Narrator POV
"Welco, master!" One of the maids bowed to Kragen as he walked inside his house, feeling as frustrated as he had been this week.
For days now, he’s been trying to find herbs that would be perfect for Noah’s healing. All the other ones he had brewed before had shown promising signs but suddenly it started getting worse. He could feel it and what was worse, it was him getting an official notification from the ethereal heaven of Noah’s death.
It was almost impossible to fight that when it had been sent. Knowing who the moon goddess is, she would not bat an eyelid and watch Noah die. It will be a perfect way to separate him and Selene but he was more interested in helping his friend. He knew that Noah’s death was the last thing that should happen to her, no matter what.
Sighing, he pushed open the door of his living room, thinking about going to bed early to rest but as he stepped inside, he froze. There, sitting on the sofa as if she belonged there, was the moon goddess herself – his mother who was ashad of him. She was flipping idly through a magazine, her brows furrowed with confusion with each page. Her beauty radiated in the room, making everything else seem ugly. Quietly, Kragen closed the door, making her look up. When she saw him, her eyes, widened with joy.
"Fenrir!" she exclaid, rising to her feet in one motion. "I’ve been waiting for you all day. I have a lot of free ti on my hands, and I thought we could go for a walk together,".
Kragen stood rooted to the spot, his mind struggling to process the sudden appearance of his mother in his living room. The last ti they had t like this, the conversation didn’t end well. Besides, how could she co here after signing off, on Noah’s death?
"I’m sorry," he said, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. "I’m too tired to do anything right now. If you’ll excuse ," He said and started towards his bedroom. He didn’t want to quarrel with her today of all days. So, they both should mind their business.
"Fenrir, please... my son," the moon goddess called out, her voice cracking with emotion, Kragen had never heard from her before. He paused his hand on the doorknob.
"I know we don’t agree on many things," she said quietly, a note of pleading in her voice. "I am hardly a mother to you and I know that, but please, be kind enough to spend just today with . Tomorrow, we can go back to being enemies if you want. Please... I beg you,".
"You said it yourself that you’re hardly my mom," Kragen threw over his shoulders "Why are you even making efforts? It’s too late for us to be mother and son and you know this. Why are you...".
"I know that, my darling child!" the moon goddess sniffed back tears "You were the best thing that ever happened to . I didn’t think I could ever be able to have a child and then I had you. I know there’s no explanation for abandoning you like I did but if you will let , I want to make up a little for all the lost ti. So please...".
Kragen closed his eyes, feeling the weight of the emotional blackmail pressing down on his shoulders. He wanted nothing more than to shut himself in his room, rest and tomorrow continue his hunt for a herb for Noah but this was what he always wanted. To be able to spend ti with his mother ... to have her once in a while to himself and it didn’t help that the vulnerability in her voice ... sothing he’d never thought she would be able to feel made him turn back.
"I can spare you a few minutes only," he murmured, coming towards her "And please stop calling Fenrir... I prefer Kragen better,".
"Okay!" the moon goddess nodded eagerly as she gestured to the door. "Shall we?"
With a resigned sigh, Kragen followed her out into the nightti sky. The sky was filled with bright stars and a half-moon shone brightly, illuminating the world. Beside him, the moon goddess sighed and murmured:
"This Full moon rituals co too quickly these days. I’ve barely recovered from the last one. I can’t believe in a few days; I’d have to take care of these creatures. So tiring,".
Kragen didn’t say anything, partly because he didn’t know what to say and also because it felt weird walking beside her like this. He’d always thought that they would never have an opportunity to be together like this.
"You’re upset about sothing, Fen – Kragen," the moon goddess said again, her voice soft. It wasn’t a question.
"I’m fine," Kragen said flatly.
"I can feel it from here," she said quietly drawing closer to him. "Is it about Noah...".
Kragen’s jaw clenched as he stopped and turned to face her. "Yes, it’s about him. Why are you doing all of this?" he asked unable to keep the bitterness from his voice. "I am upset... he doesn’t deserve to die. He’s going to be a father very soon and you want him to die a day after his son’s birth? Do you even like these creatures?"
"Of course, I do!" she sighed.
"Then why this unfairness? He’s not supposed to die," Kragen yelled.
The moon goddess was quiet for a mont, her eyes fixed on her son. "Death is a natural part of their cycle, Kragen and you know this. To bring a life, they must die, it’s the law of the universe, not mine,".
"Natural?" Kragen scoffed. "There’s nothing natural about a man wasting from an illness that was never there. An illness that ca suddenly he wasn’t sick to start with... so how did all of these happen? And you want his wife, who has the roughest ti in the history of these creatures to suddenly bury her husband. How cruel can you be? You should be saving him, not sending a dead notice?"
The moon goddess t his gaze, her eyes filled with sadness. "It’s not that simple, Kragen – my son," she moved to caress his face but Kragen took a step backwards breaking and causing hurt to his mother. "The balance must be maintained. That is the way of things. I have no control over any of them,".
"You did this, mother!" Kragen drew closer to his mom, his eyes looming over her suspiciously. "You caused him this illness as a warning to . Is this your way of making do my job? Of making not to communicate with them? You think killing Noah would change what I feel about Selene?"
Her eyes widened "Y-You love Selene?"
"More than you’d ever imagine. I love her so much that I don’t want to see her cry. If she wants to have thousands of babies, then I will make it possible. If he wants a tree right in her room, I will do that, and that’s because I consider her as a creature and it’s normal for a god like to have this tenderness... to feel this inexplicable love for these ones. But I’m surprised you don’t. You’re so chanical,".
"Don’t talk to that way, Kragen!" unshed tears brimd in the eyes of the moon goddess "I am your...".
"Mother?" Kragen scoffed. "What is worse than taking away my form like you did for a century and I didn’t die, did I? If you were not so high-handed and brought yourself to walk amongst these people who judiciously do everything for you. They co to you at full moons and ask for protection. They ask for babies, for wealth... they look up to you so much and the only way you choose to repay is not to answer their needs but to pay them by snatching their loved ones. Is that what it ans to be a moon goddess?"
"Kragen!" the moon goddess shouted, her eyes had turned into orbs as she stared at her son, she was furious.
"Yes!" he replied with a satisfied smile "Will you call Dad now? Is that what you want to do?"
The anger vanished from the moon goddess as easily as it had co. She sighed, looking at her son. "I’m sorry for getting angry, it’s just that you do not understand that I cannot simply do what I want or what my emotions tell . If I had to consider everyone...".
"Then do it!" Kragen interrupted. "What are you afraid of? What is stopping you from choosing everyone?"
They stood in silence for a long ti, the weight of the unspoken words hanging between them. Finally, the moon goddess reached out, her hand hovering near Kragen’s cheek but not quite touching it.
"I know you think I am cruel," she said softly. "Perhaps I am but there are forces at work beyond my control. There’s only so much I can do. I cannot control a creature’s fate no matter how much I try. You’re right... It’s not Noah’s ti to die... I just wanted to protect you,".
"Don’t," Kragen shook his head. "I don’t want you to be a doting mother now. It’s confusing for . I’d prefer that we go back to what we used to be before. It’s easier and better that way,".
Despite everything, despite the anger and resentnt that had built up over centuries, a part of him still yearned for her love.
"Why did you really co here today?" he asked.
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