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

Chapter Six: Green-eyed Monster

The following two weeks went by in a wonderfully colorful and dream-like blur.
Steadily, but with quite fruitful results, Udo continued with Yuna's rehabilitation as planned; with the assistance of Ini and Shrike. After taking a few days to relax from all of the excitement, simply resting in the cottage while Fey after Fey visited her in her bedroom, Yuna was flooded with relief to see her stamina improve and her scars fade away like there was nothing there to begin with (she was very grateful Ini took the time to get rid of the unsightly nuisances). More often than not, Yuna found her days to be filled with following Udo into the heart of the Moors; into the den of the Dark Feys and where her newly acquired Fey friends awaited her (it still felt odd to refer to them as such, however Shrike was quite insistent. Even Borra didn't protest it.).
Shrike had seemingly made it her life's mission to terrify the poor human, ignoring Udo's lectures and shouts as she swooped down to steal Yuna high up into the sky; something that Yuna was quite positive she'd never get used to. Regardless... Yuna had to admit Shrike was quite the entertaining guide as she carried the girl through the Moors. Also, nothing could put Yuna in a brighter mood than when Shrike would grace her with her brilliantly shining personality and demeanor; it served quite well to chip away at Yuna's shell.
"You know, if you would like to spend time together, typically a tea invitation would come before an aerial kidnapping." Yuna had once said, chuckling in amusement.
Shrike scoffed, grinning proudly as she proclaimed, "That's the human way of bonding! Nothing forges a Dark Fey bond faster than soaring together!" She winked at Yuna. "And since you're a human, I'll be your wings!"
Ini was a bit of an enigma; her put together aloofness and coolness surpassed even Udo's, and Yuna was still rather confused as to how to interpret a majority of the Desert's Feys mannerisms. Regardless, the Fey and human bonded over Yuna's insistence to be educated about Dark Fey's medicinal practices, and Ini herself was rather curious about the girl's extensive knowledge on all things herbal and medical. There were many afternoons where they were content to simply exchange notes with each other; and other days they busied themselves in the cottage's garden recording and cataloguing their earthly harvest.
"So... Rehmannia Root, correct?" Ini questioned in her soft voice, inspecting the root intently.
Yuna hummed from her seated spot next to her, shaking her head as the tall garden grass tickled at her cheeks. "It's actually Astragalus Root. See the flowers? It's a cluster of small yellow blooms; Rehmannia Root typically has individual lilac flowers." She explained with a smile. "Very close though! You're picking this up quick Ini!"
Ini sighed, huffing in a muted annoyance; for that was the fifth time that day she'd missed an answer on one of Yuna's quizzes and she was getting rather frustrated. "Humans are such odd creatures. Why even name all of these plants and weeds? What an unnecessarily taxing way of categorizing painkillers."
To Yuna's otter shock, even her and Borra were seemingly... well, bonding maybe wasn't the right word, but they were doing something.
"Borra.. I really don't want to do this.." Yuna sighed, bringing her hands up to clench into unsure fists before her.
Borra grinned wickedly at the girl, coming up to fix her stance. "Stop fretting, wren." He nodded his head in satisfaction as his work. "A scrawny thing like you could learn a thing or two about self defense; especially if you've decided to take refuge in the den of the Dark Feys."
Yuna rolled her eyes as Borra nudged her feet further apart, quirking an eyebrow at him. "So you're going to teach me how to fight? You really think Udo is going to approve of this?"
Borra huffed in amusement, taking his own stance in front of the girl. "Udo won't have to find out." He smirked. "Go ahead, lay one on me." Yuna's eyes slit as she caught onto the Fey's mocking tone; "If you can, that is."
A fast second later, the splitting sound of bone meeting skin left Borra groaning and cradling his abused cheek; Yuna inspecting her burning knuckles in glee.
Of course, Yuna had also spent the past weeks deepening her bond with a particular Fey.
Whether it was educating her more about the Dark Feys, letting her clip at his molten wings, sharing intimate stories from their pasts, cooking together, gardening together, spending the late nights stargazing atop on of the Moors' many peaks or simply just basking in each other's presences; Yuna had felt she and Udo knew each other in a way she wasn't quite sure her own family knew her as.
Who knew, that this Fey, a complete stranger, would single handily change her entire life? Her entire perspective?
The past couple of weeks were... well they were wonderful, for lack of a better word.
Yuna had wondered if it was truly okay for her to feel this happy; she may have not had wings like the Dark Feys, but everyday she spent in the Moors made her feel like she was flying. Yuna felt an unexplainable sense of community and belonging, something she hadn't even known she'd longed for until it was within her grasp. What started as a series of unfortunate events, from the destruction of Ulstead and her injuries and all the way back to that fateful night in Miyagata, was starting to seem like it was giving way to something Yuna could only explain as a tangible warmth.
It was like she had shrunk the sun down into the palm of her hand, and cupped it closely to her chest; right above her heart. It was sweet like freshly baked chocolate cake, and pleasant like an opera singer's emotional serenade. Was it even possible to feel such a way?
Currently, the young herbalist scribbled such thoughts down into a leather bound journal that Udo had graciously surprised her with just a week prior; as well as a brand new sketchbook and as many oil paints and sharpened charcoals as he could gather. 'You may not have your notes and sketches from before, but that doesn't mean you can't start anew.' Udo had reasoned with her, chuckling at Yuna's excited and involuntary squeal as she laid her eyes on a set very nice oil paints. Udo told her not to worry as to how he had acquired such items, and to not fret about paying him back in anyway; Yuna figured she should add "spoiled" to the list of things she'd been feeling as of late.
"It's like I'm in a completely different world; is this how Alice felt when she fell down the rabbit hole?" The evening sun beat down onto Yuna as she lounged by the cool lake just outside of the small cottage, a glorious harmony of red and magenta painting the sky and casting onto her as the sun shot out it's golden rays for one final encore. Her feet dipped into the cool pool, she contently wrote her newest entry within the pages before her.
"Today marks my third week within the Moors, and I feel like I could stay here for an eternity. Somedays, I go out to the river to gaze out onto Ulstead; it seems like the rubble and debris has finally been cleared and slowly but surely, the town in functioning like it was before all of this chaos. I'm still unable to bring myself to step foot back into the town; isn't that childish? I don't want to rely on the Feys and Udo the way I do; if I can muster the resolve, I'd like to make a quick trip to the market tomorrow."
