Fairytale: A Twist of a Greek Myth
Lillie Bell
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any other copyrighted material presented in this story ... if there are any.
Author's Note:
Alternative Universe. This story is based upon the Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche, though it has a bit of a strange twist to it. Hope you guys like fairy tales! This was actually written before another of the same idea: "My Love, My Soul." It's up on ffnet and is more loosely
based on the myth than mine, but is a really great story, and I must recommend it, especially if you enjoy this story
I use Endymion and Serenity ... this bother anyone? GOOD.
"Are you positive?" a small woman turned to face her fairy messenger. Her steel, blue eyes stared daggers into the nervous being and it flapped its abalone wings in fright.
"Y—yes, madam," the messenger choked out. "The people of the village are all saying it, though the girl denies it."
"Away with you."
"Yes, my queen."
The rustle of thin wings told the angry queen that her messenger was gone. Blood rushed to her face and the large, feathered golden wings on her back fanned outward as her frustration mounted. Her white teeth clenched, her pale, slender fingers balled into fists, and her eyes turned red as she wailed. The silky, ice blue gown that she wore was kicked mercilessly as she paced around the dark, blue water. "I cannot believe this," she muttered to no one, "a king has the gift of a beautiful daughter and now people are praising her instead of me? Whom do they think is in charge of their attractiveness? Certainly not those gnarled dwarves!"
The ripples her bare feet made on the top of the water grew more numerous as she quickened her steps. Tossing her white, plaited mane over her shoulder, the fairy queen revealed two pointed ears, jewel -bedecked with silver charms. The small, golden trinkets adorning her small ankles chimed melodiously as her legs moved in circles. A small row of the same trinkets lined her forehead, barely visible through the queen's long bangs, and added to the gentle music of her pacing.
A smile crept across her glittering features as her movements ceased. She looked down at her reflection in the pool. A crooked grin met her gaze and she laughed to herself, saying maliciously, "Yes, that is perfect. He has never missed."
With a simple look, a small mist covered the spring and the fairy queen turned to peer down into the water. She watched happily as her reflection blurred and the face of a young man appeared. He rose out of the water and stood above it, just as she did. His long, golden wings fluttered slightly as the woman wrapped her arms around him. He returned the gesture politely, engulfing her in his powerful, glittering arms, and kissed her cheek.
"Endymion, my son," she began, the vengeful smile still upon her lips, "I want you to go to the kingdom of Baknyr and kill King Lan's daughter, Serenity. Apparently, her beauty marvels that of my own and the common folk are speaking of worshipping her instead of me. As a goddess, I cannot possibly allow that to happen."
A smirk played across the young man's face. "Jealousy is a new color for you, mother." He crossed his arms across his muscular chest.
The queen looked at her son. He had not changed since he hit puberty, what a horror. The cold blue of his eyes looked into hers knowingly and she sighed. "Listen, be a good little boy and do what your mother tells you. I am a goddess and do not think I will spare you any remorse if you do not do as I tell you."
The young man shrugged. "Kill this beautiful princess. Easy enough." He reached into the pocket of his snowy-white slacks and produced a small jug. Peering at the label, the fairy queen nodded her head. A chuckled played upon his face as his golden head bowed to the queen. Then he was gone, flying fast into the deep night.
The small fairy sighed. "He must get it from his father," she mumbled. Turning her blue eyes to the moon, she detected the hours until daybreak. She was able to get some sleep this night. Smiling gently, she motioned the mists to depart and her large wings carried her to a small alcove in a tall oak tree. Laying her weary body upon the bed of old feathers, soft earth, leaves, and other natural substances, the fairy queen slept to the joy of the death of her rival.
Meanwhile, Endymion made his way toward King Lan's castle. The small town lay quiet; all the grandeur of a large marketplace subsided at the time of night. His bare feet noiselessly landed outside the protective walls encircling the palace. Pulling the strong bow from his quill of arrows, he launched himself onto the tall wall. From atop the cold brick, he looked at the dim palace. Normally glistening in the sun, the white palace appeared deserted and mournful by the moonlight. Quietly, the young fairy crept through the palace courtyard and through the tall columns of its entrance.
Stepping cautiously around the sleeping palace guards, he flew down the lonely, main hall, without a sound. The hall was large and magnificent when lighted, but when in the dark it held no splendor and revealed none of its vast secrets. Protective shadows covered the white walls and Endymion bit his cheek as the hall split in two. His mother did not provide him with a guide to the palace. The fairy stared down each of the dark passages. He placed his bare feet on the cold ground. No use tiring my wings, he thought.
He stomped his feet on the floor. This was not going to be successful if he stood and never decided which passage to follow. Cursing softly, he turned to his right and flew through the living quarters. "Lucky guess." He touched the ground at a tall, wooden door. There was a great carving on the doors, but he was unable to see it through the darkness. Silently, he reached into the white guards that ran from his wrist to his elbow on each arm and produced a device for picking locks. Unheard, the fairy stepped into the princess' apartment.
On a small bed at the end of the room, he saw a bundle of linen. Presuming that to be the fairy queen's rival, Endymion flew next to her and pulled the blue jug from his pocket, as well as a dagger. Just as he raised his hand to slay her, a beam of moonlight fell upon the sleeping princess. His crystal, blue eyes widened at her wondrous beauty. He stepped back in surprise and found himself against the wall of her room. He gritted his white teeth as one of his arrows burrowed through the soft skin of his shoulder.
A sigh escaped his glittering lips and he bent down over the slumbering girl. He had never seen something so beautiful. Her creamy face smiled in her sleep and she wrapped a slender arm around some sort of doll. Long, silver strands flowed everywhere, glistening like dew in the moonlight. He was so focused on her that he quickly forgot the severity of his wound, until he reached his arm out to touch her. The fairy grabbed his shoulder tightly as pain soared through his body.
Clenching his teeth, he willed the pain subside a while. His face, glistening with sweat and the natural glow of his skin, looked upon the young princess once more. He could never harm something so beautiful, so serene. Reluctantly, he turned and made his way back to the forests on the outskirts of the kingdom. A smirk crossed his lips through the pain in his shoulder. It was leaking a white, milky substance much alike to human blood. He bit his cheek; "Mother will love this."
"What!" The queen of the fairies was standing above her dark pool once again. In the crystalline waters reflected the kingdom of Baknyr. In its center, smiling and parading her young body around, was the same princess the queen had ordered killed. She gritted her teeth and summoned her mists.
The white fog cleared and the queen was now standing above a different pool of water. This one, not surrounded by stones but by a flowery shore, displayed before her the slumbering body of her child. He fell asleep along the shore, soon after dressing his wound. His bow and arrows were at his side, as well as the jug of poison.
