To Them, Who Felt Fear

I woke up earlier than usual with the sun still high in the sky. This is the first time, I believe, that I got to wake up this early. The view outside was very different from how it was during the day. The beauty of the forest was magnified by the sunlight and it was a actually quite the view. It seems that Estes went deep into the forest to find some food so I decided to help with the household chores by cleaning the house.

-I wonder if this is how it's like to be a wife?

I thought to myself. Due to a severe lack of exercise and that seemingly endless sleep I had back in my world, my body got exhausted before even cleaning half of the house. I rested on the sofa in the living room and took a short nap. Furious knocks on the wooden front door woke me up and I hastily rushed towards where the sound was coming from, expecting that Estes has arrived. To my surprise, it was not Estes that I saw when I opened the door but a girl. A lady with light bluish hair and pointed ears similar to Estes stood before me and said,

-Is this where the Moon Elf King resides?

As I expected, someone with features similas to him cannot be knocking on Estes' door by chance. There has to be some connection between the two of them. The bow and arrow emerging from behind her suggests that she came from the war.

-Who could you be?

-That is the least of importance right now. Please tell me where the king is.

-How could I trust someone who cannot even give her name?

-If you insist, I am Miya, from the Kingdom of the Moon Elves, and also, Estes' fiance.

Fiance? Fiance, you say? This elf may have a screw loose in her head. After all, Kings are not supposed to be married, right? This, and many thoughts alike ran circles through my head after hearing what Miya had to say. In human terms, this may be considered jealousy, but I think this one is different. I simply cared for Estes. I never really loved him. I was only thinking of his well-being. What if he does not want to marry this girl and is just being forced to do so? What if she only wanted Estes' power as a king? What if this girl tries to hurt Estes? What if… what if she takes him away from me?

This lady smells like trouble. I need to keep her away from Estes as soon as possible. I have to lie. I have to tell her that Estes is not here. But before I can say anything to Miya, the man she was searching for arrived.

-Hello, my friend.

-My king!

Miya kneeled with one knee and bowed her head.

-What is it that you need, Miya?

-King, we need you back in the battlefield! The dark forces have taken over the kingdom and the queen, your mother is badly hurt as well as most of our men. You are our only hope, king. If things continue the way they are, I believe it's just a matter of time before the forces of the light completely lose control of their own land.

Estes showed a face of worry, somethig that I rarely see from him.

-But there is no way for me to get back. The portal disappeared after I arrived at this forest and I have been stuck here since then.

-There is. I got here, after all. But we only have a solitary chance. The next lunar trifecta of a super moon, blood moon and lunar eclipse on a night of a full moon. The portal will open at the place where it closed the last time, the place of the arrival.

-Tonight,you mean.

-Yes, my king.

Estes looked at me as if wanting to say something but was unable to do so. Unable to process anything using my mind, I excused myself and went back to my room. It seemed like they had quite a lengthy conversation in the living room but I could not care the least because right now, I am hurt. I am badly hurt.

There you go. My happiness is going to be taken away from me. I wanted to stop him, but I cannot. Why? Because I have no right to do so. I am but a bug living inside his forest. I amount to nothing, and no matter how much affection I have for him, it barely amounts to any gravity. Like a moon slowly hiding behind the shadows of the clouds, I lost all signs of hope.

I heard three gentle knocks from the other side of my room's door.

-We are leaving, Twilight Goddess.

Estes, bidding his farewell. Disappointed, I cannot give a proper send off and instead, with a relatively rude voice, said,

-Do as you wish, I could not care the least.

He left.

I was unable stop him and I could not even if I did. After everything that has happened, I was happy to experience what Estes made me feel. To be able to feel affection towards someone not because of duty nor responsibility, but because I grew fond of him and little by little, started to like him. I have to let him go. I have to let him have his life back. He does not belong here. I have to let him be where he belongs.

But is that what I really want?