Yuna turned the page, continuing to write;
"What I feel for Ulstead is almost akin to what I feel for Miyagata; if I were to go back, I fear I'll only be overwhelmed by the events that took place there. It's a crippling feeling, and I can't help but feel a bit pathetic and like I'm just a coward. All of the other citizens of Ulstead have managed to get back onto their feet, and I'm positive some of them have lost more than me. So why is it I have no desire to return?"
Having the question displayed right in front of her eyes made Yuna pause, and she had to momentarily set her quill down. Why did she have no desire to return to Ulstead? Slowly, Yuna brought the ink back to the paper as she had an internal debate with herself;
"I believe I may already know the answer..."
A certain Tundra Fae flashed through her mind's eye, and the girl reddened. His kind smile, his gentle touch, his wings and horns that should frighten her; but only served to make her marvel at him more...
Yuna slammed her journal shut with a heavy sigh, cupping her flushed cheeks. Even the shallow lake began to feel like a hot spring, and she extracted her feet from the water as she stumbled to her feet; flustered. The action caused Yuna to wince, her still healing ribs and sore muscles protesting.
'Udo still isn't back yet...' Yuna's gaze wandered to the sky, no indication of the familiar Fey in sight. Today had been a rather relaxed day for the herbalist; Udo had greeted her in the morning with an explanation that he and Borra had prior arrangements to check in with some of their kin, monitoring their progress within their new home and seeing how all of their young were faring with the change. Udo had assured her he'd be back before the sun would be down, advising her to rest and not to stray too far from the cottage; Shrike and Ini were also unavailable that day, so leaving the girl unattended for so long worried Udo.
Yuna assured him she was more than capable of taking care of herself, shooing him out of the house and quickly realizing she was wrong... Gods, she was so bored.
Very little cleaning had to be done in the cottage, the garden was already tended to for the week, she had no inspiration to draw, no new books to read, and journaling was clearing making her mind wander to dangerous places, so that was out of the question now as well.
Turning on her heel, Yuna sulked back into the cottage with obvious disappointment; had she really been this use to Udo's constant presence? Now that she thought about it, the two really hadn't been apart from each other since she'd first arrived in the Moors; even the days where she'd be with one of their fellow friends, Udo was always close by. Yuna squeezed her journal tightly to her chest, brows furrowing. 'Udo would probably think I'm such a weirdo... I sound like a psychopath!'
Her steps crunched onto the grass, her necklace bouncing around her neck with each step she took. Once Yuna neared the cottage door, she threw it open with a sigh as she set the leather bound book onto the kitchen table. Closing the door behind her, Yuna soaked into the empty air of the orange-hued space, a frown spreading on her lips as the quiet atmosphere nipped away at her. Atop of the counters and table, remnants of the day's breakfast and lunch were scattered about; slices of freshly baked bread and peeled peaches littered the center isle. Yuna packed away the food with ease, throwing herself onto one of the living room's loveseats ungracefully as she stretched her limbs out.
'There aren't any ingredients for dinner, maybe Udo is bringing something back?' She wondered, eyes tracing the shadows that the evening sun cast upon the ceiling. 'He's been working hard all day, I'm sure he'll be hungry...' A small pang of guilt pounded through Yuna. 'Of course he'll want to come home to a hot meal, and what if Borra decides to visit with him? Oh gods, I don't even want to know how horrible a hungry Borra can be...' Propping herself onto her elbows, Yuna contemplates her options; 'Should I just try to whip something up with what we have? Maybe... Maybe I can run to Ulstead right now to buy a few things?' A realization struck Yuna, and she groaned in disbelief, 'Damn, that's right... I don't have any gold on me...'
Yuna rubbed at her temples, her own hunger starting to overtake her thoughts as she sat up on the plush cushions.
At that moment, a steady knock rang throughout the cottage.
The sound instantly alerted Yuna, for Udo simply would've unlocked the door and stride right inside; that meant that whoever was at the front of the cottage, wasn't Udo. It couldn't have been Borra, as he was with the Tundra fae, and Shrike and Ini has already told her they were unable to visit that day. Yuna knew that there couldn't possibly be any real threat awaiting her; she was in the Moors, she was protected. However... that didn't stop her unease, apprehension clenching at her nerves as she slowly rose to her feet. Another knock sounded, and Yuna took quiet steps towards where the door awaited her almost menacingly. Carefully, she pushed away the sheer curtain covering one of the windows by the door, peeking out of a corner as unnoticeably as she could. What Yuna saw made her eyes widen, a genuine smile of excitement breaking into her face as she almost squeaked with glee, hurriedly unlocking the cottage door to greet her winged guest.
"Maleficent!" Yuna couldn't believe her eyes; had the mistress herself really come to see her?
The Dark Fey smiled softly at her, fangs creeping out from her red lips; "Hello, beastie."
Yuna blushed at the endearment, 'I've only ever heard Maleficent call Aurora that...' Yuna quickly stepped aside, ushering in the elegant woman enthusiastically. "Please, don't be a stranger! Come right on in!"
Maleficent dipped her head in quiet gratitude, her beautifully dark wings tucking close to her sides as she slipped past the doorframe, holding her head down so that her magnificently pointed horns wouldn't scrape the wood. Yuna released a breath, staring at Maleficent's, in her own opinion, completely ethereal being. Her silken black dress and thick velvet cloak hung from her pale skin elegantly, her thick brown locks trailed down her back freely and framed her sharply structured face and great horns proudly. Yuna was blown away; she'd never seen the woman with her hair down before, it'd always been tucked away in her head wrap.
An excitedly bouncing crow resided ever presently on Maleficent's right shoulder, and Yuna grinned,
"Diaval!" She exclaimed, the crow chirping wildly as it excitedly greeted her back.
Iridescent green eyes regarded her neutrally, her black wings stretching out as Maleficent took her spot within the living room, her staff clicking against the floor as she strode. Standing within the same space as Maleficent, a being who looked like she had quite literally stepped out of a painting being housed within some grand museum, made Yuna feel the slightest bit insignificant. Human or Dark Fey, Maleficent was simply stunning!
"Can I get you some tea? Cookies? I'm sorry, we're a bit barren at the moment, but if you want I can-"
Maleficent's soft chuckles silence her, piercing eyes glancing over her frantic figure as a soft hand touched her shoulder.
"Don't fret, Yuna. Please have a seat, you shouldn't be busying yourself like this." Maleficent guided Yuna to re-take her seat upon cloud-like cushions, and Yuna quirked an eyebrow at the Dark Fey.
"But you're my guest, it's really no trouble." She tried to reason with her, but Maleficent only shook her head.
"On the contrary, I do believe you are my guest. It's a bit late, but allow me to personally welcome you to the Moors, Yuna."
