A/N: *Sigh* well, here it is, the last chapter. *sniff* I can't believe I actually finished this story... Thanx for all you guys who kept reviewing until the end... Big chocolate Hershey bars for all of u guys!!! As for you people who didnt, well, you suck (hahaha, jk, but pls pls PLS review now!!!) anyway, I can't believe it's over.. ok, well, not really over, I'm doing a spinoff and I've started writing the first chapter, hopefully it'll be better than this one. I'm really really REALLY sorry about Akakios, I wanted to kill him off too, but that would be too hard on Selene, but at least he gets exiled right? hehehe... anyway, on with the story!!!
Chapter Twenty-Six
Aglaia stared out the window as the rain pelted the glass, a forgotten blanket on the floor. The sky was gray and sullen, and icy wind bent the trees in the forest. It was exactly how she felt. After they banished Akakios, she thought she would've felt satisfaction at his plight, but instead she felt...nothing. Nothing mattered anymore. Not Akakios, not revenge—nothing.
After Akakios was banished, Aglaia had left the castle, refusing to talk to Phaedrus or Selene. No doubt they would've scolded her for her outburst when Akakios mentioned Leo. She didn't really know where she was going and the next thing she knew, she was flying towards her old home. Sophronia had ushered her inside after seeing the look on her face and handed her a steaming mug of tea and she has been living there since. She still hasn't asked her what happened since she started living there again, seeing and respecting her need for silence.
A knock on her door broke through her reverie. There was a creaking sound as the door was being opened and a slight hiss of metal against metal as it closed. Aglaia didn't even look to see who it was.
"You must eat. You cannot go on this way, no matter what your problem is." There was a tiny clatter of silverware, and Aglaia knew that her aunt had set down the tray on her bedside table. Sophronia sat down and the bed creaked in protest. When Aglaia made no move to eat, Sophronia sighed.
She stood up and walked towards the window where Aglaia was and stood behind her. Aglaia felt her aunt's hand on her shoulder and she met her eyes of their reflections on the window.
"I couldn't remember him," Aglaia whispered.
Sophronia quickly sat down on the chair across Aglaia's, surprised at her willingness to talk after being silent for the past month. "What did you say?"
"I couldn't remember him." Aglaia's voice was louder now, but not without a tremor. "Akakios—he placed a spell on me to make me forget."
Sophronia nodded, finally understanding. "Do you want us to reverse the spell?" Looking at Aglaia's face, she knew what her answer was.
~~~
The huge ornate doors to the palace opened and cold wind blasted inside. Sophronia looked around and headed towards the queen mother's room. She was stopped by the same two guards who stopped Phaedrus the day he wanted to see the queen mother.
Sighing heavily, Sophronia didn't wait for them to tell her to wait in the drawing room and just headed there herself. When she reached the room, she was surprised to see Selene already there with Phaedrus, talking in what seemed like an important conversation. Their heads were close together and they were talking in hushed tones.
Sophronia cleared her throat. Both heads looked up, startled.
Before they could say anything, Sophronia started talking. "My niece is in her room now, staring out the window, not eating, and not for the first time either. Today was the first day that she talked to me about what happened and what she was feeling. She was cursed by Akakios! Did you know that? He put a memory spell on her to make her forget Leo!"
Phaedrus tried to say something, but Sophronia continued, all her pent up anger bursting forth. "I know that the rules say that you can't counteract a fairy's spell, but I don't care about the rules anymore! You have to give Aglaia her memory back, just do something!" Sophronia was breathing heavily now, her eyes pleading. When none of them answered, she put her hands on her hips.
"Well?" Sophronia looked at Selene, then at Phaedrus.
"We were just waiting for you." Phaedrus was looking at Sophronia, trying hard not to smile and failing.
~~~
"Where are we going?" Aglaia was frowning under her blindfold and turning her head this way and that, trying to peer through it.
"If I told you then it wouldn't be a surprise then, would it?" Sophronia took Aglaia's hand and led her forward.
Aglaia shook her head. "I told you, I don't want to do anything for my birthday. I can just stay at home."
"And mope? I don't think so." Sophronia sighed heavily. "You need some fresh air after locking yourself up in your room for months. Besides, this is my gift for you already." She pulled Aglaia forward and stopped.
