Strange Musings

The Maiden

Sweet like chocolate. Bitter like coffee.

Those were the words the maiden used to describe this power and her addiction to it. With it, she could move the world itself. If she wished it, flames danced at her fingertips, the waters parted for her, the land was her servant, and the wind moved to her whims. Tonight, the maiden gazed at the twin winter moons above her while she danced to the movement of the water she created from the melted snow.

All of a sudden, she stopped and gazed at the twin moons with the waves twirling around her in a way that did not block them from her view. The maiden was entranced with their beauty. One as pure white as the snow and the other the beautiful lavender color of her favorite flower. She could not comprehend why her people feared this power and the moons and all their stars when she thought of how it made her feel.

"Sweet like chocolate. Bitter like coffee," she whispered to the moons.

And so the night continued and the maiden danced and moved with the elements in a way that the rest of the world had forgotten. Unaware of the eyes that watched her. The eyes of one fair, yet inhuman. He cloaked himself in magic and between the frosty woodlands, watched the maiden, silent and curious. It had been a long time since he had seen a mage, let alone one with such power. He admitted that he was curious. Even so, he did not make himself known and just stood and watched as the maiden played with power that would surely lead to her demise if one of her own were to discover her.

At the creeping of dawn, both the maiden and her curious observer gazed at the approaching sun with shock. The maiden had danced the night away and the creature of the woodlands had been so entranced by her that he had forgotten himself to her. At its approach, both stared at it with the same entrancement that they held for the moon and for the first time in what must have been centuries, the creature was moved.

So much that he left his hiding place and went to greet the maiden. At first the maiden was shocked, but then she got a good look of him. A tall and slim body. An ageless face. Green tunic and eyes. Golden hair. Brown breeches and boots. And ears that pointed to a tip.

As for the creature, he looked to the maiden and saw that she was beautiful. A rare thing for her kind. She had hair as black as night, eyes as blue as the sea, and skin kissed by the sun. Even dressed in her raggy gray dress and brown traveling boots, she was...enchanting.

The two stood there for what seemed like an eternity as the sun continued its journey into the heavens.

And as the gentle wind blew against their hair, he asked, "Will you come with me?"

The maiden thought of all the power that he had. She thought of her people who barely tolerated her, but would surely kill her if they knew of her nightly escapades. She thought of how there was not a soul in her village that held her trust. Then that earlier thought came creeping to her mind.

Sweet like chocolate. Bitter like coffee.

How could she pass up an opportunity to further be able to control this wondrous ability of hers?

So the maiden took his hand and with a smile, she said, "Yes."