Magical Love
Light filtered through the ring of ancient oaks. Standing amidst the light in a white dress adorned by silver cobwebs and pearls, was a girl with ebony hair, brushing the emerald floor. What is she doing here? The girl turned slightly, silver glinting in her hair, looking at a spot of shimmering air. A smile lit upon her lips. “You came,” she whispered.

“Why are you here?” asked a voice from within the light.

Hurt filled her midnight eyes, but was quickly concealed. “Why?” she asked sarcastically. “Let me think for a moment… This is where I’ve been for five million years!” She turned away. “What about you? Why are you here?”

She turned to the shimmer, hoping the person it concealed would still be there, but it was gone. Silver tears ran down her face as she smiled. “Of course. I was dreaming again. He would never come here, not if he hasn’t for five million years.” Collapsing, she lay her head in her hands and sobbed, screaming in anguish. Behind one of the tall, wide, ancient oaks stood a boy with hypnotic green eyes. His hair flamed brightly and a dragon tattoo curled around his eye, glimmering in the light. He dimmed himself as to not glow as brightly. A single golden drop leaked from his eye; hastily, he wiped it away. Sighing, he turned and glowed brighter and brighter until he disappeared in a flood of light, but still the girl did not notice him.

In the clearing, a figure alighted in front of the crying girl. Reaching out, the figure wiped away the girl’s tears. “It’s alright, Sister. I’m here for you.”

“Dawn!” exclaimed the girl, embracing her twin. Dawn’s hair was similar to her sister’s, but was a pale golden color with pink and red highlights, braided into an intricate crown, woven with silver-encrusted pearl. Her bright, sky blue eyes glittered with anger.

“Yes Luna, I am here, unlike that bastard Apollo you love so dearly. If I had my way, I would never paint the sky for him.”

Luna slapped her sister’s hand away and gave her a reproachful look. “Don’t say that Dawn. He isn’t as horrible as you perceive him to be.”

Dawn gave her sister an incredulous look. “Sure, keep deluding yourself Luna. He hasn’t once visited since Nyx imprisoned you.” When sadness clouded Luna’s face, Dawn said quickly, “Here, I brought you something.”
Luna’s eyes brightened in curiosity. “What is it?”

Laughter filled the glade as Dawn tried to get out the parcel for Luna without her seeing it. Seizing an opportunity, Luna grabbed the silver and pink wrapped package and shook it. She tore away the paper to reveal a glimmering gown of silver, midnight blue, and amethyst purple. She looked up in dismay. “Is it time for the Midnight Ball already?”

Dawn put a smaller parcel in Luna’s hands. “I promised I would give it to you, even if I didn’t want to. It’s from Dusk.”

Tenderly, Luna picked up a delicate gold chain necklace. Hanging from it was an intertwined crescent moon and sun. Tears filled Luna’s eyes. “Brother Dusk is so considerate.”

Dawn rolled her eyes. “It’s because he feels bad for you in your… situation and besides, you’re the baby of the family. He likes to dote on you because you don’t annoy him.”

“Oh, please, like you’re that different from me. You’re my twin.” Worry crept into her eyes. “That aside, is it really time for the Midnight Ball again? You know how much I loathe going. Nyx always proposes and each year it’s harder to reject him. When I tell him no, he lengthens my sentence here, in this secluded forest where the only light of my dear Apollo is scattered, broken into fragments by the trees. I can’t even do my job properly here. The tides are being affected and wreaking havoc on Earth; I can’t manipulate them well enough from here. ”

“You can manage, which is why Nyx put you here and not somewhere else. He wants you in the most secure place where you’ll still be able to perform your celestial duties but also where Apollo can’t steal you away.

“But I don’t love him; I love Apollo! Nyx knows this, yet he’s kept me here for five million years! You’d think by now he would have a new love or realize the futility of keeping me here.”

“He’s probably hoping you’ll change your mind and lose your love for Apollo if Apollo couldn’t visit you.”

“He has been visiting me, at least in my dreams.”

Dawn frowned. “In your dreams? You shouldn’t be able to see him in your dreams. Nyx, being Lord of the Night, has control over all dreams, even ours, and he would never send you dreams detrimental to his own desires. You must have imagined it.”

“No, I’m positive it was a dream. I see a golden shimmer in the center of the glade and ask Apollo why he’s come. He only asks in return why I’m here; I turn to look away and by the time I’ve looked back again, he’s gone.”

She shouldn’t be able to dream of Apollo, and if these aren’t dreams it means the visits are real, which should also be impossible. Security here is too tight, reflected Dawn. “Regardless, I’ve come to help you prepare for the Midnight Ball. If you value the necklace Dusk sent, you won’t wear it.”

Luna paused in putting on the necklace. Shrugging, she continued to fasten the pendant around her neck.

“It’ll get broken if you wear it, or be destroyed completely,” warned Dawn.

“I’m wearing it. It’ll be another way of proving my love to Apollo. If Nyx does anything to it, I’ll never marry him, no matter the cost.”