Wide eyed, Yuna watched in amazement as the lone crow squawked incessantly upon the Fey's shoulder, reminding the two women of his presence. Maleficent winced at the high pitched cries in her ear, waving her fingers in annoyance as a bright light enveloped the black bird. Like that, the shape of a man overpowered the crow, and a familiar face now materialized in front of Yuna.
Rising up, Yuna tightly embraced the man, who hugged her back just as tightly. "Diaval, I missed you!" She giggled, his familiar scent comforting to her. Diaval released the girl ever so slightly so he could get a good look at her, his grin matching hers.
"Oh, the Moors is making you simply glowing! If I didn't know any better, I'd assume you were a faerie yourself!"
Maleficent watched as the two friends chattered excitedly, giggles and hushed whispers filling the room as a fond look settled on her face. Diaval had been missing Yuna something terrible, as had her beloved daughter. It took everything in Maleficent's power to keep the two away from the Moors; she'd even caught the two trying to stow away in the middle of the night for heaven's sake!
Amidst their joyous banter, the pair had failed to notice that a fourth figure was now entering into the home; his ivory aesthetic from head to toe a direct contrast to Maleficent's own dark appearance, and a gentle; "I'm home, Yuna." Echoed through the room. Still, Diaval and Yuna continued their chatter about some random thing or another, stars in their eyes as they didn't even notice Udo's stare.
Maleficent smirk, eyes on Udo who didn't seem interested in anything else other than the arms holding Yuna's waist; a dangerous glint in his eyes. 'Oh Diaval, you've really done it now...' Maleficent suppressed a dark chuckle, Udo practically glaring holes into the crow's back as he tore a giddy laugh from Yuna.
"You're kidding?!" Yuna laughed out, whacking her hand against Diaval's black tunic-covered shoulder.
Diaval shook his head vehemently, needing to catch his breath from laughing so profusely; "I swear it! It really happened! Aurora nearly toppled into the river, Maleficent was so furious when she found us-"
"Yuna."
Maleficent had to cover her mouth, the look on Udo's face was simply priceless. The sharp but steady inflect of her name finally silenced the crow and the herbalist, and Yuna's head perked up at the voice.
"Oh! Udo!" Yuna smiled brightly, the kind of expression that was reserved for just the Tundra Fey.  "Look, Maleficent and Diaval decided to pay us a visit! Isn't that wonderful?"
'Oh, little beastie... you are so naive.' Maleficent's amused smirk only grew as Udo seemed rather disinterested by her words, trying his hardest not to snap in front of the girl.
"Ah, yes." Udo took brisk steps towards her, not even casting a second glance to the various books and small trinkets his wings knocked over along the way.
"Oh, Udo, you're-"
"Were you outside today, Yuna? Your dress has grass stains on it." Udo hummed, his face and voice devoid of the warmth Yuna was so used to.
"Oh..." Yuna had noticed a few stray green streaks, but they were so small and transparent she didn't believe it to be a big deal. "Yes, I was."
"We should take care of them; it's only polite to clean up for guests." Udo's smile didn't quite reach his eyes, sapphire irises trained onto where Diaval's lithe hands rested on Yuna's hips, and Yuna's slender hands rested on his chest.
Diaval smiled, shooing away the Fey's concern. "Oh, don't worry about that Udo. Yuna always looks lovely, Maleficent and I don't mind a few stains!" Diaval's grin instantly fell from his face, Udo's eyes sharply cutting to him with an unamused expression.
Despite his anger, Udo made sure to softly wrap a hand around Yuna's wrist. "Come along, Yuna. We'll only be a moment." His eyes softened as they met Yuna's own confused ones, and she hesitantly stepped away from Diaval. "Okay..." She stared up at Udo unsurely, his less than happy demeanor not flying over her head.
Udo turned, leading the two towards the staircase and beginning to trek up to the second story of the cottage.
"Apologies, Maleficent and Diaval. We'll be back down in a moment, please make yourselves comfortable." Udo didn't look at them as he addressed the two; Maleficent's smirk still present and Diaval looking just as confused as Yuna as the two disappeared up the stairs.
Diaval cocked an eyebrow at his mistress, "Did something seem wrong with Udo?"
The question finally made Maleficent break, and a genuine laugh bubbled past her plump lips. "Oh, Diaval. You and Yuna truly are two peas in a pod." Collecting herself, Maleficent regarded the crow with a dangerous smile;
"A piece of advice, Diaval; Feys don't take others playing with their mates lightly."
Diaval nearly passed out on the spot, and Maleficent huffed in an annoyed affection as her magic gently plopped the male into a nearby chair.
Meanwhile upstairs, Yuna stood at the center of her bedroom; watching Udo with a quiet concern as the Fey shuffled through her armoire with a visibly flustered demeanor. She observed him; he was clearing searching for something specific.
Yuna couldn't help but feel a bit guilty, 'Is Udo mad at me for not noticing him?' The thought caused a thick knot to form in her stomach, her eyes down casting sadly. 'I didn't mean any ill will... I was just excited to see Diaval; it's been so long...'
"There it is."
Udo's words made Yuna lift her head. Before her, Udo's arms held a familiar covering; his being practically glowing with satisfaction as he turned to Yuna. "Here." Wordlessly, he guided her hands into the arm holes, nimble fingers directing the fabric to hang proudly from her petite finger. Udo nodded in satisfaction, stepping back to examine his work. Yuna glanced at the white fabric that pooled down her feet, and extended past her fingertips. She cocked her head at Udo; "Your robe?" She questioned. It'd been awhile since Yuna had even seen the garb, let alone worn it; it smelled like Udo and felt like clouds spun into thread. A pleasant feeling spread through Yuna's worries, it felt like the Dark Fey was encompassing her entire being, his scent and touch taking over all of her senses.
Udo nodded. "It's too big for you, but it'll do." Came his brisk reply. Udo inspected her a moment more before tearing his eyes away, seemingly entering a deep contemplation as he stared hard into the floor boards; were his cheeks tinted or was it just the sunset? Yuna shifted uneasily from foot to foot in the silence, Udo avoiding her gaze and his refusal to speak up only adding to her anxiety;
'I knew it. He is mad.' Yuna could feel her own cheeks flush in frustration, and she gnawed at her lip aggressively. 'Of all the people to ever be upset with me, I never wanted Udo to be one of them...'
Yuna's fingernails dug crescents into the palms of her hand, and she spoke up uneasily. "Udo?" Yuna's voice was quiet, even for her.
Her voice seemed to spur Udo from his own thoughts, and he glanced at her nervously figure. "Hm?"
Yuna didn't hesitate to get straight to the point; "Are you mad at me?" The question made her lip quiver.
