Chapter Four: Night's End, Love's Beginning
Neither of the two children wished for this heavenly kiss, this heavenly moment, to ever end. This very moment was what each of their lives had led to. From here, a new life would begin; a life where there may two people, but only one heart and one soul.
Unfortunately, it was Eli who ended the kiss, releasing Madison's lips from his own. For a moment, her lips remained in place, not realizing the kiss had ended. Then, as she finally came back to her senses, she slowly opened her eyes. They were met with the caring and now much more loving gaze of Eli's. The two smiled at each other, knowing the feelings they now shared for each other.
It was then Madison noticed something. No longer did she hear the hundreds of people of the ballroom or even its orchestra; no longer did she smell the aroma of the fine cooked foods. And in a moment, she realized she did not see any of these things as well. She then let go of Eli and turned around. She now found herself in a large living room, consisting of various armchairs, footstools, nightstands, a couch, coffee table, and a TV. She also found herself standing in the middle of the room. It was then she knew it was her living room. They had returned…..or had they left at all? She was still standing in the same place she had stood when she had presumably been taken back to her most cherished evening. As she thought of this, she became slightly afraid of the idea of the night being just an illusion. She then turned back to Eli with worried eyes. Before she could ask a question though, she was silenced by Eli gentle hand on her cheek. He smiled reassuringly, letting his eyes almost speak what he said next.
"My love, do not worry. All you experienced, all you felt, and especially all you….no, all we loved was real. If wish for proof, simply place your hand below your neck."
Madison immediately did as she was told. Her eyes became wide and tear-filled, as she felt the diamond necklace she had worn.
"Oh Eli," she cried softly. "I do not believe I need this to prove what I felt was…and still is real. All I need is the love I share with you."
"Then I promise you, my dear," Eli said, now removing his hand from her face and wrapping its arm around her. "If that is what you want, then you shall receive proof every day, every minute, and every second of your life."
It was then Madison noticed something she had thought she would never see in her life. Tears were now streaming down Eli's face, much like her own. So, like he had done for her, she brought her hand to his face and gently wiped away the tears.
"I…I'm sorry. I…I never have cried before. I always thought I would cry for something dreadfully sad, but I guess I was wrong. These tears are of joy, the greatest joy a man can have, which you have given to me."
Before Eli could continue, Madison once again placed her lips upon his in another kiss, though this kiss was different from the last. It was more passionate, for it was the kiss of two lovers who knew the love they shared would never end. As Madison once again wrapped her arms around Eli's neck, she slowly opened her mouth, inviting Eli to taste the love that now seemed to burn within her. He accepted the invitation gladly, letting his tongue slip into her mouth. Madison moaned as she felt their tongues intertwine, performing a dance only true lovers knew. Without thinking or letting go of each other's lips, the two lovers began to move toward the couch. When they reached it, Madison slowly laid herself and Eli on the couch, her own back laying on its cushions, while Eli laid face-down upon her, all without breaking their kissing.
For a moment, they continued their tongue dance, never wanting to stop. Without a thought, Eli's hands began to move over his lover's body. At first, they gently ran through her long, dark hair, feeling each soft strand. Then, the hands felt down Madison's sides, sending shivers up her spine. His hands then traveled to Madison's back, gently massaging their way up to its top. Then, as his lips began to travel down from Madison's lips to her neck, he slowly began to unzip her dress. He stopped midway, breaking away from the kisses. He looked up at Madison, his eyes asking for approval. Madison's eyes met with his, giving him approval for what he was about to do. They both knew they were a bit young for this, but it really did not matter. Whether they did this now or waited until later, they knew they would perform this act of love only with each other. This was their night, their love, their passion. Throughout that night, the two moaned out each other's names, cries out many "I love you"s, and treated each other to the greatest act of passion two lovers could ever share.
As the morning sun rose into the sky, it shined its bright light through the living room windows. The light traveled through the room and landed on Madison's face. Its warm, soft touch slowly caused Madison's sleeping eyes to open. As she awoke, her lips formed a bright smile. She remembered all the events of the earlier night; the dance, the love, even the passion, and she did not regret a second of it. Unfortunately, she could now feel Eli was no longer with her. Her smile disappeared and was replaced with a frown. He had probably left hours ago, slightly embarrassed about what he had "done." She then sat up with a disappointed sigh.
