Epilogue

EPILOGUE

OSIRIS

F orcing peace between humans and beings, as it would turn out, was far more work than Osiris had hoped for.

When he had first introduced Eleanor to the other beings, he assumed the worst part was over. Many of them were accepting but just as many wanted nothing to do with her, or any other humans for that matter. Elias had been at the forefront of reaching out to the human villages, Autumntun in particular. At first, it seemed as though the humans were already armed with pitchforks and torches.

Even though Osiris and Eleanor were at the heart of the movement, they thought it better to remain with the beings, working on new ideas for peace treaties and also smoothing over relations within the enclave that had since gone awry.

When they first proposed the idea of Elias being at the front of being-human relations, the vampire had been uninterested. However, after a few scouting trips to Autumntun, he seemed to have changed his mind.

Such a capricious man.

Osiris walked onto his property, Shadow trailing not far behind with the soft, slow paced clicks of her hooves. Their trip to the market had been far easier than the last few times. With Eleanor tagging along as of late, building relations as she would oft tell him, they were constantly swarmed by other beings curious to talk with a human.

Even some of the men wanted to speak with her as if she wasn’t already belonging to Osiris.

His shadows flicked at the memory of a malewolvenwho had tried winning Eleanor’s favor with a show of gifts and cloth.

But this trip was different.

Osiris looked down at the tiny orange satchel, tied off with a bow that sat in his hands.

He knew he needed a way of showing that she was taken. His heart could not take much more of the male beings throwing themselves at her, mainly out of curiosity of what it was like to be with a human.

She will say yes.

Osiris reminded himself, letting out a deep breath.

Eleanor looked up from the garden as Osiris approached, her pink dress stained with dirt and grass, a beaming smile plastered across her face.

“How was your trip?” she asked, dusting her hands on the skirt of her dress as she stood to meet him.

“Quiet,” Osiris chuckled, “though, I think some of the beings were disappointed that you were not there.”

“All of them?” she questioned, her eyebrows knitting together as her worried hands played with one of his shadows.

His fire dimmed at the sight of her diminishing hope.

Slowly, he shook his head.

“It will take time, Symphony. But I am sure there will be a day that we may all live in peace.”

Eleanor sighed but shook away her frown as she forced a smile back onto her sun kissed face. “Any word from Elias?”

“Last I heard he was running a team of scouts through the neighboring human villages. Perhaps he will circle back here before heading to the next, or at the very least, send word.”

“He has been making habit of watching Autumntun. Is there movement to be worried about?”

“If there was, he would tell us. Do not worry yourself, my Symphony. Look at all you have accomplished in under a year? Hallows Eve is tonight, and the beings have already left. I heard that even some humans are not hiding away this Eve. All of it, my dearest, is thanks to you.”

Eleanor smiled but he could tell she wanted to push things along. She yearned for peace, for stability between their people, and one day, a treaty.

He had spent many a night awake, thinking of how to repair the harmony that once existed in his hidden home. But each time he tried; he came up empty. This was not something, he learned, that could be forced.

All would work out as it should in time.

Osiris’ hands meaningfully squeezed the satchel.

Time that he hoped they would have together .

“Eleanor,” he rasped as he took a step back, dropping down to one knee, calling on the instructions Eddy had given him as his heart thundered in his chest.

He had claimed her in his own way. Now, it was time to claim her in the way of humans.

Eleanor’s eyes widened as that beautiful symphony of pink dusted her cheeks.

“I have spent countless years wandering this world, and, I no longer yearn for the memories I have lost. Instead, I find myself eager for the new memories I hope to create,” he began as he opened the satchel to pull out the item, keeping it hidden in his hand. “One thing I have come to learn in this long life of mine, is that we must always look towards the future. For a being like myself, future is an eternity. There is no one I would rather spend eternity with, than you, my Symphony,” he finished, his voice pitching at the end. Taking a deep breath, he opened his hand to reveal a gold ring with a black gemstone that glittered under the rays of sunlight.

Eleanor took in a sharp inhale of breath as her eyes began to water.

“If you wear this,” he continued, “your life will be as long as mine, for as long as you wear it. But if eternity is not what you want, Eleanor, then I will stay devoted to you, I will cherish you and the time we have together, until your final breath. I love you, Eleanor. And no matter your answer, my heart will never falter in this. So, if your answer is no—”

Eleanor slammed into Osiris, knocking him onto his back as she cried and somehow laughed at the same time. “Yes, yes,” she said through her laughter. “No matter what the future brings,” she whispered as she sat up, gazing down at him as she straddled his legs, “I know that if I am with you, I will be alright.”

His shadows snaked around her waist as they took the ring from his hand, placing it on her waiting finger.

In that moment, as her tear-streaked face peered down at him, her eyes shining with a brightness that mirrored a future he knew he needed to pave the path for, Osiris swore an oath to himself.

I do not know how I came to find you, but I will never forget how lucky I am.

THE END