Udo instantly became ten times more alert, his posture straightening as his eyes widened. "Whatever for?" His voice held genuine confusion, genuine concern and it only served to frustrate Yuna more.
"It's just... I'm sorry." Yuna hugged the robe closer to her body. "I'm sorry I didn't notice you when you came home, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I was just really excited to see Diaval, but that didn't mean I wasn't excited to see you too..." Yuna almost resembled a beaten puppy in that moment, "I'm really sorry Udo."
Her somber expression made Udo sigh, angry with himself. Delicately, the Fey reached out at her hand, taking it within his own as he led Yuna to her bed (which was for once unmade; Yuna was awfully sleepy this morning and couldn't bring herself to complete the tedious task).
It was a familiar position when they sat on the bed together; the way Udo looked at her and how softly he addressed her was just like that first night they had spent together in the cottage. Yuna easily settled against Udo's strong figure; his actions alone made it clear that he wasn't mad, and there were simply misunderstandings floating about them. The notion could've made Yuna sigh with relief, and she relaxed as her and Udo sat hip to hip.
A brush against her chin guided Yuna to stare up into Udo's kind face, and finally, that soft and sincere smile she'd missed and worried she'd never see again graced her eyes. "I'm sorry, please don't feel at fault for anything. You did nothing wrong, I'm ashamed that I've made you feel as such."
Yuna sighed into his touch, her nose brushing against the palm holding her cheek. "Then what's wrong?" She pressed.
Udo's brow furrowed, debating how he should answer. "It's... I'm simply tired. Borra and I were quite busy today; I suppose I'm just a bit irritable." It wasn't a complete lie, but even Udo could hear how phony it sounded; Yuna obviously could as well. "But that's besides the point. I'm sorry if I worried you, I could never be mad at you, Yuna." Udo's hand fell from her cheek, trailing down her shoulder and gently catching her hair. Yuna shuddered; it tickled.
"Forgive me?"
His sharp eyes were incredibly tender as they met her own; how could she ever not forgive Udo.
"Of course." Yuna answered like it was the easiest question in the world, eyes blinking innocently up at Udo (the Fey realized that that action had to be his weakness). "I'm just happy everything's alright." She smiled sweetly (that too. That smile was hard to overlook).  "I just want to know what's wrong... you know you can tell me, right?"
Yuna shifted on the bed, sitting up onto her knees. The movement caused Udo's robe to ever so slightly fall from her shoulder, exposing a peek of pale skin just below her collarbone. Udo's eyes grew as she drew closer to him, swallowing thickly as Yuna was seemingly oblivious to the flash of skin.
"You can tell me anything, Udo. You've... you've allowed me to open up so much to you. I don't want it all to be one sided." Yuna's soft lips turned down in a pout.
Udo shook his head, his hand tactfully slinging the robe fully over her once more before resting on her shoulder. "It'll never be one sided, Yuna; you've done more for me than you know." He assured her gingerly. "I'm simply tired. Long day, you know? Please don't worry yourself." Yuna's frown deepened, prompting Udo to touch his fingers to the skin to smooth it out. "Don't give me that pout. I promise, everything's alright."
Yuna sighed in resignation. "Were you always this difficult?"
Udo smirked. "Were you always this pushy?" Affectionately, he tapped her nose. "No more being sad; how could you ever believe I'd be mad at you?"
Before Yuna could respond, the creaking of floorboards alerted the couple of another's presence; shooting their heads to the bedroom's doorway to see a completely red faced Diaval gaping at the pair. The man's blush made Udo and Yuna realize their compromising position; they were awfully close on the bed, after all. Udo's hands were still holding Yuna's figure close, Yuna loomed over him just slightly and Udo's robe falling from her shoulders could, in a completely inappropriate way, be entirely misconstrued.
"D-Diaval!" Yuna yelped, making a move to practically throw herself to the floor; as far away from the Tundra Fae as she could get.
To Yuna's sheer disbelief, Udo's hands gripped onto her tighter, seemingly having no intention of releasing his hold on her. Yuna tried to wriggle away from him, but Udo only held onto her harder.
Was that... a growl?
"Udo!"
There it was again; that uncharacteristically aggressive glint in Udo's eyes. All of it focused directly at Diaval. He was so rough, so unlike his usual self. The force of Udo tugging on her made Yuna fall to her elbows atop him, her forehead colliding with his sternum with a grunt.
"I-I'm sorry! I didn't meant to intrude- oh my god. Oh I am so sorry. I didn't realize you two were in the middle of... I don't even want to say it." Diaval was a blushing mess, eyes glancing at everything but the two.
Yuna watched as Udo coldly regarded Diaval; not even making a move to correct him. Udo glared at Diaval like he was a threat; the ever sweet Diaval!
Suddenly; it all clicked in Yuna's mind.
Udo's displeasure upon entering the house, the way he had practically shoved Diaval off of her, wrapping her in his robe, his glares at Diaval, the way he was almost trying to challenge Diaval as he held her to him...
Yuna blinked, staring at Udo hard expression with slight disbelief. "Are you jealous?" She blurted out the thought as soon as it came into her head.
Udo instantly went from fierce predator to a flustered mess, releasing his hold from Yuna as she fell to her bum on the floor with a hard "smack!"
"Ow!" Yuna winced as she hit the floor, her own glare forming as she blushed wildly at an embarrassed Diaval. "Diaval, what are you doing in here?!" She exclaimed.
Diaval winced under both of their glares, laughing awkwardly as he waved his hands to show he meant no harm. "Please, I didn't mean to be a peeping Tom! Maleficent sent me to retrieve you, she came here under request by Queen Aurora!"
The name made Yuna's expression melt into one of softness, and also confusion. "Aurora?" She clarified, pushing herself up from the bedroom floor.
Diaval nodded. "Yes, Aurora's requested your presence at Castle Ulstead immediately, Yuna."
That also seemed to pull the attention of Udo, who had now collected himself enough to stand beside Yuna; "Is something the matter, Diaval? Did something happen? Is it an emergency?" Udo's concerned tone had Yuna nodding her head, beckoning Diaval to elaborate.
Diaval sighed; "I believe Maleficent will best explain it. No worries; no one is hurt. Aurora has classified it as a royal cree however; meaning the situation is not to be taken lightly."
The words made Yuna gulp; a royal cree? Involving her? A royal cree had meant that it was the kingdom's utmost priority... what on earth did Yuna have to do with it?
"Yuna." Diaval softly called to her.
Yuna blinked out of her panic, startled as she cleared her throat. "Y-Yes?"