The soaking bandages around his shoulder did not go unnoticed by the queen. And she marveled at what could have hurt her gallant youth. Kneeling beside his sleeping form, the queen gently touched his uninjured shoulder. He stirred only momentarily, shifting onto his back, then continued his blissful sleep. The mother sighed; hoping that it would not come to this.
A slap of cold water thrust the young, male fairy from his fantastical dreams. Groggily, he looked up at the perpetrator and fumbled for his arrows. Nobody woke him without a good explanation. The sudden knowledge of who had risen him from his slumber made the fairy want to roll over and play dead.
"Endymion, why did you disobey me?"
He sat up, looking at her small form kneeling beside him.
"Mother," he started, "she's just too innocent. I cannot kill someone who does not deserve to die."
"I did not send you so that you could grow a conscience."
"No, you sent me because you care not to have other's blood upon your own hands."
The queen bit her cheek. Ever since he was a child he read her like a book. She lifted her wings before fully standing up. Peering down at his shoulder, she asked sincerely, "Is your shoulder feeling well? I can request someone to look at it for you." She nodded in response to his shaking head. The queen turned and walked toward the pool covered in flowers.
"Oh, and Endymion," his pointy ears perked skyward to hear her soft voice as he peered at her from the corner of his eye, "please get some rest. You do not look well at all."
He rolled his eyes as her body was encircled in white mist, then was gone. The fairy smiled up at the midday sun. Closing his eyes, he felt the rejuvenating rays warming his pale skin and thought of the gorgeous princess of last night. He inhaled the ocean's breeze and the surrounding wildflowers' sweet smell. The fairy prince sighed and looked around. It was lonely here, without anyone else. The island was breathtaking when it was in full bloom like it was at that moment. Millions of flowers in every color imaginable dotted their way up to his enchanting, golden palace.
He chuckled at the thought of bringing the wondrous princess here. It was fairy land and, from what he knew, no human had ever laid foot on it. A smile crept to his face as he envisioned the captivating princess within his halls. He saw her white, silk gown swirling around her as they danced across the ballroom floor. The look of wonder in her sky blue eyes as he showed her through the art galleries and libraries scattered throughout his home. The fairy imagined the feel of her silky, silver hair upon his neck as she slept with him at night. He chuckled and cursed mildly. He was falling in love.
A cruel giggle escaped the queen's lips as she stared down into her pool. "This is better than I would have imagined!" she said to no one. She looked at the large oak tree a few feet from the pool. "I should show him this." And with a quiet word the soft swish of golden wings played through the queen's small ears. He landed behind her, sitting down cross-legged, leaned forward and holding onto his ankles. A gentle, motherly giggle reached her eyes. He would sit like that, as a child, and listen to all her stories. He was once a very happy, young fairy and, from her shoulder, she looked at him sadly to see the rebellious youth that was now her son.
He had folded his massive wings around his lean body and his short, golden hair and long feathers were rumpled by an invisible wind. He looked comical, a little, pale face poking out of two bird-like wings. A small curse escaped his mouth as he mentioned something about the cold.
His crystalline eyes slowly met hers and in them was a cruel grin. Her back was facing him and the long, white cape that protected her from the cold was pulled by the wind. He moved his toes. They were cold upon the wet, blue-gray stone he sat upon and could not be warmed. He shivered and followed his mother's gaze into the pool.
The fairy's blue orbs widened. In the water reflected the young princess of Baknyr. Her face was covered in tears and her red eyes looked to be leaking more. Her soft cheeks were flushed. Endymion bit his lower lip as he saw her mercilessly climbing a hill of jutting rocks. Her fingernails were broken and her hands bled from catching on the jagged stone. A few more minor cuts were on her sweet, unprotected arms and, where the bottom of her dress was torn, blood nestled on her ankles. Simple leather sandals safeguarded her small feet, though not much longer and they would brake. The thought of the princess' beautiful feet being bloodied, along with her other ailments, made the young fairy close his eyes and bite his lip harder.
"I have rained on her every torture I can," his mother said, her back to him. "Now she feels she has no other choice but to kill herself. That will stop my jealousy. So," a malicious chuckle escaped her pink lips, "she will die terribly in the ravine. Teaches those common folk who is mortal and who is a god." She turned her white head to find that he was gone. Surprise flooded the queen's features and she stepped ahead to face herself in the direction of where her son once sat. The small ripple her little foot created when she touched the water quickly disassociated the image of the young girl reaching and pulling herself over the hill. The fairy queen bit her cheek as the cool water returned to its mute black. "No matter," she spoke softly, "she'll kill herself. No need for me to watch."
For the first time in his life, Endymion was thankful to be the fairy queen's son. The long, golden wings of the monarchy were incredibly efficient compared to the insect-like wings of most fairies. They were much larger, as well. The long feathers gathered speed as he neared the precipice the young princess would soon dangle off of, then fall to her horrible death among the heartless stone of the ravine.
Coming to the end of the forest, a tall hill stood to his left and a long, seemingly endless valley to the right. The fairy bit his cheek. He had to rescue her without being seen and he was not given the pleasure of time to think of a plan. Quickly, he knocked upon a gnarled oak tree beside him. Ten short, stocky men with woodland clothes and twisted faces jumped out from around the tree. They were forest dwarves and he knew they would help him in fear of the wrath of his mother. A sigh passed through the fairy's glimmering lips. His mother had a terrible temper.
In a short amount of time, the dwarves knew their job. Their small, crippled figures went to work constructing a net of forest materials, mostly leaves and vines. Endymion watched the edge of the precipice for the princess' form. It appeared there and he sent the convention to save her from the sinister death she wanted. Under strict orders not to make a sound, the little men of the undergrowth carried the sleeping maiden to his golden castle upon the shore.
He peered at her slumbering form as the dwarves ran passed him. He would have touched the peaceful face of hers, had not the men been moving with such speed to his home. The fairy smiled. "Tonight, my love," he whispered as the dwarves hoisted the makeshift bed higher onto their shoulders.
The young fairy prince sighed as he watched the princess make her way into the palace. She saw the tall halls and golden tapestries upon the walls but the presence of her captor remained unknown to her. His blue eyes peered down at her from behind a tapestry. He was content to see her roam his halls and be waited upon by his fairy servants. They obligingly dressed her wounds when she was first received at the door. He noticed their reluctance to be around the human girl diminishing as the fairies spoke with her. That was the way this woman was. Her intelligence and innocence made anyone love her. At this thought, the fairy prince smiled.
