ABN (Very Bad do not read this!!) (NANOWRIMO 2013)

Epilogue {18 Years Later}

“It was a ball she was never supposed to go to, a man she was never supposed to meet, and a life she was never supposed to lose. One letter changed Ashleigha’s life, it took it away from her in the blink of an eye. She lost everything she ever held dear. A few months later on a cool winter day, the day of the first snowfall to be exact Notari never woke up. Her body withered and husk like when Ashleigha found her, I remember the story. Damien had spent days trying to bring her out of a depression that threatened her own health as well as their unborn child’s. It took three weeks, finally Asha came back to her loud vibrant self. She met her mother and father for real, she couldn’t remember them like they had hoped but she made them promise to be a part of her child’s life,”

“June 30th a son was born, the people rejoiced. But inside the castle a dying mother held her son for the first and last time ever, she was able to kiss his head covered in soft black wisps hair. She was the first image he saw with his golden eyes, the first person he smiled at. The first one he ever loved. Asha named her son Aron Samuel O’Hallows. And the last words she heard were from her husband Damien, telling her that he did love her.” I took a deep breath and looked out at the ball room filled with people, “In the year that followed their son grew, and learned. When he was old enough he set out on his own and tracked the Changeling Ashlaya Mottle down and brought her head back on a spike.”

Women dressed in expensive silk ball gowns stood next to their pompously dressed men, all holding champagne. I glanced behind me at the black throne and smiled. The intoxicating scent of lilies filled my mind with images of her.

“18 years ago my mother entered these halls as bait, 18 years ago today her fate was sealed. I have her to thank, without her my life would have been ended, or never existed. And even though it was for a very short moment in time  she found a place that made her feel something more than just alive. She found a man that protected her. I wish she had lived, but she gave her life for me and I won’t disappoint her or my father.” He stepped up on my right his face was somber but his aging eyes were fighting to show the sadness.

“I, the son of Asha and Damien O’Hallows, thank you on behalf of my grandfather for attending this great ball. A day that has new meaning, today is the day that fate has no control over the next day. Tonight we dance outside the real world. If we’re lucky we will wake tomorrow to a beautiful nightmare.” I raised my glass up and smiled as they all did the same.

My father placed his hand on my shoulder and nodded his head, “That was very well done Aron.” He said looking me in the eye.

I smiled at him fighting the tears that bordered on my eyes, I could feel her like I had so many times before. She was here like she always was.

“Do you miss her?” I asked scanning the crowd.

“She was a pain in the ass, and nothing can ever fill that empty space.” He chuckled with a watery voice.

My eyes were dragged back to the ball, a woman in a dark forest green gown with a velvet bodice and silk skirt. She wore a mask of scales and feathers.

“She would be proud of you.” I said looking up at him.

A grin lit his face and he nodded, “I doubt that, she was defiant right to the end. Even if we were together for a very short time, we were both able to grow a little more.”

We both pulled our masks down over our faces, he was dressed with a bright orange mask and black and what suit. Nodding his head he turned and walked away heading back to the Arcane, tonight was my night to find and mark the woman that would be mine.

I learned from my parents and grandparents, even nightmares have to end. I walked up behind the woman in green a smile stretching beneath my black feathered mask. My hands slid over her shoulder pulling her back against my chest, the scent of the letter clung to her skin.

“Hello Roselyn.” Her spine stiffened as she turned mesmerized hazy red eyes to me. Sometimes though fate is a tricky mistress and she played games with us. Other times she merely a creature of habit, and another generation was about to learn how beautiful the nightmare of life really was.