Diaval offered her a small smile. "It's alright, you're not in trouble." He almost chuckled. "Just come see Maleficent; I think you'll actually be rather excited to see what Aurora has in mind."
"Ah... alright then." Yuna nodded unsurely, casting a nervous glance to Udo. "Shall we... head down?"
Udo still had a visible flush as he nodded his head. "Y-Yes. Lets."
For a solid moment, Udo's blushed face met Yuna's own, the two instantly snapping their heads away as if they'd been stung. Udo rubbed a hand down his face exasperatedly, and Yuna fiddled with a stray piece of burgundy hair; the two's reddened cheeks deepening.
Hesitantly, Diaval cut in once more. "Um... did I interrupt something?" His eyes wandered over to Udo, nervously wringing his hands. "Udo, I do wish to sincerely apologize. I hadn't meant to... "fondle" Yuna like that. I don't even see Yuna as a woman! She's much more like a little sister!" Diaval chuckled awkwardly.
A huff sounded through the room, and Yuna rolled her eyes, practically stomping out of the room at Diaval's less than sensitive word choice.
"Idiots...!" Her voice sounded from the hallway, feet pounding down the cottage's staircase.
Diaval covered his mouth in realization, looking to where Udo stared at him; looking rather unimpressed. "That... That came out wrong."
Udo sighed heavily, stalking after Yuna as he clapped Diaval on the shoulder. "Let's go, Diaval."
The two men re-entered the ground floor rather sheepishly; Yuna sitting at the kitchen table with a dangerous aura and her eyes sharpened to a pointed glare. Maleficent smirked from her standing position besides Yuna; a gentle hand placed upon the girl's shoulder as Udo and Diaval awkwardly stood within the living space.
"Well well... what an awkward situation." Maleficent chuckled. A transparent trail of Maleficent's golden magic began to dance around Yuna; the white fabric hanging from her body beginning to shrink, and tighten.
Udo's eyes widened as the robe formed to compliment Yuna's figure, only able to tear his eyes away from the sight upon hearing Maleficent's chuckles. Her cool green eyes regarded him with dark amusement, fangs flashing.
"Udo, darling, might I suggest if you wish to mark what's yours, you do so in a less obvious way."
Udo's eyes widened at that, and Yuna only quirked a brow at Maleficent's words.
Chuckling, Maleficent waved the Fey and the crow to where she and Yuna took their spots at the small dining table. "Now then; Udo if you're done being a little green-eyed monster, and Diaval you're done being a clueless loon, I believe we came here for business."
Diaval slid into a seat by his friend, looking at her with pleading eyes as he softly spoke, "I'm sorry, Yuna... you know I didn't mean it like that..."
As it simply wasn't in her character, the lethal aura quickly dissipated from Yuna's form. She sighed with a small smile, smirking as she playfully whacked at Diaval's shoulder. "After all the times I've called you a handsome devil. Truly, you are a cruel man Diaval!" She gasped dramatically, breaking into laughter as Diaval visibly brightened.
"Please, Lady Yuna, allow me to make it up to you!" Diaval gasped out equally as dramatic, their theatrical performance shaking the table as the two nearly collapsed onto each other with laughter.
The chair to Yuna's other side settled with added weight, and Yuna turned to see Udo sitting in the seat rather uncomfortably; large wings taking up a majority of his space.
Teasingly, Yuna leaned closer to the Fey. "All done?" Her voice was playfully pitched, nudging him with her elbow.
Udo nodded, glancing to Diaval's happy face before saying, "Yes. I'm quite sorry Yuna, I don't know what came over me."
Yuna's smile grew. "It's okay. I actually appreciate it Udo." The Fey's eyes brightened at the sentiment, however the sparkle quickly dulled as Yuna innocently clarified, "You were just making sure Diaval was a good guy, right? You don't need to worry! We're friends for a reason; Diaval would never do anything to hurt me!" She grinned, and Diaval seemed moved by the statement.
Udo nodded, trying to hide his disappointment. "Right. That's what I was worried about."
A weight on his shoulder made him look down to see how casually Yuna leaned her head against him, and the herbalist quietly added, "Don't worry. You'll always be my favorite."
Disappointment: vanished. Udo's eyes challenged the brightest galaxy as he smiled to himself rather smugly, cautious of his horns as he carefully set his cheeks atop oxblood hair.
"These two... now this is certainly quite the amusing development." Maleficent whispered to herself, a soft smile on her face as she reached within her cloak. As her hand withdrew, a scroll tied by fine gold thread and a cluster of muted dried flowers was in her grasp.
Maleficent easily rolled the parchment across the smooth surface of the wood, Yuna eyeing it curiously as she lifted her head from Udo to retrieve it.
"From Queen Aurora." Maleficent announced, a noticeable hint of pride in her voice.
Glancing at Diaval's encouraging smile, Yuna carefully undid the soft thread and placed the flowers aside. She unrolled the thick parchment, and in grand calligraphic letters was the message:
"By her royal decree, Queen Aurora of Ulstead would like to formally invite her friend, Yuna, to the castle tomorrow afternoon. It is here the Queen shall make a proposal, a request to which she hopes her guest shall accept. One guest will be permitted to accompany. Present this scroll to the castle's front gate guards for entry."
The words burned into Yuna's mind; a... proposal?
Yuna looked back up to Maleficent, looking reminiscent to a lost lamb. Maleficent found the expression cute, and she gently clicked her nails onto the table. "Don't fret. Simply think of it as a friend asking another friend for advice; nothing more."
Yuna set the paper down onto the table, rereading the scripture once more. "Can... Can I ask you what the request is?" She tried.
Maleficent shook her head. "I will leave that to Aurora." She replied shortly. The Dark Fey took in Yuna's puzzled demeanor, opting to elaborate for the herbalist just a bit more so at the very least, Yuna could go into the castle with a clearer state of mind. "Yuna... do you enjoy being amongst the Dark Fey?"
Yuna seemed taken aback by the question. A quick glance to her side warmed her with the sweet smile Udo stared at her with, and the girl responded with little hesitation; "With all my heart." She nodded firmly.
Diaval squeezed her shoulder. "Then that's all we'll need for tomorrow. No need to overthink." Maleficent hummed, joining in, "These are turbulent times for our new Queen. She relies on you more than you understand, Yuna. The tension between Fey and Human has made her inauguration quite difficult; her asking for your assistance should not be taken lightly."
Yuna could feel her chest swell; 'Aurora wants me to help her?' She wondered. 'A Queen, asking a peasant for help? Oh, I'm just dying to know what on earth Aurora thinks I could help her with...'