Before she could do anything else though, she noticed something. Her nose caught a faint aroma, slowly becoming stronger. It was the smell of...bacon. As the rest of her senses became awake, she could also hear sounds coming from the kitchen. It sounded like something being cooked on a skillet. Above that, the sound of whistling could be heard, though it came from no teapot. The whistling was done to a very familiar tune, which Madison had danced to the night before. Her smile immediately reappeared, even brighter than before, as she realized what the sounds meant. She then stood up, letting the blanket that had been covering her fall to the floor. Her face turned a deep crimson as she found herself to be completely naked. She looked to the floor, in hopes of finding her clothes, but to no avail. As she looked back up though, she noticed a robe on the coffee table, which she could have sworn had not been there a moment ago. She smiled once more, finding this to be not the least bit surprising. She quickly took the robe and put it on, tying the waist strap in a tight knot. She then made her way to the kitchen.
As soon as she entered the kitchen doorway, she had to stop and stare in amazement. Indeed, Eli now stood near the kitchen's stovetop, cooking a traditional bacon, eggs, and fried ham breakfast. On the counter next to the stovetop were two glasses, filled with what looked like freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. She starred at the food, then at Eli, with an extremely wide smile.
"I hope you like your eggs over easy." Eli said without looking up, surprising Madison. "Oh, you need not worry about your clothes. I took it upon myself to include our clothing in this morning's laundry. They should be done in about 45 minutes."
For a few moments, he flipped the three foods over on their respective skillets. As he did so, Madison noticed a growing smile on his lips. When he still did not look up, Madison decided to make the first move. She walked up beside him, but decided to not look up at him either, playing along with his actions. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see what he wore this morning. He was now dressed in a white buttoned-up shirt with black dress pants. Over these two articles of clothing, he wore a white apron with the words "Kiss the Cook" written down the front. Before she could examine him further, Eli walked out of her corner eyesight. A moment later, Madison felt his gentle arms wrap around her waist. She sighed happily as she felt him lay his chin on her shoulder, his breath falling upon her ear.
"Good morning, love." he whispered. "Did you sleep well?"
"Better than I have in years." she said blissfully, closing her eyes and enjoying Eli's touch. "So long as you were by my side."
"That makes two of us." Eli whispered, gently brushing his lips across Madison's ear.
Madison then turned her head so she faced her beloved.
"Eli, you are amazing." she said, starring into his eyes. "You give me the most wonderful evening a person could ever imagine, and I wake to find you making me breakfast and even doing my laundry. I feel as if we are married….and last night was our honeymoon."
Eli laughed, releasing Madison from his arms.
"Well, I can't say we are married," he said, placing his hands on Madison's shoulders and gently turning her to face him. "Although in a few years, I am quite sure we may change that fact."
Madison's breath was caught in her chest as Eli spoke these unexpected words. Had her ears deceived her, or had Eli really said he would marry her?
"Eli," she whispered, her eyes once again welling up with tears. "D…do you really mean that? W…would you really want to…to marry me?"
Eli smiled at Madison, gently placing his hand on Madison's cheek.
"My dear, I may have a young appearance, but I also have the wisdom of a mage. I can easily see I would be glad to spend the rest of my life with you; to spend every day by your side, every night within your arms, and every moment I could spare with your lips upon mine. Such a life would be no different than heaven to me. Such a bond as marriage would simply make our lives an everlasting utopia, never to end so long as our love lives."
Tears now once again streamed down Madison's face. She could not believe what Eli was telling her, though in her heart, she knew every word was true. To spend the rest of her life with Eli would be a utopia, a dream she had never even imagined, come true. Yes, they were young for marriage, but in a few years, she would make sure that was changed. They would both make sure. Without another word, Madison brought her lips to Eli's. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body tightly against his, trying to show all the love she felt within her heart. Eli responded by wrapping his own arms around her waist, slowly deepening the kiss to a much more passionate level. The two simply stood there for a few moments, embracing with all the love and passion they felt for each other, longing for the dream Eli had just created for the two of them.
