[Aster]

Aster was keeping a close watch on his sister, who was lying on the bed. 'Whatever this disease is, it's not normal,' he thought. Her skin had become much paler, almost white, and her breathing had become even more labored. Each inhale was a struggle for the little girl. 

But the most concerning thing was her eyes. They had become sunken with dark circles around them. Her once beautiful and bright golden eyes were now bloodshot, with the redness spreading through the white like a fire. Her irises were so dark that her pupils seemed to have disappeared, making her look almost blind. It was as if the disease had drained all the life out of her body, leaving behind an exhausted shell of her former self, making her look so miserable.

Aster was sitting next to his sister, his expression gloomy and dark. His golden eyes were fixed on her, his gaze full of worry. He felt powerless, unable to do anything for her, and it was eating him from the inside. All he could do was watch her suffer and hope for the best. But there was no improvement. None. Silvia was only getting worse and worse. It was a frightening sight, and Aster couldn't stop thinking about the story of the Moonflower. Was it really his fault? He couldn't help but blame himself for everything. 'Is there anything I can do?' he questioned himself.

He brushed a few strands of her sweat-drenched silver hair out of her face, gently stroking her flushed cheek with his thumb. Her brother's touch made her flinch slightly, but her expression relaxed as soon as she realized who it was. "A-Asty," she stuttered. Her voice was barely audible, but Aster heard her nonetheless.

— "I'm here," Aster replied, giving her a warm smile.

"It's my birthday today," Silvia mumbled weakly, her eyes closed. "I'm finally ten years old."

Aster had no idea how to respond. He tried to find the right words, but nothing came out of his mouth. Instead, he remained silent, his hands shaking a bit. Luckily, his mother was nearby.

"We know, darling," Nivalis whispered, holding her daughter's hand. "Happy birthday, my love," she continued, tears threatening to spill from her blue eyes. This was supposed to be a happy day, her daughter's tenth birthday, a special day for every child. Nivalis had worked on a new dress for weeks, hoping to see her little girl wearing it, hear her sweet laughter, and see her smile as bright as the sun. But instead, with each passing hour, her daughter's health deteriorated, and Nivalis feared the worst. The thought that it might be her little girl's last day was terrifying. Truly terrifying. Nivalis's vision was blurred with tears as she watched her daughter suffer from an unknown illness.

Silvia smiled, but it was a sad smile, not reaching her eyes.

"I'll go prepare something for you to eat, alright? Let me know if you need anything, my love," Nivalis said, patting her daughter's leg and standing up. She wiped away the tears, trying to put on a brave face, and headed toward the kitchen.

"T-thank you, Mommy," Silvia whispered, her voice cracking a little.

As soon as his mother was gone, Aster moved closer to his sister. He took a piece of cloth from the wooden bowl full of water, wrung it, and gently placed it on her forehead. His sister didn't react, only giving a slight nod of acknowledgment.

Aster stared at his sister's pale, exhausted face, her expression pained. He was silent, still unsure what to say. Deep down, he knew that he was to blame for his sister's condition, and he was confident that Silvia and Nivalis were aware of it as well, even though they didn't utter a word about it.— 'It's all because of me... I shouldn't have picked up that stupid flower,' he thought.

He couldn't stop the tears from welling up in his eyes. It hurts to see her like this. He wants her to get better. 'I'll do anything... Anything for her to get better... I'll give anything in return...' he swore to himself. '...I just don't know what to do,' his chest tightening.

"Asty?" Silvia whispered, breaking the silence.

— "Yeah?" he replied, wiping away the tears and trying to compose himself.

"Can we cuddle? Just for a little, please?" Silvia asked, her voice so weak and quiet. "It's... it's my birthday, after all," she added, opening her eyes, looking into nowhere, smiling faintly.

— "Of course, Sis," he answered, crawling next to her and pulling his sister's blanket over them. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight, not minding in the slightest the wetness of her body. "How are you feeling?" he asked, his warm breath tickling her skin.

Silvia shivered in Aster’s embrace, letting out a long sigh. "Not good. It’s still so cold," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Asty... I'm a little scared," she whispered, her voice breaking.

— "I-I'm sorry, Silvia. I'm so sorry," Aster whispered, looking at her face. "I shouldn't have picked that stupid flower," he added, his voice cracking. "It's all my fault..." he sniffled.

Silvia gently brushed his hair. "You still think about that story, don't you?" she said, her breaths ragged. "It's not your fault, Asty," she reassured him with a tired smile.

— "But I-" he tried to argue.

