The Light of Elysium

55 - Winter's embrace

(Morpheus's Pov)

I am stood alone, although the courtiers often afford me a wide berth. The hands on the clock drag slowly towards the midnight hour. I might feel bitter loneliness if I was not already so numb. I am bored by the monotony of events endlessly cycling, solar after solar.

Antares strides over. "You should have chosen my daughter as spring."

Not only does he show me no due respect, but he has the audacity to challenge my decision. I think it time to remind Celestia's upstart son of his place. A cord of my power wraps around his neck.

"Do not," I hiss, "presume to tell me what to do."

Antares stubbornly refuses to concede, so I tighten my hold, watching as his face turns an interesting shade of puce. It is not until Nero joins us that I release him. Antares rubs his neck and lowers his head, eyes suitably downcast.

A hush falls upon the room and I only just resist the urge to roll my eyes as Celestia makes her grand entrance. My sister has abandoned her normal white attire for a ceremonial gown of yellow and gold; tonight she is representing summer.

Following behind is Elissa. The bodice of her dress is encrusted in jewels and pearls all the way up to the high neckline. The decorous front is compensated by a more risqué back, which apart from the bejewelled collar around her neck, is completely exposed. Cunning move to draw attention to the noble line of her spine and away from those unelven curves.

The skirt and sleeves start the palest of greens and deepen in colour until they are dark pine green at the hem. Her hair is pinned in an intricate style, reminiscent of a cluster of flowers. My rose.

"She makes an enchanting spring." Nero's words echo my own thoughts.

Antares does not offer comment. His sullen silence is deafening in its own way.

"My king, I would be honoured if you would support me when she is accepting of suitors," Nero expounds obsequiously.

It causes me to ponder. Nero holds a great army and his family is an old and powerful one. He is perhaps the most sadistic of my lords and normally it would provide poor sport to see him pitted against such an innocent. Yet again, my rose may well hold her own.

"I am surprised, Nero. I thought you a great proponent for elven purity!" Antares's tone is condescending, which is a little rich given that Antares himself is a mixture of light and dark elf.

Nero certainly takes umbrage. "A lot can be overlooked when one holds power."

Again I have to agree with Nero. Last night, when her power surged, I had gotten a sense of its intoxicating and inky depths. There is dark power there for sure.

"Perhaps by this night's end you will concede that she has the makings of a dark consort." I walk away without a backwards glance to join my sister.

........

"Let us go into the night and herald the coming of spring," Celestia proclaims dramatically.

She places her hand on my arm and we lead a procession out of the hall. Immediately behind us follow Elissa and her father.

At the doorway, we are furnished with a light and a candle-lit procession winds itself outside, into the palace grounds; many times my footsteps have followed this path. We draw to a halt precisely as the first chime of midnight tolls out.

I break apart from my sister and beckon Elissa to me. The court arrange themselves in concentric circles around us.

"The dominion of winter is fading." Celestia's voice rings out in the silence of the night. "The earth is reawakening and whispers of the coming of spring."