by Maria Rocket
***
Sighing softly, Quatre traced the curve of his beloved's cheek. Smooth mother-of-pearl skin was warm to his touch. The gentle rise and fall of her chest was the hope of happiness. To stay there forever on that peaceful riverbank watching her was his private little heaven.
If only she would open her eyes. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her lovely blue eyes. He wanted to see them again. He wanted her to open them, and look at him. And speak to him again with that voice like crystal bells, enchanting him with her laughter. He wanted to dance with her again, to turn around meadows and feel the tangible joy. Tears of memory trailed down his cheeks.
"Dorothy," he whispered in a voice dusty with disuse, "when you wake up, we'll dance again, won't we?"
His shimmering, transparent butterfly wings slowly opened and closed behind him. He was so tired, too tired to move or fly, maybe too tired to ever dance again. Still, he would dance for hours if it would bring his love back to him.
It was all his fault. She lay there still because she loved him. She, a mere human, had dared to love a fairy prince. Such an open love as theirs between a fairy and human was forbidden, and punishable by death. When his father discovered where he had been spending his days and nights, he was enraged. As the fairy prince, Quatre himself was to be spared, but Dorothy faced a horrible fate.
Desperate to save her life, Quatre soul bonded with her, making her immortal. If she were to die, he would join her in death. There were ways of killing an immortal, but because of the bond, if one of them died, they both would die. Not even Quatre's father, the King would kill his own son, so instead he cursed Dorothy to an eternal sleep. Overcome with grief, Quatre swore to remain by her side for eternity in the enchanted forest where she was banished.
He would bear the terrible curse for both of them.
That was eons ago. Since then, he hadn't had food or drink, and sleeping only occasionally in her warm embrace. With another sigh, he sifted the platinum silk of her hair through his fingers. He would wait an eternity for her. He knew that only one magic could last forever. His lips brushed against her small ear.
"I'll never stop loving you." His voice was almost non-existant, more of a thought on the breeze. "Dorothy, when all other realms pass away, I'll still be here with you. And I'll still love you."