The darkness of night began to creep through the tall windows on either side of the dining hall. The young princess was gently seated at the end of a rectangular table. Endymion heard a gasp escape her gentle lips as she looked at the ensemble of golden utensils. The candle that stood in the middle of the table was golden as well. Hiding in a niche inside the creamy walls, the fairy prince watched his beautiful princess as she looked around the large, magnificent room in awe. Her blue eyes gazed at the landscape paintings on the wall to her left. He hid behind a tapestry as her small orbs searched through every niche. Two long, golden tapestries flowed like waterfalls from the ceiling to the floor on the walls in front and behind her chair. Her small, rosy hands touched the soft, golden cloth protecting the table as her quaint nostrils inhaled the smell of lavish meats and wondrous foods she never tasted before. Excitement welled in the girl's stomach as the night drew nearer.
In the kitchen, the fairy prince oversaw what was happening. A smile tugged the corners of his mouth as he stood, iridescent hands on his hips, directing the preparing and selecting of the foods. As the sun set, the servant fairies giggled at their master's giddiness. He was excited and displayed a large grin upon his face as he watched the fairies dart from one dish to another. It was almost finished. Endymion rubbed his glittering hands together as he heard the final flitting and fluttering of wings cease and the aroma of thousands of different recipes mingle together in a sweet, appetizing smell. An energetic shiver coursed through the fairy's veins as he sent a pair of servants to serve drink and appetizer.
Small beams of light hit against the ceiling and, excepting the single candle, no light shown through the delicate room once the sun went to its rest. The princess raised a golden chalice to her lips and drank the savory drink. A nightly breeze blew, bringing with it the wonderful smells of wildflowers and the ocean. She was very content to sit calmly in her chair and look out the tall windows to the countless stars in the sky.
This was how the fairy prince found her. Her gentle features became more lustrous in the candlelight. A proud smile graced his face; she was beautiful even now, in the shadows of the night. A sharp sting from his shoulder reminded the prince of his wound and he stopped holding the kitchen's door. It fell softly behind him, making a small noise as it straightened its hinges once more.
The small noise caught the girl's attention and she looked into the dark in the direction of the kitchen. The gentle sound of feet startled her and she grabbed onto the sides of the table to stand. Her mouth was opened; ready to speak to the mysterious visitor in the dark, when a soft, warm finger touched her rosy lips. Her head turned fast, but the light of the candle did not flow from her side of the table and she could not see the one who touched her lips. The gentle hand pulled itself from her sensual lips and glided its backside down the princess' flushed cheek. The touch was soft and delicate, sending waves of joy and exciting shivers down her spine. She remembered a time she played in a waterfall when she was younger. The happy memory brought a smile to her sky blue eyes.
Endymion was enchanted by her beauty and quietly watched her remembered moments through her eyes. He spoke softly to her, afraid that if he sounded foreboding and strong she would run. "Young princess," he whispered to her. His voice was a dream and she was suddenly faced with the images of pale mists and sunny skies. Her heart swooned at the few words he uttered. "I have loved and watched over you, young princess."
The sincerity and longing in his voice made the princess gasp. She opened her eyes, not realizing she had closed them, and stared into the pitch-black air beside her. His low voice was like a soft melody to her ears and she pleaded that he would say more to her. Say, once again, that he loved her. She heard it from other men, but he was sincere and truthful. The thought of true love sent happy chills down her spine and her childish face smiled into the darkness. The voice sang once more, "I love you. Do you feel the same?"
The last few words were a whisper. He did not intend for them to be but a sudden rush of doubt reached his mind. She might not feel the same way about him as he did her. In the bleak darkness, Endymion bit his lip. He thought of what to do if she did not love him. He would have to kill her. She was a human and it frustrated his servants enough to be forced to use their energy to hide their wings from her sight. She could not stay here if she did not love him. He felt helpless, not knowing what to do. He could never bring himself to kill her. He would leave her at the edge of the forest once she fell asleep. He knew of a flower that produced a sleeping drug that lay very close outside the palace. All the flowers outside the palace were different forms of narcotics. He was the queen's highest-ranking assassin, after all.
No, he could not poison her. The thought of the dark green liquid pulsing through her body, slowly killing it scared him. He could see her convulsing body as she was about to die. Swallowing, the fairy prince quelled the urge to flit his wings. It was a nervous habit but doing it now would catch her attention and bring forth an investigation. She must not know who I am, he thought sadly.
"Yes." The answer startled him from his thoughts and it was a few moments until the prince fully understood what she said. A smile crossed his face and he happily gathered the maiden in his strong arms and embraced her. His sparkling arms wrapped around her waist as hers did around his neck. She was leaning away from him and as he drew her nearer the soft scent of oils enticed his nose. They were sweet smelling and warm. He smiled as their cheeks touched, then their noses, and, finally, their lips collided together.
A surge of joy ran through their bodies as both deepened the kiss. The sweet scent of oak forests invaded the princess' nostrils as the muscular arms around her pulled her closer. The heavenly kiss finished and both felt a calm about them.
"Endymion," the queen was yelling at her arrogant son, "where have you been?"
"Sleeping."
The fairy queen had succeeded in ruining his midday nap. He sat
cross-legged, hands on his ankles, leaning forward onto one of the cold stones circling her spring. His wings draped behind him on the dried ground as he looked up at her looming presence. The queen crossed her arms underneath her rather large chest and peered down at him sideways. She awakened him with the knowledge that her son would be irascible and bad-tempered the moment she did so. The queen sighed and stretched her wings behind her. They made soft "thwap" sounds as they glide through the air. "Endymion, stand up."
Following her orders, his wings fanned in front of him as he leaned back and shifted his weight to his feet. The soft feathers arched high, a few inches above his head, and descended to his mid -calf. The queen watched as she walked toward him, "you are my son; my only heir. Soon the gods' council will convene and I will have to leave for many years. I may not return." He shrugged. She walked closer to him and to her dismay found that she was looking at his stomach. The muscles contorted as he withheld a laugh when her angered, flushed face stared up at him. "When did you get so tall? I am NOT short!" The red in her eyes deepened as her son mouthed, "shorty". She gritted her white teeth and continued, "I want you to rule this land in my place. Being both goddess and queen is too much responsibility."
He sighed and shrugged. Patting her white head, he smiled and said, "Whatever you say, queenie." He turned and his expansive wings carried the prince far from the queen's angry wail. He smirked, saying to himself, "She needs to work on her temper."
That night, Endymion and his princess met once again. She told him her name was Serenity the night before, but he had known before then. He was reluctant to give her his, and never did. In the waking hours of the morning, he explained to her not to question his true identity and to trust his love for her. She hesitated, but at the sound of his disappointed sigh had agreed not to ask.
He met her at dinner and inquired his princess about her day. Nothing happened. They talked through the entire night, just as the one before, and, synchronized with the one before, the fairy prince crept away from his sleeping princess before daybreak. He softly kissed her slumbering forehead and made his way into the forest to do his mother's bidding.
