The Lost Girl's Epilogue
The gossamer walls surrounding the two billowed with the evening breeze. Beyond the ivory borders of their sanctuary, the youngest child could hear the sounds of leaves rusting serenely. With her eyes closed, she could almost see the shimming green canopy swaying as the wind took the forest as its partner for nature's dance.
Here was the humble refuge where the children would never have to face the world of realities. They could stay here forever protected from their burdens by the wrappings of childhood simplicities. It was here that these children made their pact to never grow up.
They met each other at the verge of their adulthood. Along the path of the quest, in a town she'd forsaken. He'd been buried near the place of the crisis's creation in a forgotten tomb. In her company was the last born of the terrible queen of the heavens. It was she who brought forth the destruction of the ancient race. However, during her second waking she was overthrown by her first. Her last, as in all good stories, became the slayer of the first.
"You'll find your happiness if you would just sacrifice your fears." It was a simple thing for him. She had never known him to be a child. Even as a little one he'd been far past childhood dwelling in the realm of the grown ups. Though he was an adult she would still think of him.
He was his mother's son. His nature, like hers, was reflected in the celestial expanse. Darkness was for the queen but for him- the stars. In the light he was unseen but when the darkness came. Oh, how he would shine. A trait well suited for the bleakness of adulthood. There was no place for him in childhood.
Never grow up. Here in the warm embrace of the fey prince' arms no harm could befall her. She had remained true to her vows. To enter adulthood, growth would be required. The child wasn't suited for growth.
Growth meant having to give something up. The child had made too many sacrifices. There was nothing left she'd be willing to give. Part of her understood, however, that if she wouldn't give up then she would lose. It was impossible for her to understand in full. Contradictions were for adults.
Deep within her soul laid hollowness. Her state of stagnates had created the void. In order to fill it she would have to change. End her childhood by letting go. The child wasn't sure of all she would have to let go of but it would be a part of her. Letting go of her was madness.
Change to be, losing to find such adult concepts. There was little sense she could make from them. What she did know was they weren't for her. She was the child.
She would never become an adult. Never would she allow herself to slip into their world. In a world where a pleasant thing as laughter was mingled with tears, struggling yielded rewards, suffering was the herald for joys.
No, she'd stay far, far away from adults. Here, safely distanced from her elders by the endless stretches of the forest. The lights of the forest sprites would drive all the grown ups away. Her children would stay here with her. They would sing, dance, and play in the forest groves forever and ever.
They hadn't stayed.
All of them had grown up. In telling them the stories of the old heroes, she'd inadvertently taught them the need to face themselves. One at a time they left her until only the fey prince remained. She wasn't lonely. More children would come to the forest. He would go out to find them. Then she'd be able to play again.
This was the place she would stay. The hollowness didn't cause her discomfort so she would continue with it. There was more emptiness waiting for her in adulthood.
In childhood all her dreams would come true, her desires would all be meet, her fears would be comforted, her insecurities would remain hidden, her trust would be given, and her needed truths would be known. There was no need for fears to be faced nor demons dispelled. This was the way she wished things, to be the child.
He was here with her in childhood. Eternal as the forest she'd returned him to. The one place he belonged. The child belonged here with him. Progression wasn't required for them. As long as they stayed here they would be together forever.
During quiet times, when the children were gone, her mind would wander. Who would she have become if she'd grown up? There was a beautiful Lady with long, dark hair which billowed around her in the summer breeze. She'd brush her hair out of her eyes so she could watch her children playing in her glories garden.
The garden was a collection of fallen bits of the rainbow. Each piece she'd found as a tiny seed. Unlike the forest, the garden wouldn't grow on its own. The beautiful Lady had spent many days toiling in the dirt. She remembered those long days in fondness as she saw how her children enjoyed the results of her labors.
There was more to adulthood than the garden. There were lies there. Miscommunications and contradictions ruled adults' interactions. Darkness intermingled with the light. How could she survive in such a world?
Somewhere in the nightmare of adulthood there was happiness. In childhood there was no true happiness. Love the vital component for happiness was missing. Children could love. Their way of loving was different than the adults' way of loving. The child had experienced the difference. She'd been loved by an adult once.
If she were an adult, the Lady in the garden, then she and her prince wouldn't simple live together. She would love him, as well.
His hand of flesh was stroking her once earthen locks turned grey. Silent intensity hung on his face as he gazed down on her. His serious disposition was that of a child who had forgotten how to dream but remained a child. Why did he need to dream? He had all he need. Dreams were wants, selfish things need for adults.
"What are you thinking about?" Secrets were unknown between them. They had a perfect understand of each other. There were times in which they would ask questions. Scars from their bushes with adulthood still haunted them.
"Growing up," the child's replied simply as she always would. Words were disastrous things which should be used sparingly. She would stay a child. There was nothing more for her to say.
The idea of her growing up frightened him. She'd forgotten. He wasn't afraid for himself. It was impossible for him to grow up. He was immortal after all. Immortals existed as they were, forever. What he feared was the idea of the child growing up. There was still the possibility she could become an adult.
Using a great deal of effort she was able to lift her hand and place it on his cheek. Things like moving her hand used to be so easy before her pale skin began to wrinkle. "Don't worry. I'm much too old to grow up now." She smiled gave him a warm smile which he returned with gratitude. "So adults must be young and children must be old."
As she giggled at his logic her hand began to fall from his cheek. It was taking to much work for her to hold it up any longer. He caught her hand quickly with his warm one placing it back on his cheek.
Smiling back up at him she felt her eyes begin to close. Was it time for her nap? She snuggled as best as she could into him. After her nap maybe there would be children. The child would like that.
Here in childhood she'd remain. The forest at the edge of the world was her home. Her company was her fey prince and their children. She'd live her forever and ever.