Even though we can't see them, we know they're there. They're not going anywhere either; they're always watching over us and lighting up the night, no matter how dark it can be. They always a constant."
Yuna gently pried the two away to cup either one of their cheeks in front of her, their running noses and red eyes making her heart swell in adoration and endearment as she stared into her sibling's sweet gaze. Yuna softly brought their faces closer to her, and she rested her forehead on their soft locks of hair.
"You both know that I'd never leave this family, please don't be silly." She whispered. "What kind of life would I be living if I didn't have all of you? My heart is with Miyagata, that'll never change." She smiled at the two, her voice soft and her touch nurturing.
"Whenever you miss me, just stare up at the sky. We're always under the same sun, the same moon, and the same stars. I'll be doing the same." She gave their cheeks a soft squeeze. "No matter what, we'll always be connected, by blood or by the stars. Look up to them, and remember that I'm always right there. I am always going to be with you. It doesn't matter where I am."
Leo wiped at his eyes, his soft voice uttering a quiet, "Promise?" Mina looked up to her, silently pleading the same question.
Placing a soft kiss on smooth black tresses and unruly oxblood locks, Yuna smiled. "I swear it."
In one swift motion, Yuna scooped up Mina and Leo, giggling at their startled screams as she took off towards the dark waves echoing before them.
"Yunaaaa!" Leo cried as he gripped onto the girl's blouse, Mina's giggles being engulfed in the salty water as the eldest crashed into the warm sea with her siblings in tow.
Mina gleamed with mirth, her sadness forgotten as she splashed happily in the shallow water! "Yuna!" She exclaimed, the three siblings soaked from the dive. Leo sighed as he stared down at his dripping clothes, however the little smile on his small lips was all telling to how he felt.
Yuna grinned down at her siblings, smiling at them with a wink. Cold sand floated in the water around her, and she splashed at the younger two. "No more sulking, okay? It's my birthday present! If I see you two cry anymore, I'll be sad." A playful pout was on Yuna's lips, and Leo quickly tugged at her frantically, his dark eyes widened.
"No! Don't be sad! I promise we won't cry anymore!"
The black haired boy turned to his other sister, tugging at his twin's arm frantically. "Right Mina?!"
Mina nodded enthusiastically, wadding over in the water so she stood up on Yuna's lap. "Yes! No more crying, I promise!" Mina's eyes glimmered up at her older sister. "I love you, Yuna."
Leo smushed into Mina, frantically adding in. "I love you too!"
The way the two looked up at Yuna like she was the most marvelous thing on the planet made her heart soar; "I love you more. Don't ever break your promise, okay?"
The nods from the siblings were all she needed, and Yuna sneakily snaked her arms around the two to funk them under the salty waves once more.
"Yunaaaaaaa!!!"
The laughter of the three siblings bled into the night; the cosmos seeming to burn brighter as they splashed about in the ocean's dark depths and ran across the coasts crunching sand. Yuna was almost positive life couldn't get better than it was in that moment; and as she looked forward to a future so uncertain to her, she felt content.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The memory dissipated from her dream state, and the girl awoke.
Yuna had to fight to open her eyes, a mewl pushing past her rosy lips as her psyche was pulled from a deep sleep. Her eyes slowly opened, eyes squinting as all she saw was unfocused white.
"Yuna...?"
The voice shook her from her stupor, a soft touch on her cheek helping the girl focus on the man knelt before her. She squinted at him, blinking any left over sleep from her eyes.
"Udo..?" His azure eyes came into focus, as did his kind smile as slightly unkempt appearance. Yuna lifted her from the pillow quizzically, almost like she thought Udo was a sleep induced hallucination. He chuckled at her disorientation, nodding his head, "Yes. It's me." He called back softly.
