Royal Blue

Time Mends all but Scars (Chapter Eighteen)

Toriel's breath stuttered in the mid-morning air as she moved outside, as if her lungs were trying to take as much of the warm, fresh, sun-soaked air as possible.

The barrier's breaking had allowed a far fresher atmosphere to the old, bedraggled atmosphere of the ruins. The sun shone it's warmth through cavernous openings, now unblocked by the buzzing, heavy white of the barrier.

The air now, was fresh and free, scented of clean grass and pine. The golden flowers swaying in a gentle breeze that cast through the caverns.

It was nice out here. Far less cramped than her home; which was now becoming a base of operations for many of the ill and infirm residents of the Underground.

Resentment built in her chest; not towards the ill, no, of course not.

Towards Asgore.

He had barely even consulted her before that... armored guard, had made his announcement. Calling on the sick, the infirm, and all who could not hold their own in combat, to evacuate to the ruins.

Just as a precaution.

Toriel had called her ex-husband as soon as she heard, screaming into the phone for a good twenty minutes before the other even had a chance to speak.

She hated that man. That hypocritical, child-killing, monster, who dared to call himself a king.

But moreover, she especially hated how well he still knew her.

How he knew that, had she had been there... had they been on better terms...

Toriel would have been the one to suggest an evacuation to the ruins.

At the end of the call he had the gall to ask if she would reject them. Those who ventured, risking their already frail health —relying on the words of a ruler they mistakenly trusted— to make their way to her care.

Of course she would accept such unfortunate souls into her care.

No, she did not hate the idea.

She just hated how it happened.

Toriel lifted her golden watering can and moved through the ruins, back to that bed of golden flowers at the very edge of the ruins.

But what could she do about it? She had already done as much as she could, setting up mobile cots supplied by the Royal Guard, and mattresses on the floor all across the halls of her home.
Monsters had even come prepared to cook, Muffet even supplying those staying with free pastries, the funds for which would be supplied by the Royal treasury.

It was almost a sight to behold; monsters, some strangers coming from opposite sides of the underground, who would likely never have met if not for this unfortunate happenstance... all helping out. Coming together, in this time of need.

There was a tug at her sleeve, and Toriel looked down to a familiar face.

"Oh, hello there my child," Toriel said with a hum and a warm smile, kneeling down to Frisk's hight. Setting her watering can down to the side.

The child's breathing was slightly heavy, as if they had just run all the way from the house to find her.

They threw themselves into Toriel's arms.

"Oh!" Toriel said as the child nuzzled deep into her arms.

There was a pause, as Frisk's breathing slowed, and the tightness in their chest slowly melted.
A dusty scent like fresh dough and dried herbs, soft and sweet, embraced them just as tightly as Toriel's arms did.