The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'
Chapter 73 - The Courage To Be Seen, With No Disdain For Fragility

Chapter 73: Chapter 73 - The Courage To Be Seen, With No Disdain For Fragility

Eyelashes slowly stirred, reluctant to reveal the pigeon blue eyes underneath to the world. Qat emerged out of the most restful sleep that she’d experienced in memory still in a daze. The lingering warmth in her heart because of Elua’s letter seemed to wrap around her like a cocoon.

It made the prospect of facing the day outside of this state daunting... but also inviting. The tall blonde couldn’t wait to go visit her cute brunette and express her appreciation. But... she would need to focus for a while without falling back asleep.

As she sat there in lazy meditation to change the color of her hair ’as required’, a soft knock at her door finally roused her fully. She let it beat another few times, hoping to finish... and because she had no idea who it could be. They didn’t knock like a servant - or an elder.

"Come in."

Navuill entered at her call. She was surprised at his visit... and a little concerned after the last time she’d seen him talking to her father. The young man wore an uneasy expression, but there was also a certain determination in his stance.

Her assessment didn’t really make her feel better.

"Qatrand, I... there’s something I need to tell you."

She tensed and instinctively reached for the letter under her pillow. Her sword was too far away... and this was the next best piece of safety she could think of. It would be useless in an actual fight, but it was supreme in the courage it instilled.

"What is it?"

"I know your secret... about who you really are."

Her heart developed a palpitation - but the amount of panic she expected didn’t come. Instead, she felt an odd calm. She wondered if she was still bolstered by the lingering effects of Elua’s words on the paper... or if it was something else.

"And?"

She prompted him to continue. Navuill’s eyes widened slightly at her composure. She understood. Her voice was steadier than she felt it should be.

"I... I just want you to know that it changes nothing for me. In the competition, I mean. I want us to face each other fairly, regardless of what the elders – or your father – might say. You’re not... weak."

Qatrand er Yecine nodded slowly, a small sardonic smile tugging at her lips. For some reason, she imagined that his statement should have meant more. After all... having her family acknowledge her had been the goal most of her life.

’Most?’

"Thank you, Navuill. That... means a lot."

The other Yecine left after a meaningful nod. The swordswoman sat there looking at the closed door for a while, making sense of how she felt. Eventually a surge of determination that she needed to see Elua rose.

To thank her for the letter and share this unexpected turn of events.

With hair as black as ravens, she dressed in her men’s clothes. She strapped her sword on and held the letter again to her chest before sealing it away with the rest. The teenager was nearly at the estate’s entrance door when her father’s cold voice cut through her purpose.

"Off to see your little Goltbred again?"

The young Yecine turned to meet her father’s ever-more disdainful gaze.

"I suppose you take after your weak-willed mother. Always seeking comfort from others instead of standing on your own two feet. It’s no wonder you’re such a disappointment."

The words hit once again as a substantial strike. It scattered the comfort that had enveloped her since reading Elua’s letter. For a moment... the girl even wished she could unhear them - that she could return to the blissful ignorance of just moments before.

Unbidden but not unwelcome, a portion of Elua’s written words echoed in her mind as if spoken by the mint-eyed girl herself. Moreover, they were voiced in her dull monotone ’real’ way of speaking.

’You are magnificent, Qat - and you are mine.’

Straightening her shoulders and her entire stance, the man’s ’heir’ met Anper’s loathsome gaze.

"If that is your judgment, then perhaps my mother was also stronger than you ever knew."

Without waiting for a hate-filled response, she turned and walked out. Each step carried her closer to the one person who truly saw her strength. The person that was making her care less and less about being accepted by people who never tried to see her for more than a useful tool.

Qat felt the metaphorical weight of his words fade as she walked. Replacing it in her mind was something nearly as heavy - but that she minded a lot less the burden of carrying. The comforting, if intense, presence of Elua’s spirit fragment was settling within her.

’I guess that means I’ll have to protect myself better... so that no one can harm the piece of you inside of me.’

The tall girl chuckled to herself as she walked... strands of her hair lightening all the way.

---

The little Goltbred’s awl stabbed rather rhythmically into a piece of leather. Her movements were precise despite the frustration evident by the taut shoulders. Of course, precision didn’t change the fact that the piece of tanned hide was now utterly useless... beyond being a pincushion to relieve her irritation.

She paused, sending out her spirit and finding her beloved still approaching with a jumble of warmth and unease warring inside. The heiress had caught track of her movement towards her family estate hours before and wanted to run to meet her... but it felt like a better plan to just wait.

She had told the doorman days ago that if Qat ever showed while she was out, to direct ’him’ here. Judging by the length of time that took, she must have sat with Onya again. She wasn’t jealous of her own sister! She was not *that* petty.

However, the knock on the door of the house bugged her a little.

"Come in!"

’This is hers as well, there was no need for that. Though I guess... she hasn’t really been told she is free to come and go here, yet. I’ll make sure she is aware.’

"El? Do you have a moment?"

The brunette set aside her ’work’, turning to face her fiance with a ’soft’ smile.

"Of course. My moments are always cleared for you."

The blonde tried to stare and match eyes, but she looked away!

"I wanted to thank you for that letter. It was... a beautiful experience."

The tips of Qat’s ears and tops of her cheeks flushed slightly. She hadn’t been sure about describing it that way in the first place - and now that it had been spoken aloud, it felt even worse. Couldn’t she have said something better?

