Note: This is a response to 'Goddess's invitation. I liked her story but didn't like the ending. Sorry, Goddess. Thanks to my wife, Ginnie, for proof-reading This is just a guy's take. Thank you, Lovely One, for giving your heart freely for the world to read. May tears become diamonds and heartache leave on angel's wings.
A Moment In the Sun:
LOVE, HONOR, AND CHERISH
BY
The Platinum Man
She stared out the window. April rain fell on the garden just outside her window. Storm clouds covered the sun she longed to see. Her moment in the sun was reduced to little more than rainy days and Mondays.
There wasn't any pretense in her: not today. She bowed her head over her arms. She cried. Hard. She that defied Queens and Vampires for her freedom. It hadn't cost her much ~ only her heart. Maybe her soul.
She remained alone. He welcomed cold honor with open arms. He discarded the warm, waiting love of one who revered him. He chose an ice queen's bed and fickle favor.
Daria's raging thoughts pummeled her between sobs. There wasn't much left. What good was immortality if she had to spend it alone? She was a Genie. Who knew if she had a soul? Who honestly cared? Her mother was a Goddess. What good was that? She hadn't talk to Skylaris in a thousand years. Her Gargoyle lover kowtowed to the lusty wishes of his queen. Pride didn't mean shit once she fell in love. He called her dearheart. He promised he loved her. He deserted her for the sake of honor. He ran. Daria was alone.
And it hurt like Hell.
She placed her hand on her stomach. She knew.
Woman's intuition wasn't wrong. She wanted to reach out to the crimson Gargoyle and tell him.
He decided to serve Titania. And he serviced her needs well.
Daria held the vial of Nightshade poison in her hands. One sip and it would be all over. No worries, no problems. Just eternal sleep. Hey, it'd be painless.
No platinum wings to walk in her dreams. No images of arms and tail around her. No more quiet "I love you's" tearing at her heart and killing her soul. One little taste was all it took to bring it down to crash and burn.
Daria tugged on the cork of the little blue bottle. She held up to the light. She saw the blue bottle bright against the gray skies outside her window. Without her warrior beside her. Life was just another prison ten times worse than a Genie's purple bottle.
A single tear of regret ran down her face. She took a drink of the Nightshade. She sat and waited. Thunder clapped. A cry of the Gargoyle's name came from her blue lips.
It was faint. It was final. She fell onto the floor.
She was dying.
**********************
Night was beautiful at Oberon's palace. In the throne room, minstrels played. The Children of Oberon danced their dances. They ate their food. They mixed and mingled as jesters went from table to table entertaining the masses.
Titania watched the red Gargoyle out of the corner of her eye. She'd found the best way to keep Daria in her place. It was the ultimate blow to the bitch's pride. Steal away the one person she loved. Keep him from finding happiness. He'd be better put to use on Avalon anyway. The queen smiled at that thought. Besides, she knew the Gargoyle was good for something. Titania licked her lips at the thought. Then, she silently toasted her good luck. She had decisive victory over an old rival. She had her lover warming her bed. It was all-good.
She studied the winged Gargoyle sitting beside her. His face was harder than stone. She had bricks with more cheer. His wings were folded around him. His arms were crosses. He just sat there still and quiet.
"Meet me after dinner." Titania cooed in his ear. "Forget her, she isn't here. I'm right beside you. Why wait for something you can't have anyway when you can have me NOW."
He sat and never blinked. He turned to Titania and nodded. "As you wish, my Queen."
In the distance, he felt that familiar tingle in the back of his mind. Daria's spirit never went far. He remembered her humor. He wanted her kindness back in his life. He wanted that shelter that her love gave him. Damn, he missed her arms around him.
The Gargoyle studied the redheaded queen. She wasn't the loving one he remembered. Her arms chilled him. Her kiss tasted bitter. She never said anything about love. Her body smelled like state sex from their earlier pairing. Her heart...what heart? She didn't have one.
He remembered every reason he'd left Daria in the garden. Titania's curse stood between them. He belonged to Avalon. It was his home. That meant he defended Avalon's honor to the bitter end. And so, he was Oberon advisor and Titania's stud.
