Dying Star
Layla stared out the window the moonlight breeze brushing her face.
'i want to be like to be like the stars..I want to shine and be admired..' she thought to herself silently then huffed turning away from the window to lie down in the soft sheets of her bed closing her eyes. 'it's so cold and quiet in the room...yae hasn't been home in days..am I wanted?' she thought to herself wrapping the thin sheet over herself but felt dirty so she filled herself a bath. she was as pure and divine as lilies but felt like she wasn't worth the love she got from Yae . 'I'm unworthy of Yae' she cried silently then forming a glass star with her cryo powers. she kissed the star and broke it taking a shard and grazing it on her stomach. A crimson ribbon of blood streamed from her naval to her ribs. she laid in the bath sobbing 'do my friends care that I'm gone? I'm getting married instead of graduation! I'm a failure' she sobbed more tears dripping from her chin. She cried for herself, the pain, and the loneliness. she got out of the tub and bandaged the wound. she put on her chiffon nightgown and stared at the ceiling crying into her pillow 'why am i so worthless' she thought to herself sobbing quietly into the pillow.
she thought of her lunches with Alhaitham and Kaveh and the time where she met Yae and Twirly Whirly Her pet fungi.
the memory made her smile softly, then sadness flooded her again. she remembered Yae's words. 'I will protect and love you for as long as you live. I will stay faithful no matter what happens between us. I promise.' and she cried harder her tears flowing like waterfalls 'no one deserves someone like Yae but you do Layla..you're the most wonderful human being I ever met. If anyone has the right to be happy, it's you.' and her tears fell faster, 'nobody deserves you. you are too wonderful for this world. Yae must be so lucky to have you.' she remembered Ei saying , 'it is destiny that brings you together' her tears fell even harder now. 'oh if you knew Yae when she was just a small kitsune those hundreds of years ago..she was mistiveous and used to play a lot. now she's aged like wine and is slick. ahh that girl used to taunt me' she heard Ei laugh in her mind.
Layla braided her long blue hair into two loose braids. she sat on the window sill admiring the beauty of the night. The moon glowed brightly reflecting off of the ocean below.
a view closer down was a woman with black bird wings taking night patrol. she saw the crying Rtawahist and ruffled her eyebrows
"you there! what are you doing up there?" she questioned sternly.
Rtawahist looked up startled "uh sorry I was just admiring the view.."
"that's Lady Guuji's house what are you doing there!?" the tengu woman yelled up
"I'm her fiancee" Layla whimpered out intimidated
"I need proof and you need to be down here immediately." the tengu woman yelled.
Layla quickly ran from the house to the woman just for Yae to meet them. "General Tengu Kujou Sara" Yae smirked
"Kitsune Guuji." Sara breathed. "we need to talk. Little Tengu." Yae hissed grabbing her arm away from Layla 's. "Yes Ma'am." Yae nodded leading her to a private area of the temple "sit down". she commanded
"actually Lady Guuji we have to talk. after The Almighty Shogun started that storm months ago you've seemed suspicious." Kujou Sara stated bluntly "What do you mean suspicious"? Yae asked looking puzzled
"well you always disappear for weeks at a time. I never see or speak to you. you don't seem interested in the work your writers do at Yae Publishing House. and who's Layla? she's not from Inazuma is she?" The Tengu firmly said. "Layla is from Sumeru and I met her on a visit I did there. she decided for vacation time she'd visit me here in Inazuma and I asked to marry her." Yae hummed.
"Then why are there missing persons from ships that came here from Port Ormos in Sumeru? Townspeople said they saw them with you. One was a scribe of The Dendro Archon Lesser Lord Kusanali and the other was his boyfriend whom is an architect. who are these people Lady Guuji?" Kujou demanded "I'm not sure how to answer that question. I'm just as stunned as you are little Tengu." Yae lied deviously. the Tengu seeing through her lies held the kitsune's throat but the kitsune had a smug face. "Layla is from the Akedemiya which both of those people graduated from. Guuji what is your affiliation with these people? They have to know Layla and the second one came after the first one was missing. Guuji what happened?? they were last seen with you." Kujou Sara said sternly.
