A/N: Here's something a little somber. Written after Michael Jackson died. So pre-TTP, I think.
2. The One That Got Away
She folded her wings, remembering that Artemis made it for her using nothing but his hands. It was the only one on and under the whole world. It was made of clear glass, as light and as smooth as silk. Gold swirls lined its blades. As she flies, the rays of the sun and the beams of the moon are entrapped in its translucence, setting her aglow. He had said he tried to capture her beauty in the wings, and proclaimed that its splendor was nothing compared to her. To Holly, it was a mere fraction of Artemis' full magnificence.
Her feet touched the grass. It was damp and soft from the morning drizzle. The breeze was cold against her skin. It was eerily silent. It would have been deafening if it weren't for the whispers of the wind. Holly was used to the fairy equivalent of this mud man place. The fairy counterpart was noisy and happy, a place of family reunions and such.
Nothing was happy about this place.
It had been two weeks. It pained Holly to wait that long, but Artemis was a renowned mud man. His accomplishments meant that Holly had to wait for the mud man ceremonies to be over, and the buzz about the tragedy die down in the mud world.
After wading her way through a sea of flowers and cards and candles, she reached her destination.
Holly thought she had no tears left to cry, since she had been mourning for the past two weeks. Her thought was proven wrong as the familiar drops began to fall.
She wanted desperately to have him back, to hold him one last time, to bicker carelessly until dawn again. How can she possibly live the rest of her life without Artemis' presence?
The questions she had been avoiding the past days broke through in her mind. Should she have told him? Should she have fought for what she was feeling? Should she never have settled for a comfortable friendship? Could they have had something more? Looking back, she knew wouldn't have changed a thing. It was alright. Long ago, both of them accepted the fact that they were not meant for each other. It was the one adventure that they were too scared to pursue. Perhaps, in another life.
At least they had spent the past eighty years together. Aside from his brothers, she was the only family he had. He never married, being too busy with his noble work. The lack of a romantic partner was okay, for both of them. They had each other's friendship. But now, Holly was alone.
She wouldn't be receiving surprise phone calls anymore. She would miss those moments when Artemis' awkwardness would lead to some comical accident. There would be no one who would tolerate her feisty rants. No one left to be calm and logical for her while her world collapsed. He wouldn't be there to save her anymore.
She knelt by Artemis' tombstone. Artemis Fowl II, September 1, 1988 – November 15, 2068. There was no description. She vaguely remembered a Mud man news network saying that no words would be enough. Her fingers grazed over his name, and one final tear dropped.
"I love you. I will always love you." She whispered.
After a few moments, she stood up, unfurled her beautiful wings and took flight.
