Title: A Taste of Sugar

Author: MTS

Summary: A lingering magic that any spoiled princess will protect. Dark!Lilli/Darkness, AU

Lily: Nell, don't you know I love coming here? This place holds more magic for me than any palace in the world. You live a very rich life.
-Legend

She entered as usual without knocking, sweeping in like the spoiled princess she was and reaching quickly for the delights in the familiar wooden bowl.

Nell's hand reached out quicker than ever to bat her away, screeching something about banshees. Lilli grabbed the hand about to smack her and whirled the woman around to face her.

Gasping, the older woman recognized her and then laughed, her chuckle a sweet, familiar tinkle that Lilli had vaguely remembered in her dreams of late.

"Your highness! What a pleasant surprise! But why in the name of the blessed lady are you wearing black? You wouldn't be out here tramping about if someone had died!" Nell cried out in both curious interest and horror. "The dress suits you fine, but the color!" She made a clucking noise with her tongue.

Lilli eyed her with a mild smile. "Never you mind the color of my dress. I'd like a sweet, if you please."

"Of course, my lady," she said with a laugh and handed over a large piece of cake. "There you go, do eat it all up. You're thinner than a faerie now, my lady, and pale as snow – it's not healthy!"

"Oh, you old busybody, I'm quite fine," the princess sniggered as she ate every crumb. "My lord keeps me in every comfort. I only miss the way you spin sugar."

"Your lord? Lilli… you can't be married, my dove, or the whole village would be singing the tale at the top of their lungs. The princess married—you can't be!"

She smiled now and not gently. "The village no longer exists, Nell. Neither does the castle. Nor most of the forest." Her voice became dreamy and distant. "Not even the world remains as it was."

"What?" Nell asked stupidly, her hand reaching up to touch her head carefully.

Lilli simpered and sighed. "I asked that your life would be spared and he granted that wish. There is a sweet magic in this house that I would never want snuffed out. I only ask that you let me come in from time to time for a sweet."

Nell stared at her dumbfounded.

"And soon I'll have a little one who will love to meet you, love to taste of your delights as well."

"Blessed lady protect us," the old woman gasped and made the sign with her two hands.

Lilli, Queen of Darkness, laughed cruelly. "The only lady protecting you now is me." She turned gracefully, the silky slink of her black dress rustling gently. "And I'll have another bite of that cake before I leave."

Nell cut the cake, her hands shaking. "And the boy? Is he gone too?"

"Boy?"

"You know very well who I mean," she said sharply at the imperious creature now glaring at the door. "Where is Jack?"

Whirling around, almost smiling, she replied, "Never say that name to me again."

Staring at her blankly, the older woman said simply, "The black. You wear it for yourself, don't you. It is you who has died."

Lilli turned her back on Nell and simply said, "I'll go without the sweet then, woman" and was gone.

"My lady – did the carpenter's wife not please you? I expected you to be back much later than this."

Her hand reached up to caress his face. "I cannot be so far from you for too long, my lord." She licked her lips and kissed him very quickly on the mouth before turning abruptly to stand by the massive fire warming the cold cavernous castle.

She felt herself victorious as he laughed, deeply, behind her.

Yet the name Jack troubled her as she could no longer remember what he looked like, nor the sound of his voice, the curve of his lip and the glint of his eye.

fin-