The real reason he was here was his honor. All fear had conquered him. So, he hid behind a frail excuse of honor and left Daria alone. He turned his back on what she offered him. It hurt worse than anything he'd known. At the time, thought it was the right thing to do. Inside a tiny voice screamed at him.
LIAR.
The Gargoyle realized that loving Daria scared the Menash Kah out of him. It wasn't a simple love. No female Gargoyle ever listened to him. No queen ever wanted him as he was. No woman knew his heart as well as Daria.
He just couldn't do it.
He couldn't live without her.
Honor didn't grow old with you.
Honor didn't give you children.
Honor wasn't the love of his life.
Honor didn't love unconditionally.
Neither did his Queen.
Honor was only as good as it's true intentions.
He heard Daria's soft cries in the back of his mind. Their psychic connection between them made those them deafening. It was a death march. Who said hearts of stone didn't break? He had felt Daria's heart do the same and had ignored it. He tried to block her out of his mind by serving his Queen.
It hadn't worked at all.
He knew it would be a slow death for him if he remained on Avalon. He knew he was a cheap distraction for Titania. Then Oberon would get her in his bed. Where was the honor in that? He'd left the one he loved. He looked at the cold beauty setting beside him. That wasn't the beauty he saw. Instead, warm dark eyes and curly hair came to mind. A melodic laugh and a zest rang in his ear. And lots of purple. The cold conditional convenience of serving Titania sickened him.
He wanted to be with Daria. His body screamed it. His mind knew it. He soul begged for it. His heart ached for it.
Where he was wasn't right not to be with his chosen dearheart and his true soul mate.
A single tear got past the ironclad warrior.
He knew what he had to do.
He would make the same mistake twice.
One name filled his heart.
DARIA.
****************
Oberon watched silently. The Gargoyle stood up in the middle of dinner. He just got up, folded his wings, and left the dining hall. He watched the Gargoyle's pace quicken with each step as he headed toward the Fae King.
"My Lord, I have to leave."
"What?" Oberon leaned back and studied the Gargoyle.
"I can't serve here. I know that now."
"Why?"
"I ...it's personal."
"It's Daria?" Oberon looked down at him from his throne.
"Yes, my Lord." Timron's head bowed in shame. "I promised to serve Avalon , my king and my queen."
"But, her heart is calling out to yours. And the longer you deny it...the more it tears at you."
"Yes."
"Go." Oberon pointed to the wooden doors of the throne room. "Go while you can."
With that, The Gargoyle was gone.
Oberon smiled.
He turned back to his wife and poured her more wine.
*************
The spell worked quickly. Timron stood in his room at Summerlands. It was day here. He saw that the window was open and that cold air was filling the room.
Then, he saw Daria on the floor.
Unconscious.
A hoarse growl of worry came from him. He rushed to her side and looked for injuries.
There were none.
He felt her pulse.
No pulse!
He searched for her inside his mind.
Her presence was quickly fading.
She was dying.
He saw the blue bottle on the floor. One sniff was all it took. He knew it was poison. She wanted Death rather than life without him. Fool! He thought. Life is too short to throw it away like this.
As he had almost done.
"Dearheart, don't leave me."
Gargoyles had the ability to heal with a kiss he once had told the Genie. He prayed to the goddess it would be true now.
His kissed her.
The Nightsbane tasted bitter..
It coated Daria's tongue and filled her mouth.
He drank of her soul.
He drew the poison into him.
He held her close. He rocked her. He talked to her. He cried. The Gargoyle prayed her chilled body would come back to life.
He sensed a distant presence along the link.
It wasn't him. It wasn't Daria's soul.
It was a new life.
His brows lifted sharply. She was carrying a hatchling.
He kissed her harder and faster.
He reached out to her along that psychic bond.
"Daria, I know you can hear me. Don't you die on me. I'm here. I love you."
"I'M SORRY."
"Please...." Gargoyle tears fell on cold skin.
"Please." He begged her.
"Please..." He prayed to the Goddess.
And with that, her eyes were wide open.
"What about honor?" She rasped.
"What about it?" The Gargoyle asked as he held his dearheart in his arms. "I love you."
