Chapter 17. – (pick up from original Chap 16)

Wiccan's sobs were muffled by Dorrek's shoulder and the soaked fabric of his shirt that Wiccan's tears had caused. Behind him, unnoticed, one by one, each petal rose back into place on the tip of the stem as the flower stitched itself back together. Each petal twinkled with gold as a light lavender wisp circled it like a ribbon. The gold grew brighter until the flower shone like another small sun and finally caught Wiccan's attention. His tear stained face turned and looked confused, then slightly afraid, unsure as to what was happening. Glancing to the side he noticed Agatha wrapped in a plum shawl with her eyes on the rose and her hand extended, with her fingers twisting much like he did when he used his magic.

Then the flower burst and waves of gold light with lavender flecks like glitter poured off the table like someone had turned on a fountain inside the marble. It moved across the floor and Wiccan jumped back, crawling backwards across the balcony to get away from it. His back hit the broken stone of the balcony's rail and he watched the light flood over the balcony and off the edges, dripping down onto other parts of the castle. Dorrek's room flooded with it and when Wiccan looked around for his fallen companion his body was covered by so much of the light Wiccan could only make out the shape of his figure and couldn't see him clearly through it.
A small smile graced Agatha's lips as her eyes turned to where Dorrek laid. That corner of the balcony seemed to suddenly glow brighter and Wiccan had to turn away to keep from getting blinded by it. But even his eyelids did little to keep the light out.

When the illuminating glow began to dull Wiccan risked a peek and noticed the flood of light seemed to be running out. As it dripped from between the slits in the rail the balcony grew darker again but it didn't seem as pitch black as it had been earlier.

Where Dorrek's body had been, a smaller figure now laid with his back to Wiccan. Through the hole in the back of the tattered shirt he could make out ivory skin but there was no wound. That's when Wiccan realized that he wasn't in pain, and considering how quickly he'd crawled back from Agatha's magic his stomach should be in excruciating agony. He looked down and patted his abdomen but felt no stinging or throbbing. He pulled aside the tattered pieces of his uniform but found no cuts. Had the river of light healed him?

Movement caught his eye in his peripheral vision and he looked back up to see the person shift on the ground and push themselves up onto one elbow, still facing away from him. There was still a familiar mop of blonde hair but the hand that ran through it was positively human. No sharp green claws, scales or tinted skin. The young man's head bowed as he looked himself over checking the wounds Dorrek had received. Wiccan felt like his mind should be processing something but his thoughts were nothing but blank. Was this what going into shock felt like? Or was it the adrenaline filtering its way out of his bloodstream?

The blonde sat up, noticed Agatha and the two stared at each other for a minute. Then, Agatha's eyes flashed to Wiccan as the mage shuffled to his feet, gripping the railing to make sure he didn't fall over, his head still felt kind of woozy. Seeing her eyes move and hearing him, the blonde pushed himself to his feet and turned, his eyes wide with worry. When he saw Wiccan standing there, shocked and confused but otherwise okay, his alarm vanished and was instantly replaced by relief.

Then he became hesitant as he walked across the balcony and stopped a couple feet in front of Wiccan. Billy's eyes moved up and down looking over the young man. There was the same blonde hair, same blue eyes. His jaw was a bit slimmer but that could be just from the fact that his entire figure was smaller than Dorrek's had been. He was still larger then Billy, but had more of a football player build instead of a resemblance to the Hulk and his fingers picked nervously at his nails that were rounded and dull not sharp and pointed. His disheveled clothes had the same rips and tears and Billy found himself relived to see no blood or burnt skin.
His eyes rose back up and met the blue that stared at him patiently but held a bright joy the blonde seemed to be holding back.

"Billy." He spoke first breaking the building tension between them, "Billy, it's still me."

Curious, and not believing his own eyes, Wiccan took a single step forward and tilted his head a bit as he looked the blonde dead in the eye. The emotion in them was familiar, so was the way the blue irises looked at him.

Ever so slightly, one corner of Wiccan's mouth turned up, "You didn't say this was what would happen."

Dorrek smiled amused by the accusation. "I also never told you how the curse could be broken." He admitted, "But you figured it out. . . like you said you would."

Wiccan's smile grew slowly, then quicker than Dorrek's reflexes, Wiccan grabbed his torn shirt and pushed himself up and smashed their lips together. Immediately Dorrek's hand cupped the back of Billy's head while the other grabbed behind his shoulder. It felt strange not feeling claws comb through his hair but that also allowed Dorrek to tug harder, not having to worry about injuring him now. Wiccan moaned and brought his free hand to rest on Dorrek's wrist as their mouths moved together as seamlessly as a rehearsed dance. Their previous kisses, while all the feelings had been the same, those had been much softer, slower and more hesitant. This kiss was more like –

"Oh, come on." Someone whined and they broke apart to see Speed standing off to the side holding onto the balcony rail, balancing on the ledge. "Do you really have to eat each other's faces off?"