Yae shook her head innocently and smirked while holding onto the sides of her neck. "I'm not sure what you're referring to General Tengu" Yae replied "I can assure you they probably got lost not knowing the map of Inazuma have you looked at sea? wave riders are distressed these days! this is merely some coincidence!" Yae chuckled which only earned her getting choked more by the Tengu. yae started to lose air . She tried to free herself from the Tengu but she kept her grip tight. Yae could feel herself choking more.
"GENERAL KUJOU" The Raiden Shogun jumped down from the top of the shrine to the garden the two were sitting in.
"Your Excellency! Raiden Shogun!" the Tengu released hold of the kitsune's throat and bowed before the Shogun "thank you Ei!" Yae choked trying to catch her breath
"General Kujou what were you thinking choking Lady Guuji Yae?" the Archon hissed stepping closer to Yae.
"I was merely interrogating her majesty" Kujou Sara responded respectfully
"That is highly unacceptable to be choking someone during interrogation. and what were you asking her about. General Kujou?" The Shogun snarled "W-well. Her engagement is suspicious and missing persons are affiliated with her fiance!!" The Tengu choked out .
The Shogun grabbed her roughly by the collar lifting her off of the ground. "How dare you speak of Lady Guuji in such a manner. Your loyalty should extend to the head shrine maiden as well.This has to stop immediately. If you keep this up it could cost you your life. you have no reason to act like this." The Shogun shouted then left into the night no longer to be seen. Kujou was madly in love with the Shogun and hated getting criticism from her. "Aww little baby Tengu can't live up to daddy Tengu" Yae teased walking away to find Layla. Yae found Layla sleeping comfortably in Yae's bed. Yae covered the smaller woman with the covers and placed a small kiss on her forehead.
the wedding was in less than 3 days so Yae went to go try on her wedding dress which was a tight off the shoulder dress with kimono sleeves and it lined with fur. she wore a hairpin in her hair which has sakura blossoms on it matching the silk in her dress. Yae spun around thinking of what Layla would look like in her's. Layla's was a bohemian off the shoulder with long puffy sleeves a popular pic from Sumeru which was her mother's wedding dress, her mother died of Elazar when she was little, Layla didn't remember much of her mother other than she looked almost identical to her and also loved the stars being why Layla started studying the stars. When Layla woke up Yae was laying on top of her in the bed. "good morning" Yae smiled kissing her gently on the lips. Layla smiled back. "Morning." Layla yawned rubbing her eyes. Yae helped her sit up and kissed her forehead. Layla blushed and smiled as Yae pulled her close. "I love you." Yae whispered. "I love you too." Layla giggled. "I'm going to get dressed. You can wait here." Yae said standing up and leaving the room. Layla laid back down and closed her eyes. "I suppose we should bid our farewells to keep distance until the wedding" Yae sighed. the women kissed for a while until they lost their breath. "soonyou'll be Mrs Layla Guuji!" Yae giggled "I'm so excited. I love you Yae.." Layla whispered softly, wrapping her arms around her neck. "love you too Layla." Yae kissed her again then finished getting ready to go to the shrine.
Layla spent the day pampering herself, in the shower she remembered that her first time would happen the night of her wedding so she waxed herself wincing at the pain "eeek it's for yae!!" she yelled to herself. she never ever touched herself in a sexual manner except for once which was to experiment and to get herself to sleep so the feeling was odd when she waxed her bikini area. she washed the coconut oil off and put on a white satin nightdress made of thin fabric, the silk felt silky against her skin. Layla curled her fingers together and looked at herself in the mirror smiling brightly at herself "EEEK im getting married!!!" she squealed to herself . "I wish Alhaitham and Kaveh could be here..hmm." so she wrote letters to them when. Yae came home"Yae! I was thinking of inviting Alhaitham, Kaveh, Nilou, Dehya, and Candace to the wedding! it's in two days so that's some time to come here from Port Ormos!" Layla cheered "sounds splendid dear" Yae hid her jealousy with a smile. she hated that Layla knew other people. she would be devastated if Layla were to fall in love with someone else other than her. she could never bear to loose her. Yae couldn't tell Layla about her murdering Alhaitham and Kaveh so she took the letters from Layla "darling I'll go mail these out" yae had a face of lies. "oh okay!" Layla cheered clasping her hands. Yae took the letters outside and burned them to a crisp with a match.
Yae came home to Layla asleep on the tatami floor so she picked her up putting her in her room tucking her in.
