Moongrace

Part 1

There he found her at midnight, rinsing her real face with water and almost shining in the moonlight. He came close to her and when she turned her face to him he was almost afraid so different did she look. But she, although a bit frightened by his reaction, embraced him. This was the moment when they fell in love and kissed for the first time. The night ended when the hour was over and she had to put on her mask again.

Their love deepened over the next months. They kept it secret, but she often slept in his room now and they tried to see each other as often as possible. It worked for a long time but could eventually not stay undetected. When the Queen found out about it, she punished Girl by hitting her back with a stick. Then she let her guards hold her and make her watch when she punished Evan. They gave Evan a poison: The moment it touched his lips he started shaking and winding. Guards carried him out a few minutes after it happened, but everyone could see him scratching his skin as if he was mad. Girl begged the Queen to at least be allowed to stay with Evan and, by a miracle she was under one condition.

In the following week, the Queens daughter Nasca who was becoming a witch, had her final examination. Girl had to promise that Nasca could do experiments on her without her struggling or even saying a word in defence. Being afraid for Evan, Girl agreed and rushed to Evan as fast as she could with her back still bleeding.

She found him in his room, lying in his bed and winding and scratching. When she looked at him closely she saw his skin, well, best to describe may be boiling and buckling. Over the night she held him and washed his skin with cold cloths in order to cure his itchiness. He barely reacted to her words, only registered her soft touches.

Next morning it was already better but both could see what the poison had done. Every part of his skin was full of blisters, pimples and red points. It was inflamed and reddened. He looked really horrible and for most people disgusting. But he was made to work that day and rumour had spread that by simply touching his skin everyone would get the same infection. But Girl knew how to cure it and although she could not heal everything in those few days it had gotten way better by the end of the week.

She had not told him of her promise to the Queen and on the evening before that day she made Evan go with her to the fountain again. She did not always let him come with her. She knew it made him sad to see her suffering under the Queens spell.

This night, after she had washed herself and put off her working gown, she embraced him for a long time. Evan felt her small tight body pressed against his and could not believe her to be real. He stroked her light hair, which shined almost silver in the moonlight. She was so beautiful, so perfect! He lifted her head and made her look up to him. Her dark blue eyes immediately found his and there was so much love in them he shivered of happiness. But he saw something else in them as well:

"What is concerning you, darling? There is something on your mind, I can feel it." He stroked her cheek softly, losing himself in her dark blue eyes.

Girl looked up in his wonderful face and wondered how he always sensed it when she worried about something. But she knew that this was the right moment to tell him everything she knew about the next day and why she had agreed to the Queens conditions.

With every word his eyes darkened and his expression changed to a frustrated, even angry grimace. He was shocked. Why did she do this to him? Did she really think this would make anything easier for him when she sacrificed herself for his well-being?

Girl saw anger and shock flashing through him and so she held him and stroked his back until he closed his eyes, a tear running down his cheek.

"I cannot see you getting hurt again by the queen." he whispered in a despaired voice. She dried his cheek with the sleeve of her white shift dress.

She knew she had to be strong, so she got straight to the point.

"Evan", she said, "I know you will be forced to watch tomorrow. I do not know how and what you will see, but ... please let nobody see your pain for it will only make it worse. I know this is hard for you, too, but please do not make it worse than it already is. The Queen will use our relationship to her advantage and I am quite sure that when she realizes how close we actually are, the consequences will be beyond bearable. So please...!" she paused, looking at him strongly but sadly, "Please do not cry for me, I hate seeing you crying anyway and there is no use for tears tomorrow!" Her sweet voice faded, but her eyes looked straight and strong in his. He could only nod.

"Evan, I love you more than anyone in my entire life. I do not know what will happen to me tomorrow, but please remember that I love you." Her eyes were filled with so much love, he could hardly believe it. He started caressing her hair, careful of the always reddened skin under her isen and wanted to kiss her badly.

But she went on, determined: "I decided to trust you with my best-kept secret. You must swear never to tell it to anyone, because if you do I shall be lost."

He could see strong determination in her eyes and knew how serious she was: "I swear to keep it. I cannot have anyone hurt you more than they already do, Girl. I love you!"

He bent down and kissed her soft lips. The mask covered only the outer parts of her mouth and made him only more desperate to discover her mouth with his tongue. As always when she opened her mouth he was lost in the sweet softness and warmth of hers. She responded passionately but finally turned her face toward the moon and whispered:

"Do you see the moon, Evan?" she stepped a few feet away, her gaze fixed on the moon.

"I come from a place as far away as the moon. Evan, I am not like you." She paused and looked at him, a bit frightened. Her eyes gleamed blue in the moonlight, so immensely deep and sad. He was lost in them, he could just stare at her, listening attentively.

"I came here about a year ago, quite unknowingly and frightened. Our worlds are so different! It was hard for me to adjust here in this harsh world, especially because it had been winter. I was so different that no one let me stay and I was sent further and further. I was too trustworthy towards people, always assuming they would help me even though I was never treated as I expected. I was an easy prey for the Queen. But fortunately, I was careful enough to cover my true looks so that neither she, nor anyone else, would discover who I am. In order to be accepted here I hid everything that differentiates me from humans.

"I do not actually look like this, Evan." She paused, catching her breath, searching for the best words to explain everything to him.

"I always knew you were different, Girl", Evan whispered.

"Evan, I will show you who I really am... I... please." she shivered, then returned her gaze towards the moon.

He saw her lift her arms upwards and shine in the moon light. Then the air surrounding her body shimmered and sparkled. He could see only her back, not her face.