A Lingering Shadow
By Midnight
Such a delicate thing, this small golden egg. A past reminder of the days where the Earth was less stone and more life. Adjusting the device to hold his latest find, Prince Nuada gently spun the outer petals. "I know you are there." He stated in the ancient tongue, his voice even with a measure of peace that so many felt was lost to him. He slipped in another pin to secure a petal to the base of the egg. The soft sound of the flowing water before him was his only reply at first.
"As you should, my Prince." The voice carried the melody of a restless wind, yet with the soft undertone of the wooden instruments once heard in the halls of the Elven kingdom. A voice he had not heard in such a long time. Nuada tipped his head to the side as he evaluated the golden object in front of him. He could almost see her, out of the corner of his eye. Sometimes she would be dressed in full battle gear, her silken shirt and pants covered by leather protective gear with strips of silver woven in to block glancing blows of a knife or sword. Other times he would be greeted with the sight of her in a simple silk dress, a taunting reminder of the days past. He dared not look with his mind twisted from the death of his father; he could not see her after such an event.
"You are shadow, Saiya, long since past calling me your prince." He told her as he secured another petal. The part of him that was still in tune with the magical world he gave up so long ago shivered and shook as she got closer. She was lightening and a cool drink after a long day of training. The essence of an Elven noble long ago lost to him and his people, yet she haunted him.
"A shadow?" She asked, as she sat down to the right of him, her back to the sewage that leaked into this place. His focus mainly on the task in front of him, Nuada caught a glimpse of the soft white hair and ivory skin. She was dressed in a silk over-shirt and loose pants, golden leaves sewn with great care onto a cream background of the shirt. She reached into the filth behind her, caressing the dirty water as if it were still the fresh streams that once fed this land. He fought his body and instinct to remove her hand from the filth, but there was no taint as she gently lifter her hand to his view. "A shadow."
"A shadow." He repeated her words, confirming what they both had known for so very long. She had lingered near him for an eternity, not quite real but more then a figment of his grief. "You should not be here. This place has been tainted."
"You should not be here." She state back to him, a singing laughter in her tone as she looked at him. "This place has been tainted." The soft smile was one he had seen grace her lips multiple times in the past, but not one he ever saw when she was alive.
"Why do you come here Saiya? You should be at peace with your family." He turned his attention fully to the metal flower in front of him. He managed to place three more petals before she made her presence known again, the dead can rarely be ignored if they do not wish to be.
"I am at peace. I will follow you always." She sat with her legs curled under her, her focus on his hands as they put together the small cage. The words were an echo of the past, a reminder of a promise made in blood and death. He could still feel her cooling body as the life slipped away, her words heavy in the air. The smell of blood, both human and elven, lingered in his nose as her eyes went dark and her body turned to stone.
"There is not peace with me. Not yet, but soon." He stated as he set another petal, the calm of the moment lost by the thoughts of what he planned. He felt her shift beside him, not a movement of body but of her essence.
"Shaonya. I miss its large branches." She stated, her voice wavering in strength as she talked until he focus in on it. He looked to her, but saw nothing. He never could see her fully when he looked upon her, only in glimpses out of the corner of his eye. The scampering of feet down the stairs above him distracted him from her and he placed the last pin and petal. "You look so tired, my Tuatha De Danann."
"Is there something you need to tell me?" He asked, not changing to the modern language. He could remember a time when she ignored anything else that came from him. The old words were what suited him best, she would tell him, and so that was what she would listen too. He knew the truth was that she missed their home, their people, and he could give her some small comfort since it was his will that brought about their current situation. He ignored the stuttering of the small creature before him. She was fading again and he turned back towards her.
"No, up there. Up at the market. Wink is dead." The creature fought with itself to finish its report, but the words were blurred. Nuada felt the deepening pit of loss take him as reality sunk in. The sad, down turned face of Saiya went unnoticed as loss and pain turned into anger and loathing. The fading energy of another lost ally, friend, only served to fuel his emotions. He collected the golden device and placed his small treasure inside. He would hunt down this red monster and find the final peace to set everything right.
Author's Note: Prince Nuada was by far one of my favorite characters from the movie and I felt there was more to his story then what was shown. There's more to this story that lingers in the back of my mind if anyone's interested in it. Some feedback would be great one way or the other. Thanks.