Illusion
Author's Note: This is a response to a challenge. It was a 500 words or less Keladry/Neal moment. Word Count is precisely 500.
The evening was enchanting.
Colorful shades of crimson and russet decorated the floor of the outdoors courtyard. The late sun echoed the image in the sky, with gossamer hues of pinks and reds. A mild wind blew through the scene, picking up the autumn leaves in its unseen tendrils and then dropping them again. Smiling slightly mentally, Keladry of Mindelan bent down to pick up a fallen leaf. She tenderly caressed the delicate paper in her hand, marveling at its vibrancy even in its fragility. Then, she let it blow away again.
"Isn't this wonderful?" asked a voice. Keladry turned to see her best friend, Nealan of Queenscove, behind her. He raised a hand, and the wind gracefully deposited a load of leaves near them.
The brown-eyed girl smiled slightly at her friend in reply, but her eyes kept a stern, emotionless gaze.
"I haven't played in the leaves for so long," continued the boy.
"It must have been very long," replied Keladry shortly. She stepped into the pile of leaves and let it crunch beneath her feet. Her cloak hung loosely around her, sagging with unseen weight. Nealan walked over and pulled it around her. He seemed to kiss her lightly. It was so slight, that Keladry was not sure if it had actually happened or if it was merely the wind.
"Don't say anything," said the mage, as he put a hand on her arm. "Just let the wind be here. Just be here, Kel. Just be alive and aware of all this beauty."
Keladry felt his protective grasp and could not help but smile slightly at knowing she had a friend like this.
Nealan continued speaking. "You have to move on. He went to marry his heiress. Nothing we do can change that."
Keladry put on a stone mask and twisted away from her friend's grasp.
"It's beyond us. I accept it, and you have to do the same." Neal stepped closer to his companion and gently took her hands.
"Why did you create this?" asked the girl impassively. "It is an illusion."
Nealan sighed and waved a hand through the air. The scene vanished to reveal reality. It was back to the endless rain. "I thought you would like it," admitted Nealan somewhat regretfully.
"I did, but it is just a mask and has to be left sometime."
The boy gave a dramatic sigh. "I've failed again, haven't I?"
"No, you never fail me," answered Keladry. She idly wished for the autumn scene again, as she waited for his reply. She had enjoyed it, the short journey away from truth. He did not say anything, so she spoke again. "You taught me something, also."
"What's that?" wondered Nealan.
"While I was being miserable, I forgot that I still have friends. You taught me that I still do."
Pushing away a few stray hairs from his friend's face, the green-eyed mage smiled and kissed her. As he did that, the beautiful autumn scene came back once again.