72: Thank You

Breathing my last breaths

Falling head first

I go, travelling on a road leading nowhere

Feet aching and fingers unfeeling I forget how I made my way here

The years flew like the wind, if only I'd treasured each day

Now these last seconds seem to last a decade

Air like poison, spit like acid, my bones rattle like bells as I transit

Bury me beside a river and let her carry me through the valleys

Let the wilder beast indulge in my flesh for I am but vanity

I found myself in a vast meadow of vibrant flowers. The air was fresh and filling. Fluffy white clouds floated by at a lazy pace. But I was alone. Or so it seemed. Someone had been singing. I peered across the seemingly endless field to find a figure. Someone was sitting among the flowers.

"Hello!" I called.

When no response came I stepped closer. And closer and closer. Till I was standing just behind him. I placed a hand on his shoulder. The stranger turned round, a bright smile stretched across his handsome face.

"Mo?" I knew his voice. I'd heard it once before.

"Lucius?"

He nodded. Then I was falling into his arms as tears of disbelief and relief flowed out all at once. "I thought you were gone forever."

I felt him go rigid. He pulled away, panic sizzling in his eyes. "Why are you here?"

I took in our surroundings once again. Suddenly feeling out of place. "I don't know."

"You shouldn't be here. It isn't your time."

At once my memories came flooding back. "But I'm here."

"You aren't on his list." He was adamant. "You aren't dead. You must go back."

I shook my head and remained in place. "Not without you."

"My time has run out Mo. My life ends here." He had a lightness to his voice only peace could bring. "We will meet again if that is what you desire. But now you must go."

"Do you want to be here?"

"I've been carrying a burden in my heart for so long." A shadow fell over his eyes. Memories of pain took over. "I hurt someone I love dearly. For so long I was prisoner to my own regrets. But I've been freed. I've been pardoned of my sins. I don't deserve this peace. But by grace I am here."

"I'm happy for you." I shouldn't have but I cried. I laughed. Wiped the tears. "I'll miss you."

He sang me a song. And promised me he'd be there even in the faintest flicker of light.

