A Tale Of Shadows (Wattys 2023) - REPLACED BY DIVINE ASCENSION

Chapter 12 - A Blossoming Love

In the days that came, there was a strange atmosphere in the air, even more so than before. Melinda and Malcolm began to interact more often, enjoying the pretence of friendship. They talked about a lot of things, such as books, food, parties, acquaintances, and plans for the future. Every day, the activity stood out more and more, and they could talk until nightfall without noticing it. They constantly thought of each other, dreamt of each other, and overall saw themselves irrevocably intertwined with each other. They found it endearing at first, but soon it began to become more than a bit disturbing, one particular example sticking out.

March was ending, and so spring had begun to bloom recently. Birds and butterflies combined in their beautiful song and dance evermore; apple and cherry trees radiated with the colours of white and pink; the skies were as bright and blue as any sea; and various flowers bloomed eagerly in the garden, most of all the many-coloured roses. On a random morning, it was painted on Melinda's face as she strode into the courtyard, gently carrying a book with her, causing Malcolm, who had been sitting on a bench for the past hour and was startled out of his daydreaming by her arrival, to raise an eyebrow.

"Good morning, Melinda," he muttered. "I see that you look quite jovial today."

"Hey, Malcolm," she chirped. "What a wonderful day, isn't it? Isn't it a sufficient reason for even the saddest of souls to shine with life?"

"I very much admire your philosophy on life," he said, smiling brightly.

Her eyes twinkled. "Oh, thank you. I am rather keen on philosophy if I do say so myself. It is a lovely yet accessible way for one to enlighten oneself on life and therefore enrich one's worldly experience. What was I trying to say again? Oh, it's nothing much, merely that the spring is starting again, which is splendid, and which has motivated me to read my favourite book for the thousandth time."

"Oh," he said, memories returning to him slowly yet surely. "Yes, your favourite book... The one whose every aspect you love immensely and which you have read countless times in search of comfort."

"You remembered!" she said, her face lighting up the way that a child's face does when they see a shiny new toy on display. "That is so sweet of you!"

"Thank you," he said, laughing awkwardly. "Shall you tell me what it is now?"

"Pride and Prejudice," she said, taking off the dust jacket to show him the plain yellow leather cover with nothing but the title and the author's name on it, worn from use, her fingerprints lingering after all these years. "It was written by this woman called Jane Austen - I don't know if you've heard of her - who lived in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and whose talent for writing romance is truly unprecedented."

"I know of her," he said, quite stunned by her words. "She's my favourite author, and this is my favourite book of hers."

"This is incredible," she stammered. "I love everything this woman writes or rather wrote since she's been dead for ages now. I remember when I was eight years old and wanted to go to the human world and meet her and have her sign this book, but she was already dead. This made me sad and was the first of many instances of loss in my life.

I remember vividly how unfair I thought it to be. Soon, I realised that life isn't fair in general. I have endured many trials and tribulations in my training to become a knight, and I have made many sacrifices and lost many loved ones. Death is an inescapable plague that inflicts itself upon everyone so wretchedly, reaping the world of all its greatest parts. It depresses me to think about it.

I am well aware that doom and gloom consume me exaggeratedly. This is precisely the reason that I read the works of Jane Austen so much. Although imbued with social critique, her works are never dull or ostentatious, populated by mostly stellar and charming characters full of wit as they navigate their lovely little romances and other acquaintances, her unique talent cementing her legacy for ages to come."