Chapter 171: Side Story – Caethya 3: Bonding

GamingWolf

Caethya tapped her chin as she looked at Aperio. Trying to make her love appear less intimidating was harder than she had thought. "I think your usual blue is the best bet."

"Told you," Aperio replied as her dress turned back to the usual dark blue. "It simply works better with my wings and eyes."

"And you like blue," Caethya added, her eyes briefly lingering on a scarf before she shook her head. Aperio did not wear anything around her neck, and Caethya was not about to suggest otherwise.

"I do." Aperio nodded as she ran her hands over her now-normal dress. "But why are we doing this, anyway? Aren't you just introducing me to your brother and your sister?"

"Well yes, but…" Her voice trailed off as her eyes wandered to the ceiling. Now that she thought about it, why was she trying to make Aperio less intimidating? "I don't know? I just felt like that's what I should do?"

Aperio appeared next to Caethya, observing her reflection as she ran her hands over her dress to highlight her physique just a tad more. "…Do you think I should change how I look?"

"No," Caethya replied, taking Aperio's hands into her own. "Vylca and Kaemo... I don't know, I'm just used to making sure everything follows the rules to a tee when I meet up with them." She shook her head. "You don't have to change anything, you are perfect as you are, okay?"

The All-Mother observed herself in the mirror as she traced her left arm with her free hand, seeming to tilt her head slightly in response to the way she moved. Then, strangely, she simply looked down at her body as if what her reflection had shown her was a lie.

"I never really looked at myself, you know?" her love began. "As a slave I did not like what I saw, and avoided my reflection whenever possible. Then, when I came back, I never felt the need to see what I looked like. The only time I actively observed my own reflection was shortly after my return, and that was only to make sure my ears were actually back." As if to underline her words Aperio moved her ears ever-so-slightly, and Caethya was sure she could spot the faintest hint of redness at their edges.

"Does any other Elf look like this?" Aperio continued, gesturing to herself in the mirror. She frowned for a moment before she turned her armlet a fraction of a degree and gave herself a nod. "Minus the wings, of course."

Caethya stepped behind her love, wrapping her arms around her waist while looking past her at the mirror. Aperio certainly was a lot more built than many people, but she was far from the only one. Only difference is that she can actually throw you into the sun.

"There are some," Caethya replied, slowly running her hands over Aperio's stomach. "But does it matter? If you are happy with what you have, that's all that counts, no?"

"I guess? But I also want you to like me."

Caethya scrunched her brows slightly in reply. "If I didn't like you, I would not be here. You know that I love you no matter how you look." She squinted at their reflection, causing Aperio to close her mouth again. "I would even still love you if you decided to become some cosmic cloud again. I would miss cuddling, though."

"Lucky you," Aperio said with a smile on her face. "I hate being without a body, and I quite like this one."

Caethya pulled back slightly to rest her head against Aperio's, between the base of her wings. Her love's extra limbs shuddered slightly as she did and Aperio took a step back, causing Caethya to hold even tighter.

That was another upside to being with Aperio. She did not have to care for how much strength she used, unlike some of her past encounters. No matter how hard she tried, she would not be able to hurt her love. Physically, at least.

"What did you do?" Aperio moved her wings, stretching them to their full length before folding them over Caethya. "That felt… weird."

The Demigoddess pulled her head back slightly. "I just rested against your back." She placed one of her hands on the spot, letting some of her mana flow through her palm so Aperio could more easily spot it. "Here, between your wings."

Her love shifted slightly in response to the mana, but a moment later Caethya found herself pulled away by Aperio's arm.

"Something wrong?" the Demigoddess asked, her eyes focused on Aperio's own. Her love looked uncertain — lost, perhaps, or torn — as well as a little bit hurt. It was a combination Caethya didn't feel good about at all. "Should I not do that again?"

"Please don't," Aperio whispered in reply with a shake of her head. She protectively pressed her wings against her back, her gaze unable to meet Caethya's. "Not now."

"Does it hurt?"

"No," the All-Mother replied with another hesitant shake of her head. "Just... please don't for now, okay?"

