An Orange Sky

Epilogue

Evair breathed, really breathed, for the first time in millennia. The air tasted sweet, sweeter than she ever remembered, and it filled her mouth with the intoxicating flavours of grass, sunshine, water, people . . . life. The Crossing had made her forget all that it was to live.

"Well met, Evair."

She opened her almond shaped eyes and looked about her. Gone was the white shift, splattered with scarlet blood; instead she wore a simple green dress – colour – the Crossing had gone from her, she sighed with relief. And it was the colour that blinded her; trillions of pinpoints of light, glowing, shifting, changing; a million subtleties just in a single blade of grass. She was overwhelmed by it, her head becoming light and her balance shifting in giddiness. No longer did she face the blank expanse of nothing or the pastel-pale, dull colours that filtered through to the crossing. She let out a bark of laughter at the sheer vibrancy of it.

"Well met, Evair."

The Old Language sounded strange upon her ears, alien after not hearing its twisting notes for so long. Evair realised, as she looked around for the voice, that she was suspended in the air – the sky – and the world, or rather a thousand worlds, stretched out below her, all she could imagine and more.

Her hazel eyes scanned the scenes below her and settled upon that of a golden wheat field, shimmering like precious silk in a breeze. As Evair focused on the field, it expanded, filling her vision until she was standing there, feeling the golden stems brush against her. She let out a gasp as she stroked her hands against the tips of wheat, feeling them tickle her palms, a delicious sensation. Since when had Feeling been so strong, been such an amazing experience? And the smells! The musty odour of straw in a barn, rich earth freshly ploughed and the sweet essence of meadow flowers.

Out of the corner of her eye Evair saw a flash of pale cloth against the heavy, red afternoon sun. Turning she saw a girl of about eighteen, clothed in a light blue dress, stoop repeatedly and pluck the meadow flowers that had sprouted up between the wheat stalks, collecting them in a bunch in her upturned apron. Evair studied the girl's features and let out a sigh of relief. So Estelle did make it here then, she thought. But the whole scene seemed strangely familiar and a sense of foreboding prickled the back of her neck.

Now that she thought about it, Evair realised, the girl's hair was far too light a blonde to be Estelle's. Her skin too was a darker tan and her eyes a pale blue, not the usual green-brown irises of Estelle's. Then who was this young girl who seemed so familiar? Evair wondered. Flashing images filled her mind of a writhing, translucent skinned monster, an object of pitied-disgust, screeching out as Evair stooped to steal its memories. Evair's thoughts returned and she watched the scene in horror, waiting; waiting for the greedy men and the ragged farmers who could do nothing and would die for it.

But neither came and the sun descended lower, the girl – Lilith – continued picking her blossoms, singing an old familiar tune that lilted in time with the field. And then a dark figured man approached the girl and she turned, a white smile of joy flashing against the setting sun. The couple embraced and exchanged words that were too mumbled for Evair to pick up. Lilith showed the young man her harvest and he smelt the blooms appreciatively, before taking her hand, fingers entwining, and led her across the field.

Before the couple vanished between a gap in the hedge, Lilith turned, her white-blond hair swirling, and looked directly at Evair, gazing at her as if she had just noticed a familiar friend across a crowded room and smiling sheepishly in recognition. Lilith gave a short wave and another dazzling smile before disappearing after her betrothed. Evair felt like laughing and crying all at once, a warm feeling glowing within her, as she stood alone in the field.

"See now the blessing of the Land of the Dead?" Evair spun around to stare at the man before her, dressed also in rich greens.

"Edaim?"

"Well met, Evair," her husband repeated again in the Old Language, his red beard shifting as the corners of his mouth turned up. Evair could not speak. The sudden gravity of what she had unleashed upon the Land of the Living, although prevented by Edaim's clever spell casting, came crashing down upon her in rolling waves of guilt that threatened to asphyxiate her, a feeling she had been unable to fully feel within the Crossing.

"Here, in the Land of the Dead, the paths that should have been, were right to be, are; as you saw of our old acquaintance," Edaim said, nodding towards the gap through which Lilith had disappeared. "I cannot fulfil our right path without you, Evair, my Wife. We are one identity and I have waited for what seems like eternity and yet also but one day for you, my Love. I have waited and watched a million souls' right paths unfold before them. I think forgiveness is a small price to pay for the chance of our own path, no?" Edaim uttered, picking a yellow flower and twirling it between his fingers. He smiled again but his brow remained furrowed gravely. Evair felt that her Husband was granting her a second chance but somehow the whole situation was overwhelming her. She couldn't think straight and something wasn't right; all she could think was that she had failed; she had delivered Estelle to the wrong man.