"Shh," Silvia hushed him, trying to wrap her hands around her brother. "D-don't," she paused to take a painful breath, "It's not your fault... Don't be silly," she assured him. "And besides, you made us happy, Asty. I loved the flower, I really did... and I know Mom did, too," she added, closing her eyes. "You made us both happy..."

Aster didn't reply.

"So, stop thinking about that story and give me the cuddles I asked, okay?" she whispered, her fingers tracing his spine.

Aster nodded silently, hugging her tight, giving her the best cuddles he could only give. They were silent for a while, simply enjoying the warmth of each other's bodies. Silvia's breathing was still shallow and irregular, her face scrunched up in pain, and she was shivering slightly. But despite her suffering, she smiled.

Eventually, Silvia broke the silence by saying, "I-It's nice... Thank you," her breathing labored. "Thank you for taking care of me. You and mom... Thank you for being there for me," she added, her voice a barely audible whisper so the sound did not escape from under the blankets. "I love my shy, sometimes silly, always kind, and loving little brother..." Her voice quivered.

Aster's heart skipped a beat as Silvia's words sounded like a goodbye. He held her tighter, almost desperately so, and said,— "Don't talk like that, Silvia. You'll be okay. I will pray for the gods to forgive me. I will do anything, I swear. I will ask for forgiveness, and everything will be alright, you'll see."

"Asty..." Silvia whispered, smiling sadly. "You are worrying too much. Forget about the flower and don't blame yourself, okay? This is not your fault," she repeated, "It has nothing to do with the flower, you hear me?" She paused, her breathing strained, "It's just an old tale. Besides, you could always marry your mother and sister if you worry much about the Moonflower. It should work, right?" Silvia chuckled, trying to lift his mood.

Aster paused momentarily, realizing she was joking, and burst out laughing.— "Hahaha! Yeah, I guess that would solve the problem," his laughter muffled by the blankets. "I'm really overthinking this, aren't I? Sorry about that," he apologized.

"See? I told you so. You're worrying too much," she said, kissing her brother's forehead. "You should listen to your big sister more often. Big sisters are always right, and they know everything," Silvia said, her tone playful.

— "Pfft, sure," Aster giggled, nuzzling his nose against her.

"Now, shut up and keep holding me until I get better, okay?" she commanded. "Just be a good boy and keep warming your sister."

— "Okay," Aster replied, hugging her tighter. "I will," he mumbled, nuzzling her neck.

The silence enveloped them once again as the two siblings held each other closely, their bodies intertwined and legs entangled. They listened intently to the soothing rhythm of each other's heartbeats, only interrupted by the occasional sound of their mother cooking something in the kitchen.

Aster held his sister, her hair draped over his face, thinking about her words.— 'It's true. It has to be. The story was most likely just a scary fairytale made up to prevent children from picking strange plants. The flower couldn't possibly be related to Silvia's illness, which means there's still a chance for her to get better... Besides, I can't think of why a god would want to punish a child for picking up a flower,' he thought. 'But still, what if?' a tiny voice inside him protested.

Aster couldn't get rid of those thoughts. 'If there's a possibility, however small, that the story is true... I have to do something about it.' He had to try, at least. There is nothing he wouldn't give for his sister's recovery. 'Anything. Absolutely anything,' he told himself, his hands gently caressing his sister's back.

'Anything,' the word echoed in his head.

After a few minutes of thinking, Aster finally broke the silence.— "Silvia?" he called her, his voice soft.

"Yeah?" she whispered back, her warm breath tickling his ear.

— "Will..." he paused to clear his throat, feeling his heart beating faster as he gathered his courage. "W-will you marry me?" he mumbled under his breath, his face burning with embarrassment.

Silvia took a deep breath, realizing there was only one way to calm her brother's worry. "Okay, sure," she answered. But after a few seconds of trying her best to sound as serious as possible, her lips curved into a smirk, and she couldn't stop herself from chuckling, "Oh, I'm gonna tease you so much about this," she added, her giggles making him smile. "How can you be so sweet and silly at the same time?" she murmured.

Aster closed his eyes and sighed deeply as gently stroked his sister's hair. He knew his idea was stupid and childish, but it made him feel better. Above all, it gave him hope - something he and his sister desperately needed.— "You're not allowed to die before marrying me, okay?" he warned her jokingly.

"Ha-ha, yes, dear brother," she replied, her voice muffled.

— "I'm serious," he added.

"Mhm," she hummed.

Aster sighed again. 'I am just overthinking this whole thing,' he thought. But after a brief moment of silence, he realized something. "Can you help me convince Mom to marry your brother? The flower had two colors, so... I can't take any risk here," he mumbled.

