When the sun was already setting, a messenger arrived to tell Luna she and Clinkz had been summoned by the Goddess of the Moon. They were expected at the moon pond on the western side of the village. They went their immediately, because who wanted to let a goddess wait? Without thinking much about it, they were holding hands again. And it felt so right. She had become unbelievably used to the presence of the skeleton by her side and enjoyed it.

They could see the light from the ethereal form of the goddess shining through the trees as they drew near the pond. She was standing next to the water, the high priestess in front of her. The priestess had her eyes cast onto the ground, not only as a sign of respect but also because the light surrounding the goddess was too bright to directly look at Her. They were talking about something but stopped when they saw Clinkz and Luna. Luna sank on one knee, Clinkz following, since they were still holding hands, and bowed her head. "My goddess, you asked for me?"

The goddess approached them. "Luna Moonfang," she said, her voice soft and singsongy. With her fingers she brushed lightly against Luna's hair. "And the Bone Fletcher." She brushed his head as well, like some kind of blessing. "May the moon shine upon you and guide you well."

Her focus turned solely onto Clinkz now. "I have heard about you. All the elves in the Nightsilver Woods know no other topic these days. You did really well out there, I was told. And saved many an elf. Normally I don't reward excellent fighting, because I expect everyone to give their best. But it seems you are lacking in something I would be able to give you. What would you wish for yourself, Bone Fletcher?"

"I wish for nothing, my goddess. I didn't fight to get a reward."

"I know that, otherwise I wouldn't be so inclined to give you one. But I see you are holding hands with the Moon Rider. Are you sure you don't wish for something? Maybe a hand out of flesh, to feel what you are touching? A body to hold someone?"

Clinkz grip tightened and Luna cast a glance in his direction. The goddess was offering to give him a real body again but he was definitely hesitating.

"What is your price?"

"My price? Why would I want you to pay a price for that?" She didn't understand why he would ask such a question, but Luna did. He had told her how the price he would've had to pay to get his body back had been too high. And of course, when a mage wanted such a high price, why would a goddess do the same thing for nothing? "It is a gift, for the fighting you did in my name. And for the way you were protecting the elves and especially the Moon Rider. You don't have to pay anything else."

"You would just give me back my body? As a gift?" Clinkz sounded unbelieving.

"Yes, I would, but to be precise: it will not be your body as it was. I can let flesh form around your bones and give you the look of a man, but it will be different than how you looked before your curse. And I have to warn you: since some of the abilities you possess at the moment are linked to your skeletal form, like your invisibility and your burning arrows, they will vanish. Maybe that is the price you were asking about, but it is nothing I can change and I'm not sure someone else would be able to preserve this abilities. Are you willing to sacrifice those abilities for a body made of flesh?"

"Without another thought."

Now Luna turned to him. "Wait. Are you sure? You are such a great warrior because of those abilities and you said you have become used to being a skeleton. Maybe you should at least think about your decision."

His gaze focused on her. "There is nothing to think about. Since the first time I saw you in the war between the two towns I have wanted nothing more than to be a real man." He lifted his gloved hand. He placed his palm on her cheek, his thumb resting on her chin. "I wanted to be able to court you, to have the chance for you to notice me as a man. I wanted to touch your soft skin, and feel the warmth from you. To kiss your lips" he rubbed with his thumb over her lower lip and she instinctively parted her mouth, drawing his gaze to it. His voice became a little rough as he continued speaking. "I wanted to taste your mouth, to smell your hair and to feel your body. And I wanted you to look at me as if you wanted the same. I want to be more than a friend for you and as long as I'm a skeleton, I can't. So no, there is nothing to think about. I don't care about losing some of my abilities; I'm still the best archer even without them. But I will have the chance, since you already like me, to make you love me. Because I love you, Luna Moonfang."

Luna was completely speechless. Her body was thrumming softly, as if his words had made her come alive. And suddenly she also wanted nothing more than him to be a real man.

Clinkz dropped his hand and turned to the goddess again. "I won't be ugly, will I?"

The Goddess of the Moon laughed softly. "That would be most inconvenient to your pursuit, I assume. No, you won't be ugly. Though I am of the opinion it wouldn't matter as much as you might think. So you will take my reward for you?"

Clinkz nodded but Luna interrupted again. She wanted to say something before he changed, wanted him to know it wasn't linked to that change. Because he might wonder if she only felt that way because of his appearance and when the Goddess made his body, it would definitely be breath-taking. "I… You won't have to make me love you, you know?" She fiddled with the glove on the hand she was holding while he was waiting for her to continue. She took a deep breath. She had thought it would be easy to say it, but it definitely took courage to look at him know. "I love you."

Clinkz just kept staring at her and Luna became nervous. She couldn't pick up any feelings from him and didn't know what he was thinking. Shouldn't she have said it? But it had felt so right!

His voice was rough with emotion. "Hell Luna, you really mean it. But I'm a skeleton!"

"What do I care how you look like?" She was frowning now. "It doesn't change who you are."

"Well, now that this is settled, let's begin, shall we?" The goddess Elune interrupted them, Her voice clearly showing Her delight. But She might have known from the beginning what they were feeling for each other, since She was a goddess.

"Bone Fletcher, you will have to let go of the hand you are grabbing, and you have to remove everything that is covering your body at the moment. Then come with me to the Moon Pond."

Clinkz gave her hand another squeeze, then he let go. When he had nothing covering his body he approached the Moon Pond. He looked strangely naked and disturbingly like a skeleton. The goddess gestured for him to step into the pond, where he turned to look at Luna again, who was still kneeing on the grass. She couldn't really believe that this was happening but, goddess help her, she was giddy with the prospect of Clinkz as a man.