It went like this for a time. Endymion doing the work of two or three fairies for his mother as Serenity walked about the gardens or assisted the servants. All available free time during the day was spent thinking about the other. The days became long and repetitive, while the nights were short and wonderful. Every day that passed Serenity found herself to be more curious as to whom her lover was. She did not question him; for fear that his threat to leave her would be enacted.
Serenity sighed and twisted a bit of hair around her fingers. She missed her family and friends when the hours of the day neared their end. Excitement mounted in her chest as she thought of another night with her surreptitious lover but was filled with the pain of loss. She wanted to see her friends again. Days went by since last she saw them and she began to worry about their welfare.
Serenity tilted her face to the sun's rays. Tonight. She would tell him her grievances tonight. If he loved her, he would understand. She bit her lip. He was adamant about the need for secrecy. However, he seemed pleased to grant her every desire. The knowledge of this strengthened the princess' fading confidence and she resolved to speak with him when he appeared to her that night.
"What?" surprised marred the fairy prince's face. Luckily, it was evident in his voice because Serenity could not see his expression through the darkness of their bedchamber.
"Well," she started, "I am lonely during the days and I do long for their senseless talking. I want to know how they are and what is happening in town."
He bit his lip. It was hard enough to hide her presence, but two others? That was ridiculous. He felt his fluids flow down his throat as he swallowed. She was only human; she could not understand the complexity of her being here. He had a problem on his shimmering hands. He wanted more than anything to make her happy and he found himself devising a plan to bring her friends to his home. He sighed; he must be in love to be risking so much. "All right."
Her slender arms wrapped around his neck in the dark as a squeal erupted from her tender lips. The fairy returned her hug and pulled her face to his. His hand caressed her cheeks before gently placing his lips on her own. His fingers glided down her neck and gently wrapped around her slim waist.
He gently held her hand and the fairy prince directed his princess to their bed. He slowly pulled her to rest beside him. Curling her body into his as he laid on his side, he combed his fingers through her long hair as he waited for each their bodies to calm and sleep to overtake them.
Her slowed breaths told him that she slept in his arms. Quietly, he released the magic that hid his wings from her touch. He put his forehead to hers. How long would he hide his identity from her? He loved her so much and it pained him as he heard the loss of confidence in her voice whenever a topic was discussed and quickly ended on the pretext that he might be exposed. It was only a matter of time before his princess lost her polite, respective patience and inquired outright as to whom he was. The fairy winced to think that he would have to leave her then. No human was to know of the existence of the fairies. Such knowledge was evidence enough to warrant a death sentence without trial. The prince bit his lip at the thought of executing his fair princess.
A sting of pain in his shoulder reminded him of his first night seeing her. She was more beautiful now that he knew everything about her and had spent so many nights with her in his company. He wondered when he would be able to spend the morning and day in her presence and sighed. No use thinking of something that might not happen. The late night hours were beginning to affect him and the fairy closed his glittering eyelids as sleep overtook him.
In the morning hours, he kissed her temple as he left her side to return as the light of day disappeared behind the gray, ice-capped mountain of the west, whose tops were hidden from sight by a gathering of thick, white clouds.
That night, Endymion found his princess agitated and not one for talk. After repeated attempts to converse with her as they had nights before, he fell asleep upon a small, off-white couch in the room. Serenity swallowed as his breathing elongated and informed her that he was fully asleep. Scrambling for the hidden candle and dagger, the princess lit the candle and armed herself with the dagger.
Her nervous hand shakily held the candle above her love's sleeping form, the dagger held high in fear of finding a hideous monster. To her surprise, a youth curled his hand behind his sleeping head. His beauty caused her to blush. The color in the princess' cheeks darkened as the lamplight roamed farther down his body and exposed his bare, muscular chest. A small sigh escaped her lips as she saw the golden cloth that adorned his powerful legs. A movement from his back and her candlelight showed his tall, golden-feathered wings. The princess gasped. Her secretive man was not a monster as they had assured her, but he was not human, either. The princess leaned the candle over his handsome face once more and noticed his pointy ears. She blinked. His skin was glistening and glowing like morning dew upon flowers. She tilted closer to his face, when a drip of wax fell from the white candle in its golden holder and onto his glowing skin.
The fairy prince was pulled from his dreams by a sharp pain to his shoulder. Sitting up quickly and grabbing his wound, he noticed a sudden light about the room. His steel blue eyes stared coldly into the tearful gaze of his princess who looked up to him from the floor. A dagger was in her hand, a candle in the other.
"Serenity..."
She swallowed and blinked as tears caressed her cheeks. "They said," she blurted out. She repeated herself less quickly, and looked at the ground, "My friends said that you were probably a hideous monster that was afraid to be seen in the light of day." She hiccuped. "That you were afraid I would loathe you because you were so ugly, and that you would eventually kill me once you were tired of me." She whimpered as she sat her weapons upon the floor and placed her head atop her bent knees, curling her arms around them. From behind her arms, she whispered, "I was so stupid."
Endymion gulped, were he human, water would have filled his own eyes at that moment. But, if he were human, this mistake would never have happened. He had been foolish to believe she would never be curious as to his identity after his repeated warnings. He wiped the dry wax from his wound, wincing slightly as it carried his skin with it. His white blood was flowing down his chest as he stood resolutely. The fairy's sudden movement did not go unnoticed by the princess and she turned her puffy, soggy face to his. He stepped around her and grabbed his arrows and bow. His eyes were closed as he faced her tear -filled stare and fastened the quiver of arrows device around his uninjured shoulder.
His hard, ocean blue orbs lightened as they looked into her own sky blue sadly. With movements filled with nothing but regret he moved his bare feet to her body on the golden rug upon the floor. Kneeling, the fairy graced the back of his hand from the princess' soft cheekbone to her ear. His gentle eyes watched his hand and followed its untravelled path through her long, silver mane that spread about the floor, as she stared at the remorseful expression upon his face. Tears welled in her eyes once again as his cool blue met hers. Both his hands were on her cheeks, the golden bow forgotten on the floor. He looked at her sad, regretful eyes and touched their foreheads together. "I love you," he whispered, chokingly. They parted and a grimacing smile reached his face as they bit their lips in unison. The fairy flitted his massive wings and watched her eyes widened. He mumbled something about a nervous reaction. Catching her lips in his before she could think a coherent thought, he slowly memorized everything about her. After the kiss ended, his princess grimaced and attempted, not very effectively, to stifle a sob as he stood. His golden feathers stretched and Serenity turned away as a burst of air blew from them. The room went black. Lighting her candle, she saw his presence was gone. Stumbling and grabbing at the air, she ran to the window and screamed for her prince to return.
