The cosmos above the marble ballroom still shimmered, impossibly frozen in time. The stars did not twinkle. They burned—silent witnesses to something delicate blooming in the space between two souls.
Neither of us spoke.
Emma remained in my arms, her tears having long since dried, but her breathing was still uneven—like her body hadn't yet caught up with the weight of truth pressing against her chest. I could feel it, the tension that lingered between us—not fear, not distrust, but the painful aftermath of vulnerability.
She stepped away from me slowly, carefully—as if afraid the floor beneath her feet might crack with too much movement. Her diamond form had dulled, softened into a shimmering translucence, like frost melting in the warmth of sunlight.
Her voice broke the silence first, low and uncertain.
Emma "Why... did you help me"
I looked at her. Not just her body, but her mind too, it was tangled, threads of strength and suffering, ambition and heartbreak, each pair tightly woven together and the once mental armor, was shed.
I didn't rush to answer. Instead, I knelt and touched the mirrored floor. It rippled outward turning the cracked floor beneath my fingers into sand, the reflections around us shattering and moving behind Emma turning liquid and coalescing together into a sea in an instant, it was as magnificent as it was complex.
The stars that hung above dimming but instead of darkness it was filled with a dark violet color and in the distance from the sea we could see a sunset rise. It was odd to see a sunset rising instead.
Auro "Because no one helped me when I needed it most. Because I know how much it hurts to be in that position."
Auro "I saw myself in you and I also hate that part of me... I should also tell you the self hate never disappears, but the weight lessens."
Emma looked at me, her eyes filled with the compulsion to say something and yet she was unable to grasp the words she was looking for. She looked at me before turning around and sitting down on the sand.
Emma "So you showed me my memories because you saw yourself?"
I contemplated my words, thinking what I should say, should I tell her that I saw her mind and was disgusted? No I don't want to hide my intentions when she's so vulnerable to lies right now, that would be cruel of me.
I heisted before opened my mouth "I was looking for something... and I realized that it was in the possession of the hellfire club, I wanted to get in but I didn't know how so I used my telepathic abilities to see how...
But then I saw you, I saw the crack in your head, I saw the backdoor in your unbreakable defenses, I saw how vile that door was, I saw how cruel and disgusting they were.
I didn't see my position in you first, But I did see the vile thing in your head, and for lack of a better word, I was pissed, pissed off at whoever did this to you and pissed off that they had the gall to do that to anyone."
I breathed in and out and looked at the sunset before saying "It was irrational of me but I felt like I had to reveal that to you... but when I saw your reaction; that is when I saw myself in you.
I had to reveal it to you even if I would be betrayed by you."
Emma flinched when i first began explaining but soon relaxed as she listened to the rest, her telepathic abilities screamed that he was dangerous but she could also tell he was being honest, that he wasn't lying...
Emma thought for a short while her mind still reeling before asking. "May I know what you're searching for?"
I sighed, I've gotten this far with honesty might as well go all the way. "I'm searching for a Norn stone, it is in the possession of the Hellfire club, it is a black gem in the shape of a diamond, that looked almost as if the stars were contained within it
they give a good talented enough wielder of them a boost in magical abilities, and I'm need of dire need that." Finishing my words I looked at her hoping she would play nice with me.
"I'll buy it for you" The white queen spoke not turning her head. "Consider it gift of appreciation for helping me with my broken mind"
My eyes widened for a short moment before quickly gaining my composure once more. "Thank you Emma I would greatly appreciate that."
Emma stood up from her seat on the sand, I noticed the sand did not stick onto her like normal sand, it seeming fell of instantly.
Emma opened her mouth once more "Can you transmit me your location?"
Sensing that she was being completely sincere I gave her my address; I gave a light bow before saying, "Thank you so much Emma"
The white queen stared at the Ethereal man for a short while before walking towards him, her hips moving back and forth, she lifted the face of the gorgeous man before her, and she kissed him.
It was a deep passionate kiss, one that I quickly returned I quickly stood straight and hooked my arms around her weight kissing back. This lasted for 10 long seconds before we both pulled back.
She began to grab my pants preparing to lower it, before I grabbed her hand and stopped it.
"Stop, stop, stop, you're vulnerable, you're in need of validation, you need to find a healthy way to find it that isn't this." I looked her in the eyes still watery, but gods pretty could not describe that face.
For a second before pulling away, she looked at me with intense hesitation...
Seeing her eyes I began speaking, "Visit me, you know where I live, visit me when you find the time only then we can continue this, understand?"
"I-I understand" the white queen speaking her voice still some what recovering from the crying she did just moment ago..
I looked at her for a second or so.. "You can call me if you want to"
I opened my mind again, giving her my phone number using my telepathy.
"If you ever need someone to talk to call me... and if you ever want to visit me, please find closure with the life you have now, I don't want to join the hellfire club nor do I want to be connected to it."
I though about what I should do next before deciding to simply leave...
"Thank you for your time Emma and I hope you have a prosperous life!"
Emma felt as his presence disappear, as she began feeling a breath of fresh air, realized it was a new dawn.