Dark Queen: The Cybelline Prophecies

Epilogue - Miri - Part 3 of 3

The immortal king Jasreth stood on the bank and looked at the woman, her dark hair dancing in the wind. Purple blossoms landed on her light blue robes. He had seen a smile on her lips, one that made her face light up and illuminated her beauty in a way that stole his breathe. 

He had used his power to hide himself from mortal eyes, hoping to use these stolen moments to look at her once more.

She would never know that the man who had hurt her so much, that she had chosen to leave was just on the other side of the river. 

He stared at her, scared that if he blinked, she would be gone again. He was so scared to look away but knew that he was on borrowed time. 

The last time she saw him, the last time he saw her was in the realm of lost souls. 

She had chosen to leave him and as she walked onto that boat, choosing to be reborn instead of being anywhere near him, she had told him something that took him centuries to understand. 

She had smiled at him with the politeness of strangers as he begged her to take him with her. She had asked him if he remembered what she had asked him in the garden. It was the same words that she spoke to him the moment she died in his arms. 

"This saddest goodbye is not when the one you love dies." 

He looked at the woman who was now on the bridge. He had used all the magic he possessed to create a spell that would help him find her reborn soul. It was a spell that costed everything but his life and greatly weakened him. But he was immortal and magic would return. But this spell could only work once, it had no effect after that. 

This was his last chance to see her. And no matter the cost, he would pay it. 

Far on the other bank, the girl did not notice anything in the garden as she stood on the bridge. 

She reached out and plucked a blossom from the air, playing with it as she waited for someone. 

Carefully she put it to her nose and tapped it idly to her mouth as she stared at the little gate, lost in thought. 

After a while, she once again turned to look at the little river, towards the spot where he stood. For some reason, she could not resist peeking to see if the mysterious stranger in black was truly gone.

What a strange man she had met, and yet, so familiar. She shook her head as if to clear the ghost of those thoughts away. 

And then she forgot. 

Sunlight broke through the cloudy day, illuminating the peaceful stream that lay between them. One in deep black, his back straight and his eyes unyielding, his body and aura hidden in layers of magical spells. He could not leave, did not want to leave. He would stay and see why she remained by herself in this garden. 

She stood in light blue, her figure shrouded in dancing flowers, ethereal and otherworldly.

Another man walked to her and grabbed her hand. She gave a little jump and smiled into her fiancee's eyes. 

The purple flower fell out of her palm and landed next to her feet as she gave him both of her hands.  It tumbled away carelessly onto the green grass, swept away from her and towards the river bank.

They stood, smiling at each other, only at each other. He was just a simple scholar, a school teacher who had no ambitions of power or glory. He was plain, neither too rich nor too poor. But he loved her, and had wooed her relentlessly until she said yes. 

"Did you wait long?"

"Only long enough to collect a layer of flower petals. It's everywhere, I probably look like a crazy person."