Chapter 18--Epilogue
A week later it was a beautiful sunny day as Phoebe went to answer the door. She opened the door to Psyche and Eros, who seemed far happier than they had been when she first met them. As they came in, she closed the door and turned to lead them into the living room.
Phoebe: Hey, guys. How is everything going?
Psyche: Wonderfully. We're planning the wedding for sometime next month.
Phoebe: That sounds perfect.
Eros: Now all we have to do is figure out where to have it.
Piper walked in carrying a tray of o'deurves. Paige followed behind with lemonade and a tray of glasses.
Piper: Have what?
Eros: The wedding. We decided it would be better not to have it in the gardens. Too many memories.
Piper: That sounds reasonable.
Paige: Why don't we have it here?
Paige poured the lemonade and distributed the glasses while Piper set the tray on the table for anyone who wanted a snack.
Psyche: We wouldn't want to inconvenience you.
Phoebe: Nonsense. I think it's a great idea.
Cole: What is?
Everyone turned to see Cole coming down the stairs. He came in and grabbed an o'deaurve, then sat on the couch.
Phoebe: Having the wedding here. It should be perfect as long as we can keep the bikers from crashing the place like last time.
Piper: Don't remind me.
Just then, Leo and Simon orbed into the room and joined them.
Leo: Hello, everyone. Great news. Simon has been reinstated.
Eros: That's fantastic, Dad!
Simon: Yeah, well, once Leo explained everything that had happened, they realized that although I wasn't a true whitelighter anymore, I had still been protecting my charges. They felt it was enough justification for my indiscretion with your mother all those years ago.
Cole: Speaking of mothers, there's something I still don't understand, Eros.
Eros: What's that?
Cole: Why Arachnine? Why not The Source or Lancelot?
Eros: Well, it dawned on me that Psyche didn't fall into the trance until the same time that Arachnine arrived. When the warlocks and darklighters attacked in the kitchen, I used my power of transportation to find Patrick's Book of Shadows. I had remembered reading something about the Spell of Marriage that had struck me as odd. When I reread it, I found out that a true Spell of Marriage would be intensified by the powers of a High Priest or Priestess, causing the victim to fall into a deep trance upon their arrival to consecrate the union. Since Lancelot was neither, I figured out that Arachnine must be just that and that by vanquishing her, I could at least cut into the trance long enough for Psyche and I to break the spell.
Piper: Well, it worked. Lancelot is gone and The Source once again on the run.
Paige: Yeah, but are we sure that Lancelot has been vanquished?
Leo: What do you mean, Paige?
Paige: Well, every time we've vanquished a demon before, they have usually disappeared in a ball of fire. Lancelot didn't.
Phoebe: I hadn't thought of that. Could it be possible that he's still alive?
Simon: Even if he were, he is very weak. It should have drained him almost to the point of death when Patrick's soul was freed.
Psyche: It doesn't matter now. What's done is done. He would not be foolish enough to attack us again, at least not anytime soon. I say we put it behind us and plan a wedding.
As everyone nodded in agreement, the doorbell rang again.
Piper: I'll get it this time.
Piper left the room and everyone began throwing ideas around about the wedding. Piper opened the door to a delivery man with a huge bouquet of a dozen red roses. His nametag read Dave under the logo for "Pete's Floral".
Dave: Special delivery for Psyche Halliwell.
Piper: She's a little busy right now, but I'm her cousin. I'll sign for them.
Dave: Very well.
Piper signed his clipboard, took the vase from him, and closed the door. She quickly walked back to the living room.
Phoebe: I don't know. I think we should go with a Grecian arch this time. I think the symbols of Greek heritage have worked well for you guys so far. Why not go with the flow?
Psyche: I like that, Eros, and she does have a...Wow, Piper! Those are beautiful. Who sent you flowers?
Everyone turned to see what flowers Psyche had mentioned as Piper stepped into the room and went to stand in front of her.
Piper: They're for you.
Psyche: Me?
Paige: Eros, that is so sweet.
Eros: I didn't send them.
Everyone suddenly grew quiet as an uneasy feeling settled on the group.
Phoebe: Then who could they be from?
Piper: The delivery man didn't say but there is a card.
Cole: Go ahead, Psyche. I'm sure it's not a bomb. We're all dying of curiosity, here.
