(A/N): This is taking place when Arthur went to save Tessia from getting taken by Nico. This is the "Sanctuary" arc.
-Angst-
Enjoy~
—Arthur's POV—
The pocket dimension I'd created started to
waver, as I constructed the portal leading back to the sanctuary.
"Asteria...go." I uttered. My body trembled in pain, my eyes shut tight. I could hear her and Nyphia's footfalls before they disappeared as they headed through the portal.
"..Art..." a small voice at my side quivered. I felt the soft touch of Tessia's hand against my cheeks, wiping away what I thought were tears, but instead is blood. My blood.
I smiled at her whilst pulling her into one last hug. Though I paused. Something was wrong.
Her mana was fluctuating abnormally.
I slowly placed my hand on her stomach, as another pulse of mana fluctuates.
'Don't tell me..' Sylvie whispered in my head as she covered her mouth with her hands. Tears spilled past her closed eyelids.
Without warning, I pulled backwards grabbing Sylvie before she could react and pushed them towards the portal. I willed the dimension to shift, pushing them further towards the glistening portal.
"Take care of our kid Tess..." smiling at her as tears streamed down my face. I watched her eyes widen as she reached out to me, screaming out my name. Sylvie fell back into the portal, Tessia falling in with her.
Before I could succumb fully to the darkness taking over my consciousness, a portal opened beneath me as I felt myself falling. I didn't have the energy to panic, as pain ripped throughout my falling body.
'I'm sorry Tess...' was the last thing running through my aching mind as I fell into the void of inevitable death once again...
___**************___
—Tessia's POV—
My body hit the ground only moments after Arthur pushed me through the portal.
Arthur.
I looked up at the unstable portal before getting up and rushing back over to it. Strong arms and firm hands gripped onto me, stopping me in my tracks as I watched the portal shut.
"NO! Let go of me, let go!!!" I struggled against the arms around me, pushing them even though they didn't budge.
"Sylvie?? Sylv—!" My search was cut short as I looked to the right.
Just behind me, Sylvie was kneeling. Her eyes wide and face contorted into horror as she stared at where the portal had once been. She was trembling, golden eyes watering with unshed tears. Multiple footfalls were heard behind us as they approach hastily.
"TESSIA!" My grandfather called out as he knelt in front of me. His mouth was moving but I couldn't hear anything. I felt like the world was crumbling, my heart ached and shattered.
I couldn't breathe.
Everything ached and I couldn't breathe.
The others stood around in my blurred vision, trying to figure out what happened.
"W-where's Arthur...?" Alice's feeble voice trembled.
Something in my mind snapped.
And I screamed.
I cried out like I was on fire.
Like the world was ending.
Guilt, grief....anger.
The overwhelming pain of loss. It all exploded outward as I sobbed, crying out to him. Aching for him.
Please...
Please!!
He's gone. HE'S GONE.
And it's all. My. Fault.
My hands pulled at my hair, trying to ground myself with whatever sanity I had left. My body shrinking in on itself as my mind buzzed, my ears rung loudly and my vision blurred further.
"Papa....PAPA..." a small voice screamed in what sounded like pain. I heard her cries, the anguish from Sylvie as she cries out Arthur's name.
I sobbed, barely inhaling as arms wrapped around me. They held me tightly, but even so. I didn't feel safe. The warmth of this person didn't reach me.
Suddenly, I felt a quick, shark pressure on the side of my neck. It made me jolt. My vision tunneling as I felt my consciousness slip away from me.
"Art..." Was all I could mumble as I fell into unconsciousness....
______***********______
—Third person POV—
Tessia slumped forward in Virion's hold. Her breathing still erratic but she was taking in more oxygen.
"Sylvie please...i-is Arthur..?" Alice trailed off, holding onto Sylvie's smaller hands and she look at the wheat haired ausura pleadingly.
Sylvie took a shuttering breath, still looking at where the portal once been. Tears continued streaming down her face as she mentally searched for any sign of him.
Of the boy that raised her.
The boy who took care of and loved her.
The boy who would play tug of war with her over the meat she'd steal off his plate.
The same boy who just sacrificed himself.
She felt hollow. He wasn't there.