When her voice was hoarse and her throat pained her, Serenity thrust her balled fists upon the windowsill. The cold stone cut through her skin as she pounded it mercilessly. She clenched her teeth, bringing a bloody hand to her face, as tears poured down her flushed cheeks anew and she collapsed against the wall, sinking to the floor. She opened her eyes and found the palace and its protective walls had deserted her. Instead, she lay upon a short olive tree in the middle of a dark meadow. Fear gripped her heart when the princess did not recognize her surroundings. She cried deeply, her body slumped against the gnarled tree until she was so weary she fell asleep with the small droplets slowly descending down her cheeks through her sleep.
Endymion swallowed from his position in the tree. He descended quietly when he knew she slept. Gently wiping her tears from her face, he sat by her side until the morning hours. The fairy prince was back in the tree when a man began to come down the road, rolling his cart of wine casks behind him. He watched as the man picked up the girl's small body and brought her to his home. Jumping out of the tree's branches, Endymion flitted his large wings and alighted to do his mother's bidding, satisfied that his love would be sufficiently cared for.
After wandering around the olive tree for many nights, Serenity gave up all hope that her betrayed lover would return to her in a flurry of apologies from both sides. She swallowed down the rising tears, having spent another unsuccessful night in the bone-chilling cold. With the knowledge that he would not come back to her, Serenity rushed to a river that cut through the small meadow of wildflowers.
Plunging her supple body into the water, the princess found, to her delight, that it was deeper than she was tall. Her chattering teeth and shaking hands frustrated her as she mindlessly wrapped vines around heavy stones and tied them to herself. Resolutely, she waded into the icy water and gently sat at its bottom as her lungs burned from not receiving any life-giving breath. She smiled as the darkness of death wrapped its warm arms around her.
On the shore, Endymion cursed and launched his body into the rushing river. His fairy skin was able to breathe underneath the water and he navigated his way through the roots and plants upon the floor of the river. Eventually, he saw his princess' collapsed body on the black, sandy bottom. Embracing her in his strong arms, he hoisted her out of the water quickly with the help of his powerful wings.
Placing her pale body upon the shore, the prince ripped the vines from Serenity's body and looked upon her blue face. Biting his lip, he placed a glittering, pointed ear above her chest and marveled at the faint life her body held. His fingers tilted her small chin skyward and he breathed into her mouth. He watched her chest refuse to move from its previous position and cursed. Clenching his white teeth, he put his hands atop one another and pushed against her stomach, just below her rib cage. The fairy moved back to the girl's purple lips and listened for the sound of breathing. When it did not come, he repeated the process again. This time, she coughed and he cradled her head as water dripped down her chin. She fell limp in his arms and he let all the tension and worry seep through his sharply exhaled breath. He almost lost her. It was a painful thought and its truth rang through his ears as his heart pounded quickly upon his skull. Endymion winced from the pain in his shoulder. He was dry when he had first jumped out of the water, the little droplets rolling off his shimmering skin much like when water touches a bird's feathers. Its temperature had not affected him, save his wound that was gaining a reputation for re-opening itself.
Grimacing, the fairy prince pulled off the fresh bandages he had dressed it with just hours before. He sighed and did his best to ignore the pain as he held his sleeping princess in his arms. She shuddered in her sleep and he suddenly remembered her human ability to die of hypothermia. The prince looked around for a makeshift blanket and found none. He peered down at her tenderly and fanned his feathers in front of his sitting form. Carefully wrapping them around the princess, he felt her shudders cease and a bit of color return to her cheeks. The fairy smiled and kissed her damp forehead and silvery bangs that were plastered to it.
Endymion rocked the body in his arms gently the entire night and hugged her tightly as the sun rose. He watched her eyes widen when she found herself alive and on the opposite shore of the river. She reluctantly stood and wandered into the wooded forest behind her.
Wondering through the vast forest, following a path that quietly cut its way through the forest, Serenity questioned all she met about the young man who had stolen her heart. None of the forest dwellers knew of him and, distraught from hours of walking and learning nothing, the princess sat herself upon a large boulder lying to the side of the path.
Resting her aching body, she soon caught sight of a small, hunched form following the path behind her. Before now, the young girl had not seen any humans. All she conversed with were dwarves and elves. They showed themselves to her without hesitation and she would yelp in surprise as the dwarves marred postures molded from the forest floor. The small elves were different. Looking like big children, they hovered in the tree branches and would cascade to the ground at her presence. It was overwhelming but soon the princess grew accustomed to their playful ways. She enjoyed their husky voices and delighted in the tales about the forest they told her.
Peering at the lone traveler, Serenity saw that it was a very old elf. Her age rode upon her crippled shoulders and pushed her back so far forward the old elf had to use a walking stick in order to remain standing and not fall, with her wrinkled face, to the soft earth. A smile was on her face and light green eyes the color of leaves looked up at the princess when the elf was standing in front of the other.
"I'm looking for a fairy," Serenity blurted. She had learned what he was from the elves and other fantastical foresters she met along the path.
The old elf nodded, the small, dirty robe of gray she wore jostled at the movement. The cloth dragged the ground as she leaned upon her stick of pine. Its heavy scent was all around her shrunken figure. "You look for specific fairy," her old voice sang melodiously like a nightingale, not affected by her age, "or any fairy?"
"I do not know," the princess slumped upon the rock. What if she never found him? "He has golden hair and wings. His body shimmers a mix of silver and purple. He is lean but strongly built. I never learned his name."
A chuckle reached the old woman's eyes and Serenity looked away from her gaze, ashamed. She knew what the other was thinking; the princess knew what they all must have been thinking. It appeared her love for this man was not the only kind of love he had received. She bit her swollen lip. What if he did not love her anymore? He told her in honest truth that she was the first woman he loved but that she was not the first to share his bed. Would he seek solace from her betrayal in the arms of another woman? Serenity choked back a sob as her heart longed to comfort him. Could she ever find him?
"Endymion," the aged voice sang, tearing through the girl's thoughts.
"Pardon me?" she peered at the woman's gray hair draping the ground, much like her ripped cloak.
"Endymion is name of fairy you look for. He be prince of fairies and only one with wings of gold beside queen."
A prince. How remarkably surprising. How could she find him now?
"You look for prince? He be in service of queen. Fairy queen be mother."
"Fairy queen?"
The old one nodded and remembered how the young elves had swooned for their prince when they learned he was having the queen dress a deep wound to his shoulder that was infected. The girls' ridiculous behavior was etched in her mind as she advised the princess to venture into the middle of the forest and request to serve the fairy queen. A meeting between the prince and princess was inevitable if the girl stayed in the residence of the queen. The old elf smiled as the girl jumped from the boulder, hope radiating from her core as she swept the ancient wise woman into her arms. Happily, she ran down the path to try the other's suggestion.