It was better to love, honor and Cherish. In that order.
***************
The End
Note: I hope you like it. I hate sad endings. Don't like it. Don't read it. 'Goddess. Here it is.
A Moment In the Sun:
LOVE, HONOR, AND CHERISH
BY
The Platinum Man
She stared out the window. April rain fell on the garden just outside her window. Storm clouds covered the sun she longed to see. Her moment in the sun was reduced to little more than rainy days and Mondays.
There wasn't any pretense in her: not today. She bowed her head over her arms. She cried. Hard. She that defied Queens and Vampires for her freedom. It hadn't cost her much ~ only her heart. Maybe her soul.
She remained alone. He welcomed cold honor with open arms. He discarded the warm, waiting love of one who revered him. He chose an ice queen's bed and fickle favor.
Daria's raging thoughts pummeled her between sobs. There wasn't much left. What good was immortality if she had to spend it alone? She was a Genie. Who knew if she had a soul? Who honestly cared? Her mother was a Goddess. What good was that? She hadn't talk to Skylaris in a thousand years. Her Gargoyle lover kowtowed to the lusty wishes of his queen. Pride didn't mean shit once she fell in love. He called her dearheart. He promised he loved her. He deserted her for the sake of honor. He ran. Daria was alone.
And it hurt like Hell.
She placed her hand on her stomach. She knew.
Woman's intuition wasn't wrong. She wanted to reach out to the crimson Gargoyle and tell him.
He decided to serve Titania. And he serviced her needs well.
Daria held the vial of Nightshade poison in her hands. One sip and it would be all over. No worries, no problems. Just eternal sleep. Hey, it'd be painless.
No platinum wings to walk in her dreams. No images of arms and tail around her. No more quiet "I love you's" tearing at her heart and killing her soul. One little taste was all it took to bring it down to crash and burn.
Daria tugged on the cork of the little blue bottle. She held up to the light. She saw the blue bottle bright against the gray skies outside her window. Without her warrior beside her. Life was just another prison ten times worse than a Genie's purple bottle.
A single tear of regret ran down her face. She took a drink of the Nightshade. She sat and waited. Thunder clapped. A cry of the Gargoyle's name came from her blue lips.
It was faint. It was final. She fell onto the floor.
She was dying.
**********************
Night was beautiful at Oberon's palace. In the throne room, minstrels played. The Children of Oberon danced their dances. They ate their food. They mixed and mingled as jesters went from table to table entertaining the masses.
Titania watched the red Gargoyle out of the corner of her eye. She'd found the best way to keep Daria in her place. It was the ultimate blow to the bitch's pride. Steal away the one person she loved. Keep him from finding happiness. He'd be better put to use on Avalon anyway. The queen smiled at that thought. Besides, she knew the Gargoyle was good for something. Titania licked her lips at the thought. Then, she silently toasted her good luck. She had decisive victory over an old rival. She had her lover warming her bed. It was all-good.
She studied the winged Gargoyle sitting beside her. His face was harder than stone. She had bricks with more cheer. His wings were folded around him. His arms were crosses. He just sat there still and quiet.
"Meet me after dinner." Titania cooed in his ear. "Forget her, she isn't here. I'm right beside you. Why wait for something you can't have anyway when you can have me NOW."
He sat and never blinked. He turned to Titania and nodded. "As you wish, my Queen."
In the distance, he felt that familiar tingle in the back of his mind. Daria's spirit never went far. He remembered her humor. He wanted her kindness back in his life. He wanted that shelter that her love gave him. Damn, he missed her arms around him.
The Gargoyle studied the redheaded queen. She wasn't the loving one he remembered. Her arms chilled him. Her kiss tasted bitter. She never said anything about love. Her body smelled like state sex from their earlier pairing. Her heart...what heart? She didn't have one.
He remembered every reason he'd left Daria in the garden. Titania's curse stood between them. He belonged to Avalon. It was his home. That meant he defended Avalon's honor to the bitter end. And so, he was Oberon advisor and Titania's stud.
The real reason he was here was his honor. All fear had conquered him. So, he hid behind a frail excuse of honor and left Daria alone. He turned his back on what she offered him. It hurt worse than anything he'd known. At the time, thought it was the right thing to do. Inside a tiny voice screamed at him.