Wiccan chuckled as he took a step back from Dorrek amused that his twin thought of the exact same description that was about to run through his own mind. Dorrek shoved his hands into his pockets and looked at his feet embarrassed.

For the first time Wiccan noticed the scene behind Speed. The flowing light was washing over the castle as the rubble put itself back together like the rose had. The dark clouds began to clear as the morning sun rose and the snow vanished once the light moved over it like a wave on the shore.

Dorrek took Wiccan's hand and pulled him back regaining his attention. He had one of the biggest smiles Billy had ever seen etched across his face and his joy was contagious as Billy couldn't help but smile back.

"Let's go see." Dorrek encouraged as he took a step back pulling Billy with him.

"Race ya." Speed chimed in with a smirk before he took off through Dorrek's room in a flash. That was when Wiccan noticed Agatha had also left, disappearing as mysteriously as she'd appeared. Billy didn't have too much time to think on it though as Dorrek's handsome smile once again became all he could think about. However, with everything that had happened, from their life or death battle with Noh to their admissions of I love you Billy felt comfortable to shamelessly stare at the prince and admire that smile.

Dorrek tugged his hand again and they made their way off the balcony and back through the castle. It felt like a breath of fresh air not seeing the debris that usually littered the west wing. No plaster missing from the walls, no pieces of stone missing from the steps. The railings were pristine and smooth not a single crack even left behind. Brighter sunlight poured in through all the windows lighting up even the deepest corners of the halls and corridors.

When they made it to the main stairwell they saw the door propped open and could hear and see the people all walking about on the top of the steps and into the courtyard. People from town were embracing members of the staff who had gone long forgotten. Cassie was hugging her father as he patted her blonde hair like he was checking to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Billy hesitated in the foyer, causing Dorrek to stop too. He didn't seem to mind, a new patience he'd learned the hard way leaving him calm and content to enjoy the small quiet moments. After a minute of Billy simply watching the others have their cheerful reunions Dorrek laced his fingers with Billy's as he looked down at their hands. Wiccan's glowed blue as he transformed his uniform back into his usual attire – jeans and a red tee shirt. He still had a secret identity to protect.

Billy turned as he looked up and their eyes met. Dorrek leaned in and snuck in one more peck before they pulled apart smiling and headed outside.

"There they are!" a joyful cry came as they stepped out the front door onto the main steps where the crowd of towns people and the castle staff turned to them. Many of the staff bowed to Dorrek while others nodded in respect. One greeting stood out from the crowd.

"My prince." A mocking voice met their ears and they turned to see Kate giving a playful and joking curtsey. Dorrek laughed.

"Hello my good friend." He said as he approached her and they hugged. Then Dorrek moved to Cassie and did the same. Eli stood back and held out his hand but Dorrek grabbed it and pulled him in for a hug too. "It's so good to see you like you."

Billy chuckled taking in their appearances. There wasn't a speck of green on any of them, eyes, ears and nails were all normal and they looked happier then Wiccan had ever seen them. Kate's bright eyes were glowing and Eli's chocolate brown ones stood out more now that they didn't have any yellow tinge. The scales that had been creeping out from the collars and sleeves of their shirts were gone, not even a patch of dry skin or acne blemished any of them.

As Dorrek embraced Eli and Kate, Cassie spotted Billy alone and walked over giving him a hug as well.

"Thank you." She said holding him tightly.

"I didn't really do anything." He told her. Not anything intentional at least. The feelings he'd developed for Dorrek had been an accident. A happy accident, but still, nothing he'd ever dreamed could give these people their lives back.

"Maybe not on purpose." She agreed, "But it was still you who did it. You wove into his heart."

When she pulled away he blushed, the color deepening when Dorrek rejoined him and took his hand. All around them the people from town returned to their reunions. Even Kesler had someone who'd been taken away for all this time. He briefly caught the bully glance over to him and Dorrek before looking away ashamed. It made Billy feel a bit better that Kesler might have learnt a lesson in all this.

Billy took the opportunity to look around at all Agatha's magic had undone. The ice buildup between the stones making the walls of the castle was gone. The frost on the glass panes in the windows had vanished. Ice and snow from between every tile and crevice had not only melted but left no trace whatsoever that it had been there in the first place.