"Tell me why," the fairy queen said authoritatively from above her murky pool. She starred daggers into the silver head bowed to her. Serenity's gown was torn from her travels and covered in dirt. The girl knew she did not make the best presentation of the human race, but she had cleaned as best she could in a small stream before the oak grove that was the fairy's castle.
Staring at the dirt and leaves beneath her knees, the princess replied, "I feel I have offended you in some way. It is detrimental for me to receive a penalty for this offense and so, I beseech you to render me into your service."
A sinister smile crossed the queen's rigid lips as hundreds of dishonorable and impossible tasks filled her wicked mind. She laced her arms together at her chest. "All right. Your first job is to pick up all these leaves"—she motioned around the earthen ground—"then come back to me when you have finished and not a moment sooner." With that, her soft mists caressed her body and the fairy queen was gone.
Serenity looked around at the leaf-covered ground. From the sky, green, red, and orange floated to the forest's floor and joined the other leaves to blanket the moist dirt, collecting like snow after a blizzard. The princess began to sob silently when a rustling of branches behind her turned the girl around. Young deer and birds of many different colors stepped from the forest and began harvesting the leaves. She wiped her tears and smiled as she started her task. Insects, birds, deer, fox ... they all assisted in the girl's impossible missions given to her by the ruthless queen.
Days passed and there were no signs of the princess' ardent lover.
What if he had learned of her presence and stayed away from the oak grove?
What if she never saw him again?
Serenity wailed as water splashed her face. "Do not pull so hard, silly girl." The fairy queen's recent torture was having the girl braid her thick, ivory mane. The queen made an off-handed comment, saying that the human girl's hands were larger and more agile than any of her attendants', as an excuse for the obligation. The princess bit her lip and started more gently. The small droplets on her face grew cool as a small mist blew around them. A sudden thrashing sound, like waves pounding upon the seashore, was nearing where she and the queen sat upon the cold rock of the pool. The queen stood while Serenity sat at her back, marveling at the queen's short stature.
Endymion landed in a kneeling position in front of them. His mighty wings were fully extended upward behind him and a small cloud of dust scattered from his hasty landing. The girl's sky blue eyes saw that his were closed beneath his bowed head. A small fist was his hand as his good arm rested on his raised knee. In the daylight, he was magnificent to Serenity. The girl noticed the gash that sliced through his shimmering shoulder. A small shock of sorrow assailed her body as she thought of how painful the wound must be.
"Endymion, dearest," the queen drawled, "have you succeeded?"
His wings fanned in front of him as he stood. They came to nestle in his back as he opened his eyes and saw the princess. Surprise graced his features before he swallowed and looked at the queen sternly, his voice and face ice cold, "What is she doing here? I thought you despised her."
The queen smiled. "Of course I despise her. She is here because she feels obliged to pay retribution to me. It is her apology for offending me." The queen saw a look transfer between them. She said coldly, "She will not be one of those ornaments you keep in your bed, my son. Leave her be."
The fairy broke his gaze with the princess and reproached his mother, "I was not sent here to be reminded of my youth. What do you wish of me, mother?"
She cocked an eyebrow. "You want me to believe that you have so quickly changed your ways?" she laughed. "Nothing could convince me that you do not hold every beautiful girl who is lost in the forest in your arms. Are you particular now? Do you only look at one? Come now, Endymion, I have known you long enough to know how fast your mind can change. You are as stubborn as an ox, my son ... and just as easily provoked.
Now, come here and allow me to administer to your shoulder," she motioned to a large stone. He walked to it and sat cross-legged, holding his ankles, and leaning forward. The queen ignored the immense anger emanating from her son's eyes and pretended not to notice the heat sizzling from his glowing skin.
The fairy queen bent her head to admire the wound. Endymion peered over her shoulder to the girl who once enchanted his nights. She met his gaze and each felt a sadness settle over them as they longed to comfort each other. The fairy winced as his mother swabbed at his shoulder. Through his one open eye, he saw Serenity reach out a hand, then draw it back to herself as tears welled in her eyes. She slowly met his gaze and was surprised at the pain in them. They told her of his sleepless nights. He bit his lip as she did the same to hers. Mutely, the princess withheld a sob as she watched grief infiltrate his beautiful blue eyes.
"Endymion," his gaze shifted to the fairy queen's motherly face and replaced the angered look on his features. She sighed, shaking her white head. Standing, the queen peered down on him, "I will be leaving soon. Do not forget your responsibilities. Your shoulder will heal if you do not open it once again, as you seem compelled to do. I will see you. Continue what you were occupying yourself with before."
With a bow, the prince extended his massive wings and was gone in a flash of wind. Serenity bit her swelling lip as she placed the white hair in her hand and began braiding her queen's hair.
Endymion cursed. Where could she be? The fairy prince had made his way to his mother's oak grove after nightfall. He was searching for his princess and had been unsuccessful. Peering into the last of the servants quarters, a vivid exclamation breathed through his lips at not finding her there.
"She is not here."
Endymion turned with a start as his mother smiled upon his confused face. He bit his lip. She knew who he was looking for...
"She is very beautiful, Endymion," the queen was saying. "She is out, fetching the Karynr flower under the idea that it contains a power to beautify its user."
He gritted his teeth. "The Karynr is a flower that leaves its victims in eternal sleep."
The fairy queen feigned surprise. "Oh, my ... I must have confused it with the Basimyrn bloom." Her face was serious. "How stupid do you believe me to be?"
"You will kill her," he seethed.
The queen shrugged. "A minor loss, believe me. Endymion, fairies and humans cannot have relationships; they are total opposites."
"We will see."
She sighed as the mists hovered around his form. "I'm sorry," she whispered. A movement of the queen's iridescent hand directed the strong, white film to surround her son.
Struggling in the mist's grasp, the fairy spat out hatefully, "I will save her."
"Poor Endymion, this is the only way you will understand. Please understand that I am saving you now. You will be thanking me later."
Before he disappeared, the fairy prince yelled scornfully at the queen of the fairies, "Not every relationship turns out like yours."
Serenity looked upon a meadow of clumped wildflowers. It was a mystical place. The small, colored buds of different flowers clustered together in their respective colors. A cloister of white was to the princess' left, one of blue to her right. Purples, pinks, greens, and others alighted with the drying morning dew.
The princess sighed and walked down the grassy paths that were naturally created by the blooms segregating from each other. A small, stone boy poured orange liquid into the bottom of a fountain in the middle of the meadow. She sat at its edge and wondered how she would find the bud the queen was searching for. Coming to the meadow was hard enough ... this was impossible! The princess sobbed as hopelessness gripped her fragile heart.
