Chapter 31
The guardians' court was full of the immortal spectators. North, Jack, Tooth, Sandy, and Bunnymund watched as Pitch walked up to the master's throne.
The Man in the Moon appeared and he stared at the boogeyman. "You do realize why I have summoned you here," the god said and Pitch nods his head.
"I have done something that you have made it against the law," Pitch replied, his eyes were staring down at the floor.
"Explain this law," the Man in the Moon demanded.
Pitch took a deep breath and says, "A guardian must not form a romantic relationship with a mortal. He/She will become distracted from his/her duty and might not complete his goal in the time established for him/her. A guardian must be loyal to the Man in the Moon and be loyal to the duties he/she is assigned to."
The god nodded and asks, "And what is the punishment if one disobeys this law?"
"If one disobeys this certain law and admits his/her feelings to the mortal, he/she will have to face the mercy of the Man in the Moon," Pitch answered.
His master looks at Pitch and at the other guardians, who have been listening.
"I have brought you here because you have broken this law and it is time for me to pass judgment on you," the god said in a mighty voice.
"My lord, wait," Bunnymund said and hopped up to the front of the court.
"I wish to speak," he replied and his master grants him permission.
"During the fight with Mora, Pitch had sacrificed his own life to save Grace. Mora had poisoned him and he would've been doomed in being cast in stone for eternity. From what I saw, he got in front of Mora before she delivered a killer blow to Grace. It was at that moment, his body turned to stone, but he saved Grace from getting killed by that maniac goddess," Bunnymund said to the entire court and everyone had been listening.
"Now, just this pass Easter, Grace told me to keep this a secret, unless Pitch's life or her life were in any mortal danger. She told me that she had been in love with Pitch ever since the day they met. Now, I would find it very cruel for you my lord to sniff Pitch's life out of existence. There are many children who believe in the boogeyman, but there is a large number of them who believe he is good. They also believe that he protects them from the bad dreams and I must include that he also protects them from the night terrors," the Easter Bunny continued.
"There are many children who show disrespect towards others. Sometimes, Pitch's nightmares terrify them, but Mora's night terrors push them to the point where they become too afraid to go back to sleep. The night terrors have been taken care of, but if you my lord take away the king of nightmares, how will the children understand the wrong they have committed?" Bunnymund asked and the room erupted into whispers.
The Man in the Moon did not hush them, instead, he had been thinking. Pitch looked at Bunnymund and says, "Thank you, you made it sound more convincing."
Then, the guardians' master stood up and everyone went quiet. "It seems that Bunnymund's words have gone deep inside my head," he said and he looks at Pitch, "I was planning to have you banished to the deepest recesses of the Earth, but now."
The Man in the Moon stopped and everyone held their breath. Pitch prepared himself for the new sentence that his master would pass down.
"I have decided to have you Pitch, become a permanent guardian to Grace," the god said to the boogeyman.
Pitch looked up at his master in surprise and everyone gasped.
"My lord, what do you mean?" Pitch asked, making sure that his master was not joking.
"You are to watch over Grace until the day of her death. You are also allowed to make contact with her every day and every night, whatever you wish, but don't get any funny ideas," the Man in the Moon explained to Pitch.
The boogeyman almost fell to the ground; he had been spared the ultimate punishment. He had been given permission to see Grace whenever he wanted to.
"Pitch," the Man in the Moon said and Pitch looked at him. "This is the one relationship you are allowed to have. After Grace dies, you will be forbidden to make contact with any other mortal," the god informed.
"Yes my lord, I understand," Pitch said and bowed his head.
"Continue with your duties and I hope you and Grace will have endless years of happiness. Dismissed," the Man in the Moon said to the court.
The other guardians and holiday figures congratulated Pitch on his new duty.
"I think it's time for you to take Grace home," Jack said to Pitch.
Pitch got on Erebos and the other guardians got into North's sleigh and they headed back to Earth.