LIAR.
The Gargoyle realized that loving Daria scared the Menash Kah out of him. It wasn't a simple love. No female Gargoyle ever listened to him. No queen ever wanted him as he was. No woman knew his heart as well as Daria.
He just couldn't do it.
He couldn't live without her.
Honor didn't grow old with you.
Honor didn't give you children.
Honor wasn't the love of his life.
Honor didn't love unconditionally.
Neither did his Queen.
Honor was only as good as it's true intentions.
He heard Daria's soft cries in the back of his mind. Their psychic connection between them made those them deafening. It was a death march. Who said hearts of stone didn't break? He had felt Daria's heart do the same and had ignored it. He tried to block her out of his mind by serving his Queen.
It hadn't worked at all.
He knew it would be a slow death for him if he remained on Avalon. He knew he was a cheap distraction for Titania. Then Oberon would get her in his bed. Where was the honor in that? He'd left the one he loved. He looked at the cold beauty setting beside him. That wasn't the beauty he saw. Instead, warm dark eyes and curly hair came to mind. A melodic laugh and a zest rang in his ear. And lots of purple. The cold conditional convenience of serving Titania sickened him.
He wanted to be with Daria. His body screamed it. His mind knew it. He soul begged for it. His heart ached for it.
Where he was wasn't right not to be with his chosen dearheart and his true soul mate.
A single tear got past the ironclad warrior.
He knew what he had to do.
He would make the same mistake twice.
One name filled his heart.
DARIA.
****************
Oberon watched silently. The Gargoyle stood up in the middle of dinner. He just got up, folded his wings, and left the dining hall. He watched the Gargoyle's pace quicken with each step as he headed toward the Fae King.
"My Lord, I have to leave."
"What?" Oberon leaned back and studied the Gargoyle.
"I can't serve here. I know that now."
"Why?"
"I ...it's personal."
"It's Daria?" Oberon looked down at him from his throne.
"Yes, my Lord." Timron's head bowed in shame. "I promised to serve Avalon , my king and my queen."
"But, her heart is calling out to yours. And the longer you deny it...the more it tears at you."
"Yes."
"Go." Oberon pointed to the wooden doors of the throne room. "Go while you can."
With that, The Gargoyle was gone.
Oberon smiled.
He turned back to his wife and poured her more wine.
*************
The spell worked quickly. Timron stood in his room at Summerlands. It was day here. He saw that the window was open and that cold air was filling the room.
Then, he saw Daria on the floor.
Unconscious.
A hoarse growl of worry came from him. He rushed to her side and looked for injuries.
There were none.
He felt her pulse.
No pulse!
He searched for her inside his mind.
Her presence was quickly fading.
She was dying.
He saw the blue bottle on the floor. One sniff was all it took. He knew it was poison. She wanted Death rather than life without him. Fool! He thought. Life is too short to throw it away like this.
As he had almost done.
"Dearheart, don't leave me."
Gargoyles had the ability to heal with a kiss he once had told the Genie. He prayed to the goddess it would be true now.
His kissed her.
The Nightsbane tasted bitter..
It coated Daria's tongue and filled her mouth.
He drank of her soul.
He drew the poison into him.
He held her close. He rocked her. He talked to her. He cried. The Gargoyle prayed her chilled body would come back to life.
He sensed a distant presence along the link.
It wasn't him. It wasn't Daria's soul.
It was a new life.
His brows lifted sharply. She was carrying a hatchling.
He kissed her harder and faster.
He reached out to her along that psychic bond.
"Daria, I know you can hear me. Don't you die on me. I'm here. I love you."
"I'M SORRY."
"Please...." Gargoyle tears fell on cold skin.
"Please." He begged her.
"Please..." He prayed to the Goddess.
And with that, her eyes were wide open.
"What about honor?" She rasped.
"What about it?" The Gargoyle asked as he held his dearheart in his arms. "I love you."
It was better to love, honor and Cherish. In that order.
***************
The End
Note: I hope you like it. I hate sad endings. Don't like it. Don't read it. 'Goddess. Here it is.