When Magic Speaks - NaNoWriMo 2020✔️

30

Two months later...

The bell of Monmouth's clocktower had never chimed. Never. It had always sat still, waiting and yearning for a special day to arise when its song would fill the air. And today was that day. The grand bell chimed, its power rumbling the tower itself. The entire valley could hear its song blaring over the rolling hills.

Monmouth had never been so lively. For a dimly lit town that oozed joy, it had never looked or sounded so pure. White confetti filled the air like pollen, dancing around the entire kingdom. You could hear the wholehearted cheers and the wave of whistles all the way over in Hural. 

As the king and newly appointed queen of Monmouth exited the castle, hand in hand, the cheers grew louder as they stepped into the village. Wiss, with her newly decorated ring finger, wrapped her hand around Kitt's arm. Kitt, with his own newly decorated ring finger, clasped his hand over hers as the two looked into each other's eyes. Never in a million years did they believe they would ever feel this much pure happiness. Kitt looked into the eyes of his breathtaking bride, her hair wrapped round her head in thick braids, loose strands of her hair grazing her collarbone in loose ringlets. It was clear she had made her gown herself, the entire dress covered in millions of little sparkles. She was absolutely ethereal. 

Wiss looked up at her heavenly husband. Literally, heavenly. Magic was good - it was powerful and life-changing. With the power of magic and magic of Wiss's very own, Kitt had come back from the dead. And this time...he was back for good. Wiss could feel the tears pinching at the corner of her eyes. Never did she believe she would ever radiate so much joy - so much love and so much purity. It felt as though the world itself was charmed by magic. The skies above Monmouth had cleared - not a single cloud in the sky. The music of the town band chimed through the air, in perfect time with the grand clock. The trolls tossed their confetti into the air as they giggled and cheered. Wiss caught sight of Nalba who cradled her newborn baby, tears streaming down her face. 

Wiss finally understood - she understood the meaning of her destiny. She was destined to find Monmouth, she was destined to meet its residents to fall in love with this kingdom, to call it her own. She was destined to meet Kitt, for him to become her person. And whether this had always been Piri's plan or the doing of fate, destiny had found a way to become a realization. The Queen Bee and the Caterpillar King finally had a real kingdom, a real castle, a real town of kingdom keepers (despite not being ants and ladybugs). Wiss loved this kingdom, she loved these trolls, and she loved their king. 

Kitt held his bride close as the trolls circled around them, reaching for their hands and tugging at their sleeves. Wiss couldn't wipe away her permanent grin, even if she wanted to. Today the world felt perfect. There was no evil, there was no spite, there was no pain. 

But the celebrations didn't stop there. In fact, they were just beginning. Kitt and Wiss watched as the sea of trolls parted down the middle, exposing the elder troll holding a giant crown in his hands. Wiss could feel her heart in her throat as she beamed with eagerness, peeling herself from Kitt as she stood tall, bowing to the elder. He nodded, a deep smile spreading across his wrinkled lips as he began his march up to her. 

The crowd hushed, their own eagerness wiggling their fingers and pinching at their cheeks. Kitt kept his eyes on Wiss, his pride bursting from the bright twinkle in his eyes. 

As the elder troll approached Wiss the young bride lowered to the ground, her tulle train falling down around her like a blanket. She twinkled in the sun, a radiant vision. Monmouth's vision. The elder troll smiled down at her, the crown masking the majority of his face. 

"Are you ready, dear?" he whispered. 

"I'm ready," she whispered back. Her cheeks hurt from smiling so much but she wasn't about to complain. The elder troll nodded as he slowly lifted the crown above Wiss's head.

