Shadow
Hybrid Fairy
Author's Note: Well, I didn't mean for these stories to be connected in any way, so sorry if you expected it'd be line, an ongoing saga of Jack confessing his for Nina to every woman in town. Oo; But anyways, as a reviewer pointed out that the name 'Ryan' didn't keep the same originality of the character as 'Jack' did, I decided to use the generic name. :3
Thank you for all your support! That was just a very quick, spur-of-the-moment thing for me. I didn't think it was that good. (I did read Betrayal by Farmer Jen and found it very well written, though the dark sides of the girls frightened me considerably! Haha. )
And now, on with the story!
"As I went down to the river to pray, studyin' about that good ole' way…"
She hummed these words half-heartedly, fingers skimming over the beast of ivory and ebony, brushing the keys of the organ with a practiced, curved hand. The metal pipes stood tall, glowing from the shattered light escaping the stained glass windows.
Maria had always tried to be very good. She believed in that thing they told you when you were young, that you always got what you deserved. If she were a good girl, maybe she'd get what she wanted most in the world.
And surprisingly, that wasn't Salvation.
It couldn't be said what she wanted, exactly. He was always ambiguous in her dreams: just the shape of a darkened shadow holding something out to her, hat on his head. Maybe the memory of a past life, though she didn't believe in such blasphemy. She wanted someone who'd care for her, who'd watch her. She wanted something perfect, but not entirely so… it would be idolism if she believed him to be perfect, wouldn't it?
She had spent her time praying, as always. Always praying. Nobody ever asked her what she prayed about, exactly; the few times her mother pried, she answered with a smile and a modest answer of "happiness".
Finally, she couldn't resist any longer. She pressed down on the keys, a harmonious sound suddenly escaping and ricocheting in the angled ceiling. Not that this had come entirely natural to her; she had practiced, slaved over this creature of sound and harmony, straining her fingers until they became stiff and useless.
She paused. Someone was in the pews. She always knew when somebody was; she was so accustomed to the usual silence of the church, she could hear a pin drop. Or in this case, the not-entirely-quiet steps of working boots.
Jack was here.
She didn't mind, for some reason. She usually got a little pensive at someone else being in the church other than the Priest. (She always thought of him as a tall pile of Bible scriptures, because that's all he spouted off at her when she attempted to carry on a conversation with him. And to her knowledge, she was the only one he did this to.)
"Hello, Jack," she said, turning. She brushed away a piece of hair, scrutinizing it briefly before remembering vanity was a sin. Her blue hair had always been a peculiarity, though it often paled beneath Nina's own cotton candy cloud.
He smiled, gently. He was quiet; she had noticed when he had first appeared in the town. That was about a year ago, wasn't it? It was Spring now, his second one. He'd come every so often to give her a slightly crushed flower, maybe a bottle of that green perfume that smelled of incense and pine, things that made her dream of her happiness.
"Have you come to pray to the Higher Being?" she inquired gently. He seemed nervous, almost frantic, as he shook his head in a quick no. She frowned slightly, but there was still warmth in her, despite the calm, cool exterior.
He was studying her, she could tell. And for once, she didn't shy away. She smiled again, calmly, brushing back a single piece of her straight hair. As he continued to look at her, Maria noted that her black, conservative dress suddenly seemed very constricting and hot.
"Maria," he said.
She nearly jumped, coming back down to earth suddenly. As she regained her composure, he got up, wandering over to her. His hands were in his pockets, and he looked up through his bangs at her.
"I've known you for a while now," he started. He had barely ever spoken to her, maybe a few polite words, and a few conversations that remained memorable. But she could recognize every note and skip in his voice, for some odd reason. She could tell he was searching for some words by the way his voice paused and that the tone was a bit wilder than usual.
"Yes, Jack," she responded. He lifted his head, and his Adam's apple bobbed as he gulped. Maria felt a strange chill in her heart, though not exactly unwanted. It was something, she realized, that had been happening for a while.
He didn't speak, just searched his pockets for a something while she waited, feeling slightly confused. He let out a soft "A-ha!" when he found what he needed, then shoved it at her.
A blue feather. The azure shade glinted sharply, bathed in a light of red and a soft yellow from the stained glass window. He held it out, expectantly… no, not expectantly. There was a question in his eyes.
"For … me?" she asked dimly, not able to meet his eyes. She saw his chin move upwards, then down, and was about to say no, I'm sorry, but I don't feel the same way. As the words were about to escape her mouth, she felt a strong sense of familiarity in the scenery.
She glanced at his shadow.
"Yes," Maria smiled, turning to face what her prayers had given her. "I'll marry you."
Fin.