Category : Stories

Sub Category : Romance

He had been watching her for minutes now. Well, actually, he had been watching her for quite some time. Eons, to be exact. He had to wait for just the right moment to approach her, however. Now, finally, the masquerade had practically handed her into his arms. 
He floated through the shadows, just on the edge of the crowd of costumed couples – watching, waiting. Waiting for the opportune moment...waiting for her.
He put his satin mask in place – a mask as ebony as raven’s feathers – and he was ready. He knew she would come out to this party; anticipation flared through him simply imagining the sight of her again after so many centuries parted from her. 
He glanced at the stairwell and darted his gaze back. It was her; she had finally drawn closer, and now he could better see her features. And she was...
Oh.
He had forgotten the countless ways she undid him, not the least of which was her timeless beauty. 
She wore a golden gown to compliment her fiery copper waves with a gold mask to match, boasting red and orange feathers on the side. She moved with grace, gliding down the steps slowly as she gazed around the room. He was not the only male to stare up at her; many heads were turned by her stunning figure. But she singled only one man out of the crowd.
Him.
As she sauntered over to his side, he kissed her gloved hand in welcome. “It is marvelous to see you again, my dear Day,” he purred, gazing into her eyes.
Those golden orbs stared back at him, though he knew only false flirtations were held inside those twin beauties. “And you as well, Night. How are things in your realm? I hope all is well.”
“Couldn’t be better, my lady. And your realm? I trust all is well here, too?”
“Of course, as always. Light prevails in the day as always.”
“Ah, that is true. That is true. But not for long, I fear, for my night is quite vicious and threatens to break free of the bonds the Council has placed upon it.”
Her gaze narrows. “I trust you will remind your shadows what happens to those that rebel. They will be safer in your realm. I would hate to think what might be done if your shadows escaped into my realm. It would not be a pretty sight.”
“No, my lady, indeed it would not...but for which side?” As soon as the words left his mouth, he immediately gasped, then brushed past her as he quickly darted away. She turned but it was too late, for his dark shadows had already broken free. The curling, winding darkness unfolded, then raced through the ballroom – the one area that could be accessed from all the realms – and ducked closer to her portal – that of Light and Day. 
“Halt, you shadows of Night! You will not cross into my realm! Return immediately to your own or there will be grave consequences!” She bellowed, pointing at the shadows.
The strands of darkness seemed to turn back to stare at her, then tip forward in a mocking gesture, before rushing through the portal to Light – and into all the other countless worlds.
She turned back to the being who had started all this – to the one being who infuriated her more than any other in all the universes. He stared down at her with a challenging smirk.
“Your move, My Queen. Your move.”
“What you have done this day has brought darkness to light. My realm is tainted, and none of the worlds will ever be the same again. This means war.” 
She began to stomp away but he deftly moved in front of her, blocking her exit. “War? Why must it come to this? Perhaps we could find a better solution, a compromise...?”
“What other solution is there?” She cried, throwing her hands in the air, exasperated. “How can we compromise? I am the Queen of the Day, and you are the King of the Night. Between us there will never be anything but war. It is destiny by fate, by our very names. There is nothing we can do.” With that, she shouldered past him and stormed away.
The rest of the crowd, the other members of the Council, had all fled to their own realms as well, searching for darkness in their own worlds. They had to fret, for his night shadows were spreading their slimy, dark strands to every single realm.
Night stared after Day. He was now alone in the large ballroom, a slow violin song playing around him. He began pacing, trying to think of a way to explain what had happened. 
Night could never contain his shadows, as much as he tried; he had, in his ultimate ego, made it sound like a threat to Day only moments before, that they would soon become free. However, the simple and tragic fact was he truly had no control over his own bloody realm. It was far too wild to ever chain, tame, or contain. How could he master those shadows now, to stop a war that was quickly approaching, when he had never been able to get a hold of those shadows for eons before? It was beyond maddening. 
How he wished he could speak with her, to make Day understand. But she never would; she was far too stubborn. How could she even believe a dark king such as himself? He would not, if he were in her place.
No, the only option was to be that dark king she believed him to be. That was the only solution, and the entire reason as to why he had been so bold and challenging after the shadows attacked. She would always see him as the villain...and perhaps sometimes he was the villain. Perhaps he ought to accept that title now, as that was all anyone ever believed him to be. 
With that, he solemnly began to make preparations for war with the kingdom of Day – and with the entire Council of Worlds Untold. 