"Kingdom of Monmouth!!" the troll declared. His monstrous voice caused Wiss to jump, deep blush spreading across her cheeks. She grinned to herself as Kitt chuckled, quickly covering his mouth. For such a small creature, he sure captured a powerful voice. The loudest Wiss had ever heard. In fact, the young bride could feel her ears ringing. "May I present," the elder troll gently placed the crown on top of Wiss's head, meeting her eager gaze. He smiled at her as he took her hand, urging her to rise. And as she did, Wiss looked out at the sea of trolls, Kitt coming up and joining her at her side. She grinned at him as she wiped away a tear, turning back to the kingdom. The elder troll inhaled as he lifted Wiss's hand, pulling something out from his pocket and placing it in her open palm. "Your queen, Wiss Quilm-Pethran of Monmouth!!!"

The moment Wiss wrapped her fingers around the gift from the elder scroll, a small stick of a sort, it transformed before her very eyes into...a sceptre! The stick jumped into the air causing Wiss to gasp. It stretched out into a long staff wrapped by thick red oak and a purple witch's ball at its peak, a galaxy of colours floating within its interior. Brilliant greens and pinks and reds and lavenders twinkled within the sphere. As the sceptre landed back in Wiss's hand, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause, a new cluster of confetti filling the air. Wiss could feel her heart racing, sprinting, burning as she beamed. This had to be a dream. All of this had to be a dream, it was too good to be true. A happiness as powerful as this only ever happened in old bedtime tales. Stories of long lost princesses finding love - love for themselves and of other people. Tales of curses being lifted, of the clouds finally parting to let the brilliant bright sun shine in. Stories of redemption, tales of self-discovery. Legends of a happy ending. Wiss looked through the crowd and her eyes immediately found Taun. He clapped his hands together even louder as they met each others' gaze. He grinned brightly, hollering with delight. Next to him stood Sharth, jumping up and down and pumping their tiny fist into the air. Wiss looked back to Nalba whose children jumped around her like a litter of puppies. Even Sneev sent the queen an approving smile. Wiss looked back to Kitt, touching his cheek with her free hand and planting a warm kiss on his face. Kitt reached forward and caressed her own face, pressing his forehead against hers.

They had each found their person.

As Wiss's eyes scanned the crowd once more, she finally found her. Marma, with her gaze soft and warm, smiled brightly at her granddaughter. Wiss beamed at her grandmother, the love in her heart for Marma shining through her eyes. Marma was proud. The pride of her granddaughter finding the love she deserved, it eased her soul. She had made mistakes, plenty of them, but at least this day, this moment, was undeniably no mistake. Marma looked then to Kitt who immediately caught her gaze. He stared at her softly, a gentle smile greeting her. Marma's smile grew wider as she bowed her head to him. She knew that Wiss now had Kitt, and she would never have to feel sheltered or alone ever again.

As the elder Quilm looked back to the queen of Monmouth she raised her eyebrows, shrugging toward the gate. Wiss smirked, closing her eyes and nodding softly. Exhaling, Marma grinned, waved and strolled over to the gate, pulling open the iron bars and stepping out into the open valley. She looked back at Wiss who was still looking at her - Wiss gestured to make it quick. Besides, the grand feast would be starting soon. Marma waved as she hurried up the hill. Now she felt like the child. But she couldn't wait to tell her everything.

Wiss could see her grandmother from where she stood, Marma now reaching the top of the hill beyond Monmouth. The valley basked in the warm glow of the setting sun, the sky painted in a cluster of warm pinks and lavenders and blues. Even Hural, a town in need of healing, seemed to glow on the horizon. Wiss watched then as Piri's pale blue figure emerged over the hill's peak, grinning brightly at Marma. Marma and Piri's ghost reunited, grabbing each other's hands as they shimmered with pure joy. They then turned toward the kingdom, Piri waving proudly at the newlyweds. 

"So, this was your plan all along...wasn't it?"

Piri's ghost turned to look at Marma who glanced back at her, a suspicious smile written on the elder Quilm's lips. Piri's ghost shrugged softly.

"Everything happens for a reason, my love. Had I lived, they would not be here. Souls pass on while others are made. We may not have been given our happy ending, but theirs is just beginning. It's truly miraculous what can happen when magic speaks."

The End.