Psyche gingerly took the card from amidst the roses and set the vase down. She cautiously examined the envelope acting as if it were indeed the bomb that Cole had mentioned. Her name was the only writing on the envelope so she opened it and pulled out the card. As she read it, a look of shock crossed her suddenly pale face and her legs gave out on her causing her to sit abruptly.
Eros: Psyche? What is it?
Eros quickly went to her and took the card from her seemingly lifeless fingers.
Eros: The bastard!!
Simon: What is it, son? Who sent them?
Eros: Lancelot.
No one moved or even breathed for a moment. When Psyche stood and walked to the window, everyone started talking at once.
Phoebe: How could this be?
Cole: He's got a lot of nerve...
Piper: I had no idea or I wouldn't have signed for them.
Leo: Perhaps we should consult the elders, Simon?
Simon: What good would that do us?
Paige: How does he know where we live?
Everyone fell silent as Psyche turned back to the room, walked over to the vase, and calmly threw the roses in the trash can.
Eros: Psyche...?
Psyche didn't turn around. She simply stared down into the wastebasket.
Psyche: One night I had had a really bad nightmare. So bad that I had screamed aloud in my sleep and woke my father. To calm my fears, he made up a fairy tale and incorporated the same spell I used last week to break the Spell of Marriage. I had forgotten it until I looked into Eros' eyes and realized that he really did love me. I wasn't sure it would work but it did. My father knew what would happen and prepared me for it without my knowing.
She turned then with a determined look in her eye.
Psyche: This time we will be prepared but it will not cast a cloud on our happiness. I refuse to allow him to hurt me, or the people I love, again.
Simon: What did the card say?
Eros:
"To the woman I love,
We shall meet again.
Eternally yours,
Lancelot"
Eros went and threw the card in the trash can on top of the flowers.
Phoebe: We will be prepared because when he returns, we will vanquish him.
Piper: I don't believe that he is a real threat to us, yet, or he would have delivered them himself.
Psyche: Right. Even when he decides to strike, he still will not be a threat. As someone who has been like a brother to me once said, "Love conquers all."
Cole: I couldn't have said it better myself.
Eros: Then let's plan a wedding, shall we?
With that, they did.
A week later it was a beautiful sunny day as Phoebe went to answer the door. She opened the door to Psyche and Eros, who seemed far happier than they had been when she first met them. As they came in, she closed the door and turned to lead them into the living room.
Phoebe: Hey, guys. How is everything going?
Psyche: Wonderfully. We're planning the wedding for sometime next month.
Phoebe: That sounds perfect.
Eros: Now all we have to do is figure out where to have it.
Piper walked in carrying a tray of o'deurves. Paige followed behind with lemonade and a tray of glasses.
Piper: Have what?
Eros: The wedding. We decided it would be better not to have it in the gardens. Too many memories.
Piper: That sounds reasonable.
Paige: Why don't we have it here?
Paige poured the lemonade and distributed the glasses while Piper set the tray on the table for anyone who wanted a snack.
Psyche: We wouldn't want to inconvenience you.
Phoebe: Nonsense. I think it's a great idea.
Cole: What is?
Everyone turned to see Cole coming down the stairs. He came in and grabbed an o'deaurve, then sat on the couch.
Phoebe: Having the wedding here. It should be perfect as long as we can keep the bikers from crashing the place like last time.
Piper: Don't remind me.
Just then, Leo and Simon orbed into the room and joined them.
Leo: Hello, everyone. Great news. Simon has been reinstated.
Eros: That's fantastic, Dad!
Simon: Yeah, well, once Leo explained everything that had happened, they realized that although I wasn't a true whitelighter anymore, I had still been protecting my charges. They felt it was enough justification for my indiscretion with your mother all those years ago.
Cole: Speaking of mothers, there's something I still don't understand, Eros.
Eros: What's that?
Cole: Why Arachnine? Why not The Source or Lancelot?
Eros: Well, it dawned on me that Psyche didn't fall into the trance until the same time that Arachnine arrived. When the warlocks and darklighters attacked in the kitchen, I used my power of transportation to find Patrick's Book of Shadows. I had remembered reading something about the Spell of Marriage that had struck me as odd. When I reread it, I found out that a true Spell of Marriage would be intensified by the powers of a High Priest or Priestess, causing the victim to fall into a deep trance upon their arrival to consecrate the union. Since Lancelot was neither, I figured out that Arachnine must be just that and that by vanquishing her, I could at least cut into the trance long enough for Psyche and I to break the spell.
