Chapter 2: The Aftermath of the Battle

As the story goes, Darkness kidnapped Lily with hopes that she would be his bride. He planned on turning the whole world into a dark and frozen kingdom by killing the two symbols of purity, the Unicorns. His plan was foiled by the hero, Jack, and by the fae, Gump, Oona and the gnomes. Darkness was sucked away into a distant dimension, Lily was saved, and the world was slowly changed back to a place of light and springtime.

When Lily returned to the palace, however, she was saddened to hear that her father had died, her mother was ill and her sister unconscious. As the castle and its grounds were repaired, all the physicians available came to aid the Queen and the princess. A great funeral was planned for the fallen king and the kingdom prepared to become a Queendom; all assumed Lily would take the throne as soon as her father was buried.

When Violet did awaken a few days later, she was struck into silence by the news of all that had happened. Lily took her aside in private and explained all that had happened. At the end of her tale, she asked Violet for advice. "I don't know what to do. I'm not ready to rule a kingdom," Lily sobbed. "Why couldn't father have had a son?"

Violet hushed and consoled her sister as she considered the ordeal. Finally, she nodded to herself and began her plan. "You will bring Jack into the palace," she stated matter-of-factly. Lily looked at her in shock and opened her mouth to argue but Violet raised her hand to silence her sister, "Tell everyone what has happened. He will be declared a hero and you will knight him and give him the title, 'Prince of the Elves'. You will marry the day after the mourning for father is ended and then both of you will be made Queen and King. You'll invite these fae of his, and ask for their blessing over that of the Bishop's. It will be a sign of good faith and thankfulness."

Lily listened to all of this with wide eyes and open mouth. At the end both girls began to make plans for the funeral and Lily sent for Jack.

Violet then made way to her own chambers, exhausted despite all that she had slept. She didn't tell Lily she knew what had happened already. She had dreamt it, seen it all in a way that was like watching shadows and pictures in a pool of water. Now, she felt a strange presence, like those pictures would still be there after she closed her eyes…no, she thought, not the same pictures, just those of Him. Darkness had stayed with her, in her mind's eye. She knew, in her gut, he was not gone, only distant, close enough to reach back out and touch their world with his black talons.

When Lily explained to the kingdom the ordeal, the battle with Darkness, the reason for the unexpected winter, they readily accepted it and Jack as their conquering hero. She did not elaborate or tell them about the unicorns or her own role in the matter, just as Violet had advised not to. Her speech focused on Jack's role and a great deal of thanks to the fae who had helped. When she had knighted and named him, the council had even proclaimed the day a holiday in his favor.

None were surprised when Lily and Jack announced their wedding and all celebrated after the funeral of the dead king. All but Violet. She withdrew from the festivities after wishing Lily and Jack congratulations and welcoming Jack as her brother. Both the new king and queen looked terrified at their new roles but Violet knew that they both had good hearts, love the people and the land, and would be guided well by her father's council members as far as politics went.

She went to her chambers and changed out of the formal attire she wore for the wedding and into a plain chemise. Curling up in a chair by the fire, she began to dose. She hadn't slept well since awaking from her brief coma. Darkness settled behind her eyes, she felt him as if he was in the room with her, close enough to embrace her. Oddly enough, she wondered if she would welcome it.

Something had changed about Violet. She had felt, looking at those images in her dreams, the lust and need, the passion and seductions Darkness had felt for Lily, and, briefly, Lily had felt for him in return. It was so hot it burned Violet's throat and eyes like tears.

Before she knew it, she found herself crying. Tears of loneliness, fear of what she was feeling, an ache she couldn't explain, not even to Lily who might have known this feeling of desire and understood her sister's wretched state. Gripping her blanket tightly around her and closing her eyes against the onslaught of tears, Violet did not realize how much danger she was in. Her ache and desire, her innocence and purity all stood out like a beacon in the dark, calling some distant creature home.

Darkness floated in the abyss, feeling the cold and emptiness he had created like a comforting embrace. He thought about all that had happened in the way most people view past events with complete understanding of what had went wrong and when. He had underestimated the princess, underestimated her champion – a little boy. He wouldn't make the same mistake twice. However, as it was, he had and it would be another century before he would have the power to try again.

Floating, waiting, thinking and regretting his downfall; Darkness took longer than expected to notice a change in his exile. When he finally did, it was like a small voice calling to him – a dim candle that shines light in the shadows. He delicately reached out to it, tasted its longing, its desire that felt so akin to his own.

When he recognized the emotions and sensation, inexpressible joy passed through him. He reveled in the feel of it and began his journey through the abyss towards the calling light.

Darkness peered from his dimension into a chamber dimly lit by embers in a fireplace. The room was large and comfortable with elegant décor and walls and tables covered with books. Before the fire, in a wing backed chair, was a sleeping figure. He smiled at the beacon that had called him towards the world again. Called to him and yet…

He pressed his hand against the image that shimmered before him like a reflection in a pool of water. He could not get through yet. After a few tries he groaned. It was like feeling heat through a glass pane but not touching the fire itself. Rage boiled up within him, he needed to get to her.