Rapture

Sun

The king stands naked at the ledge. His body wrought of muscle and scar, his golden eyes fixated on us in their burning glare.

"Why didn't he join us?" I ask the queen as we make our way out the lake.

"You don't want to be in these waters when he gets in." She tells me.

My eyes flicker to his as we walk out the lake and he walks in. He seems focused. Determined.

Contact of his foot curls the surface up in steam as he steps in the lake. The queen and I watch him stride from the ledge, the steam thickening into fog in his trail. His long silver hair floats behind him until his noggin disappears underwater.

Then the clear water of the lake light up in reflections of fire and gold. The entire glimmering surface boils up in vapors. I feel the heatwaves radiating out as the light inside burns brighter. The queen takes us a step back as the sizzling waters overflow.

The light flashes, breaking in shapes and colors. Then the water spill calm, and the steam slows to a lazy swirl in the air.

"If you're moon, and I am earth, who is the king?" I blurt out as I anticipate him.

"Isn't it obvious?" The queen smirks. The fog disperses at the first rays of dawn, and the king comes through. I blink my eyes in a moment's disbelief when I see him.

The scars disappeared. The only thing to carve the smoothness of his skin is the power of his physique, lining out in veins and muscle. His silver hair shorter, and his face younger; lines of worry eased from the corners of his eyes.

He smiles when he looks at the two of us. The sun rising behind him. Two of the same.