Silvia snorted, her body shaking with laughter, making her belly hurt. "Hahaha! Oh, I can't wait to tell mom. This is hilarious!" she exclaimed, giggling. "Leave it to me, she won't be able to refuse to marry her baby boy," Silvia teased him a little and managed to pinch his butt.

— "Stop it," Aster chuckled, giving her a little slap on her butt in response, but she only giggled in reply.

"Mom and I will tease you for years and years for being such a doofus. You are aware of that, right?" she grinned.

Aster rolled his eyes.— "Yes, I'm aware," he replied, unable to contain his smile.

"Good, because it's going to be so much fun," she said, pulling him even closer, her warm breath caressing his skin.

— "Mmh, I'll live with it," he mumbled.

Silvia chuckled, but the laugh was soon interrupted by a series of painful coughs.

— "You okay?" Aster asked, concern filling his voice.

"Y-yeah. Just a little pain in my chest. I'll be fine," Silvia muttered, closing her eyes tight and pressing her hand against her chest.

...

 

[Nivalis Silverfrost]

— "There you go, the last one, darling," Nivalis whispered, putting the wooden spoon in her daughter's mouth and feeding her warm stew. Silvia tried her best to swallow, her throat aching, struggling to gulp. Sitting next to her, Aster gently wiped away the stray drops from the corners of his sister's lips.

"Thank you, Mommy. Thank you, Asty," Silvia thanked her mother and brother, her voice feeble, her eyes tired.

— "Anytime, sweetie," Nivalis answered, stroking her daughter's silvery hair and gently kissing her forehead.

"Are you full, Silvia? Is there anything else you need?" Aster inquired, his golden eyes full of worry.

Silvia shook her head. "No, thank you," she mumbled, pulling the blanket higher and covering her face. She couldn't suppress her coughing, her body shaking as her lungs were squeezed.

Aster looked at his mother, his brows furrowed, and the two shared a worried glance.— "Honey," Nivalis whispered to her son, "Let's hug her, okay? From both sides. Maybe it'll warm her up," she suggested worryingly, trying to think of anything to help her daughter.

"Y-yeah, okay," Aster agreed, nodding.

Nivalis quickly removed her only piece of clothing and threw it aside, revealing her naked body. She crawled to her daughter's side, lifted the covers, and laid down next to her, pulling her into her tight embrace, her large breasts pressing against her back. She wrapped her arms around Silvia's belly, pressing their bodies together, their skin touching.— "Come, Asty, lie before her," she motioned for her son.

Aster nodded, his eyes still fixed on his sister. "S-sure, Mom," he stammered, quickly obeying her and lying before his sister. He put his arms around her waist, pulling himself closer to her naked body. Her legs were entangled with his, bringing their faces close enough that their noses were almost touching. "Like this?" he whispered, his warm breath caressing his sister's lips.

— "Perfect," Nivalis answered, giving him a warm smile and wrapping her arms around him, sandwiching her daughter between her and her son. She adjusted the girl's position so she could lay perfectly in between her large breasts, her soft and warm bosom providing plenty of comfort. "Is it better now, my little snowflake?" Nivalis asked, rubbing the outer part of her daughter's naked thigh to warm her even more.

"Y-yeah... Much better," Silvia whispered, listening to her mother's heartbeat. She let out a deep breath, relaxing a little. The warmth provided by her mother and brother's bodies made her shivering slowly subside.

They stayed like that for a while. The only sound in the cave was the slow breathing of the three of them. The fire was still roaring, the crackling sound of burning logs echoing from the stone walls, filling the room with pleasant warmth.

Outside the cave, the wind howled, blowing hard against the door. Raindrops were drumming loudly, accompanied by distant thunder. The sun had already set, and the sky was filled with dark clouds, hiding the moon and stars. The three of them didn't move a single muscle, simply listening to the storm raging outside.

Nivalis heard how kids started to mumble something very quietly but didn't pay attention, letting them talk alone. After a few minutes, Silvia finally whispered, "Mommy?" she turned around, trying to look at her mother, but her eyes were still bloodshot and unfocused.

— "Yes, honey?" Nivalis asked, giving her daughter a faint smile.

"Can I ask a favor?" Silvia asked in an innocent tone, "A tiny little one."

— "Of course, my little angel," Nivalis nodded, gently caressing her daughter's face. "Anything you want."

"Anything-anything? Promise?" Silvia repeated, with a slight mischievous smile on her lips.

— "Yes, honey. I promise," Nivalis replied, brushing away a strand of hair from her daughter's face, "Now tell me, what is it you want, my love?"

"Okay, so..." Silvia mumbled, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "Could you perhaps... marry Asty?" she asked, her lips curling into a shy smile. "Pretty please?"

...