’I feel so bad at expressing myself...’

"A-anyway, are you alright? You seemed upset when you left yesterday. And... just now..."

The brunette narrowed her eyes, noting the conflicting emotions of ’embarrassment’ and ’concern’ in Qat’s spirit. They were trying to cover up the other wobble of unease, but she wasn’t going to let it go. Not like the last one.

"I’m fine. Just dealing with a small amount of lingering annoyance. How about you? I would say that something seems to be troubling my fiance."

The taller of them hesitated, then sighed. Her pigeon blue eyes closed before she spoke.

"I was told something at home again. About... about me."

"Oh?"

The tone used was neutral - but Elua’s eyes sharpened. She could already feel that familiar spot in her husband-wife’s spirit throbbing, so she knew who had said something. It made it even more troublesome to ever sneak into the girl’s room ever again.

’I’m surprised I got out last time without tracking him down and doing something I might regret. Well, I’d regret it if Qat ended up caring, anyway...’

She knew making plans like that based on possibilities of forgiveness weren’t a good route. Even if it was ’easier’ to seek to be forgiven than properly talk things out and get permission. Things worth doing usually took time and a bit of difficulty.

"It made me wonder... is it ever better to simply not know things? To have them hidden for the sake of happiness?"

The brunette tilted her head in serious consideration. It was something she had been asked before. Everyone had a different answer. She knew hers - but providing it would only highlight her hypocrisy, so she refrained for at least a small while.

"That’s a complex question. What do you think?"

"...I’m not sure. Part of me wished I hadn’t heard it. And then I thought... that maybe I shouldn’t have told you everything about the liaison. It clearly upset you."

Lips quirked into a smile. It didn’t take long to have to make herself the vocal bearer of such pretenses! She knew she was talking to her Qat, but the schemer hoped to last a *little* longer without revealing her thoughts.

"Darling, I’d always rather know. Even if it upsets me momentarily. Hiding things between partners... it only leads to more problems in the long run."

Her smaller hands reached out to take hold of the fingertips from one of the Yecine’s larger, sword-calloused hands. She pressed and fiddled with them for a while, less concerned with what she was about to say than how the strong mitts were making her feel.

"In this case, I am - and was, upset because of a form of jealousy. Though in my case it felt like a breach of conduct. Someone was touching my belonging without obtaining my explicit permission? Which I would never give in the first place, because you are mine to... you know, nevermind."

Mint eyes closed and the young miss had to swallow dryly. She’d still been struggling with keeping her Physique’s side-effects stable. Elua knew she should probably let go of the touch but too much of her was resisting! Instead she just shifted and gripped a little tighter.

’Nope. This isn’t any better. I mean, it is... but...’

"This brings up a question of mine. I’ve sensed jealousy in you before. Why haven’t you spoken to me about it?"

The eyes of her ’fortress’ widened and her spirit quivered with ’surprise’. Whether it was her question - or the ’visible’ changes in her own emotions, the illusionist couldn’t tell.

"I... guess I didn’t want to seem weak or controlling."

"There’s nothing weak about having a feeling, Qat. The closest you can come to weakness is following through on one you know is improper, after having it."

Saying this out loud finally helped her to subdue her ’evil thoughts’. Elua chuckled softly.

"And controlling... well, I don’t think you could, forcefully. Through any method that you know. But also I would likely obey... willingly. Anything you ask. You surely must know that?"

Saying this out loud felt like opening a door! Her hands ripped away and she took a step backwards with an uncomfortable grimace, inwardly cursing the Ogre released hormones. The swordswoman nodded at her with an exasperated smile shading her face.

Once again, the reincarnator couldn’t tell if it was the question or how her ’fortress’ must be sensing her spirit.

"I do. I would never abuse that. I just... didn’t want you to think I didn’t trust you."

"You do. Trust me. I know it. I’ve known all this time."

The Goltbred spoke very firmly.

"Your honesty with me and your trust in me - I value it greatly. Which is why I’d rather face uncomfortable truths together than comfortable lies apart. That’s probably why I insist on telling you practically everything when it comes to mind."

The Yecine reached out again and squeezed her fiancee’s hand tightly.

"You do always seem completely willing, even if it reveals one of your flaws."

"Especially then. Even though it scares me more and more that it will be the one thing you finally can’t accept. Because seeing each other as we are, flaws and all - that’s what makes us strong together."

The unease in her husband-wife’s spirit faded... slightly. The tall girl tugged the smaller closer and wrapped her arms around her back.

"For understanding. For... everything. Thank you, El."

The heiress was a little conflicted about being this close again, but let herself be pulled a little closer. If she couldn’t stop the feelings, then she needed to at least learn to deal with them.

"No thanks necessary. It’s not like I can’t feel your appreciation, my ’fortress’. Quite literally, in the case of this hug. Now... tell me more about what has caused you to be unsettled. Whatever it is, we’ll face it together~"

As the swordswoman spoke about what her father said... the young miss considered if she should try and convince her to allow a duel to happen. As long as she could injure him a little...

’Maybe after the wedding...?’

These sort of thoughts took precedence, but she didn’t fail to neglect her beloved. Her arms wrapped around the blonde’s waist, pressing her face into her sternum. She sighed and spoke ’tenderly’

"I really am so proud of you."