"Can I go with you, Yuna?" Udo's voice spoke out. Yuna batted the thoughts away, and stared at Udo's hopeful eyes. "Hm?"
Udo's slim finger came to point at the scroll; "It says here, one guest may accompany you to the castle." His lips quirked. "Unless of course, there is someone else you'd like to go with you."
He chuckled as Yuna frantically waved her hands, eyes wide. "N-No! Of course not!" She nodded her head vehemently. "I'd love it if you went with me!" Satisfaction filled Udo, and his hand instinctually came up to rub at her locks affectionately. "Good. I'm glad that's settled." He smirked. "Don't want you getting lost or ending up on the wrong side of town; you're a bit ditzy, you know." Udo smiled endearingly as Yuna gapped at his words, shooing his hand away with an annoyed expression. "H-Hey! No I am not! I got lost in the Moors one time Udo, and you found me in no more than fifteen minutes!" A hair caught on her eyelash amidst her movements, and Udo gently interrupted her protest to reach forward and remove it, noting just how pretty the girl was up close (she was always quite beautiful to Udo, however it never failed to make Udo's heart flutter when their faces were this close). "Exactly why I need to go with you." He winked, and Yuna tried to hide her smile.
Excitedly, Diaval also cut in; "Aurora will be so happy to see you tomorrow, Yuna!" His bright smile cast to Udo, "Udo, while the ladies catch up, might you want to hang out around the castle with me? I don't believe we have had a chance to talk since Yuna was still unconscious!"
His smile was quite infectious, and Udo finally gave the crow a grin that didn't house any sort of venom or danger (miraculously). "That would be wonderful, Diaval." He meant it, too. "I'd love to have a proper tour, now that I'm not worried about this one dropping dead at a moment's notice." He grinned cheekily as Yuna's fist non-maliciously connected with his chest; making a mental to find Borra and tell him "it's not okay for someone as rough as you to try and teach someone small like Yuna how to fight.". However, Udo also noted that fighting was simply Borra's way of bonding (he'd yet to win one over Udo, of course), and he knew that Yuna was more than a capable of handling herself, so he supposed it might be better to just let the two (by the two, he met Yuna. Borra definitely had a swollen cheek today, when Udo saw him) keep their arrangement going.
A hearty sigh from Maleficent filled the room. "You boys finally figure out how to get along? Good."
Her heeled boots clicked to the cottage's door, a soft purple light beginning to replace the magenta. "Our work here is done Diaval, let's return back to the castle." She cocked a brow at the crow. "Oh, don't give me that pout Diaval. You'll see Yuna again tomorrow."
Yuna nudged her friend. "Come on Diaval, Maleficent's right. I'll make sure that I set time aside so you, Aurora and I can all get together tomorrow." She smiled. "I promise."
There was no way Diaval could refuse that smile, and he finally gave in as he rose to his feet. "I'm holding you to that, you know." He gave her a toothy grin. "No disappearing on us again; I have to say, we quite missed you." He glanced at Maleficent.
Yuna's smile never left her face as she went to embrace the crow, Diaval hugging her back just as tightly (thankfully without Udo glaring daggers into his back this time). "I could never leave you all. I'm sorry I was gone for a bit, but I'm back now." Yuna promised, Diaval's scent of smoke and freshly cut wood filling her nose.
Diaval smiled into his friend's hair. "It's quite alright. I know you had good reason to." Diaval lifted his head from Yuna, bowing it at Udo. "Udo... thank you for taking care of Yuna. It's a relief to see her so... well, so happy."
Udo's eyes softened as he looked at Yuna's back. "Of course. No need to thank me; it's been nothing short of wonderful for myself." He replied quietly.
Diaval could feel the girl heat up in his arms, and he laughed. "Alrighty then, I'll leave you love birds to it then!"
The amount of times Udo and Yuna's faces had been set ablaze tonight was simply unhealthy, and Maleficent groaned out as she hurriedly shut Diaval up. A pop of light, and the lithe man now became a squawking and happily chirping crow; his true form making him buzz excitedly within the cottage.
Maleficent huffed as he settled himself upon her shoulder; his usual spot that he held with great pride. "Well, I do believe that was Diaval's ever elegant way of excusing us." She dipped her head. "Yuna, I shall inform Aurora you accept her invitation. Be at the castle no later than early afternoon." With her short goodbye, Maleficent gave a curt nod to Udo. "Udo, behave yourself." Her words held a double meaning that only the Fey caught onto, and he nodded with flushed cheeks. "Yes, of course." He replied briskly.
Yuna watched as Maleficent's regal figure exited their home; a sense of unease washing over her. If Yuna was to do what she desired... she had to do it now. It almost made her feel like a coward to be this secretive, but Yuna truly felt like she'd explode if she didn't seek the advice of someone, and for once, that someone couldn't be Udo. It had to be a Dark Fey, Yuna knew that much; preferably one who had a history with Udo... She could never muster up the courage to confide in Ini or Shrike, even Borra; who was Udo's closest friend. It wasn't that she didn't trust them, or felt u comfortable; the past weeks has led to Yuna bonding with the Feys more than she'd ever thought possible. However... Yuna just chickened our every time she sought to bring it up; brushing the topic off with a muttered "never mind". When Yuna saw Maleficent, however, the Phoenix that resides over the Dark Feys (according to Udo), Aurora's fierce protector and even to an extent her own protector; Yuna knew this just might be her shot.
She had to do this now.
"Udo?" Yuna spared him a glance. He met her gaze silently; "I need to talk to Maleficent about something. Would it be alright if you stayed in here?" She asked carefully.
Udo seemed surprised by the request, by agreed nonetheless. "Yes, of course." A worried glint flashed in his blue eyes. "Is everything alright?"
Yuna offered him a reassuring smile, reaching out to squeeze one of his hands with her own. "Everything is fine. I'll just be a moment." With that, the girl left him standing rather puzzled in the cottage; softly shutting the door behind her as she briskly ran towards Maleficent.
A lavender hue now basked over them; where the setting sun once shone in the sky was now replaced by stars that were barely visible in the early night.
"Maleficent!" Yuna called as she ran after her in the open field, the Dark Fey almost immediately halting as she heard her name.
Quizzically, Maleficent turned to Yuna, who had finally caught up to her. Maleficent watched as Yuna took in a quick gasp of air, her eyebrow cocking; "You shouldn't be overexerting yourself, Yuna." She gently chided. "What is it?"
