Echo of Offbeat

In the world of foxes, winter brought with it a most special occasion... The children's small fox ears and newly plumping tails twitched with joy and curiosity amidst the winter petals drifting through the air. These children (Alex's son and Jason's kids) seemed to vaguely understand, yet not fully realize, the significance of the day.

Fully dressed in their finest and looking utterly adorable, the little foxes grabbed handfuls of petals from their baskets with tiny fists and flung them into the sky, spinning around as if they themselves were the centers of the universe.

Watching them from above, Jason found the sight deeply endearing and pride-inducing, but he kept his expression entirely impassive, murmuring with solemn gravity, "You mustn't scatter the petals now. They are meant for the path when the bride and groom appear."

Ordinarily, his tone might have been sharp enough to move one of the children to tears, but today, the usual weight seemed to have lifted from his voice, rendering it almost gentle.

The other father, Alex, brushed away the stray petals clinging to the children's hair and quietly reasoned with them, "The other foxes roamed the fields at dawn just to pick these flowers. They had to wait for the morning star to twinkle in a clear sky, so they weren't easy to gather." Alex hoped the children would appreciate the foxes' hard work, gently coaxing them to restrain their eagerness to scatter the blooms.

In the human world, the morning star bore a dual nature, sometimes carrying darker omens. But here, in the world of foxes, it remained a steadfast symbol of hope and a fresh dawn. A marriage, after all, was the ultimate beginning, making the star's presence a perfect blessing. Guided by such signs, the foxes constantly read the movements of the clouds and stars, divining the ideal seasons to harvest the herbs, flowers, and berries essential for their sacred rituals.

This particular wedding was also highly exceptional.

It symbolized the merging of the Perseus Fox Coalition with Russell's own Fox Coalition. The marriage of Russell and Bell was the very event that heralded its true beginning.

The ceremony began beneath the soft winter light, and the venue, as expected, was Bell's estate. The foxes conducted the ritual according to their time-honored traditions. Because Russell and Bell were required to wear formal attire, they used a potion specially prepared by Helen to temporarily conceal their ears and tails.

Russell's tuxedo featured a handsome velvet lapel, which, upon closer inspection, was adorned with intricate embroidery wishing them good fortune. Suiting the winter season, Bell wore a thick, pure white dress accompanied by a shawl. The shawl had been crafted by the other foxes, who had each contributed a small lock of their own fur as a token of blessing. The varied colors of the fur caught the light with a subtle, shimmering brilliance.

By the time the winter sunlight filtered through the estate like a thin curtain, Bell's veil fluttered in the wind. They exchanged blessings and greetings, shared the nut-and-fruit-filled bread baked by Lazar, and began their procession through the village.

Seeing Bell, who had finally reclaimed her estate, appear alongside her husband, the townspeople either smiled or nodded in approval. They genuinely wished for the true mistress of the mansion to find happiness.

As a rain of petals fell, the clocktower in the square announced the arrival of a quiet night. The excitement of the entire village began to simmer down as the sun dipped below the horizon.

The foxes who had attended the wedding exchanged final courtesies and began to depart for their respective territories. Soon, the only ones remaining at the estate were Russell, Bell, and a few of their companions.

When Russell and Bell finally slipped away into the cozy privacy of their shared space, their companions chuckled softly, but soon waved their hands dismissively and disappeared into their own rooms for the night.

Bell felt a surge of excitement mingled with a distinct awkwardness at the realization that she must now share this space with Russell. As if sensing her mood, Russell approached with a faint smile, gently taking her shawl and placing it on the table.

Russell carefully removed the petals and ornaments caught in Bell's hair. He wanted to look closely at the face of the woman who was now his bride.

"In the folklore of certain lands, they say that when foxes marry, it rains even though the sky is clear. But today, a rain of flowers fell instead. I suppose we should be glad our formal clothes didn't get drenched."

He offered the light observation to ease her awkwardness. Though he could rightfully call her his wife now, he chose to treat her with the utmost care.

"When you and I were alone, back when I was a wounded fox," Russell whispered, recalling the time he had been injured and brought to Bell's room, "you didn't treat me carelessly, even though you still believed yourself to be entirely human back then. Your touch was remarkably gentle for someone handling an animal," He softly took Bell's hand, pressing his lips to her fingers. "…I wanted to stay like that just a little longer."

Lick.

Russell extended his tongue slightly and licked Bell's finger. For a fraction of a second, Bell felt as if all the hairs on her body stood on end. On that very day, while Bell was tending to Russell in his fox form, he had licked her finger in exactly the same way.

Bell exhaled a small breath, acutely aware of the warmth of his breath and the touch of his lips. "...So you were testing me even then," Bell said, her tone slightly sharp.

Russell let out a short laugh. "You think I was testing you? If I could have, I would have preferred my wounds to heal a little slower. ...And besides, when left completely alone in a room with a female fox of marriageable age, do you truly think I had nothing on my mind?" As he spoke, a faint, primal gleam flashed in Russell's eyes.

That look, despite the tender atmosphere, served as a quiet reminder of exactly why they were there together. Russell drew himself flush against Bell, fully savoring her scent and the feel of her soft body against his.

As Bell looked up softly into Russell's eyes, the reality of having a husband finally began to sink in.

It was then that Russell offered a joke that didn't entirely sound like one.

"If it feels too burdensome for you, I don't mind if we proceed with our mating in our true forms. Fox to fox, that is."

Bell processed his words, and the sudden, vivid mental image of two foxes mating made her flush with an even deeper embarrassment.

The image of Russell's fox form pressed against the back of her own...

Bell snatched a small cushion nearby and buried her face in it. "I don't quite appreciate that sort of humor yet... Moreover, I still cannot transform into a fox properly." Her voice emerged muffled against the fabric.

Russell chuckled softly at Bell's minor resistance and blatant shyness. Her innocence never failed to provoke his mischievous side.

But he did not view his meeting and union with Bell as an ordinary affair, and a part of him deeply wished to treasure this exact moment. "Come now, let me see my bride's face." He took the cushion obscuring her face and set it aside.

Meeting his gaze once more, Bell found Russell's eyes looking somewhat triumphant... and thoroughly mesmerizing.

She caught her breath, her face burning crimson.

He leaned in, the tip of his nose brushing against the shell of her ear. "I think things are perfectly fine as they are. I only want to know if you are happy."

Bell let out a small sigh and looked deep into his eyes...

Beneath the dim lamplight, his eyes shone as deep as a lake. For a moment, she could not stop herself from falling into that gaze.

Blankly, she ceased her awkward movements and stopped searching for useless words.

She would no longer run from destiny, nor from this bond...

Bell kept her eyes closed. Upon her lowered eyelids, his lips brushed softly, lingeringly.

Slowly, his lips traced their way across her eyes, her cheek, and finally found her mouth.

And...

—In the folklore of certain lands, they say that when foxes marry, it rains even though the sky is clear.

When Bell vaguely recalled Russell's words, she thought she might have heard the sudden, pattering sound of raindrops hitting the windowpane.

But on a night when two stars finally converged, such things hardly mattered at all.

[Creator's Note]