 

[Aster]

An hour has passed, and the two girls have now fallen asleep. Aster lay still and watched the two most important people: his sister and mother. He observed the rise and fall of their chests and their soft breathing. The fire was the only light source in the room, making the shadows dance across the walls and the ceiling.

— 'Well, that was easy,' he thought, letting out a relieved sigh. Despite how ridiculous that sounded, Silvia made a little miracle and convinced their mother to marry her brother. The girls, of course, took their time to joke about the situation and laughed so much that their bellies hurt. Aster also found it quite amusing. After all, the idea of him getting married to his mother and sister was ridiculous to think of. 'It felt nice to see their smiles again. Especially Silvia's. Even though her health has not improved, she seemed to feel slightly better. This alone was worth the embarrassment,' he concluded, smiling faintly.

Now, the only thing he can do is pray and wait. And so he did.

— "Gods, please forgive me," he whispered under his breath, making it hard even for Silvia to hear him. He closed his eyes and clenched his fists. "Forgive me for picking the Moonflower. This was very stupid of me," he begged, "and, please, make my sister healthy again. Please, I beg of you."

He didn't receive any answer, of course. But it made him feel better somehow, a bit relieved. He opened his eyes and saw his mother looking at him curiously, tilting her head slightly. "You are still worrying about that story, aren't you?" she asked, her blue eyes staring right into his.

— "Yeah..." Aster admitted, lowering his gaze.

Nivalis sighed and started to caress his cheek lovingly, patting his head and stroking his hair for a few minutes straight. Aster avoided his mother's gaze this whole time. "Come on, look at me," she whispered, her tone soothing, her fingers gently lifting his chin, her eyes locked with his.

Aster obeyed, looking up at her.

"Aster, honey, listen to me," she spoke, her expression serious. "You are a wonderful boy. You are kind, sweet, and so, so loving," she praised him, a small smile appearing. "You're my sunshine. You mean everything to me. So believe me when I say that there's no need for you to worry. She will get better, do you hear me?" her eyes fixed on his.

— "B-but I-" he tried to argue, but his mother's finger on his lips stopped him.

"Hush," she shushed him. "There's no need for that," she assured him.

— "But-" he started again, his lips moving against her finger.

"You worry too much, my sweet little boy," she interrupted him again. "Trust me, okay? You have done nothing wrong. Nothing. So stop blaming yourself," she told him, her gaze piercing.

Aster couldn't help but nod. He didn't know why, but something in her eyes made him believe her words. And the feeling that he did something terrible finally faded away. A feeling that had tormented his mind the last few days was gone.

Nivalis smiled. "Now, don't worry about it anymore. Instead, focus on warming your sister, okay?" she whispered, leaning closer and pressing her lips against his. It was a slow, gentle kiss, a kiss full of love and care.

— "Okay," he smiled, pulling his lips away from his mother's, their mouths still connected by a strand of saliva that shone in the light of the fire.

"Oh, and honey... Thank you for the whole marrying joke," she whispered, giggling softly. "It was the perfect thing to make her laugh again. So, thank you. It was very sweet of you," Nivalis smiled, touching the tip of his nose with her finger.

— "Uhm, yeah, you're welcome," he stammered, his cheeks blushing slightly.

"Now, let's rest a little, shall we?" she asked, closing her eyes, pulling her daughter closer, and holding her tight.

— "Mhm," Aster hummed, snuggling against his sister's body. He felt her hand gently patting his head, her fingers entwining with his silver hair. She massaged his scalp and neck, rubbing his back, her fingers tracing the outline of his shoulder blades, sliding down his spine.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," Nivalis whispered, kissing his forehead. "I love you."

— "I love you too, Mom," he replied as his eyes closed.

As his worries finally faded away, his muscles relaxed, and his mind was about to drift into dreamland... Aster noticed it, a sudden jerk, a quick and violent twitch. He immediately opened his eyes and looked at his sister.

Her body was trembling, her limbs flailing uncontrollably, her eyes rolling back. Her back arched, and her face twisted in a grimace of agony. A horrible, choking noise escaped her throat, and streams of blood trickled from her eyes, falling on the bed.

"Silvia!" Nivalis yelled in horror, sitting up and grabbing her daughter's shoulders. "Silvia!"

...

 

The night went on, and Aster and his mother had no sleep, spending all night trying to save Silvia. They did everything they could. Anything they could think of.

They prayed, they cried, they held her close, they tried to wake her up, they talked to her, they fed her, and they begged. They begged the gods for her life, promising everything they had.

But the gods didn't seem to listen.

On a quiet, overcast morning, as the sun's first rays struggled to penetrate the heavy clouds, Silvia's seizure finally stopped.