Suddenly, a small butterfly with yellow and black wings and white dots walking the sides landed on the girl's shoulder. Watching it flit around her, Serenity dried her eyes and stood. Fluttering incessantly, it flew down a small, overgrown path to her left. The princess followed the insect until it hovered above a blue bloom at the center of creamy, smaller buds. She smiled and nodded to the butterfly, expressing her thanks.
Endymion cursed once again and held his shoulder as pain seared from the opened wound. With clenched teeth, he stared at the branches at every side of him. The circular, light brown limbs surrounded the fairy, forming a powerful prison of oak.
The prince gritted his teeth and slammed his shoulder into the pliable wood. It leaned with his weight, then stood straight again, pushing him to his feet. Endymion cursed crudely. There had to be some way to escape and save his beloved.
He punched the wood. Nothing was working and now the wood was closing in at each attempt to escape. Eventually, it would crush him unless he stopped.
Serenity had waded through the soft, white flowers and bent to pluck the blue bloom. To her surprise, she had to pull with all her strength before it disconnected with the lower half of its stem. With a smile, the princess ran down the path to deliver the bud to the fairy queen.
The princess approached the fountain after a time and noticed she could not remember the way she came. A tree stood off from one of the beds near her and the girl thought that perhaps that was the way from which she came. Inhaling a breath, she could smell the spicy mix of the different flowers about her. Unable to resist the temptation, Serenity bent her head to sniff the luxurious smell of the flower within her grasp.
A scream erupted from her lips as the stem encircled the girl's lower arm and climbed higher, like a vine. Sharp thorns grew and ripped through the princess' creamy flesh as the bud began to glow a whiter color.
Serenity's eyes widened as the bud separated from the lengthening stem. As it touched the ground, it changed into a muscular man with blue hair that stood high above his head. A cruel chuckle issued from his red lips as he saw the girl wince from the thorns embedded in her skin. His green arms sat upon his blue, cloth-covered hips, his chest pulsing up and down as he let out a maniacal laugh. "You are mine," he snickered.
The fairy prince cursed as he grabbed the branch wrapped across his throat. He coughed as it tightened its hold on him. Gritting his teeth, he muttered to the frail plant, "I had hoped I would not need to do this..." The tree crushed him in response. Slowly, the prince raised his arm from its dangling position. A scream issued from his throat as a limb pressed against his wounded shoulder at his sudden movement. Endymion grabbed the closest branch and turned his palm so that it was facing upward. He swallowed down another scream as the limbs encircled him tightly. The fairy prince was unable to breathe as he thrust his knuckles downward. A sharp, poisoned dart shot from his gauntlet that wrapped around his arm from his wrist to his elbow. The branches around the fairy dried and withered as the green liquid pulsed through their veins.
Serenity screamed as the flower monster sent red energy coursing along the thorny stem that encompassed her young body. She was on the ground and could feel her blood pooling around her and feeding the soft grass beneath her form. Liquid poured through her throat as she coughed. Looking at the ground, the girl saw a small section of grass covered in dark red blood. She clenched her teeth as her head felt light and she became dizzy. Peering up at her assailant, fear marred the princess' features as he showed her a thumb pointed upward: death. She bit through the skin in her lip and felt the cool, copper-tasting blood trickle down her chin as he raised his fist above his head and created a dagger with the red energy stored there. The monster jumped to strike the helpless girl and she closed her eyes as salty tears ran down her cheeks.
The flower monster's high-pitched scream as it sailed through the air forced Serenity's eyes to open. They widened and glazed over as Endymion turned to them. He gasped and rushed to peel the stem from his beloved's body.
Serenity's torn gown was a deep red, wet, and glued to her like a second skin. She was about to speak when he turned to the side and cut the air with his large wing. She saw the same stem growing around his golden feathers. With a quick movement to the back of him, the fairy prince shrugged off the attack and balled his hand in a fist. "Stay here," he instructed sternly.
Endymion stood and faced the flower monster. Its red lips twisted into a grin as the two advanced upon each other. As they clashed, Serenity noticed that Endymion knew how to fight with his fists very well. He also gained incredible speed with the use of his wings. The monster seemed only to block the prince's attacks, unable to do anything else.
The princess jumped excitedly as the monster hit the ground again. Her savior was saying something, inaudible from her distance, to her ugly attacker. She bit her bleeding lip, winced, then resolved to biting her small fingernails as the green stems wrapped around her prince from the ground. He screamed as the relentless plant squeezed him. The girl yelped and pushed her face into the grass as his body was thrown into the fountain behind her.
She pulled herself from the ground and stumbled to his grunting form as it rose from the orange liquid of the fountain. White poured from every part of his body, his clothing was torn, and one wing was bent crookedly and most of the feathers were pulled from it. The golden mass, the only section of him drenched in the odd colored liquid, hung limply at his back, as if it were dead. The fairy's steel blue eyes focused only on the monster's launched attack as he clutched his shoulder.
A sudden flash of red assaulted Endymion's vision and he stared at Serenity's young body collapsing to the ground. She did not move. The fairy prince saw red as anger coursed through his veins. The heat from his body steamed the liquid as he stepped from the fountain and touched the princess' neck. A faint pulse against his finger told the prince that she slept. He stood and looked to the monster in front of him.
It began to back away at the sight of the hatred and ferocity in the fairy's eyes. Screaming, Endymion grabbed a dagger from his gauntlet and pounced upon the creature that was once a beautiful flower. As soon as he thrust his dagger into its heart, the monster began to change back into a blue bloom. It slowly bloomed and withered into a liquid within his hand. The prince turned and walked to his princess' slumbering body.
Pooling the blue liquid in his hand and pouring it into his mouth, Endymion cradled Serenity in his arms and kissed her soft lips, delivering the sweet elixir, and releasing her from the flower's bewitching enchantment. As her blue eyes met his own he embraced her tightly, kissing her parted lips deeply.
Endymion and Serenity walked hand-in-hand through the forest, talking happily.
"Your feet hurt?" she teased.
He looked at her, smiling. "No. I do walk. I am not always flying everywhere."
She touched his forearm. "You sure it does not hurt?"
"Oh, it hurts," he quickly assured her, "but there is nothing to set it with and I do not want to feel that, either."
"Does it hurt badly? I have never broken a bone."
"I have never broken my wing. Well, I cannot remember the last time I did. Mother says I did when I was young."
"Oh." The princess stared at the cool ground. She felt guilty that the juice of the flower, while saving her from immortal slumber, healed her numerous wounds. Her eyes scanned his beaten body and the pain of guilt flooded through her heart.