“That’s a bold statement. Are you sure you want to do that?”

Determination filled Luna’s face and she narrowed her eyes. “Absolutely.”

That night was the Ball. Luna wore her new dark, somber ball gown, and around her neck hung a heavy rope of pearls, amethysts, and diamonds. Tucked underneath hung her present from Dusk. Luna turned to Dawn, “How do I look?”

“Like someone died. Cheer up, it won’t be so bad.”

“You don’t have to go to the stupid thing. I do.”

“You’ll be perfectly fine. This Ball will be just like the others.”

Luna almost cried but stopped herself. The silver makeup she had on would run, smearing the intricate flower tendril design on her face that Dawn had painted on. “That’s what I worry about.”

Nyx’s black coat billowed and his black pants rustled as he paced, revealing his pale, porcelain chest, silver in the glowing light of the lanterns. His long, raven hair swished behind him as well, being tied back with only a blood red ribbon. “Where the devil is she?” he muttered, “She should be here by now! Mismar!”

A tall man with platinum hair stepped up to Nyx’s shoulder and bowed slightly. “Yes, my Lord?”

“Where is she? Where is my Luna?”

Mismar sighed. “She’ll be here, my Lord. It takes some time to transport her to your palace.” The door to the ballroom creaked open and through the heavy, dark oak door Luna stepped in. “Ah, there she is. See, my Lord? She has arrived.”

Eyes alight with joy, Nyx ran to Luna where she stood immobile at the marble steps. “Let me escort you, Lady Luna.”

Luna inclined her head but didn’t speak.

Joy radiated off Nyx and he proceeded to dance the first three dances with Luna without her protest. On the fourth, they took a break and on the fifth, it happened. Nyx bent down on one knee in front of the whole ballroom, and faced Luna.

“You presume much, Nyx. There’s no going back from this, not in front of your court and the other guests,” whispered Luna.

“Would you really shame me like that, Luna dearest?”

Luna’s eyebrows shot upwards but she then narrowed her eyes. “No one calls me dearest except for Apollo. Was there any need to ask me?”

The venom in her voice stung Nyx. “Regardless,” he raised his voice, “Luna, Lady of the Moon and all her domains, will you consent to marry me?”

Luna opened her mouth to answer. “I’ll...” A gust of wind blew through the ballroom, accompanied by a huge, glowing orb, which shot, to the middle of the room.

Nyx shouted for his guards and a laugh came from within the orb. “Pathetic, Nyx, utterly pathetic, and useless. You know as well as I that light conquers dark.”

“Not always,” sulked Nyx. “Sometimes the darkness prevails over light.”

“Apollo!” gasped Luna. “Thank goodness you’re here!”

The orb shrank to reveal a boy with the appearance of a seventeen year old, the same age as Luna. His hair brightly shone and his dragon tattoo could be clearly seen, his eyes green flames of anger. “Release her Nyx. She’s been your prisoner for far too long. Besides, she has always been bound to me. She simply didn’t have time to bring our bond when you imprisoned her.”

“What is this bond he speaks of?” asked Nyx turning to Luna with hurt in his eyes.

“The necklace my Brother sent me,” Luna smiled. “It’s my marriage bond; Apollo has the matching ring.”

Apollo held up his hand for all to see. On it was a crescent moon intertwined with the sun.

“I am here to reclaim my bride. She would need my permission to marry anyone else and I refuse to give her up to anyone, especially you Nyx. She’s mine.”

“Possessive much?” muttered Nyx. “How do you plan on leaving? This is my domain and I am still ruler over it even if you claim the sky during the day.”

Apollo grinned wildly. “I was thinking of just winging it.” Then Apollo grabbed Luna and rose into the sky leaving trails of light streaming behind him. Nyx followed in close pursuit but was soon blinded by the sunrays Apollo left. Apollo carried Luna up farther and farther, covering her entirely so that none could see her, not even on the Earth. Finally, Apollo came to rest at a white marble and gold fortress.

“This is for you my dear. It’s the reason why it took so long to rescue you. I visited you, but you always thought it was a dream so I stayed just long enough to make sure you were all right. Then, I came back up here to work on this. Nyx can never find you here and if he does, there is no way he can penetrate the walls and bypass the traps we installed. Just be careful when you go out. I don’t want him to snatch you away from me again.”

Luna buried her head in Apollo’s chest and hugged him.

“Are you all right Luna, dearest heart? Do you not like your gift?” Apollo asked, concerned.

Luna lifted her tear-streaked face towards Apollo and smiled. “I love it, darling. It’s perfect.” Then, the two of them were embracing each other and kissing passionately. Five million years is a long time to wait for the one you love, too long. That night, the moon was set free and united with the sun. It was the night of the first lunar eclipse and the first time a new star was born. Nyx, being the jealous fellow he was, stole Luna and Apollo’s child to decorate his night sky in the hope Luna, his only love, would one day return to him, this time as his bride.