The high priestess turned to Luna while the goddess began to wrap Clinkz in silvery light. "You might as well rise. This will take some time." After a short pause she continued. "I am glad you have found a companion. And someone so reliable, fierce, intent on your safety and friendly. You have my blessing."

Luna blinked a few times. This day was getting more awesome by the moment. "Thank you very much, your highness." A blessing from the high priestess was very special. Most pairs sought it out but not all of them got it.

The priestess turned towards the pond and Luna had nothing more to do but wait. Minutes turned to hours and it was fully dark by the time the Goddess of the Moon stopped whatever she had been doing. It was silent around the pond, not like in advance of the battle, but more like all life was sleeping. Luna had been tired but now the anticipation chased away all fatigue. She focused on the pond but didn't dare approach it without permission of the priestess or the goddess. Clinkz was still wrapped in the light that, together with the light coming from the goddess, illuminated the clearing. The Goddess Elune took a few steps back from the Moon Pond and spoke with soft voice.

"Bone Fletcher. The moon shines bright tonight. I bless you in Her name. May She guide you and give you strength. May her light be within you and love surround you. If you wish, you may join the guardians of the Nightsilver Woods as one of them and pledge yourself to my service. You are very welcome among us. Fare well."

And just as Clinkz took his first step out of the Moon Pond and the light around him faded, the Goddess of the Moon vanished. The high priestess turned around and left as well, giving Luna and Clinkz some privacy. Though the light around Clinkz and the one from the goddess were gone it wasn't dark. Elune had been right, the moon shone bright tonight and She cast a soft glow on everything Her light touched. The water in the pond glowed faintly as well so Luna, with her improved night vision, could see the man in front of the pond clearly. The only things that remained from his skeletal form were the horns on his head that curved to the front and the horned appendages on his chin.

He was lean but not skinny, the muscles he needed for his archery very defined on his arms, shoulders and his chest. His shoulders were not overly broad but not narrow either. He didn't look like a brute though his horns let him keep the fierceness to his look. His skin was light brown and his short, dark hair was tousled. He was completely naked and Luna let her gaze wander from his naked feet over his muscled thighs to his man part. She lingered a little there and then went on, over his flat stomach to his chest, his skin looking smooth and soft though his body looked firm and hard. At least she looked at his face, even now, in this form, with an unreadable expression. He was really beautiful but his firm mouth, his horns and his matter-of-fact expression gave him the little something that made Luna's hands itch to touch him. In spite of this beauty he still looked like the warrior he was. And then he started to move forward and Luna's breath caught in her throat. As a skeleton his movements had looked fluent and she had been impressed how graceful he had been. But now, now he was like a cat stalking its prey, as he neared her. She stared at him, entranced by the play of his muscles, the moonlight casting a silvery glow on the brown skin. When he stood in front of her, his hair falling into his face, she could finally see his deep brown eyes, looking black now in the night, totally focused on her and her breath hitched. Her heartbeat had sped up when he had taken his first step towards her and now it drummed through her body.

She could still, like when he had been a skeleton, feel his emotions, when they were strong enough. And she felt his insecurity now. Goddess, how could he be insecure? He was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen! "You are breath-taking. Stunning. Goddess help me, you are unbelievably awesome." It was barely more than a whisper, as if Luna's voice wouldn't respond properly anymore. The tension left Clinkz' body and she could feel his smile. "Says the most beautiful woman in the world."

A breathless laugh. Then she bit her lip and, not able to contain herself any longer, raised her hand. She wanted to feel him, first to ensure herself he was real like that and second because she needed to touch this smooth, brown skin of his.

Just like before, she stepped into the space where his horns framed her face and laid her hand on his cheek. Only this time, she could feel his warmth, the softness of him and his breath faintly on her face. She let her thumb stroke over his cheekbone, then she raised her other hand, framing his face.

His voice was rough when he spoke. "So you like how I look now?"

"Goddess, yes."

That must have been the last thing he had been waiting for, the last assurance he had needed, because now his hands started to move as well. He grabbed her waist and when he pulled her against him, their bodies connecting for the first time, he kissed her. His firm lips were surprisingly soft and felt unbelievably good. Luna buried one hand in his hair, which fell over her fingers, and with the other she grabbed his shoulder. She presser herself harder against Clinkz, wanting to feel as much of him as possible. She felt alive, her heart beating wildly in her chest, her body thrumming with energy. She knew she had loved him before, but now, with this gorgeous body of his, it wasn't platonic anymore and she had the sudden thought that she never wanted to let him go. She wanted to be with him all her life. And since it was a long life, they would have plenty of time.

The goddess had offered him to stay, to become a part of the guardians of the Nightsilver Woods. Now he just had to accept.

Breathing heavy, she stopped kissing and opened her eyes to see dark brown ones looking at her questioningly. "What is wrong?" So now his eyes, if not his face, could show his feelings. Luna shook her head. "Nothing wrong. I was just wondering if you would join the guardians of the Nightsilver Woods."

"I would like to, yes. If you want me to?" He seemed unsecure again. As if he still didn't know what she felt. And maybe he didn't. Maybe he couldn't believe that she would want that, so she would tell him. Every day or, if that wasn't enough and he had still doubts, every hour.

"Yes, I would like that." She looked deep into his eyes. "I love you."

She could feel the joy Clinkz felt with hearing those words. "I love you, too." He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers. "You are amazing. I would've never dared to dream that a woman like you would love me one day. I will do everything for you, as long as I live. You only have to ask."

Luna was overwhelmed with emotion. Goddess help her, but she would never let that man go. And then she asked for the one thing she wanted from him.

"Will you stay with me?" Luna whispered, their foreheads still touching.

"Forever."