When they finally released each other from their intense act of passion, Madison noticed the food was no longer cooking on the stovetop. Each of the skillets had even been put away. She smiled as she realized breakfast was most likely now being served. She looked back up at Eli, who also wore a smile.
"What do you say we discuss this matter later? For now, I believe our breakfast is waiting for us in the dining room."
Eli then let go of Madison, only to take her hand in his a moment later.
"Shall we?"
Madison gripped on to Eli's hand, loving even his slightest touch.
"Yes, I suppose we shall."
The two then walked out of the kitchen, entering the dining room. Indeed, the dining room table was fully set for the occasion. The round table was decorated with a dark violet tablecloth, with a vase containing a bouquet in the middle. Two sets of meals were set up, each containing a plate with two eggs, four slices of bacon, and one slice of fried ham. Beside the plates were wine-style glasses, filled with grapefruit juice. The two then sat down and began to eat.
Eli placed a piece of egg on his fork and began to slowly bring it to his mouth. Before it reached its destination though, Eli noticed a thoughtful look on Madison's face. It also seemed to show a slight hint of disappointment.
"What is it?" he asked, placing his fork back on his plate.
"Oh, nothing really." Madison said, the slight disappointment being heard in her voice.
"Oh, come now Madison." Eli persuaded. "Please, tell me what is troubling you."
"Well, it is quite obvious really." she said, looking up at Eli. "I just feel rather disappointed in myself."
"Disappointed in yourself?" Eli repeated, surprised. "Whatever could you mean?"
"Eli," Madison explained. " Last night, half of the wonderful things you did for me, you did with magic. I'm simply disappointed I can never really repay you for those things you did, considering I have not a speck of magic in me."
"Really?" Eli said, amused by Madison's explanation. "Well, I suppose I did use some magic to part both the clouds in the sky and the barriers of time, although those acts were nothing compared to the greatest magic you have performed."
"I have performed magic?" Madison asked, raising an eyebrow. "Eli, you know that cannot be true. Like I said, I haven't a bit of magic in me. How could I have performed any magic, let alone magic greater than yours?"
"It is simple, my dear." Eli explained. "You see, the magic you performed was not simply performed last night. You could say you have cast a spell for quite some time now. You came to an old boy, which was almost sure his entire life would be dedicated to the magic he represented, and showed him something he never thought he'd ever see; you helped him learn to feel a way he never thought he could ever feel. You helped that old boy learn to love, and I dearly thank you for it. What you did was obviously a much greater magic than any I could ever learn. Do you understand?"
Madison was already smiling at this point, wanting to leave her food and instead feast upon Eli's lips.
"Yes, I believe I do understand." she answered. "I suppose love is the greater magic, perhaps even the greatest of all."
"Of course," Eli agreed. "Though personally, I would like to think it is more the….truest magic of all. My dear, all you have to do is give your love, as I shall give you mine. That alone will pay me back a thousand fold."
As Eli finished, Madison stood up from her side of the round dinner table. She then walked around it to her lover, who had slightly back his chair up, leaving his lap open. Madison immediately accepted the invitation, sitting upon him, wrapping an arm around his neck.
"My dear, I fear to say I am no longer hungry," Madison said. "At least, not for food."
A blush formed on Eli's face as Madison looked down upon him, with a rather seductive expression.
"Madison, are you suggesting what I think you are, this early in the morning?"
"Perhaps," Madison answered, as seductively as she looked. "Is that a problem?"
For a moment, Eli starred at Madison with a very surprised look on his face. Of course, he too developed a more seductive look only a moment later.
"No, not at all." he answered. "Besides, I always liked breakfast in bed anyway."
Eli abruptly stood up, placing his arms under her back and legs. Madison laughed full heartedly, felling happier than she had in all her life. As Eli carried her out of the dining room and toward the stairs that led to her bedroom, she starred down into his eyes.
"I love you Eli, from now until forever."
"I love you too, my dearest Madison, from now until forever."
And so, the two traveled up to the bedroom, to share moments of passion they would share many times in their lives. Indeed, they would remain together for all their lives, vowing to never let their love end. And though they would face times of hardship, they never did leave each other's side, for they knew the great magic they held between them could not be destroyed. It was true love, after all, the greatest and truest magic of them all.
