°Hope (I)

In the Celestial Realms

It was a bright sunny day however, it was not sunny or bright in their hearts; the sun had died out a long time ago. The burning notch basked the pretty petals of various color hues swaying under its glory. They were spread out amongst the lush green grasses which never lost its lustre owing to the fact that it was constantly groomed.

A beautiful young maiden in a simple dress and barefooted strolled through the meadow lacing her feet with the warm earth. Her hair which cascaded to her back wafted in the passing air. Her skin was fair as snow, her lips plump as ever but her bright eyes had lost their glow. She longed to correct the past and maybe change some of the choices she made. She regrets ever making them. The water flowed through the spout of the watering can as she planted her little acorn. All the ones she had previously grown had aged and some had died. This little acorn is going to be the beginning of her making the right choices. She promised herself. She continues to prep up the bed for the seedling, mind her own business and hum alongside Petra, the Celestial flaming hummingbird. At least the neat straw hat prevented her face from being burnt by the orange notch.

She was grateful for the occasional blockage by the moving clouds but after a while, a particular cloud didn't want to move. Though she enjoyed the shade, she needed the celestial rays for the development of her plants. That was when she looked up to manually get the cloud out of her way with her abilities. But she couldn't do that either. For there stood her heart, her pride and soul. The one she so much wanted to change the past for. The fact that they were deities didn't mean they could control 'everything' even their own personal lives. He was the most beautiful thing she had ever set eyes on. He looked torn just like her but as she transferred her loneliness to taking care of plants, he turned his into absolute pure rage which she knew she was the cause and the antidote. She prevented a stray tear falling.

"What are you doing, Luna? " It was the very first time he had spoken to her after their last interaction. That was decades ago yet she felt the effects of how her name rolled off his tongue.

"Isn't it obvious?" But she had to lock all those foreign emotions away. "I'm watering my plants." The past is in the past!

"You know what I'm talking about!" He couldn't help the helplessness. As much as her presence made him happy and speechless, it made the horrible memory play between them. The clarity better and better each time.

"You shouldn't meddle in foreign affairs." She continued her task not paying him much attention for fear of breaking down. She was closer to the edge already.

"I should when it involves my lineage!" He growls. She knew he would enquire about her latest doing. She did it in both parties best interest. She dreaded that moment which is now. "This is preposterous! You are placing everyone in danger." She could feel the edge of his voice break. A lone tear escaped from her eyes. This would have happened a long time back only if she had accepted his proposal. So why not now? Thankfully her head was bent thus he couldn't catch the tear or the emotions in her eyes that flicked away.

"I suggest you head back to your realm and go about your duties instead of mine." She suppressed her croaky tone and kept her focus away. She didn't have the strength to face him.

"I can't sit, watch and do nothing as you toy with my son's life! This would cause a disaster to the realms and even earth." He had been at the administration room searching for some files regarding the devil spawn of an illegitimate son he had brought into the world. Rather, he had found the life scroll of his legitimate son and heir he had wished he had with her. He would have had all her good qualities. It contained serious information which could shake the realms. Before it could get in the grasps of other creatures, he set it ablaze in his palm, collected the ashes then stored it in the cabinet he kept his 'very important things'. Most of them were pictures of he and Luna and the letters they shared when they were away.

"I know, I know." Her voice was croaky. "But that would have happened if you know 'what should have rather happened'. She refused to look him in the face.

"And it didn't which I am glad." He lies but that tore her heart. " That doesn't mean you do it for them. Heck I don't even know if history would repeat itself!"

' it won't. I'll make sure of that.' She pledged.

Having had enough of suppressing her emotions, she looked up to confront him letting him take up the condition of her face. She didn't know when she'll ever get to speak to him again if he left. And it seemed that both of them were avoiding confrontation. But she knew they needed the closure real bad. He got to see her puffy cheeks, her quivering lips and her leaking eyes.

"I am not doing it for them, Absalom." Her voice rang out scaring the birds perching on the oak trees. "I am doing it for us." Her last words rang in his mind like an earthly church bell going back and forth signalling worshipers that it is time for devotion.

"What do you mean?" For once he saw that she truly cherished what they have between them. But he didn't want to get his hopes up. She dropped the can and stood face to face with him. Although they were as old as they could remember, they looked as young as teenagers in their prime time where the beauty unleashes itself. She was glorious and he was…he was drool worthy!

"If it couldn't begin with us, at least let it start with them. We could help them on the way. They wouldn't even know." And her tears were full blown sobs preventing him from voicing out his rational thoughts. He gathered her in his arms as she fell to ground in weariness. She had been acting strong all along. " I am doing it as a way to lessen the regret and remorse for not listening to my heart, for not allowing you to mark me and having only your mark on me, for not giving you that perfect family you hoped for, for not continuing our lineage with you and for causing you pain, Absalom." She managed out. Her words struck his heart. They were pure truths. He wanted that for them but she had chosen a different path, a stray one too. Hell, he wanted a lot of things for her.

Though he didn't cry out loud, the tears flowed from his eyes onto her hair which she had under his chin. He had discarded the hat a long time ago. It was tarnishing her raw beauty! He wanted his mark to be on her only but that didn't happen. Now he had a troublesome son who could destroy everything to get what he wants. She sniffs and whimpers.

"You don't know how I feel whenever I see you walking to your hall with that crestfallen look? It makes me feel bad because I am the cause of that. My Absalom is a cheerful being not a saturnine genius. He chuckles internally at the use of the big words. She always called him a living dictionary for using big words all the time on her. You don't know how much disappointed I am in myself anytime I-" She didn't get to complete her sentence as Absalom held her in anticipation. When she went all quiet, he thought the worst has happened after all she looked sickly. He thought she had died on him but a soft snore assured him. She was mentally and physically exhausted. This was her confession. More soft snores hit his ears; they were that of a very stressed person. He carries her bridal style and teleports to the house in the mountains he had built for them in case they got married. He blocks all trails of their aura then takes her to the room he had designed for them to use since the other rooms were designed with childish themes. He planned on gifting it to her on their wedding night. He stroked her hair: his precious little gem! It was one of the things he loved of her.

Absalom first thought that her ex-husband was much more handsome than he that's why she accepted his proposal until her true reason shone at the circle decades ago. An offspring of theirs is a deadly combination! He didn't care that much of whatever they produced as far as it was a child. He gently lays her on the left side of the plushy bed decorated according to her preferences. A hand tugs his wrist when he moved to go.

"Don't leave me alone." It was almost inaudible. They had a double meaning to it which he understood clearly. "Stay with me"

Absalom took in her beauty which matched his handsomeness. He was certain their children would be even more beautiful. A little bit of his handsomeness and a little bit of her beauty, the right touch in equal proportions. He smiled at the thought. Therefore, he decides to do one thing for her after all these millennia. He stays. Absalom chuckles softly when she snuggles closer to him, placing her head on his naked torso near his beating heart. It was a sweet lullaby to her ears calming her bustling brain down. She clanged to him never letting go. He wraps his arms around her and pecks her forehead.

He could wake up to this, no matter the time of the day.