Yae went to her own room and wrote fake replies from Kaveh and Alhaitham saying that they've caught Elazar and are in a lot of pain and can't attend. she placed the note in a package for Layla with Kaveh's hairpins and keychain with Alhaitham's cape and belt with all his crystal charms which Layla always adored seeing the glints and shimmers of it. Yae wrapped it up addressing it from the two and placed it on Layla's bed. Yae soon went to sleep falling asleep in her own bedroom. Layla dreamed about all her friends from Sumeru coming for the wedding and not having to worry at the Akedemiya anymore. she was looking forward to the big wedding.
A few days later everyone gathered to hear the news of the weddings. There were thousands of guests arriving on the island in the middle of the night to see the grand ceremony. "Is that really true? that's so beautiful!" or "Lady Guuji is getting married to a Rtawahist from the Sumeru Akedemiya!?! how scandalous!! she breaks up with The Shogun for a Student!?!" the towns people would gossip endlessly about Layla and Kitsune Guuji Yae's engagement, Ei had to make a public announcement about all the gossip "Dear people of Inazuma, as you might have heard there is a wedding between Head Shrine Maiden Guuji Yae and Layla Luscinia a Rtawahist from The Sumeru Akedemiya. I am here today to clarify that I am not affected by this wedding other than being happy for the couple. This wedding is public and there will be ships from Sumeru, Mondstat, and Liyue coming to Inazuma in preparation for the wedding along with visitors. You my citizens will now have a good day." Ei announced.
Everyone in Inazuma were excited.
After the announcement everyone got busy preparing the guest rooms, the food was ordered, and decorations were picked out. Yae and Layla spent their days being pampered by the shrine maidens. the night before the wedding Yae and Layla spent it in different rooms. Yae slept soundly in bliss enjoying the thought of her being with Layla forever.
Layla spiraled in her room worrying staring at her wedding dress that was displayed on a bodice stand. Layla was worried because she opened the fake present from Kaveh and Alhaitham. worried sick. she decided a warm bubble bath would calm her down so that's exactly what she did laying down in the tub playing with ice toys she had made with her powers. she made a star crystal but it shattered in her hand cutting her, gashing her hand open. Layla gasped trying hard to hold back her tears. She cleaned the cut trying to stop the bleeding. "wait. am I really worth it?..am I really deserving of an ancient kitsune?..I'm nothing compared to her..does she really love me? I'm nothing but a failing student..if I weren't so useless.." Layla shielded herself with her hair which was now floor length. she had been in Inazuma for over a year not realizing it. Layla dried off going into her room only in a bath kimono. she took some scissors and cut some straight across bangs needing some change. she braided her floor length hair into two loose braids. she put on her undergarments on and dressed her wounds, Yae would simply think it's a cut from sharpening her sword. Layla stared at herself in the mirror for a while. she was scared to get married, scared about the people, The Shogun was officiating their wedding so that made her even more nervous although she knew her personally. The young bride sat Infront of the bodice stand trying to remember what her mother's face looked like. "Hi mom it's me Layla..im getting married tomorrow..i wish you were still alive ..please please help me.." Layla pleaded holding back her tears "mommy please tell me what to do..mommy…" Layla sobbed clutching her hair as she began to cry uncontrollably. "I love you so much mommy..but I know your gone...you're gone...and I'm so sorry..you deserve so much better.." Layla cried hugging her knees to her chest, she rocked back and forth weeping silently. Layla breathed in deep taking the kimono off and putting on her favorite nightgown then Alhaitham's cape and Kaveh's hairpins. "I love you all.." she breathes out laying down cuddling Mr Midnight her childhood bunny plush her late mother made her. Layla turned off the lights and drifted off to sleep. she dreamt of her mother. Layla dreamt of her mother wearing the most beautiful golden choker and tiara. the same that she wears "what does she want?" Layla asked her dream self. Her dream mother smiled "come with me sweetheart" she said. Layla followed her mother through a dark forest. They stopped at a clearing surrounded by trees and flowers. "What is this place?" Layla asked curiously walking towards her mother with her father behind her. "this is where we used to meet Layla. i brought you here..you were just a baby" her mother answered her lovingly "you looked so beautiful..and beautiful like me, i was so proud of my daughter...i wanted to protect you...so that you would have no fear" her dream mother spoke gently placing her hand on Layla's forehead "and so that you could become stronger" she continued stroking Layla's hair. Her mother faded away and Layla fell into a void.