Kira helped Alison back into the castle with a satisfied smirk on her face. She had spent the last few hours effectively beating the everloving crap out of her mate, and for some reason it left her with a sense of accomplisment.
Alison on the other hand, felt like she had been put through a blender. She had returned several of Kira's blows with force, and the vampire even had a broken rib or two and a black eye to show for it. But while Alison could barely stand Kira didn't seem bothered at all.
Kira brought Alison back to the Fairy Garden, and helped her into the pond. By now the party had been over and Alice and Sarah were seated on a large rock just off to the side of the waterfall. They watched as Kira and Alison exchanged banter and laughed with each other, before Kira pushed the werewolf into the water.
Alison sat up and shook her head. "Rude!"
"The water heals." Kira answered before falling backwards herself into the shallow water. Alison made her way over laying next to her and staring up at the darkness above them, lit only by several trees that seemed to grow into a void.
"How do you feel?" Kira asked.
"It's pleasant. Like a hot spring bath." Alison answered.
A few fairies flew overhead, hovering over them curiously before flying off to do whever they wanted. A few buzzed around Alice and Sarah, but the two didn't speak, just overlooked the pond and watched with knowing smiles at the vampire and werewolf couple below them. They knew that they had not yet realized they were here, and didn't want to ruin any moments they might share.
They wanted to know what true love really looked like, even if the two of them didn't want to admit it yet. They wanted to know what it would be like to completely give yourself over to your mate.
"Kira?"
"Hmm?"
"Thank you for bringing me here."
"Well I wasn't going to let you suffer after being the one to actually hurt you." Kira noted, turning her head a bit to look at Alison without actually putting her face underwater.
Alison chuckled. "No. I meant, for bringing me to the castle. For bringing me home. I got to see my parents again, and see Veronica happier than she's ever been in her life."
"Of course." Kira smiled.
"I got to see you again. To be with you again." Alison gently reached over, her hand still underwater as she touched the side of Kira's face, running her thumb over the bruised skin of her eye socket. "Even if I did punch you in the face."
Kira answered by tilting that side of her face underwater for a short second, and almost instantly the bruise began to fade as she smiled back at Alison. "I love you." Kira stated.
"I love you too."
Kira looked up at the trees above them, a look of nervousness taking hold of her expression before she regained her confidence. She rolled so she was straddling the werewolf, looking down on her with a look of pure determination. "Alison."
"Kira? Are you okay?"
"Will you marry me?" Kira asked.
Alison blinked up at her curiously. "Don't immortals not really care about that sort of thing?"
"That's not the answer I was expecting." Kira narrowed her eyes.
Alison chuckled. "Kira, we're meant to be. Of course I'll marry you."
"Really!?"
"Yes fang face, of course."
The childlike smile that spread across Kira's face made everything worth it. All the struggle and pain they'd ever experience faded away into the background as she looked up at the vampire's expression of pure joy.
The vampire leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss on Alison's lips as they wrapped their arms around each other. Several "Ooos!" and "Awes!" came from the crowd of fairies that down gathered around them. Alice and Sarah exchanged happy smiles, neither willing to reveal themselves just yet as they looked back down at them.
The newly engaged ignored their onlookers, and focused only on each other. "But you didn't answer my question." Alison added, getting Kira to lean back and look at her. "I thought immortals don't really care for marriage. Isn't it just a piece of paper?"
"In a way, marriage is like a physical copy of a mate's bond. Like a confirmation of something you already know. But that doesn't make it any less real, or fake. I love you more than anything else in this world, and I will love you till the end of time. I'll protect you, like I know you'll protect me. And we'll always make each other happier than anyone else ever could. I want to spend years with you, and have a child with you, and prove to this world that there's nothing more beautiful than the love you and I share."
Alison couldn't help herself, as she pulled Kira back down for another kiss. She could feel the sting in her eyes, telling her that she was crying, but she knew Kira wouldn't be able to tell since they were both soaked from the pond.
This was it. That perfect moment. The one she wanted more than anything in the world. To be wrapped up in the arms of Kira Nightshade. To share her life with her, and to be with her for eternity. This was the moment of perfection she had been waiting and praying for. Every morning when she woke from her memories turned dreams, she prayed that she would find her soul mate again. So they could make up for lost time and rebuild everything that had been broken.
Now, they had, and they were stronger than they had ever been. All the pain and suffering both had faced had come to this moment, where it all meant that it had all been worth it.
Alice and Sarah slipped away, not wanting to disturb the couple, and left the garden before heading their seperate ways, both glancing over their shoulders at their mate before soft smiles of their own crossed over their faces.
