12 Stella and Tai-Chi: part 2

"You, that cute little bird? That's not true, is it? how can that be?"

She dashed away from him, now at a far distance.

"...You, aren't human are you?" She asked looking at him as he sat upon the floor.

"Nope, I'm an elf," he replied.

He clasped his hands together,  swiftly moved them apart and between them magically appeared a mirror.

"And you're one too muffin! Take a look!"

"WHAT THE FU**..!?" Stella screamed.

"M-Magic?! Y-y-you just used magic!"

The distance between them was now incredibly far. Terrified at her first sight of magic, Stella became glued to the spot out of shock and fear. She began trembling like a lamb that had been drenched in rain.

"Oh, this is the first time you've seen real magic isn't it? I'm sorry if it scared you, but you see, it's not scary at all. It just a mirror." Tai-chi assured her.

"I won't do anything to harm you, I promise it's safe you needn't worry."

Stella stared at the mirror in silence. Being consoled by Tai-chi's calming words, she drew nearer and began examining the reflection that was unfamiliar to her.

"Is that me?!"

Questioned Stella as she deeply examined the image displayed within the mirror.

"Correct! It's an effect of saving you."

Looking at Tai-chi's smiling face, Stella recalled the moment when Tai-chi promised he'd save her from her demise.

"...What happened when I passed out, where am I?"

Concerned about Stella being that she had been asleep for days, Tai-chi offered her to have breakfast with him and so forth, he'd explain everything after she had her fill of delicious food. Still having tremendous doubt him and still confused about the situation she was in, Stella refused his offer. Instead, she demanded that he'd answer a series of her questions.

"I'm not going anywhere with you unless you explain who you are, what happened to me after I got injured, why I look like this and any other things that I need to know!"

Sitting on the carpeted floor with his legs crossed, Tai-chi responded.

"Sure anything for you Stella darling. Smiling brightly as he happily wiggled his long pointed ears.

After handing Stella a robe— that she immediately wore, both took a seat on sofas where a coffee table separated them within the cream-colored bedroom with royal blue and gold decorations. Not long after they were seated, a knock was heard and a red-haired maid was granted permission to enter the bedroom by Tai-chi. As soon as the maid came in, she immediately greeted them.

"Good morning your graces; Duke,"

'Duke? Him? Is he really? Just where am I exactly?' Was what she thought, she was flabbergasted. Soon thereafter, the maid veered around and bowed before Stella before finally greeting her too.

"Duchess."

"Who?"

Stella said with great confusion.

"Ah, I'm not a Duchess."

While the maid read the situation of her master not notifying Stella of her position yet, she began to brew them a cup of chamomile tea alongside with croissants she put down. She kindly lay down some bowl of fruits and cups of orange juice then respectfully left with a bow.

"Since I doubt that you'd come to the dining room with me unless I explain, I hope this will suffice for now."

"..." Hesitant and still doubting the trustworthiness of Tai-chi, once again assured her.

"There is nothing to be afraid of darling, I guarantee you that everything is safe for consumption." He proved that by munching on the snacks in front of him.

Seeing food that had been directly aligned in front of her and at the same time, giving off a painstakingly heavenly aroma, Stella's mouth began watering.  She could not consider resisting and started eating.

"Is it good?"

Stella reacted with a slight nod.

"I'm glad!"

Looking at his wife merrily enjoying the food, Tai-chi figured that it was time for his explanation.

"Where should I start? Well, to begin with, you're not on Earth anymore. You're in Avalon —it's a magical land with the various races but most of the population being elves."

"So you mean to say I got isekai'd!?"

"What's ee-sek-eyed?"

"The situation I'm in."

"Oh! Well yes, that's right."

"I was assigned some important duties and well, I went a little overboard." He laughed. "I was stopped by my colleague and had gotten sent to Earth in the process."

"To conserve the little energy I had left, I shifted into my second form—a canary. Coincidentally, that's when you found me and cared for me. I had such a great time with you Stella, was so happy that I fell— I fell hard."

"...!"

"I came to love everything about you, and I was so glad that you thought of me so much that I was practically family. It made me tingle inside."

He confessed embracing himself as remembered the warmth of Stella's affection.

"... ok, then what happened?"

"Hm? Oh."

Tai-chi's expression soon shifted from cheerful to depressing after hearing those words. Despite it being heavy and painful on his heart, he plucked every bit of courage to explain his side of the story to Stella.

"Well..., l came back to Avalon but soon found out something awful. The only entrance to Earth would be closed in a couple of months."

"I was extremely heartbroken when I found out. It felt like my entire world was collapsing."

"..."

Too engrossed in Tai-chi's story, Stella didn't utter a word but merely just sat on the couch covered up in the sheet she before had snatched off of the bed. Tai-chi went on with saying,

"When that day eventually arrived, for some stupid reason, I decided to return to Avalon..."

"—permanently."

Stella looked at him with pitiful eyes. Somehow, to her, Tai-chi seemed to be full of melancholy yet, he looked angry at the same time. Not want to interrupt him with her thoughts, she continued sitting in silence and once again began listening attentively.

"Later that day, you got had gotten hurt."

Squeezing his hands together Tai-chi hunched over, and bit his lips into a thin line.

"I immediately came back and searched for you but when I found you, you were already leaving me."

"Whoa, I know I should be thinking this but sounds kind of like a movie."

"Without A moment's pause, I thought of endless ways I could have saved you but all seemed to be futile."

"Be that as it may, I did not give up! I eventually thought of something that could be effective! Marriage through a magical contract. There are quite a lot of rules involved with those, but that shouldn't be a problem. Anyway, If I married you, then I'd be able to share my mana with you, giving you another chance at life!" Raising his left hand displaying the shiny silver ring, Tai-chi smiled.

"And that's exactly what I did." All the abnormal aura around him vanished at that statement.

"Eh? Because of that!?"

"That's right and most of your appearance changed due to my mana being poured into you. That's why you look so different from before. The only thing that didn't change is your beautiful blue eyes. Which I'm kind of relieved actually."

"So I was right. You did this to me." She pouted beginning to tug on her pale pointed ears. This came off as very cute to Tai-chi who sat opposite her in the room. Thinking about how cute his wife was, his body moved on his own. He got up and made his way over to his beloved. He knelt before her delicately kissing her hand.

"It was the only way that I could have saved you, Stella." Placing Stella's hand onto his cheek, he continued.

" But the thing is, I don't consider our marriage as something created only for that purpose, rather, I  think of it as more than that. You and I are partners joined together by fate. Our first meeting and up to this point, all of it was destined to happen." Rubbing his cheek onto Stella's hand with glee and enjoying every moment of It, Stella blushed at the sight.

"We're meant for each other. At least, that's what I think."

"..."

"I don't care if I have to go to the ends of the universe for you Stella, I promise to be the best husband I could be. You don't have to be alone anymore. I'll always be here for you. You and me, just like the old times."

"I love you, honey♥. My heart feels like it'll burst out of my chest any moment now."

Sitting on the couch with widened eyes and an entire face flushed with red, Stella was speechless.

"But most importantly," he went on,

"I won't let anyone take you away from me!"

The atmosphere felt dark. An intense shiver along with a sudden increase of coldness raced down Stella's spine. A series of uneasiness washed over her making her become paralyzed. Tai-chi's grip on Stella's hand severely tightened causing her to flinch in pain.

"Ah! I'm sorry honey!'' He began easing Stella's pain using healing magic. "I got a little caught up. You'll forgive me right?"

Seeing the genuinely sorry expression on his she had no choice and decided to forgive him.