She couldn't feel him at all. Like his presence was never there to begin with.
"I can't feel him. I-he's not there..." she stuttered out a heart-wrenching sob. She curled in on herself, weeping with Alice who's tears were ever flowing.
"No...he promised...he said he'll come back—" Elenor sobbed. She always felt like he would come back.
He. Always. Did.
But where was he? Maybe it was just a prank. He's always had a bad sense of humor—dark humor...
She looked around with teary eyes, before stopping at Tessia's unconscious form.
If she hadn't left....
IF SHE HADN'T LEFT THE SANCTUARY!
"THIS IS YOUR FAULT! You hear me?!! It's all your fault—" Elenor was taken into her weeping mother's embrace, howling in grief for her brother's lost life. Boo appears behind his bond, nuzzling into her back in a comforting gesture.
"We should head back...there is much to discuss..." Elder Rinia says in a gentle tone, breaking the harsh atmosphere if only a little.
*********
Everyone sat quietly near the flickering flame silently. No one dared to talk when they got back. Everyone lost in thought.
Tessia was placed against the wall wrapped in a makeshift blanket a bit farther from the fire. Ellie on the opposite side of the room as she slept against her warm bond. She cried herself to sleep, nothing could console her.
"I suppose I should tell you now rather than later and complicate things..." Sylvie spoke absently a she stared into the reddish orange flames.
"About what?" Virion said, looking up a Sylvie, who looked so lost.
It was silent for a few moments before she finally spoke once again, looking at Virion with glowing gold eyes.
"Tessia...might be with child." She uttered sadly, looking away from Virion and back to the fire.
Virion sat staring at Sylvie, registering her words slowly. Alice gasped, hands covering her mouth with wide eyes as she looked over at Tessia's sleeping form.
Swiftly, Alice stood and hurriedly walked over to Tessia. She knelt down just as Virion walked over, sitting down beside his granddaughters head. Alice gently pulled the blankets down, stopping just above Tessia's lady-parts. She rolled up the silver haired girls torn shirt, before chanting a spell.
Green light emanated from the woman's right hand, gently caressing the young girls abdomen.
A few minutes passed in silence as Alice concentrated of the inner workings of Tessia's uterus.
Until she felt it.
She felt the smallest heartbeat. The fluctuation of mana around her abdomen. And from the look on Virion's face—he felt it too.
The others stood silently farther behind them, still near the fire as they watched Alice and Virion look at each other. Tessia's breath shuttered as she flinched awake. Virion was quick to calm the poor girl as tears weld up in her eyes once more.
"Wh—what are you d—doing??" The silver haired girl whimpered and she flinched away from Alice's touch.
Alice looked at her in concern, steeling herself for whatever reaction Tess was going to have to her next words.
"Tessia....do...do you know that you're pregnant..?" Alice said carefully.
Tessia's eyes widened as she froze.
"Take care of our kid Tess.."
Arthur's last words played repeatedly in her mind as her breathing quickened rapidly. A shaky hand rose to cover her mouth as the other cradled her stomach. Unshed tears finally falling as she sobbed, leaning forward with knees bent.
Virion held her close, trying his best to calm her. But nothing he said or did ceased her bawling. She shook uncontrollably in his arms, eyes shut tight.
Everyone watched as she broke down, practically shattering. Sylvie walked over to her, tears falling as she hugged Tessia tight. She too was quivering under the harsh bouts of sobs.
Alice wiped away their tears, smiling softly. She wanted to hate Tessia, but she could see just how much her son meant to the girl. She couldn't feel any anger or resentment towards Tessia, because she knew The poor girl was always there for Arthur, when Alice couldn't be.
She felt like the worst mother in the world. She pushed her son—her only son—away when he told her the truth. A truth he felt like she deserved to know. But to hear his voice tremble after nearly 4 years of not seeing his own mother who practically disowned him...she felt like she didn't deserve Arthur. His love, nor protection.
She didn't get to apologize for it. She avoided him. And now he's gone...
....And he's never coming home....
___________
(A/N): Well there you have it! Part three coming soon!! This might turn into a small series.
I've been thinking about it.
Tell me what you think!!
See ya~