Aglaia strained her ears to listen to any clues to where they may be. A loud click and a small creaking sound told her Sophronia had just opened a door. Sophronia led her inside, and everything was dark—or at least darker than it was under the blindfold. There was a small rasping sound, and then a hissing sound and red washed over her eyes, and then it was dark again. Again with the rasping and hissing sound and Aglaia frowned, trying to think what that could be. Matches! Of course! Sophronia was lighting a candle.
Sophronia took her hand again and led her to the left. They were flying now, higher and higher, and Aglaia knew that they just ascended the stairs. She was then pulled forward and Aglaia could hear Sophronia's footsteps and stopped flying herself.
Just when Aglaia thought that her aunt was never going to show her what the surprise was, they stopped and there was another clicking sound and a slight creaking sound of a door being opened. Light and warmth washed over her, telling her that the fireplace was lit.
Sophronia led her inside and she heard a slight click of the door closing in place. Then her blindfold was removed and Aglaia stood blinking, her eyes adjusting to the sudden light. When she finally saw where she was, her eyes watered and she turned to her aunt.
"Why did you take me here? To make me remember? I told you, I don't remember anything, this certainly won't help." Aglaia blinked a few times and turned away looking around at the books lined up in the shelves around her. Everywhere she looked it screamed: Leo! The book that they loved, the time when they fell asleep reading on the couch, the time when they were just talking and walking around the library... She kept glancing at the couch where Leo and her used to read.
Something was different... There was a figure sitting on the couch. It stood up and turned around, looking at her. It was a man. He was holding a book in his hands and his whole face lit up when he saw her. Some of his soft brown hair fell across his face and he ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back. There was something very familiar about his smiling blue eyes, pulling her into his gaze.
Aglaia frowned. "Who are you?"
The man only laughed and looked at something behind her. Aglaia turned around to see Selene and Phaedrus walk in the room. Selene walked forward and took her hand.
"Aglaia. I'm sorry about my son and everything he did to you and to all the fairies. Now, this is our birthday gift for you." As she said the word our, Selene motioned to Phaedrus, and he walked forward.
"Thymoumai." They whispered together, and suddenly, Aglaia felt something change about her. Everything was so much clearer! She looked around the library and new memories flashed into her mind. The man, he was Leo! Aglaia turned around and ran towards Leo's waiting arms.
"Leo, Leo, Leo..." Aglaia was weeping now, unable to stop the tears. Leo's comforting hand was rubbing her back, trying to soothe her convulsive sobs. When Aglaia's tears subsided, she pulled back, still hugging Leo, to look at him. "I can't believe you're here." She was whispering now, as if any loud sound would make him go away.
"Me either." Leo lowered his head and pressed his forehead against hers, looking into her eyes.
"I love you." Aglaia closed her eyes, letting the tears fall. She hugged Leo tighter.
"I love you too." Leo lifted her chin with a finger and kissed her.
Someone sighed in the distance and Aglaia pulled back, blushing. She glanced in the general direction of the door and saw Alessia and Adela standing beside her aunt.
"Alessia! You two knew about this too?" Alessia was grinning like mad and Adela had a soft look on her face.
Aglaia frowned and looked at Leo, remembering something. "But how... how... doesn't it say in the Kanonas Apo Neraida that a fairy can't counteract another's spell? And also that the dead were not to be trifled with? How...?" Aglaia looked questioningly at Selene and Phaedrus.
Selene was smiling softly and didn't seem inclined to explain. Phaedrus took one look at Selene and cleared his throat. "As you know, Selene has taken over the role of ruling the fairies when Akakios was exiled. She has decided to make a minor change on the rule about counteracting another fairy's spell."
Phaedrus paused to take a breath, and continued. "We were just talking about it the other day when your aunt came, and pleaded with us to give you back your memory."
He glanced at Leo. "As for your prince... Well, we found a loophole in the rule and decided that since he was killed by a spell and not through natural causes, he could be brought back."
Aglaia turned back to Leo, hugging him in relief.
"Thank you," she whispered to them.
"I can't believe you're really here." Aglaia felt Leo pull away her arms from around him. He took her hands in his, squeezing them. Aglaia looked up at him.
"Will you marry me?"
A huge smile broke out on Aglaia's face. "Of course I'll marry you!"
As the new couple kissed, Alessia and Adela hugged each other, Phaedrus and Selene gazed lovingly at each other and Sophronia waved a hand in the air. People suddenly materialized all over the library, looking confused, including Leo's father, King Alexander.
He looked around and saw Leo, surprise mingling in his face, then tenderness as he saw his son kissing the woman he loved.
