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He stared out upon the cliffs weighing his decision with a heavy heart. It was the right thing to do. It was the only thing he could truly do for her to ensure her happiness. Though this decision, he knew all to well, would be the death of him if she took the invitation.
"What do you see among the waves, my lord?" Inquired the soft, familiar voice of Abigail behind him. "You watch them so profoundly. "
He raised his head, a waterfall of silver hair tipped with shades of blue bellowing out in the wind before he turned to look at her.
He sighed as he turned, heavy in heart and waiting for the wince everyone instinctively gave when they caught sight of the silver mask upon his face.
The wince did not come, nor had it in many months. Instead he seen she was worrying her lower lip and watching him with grey-blue eyes.
He looked down, seeing himself in them. The mask, magically bound to his face covering all but the bottom of his nose, his eyes, and mouth was formed in a gargoyle grimace. A beast on its enchanted surface to reflect the image the faerie had once thought him to be for simply saying she was beautiful. A faerie himself he knew what it would mean to do what he will now do.
"Abigail..." He brushed past her, keeping his back to her in order to avoid betraying himself with his eyes. "Walk with me."
"Of course..." she replied, and stepped forward, her hand grabbing at his arm to walk with him as a lady would with her gentleman. He forced the pleasure it brought him away, only allowing the aching pain of what he must do remain, and settle.
"I wish to offer you something..." He remarked in a fake, happy voice.
"Another gift, my lord? What more could you possibly give me?" She asked incredulously. Indeed, materially, he had given her all that a mortal could desire, save one thing.
He forced a smile on his face, so she could hear his voice through it. "Close your eyes... I will guide you the rest of the way..."
They stopped on the wooden bridge in the gardens over the pond, and she closed her eyes without hesitation.
For a brief moment he took a chance to memorize once more the brown hair that floated about her shoulders in curls and waves, the creamy skin, and the deep, pink lips. To many in the world she would be considered only pretty, she would not stand out in a crowd.
But the faerie prince thought her more beautiful than the autumn and spring itself. He had come to love her, truly love her, crave not only her body, but her company. It was because of this, he now took her hands and led her to the path which had been hidden from her since she arrived. The way out. The path leading to her mortal world. Her freedom.
"Where are we going, my lord?" She laughed after a few minutes. He did not answer, but only kept carefully leading.
They stepped out of the garden and stood in front of an archway. The path ahead was shrouded in a mist which would lift once she stepped through the archway.
When they stopped, he let go of her hands. "You may look now."
A smile grew on her face and her eyes seemed trained on him, as opposed to the what was around her now.
Her first sight was him and the smile remained, then she looked past him at the path ahead... the archway that she unmistakably remembered coming through to stay here.
Her smile vanished, and confusion took its place. She stepped forward, then looked back at him. He turned away and took two great strides away from her - back to his enchanted castle.
"What is the meaning of this?" She demanded closing the distance between them and grabbing his arm, turning him to force him to look at her.
His green eyes were filled with tears. "I am letting you go. You are free."
Just as he said this the horse she had arrived on was brought to the gate by unseen hands. A thing she had become accustomed to.
She shook her head, uncomphrehending. "Why? Why are you doing this?"
He took a long look at her and with a shaky voice he answered, "Because I love you." He fished in his coat pocket and pulled out a diamond and ruby ring. "Take this... I had hoped it to be your wedding ring, but I..." He placed it in her palm,, then pulled away with heavy sob and began to run from her, back into his garden... back to his roses and castle.
"GO! Please just go and end this torment!" He yelled as he fled.
He had only reached the bridge before he felt a sharp pain in his chest, and then another which caused him to fall to his knees gripping his chest... his heart.
Above him a thunderstorm began to brew. The rain began to pour in sheets... but through it he heard her voice. His accursed mind playing wicked tricks he thought.
"My lord! My lord!" He kept hearing in the thick rain... her voice seeming to get louder each time.
Each exclamation making the pain in his chest grow more until he lay down on the bridge.
"NO!" He thought he heard Abigail scream quite close by, then he seen her face, frantic and desperate.
"No... you can not do this. You can not!" He realized she was real now, She was gathering him in her arms as best as she could.
"I told you to go. I can not keep you as a bird caged." He told her weakly.
"And you have... and you do not. I have not considered this a cage for quite some time."
Strength was beginning to come back to him... the pain in his heart was receding, the storm started to ease off, and finally when the last drops of rain fell, he was able to sit up.
He faced her head on now. Not fully understanding. "Do you not understand? You can go home now."
She laughed a small laugh, and shook her head. "Do YOU not understand? I AM home." With that she put the ring upon her finger, and flung towards him in an embrace. "I love you too."
Once those words were uttered a tingling sensation covered his face. Then a blue light. Abigail pulled away, and he himself had to close his eyes from the light itself. There was a loud crackling sound and suddenly the weight around his face was gone.
With closed eyes he lifted his hand to his cheek and felt skin... his own skin. He opened his eyes just as she opened hers. Her mouth opened slightly and she reached out apprehensive. He took her hand in his placed a kiss upon it before letting it to rest on the same cheek he had touched.
"My lord?"
He nodded his head. "Is it...bad?"
She smiled and shook her head no. "Not at all... you are in fact the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. "
He smiled for the first time in centuries as he drew her to him and embraced her tightly. As the castle around him began to unveil the servants and animals about them, they were lost to it. For as he held her close he did something he had not done in centuries. Joyfully laugh.
- End-