---
Rose stood in front of Venus, holding a wine glass filled with blood. Her eyes scanned over the ancient text that floated in front of her, slowly shifting and changing. Telling a story that only Rose knew.
Luna stood behind her, as Venus's bark twisted, revealing her glowing face as they watched Rose take a sip from her glass.
"The future hasn't changed then?" Luna asked.
"No." Rose answered. "Amy has assured me that nothing has changed."
"Then is this really okay?" The wolf asked.
"If it is meant to be, then let it be. While we cannot avoid the event, we can surely change the outcome."
"It's entirely possible." Venus added. "This doesn't have to be the end. He can't destroy everything. The child may help him at first, but they won't stay. They won't trust him."
"Then there's your son." Luna sighed deeply.
"He will bide his time. He won't attack without Zia's help, and Zia knows better than to attack me." Rose scoffed, taking another sip.
"Perhaps then, you should contact them?" Venus asked.
Rose paused as if contemplating what the tree had said before turning and looking at her. "Avalar and Avalon you mean?"
"Indeed." Luna agreed. "If you explain everything to them, they will certainly come."
Rose let out a deep sigh before nodding. "I will send them a letter, but I can't promise anything. Even I don't know where they are, so it may take years to reach them."
"They may be watching us." Venus noted.
"It does seem like them." Rose blinked slowly, clearly exhausted. "For now, let them decide their own fate. We can't force either of them into anything."
"Of course. Kira and Alison should be our priority. Agora will try everything to break it appart as surely he wants the child for himself."
"If Agora raised that child then this future would indeed come to pass. But such a thing will not happen. Their child, should they have one, will grow up here, and in this village. She will be given her freedom, but will be watched closely. She'll be free to make her own decisions to prevent her from becoming resentful of us. And perhaps she may not even be the child of prophecy."
"Then, we should increase defenses around the village. We should make sure they're safe should Agora ever attack." Luna added.
"I agree. Speak to Fredrick at the Guild. He should be warned that anything may happen in the next few hundred years. The Guild should be prepared to protect the village, and everyone inside."
"At once." Luna bowed before taking her leave.
"Are you truly not worried about this prophecy Lady Rose?" Venus asked.
"Of course I'm worried." Rose answered, looking back at the text before her. "Any number of things could go wrong."
"Then what do you plan on doing?"
"Bolstering defenses, and preparing for the worst." Rose explained. "There's not much else I can do."
"As much as I hate to say it, you could take the fight to him." Venus answered.
"I cannot leave my castle. Not without betraying the trust I've built with the Guild."
"But you can send Kira and Aviri, and they'll kill him effortlessly, and put an end to his nonesense."
"He's their brother."
"In nothing but name." Venus answered. "The twins have been raised knowing their brother is a monsterous animal. After seeing how broken he left his own daughter, they carry no love for him. If you asked them to kill him, they would do so without hesitation."
"He's still my son." Rose answered. "Perhaps... Perhaps he can be saved?"
"Do you think he would be trying to bring about the end of the world if he could be saved?" Venus asked.
Rose closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "No. I suppose not."
"He's become a monster my lady. He must be dealt with accordingly."
"I have a favor to ask you Venus."
"If I can it will be done."
"I want you to bring me the Second Seal."
"Flower... such a thing is impossible."
"You refuse then?"
"Rose, if you free it, then who knows what damage it could cause?"
"You don't know them like I do."
"I don't want to. There is much I look up to and respect you for, but freeing the God Killer is not one of them. I will not bring you the Second Seal. It will remain in Elysium where nothing on this plane will ever be able to reach it."
"Very well." Rose sighed deeply. "I'll take my leave for now then."
"Where are you going?"
"To send a letter to the Dragon Lords."
"Why?"
"To prepare them for what may come." Rose finished off her glass before heading out of her room, walking down the hallway with seemingly no goal in mind. She entered her throne room and stood before the large silver throne, before running her fingers over the armrest. She sat down and leaned back, like she was trying to get comfortable before sighing again.
"Bells, bring me a pen and paper." She called out.
Bells made her way up the short steps and stood beside the throne before handing Rose the requested items, with the paper resting against a wooden slab that was clearly a decorated clipboard.
Bells said nothing, her tail swaying cautiously behind her as she watched her mistress write up a letter before folding it and handing the items back to Bells. "Please send this to Vultorus."
"Of course my lady, right away." Bells bowed before making her way out, leaving Rose alone in her large empty throne room.
"May fate deem us worthy to continue." Rose muttered.