A/N: This little drabble came to me in a burst of fairy-tale love after seeing 'Stardust', so here it is. As usual, they aren't mine, I just borrow them to play with. Reviews are much appreciated!
Once Upon A Time
Life doesn't begin 'once upon a time'.
Life doesn't begin 'once upon a time', because life is the here and now, and it can't start in the past. Once this moment is gone, you can't recapture it. You can't go back.
No matter how much you might want to.
I remember the moment, the first one. A princess, lost little girl in a bar full of dragons, waiting for her knight. In the next moment now, with her wide, innocent eyes; they've seen too much, but still remain hopeful that someone will rescue her from the ivory tower.
In this moment, in this life, I know that I should have told her that being in that tower kept her safe where she belonged, high above the common people and the dragons. But the moment is gone, and I can't go back.
There were other moments, too.
No noble steed, this, no carriage fitting for her, but she rides in it, and when she looks at me I can feel the armour gleaming around me, white prince. Lost and found.
The black knight stealing her away, and in that moment I know that I should have protected her, should have slain the dragons and borne her off to the faraway castle, lodge in the woods, free. But the moment is lost, and we can't go back.
Holding her in my arms, leather armour tarnished now, black. There is blood on my hands, red ribbon, beginnings and ends. The endless moment when she can't breathe, won't breathe, white skin, white hair, purity against the darkness.
If I were to try and climb the ivory tower, I would leave a smear of black behind me.
Leaving, riding off to battle the unknown enemy, slay my dragons. She carries no favour to give me, no luck for the moment, but I leave her mine in place of a crown.
