Ephemeral Affairs [MXM]

The Mistress

When it is close to morning, Asahi wakes up beside me already gurgling and laughing while giving me raspberry kisses.

"I love you too," I yawn.

"Mama. I luv wu! Kiiii," Asahi climbs on top of me.

"You're always up so early," I boop his nose.

Asahi grabs my finger and hugs my hand.

"Come on. That's cheating, my Prince Charming," I try to stay awake after three days of travel and the intermission earlier this morning.

Then I recall that Fiona is leaving this morning. I change Asahi first, then wrap him in warm blankets before we head to the entrances.

We sit in the desks waiting for Fiona to walk by us.

Through the middle entrance, I can see the slit which the sun begins to climb over the aquatic horizon.

"Did Fiona overslept?" I gently pinch Asahi's cheek.

He gurgles hungrily at me.

I breastfeed him and he becomes angelic.

A hand comes over my shoulder to place breakfast before me. It's a golden winter soup.

"Thank you, Artemis. It's my favorite," I turn to my right where Artemis begins settling himself.

"Your skinny arms saddens me," Artemis says drily. "Take care of yourself more."

"Thank you. I'll try," I offer a smile before digging into my soup.

"Wow. It's mother's recipe." My stomach feels warm and I just want to finish all of it.

I finish the bowl before I know it.

Artemis pushes his bowl over to me.

"Thank you, but I'm full," I push it back to him.

"Why are you here so early?" I drink his soup in one gulp.

"To see the sun rise," I lie.

His brows rise, "Of course you did... Tell me how your husband treat you."

"He treats me well," I answer him with a slight hesitation.

"Lady Fiona said at one point he raped you." Artemis balls his fists tightly on the desk, "And he once left you for his ex girlfriend."

I have nothing to refute Artemis. I only worry about what he'll do.

"Before I go build you a house, I would like you to see something," Artemis gets up from his chair and places a hand on my shoulder, gesturing for me to do the same.

Asahi stops eating and hugs my neck so he could 'protect' me from being stolen away.

"Mama!" Asahi pouts angrily at his uncle.

I laugh, but Artemis wants nothing to do with Asahi's obsession.

Artemis walks us to the very back of the library with the seventeen statues. The statues are broken and pieced back together except for one.

We stand before the crackless statue and Artemis explains, "This is one of Enzumin's best scholars that are called the Ninety-Nine Scholars."

It's a beautiful marble statue of a handsome male elf probably no older than I am holding a toddler with short ears unlike the elf.

His frozen gesture is painful to look at because it is as if he has begged someone to be his hero and was constantly refused.

"Is this the Mistress and child of Prince Niltiocles?" I make an assumption.