Piper: Well, it worked. Lancelot is gone and The Source once again on the run.
Paige: Yeah, but are we sure that Lancelot has been vanquished?
Leo: What do you mean, Paige?
Paige: Well, every time we've vanquished a demon before, they have usually disappeared in a ball of fire. Lancelot didn't.
Phoebe: I hadn't thought of that. Could it be possible that he's still alive?
Simon: Even if he were, he is very weak. It should have drained him almost to the point of death when Patrick's soul was freed.
Psyche: It doesn't matter now. What's done is done. He would not be foolish enough to attack us again, at least not anytime soon. I say we put it behind us and plan a wedding.
As everyone nodded in agreement, the doorbell rang again.
Piper: I'll get it this time.
Piper left the room and everyone began throwing ideas around about the wedding. Piper opened the door to a delivery man with a huge bouquet of a dozen red roses. His nametag read Dave under the logo for "Pete's Floral".
Dave: Special delivery for Psyche Halliwell.
Piper: She's a little busy right now, but I'm her cousin. I'll sign for them.
Dave: Very well.
Piper signed his clipboard, took the vase from him, and closed the door. She quickly walked back to the living room.
Phoebe: I don't know. I think we should go with a Grecian arch this time. I think the symbols of Greek heritage have worked well for you guys so far. Why not go with the flow?
Psyche: I like that, Eros, and she does have a...Wow, Piper! Those are beautiful. Who sent you flowers?
Everyone turned to see what flowers Psyche had mentioned as Piper stepped into the room and went to stand in front of her.
Piper: They're for you.
Psyche: Me?
Paige: Eros, that is so sweet.
Eros: I didn't send them.
Everyone suddenly grew quiet as an uneasy feeling settled on the group.
Phoebe: Then who could they be from?
Piper: The delivery man didn't say but there is a card.
Cole: Go ahead, Psyche. I'm sure it's not a bomb. We're all dying of curiosity, here.
Psyche gingerly took the card from amidst the roses and set the vase down. She cautiously examined the envelope acting as if it were indeed the bomb that Cole had mentioned. Her name was the only writing on the envelope so she opened it and pulled out the card. As she read it, a look of shock crossed her suddenly pale face and her legs gave out on her causing her to sit abruptly.
Eros: Psyche? What is it?
Eros quickly went to her and took the card from her seemingly lifeless fingers.
Eros: The bastard!!
Simon: What is it, son? Who sent them?
Eros: Lancelot.
No one moved or even breathed for a moment. When Psyche stood and walked to the window, everyone started talking at once.
Phoebe: How could this be?
Cole: He's got a lot of nerve...
Piper: I had no idea or I wouldn't have signed for them.
Leo: Perhaps we should consult the elders, Simon?
Simon: What good would that do us?
Paige: How does he know where we live?
Everyone fell silent as Psyche turned back to the room, walked over to the vase, and calmly threw the roses in the trash can.
Eros: Psyche...?
Psyche didn't turn around. She simply stared down into the wastebasket.
Psyche: One night I had had a really bad nightmare. So bad that I had screamed aloud in my sleep and woke my father. To calm my fears, he made up a fairy tale and incorporated the same spell I used last week to break the Spell of Marriage. I had forgotten it until I looked into Eros' eyes and realized that he really did love me. I wasn't sure it would work but it did. My father knew what would happen and prepared me for it without my knowing.
She turned then with a determined look in her eye.
Psyche: This time we will be prepared but it will not cast a cloud on our happiness. I refuse to allow him to hurt me, or the people I love, again.
Simon: What did the card say?
Eros:
"To the woman I love,
We shall meet again.
Eternally yours,
Lancelot"
Eros went and threw the card in the trash can on top of the flowers.
Phoebe: We will be prepared because when he returns, we will vanquish him.
Piper: I don't believe that he is a real threat to us, yet, or he would have delivered them himself.
Psyche: Right. Even when he decides to strike, he still will not be a threat. As someone who has been like a brother to me once said, "Love conquers all."
Cole: I couldn't have said it better myself.
Eros: Then let's plan a wedding, shall we?
With that, they did.