HOW TO LIVE AGAIN (girlxgirlxgirl)

Sixteen; Truthful

The sound of the two warriors fighting each other echoes through the forest, overpowering the fighting from the road and fields. Overpowering the heavy rain and thunder. Flashes of light from the lightning illuminates their movements. Fei presses herself against the tree behind her, breathing heavily and trying to observe the fight. Even if it hurts her eyes. Even if it makes her stomach churn with fear and regret. Eventually the fighting stops. Once the lightning strikes again, it only shows one figure left standing. Fei can't tell which one it is.

The figure comes closer. Sword in one hand, swaying a bit from side to side. Fei closes her eyes for a moment and whispers a short prayer to her favorite goddess Luonto. Even if she could not help with anything, even if she is just the goddess of nature, even if Minerva is actually the goddess that could help, she prays anyway. It just feels right in the moment. And whether or not her prayers were answered, that's something she will never know. But at least, stumbling through the darkness comes a figure equally as dangerous, but much less threatening than she had feared.

"What's different this time?"

"What?"

Fei looks up at Thyra. The assassin tilts her head, examining the girl laying with her back against the tree trunk. Blood runs down the taller's hands, probably from the previous fight. Her eyes shine in the darkness of the night. Water runs down her clothes and body from the constant rain. But as it seems, the sky is slowly letting go of the bad weather. The clouds start to move. All other sounds fade out. Fei stays still, staring at Thyra who is staring at her.

"What is different this time, Fei? Why didn't you fight back like you used to?"

It's an accusing question. Like how she used to ask questions, how she used to be. Suspicious, thinking. Always trying to figure out what was wrong with Minerva, why she is the way that she is. Those questions that lead to Thyra eventually not caring once she ran away. Those constant questions that plagued the assassins mind. Why is she strong? Why can she fight back? Is she manipulating me, is she manipulating the empress? Why can't I understand her like I understand everyone else? Fei finds it all so predictable, but scary at the same time.

She remembers what those suspicions lead to. Their fights, and the fact that she left without the bodyguard following her. To be completely honest, Fei doesn't want that happening again. She is sick and tired of living like this. Walking on eggshells.

"I'm a goddess"

"What"

The rain seems to let go. It still pours down from the sky, but it's much lighter than before. Fei sighs. She stares down at her traditional gown. The blue fabric is drenched in water and mud. Her hands have bleeding scars on them. Scars that she can surely heal by herself in a matter of hours, once she gets the full extent of her powers back after the storm has settled. Bruises which healing she will not be able to explain to Thyra.

"You wanted to know the truth, didn't you? I met Andra first but I told you the truth first. There you have it"

Thyra shakes her head.

"What truth? The answer to all of my questions? Why you are so skilled even though you look weak like every other noble lady?"

Fei chuckles, slightly offended but willing to let it slide. She stands up from the ground, wiping the mud off her hands and her dress. It doesn't work very well. She's going to have to change her clothes in order to look presentable. Thyra stands still, sword still hanging from her left hand, drenched in blood. She looks so lost, yet so intrigued. Her eyes are open wide. Fei hasn't seen her like this in a really long while.

"Yes Thyra, the answer to your questions-"

Fei walks up to Thyra, taking her free hand into hers. She leads the hand up to point at the sky.

"From the heavens and the skies Thyra, that's where I've lived. But I come from a human, just like you"

Fei looks pointedly at Thyra, emphasizing the last words. Thyra has never talked about her family before, or her past. Not really. All that she and Andra know is that she used to be an assassin. That she used to live in a different clan and kill for money, kill to survive. Fei knows that she was employed by the previous emperor to kill Andra, but what else is there to know? She doesn't know where Thyra is from, who her parents are, if she has any siblings... Even with her being a goddess, Thyra now knows more about her than she knows about Thyra. She knows about Fei's ancestral home, old human name and old noble linage. Now she even knows about her secret.

"And your powers?"

Thyra asks, still not moving her hand away from the others grip.

"I told you what there is to know. If you want more, you have to share yourself"

And their conversation ends there, rain falling down from the sky.

"Belvedere?"

So it's been awhile, who cares.

His father came home a week ago and he's not been allowed to visit Yugo during that time. His parents have been a bit too upset about everything that went down during their time at the ancestral home. It's only been like six or seven months since they left the capital for their own grounds further south, and their son has been involved with the palace one too many times during that timeframe.

First, with the emperor as his concubine. Like what was that all about? He became the emperors lover mere weeks after his parents left for the countryside. Weeks! Obviously they freaked out over that. Belvedere knew they would but he still had to tell them. The truth would've come out one way or another anyway, which is why he thinks it's better that they hear it from him and not some random noble lady they are having tea with.

Secondly, he ran away from the emperor and was outlawed until his death, eventually also being captured by the new empress upon his return. That's probably the craziest part. Belvedere has lived a pretty calm life up until this year. Sure, he is famous and rich and has had many different flings and scandals but overall, a pretty normal life for a guy like him. Becoming a concubine is shocking, but on the same time it was kind of expected from him. Belvedere is the most beautiful man around, after all. But running away from an emperor? Getting captured and thrown to the dungeons by an empress? His parents were ready to ground him for life.

Until he told them what happened afterwards. The empress let him go after finding out the truth, and now he is pretty close to Andra and of course Fei and now maybe even Thyra. He is close to the empress, and has thereby gained a lot of status, so they couldn't stay mad at him for too long. It's almost like he can take care of himself now. Shocker, right?

Well anyway he has managed to sneak out for once, and is now standing outside of what he thinks is Yugo's house. To be honest he wasn't exactly sure about that until he saw the taller man walk out of the front door. It only takes a few seconds for Yugo to spot him by the gate, looking as radiant as always in an emerald green gown.

"Is everything okay! Why are you here?"

Yugo is worried immediately, running up to him. Belvedere feels his heart skip a beat. He laughs and nods. Of course he is okay.

"Does there have to be something wrong for me to visit you? I wanted to see your handsome face, that's all"

Belvedere flirts like it's his second nature. Yugo laughs, blushing at the straightforwardness.

"Of course not, I'm happy you're here"

Belvedere smiles.

"Marry me"

🦚
Hi I know this is short and it's been awhile but the next chapter will be longer/ have more substance. I just had to rush this out today haha