EPILOGUE

your happy ending

[eternaleverafter]

Sunlight filters through verdant leaves, casting a dappled shade on the forest floor. A soft breeze weaves its way through the gnarled branches.

The Princess stands in a little clearing, swimming in a gown of faded silk and adorned with a tarnished tiara. Hanging from the gilded chain round her neck is a pristine blade, resting peacefully over her heart.

Her eyes shine brighter than ever before, despite the black tearmarks streaking down her cheeks. She laughs, bell-like, as she twirls about. So, too laughs the shadow following her every footstep.

"We made it."

---

[roleplay/askblog for the epilogue/happily ever after slaytheprincess! and smitten is here too sort of :>

main is @respectablecapers, i also run @comical-contrarian, @stp-frycook-mrthecold, @minimumwage-sherlock, and @harsh-reflection ^.^ apologies in advance if i bungle anything, still don't really know what i'm doing haha]

[old intro below cut]

Torchlight dances over intricately woven tapestry and chiseled stone. The Princess sits at the far end of the room, swimming in silk and brocade and adorned with a glittering tiara. Hanging from the gilded chain round her neck is a pristine blade, resting peacefully over her heart.

Her tired eyes meet your own, her mouth creasing into a soft smile. So, too, grins the shadow looming over her.

"You're home."

[eternaleverafter]

*covers your peas in cheese*

"Oh...?"

She takes a tentative bite of one of the cheesy peas.

"Oh!"

[eternaleverafter]

Got any cheese in there? I’m dying for cheese.

"Cheese? I'm sorry, I don't think we do."

She holds her bag open for you to see its contents. It's stuffed full of peas...?

[eternaleverafter]

You tried your best, Smitten. Tried to make what he wanted. It’s not your fault you couldn’t.

The shadow hadn't considered her feelings, when it ripped them open. No, it decided it knew her heart better than she did. Perhaps it did the same to him, twisting his choice to fit its own selfish desires.

Was it what he wanted?

...

It's afraid to ever learn the answer.

[eternaleverafter]

It's raining.

...

She'd known of rain, before, as a concept. Something that only happened in other places, to other people. Not to her. Never to her.

This is her first.

...

The raindrops are cold on her skin. She'd never thought about that before, what it might feel like, besides just wet. And the smell —sharpish, fresh — she hasn't realized rain had a scent at all. The throbbing pressure that bloomed in her head as clouds gathered above, the relief as it drains away with every fallen drop...

There's so much more to it than she'd ever imagined.

...

Someday she'll grow used to it, but for now...

...

It's truly wondrous.

[eternaleverafter]

She dances in the rain.

A chassé here, a twirl there, then both arms raised above her head, touching the sky. The grass forms a soft green carpet under her bare feet, the clouds painted rosy orange by the rising sun.

Carried along by her footsteps, holding tight to his umbrella, he watches.

She's always been beautiful, of course, but something's changed since they left the cabin. There's a gleam in her eyes now, one that wasn't there before — or if it had been, the light of the torches drowned it out. A radiance in her smile, in her voice, in her every movement —

...

...

...

His heart aches.

[eternaleverafter]

Oh, you should probably take this.

*handbag get*

Since you don’t have a place to stay, do you? Or just aren’t interested in ‘staying’ at all.

Take this too! You can figure it out, I think. So you don’t get too wet from the rain.

*umbrella get*

"Thank you, this helps a lot!"

She eagerly accepts the bag, immediately transferring her few possessions from the scrap of skirt she's been using as a makeshift bindle to it. The umbrella she takes next, eyeing it curiously.

"'So I don't get too wet...'? How — eep!"

It pops open suddenly, nearly slipping from her fingers.

"...it... oh! Oh, Smitten, look!"

The shadow, sheltered beneath a nearby rocky outcrop, turns his head, jolting in surprise when she holds the umbrella out to him.

.. . ... . ....

"No, you take it! You need it more than I do. And — and it's okay if I get a little wet. I kind of like the rain."

... .

He takes it with some reluctance, still staying in the safety of his shelter.

[eternaleverafter]

It's raining.

...

She'd known of rain, before, as a concept. Something that only happened in other places, to other people. Not to her. Never to her.

This is her first.

...

The raindrops are cold on her skin. She'd never thought about that before, what it might feel like, besides just wet. And the smell —sharpish, fresh — she hasn't realized rain had a scent at all. The throbbing pressure that bloomed in her head as clouds gathered above, the relief as it drains away with every fallen drop...

There's so much more to it than she'd ever imagined.

...

Someday she'll grow used to it, but for now...

...

It's truly wondrous.

[respectablecapers]

slow day at work so here's a page of smitten

[eternaleverafter]

chimken snadwish

She picks at the chicken patty, a little skeptical at first. When she finally gives it a nibble, her eyes light up.

"...oh, it's like those little things! With the — the skin!"

She takes her time eating the sandwich. Once finished, she goes to wipe her hands on her gown. She grimaces at the accumulated stains, grass and dirt and grease and mayo marring the once-pristine fabric.

"What a mess... maybe Dee has something I could borrow...? At least while I get this cleaned."

[eternaleverafter]

contemplation…

*veggie burger*

The strongest part of its taste is the meat, so away it goes!

"..."

Unfortunately, it seems she's put off by burgers in general, regardless of the patty.

[eternaleverafter]

hey i fully believe with my entire heart and soul you can do an eight foot vertical leap. try it out!

"..."

She looks a bit skeptical, but nevertheless tries jumping straight up. It ends up being something of a one foot vertical hop.

[eternaleverafter]

bird. hey bird. you doing anything later. like are you guys a thing or are you like free this tuesday

....

"what"

[eternaleverafter]

[A moment after you blink, you notice something that wasn’t there before. A basket, holding three red boxes with an M shaped handle on top, and a yellow smile painted on. There’s a note stuck to the handle of the basket.]

{Eat up. You must be hungry, so I brought you these happy meals. - Dragon}

[You cautiously step a little closer to the basket. You catch the smell of something delicious. Do you open a box?]

She approaches with some trepidation. The smell is delicious, but something about it fills her with dread.

The first box she opens contains chicken nuggets and a bag of apple slices. She wolfs them down, suddenly aware of how hungry she's become. It's good, but she's still hungry after.

The second box has a packet of fries, sitting on top of something wrapped in paper. She scarfs down the fries first before unwrapping the —

"O-oh —!”

The burger falls from her hand, bun separating from patty as it hits the ground. She does not open the third box.

[eternaleverafter]

Map for you

"Oh wow! Thank you! We'll be back at Dee's home in no time!"

Neither she nor her shadow know how to read a map. They set off in the wrong direction.

[eternaleverafter]

okay okay so like you are one of a billion billion infinite possibilities, and the shifting mound is you. make sense?

"...nnnno?"

[eternaleverafter]

okay so, like, do you know about the shifting mound

The Shifting Mound... something about that title feels distantly familiar, a half-remembered dream.

"Didn't... didn't one of you mention it before? The... the hands that took me away?"

[eternaleverafter]

Have you considered the age old method of finding a device and then using a baby name generator or list?

She stares at you, face blank.

"I'm not a baby?"