"They write of Evair's Fall but they have not written of Evair's Redemption," Evair muttered, glancing at her lover before casting her eyes to the ground in guilt, thinking of the long suffering Estelle and how she had abandoned her to be left to her grief.

"There may still be time to redeem yourself," Edaim hinted at, but it was lost upon Evair.

"I was wrong, Edaim. I had the wrong man. Even when I watched you cast those spells, realised the outcome you wished for. Even when my sanity returned and I realised the depths unto which I had sunk. Even when I used all the power I could to manipulate the situation to our favour; I was wrong. I forced Eden to accept the animagus and I forced them together when all along it was the wolf. I fear I have twisted the Fates more than was warrant."

"The outcome was successful. Perhaps it was the Fates that misled you."

"Then how am I to redeem myself. That was my saving, my one chance to change what I did, what I have become." Edaim's eyes glinted coldly as he watched his wife's misery. Finally his gaze softened.

"Evair, this Land of the Dead, you realise that if we were all granted the right path immediately than we would not have a comparison with which to appreciate our path. That is the reason for the Land of the Living; so that one suffers in order to appreciate the gift the Land of the Dead offers."

"What mean you, Edaim," Evair snapped, becoming impatient, her tongue slipping naturally back to the Old Language.

"I mean that sometimes one must wait in order to reach the right path. One must endure more suffering. We both have waited but mayhap not long enough." Evair looked up sharply. "I still have enough magic to look out upon both the Crossing and the Land of the Living and I have been watching events. The girl, the Host, she resides still in the Crossing. Why is this Evair?"

"I know not but I feel you do, Edaim."

"You do know and it is by your causing, is it not? You brought the two, the host and the animagus, together, thinking that it would strengthen a love that was not there. But it is not only Love but Lust that conceives . . ."

"A child? It would be barely but a few cells large. What is a doomed pregnancy to do with it?" Evair snapped yet again, her situation dawning on her but still she struggled to evade it.

"You speak as if you hold no love for this woman, whose task you so mercilessly dedicated to her, but that she fulfilled faithfully. When you brought those two together you did indeed meddle with the Fates; and it is the Fates that dictate that the child must be born. Estelle cannot leave for the Land of the Dead while it is still her task to bear this child and she cannot return to the Land of the Living for there is no energy - Life - to push her back. She is doomed for all eternity to reside in the Crossing."

"I do not see what I can do, Edaim. Estelle gave the Life to bring those men back. She had the power within her grasp; I do not. Besides, I cannot leave either. Once you have reached the Land of the Dead, there is no return, correct?" Evair said, desperately. Edaim looked sadly upon his wife.

"Perhaps in common circumstances, yes, but the Bringer of Death has been vanquished and the walls of all realms of Death and Life and the Crossing are weak."

"If I can cross over then I sense there will be no return for me. Do you wish that upon you wife, Edaim, do you wish to never see me again?"

"I cannot force you and though I see you are not yet again the woman you once were, who would sacrifice her life to save but one child, I hope beyond hope that you will choose wisely. Would it not be right that you should strive to save the life of this child and its mother after the grief over the loss of so many of your own descendants led to this situation?" Edaim now grabbed Evair's hand and the familiarity of it made Evair's head spin. She had waited so long . . . "Think, Evair! This might be our right path. This might be what is right and perhaps there will be a time when some higher power sees fit to grant us mercy. Live in hope, my Love, for there is a way to be good again."

"What of the Wolf-man, the Sacrifice? Can I bring Estelle some comfort in her grief? Has he found his path?"

"Aye. He left with a woman I know not of, but she died in the Great War not long ago when hundreds filtered through to the Land of the Dead. She was of a special magical kind – a feature-shifter. Together they cradled an infant." As Edaim had spoken, a shimmering window opened in the air, playing out the scene Edaim had described. Sure enough, a surprised looking Remus embraced a woman with bright pink hair, the shocked look changing to one of utter joy as the woman held up a wrapped bundle that was a child. Evair felt the same warmth and joy she had received when she beheld Lilith's path. But suddenly her smile dropped.

"His love for Estelle does not endure in the afterlife?" Evair asked. Edaim's brows furrowed again, a trait of his.

"I believe, perhaps, that because of her Blood, the Host has no right path. She is cursed to never grasp unconditional love."

"Not from her child?"

"That, maybe, is her reward for her suffering. But from a man, I think not."

"Albus?"

"Aye, he loves her like a daughter. But that is not what Estelle seeks. And still, with your help, he readily betrayed her."