Yuna's posture straightened, waving away the Fey's concern. "I'm quite alright, really." She assured her. A calming breeze blew past the two, and the rustling of the robe's fabric around her reminded Yuna of the Tundra Fey that had plagued her thoughts since she'd first woken up. Nervously, a finger came up fiddle with the hem of the robe; Yuna quite liking the feeling of Udo's robe around her. "It's... it's just that..." Yuna's fist clenched, and she willed a fiery determination to light up her dark eyes.
"Maleficent, I've been having these... dreams? Visions? Memories? While I sleep. It's... it's Udo." Yuna bit her lip before continuing, swallowing thickly. "I... I need to know." Maleficent listened intently as Yuna spoke, "Has Udo ever... mentioned me before? Ever brought up how he maybe met me long ago in the past? Anything of the sort?" Yuna's eyes were practically begging Maleficent, and the Dark Fey blinked.
"You're asking if I know anything about Udo possibly having met you before?" She clarified.
Yuna nodded firmly. "Yes, that's right." She answered briskly, eyes nervously fluttering back to the cottage.
'I'm sorry, Udo... I really don't mean to sneak around like this."
Maleficent studied Yuna for a long moment, her usually cold eyes were rather fond. Even Diaval had ceased his chatting and chirping, a feathered head cocked curiously at Yuna and Maleficent. Maleficent couldn't deny it; the similarities between Yuna and Aurora were actually quite scary. Diaval had brought it up many times before; the two girls who shared a heart of gold, a curious nature that led them to explore paths rarely taken, a sense of ditziness that was actually quite endearing, even their mannerisms and how they spoke. In that moment, all Maleficent could see was Aurora asking her for help; something that Maleficent would never be able to deny. Softly, with the hand that didn't occupy her staff, Maleficent gently brushed at Yuna's bangs; her touch like a mother's.
"Yuna, tell me." Her voice was gentle to the air, like liquid gold being cast over velvet. "Today marks your third week within the Moors. Would you say that you and Udo have grown closer within that time?"
What a silly question. "Closer" simply didn't do their bond justice!
"Of course." She replied softly. "I... I have a relationship with Udo that I don't believe I've ever experienced with anyone else. These past weeks have been the most wonderful time of my entire life." The sincerity in Yuna's voice brought a quirk to Maleficent's lips, and she retracted her hand from the girl's hair.
"Well then, I believe if you two are that close, there is nothing wrong with initiating a heart to heart." She advised. "I'm sure you two have already engaged in that many times."
Yuna nodded again, her blush still present. "Y-Yes of course we have." She confirmed. "I can tell Udo anything, and I know he feels the same way... but this is just different." Yuna chewed at her lip, "I'm a bit scared Maleficent."
Maleficent pointed thumb stopped the girl from splitting the skin open, effectively hushing her. "I'm afraid that I'm just as new to the Dark Fey as you are. Udo hasn't confided much in me, and right now I need to focus on assisting Aurora in the castle; so I'm unable to be around my kin as much as I desire." Maleficent's hand dropped to her shoulder. "Meaning, I am not aware of any past relations between you or Udo. The best way to find out, Yuna, would be to directly ask Udo yourself." She continued when she saw brief hesitation flash in Yuna's eyes, "When I am in the Moors; I only hear wonderful things coming from my kind about you. That is not an easy accomplishment, Yuna; the tension amongst Fey and Hume right now can it be taken lightly. You're doing amazing things here." Maleficent's fangs peeled out as she smiled. "Udo only had positive things to say about you. The way that boy lights up when he talks about you; it's quite endearing. The trust you two have formed with each other is not easily shaken; I believe a bit of honesty from both of you will only serve to benefit your... friendship." The word felt distasteful; did the two really not notice how the other stared at them whenever they believed they weren't looking?
"Talk to Udo, Yuna. You may be right, or you may be wrong; however you'll only know once you ask him. You never know; Udo might be just as scared to approach you on the subject."
Diaval chirped in agreement at that, and Yuna contemplated Maleficent's words;
'Udo may be just as scared...'
Yuna knew that, without a doubt, should the conversation give her the revelation she'd been debating for weeks now, her and Udo's relationship would take a drastic change. Did Udo save her all of those years ago? Why hadn't he said anything? Was Yuna going to sound like a complete loon when she approached him with the subject, or would she possibly make Udo upset?
A little squeak sounded, and Yuna felt feather softly tickle at her cheek. Diaval hovered in front of her, beady eyes twinkling with a quiet "You can do it, Yuna!", his feathered wings softly swatting the hair from her face. Yuna smiled endearingly at her friend, patting him on the head as she sighed.
He was right; she could do it, and she had to do it.
No more running away.
"After the visit to the castle tomorrow, I'll... I'll bring it up with Udo." Yuna nodded with conviction, more to herself than to Maleficent. "I'll be honest with him. I'll ask him about everything."
Maleficent hummed as Diaval retook his spot upon her shoulder, her own magnificent wings beginning to flare out. "Wonderful." She hovered in the air ever so slightly. "Yuna... it'll be alright. Once you talk with Udo, I guarantee your heart's storm will be instantly quelled."
Yuna lips were curved in a small smile, and she bowed her head at the Dark Fey. "Of course, thank you for your time Maleficent. I shall see you tomorrow."
Diaval let out a cry in farewell, and Maleficent's wings carried her higher; "See you tomorrow, beastie." And with that, she was gone; faded into the indigo twilight like a ghost.
Yuna watched the sky for a long moment; anxiety mixed with clarity. Were her and Udo... never even strangers to begin with? Slowly, the herbalist turned on her heel as she stalked back to the cottage; finally releasing a sigh of relief. 'No more running.' She nodded to herself, hand closing over the pendant around her neck. 'Udo...'
Yuna came to the cottage door, halting for a moment to collect herself. '....' Gently, she pushed the door open. Etching a happy smile on her face, she bounded inside and to where Udo still waited within the kitchen.
"Okay! I'm finished!" She tried to seem as carefree as she could to the Fey, relieved when his own smile mirrored her own.
"That was quick. Is everything alright?" He asked, mindful of his horns and wings as he went to navigate within the kitchen. Thinking quickly, Yuna responded; "Yes, I simply wished to ask Maleficent if Aurora wanted me to provide tea or anything for the meeting tomorrow; I didn't want to come empty handed." Gods, why did lying to Udo make her feel so guilty?
Udo hummed, scanning through their cabinets. "That's quite thoughtful of you, Yuna. I wouldn't worry about it though; Aurora does have quite the collection of castle hands after all."
Yuna chuckled nervously. "Right, right."
Udo still seemed unbothered as he worked within the small kitchen, calling out; "We're a bit short on food, so I think a light dinner will have to do. We can pick up some food tomorrow at the market, alright?"