Sophronia materialized a handkerchief and wiped the corner of her eyes. "Happy Birthday Aglaia."
...and they lived happily ever after.
A/N: *sigh* don't you just LOVE happy endings? :P hehe, so I brought Leo back, although he kinda doesnt have much of a personality in this chapter, sorry... anyway, pls pls PLS review!!!
Chapter Twenty-Six
Aglaia stared out the window as the rain pelted the glass, a forgotten blanket on the floor. The sky was gray and sullen, and icy wind bent the trees in the forest. It was exactly how she felt. After they banished Akakios, she thought she would've felt satisfaction at his plight, but instead she felt...nothing. Nothing mattered anymore. Not Akakios, not revenge—nothing.
After Akakios was banished, Aglaia had left the castle, refusing to talk to Phaedrus or Selene. No doubt they would've scolded her for her outburst when Akakios mentioned Leo. She didn't really know where she was going and the next thing she knew, she was flying towards her old home. Sophronia had ushered her inside after seeing the look on her face and handed her a steaming mug of tea and she has been living there since. She still hasn't asked her what happened since she started living there again, seeing and respecting her need for silence.
A knock on her door broke through her reverie. There was a creaking sound as the door was being opened and a slight hiss of metal against metal as it closed. Aglaia didn't even look to see who it was.
"You must eat. You cannot go on this way, no matter what your problem is." There was a tiny clatter of silverware, and Aglaia knew that her aunt had set down the tray on her bedside table. Sophronia sat down and the bed creaked in protest. When Aglaia made no move to eat, Sophronia sighed.
She stood up and walked towards the window where Aglaia was and stood behind her. Aglaia felt her aunt's hand on her shoulder and she met her eyes of their reflections on the window.
"I couldn't remember him," Aglaia whispered.
Sophronia quickly sat down on the chair across Aglaia's, surprised at her willingness to talk after being silent for the past month. "What did you say?"
"I couldn't remember him." Aglaia's voice was louder now, but not without a tremor. "Akakios—he placed a spell on me to make me forget."
Sophronia nodded, finally understanding. "Do you want us to reverse the spell?" Looking at Aglaia's face, she knew what her answer was.
~~~
The huge ornate doors to the palace opened and cold wind blasted inside. Sophronia looked around and headed towards the queen mother's room. She was stopped by the same two guards who stopped Phaedrus the day he wanted to see the queen mother.
Sighing heavily, Sophronia didn't wait for them to tell her to wait in the drawing room and just headed there herself. When she reached the room, she was surprised to see Selene already there with Phaedrus, talking in what seemed like an important conversation. Their heads were close together and they were talking in hushed tones.
Sophronia cleared her throat. Both heads looked up, startled.
Before they could say anything, Sophronia started talking. "My niece is in her room now, staring out the window, not eating, and not for the first time either. Today was the first day that she talked to me about what happened and what she was feeling. She was cursed by Akakios! Did you know that? He put a memory spell on her to make her forget Leo!"
Phaedrus tried to say something, but Sophronia continued, all her pent up anger bursting forth. "I know that the rules say that you can't counteract a fairy's spell, but I don't care about the rules anymore! You have to give Aglaia her memory back, just do something!" Sophronia was breathing heavily now, her eyes pleading. When none of them answered, she put her hands on her hips.
"Well?" Sophronia looked at Selene, then at Phaedrus.
"We were just waiting for you." Phaedrus was looking at Sophronia, trying hard not to smile and failing.
~~~
"Where are we going?" Aglaia was frowning under her blindfold and turning her head this way and that, trying to peer through it.
"If I told you then it wouldn't be a surprise then, would it?" Sophronia took Aglaia's hand and led her forward.
Aglaia shook her head. "I told you, I don't want to do anything for my birthday. I can just stay at home."
"And mope? I don't think so." Sophronia sighed heavily. "You need some fresh air after locking yourself up in your room for months. Besides, this is my gift for you already." She pulled Aglaia forward and stopped.
Aglaia strained her ears to listen to any clues to where they may be. A loud click and a small creaking sound told her Sophronia had just opened a door. Sophronia led her inside, and everything was dark—or at least darker than it was under the blindfold. There was a small rasping sound, and then a hissing sound and red washed over her eyes, and then it was dark again. Again with the rasping and hissing sound and Aglaia frowned, trying to think what that could be. Matches! Of course! Sophronia was lighting a candle.