"He knew the consequences if he did not. Besides, why should I sacrifice my path for a girl who does not own one?" As soon as she said this, Evair flinched with guilt. Edaim noticed this.

"It is not for the girl but for the child. If the Fates say it should live then it is destined for great things. Conceived in the Crossing by an animagus and a Siren, cradled within the body of Death, holding within itself the magic of the founders of Witchcraft and wizardry, it will surely be a great and powerful magical being."

"It will have our magic?"

"With mine and yours we can push the child and its mother back into the Land of the Living. But we must hurry now; the walls are again growing stronger."

"Edaim . . ." Evair looked to him. She remembered now all the creases on his brow, the freckles on his nose and the serious look in his eyes that easily gave way to a playful one, the strength within his arms and soul and his just and good mind that always saw reason when she did not. To be together after so long only to then get wrenched apart was so cruel. Edaim embraced her and her heart skipped a beat, revelling in the feeling she had missed for so long. He raised her chin with his finger.

"A love that endures for all eternity must surely be the strongest of loves, eh? Think not of what you must endure but that I will be waiting for you as long as it will take. Go now, take responsibility for what you have done and the world will not only sing of Evair's redemption but also of the strongest love that ever graced the Lands of Living and Dead."

Pearly tears slipped down Evair's cheeks, glinting in the light of the moon that had risen during their conversation. She clasped Edaim's hand as hard as she could, the only sound the whispering of the stalks.

"I promise you, Edaim, that should I return, I will be once again the woman you fell in love with." A simple brush of the lips that made everything harder, a glancing last image of her husband, the final taste of air, and then she felt the strong flow of Edaim's magic settle within her heart. He pushed her in the right direction.

She felt as if she were on a broom, speeding through space, only pausing to push through the jelly like structure that was the divider between the Dead and the Crossing. She sped along until the familiar feeling of numbness gradually grew overpowering. Stopping, she looked about herself at the long familiar settings. The pastel colours and blurring, indistinct shapes of a wood, her specialised Crossing, stood like a stage set with a blank canvas for the background. Evair knew she must reach Estelle's Crossing bodily but the last time she had done that she had exhausted large reserves of her magic. Now she spread her consciousness about her, sifting through layers of Crossings, the homes of ghosts who wandered faintly upon the Land of the Living and the Crossing. Finally she settled upon her target and, gathering her Will about her, she jumped. Her mind was stubbornly focused on the task ahead, refusing to dwell on her thoughts and feelings.

The switch between Crossings was far easier than ever before due to the weakened walls. Using up hardly any energy, Evair stepped lightly into the flowered meadow. Upon the ground lay Estelle, her hands behind her head and staring at the blankness above her, singing a beautiful tune that pierced the muffled atmosphere. Evair wondered in what way she would be greeted. She knew that, despite only a few hours passing whilst she was in the Land of the Dead, Estelle had had a much time as she needed to grieve. Was that hostility and hate still there? Merlin knows she deserved Estelle's anger after the way she had treated her.

"What do you see, Estelle?" Estelle did not shift or even give any sign of surprise that Evair had come back.

"I can see a wide blue sky with little bunches of white clouds. There's a bird wheeling about and a red and blue kite hovering above. A child is flying the kite and it keeps waving to me to come over but I can't move from this place."

"A child, eh?" Evair speculated, sitting down next to Estelle. "You have a brilliant imagination. The best I could ever do in my boredom was to imagine my husband."

"I can sing here, you know. I don't have to worry about people hearing me. In fact I don't have to worry about anything anymore. I don't have to grow close to them only to see them suffer."

"Do you not wish to return to the Land you have just saved?"

"The Land of the Living? It doesn't want me and I don't want it." Evair let out an exasperated sigh and Estelle turned on her side to look at the powerful witch.

"Your clothes have changed," the Siren observed. Evair looked down at her green skirt, vibrant against the washed-out background. No more white, no more blood.

"A gift from the Land of the Dead."

"Ah, so you got there then. I thought it was impossible to return. Why'd you come back?"

"I still have tasks to complete."

"Oh, I see. Any idea what my task is? I must have one seeing as I can't pass on."

"Your task is to live and become a mother." Estelle let out a bitter laugh at this.

"Oh yes. I can see that is very plausible," she said sarcastically. "Just how do you suppose I do that?"

"I have enough magic left to send you back," Evair proposed causing Estelle to look up sharply. "Just as you did for Albus and Sirius, so too could I do the same."

"I don't want to go back. I can't hurt anymore people here. Don't you see that? Isn't that the best thing for everyone?"

