a double edged sword

she had asked him to come with her. that's it. just three simple words. "come with me." her voice still ringing across his mind. speaking tales of gods and bloodshed; of forbidden love and happily ever afters. all she wanted was his hand to hold and his life as her own. to lie together and sleep forever in each other's arms. it wasn't so much thinking back on it: to live with her for the rest of their short years together. still in their youth and in control of how the end could come. it was almost too good. too easy. he could have swept her away, away from her fears and the danger she dreaded with each passing day, but instead he brought her despair. the tears she cried the night he refused her proposal to be free with one another was the night her life was torn apart forever. he watched as the one he called forever ended their illusion of love.

he had always seen her as special. he already had all the planets and stars, and everything in between at his feet, but she gave him something different. something he never knew he was missing: the moon. he had always hated the moon; standing alone, even with the light of a million stars at its side. the fact it needed the sun's light to make it into something had always repulsed him, but she changed that. she made him see the moon as strong and courageous. like a brave knight battling the darkness. she'd tell him that no one could fight off the night by themselves. that the sun offered to help the moon with its battles because no one deserves to fight alone.

now his missed her more than ever. his grief tying a noose around his neck and willing him to give into death's cold yet inviting grip. to wilt as the most beautiful flowers do, as mary-lee, his love now and for the rest of his days, did. to lay down in a an untamed field of lavender and wildflowers. to lay as the febuary sun heats your cheeks and the wind blows away any sudden doubts you may have had before. perhaps she wasn't so wrong. maybe to lie down as birds whisper tragic tales of endless sleep and lovers united until the cold is numbing and waking up is harder than the thought of peace forever, wasn't so bad.

almost ghostlike, he made his way to his young wife's grave. thoughts of seeing her pale green eyes once again filled him with more joy than he has felt since her absence. and there he slept; with the smell of lavender lulling him into a sleep that will bring him to mary-lee's arms for the rest of eternity.