Sophronia took her hand again and led her to the left. They were flying now, higher and higher, and Aglaia knew that they just ascended the stairs. She was then pulled forward and Aglaia could hear Sophronia's footsteps and stopped flying herself.
Just when Aglaia thought that her aunt was never going to show her what the surprise was, they stopped and there was another clicking sound and a slight creaking sound of a door being opened. Light and warmth washed over her, telling her that the fireplace was lit.
Sophronia led her inside and she heard a slight click of the door closing in place. Then her blindfold was removed and Aglaia stood blinking, her eyes adjusting to the sudden light. When she finally saw where she was, her eyes watered and she turned to her aunt.
"Why did you take me here? To make me remember? I told you, I don't remember anything, this certainly won't help." Aglaia blinked a few times and turned away looking around at the books lined up in the shelves around her. Everywhere she looked it screamed: Leo! The book that they loved, the time when they fell asleep reading on the couch, the time when they were just talking and walking around the library... She kept glancing at the couch where Leo and her used to read.
Something was different... There was a figure sitting on the couch. It stood up and turned around, looking at her. It was a man. He was holding a book in his hands and his whole face lit up when he saw her. Some of his soft brown hair fell across his face and he ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back. There was something very familiar about his smiling blue eyes, pulling her into his gaze.
Aglaia frowned. "Who are you?"
The man only laughed and looked at something behind her. Aglaia turned around to see Selene and Phaedrus walk in the room. Selene walked forward and took her hand.
"Aglaia. I'm sorry about my son and everything he did to you and to all the fairies. Now, this is our birthday gift for you." As she said the word our, Selene motioned to Phaedrus, and he walked forward.
"Thymoumai." They whispered together, and suddenly, Aglaia felt something change about her. Everything was so much clearer! She looked around the library and new memories flashed into her mind. The man, he was Leo! Aglaia turned around and ran towards Leo's waiting arms.
"Leo, Leo, Leo..." Aglaia was weeping now, unable to stop the tears. Leo's comforting hand was rubbing her back, trying to soothe her convulsive sobs. When Aglaia's tears subsided, she pulled back, still hugging Leo, to look at him. "I can't believe you're here." She was whispering now, as if any loud sound would make him go away.
"Me either." Leo lowered his head and pressed his forehead against hers, looking into her eyes.
"I love you." Aglaia closed her eyes, letting the tears fall. She hugged Leo tighter.
"I love you too." Leo lifted her chin with a finger and kissed her.
Someone sighed in the distance and Aglaia pulled back, blushing. She glanced in the general direction of the door and saw Alessia and Adela standing beside her aunt.
"Alessia! You two knew about this too?" Alessia was grinning like mad and Adela had a soft look on her face.
Aglaia frowned and looked at Leo, remembering something. "But how... how... doesn't it say in the Kanonas Apo Neraida that a fairy can't counteract another's spell? And also that the dead were not to be trifled with? How...?" Aglaia looked questioningly at Selene and Phaedrus.
Selene was smiling softly and didn't seem inclined to explain. Phaedrus took one look at Selene and cleared his throat. "As you know, Selene has taken over the role of ruling the fairies when Akakios was exiled. She has decided to make a minor change on the rule about counteracting another fairy's spell."
Phaedrus paused to take a breath, and continued. "We were just talking about it the other day when your aunt came, and pleaded with us to give you back your memory."
He glanced at Leo. "As for your prince... Well, we found a loophole in the rule and decided that since he was killed by a spell and not through natural causes, he could be brought back."
Aglaia turned back to Leo, hugging him in relief.
"Thank you," she whispered to them.
"I can't believe you're really here." Aglaia felt Leo pull away her arms from around him. He took her hands in his, squeezing them. Aglaia looked up at him.
"Will you marry me?"
A huge smile broke out on Aglaia's face. "Of course I'll marry you!"
As the new couple kissed, Alessia and Adela hugged each other, Phaedrus and Selene gazed lovingly at each other and Sophronia waved a hand in the air. People suddenly materialized all over the library, looking confused, including Leo's father, King Alexander.
He looked around and saw Leo, surprise mingling in his face, then tenderness as he saw his son kissing the woman he loved.
Sophronia materialized a handkerchief and wiped the corner of her eyes. "Happy Birthday Aglaia."
...and they lived happily ever after.
A/N: *sigh* don't you just LOVE happy endings? :P hehe, so I brought Leo back, although he kinda doesnt have much of a personality in this chapter, sorry... anyway, pls pls PLS review!!!