’Tis pity he’s an elf | Jen Williams #6
He bent his head to hers, his lips almost brushing her lips, and all around them a sudden cheer went up.
Both startled, they broke away. For a confused moment Tristaine thought that the crowd were reacting to them, but then he saw that Prince Eianor and the Lady Amber had climbed the crystal plinth in the centre of the dance floor.
Above their heads, the Emerald Portal was little more than a teeming suggestion of light.
“It’s midnight already.” Molly squeezed his hand. “This is it.”
Amber and the prince stood together, the last glow of the portal playing across Eianor’s silver armour, gilding Amber’s shining hair. An expectant silence fell across the crowd. Amber spoke first, her voice ringing out into the night.
“I, Lady Amber Ironheart, do declare that my heart belongs to Eianor Silverleaf, prince of the fae realm.”
“And I, Prince Eianor, am pleased to announce to you all that my body and soul have been captured by this exquisite creature. We stand together now to save the Emerald Portal.”
“Hurry up and kiss already,” murmured Molly. “We literally don’t have all night.”
The prince and Amber both glanced up at the portal, as though checking that this would be the most dramatic moment possible, and then they fell into an embrace.
They kissed deeply, Amber burying her hands in Eianor’s silver hair, while the prince dipped her in his arms. A huge cheer rose up again from the watching audience, and Tristaine looked to the portal, waiting for it to flare into life.
Nothing happened.
Amber and Eianor paused in their kiss to look up at the portal, and then, clearly seeing what everyone else was seeing, went back to kissing.
The hint of green light in the sky grew dimmer, flickering ominously.
“It’s not working!” someone shouted. A tide of muttering rose from the crowd. Someone else, their voice shrill with panic, added: “Stop kissing! You’re making it smaller!”
Amber and the prince broke apart, both looking flustered.
“My kissing is perfectly adequate,” said the prince hotly. “If anyone is doing it wrong, it’s her!”
“Nonsense,” snapped Amber. “If you want the truth, you’re a terrible kisser. I assume you practise on your beloved unicorns.”
“Kissing a unicorn would certainly be more pleasant than kissing you,” Prince Eianor replied with a sniff. “They have sweeter-smelling breath, for a start.”
Above them, the portal was barely visible. To all sides, a rising tide of panic was gripping the guests. Amber was rolling up her sleeves, a murderous expression on her face.
“Molly!” she bellowed. “Fetch my sword!”
“It’s over.” Tristaine felt each word land on his heart like a hammer blow.
In the sky the Emerald Portal was now nothing more than a suggestion of light, but when he turned to Molly, he found her smiling.
Her cheeks were flushed, and there was a lively expression in her eyes.
“Molly, we failed. It’s all over. In seconds the portal will shut, and I’ll… I’ll never see you again.”
“It’s not over yet.”
She grabbed his hand and dragged him over to the plinth, pushing aside the assorted guests; more than one bejewelled mask fell to the floor, shattering into bits. When they reached it, Molly grabbed her skirts and jumped, landing neatly between the startled prince and the Lady Amber.
“Where is my sword?” snapped Amber. She was busily pulling her loose hair back into a braid. “Do keep up, Molly. I’ve probably only got a handful of seconds to cut this idiot’s head off.”
“Oh shut up, Amber.” And with that, Molly shoved her mistress clear off the plinth.
There was an outraged shout as she hit the ground.
Prince Eianor chuckled, and then Molly rounded on him too, an unpredictable glint in her eye.
He raised his hands, and after a moment, carefully stepped down. He looked relieved.
“Tristaine!” Molly was waving at him desperately. “Get up here! Quick!”
For a moment he was rooted to the spot. “What are you doing?”
“It’s us, don’t you see? Maybe it was always us.
” She grinned widely. To his surprise, Tristaine felt the other guests gathering around them; hands landed on his shoulders, his back, gently pushing him forward.
“Love isn’t juggling boggarts or fancy dresses, it isn’t exquisite food or enchanted wine, it isn’t even moonlight and music.
Love is spending a whole night planning a spectacular feast for a pair of spoiled brats and enjoying every second of it.
” She held out her hand. “Love is looking at another person and feeling your life change around you.”
Tristaine stepped up onto the plinth and took her hand.
She lowered her voice so that only he could hear. “A love strong enough to keep our worlds together? I don’t know, but I’m willing to find out. What do you think?”
In answer, he gently took her face in his hands, and they kissed. There was a roaring noise in his ears – perhaps it was the sound of the crowd, perhaps it was the thundering of his own heart – and she trembled in his arms. Reluctantly they broke apart, aware of the worlds turning around them.
He looked up.
Across two realms, millions of people held their breath.
“Did we do it?” she whispered. “Did it work?”
Light filled the world, and it was the colour of her eyes.