Love Has No Endings
Only Beginnings
Neither of the two children wished for this heavenly kiss, this heavenly moment, to ever end. This very moment was what each of their lives had led to. From here, a new life would begin; a life where there may two people, but only one heart and one soul.
Unfortunately, it was Eli who ended the kiss, releasing Madison's lips from his own. For a moment, her lips remained in place, not realizing the kiss had ended. Then, as she finally came back to her senses, she slowly opened her eyes. They were met with the caring and now much more loving gaze of Eli's. The two smiled at each other, knowing the feelings they now shared for each other.
It was then Madison noticed something. No longer did she hear the hundreds of people of the ballroom or even its orchestra; no longer did she smell the aroma of the fine cooked foods. And in a moment, she realized she did not see any of these things as well. She then let go of Eli and turned around. She now found herself in a large living room, consisting of various armchairs, footstools, nightstands, a couch, coffee table, and a TV. She also found herself standing in the middle of the room. It was then she knew it was her living room. They had returned…..or had they left at all? She was still standing in the same place she had stood when she had presumably been taken back to her most cherished evening. As she thought of this, she became slightly afraid of the idea of the night being just an illusion. She then turned back to Eli with worried eyes. Before she could ask a question though, she was silenced by Eli gentle hand on her cheek. He smiled reassuringly, letting his eyes almost speak what he said next.
"My love, do not worry. All you experienced, all you felt, and especially all you….no, all we loved was real. If wish for proof, simply place your hand below your neck."
Madison immediately did as she was told. Her eyes became wide and tear-filled, as she felt the diamond necklace she had worn.
"Oh Eli," she cried softly. "I do not believe I need this to prove what I felt was…and still is real. All I need is the love I share with you."
"Then I promise you, my dear," Eli said, now removing his hand from her face and wrapping its arm around her. "If that is what you want, then you shall receive proof every day, every minute, and every second of your life."
It was then Madison noticed something she had thought she would never see in her life. Tears were now streaming down Eli's face, much like her own. So, like he had done for her, she brought her hand to his face and gently wiped away the tears.
"I…I'm sorry. I…I never have cried before. I always thought I would cry for something dreadfully sad, but I guess I was wrong. These tears are of joy, the greatest joy a man can have, which you have given to me."
Before Eli could continue, Madison once again placed her lips upon his in another kiss, though this kiss was different from the last. It was more passionate, for it was the kiss of two lovers who knew the love they shared would never end. As Madison once again wrapped her arms around Eli's neck, she slowly opened her mouth, inviting Eli to taste the love that now seemed to burn within her. He accepted the invitation gladly, letting his tongue slip into her mouth. Madison moaned as she felt their tongues intertwine, performing a dance only true lovers knew. Without thinking or letting go of each other's lips, the two lovers began to move toward the couch. When they reached it, Madison slowly laid herself and Eli on the couch, her own back laying on its cushions, while Eli laid face-down upon her, all without breaking their kissing.
For a moment, they continued their tongue dance, never wanting to stop. Without a thought, Eli's hands began to move over his lover's body. At first, they gently ran through her long, dark hair, feeling each soft strand. Then, the hands felt down Madison's sides, sending shivers up her spine. His hands then traveled to Madison's back, gently massaging their way up to its top. Then, as his lips began to travel down from Madison's lips to her neck, he slowly began to unzip her dress. He stopped midway, breaking away from the kisses. He looked up at Madison, his eyes asking for approval. Madison's eyes met with his, giving him approval for what he was about to do. They both knew they were a bit young for this, but it really did not matter. Whether they did this now or waited until later, they knew they would perform this act of love only with each other. This was their night, their love, their passion. Throughout that night, the two moaned out each other's names, cries out many "I love you"s, and treated each other to the greatest act of passion two lovers could ever share.
As the morning sun rose into the sky, it shined its bright light through the living room windows. The light traveled through the room and landed on Madison's face. Its warm, soft touch slowly caused Madison's sleeping eyes to open. As she awoke, her lips formed a bright smile. She remembered all the events of the earlier night; the dance, the love, even the passion, and she did not regret a second of it. Unfortunately, she could now feel Eli was no longer with her. Her smile disappeared and was replaced with a frown. He had probably left hours ago, slightly embarrassed about what he had "done." She then sat up with a disappointed sigh.