With a groan, Yuna picked herself up from the goose feather filled duvets (which felt like heaven) and blinked blearily at him. She rubbed at the sleep from her eyes, ripping the headband from her head that'd begun to squeeze a tad too tightly and give her a headache. Udo waited patiently, swiftly extending an elegant white wing to block the sunlight from Yuna's face upon seeing her wince from the harsh rays.
As the drowsiness finally evaporated from her system, Yuna blinked.
It hit her; Udo was back.
Yuna's head snapped up, staring at the Fey with wide eyes. "Oh! Udo!"
Udo chuckled, his wing coming down to rest at his back once more. "Finally recognize me?" His tone was teasing and playful, and Yuna whacked at him.
"I guess I was starting to forget about you; you left me for so loooong..." Yuna sighed dramatically, a hand drooped over her forehead for theatrics. Udo shushed her with a playful ruffle of her already messy scarlet hair.
"Oh, hush." A warm laugh escaped him, and he took a seat by the girl; the bed creaking under his added weight. Yuna leaned into him, quietly adding in, "You were gone a very long time though.. I'm glad you're back." His shoulder was firm under her cheek, and Udo hummed into her hair. "I'm also glad." He whispered.
Yuna took in the sight of his dirtied and loosened garbs, and the sheer scuffs of dirt littering the hands in his lap. She gently reached out, taking in of them into her hold as she inspected it with a furrowed brow.
"Udo, what on earth where you doing out there?" She asked astonishingly; since when was Udo never not the organized and regal Fey she'd always seen him as?
Udo sighed. "Apologies. I was out much longer than I'd anticipated." He carefully withdrew his hand. "I have... well I guess I have a surprise for you." He smiled at Yuna's quizzically expression. "Something I hope will bring you great joy."
Yuna slowly nodded, still visibly confused. "Oh... alright then." Udo couldn't help but find the way she lulled her head to the side endearing, rising to his feet. His steps took him to where the burlap bag lay waiting in the bedroom's corner, and Yuna was surprised when he picked it up; how long had that been there?
Udo seemed rather nervous in his demeanor, gently placing the bag into Yuna's lap as he returned to his seat on the bed next to her. He was tense, that much was clear, and Yuna eyed the bag curiously. 'What is he so nervous about?' She untied the tweed knot enclosing the fabric, reaching inside to fish for the contents. Yuna could feel three distinct items, and her doe eyes glanced up at Udo for confirmation.
Despite his restless demeanor, his lips quirked up ever so slightly for the girl and he ushered her to go on ahead.
Yuna gripped onto the first thing she could grasp, and she retrieved it from its canvas enclosure. Her eyes met the item in her hand, and she instantly let out a startled breath.
Was she dreaming?
'T-This...' Yuna hadn't even noticed her hand had begun to shake, only aware of the action as Udo softly stilled it with his own. Yuna's eyes shot to him, her mind fumbling for the words silent tears began to course down her freckled cheeks.
"Ulstead has been slowly but steadily clearing away the rubble and fallen buildings from the town." His voice was soft, comforting even. "I... I couldn't stand seeing you so distressed last night. You'd already lost your home once, I didn't want you to have to suffer through that again."
Gently, Udo pried Yuna's fingers away from what was in her hold; an elegant hair comb, one of the metal teeth slightly bent and the crystal flowers adorning it scuffed from the impact they'd been through, but perfect all the same. Yuna watched him in pure disbelief, frozen in her seat as Udo grabbed a soft handful of her burgundy hair. He twisted it back, pining it in place with the metal accessory. The same hand trailed down to catch a fleeting wet tear, and he smiled at Yuna.
"Beautiful."
Yuna could only stare up at him, mouth agape as she brought her fingers up to delicately dance atop of the comb's fine flowers. She felt like she was going to shut down from the shock; "U-Udo? How-?"
"I had asked Diaval to show me where your shop was in Ulstead. Feys wings are known to be exceptionally powerful, and our magic can be used in more ways than just healing... it took me quite awhile, and I was only able to retrieve a few things, but I hoped they would give you some solace." He explained in a quiet voice.
