Belonging and Longing

Fireworks lit the sky in explosions of colors, the booming sound rivaled by the cheers and happy bustle of the demons and monsters below. The Netherworld was celebrating -- the Overlord's mother had returned and Krichevskoy was reunited with his old love.

Gwen, always uneasy to be the center of attention, did her best to take accolades and conversations in stride, but one hand was always on Krichevskoy's arm. And for his part, the former king was always at her side, a charming shield of eager smiles and practiced courtly conversation for whenever she felt overwhelmed.

As the guests milled around in the great hall, drinking and fighting and generally being demons, Hild stood at the back with a glass of wine in her hand, arm resting under her chest as she leaned against a marble pillar. Though she was quick to strike up conversations with any demon who made the attempt, she only had eyes for one man.

Urd watched her mother from the bar, a small frown playing on her face. Despite her position as a goddess, she'd been invited to the festivities thanks to her long friendship with the royal family. Never being one to turn down a party, she'd been enjoying herself...until she realized Hild was among the crowd.

She wasn't fooled by the ever present smile on her mother's face. Urd considered herself an expert of all matters of the heart, but even if she hadn't been, she would know how Hild felt about Krichevskoy. In years past, she had caught a glimpse of something soft and warm in the usually cold and composed demon. Something that scared the goddess for reasons she couldn't quite pinpoint.

After taking a swig of sake to bolster herself, Urd made her way through the crowd to Hild's side. "...why are you even here?" The words were out of her mouth before she could stop herself, and even she inwardly winced at the harshness of her voice.

Hild simply smiled that infuriatingly small smile and lifted her wine glass in a sardonic greeting. "I'm a huge romantic at heart, you know?"

Urd frowned and leaned against the pillar as well, both mother and daughter watching Krichevskoy fawn over his wife. After a moment, she glanced sidelong at Hild's profile and said quietly, "I know what you did."

"Oh? What did I do this time?"

With a sigh, Urd tamped down the irritation bubbling up within her. "She didn't remember him! She was reincarnated by that Seraph and had no memory of her former life. There's not many who can bypass the laws of Heaven and unlock the secrets of a soul." She felt like her chest was being squeezed as she watched her mother's expression. "You brought them together...didn't you?"

Hild said nothing for a moment, her pale eyes gazing a world away. Then she turned and smiled sweetly at Urd, one hand hovering over her cheek in girlish delight. "Ah! Urd-chan, could it be you're worried about me? Ahh, Mama is so happy~♥!"

Urd jerked away from the pillar, flushing red. "Who'd be worried about you!?" she cried, scowling fiercely. Hild laughed elegantly behind her hand at the extreme reaction, unruffled as ever even as the surrounding demons briefly turned to stare at the pair.

Calming herself down with considerable effort, the goddess pouted slightly as she stared out at the gathering. "I just don't understand what you're up to. I don't like not knowing what you'll do next." Yeah, that seemed like a suitable reason for the anxious feeling in her heart...right?

Suddenly, Hild wrapped her arm around Urd's shoulders and pulled her close, planting her magenta lips on her forehead. "...thank you, dear." Her mother's voice was soft and warm and somehow just right. "But this isn't the first time I've had a broken heart." Startled into frozen silence, Urd could only stand there as she watched Hild melt into the crowd.

She only snapped out of it when she realized there were tears on her face that didn't belong to her.