For Eternity

This was where it all began.

"Mommy! Mommy can I go pway outside today?"

A woman with jade green eyes, roasting dinner smiled softly at the child groping at her skirts. "Again darling?" She nodded, her wavy brown locks bouncing around her small, chubby face. There was no way she could say no to those big brown eyes, pleading and so bright. Full of adventure and wonder.

"Alright Alisia." Hera knelt down, taking the small girl's hands into her own. "Promise me you will be home before the sun sets, or you will miss dinner." She kissed her head softly. "Heracles cannot join you today. He is still ill. But have fun darling."

'I love you's and hugs were exchanged, and the small girl ran from the house, down the hill and towards the woods that lay beyond.

A few years before, Alisia's mother, herself and her older brother were living far away in the east: in a land called Greece. It had become difficult for them to survive there after their father had passed, so the small family moved. Someplace far and remote, far from the pain that plagued them.

Their mother had heard of a magical land. A land called Scotland. It was here, far in the highlands that the family took refuge. Living alone and off the land, they thrived in peace.

But Alisia fell in love with more than the isolation.

She flapped her small arms in the gentle breeze that caressed her lightly tanned skin. She giggled as leaves tickled her face and grass her feet. Their mother was working on crafting them their own shoes, but of course this would take time and work. For now Alisia would go barefoot.

It was no lie, nor any rumor that the land was filled with magic. Perhaps their mother did not truly believe it, but Alisia and Heracles would be small witnesses to it each and every day.

And one day, they had stumbled on something most peculiar.

It had been Heracles who saw it first. The strange ring of mushrooms, leaves and brush. Like it had been laid there for a purpose. The fascinated children poked and prodded, but did not know of any use for it. Nor the purpose. That day they had ran home, asking their mother if they could take a trip to the town beyond the trees. When she had obliged, as long as they went together, they ran as fast as they could hand-in-hand.

In the town they found an old wise man. They knew he was wise, for his pale blue eyes stared at the brighter blue sky, dreaming and listening. Wise men always listened.

They had asked him about the ring, and happy to see such young and smiling faces asking about magic, he told them the ancient tale. He told them of the Faery Rings, in which those special enough could communicate with the magical realm. It was laid there by Faeries, and with a special offering one could summon one.

Heracles, and especially Alisia, went home fascinated that day. Alisia tried her hardest to convince Heracles to gather an offering for a Faery, but he said no. Perhaps he was wary of the ideas of magic, or simply afraid. Or maybe he thought the idea was stupid.

But nothing would stop Alisia.

She took the best thing she had; a simple bar of chocolate, and ran into the forest one bright day.

She found the ring, just as they had left it. Completely untampered with by the nature that flowed and lived around it. Her every nerve tingled as she unwrapped the chocolate bar, breaking off two small pieces.

"Here faiwy wing..." She put a piece as close to the center as she could, giggling in appreciation at her work. "One for you," she put the other piece between her lips, "and one for me."

She remembered waiting. It felt like so long that she had waited. The chocolate long now a sludge running down her throat, she sighed in defeat and sadness. "Why did you come faiwy...."

Just as she was about to stand to head back home, a swift and strong breeze knocked her back on her bottom. She stared at the trees, how they rustled without a single cloud being in the sky.

She turned towards the ring. And the chocolate was gone.

And that's when he was there.

Eyes of an emerald jewel, tall and large. He had approached her and held out his large hand. And together they had played, and she knew the magic was real.

Those were the happiest times of her life. When she was young, full of magic, and free.

Every time she made an offering she would ask for eternal happiness. And each time they would play and it felt like the happiness would never end.

~

"But...mommy....I-I don't want to go!"

The mother's jade eyes were dull, sullen with tears and defeat. "We need..to go. Alisia. We have to leave." The mother was shaking, forcing herself not to cry in front of her fragile daughter again.

Doctors had poured into her small shack. She had been confused at first. But in time her mother was sobbing, her body shuddering , wracking with the tears. It took her such little time to throw their most precious possessions into a sack.

She scooped the child up with one arm, and Alisia's arms wrapped instinctively around her neck. "But mommy...why isn't-"

Alisia was small, but not dumb. She saw the room in the back, the doctors emerging with sullen faces. A small body was draped with cloth, being hidden.

"Mommy..you have to wake Hewacles up! He has to come to!"

Hera could not stop her tears as the child called for her brother. "Mommy! No we can't leave him! Brother pwease! He has to come with us mommy!"  She shook her head, holding the child tight and fleeing from the house, slamming the door behind them. The rain poured down on them.

The forests, once full of magic and happiness echoed with the sobs of a small child, calling desperately for her brother.

And once again, the family fled from their home. Once four, now two.

~

Alisia, now age twenty two, lived in Bucharest. A capital of liveliness, dancing and fun. For years now she had lived here, since her childhood and on.

She stroked a golden band on her left ring finger, sighing softly. The young woman was engaged, and to a man with one of the sweetest smiles she knew.

They had met by introduction from her mother and his father. It seemed it was arranged for them to be together, but they did not mind after a while. He like her loved dance, and quickly they did bond. Vladimir was kind to her, and it was not long before he was egged to propose. And she accepted.

Perhaps here she could find her happiness.

~

It was a cool misty day in Bucharest. The air was thick and moist. Locked arm-in-arm the couple did walk, along the wettened cobble streets. He had apologized to her in numbers for forgetting his umbrella, and she had laughed and told him not to worry each time.

She decided- yes. She was happy with him. His bright ruby eyes would dance with laughter and his smile would help to bring her from the darkest of moods. He was still warm, even in this cold rain, so she clung to him tightly. His arm wrapped around her and yes, they were happy.