Yuna's chest filled with an inexplicable warmth, and before she knew it she'd reached forward to wrap her arms tightly around Udo's strong waist. The Fey's hands held her there, one on the crown of her head and one on the small of her back (a familiar position), whispering into her sweet smelling locks; "Are you happy?"
"Happy" just couldn't do the feeling justice.
"Mom? Are you sure it's okay for me wear this?" Yuna blinked up to the older woman's reflection unsurely. She was met with a bright smile, her kind and beautiful face a clear indicator of whose genes Yuna had picked up. Burgundy locks that were like her own bounced as her mother laughed, placing the gorgeous hair piece into her daughter's bun. "Of course it is. It's practically yours already; isn't it natural the first daughter gets her mother's wedding accessories?" Her mom stared at her with adoration, giving Yuna's shoulders a firm squeeze as they stared into the mirror.
"You look beautiful." Her mother whispered. Yuna stared back at herself unsurely; biting her lip. "Not as much as you." She countered.
Her mother laughed, placing a kiss atop her daughter's head. "Nonsense! You're even more pretty... you're my clone remember?" She grinned. Her mother added in barely above a whisper; "And one day, when you get married with that comb in your hair... you'll be the most beautiful bride to ever walk down the aisle." Yuna melted at the words, smiling to herself as she reached up to squeeze her mom's hand.
"I love you."
The memory flashed through Yuna's mind as the cold metal weighed on her head, and Yuna snuggled her face deeper into the Fey. "Oh, Udo..."
She sniffled, her brows furrowing as a small cry escaped her. "I'm so overjoyed." Her grip tightened. "Udo..." Udo held the crying joy, his own exhilaration beginning to bloom within himself as the girl wept tears of unabiding joy. He held her there, tucking her face into the crook of his neck as he rubbed small patterns into her back. Yuna's scent of faint flowers in the rain hit Udo's nose as he held her close, and he couldn't help but to nuzzle his cheek into her soft hair. He hushed her cries, a small smile on his face as his eyes landed on the comb in her hair.
Udo could feel the exhaustion completely fade from him; if what he did had made Yuna this happy, then he'd do it all over again in a heartbeat.
He'd held her like that for a long while, and only once her cries had died down did he check on her again. Udo adjusted Yuna in his arms, making sure she'd hadn't nodded off again. Teary brown irises met his gaze, and he gently dabbed at them.
"It looks lovely on you." He complimented again, gesturing at the comb.
Yuna sniffled, lifting her head up from Udo's chest but still staying close to him. Udo's arms had loosened around her, but he still held her close.
"It was my mother's wedding accessory." Yuna voice was scratchy from her cries, a soft red settling on her face from the stress of her tears. "I... she was so beautiful Udo. People would always say that we were like twins; I could never believe they'd compare us in such a way. I was nervous when she gave me her comb... it felt like I had so much to live up to."
Udo's brows furrowed at that. "Nonsense." He quipped softly.
Yuna met his gaze at the rebuttal, and he continued, "I... I never had the honor of meeting your mother, and I don't doubt for a moment she was a beautiful woman..." Udo searched for the right words. "However, I do know that your appearance is nothing to talk down about. You're... I think you're quite pretty Yuna. You mustn't address yourself in such a way." Udo had wanted to say gorgeous, breathtaking, the most lovely thing he has ever laid his eyes on, but he settled for "pretty" to not make the the girl uncomfortable (the last thing he desired was for Yuna to see him as a creep).
The words made Yuna touch on the comb go slack, and she blinked away from the Fey in a shy manner. "... Thank you." A small whisper broke out.
Udo chuckled at her demeanor, reaching out to retrieve the forgotten sack. Placing it at their side, he gestured for her to continue. "If you'd like, there's still more..." He spoke rather unsurely, the feeling instantly leaving once Yuna plunged her hand into the bag almost like she were excited.
