Rell and The Rose

Ch. 42, Forbidden

Rell

A few hours after we'd all eaten, Cat lay sleeping on the couch, and Lorcan's head had dipped into his chest, the book still propped open before him, but his eyes closed. I could have woken him, but I didn't. The fire had died down to embers, the sounds of the rain above growing into a steady rhythm, but I wasn't tired.

Bastien and I lay side by side on the thick rug before the fire, staring up at the patterns the rain made on the glass above.

"You know," Bastien said, suddenly. "You don't have to leave The Dark Realm. High school sucks, but I've heard college is different. They accept people for who they are, even if they're different."

"Are you saying I'm different?" His cheeks reddened, but I only laughed and bumped my shoulder into his. "I'm kidding Bastien. I know I don't fit in here."

He suddenly propped up on one elbow, staring down at me with a determined look on his face. "That's not true. Everyone has a hard time in high school. I grew up with these people and I can't wait to get out. College is different, better."

I smiled at him and the determination in his eyes. "And how is this fabled college different?"

He shrugged, that soft, faraway look coming over his eyes as he stared into the distance. "You can be whoever you want. Leave behind your past mistakes. Decide who you want to be."

What if it's not up to you to decide who you are? What if all I am and ever will be is a Beast-Slayer. But I didn't want to break this moment, so instead I said. "And who would you be?"

He hesitated, and then shrugged, laying back down again. "Someone happy...maybe a journalist. Someone devoted to finding the truth and sharing it." His shoulder was warm against mine, and I found myself wishing I could stay in this moment forever.

"You know, I actually can't believe I didn't guess you were from the Dark Realm earlier," he said suddenly, and this time I turned to him, puzzled.

"How would you have known?"

"My mother used to tell me a story about the Dark Realm. A sort of fairy-tale." And then he grinned, his eyes lighting up. "Would you like to hear it?"

There is nothing I would like more. I smiled back, and settled down, breathing in the scents of fire, rain, leather, and most intoxicating of all, the young man beside me. "Tell me."

He shifted closer and then began to speak, his voice weaving a spell all it's own.

Once upon a time, in a place with no sun or stars or clouds, there lived two princesses. Though they were sisters, they were different in every way save their love for eachother. The elder princess was tall, with dark hair like a river of ink. The younger was equally lovely, with mismatched eyes, one brown as the river mud, one blue as the sea. No princesses before them or after loved The Dark Realm realm the way as they.

The princesses loved to swim with the dark mer, race the centaurs through the Dark woods, dance with the fairies, and ride dragons over the mountains. But most of all they loved the magic that pulsed through the land like life blood. In turn, the magic favored them, gifting them each with powers and strength others couldn't imagine. Each day they grew more powerful, more beautiful and more dangerous, until one day they came across a small, green creature, with large inquisitive eyes, so that they wondered if he held the mysteries of the universe.

And it was called a frog.

"Surely you two are the most powerful and beautiful sisters in all the land," said the small, green creature, (which was indeed a frog). "But where does this power come from?"