Like the last rays of day, I will slowly fade away

And be replaced by the night as you wait for my light to arrive once again

You are my voice, you are my muse, for you I will never lose

Hide your tears from my eyes and let us laugh one last time

I’ll craft a crown from the stars

And weave a coat of friendly sparks

To brighten your paths and keep me forever in your hearts

We walked hand in hand towards a floating oak door that seemed to have just popped into existence. And there we bid our goodbyes.

~~~

Tsiho was slepping in a cot beside me. Philip was hunched over the edge of my bed, asleep. One of his hand clasped mine. I gripped his fingers and squeezed. He stirred. I placed a palm against his face and prepared a smile just for him.

Groggy at first, soon enough his eyes light with recognition.

"Hi." I laughed.

But it was cut short when his arms devoured me in an embrace. "We are free," he whispered in my ear. "We're finally free. We no longer have to fear for our love." He pulled away only to draw me back into a deep and passionate kiss. A kiss I no longer had to be ashamed of.

He leaned his forehead against mine, grinning. "You really know how to make a man cry."

"I won't make you cry again, promise."

He leaned in again. My eyes fell close. But his lips only barely grazed mine. "When can I make you my wife?"

I pried one eye open, then another. I leaned away. Faked contemplation. "How about..." I grinned. "Today?"

He matched my glee. "Why not?"

And so only a few hours later, I was walking down the isle. With flowers he grew himself, laced into my hair and stitched into my dress.

I tried my very best to hold back my tears. But when Philip tried to hide his behind his smile I simply couldn't. I loved this man. And I couldn't love anyone else the way I loved him. He wiped my tears and held my hands.

Tobias was our officator, but he was crying just as much as we were. "We are gathered here today—" he sniffled — "to witness the union of this man, Philip Nole and this woman, Mo Dalk, in holy matrimony. To have and to hold. To serve one another always, in good times and bad. And to love one another till Death do them apart. Alright you guys take it from here."

I laughed and thanked Tobias.

"Dear Philip." I only saw love in his eyes. I saw me. "I didn't know I could be loved the way you love me till I met you. For that I thank you. You thought me to be strong. You thought me to be brave. You thought me sacrifice. Thank you. You make me feel beautiful. You make me smile. Thank you. For being by my side through it all, especially the stormy days and cold nights. Thank you. For loving me when I couldn't love myself. For loving me even when it was wrong. For loving me even as the world was crumbling all around us. Thank you. For accepting Tsiho. Thank you. For coming back to me alive. Thank you."

Tears blurred my vision. I only then realized how easy it was to have lost him. But that fight was only something else I was thankful for.

"There's so much more I have to thank you for," I continued. "So from here on out I vow to appreciate you. To love you always, in our happy moments and our low. To protect you when you don't know to protect yourself. To warm you when the night gets cold. To stand at your side, to be your helping hand and your friend, to serve you and cherish you for the years to come."

A stray tear slipped past his cheek. I held my own back and wiped his.

"You've gone and done it again." He laughed. "Making my eyes sweat."

"I'm sorry," I murmured, smiling.

He cleared his throat and looked away. Took a deep breath. "Alright." He met my eyes. "Dear Mo, I wish I'd met the man and woman who raised you. I wish I could thank them for making you the woman I love today. Sometimes I wonder if they'd approve of me. If they'd like me. I wish I was able to bring them back, just to make you smile. It's my biggest regret, it's the one thing I promised you and the one thing I couldn't give you. So I can only hope I can love you enough for them."

I cried because I wished so too. I wished Mom and Dad, Ray and Hirai were here. I wished they'd met Philip. And loved him like their own. But I knew they only expected me to be happy. And now I was. I truly was.

"You're so much more beautiful than you know." He looked at me like I was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. "I don't deserve you. I never will. You showed me how to love. You brought me down from a place where I only saw myself. You showed me beauty even in the worst places. You made me wish I was better. You make me want to be better. You bring a light and warmth I didn't know I was missing. You're a gift I didn't earn. And nothing I can do will amount to what you are to me. All I can do is love you. To give you my best each day till the end of our days. I'll be your shoulder to cry on. I'll be here with my arms open wide when you need a hug. I'll be the joke when you need a laugh. I'll be your shield when you're in danger. I'll be your protector."

Tobias was full out sobbing into his handkerchief. He wiped his tears and cleared his throat. "Yes yes, where was I? With the power invested in me by the gods above I do now pronounce thee husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

"This might be my favorite part of the wedding." Philip leaned down. I stood on my toes. His hands circled my hips and tugged me towards him. Our lips met in the middle. Like the first time we kissed it was fiery and passionate. Like sparks. Like magic.

Cheers came alive in the background. We broke apart and turned to find our guests on their feet. They came forward, congratulating us one after the other. Brise and Xon who held Tsiho. Rowan, Nareem, Neritha and Mars.

Philip took Tsiho from Xon and together we all made our way out of the chapel. Together, the three of us would start a new life. From there on our lives would never be the same. In ways we'd never expect.

Only a subtle rumble at first soon  tremor and thunder as they climbed over the hill in the dozens. Big and mighty steads, each carrying an armored rider who donned a cape emrboidered with the Hoku. They halted in formation and climbed off their horses. But they didn't make any further movement until their leader arrived. He dismounted.

Philip handed Tsiho to me and came to stand before us. We were on our guards, hands lingering just above our weapons. Then the leader lifted his helmet to reveal a familiar face.

"Lance?" Philip stepped up to his former teacher. "You got here too late. The ceremony's over."

Lance frowned. "Forgive me."

I came to stand beside Philip, peering at Lance like I would a ghost. "You're alive."

Lance's gaze fell on me, then on Tsiho who was playing with the flowers in my hair. He smiled. "I am. I am." Then his smile dropped. He stepped back and fell to a knee. The knights following suit. "It is with the greatest pleasure that I offer my congratulations to the princess and her husband."

"Princess?" I repeated, glancing at the confused faces of my friends. But one by one a realization dawned them. And then they were on their knees as well, till only Philip and I were left standing. I returned my attention to Lance as I tried to make sense of this absurdity. "What's going on?"

"With the abdication of King Arthur, Kreatier is left without a ruler," Lance explained, but he might as well had been speaking to the dirt at his feet. "Bless the heavens our heir lives. Next in line to the throne is the only child of King Arthur and Queen Myira. Bless our Princess, our soon to be Queen."

Philip's arm was secure around me. He seemed to be taking everything in, little by little. But nothing, not one, made any sense to me. "Somebody please explain to me what's happening."

Lance raised his head. But he didn't look at me the same. Not like the little lost girl he once knew. He looked at me now like he once looked at the king. "You are Kreatier's missing princess, Mo. You are Princess Molieilei."