"Of course." Her response left little room for debate, and she carefully fished out the next item.
A small doll, hand sewn and beautifully crafted. Her long black locks hung to her silk red dress; her face a permanent serene expression despite the dirt that littered her and the loose threading that was a result of the rubble.
Yuna's eyes filled with an inexplicable adoration.
"Daddy! Can I have that one?" A five year old Yuna tugged on her father's hand excitedly, the man laughing at her hyper energy.
Around the duo, the summer festival was in full swing as the crowd bustled with laughing families. Food stalls emitted a savory scent, and a small souvenir stand had Yuna's undivided attention as she stared up at the pretty doll.
Her father's dark eyes glimmered down at her, midnight locks framing his smiling face as he squeezed the tiny hand in his own. He stooped down to scoop the girl up into his arms, Yuna squealing with mirth as he planted a wet kiss on her chubby cheek.
"Of course."
Yuna fiddled with her black string hair, smiling down at her sewn smile. Udo leaned forward to get a look at the toy, their foreheads softly resting against each other. Yuna twirled a lock of threaded hair, asking; "Do you remember how I told you we'd always have summer festivals in Miyagata?"
Udo nodded against her bangs. "Of course."
"My father bought this for me, it was the first and only festival we went to without all of the family." Yuna explained with a soft voice. "My mother was pregnant with the twins, and had horrible morning sickness. She was too ill to go, but my father still wanted to take me..." Her eyes trailed up to Udo's.
"I really love this doll." She whispered. Udo released a quiet chuckle, "I know you do."
Yuna set the doll down on the covers, her hand lingering on its plush stomach before retracting her reach back into her lap. "There should be one more thing, I believe..." He reminded her.
Yuna felt a certain kind of apprehension take hold over her, her fingers grasping onto the burlap with anticipation. Something cold met her hand, and she was soon meet with a small gold chain and pendant looked in her palm.
Her heart squeezed as she saw herself reflected back in the gold.
"Mina... Leo..." Yuna stared down at the brilliant golden chain in awe. "This is very expensive, and very beautiful. I can't possibly accept this from you two!" The two faces looking up at her pouted, Mina shoving the golden chain with a dainty gold rose pendant back towards her elder sister. "It's your birthday present Yuna!" She huffed at her. "Leo and I saved up our allowance for eight whole months!"
Leo nodded with his wide eyes, his soft voice speaking up; "Its your sixteenth birthday. We wanted to get you a nice gift..."
Yuna sighed as they stared up at her with their doe-like eyes, tugging on their sister's skirt expectantly. Giving into their stares, a gentle smile spread onto Yuna's lips. Ruffling up their midnight and scarlet locks, she carefully clipped the chain around her neck.
"Thank you, very much. How does it look?"
Yuna hadn't even felt the lone tear reach her chin until Udo wiped it away, smiling down at the pendant of a blooming rose. She handled the jewelry delicately, clipping it around her sensitive neck and feeling a sense of completion as it settle down her sternum.
Udo watched her latch the necklace intently. "That's quite a nice necklace." He looked to Yuna for permission before letting his fingertips pick up the dainty charm, studying it.
Yuna nodded, her corners of her lips turned upwards as she watched the rose glimmer in Udo's grasp. "My little brother and sister bought it for me, for my sixteenth birthday... the day everything happened." Udo set the necklace back down onto her skin. "Your siblings; what were their names?" He asked with a warm smile that could only be directed at Yuna.
"Leo and Mina. We have a five year age difference." Yuna's hand came up to hold the necklace close to her heart. "They... they were my entire world. The day that Ingrith attack the Dark Feys was the one day I'd left the house without wearing this necklace. I was so depressed; of all the days to not wear the blasted thing..." Yuna trailed off with a shake of her head.
"All that matters is that it is back with you now." Udo's voice spoke up, gently reminding her. "I'm sure you were a wonderful elder sister. A daughter, too. I would've loved to see where you came from, Yuna..."
