“I loved him,” the auburn haired girl whispered as she looked around her, sadness shining in her eyes and in the crystal drops pouring from her eyes. “Was that such a crime?”
Of course there was no answer, there was no one to answer her, the girl wearing the tattered rags of a once beautiful sapphire ball gown was completely alone, but perhaps we are starting this story a bit too late. After all, this night had started relatively normal for Adalae.
She was attending yet another ball thrown by her parents, but she didn’t know the truth of this ball. Her parents were tired of her mooning over someone beneath her. So this night they were going to introduce her to her fiancé. No one expected things to go so wrong.
Adalae looked around the wreckage that was left of, well, her life and she couldn’t believe her eyes. “How could this happen…?” she whispered aghast, but then Adalae knew the answer to that. She had played with fire, and now she was feeling its burn.
When Adalae had realized her parents’ intentions for the night she did the only thing she could think of. She’d prayed to Kackin, the last god she should have prayed to but the one most likely to grant her wish. Kackin was infamous for giving a person their heart’s desire, but always with a steep price attached, and he always exacted that price.
Kackin had given Adalae her deepest desire, she could finally be in her loves arms even though he was a servant. She and her Foley had enjoyed their night of bliss. Neither of them aware what awaited at the end.
“I’m sorry…” Adalae whispered as she collapsed to the ground, her tattered dress draping around her. “When he said I’d pay the price I didn’t think he meant this…”
After spending the night in Foley’s arms, Foley escorted Adalae to her room. All Adalae could feel was the bliss of love, but once she shut her bedroom door, the night of wonder officially declared over. Kackin appeared before her once more. He was stunning to look at as always, he white clothes shown with a radiance that mortals could only hope to achieve. “You’ve enjoyed your fun, daughter. Now it’s time for mine.” With those words Kackin faded from her room, and the next thing Adalae heard was screams. For hours, Adalae was trapped in her room listening to the dying screams of her people. Kackin had indeed exacted his price, a price paid in the blood of those she loved…
“I killed you all…” Adalae whispered remorse and horror choking her, “I’m so sorry, I just wanted to be happy for one night, to be permitted to love him just once. I didn’t mean for it to be the last night…” Yet there wasn’t a soul left alive in her home, in fact there wasn’t much of home left, just charred fragments that told the story of a god’s fee enacted on a silly girl. Adalae sat there crying as she smoothed out her torn ball gown, “Just take it back…” she whispered her voice a muffled sob. “Take me back, I’ll do anything just let them not be dead, please….!” She finished with an anguished cry.
So lost in her tears Adalae didn’t notice the restoration that was happening around her. The fragments around her were slowly growing back into a magnificent mansion around her. The charring was disappearing and then, as if shades, people slowly started filing in. Until one person finally approached Adalae, “My love why do you cry?” asked the man dove grey eyes looking softly at the woman he loved.
Adalae gasped and looked up her deep blue eyes, so blue they were violet, landing on a man dressed in a servant’s uniform but as handsome as any prince. “Foley…?” she asked questioningly, “but you should be dead, you should all be dead.”
“Dead, my love?”
“Yes, Kackin killed you, as payment for my wish of a night of love in your arms.”
Foley laughed softly, “I think you’ve imbibed a bit too much tonight my dear, come let me get you to bed.”
Adalae looked around amazed, once again unable to believe what she was seeing. It was the end of the ball again, and things were whole, how could this be? Adalae shook her head, not going to question, she could be happy with Foley again and that’s what mattered.
Somewhere high above the ball, that would continue forever, laughed a god with radiant white clothes and blonde hair so blonde it was white. He looked over at his minions and chuckled, “Wonder when they’ll realize they are ghosts?”