"It is no longer about you," Evair snapped. Estelle frowned. "When you lay with the animagus, a child was conceived." Estelle's hand shot to her stomach and she let out a strangled gasp of surprise.

"You must live. If not for yourself than for your child. It will be a powerful magician, I promise you that. It is Fated for great things. You must bear that child, Estelle, or you can never pass on." Estelle looked thoughtful.

"I never thought I would have children," Estelle muttered. "What if it inherits my curse? Then it would be cruel to bring it into the world only to suffer? What if my curse will mean it will die?"

"I don't think you would affect one with the same Siren blood. Besides, 'what ifs' are not a reason to deny this child life."

"I fear I'll be a bad mother." Evair looked upon the girl with pity. Standing up, she held out her hand to Estelle who took it, hauling herself to her feet.

"Come," Evair beckoned and Estelle drew near. She had a look of anxiousness upon her face.

"Do not worry, I will look over you, Estelle. I will make sure your baby will always stay safe."

"Thank you, Evair."

"No, it should be I thanking you. You have done so much for me and I have given you little thanks. No longer, hm?" Like the animagus and your Godfather, you must every now and then return to the Crossing for a while since you have fully resided in it now. But you shall never be alone, I will always be waiting." Estelle dipped her head in thanks and Evair pressed her palms upon Estelle's forehead and stomach, focusing her Will.

"Did you meet your Husband?" Estelle interrupted. Evair paused and for a while silence reined the Crossing.

"I did."

"Was he all that you remembered?"

"Indeed."

"And yet you left him?"

"Indeed," Evair repeated.

"I'm not stupid. I know you can't go back, Evair. Why do that to yourself, condemn yourself for all eternity just for me?"

"There is a way to be good again," Evair whispered, remembering her Husband's wise words.

"I see."

"Could – could you tell someone. I don't mean the whole world, but could you let just one person know. I don't always want to be known as the One who Fell." Estelle smiled in agreement, seeing yet again the human side to the most powerful Witch ever to exist.

"You are far from Fallen, Evair." Evair smiled and then suddenly frowned in remembrance. Had she forgotten?

"Estelle, there is one more thing you must know. He is happy. I have seen him and he is so very happy. Please remember that."

"Who are you tal-" But it was too late. Evair had placed her hands upon Estelle's forehead and abdomen and released her magic, letting it flow into the mother and the child. And then, with a murmur of goodbye, Evair was alone in the rolling blank, with the knowledge that her new task was to be the Guardian Angel of Estelle's child . . .

The sun was beginning to dip beyond the horizon, bathing the cold room and its contents in an orange glow. The two pale figures lying side by side lit up strangely, the peaceful faces shadowed and ethereal in the light. Sirius huddled at the foot of the pedestal the two bodies were lying upon, his knees drawn up to his face and his hands covering his eyes. An unimaginable grief filled him, one which he had not felt for seventeen years, when he lost his best friend. And now he had lost them all and he was alone, more alone than he had ever felt, even when incarcerated in Azkaban.

Dumbledore had returned not long ago and the mess in that fateful hallway was cleared. It was a shame that the mess between everyone could not also be cleaned. Sirius sniffed and ran his hand through his black hair, trying to swallow the grief that threatened to overwhelm him. Suddenly a stirring caught his attention; his senses already on edge, the sound seemed to ring out loudly. He listened intently and again the sound of silk sliding against stone filled the room. Moving his hands from his eyes, he looked up at the white marble pedestal. He flinched away, convinced that his mind was playing tricks.

There, slowly sitting up, was Estelle, clad in a pale-yellow, silk funeral dress; she raised herself shakily. Sirius let out a fearful moan, wondering why his brain was torturing him. Suddenly the thought that perhaps the monster had only been subdued and not destroyed from Estelle's body sent a jolt of pure horror down his spine causing him to jump up hastily.

"Sirius?" The voice sounded far away, trembling and so familiar it physically hurt Sirius to hear it. It wasn't until he looked into her eyes, large green-brown irises that shimmered with unshed tears, not the pale, fish-like orbs of Death, that Sirius finally rushed to her side. She collapsed into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. The apple shaped orb swung from her neck, it's golden colour now a silver, swirling with black, the magic of death trapped inside it's cold embrace.

"It hurts, Sirius. God, it hurts so much," she cried, shivering all over. The cut in her arm, the wound which had fed Death, began to bubble blood as her body reasserted itself. Sirius whipped out his wand and quickly healed the gash. If only it had been that easy in the first place . . .