The words brought a spark to Yuna's eyes, and she didn't even seem to hesitate as she reestablished her position against the Fey's sturdy chest. Yuna hugged him as tightly as her smaller stature would allow, smiling brilliantly.
"Udo... Thank you so much." Yuna couldn't recall a time she'd ever felt so light. "I can't believe you'd do this all for me. I am so thankful Udo, so thankful..."
Udo gently cupped one of her cheeks, bringing her head back to connect their gazes. "I would do a great deal more for you." He assured. Udo's heart soared when Yuna gave him a smile so genuine and pristine he was sure he'd never seen anything like it before. Her eyes were bright like the stars, "I know you would. You've already done so much for me, I wish I meet you even half way..."
Yuna's face softened as leaned into Udo's hand, bringing her own fingers up to gently rest on it. "I wish you could see where I came from too... I wish I could take you Miyagata..." Yuna shook her head, her eyes fluttering shut. "But I just can't. It's... it's just too hard."
Udo's voice was soft. "I can wait."
Yuna shook her head again. "I fear I may never be ready." She sighed, comforted by Udo's touch.
The Fey was persistent. "I can wait as long as needed. I'm a very patient Fey." There was a slight playfulness to his tone, and Yuna giggled.
"... We'll see." Her answer sounded like a lie even to her ears, but she was grateful when Udo didn't push it any further. She pushed away from Udo's hand to rest in the crook of his neck, and Udo gently carded his fingers through the knotted ends of her hair. He shifted so that she might be more comfortable.
"... I dreamt about them." Yuna's quiet voice broken through the bedroom, a soft orange glow beginning to illuminate the space.
Udo, knowing she would elaborate, didn't question her.
"Leo and Mina. I remembered a night where we were out stargazing on the beach... I think that's one of the things that I miss the most about Miyagata." Her voice was slightly muffled by his clothing, but Udo still heard her clear as day. "The stars were just... different there. It's hard to explain. They were so crisp and clear, and so beautiful."
Yuna sighed wistfully. "... I wouldn't mind seeing those with you." She added in with a meek whisper.
Udo's was sure he could've died a happy man hearing those words. "Well, whenever you're ready." He whispered the encouragement, hand resting between her shoulder blades.
Yuna nodded her understanding. Hesitantly, and trying to burying her face deeper into his neck, Yuna gripped his robes tighter as she spoke up again,
"Hey, Udo... I dreamed about something else too."
'Here it goes. Just ask him, It's Udo. You can ask him anything.' Her mind nagged at her.
Udo quirked a brow. "Do tell."
'Okay, you got this.'
Yuna lifted her head to stare determinedly up at Udo, however the moment that his blue eyes met her browns ones, she dropped her head right back down.
'Dammit.'
"... It's nothing." She lied, wanting to kick her own arse.
Udo seemed puzzled, but nodded slowly anyways. "Oh, alright then." He titled his head at her, "Are you tired? I hope you didn't tire yourself by cleaning the cottage; it looks wonderful but you're still recovering."
Of course, even when she was acting like a loon, Udo was still so gentle and caring towards her.
"No, I'm okay. Borra and Shrike stopped by today, it was wonderful meeting them."
'Just change the subject. Just change the subject.'
"Oh! Great, I just knew you'd get along well with Shrike!" Udo exclaimed happily from above her, and Yuna sighed at her own ineptitude.
"Yeah, she was so sweet. I didn't know she was one of the Feys who looked after me..." Yuna trailed off.
Udo hummed. "I'm sorry that it took me so long. I know you were excited about meeting all of the Feys today; if you let me take a moment to clean myself up, we can go right now?"
That desperation in his voice made Yuna shake off her troubles; why did Udo always have to be so considerate. She sat up from his chest, wiping at a stray patch of dirt on his forehead.
She offered him a smile. "You have nothing to apologize for. After everything you've done for me, you really think you haven't done enough?" Yuna brushed her thumb over his dirtied eyebrow.