They moved to cross the street, and he whispered a teasing joke into her ear, some comment about the shape of her rear in the cold. She had laughed, shoving playfully against his chest.

The blaring horns and blinding lights had  stunned her like a helpless deer, but helpless he was not. He had just enough time to throw her out of harm's way, skidding onto the sidewalk nearby.

The crunch of tires made her scream. No...no! She clambered forward, bruised and palming and the blood-stained pavement. She screamed for him though his eyes were closed. "Vlad! V-Vlad please!" Tears soaked the blood, and repeatedly she shook him. A crowd gathered, the wail of sirens quickly approaching.

She screamed for him, clawing at him like a child clinging for its mother, even as the police pulled her away. The ring fell from her hand that day.

It shattered on the pavement. Just as her heart shattered.

~

A family of four. First to three, then to two, then one, but a second had emerged.

But her fate was decided. She was alone. Down to one.

No-one existed to hold her anymore as she sobbed at night. Her mother died a few years before. Vladimir was dead before the paramedics rushed him to the hospital.

The ring was long lost, but perhaps it was fitting. Another chapter of her life shattered. Where had she to go? What could she do? No amount of money would fill this vastness in her heart. Perhaps nothing would.

She only had one idea left. And the next morning, she pledged to never see Bucharest again. She was gone.

~

Just as green as she had remembered.

She breathed in the familiar, cool air. No matter the pain nor the strife she could never forget this place.

She had returned to Scotland. The place where she had been the happiest of all her life. But even now, with all this pain, this emptiness, the green hills seemed grey.

She had found the old shack that was her home. A place of happiness, and in her last days in it sorrow. But there was one place where she never experienced sorrow.

Her feet took her towards it, her broken soul and heart knowing nothing else that could be done but clinging to a false memory.

As a child she had skipped. Now her feet dragged through the soft green grass. She pushed her way through leaves and bramble when she had once glided.

Finally, she found it. Just as it had been left so many years ago.

She fell to her knees in exhaustion. Not a physical one, but emotionally. Spiritually. She could hear a crack of thunder in the distance.

Her hand shook as it slipped into her pocket. She had brought nothing else with her.

The chocolate was old in her hands, bought days ago at a market in Bucharest just before she had left. She broke a small piece off, about to put it to her lips. But again, like for many days she was not hungry. So she put the entire bar down in its center, breathing out shakily. "Please..."

For many, many minutes, nothing.

So it was true then, her childhood fantasies had been just that. Just a vivid imagination with tails of Faeries to fill her head. Hot tears leaked from her cheeks onto the soil.

"I...I w-wish..." Why was she doing this? Because she had nothing else. "I wish for eternal happiness..."

No answer.

"I wish for...for happiness...."

Again, nothing.

She sucked in a long breath, letting her soul rip through her throat. "I WISH FOR ETERNAL HAPPINESS!" She sobbed out all her emotions, falling forward and crying. She cried like she never had allowed herself to before. She screeched with the anguish of loneliness and helplessness. She cried for her brother. For her mother. For Vladimir. For her father. She cried for herself because she was so alone. Wishing for things she had as a child would not save her, she knew. It only made her cry harder, screaming out her emotion that she had withheld for so long.

"Chris' lass. If ye keep screamin' like tha' people are gonna think yer bein' murdered."

Her entire body froze. Her heart stopped. She couldn't move.

A dream stood before her. A large man dressed in a dark blue, his hair of rubies and his eyes of emerald jewels. He bent down on one knee, smiling with chocolate between his teeth.

"This chocolate's a bi' stale lass. Ye donnae have the good stuff ye used tae bring me?"

Her body trembled as she stared at him in awe. It was like staring at an old memory. He glistened, practically radiated something that was so lost that her heart began to hammer in her chest.

"You...y-you're...."

The rain was pouring lightly, sliding down from the foliage above and dropping on them. It all seemed to miss him though. He sighed, using a thumb to brush both tears and cold rain from her cheeks. "Yer gonna catch a cold lass..."

His arms were under her then, easily picking her up into his strong arms. She felt like a princess. Nearly like a child again. A fresh different kind of tears were swelling now.

She remembered. It flooded back to her. The feel of his warmth, the scent of sharp pine and all things nature... and his name.

"Iain..." she breathed. He smirked down at her. "So ye do remember."

Her face broke into such a smile that the tears fled from her eyes. Her arms clutched around his neck so tight that he gasped. "Lass...cannae breathe!"

"Oh!" She pulled back, blushing lightly. "Sorry.."

He sighed, shaking his head. He turned and began walking, deeper into the forest. "I should be the one tha's sorry lass." She raised an eyebrow at him in confusion. "Sorry....for what?"

His expression was oddly solemn as he looked at her. "Ye would always wish fer happiness. I...havenae been able tae deliver recently."

Her heart skipped a beat. It was true. He was true. It all was. Not dreams, but real memories of a time of magic and happiness. And here he was, right where she'd left him.

"We'd better ge' ye home-" "N-no." He blinked down at her, raising a thick eyebrow. "Lass..." "Let me stay with you." Her arms were around him, face buried in his chest.

He was her first happiness. Her only true happiness. Her first love.

He couldn't ignore her. Since she was so small she had intrigued him. He knew she was special. His once-bitter heart softened to her and they knew about each-other and shared what no-one else did.

She had lost everything and he was all she had.

"Lass..." he whispered gently into her hair, "le' me make ye happy again."

She stared at him with those chocolate eyes that made him fall in love. "You....you will?"

"Aye. Fer eternity."

And together they disappeared into the forest, for he had taken her into his world, the world of magic. The world never saw Alisia again.

But now, she was truly happy. For eternity.