"You're alive, you're alive, you're alive . . ." Sirius murmured over and over as if to stop would mean she would suddenly vanish. He rocked her back and forth while she moaned in pain. Suddenly a thought occurred to Sirius.

"If you're alive then Remus . . ." Estelle looked up sharply but Sirius was already turning to the other body that lay on the pedestal. He shook Remus' arm roughly, the hope rising in his heart quickly sinking to be taken over by the same grief all over again. He shook Remus' arm again but it fell limply back onto the cold stone.

"Remus . . . Remus . . . REMUS!" Estelle began screaming, shaking the pale figure urgently. Sirius swallowed his grief and disappointment, knowing now that he would have to comfort another of the grieving. He grasped Estelle to his chest, struggling against her writhing arms.

"No, no, Only silver!" she screamed into his shirt. "Only silver can kill him." Tears were dripping from both of their faces. Sirius rocked her back and forth as she clasped the white hand of Remus, never daring to let go.

"Bring him back, Evair . . . EVAIR, BRING HIM BACK!"

8 months later

Estelle stood in the graveyard, a single figure against the orange sky. From the ground sprouted thousands of daffodils, whites, yellows, oranges; they bobbed their heads in time with the breeze. Spring – the bringer of life, Estelle thought, placing a hand on her stomach. Stooping tiredly, Estelle plucked a bunch of bright flowers and walked between the aisles of stone, her black cloak sweeping behind her, hood up to shelter her face from the chill air. She trod a path indented upon her memory, paying no heed to the direction her feet were taking, dwelling instead on old thoughts and memories.

She stopped in front of a white marble head stone, tinged with orange light, obviously not long ago erected as the letters were still clearly cut. They simply read: REMUS LUPIN, BELOVED FRIEND. Estelle set down the daffodils, sweeping aside an old withered bunch of flowers. Her legs were tired from the extra weight she carried so she kneeled upon the cold grass, imagining the body lying next to her, slowly disintegrating. The thought didn't disturb her but instead gave her a sense of closure. As she knelt the silver orb hanging from her neck escaped the folds of her clothing and glinted in the light. She absentmindedly tucked it back in.

He is happy. I have seen him and he is so very happy. Estelle hoped with all her heart that Evair had spoken the truth.

"Remus," she whispered, answered only by the rustling of a breeze through the trees. "Remus, I don't know if I will come back. The baby will be born shortly and as soon as it is we're going back to the Rainforest, just the baby and I. I was always safe there." Estelle paused, listening to a bird sing, letting the red sun warm her back.

"Sirius won't ever know it's his. I don't think he's ready to love, let alone be a father. I'm sure you would have been though . . ." Estelle closed her eyes and remembered that flood of warmth and love that she had felt as Death sucked away Remus' energy. Just the thought brought a tear to her eye.

"Sometimes I wish the baby isn't his, that it is yours, a small part of you that can go on living while you're gone. I know that's not fair on Sirius . . . Remus, I'm going to tell the baby when it asks that you're the father. I don't know whether you'd think that wise but then you'll still be alive in a way and I won't ever forget you and what you did for me. Think of all the tales I can tell the baby of the things we once got up to, all the trouble we'd get into. And how we were such good friends and how much we loved each other, because I did love you, Remus. I think I really did, but I was too scared to admit it to myself in case the Siren in me decided to take you away too. I loved you so much that you were the only one I was willing to deny myself for fear of what the Siren would do to you.

"I'm sorry, Remus, so sorry that I never told you. If I could just bring you back for five minutes, just a little while. But I felt that kiss, Remus, really felt it. It was then that I was sure that I had always loved you. And you saved me! Hell! You saved the whole world! I don't know if you can hear me where you are but I love you, Remus, and I'll make sure that this child, our child, will love you too."

Estelle kissed her fingers and traced the engraved letters upon the marble. She knelt in silence for a few minutes, listening to the rustle of daffodils, before rising and turning. She faced the sun as it broke away from the horizon, rising as a giant orb into the sky which was gradually turning from orange to a rich multi-shaded blue. Estelle watched this and sighed in contentment, weaving her way between the tombs, a hand on her stomach, she left for the real world, the blue skied horizon her only limit.

A.N. I hope you enjoyed my story. Please note that although I used the story of Adam and Eve, I do not mean any disrespect to any religion and am just using it as a basis for a plot. Please review my Fic, criticism is welcome, and I am still looking for a beta. If there is anything that you are confused about or I failed to clear up, please don't hesitate to ask. I promise I'll explain. if you liked this story then I am writing a sequal called A Night's Sky. Please give it a read. Thank you for reading,

Anna