"Of course," Caethya replied and shifted her gaze to her feet. She mumbled her next words. "I'm sorry."

Aperio lowered herself slightly to be on eye-level with Caethya and carefully lifted her head. "It's fine," she said, but the awkward smile she offered only showed the Demigoddess the inner anguish her love was going through. "I just need more time."

'I did not know' was what she wanted to say, but that did not excuse what she had done. Even if Aperio had stopped her as soon as she had felt uncomfortable, the feeling that she had gone too far was still there. It was something Caethya did not like, especially when she considered all that had potentially happened in the mortal part of her love's life.

Before Caethya could form any more thoughts, she found herself wrapped tightly in Aperio's arms and wings. The mana of her love slowly flowed around her, bringing a touch of warming comfort whenever it brushed against her skin. Like all things Aperio did, the amount of mana that soon flowed around the Demigoddess far outstripped anything that she would deem reasonable.

"Everything okay?" she asked as she carefully brushed a few strands of Caethya's hair behind her ears. The All-Mother paused briefly, as the action revealed the wing-like ornaments the Demigoddess had chosen to adorn her ears with. Aperio traced her finger along the edge of Caethya's ear as she pulled her hand back, her eyes fixed on the black metal her ornament was comprised of. "They're pretty…"

"I could have some made for you," Caethya said, taking Aperio's free hand into her own. "Might take a while though; gathering enough black dragon scales will take a while."

The All-Mother considered her words for a moment, likely trying to determine if she should just make them on her own. "I would like that," she said eventually, gently resting her head against Caethya's. "Thank you."

After holding on for a moment longer and letting even more of her mana dance around Caethya, the All-Mother stood up to her full height again and carefully stretched her wings. Caethya smiled slightly as she caught her love glancing in the mirror again and striking a pose for the briefest of moments. That's how it should always be.

"Are you ready?" she asked, stepping past Aperio and picking up the scarf she intended to wear. "I would like us to be there before either of them arrive."

"Oh?" Aperio asked, offering her hand for Caethya to take. "And why is that?"

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"Well," the Demigoddess began as she gladly took Aperio's offered hand, "I like the idea of spending a bit of time with you there first. Have you get to know the servants and, perhaps more importantly, have the servants get used to you."

Aperio tilted her head slightly at the words. "They know who I am?"

Caethya nodded "They do. When I first met you, and again when I actually knew what I felt, I told my parents. I don't doubt that they told some servants who, in turn, told others." She paused for a moment, looking up at her love's worried face. "It's gonna be fine. The servants we hire are professionals, and people outside our estate will think it's just a rumor."

"Let's hope they don't turn into bowing maniacs as soon as we arrive."

Caethya gave Aperio a small smile as she let go of her love's hand and wrapped her arm around her waist instead. The All-Mother followed suit only a moment later, gently holding onto Caethya as well as wrapping one of her wings around the Demigoddess.

A moment later, the world twisted itself apart, forcing Caethya to close her eyes. The ever-shifting kaleidoscope of colours that lingered beyond physical reality was not something she could look at just yet. Though, my Class certainly helps. Whatever the System, and probably also Aperio, had done to her body and mind when she had received her [Avatar of Creation] Class had helped a great deal with the frankly weird things Aperio tended to do with the world.

Excursions to space, flying around at multiple times the speed of sound, or being in the presence of Aperio's Void were all things she had once regarded as scary. They had nevertheless always been enjoyable — mostly because Aperio was there, and being with her always somehow made her feel better.

When she opened her eyes again, Caethya was greeted by a sight she had not seen in far too long: the estate her family owned in Ahl Ghave. It was usually inhabited by both her brother and her sister, as it was large enough to house both them and their prospective families — once they actually started one. Vylca would likely be the first.

He had even gone so far as to ask her father's approval, something the man had just quirked an eyebrow at, telling the prospective husband that he didn't choose for anyone but himself. That had already been a weird evening, but it was only made weirder when Kaemo introduced his own boyfriend. That didn't work out, though. They had separated shortly after that evening for reasons that were not quite clear to Caethya. Her brother had simply said that it did not work, and she had not inquired further. Since then, she had not heard anything new in that regard from Kaemo.