Before she could do anything else though, she noticed something. Her nose caught a faint aroma, slowly becoming stronger. It was the smell of...bacon. As the rest of her senses became awake, she could also hear sounds coming from the kitchen. It sounded like something being cooked on a skillet. Above that, the sound of whistling could be heard, though it came from no teapot. The whistling was done to a very familiar tune, which Madison had danced to the night before. Her smile immediately reappeared, even brighter than before, as she realized what the sounds meant. She then stood up, letting the blanket that had been covering her fall to the floor. Her face turned a deep crimson as she found herself to be completely naked. She looked to the floor, in hopes of finding her clothes, but to no avail. As she looked back up though, she noticed a robe on the coffee table, which she could have sworn had not been there a moment ago. She smiled once more, finding this to be not the least bit surprising. She quickly took the robe and put it on, tying the waist strap in a tight knot. She then made her way to the kitchen.
As soon as she entered the kitchen doorway, she had to stop and stare in amazement. Indeed, Eli now stood near the kitchen's stovetop, cooking a traditional bacon, eggs, and fried ham breakfast. On the counter next to the stovetop were two glasses, filled with what looked like freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. She starred at the food, then at Eli, with an extremely wide smile.
"I hope you like your eggs over easy." Eli said without looking up, surprising Madison. "Oh, you need not worry about your clothes. I took it upon myself to include our clothing in this morning's laundry. They should be done in about 45 minutes."
For a few moments, he flipped the three foods over on their respective skillets. As he did so, Madison noticed a growing smile on his lips. When he still did not look up, Madison decided to make the first move. She walked up beside him, but decided to not look up at him either, playing along with his actions. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see what he wore this morning. He was now dressed in a white buttoned-up shirt with black dress pants. Over these two articles of clothing, he wore a white apron with the words "Kiss the Cook" written down the front. Before she could examine him further, Eli walked out of her corner eyesight. A moment later, Madison felt his gentle arms wrap around her waist. She sighed happily as she felt him lay his chin on her shoulder, his breath falling upon her ear.
"Good morning, love." he whispered. "Did you sleep well?"
"Better than I have in years." she said blissfully, closing her eyes and enjoying Eli's touch. "So long as you were by my side."
"That makes two of us." Eli whispered, gently brushing his lips across Madison's ear.
Madison then turned her head so she faced her beloved.
"Eli, you are amazing." she said, starring into his eyes. "You give me the most wonderful evening a person could ever imagine, and I wake to find you making me breakfast and even doing my laundry. I feel as if we are married….and last night was our honeymoon."
Eli laughed, releasing Madison from his arms.
"Well, I can't say we are married," he said, placing his hands on Madison's shoulders and gently turning her to face him. "Although in a few years, I am quite sure we may change that fact."
Madison's breath was caught in her chest as Eli spoke these unexpected words. Had her ears deceived her, or had Eli really said he would marry her?
"Eli," she whispered, her eyes once again welling up with tears. "D…do you really mean that? W…would you really want to…to marry me?"
Eli smiled at Madison, gently placing his hand on Madison's cheek.
"My dear, I may have a young appearance, but I also have the wisdom of a mage. I can easily see I would be glad to spend the rest of my life with you; to spend every day by your side, every night within your arms, and every moment I could spare with your lips upon mine. Such a life would be no different than heaven to me. Such a bond as marriage would simply make our lives an everlasting utopia, never to end so long as our love lives."
Tears now once again streamed down Madison's face. She could not believe what Eli was telling her, though in her heart, she knew every word was true. To spend the rest of her life with Eli would be a utopia, a dream she had never even imagined, come true. Yes, they were young for marriage, but in a few years, she would make sure that was changed. They would both make sure. Without another word, Madison brought her lips to Eli's. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body tightly against his, trying to show all the love she felt within her heart. Eli responded by wrapping his own arms around her waist, slowly deepening the kiss to a much more passionate level. The two simply stood there for a few moments, embracing with all the love and passion they felt for each other, longing for the dream Eli had just created for the two of them.