“That insufferable, sniveling, too-charming-for-his-own-good little foppish cod’s-head!” 
Day stormed into her throne room, slashing at shadows as she went. Her gold dress billowed around her as she paced back and forth. “What am I to do with him? How can I fight these slippery shadows? They crawl into every corner and crack, infusing everything with darkness! How does one fight that? Tell me, Dawn, how?” 
Dawn, her pet eagle, fluttered her monochrome wings in agreement. Sighing, Day collapsed down onto her throne and threw her head into her hands. “Why, Dawn? Why would he do this to me – to us?  Ah, but it is because he is fated to bring darkness to the realms, as well as the downfall of one ruler. How can I trust him after knowing that?”
Dawn let out an irritated squawk. “Ah, you’re right, my pet. Fate is never what it seems. Prophecies are not always fulfilled the way they sound. I must have faith in that.” That said, Dawn stared off into the distance, towards the sun shining through the windows into the spacious room, creating for the very first time – shadows upon every surface. 
Soon there would be nothing but night unless she were to do something. But what?

The day of the battle was set. On that day, the Council marched into the ballroom with Day at the lead. How tragically ironic that they would battle here, in a place where they had all danced and laughed merrily not so long ago. Well, all of them but Night, that is, for he was always destined to be the villain of the story, the down-bringer of the cosmos. 
Night stood solitary before the others of the Council. Well, Wind stood with him, for she was a carefree spirit of her own. She stood with her colorless robes billowing around her, and he wrapped in his cloak of darkness. 
On the opposite side, opposing them, stood Earth, clad in stone-gray armor. Beside him, Fire and Water scoffed at one another. Fire kept blazing his flames brightly but Water soaked it away to nothing but smoke. He tried to conjure fireballs but after several attempts his hands were far too wet by Water’s hand to conjure anything but sizzling smoke. 
And then there was Day. She was the most glorious of them all, clad in golden armor the color of her sun. Her fiery hair swept around her red face. Still, she held a determined look, her shoulders back and head held high.
“Take back your shadows, Night, and we can stop the war from happening right now. This is your last chance. Your chance to make everything right again,” she called to him from across the ballroom, her voice echoing through the spacial room. 
“If only I could,” he replied remorsefully. “But it is far too late.”
“Then we fight.” 
Night hung his head and knew this was the end, for he could never fight her, nor any of these present. He had studied them enough through the centuries to feel as though he knew them  – enough to know their quirks, their hopes and dreams and wishes. How could he fight against that – against those he loved? 
Wind, however, seemed not to share his sentiments. With a crazed look in her eyes and a devilish grin, she charged Earth. Night fell to his knees and waited for someone to strike a sword, to strike the killing blow. He thought he saw Day in the corner of his eye, stalking towards him. 
“Good,” he thought. “Let her be the one to end this. For it was by her hand I was undone in the beginning, and by her hand now I will be forever undone, as the prophecy foretold." 
She raised her sword slowly, but the strike never came upon him. He gazed up at her slowly to see the tears falling from her eyes. 
“I cannot. I never could,” she whispered.
The sword clanged to the black-and-white checkered floor. Sounds of the others fighting and squabbling did not reach their ears, for Night and Day were caught within their own world, one they had never known before. 
Night slowly stood, towering above Day, his eyes never leaving hers. He leaned down slowly to her face – to her lips – and stole the kiss he had craved for eons. She kissed him back, sharing the same desire. 
A strange, silvery light shone through the portals, breaking their kiss and the fight. Everyone stared at the light, shining through each of the worlds – Water’s, Earth’s, Wind’s, Fire’s, and Night’s. All but Day’s – her sunlight had been restored once more in the same moment. 
The silvery light originated from a glowing orb, high in the sky – like the sun but not the sun. 
“It is called Moon.” Another voice, one dearly familiar to them all, bade them to turn around. 
Time stood in his robes overflowing with timepieces. He stroked his beard, staring at each of them thoughtfully, then spread his arms as he spoke. 
“Day, Night...with your love you have brought forth something beautiful. It is called the Moon. It is a little bit of daylight shining through the night...a product of both of your spirits joined together. You chose not to fight; rather, you chose to love  – regardless of your distance, the impossible love, and regardless of fate itself...you chose love.”
“Well,” Night laughed, embracing Day once more, “I suppose we found our compromise after all!”
“Yes, I suppose we have,” Day agreed. “Half the day I rule with the sun, and the rest you rule with the moon.”
“And then Twilight and Dawn is when we stand together,” he finished. “We do not have to be opposing sides any longer, just as I always hoped. The prophecy was not what we thought – instead of one ruler overthrown, now there are two rulers. Before we ruled our worlds separately; now we rule together. And I suppose it is quite fitting that the moon rules from my realm, for I have always reflected your love. Without your light, I am nothing, just as my moon is nothing without your sun.” 
“This is the way of nature,” Time replied, continuing. “Day will end; night will begin. Night will end; day will begin. I, the oldest of all, will stand day after day, watching over each one of you. After all, as the two of you have proven, what are we if we do not have love?” 
And that was the way it was, has been, and will be – Day begins, shining her golden sun over the worlds. After her daylight reign, Night begins his watch with his silvery moon, shedding light over the shadows, keeping them all in check once more. 
And every dawn and dusk, Day and Night meet in passing  to steal a kiss and an embrace before one begins and the other ends.