The fairy prince tugged her hand, turning her to the right as the road split. He touched a finger to her lips, whispering, "This way." The princess obliged, knowing the queen's oak grove to be to the left. She curiously watched the fairy in front of her lead her to the frosty mountain that was visible from his home.
The prince motioned for her to climb on his back. After a lengthy discussion about his physical condition, she crawled onto his muscular back and wrapped her slender arms around his neck and long legs around his waist. Slowly, he ascended the mountain, keeping his body millimeters from the harsh, vertical rock.
By nightfall they gripped the very top ledge and Endymion instructed his princess to hoist herself over it. She helped him pull his weary body up after hers. A smile graced her lips as he leaned upon her to catch his breath. He looked up at her and the smile spread to his own features. Anxiety flew through them as they stood and entered the large, stone doors of the Earth's deities.
They were sitting in one long row against the far wall of the room across from the entrance doors. Holding her hand, Endymion walked to the center of the large delegation. An elf that was reading the latest item of business ceased his speaking upon sight of the couple.
Endymion bowed and Serenity curtsied, each action close to the floor, showing more respect than that reserved for monarchy. "If it would please the deities," Endymion's bowed head began. He lifted his eyes to the god in the middle, largest chair, who nodded. "I would like to announce my engagement to Princess Serenity of the Kingdom of Baknyr, daughter to King Lan. I ask this council for its consent to our union."
The princess blinked. He was more skilled at speeches than she. By way of his character, Serenity never would have guessed her lover's ability to speak so graciously. Though the fairy prince was very intellectual and clever, he had a short temper and could be fickle at times. The girl's thoughts were stopped when she glanced at a familiar pair of blue eyes. The fairy queen's frustration showed only through her cold eyes. Serenity swallowed. The reason Endymion wanted the deities to consent was because they both knew his mother would never allow their marriage. Now, she still had the ability to abolish their plans.
The couple stood as the middle deity raised his head from speaking with those around him. He cast a look at each in the long row, registering their vote as a tally in his mind. His eyes reached the opposite side of the room and he nodded to no one through his closed eyes. "You have this council's consent on a vote of twelve to none."
The pair blinked and shifted their eyes to the fairy queen. She swallowed and angrily tossed her braid over her shoulder. "My advise for you, young fairy," the chief deity spoke once more, "is for you to clean, dress, and set your wounds. My consultant will see you and your princess."
A short dwarf motioned them into a side room. Once inside, Serenity launched herself into her prince's open arms. She heaved a sigh of relief as he held her. She felt his body turn rigid and he choke back a scream as two loud cracks rang through the air. She looked up to his face to see him with eyes squeezed shut and clenched teeth.
"I set you wing," the dwarf explained as he created a blue liquid in an earthen bowl. He soaked a long sheet of cotton in the solution and wiped the scrapes and cuts in the fairy's glittering flesh. The pain soon overwhelmed the young fairy and he let himself fall into the numbness of unconsciousness.
Endymion awoke in a bed of earthen materials. Looking to his side, he saw the smiling form of Serenity, who bent and kissed him.
"You were asleep for five days," she whispered softly. "I was beginning to get lonely." He chuckled and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. "Tell me why," she stated quickly, "why your mother did not vote against our marriage. I thought she hated me."
"She does," he clarified. Sitting up and pulling off the cloth around his body, he heard her gasp at his fully healed body. "Fairies heal faster than people, Serenity," he informed her. "Mother could not vote against it without good reason. The council does not consider jealousy and revenge good reason."
"Revenge?"
"She fears my father. Loathes him, actually."
"Your father?" Serenity gasped. "The main deity that controls this world ... that created this world ... is your father?"
"Is it truly that hard to understand?" the aforementioned deity asked, appearing beside the young princess.
She gulped and explained quickly, "I meant no injustice. I am a human girl and this is all so new to me."
His fatherly features smiled down on scared eyes. He gently rested a withered hand on her shoulder and assured her of his comprehension of her naivete. He sighed, "You sure can pick them, Endymion," he winked at the fairy. The deity smiled at Serenity and reached a hand behind his back, where the other resided. He pushed two old fists under her nose. With a cheerful grin, he told her, "Pick your destiny, princess."
Confused, she touched his left hand. He turned his hand over and revealed a red rose. "This is my nuptial gift to you. Enjoy your life, my son." He left as abruptly as he had appeared.
Serenity curiously fumbled with the blooming rose in her small hands. She cast questioning eyes to Endymion who grinned from ear to ear. He gently cupped his hands over hers that held the rose and barely touched her lips with his own.
An indescribable tingle flew through Serenity's body as his lips grazed hers. She brought a hand to her lips and noticed the rose had disappeared. Stunned, the girl stared at her glittering hands, then looked at Endymion's smiling face and back again. She flitted her wings in agitation... "Wait," she barely breathed as she walked to a mirror. The princess' hands flew to her mouth as she saw the beautiful, iridescent butterfly wings upon her back. She reached behind her, watching the girl in the mirror touch the soft wings.
Endymion wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Vaguely, she noticed that his wing was healed as he whispered in her ear, "You are immortal now, like me. Neither fairy nor butterfly have wings like yours; it is a special honor."
A blush covered the princess' cheeks as she looked to the carpeted floor, sheepishly. Endymion questioned her and she turned to meet his gaze with nervous happiness. "This means I do not have to worry about your father not liking me?"
Endymion leaned back as a fit full of laughter echoed from his throat.
His father turned to the spying fairy queen. "We were once that happy."
She sighed and turned to her husband. "And look what happened to us. I do not want my son to go through the same."
His old mouth smiled and he draped an arm around her shoulder.
"Are we so unhappy now? You do not hate me anymore?"
She bit her cheek and shook her head. The fairy queen smiled at her husband. "Can we start again? Have it like it once was?" He nodded. She shook her head, chuckling; "I never would have guessed a human girl."
"Yes, they are a special species, as I have been trying to tell you. While they destroy all they create, question everything, and murder each other senselessly, there are a few who escape from the cycle and find themselves in their own fairytale. They see what others do not; understand what others do not. The human species is quite a comical show, if you care to watch. Especially since they push away those who see outside of their wars and religions. People cannot except anything but what they believe themselves, anyone who says otherwise is wrong." He sighed. "But that is not important now. That is what I created the other deities for. Taking care of one race who believes its whole reason for existence is to destroy everything that opposes it requires more than one being; even if they are a god."
"He has picked well."
They collectively smiled and walked toward their bedroom, hand-in-hand. Before the large oak door, the strongest deity bent his human-like form and kissed the fairy queen's soft lips.
That's it:sighs in relief:soaking her fingers in ice water:
Don't ask how long it took me to type this up ... and this was SUPPOSED to be a SHORT story! --; ... Well, e-mail top ... tell me what you think .