Under the Light of the Harmonious Moon

Updated a/n – I began this, several years ago and discussed it with Paladeus because I mentioned in a forum that I had thought about taking this challenge but didn't feel I had the time. He encouraged me to try and this was the prologue that I came up with for before the opening scene to explain Lilith. Not that anyone can, She simply Is.

Over the weekend, word went out that Paladeus was no longer with us. A local friend of his posted that his body had been found in a lake in Oklahoma. It's being investigated as a homicide. His name was Kevin Price from Noble, Oklahoma.

The last thing he mentioned to me was that I should finish this. I feel bad that I haven't finished Canary and started on this.

His stuff isn't everyone's cup of tea, but he was a very big supporter of Lunar Harmony

Original a/n – This is my take on Paladeus' Champions of Lilith Challenge (Challenge #11 listed in his forum) that he has an opening scene for in his collection "Into the Rabbit Hole". A while ago I was asked if I was going to take this challenge, and I responded that I wasn't thinking about it because I didn't have time to research the background for it.

Apparently, my subconscious decided otherwise, because a background idea about the origin of the Fey popped up a little while ago and after doing a bit of recreational reading that doesn't count as research (a line I borrowed from everyone's favorite Gryffindor witch) this opening scene appeared which not only explains where the Fey came from, and how Lilith became their Queen, but adds a bit of urgency to the end of the world feel that Paladeus' original story gave us.

And while I own neither anything recognizable from the Harry Potter universe, that being the property of JK Rowling and her various and sundry corporate partners, nor the challenge itself I'm also taking this opportunity to mention that I don't own the concept of Santa, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, Bishop Nikolaos of Myna (Saint Nicholas) or whatever else you might call him either. And I also state categorically that it is not my intention to offend anyone's religious sensibilities with anything that I might present in this story.

And without further ado, the prologue to our little tale of Lunar Harmony, the Apocalypse, and why Father Christmas has been in therapy since meeting Luna.

Prologue – In the Garden at Sunset

Sunset, 39th day of Creation (31 October, 4004 BC)

"Stupid cow"

Standing in the shade of a stand of date palms, an unlikely pair was watching as s man and a woman trudged dejectedly through an open gate that was freestanding on the banks of a mighty river. As the pair passed between the stone stelae, the mighty gates swung shut and two winged beings armed with flaming swords appeared to guard the gates.

Shaking her head, the woman beneath the palms rolled her eyes. "He gave them one simple rule and the idiot couldn't go forty days without listening to that stupid cow."

"Lilith, I think you might just be a tad bitter," Uriel chuckled as he watched the disgraced pair trudge off into the fading twilight. "He has a plan …"

"Spare me," Lilith said bitterly. "The man's an idiot; I can't believe he went along with her."

"Lucifer did what he does, and Eve fell for it and then Adam listened to her," Uriel said patiently, and not for the first time. "The consequences of 'free will' …"

"Again, spare me the lecture. Did you see me falling for that hoary argument about the Tree," Lilith demanded, glaring at the Archangel standing beside her.

"Of course not. And he even tried that 'the Knowledge hidden from you will show you how to get Adam's attention' argument when the other didn't work." Shaking her head, sending her ebon tresses flying, she glared at the spot where the pair had disappeared into the gathering twilight.

"How have the Hosts taken the Fall?" Trying not to look concerned, Lilith leaned back against the palm tree and watched her companion. The look on his face and the pause before answering spoke volumes to her.

"Not well" Uriel admitted. "There's a significant number that see the Fall as vindication of their discontent with giving the Created free will. Lucifer's cohort in particular is saying that if any should have been granted the boon of Free Will, it should have been members of the Hosts."

"And Samyaza's?" Lilith asked in an innocent voice, smiling at the look of shock on the archangel's face. "Didn't know he'd been sniffing around, did you?"

"Samyaza has been almost … obsessive about the Created, and it was spread to the members of his band." Shaking his head, Uriel gave Lilith a look. "And just what was he sniffing around about?"

"Other than offering to make up for Adam's lack of interest," Lilith asked with a smirk. Seeing the shocked look on Uriel's face, she giggled a bit.

"Up until he went and got himself banished, I was willing to wait for Adam to decide that we should go ahead and follow the example of the rest of creation. Regardless of what 'she' said, there was a reason we're female and male."

"The woman has a name," Uriel said with a smile. "And Adam chose to wait before she was created."

Seeing the dangerous glint in his companion's eyes, Uriel held up a hand. "I know, sore subject. And it was obvious that she was pushing Adam regarding your place in the scheme of things."

"Especially since I 'saw' things that didn't fit into his neat and tidy world view," Lilith said bitterly. "I suppose telling him that she was going to lead him into destruction and ruin did nothing to endear me to her."