The sky was blue with the fluffiest looking clouds, the grass and shrubbery were a vibrant green. Dots of yellows, blues, pinks, reds and purples of the multitude of flowers littered the grass, shrubs and several of the vines that had grown decoratively on several statues. The castle that had once been a dark dull grey was now a light golden beige color with touches of ivory. Anything gruesome, dark or dusty had been reverted to its former glory. Another smile broke out on his face and he felt Dorrek's arm move to rest over his shoulders holding him to his side like he'd never let go.

And Billy was perfectly okay with that.

.


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It didn't take Kate long to insist on a party.

And it took even less time for her to plan it. In no time at all the day came when everyone was gathered in the ballroom celebrating. Cheerful music was played by the band while their vocalist sang beautifully. In the afternoon sun the space looked so different from the date Billy had here with Dorrek a mere week ago. Everything was bright, in stark contrast to the soft glow from their date night, the ivory marble and white pillars were pristine and glistening like the whole room had been polished overnight. Knowing Kate it probably had been. Gold vases of flowers were at the base of each pillar and around the walls. From the chandelier in the center hung several garlands of flowers and greenery that swooped down in crescents to where they were attached to the tops of the pillars.

Across the dance floor dozens of couples danced with synchronized precision, perfectly in tune with the music. It was another Skrull dance but thanks to his powers and a quick dontletmemakeafoolofmyself spell Billy had it mastered almost immediately. His partner was Dorrek of course who was in light grey trousers and a light gold jacket which was over a crisp white shirt and a matching gold sash. Kate had left an outfit out for Billy that was a white jacket practically identical to the red one he'd worn the last time he'd danced with the prince and instead of a navy shirt and tie underneath she'd left him a new burgundy set. Personally, he thought Dorrek looked better, but that might not have been simply from the way they were dressed. The prince had the same smile that seemed to have been glued to his face since the spell had been lifted. Last night when they'd found time to have a moment alone in front of the fireplace he'd confessed that it wasn't about the spell being broken or the freedom to be able to shift in and out of his preferred human form at will. It was the relief and happiness he had at seeing Billy okay. The comment had made the mage blush and look at his lap but thankfully his nerves were trampled by Dorrek's smile yet again. Even now it took Billy's attention away from everything else – like right now. That grin somehow gave him the courage to dance with the man he loved publicly in front of so many people. All the anxiety he should have felt melted away when his eyes met Dorrek's and it felt like that night with just the two of them.

"Tale as old as time, tune as old as song. Bittersweet and strange, finding you can change. Learning you were wrong. . . "

Billy took three steps directly backwards with his hand raised in the air hovering an inch from Dorrek's palm. Then they turned and he took the exact three steps backwards again moving back to the spot where they'd started. Then he and Dorrek each took a step away from each other to their left so they were at an angle, giving them enough space to bow at the other with the same hand extended in front of them that they'd just had raised. Then they side stepped like crabs closer and passed each other taking the hand they'd extended and holding it behind their back as they raised their other hand and held them in the spot next to their heads an inch apart.

"Winter turns to spring." They moved their hands from palms facing each other to knuckles facing each other then back again in tune with the music. They ended with their knuckles facing each other and still not touching twisted their hands like when a bride and groom drank champagne together. Their palms now faced each other and their fingers were slightly curved making an orb with their hands. "Famine turns to feast. Nature points the way, nothing left to say, la sorcière et la bête."

With their hands in that orb position and their free hands behind their backs he and Dorrek circled each other making two full circles. As they did they drew closer to Tommy who was dancing with Kate. When the twin's backs were close enough Tommy whispered, "What do you say to me moving in here?"

"It's not my castle, I'm not royal." Billy whispered back.

"Not yet." Dorrek replied making Billy's head snap back to him and blush as deep red as his tie at what Dorrek's comment implied. Tommy chuckled and Kate beamed.

"Ooo a royal wedding." She gushed just as another turn in the steps came and Eli spun in trading partners with Tommy who was now with Cassie.

"Kate enough." Eli reprimanded gently as their dancing took them further from the others. "Let's finish this party before you start planning another one."

"Why are you afraid of fun?"

"I'm not afraid of fun."

"Yes you are."

Their soft bickering faded away leaving the four of them chuckling as Tommy and Cassie were swept away in the circle of guests too.

Dorrek turned back to Billy who was fighting off the persistent blush at the idea now in the forefront of his mind. Then they stepped back enough to do that bow again then they returned to their starting position and he took three steps backward still smiling. "Certain as the sun. . . rising in the east, tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme. La sorcière et la bête."

The tune matched their hands flipping back and forth again.

"Tale as old as time. . . "

They stepped back then close together again.

"Song as old as rhyme, la sorcière et la bête."

Then Dorrek broke all the rules and dropped his hands to cup Billy's face as he kissed him.

.

THE END