"Let me take care of you for the night; it's time I return the favor. Why don't you take a bath and I can make you some tea? Maybe food, if you're hungry?"
Udo opened his mouth to protest, but Yuna was quick to cut in. "We can go see everyone tomorrow; don't worry about me, I'm so happy right now Udo." She truly meant it.
Yuna eyed the heavy bags under his tired eyes. "Rest, Udo. I... I actually wouldn't mind spending the remainder of the evening just us. Don't you think spending time out in the Moors will be more enjoyable when you're well rested?" The smile Yuna sent him was all Udo needed to collapse tiredly onto the bed, his head connecting with the pillows.
"Only if you're positive..." He sighed out, eyes already fluttering shut. Yuna chuckled, throwing a warm duvet over Udo's still-clothed figure.
"Are you sure you don't want to bath or eat first? You just want to sleep?" She asked softly, brushing away a loose strand of hair that'd come loose from one of Udo's braids.
Udo nodded, "I'll wash up once I've slept a bit, promise..." The Fey cracked an eye open at the girl. "Are you sure you'll be alright while I rest?"
Yuna playfully rolled her eyes. "Don't worry about me; I can handle myself." She chided.
Her eyes softened, and she whispered down to him.
"Thank you so much Udo. I'll never be able to show you how appreciative I am..." Carefully, Yuna rose from the bed.
"But I certainly plan to start trying. Go ahead and rest now." Giving him one last smile, Yuna made her way out of the bedroom door. Udo had manage to mumble a breathy "You're welcome", already asleep by the time Yuna had descended to the first floor.
Her bare feet touched the kitchen's cold tile, and Yuna stopped in place as the evening's orange and red hues began to paint over her. "..."
Yuna sighed as she set about to prepare a zingy peppermint tea, lost in her thoughts as she clattered the teacups onto their saucers. 'I chickened out, I couldn't ask him...' Udo's dream-induced appearance flashed through her mind; and Yuna shook it away.
'There's no use fretting over it. Maybe it's just... maybe it's simply not the right time to bring it up. If Udo isn't saying anything, then I shouldn't rush to question him about it.'
A glint caught in her peripheral vision; the crystal embedded comb in her hair and golden necklace catching the setting sun as she stood in front of one of the cottage's windows. Yuna smiled, reminded of what Udo had done.
'Don't focus on the negative. Udo did such a wonderful thing... gods, I'm so overjoyed.'
Her heart overflowing with warmth, Yuna left the tea to brew.
The tea was never consumed, for as evening bled into night Udo still slept soundly and peacefully. Changing into her sleepwear, Yuna had carefully placed the hair comb and necklace securely in a drawer of Aurora's vanity; the doll took a spot on top of the wooden surface.
Silently, minding her noise level and conscious of Udo frayed wings and pointed horns (he took up a good portion of the bed), Yuna slipped under the covers. In the dead night, she'd latched onto him instinctually with a gentle smile on her lips.
She dreamed of her siblings, of her parents, of a home frozen in time in Miyagata.
She dreamed again of Udo carrying her limp figure across an open ocean, her hold on tightening him ever so slightly.
The two slept an unbroken slumber until the dawn's rays began to peak through the Moors' trees.
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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!!!
I wanted to give you guys a little gift; so I went ahead and typed this one out like a mf. Taking a break to enjoy the holidays, so I will see you (very soon) in the new year!!!!!!!
Btw did anyone pick up on Yuna wearing Aurora's peasant dress from the original animated film? Or Udo's Sleeping Beauty reference? Heehee I tried I tried...
Thank you guys so much for the support you've given me this year; this story is barely over a month old and yet it's been met with so much love! Thank you all so much <3 I look forward to a new year of more writing for you all, and I can't wait to see how much the story will grow this coming year!!!
You guys are the best, wishing you the greatest blessings in the new year :)
-Akahana