"Welcome, my Lady," one of the guards said, offering a small bow to Caethya and then to Aperio. "Please follow me." He turned around and stepped through the gate that had been opened by the other guards as he spoke. "Your family has yet to arrive, but I am sure my Lady already knew that."

"I did," Caethya replied with a small smile. "Did they tell you to prepare my quarters as well? Maybe also to clean out the courtyard and put my old training equipment in?"

"They did," the guard replied and, without missing a beat, took a sharp turn. "I assume you wish to go there?"

"Of course!"

Aperio simply raised a brow at the exchange. While she did not say anything, it was obvious that it was not what she expected to happen. Caethya could feel the mana of her love flow around her and through the estate, almost like invisible hands poking at everything to see what they were made of.

"While I welcome your enthusiasm, I have to ask you to restrain yourself," the guard said without having turned around. "You broke them often enough when you were young, and the targets have only gotten slightly better since then." He paused for a moment, glancing over his shoulder at Aperio. "Your partner might break a few of them with her presence alone. The wards on the older models were not made for mana-rich environments."

"That is fine," Aperio replied with a wave of her hand. "I can simply direct my mana around the extra weak ones."

Caethya let out a small giggle at the guard’s faltering step and leaned a bit more heavily against Aperio. "You'll get used to it," she said, offering the man a smile as he turned to face her. "If it comes to mana control, she can do basically anything."

"Of course," he replied and bowed without slowing down. "I will endeavour to do better."

The voice of her love echoed in her mind, asking what exactly they would do in a training area neither of them could use. Caethya simply waved her off and gave her her best smile. "Just want to show you a few things."

"Alright," Aperio replied as the armour she usually wore slowly appeared over her dress.

Caethya motioned for the guard to continue as he had briefly stopped upon witnessing Aperio's display. He had nothing to worry about, as Aperio was just having a little fun. But then, he probably hasn't seen someone casually summon armour that has its own magical aura. Like with most things her love did, Aperio had gone above and beyond, fashioning herself protection that was stronger than what most kingdoms used on their castles. And she probably did not even intend for it to be that strong.

It was a good thing that she had not chosen to outfit her entire church with weapons and armour she had personally made. Even the most pious follower would be tempted to do silly things if their equipment made them essentially invulnerable to anyone but those who had ascended past the realms of mortality.

Walking past the last edge of the main building of the estate and through a reinforced gate, the group entered the courtyard. What greeted them was a familiar sight, at least to Caethya, who had seen the training dummies and targets a great many times before. What she had not seen, however, were the pockets of slightly less mana dense space that now surrounded much of the training equipment.

"This is better equipped than I had thought," Aperio commented, removing her arm and wing from Caethya and appearing next to one of the racks filled with weapons. She picked up a sword — a weapon the Demigoddess had never seen her love use — and spun it with her hand with a surety and ease that belied the fact this was likely the first time she had picked one up. "Awfully flimsy, though."

"Everything is flimsy for you," Caethya said as she approached another of the weapon racks to pick up one of the bows she had once used to train with. Her love had been right; the wooden weapon felt a lot less substantial than she remembered. "I guess that also applies to me now."

The guard that had led them here shifted his gaze between Aperio and Caethya before bowing towards both. "If you need anything, please call for Sebastian."

"He still works here?" Caethya asked, lowering the bow she had been messing with.

"Indeed," a new voice called from behind; one belonging to a man Caethya had still not seen coming despite her newly improved senses. "I have no intention of leaving, my Lady."

Before replying, Caethya motioned towards the guard. "You may return to your post."

Aperio eyed the aging butler for a moment before she appeared behind Caethya and gently wrapped her arms around the Demigoddess. "What do we do now?"

"I’ll show you the rest of my part of the estate," Caethya replied. And then you will meet the first few members of my family.

"Alright," Aperio replied, taking her love's hand into her own. "Show me."

GamingWolf

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