When they finally released each other from their intense act of passion, Madison noticed the food was no longer cooking on the stovetop. Each of the skillets had even been put away. She smiled as she realized breakfast was most likely now being served. She looked back up at Eli, who also wore a smile.
"What do you say we discuss this matter later? For now, I believe our breakfast is waiting for us in the dining room."
Eli then let go of Madison, only to take her hand in his a moment later.
"Shall we?"
Madison gripped on to Eli's hand, loving even his slightest touch.
"Yes, I suppose we shall."
The two then walked out of the kitchen, entering the dining room. Indeed, the dining room table was fully set for the occasion. The round table was decorated with a dark violet tablecloth, with a vase containing a bouquet in the middle. Two sets of meals were set up, each containing a plate with two eggs, four slices of bacon, and one slice of fried ham. Beside the plates were wine-style glasses, filled with grapefruit juice. The two then sat down and began to eat.
Eli placed a piece of egg on his fork and began to slowly bring it to his mouth. Before it reached its destination though, Eli noticed a thoughtful look on Madison's face. It also seemed to show a slight hint of disappointment.
"What is it?" he asked, placing his fork back on his plate.
"Oh, nothing really." Madison said, the slight disappointment being heard in her voice.
"Oh, come now Madison." Eli persuaded. "Please, tell me what is troubling you."
"Well, it is quite obvious really." she said, looking up at Eli. "I just feel rather disappointed in myself."
"Disappointed in yourself?" Eli repeated, surprised. "Whatever could you mean?"
"Eli," Madison explained. " Last night, half of the wonderful things you did for me, you did with magic. I'm simply disappointed I can never really repay you for those things you did, considering I have not a speck of magic in me."
"Really?" Eli said, amused by Madison's explanation. "Well, I suppose I did use some magic to part both the clouds in the sky and the barriers of time, although those acts were nothing compared to the greatest magic you have performed."
"I have performed magic?" Madison asked, raising an eyebrow. "Eli, you know that cannot be true. Like I said, I haven't a bit of magic in me. How could I have performed any magic, let alone magic greater than yours?"
"It is simple, my dear." Eli explained. "You see, the magic you performed was not simply performed last night. You could say you have cast a spell for quite some time now. You came to an old boy, which was almost sure his entire life would be dedicated to the magic he represented, and showed him something he never thought he'd ever see; you helped him learn to feel a way he never thought he could ever feel. You helped that old boy learn to love, and I dearly thank you for it. What you did was obviously a much greater magic than any I could ever learn. Do you understand?"
Madison was already smiling at this point, wanting to leave her food and instead feast upon Eli's lips.
"Yes, I believe I do understand." she answered. "I suppose love is the greater magic, perhaps even the greatest of all."
"Of course," Eli agreed. "Though personally, I would like to think it is more the….truest magic of all. My dear, all you have to do is give your love, as I shall give you mine. That alone will pay me back a thousand fold."
As Eli finished, Madison stood up from her side of the round dinner table. She then walked around it to her lover, who had slightly back his chair up, leaving his lap open. Madison immediately accepted the invitation, sitting upon him, wrapping an arm around his neck.
"My dear, I fear to say I am no longer hungry," Madison said. "At least, not for food."
A blush formed on Eli's face as Madison looked down upon him, with a rather seductive expression.
"Madison, are you suggesting what I think you are, this early in the morning?"
"Perhaps," Madison answered, as seductively as she looked. "Is that a problem?"
For a moment, Eli starred at Madison with a very surprised look on his face. Of course, he too developed a more seductive look only a moment later.
"No, not at all." he answered. "Besides, I always liked breakfast in bed anyway."
Eli abruptly stood up, placing his arms under her back and legs. Madison laughed full heartedly, felling happier than she had in all her life. As Eli carried her out of the dining room and toward the stairs that led to her bedroom, she starred down into his eyes.
"I love you Eli, from now until forever."
"I love you too, my dearest Madison, from now until forever."
And so, the two traveled up to the bedroom, to share moments of passion they would share many times in their lives. Indeed, they would remain together for all their lives, vowing to never let their love end. And though they would face times of hardship, they never did leave each other's side, for they knew the great magic they held between them could not be destroyed. It was true love, after all, the greatest and truest magic of them all.
Love Has No Endings
Only Beginnings