The Snow and The Stars
Murky night falls, swallowing everything as it descends upon the city. It is a treacherous dark with no moon, a night where secrets and nightmares breed without the milky light. There are very few outside. Wintry chills echo through the streets.
Then there are footsteps, someone slipping out the door of the palace and creeping across the courtyard to the stables. Despite the lack of moon and starlight, she keeps to the darkest corners of the outbuildings before slipping outside.
There is a definite ache radiating from her heart, of angst and suppressed screams and cracks; and all this, locked away behind a thick vizard. Her blank face is all a facade. She cannot just unlock the mask and let it fall away, or the emotion would break out, roaring, and swallow her whole. Nervously, she lingers around the dim mage light at the stable door.
A new set of footsteps burst into creation not far away. Another figure begins to make its way across the courtyard.
The first person, a woman of swirling hazel eyes and mourning chestnut hair, hears the scuffles of booted feet and moves to fetch her horse. Screaming fingers reach for the tack and shakily prepare her swift mare. Then she spins round, sensing a presence in the doorway; it is the other woman, the other captive, of midnight hair and soft, pale skin.
The first woman looks at the other, and tender tears begin to fall.
Snow strides over and catches the tears on an elegant fingertip, and gazes deep into Knight's eyes. It is only Snow that can see inside her eyes, for it is only Snow that bears a similar mask in a world where emotions flow freely. And Snow sees the angst and the screaming, and trails a finger along Knight's jaw. It makes her want to cry, too.
And Snow takes Knight, twining their fingers with hope and wings, and meets her lips with her own. And Snow and Knight merge to become one.
Snow and Knight mount Star, and ride into the night.