"Well, that and the bit about your children and hers living in an uneasy coexistence, with her descendants being the jealous ones might have had a bit to do with it."

"Right, and dear old Luci decided that was his cue to make a run at Little Miss Helpmate."

Hearing an outraged hissing, Lilith looked over her shoulder and caught the tail of a large serpent disappearing into the underbrush.

"Yes, Luci, I'm talking about you," Lilith said as the serpent disappeared from view. "Satisfied now that you got that pair kicked out of the Garden?"

A sibilant "Not yet" floated back to them as the twilight deepened. Shaking her head, Lilith turned back to her companion and gave him an appraising look.

"You here to kick me out since they went and defied Him?"

"Acquired the Knowledge of Good and Evil while I wasn't looking?"

"Do I know that brassing off the Creator of the Universe is a bad idea," she replied with a sigh.

"Yes. Did I disobey the only rule that He laid down and then eat a piece of fruit to challenge Him to His face? Then the answer's an unqualified 'No'."

"Then, you know the answer's 'no, I'm not here to kick you out'," Uriel answered. "I'm here because I'm worried about you."

"What's to worry about," Lilith asked as she looked around. "I've got free run of the Garden, nothing harmful running about as long as you keep old Luci on a short leash, and all the time in Creation to decide what I want to do thanks to the Tree of Life."

"Well, you weren't Created to be alone," Uriel countered. "Eternity's a very long time now that Adam and Eve are on the other side of the Gate."

"I know, '…be fruitful and multiply'. I've heard it before. I was the one wanting to follow instructions, remember?"

Seeing the archangel's amused nod, she sighed noisily. "And then before I get him talked around to multiplying, little Miss 'Created out of a Spare Rib while Adam's not paying attention' shows up and see where that got us."

"Lili …"

"Don't 'Lili' me, Uriel," Lilith said with a smile. "This wasn't the way things were supposed to go. We weren't supposed to mess up. We weren't supposed to be mortal and trudge all over Creation fighting the environment for survival. We were supposed to show that beings of Free Will could honor The Creator. We were supposed to be beings of Spirit and flesh not …"

"Beings with a Soul, beings tied to this suddenly imperfect world," Uriel finished. "I know, little one. But I'm still worrying about you. What are you going to do?"

With a peculiar glint in her eye, Lilith snaked her arm around the waist of the archangel, smiling as the feathers of his wings tickled the skin of her arm.

"I intend to do exactly what I was created to do," Lilith said as she began to guide her companion towards the main part of the woods where she had commandeered a glade for her own use.

"I plan on going ahead and doing what I was told to do. Adam's made his choice, and so have I."

Giving Lilith a skeptical look, Uriel rolled his eyes. "I don't believe that this is exactly what was meant in your original instructions," he said as they began walking beneath the trees towards the glade that Lilith had claimed.

"In fact, I'm certain that He intended for you and Adam to accomplish the 'be fruitful and multiply' part."

"And Adam put a stop to that by getting kicked out of The Garden when he just blindly listened to that cow and said 'Yes, Dear' before he ate what she handed to him. It's his fault he's not here and I'm tired of waiting."

Seeing that Uriel was about to continue his argument, she rose up on her tiptoes and placed her finger on his lips, shushing him.

"Would you rather I wait until I get really desperate and Samyaza comes sleazing around with whatever deviate plan he has in that twisted mind of his?"

The look on Uriel's face showed his opinion of his fellow member of the Heavenly Hosts as he slowly shook his head.

"Lili, I don't think …"

Standing in front of him, Lilith slid her hands up his arms and stared deep into the archangel's copper colored eyes.

"Don't think. Just feel. You're an archangel, one of His main expediters. You're tasked with seeing that His Will is done and I was told …"

"Be fruitful and multiply," Uriel said with a chuckle. "Didn't you just get finished complaining that Adam simply said 'Yes, dear' to Eve?"

"I was never told not to be fruitful with an archangel, were you ever told not to be fruitful with one of the Created?"

"You have been listening to Samyaza," Uriel said as he gazed deep into her emerald green eyes.

Pulling him down as she sank into the bower of grasses she had made earlier, she simply said, in a husky voice right before she kissed him, "Anyone ever tell you that you talk too much?"

As the full moon rose over the Garden of Eden, the birds and animals of the forest were disturbed by the joyous cries of passion that rang out from a secluded glade in the woods.

Around the planet known as Earth, in the various hidden places of the world, as the rays of the moon shown down, the Fey began to shimmer into existence. Fairies, pixies, nymphs, unicorns, phoenixes, dragons, naiads and countless others shimmered into being and began exploring the world that was around them.

And it was Good.