Yuna shifted uneasily as she met the Fey in the kitchen, nearly tripping over herself. 'Gods, can you make it anymore obvious?!' She mentally scolded herself, taking a spot by Udo at the counter.
He smiled to her, and pushed a few stray potatoes her way. "Would you mind peeling these while I slice the carrots, Yuna?" If Udo noticed her fidgeting, he didn't point it out.
Yuna quickly collected herself, nodded wordlessly as she took the sprouts from Udo. Shoulder to shoulder, a routine so familiar to them, the two worked silently within the kitchen; something that was rather unusual. Usually, they were chatting, laughing, throwing stray food at each other or even singing as they cooked; however Yuna could only shakily cut the potatoes in front of her as she continually brushed against Udo.
'I am making this so awkward...' Yuna resisted the urge to simply hightail it up to her bedroom and lock the door. At her side, Udo stole a few glances at the girl; noting how she nervously wet her lips and almost let the vegetable slip from her grip numerous times.
Gently, Udo spoke up. "Are you nervous about going back to Ulstead tomorrow?" There was no sensitive way to put it, and Yuna yelped as she got startled. Instantly, the blade she'd been using to peel the skin away from the potato slipped, and connected with the pad of her index finger.
Yuna hissed, dropping the two items as she nursed her now bleeding finger; Udo instantly jumping into action. Stepping away from the cutting board, Udo gently took hold of Yuna's hand, inspecting the cut as a small pool of ruby liquid bubbled from it. Udo sighed with relief; it was a shallow cut, looking much more serious than it actually was.
"Silly girl..." Udo muttered, an embarrassed Yuna avoiding his gaze. 'Oh, now you've done it!'
Udo seemed to contemplate something as he stared down at her injured digit. Slowly, almost like he was a bit apprehensive, Udo brought Yuna's finger to his lips; slipping the cut skin into his mouth. Yuna's eyes widened, and she nearly whined as she felt Udo's warm tongue lap at the blood softly. Udo's own pale cheeks were dusted like an apple, and a muffled groan tore from his throat at the way Yuna so innocently, but so cutely stared up at him; who on earth taught her to make a face like that?
Yuna almost felt weak in her knees, the feeling of Udo's tongue sending shock waves throughout her entire body. Her doe eyes beamed up to him shyly, Udo becoming more self conscious as the girl watched him suck at the injured skin. Slowly, Udo removes them her finger from his warm mouth, his tongue licking the surface one final time as he stared at Yuna with flushed cheeks; clearly embarrassed.
"T-There. All better." He cleared his throat, still cradling Yuna's hand close to his face.
Yuna blinked up at him blankly. 'Did he just....?' Her cheeks grew hotter. "T-Thank you." She swallowed thickly.
Udo nodded, still making no move to release her hand. "Be careful, please." He cleared his throat once more. The two awkwardly fell into a brief silence, before Udo spoke up once more; "You... there's no need to be nervous for tomorrow. I promise I'll be with you every step of the way." Despite his flushed face, Udo smiled sweetly at her.
Yuna admired the expression, slowly nodded. "Y-Yeah. I know you will." She smiled back. "Thank you, Udo. I guess I am a bit jumpy about tomorrow." 'Just not in the way that you think.'
Udo squeezed her hand reassuringly. "We'll make a fun trip out of it, I promise." He cocked his head at her inquisitively. "How does that sound?"
Yuna smile grew under Udo's attempts to comfort her. "Sounds wonderful." She agreed.
No more running.
A knot forming in her chest, Yuna carefully whispered out. "Hey, Udo?"
"Hm?" Another squeeze to her hand, and finally Yuna let it bubble out; "Can I talk to you about something tomorrow? After we're done at the castle?" Her hand clenched into a fist in apprehension, and Udo seemed rather surprised.
"Oh... certainly." His face momentarily showed a brief concern. "Should I be worried?" He pressed.
Yuna... actually didn't know the answer to that.
"Of course not." She smiled warmly. "I just want to ask you something. That's all."
Udo gently released her hand. "Oh, alright. I look forward to it."
'I'm not.' Yuna suppressed another sigh.
Another quiet moment settled between the two as Udo allowed himself to stare at Yuna, eyes wandering to the robe that now fit her body like it was made for her. He cleared his throat, turning away from her with dusted cheeks.
"... I quite like you in my robe." He noted softly. "Looks cute."
Yuna blinked, and then she giggled. She turned back to where the potatoes waited her, humming as she resumed her work. "I feel cute." She quipped back, biting back a grin.
"You should wear it more often."
"Maybe I will."
Just like that; it was back. The night was spent in a quiet contentment as the two prepared the meal side by side, cleaning up after they ate and staying up late in the night hours; hushed whispers and laughter fluttering between them.
Yuna knew what she had to do; she knew she couldn't postpone it any longer.
Tomorrow, she would ask Udo about it all; and she only hoped he would meet her with the same honesty she met him with.
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Yuna blinked awake as sunlight flared harshly in her face, groaning as she lulled her head to the side.
The feeling of soft grass tickled her skin, and a cool rag was pressed against her forehead. Something cool passed through her lips; water, which she lapped at greedily.
"Shhhh, it's okay, you're safe now." A strong hand smoothed down her hair, and Yuna whimpered under the soft touch. Everything hurt, and she was so disoriented as to where on earth she was, or what was happening.
"Such a strong girl; your spirit is like steel. Rest now, no harm shall fall to you as long as I watch over you."
There it was; that voice again....
A gentle face focused before her; that same kind smile Yuna could identify from a mile away.
Udo.
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Yuna woke with a start, groaning as she was greeted by her dark bedroom. The lack of light in the room told her that it was still far too early to be awake, and she carefully rolled onto her side; snuggling her childhood doll closer to her as she hugged the comforter tighter to her body.
There he was again; Udo. Once again in a dream that felt to real to just be a byproduct of her sleepy state; and once again it reminded her of just what had to be done. She only hoped she had enough courage to do it.
Allowing herself to fall into the clutches of sleep once more, simply too tired to dwell on it, Yuna's eyes drooped shut.
'Today will certainly be quite the exciting day.'
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Two updates in one week b/c I luv you guys :) 💞 I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, so I hope you guys enjoy it! I also hope everyone's New Year is off to a wonderful start!
I'd also like to announce that a wonderful writer on this platform, OneHellOfA_Human , is currently drafting their own Udo story! They are such an amazing writer, and I can't wait to see what they come up with 😉 Keep an eye out for it, they'll have it posted as soon as they are done with it!!!
Thank you all for 1K, it makes me so so happy ❤️ you guys are the best!! I'll see you in the next chapter!
-Akahana