A/N: Just a quick holiday update. Any of my stories not tagged as complete, will be completed. I haven't abandoned them.
This story is dedicated to my first reader, my first reviewer, and my very good friend: Starla Locke.
Madame Örlög had seen evil that was incomprehensible to most people. She had endured so much pain that she surprised even herself that she had held onto life as long as she did.
She had done it for the simple reason that she knew she would eventually find the two souls whose love was forever. And when, she did she would give them the Galrastafir talisman, half for each of them.
Yes they would be confused at first, but they would understand a little at first, and much more decades from now.
The winter carnival was now in a small town called Hawkins. There had been a powerful evil in that town, she knew, but there had a powerful good that was infinitely stronger. This, Madame Örlög knew, was very likely who she'd been searching for all these years.
She sat in her heated tent, and could feel their presence from across the fairgrounds. They were making their way towards her.
"Mike, let's get our fortune told… please?"
Madame could hear the playful voice of the girl outside the tent.
"What if it's bad, El?"
"She won't tell us that, silly, they'll just give us some generic happily ever after fortune."
"Ok, El, I can't say no to you anyway."
"Good answer, Mike." The girl giggled and a hand opened the tent flap and the two souls walked in.
Madame Örlög made several observations. First, his eyes. Deep, dark, and gentle, they had seen much pain, but they were at peace now. She knew this because his fingers were intertwined with the reason for that peace.
Madame's second observation, the girl. Her eyes were large and round with wonder at the world, and when she looked at her soulmate, the love she saw pass between them, made her own heart twinge.
She knew right there, in this small town that she had found them! They seemed to be about twenty-one. So young for the love they bore.
The Talisman belonged to these two. It would be home once again.
"You came for your fortune… but you already know your fortune. You two are destined to be with each other, and you both know that your love will last forever. That in itself is its own gift.
They looked at each other, smiled, and looked back at her, their eyes downcast and they nodded at the same time.
"There is however a small problem."
"Oh?" It was the boy, she could see he had squeezed his love's hand reassuringly.
"Yes, even though your love will last forever, the two shells your souls inhabit will not. That has been the way of the world for eons."
She handed them each half of the Talisman. Without question they put them them on.
"Oh, look Mike, they are matching halves of the same pendant!" They both used their free hands to hold up the pendants and fit them together like a puzzle. Their eyes widened when they saw a faint blue glow emanate from the completed sigil.
They looked at each other and their mouths formed a small smile. The girl closed her eyes and leaned forward, he kissed her forehead.
"I love you, El. Forever."
"I love you too, Mike. Forever."
The boy named Mike turned to Madame Örlög. "How much do you…?"
She waved him off, "it is where it belongs now."
"Thank you." They both said politely at the same time. He opened the tent flap for his soulmate, she ducked out and he followed.
Madame Örlög was pleased. She had given them the gift of life, a life that would match the love they had.
Forever.